A52039	----	A letter from Mr. Marshall and Mr. Nye, appointed assistants to the commissioners of Scotland to their brethren in England, concerning the successe of their affaires there, partly concerning the covenant. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52039 of text R18194 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M759). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 6 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 4 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52039 Wing M759 ESTC R18194 13410795 ocm 13410795 99413 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52039) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 99413) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 466:9) A letter from Mr. Marshall and Mr. Nye, appointed assistants to the commissioners of Scotland to their brethren in England, concerning the successe of their affaires there, partly concerning the covenant. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672. [2], 4, [1] p. Printed for John Bellamy and Ralph Smith, London : 1643. First edition? One of two editions published. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng England and Wales. -- Parliament. -- House of Commons. Scotland. -- Parliament. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sources. A52039 R18194 (Wing M759). civilwar no A letter from Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Nye, appointed assistants to the commissioners of Scotland: to their brethren in England, concerning the Marshall, Stephen 1643 1115 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER FROM Mr. MARSHALL , and Mr. NYE , appointed Assistants to the Commissioners of SCOTLAND : To their Brethren in England , concerning the successe of their affaires there , partly concerning the Covenant . Published by the Order of the House of Commons . LONDON , Printed for John Bellamy and Ralph Smith . 1643. A LETTER FROM Mr. Marshall , and Mr. Nye , appointed Assistants to the Commissioners of SCOTLAND . Reverend Friends , WEE cannot but communicate unto you the good hand of God with us in the Worke we are imployed in , our Commissioners have most indefatigably followed their businesse night and day , having scarcely allowed themselves time to eate or sleepe , and have had to doe with the Convention of States , and Assembly of Divines , ( both which we found happily sitting at the time of comming ) the gravest and wisest that we have seene , and who we thinke are more sensible of our condition than we are our selves , the leading men both of the Convention and Assembly , and ( as farre as we can understand ) even the whole body of the Nation looking upon it as the cause of Christ , and that they cannot but be ruined if we perish ; we are fully and confidently perswaded they are generally resolved to live and die with us in this quarrell against the Popish and Episcopall Faction , and for the Reformation of Religion according to the word ; we know multitudes are prejudiced against them as if we might expect no helpe from them but for their owne ends , but if you dare give any credit to our faithfulnesse and most diligent inquisition and observation ; ( having opportunity of conversing with the holyest of our Brethren their Ministers that are in the Kingdome ) let us prevaile with you to beate downe all such unworthy thoughts and jealousies of them , they are guided by God in this worke , & we are perswaded will bring glory to Christ and requitall of all our former love to them . Some select men have debated with us of the most ready way to stirre up their people to come in readily , and they suggested and made it apparent that the joyning in a Covenant to be subscribed would take them all , and a forme was agreed upon , which when you see , you will easily discerne , hath beene drawne up with that warinesse as to expresse their desires as well as ours , that there might be no bogling at it . And when our Commissioners and the Commissioners of the Convention and Assembly had on Wednesday at night agreed upon the forme , it was the next day brought into the Generall Assembly , where we were present , and eye witnesses of what was done , where as a good introduction to it , the Letter from our Assembly was first read , and entertained with great acceptation , ( the Moderator solemnely professed that it deserved oft to be read amongst them ) & then the businesses of the Covenant was propounded , and the forme read twice over . There were present betweene twenty and thirty of their prime Nobility , we thinke neer a hundred Noble men and Divines spoke to the businesse before it was Voted , no man speaking against it , except the Kings Commissioner , who was answered and dealt with , with that wisedome , freedome , and resolution both by Nobles and Divines as your heart can thinke , though he professed that as a private man he liked it , and said after the Voting he heard a joyfull sound . In fine it was Voted and agreed to be entered into ( for substance , for it was by the Moderator declared it was the substance intended and not expressions or words ) assoone as they heard their Brethren in England agree upon it ; we say their brethen , not limiting it to the Parliament , which possibly may not be fitting . And when you have agreed it ( as we hope you will ) we are perswaded the body of the Kingdome of Scotland will live and die with you , and we doubt not but they will be preparing speedily upon expectation of the Covenants passing amongst you . We scarce ever saw so much of Christ for us as this day in the Assemblies carrying of this businesse , such weeping , such rejoycing , such resolution , such patheticall expressions , as we confesse hath much refreshed our hearts , before extremely sadded with ill newes from our deare Countrey ; And hath put us in good hope that this Nation ( who set about this businesse as becommeth the worke of God and the saving of Kingdomes ) shall be the meanes of lifting up of distressed England and Ireland . We are perswaded that the most dejected and sad heart amongst you would have the same thoughts we are now possessed with , if they were with us ; we thinke twenty thousand of them will come to your helpe rather then faile . And againe we say we hope you will quickly see a good Army with you ; yea , something done before , or as soone as these Letters come at you : continue with all earnestnesse as you were wont in seeking God , and be not discouraged , or suffer your spirits to languish ; surely the arme of the Lord in this assistance extends it selfe towards you , In the Mount the Lord will be seene . Some of these reverend and godly Ministers are comming to our Assembly ; we shall not neede to intreate you to give them the right hand of fellowship , nor will we relate in what a hearty respectfull way we have beene received by them both in publike and private . We forbeare to write any more because this Bearer will acquaint you with our affaires , ( and distribute our respects amongst you ) and his hast alloweth us no more time , but to commit you to the grace of God , and subscribe our selves . From Edenburgh , Aug. 18. 1643. Your most affectionate and deare Brethren , Stephen Marshall . Philip Nye . THe Letters we brought with us from some Brethren , melted the Assembly beyond measure , and have beene of great use , blessed be God . 
A52042	----	Meroz curse for not helping the Lord against the mightie being the substance of a sermon, preached on a day of humiliation, at St. Sepulchers, London, Decemb. 2. 1641 / by that powerfull and Godly divine, Mr. Stephen Marshall ; published in one sheet of paper, (not by the author) but by a lover of the truth, for their good especially, that are not able to buy bigger bookes ; being a very seasonable subject, wherein all that either out of policie or sloth, rfuse to helpe the Lord, may see their danger, and they that are willing are called, and directions given to them both what manner of persons they ought to be, and what they ought to doe to help the Lord ; wherein also every true Christian may see, that though they be never so weake or poore, yet they may, and ought to helpe the Lord, and by what meanes. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52042 of text R12794 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M761A). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 19 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52042 Wing M761A ESTC R12794 12426530 ocm 12426530 61880 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52042) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61880) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 945:11) Meroz curse for not helping the Lord against the mightie being the substance of a sermon, preached on a day of humiliation, at St. Sepulchers, London, Decemb. 2. 1641 / by that powerfull and Godly divine, Mr. Stephen Marshall ; published in one sheet of paper, (not by the author) but by a lover of the truth, for their good especially, that are not able to buy bigger bookes ; being a very seasonable subject, wherein all that either out of policie or sloth, rfuse to helpe the Lord, may see their danger, and they that are willing are called, and directions given to them both what manner of persons they ought to be, and what they ought to doe to help the Lord ; wherein also every true Christian may see, that though they be never so weake or poore, yet they may, and ought to helpe the Lord, and by what meanes. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 6 p. [s.n.], London : 1641. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. Sermon by Stephen Marshall preached mainly before the House of Commons. eng Fast-day sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1625-1649 -- Sermons. A52042 R12794 (Wing M761A). civilwar no Meroz curse for not helping the Lord against the mightie. Being the substance of a sermon, preached on a day of humiliation, at St. Sepulche Marshall, Stephen 1641 3785 13 0 0 0 0 0 34 C The rate of 34 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion MEROZ CURSE FOR NOT HELPING THE LORD Against the Mightie . BEING The Substance of a SERMON , Preached on a day of Humiliation , at St. Sepulchers , LONDON , Decemb. 2. 1641. By that Powerfull and Godly Divine , Mr. STEPHEN MARSHALL . Published in one sheet of Paper , ( not by the Author ) but by a Lover of the Truth , for their good especially , that are not able to buy bigger Bookes . Being a very seasonable Subject , wherein all that either out of policie or sloth , refuse to helpe the LORD , may see their danger ; and they that are willing are called , and directions given to them , both what manner of persons they ought to be , and what they ought to doe to help the Lord . Wherein also every true Christian may see , that though they be never so weake or poore , yet they may , and ought to helpe the Lord , and by what meanes . Ezekiel 13. 5. Yee have not risen up in the gaps , neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel , to stand in the battell in the day of the Lord . LONDON , Printed in the yeere , 1641. MEROZ Curse . Judg. 5. 23. Curse yee Meroz , said the Angel of the Lord , Curse the inhabitants thereof , because they came not to helpe the Lord , to helpe the Lord against the mighty . THis Verse containes a Curse against a whole City , and all in it , wherin we may consider these particulars : 1. A dutie that should have beene performed , and that was , a comming out to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty , the omission whereof was the cause of the Curse . 2. The persons cursed and they were the inhabitants of Meroz . 3. The commander of the Curse , The Angel of the Lord , to wit , Christ Jesus himselfe , who is the Angell of the Covenant , and Captaine of the Lords Hoast . In the duty that should have beene performed , we may consider , first , the parties they should have helped , the Lord : secondly , against whom they should have helped the Lord , and that is , against the mighty . In the persons cursed , wee may consider , first , what the curse was ; and that I do confesse I cannot tell , whether it was fire or pestilence , but this is most certaine , Gods curse is the ruine of those people on whom it lights : secondly , wee may consider what this city Meroz was , and for that , I shall tell you , I cannot find in the whole Booke of God this city mentioned once againe , and therefore cannot certainly tell you where it was situated , onely this we may certainly conclude , that it was neer unto the place where the Lords people were in danger of their enemies . I have begun this Text in another Congregation , I will therefore give you the briefe heads of what I have elsewhere more largely delivered , and so come to that which remaines . First , from the consideration of the parties against whom they should have holpen , the Lord , it is said they were mighty ; whence wee have observed this point . That the mighty ones of the earth do many times oppose the Lord . Secondly , from thence we have also observed : That Gods people should not be afraid to oppose the mighty , when the cause is the Lords . Secondly , from the consideration of the parties whom they should have holpen , they were the people of God , and yet the Lord calls it his owne people , whence I observe : That to helpe Gods people , is to helpe the Lord . Thirdly , from the consideration of this neerenesse to the people of God in regard of habitation I observed : That the neerer a people are to Gods people in distresse , the more is their helpe required , and the greater is their sinne , if they doe not helpe them : this I applyed to our selves , in regard of that case of Ireland . Fourthly , from the Consideration that the curse extends to all the inhabitants of the city , I observed : That there is neither man nor woman , but they may afford some help to Gods people in distresse , if they have grace in their hearts ; thus farre have I gone already and now the maine point that I intend to insist upon at this time , is this . That they are all cursed that helpe not the Lord , that is , that helpe not the Lords people in the time of their distresse ; for the proofe of this point , observe but that reprehension of Moses , Numb. 32. 6. to the children of Gad and the children of Ruben , Shall your brethren , saith he , goe to warre , and yee tarry here ? no by no meanes . And so our Saviour , in Mat. 25. 41. will say , Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the Divell and his angels ; for I was hungry , and yee gave me no meat ; I was thirsty , and yee gave me no drinke . But I will stand no longer on the proofe of the point , but come unto the use of it , which I doe principally intend to stand upon . And first of all , is it so , that they are all cursed that help not the Lord against the mighty ? then surely they are cursed with a heavie curse , that help the mighty against the Lord : but I hope there be few or none such in this Congregation , and I desire not to speake much to them that be absent ; yet if any of you that heare me have any friends that are guilty of it , I pray you tell them what a fearefull condition they are in , that set themselves against the Lord . But there are others , who are not so bad as to help the mighty against the Lord and yet not so good as to help the Lord ag●inst the mighty , but stand as neuters at such times when it is hard to say , whether the Lord or the mighty will prevaile ; and of these there are two sorts . The first sort doe it out of policy , as now at this time , the Church of God in England , by reason of the mighty , hath beene long under tyrannicall government , and the Lord , we hope is now at warres with them , why there are some politicians that stand looking on to see which side will prevail . And if the Lord should now reforme this government , and so prevaile , why then they would be on the Lords side , but if the mighty should prevaile , which the Lord forbid , then they would be on the mighties side . But as Gideon said to the men of Succoth , when they refused to give morsels of bread to his people that followed after Zebab and Zalmunna , Kings of Midian , when the Lord hath delivered them into mine hand . I will teare your flesh with thornes of the wildernesse , and with bryers , so say I to such , if the Lord prevaile against the enemies of his Church the Lord will make them smart , be sure of it , for that you will now afford him no help against them . The second sort are such as refuse to help the Lord , not so much out of policie as out of sloth and negligence , like unto the men of Iabesh Gilead , that went not to warre with their brethren against the Benjamites : but let such consider , what the Israelites did unto them , by reason of this their sloth and negligence , as you may reade , Iudg. 21. 8. &c. to wit , how they fell upon them and destroyed them , because they came not up to Mizpeth to the Lord . The next use shall be for exhortation to you all , is it so , that they are cursed that help not the Lord against the mighty ? why then brethren , as you desire to be freed from this curse , and to obtaine a blessing at the Lords hands , be exhorted to put forth your hands now to the help of the Lord , I pray you looke on me as on one that commeth amongst you this day to beat a drum in your eares , to see who will come out to follow the Lambe . Now then beloved , so many of you as are willing , come , and I will give you direction what to doe , that you may all of you afford some help to the Lord at this time . And first let me tell you , that the Lord doth not require your help so much for any need he hath of it , as for to honour you thereby ; for beloved , you are to know , that it is an honour to help the Lord , the Lord , as I may say , scornes to have help from every one , no , you must be fitly qualified before you be meet to helpe the Lord , and that with these three things . First you must be godly , or else you are unfit to be helpers of the Lord ; the Lambes followers must be such as are chosen and called , and faithfull they must be holy men , and holy women ; therefore , you that are ungodly persons , believe it , you are not called to this help of the Lord . Secondly , you must be selfe-denying persons , you must deny your owne profit your owne ease , your owne friends , yea and all that you call your owne ; the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians , saith , hee hath no man like minded to Timotheus , and in the next verse hee gives the reason , saying , for all seeke their owne , and not the things of Iesus Christ Therfore I say , you can never be fit to helpe the Lord , untill you put off all that is your owne , and say to Christ , as Ruth said unto Naomi ; Whither thou goest I will goe , and where thou dwellest I will dwell , thy people shall be my people , and thy God my God . Thirdly , you must be such persons as have a love to the Church ; for beloved , you shall meet with so many rubs in the way , so many discouragements to flesh and blood , that if you have not a great love to the cause of Christ , you will be subject to turne backe from the Lords cause when there is most need of your helpe , therefore , alluding to that of the Apostle , 1 Cor. 13. I say unto you , the most excellent way is love , it is that which constitutes a man to be a meet follower of Christ ; you know it is said of Iacob , Gen. 29. 20. that the seven yeeres he served for Rachel , seemed unto him but a few dayes , because hee loved her ; even so brethren , if you get a love to Christ and his Church , you will willingly help the Lord , though you meet with some difficulties , therefore never rest , untill thou hast so much love , as to say , as I remember a godly Minister said , I praise God , I am not troubled at any crosse , but at the afflictions of Gods Church , nor I care for no welfare so much , as for the welfare of Christ Church . But it may be some will say , O Sir , but how should I doe to get such 〈…〉 the Church of Christ ? 〈…〉 ●●nsider how dearely Christ hath loved it , that he hath given 〈…〉 it . 〈◊〉 consider that he hath left his Church here amongst us , and 〈…〉 distresse , to try our love to it . 〈…〉 ●●nsider , that if thou be a member of it , then all the rest 〈…〉 thee , even thy brethren and sisters . But 〈…〉 be willing to helpe the Church to my power , what direction 〈…〉 〈◊〉 give me that I may put forth that power wich I have ? First 〈…〉 godly Nehemiah , Daniel , and old Eli did , that is , enquire diligently what the state of the Church is , and let me tell you , brethren , I am perswaded that it is a great fault of many of us here in England , that wee doe not performe this dutie as we ought , wherefore be exhorted to labour at this time to find out the state of Gods Church , both in England and in 〈◊〉 . Secondly , when thou hast sound out the state of the Church , and so consequently what it wanteth , then in the next place , consider what thou hast in thine hands to supply the want thereof : thou must observe this rule , that whatsoever good God hath put into thine hands , thou art but a Steward of it , and thou art to imploy it for the good of Gods Church ; all Gods people have an interest in that talent that God hath committed to thy imployment . Now , there is one talent which I am sure every childe of God that is effectually called hath , though they be never so poore , and that is the talent of prayer ; for indeed , it is the surest evidence to witnesse unto them , that the spirit of Christ is in them , when they can cry Abba Father : according to the lawes of our Kingdome , a child cannot be proved to be borne alive , except there be witnesse that it was heard to cry ; even so we say in Divinity , that every one that hath the new birth can cry to God his Father in prayer ; so that I say , every child of God hath this talent of prayer . And this talent the Lord requires they should use and imploy for the good of his Church and people , according to that Scripture , Pray for the peace of Ierusalem , and that in Isay 62. Yee that are the Lords remembrancers , give him no rest , till he set up Ierusalem , the praise of the world ; and beloved , let me tell you , the exercise of this talent of prayer , is charged upon all ranks and conditions of men , for that the exercise of no other talent can doe any good without this , neither the governing of the Magistrate , nor preaching of the Minister , nor fighting of the souldier , nor the contribution of the rich man , will doe any good without prayer , it is prayer that brings a blessing downe upon all ; yea , the exercise of this talent of prayer many times doth more good than all the rest . A praying Christian ( let me speake it with holy reverence ) can doe all that God can doe , and therefore , in 1 King. 8. Salomon reckoneth up all the hard conditions that the Church of God can fall into , and alwayes concludes , then heare thou in heaven , &c. and then God answers , I have heard thy prayers and supplications that thou hast made before me ; with this talent of prayer the servants of God have overcome God , and held his hands , in so much that the Lord , if I may so speake , hath been glad to intreat them and command them to hold their tongues , and let him alone . Beloved , as God onely can remove the Churches troubles , so prayer onely can prevaile with God to doe it ; it is prayer that bringeth all Gods promises into performances ; there is not any part of the world , but a Christian can reach it by prayer ; there is not a blessing in heaven , but prayer can fetch it downe ; prayer can knocke downe enemies ; when Moses held up his hands , Israel prevailed ; David by prayer choked Achitophel ; Hester and her people by prayer hanged Haman . So that I may say of prayer , as the Author to the Hebrewes saith of the faith of those worthyes there mentioned , the time would be too short , to reckon up all that a Christian can doe by prayer . And yet alas , I feare me , there are some Christians who have grace in their hearts , that have not imployed this their talent for the good of Gods Church , whose conscience will witnesse unto them that they have not spent an houre in their closets , in exercising this talent for the good of Gods Church : O , be humbled this day , for this your selfe-love , and want of love to Gods Church . And I am perswaded , that the want of this hath beene the cause that the enemies prevaile so in Ireland at this time , and that things goe on so heavily at Parliament here at home . Wherefore you that feare God , I beseech you be humbled for your omission of this duty ; and be exhorted to set upon the practice of it , O pray , pray for the Parliament , O pray , pray for Ireland , and call upon others to pray ; there is no man so meane in his estate , or weake in his body , but if he be a Christian , he may contribute something towards this great worke , though he be not able to lend a peny , yet he may give a subsidie of prayers . Beloved , if all Christians would exercise this talent aright , their prayers would be as a thundring Army against the enemies of Gods Church . But how shall I doe to exercise this talent aright ? First be sure that prayer be prayer , let it not onely be in speech , but powre out thy desires before God ; and to this end , get a heart truly affected with the thing thou prayest for . Labour to get an humble and selfe-denying spirit , remember Abraham , when he came before the Lord in prayer , confessed he was but dust and ashes , and Icob ; when he came before the Lord in prayer confessed himselfe unworthy of the least of all Gods mercies ; and David cryes out , Heare me O Lord , for I am peore . Alwayes when thou goest to prayer , be sure to carry thy Mediator along with thee , by faith in the promises , and begge earnestly for the Lords sake , as Daniel did , that so thy prayers may be fervent ; O beloved Christians , if you would pray , and pray thus , you would be the most usefull people in all the world , yea , you would be the very props to these united Kingdomes ; marke it then you men of the world , you sonnes of Belial , that have beene wont to scoffe at praying Christians , and to wish them all packed hence , and at new England , alas , you know not what an evill you wish unto your selves therein , if they were gone , woe be to you . And thus much shall suffice to have beene spoken of the talent of prayer ; in the next place what outward abilities soever thou hast , thou must also imploy for the good of Gods Church ; for hee that is a rich man , if hee pray and hold his purse , hee cannot expect that his prayers should be availeable . Wherefore , if God have given thee both grace and money , I doe in the name of God beseech thee , to imploy both for the good of Gods Church and people , else it is to be feared , it may be as truly said to thee , as the poore man said to the Bishop , who asking him a penny for Christ his sake , the Bishop answered , I will not give thee a peny , but I will give thee my blessing ; the poore man answered , ah Master , if you loved your blessing as well as your penny , you would not give mee that neither . Wherefore then to conclude , whatsoever God hath given thee that may do the Church good , be willing to part with it for the Churches good . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52042e-230 1. 2. Doctr. Doctr. 2. Doctr. 3. Doctr. 4. Doctr. Doctr. Vse . ● . Iudg. 8. 7. 2. Vse . 1. 2. Phil. 2. 20. 21. Ruth 1. 16 3. Quest . Answ. 2. 3. Quest . Answ. 2. Exod. 17. 11 Quest . Answ. 2. Gen. 18. 17. Gen. 32. 10. 3. Dan. 9. 17. 
A52041	----	A letter of spirituall advice written to Mr. Stephen Marshall in his sicknesse by one of his brethren in the clergy, Mart. I, M DC XLIII. One of his brethren in the clergy. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52041 of text R26802 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M760). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 44 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52041 Wing M760 ESTC R26802 09546885 ocm 09546885 43584 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52041) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 43584) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1335:18) A letter of spirituall advice written to Mr. Stephen Marshall in his sicknesse by one of his brethren in the clergy, Mart. I, M DC XLIII. One of his brethren in the clergy. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 18 p. s.n.], [Oxford : 1643. An attack on Marshall's Presbyterian views. Reproduction of original in the Trinity College Library, Cambridge University. eng Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Church of England -- History. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649. A52041 R26802 (Wing M760). civilwar no A letter of spirituall advice: written to Mr. Stephen Marshall in his sicknesse by one of his brethren in the clergy, Mart. I, M DC XLIII. One of his brethren in the clergy 1643 8343 6 10 0 0 0 0 19 C The rate of 19 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER OF Spirituall Advice : Written to Mr STEPHEN MARSHALL IN HIS SICKNESSE , By One of his Brethren in the Clergy , Mart. 1. M.DC.XLIII . Printed in the Yeare M.DC.XLIII . TO Mr STEPHEN MARSHALL . SIR , WHen I heard of your sicknesse , ( though considering the wofull miseries of the times I do usually rather congratulate with men their happinesse , whom God seemes to favour so much as to call to himselfe , and to his owne rest , from being spectators or actors or sufferers in these calamities wherin this Kingdome is involved , yet ) I assure you I found in my selfe such a different apprehension of your state , from that of other ordinary sick men , that I thinke you will not wonder , if all the Kings Subjects , who wish good successe unto His Majestie in this warre , cannot impute your visitation to any thing but to the just severity and revenge of Almighty God upon you , for having had so strong an influence upon the ruine of this Kingdome and Church . For , Sir , is it not apparent , that , among others your eminent gifts of preaching have beene made use of for the kindling of those flames of Rebellion and civill warre , and most unchristian bloudshed ? Have not you with all the earnestnesse , and ( as you call it ) zeale imaginable , perswaded your Hearers to a liberall contribution for the maintaining of this unnaturall warre ? Have not you forsaken your owne charge to accompany and strengthen the Generall of your Army in his resolution and attempts , against the just power and life of his and your Anoynted Soveraigne ? Does not the whole Kingdome impute almost all the distractions and combustions therein , as much to the seditious sermons of the Preachers of your faction , as to the contrivances of those persons , who set you on worke ? Let your own conscience be your own judge in this matter , and it will tell you , that if all these new designes should succeed to your wish , if there should happen a change in government , either of Kingdome or Church , you would thinke your selves wrong'd if you should be defrauded of being acknowledged very effectuall instruments in that change . These things therefore being so , you cannot accuse of uncharitablenes those who think these designes not only unjust but ruinous both to Justice and Religion , if they attribute it to Gods mercy to them , and vengeance on you , if he take out of the world such a fire-brand as you are . Sir , whether your sicknesse be unto death or no , I know not , I am sure those sinnes ( without unusuall and miraculous mercy ) will prove sinnes unto death in all those that are guilty of them , and die without repentance and amendment , and satisfaction to Gods Church for the scandall of them . And upon this ground I how unworthy soever yet by my profession being one of your brethren and companions in the ministry of the Gospell , thought it my duty to beseech you in the bowells of Christ to take a survey of your present condition , with other eyes then heretofore , I doubt , you have done ; And to take it patiently from me , though a stranger to your person , if I offer you some hints , which your owne better understanding will make use of for a more exact discerning apprehension and judgement of the nature of this businesse , now to be decided by the sword : which though it prevaile to your owne wish , yet it is not the sword or victory will justifie you before Gods Tribunall . Remember Sir , it is not a Close Committee pack't together of your owne freinds or faction , that must determine the cause betweene God and you , neither are they any new invented fundamentall Lawes of Kingdome or Nature that are to be your rule , but only the Lawes of the New-Covenant ; And from them it is that I intend to suggest unto your thoughts , arguments which I desire you impartially to examine , to the end that when you appeare before the throne of Christ you may be able to justifie your selfe , either that you have fulfilled your duty , or if you have failed therein , yet at least that you have fail'd after a reasonable and prudent examination by that Rule . I suppose you will not assume such infallibility of judgement to your owne person or party , as to thinke that the right is so unquestionably on your side , that nothing can be objected against you that deserves to be considered ; since at least an equall part of the best judgements in the Kingdome , and most learned persons in the Church , are your adversaries in this cause ; And ( which ought to be of great moment with you ) since a farre greater number of the Members of both Houses ( though perhaps through negligence or feare not now sitting in Westminster , ) do protest against these proceedings . Let it but be granted , that all those which oppose you have some seeming probability on their side ; and then I am sure you will judge it necessary especially for a dying person , ( if that be your present condition , ) to be suspicious of himselfe , and to hearken to all objections , and to use all prudent meanes for settling of his conscience before he depart out of the world . If you looke upon this warre ( and surely your minde will not be so busie other waies , but sometimes you will looke upon this war ) the result of your late-two-yeares sermons , the effect of all those published lying Pamphlets , and discourses of forged conspiracies , feares and jealousies , ( now so confessedly groundlesse , that they are become a Proverbe of vanity ) it cannot be avoided but you will have now and then some accusing thoughts among others , they will not be all altogether excusing or justifying . I pray you give mee leave to marshall in order before your eyes certaine accusing thoughts , and put it to the tryall of your owne heart whether they doe with any force or justice accuse you , I assure you I will take upon mee no further then to accuse you , for it is God onely must be your Judge , and I beseech him to prepare you for that judgement , and to performe it with all possible elemency and mercy . You have at last Sir , obtained one end of all your endeavours , your watchings and fastings and prayers and Sermons ; you see there is at length a warre inflameing the whole Kingdome , you have obtained that it be put to the tryall of fire and sword , whether God will so blesse both these as by their meanes to purge this Kingdome and Church of the staines , which you suppose are in them both , and set up that pretended Scepter of Christs Kingdome , the Presbytery or independency : ( we know not yet whether is design'd . ) Now in this warre now raised , I shall principally consider the condition of the persons betweene whom it was waged , and the grounds and pretences thereof , and from thence raise such Articles of accusation , as I must needes feare you cannot chuse but answer guilty unto them at the barre of conscience . And these I will consider , with an intention not so much to interpose mine owne judgement concerning the legality of them , as desireous to shew that you , as a Preacher of the Gospell , ought not so to have interessed your selfe in them . 1. The parties oppos'd and in collision against one another in this warre are ; on the one side the Kings Majesty assisted by the most considerable part of the Nobility and Gentry and Commons , and all the Clergy that are indeed the true English Protestant Clergy ; and on the other side , No King ( nor so much as an usurping pretended King ) but onely Subjects , ( or such as ought to be such , and have often sworne they will be such ) and among them , the only forward persons are Sectaries , such as abhorre the established Doctrine and Discipline of our Church ; as appeares in that wheresoever almost that Army comes , there is all the violence and despight imaginable exercised against the Leiturgy and Ceremonies of the Church , and persons of Church-men ; witnesse Canterbury , Worcester , Winchester , Salisbury , and the other day , Lambeth . And herein I accuse you first ( or rather , I desire you that you would permit your owne thoughts to accuse you , I doe not yet say to condemne you , but accuse you ) that you have forgotten or wilfully transgressed the duty of a minister of the Gospell of Peace , in being forward to kindle a warre of what nature or with what pretences soever . Do you in the Gospell , Master S. Marshall , ( which is your Commission ) find any encouragements , or which is more , any command to foment Warre ? From whence are Warres , in generall , and fightings among you ? S. James will answer , Come they not even {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , from your lusts which warre in your Members ? Christ our Master indeed sayes that he came to send fire and the sword upon the Earth , shewing , not what he intended or commanded , but what , through the wickednesse and malice of Satan and prophane men would be a consequent of the preaching of the Gospell , even that Gospell which is not withstanding the Gospell of meekenesse , and patience , and charity , viz , that the enemies thereof would expresse all possible fury and rage against it . For that fire ( as appeares in the text ) is the Baptisme of persecutions , wherewith Christ himselfe and his followers were to be baptized , a warre wherein he and they were to be patients only and not agents , he came not to put the sword into the hands but into the bowels of his owne servants . You stand therefore accused for being active your selfe , and encouraging other Christians to be active and invaders in this warre , for being a most unchristian Baptizer of Christians with this fire . But , secondly , the accusation against you for being a fomenter of warre , in Subjects against their lawfull Prince , acknowledged for such both by you and them , is farre more heavy and pressing : ( I know you have pretty distinctions whereby you can gaine applause of your hearers , by dividing the King from Charles Stuart , and defending the one by murthering the other ; but remember now it is God & your own conscience before whom I accuse you , who will prove Judges too cunning for such distinctions . ) For Gods sake therefore lay your hand upon your heart , and aske your owne soule what pretence or excuse can be found for this in any law , either of the Kingdome of England , or Heaven . Is there any one word either in the Common or Statute Law , which allowes an English Subject with Armes in hand to resist the King in person ? Is he not indeed , and as you have often sworne to acknowledge him , the supreame Monarch in his dominions ? does not all exercise of coercion and power from all Courts issue by his writ ? Have not all subordinate Magistrates their power from him , and therefore are they not with respect to him , meere private persons ? Do the two Houses of Parliament themselves in all their addresses , petitions &c. unto His Majesty assume any other title unto themselves both severally and joyntly , but onely your Majesties most humble and faithfull Subjects ? These things being so , & you knowing them to be so , I beseech you next search diligently the Gospell , & find but one clause where you are allowed , or where the least suspicion may be given you that you may hope that you may in any case be allowed to dispence with this your duty to His Majesty ; and I will confesse that you and your friends only have shewed your selves good Subjects and good Christians , and that all we who pray for him and wish him victory in this warre , are Traitors to him , and Apostates from Christianity . But no such thing appearing , as you too well know , ( for I wish for your owne sake that it were but ignorance , that has made you so zealous in the cause as you have been ) how can you read or but think upon the beginning of the 13 Chap. to the Rom. without horrour , and secret wishes that S. Paul had had no inke to write words , that will prove so fatall against you ? Is that Chapter , Master Marshall , a part of that Covenant by which you must be judged at the last day ? And can you hope to appeare with any confidence when that Chapter shall be charg'd upon you ? Consider Sir , from whom has the King His power ? is it not from God ? Does not S. Paul say expressely , he is the Minister of God , His Vice-gerent to exercise some Acts , which not the consent of all the men in the world have right to invest him with ? For he beares the sword , that is , the power of life and death . Has any man power over his owne life , to relinquish it at his pleasure ? And it being sure he hath not , can he communicate to another the disposition of his owne life , ( over which no man but God only , or they to whom God delegates his power have Authority ? ) no certainly , Master Marshall . There is no power ( at least no such power ) but of God , the powers that are , are ordained of God . Insomuch that you will not find any example of Capitall punishments in the world exercised by any , till God gave that power to man , which to my understanding he first gave , and then only in the case of murder , to Noah ( Gen : 9. 