faith this day ye fast this day yee pray this day yee beleeve and speed Asa cryed to God relyed on God 2 Chron. 14. 11. and the Ethiopians fled verse 12. 3. The souldiers by this triumph and the enemies fall faith is good in the field faith is the warriours Target the souldiers shield Trust in God will raise us and ruine his enemies Psal. 20. 7.8 4. God will doe much good for those who trust in him 1. God will effect what they commit to him trust to this Commissioner and he will bring all to passe works shall succeed and be prosperous when men rest on the Lord without faith things will be at a stâ—nd and not bee effected you would have all ended comfortably that is happily begun rest on the Lord and he will doe it to your hand Faith puts the businesse in and will not take it out of Gods hand as Psal. 37. 5. 2. God will carry beleevers thorow mids of manifold troubles and difficulties with great ease comfort and safety the red Sea was for beleevers made dry land Yee whose unparalleld paines have met with unheard of difficulties in your proceedings cast the eye of your faith upon the Lord to make your way plaine and passable that the Lords flock may goe albeit through the wildernesse Canaan-ward Heb. 11. 29. 3. God will shew beleevers his glory his glory of power to help of mercy to pity of truth to keep promise of wisdom to counsell them men without faith misse and meet not with God but bow the eare to that of Christ our Saviour Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldst beleeve thou shouldst see the glory of God Iohn 11.40 4. God can doe a world of good for men in a week he made a world in sixe dayes that may cause us to rest on him What great things can God doe in a day in your great councell for this sinfull Kingdome and corrupted Church mind what a day may bring forth or a week bring about and rest on the Lord who can work all our works for us were a matter as hard as to make a world yet God can by his owne hand he needs no inâ—truments who are all unactive without him plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth Isay 51.16 2. The manner of this fact they are diligent every day early compassing this city Iericho seven dayes having no rest till the work bee done the wals be down as the Lord had told them Faith in God is active for God till it have done the will of God the worke of God as Ioshua and Israel did as God bad them without ceasing so Caleb a man of a generous spirit having a regenerate heart when others would turne back he would on to Canaan in the act of faith he fully followed the Lord who promised them the land Numb. 14. 24. Faiths activenesse is 1. In removing stumbling-blocks as walls out of the way that Gods people may hold on in Gods way and not decline it is a command Prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people Isay 57. 14. 2. In restoring the worship of God that all divine institutions may be enjoyed in a right manner and due order thus David was solicitous and reckoned himselfe afflicted till the Ark of God was set in its proper place Psal. 132. 1. Davids afflictions his religious care to bring the Ark home before that breach upon Vzzah â—un he vowed and layd a solemne tye upon his soule an oath a forcible obligation verse 2. he would not give sleep to his eyes or slumber to his eye-lids ver. 4. in his new house which he had builded in the city of David verse 3. till he found out a place for the Lord represented by the Ark verse 5. In that faith is so active it may informe us 1 1. 'T is no wonder that many unwilling to bee good or wise to doe evill so hinder and oppose faith in the meanes of it the enemies have reason as they would be true to a cursed cause to resist it which will not rest till it have razed their walls ruined their building crossed their cause overthrowne their helps and dashed their hopes 1. The devill hinders faith that it be not preached to men Paul would have come to the Thessalonians for the furtherance of faith but Satan an adversary hindered 1 Thes. 2. 18. the devill in his instruments turns away men desirous to heare the word of God from the faith as Elymas the child of the devill dealt with the Deputy Sergius Paulus a prudent man Acts 13. 7,8,10 2. The world allowes and likes no beleevers they are all under the observation of an envious eye as â—ahab was in Iericho Ios. 22. the men of this world not men of God forbid preaching the word of faith and salvation 1 Thes. 2. 16. they are stiffe opposers as Apostaticall Alexander greatly withstood who had once stood for Pauls preaching 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. They put away shoulder and thrust out the word of God Acts 13.46 2. Many persons be wickeâ— men men of no faith as is evident by their non-activity for God for whom faith is active and of this sort are they 1. Who be pleaders for Baal and his wall that it should not down when it was down that men if they doe not stigmatize yet they particularize reformers eminent men as Gedeon a man well known in those corrupt times by his work of faith appointed to dye Baals Altar was cast down Iud. 6.28 they said Gedeon had done it verse 29. they willed his father Ioash to bring him forth that he may dye verse 30. a fitter censure for those who will plead for Baal he that will plead for him let him be put to death verse 31. 2. Who be neuters as luâ—e-warme most loathed persons who will not medle nor have a hand in any good as cursed Meroz a people who came not to the help of the Lord Iud. 5. 