4 , 5 , 6. ) so that before it was under a dire punishment forbidden to kill even that murderous wretch Cain himselfe . The people then , though they choose the person of their King ( which questionlesse they did by direction from God at the first ) yet not they but God only gives him this supereminent power over life and death ; with regard whereto doubtlesse he call's Kings and all supreame Governours , especially Elohim , and saith , By me Kings raigne ; whosoever therefore , saith S. Paul , resisteth , resisteth the Ordinance of God , and they that resist , shall receive to themselves damnation . These will prove sad words Master Marshall to a dying man , that is guilty he hath in so high a nature resisted , and taught others to do so too : Especially considering , that these precepts of obedience were by S. Paul given to us Christians , at a time when the world was governed by such prodigious Tyrants , as no History mentions the like either before or after them ; as if God intended thereby to cut off all imaginable pretences of disobedience for ever . Had not the Jewes as great Civill Priviledges as wee , granted by God himselfe ? had not they a command not to set a stranger over them ? yet when a stranger had violently usurped this power , does not Christ command us to give to Caesar that tribute ( a signe and acknowledgment of that Authority ) which was Caesar's . Then can zeale for Religion dispense with you , thinke you ? Did Saint Paul say , yee must needs be Subject not onely for wrath but Conscience sake , and whosoever resisteth receiveth to himselfe Damnation ? and were not the persons against whom resistance was thus strictly forbidden , Caligula , or Claudius , or Nero's Persons , that abhorr'd , and as farre as the whole power of mankind could prevaile , endeavoured to destroy Christianity it selfe ? And can setling a new discipline , or rooting out some speculative errours , allow you to resist a good Christian Protestant Prince ? So true a Protestant according to the established Religion of England , that I am perswaded he hath scarce one Subject more hearty and zealous , and constant in it , and more ready to sacrifice his life for it , then himselfe . But you have beene taught of late , and have taught others to say , that His Majesty is bound by promise and oath to such and such things , and with these promises received his Crowne , which is forfeited when these promises are broken . Do you indeed thinke Sir , that any of your Masters beleeve themselves , when they make such objections ? was not His Majesty a King invested with his full power before he made these promises at his Coronation ? or does he tell you , that he quits and releases unto you your allegeance when he failes in any of these promises ? He will be answerable to God for injustice and perjury if he breake his promises , and that will be punishment sufficient , without your endeavours to dethrone him , and take away his life . The King of England , all the world knowes , is not a Duke of Brabant , or King of Arragon , that receives his Crowne conditionally , with power of revocation when the conditions are broken . You know this well enough Sir , and therefore I advise you to prepare an answer for Saint Paul . The other ground , whereon the Articles of your accusation shall be lai'd , does respect the causes or pretences of this horrible un-Christian warre ; which are either Civill viz. vindication of the Liberties of the Subject , and Priviledges of Parliament , &c. or Spirituall , namely , the purging of Innovations in the Church and setling the Protestant Religion of this Kingdome in the purity thereof . It may be , you will reckon among Spirituall grounds the dividing all the revenues of Churchmen , amongst I know not yet whom . For the first , If it did appeare that His Majesty not onely had in times past , but for the future did resolve to entrench in the highest degree upon both these , ( notwithstanding trienniall Parliaments . ) yet let me , speaking to you as to a Clergy-man , from a Clergy-man , aske you whether the Gospell doth warrant us the ministers thereof , to incite and provoke Subjects to warre and bloudshed for any worldly causes whatsoever . For consider Master Marshall , are Christian Subjects bound in Conscience not to suffer the effects of Tyranny ? Cannot they be saved under an oppressing cruell Governour ? Is the patitient suffering ones selfe to be defrauded and injured by a lawfull Ruler become a sinne ? Truly Sir , I am so farre from thinking so , that I cannot find in mine heart to preach against those patient Citizens in London , who without resistance suffer themselves to be plundered , by these who certainely were not borne their Princes , to whom they never tooke any oathes of allegiance ; neither can I condemne that man as out of the Gospell , who would rather deliver his purse unto a theife , then endanger the wretches life , by resisting him and fighting for it . This therefore being so that it may consist with a good conscience to be wronged ( and if it were not so , S. Paul would never have said , why do ye not rather take wrong ? why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded , viz. then goe to law &c. ) I wonder what Text you could make use of to bring this within a Sermon-businesse to perswade Subjects rather then suffer such things , to endanger their own lives , and the life of their anoynted King ; ( yea and the soules of both too ) though he had beene a Tyrant ! This was certainly a great fault in you Sir , and your party ; Though there had beene not only rationall suspicions , but apparent proofes , that oppression and Slavery were threatned to this Nation . You might have found Textes in the Gospell , wherein in such cases mention was made , and advises given for the practice of certain Christian vertues called meekenesse , and patience , and praying for enemies , and resignation of our selves to Gods good providence , and acknowledging that our sinnes have deserved , that for them , God should deliver us over into the hands of Tyrannicall Governours These Textes ( which every where offer themselves you should have studied , and these vertues you should have commended to your hearers , as seasonable on such occasions , ( which I pray you not to interpret to be boasting , If I tell you , that such is my practice in these dayes wherein there is so great occasions given for the exercise of such Christian vertues , and given by persons in whose innocence and Justice you do much confide , ) and not resisting and rising up in Armes against them , and revenging our selves of our sufferings upon the persons and rights of those , whom we were borne to live under , and to whom we had taken so many Oathes of Duty and Loyalty . For mine owne part I assure you Sir , if it should please God that you and your masters should in the end Legally become our Governours , either in Civill or ecclesiasticall matters , be as rigorous and austere as you please I do promise you in the presence of God ( who knowes me though you do not and will punish me if I lye , ) that I will never exhort any man to revenge and opposition against you , never will I sollicit petitions to threaten you , nor tumults to advise you . If you should command me to do things unlawfull , or enjoyne me to subscribe to doctrines which I thinke erroneous , I will not do those things , nor professe such doctrines , but however I will never resist you , but either by flying from you , or suffering as meekly as I can the punishment and penalties that you shall inflict on me , and I do here engage my selfe to procure you as many fellow-patients as possibly I can : these things I take leave to tell you , upon supposition , that all pretended miseries were indeed apparently comming on us , and inevitable , but onely by these ( to my understanding ) unlawfull meanes . But now Sir , since no such thing appeares probable , or almost possible to any man that hath in him left one grain of Christian charitie ; since whatsoever former pressures we groaned under , as Ship-money , and Monopolies , are not onely so absolutely taken away , as no suspicion can remain of their returning ( for which many thankes and acknowledgements are due and will be given to his Majestie by all good Subjects , how insensible and unthankfull soever you resolve to be ) since not onely all the Delinquents in such cases are offered to the triall and punishment of the Law ( excepting onely those whom new crimes of unthankfulnesse and malice against the King , have rendered justified and innocent , and unfit to be questioned , for all their former briberies and extortions ) but likewise the most earnest assurances by solemne and publique protestations and oathes , freely given us by his Majestie ( joyned with unusuall acknowledgements of errours past , and all reasonable offers of satisfaction for them , as particularly ; for his repair unto the House of Commons ) and curses on his own Person and his Children : if those Protestations be not syncere , that surely they that beleeve not his Majestie ( if there be any such , for I am confident most of those that say they do not beleeve him , do blaspheme their own faiths , and are anti-hypocrites of infidelitie ) they must confesse a renouncing of Christian charitie , which believes all things ; and they must thinke his Majestie destitute of ordinary prudence , since it is apparent that there is no possible way for him left to reigne in splendour , or so much as safetie , unlesse he make good these promises by future actions , ( the greatest and most considerable part of that strength now about him , following him , chiefly upon that assurance , and out of experience , that the Lawes of the Land , which they see unregarded and nullified by others , are either to be revived , and justice executed by him , or not at all . ) Sure Master Marshall , though his Majestie be a mightie Prince , yet I may say , it is beyond his power to give us greater securitie of making England the happiest Kingdom under the Sun in his Government according to Law and Justice , than he hath already done , unlesse he should dethrone himselfe , and give up his power and protection of us , his Subjects , from himselfe into other mens hands , which if he should attempt to do , he should be perjured . Thinke with your selves of any other lawfull securitie ( that he be not the onely Person in the Kingdom unprotected ) beyond that which you have already received , and I am very confident you shall have that granted too . Where is then your Christian charitie all this while , Master Marshall ? you that are commanded to forgive and receive into friendship your brother , seven times in one day , though he should offend as many times in one day , what dispensation do you finde in the Gospell for this dutie of charitie to your King , whom I am assured , you can never accuse of ever making any promise with a resolution to break it ? or if you will needs be so hard to be perswaded your selves , where have you been taught to discourage and forbid others who are more easie of beleefe to trust him ? Remember Sir , when the last fatall houre comes , if you have any sin lying on you not throughly mortified , you must then promise unto Almightie God amendment ( if it shall please him to lengthen your dayes , and wo unto you , and more too , if God does not believe us , and take our words ) you must then say not onely , Forgive me , as I forgave , &c. But , Believe and accept of this resolution of mine , as I do , &c. This you must say , and the onely comfort of your soul will be , that God will content himselfe with promises onely , in stead of performances , notwithstanding an hundred promises you did make in your life time against sin , and as many times you forgot and neglected those promises : Do not therefore teach Almightie God an evill lesson against your selfe . Now besides this extreme and most unchristian uncharitablenesse , and judging of your King , so as you dare not for all the world adventure to be judged your selfe , you must expect to be accused of most intolerable disobedience and disloyaltie to his Majestie . You that are commanded to be subject out of conscience to Nero , if he were your King , not to resist him , though he should without Law murder you ; yet you have and for ought appeares , yet do not onely deny obedience to a most righteous Christian King , but you have appeared in the Field among armed Forces against Him ; and ( as it is affirmed by Gentlemen of qualitie , Officers in your Armie that were your Auditours ) whereas you promised your Souldiers , that they should never fight against his Majestie , yet when that fearfull day of Edge-hill came , you not onely broke that promise with them , but encouraged them especially to direct their shot toward that place where his Majestie stood . The thought of this I am sure will sit near your soul before you die ; but how would it have entred like boiling oyl into your bones , if the shot which from other hands you aimed against his Person had not swerved ? I assure you , that you have greater cause to blesse God for preserving his Majestie against your selfe , that day , than either my selfe , or any other , the most faithfull Subject he has . It could not be but pleasure for us to perish after so dismall a losse , but for you to die with his blood upon your soules , who is Gods Anointed , methinkes the very thought of the possibilitie of it should be sufficient to banish from your heart all manner of peace and securitie as long as you live . There is one aggravation more for this your disloyaltie , which certainly will make it a sin that I must accuse the povertie of our Language which will not afford us a name to understand it by , a sin which the worst Lay-person in the world could not be guilt●e of , that is ( and if I remember well , his Majestie hath already in one of his writings charg'd you with it , ) that you , not content with all these expressions of the utmost kind of disobedience , should take upon you to absolve certaine soldiers , once his Prisoners , and graciously released upon their oath , never to beare Armes against him more , of that their promise and oath , making them twofold more the Children of Hell , then &c. I will not make you blush , with asking , whether the Gospell will afford you textes to justifye this . I pray you search the Alcoran , I am confident the Alcoran is not a booke professedly and impudently hellish enough to warrant this action . For Gods sake , Sir , have so much regard to the honour of our nation , as to use some meanes to wipe of this Scandall ; let not the world thinke , that we English-men , if we doe not beleeve , yet at least have some suspicion that there is a God , an avenger of perjury . Perjury you know was even by the Heathens accounted a sinne , not only destructive to the Authours , but to whole Cities , and Kingdomes , which have the misfortune to have such persons living in them . Shall Rebellion be reported to be accounted by any English Protestant , not only a pardonable but a lawfull act , yea a vertue , yea so eminent a vertue , that like charity it will cover a multitude of sins , and so fit and necessary to be practiced , that rather then omitted , perjury it selfe should be swallowed ? I hope Master Marshall ; His Majesty hath beene misinformed , and that I am to crave your pardon for laying to your charge this accusation . Other things there are , which though I hope you did dislike , & had no Active influence on them , yet when you thinke sadly on , I beleeve you will thinke must prove part of your charge . As those bloudy tumults from the City , whose pretence indeed was Justice and Liberty , ( but hath beene the bane of both : ) those printings and preachings of known lies and calumnies , those revilings and proscribings of His Sacred Majesty , those shamelesse mocking and upbraidings of Almighty God to his face and in his owne ordinance , giving him thanks for forged victories or confessed losses , the neglecting of all manner of Oathes , even of that oath of your owne invention , the Protestation , which alone if it should rise up in Judgment against you what would become of you ? In a word whatsoever almost has beene spoken or done in order to your great designe , that is , the whole businesse of your brethren especially of the separation , for these two last yeares ; I feare some share of the guilt of all this will cleave to you , so that it will concerne you , to advise how you may acquit your selfe of it . For Mr Marshall , can any Christian deny that all these things have not beene done ? And having beene done , can any excuse be made for them ? And this being so , how could it consist with a good conscience in you , ( although you had no hand at all in any of these things , ) to dissemble the taking notice of them ? Not once to preach publikely against them though you knew many of your chiefe Auditors were guilty of them ? Are you so tender harted , that you cannot endure such sleight staines in the Church , as the Surplice , Letany , or a few new postures &c. and can you over-looke such abominations as these ? Can you find nothing against which , to expresse your zeale but only peace , or are you of that good opinion , who openly maintain'd , that for a holy end some evill things might be tolerated , though S. Paul say of such as he , their damnation is sure ? Could you admit so much secret Atheisme into your heart , as to expect from designes , built upon such rotten grounds , and forwarded by such wicked arts , that a good issue could follow ? I assure you for my selfe , though I extreamly greived to see such things practiced so uncontrolably , yea so kindly and thankfully received by Christians , and though I was a long time solicitous of the ruine threatned to this Church ; yet since I could not chuse but see thē , I began to be more secure both for Kingdome and Church , since by all that I had either read or could informe my selfe concerning the course of Gods most wise and holy providence , I could never find that in the end he ever crown'd with blessings the designes of persons that so shamefully dishonoured him , how holy and spirituall so ever their pretences were . The other great pretence for this warre is Religion ( Christian Religion , I pray you thinke of that , Master Marshall , ) Zeale for the maintaining of this , has wrested from you your selfe many eager and loud exhortations , that men would stand resolutely for Gods truth , that they would neither spare their purses , nor lives in so holy a cause . Are not you , Sir , one of those Godly Divines that have been consulted with , as the whole Kingdome , hath beene given to understand ? This is the almost only thing , which is said to make this warre to be , pium duellum . But for the honour of our Blessed Saviour and his Religions sake ( Master Marshall ) I beseech you at least in this controversy , search the Gospell diligently ( for that sure must only determine this point , here needes no conjuring up of Fundamentall lawes of nature or Nations nor new unheard of Priviledges ▪ ) I say once more search the Gospell , and if there appeare one word , that gives you warrant to provoke Christians to any kind of warre for the cause of Religion ( which yet is the almost only Pulpit-cause ) I will confesse my selfe a desertour of Christ , a betrayer of his Religion , for not daring to flesh mens swords in this quarrell . But in the Gospell I find , that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall , but spirituall ; I find that the Tares which grew among the wheat , that is , the Children of the wicked one , Hereticks , are forbidden to be pluck't up and destroyed , before the time of Harvest . I find that against the enemies and Persecutours of this Religion Christ Jesus has furnished us with no other weapons , but defensive only , and those , patience or flight at the most . I find that by such weapons , and such only , Christian Religion prevailed against the power of the whole Roman Empire . I find not that any one of the antient Fathers taught , or that without their teaching the primitive Christians made use of any other weapons , but these , or that they thought any other weapons lawfull . You know what Tertullian speakes in his Apology , viz that the Christians then ( though if they had thought the sword a lawfull instrument in this cause , they wanted neither numbers , nor power , yet ) durst not betray their Consciences to secure their lives . It is much to be doubted , Sir , that it is not superstitions or other imputed vanities , which make such antient writers scorn'd or hated by your freinds , both Separatists and Anabaptists , so much as these vertues of patience , and Christian obedience , for which they are so famous , and wherein you will not be their Schollers . Now all this and a thousand arguments and reasons beside these , which might be alleadged , being apparent , whereto may we attribute this your certainly not Christian Apostolicall way of maintaining true Religion , but only to a confessed distrust in Gods providence , or in his love unto his Church ? that men fearing lest God should not blesse those indeed only blessed meanes of suffering , which heretofore when they were used were alwayes prospered by him , have therefore cast aside this Spirituall armor , and have betaken themselves to such as Mahomet and the Purple whore and the great master of both these , the Divell , that Abaddon and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} hath and doth make use of , for destroying true , and introducing false Religion ? If it were the truth of Christ that those of the separation , or their new associates , ( though indeed most mortall enemies , ) the Anabaptistes have been so busy to advance : Is it possible that with all their stratagems and darke counsells and prayers and fastings , they should not to this day have obteined from God so much successe as to become the masters of one Kingdome , City , nor village ? excepting only that which they will be ashamed to brag of , the City of munster ? Oh Sir , How then will you answer it to Christ ( who will certainly , in this case especially be a very severe Judge ) that you have made him who came not to destroy mens lives but to save them , a pretence for the shedding of so much bloud as hath beene and probably will be spill'd ? If it should chance mens eyes should be opened , and that this should be acknowledged an unlawfull cause of warre , whom can you expect that those poor soules , who have died in the very gall of bitternesse and rancour of Rebellion should curse , but such Ministers as you , who have told them ( but most falsly ) that such a way of exposing themselves to death was not onely acceptable , but absolutely commanded by Christ himselfe ? Sure , Sir , War is a businesse of so infinitely deep concernment , that it ought not to be undertaken but upon grounds evidently lawfull and warrantable . A War therefore for Religion , and against a lawfull Superiour , against whom the Gospell so apparently forbids resistance , must be proved lawfull at least by as many and evident Texts , as those are which seeme to discommand it . O Sir , where are those Texts ? Why is not one Gospell quotation produced for this purpose ? Not one Master Marshall , not one single one , that to any thinking , considering Christian will seem of any kinde of moment at all ? Is it incogitancie or ignorance in you Ministers that there is such want of the Gospell in these points ? No certainly , it is meer guilt , or rather a clear confession that you can finde nothing in the Gospell whereby the Professours thereof may be encouraged to defend it this way . However , let it be supposed that the lawfulnesse hereof might be maintained in some possible cases ; yet it cannot be denied , but that patience ( so oft commanded and blessed by Christ ) is at least a lawfull thing to be practiced too . Now that you say Religion and Truth is persecuted , and if patience against any persecutours , certainly , then against a lawfull King when he turnes persecutour . How then comes it to passe , that neither you , nor any of your partie should exhort men to patience or martyrdom now ? Is it out of conscience that you dare not ? Will not the Gospell warrant such exhortations , thinke you ? For shame , Sir , let it be confessed at last , that whatsoever other pretences may seem specious and popular , yet that this of Religion ( which notwithstanding boulsters up all other , and when the rest fail , recruites many of your decayed Regiments ) yet that this , I say , is so farre from making this War lawfull ; that it selfe is more unlawfull , than the War . But if Christian Religion might be thus defended , must Discipline therefore be so defended ? must no crossing , no kneeling , no ceremonies , no prescribed prayers , be so defended ? or at last speak out Plain English in this point too : Is it indeed the English Protestant Religion of the Kingdom that you would thus defend ? why ▪ did the King ever persecute the Religion of the Kingdome ? Did he ever , or any by his command burne the Liturgie , damne the Articles and Canons , abominate the Homilies of the Church ? Do his Souldiers tear Surplices , and threaten to murther the wearers of them ? For starke shame then say not that you defend the established English Protestant Religion , against the King : that King who scarce ever was once absent from his own solemne Prayers and Sermons . By the way remember , Master Marshall , your uncharitable suspicions , your unreasonable , groundlesse declamations against his Majestie in this point of Religion , are yet farre more unexcusable than before . But to take the maske quite from off your faces , remember that this King whom you know to be so constant a lover of the Religion wherein he was bred , yet this King in a charitable , religious compliance with you , offers to yield to any reasonable alterations , and to take away whatsoever doctrines or practices may seemingly be offensive to tender consciences : onely , I believe he would be unwilling to have that exposed unto the world for the confessed Religion of the Kingdom which shall be agreed upon by an Assemblie over-voted , or over-awed by such as professe themselves at least strangers , if not enemies to this Church ; for let the effect of such a meeting be what it will , it cannot be called the Religion of England , it is but at most A Religion for England . Therefore , for Gods sake , let the King be stiled in this War not an Invader , but onely , as it is apparent he indeed is ▪ A Defender , rob Him not of the Title of his Crown ▪ for does He take up ▪ Armes either for any new additions to his former Prerogatives , for any new Lawes to the prejudice of His Subjects liberties , or for any new Articles of Religion which he has a minde to introduce by the sword ? Would he infringe any old Lawes , or Priviledges , or Articles ? Have not you forced him to unsheath his sword meerly to prevent innovations in all these ? Which is then the invading and which is the defending side ? If you be sicke enough , to be weaned from worldly respects , I shall not desire a fitter person to answer this question . Now these are Sir , the principall Heads or Articles of crimes , of most of which I must needs confesse I doubt ( and I hope in Christ I shall not be found uncharitable , though I should chance to be mistaken ) that you M. Marshall are guiltie . For Christ his sake thinke sadly on them , and advise with some grave and holy men of our Clergie , as well as your own , such as are M. Shute , D. Oldsworth , &c. These are matters Sir , that certainly deserve all possible examination . And you who I believe would not trust an ignorant Lawyer , though your friend and fellow Sectarie about your estate , you should in reason at least be as carefull of your soul . And withall , I pray you take this also into your consideration , that if you prove indeed guilty of these things , as I must fear your are , then if it should happen that God should deal so mercifully with you as to convince you of them , and to give you repentance for them , it will be likewise most necessary that you should endeavour to satisfie Gods Chuch for this extreme scandall given , by professing your repentance , and attempting to undeceive others . And who knowes , whether since those crimes , how fearfull soever in their own nature , yet were the effects chiefly of ill education and prejudices in your judgement not Christ , or want of love to him , who knowes I say , whether Almighty God may not be pleased to accept of even a death-bed repentance for them . I hope Sir , you will be pleased to write or cause to be written some few words in answer to this . For so much methinkes charitie backe again to me ( who professe my selfe contrary to you in all these points ) will require from you . For certainly , either these things which I call accusations , are extreme great vices , or extraordinary vertues , they cannot possibly be things indifferent ; so that one of us , in the state we both are , must needs want some speciall Christian Graces , without a concurrence of all which you know there is no possible salvation . Now if you be so pleased to extend so much charitie to me , you shall make your own conditions either of secrecie , or what else you please , onely my desire and expectation is that I may hear some thing from you , if at all , by the xvith . of this present moneth . Now the God of mercie and comfort be with you , and repair all the breaches of this poor Kingdom and Church , I am Sir , Your Brother and Servant in Christ Iesus . 1o . Martii 1643. FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52041e-130 Deut. 17. 16. 
A52038	----	An expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. By a brother in Christ Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52038 of text R204591 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M754A). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 89 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52038 Wing M754A ESTC R204591 99825341 99825341 29721 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52038) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 29721) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1993:19) An expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. By a brother in Christ Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 40 p. printed for H.R. and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the three Pigeons in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1647. A brother in Christ = Stephen Marshall. Caption title on p. 1 reads: An expedient. To preserve peace and amitie, among dissenting brethren. Reproduction of the original in the Christ Church Library, Oxford. eng Christian sects -- England -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Church history -- 17th century -- Early works to 1800. A52038 R204591 (Wing M754A). civilwar no An expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. By a brother in Christ. Marshall, Stephen 1647 17678 121 0 0 0 0 0 68 D The rate of 68 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Rachel Losh Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Rachel Losh Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion AN EXPEDIENT TO PRESERVE PEACE AND AMITY , AMONG DISSENTING BRETHREN . By a Brother in CHRIST . LONDON , Printed for H. R. and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the three Pigeons in Pauls Church-yard , 1647. AN EXPEDIENT . TO PRESERVE PEACE and Amitie , among dissenting BRETHREN . SEeing it hath pleased Almighty GOD , 〈…〉 ▪ at this time to put a stop to the effusion of Bloud , so prodigally powred out in our native Country , and thereby given a hope of speedily stating the whole Kingdome , in a firme and durable Peace : It doth not a little grieve my soul , that this happinesse should be clouded or retarded , under the pretence of Religion , which is the best cimenter of Peace . But herein I take comfort , that God hath his own work , no lesse in these controversies , then before hee had in the warres , and will reap glory out of both . We must neither start nor stagger , when we see Schismes and Heresies rise , in the visible Church They are the Tares , which the envious man soweth , among Gods Wheat ; and Christ hath fore-warned us , and so hath his Apostles , that through the rage of Satan , and corruption of men , there must of necessity in all times and ages arise scandals , dissentions , and Heresies in the Church ; for the exercise of the godly , that their faith might be proved and manifested to the world , by holding their ground , and cleaving to the truth . Yea , the very Gospell of Christ , which in it selfe , is a Gospell of peace , by the bloud of the Son , reconciling of us , to the Father . Meeteth with such Malignancy and opposition in the world , that to the true professors of it , it becometh , a Gospel of warre and hatred , and persecution . This is the condition of the faithfull , to be alwayes in outward troubles , wherein were they not supported with inward peace , they were of all men , most miserable . Upon this ground Martin Luther , that undanted champion of the truth , being taxed by the Emperour in a great Councell , that he was the man , who by his Doctrine had disturbed the long continued Peace in Germany : Answered , that what others thought he could not tell , but it rejoyced his heart , to see that there was divisions , about the word of God ; for Christ came not to bring peace but the Sword . By all this it appeareth , that as every true beleever must expect tribulation in this world , so hee shall have peace with God , and ought to have peace and communion one with another ; Christ when he left his Disciples , left them Peace for a Legacy , and a commandement , to love one another ; we are also frequently exhorted , to follow after Peace ; to bee of one mind , and preserve the unity of the spirit , in the bond of Peace . How comes it then about that we see so many minds , among brethren , who will all passe for the Disciples of Christ ; and that from the diversity of minds , wee see , so many rents and separations ▪ whereby the bond of Peace is broken , and the spirits of men , disunited ! Certainly when it commeth so far , it can proceed from no other root then from our lusts , which war in our earthly members . Otherwise difference of judgement , among true beleevers , in the sincere search of truth , may well stand with unity of affections , without breach of Peace . For it is manifest enough , that the true beleevers over the whole world , are not of one mind , in all things that concerne Religion , and the worship of God . Witnesse the severall formes of outward worship , among all Nations , no lesse various then their fashions . And this may also happen , among the faithfull , aswell in the same , as in severall Nations ; nay if we consider it home , wee shall find , the like difference in our selves , that we need not wonder at it , in others ; for what Christian is there , who in pursuit and study for truth , observeth not in himself , degrees , and diversities of judgement ; every day teacheth knowledge this life being a time of growth , not of perfection ; neverthelesse , no man hateth himself , because he formerly knew not so much , as now he doth , but rather praiseth God , for hauing revealed to him , a greater measure of knowledge by this rule , wee should deale with others , as we do with our selves , for that is the rule of Charity . We are all Gods building , and albeit , they may chance to differ among themselves . They are not for that to make a breach in the building ; but in Love and Peace , suffer their opinions , to bee tryed , by the word of God , making that the decider , not the breeder of controversies . This being premised , I will proceed to the subject , lying before me , and take my beginning , from the beginning it self . Almighty God doing all his own works in order , was pleased to make Man , a sociable creature ; first in himself , associating an earthly and heavenly nature , that one might guide and governe the other ; and himselfe receive glory from both . Then by ingrafting in that compounded nature , rules of spirituall and humane duty , whereby he might be fitted for a well-being , in the society of others . For as the conjunction of flesh and spirit , though parts far differing in nature , make one man ; so the conjunction of many men , though of severall ages , complections , humors , passions , callings and degrees , make up a common-wealth , for the good of all , in their temporall well-being . Even so likewise , the conjunction of many spirits and minds of men , though dissenting in opinions , wayes and strength of judgement , yet ayming at the same end , by faith in Christ , to attain salvation . Maketh a common union or a Church , for the good of all , in their eternall wel-being . Flesh alone , nor spirit alone , cannot make a man , but the union of both , no more can a Common-wealth by it self , nor a Church by it self , make men temporally and eternally happy , but the unity and harmony of both . They are so conjoyned and intwined together , that as the soule is in the body , so is the Church in the Common-wealth : single they cannot subsist . For there never was nor can there be , any multitude of men , that bodied themselves , into a Common-wealth , who agreed not in some kind of Religion ; neither can any multitude of men body themselves , into a Church , but they must be subject to some kind of government . These two cannot be separated , without the ruine of both . Seperation destroying Society , wherein consisteth the happinesse of man ; for in heaven , wee cannot bee happy alone , nor on earth without society . These principles are written by the God of order , in the tables of humane nature , which are commonly called , the light or the Law of nature . But sin and time having so fullyed that Character , that it was scarce legible by posterity . God was pleased to revive it againe , to his peculiar people ; writing it , with his own finger , in Tables of stone , to authorize and moralize it , to all generations , for their good , therein giving power to the Magistrate to take care , for the keeping and preserving , of both Tables ; placing our duty to him , between our duty to God , and towards our neighbour , that hee might looke , for the good of man both wayes . Our duty to God , is contayned in fewer precepts , but more words ; it seeming necessary , that God should explaine himselfe , in his own cause , leaving no power to any man , to adde or diminish , or interpret his Lawes , but by his own word ; which made Moses ▪ though he were a Law-giver in Israel , yet he would not judge , the gatherer of sticks upon the Sabbath day , without consultation with the Lord . Before the written Law , every father of a family was both Priest and Magistrate , to looke to both ; and the greater the family or society was so much higher was the Magistrate , and reverenced with more honour , as being the common parent , caring for the whole Country . This Law therefore of Nature , being the very dictate , of God himself , may not improperly be termed a divine Law . There were also other Lawes , which God prescribed by his servant Moses , to the people of Jsrael , politicke and Iudiciall Lawes , for preserving humane society , and governing the Common-wealth ; and Ceremoniall Lawes , for the outward manner and forme of his publike worship ; for performance whereof , he ordained divers Sacrifices and Sacrificers ; allotting maintainance for them both ▪ But when the time fore-appointed came , that God would restore man , to that happinesse , he had deservedly lost , by the sin of the first Adam ; he sent his onely Son Iesus Christ the second Adam , in the flesh ; who after he had manifested his divine power to the world , by his Doctrine and miracles , did by his last words on the Crosse , and by the first visible testimony of the power of his death finish and consummate the Law , and rent from the top to the bottome , the vaile of separation ; by both declaring , the necessity of types , and ceremonies , places and times of worship differences of people , Sacrifices and Sacrificers , fixed and impropriated maintainance ; for any of them , was no longer to bee continued strictly in the letter , although a morall equity shadowed by them was to be perpetuall . Neither did our Saviour in the constitution of his Evangelicall Church , revive any of them , nor ordain any set form of worship , rule for goverment , or a certained and speciall maintainance for his Ministers ; but only repaired and restored man , to that way and manner of worship , which Adam had in his innocency , prescribing him , to serve God the Father of spirits , in spirit and in truth , without otherwise confining him to time , place , gesture , posture , or other circumstances , which of their own nature ▪ are not permanently confineable . In like sort , the blessed Apostles , whom Christ sent into the world , to publish the glad tydings of Salvation , laid no other foundation , as necessary thereunto , then Iesus Christ , and what he had laid himself , for they were only master builders , on that corner stone Christ Iesus . What they declared to any people converted to the Gospel concerning any rule of order , about the outward man , or his Christian behaviour , in publike service ; it was only a temporary advise , sutable to the times , Countries , and occasions , wherin they lived ; not universally binding to all Nations , and generations to come . In their dayes , there was neither Christian State , nor Christian Magistrate , nor any publike power , to countenance or appoint the outward government of the Church ; in default whereof , it was necessary for them , to make such orders and constitutions as might serve ▪ for those present times ; neverthelesse , as Christ himself , took upon him , no civill authority , so , gave hee none ; to his Apostles , nor they , to the Ministers succeeding . For when Christ was required , to divide an inheritance , betwixt two brothers , he asked with indignation , who had made him a Iudge or divider over them ; and when the case of the Incestuous person , fell out at Corinth , St. Paul inflicted no temporall punishment upon him , only advised the brethren , that whiles hee stood obstinate against all reproof , to shun his company , and cast him out of their communion , that the shame thereof , making him sensible of his sinne , it might beget repentance ; and make him returne , to the fellowship of true beleevers . I verily thinke , that if all the directions , which the Apostles have left recorded in Scripture , were laid in one view together ; no man , nor multitudes of men , how learned soever could collect , or frame out of them all , an exact body of Church government , in all the parts and Circumstances thereof , to bee imposed as a divine ▪ binding , infallible rule , upon all Christian Churches and Kingdomes , in the world . Indeed where we meet , with any Councels or constitutions of the blessed Apostles , who were holy men , indued with more immediate power , from Christ , with a larger measure of the spirit of truth , and consequently with a greater certainty of judgment , then any of their Ministeriall successors ; we may rely upon them , and make them our patternes ; only remembring the distinction of times , that the Apostolicall Church , was in infancy , and under persecution , and the English , in full growth and dominion ; in so much , that in the framing of Ecclesiasticall orders , an eye and regard must ever bee had , to the civill Government , which alwayes aymeth at the publike good , both of Church and State , wherein the Church is lodged . The Ministers doubtlesse , have power by their office , to advise and instruct , exhort and rebuke out of the word , in a brotherly way , but it is as doubtlesse , that the power is in the Christian Magistrate , upon hearing their advice , to constitute and establish , under the naturall notion of order , such decrees , as upon due debate , and deliberation , they shall find most wholsome and agreeable to the present State . This is also to be observed , that no man ought to take unto himself , the office and honour , to Minister for his brethren , in things pertaining unto God , unlesse hee be lawfully called thereunto ▪ Christ himself , was sent by the Father , and annointed by the spirit , to his heavenly office ; by Christ , the holy Apostles were sent into the world , from whom they had their immediate Commission , and the blessed Apostles following their pattern , did not only send and appoint Pastors over all Churches in their present times ; but also lest rules and directions , for ordaining all others , for the time to come , till the worlds end . I make no question , but God doth in our dayes , call and stirre up many to this holy office ▪ by particular motions of his Spirit ; yet that exempteth not the persons so called , from manifesting and approving their vocation , according to the rules left in Scripture : where we are commanded , to try the spirits of men , whither they be of God ; and the Spirits of the Prophets , peculiarly such as are called to the Ministery , are subject to the Prophets , as fitting to be tryed and examined by them , who by long experience ; and without reproach , have conversed in the Church , and dispenced the misteries of Salvation . From this brief and plaine deduction , I shall lay down some few Positions , as ground-lines of the discourse ensuing . 1. That God hath by his Son , taken away all ties of necessity , for observing any part or parcell of the Ceremoniall Law . 2. That God by Christ , hath restored men to that spirituall worship , which Adam had in time of his Innocency . 3. That Christ hath not appointed , any set or absolute form of Government in his Church , binding to all times and Nations . 4. That whatsoever the Apostles wrote concerning outward Government , it was not ▪ in nature of an universall Law , but only by way of order and advice , answerable to these Primitive times and occasions . 5. That the Ministers of the Church , as they are Ministers , have no temporall Power , Iudicature , or maintenance positively and particularly alotted them , by Christ or his Apostles , but only in the generall , that it be sufficient and plentifull , that thereby they may be examples unto others of hospitality and good workes , learning the manner and speciall determination , to the Christian Magistrate and the Lawes of the Land . 6. That the Christian Magistrate hath the highest power , of ordering and governing the Church of God , which is a visible company , not onely of Ministers and Officers , but of all Beleevers ; and is intrusted to him , forasmuch , as the Church is in the Common-wealth , and not the Common-wealth in the Church . 7. Whosoever hath a Mission , to undertake the Ministery , ought first to find himself inwardly called , then undergo a lawfull Tryall , and receive approbation , with the prayers and benediction of the Presbitery . Now concerning this great controversie in our Common-wealth , about the government of the Church . I shall from these Principles , according to the small ability God hath given me , unbyassed , by any opinion or affection , to any kind of Government , nor yet for any covetous , nor ambitious desire or designe in my self , but meerly ayming at the good of Gods Church and of my Country ; set down , how I conceive , our supream Magistrate ; may establish such a Church government , as might preserve Amity among Brethren , yet not oppugne any rules Christ hath left behind him . The two houses of Parliament , have already , upon ripe deliberation , passed an Ordinance for a Presbyteriall government , with all the limitations thereof : Which government I am verily perswaded ; if it be duly executed ▪ will prove the best Moderator , betwixt dissenting Brethren , For it is such a government , as taketh away the ill and exorbitance of any other , reserving that which is good in them , and so much the better it ought to be liked ; because it disliketh those parties that oppose it ; for surely hee is esteemed the best and most unpartiall Moderator , who in reconciling parties in such indifferences ▪ displeaseth them all ; yet if this government , may not have so much as an Vmpires power , to constrain obedience ; or else putteth not , that power in practise ; then it will be vilified , and of no esteem . Therefore that it may not prove a dead uselesse letter , I doe first conceive , that it should be established with Penalties , and put in present execution , and made positive ; without allowing a limited time unto it for approbation . For without that , it may be altered in whole or in part , at the Judgement of the Makers ▪ but with that , it would leave every man , doubtfull and indifferent ▪ which will lessen or take away , the true value , and operation of it . In the next place , I conceive , as an especiall wheel ▪ of this motion , and a strong fortification of the Government , that care be taken to keep and incourage the Ministers of the word , in a perpetuall and constant practise , of their Function ; and to remove all occasions , which might any way divert them , from their holy calling . Howsoever it comes about , I know not , but certain it is , that ●●thence , the Church was poysoned , with a temporall revenue and carnall estimation , given to Ministers , for their masters sake ▪ Pride and covetousnesse , have predominated amongst them ; who have bin , and ever will bee ; the roots of much evill , and combustions in those States and Churches , where they have had any power ▪ so farre as forgetting their calling , and the patterne of Christ ▪ they have ever bin observed ▪ for the maintenance of their secular pomp and greatnesse ▪ to bee the chiefe hinderers of Reformation to the purity and humility of the Gospell ; knowing it must first begin at themselves . Therefore for the rooting out and preventing ambition among them , it might bee good to take away those titles of separation and division , which have had their originall from 〈◊〉 . As to be called Clergy , as if they were holy and the people prophane ; or Divines , as if they were all heavenly , and 〈◊〉 formed of the same earth , with the people ; certain●y they can have 〈◊〉 higher title , then to be called Ministers of the Gospell : bringing from God to man , the glad tyding ; of reconciliation and 〈◊〉 ▪ For place and dignities , they are either Officiall , which are 〈◊〉 taken away ; or Personall , which should be left , to the 〈◊〉 discretion of every man ; for if in humility , they strive 〈◊〉 behind all men in place , and before them in goodness , the people will be ready to give , even their eyes , in testimony of their love and estimation of them . I shall forbeare in this place to set down particularly , how Covetuousnesse may bee also removed from the Ministery ; because the remedy thereof , as of many other things conducing to the good of the Church ; how Religion may bee kept and perpetuated in truth and purity ; freed from the danger of relapsing to Popery ; how the Ministers may be for ever provided with a plentifull maintenance over all the Kingdome , how their Widowes and Orphans , ( if there be need ) may be relieved , are already plainly and largely laid down , in another Treatise , by a well-wisher , to the Peace of our Sion ; which wayteth only for a fit occasion to bee produced . Wherein no new charge is laid upon the people ; but only part of the pious donations of our Ancestors to the Church , and good uses , are rectifyed and reduced . This being done , it may then seeme necessary , so to hedge and defend this Government , held forth by Parliament ; that it may neither receive damage ▪ from Enemies without , not bee uncharitably torne and shattered ▪ by Schismes and opinions within . It hath pleased God so miraculously to blesse this Kingdome ; that we have thrown off the yoke of Rome , which neither we nor our Fathers could bear . The Pope , and the Bishops , the head , and the tayle , are sent back from whence they came . The gap which they had made , is by Gods goodnes , and care of this Parliament , filled up , with a moderate Presbyteriall government , sufficiently armed to keep out the wild Boare , that destroyed our Vineyard , and that common implacable enemy from returning . But there are some little Foxes yet among us , that earth in our ground , and annoy our Vineyard , and by craft or rudenesse , weaknesse or wilfulnesse , bring scandals upon our holy profession . That therefore ; our Church may injoy her peace , and bee onely Militant against sin and Satan . The Magistracie must take care , to preserve it from disturbance . As the present conjuncture of our Church standeth ; they who seeme most to distast or oppose this kind of government , are known amongst us , by the name of dissenting Brethren ; which are of two sorts . Rigid Presbyterians , Independants . I know not , how nor by whom these names , were invented , but I make use of them , as current termes , by which they are distinguished . Though indeed ▪ in one seeming regard , disclaiming as some say the power of the Magistrate , they are both Independants , in effect ; for so they both would hang on their own hinges ▪ nor have any other judge of their Religious actions , but themselves ; a thing wholly inconsistent with our civil Governmen . t Of the rigid Presbyterians ▪ we may account , as of younger brethren , men and minds ●eerer a kin to ours : yet rather ayming to invest themselves , with Will and Power ▪ then , in humility submit to the Ordinances of the Magistrate , who is the Ordinance of God . Yea , they seem to bee so greedy of this absolute power ▪ over the actions and Consciences of men , that rather then want it , they will derive their right from Jesus Christ ▪ making it Iure divino to be in themselves . This was also the Bishops claime , and these brethren seem to set up , Episcopacy disguised ; for they drive at the same ends , shunning to give an account of their actions to the supreame Magistrate , and subjecting all men , to a seperated government of their own erection ; but because I have already shown , that no such divine sanction , ratifyed by Christ or his Apostles , can be found , in the records of holy Scripture ; and I shall hereafter prove more at large , that this pretence , directly crosseth , and supplanteth the Ordinance and obedience of the eivill Magistrate , which are indeed Jure divino . I shall desire these our brethren , at their leysure , to let us know , whither Christ did ever appoint any thing to bee universally received jure divino , which was not necessary to salvation ; and whither lawfull obedience to the Magistrate in outward government of the Church , neither adding nor diminishing from the precepts of Christ , necessary to salvation ; be an impediment thereunto , or prejudice to any mans Conscience . In the meane time , be they intreated , in the feare of God , and by the love of brethren ▪ to lay aside these ungrounded opinions , and prefer the Peace and Unity of the Church , before any needlesse disputes , which may breed a rupture in the Common-wealth . The other sort called Independants , goe a degree further , most of them refusing to mingle with us , in the Ordinances of Gods worship ▪ and Communion of Saints , and when they are desired to shew their reasons , their strongest plea is , that so long , as they are not convinced in their judgement , they ought not , to bee constrained in their Consciences , nor forced , to assent to that , which they disapprove ; And this indeed is no unbrotherly plea , but some say they slay not there , requiring further a liberty of Conscience , not only to be subject , or not subject , to the said Government , but to have also a toleration , to set up another government against it , under the same authority , that disallowes it , telling us that wee ought not , to bruise the broken reed , nor quench the smoaking Flax , nor offend our weak brethren , for whom Christ dyed . Whether this bee ( as some say ) only a popular flag ▪ to call in multitudes , to the Standard of liberty or not , I shall bestow a little time , to search and sift , this point to the Bran : and for the more orderly cleering thereof , I will lay down , as I have formerly done , some few assertions which I presume , will not bee denyed , on either side ; the opening whereof , will discover the truth , wee seek for , and make the objections , that obscure it , vanish . 1. That the nature of Conscience is so free in it selfe , that it cannot be constrained , by any Power of man . 2. That there is no Rule , to bind the Conscience , but onely the infallible word of God . 3. That the Christian Magistrate judging and decreeing by that Rule , ought to be obeyed , for Conscience sake . FOr the first point , it will not be amisse to looke into the nature of Liberty , and then of Conscience , from whence will appeare the unconstrainednesse thereof . Liberty in generall is a faculty of the Will , whereby it is enabled to accept or refuse any medium or object represented to it as conducible to its end ▪ This Liberty is taken divers wayes ; there is a Naturall , a Civill and a Supernaturall or Divine . Naturall Liberty wherein we are borne , is a faculty of willing and nilling , flying or following ▪ chusing or refusing , doing or not doing any thing in order to the conservation of a naturall State . The subject thereof is properly the Will ▪ and the objects good or evill in order to preservation . Civill liberty is a freedome which we exercise under the constitutions of some Politicall society . The Naturall liberty of every particular man , would bee the greatest servitude of all . Hence happily wee have Leges a ligando , which doe not permit us the roving liberty of Nature , to choose or refuse doe or not doe what naturally we list . The Will cannot be constrained in the act of willing ( for it were a contradiction to will unwillingly ) but by a Civill power it may bee restrained from the effect in some penalty prescribed . It 's to be observed , that this Civill liberty in some respects , is both larger and narrower then the Naturall : It is larger , because in a Civill constitution the preservation of all men is better caution'd and cared for ▪ And it is narrower , because many things which wee might all naturally doe , are restrained by the lawes of Society . Here is therefore a Liberty , but still under some power coercive , or rather corrective of Naturall liberty : So that wee may well say , when a man is released out of Prison , hee is set at liberty , though he be still under the Civill tye of the Law ; and when he hath payed his debts , that hee is freed of his bonds , yet so as alwayes to be bound with those of civill Society : And because we are exempted from the will and tyranny of the Prince , wee are called Free-men , having the liberty and protection of our Lawes , though otherwise , they bind us to obedience : In this place all kind of Dispensations , Pardons , releasments , absolutions , exemptions and the like ; are said to give us a Civill liberty , by taking of some restraint . Supernaturall liberty , is the restitution from Naturall servitude ; for pure nature , wherein Man was created , had a perfect Liberty ; but nature corrupted by sin , fell into slavery ; from wh●nce , it can onely bee restored by Grace . Conscience , is a faculty of the Soule , which fitteth in the throne , and hath a superintendency , and dominion over the whole man ; as it were a Lieutenant deputy , under God . Nothing escapeth ●●e Court of Conscie●ce : hither are brought the errours of the Vnderstanding , the depravations of the Will , the tumults of the Affections , the distempers of the Mind , the disorders of the Body , to receive their doom , to be approved or disapproved , condemned or acquitted . She is furnished with all things , concurring to judgement ; She hath right to accuse , credit to witnesse , power to judge ; in her , these things are nor incompatible . When she accuseth , you cannot implead her , for her bill is good in law . When shee witnesseth , you cannot disprove her , for she was present at the fact ; when she judgeth , you cannot appeal from her , for there is no higher power on earth . Therefore let us take the Conscience of man , eyther in his estate corrupted , or regenerated ; we see all humain Power is below , and consequently can have no power to constrain her . As the sight , cannot be forced , to discern that cloth black , which is white ; nor the tast , to judge honey , bitter , which is sweet ; no more can the Conscience be any way compelled , to allow that which she condemneth , or condemn that which she alloweth . There bee two engines , commonly made use of , to b●tter the Consciences of men ; Sophistication , and Persecution , first to ensnare men , with deceitfull shewes , and arguments ; then if that will not serve , to fright and terrifie men , with violence and torments ; these two , are exquisitely planted , and practised ▪ in the kingdome of Antichrist , by that old Engineere of all mischiefe , the Divell . Where the Iesuits and other Emissaries , docompasse Sea and Land , and are sent abroad , like Frogs and Locusts , to seduce and captivate poore Proselites , making them seaven times more , the children of the Devill ; And the Inquisition , that Court of darkenesse , and antichamber of Hell ▪ is set up , as a chief piller of Popedome , to torture mens bodies , and rack their Consciences , and drive men to death and desperation . Yet all this , can goe no farther , then to force and afflict , and kill the body , but the Conscience still triumpheth , shee is free ; though the hands bee bound ▪ and the feet be fettered ; this was well known , by that constant Martir who stood out , the brunt of both . — Disputare non possum mori possum . Dispute I cannot , but I can Dye ; and so refute both your Arguments , and your torments . Death is the uttermost , that the power and malice of Man can doe ; and no man , but hee may if he will , as well dye with a free Conscience , as live in it . But some man may say ; have not many for feare of death or disgrace , renownced the Truth , against their Conscience ? Many have indeed , but in doing thereof , they have rather defiled their Conscience , then forced it , for still it is their own voluntary act , judging by a false , erronious light , that it is better for them , to forsake Christ , then to lose their estates , honours , or their lives ▪ and that it is their own act ; appeareth , by the punishment , which the justice of God , will lay upon them , for their own sin ; and not for the sin of others , who went about to constrain them . 2. Neverthelesse , the Conscience sitteth like a Queene , i● the soule of man , commanding over all , and uncontrouled by any humane power . Yet shee vaileth and submitteth to the higher Powers , of God and his word , by which she standeth bound , to give full obedience , under the fearfull penalties , of Rebellion and sin . The reason is , because the word of God is infallible , but the word of man , very deceitfull ; any thing propounded without the word of God , unlesse it bee demonstrative in it selfe , is subject to Errour , though it bee never so well meant . But when the Conscience , findeth in the word , a bottome , to fix , and to stand upon , shee judgeth it , needlesse any longer , to halt or hold off ; to doubt , or dispute , but shutteth her eyes , and believeth . The Conscience of her selfe , hath in every man , a naturall light , though it bee but dim and clouded , this was never quite extinguished , by the fall . By which divers Peoples and Nations , who never heard of Jesus Christ , nor had any glimpse of the light of his word , have bin ble to discerne , not onely the truth of naturall things , but also groped after supernaturall ; acknowledging a GOD by his workes , tho●gh not knowing , how to worship him by his Word ; and by the improvement of this light , they have attained , to many excellent morall Precepts , for the planting of vertue , in the hearts of men , and to admirable Lawes and Constitutions , for the government of them , in Societies and Statutes . Whereof many of them in both kinds , have been ratifyed and approved by the light of the Word revealed . Which plainely declareth unto us , that the naturall light of Conscience , is a beame , and remainder , of that divine light , which was at first infused into our Natures , afterwards obscured , by disobedience ; and againe restored by Regeneration , in the soules of all true believers . All light wee know , transmitteth , and disputeth it selfe . Ad modum recipientis , to the capacity of the receiver . It leaveth stone Wals in darknesse , but shadeth it self , thorow glasse-windowes . Now , transparent bodies , are like illuminated soules , where Iesus Christ , the light of the World entereth , there is light indeed ; there the Consciences of men , are so already enlightened , that they can judge of all things , and are judged of nothing , forasmuch , as they swerve not from the touchstone of judgement , the word of GOD . Now if any shall say , that the word of GOD is called a Law of liberty , rather freeing , then binding us up . I answer ; that it is , truly so called , because it freeth us , from the bondage of Sinne , the servitude of Lust , and captivity of Satan ; But by the same reason , that it releaseth us , from sinne , it bindeth us to obedience , and to the service of GOD , which is perfect freedome . There is a friendly way in the conversation of men ; to bind those , who keepe a loose governance , of themselves , from hurtfull things ; some from Wine , some from fruit , some from unwholsome foode , to which they have an irregular appetite , Such is the singular love of GOD towards us , to tye up , by the Law of his Word , our unruly and inordinate Appetites , from the pursuit of sinfull and unlawfull things , which would prove our poyson , and perdition , in which regard we have great cause , to rejoyce in these bonds ; which are not irons of imprisonment , but bonds of perfection ; retaining and with holding us , from relapsing into sin , and leading of us , into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God , in these bones there is no constraint , for God himselfe who made us , by his word , and can dissolve us , at his pleasure , will not use his power to constraine us ; he delighteth not in a forced worship , but onely obligeth us to a willing obedience , by setting of us free . 3. The conscience therefore , unconstrained in it self , yet tyed up by the word standeth bound , to obey these lawes and decrees of the Magistrate , which are made by the light and the rule thereof , for the voice of the Magistrate speaking according to Gods word is like the voice of God among men , where God hath spoken clearly and expresly to the spirit and conscience of man there need no other lawes , but his owne , and so he hath done , in all matters , that concerne the substance of his owne worship , or our salvation , but in such things , which he hath not punctually determined , onely left them wrapped up in generall precepts ; it behoveth us to learne from his deputies upon earth asking councell of the Lord what his mind and pleasure is , and such for the most part , are the outward rites , formes , and circumstances of his Evangelicall worship , these things fall within the compasse of order and decency , which are rather civill notions then devine , yet as Armies in the field , easily fall into a rout , not well arrayed , so assemblies in the Church , and Churches in the Common-wealth prove but rude , and tumultuous meetings , if they be not decently ordered , a lute or violl is seen plaid upon ; but there is much adoe , to tune many instruments , into one consort ; private Christians may dispose of themselves , in their owne houses , but when they meet , in a publike body , they must be tuned by the publike Magistrate ; the world would never have stood , without societies , nor can societies hold without government , neither can there be any government where some rule not , and some obey , all the question is , to set due limits and bounds to the civill government ; wherein I conceive , that there is the selfe , the same measure , betwixt the Magistrate and the conscience , for as the word of God bindeth the conscience to obey , so it prescribeth , the Magistrate to governe ; otherwise if , as the high Priest forbad the Apostles , to teach in the name of Jesus ; so the Magistrate shall impose any thing upon the people , contrary to divine law , or the word revealed , the case is plain , that we ought to obey God rather then men . These rubbs thus remooved in our way , I shall proceed , to the solving of such objections , as are commonly made by those brethren , that challenge a liberty and exemption from this lawfull obedience . 1. First , they build upon our owne ground ; alledging , that since the nature of conscience , is so free and voluntary in it self , it must needs be , a manifest violation of her freedome to constraine her , by laws , or penalties , or impositions of men . To which I answer , that we must remember to put a difference , betwixt the constraint , and the restraint of mens consciences , no law nor power of man , can constraine the conscience , in her voluntary act ; to goe against her owne light , or approve that which she condemneth , or say to her self , conscience , I lye , no , she may and ought , rather to suffer , then undergoe such a constraint ▪ but the lawes of man , may so farre , restrain their liberty , that she produce not the act , of her private sence and freedome , into hurtfull effects , such as may endanger and disturbe our christian and publike peace ▪ it hath bin alwaies observed that it is as naturall and appetitions for error , to beget error , & opinion , to spread opinion ; as for one kind , to generate and multiply the same , insomuch ▪ when an erronious conscience , will not be limited nor contained within it self , it may and ought to be restrained and inhibited from infecting others , and dispersing the contagion . 2. Secondly , it may be againe objected , that although it be granted , nothing can bind the conscience , but the pure word of God , yet forasmuch , as no word of Scrirture is produced , expresly confirming this from of polity and Presbyterian government , which we are commanded to obey ; it will plainly follow , that the consciences of men , are therein left unto their liberty . To give a full answer hereunto , it would be necessary to take the frame of this government in pieces ▪ as the Levites did the Tabernacle , when they removed their Tents , and then bring it piece by piece , to the light of Gods word , to see what is thereby confirmed , and what unfirmed ; But because this is already done by divers worthy brethren , of the holy calling , I shall forbeare to insert , their volumes , into these few sheets , and shall onely say , that this kind of government , is either expresly , or by good consequence included , and allowed by the Scripture , as not repugnant to it in any thing : Of the Presbytery it selfe , where the government is inherent , I heare no question made , but that it is expresly mentioned in the Scripture , the main doubt and difference is , whither it be Independent , in particular Congregations , subordinate to Synods and Assemblies , as the urgencies and occasions of the Church may require ; Those Brethren , that maintain Independency of single Congregations stand upon a ground , feeble and unfirm , saying that in the Apostles time , there were no other Churches , but onely congregationall , in which alone , all government was confined . This assertion will hold no further true , then in such Churches as were gathered whiles Christ was upon earth : then indeed we may conceive , that the first Evangelicall Church , consisted in the congregation of the Apostles , and afterwards of the Disciples ; but when Christ ascended into heaven , and the holy Ghost descended upon earth , we shall find , that when the multitude of believers increased so much in severall Cities , as one Congregation could not contain them ; their manner was to distribute themselves into severall meetings , accordinp to the commodity of their habitations in the said Cities , or else as it might most stand with their safety . Now th'Apostles themselves , and their coadjutors th'Evangelists and other Founders of Churches under them , did usually constitute and ordain Elders in every City , but not in every Congregation , who had power in common and colle●gially to teach and govern the whole flock , though severally congregated in the same City . Thus we read of the Elders of Hierusalem , of Antiochia , of Ephesus , of Corinth , of Philippi , and many mo , where the numbers of the faithfull were inlarged . Whereby it appeareth , that in the Apostles times , and the times succeeding , those primitive Churches ▪ were City Churches , consisting of divers Congregations , and not congregationall , as is pretended , Independent within themselves . True it is , the City church was commonly independent within it selfe , but thereof the reason was , because the Cities in their civill policy , were free and unsubjected ; otherwise the government of the City Church , reached as farre as the jurisdiction of the City . If all this be true , as it is made most evident , by the unpartiall searchers of Antiquity , we may herein observe a pattern , though not a precept for the subordination of Churches ; for if in the Apostles time , a City church consisted of many congregations , by the same proportion , according to the increase of Beleevers , a Provinciall Church , may consist of many Cities , and a Nationall Church of many Provinces , and the Catholick Church of many Nations ; the lowest step was laid by the Apostles , the highest step is a point of our belief , and from the lowest to the highest , there is no passage but by gradations , which is the scale of that government , now held forth by Parliament . But to this may be replyed ; All this , that you say , is but conjecturall , and that hath no power to bind the conscience , which must have a word infallible to rest upon . To this I answer ▪ That for the substance of this government , wee have the infallible word of God , whereof neither part doubteth ; for the frame and circumstances thereof , we have also the word of man as infallible , as mans can be , for that we may take upon good trust , to be morally infallible , which proceeds from men , who neither deceive , nor are deceived . Now I suppose , that the Parliament hath so fully declared , their sincerity , and discharged their trust , in establishing this government , that the most opposite thereunto cannot admit of such an unworthy thought , as if they intended to impose any government upon the people , which in conscience , they thought not most agreeable to Gods word ; which as it cleareth them , from the least suspicion of deceiving , so it is also manifest , that they have used the best , and most approved means allowed to mortall man , not to be deceived ; For in this waighty worke they have begun , with the invocation of Gods infallible Spirit , which is the Author and leader into all truth ; and have assembled Learned and religious men of the holy calling , to enter into free deliberation , and debate , of that kind of Church-government , which they should find most consonant to Gods word ; and if after all this , we can imagine they have erred in their decrees ; How can we , without presumption , conceive the judgement of any private men to be more infallible . Now if any shall think that this kind of government in every part thereof is established , with such a perpetuall decree , that it can never be changed ; We must know that many things may be infallibly true , yet not alwayes necessary to be continued . True in the Author of truth , and true in the means of truth ▪ and yet may be laid aside , when they are no longer usefull for edification , an example hereof , we may see in the ceremoniall Law , which being appointed by God himselfe , no man will doubt , but it was infallibly true , and being abolished by the same power that ordained it , no man need doubt , but that it was justly removed . Infallibility doth not alwayes inferre immutability . Things are not onely continued for their truth , but also for their goodnesse , and fitnesse , and applicablenesse to present use . So long as the Ceremoniall Law , was to indure , it was of divine infallibility , needfull for the Church of the Jewes , and during that time , immutable , by any power but divine : but when the Evangelicall Law succeeded , which by fulfilling , ended the Ceremoniall ; the worship of God became more spirituall , leaving the decencies , circumstances , and outward manner , to the humane infallibility of the Magistrate , set in authoriiy by God , whose decrees in such matters , are unchangeable by any inferiour power , yet alterable by the same power that decreed them . Moreover the Papists object against our doctrine that before Luther it was not known in thy world , and the Prelates object against our discipline , that before Calvin it was never known : by both with aspersions , they think to disgrace our doctrine , and our discipline , putting upon them the stamp of novelty , as though they were but inventions of men . But as our doctrine hath been sufficiently asserted against their calumnies , to be the very doctrine of the spirit of God , left & recorded in the holy Scriptures . So it is also plain , that this government of Gods Church , by the Presbytery was known and practised in the world , before either Popery or Prelacy was in being , both which are indeed novelties , and the very spawn of corrupted men . It is clearly demonstrated from the bosome of Antiquity ; That the Apostles and Evangelists knowing the mind of Christ did in all Cities and places where they collected Churches , ordain a Colledge of Presbyters called the Presbytery , with equall power to feed and govern the same . This form of government continued in the Primitive Church about 1500 yeares in puritie , and parity . Afterwards by pride , and contention of the leaders , Bishops were set up above Presbyters , and when that equality was once broken there was no stop . Then Metropolitans were put above Bishop , and Patriarks above Metropolitans , and at the last whereunto all tended , they brought forth that man of sin , or son of perdition the Pope , who perked above all ; and hath ever since contrary to the rules of Christ and his Apostles , maintained by fraud , fire , and blood , a prodigious tyrannie and oppression in the Church . B●t there is one testimony more , which we can produce , as a cleare light out of the very darknesse , and dungeon of popery , when there was no day of knowledge in the Christian world , but all was overspread with Antichristian error , and that was about 500 yeares ago , when God moved Waldo a Citizen of Lions to discover the impostures of the popish Church , who drawing after him many disciples were persecuted by the bloody Synagogue , and driven from the society of men , into mountains among beasts , which they found lesse savage then their own kind , there they multiplied into many Congregations , and spreading themselves into divers places , were called by divers names . Then they found it necessary that the worship of God might be perfect among them , to establish a discipline and government over all their Churches . In which deliberation they had no pattern to follow , no steps to tread in , no helps from stories or records of antiquity , which were all destroyed or corrupted . Their onely guide , and light to direct them was the word of God , which the world was never able to extinguish , and by his divine power was preserved among them . There they sought , and there they found the platform of their discipline , and what was it ? no other then Presbyterian ; every Congregation governed by Pastors , Elders and Deacons , and as occasion required by a combination of them into Synods , Councells and Assemblies . Now if this way was practised among them , wherein they were onely led by divine light . How unjustly do some despise it as a novelty , others reject it as a humane ordinance . When as our own age also , searching in the same holy monuments hath pitched upon the same discipline , as in them held forth to the Churches of God . Me thinks this would move the spirits of meek and sanctified men not to be wise above sobriety , nor contest against such a cloud of witnesses . For if the Primitive Apostolicall times ; the middle age of the Church under persecution , and now the last generations wherein we live , have all by the light of Gods word , and guidance of his spirit , concurred in one and the same discipline . Why should any combine against it , or suffer themselves to be perswaded rather to disturb the peace and unity of Gods Churches , then yield a Christian conformity thereunto . 