23. men bitterly cursed of God as the Reubenites meer worldlings minding their folds and flocks verse 16. lazy Gilead tarried at home verse 17. Dan tarried minded his trade his ships and traffick ibid. Asher on the Sea coast abode in his breaches to fortify himselfe as weak verse 17. and secure Iabesh Gilead yeelded sent in none to punish delinquents men of great folly and villany in Israel Iud. 21. 9. albeit it was by an ordinance of their Parliament in a generall Assembly 20. verse 2. 9 10. that the children of Belial might receive condigne punishment verse 13. 3. Who be active against the Church for the enemy with the enemies of Church and State as Edom Moah Ammon joyne with Philistines Tyrians Assyrians degenerate professors fit companions in service against the Church albeit they pretend the Church-service of lewdest persons Papists Atheists and men of flagitious lives Psalm 83. 5 6 7. This did Amelek feared not God but smote the Church
Revel. 6. 2. Dagon will fall before the Ark 1 Sam. 5. 3. 2. In praying coveting the best gifts to lift up a prayer not in their hand but in their heart for Zions happy deliverance not in a formall customary bedulling manner but watching thereunto according to all occasions and seasons wee having the same spirit of prayer as Isaiah had let us lift a prayer as Isaiah was bid 2 King 19.4 3. In our examples as patterns bee patterns of beleevers in spirit 1 Tim. 4. 12. be as the Hee-Goates before the flocks Ier. 50. 8. The Priests circuited Iericho goe into the gap stand in the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battell in this day of the Lords controversie with England Ezek. 13. 5. 3. People be active for God 1. By their portions Honour the Lord with your substance now when his enemies would rob us of Religion let your Merchandize be holinesse to the Lord Isay 23. 18. Prov. 3. 9. 2. By their persons power and lives it is a glory in â—ebulon and Naphtali they jeoparded their lives Iud. 5. 18. 3. By prayer earnest prayer was made by the Church in a troublous time Acts 12. 5. that God would remember Church-enemies Edomites Psal. 137. 7. 1. The manner of this Activenesse 1. Obedientially doe all according to Gods will rule and call else a man may smart for it as Iehu did Hosâ— 1 4. Iehu reformed after his owne and not Gods heart and God would bee revenged on the house of Iehu Doe all according to the law of God and then let all obeyâ— as Artaxerxes to Ezra Ezra 7 25,26 Gods lawes are not new but old wayes his law is not novelty but the best antiquity Aske for the old way Ier. 6. 16. Away cast up of God to goe in Isay 57. 14. Thus peace shall bee to you in doing as God commands you Exod. 18. 23. 2. Diligently the Israelites goe about Iericho seven dayes and seven times the seventh day most of all on the Sabbath enemies receive greatest blowes and the Church greatest help blessing victories on that day Be not weary of your work albeit it cost you many dayes work not slothfully He is cursed who doth the work of the Lord negligently Ier. 48. 10. 3. Vnanimously they all compassed it unity is happy in the people in the Preachers in the Parliament all as one man all one way Neâ—em â— 1. no divisionsâ— Are yee not Members in this High Court both Houses one Parliament all vote for the truth for holinesse for justice against iniquity scâ—ndall Popery it is the good haâ—d of God to our joy to give you one heart 2 Chron. 30. 12. with your magnanimity to grace you with unanimity You call to mind this day wee have one Covenant and Protestation to maintain truth to withstand evill be enlarged in covenanting as of Iehoiada 't is writ He made a covenant between the Lord and the King and the people that they shoulâ— be the Lords people when this was then all the people of the land brakâ— down throughly Baal his house altars and images to pieces unanimity works effectually to cast downe iniquity 2 Kin. 11. 17 18. 4. Patiently 1. in tarrtance for a fit time the Lords time wee see nothing done wee call great things nothing who the other yeare would have been glad of some of those many things bee now effected at many dayes work as they in compassing Iericho many times 12 times saw never a stone falne yet it will succeed well in the end and all will downe Though the vision tarry wait for it at the end it shall speak and not lye it will surely come it will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. 2. In silence mutter not in this compassing of Iericho not one spake a word till the last day and then yee shall shout Joshuah 6. 10. Stand still feare not hold your peace Exod. 14. 13. 14. Wait ye for the salvation of the Lord 2 Chron. 20. 17. 5. Confidently by faith an active grace valiaâ—tly be strong in the Lord who will not deceive Heb. 11. 34. Stagger not at the promise Rom. 4. 20. call to mind ye mighty men the Magistrates must have Lyon-like courage in every pâ—ssage of their work all the steps of Solomons throne were sâ—ppâ—rted with Lyons 1 Kings 10. 19. 20. 6. Constantly till the wall be downe the work bee done and way bee made for the Lords peoplâ— to passe on toward their inheritance wait on God till mercy come Psal. 123. 1 2. till the Lord lâ—ok down upon us Lam. 3. 49 50. as Israelites wâ—astling till we have a blessing Gen. 32. 26. nevâ—r hâ—ld your peace day nor night keep not silence give the Lord no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isay 62. 6 7. 