3 But against this power of the Magistrate , it may be further objected , that although power be given him , over the bodies and estates , and outward adjuncts of men ; yet the conscience is the peculiar Court of God , wherein man hath nothing to do , but by intrusion ; when the body lies in prison , the Judge by a habeas corpus can remove it , but when the conscience is under bond , no Judge can send a habeas conscientiam , to deliver it , and having no power to release , he can have none to bind it . Hereunto I answer , that the Magistrate pretendeth not to take power upon himself , as a man equall to his brethren ▪ but the power he hath is derived from the supream power , which he holdeth by Commission from God . His Office is the Ordinance of God , and his power is ordained of God , and so long as he ruleth for good , aiming at the publick order and edification of the Church , we read that of necessity he must be obeyed , a double necessity both for fear of bodily punishment , God having put into the Magistrates hand a sword of justice , which he hath not done into the Ministers ; as also for conscience sake , and fear of divine punishment , for men that make no conscience of breaking the precepts of God shall certainly not go unpunished ; conscience therefore yielding sometimes in lawfull as well as in absolute necessary things , this obedience to the Magistrate , is not bound by the will of the Magistrate , but by the word of God himself , which , expresly commandeth us to obey the Magistrate for conscience sake ; but we no where find that for conscience sake in such things we should disobey him . If any reply that if all this collected and spoken to maintain the power of the magistrate is no more then was before alledged , in the times of Episcopall Prelacy ; who by giving credit to the Magistrate , and the Magistrate to their cause imposed and injoyned what they pleased in Gods worship , and government of the Church . I confesse indeed that they argued very strongly for upholding the authority of the Magistrate , so farre , that by exalting his will , they diminished his power , but leaving them in their excesse , I answer , that if their government had been as good as their argument , or had they stuck as close to the word of God , in framing their Cannons and injunctions , as they did in asserting the lawfull power of the Magistrate , no man could have justly been grieved in conscience , but their government being bad in it self , could not be bettered by the goodnesse of the argument . But it may be rejoyned again , that for all this , the Scripture doth no where appoint or confirm this Presbyteriall government , as it is held forth and established by the State , and therefore just it is , that men should be left in liberty of their consciences , whether they would conform thereunto or no . This hath in part been answered before . That it is not the mind of the Magistrate to compell any man to conform thereunto against his conscience , neither could he do it , although he so intended , and therefore in effect that is but a vain , feigned , and frivolous plea , to pretend that liberty against the Magistrate , which no Magistrate can constrain , onely as the Apostle saith of faith about indifferent things ; hast thou faith , have it to thy self before God . So we may say in this case , hast thou liberty , have it to thy self betwixt God and thee , till he shall give thee a further light , and a liberty to obey , as well as to disobey , but if thou contentest not thy selfe with this sober and moderate liberty ; but whilst also leap over the hedge , and withdraw others from their Christian obedience ; then thou runnest upon the sword of the Magistrate , which God hath put into his hands for the common good , by which he is bound to restrain thy inordinate and offensive liberty , that it disturbe not the publike peace committed to his charge . To this may be added , that although this Presbyteriall government , in every part and parcell thereof , as it is now established , be not expresly commanded in Scripture ( as likewise no other kind of government whatsoever ) yet much may be brought for the approbation of it , and to shew that it is repugnant to Scripture . First , government by a Presbytery , is expresly set down in Scripture ; Secondly , for execution thereof , some generall rules are also clearly expressed , That all things should be done decently , and in order , without contention , and for edification . Thirdly , to whom can we imagine the ordering , and decencies , and edification should belong , but onely to the Magistrate , assisted by the advice of Gods holy word and Ministers , wherein wee find another expresse command , that the Magistrate so judging for the good of all , ought to be obeyed for conscience sake . Bring we this cause to a paire of scales , and there we shall see it decided ; put into one scale the judgement of the Magistrate , into the other the judgement of private men ; put into either , the profession of them both , to make the word of God the rule of their judgement ; put in again , that upon search therein , they meet with two severall governments , neither of them directly commanded ▪ nor directly forbidden , nor yet unconsonant to the Word . Hitherto the beam goes even betwixt them . Search again , what is to be put in more , and we shall find an expresse word of God , commanding every private soule to obey the higher powers , judging and governing for good , and that for conscience sake , put this into the Magistrates scale , and it must needs preponderate till we can find any other word , that biddeth the higher power be subject to the lower . And indeed , were there no word of Scripture to confirme this truth , the very light of reason might convince us , for if we allow that reason should rule our affections we must also allow the Magistrate to rule the people and when any difference ariseth between them in such things wherein they pretend to judge by one and the selfe-same rule , reason requireth that the determination of the Magistrate should stand , and that the people should no longer be wise in their own conceit , but be wise with sobriety suffering their judgements to be over-ruled by their Rulers , whose office is to watch over them for good in the order of such things ; Whiles things are debating every one may have liberty to speake their conscience ▪ but when things are determined ▪ the liberty of conscience must yeild to the duty of obedience , otherwise that sweet harmony would be broken , which God hath set in the world between parties commanding , and parties obeying , wherein alone consisteth the outward happinesse of all societies . In the mean time I am glad to observe , that they disclaim not civill obedience , to the civill power of the Magistrate , hoping that in time they will for the same reason cease to contend against this government ▪ for that it is now indeed , or intended to be made a civill sanction , and a statute law . And then denying subjection thereunto ; Liberty of conscience may aswell transport them to claim exemption from many other civill lawes . If one of them were accused of murder , and knew in his own conscience that he was innocent ▪ and had beside● twenty witnesses to clear him , yet if one single witnesse shall make oath against him , in behalfe of the King , he shall be condemned by the law . May he not stand upon termes of his liberty , and his innocence , and justly plead that it is against his conscience to obey this law , and suffer sentence being innocent ? Suppose another had lived many yeares separated from his wife , in which time she had divers children by another man ; by the law he shall be injoyned to father them all ; may he not plead , that it is against his conscience to take upon him the fathering of another mans children ? Many such examples might be brought , wherein the consciences of men seem to have more just pretences , to withdraw their obedience , from such civill lawes , then from this law of government , so fully debated , and ●o duly established . Besides , inasmuch , as our brethren require a toleration , of their own government , they do tacitly acknowledge a power in the Magistrate , to gratifie them , or deny them ; and consequently , they may also acknowledge , that this power , is either lawfull , or unlawfull ; if it be lawfull , they are with us , bound to obey it ; if unlawfull , they are bound to disprove it ; which when they go ●bout ; godly pens will not be wanting , to endeavour , to give them satisfaction . 4. Moreover , it is said by some , that whatsoever is imposed by man in the worship of God , not directly specified in his Word , falleth under the condemnation , of will-worship , humane traditions , or inventions of men . This is too large an assertion to be ever well proved , for it is true neither way . Neither whatsoever is omitted in Scripture , to be rejected as wil-worship ; nor whatsoever is recorded in Scripture to be retained of perpetuall necessity . We read , that the first administration of Baptism , used to be performed in open rivers , which with us would be thought rude and dangerous ; The Saints had a custome in the close of their holy meetings , to salute one another with a holy kisse , which in our Congregations might be thought carnall and lascivious ; they also were wont , after the celebration of the blessed Eucharist , to bring their provisions together , and make love-feast , which among us would be esteemed loose and luxurious . When a Brother or Sister was sick , the Elders of the Church were sent for , to pray over them , and anoint them with oile , which in our visitations might be held superstitious , or perhaps fitter for a Physitian then a Minister . All these customes , and many others passed with edification , in the innocency and infancy of these first times ; which not consorting with ours are universally disused . On the other side , the times and places of diuine worship , the seats and gestures of the worshippers , the manner of publike Praying , and Preaching , of singing of Psalms ▪ of collecting Almes , of assembling and dismissing the people , the forme of administration and receiving the holy Sacraments , and many other things concerning the outward publick communion of Saints , are for the most part undeclared in Scripture , yet in full use and practise among us without offence , that therefore must be understood for a wil-worship , and humane invention , which is set up for some humane and carnall end , repugnant to Gods word , and to his glory . 5. There be yet remaining two more objections , arising from two contrary grounds , one from pretence of weaknesse , th'other from presumption of strength . Those that lay forth the tendernesse of conscience , forget not to produce those heavenly exhortations , whereof the Scripture is full ; that we should not bruise the broken reede , nor offend the least of the little ones , nor cast stumbling blocks before our brethren , nor use our liberty to the destroying of the weake , but rather spread the covering of love over our brethrens infirmities , to raise up one another in the spirit of meeknesse ; to beare with the weake , and please one another for good edification ; yea , rather to abstain from matters , which we think lawfull , then to compell others to things , they judge unlawfull : This they say was the doctrine and the pattern , which Christ , and his Apostles taught , and practised among the faithfull ; which , because I intend not to deny , I shall onely examine , how fitly they are applyed to the controversie in hand , and whether they be of force , to absolve weake brethren , from their due obedience , to Gods Magistrate . We are therefore to understand , that all those excellent rules set down by the Apostles , for tendering of weak consciences , receive a double limitation ; First , they were limited to the state of those times , with respect to the condition of private Christians , and their carriage one towards another . For in the Apostles age , nor long after , there was in the world neither Christian , Kingdome , Common-wealth , nor Magistrate , whereby these Rulers , were neither given to them , who were not then in being , nor for ought we find , intended so for them , when God should raise them , up in his Church . The contrary rather appeareth ; for Christ himselfe comming to set up a spirituall Kingdome , in his Church , intended onely to pull down the kingdom of Satan , but not the Kingdomes of the world , those he left standing , not refusing , to pay for himself and his Apostle , tribute to Caesar , nor yet to answer before the Courts and Tribunalls of the Jewes . After Christs example , th'Apostles were very carefull to instruct the faithfull , that they should walke with circumspexion , without blame or reproach , lest if they should transgresse the law ▪ or commit scandalls , or fall into divisions among themselves , they should make the name of God , and that holy profession , which they had undertaken to be blasphemed among the heathen ; ordaining them moreover to make prayers , and supplications for all in authority , and to give them obedience for conscience sake , indeed the Gospell is called a law of liberty , because through Christ it freeth us from the bondage of sinne , the slavery of Satan , and the feare of death , not because , it dischargeth us of our Christian duty and obedience to the Magistrate ; in which case , it giveth no liberty nor exemption . From whence we may conclude , that if Christ and his Apostles subjected the beleevers of those times , both by their precept and practise , to unbe●ieving powers ; It was never their meaning , to exempt the faithfull of our times , from their due obedience , to Chrsitian and believing Magistrates . Secondly , these Evangelicall rules , for the ease of tender consciences , respected especially indifferent things . The Christians of those dayes consisted of two sorts ; the converted Jewes , and converted Gentiles . The Jewes trained up in the Ceremoniall Law , which they knew was appointed by God , made a conscience of meats , and dayes , and other rites , and rudiments of the time , as yet not convinced that they were abolished by the comming of Christ . These were then the weake Christians . On the other side , the Gentiles were fully instructed in their liberty , that they might use them , or not use them , as they pleased ; They were then the strong Christians ; The Apostle therefore , to lay the foundation of charity aright , and preserve these dissenting brethren in the unity of the Spirit , and bond of Peace ▪ giveth these rules about indifferent things ; That the strong should not despise the weake , nor the weake ▪ censure the strong , because whether they eat , or eat not , they do it ▪ to the Lord , and are of him accepted ; and being both accepted of the Lord , they ought not to be condemned ▪ by one another . In this case therefore , things , by nature indifferent , should make no difference betwixt brethren ; but so to be used , or not used , that now and then , for charity sake , the expediency of them , should suspend their lawfulnesse . This is the Apostles doctrine , instructing private Christians , about indifferent things . Which though they reach not , the Magistrate in his office , yet they do , in his profession ; having given up his name to Christ , and living in a Christian society . And hath our religious Magistrate transgressed these rules ? Let us see what he hath done , for the reliefe of tender consciences ; many grievances were complained of , in the Episcopall times , which the Parliament hath removed ; They have taken away consecration of dayes and places , the superstition of meats and drinks , Images and Altars , Crosses and Surplices ; the usurpation of spirituall Courts , and temporall Bishops ; which were all abused with a danger to introduce Popery and Idolatry : will not these things , satisfie weake and tender consciences , unlesse they take away Government also , which is commanded , and sanctified by the Word ? therefore we must know , that government of the Church , in publike Assemblies , is no indifferent thing , nor to be reckoned in their number ; God is not the Author of anarchy and confusion ; but of order , comlinesse , and peace : and when , the manner of government , and Gods worship , in the circumstances thereof , are rightly ordered , according to the light of nature , and Christian prudence , deducted from the generall rules set down in the Word , and setled by just and lawfull authority . It is no longer left to the liberty of any man , subject to the same authority , to conform , or not conforme thereunto ▪ as though it were a thing indifferent , much lesse , to pretend , that because their consciences cannot approve thereof , it should be permitted to them , to set up another government ; which seemeth to be a most unreasonable demand , that whiles they deny obedience , to the Magistrates lawes , they should neverthelesse seek for liberty and power from them , to overthrow their own orders , and make them , crosse shinns , with their own authority . The power of the Magistrate and liberty purchased by Christ , do not destroy , but support one another ; for they are both truths , avowed in the Word , and no truth can overthrow another . And if any man say , that a weak conscience , though it be in an error , yet till it be convinced , should sin , in obeying the truth ; it may be replyed à fortior● ▪ that the Magistrate determining the truth , cannot tolerate any error , without sinning against his conscience , and partaking of those errors , he condemneth . 6. But the other objection , proceeding from a conceit of strength , marcheth with more assurance ; for some imagine , that forasmuch , as they are justified by grace ▪ and freed from sin , and heirs of the promise ; they are consequently in a state of pe●ection , able to fulfill the law of God , and delivered from all lawes of men . For , lex non ponitur justo ; They have no need of repentance , being secur'd from falling . Nor much of faith , being already in fruition ▪ they are a law unto themselves ▪ under no Magistrate , above all penalty , as if they were out of the flesh , having shaken off frailty and mortality , and climed up , to the new Jerusalem , where there is neither sin nor sorrow . This being a sweet fancy to them that are possessed with all , will hard●y suffer it selfe to be removed , by force of argumentation : Otherwise we might say ; That never any man , was without sin , but Christ alone , who was like to man in all things , sin excepted . That the blessed Apostle felt a law in his members ▪ which made him doe that he would not ▪ and will , that he did not . He biddeth us work out our salvation , with fear and trembling , not with surquedry and presumption ; when we have done our best , and seem to be most perfect ▪ we are but unprofitable servants . Many such divine testimonies , might be brought , to convince this opinion ; but it refuteth it selfe , being contrary to the rule of faith , and condition of humanity . We must not think , that the grace of God , worketh against his will ; his will is ▪ that we should be militant , in this life ; wherefore we must not expect to be triumphant , till the warre be done : his will is , that we should grow to our full stature by degrees ; and scale the ladder of heaven , not be taken up in a whirlwind . His will is , that we should be tempted and buffeted , and fall and rise ; that seeing our frailty and our misery , we should seek for the renewing of his grace , and every day beg , our daily pardon , more duly , then our daily bread . Forasmuch as by strength of nature , we may abstain awhile from food , but by corruption of nature , we cannot abstain awhit from sin . This error puffing up the hearts of unstable men , hath heretofore brought forth furious , and pernicious effects . The story of John a Leyden , and Knipperdolling , and of their phrensies at Munster , is not yet forgotten . I pray God our times be not pregnant , of some such monster . What is the meaning , that so many in our dayes , separate from their brethren , as if all others were prophane ? Why do they gather in heaps together , like biles and ulcers , drawing the corruption with them , and yet say the body is unclean ? In such manner , began they of Munster ; they took upon them a garb of simplicity , they seemed grave and dejected , fervent in long prayers , full of revelations , lamenting the fashions and prophanesse of the times , contemning honours , despising money , and neglecting Matrimonie , wishing , and weeping for reformation ; by such hypocrisies they captivated , weak and wandring soules , who tooke them onely , to be the little flock of heaven ▪ that lived among wolves , and was persecuted on earth . Till having made up their musters , and assembled their troops , they set up a standard , calling the multitude , into their snare , under the promise , and proclamation of liberty . Now the blessed time was come , that the meek ▪ should inherite the earth ; that the Kings and Potentates , and Adonibezecks of this world , who had done dispite and violence to the Saints , should be broken with a rod of iron , and dashed in pieces like a Potters vessell . Thence they fell into revelations , and found it written in the beams of the Sun , that John a Leyden ▪ was appointed by Christ , to be King over all the world , and rule the Nations in righteousnesse and in power . After this , the King was inspired , to set up sundry Queens , and to take to himselfe many wives at once , to increase and multiply the holy seed upon earth . But this imaginary kingdome , was of short durance ; for the neighbour Princes , finding their designe , joyned against them , as against the enemies of mankind : and after they had indured a long siege ; their King , by revelation , assured them , that before Easter , they should have deliverance . But when none appeared , he told them , that he had been in a trance six dayes , in which time , he had ridden on a blind Asse , and that God the Father , had laid upon his back ▪ the sinnes of them all , whereby they were set free and delivered from them ; And this was the deliverance he promised , wherewithall , they ought to rest contented ; Thereupon the Town was taken , the deluded people , disabused , the King impostor , executed to death , and hung up in chaines , upon the highest steeple , thus ended this tragedy , and ever tragicall is the end of such follies ; The Apostle noteth , that factions and divisions , are signes of carnality ; first , men separate from others , as unclean , then they speak evill of government , the next step , is to blind the people with revelations ; from thence they fall into snares of the flesh ; at last , they stir up sedition , and last of all , their end is destruction . Hitherto , I have laboured to shew ▪ that the Magistrate , by his office , being an ordinance of God , is bound to provide for the Publick peace and safety in Church and Common-wealth , which is done first by enacting just lawes , and wholsome orders , consonant to wisdome , and the word of God ; and secondly , by using his power , to preserve them , in vigor and execution ; as also to shew , that the people are bound in conscience , to give willing obedience , to such Lawes and orders of the Magistrate , whose duty it is , to restrain the disobedient , and reduce them , to their duty ; Neverthelesse , forasmuch ▪ as the power , wherewithall God hath invested the Magistrate , is alwaies to be used for publike good ; and requisite it is , that a due distinction be made in the punishment of offenders , between such as erre out of mistake or ignorance , and those that resist , out of wilfulnesse and contempt . I shall in all humblenesse propound some few expedients how farre the Magistrate may please to slacken his power , and so temper the lawes , and penalties thereof ; as they may serve both waies , as lenitives for the simple , and corrasives for the stubborn , who will not otherwise be reformed . 1. I conceive , that as it is unreasonable to demand so it would be dangerous to grant , any toleration of Religion , besides that which is established , for such a liberty of conscience , would breed a freedome of will , and freedome of will would beget liberty of life , which would breed a fearfull Independency , when every one might do what they list ; In matters of faith , necessary to salvation , there is but one way , and one truth ; all the rest , is obsiquity and error . Therefore when the truth , hath been tried , by the Word , and ratified by the Magistrate , he cannot suffer any falshood , without being accessary thereunto ; Yet in matters of discipline and government , there is a greater latitude ; for when it shall appeare , that weak brethren , agreeing in the same confession of faith but dissenting in outward forms , out of tendernesse or ignorance ; to such a toleration , or connivence , or suspention of laws , may be harmlesse and charitable , till they be further satisfied and instructed . 2. That whosoever living under the subjection of this state , should be so far destitute of grace , as to renounce Christ , or speak blasphemously of him , or any person of the Trinity ; contrary to the faith established in the Church ; he shall upon conviction , be informed of the truth , with a brotherly admonition not to divulge his error , to the corruption or scandall of others , or disturbance of the civill peace . For the second offence , he shall indure a years imprisonment , be disabled in his testimony , put out of protection of the Laws , and wear some publike mark , noting him for a Blasphemer : For the third offence , he shall suffer banishment ; or close and perpetuall imprisonment ; and if banished it shal be capitall for him to return , without licence of the State . For if he by our lawes deserveth death , that seduceth any subject , from the allegeance of his naturall Prince ; what deserveth he , that seeketh to alienate the soule of any Christian , from the dependance of God , unto the divell ? 3. If any one , out of an evill heart , shall break forth into open reviling , scorning , disgracefull words against the present Church-government ▪ now established , he shall not be connived at , as a man of tender conscience : for as he giveth himselfe power and liberty to dis-joyn from it , so it is also in his power , not to speak evill of it , but doing it by choice and deliberation ; he cannot fall within the compasse of weaknesse . For he that maketh no conscience , of giving offence and scandall to the Christian Magistrate , and all his godly brethren , living in peaceable obedience ▪ cannot imagine , that his private fancies ▪ though covered with weaknesse , should be more tendered , then the publike conscience of the Common-wealth . Such a one therefore ought to be punished , as a contemner of the civill power . First , by reproof and exhortation , not to disquiet , the peace of the Land ; Secondly , by a pecuniary mulct ▪ for some publike use , with disability of his credit ▪ Thirdly , if he still persist , with close imprisonment , till ▪ he give publike satisfaction of his repentance . 4. Forasmuch , as no man ought to undertake the office and function , of the holy Church Ministry , without he be well assured of his inward calling thereunto ; neither can such men conceive themselves , awhit the worse , or that it might be any prejudice to their spirituall gifts to have an outward approbation ▪ by laying on the hands of the Presbytery , and praying for divine blessing upon their persons , and giving them an orderly mission , into Gods harvest ? Therefore whosoever shall take unto himselfe the holy calling , presuming to preach the Word or administer the Sacraments , not being admitted , nor ordained thereunto , by lawfull authority ; he ought to be punished as the former were , that contemned the civill power , or rather more severely ; especially if they be found in their publike preaching , to sow sedition among the people ; provided , that such persons , Masters of families , or others , meeting in their own houses , or in their neighbours , to repeat what they heard or learned , out of Sermons preached by authority ; and upon that or the like occasion , worship God by praying or singing of Psalmes , conferring or arguing , upon any part of the Word preached , as also such , who being required , by any friend or neighbour ( when the advice of Ministers , cannot be had ) to open or expound some text of Scripture , or deliver his judgement upon any case of conscience ▪ for satisfaction of the parties , be not comprehended under this Article , or any penalty thereof , because we are commanded ▪ to exercise the gifts and talents , God hath given us ▪ in a sober and orderly way , for the edification of one another . 5. Whereas out of all doubt , many things are contained in holy Scripture , which are not yet fully manifested , nor clearly understood ; and we know the Spirit of God , bloweth where he listeth and is not confined , to time , place , nor person , but inspireth whom he pleaseth . If therefore any man shall pretend , to have a new opinion ▪ or new light revealed unto him , of the sence of any part of Scripture ▪ fitting it were , he should bring his knowledge to some godly Minister , approved of ; or to the next Classi● ▪ where he liveth , there to be tried and examined by the spirit of the Prophets judging and determining by the word of God , and if perchance they neither approve of his opinion , nor yet be able to convince him ; then to refer him , to the next Nationall Councell to which he must stand or fall . In the mean time , if he publish his opinion under hand , to the breach of brotherly unity in the Church ; he ought to be taken , as a disturber of publike peace , and subject to the penalties mentioned in the third Article . By these and such like means , the power of the civill Magistrate , may be preserved from contempt ; and the consciences of weak brethren from constraint ; till they shall pluck off their mask , and discover themselves to be obstinate ▪ and unsufferable ; clamouring for toleration , under pretence of weaknesse ; but indeed , making a breach and separation , in confidence of their own strength and perfection ▪ disdaining with supercilious eies , the infirmities of their brethren ; by which falacie , they think to blear the eye of the Magistrate and make the weak , to overthrow the strong . To such wolves in sheeps cloathing , whether they be Papists , Hereticks ▪ Schismaticks , or whatsoever they be ( for a weak conscience is now-adaies , become a cloak , for all shoulders ) my meaning is not , that any indulgence or connivence of the Magistrate , should be extended to them , who it is plain enough are employed in malicious designes , working under-ground , the divisions and ruine of the State . Therefore to conclude with the same spirit , as I began ; which is a spirit of unity , peace , and love . In the fear , and before the face of Almighty God , and by the bowells of that love ▪ wherwith Christ Jesus loved us all ; I do beseech the brethren , whether they be leaders or followers , that agree with us in the same doctrine , but dissent in government ; to lay their hands upon their hearts , and examine , what they would be at . Is it , at the advancement of truth , the practise of holiness , the purity of Gods worship ? Let them consider , whether all these may not be had , as they are all intended under the present government ; is it at spirituall perfection , whiles they are present in the flesh ? Let them consider , that the perfection of a Christian , consisteth , in humility , love ▪ peace , meeknesse , sobriety and uprightnesse , which are truly spirituall , and none of them excluded , by this government . Is it at the setting up of the kingdome of Christ Jesus ; that he might raigne , as Lord omnipotent upon earth ? Let them consider , that the kingdome of Christ Jesus , is not of this world , he prescribeth no forms , nor modells of civill government , as he findeth them , so he leaveth them , where he is received ; he sublimeth and refineth them where he is not received , hee doth not destroy them . Let them consider , that this present governmet , doth no waies eclipse the kingdome of Christ Jesus ; for whither it be placed in a single Congregation , or in a generall Assembly , or in the last resort of the supreme Magistrate ; all are under the government of Christ Jesus , who ruleth among them , by his Word , whereunto , they conform their government : is it at the setting up of any other government , which they think is onely divine , and necessary to salvation ? Let them consider , that by such assertions , they do not onely blast all reformed Churches at this day , and leave them in a state of condemnation living under another government , but also condemn multitudes of soules departed , which under other governments , lived Saints upon earth , died martyrs for the faith of Christ , and are now triumphants in heaven . Or els is it at no government at all , till they receive on revealed from heaven ? Let them consider , whether any such promise be made us in Scripture , which we ought to expect ; This wee find , that God is not the Author of confusion , but of peace , order , and government , which ought to be setled in all Churches of the Saints . Or lastly , is it to set up an infallibility of private judgement , taking themselves to abound in the spirit , and be able to judge all above them ? Let them consider , that the hearts and spirits of men , are deceitfull , above all deceits , a●● that to strive and contend to make rents and separation for these things , to despise the powers and ordinances of God , are reckoned among the workes of the flesh , rank and carnall . But if it be as I will hope it is , a pure and sincere weakness of conscience , arising from a weaknesse of judgement ; not yet seeing the clearnesse of that light , which hath in lightned the Magistrates and Ministers , and greatest part of the Kingdome . Let them be intreated in the fear of God ▪ to seek to him for further illumination ; and in the mean time , to suspend their opinions and forbear contentions by Christian modesty and moderation , becomming the Saints , to maintain Christian charity , which is the bond of perfection , and make it manifest unto the world , and to the Angells in heaven , that they are not led , by the spirit of error , strife and vain-glory , but by the spirit of truth , which worketh by love ; and lowlinesse , patience and meeknesse ; minding the same things , and improving the gifts of faith , & grace and knowledge , whereunto they have already attained . And in other things of lesser moment , concerning the formes of discipline and government , and the outward face of order and decency in the publike worship , whereunto perhaps not having yet attained , they may be otherwise minded therein to wait Gods time , with quiet and patience , who hath promised to reveale , even that also unto them , that one may not be perfect , without another . It may be , they may thinke themselves unkindly dealt withall , and very ill requited , that having so frankly adventured their lives and estates , and done so valiantly , against the enemies of God and the Land , they should after all this , be denyed any request , especially , that which so nearly toucheth , their freedome of conscience , and inward peace . Truly it is on all hands confessed ▪ and no man that I know , seeketh to cast a vaile over their worth , or suppressed their atchievements . God hath done wonderfull things ; by many of their hands and the lesse honour , they take to themselves , the more will be given them , by the voice of the Nation , and Rulers of the band , who ought to take care , that their names be written , in the Registers of fame , from generation to generation . But what will our dissenting brethren say , if Jesuits and Malignents converse among them , in sheeps-clothing ; If transformed into Angels of light , they carry on these workes of darknesse , and by secret suggestions , and insinuations of the Serpent , make them blow this cole and widen this breach against their own intentions ? It is not for nought ▪ that there be so ma●y popish spies and Agents among us ; whose employment is ▪ to weaken the hands of the Magistrate , by sowing factions and disobedience among the people . They feele their blow , and know well enough that their form is broken , they are upon their last gaspe , and their last refuge is this , to compasse that by trechery and mischiefe , which they could not do , by force in the field ; If they can divide the civill and Military power , and fling fire-balls of division into the tents of brethren , they have yet a fainting hope to recover strength and destroy them both . Let not our brethren think this , to be an eary or empty admonition ; for there be men so finely spirited and rarified to the invisibility of the divell ; that if it were possible , they would deceive the very Elect , and weave their hypocriticall webbs , with liberty , that commonly the simple , and many times the circumspect are involved , and taken . Happy it were , that by some marke , they might be known , for then they were easily avoided ; but when they come ▪ to strike up division , and separate the hearts of the brethren ; the safest remedy is to stop our eares as against Inchanters , and Negotiators for the divell . Return then ô Shulamite , return , return ; be not intrapped in the snares of division ; but return to the tents of peace : what will ye see in the Shulamites ? we shall see , when he returneth and joyneth his body to the State , and his conscience to the Church , that his countenance is faire as the Moon , clear as the Sun ▪ terrible ▪ as an Army with banners ; and that his company united to the Common-wealth , is like the association of two Armies , linked together by one heart , invincible and undissolvable , by the powers of darknesse and of Antichrist . Thus have I delivered my poor judgement , and discharged my duty , which I owe to the publike peace . I pretend not to revelations , nor an unerring spirit ; but being privy to the evennesse of mine own heart , and unbyassed intentions ; my conscience is my testimony , that I have not erred , to cause any other man to erre . In regard whereof , I may hope , that all men , who are spirituall , and dis-interessed in their ends , will acknowledge this to be the mind of Christ , so far-forth at least , as it aimeth and tendeth to piety and peace . Neverthelesse , if any will be still contentions and dissent , neither I , nor the Churches of God , have any such custome ; nor do I intend , for this difference of judgement , to breake charity and communion with them . But I rather beseech them , for a close of all ; to put on milde and gentle affections ; and whiles they approve of our faith , not to disapprove our workes , by excommunicating of us , or separating from us ; till our workes go before us , and condemn our selves . Leaving them , in this assurance , that when our Lord Jesus Christ shall come , the Judge and Master of us all , to whom we must stand or fall ; it will be better for them , and for us in that day that he find our hearts established in grace , then our selves at variance about Church-government . FINIS . 
A52060	----	The true copy of the letter which was sent from divers ministers by Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Nye to the Generall Assembly of Scotland Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52060 of text R984 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M796). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 6 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52060 Wing M796 ESTC R984 12075669 ocm 12075669 53569 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52060) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53569) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 239:E67, no 1) The true copy of the letter which was sent from divers ministers by Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Nye to the Generall Assembly of Scotland Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672. [2], 6 p. Printed for Samuel Gellibrand, London : Septemb. 8, 1643. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Church of Scotland. -- General Assembly. A52060 R984 (Wing M796). civilwar no The true copy of the letter, which was sent from divers ministers, by Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Nye, to the Generall Assembly of Scotland. Marshall, Stephen 1643 1143 10 0 0 0 0 0 87 D The rate of 87 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER , Which was sent from divers MINISTERS , BY Mr Marshall , and Mr Nye , TO THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY OF SCOTLAND . LONDON , Printed for Samuel Gellibrand . Septemb. 8. 1643. Reverend and Beloved , THE experience we have had of your forwardnesse in receiving , and faithfulnesse in weighing our former addresses , hath given us aboundant encouragement , to take hold upon this present opportunitie of breathing out something of our sorrows , which your Love , and our Necessitie command us to represent to your consideration and compassion . Much we know , we may commit to the Wisedome and Fidelitie of our Brethren , these Messengers , to impart unto you , concerning our miserable Condition , and unto them shall leave the most . Your own Nationall , but specially Christian Interest , will not permit you to hide your Eyes from the bleeding Condi●ion of your poor distressed Brethren in England , should neither Messengers , nor Letters be sent unto you . But Messengers coming , we should at once neglect our selves , should we not thus a li●tle ease our burthened Hearts by powring them out into your Bosomes , and seem ●●gratefull to you , of whose readinesse to suffer with us , and do for us , we have had so great and ample Testimonies . Surely , if ever a poor Nation were upon the edge of a most desperate precipice : If ever a poor Church were ready to be swallowed up by Satan and his Instruments ; we are that Na●ion , we are that Church . And in both respects , by so much the more miserable , by how much we expected , not a Preseruation onely , but an Augmentation also , to Happynesse in the one , and Glory in the other . We looked for peace , but no good came , and for 〈…〉 of healing , and behold trouble ? Our God , who in his former Judgements was as Mo●●h and Rottennesse ( and yet had of late begun to send us Health and Cure ) is now turned into a. Lyon to us , and threatens to rend the very Caule of our Hearts . From above he hath sent a Fire into our Bones , and it prevails against us . From our own Bowels he hath called forth and strengthe●ed an Adversary against us , a Genera●ion of Brutish Hellish men , the Rod of his anger , and the Staffe of his indignation ; under whose cruelties we bleed , and if present mercy step not in , we dye ▪ Righteous art thou , O Lord , and just are all thy Judgements ! But , O the more then barbarous carriages of our Enemies ; where ever God give any of his hidden ones up into their Hands ! We need not expresse it unto You , who know the inveterate , and deadly malice of the Antichristian faction , against the Members of our LORD JESUS : And it is well , we need not , for in truth we cannot . Your own thoughts may tell you better then any words of ours what the mercy of Papists is towards the Ministers and Servants of our Lord JESUS CHRIST . But the Lord knows we are not troubled so much with 〈…〉 Miseries and Dangers ; but that which breaks our Hearts is , The danger we behold , the Protestant Religion , and all the Reformed Churches in , at this time , through that too great and formidable strength , the Popish Faction is now arrived at : If our God will lay our Bodies as the Ground , and as the Street under their Feet , and powre out our Blood as Dust before their fury , The Will of the Lord be done . Might our Blood be a Sacrifice to ransome the rest of the Saints or Churches of Christ from Antichristian fury , we would offer it up upon this Service gladly . But we know their rage is insatiable , and will not be quenched with our blouds ; Immortall , and will not die with us ; Armed against us , not as men , but as Christians , but as Protestants , but as men desiring to Reforme our Selves , and to draw our Selves and others yet neer unto GOD . And if GOD give us up to be devoured by this rage , it will take the more strength and courage , at least to Attempt the like against all the Protestant and Reformed Churches . In a deeper sence of this extreme danger , threatning us , and you , and all the Churches , then we can expresse , we have made this addresse unto you : In the Bowels of our Lord JESUS CHRIST , humbly imploring your most fervent Prayers to the God that hears Prayers , who , should we Judge Providences , seems to be angry with our Prayers . ( Though we trust , he doth but seem so : And though he kill us , yet will we trust in him . ) Oh give us the Brotherly ayde of your re-inforced Teares and Prayers , that the Blessings of Truth and Peace which our Prayers alone have not obtained , yours , conjoyned , may . And give us , Reverend and much Honoured in our Lord , your Advises , What remaines for us further to do , for the making of our own , and the Kingdoms Peace with GOD ? We have lyen in the Dust before him ; we have powred out our Hearts in Humiliations to him ; we have in sinceritie endeavoured to reforme our Selves ; and no lesse sincerely desired , studyed , laboured the publike Reformation ; neverthelesse , The Lord hath not yet turned himself from the fiercenesse of his anger . And be pleased to advise us further , what may be the happyest course , for the uniting of the Protestant partie more firmely ? That we may all serve God with one consent , and stand up against Antichrist as one man : That our God , who now hides himself from our People ; may , Return unto us , delight in us , scatter and subdue his , and uur enemies , and cause his Face to shine upon us . The Lord prosper you , and preserve us ; so that the great work of these latter Ages may be finished , to his honour and our own , and the Churches happynesse , through CHRIST JESUS . FINIS . 
A52047	----	A plea for defensive armes, or, A copy of a letter written by Mr. Stephen Marshall to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindication of himself and his ministerie, against that altogether groundlesse, most unjust and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certain malignants in the city, and lately printed at Oxford, in their Mendacium aulicum, otherwise called, Mercurius Aulicus, and sent abroad into other nations to his perpetual infamie in which letter the accusation is fully answered, and together with that, the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up defensive arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated, texts of Scripture cleared, all objections to the contrary answered, to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great controversie. Plea for defensive armes Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52047 of text R15835 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M768). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 74 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52047 Wing M768 ESTC R15835 12951598 ocm 12951598 95933 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52047) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 95933) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 720:7) A plea for defensive armes, or, A copy of a letter written by Mr. Stephen Marshall to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindication of himself and his ministerie, against that altogether groundlesse, most unjust and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certain malignants in the city, and lately printed at Oxford, in their Mendacium aulicum, otherwise called, Mercurius Aulicus, and sent abroad into other nations to his perpetual infamie in which letter the accusation is fully answered, and together with that, the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up defensive arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated, texts of Scripture cleared, all objections to the contrary answered, to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great controversie. Plea for defensive armes Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 30 p. Printed for Samuel Gellibrand ..., London : 1643. Another 1643 edition has title: A copy of a letter. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1625-1649. Great Britain -- History -- Puritan Revolution, 1642-1660. A52047 R15835 (Wing M768). civilwar no A plea for defensive armes: or, A copy of a letter written by Mr Stephen Marshall to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindicat Marshall, Stephen 1643 14404 3 20 0 0 0 0 16 C The rate of 16 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2005-01 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A PLEA FOR DEFENSIVE ARMES : OR , A Copy of a Letter written by Mr STEPHEN MARSHALL To a friend of his in the City , for the necessary vindication of himself and his Ministerie , against that altogether groundlesse , most unjust , and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certain Malignants in the City , and lately printed at Oxford , in their Mendacium Aulicum , otherwise called , Mercurius Aulicus , and sent abroad into other Nations to his perpetual infamie . In which Letter the accusation is fully answered . And together with that , the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up Defensive Arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated , Texts of Scripture cleared , all Objections to the contrary answered , to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great Controversie . HOSEA 4. 1 , 2 , 3. 1. Hear the word of the Lord , ye Children of Israel , for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land , because there is no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of God in the Land . 2. By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and whoring , they break out , and bloud toucheth bloud . 3. Therefore shall the Land mourn , &c. LONDON , Printed for Samuel Gellibrand , at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard . 1643. SIR , YOur Letters brought not the first tidings of the continuance and encrease of those strange reports concerning me , they filled the City even while I was there , and I perceive , pursue mee into the Countrey : it is a lying spirit which God hath permitted to haunt me for my triall , as it hath done others of his servants before me . You know what a book Bolsec wrote of the life and death of M. Calvin : Beza lived to write a confutation of a book written of his renouncing his Religion , and turning Papist . And concerning Luther , the Priests had long reported , that he had his call from the Devill ; and to confirm it , filled Italy with a rumour of his death , and that at his death he was carried away by the Devill soul and body : which they ( good soules ) divulged not to discredite the man , but in gloriam Iesu Christi , to the glory of Christ , and comfort of the godly . The like usage my self have lately met with in some degree : for being afflicted with a deep cold and distillation from my head upon my lungs , and some feverish distempers , my learned , loving , and carefull Physitian , finding that the too importune visits of my many loving friends , occasioned too much speech , and thereby too much expence of spirits , advised me to remove to the house of my Noble Lord of Warwick , where I should have more ayre , and lesse company : hereupon a report was immediatly spread about the City , that I was distracted , and in my rage constantly cried out , I was damned for appearing in , and adhering to the Parliament and Kingdome in this defensive Warre : which when I first heard , I looked upon as a calumnie invented by some simple adversary ( though malicious enough to my person and ministery ) who finding it the readiest way to reproach me , betook himself to this . But afterwards observing how studiously it was maintained , how laboriously propagated , how banded from Court to City , from City to Countrey , from England to forraign parts , Mercurius Aulicus printed it , and a great Officer of State having sent it into other Kingdomes with his Letters , assuring the truth of it , and that not nine dayes , no not a month did allay it , I then perceived the plot was not so much to disgrace me , ( for alas who am I , that they should trouble themselves so much about me ) but through me to wound the Cause , in which my poore labours have been engaged . This rumour it seemes yet lives , and ( as your letter confirmes ) encreases ; from my going down into the Countrey they have taken occasion not only to report me distracted , but dead ; yea that I died crying out of my appearing in this Cause ; and this is so confidently reported by some , that it is almost as confidently beleeved by others ; even thousands , you say , which makes you earnestly to presse me to write unto you , whether I have not ( at least ) changed my former judgement about our defensive armes , and this not ( as you professed ) to satisfie your self , but that you might have something under my own hand to shew for the satisfaction of others . Sir , your ancient love to me , and present desires to vindicate me from these aspersions , but especially your care that the publick Cause might not suffer , do all command me to be your servant in this thing . I know it will satisfie you , that I solemnly protest unto you , that in all these fourteen weeks keeping in , I never had an houres sicknesse , nor lost a nights sleep , nor had any distemper in my head , nor saw any cause of sorrow for my adhering to the Parliaments cause , but esteem it a great honour and mercy from God , that he should move his Excellency my Lord , to require my service in this great expedition ; and that I have even therefore exactly followed the Doctors prescriptions , out of an earnest desire to be fitted for my work , that I might returne to my most honoured Lord , being fully resolved , if God say Amen to it , never to give it over , untill either there be an end of that work , or an end of my dayes . This I think will satisfie you , and it is possibly as much as you desire for the satisfaction of others , to have this under my hand . Take this concerning the cause , and concerning the report spread of me , what Luther said ( of those above mentioned ) concerning himselfe ; fateor & testor hâc meâ manu , &c. I professe and testifie under my hand , that I entertained this fiction of my distraction and death , laetaque mente & hilari vultu , very chearfully . But since your love hath compelled me to put pen to paper , I shall compell you to read the largest letter that ever I wrote , being resolved to give you a full account both of my ground and warrant of entring upon my office , and how far I am from changing my judgement upon the present view of things . When his Excellency vouchsafed to require my service ( for , God knows , I offered not my self in this great work ) there were but two questions ( besides my care to walk aright in my Ministry ) for my conscience to be resolved in . First , whether upon supposall of the truth of the Parliament votes , viz. That his Majestie seduced by wicked Councell , did levie warre against the Parliament ; the Scripture did warrant them to take up defensive Arms . Secondly , Whether the Parliament was not mis-informed about such his Majesties purpose , and practice . The first is a meere question in Divinity . viz. Whether a people , especially the representative body of a State , may ( after all humble Remonstrances ) defend themselves against the unlawfull violence of the Supream Magistrate , or his Instruments , Endeavouring ( and that in matters of great moment ) to deprive them of their lawfull Liberties . The second is a question meerly of matter of fact . For the first , Before the beginning of these unhappy differences , I had both learned , and taught to this purpose . First , That it is agreeable to Gods will , that in all Countreys ( especially when and where the people are numerous ) Magistracie be set up , with a sufficiencie of power and authoritie to rule for the publick good ; and that , even among them who are under the scepter of Christ , against the Anabaptists . Secondly , That among the divers kinds of lawfull governments , Monarchy , Aristocracy , and Democracy , no one of them is so appointed of God , as to exclude the other from being a lawfull government . Thirdly , That the bounds and limits of the Magistrates lawfull power of commanding , and the subjects necessary obeying , must be found , and taken out of the severall Laws , Customes , and Constitutions of those severall States , and Commonwealths : There are scarce two formes ( especially of Regall government , in the world ) but they differ one from the other , and that in matters of moment . Now I say , what the power of Magistrates in one Countrey differs from the power of Magistrates in another Countrey , and how the duty of Subjects differs in each , must be found only in the Laws of the respective places : that no mans right must be detained from him , that Caesar should have rendred to him the things that are Caesars , and all people the things that are their own , the Scripture , and Laws of all nations doe determine . But whether ( for instance in England ) Ship-money be the Kings right , and so to be yeelded , or denyed ; whether this house or inheritance be this or the other pretenders to it , must not be determined by any Law , but by the Law of England ; go therefore to the Lawes , and learned Lawyers , and from them alone you shall learn what is the Prerogative of the Prince , and both the Duty , and Liberty of the Subject . But then fourthly comes in Religion , or the command of God , and binds the consciences of Magistrates to rule , and of Subjects to obey , according to those Lawes . And fifthly ( in particular ) of Subjects it requires these four things . First , to render to their Governours , next under God , the greatest fear , and honour , as being Gods vicegerents , as having the greatest beams of his authority put upon them , and therefore called Gods , and all of them the children of the most High . Secondly , Loyaltie to their persons , and office , that is , obedience according to Law , and patient subjection , when we cannot actively obey , willingly for conscience sake to submit to the penalty of the Laws , when for conscience sake we cannot observe the Laws themselves . Thirdly , maintenance with payment of all lawfull Customs , Tributes , and impositions . Fourthly , all manner of supplications , prayers , intercessions , and giving of thanks , their usefulnesse being great , their temptations many , their fall ( like that of great Cedars ) the crushing of many , and the shaking of the earth round about them ; and all this we owe , nor onely to the King as Supream , but in proportion to all inferiour Governours , who are sent by God also for the punishment of evill doers , and for the praise of them that do well , they being all the ministers of God for our good ; and this is the first Commandment with promise . But sixthly , if our Governours ( whether supream , or inferiour ) leave to rule according to Law ; and set up their own will contrary to Law , there is no word of God acquitting them from sin in Gods sight , but severely threatning them for abusing his name , which they bear ; nor any word binding the consciences of their subjects therein to yeeld them any active obedience . Thus farre we have all sides agreeing in all the particulars , except only a few Court flatterers , who ( and that especially of late ) have endeavoured to cry up Monarchy , as the only ordinance of God , for the Government of States ; as if the other forms of Aristocracy , and Democracy were not approved by him : Yea , and have cryed up the power and authority of princes to be such , as that they are absolved from all laws ; and that whatsoever the Subjects enjoy under them , is only by the princes favour , which if they please to recall , how justly or unjustly soever , the subjects are bound to yeeld all unto them , and have no plea against their Prince , only in the Court of heaven ; no law , no judge , no Court here below , having any authority to say unto him , What dost thou : This Divinity hath of late been preached ; and , as sweet enchanting musicke , often chanted in the ears of our Princes : and no doubt was one great occasion of these heavie yokes we have of late groaned under . But these absurdities need no refutation . Egyptian Pharaoh claimed not the wealth of his people , till he had bought it . And Ahab himselfe , who durst not lay claime to Naboths vineyard , without purchase , or colour of confiscation , proclaims their ignorance sufficiently to the world . And among our selves , the constant proceedings of our princes , even in their most heavie illegall exactions , borrowing alwayes a colour of law , and the known laws of the land , enabling the meanest subject to maintain his Propriety , even in a two-penny matter , against his Soveraigne ; And the innumerable verdicts , in all Courts , passing for the Subject , against the King ; assure me , that unlesse God for our sins should give up our Parliament and State to the vassallage which this Popish Army would bring it to , we shall hear no more of this Divinity . The only Question now is about passive obedience ; they who cry down our defensive Arms , confesse that the Magistrate cannot require any thing but by law , and that the subject need not yeeld up his right but by Law , no tie lies upon the conscience of Naboth to let Ahab have his vineyard : but if a Saul will by force take away our sonnes to care his ground , and our daughters to be his Confectioners , Cookes , and Bakers ; if he will by force take our fields , even the best of them , and give them their servants , we have no help in that day , but preces & lachryma , to cry unto our God : but no liberty to defend our selves by Armes against such tyrannie ; if we do ( say they ) we resist the ordinance of God , and must receive to our selves damnation . But if this opinion be weighed in the ballance of Reason , how much lighter than vanity will it be found ? ; how absurd a thing is it , that these men wil allow me , if the king pretend Law in any thing I may try it out with him , and not when he or his Instruments come with open violence : If the king will sue me , and by pretence of Law seek to take away my coat , my house , my land , I may defend these from him with all the strength of Law I can ; but if he come with armed violence to take away my liberty , life , religion , I must yeeld up these without making any resistance : I may secure that , which I have nothing but lexterrae to plead my propriety in , viz. my money , which I may give away , and in the mean time my liberty , life , religion , which are mine by the laws of God and man , I may not secure with a good conscience . True it is , if in case it do ( upon circumstances duely weighed ) appear that our receding from our right , and not resisting wrong , will tend to the promoving of a greater and a more generall good , or the preventing of a greater and a more generall evill , it is agreeable to right reason , and our Saviours rule , Mat. 5. 39. that we should both remit of our right , and submit to wrong , whether sued or ensued , whether to superiours or inferiours , or equals . But that men should give a liberty of defence in Law , and yet absolutely condemne defence against unlawfull violence , is such an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , such an absurdity , as you shall seldome meet with . But give me leave to weigh it a little further ; if the Subjects defending themselves by Armes against the violence of oppressing Governours and their instruments , be unlawfull , either it must be because their Prince hath by conquest spoiled them of that liberty , which God and nature gave them at the first . Or secondly , because they or their Ancestors having submitted by Covenant and Consent to him to bee their supream Ruler according to Law , they must therefore be interpreted to have yeelded up all their Liberty so far as to be now unable with a good Conscience to defend themselves against his violence , though contrary to Law . Or thirdly , because God hath lifted up Princes so far above all mortall men , that all hands are by him bound from daring to resist them . The first I finde not many pleading , that peoples being conquered , makes it unlawfull for them to defend themselves against the unjust violences of their Conquerours or his Successours : Most of them grant , that the peoples right is to designe the person of their Prince . And indeed it is the most absurd reasoning in the world , that because a strong robber hath over-powerd me in my house , in conscience I am tyed to be his servant or slave for ever . Because Eglon hath mightily oppressed Israel for eighteen years , it is unlawfull for them to shake of● his yoke when they are able to resist him : Certainly , whatever of mine another takes by violence from me , let him keep it never so long , it is but Continuata injuria , a continued wrong , till I consent to his holding it ; And all reason allowes me to recover it again as soon as I can . And I fear not to say , that had William , sirnamed the conquerour , taken and held this Crown only by his sword , and ruled over the Nation only by force , and all his successors to this day had no other claim to it , all the reason in the world would allow us to redeem our selves from that yoke , if we were able . But though the sword begin the Conquest , yet many times the Consent of the people comes in , and makes their Conquerour their lawfull King ; and then so far as by Covenant or Laws , they agree to be under him for the publike safety and good , they are bound up from any resistance . But that their parting with some of their liberty for the publike good should ( upon the usurpation of him whom they have trusted ) deprive them of that liberty which they never parted with , is most abhorring to reason . Suppose a free man indents with another to be his servant in some ingenious employment , as , suppose to attend upon his person ; and expresly indents that his master shall not have power to command him to rub his horse heels , or fill his dung cart , or the like ; If now this master shall usurp , and command him to such sordid employment , and by force seek to compell him to them , some shew of reason ( at least ) there would be for the servant to plead that his master had forfeited all his power over him , and that he was free from his service , and might go seek another master ; but no colour of reason that the servant hath now forfeited that immunitie from sordid and drudgery works that he first covenanted , and must thenceforth lie at his masters feet , as wholly prostitute to all his Imperious humours . Secondly , can it be imagined , by reason that a people submitting to a lawfull government , should thereby be necessitated to that which may overthrow the end of all government , that is , inability to provide for their common safety . That whereas when they were free and under no government at all , they might by the law of nature defend themselves against injury : now having submitted , though upon good conditions , they are utterly disabled to defend themselves , if he that should be their Protectour , would prove their Murtherer : If he who both in himselfe and instruments should be onely for the punishment of evill , and the praise of them that doe well , will goe , or send , or suffer a company of theeves or murtherers to goe in his name , and spoile and destroy them that do well : can their being subjects ( in reason ) deprive them of their defence allowed them by the law of nature ? yea , were they not guilty of self-murther in suffering such a thing ? For instance , some of our Historians relate of King John , that hee was transported with so deep a hatred against his Nobles and Commons , that he sent an Ambassadour to Miramumalin , entituled the great King of Africa , Morocco , and Spain , wherein he offered to render unto him his Kingdome , and to hold the same from him by tribute as his Soveraigne Lord , to forgoe the Christian faith ( which he held vaine ) and receive that of Mahomet ; like enough some Court Chaplain ( may be the Clerk that went on the errand ) might warrantize the Kings conscience , and tell him , that it was the more shame for them who profest the Christian Religion , to compell him to it . But whether the King did lawfully or not , is not our question ; but whether the subjects might lawfully have resisted that attempt of his , and have stood for their Religion , Lives , and Liberty . Thirdly , is it not quite contrary to reason , that whereas Kings and Rulers , nothing differing by nature from their meanest subjects , were at first constituted , and are still continued for the protection , welfare , benefit , yea and service of the people ; and who therefore should value their prerogatives , scepters , and lives , no further then they may advance the publick good ; yet if they degenerate , and will be destroyers , the people should suffer all to be spoiled , as if Kingdomes and people had been created by God for the will , pleasure , profit , yea and lusts of Princes . As if a Pilot purposely appointed for the safe wafting over of passengers , who in stead thereof will dash the ship against the rocks : Or a Generall purposely chosen ( and to whom the Souldiers have therefore sworne ) for the safetie of the whole Army , should yet turn the Cannon mouth upon his own Souldiers , or deliver them all up into the hands of the enemy : the passengers and souldiers , yea , the officers in the ship , and councell of war in the Army , should be morally disabled from doing any thing to prevent their own apparent destruction . By this reason the Bishop of Burgen in the Councel of Basil proved the Councel to be above the Pope , and a kingdome above the King , and said they were but flatterers who taught otherwise . And fourthly , doth not right reason as much abhor this , that whereas Princes are the publick fathers , and the people owe them the duty of children , that these children should be prohibited from keeping their publick fathers from the greatest evils : If our naturall father through ignorance or distemper should go into a pest-house , his children might by force fetch him out ; or if in a raging passion go about to kill himself , wife , children , or any others , their children may disarm them , yea we are tied not to suffer friend or foe to incurre the guilt of rapine or blood , if it lie in our power to hinder it ; and ( speak to my reason ) what evil have Princes deserved , that if they go about to murder themselves , subjects and children , not any of their people , no not the whole body politick should have power to restrain them . And if reason will allow this liberty of resistance to private persons ( as even Barclay and Grotius the two great propugners of the sacred and inviolable power of Kings , grant ) how much more clear , honourable , and safe must such a defence needs be , when done by the representative body of a state , who are Gods ordinance as well as kings , the ministers of God sent by him to be a terrour to evill , and a praise to them that do well . And in England are the highest Court of Judicature , and in whom his Majesty confesses there is legally placed sufficient power to prevent Tyranny . Upon such reasons as these , not only Heathens have resisted their Princes , when bent to subvert their laws and liberties ; but even most of the States of Christendome , Papists and Protestants when they have been put to it , have borne defensive Armes against the unlawfull violences of their mis-led Princes . But now if notwithstanding all this faire shew of reason Gods word hath determined the contrary , we must lay our hands upon our mouths , and shall no longer deserve to be accounted the servants and subjects of Christ , then while we turne our reason ( how specious soever ) out of doores , when once it offers to oppose the least Iota of his revealed will . But where is this Scripture to be found ? Certainly the good Subjects in the Old Testament knew it not . Sauls Subjects who swore that Saul should not kill Jonathan , nor pluck an haire from his head , though Saul had sworn by God he should die , knew no such Scripture : and I beleeve , that if the same men had bin about him when he protested the Priests of the Lord should die , they would not only have with-held their own , but Doegs hands from doing execution . David knew no such Scripture ; nor the 600 men with him , that would have fortified Keilah against Saul . Nor those many choice men of the severall Tribes of Israel , among whom were some of Sauls brethren and kindred and chief officers , that fell to David ( though Saul had proclaimed him Traitor ) from day to day to help him , till it was a great host like the host of God : And all this while David was ( though an innocent , yet ) but a private man . And I think if Elias had took himself bound in conscience to render himself prisoner to the Captains which Ahaziah sent for him , he would not have killed them with fire from heaven : Neither would Elisha have taken such a rough course with the messengers sent to take his head . Nor would the eighty valiant Priests have thrust Uzziah by force out of the Temple , who was a King still , though a Leper . Neither can these examples be eluded with saying these were extraordinary persons ; for first they were not all so , not the people that resisted Saul , nor the people that fell to David , nor the eighty Priests , unlesse in the extraordinarinesse and valiancy of their spirits : And for the extraordinary persons themselves , I know nothing why their examples may not be pleaded , for our Defensive Armes , as well as Davids eating the shewbread was pleaded by our Saviour for his Disciples rubbing the ears of corn , unlesse they can first shew , that their practice was against a known law , I mean , unlesse there were some known law that Innocents might not defend themselves , and one another against the unjust violence of their princes . Indeed we often read in the Old Testament of fearing the King , honouring the King , obeying the King , which their practice shews they understood to binde them to yeeld Honour , Loyaltie , Obedience , and Subjection to their Magistrates according to law ; but not that they were bound to let them doe what mischief they pleased Neither is there any more in the new Testament ; there indeed are full and frequent exhortations to submit our selves to Magistrates , to be subject to the higher Powers which are ordained of God , & not to resist the Ordinance of God ; but not one word that we may not resist the Tyrannie of men , no colour for it , unlesse any wil say that Tyranny is Gods Ordinance , that Tyrants bear the sword for the punishment of evil doers , are the Ministers of God , &c. full proof there is that we must be under the authority of Rulers , that is , under their Legall Commands ; not one word of being at the dispose of their illegall wills : The word used there is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , derived ab {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} licet , to shew , as one observes , that the Text bindes subjects to obey Superiours not ad libitum , but ad licitum , not to obey their lawlesse lusts & wils , but their lawfull authority , without resisting . And surely it were strange , that if God had laid this yoke of subjection to the illegall will of Rulers , that neither the Jews under their Kings , nor under Antiochus , nor the Churches of Christ , nor the primitive Churches after once their Religion and Liberties were established by Laws , nor any of the Reformed Churches have took themselves concluded under it : which of all the Reformed Churches have not by their practice manifested , that Religion bindes them not to give their throats to be cut , or their liberties and states to be spoiled at the meer will of their Princes and their Instruments , contrary to their own Laws and Edicts ? Were not the Lutheran Churches put to it , and defended themselves against the Emperour Charles the fifth , when the Smalchaldian confederacie was entring ? Did not both the Divines and Lawyers being consulted with , agree , that the inferiour Magistrates might at some time resist the Superiour ? Have not the States and Churches of the Netherlands done the like constantly against the King of Spain ? the Protestants in France against their Kings ? How often , and how lately have our Brethren in Scotland done the same ? And although since the Reformation , England was never put to it , untill these unhappie differences , yet how constantly have our most learned Divines , Bishops as well as others , defended by their Pens , and our Princes and States by their aides of men and money , their distressed and oppressed Brethren and Neighbours in the like case ? and now in our own sight both the King and States have acquitted the Scots , as having done nothing in their late defence , but what became good subjects . And what the judgment of this Nation was in the time of popery is plain enough by their practice , in their usuall taking of Armes , and not leaving till they had compelled their Princes to ratifie their Priviledges and Charters , which through ill Counsellors they had infringed . And observeable it is , that because the Bishops and Clergie of those times saw the Princes go about to take down their pride , they were ever the most forward to justifie the proceeding of the State ; and I suspect , in case the Tables were turned , and we had a King endeavouring to take down the Bishops , to take away Pluralites , Non-residents , &c. And a Parliament seeking to maintain them , the world would hear another Divinitie from many of them , who now cry out , that all our defence is damnable . But lest I might be thought not to have vveighed the Scripture and reasons of both sides equally , I vvill give you a further account vvhat my thoughts vvere , and are concerning the Scriptures usually pleaded against this resistance , and the reasons deduced from them . The strongest hold they pretend to , is built upon Romans 13. 1. &c. 1. Peter 2. 