2. The motives to this Activenesse 1. In regard of the enemies 1. They are active a busie world it is they lay their heads together to plot mischiefe and as Sampsons foxes turned taile to taile to burn up all they are set on fire Iud. 15. 4. they take crafty counsell they consult shall they stirre against good for evill and we sit still and not move against evill for good Psal. 83. 3. Philistines could animate one another Be strong quit your selves like men against the Israel of God 1 Sam. 4. 9. they encourage themselves in an evill matter Psal. 64. 5 6. 2. They would ruine all Ierusalem must so they have their will down to the ground Rase it rase it even to the foundation Psal. 137. 7. they would have the name of Israel no more in remembrance 83.4 They would cut off Ireland that none might remember the Lord any more May not this provoke mens zeale to see the wicked devoure the men more righteous then themselves to help Ireland with all forwardnesse alas for it the day is great cruell men have shed blood the blood of Saints the blood of Prophets and in justice they must have blood to drink for they are worthy Rev. 16.5,6 Reward Babylon as she hath rewarded you double to her double in the cup she hath filled fill to her double 18. 6. 3. They be spiritlesse faint and fearfull they flye away follow on the Canaanites hearts melted before the armies of Israel Iosh. 5. 1. and no courage left in Iericho 2. 11. near a ruine they are dead 6.21 A hornet of feare is before their fall feare not them who are halfe dead men Exod. 23. 27 28. 4. They are falne Babylon is falne is falne it is repeated it is certain Revel. 18.8 falne 1. in dominion Kings and people fall from them 2. In doctrine her folly is manifested 3. In credit for religion and holinesse which made them feared and honoured 4. In rich revenues taken away by the power of the Gospell the whore is a withered that once was a well favoured harlot the beasts Kingdome is full of darknesse a Scottish myst is falne on Episcopacy the
enemies fall 1. By a weaâ— hand 2. By their own hand 3. Without hand Observ. 2. Faith is potent to remove impedimentâ— Ground of the Power of faith 1. It builds on Gods word 1. His precept 2. His promise minding in it 1. His mercy 2. His grace 3. His truth 2 Faith rests on Gods providence sustained 1. By his goodnesâ— 2. By his wisdome 3. By his power 1 In form 1. The valour of beleevers 2 The vanity to expect victory by what is not of faith as 1. Formality 2. Policy 3. Power Melch. Adam vita Lutheri pa. 157. 2 Exhort A tryall of faith 1. It casts down walls 1. In mens hearts 2. In mens houses 2 Faith is effectuall 2. It relyeth on the Lord 2. It gloryeth in the word 3. It worketh by love to Christ To his Church 4. It walketh by rule 1. In religion 2. In reformation Non ex arbitrio sed ex imperio Deo serviendum 2 Procure faith 1. Governors 2. Governed Non docet â—ic Christus montes transfeâ—re sed certitudinem fidei â—radit quanta sit fidei virtuâ— B. A way to have faith among us by 1. Promoting preaching 2. Provoking unto prayer 3. Providing for the pure administratioÌ„ of the seals Motives to faith then 1. Preaching profits 2. Prayer prevayles 3. The Souldier triumphs 4. Good done by God 1. He will effect all 2â— Hee will bring thorow difficulties 3. Hee will shew his glory 4â— He can doe a world of good in a week Ratio quidem non assâ—quitur quomodo ex nihilo sint omnia inâ—ò ratio contradicit ex niâ—ilo nihil fieri quod verò ratio non capit fides intelligit Par. in Heb. 11. 3. In coelo plantatâ— terra renovata Ecclesia intelligitur Sanct. in loâ— Observ. 3. Aâ—â—â— bete coâ—omoda removete quaecunque sunt incommoda ad promovendam ecclesiam Iâ—n The good Kings of Iudah 1. abolished idolatry and superstition 2. planted true religion D. Will. on Dan. 1 Inform {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Exhort Spiritus dicuntur quia professione erant spirituales Patres tres multi suâ—ficientes negotio suo peragendo impuri ortu ingenio ac moribus â—imiles ranis sordibus impudentia loquacitate clamositate aures regum obtundunt ranarum quadrata capita geometricis Pileis referunt Par. iâ— loâ— A nâ—w decree made â— by Nebuchadnâ—zzar to punish blasphemers Dan. 3. 29. 2 By Darius for true Religion 6. 26. A great change in Kings and Lawes Vnius faciâ—us pestiâ— multorum Salvian de guber Deo l. 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Levit. 14. 40. Quis Domino mente credit facultate noncredit quis Deo animam suam maâ—cipat pecuniaâ— negat Salvian ad Eccl. Cath. lib. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Revâ— 16.10.11 Docâ—tur poâ—â— lâ—ngam ignâ—rantiam faciendaâ— esse hominibus copiam cognoscendae veritatis Locupletissimum veritatis incrementum doctrinâ— pluribus capitibus illustratâ enuclâ—atius cognitâ distinctius traditâ Briâ— in loc. Ecclesia Dâ—i est qâ—asi oculus nâ—m uâ— in oculum etiamsi parva sordes inâ—idit tâ—tum lâ—men obâ—aecaâ— sic in Ecclesiastico corpore etiamsi paâ—ci sordida faciant propè â—otum Ecclesiastici splendoris lumen obscurant Salâ—ian de Gubern Dei lib. 7. â— {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} mercedem fidei Bez. Praemium Tr. inter Exibitis victores alacres quia Deus â—rit dux vester vosque proteget diriget Cornel. à Lap. in loc. Ruina Babylonis praebitura sanctis laetandi celebraâ—di Dei jucundissimum argumentum Par. Christianus nisi bona opera fecerit fidem suam penitus approbare non possit Salv. de Gubern lib. 4.