13 , 14. vvhere vve are enjoyned subjection to the Higher Powers , especially to the King as Supreme , and all know that Nero the then supreme Governour , was no better then a Tyrant . Answ. First , it is observable that this objection , and almost all the rest taken out of the Scripture , make the case of all Subjects in all Kingdomes to be alike ; that although ( as I touched before ) there are hardly two Kingdomes in the world , but do differ in Lavves , Customes , and Constitutions , bounding the Kings authority , and the Subjects obedience , yet if any of these would change the bounds of his authoritie ( for instance , If the King of Denmarke , or Sweden , or Polonia , vvould invade the libertie of his Subjects , and make himselfe as absolute , ( not onely as the King of England , but ) as the King of France , or Spaine , or the great Turke ) this argument tyes all their Subjects from resisting ; let any man shew an out-gate for the Subjects of the one , vvhich vvill not let out others , and for my part I vvill yeeld the cause : If they say these Kings took their Crowns upon those termes , and the Subjects indented to have liberty of resistance in such cases , then they grant that vvhere the Laws of the Kingdome allovv a liberty of resistance , resistance may be used notvvithstanding these texts , which is as much as vve plead for : If any people have covenanted in no case to resist , let them seek another answer , in the mean time these Texts tie not those from resisting ( by their own answer ) who have not tyed themselves . Secondly , I appeal to their own judgements , whether these Texts forbid all forcible resistance ; Suppose a Prince in his rage should go about to kill himself , or run some innocent man thorow with his sword , might no man take the sword out of his hand ? and if it be lawfull for a private man to dis-arme him of the weapons wherewith he would kill one , may not the State take such weapons out of his or the hands of his Instruments , wherewith they go about to destroy all . Thirdly , both Texts lay the same charge for subjection to inferiour Magistrates , who likewise have their authoritie from God , though under the Superiour : As our Saviour said to Pilate , who was buta Deputy , thou couldst have no {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , no power at all against me , if it were not given thee from above . And may no resistance be made against the unjust violence of inferiour Officers ; if there may , it is sufficient ; sure I am , the Texts have not one word to allow the one , and prohibite the other . Fourthly , what one syllable in either of these Texts so much as looks towards the forbidding of a people to resist Tyrannie , but onely that we resist not the Magistrates in the rightfull exercise of their authority given them by God : the Texts speak not of their persons , but of their power ; not of their dictates , but of their legall commands ; no more of Kings than of an higher power in an Aristocracie , or Democracie , binding all persons to subject themselves to that Power and Authoritie which in the severall places vvhere they live is the highest or supreme power . Object . But Nero was a Tyrant . Answ. Not in his five first years ; nor secondly , vvas he a Tyrant in all things ; he had authoritie to rule according to Law , that was not his Tyrannie ; his Tyrannie was , what he usurped contrary to the Law : nor thirdly , vvere all his under-officers Tyrants , many of them could say with Festus , Acts 25. It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver any man to die , before that hee which is accused , have the accusers face to face , and have leave to answer for himself ; and vvould accordingly dismisse them , if they had done nothing worthie of death , or of bonds . Object . 2. But doth not the thirteenth Chapter of the Romanes plainly binde up mens hands from resisting the supreme Power ? Answ. By the Supreme power must be meant , that power , which by the originall and fundamentall Constitution of any people and Nation , hath authoritie to make Laws which shall binde the whole Nation , to dispose of the estates and lives of any person or persons for the good of the Nation , to judge every person and persons in the Nation determinatively and conclusively , so as from that judgement there is no appealing , that power it self being subject to the judgement and authoritie of none but God : and Aristotle makes three distinct Branches of this power . 1. The power of making and repealing Lawes , a Legislative power . 2. The power of making War and Peace , of imposing Customes and Tributes . 3. The power of judging Causes and Crimes ultimately and decisively : where these three meet , and make their residence , whether in one person , as in absolute Monarchs ; or in many , as in mixed Monarchies or Aristocracies ; or in the body of the people , as in the ancient Romane government , there is the highest power which every soul is forbidden to resist : But now what ever be the higher power in England , most certain it is , that the Kings absolute or illegall will , is not the highest power , that hath neither power to make Laws , nor repeale Laws ; that hath not power to acquit or condemne ; nor may men appeal from the Kings lawfull judgement Seat to the Kings absolute will ; but his legall will in the highest Court , or the King and Parliament may make Lawes or repeal Lawes , may engage the whole Nation in a War , and command both the Bodies and Purses of men unto the service , is the highest Court of Judicature , to which all my appeal , and from which none may appeal , and consequently against which there is no resistance . So that if men would read this Text of the thirteenth to the Romans , in plain English it amounts directly to thus much , Let every soul in England be subject to King and Parliament , for they are the higher powers ordained unto you of God , whosoever therefore resisteth King and Parliament , resisteth the Ordinance of God , and they that resist shal receive to themselves damnation . I would desire no other Text but this to confound the great Chaplains and Champions of the Antiparliamentary cause , or to strike terrour into their Loynes , if their long conversing with God-dammee's , hath not drawn such a Kawl over their hearts , that to them damnation is ridiculous . Object . 3. But doth not Saint Peter say expresly , the King is Supreme , 1 Pet. 2. 12. Answ. 1. It may as well be translated Superiour , as Supreme , the same word in the 13 of the Romans is translated Superiour , higher , not highest . 2. It is plain , the Apostle is not there constituting Governments , but giving direction to people to obey the Government they lived under ; and the Text hath as much strength to enforce subjection to Aristocracy , as to Monarchy : If the people of Pontus , Asia , Cappadocia , Bithynia , were under an absolute Monarchy , as sometimes they were , being petty Kingdoms crumbled out of the great Monarchy of Alexander ; and it may be did retain yet the same forme of Government , if not of their own , yet as lately received from the Romans ; all that can be enforced from thence is , That the Apostle names the Kings of those particular Countries to be such as they were , and commands subjection to them , but no wayes tyes other kingdoms to be like unto them . Object . 4. But we in England by our oaths , do acknowledge the King to be Supreme . Answ. 1. We willingly grant Him to be Supreme , to judge all persons in all causes according to His Lawes , and the established Orders of the Kingdom , but not at , or by His absolute will or pleasure . 2. Whoever considers the title , scope , and words , both of the Oath and the Act of Parliament that enjoynes it , will easily see that both the Act and Oath were intended in opposition to that Supremacie which the Pope sometimes challenged and usurped in this Kingdome of England , and no more : And this to be the true intent and meaning of it , appears more fully by that explication or limitation of the Oath , made the next Parliament , 5. Eliz. Wherein it is declared , That that Oath made , 1. Eliz. shall be taken and expounded in such form , as it is set forth in an admonition added to the Queens Injunctions published , Anno 1. of Her Raign , viz. To confesse or acknowledge in Her , Her Heirs and Successors , no other Authority then that which was challenged and lately used by King Henry the eighth , and Edward the sixth . And by this time you may see how little offensive these two ( so much boasted ) Texts are to our defensive Arms . Object . Other places of Scriptures the adversaries seeme not much to confide in , therefore I will passe them over the more briefly ; yet let us a little consider of them , Matth. 26. 52. They that take the sword shall perish with the sword . Where Christ seems to rebuke Peter for using defensive arms against the officers that came with a pretext of authority to apprehend Christ . Answ. 1. This is not a reproof of the sword taken for just defence , but of the sword taken for unjust oppression , and a comfort to those that are oppressed by it ; for Origen , Theophylact , Titus , Euthimius , interpret the meaning to be , That Christ doth not rebuke Peter for using defensive Arms , but to let Peter know that he need not snatch Gods Work out of his hand ; for God would in due time punish those with the sword , that came thus with the sword against him ; and that these words are a Prophesie of the punishment which the Roman sword should enact of the bloudy Jewish Nation ; according with the like expression , Revel. 13. 10. He that kills with the sword , must be killed with the sword , here is the patience , and faith of the Saints , that is , This may comfort the Saints in their persecutions , that God will take vengeance for them . But secondly , Suppose it was a reproof of Peters using the sword ; then the plain meaning is to condemn Peters rashnesse , who drew his sword , and never staid to know his Masters minde , whether he should strike or not ; and so reproves those who rashly , unlawfully , or doubtingly use the sword : Adde this , That now was the hour come of Christs suffering , and not of his Apostles fighting , wherein Christ would not be rescued , no , not by twelve Legions of Angels , much lesse then by the sword of man ; Therefore he saith to Peter , Put up thy sword , &c. But intended not that it should alwayes be unlawfull for his people to use the sword in their just defence , against unjust violence ; for then he would never have commanded them , but a little before , that he that hath two Coats , let him sell one and buy a sword . Object . Eccles. 8. 2. &c. I counsell thee to keep the Kings Commandment , &c. He doth whatever he pleaseth , &c. Where the word of a King is , there is power , and who may say to him , What dost thou ? Answ. 1. No man can understand it literally in all things , as if every commandment of the King must be kept , as if no actions of the King might be scanned , nor reproved by any man , as the Canonists say of the Pope , That if he lead thousands to hel , none may say , Why dost thou so ? Surely , if Saul command to murder the Lords Priests , that commandment need not be kept ? If David lie with his neighbours wife , Nathan may say , Why dost thou so ? If Ahab murder Naboth , and swallow his inheritance , worship Baal , persecute and kill the Prophets of the Lord , Elijah may reprove him , notwithstanding this Text , Who can say unto him what dost thou ? Secondly , The Text plainly enough interprets it self , Keep the Kings commandment , according to the oath of God , stand not in an evil thing against him , he hath power to do whatever he will . Si scelus patraveris , effugere non poteris , If you commit evil , you cannot escape punishment : where the word of a King is , there is power , viz. to punish them that do evil , and none to call him to account for doing it , and who can say unto him , What dost thou ? Object . Another text is , Proverb . 8. 15. By me Kings reigne , &c. Whence they plead , that because Kings and Princes receive their authority only from God , and the people at the utmost only designe the Person , but give him none of his power ; therefore they may in no case take away his power from him . Answ. 1. It saith no more of Kings , then of Nobles , Senators , and all other Judges of the earth : for it follows , By me Princes rule , and Nobles , even all the Judges of the Earth . Secondly , Although no such thing is in the Text , that the people give no power to the Magistrate , yet we will suppose it to be true , what then will follow more then this ? That although they may not take from the Magistrate that power which God hath given him ; yet they may defend themselves against such unjust violences , as God never gave the Magistrate power to commit . A woman hath power to designe the person of her husband to her self , but the authoritie of a husband is from God ; now though the wife may not take away the husbands just authority , she may defend her self against oppression and injury . Object . Some alledge Gods judgement upon the two hundred and fifty Princes , Numb. 16. Answ. They were Rebels against their lawfull Governours , ruling exactly , according to the expresse will of God . And may all those perish with them who will plead for such as they are . Object . Others alledge , 1 Sam. 8. 11. where the people are let to understand how they shal be oppressed by their Kings ; yet for all that , have no just cause of resistance ; for they shall have no other remedy left them , but preces & lachrimae , crying to the Lord , Vers. 8. Answ. But saith the Text so ? Let us read the words a little , and you shall cry out in that day , Because of the King , which you have chosen , and the Lord shall not hear in that day . Is this to say , they have no just cause of resistance , nor no remedy left , but complaining ? Indeed if the Holy Ghost had said , You shal not resist , nor fight for your liberties , &c. there had been some shew of reason for such a deduction , as some would extort from them ; but yet , even then , Why might not the words have been a prediction of the curse of God upon the people , giving them up to such a base degenerate ignoble spirit , that they shall have no heart to stand up in the defence of their liberties and lives , rather then a prohibition of such resistance ? The Lord foretels the people , Ezek. 24. 21. of calamitous times , in which he tels them , Verse . 24. That they should not mourn or weep ; Will any man interpret this , as if God made it unlawful for them to mourn , or to weep , or was it not rather a prediction of their stupidity of spirit , when they should pine away under these calamities ? so Jere. 27. God said they should put their necks under the yoke of the Kings of Babylon ; Will any man thence gather , That other People are bound to put their necks under the yoke of a forraign enemy invading them ? In one vvord , the plain meaning is , That this People should dearly rue it for casting off the form of Government which God had chosen for them ; and vvhen they should mourn under their ovvn choice , God vvould not take the yoke from off their necks ; and so it is a threatning of a judgement , not an imposition of a duty . Object . But David durst not lift up his hand against the Lords Anointed , though he did tyrannically persecute him ; yea , though it vvere sometimes in his povver to have killed him . Answ. No man pleads that any David should kill the Lords Anointed ; yet he may defend himself against his unjust violence , as David here did . Object . But if they may not kill him , vvho can be secured ? That in a battell ( as at Keynton field ) his bullet may not hit the Lords Anointed . Answ. Is this their fault , vvho have so often petitioned his Majestie to vvithdraw himself from such dangerous vvayes , as both the Parliament and his Excellencie hath done ; if their petitions vvould have been received ? or rather theirs , who ( the vvorse Subjects they , and the more accursed they ) have led Him into these unnaturall Warres , and do in a manner inforce His presence in them ? Did they bear that affection to His Majestie as they pretend , They vvould vvith Davids men , Swear , Thou shalt no more go out with us to battell , lest thou quench the light of Israel , 2. Sam. 21. 17. We have heard much of the Cavaliers svvearing , but I never yet heard that one of them had the honestie to swear this ; Nay they are vvronged in reports , if some of them have not sworn the contrarie . Object . But David vvould not fight against him . Answ. Indeed he never did fight against him , because his numbers never vvere considerable till tovvards the last , but he vvould have fortified the Citie of Keilah against him ; And it had been a strange madnesse to have had 600. men vvith him , if his conscience would have suffered him to have done nothing but flee : sure one might more easily be hid then 600. But there is a plain text assuring us that David and his men vvoud have done more then run up and dovvn , if occasion had served , 1 Chron. 12. 16. and so forvvard . When divers of the children of Judah and Benjamin came to joyne with him , David vvent out to meet them , and said , If ye be come to help me , &c. But if ye come to betray me to my enemies , I being innocent , the God of our fathers look upon it , and rebuke it . Now mark their answer , the spirit came upon Amasa the chief Captain , and he said , Thine are we David , and of thy side , peace be to thee , and peace to thy helpers : then David received them , and made them Captains of the band : Can any man imagine their meaning vvas to run up and dovvn the Countries vvith him , if they vvere able to cope vvith any number that Saul should bring , or send against them especially adding this to it , That they fell to him from the severall Tribes day by day , till his host was like an host of God . Now by these mens argument , if Davids host had been fourtie thousand , and Saul come against him but with five or six hundred , they must all have fled from him , and not have put it to a battell . Credat Judaeus Appella , non ego . Object . But the Fathers of the Primitive times knew no defence but preces & lachrymae in all their unjust sufferings . Answ. 1. It follows not , because they knew it not , therefore we cannot know it : there might be speciall reasons of Gods dispensations towards them . 2. Their Liberties and Religion were not established by Law ; and this was the cause , saith Abbot Bishop of Salisbury , why the Christians in the Primitive times , before their Religion was established by Law , caedebantur non caedebant , would rather be killed then kill : But after the times of Constantine , when Religion was established , they shook off the yoke of persecution from the Church , & caedebant non caedebantur , they did kill rather then be killed . 3. Where did any of the Fathers ever oppose this opinion , and condemn this practice , that is , declaring it unlawfull , especially for a representative body to defend themselves against the unjust violence of their mis-led Princes ? I beleeve if any such testimonies were to be found , the Parliament should have heard of them before this time . 4. We want not examples of such defence in the Primitive times , when once Religion was establisht by Edict of the Romane Empire , and Licinius the Emperour of the East ( legum violator maximus , contrary to Law and his Covenant ) would persecute the Christians , they defended themselves by Arms , and Constantine the great joyned with them ; And as Eusebius saith , held it his dutie , infinitum hominum genus , paucis nefariis hominibus , tanquam quibusdam corruptelis , ê medio sublatis , incolumes servare : To deliver an infinite multitude of men , by cutting off a fevv vvicked ones , as the pests and plagues of the time . The Christians living under the Persian King , and vvronged by him , sought for help from the Romane Emperour Theodosius , and vvere assisted by him ; and vvhen the King of Persia complained that Theodosius should meddle in affairs of his Kingdome , Theodosius ansvvered , that he did not only protect them because they were suppliants , but was ready to defend them , and no way to see them suffer for Religion , it being the same with their own . It seems they thought it as lawfull to help an innocent people against the oppressions of their own Prince , as for one neighbour to succour another against theeves and robbers . The Macedonians obtained of the Emperour Constantius , four thousand armed men to help them drive out the Novatians from Paphlagonia , the Orthodox assisted the Novatians against the unjust violence , and were armed falcibus clavis , & securibus , with sithes , clubs and hatchets , and cut off almost all the Souldiers , and many of the Paphlagonians . At Constantinople the Orthodox defended Paulus his Election against Macedonius and his abettors , though assisted with the Militarie Forces , and the Historian blames them onely for killing the Commander Hermogenes . Justina Valentinianus mother , infected with Arianisme , commanded to banish Ambrose , but the people resisted , and for a while defeated the plot of them who would have sent Ambrose into banishment . The inhabitants of Armenia the greater , professing the Christian Faith , were abused by the Persians ( among whom they lived ) especially for their Religion , they entred into a league with the Romanes for their safetie . You see here are some examples where the ancient Christians used defensive Arms , and I doubt not but such as are well read in the stories of those times might produce many more . Ob. But there is one Doctour who goes about to prove by reason , that oppressed Subjects should not defend themselves against their Princes , though bent to subvert Religion , Laws , and Liberties , because ( forsooth ) such resistance tends to the dissolution of Order and Government , that is , to disable Princes from subverting Religion , Law , and Liberty ( which is the very dissolution of all Order and Government ) tends to the dissolution of all Order and Government ; as if hindring a man from pulling down his house , were the pulling down the house : As if the hindring the Pilot from dashing the Ship against the rock , tended to dash the Ship against the rock ; If any man else see any colour of reason in this reason , I desire them to make it appear , for , for my part I can see none . And indeed the case is so clear , that most of them who cry down defensive Arms , though they use such Scriptures and Arguments to work upon the consciences of people , yet when they come to dispute it , will hardly endure to have the Question rightly stated , ( as being unwilling to dash against the rock of most learned Divines , whether Protestants or Papists , and , I think , of almost all Politicians ) but fall to discusse matters of fact , charging the Parliament with invading the Kings just Prerogative , usurping an exorbitant power and authority , &c. yea , His Majestie in all his Declarations insists onely upon this , never suggesting that in Conscience they are prohibited to defend themselves , in case he should violently invade their Liberties , yea , expresly grants , that there is power sufficient legally placed in the Parliament to prevent Tyrannie . And therefore now I leave the case of Divinitie , and shall more briefly give you an account what satisfied me in the second , I mean matter of fact , that His Majestie being seduced by wicked counsell did levie war against the Parliament : My great evidence was , the Parliament judged so ; the judgement of a Parliament of England was never questioned till now by a people of England : all Patents , Charters , Commissions , Grants , Proclamations , and Writs of the Kings of England , receive their judgement , and are often repealed and made null by a Parliament : all controversies betwixt the King and Subject receive their finall determination in the Parliament ; the judgements of all other Courts are ratified or nullified by a Parliament . I have heard some wise men say , That a Parliament in England ( like Pauls spirituall man ) judgeth all , and it self is judged of none ; and therefore if I should give you no other account of my entring upon my Office in the Armie ( which was not to fight , nor meddle in the Councell of War , but onely to teach them how to behave themselves according to the Word , that God might be with them ) should I ( I say ) give no other account but the determination of that wise assembly , I should be acquitted by indifferent men . But although I had learned , that no dishonourable thing should be imagined of that Honourable Assembly , yet I held it my dutie not to yeeld blinde obedience , or go by an implicite Faith , but search whether the things were so ; and the rather , because both sides have appealed to heaven , to that God , who no doubt in due time will clear the righteous cause : And upon my search these things were quickly apparent . It was very cleare , that the persons too much prevailing with his Majesty , had long before this Parliament , a designe for over-throwing our Laws , enslaving our Liberties , and altering our Religion ; and it had so far prevailed , that we were tantùm non swallowed up ; and when through the good providence of God , this Parliament was called , and many hopes conceived , that now his Majesty seeing the mischief of adhering to such ill counsellours , would for the time to come be wholly guided by the great Councell of his Kingdome : alas it soon appeared that the same kinde of Counsellours were still most prevailing , insomuch that ( soon after the pacification with Scotland ) the Northern Army should have been brought up to London , as appeares by the very oathes of some who should have acted it , a thing thou thought so pernicious , that not only the chief Actors fled beyond the Seas , but many reall Courtiers earnestly solicited their friends in both Houses , that this their inexcusable errour might be passed over , and now to begin upon a new score . But that which made me the more suspect their prevailing with his Majesty was , that , the horrid Rebellion broken out in Ireland , the Rebels pretending his Majesties and the Queenes Commission for their warrant , it was at least three moneths after , before they were proclaimed Traytours , and when it was done , no Copies of the Proclamations to be got for love or money ; whereas when the Scots were proclaimed Rebels and Traytours , it must speedily be published in all the Churches of England . I must acknowledge , this made me to think , that the Parliament had just cause to be jealous of great danger . But when His Majesty returned from Scotland , discharged the guard which the Parliament had set for their own safety , and an other denied , except under the charge of the Queens Chamberlain , and His Majesty himself entertained divers Captaines as a super-numerary guard at Whitehall , went to the House of Commons after that manner , to demand the five members to be delivered unto Him ; The Earle of Newcastle ( now General of the Armie of Papists in the North ) sent to Hull , attempting to seize it and the Magazine there , his Majestie , according to the Lord Digbies letters , retiring from the Parliament , to a place of strength ; and the Queen going beyond Sea to raise a partie there ; I must have shut my eyes , if I had not seen danger , and thousands of thousands would have thought the Parliament altogether senslesse , if they had not importuned his Majesty ( as they did ) to settle the Militia , all former settlings of it by Commissions of Lievtenancy being confessedly void : His Majestie refusing this in that manner as they thought necessary for security , they voted the putting of it into the hands of persons whom they thought the State might confide in ( though alas many of them since have discovered to us how vaine is our hope in man ) And secured the Town of Hull , and the Magazine there : soon after this his Majesty in the north seised New-Castle , and under the name of a guard begun to raise an army ; all this was done before the Parliament voted that his Majesty seduced by wicked councell , &c. And when his Majesties Army was more encreased , he then declared that he was resolved by strength to recover Hull and the Magazine , and to suppresse the Militia : After this indeed the Parliament began to make vigorous preparations by their propositions for Plate , Money , Horse , &c. This being the true progresse and state of the businesse , I saw clearly all along , the Kingdome and Parliament were in danger , that it was therefore necessary to have the Militia and Navie in safe hands , which His Majesty also acknowledged ; That he refused to settle it for a time in the way they conceived necessary , and that by the judgement of both Houses when they were full , they had power by the fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome to settle it , especially for a time , upon His Majesties refusall ; That His Majesty raised force , and declared it was to suppresse the Militia , and recover Hull and the Magazine , is as clear , and made pregnant preparations both at home and beyond the Seas : And the civill Lawyers say , that pregnant preparations are the beginning of a War . The onely Question remaining was , whether the Parliament did justly in ordering the Militia , and securing the Magazine and Navy , in a confessed time of danger upon such his Majesties refusall . What the Kings power and perogative , and what the Parliaments power was for securing the Militia in time of danger according to the Laws of England , was out of my profession , and in great part above my skill ; But certainly unlesse I vvas bound rather to beleeve the Votes of the Papists , and other Delinquents about his Majesty , vvho hitherto had prevailed to bring upon us all the miseries that vve have laine under , then the Votes and Judgements of the highest Court of Judicature in England , ( which so far as I have heard , was never by Common Law or Statute Law presumed to be guilty of , or charged with the overthrow of the Kings prerogative , or the Lawes and Liberties of the Subjects untill now , and who have given us so much evidence of their wisdome , watchfulnesse and faithfulnesse ) I vvas bound to be concluded under their Testimony , and so consequently that His Majesty was seduced , &c. And surely , if men vvho serve upon Justice betvveen Prince and People , party and party , in matters of Life or State , may rest in the resolution of the learned Judges , that this , or that is law , vvhen themselves knovv it not ; vvell might I rest in the judgement and resolution of that Court , which is the Judge of all the Judicatures in the Land . And in case I were unsatisfied , to whom should I appeale , in whose judgement I might more safely rest , especially when I savv their Vote agreeable to that which is the supreme Law of all Nations ; namely , that publick safety is the highest and deepest Law , and that it is requisite that every State have a povver in time of danger to preserve it self from ruine ? and no Lavv of England more knovvne , then that the Parliament is the highest Court , from vvhence there is no appeal . This satisfaction I had then , and since by the Declarations and Remonstrances of the Parliament , concerning these Military matters , and by other Books lately published , it is most apparent that they have not usurped upon His Majesties prerogative , but what they have done is agreeable to the practice of former Parliaments , In putting the Militia , Forts , and Navy into safe hands in these times of danger : And that it vvas therefore lavvfull for them , yea , necessary to take up these Defensive Armes , and consequently to call in for supply from all such vvho should share with them in the benefit of preservation , and to disable such from hurting them , who were contrary minded . I spend no time to answer the Objections that some make , that His Majesty could not tarry at London with safety of His Person , that the Lords and Commons that are vvith Him , were driven away by popular Tumults , and could not enjoy freedome of their Votes , &c. Because I thinke these things are now beleeved by none , but such as would beleeve no good of the Parliament , though one should rise from the dead again . Thus Sir , you have a just account of the grounds that first induced me to owne this Cause ; you desire to know whether I see not yet reason to repent of what I have done : I confesse I never undertooke any thing but I saw cause to repent of my miscarriage through the corruption which cleaves to me , and great cause I have to bewaile my many failings in this great Worke : but for the Worke it self , I as solemnely professe , I never saw cause to repent of my appearing in it ; the Cause is a right cause , the Cause of God ; my call to it , a cleare call , and though the Work prove harder and longer then at first it was thought , yet the Cause is far clearer then at the first . The work indeed is harder then I expected , for whoever could have beleeved he should have seen in England so many Lords and Commons even after their solemne Protestation , to defend the Priviledge of Parliament , and their owne Vote ; that His Majesty seduced by wicked councell , intended War against the Parliament , so shamefully to betray the trust committed to them ? so many of the Protestant Profession joyning with an army of Papists ( under pretence of maintaining the Protestant Religion against a Protestant Parliament ) to fight themselves into Popery ? so many unworthy Gentlemen fight to destroy a Parliament , and thereby fight themselves and posterity into slavery ? so many Papists in Armes contrary to so many knowne Lawes , and armed with Commission , to disarme Protestants contrary to their knowne Liberties , and the Protestants who exceed their number an hundred fold not to rise as one man to subdue them ? And who would have believed that he should have seen after all this an Army raised by the Parliament in such an extremity , for such an end , ( having hazzarded their lives , undergone all these hardships , performed all these services , and whose untimely disbanding may prove our irrecoverable ruine ) straitned for want of pay while England is worth a groate . Behold , regard , and wonder marvellously , I relate a thing which many will not believe though it be told unto them . Hab. 1. 5. But though the Worke be harder , the case is still clearer , both in regard of the intentions of the Parliament , and also of their adversaries . For the Parliament , multitudes would not believe , but that they had further aimes then their own and the publique safety , that they intended if not to depose His Majesty , yet by force of Armes to compell him to that which is not fit for a King to yeeld to ; But now by their frequent petitioning of his Majestie , especially by the reasonablenesse of their late Propositions and Instructions , wherein they desire a present disbanding of all Arms , even before any other bills were past , and were willing to have the Ports , Forts , and Ships , &c. of the Kingdome resigned up into his Majesties hands , provided onely that in these times of dangers they might , pro hac vice , be put into the hands of such as the State might confide in ; The sincerity of their intentions are now so plain , that I think Malignity it self cannot but be convinced of them . And the intentions of the contrary councels are as plain , their mask now falling off , and their designe more then ever discovered to be the overthrow of Parliament , Liberty , Laws and Religion . For at first we had Declarations to preserve all the just priviledges of Parliament , but now we see men proclaimed Traytors for executing the Commands of the two Houses , and the two Houses themselves , if not in direct , yet in equivalent termes proclaimed Traytors , yea , denyed to be a Parliament , because his Majestie withdraws himself , and after multitudes of Petitions refuses to returne , and because many of their Members have deserted them , and are protected by his Majestie from the Houses who have sent for them . Yea , they are required to recall their Votes as illegall , and that such as they have fined and imprisoned may bring their Habeas Corpus to be tried in an inferiour Court . Yea , people provoked to scorn them , and thereupon multitudes not fearing to trample upon , and cast as vile scorn and contempt unjustly upon that thrice-honorable Court , as ever was cast justly upon the Commissaries Courts . We have heretefore been assured that the knowne Lawes of the Land should be the only rule of government : but ( to name no other instances ) now we see the Commission of Array to be justified to be Law , which the Parliament hath not only declared , but demonstrated , and the Countries ( where ever it hath prevailed ) found to be the utter destruction of all the Lawes made for the Subjects liberty . Heretofore Proclamations were put out that no Papists should be entertained into his Majesties Army , because the resolution was to maintaine the Protestant Religion ; But now we see them armed , and armed with Commission , and Protestant Doctors in their writings justifying it ; and being armed dare professe their Religion publickly , set up their masse in the second City of the Kingdome , cutting in pieces , and burning Bibles , and as multitudes of reports come from beyond the Seas , ( and the supplies that come from thence confirme it ) all the Papists in Christendome contributing to this War as to the Catholicke cause . Heretofore the Libertie of the Subject seemed to be stood for , yea defended against the Parliament , ( as if it were possible the representative body should enslave it self ) and in the meane time while these things are promised , hundreds , yea thousands of his Majesties Subjects plundred , with His Majesties Proclamations against plundering , in the hands of diverse of the plunderers , And their persons led away in Ropes and Chaines like Turkish Gally-slaves , and many cast into Prisons and Dungeons , only for defending themselves against robbers and murderers abusing His Majesties Name : where their Jaylours use them worse then the Turkes doe their Christian slaves , or one that hath any thing of man in him could use a dog . And vvhen all these things are now done , the Parliament not only sitting , but having so much strength in the Field , what can vve expect when these men have prevailed , vvhen at the putting on of their harnesse their usuall language is nothing but blasphemy against God , ( not to be mentioned ) and against His people , calling all that adhere to his and the Kingdomes Cause , Parliament dogs , and Parliament rogues ? what language will you expect to heare if once they come triumphantly to put it off ? If while the event is uncertaine they cut us out such kinde of Lavves , Liberties , and Parliament priviledges as these are , if GOD for our sinnes sell us into their hands , thinke if you can , vvhat Lavves Liberties , and Parliament-priviledges our posteritie shall finde recorded in our bloud : for our selves , alas , who shall live when God doth this ? Nay , who would desire to live ? I vvould rather vvith holy Austin make it my humble suite to that GOD vvhose are the issues of life and death , that Hee vvould rather take mee from the Earth , then let mee live to see His deare Church , and my native Countrey , delivered into the 〈◊〉 of such blasphemous and barbarous men . So that in stead of repenting and withdrawing from the work , I could wish that my voice were able to reach into every corner of the kingdome , and that I could awaken all people to see the danger and misery that is flowing in upon them . That every soul might be quickened up to make his owne , and help to make Englands , bleeding , dying Englands peace with God , and every one who hath any interest in Heaven to cry mightily unto that God in whose hand the hearts of Kings are , and who rules in the Kingdomes of men , that the power of our God might be great towards us , in turning away these imminent calamities , and turning the heart of our King towards His great and faithfull Councell , and rescuing Him out of the hands of this Generation of men who delight in bllood . Our God hath not yet said , Pray not for this people : but if the Lord say he hath no delight in us , Righteous art thou O Lord , and just are all thy judgements : onely let us not be accessary to our own destruction , and the destruction of so flourishing a Kingdome ; let us not through our covetousnesse or cowardize , selfe-love or sloth , betray our Lawes , Liberties , Lives , Religion into the hands of men , from whose hands we befoole our selves if we expect more mercy , or lesse misery , then the poore Christians of Constantinople found with the Turkes , when thankes to their owne niggardlinesse ( O let it never be so with England ) they fell into their hands . Oh let us labour to prevent their Swords thrusting into our bodies , and their Swords into our Soules , let our God doe with us what he vvill , let us doe vvhat vve should , and vvhile vve have any money in our purses , any blood in our veins , or any spirits in us , devote all to the maintenance of this rightfull cause : and if vve perish , vve perish . Nor doe I feare to be for this condemned by any right discerning man as an incendiary to a Civill War , I knovv the miseries of a Civill War : Warre is the severest of all Gods judgements , and Civill Warre the cruellest of all Warres : vvhere is the greatest hatred , the deepest treachery , the most unnaturall butcheries , where the father murders the sonne , the sonne the Father , the brother embrues his hands in his brothers blood , and vvhoever gaines , all are loosers : 〈…〉 Cives , quae tanta licentia belli ? Oh the 〈◊〉 of our age and Countrey ? If England have such a lust to War , 〈◊〉 we find no forraigne Enemies , but we must Warre against our selves , and at this time too , Cumque superba for●t Babylon Spolianda 〈◊〉 . When the proud Turrets of the whore of Babylon are to be levelled with the Earth : when Germany , when Ireland are to be rescued out of her bloudy pawes ? Can vve finde no fitter Object for the fury of the Cannon , then our Townes , Houses , Bodies ? But alas ! The Generation vvith vvhom vve have to deal , had rather a thousand times see the glory of England in the dust , then the pride of Rome : And though a evil War be miserable , yet no such misery as the peace vvhich they vvould beteeme us ; a Sicilian vespers , or a Parisian massacre , from vvhich good Lord deliver us : Save , Lord , let the King hear us vvhen vve call . Thus Sir , you have my thoughts at large , you may either lay this Letter by you , or communicate it for the satisfaction of others at your ovvn pleasure : I blesse God I am gathering strength , and hope ere long by my return to my Lord and the Army ( if God please not to smile upon us vvith a safe Accommodation in the mean time ) to give a reall proofe that my judgement is the same that formerly it hath been , and I hope you believe my affection is the same still to you , and therefore vvithout further trouble , I subscribe my selfe . Your loving friend , Stephen Marshall 
A52043	----	Meroz cursed, or, A sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons, at their late solemn fast, Febr. 23, 1641 by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52043 of text R19516 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M762). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 106 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 30 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52043 Wing M762 ESTC R19516 12442426 ocm 12442426 62121 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52043) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 62121) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 249:E133, no 19) Meroz cursed, or, A sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons, at their late solemn fast, Febr. 23, 1641 by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 54 [1] p. Printed by R. Badger for Samuel Gellibrand ..., London : 1641. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Fast-day sermons. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1625-1649. A52043 R19516 (Wing M762). civilwar no Meroz cursed, or, A sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons, at their late solemn fast, Febr. 23. 1641 By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Marshall, Stephen 1642 19600 50 15 0 0 0 0 33 C The rate of 33 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion MEROZ Cursed , OR , A SERMON PREACHED To the Honourable House OF COMMONS , At their late Solemn FAST , Febr. 23. 1641 By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. Minister of Finchingfitld in Essex . Published by order of that House . PSALM . 122. Vers. 6 , & 9. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem : they shall prosper that love thee . Because of the House of the Lord our God , I will seek thy good . LONDON , Printed by R. BADGER , for Samuel Gellibrand , at the Brasen Serpent in St. Pauls Church yard . 1641. TO THE Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS . Now ASSEMBLED in PARLIAMENT . IT is fit my obedience should last as long as your commands , for so I have alwayes interpreted your Requests and desires to be . As I never had the confidence to present you with any thing properly mine , so neither will I bee guilty of that Injustice , as to deny you any thing so truly your own , as is this fruit of my poore yet willing endeavours . It is yours truly , but most principally the Churches , whose both you , and I , and all that you can doe , or I speak , are . If it may be serviceable to you , and you by it made more serviceable to the Church and cause of God , I have my option . But I am resolved not to make that use of my experience of your patience in hearing the Sermon , as to try it further with the length of a Dedication : Only I thinke it my dutie to second my proposition with my prayers , That God would vouchsafe a blessing to your endeavours for his Church , and to you for your endeavours . These shall be the constant and earnest desires of Your Servant Stephen Marshall . A SERMON PREACHED At the late FAST BEFORE The COMMONS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT . IUDGES V. XXIII . Curse ye Meroz ( said the Angell of the Lord ) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof , because they came not to the helpe of the Lord , to the help of the Lord against the mighty . RIght Honourable and beloved , it hath been a custome almost amongst all Nations , after any notable Victory , to have their {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , their Triumphant Songs , wherein the illustrious acts of their owne worthy Leaders , and the shame and confusion of their enemies were celebrated , preserved and so delivered over to posterity . The Romans had their Salii Priests , who after any victory went dancing through the City , singing their Hymes , and Paeans to Mars , and the rest of the favourable Gods . And the Grecians , sometimes in Verses , sometimes by Sculpture , used to set forth their famous Battels and Victories , yet alwayes attributing the highest glory of all to their Gods , who● they supposed to bee present with them , Protectors over them , and fighters for them . This course , I thinke , the Devill learned from the Lord Jehovah's dealing with his owne people , who alwayes directeth them thus to celebrate his noble acts , and their great deliverances . Thus Moses and Aaron sang unto the Lord , when he triumphed gloriously over Pharaoh and all his Host , making them sinke like a stone to the bottome of the Red Sea . Thus the women in their song and dance celebrated their victory over the Philistims . And this whole Chapter is nothing but a Triumphant song , setting forth in an elegant and lofty verse , the great Victory which Barak and Deborah and a small army with them had gotten , ( the Lord marching before them ) against King Jabin and his Generall Sisera , who for twenty yeares had mightily oppressed the children of Israel . In which song , First , all prayse and glory is given to Jehovah the Lord of hoasts the Prince who lead them , by whose strength alone the victory was obtained . Prayse yee the Lord for the avenging of Israel . I will sing unto the Lord . Lord when thou wentest out of Seir , &c. Then the Song descends to the due praises of their generall Barak , and his assistant Deborah , yea the severall Regiments and Companies both of Horse and Foot doe receive the praise and reward of their courage and valour . And not only so , but the Song proceeds to Stigmatize and brand with reproach , and marke out for punishment all such companies , as had played either the Traitours or the Cowards , or were otherwise wanting to their duty in this great expedition . Reuben had other Sheepe to turne . hee tarried amongst his Sheepfolds to heare the bleating of his flocke . Gilead durst not crosse the Water : Dan cowardly withdrew into his Ships : Ashur durst not come from his owne coasts . God takes notice and remembers them all , and lets them know he had great thoughts of heart about it , and in time would reckon with them for it . But above all his wrath was most incensed against Meroz , a people of whom wee finde no mention in the whole Booke of God , nor I thinke in any other Story , but onely in this place , upon this unhappy occasion , you can know no more of them than what this place tels you : and these few reliques of them , remaine as the lake of Sodome as a monument of their sin , or as a Mast of a Ship swallowed up in the quicksand , to warne passengers to take heed of that dangerous place : or as Lots Wife turned into a Pillar of Salt , to season others . This their short Chronicle I may call their Grave-stone , which seemes to hold out such an inscription , as they say Sennacharibs Tomb had , Looke upon me , and learne to be godly . So theirs , Looke upon mee , and learne your owne duty , Looke upon me , and take heed of disserting the cause and Church of God , when they stand in neede of you . A Text and Theme exceeding seasonable . Seasonable to the times wherein we live , when abundance of mighty enemies rise up against the Lord , and against his Church . Seasonable to the temper of most people who generally minde their owne things , and not the things of Christ . Seasonable to the occasion of this dayes meeting , which is purposely for the helpe of the Lord , and his cause , and people now distressed in Ireland . But to me it seemes most of all seasonable for this present honourable Assembly who all should be as the Lord : their Horses as his Horses , their Chariots as his Chariots , they being all called to bee Leaders and Captaines of the Lords Host. The Lord make it but as profitable , as I am sure it is seasonable , and I doubt not but we shall be exceeding gainers by it . In this Text which I may call the doome of Meroz , there are these two things . First , the Author of the doome or sentence , the Angell of the Lord . Curse yee Meroz said the Angell of the Lord . Secondly , the Sentence given against them : Curse ye Meroz , &c. Wherein likewise consider these two things . First , What their fault was . Secondly , What their punishment was . Their Fault yee have in these words , They came not out to the helpe of the Lord , to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty . Their Punishment was a curse , and a bitter one : Curse ye Meroz , Curse yee bitterly , or ( as the word signifies ) in cursing , curse the inhabitants of Meroz , continue to curse them , vehemently curse them , never leave cursing them . I shall briefly interpret the words , and so proceede ( with Gods assistance ) to some profitable instructions . First , the Angell of the Lord . I finde great difference among Interpreters , who this Angell of the Lord should be . Some thinke it was Deborah the Prophetesse who penned this Song . Some thinke Barak the Generall was likewise at this time inspired by the Holy Ghost . Some thinke it was the Angell that led them , Michael their Prince who went out with them . Some thinke the Angell of the Lord , signifies all that have Divine inspiration , but all agree in the intent of it , namely , that the Author is alledged , that all might know that this curse came not from the private Spirit of Deborah or Barak ( as Sauls once did , when he cursed every one that shall taste any meate untill the evening , that he might be avenged on his enemies ) but was pronounced by the direction of God himselfe , and so consequently , they who are thus cursed are cursed indeed , The Angell of the Lord , that is divine Authority . 2. Meroz . Who was Meroz , and what people were they ? I could never learne whether Meroz were a City or a Province , few or many , rich or poore , weake or strong ; in this all agree that they were Jewes ; the Canaanites should not have been cursed for not joyning with Israel , in their warres . All likewise agree , that they dwelt neere Mount Tabor and the River Kison , the place where this battle was fought , and so consequently neere the danger : and in all probability were called by Deborah and Barak to come and assist them . Which is likewise judged to be the cause , why they had a heavier doome than any other . God cannot abide to have such ill neighbours to his people when they are in distresse . 3. Curse them . The word signifies , Maled●cere verbo , malefacere re , to speake evill of them , to revile them , to reproach them and wish mischiefe to them , to doe any evill against them , to execute in deed , what they would wish in words . What the particular Curse was , or what the event of it was , no man can determine ; this I finde , which is most probable , It was ordinarily observed among the Iewes , that whatsoever was justly cursed grew unfruitfull presently . If a Woman were cursed shee proved barren . If the Earth were cursed , it brought forth Briars and Thornes , no profitable Seed or Plants would grow there . If Trees were cursed they withered away . If Gods curse fell upon Houses or Cities , the Walles and Foundations would fall downe . Gods curse alwayes wasted that which it fell . So in all likelyhood this curse is the cause wee never read more of them . If they were a Province , their Land proved a desolate Wildernesse . If a City it was destroyed , or grew unpeopled : this bitter curse like the Water of Jelousie made an end of them . 4. They came not to the helpe of the Lord against the Mighty , Who are these Mighty ? Without all question by the mighty are litterally meant King Iabin , and his Generall Sisera , because these were those potent enemies , against whom the battell was fought . But in Gods intent ( this being a propheticall Song ) the mighty are all , of what ranke or quality soever , who are eminent in wisdome , strength , authority or riches , and mannage an ill cause against the Lord or against his Church . Lastly , they came not out to the helpe of the Lord by the helpe of the Lord you will easily conclude , that in this particular , the helpe of Deborah and Barak are meant . They came not to joyne with the Tribes of Zabulon and Nepthaly , and that small handfull of Israelites who by Gods direction undertooke this battell against the great Captaine Sisera . Because they joyned not their strength with Gods people , they are judged not to help the Lord . For ( as I shall shew anon ) the Lord and his People are so conjoyned , that their friends are his friends , and their enemies are his enemies , and whosoever helpes not them , are interpreted to refuse to assist the Lord himselfe . I know nothing else in the Text , that hath the least shew of difficulty . Were this Text to bee handled at large in many Sermons , such Observations as these could not briefly be passed over : as first , That although Gods people must ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) blesse , blesse I say , and not curse . Curses are edged tooles , dangerous to be medled with , yet there may fall out such cases , that Gods blessed servants must come downe from Mount Gerizim , the Mount of blessing ; and go up on Mount Ebal , the Mount of Cursing ; and there curse , and curse bitterly . Curse yee Meroz said the Angell of the Lord . Secondly , That although it bee true that the curse causelesse shall not come , yet when Gods people according to Gods direction , ( clave non errante ) do curse , their curse is like the flying Roule which we read of , it consumes the house it lights upon , the timber thereof , and the stones thereof . It is like the Wolfes foot , of which they say , that no herbe upon which it hath once trod will grow afterwards . Thirdly , That the mighty do frequently oppose the Lord : it is no new thing to finde the Mighty in strength , the Mighty in authority , the Mighty in wealth , the Mighty in parts , in Learning , in Counsell , to engage all against the Lord , his Church , and Cause . The Lambes followers and servants , are often the poore and off-scouring of the World , when Kings , and Captaines , Merchants , and Wisemen , being drunke with the Wine of the Whores fornications , proceed to make warre with the Lambe , and to give all their strength unto the Beast , till the Words of God shall be fulfilled . Fourthly , That when the mighty of the World do oppose the Lord , Gods meanest servants must not be afraid to oppose the Mighty . And fifthly , That whosoever come out to joyn their strength , and to give assistance to the Lords people , the Lord doth interpret them all to give helpe and assistance to himselfe . But because my Discourse upon this Text , in this place must be hedg'd into one Sermon , I may not let it out into such a spacious field . I shall passe by all these and many other seasonable truths , which in this Text are obvious to all your eyes , and betake my selfe to cleare one lesson only ; which you will quickly see to be the maine scope and intent , not only of this verse , but of the greatest part of this Chapter , and most seasonable for these times , for this Assembly and occasion , viz. All people are cursed or blessed according as they do or do not joyne their strength and give their best assistance to the Lords people against their enemies . I beseech you see how cleare this is , not only in this verse ( God laid nothing else to Meroz charge but only this , they came not out to help the Lord against the mighty ) but in other passages of this Chapter . My heart is toward the Governors of Israel , that offered themselves willingly among the people . Hallelujah , Praise the Lord . They are not so much as named without an Euge. The Princes of Issachar are blessed for being with Barak . Zebulun and Nepthali were a people that jeoparded their lives to the death in the high places of the field . These are blessed also . Blessed above women was Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite . What made Jael such a blessed woman ? Even this , she put her hand to the naile , and her right hand to the workmans hammer , and with the hammer she smote Sisera , she smote off his head , when she had pierced and smitten through his temples . On the other side see the displeasure that there is against the Tribes who came not out to helpe in this expedition . Ruben had businesse of his own , his flocks were to be attended . Gilead could plead that the River Jordan divided him , from Barak and his company : Asher had his own breaches to make up , and the Sea coasts to looke to . A man might think , these were faire excuses . But God had great thoughts of heart against them all . And wo to him , or them , against whom God hath great thoughts . The whole Chapter runs in this straine , they are cryed up , they are honoured and blessed : not only the heart of Gods people , but the soule of God himselfe ( as I may say ) tooke pleasure in them , who appeared on the Churches side ; his displeasure , indignation , wrath and curse did rise against all , who came not to the helpe . This is most plaine in many other Scriptures . I shall cull out but three among three hundred , Jer. 48. 10. That whole Chapter containes the doome of Moab . Gods curse was now to be executed upon Moab , and you may read of Moab , that the Lord once sent to him when his people were in distresse . Let my out-casts divell with thee Moab , be thou a shelter to them in the time of a storme . But Moab was too proud to listen to Gods counsell . Moab was alwaies an ill enemy to Israel . Now God comes to reckon with him for it . Now the spoyler shall come upon all his Cities . And to them who were to execute this vengeance of God against them , marke what a charge is given in the tenth verse , Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently , or fraudulently , or deceitfully , as the word signifies ; Now what was the worke which was to be done ? the next words will tell you , Cursed is every one that withholds his hand from shedding of bloud : the strangest reason of a curse that ever was read of , if ever a man might have pleaded ( with Peter when the voice said unto him . Arise Peter kill and eate ) not so Lord . I have not beene accustomed to this , here were roome for such a plea , when his worke was to go and embrew his hands in the bloud of men , to spill and powre out the bloud of women and children , like water in every street . But he is a cursed man that withholds his hand from this , or that shall do it fraudulently , that is , if he do it as Saul did against the Amalekites , kill some and save some , if he go not through with the work : he is a cursed man , when this is to be done upon Moab the enemy of Gods-Church . So that whatsoever imployment men are put to , they are cursed men , that take not part with God in his worke . Another place you shall find in Psal. 137. v. 8 , 9. The daughter of Babylon was there to be destroyed , observe now the epithete which God gives to the executioners of his wrath against Babylon . Blessed is the man that rewardeth thee , as thou hast served us . Blessed is the man that makes Babylon drinke the same cup , which Babylon had made Gods people to drinke . Now he that reades the booke of the Lamentations , may finde how Babylon had used the Church of God , they had broken their bones as a Lion breakes the bones of a Lamb , brought their necks under persecution , made their skin blacke like an oven , hang'd up their Princes by the hand , and which is most of all cruell , had dashed their children against the stones . Now saith the Spirit of God , Blessed is the man , that thus rewards Babylon , yea , blessed is the man that takes their little ones and dashes them against the stones . What Souldiers heart would not start at this , not only when he is in hot bloud to cut downe armed enemies in the field , but afterward deliberately to come into a subdued City , and take the little ones upon the speares point , to take them by the heeles and beat out their braines against the walles , what inhumanity and barbarousnesse would this be thought ? Yet if this worke be to revenge Gods Church against Babylon , he is a blessed man that takes and dashes the little ones against the stones . But there is one Text of Scripture ( if no other were to be found in the whole booke of God ) which is a sufficient proofe that all are blessed or cursed , according as they doe or doe not helpe the Church of God in their need : and that you shall finde , Matth. 25. 33. &c. The summe whereof in a few words is this , At the latter end of that Chapter is a description of the day of judgement , and of the manner of Christs proceeding at that day . First , that when Jesus Christ shall come in the glory of his Father , he will divide all the godly to the right hand , and all the wicked to the left hand , as the Shepheard divides the Sheep from the Goates . Secondly , he pronounces all on his right hand blessed , all upon the left hand cursed : Come yee blessed , goe ye cursed . Here are all the blessed , and there are all the cursed . Marke now what is assigned as the only reason and evidence why the one sort are blessed , and the other cursed . It is most plaine in the Scripture , that at that day the Lord will call people to an account for all they have done in their whole course , whether good or evill : but in this place , Christ gathers all that shall be opened and come to receive blessing or cursing , reward or punishment to this one head , according as they did or did not helpe and succour his Church and people in their time of need . To , the one side , Come yee blessed , receive the Kingdome prepared for you , for you visited my Church when it was sicke , you gave meale to my Church when it was hungry , you gave my people drinke when they were thirsty , you tooke them in when they were strangers , you cloathed them when they were naked , you came to them when they were in prison : Inasmuch as you have done it unto these , even unto one of the least of these my brethren , you have done it unto me . On the other side , Go ye cursed ▪ Why are they cursed ? I was hungry and ye gave me no meat , I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink , I was a stranger and ye took me not in , naked and you cloathed me not , sick and in prison and ye visited me not : Verily I say unto you , inasmuch as you did it not unto the least of of one of these , ye did it not to me . As if the Lord at that great day did take notice of nothing , but what the carriage of all people hath been to or against his Church and children . What greater evidence can there be in the world , that men are blessed or cursed , than this ? that they either do , or do not help the Church of God . This will yet be clearer if we consider the Church , First , as it stands in relation to God . Secondly , as we stand in relation to the Church . First , as the Church stands in relation to God : when I speake of God in relation to the Church , or the Church to God ; you must alwayes understand God in Christ , Emanuel . God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe . And thus the Churches relation to God , gives us two excellent grounds of this doctrine . First , the Church and the meanest member of it is united to him , made one with him , they are not only his servants , his friends , such as he loves , but he and they make but one person , I meane one mysticall person . Insomuch that throughout the whole Scripture he that blesseth them blesseth him , he that curseth them curseth him , he that relieveth them relieveth him , he that fights against them fights against him , he that touches them touches the Apple of his eye , all the relations which argue intimacy , tendernesse and dearenesse , meete in this conjunction betwixt God and his Church , he is their Father they are his children , he is their head , they are his members , he is their husband , they are his wife , yea they are called by his name and he vouchsafes to be called by their name . Take but this for granted , and you will make no doubt , but all men are blessed or cursed , as they do or do not help the Lord . The Lord Jehovah is the fountaine of all blessednesse more than the Sunne is the fountaine of light , from his favour and good will necessarily flows all happinesse , and consequently all are blessed or cursed , according as the aspect betweene God and them is malignant or benevolent . This ground is fully laid downe in that forementioned placed , Matthew 25. You did it to them , therefore you did it to me , you refused it to them , therefore you refused it to me . It is clearely there taught , but I believe there is no man on earth that understands it , or believes it fully . And that very Text gives me a hint to thinke so . Because the very righteous themselves , though they do all to the Saints out of the good will they beare to Christ , yet when Christ shall acknowledge this and say , Come ye blessed , you fed me , you cloathed me , you visited me , They shall answer , Lord , when saw we thee an hungred , or thirsty , or a stranger , or naked , or sicke , or in prison and administred unto thee ? It shews that themselvs did not fully understand how neare they were to Christ for whom they did all these things . I have somewhere read a story of a Sarazen Embassador , who being with a Christian Prince , and seeing Nobles and great men to wait upon him , and the Prince himselfe to waite upon a Table full of poore ragged people , desired to know what they were , to whom he shewed so much respect , he answered to this effect , they were the servants of his Lord , and that he served his Saviour in them . Well said the Embassador , if your Lord have no better servants than these , I desire to be none of them . I care not for your Religion . And truly it is a hard thing to perswade not only Sarazens but even Christians themselves , that whatsoever is done to poore abjects , the off-scouring of the world should be done to Christ himselfe . No earthly Prince would do so , equally to accept and reward him , that should give a nights lodging or any succour to one of his meanest and basest groomes , as if it had beene done to the person of himselfe or of his son . Yet this is the very case betwixt Christ and his Church . Secondly , another ground from the Churches relation to God , is this , that as their persons are neerely united to him , so their cause is his cause . As they account every cause of God to be their cause , so God accounts every cause of theirs to be his cause , 2 Chro. 20. Moab and Ammon and they of Mount Seir , came with a huge army against Jehoshaphat , hee and his people being suddenly surprised betake themselves to prayer , and seeke helpe from God : Now marke what Gods answer was , Be not you afraid nor dismaied by reason of this great multitude , the battell is not yours but Gods . Was not the battell theirs , all they were worth lay upon that battell , their wives and children , their lives and liberties , their countrey and religion , lay all at the stake , and yet the battell none of theirs , that is , not so much theirs as Gods , so in the 74. Psalm . When Asaph had laid down all the Churches sufferings , the pulling down of their Synagogues , the wasting of their Countrey , the reproach and scorn cast upon them by their enemies , he interests God in all this , Arise O God , plead thine own cause , remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee , forget not the voyce of thine enemies . Thus is their cause Gods cause , their enemies Gods enemies : and indeed , if we look into it narrowly , whatsoever is done to them and their cause , good or evill , is done for Gods sake . This then is a strong argument to prove men blessed or cursed , according as they joyn with , or oppose the cause of God . Because first , if it be Gods cause , it is a good cause . Secondly , it is a noble cause . Thirdly , it is a successefull cause . First , I say it is a good cause . The just Lord that is in the midst of his Church will do no iniquity . The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse . Now you know it is a blessed thing to have a good cause , though it be a meane cause . David often pleaded this before God , that his cause was just , his cause was upright . Let them shout for joy , that favour my righteous cause . And on the other side it must needs be a cursed thing to manage a cursed cause : when David's cause was good , his adversaries must needs bee evill , and then he could foretell that they should be ashamed and brought to confusion , clothed with reproach and dishonour who opposed themselves against him . Secondly , being Gods cause , it is a noble cause : a man may possibly among men have a good cause and the thing but a trifle , a thing of no great consequence : but if it be Gods cause , let it appeare never so contemptible , it is subservient to the highest end , that can possibly be thought of . The salvation of soules , the glory of God , &c. Honour uses to put men upon hard and desperate services , men will runne , wrestle , fight for a crowne , though but a corruptible crowne . There is comfort in doing good to one , but to advance the good of many , especially of the Church of God , how honourable , how glorious is it ? Thirdly , Gods cause is a successefull cause , no weapon can prosper that is formed against it , and every tongue that rises up in judgement against it shall be condemned . The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it . This Gamaliel saw , when he advised the councell of the high Priests , and Pharisees , and Rulers , to refrain from opposing the Apostles , If this work be of men it will come to nought , but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it , it is in vaine to fight against God . Since then the Churches cause is Gods cause , and consequently a good cause , a noble and succesful cause , you may easily hence conclude the happinesse that accompanies the promoting of it . And on the contrary as easily discern , how cursed a thing it is , not only to undergo the disgrace of mannaging a wicked and base enterprise , but to fail of that which wicked men use to cherish themselves with , the hopes of the comfort of reward and obtaining their desires . Secondly , consider our relation to the Church . And that affords three other excellent arguments to prove men blessed or cursed , according as they help or help not the Church of God . First , whatsoever abilities any man enjoyes , wherewith he may any wayes be usefull , they are all given him to this very end , to make him serviceable to the Church . All the manifestations of the spirit are given to profit withall . All the gifts which Christ powred out when he ascended up on high , are for the perfecting of the Saints , and the building up of the body of Christ . As every one hath received a gift , so let him minister , as good stewards of the manifold graces of God . The Church is the common storehouse to which all our wealth must be carried . Salus Ecclesiae suprema lex . Which being so , the happinesse of every thing being the attaining of the end for which it was appointed , and the curse of it the perverting of it to a wrong end , they must needs be blessed who serve the Church , and he must needs be cursed that deprives the Church of its own due . Salomon saith , that he that withholds corne in a time of famine , the people shall curse him , though it were his owne corne , but suppose a man had the keeping of the provision of the whole town corne , which were none of his owne , he only intrusted with the keyes of it , and should let the people starve for want of that food ▪ which he should keepe purposely for them : or that a man had the keeping of a Magazen for an Army to furnish them with what might make them victorious , and their safety and victory hazzarded , if not lost through his default , were not this man a villaine and a traitor to his country ? Secondly , Consider how neare the relation is betwixt the Church and us , ( except we be of the malignant Church , of the Dragons army , and then no more need be said to prove men cursed . ) The Church is our Mother , and all the Saints are our Brethren , a Relation which all Lawes of God and man do fasten duty upon . The eye that mocketh at his father or despiseth to obey his mother , the Ravens of the vally shall picke it out , and the young Eagles shall eate it . Paul thought he did no more than his duty , when he had great heavines and continuall sorrow in his heart , and could wish himselfe accursed from Christ for his Brethren his kinsmen , who were Israelites . Thirdly , All our own blessednesse stands or falls with the blessednesse of the Church . The Church is such a corporation or mysticall body , as hath in it all the properties of a naturall body wherein no members can be happy in an abstracted sense , but as parts conjoyned with the whole : because every part hath besides the neare relation to the whole a subsistency in it , which is the foundation of any other good it receives . And so consequently , the good or gaine of the whole is the gaine of every member , and whatsoever tends to the dissolution of the whole , cannot but be destructive to all the parts . As when a company of Merchants have but one joyned stocke , every penny gained or lost is gaine or losse to them all . Or as it is with a company of passengers in the same Ship , save the vessell and you save all , sinke the Ship , and every mans Cabbin is cast away . Now this is a more prevailing argument than reason can make , it is grounded in nature which must prevaile with all ; Nature makes heavy things to ascend , rather than the whole should be endangered by a vacuum . Nature teaches the tongue to cry out , when the toe is trod upon , the hand to work , that the belly starve not , the feet to runne , that the back be not cold . Every man finds this in the naturall body ; and Gods Spirit dwelling in all the Saints workes the same spirituall disposition in them that are partakers of the divine nature , That there be no Schisme or division in the body of Christ , but that all the members may have the same care one for another , That whether one member suffer , all the members should suffer with it , or one member be honoured , all the members should rejoyce with it . By this time I hope it is cleare , that if we look upon Gods promises or threatnings , mens experience in all ages , or the Churches interest in God , his neare union with it , his affection to it , his owning the Churches cause , or if we consider our own engagements to the Church , our neare conjunction with it , and under God the dependance of all our comforts and wellfare upon it , we may and must conclude , that all men are blessed or cursed according as they help or help not the church of God . The rest of the time I shall spend in the Application of it , that what is thus cleare to your judgement and conscience , may by Gods blessing take due place in your hearts and conversations . And there are but two collections which I shall make for use . The first , briefly for terrour and reproof , the second more largely , for exhortation and duty . First , for reproofe . This speaks very sadly against two sorts of people whereof ( God knowes ) there are many hundreds of thousands who yet professe themselvs to be Christians . As first , Are all they cursed that doe not thus helpe the Lord against the mighty ? what then are they , who instead of helping the Lord against the mighty , do help the mighty against the Lord ? who instead of joyning all their strength , and giving all their assistance to the Church in her distresse , doe give all the assistance they can to the enemies of the Church , that they may do mischief against the Church ? What shall we thinke of these men ? How many are there who have as it were entred their names into the Dragons muster-book , openly bidding defiance against the Church of Christ , in every good cause ? who walke Antipodes against the cause of God , like Antiochus , making war against the Saints , like the little horne in Daniel , wearing out the Saints of the most high in all places where they can prevail ? how many others , like the Kings and Princes in the 2. Psal. Set themselves , and take counsell against the Lord and against his Annointed , digging as deep as hell for counsell to do all the mischiefe they can to the servants of the Lord Iesus Christ ? How many others with Balaam , doe what in them lies to curse them for reward , who for very malice raile upon and revile the children of the most High ? How many others , with Edom , look upon the affliction of Israel , rejoycing over them in the day of their destruction , speaking proudly in the day of their distresse , crying out against Ierusalem , down with it , downe with it even to the ground How many others , with Amal●k , smite the hindmost of Gods Church , all who are weake and feeble , when they are faint and wearie , adding sorrowes and increasing the burthen of the afflicted ? How many , with Sanballat and Tobiah , are grieved when any are found to doe good in Israel , endeavouring to hinder the building of Sion , and to further the repairing of the walls of Babylon ? God knowes there are too many such , I hope not many such present here this day before the Lord . But concerning these , if there should be any such here by what name or title shall I call them ? The Gyants who make war against heaven , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , fighters against God , I know no appellation fitter for them . But whatsoever they delight to be called , I most earnestly beseech them in their most secret thoughts to answer these few questions . By what injurie hath the Lord provoked thee thus against him ? what iniquitie hast thou found in him ? what hurt hath Christ done to thee ? what evils are his righteous servants guilty of against thee ? Or if thou canst give no reason of this , but only , non amo te , nec possum dicere quare . I know no reason , but my heart stands against them . What honour or reward dost thou expect for this desperate service ? What hope hast thou of speeding ? Canst thou make thy forces strong enough to carry the day ? O friend though thou beest proud and daring , yet be not mad , no weapon will prosper which is formed against them God hath sworne it against all the people who fight against Jerusalem , that their flesh shall consume whilest they stand upon their feet , their eyes shall rot in their holes , their tongue shall consume away in their mouth . O set not Briars and Thornes to fight against devouring fire . Let the potsheards strive with the Potsheards of the Earth , but let not a poor worm fight against his maker . Thou art too weake to strive with God . Kicke not against these prickes , abstaine , abstaine from those men of whom the Lord hath said , he that touches them , touches the apple of mine eye . Secondly , There are others ( not open enemies professing to take part against the Church ) who stand as neuters , who stand a loofe off , shewing themselves neither open enemies nor true friends , like the Samaritans , who feared the Lord and served their Idols , of whom also Josephus saith , that when the Jewes were in prosperity the Samaritans were their friends , but were ever severed from them in their adversity . But as the Lord said of them when they feared the Lord and served their Idols , they feared not the Lord : so he will one day say of these , they love not the Lord . They say such as stand neuters are ordinarily crushed , which side soever wins , but the Lord acknowledges no Neuters . This text curses all them who come not out to helpe him , as well as those who came to fight against him , And our Saviour at the last day will as well denounce go ye cursed against them , who gave them not bread when they were hungry , as them who plucked their bread away from them . And in this case it is a certaine rule , for it is Christs rule , he that is not with me , is against me . And of these Neuters there are two sorts . First , some stand Neuters out of policy , because they will see which side shall prevaile , that they may be sure to joyne with the winning side ; of these we have a notable example Judg. 8. when Gideon was pursuing Zeba and Zalmunnah the Kings of Midian , he cals to the men of Succoth , and the men of Penuel , to help to victuall his Army . Give , I pray you , loaves to them that follow me , for they are faint . But they would first see what would be the event of the war , Are the heads of Zeba and Zalmunnah in thine hands , that we should give bread unto thine Army ? As who should say , if you gave gotten the day , we are for you ; if not , you must pardon us , we will looke on a while longer ; and even so do many falsehearted friends deale with the Church of God , turne Jewes , when they have an honoured Mordecai , and as ready to cut their throats when Haman prevailes against them . They will be sure to be of the winning side , that they may save their own stake ; but what Gideons answer was to the men of Succoth and Penuel , when the Lord hath delivered Zeba and Zalmunnah into mine hand , then then will I teare your flesh with briars and thornes of the wildernesse , then will I beate down your Towers , and slay the men of your City , and accordingly did it : such like doom and execution shall all politick Neuters receive from the hand of Christ . 2 There is a second sort of Neuters who neither oppose the Church nor helpe it ; not out of policy , but meere sluggishnesse and desire of ease or basenes of spirit : loving only their worldly profits and sensuall pleasures , nothing regarding what concernes religion , or the Church : like Gallio the Deputie of Achaia , who when the Iewes , one while beat Paul , another while the Ruler of the Synagogue ( as the Text sayes ) cared for none of these things . If it had beene a matter of right or equitie , things belonging to the Roman lawes , he was ready to appeare , but if it be a matter of Religion , it was out of his element , he is indifferent , whether the Beare bite the Dog , or the Dog bite the Beare , it is all one to him . Abundance of these are to be found every where , of whom we may say , as Salomon in another case , The heart knowes his owne bitternesse , &c. They neither know the Churches bitternesse , nor are acquainted with the joy of it . Such ( I thinke ) were the men of Iabesh Gilead , who when all the Tribes of Israel had bound themselves by oath to prosecute that bloody murder of the Levites Concubine , against the Benjamites , and never to returne untill they had avenged it , they let both sides alone , they had businesse enough of their owne at home , not doubting but there were men enough to do the work , though they kept themselves quiet . But this neutrality of theirs cost them deare in the end , their owne heart blood paid for it : and it is most probable , that Meroz in this Text was guilty of no other fault . The Lord grant that they may be warnings to us , that we bee not made warnings to others . I hope this may suffice for reproofe . The second Use , and that which I most aime at , is for exhortation . Oh that I were able to speake somewhat to raise up your spirits , to make you these blessed men who willingly helpe the Lord against the mightie : I confesse the day , the occasion of our meeting , this Text , and your place and office . ( Right Honourable and beloved ) give me an infinite advantage to speake , if I were able to improve all for your good . The thing I aime at , is , to send you home with Luthers resolution , who protested to God , that no portion , which God could give him in this world should content him but onely this , to bee Gods Servant , to bee a usefull man in his Church , he would care neither for silver nor gold , neither for honour nor reproach : ease and labour should bee all one , so that hee might bee accepted and usefull . And would the Lord vouchsafe to make my labour effectuall with you in this thing , I should bee a blessed man in my worke , and you should goe home the blessedest company that ever met in such an Assemblie . To this end I shall endeavour two things , First , to give you motives or incentives to inflame your hearts after such a temper of spirit , that you may be willing to give up your selves to the help of the Lord and his Church . Secondly , some directions to enable you in truth and realitie to be usefull . And although most of the things that I shall speake doe chiefely concern you , our honourable Worthies , yet they will in their proportion reach the meanest in the congregation . To stir you up , consider these three motives . First , the honour of God . Certainly the highest end of our living in this world , is to honour God . Hallowed be thy name , is the first petition of every one that saith the Lords Prayer . Now a man never gives glory to God as God , never sets up God in his right place , till he have devoted himself wholly and absolutely to serve him in what is most acceptable with him . And I have made it apparent that the Church of Christ is that field from which he expects the most plentifull crop of glory , and and therefore would have the most cost bestowed on it ; He gets glory by all our actions , but in what wee doe for the Church , wee give him glory and that in the highest degree . Secondly , as for Gods sake , so for the Churches sake . It is ever well with the Church , when the members of it , doe preferre the Churches good above their owne . Polititians and Historians observe this of States and Empires , that they usually thrive when the Subjects are Common-wealths men , every one endeavouring to promote the publick good . Livie observes this of Rome , that so long as men would leave their trades , farmes and merchandise , Ladies part with their Jewels and ornaments , rather than any detriment should come to the Citie , all Nations were subdued to them : But when they grew private , wealths men , every one labouring to preserve and adorn his owne Cabbin only ; the ship presently was endangered and went to decay . This is as true of the Church . In all the rising times of it , God hath ever stirred up such noble and generous spirits , who have given themselves to the Lord , and the service of the Church . In the Acts of the Apostles you shall find that they were all of one heart and one mind . No man said that ought of the things that he possessed was his own , they had all things common . Sold their possessions and goods , distributing them as every man had need , and lived so , as if one soule possessed them all : This was the thriving time of the Church . Then their multitude increased by thousands and ten thousands and walking in the feare of the Lord , and the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed . But when once men grew to seeke their owne things , and not the things of Iesus Christ , and his Church , the Church soone fell into a languishing condition . As therefore you desire to keepe up the spirits and strength of the Church , so labour to keepe up your own spirits for the Church , as you desire that may not faint , so doe you take heed of fainting in the service of it . Thirdly , as for Gods sake , and the Churches sake , so for your owne sake , for your owne comfort and benefit , and that in many respects . As first , Such a frame of Spirit as this will bee the best evidence of your owne safe condition , of your peace with God ; t is a comfortable thing for a man to hate his lusts , to strive against them , to waite upon duties , to attend upon Ordinances , to bee often enquiring , What shall I doe to bee saved ? but all this may bee but selfe love ( although such a love God approves of ) but when the soule comes to enquire , what shall I doe that Christ may bee glorified , that his Church may bee edified ? to know no crosse but the Churches crosse ? to preferre the joy of the Church before all his owne peace and wellfare ? this is not only an Argument of a man looking Heaven-ward , but one that hath proceeded farre in the way ; A Scholler of the first and highest forme ; and this is that which Saint Iohn meanes , when hee doth so frequently ang all our evidence to Heaven , upon Love of the brethren , Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life , because wee Love the Brethren ▪ In this are the Children of God manifest from the children of the Divell : Hee that loves not his brother , is not of God : Hereby wee know that wee are of the truth , and shall assure our hearts before him . Every one that loves God , loves him also that is begotten of him . And many other expressions , as if Saint Iohn knew no other evidence but Love ; now what Love is it ? Hee meanes it not of an inward affection only , to wish well to them , and so forth , but by love to serve our brethren , to lay out our selves , our lives , and parts , and all to serve them , To lay downe our lives for the Brethren , as Christ laid downe his life for us . This was that that bore up Hezekiahs heart in the time of his sicknesse , when hee could pleade , Lord , remember that I have done that which is good in thy sight . What was the good that Hezekiah had done ? even this , Hee had set himselfe to purge Religion , to set up Gods Ordinances , to make the Church prosper , given up himselfe to the publick service of the Church of God , This made Nehemiah comfortably to goe to God ; Oh my God , wipe not out the good deeds , that I have done for the House of my God , And indeed , there neither is nor can be , any more certaine or infallible signe of a living member of Christs body , and of our communion with Jesus Christ in his holy Spirit , that Spirit which dwels and acts in his whole mysticall body , then this , to sympathize with the Church , to suffer in the sufferings of it , to rejoyce in the consolations of it and to preferre the good of it , before that of our owne soules : Secondly , the honour of it may provoke you . Ingenuous and Noble Spirits will doe more for their honour than for their gaine , now if you waigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary , you shall finde , that to bee a publick servant of the Church , to have an influence into the wellfare of many , is the greatest honour which God communicates to any Creature ; The Creatures which are for publick and universall use , are most noble and excellent , the World might stand well enough without Pearles and Jewels , and a thousand such like things , but the fire , the water , the Sunne , the Earth , which are servants to all , the World were ruined without them . Yea this will make us like to the Angels , the excellentest of all Gods creatures , whose delightfull employment is to bee Ministring Spirits , sent forth to Minister for them , who shall bee heires of salvation . What shall I say , this makes us ( more than any thing else ) like unto God himselfe , thou art good and doest good : almost all the knowledge which we have of the glory of God , comes from the good which God diffuseth into the Creature , and they partake most of Gods nature , and most eminently beare his Image , who are his most usefull instruments in doing good to his Church and people ; and if we marke it , wee shall seldome finde the Holy Ghost in the Scripture , to point out any as truly honourable , but under this notion , that they study the wellfare and good of Sion . Marke them whom Saint Paul commends in the twelfth to the Romans , and yee shall see this is the matter of their praise ; Phaebe was a servant of the Church at Cenchrea , shee was a favourer of many : Aquila and Priscilla were Pauls helpers , ready to lay downe their neckes for a publick good . Mary , Andronicus , Vrban , Triphena , Triphosa , and many other , this is their commendation , They laboured much in the Lord . So the houshold of Stephanus , Paul would have all of them subject to the houshold of Stephanus , he would have them numbred among the Patricii . What was the house-hold of Stephanus ? It may bee some honest Tradesman in his Civill ranke : but here is the Crowne : They addicted themselves to the service of the Saints : and of the messengers of the Churches , some good men that came on the Churches errand , the Apostle saith , if any inquired what they were , what ranck or qualitie they were of , hee answers , they were The Messengers of the Churches , the glory of Christ . Yea Saint Paul of himselfe , who seldome gloryed of himselfe , who though hee were the greatest Apostle , esteemed himselfe the greatest sinner , yet could not forbeare glorying in this , That hee laboured more abundantly than any others , that the Care of all the Churches lay upon him , that hee became all things to all men , that hee might save some , and the Stigmata , the brands or markes that hee bore about his body for his service in the Church , hee did more glory in , than any Noble man can of his George or Blew Ribband : You shall see it , Galathians 6. verse 17. The Galathians had used Saint Paul somewhat coursely , judged his actions and intentions , and marke how Saint Paul seemes to take state upon him , from henceforth let no man trouble mee ; What made him thus high in his Spirit ? I beare in my body , the Stigmata , the markes of the Lord Iesus : this was a badge of his honour , and therefore they must use him honourably , and indeed if wee compare the honour and glory that rests upon men for the service of Christ and his Church , and that which vaine men seeke in other things , the truth of this would easily bee seene . Suppose one man could say , this would I received in fighting for a Mistris in a Duell : Another thus , my state is empaired in brangling suites at Law , Another in gameing and Whoreing . What fruit ? what glory is in these things ? but now on the other side , when a servant of God can say , Haec manus ob Ecclesiam pugnando , &c. these offices I lost , this preferment I went without , thus was I scorned , thus is my body wasted for Christs sake and for his Churches sake ; this is glory indeed , this glory exceeds the happinesse of mortalitie , and will outlive all wealth and pleasure . And all experience shewes us , that however such men are most opposed and scorned by the enemies of the Church , who alwayes most fight against the Capraines and Leaders , yet among the Saints these are the most precious men , one of them esteemed worth a thousand of others : and this some thinke Saint Paul to aime at in the fifth to the Romans , when he saith , scarcely for a righteous man will one dye , yet peradventure for a good man , that is , a usefull Man , a serviceable Man , a Man whose life and labours benefits many , Some would even dare to die . Thirdly , nor is the Reward lesse , at the present it may bee such instruments may loose Houses , or brethren , or children , or lands , and their owne lives , but they shall finde it againe , in this life a hundred fold besides the inheritance of everlasting life . Bread cast upon these waters is seed sowen in fertile ground ; the bosome of the Church is the most fruitfull soile in the world . Flesh and blood will never believe this , but Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory , whose all the Silver and Gold in the World is , who hath power enough to promote his servants and savourites , hath sufficiently assured us of this in his Gospell ; Men will securely adventure their estates upon Ropes and Cables in the deepe Seas , when the ensuring office is ingaged for their securitie ; if yee dare trust the insureing office of Heaven , goe on , serve the Church , I promise in the Name of Christ to you , yee shall bee paid every penny , every houres sleepe which yee have broken , every gray haire which is hereby scattered upon your head , every disease which yee have contracted , every reproach which you have suffered , ye shall loose nothing by all or any of these , he will repay it you in this world an hundred fold in better things , it may be with trouble and persecution , but in the world to come ye shall have life everlasting ; Thus farre the motives , which would the Lord let sinke into your hearts : how would yee with Paul rejoyce to be offered up a Sacrifice for the Church of Christ ? how willingly would yee continue to spend , and to bee spent in so good worke ? Secondly , some directions how we may be able to doe this : where First , I shall shew what is requisite to prepare us and fit us to bee the Churches servants . Secondly , how and wherein they that are fit should help the Church . First , men must bee fitted for it ; this Mercury is not made of every wood ; the Lord needs no Instruments ; if hee use any , it is propter munificentiam , not propter indigentiam ; because hee meanes to honour them , not because they can benefit him : and therefore hee will make them choice spirits , rare and singular men , to whom he will thus communicate his owne glory , and three things must meet in them . First , They must be godly ; a Generall in an Army neither gives pay nor command to any , untill they bee duly entred into his muster-book : Now men are never numbred among the Lambs followers , their names are not entred into his List , untill they be Saints . Read Revelation , where ever the Lambs followers are described , They are such as have washed their Robes , made them white in the blood of the Lamb , serving him night and day ; they are redeemed from the earth ; in their mouth is found no guile . They that are with the Lamb are called , and chosen , and faithfull . And it must needs be so ; for so long as men are in their unregenerate condition , they are Satans vassals in the maine ; there is not in them a substratum of reall usefulnesse to the Church ; their heart cannot be with the Lord nor his people : 'T is only the new life which is the right principle of this service which is here expected : If therefore the Lord hath kindled in any of your hearts a desire to doe him service , I beseech you , first , humble your souls deeply before God for your sinnes ; get your Robes washed in the blood of the Lamb , rest not till the Spirit of Christ come to dwell in you , and when yee have , once with the Thessalonians , given your selves first to the Lord , then yee are fit to give your selves to the Church for the Lords sake . Secondly , as they must be godly , who would be servants to the Church ; so they must learn to deny themselves ; they must be taken off from all private selfe-engagements ; they must set light by their own ease , their own profit , and their own life : If any man ( saith Christ ) come to me , and hate not his father , and mother , and wife , and children , and brethren , and sisters , yea , and his own life also , he cannot bee my Disciple . Search through all the Scriptures , you shall hardly finde a man who ever was fitted to bee usefull in the Church , till he had set himselfe aside ; No man that warreth , entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life , that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier . And therefore it was the A , B , C , which Christ taught all his followers , even this lesson of selfe-deniall : You shall read Mat. 20. v. 22. That when the mother of Iames and Iohn came to seek preferment at Christs hand for her two sonnes , that the one might sit at his right hand , and the other at his left in his Kingdome ; Christ presently nips that motion in the head , and tells them , that instead of expecting such high and pleasant things in this world , they must ( if they meant to be his Apostles ) prepare to drink of his cup , and to be baptized with his baptisme ; that is , take paines and suffer trouble . And verily sad experience hath taught this , that men are never cordiall to the Church of Christ , who embrace this present world . It is recorded of the King of Navarre then a Protestant , being pressed by Beza , to appeare more in the cause of God , and to owne religion to the purpose : He makes him answer to this effect , That he was their friend , but he resolved to put no further to Sea , than that he might get to shore if a storme should rise ; he resolved not to hazzard his hopes of the Crown of France , and you know what became of him . So when men will make religion as twelve , and the world as thirteene , they will in sad tryals , with Demas , forsake the cause and servants of God , and embrace the present world : Like those Potters recorded in the first of the Chro. who dwelt among plants and hedges : There they dwelt with the King for his work . A brand which the holy Ghost sets upon them , who when Cyrus proclaimed liberty and encouragement to returne to Ierusalem ; to rebuild the Temple , and set up the worship of God , refused to goe back with their brethren , and chose rather to dwell among plants and hedges , than to hazzard a gainefull trade , which they made of the Kings work . O beloved , take heed of these choaking thorns , the riches , cares , and pleasures of this world ; especially beware of the world , when it comes with flattering allurements : Many ships have been swallowed in a calme , when they have out-rid severall stormes . Troubles and persecutions , ( like the wind in Plutarchs Parable ) make men gird their cloak ( their profession of religion and service to the cause of God ) closer to them , when the warme Sunne-shine of preferments steales it from them : Rebus in adversis facile est contemnere vitam . There is a notable story of a souldier of Antigonus , one whom the Prince observed to be a very valiant man , ready to adventure upon any desperate service , and therefore much favoured him ; and observing that he still looked pale and lean , would needs know what he ayled , and finding that he had a secret and dangerous disease , he caused all possible meanes to be used for his recovery ; which when it was accomplished , the Prince observed him to be lesse forward in service than formerly , and demanding the reason , he ingenuously acknowledged that now he felt the sweetnesse of life , and was loth to lose it . And thus doe many thousands , who with Ionathan when they come into a wood that drops with honey , leave the chase of Gods enemies , and feed upon the sweetnesse of worldly advancement . But , O yee Worthies , fly all these things ; with Paul , esteem your lives not deare to you : Let no earthly thing move you , so you may finish your course and service appointed you from and for the Lord Iesus Christ : and conclude with Esther , if I perish , I perish . Thirdly , whosoever would bee a reall usefull instrument for the good of the Church , must get an unfaigned love to the Church planted in his heart , that it may beare fruit in his life and actions . All we do is nothing but our labour of love . Love will force more than the strappado , draw more than a yoke of oxen ; It is a sweet and strong tyrant . When the Apostle Paul had pressed the Corinthians earnestly to study for the best gifts to make them usefull in the Church : and to this purpose gives them a catalogue of the severall gifts and graces which Christ , for this end , had shed abroad , when hee ascended up on high : Yet in the last verse of that chapter hee promiseth to shew them a more excellent way , and that is the way of love , which he layes downe in the thirteenth chapter : which will doe all things , endure all things , without which if men had the tongues of men and Angels , all other gifts of prophesie , knowledge , &c. they are but as sounding brasse , or tinckling cymbals . This is the reason why Saint Iohn throughout all his Epistles calls for almost nothing but love ; because in that he calls for all . My little children , love one another . And this is also the reason why the Devil doth so infinitely labour to sow the tares of division in the field of the Church ; hee knowes if he can break the bond of love , he breaks the bond of perfection , and opens the flood-gates to confusion . Rest not therefore , who ever thou art that desirest to do good in the Church , till the love of it be fixed in thy breast , as deeply as the love of the Ark was in the heart of the wife of Phinehas , who died for griefe when the Arke of God was taken : Or as Calice is said to have been in Queen Maries , who affirmed , that if her body were opened Calice would bee found in her heart . To this end , consider often how deare the Church is to thy deare Redeemer ; how comely and beautifull it is in it self ; comely as the curtains of Solomon , even when it is black as the tents of Kedar with persecution : How deformed , uncleane , and every way vain all other societies are in comparison of this ; As the Lilly among the thorns ; How near to thy selfe , begotten of the same seed , laid in the same womb with thee , and thou also wert laid in its womb , and sucked its breasts , redeemed with the same blood , enjoyest all the same priviledges , hast all thy welfare in this world wrapt up in its welfare , and expectest to live with it to all eternity in the same glory . These thoughts rightly working upon thy heart , would make thee willingly spend and be spent for the Churches good : thy services would not be as the motion of a stone cast out of a sling , at first swift by virtue of a violent impression ; but constant , and strongest rather toward the later end , as those motions are said to be which proceed from a naturall inward principle . So then you easily apprehend the excellent use , and indeed the necessity of the concurrence of these three qualifications of godlinesse , self-deniall , and love , to the making up of a good Chruch-man : the Lord make them evident in all your hearts and wayes . Next followes , What men thus accomplished may and must doe for the Church . The service required may be reduced to these two heads : First , somewhat to prepare us for action . Secondly , to act as we are prepared . By way of preparation three things are requisite . First , carefully to informe our selves of the state and condition in which the Church is , otherwise wee deprive our selves of all possibility of being helpfull to it . Be a man never so willing , and never so able to relieve the distresses of his brethren , hee can neither heal the sick , nor help the poor , unlesse hee knew who and where they were that needed , and what helpe they wanted . This made Nehemiah so diligently to enquire concerning Ierusalem , and his brethren which were left of the captivity . This made Daniel search into Ieremiahs Prophesies , to know the condition of the Church , and learn his own duty . 2. This enquiry must not be out of Athenian curiosity , as most people enquire after newes ; but so to know , as to work our hearts to a fellowfeeling of their condition , otherwise all our intelligence will be as dry clouds , flying over our heads without a drop of raine . Thus did Nehemiah as soone as hee understood that his brethren were in great affliction and reproach , the wall of Ierusalem broken downe , and the gates thereof burnt with fire , he sate down and wept : this prepared him for the good service he did afterward . Thus also did Daniel , who when God had shewed him , though but in a vision , the calamities that were to come upon the Church of the Jewes by Antiochus Epiphanes , he fainted , and was sick certain dayes . And the want of this fellow-feeling is both taxed and threatned by God in Amos 6. No man is sorry for the affliction of Ioseph . God esteeming it an argument of little love to sit downe with Haman at a banquet , when the City of Shushan is in perplexity . 3. As wee must know and bee affected with the Churches want , so we must enquire what is in our power to do for it , wherein we may be helpfull . This I shall have occasion to speak of afterward . The second sort of directions are for action . And these may be brought to two heads . First , somewhat we must do immediately to God for the Church . Secondly , somewhat wee must doe for the Church from God . First , that which wee are to doe to God for the Church is to pray for it . I name this first , because it is the first and chiefest service that we can perform . If any other talent bee a penny , Prayer is a pound . This is the talent of all talents : concerning which I shall speak a little more fully , as the seasonablenesse of it requires . First it must be granted , that all the friends of the Church may help it with their prayers : if with Peter they have no silver nor gold , but will give such as they have , they may afford a subsidy of prayer . They have all the spirit of adoption , enabling them to cry , Abba , Father : So that what the Master of the ship said to Ionah , What meanest thou , O sleeper ? arise and call upon thy God : ( though he could neither sit at sterne , nor handle the tacklings , yet he might pray ; ) may be said to any man in regard of the Church ; though thou canst neither runne , nor ride , nor write , nor fight , yet thou canst pray : Awake , awake . And as plaine it is , that God requires it should bee so . O pray for the peace of Ierusalem . You that make mention of the Lord keep not silence : give him no rest , till hee establish and make Ierusalem the praise of the earth . You that have escaped the sword remember the Lord afar off , and let Ierusalem come into your minde . But the chiefe thing I aime at is , to discover the power of Prayer . Which I shall never bee able fully to expresse : None can tell what Prayer can do , but he that can tell what God can do . Yet these few conclusions may give some light toward it . First , God hath not promised to do any thing without it . It is confest , he doth many things without Prayer , but he hath not promised to do any thing for his Church without it . All this will I doe , ( saith the Lord ) but for all these things will I be enquired by the house of Israel . Secondly , As he hath promised to do nothing without , so he will do all things by it : I will visit you ( saith God ) and performe my good word toward you ; but you must performe your good work towards me : Then shall ye call upon me , and you shall goe and pray unto me . Aske and you shall receive : this is the confidence that we have , that whatsoever we aske according to his will , we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him . What cannot Prayer doe ? It is able to overthrow all enemies : When I pray , mine enemies shall turn back . An hundred eighty five thousand were overthrowne in one night , after the Prayer of Hezekiah . It is able to turne away all plagues , pestilence , famine , sword , wild-beasts ; whatsoever plague or sicknesse there be , prayer and supplication will heal all . It is able to bring downe all mercies ; it is the key of heaven : Eliah , a man subject to the same infirmities with us , hee prayed , and the heaven was shut ; he prayed again , and the heaven was opened . It is the most efficacious engine in the world ; it opened the prison doores , and the iron gate , to set Peter at liberty . It is the summe of all wisdome , strength , and policy . What should I say more ? It prevailes over God himselfe . Iacob wrastled with God , and prevailed : What was his wrastling ? What was the strength , whereby , as a Prince , he had power with God ? Even this , hee wept and made supplication to him . It will not only stop the Sun in his course , as Ioshua did , Sun stand thou still in Gibeon , and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon ; but ( with reverence be it spoken ) it holds that hand which rules heaven and earth . Let mee alone , said God to Moses , that I may destroy them : Moses prayer hindred God from doing what hee seemed resolved to doe . Hee said hee would have destroyed them , had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap , to turn away his wrathfull indignation ▪ And thus some interpret that place of the Prophet Isaiah , Ask mee of things to come , concerning my Sonnes ; and as concerning the works of my hands command ye me : as if God had made over his own omnipotency to Prayer . But whence is it that Prayer becomes thus efficacious ? What is there in the submissions and supplications of poor worms to work such wonders ? I answer , These four things meet in prayer , which are the strength of it , and may be your satisfaction . First , The persons who pray are Gods owne children , dearer to him than heaven and earth , tender as the apple of his own eye : and we who are parents know how prevalent the cryes of our own children are : we being evill can give good things to our children . Secondly , Gods owne Spirit dictates and endites their prayers for them : Wee know not what to pray for as wee ought , but the Spirit it selfe makes intercession for us . Now as it is said of the Sonne , I know thou hearest me alwayes ; so may it be said of the Spirit . What regard soever he may bear to us poore sinners , he will certainly regard the intercessions of his owne Spirit . Thirdly , The Prayers of Gods people they are offered up and presented to God by his owne Son , our Lord Jesus Christ , the high Priest of our profession , the Angel of his presence , who is at the right hand of God , who daily makes intercession for us , as the Spirit makes intercession in us , and mingles his incense , with the prayers of the Saints , upon the golden altar which is before the throne . Fourthly , There is this in prayer , that it gives the greatest glory unto God . Of all gifts or graces which God hath given to any creature , never any thing ( except faith only ) was found to give that glory to God which prayer doth : especially in these two things . First , it brings God into the field to fight the battell for them , makes him to work all their works for them ; as indeed he doth . Whatsoever a man prayes for , he doth by interpretation say , Lord , I never shall have this , unlesse thou give it me ; I never shall do this , unlesse thou doe it for me . And that is the reason why in 2 Chron. 20. after Hezekiah and his people had prayed , and professed they had no strength of their owne , left the worke only and wholly upon Gods hand . Then God tells them , The battell is not yours , but Gods ; Now you have put it into my hands , you shall see what I will doe for you . And secondly , When the work is done it ascribes the praise and glory of all to him , to whom alone it is due . If we mark it , God hath little glory in the world for those good things which men receive without Prayer ; their friends , parts , wit , industry , must share with God ; but what is won by Prayer is worn with thankfulnesse ; there being a naturall relation betwixt praying and praising , as the rivers returne by the sea from whence they come . O that I were able to teach you the right use of this engine . And first let mee speake to you ( right Honourable and Beloved ) the Lords and Commons assembled in this Parliament : Give mee leave to shew you the true spring of all that good , which hath come through your hands , since your happy entrance upon your great work . God knows I would not eclipse your worth nor due praise : We rejoyce in you , and blesse God for you ; wee have received great mercies by your means : but are you the cause of them ? Have they been done by your wisdome and forecast , or for any worthinesse found in your selves ? Hath not God done them all almost by contraries ? Have not you been many times at a losse , even at your wits end ? Hath not God marvellously discovered wicked enterprises against you , and almost miraculously preserved you by his own naked arme , ever since the beginning of your meeting ? Give therefore the glory where it is due , you shall have the honour of excellent instruments , but this honour is too high for you . Know therefore , Beloved , ( and it will encrease your honour to acknowledge it ) that Prayer , and God by Prayer hath done all this : While you have been with Ioshuah fighting in the valley , Moses , Aaron and Hur have been at prayer upon the mountain . God hath poured out upon many parts of the Kingdome , but more especially in and about this great City , a most fervent Spirit of Prayer : In many thousand families you are every day mentioned at the throne of grace ; few dayes of your Sessions have passed over , without extraordinary fasting and prayer , either publike or private on your behalfe : And when prayer doth thus ascend , mercies must needs descend . Let God therfore have the chiefe honour for pouring out the spirit of prayer and supplication , the fruit whereof is the upholding your hearts and spirits daily in your work . And this also intimates the best hope wee have of your good successe for the time to come , even because God hath put it into the heart of the Kings Majesty and your selves , to put the whole kingdome into a posture of prayer ; we hope your care in putting the Kingdome into a posture of defence , will be serviceable : but wee expect our greatest help and advantage , as from our daily prayers , so more especially from those solemn monthly dayes of humiliation , that are afforded and appointed us . William the Conquerour , when he was Duke of Normandy ( according to the superstition of those times ) builded many Abbies , Monasteries and Nunneries , and told his friends he was at this cost to strengthen his Kingdome , esteeming them as strong fortifications , wherein he provided many to fight against the devill , the world , and the flesh : this he said according to his light . I can more truly speak from God that in every congregation where godly Ministers and godly people shall , according to publick direction , ly in the dust , fasting , and mourning , and praying before the Lord ; there are strong holds set up for the safety of the Kingdome . Secondly , how sadly doth this speak against many thousands of professed Christians ! some cannot pray , some will not pray , sure I am many doe not pray , who in all this long time of Germanies afflictions have never separated themselves to afford one dayes prayer for the help of their brethren : and in all our owne exigents and darknesses have never stood upon the walls to help either England , Scotland , Ireland , King , or Parliament : these are a miserable generation . And this their not praying for the Church is a sad token against them , that when the Church of Christ shall sing for joy of heart , themselves shall cry for sorrow of heart , and howle for vexation of spirit . What remaineth then , but that all you who make mention of the Lord , and bear his Name , who have received this mercy , that you may have accesse to the throne of grace , be quickned up , for the time to come , to stand upon the walls , to give God no rest night nor day , to let Ierusalem come into your mind , constantly to do that which Master Bradford made the subscription of his letters , pray , pray , pray . God hath done great things for us ; but many great things are yet to bee done ; much rubbish to be removed ; many obstructions to bee cleared , many enimies to be overthrown . Ireland is to be relieved , Religion to bee established ; Prayer may doe all this ; wee may overmatch all our enimies by prayer , discover all their plots by prayer . Let us not bee traitors against the Church and State , in slighting or forbearing the use of that , which may work all our works for us ; this is to betray the forts of the Kingdome , But remember when I exhort you to pray , I mean , First , it must be prayer indeed ; many can read prayers , say prayers , sing prayers , many can conceive or utter prayers , who yet cannot pray : Prayer is a pouring out of the soul to God . And secondly , this spirit poured out in prayer must bee a pure spirit : If I regard iniquity in my heart , the Lord will not hear my prayer . And thirdly , this prayer must bee a prayer of faith ; Pray in faith and waver not : And in a prayer of faith three things must meet . First , That the things begg'd bee according to the will of God . Secondly , That they bee begg'd in the name of Christ . Thirdly , that we rely upon the faithfulnesse of God , for the performance of them . This is to pray in faith . Fourthly , Our prayers must bee fervent , humble , constant ; and when we have prayed , wee must remember , that though prayer be the great means , yet prayer is not all the means . Prayer must quicken us up to the use of other means , and sanctifie us in the use of other means ; other means are fruitlesse without prayer , and prayer not seconded with the use of o●her means , where they may be had , prevailes not . These things you cannot bee ignorant of , and therefore I only point at them , especially in these streights of time . One thing more I must needs advise about , before I passe from this great help of prayer . And that is , in what esteem praying spirits should bee had amongst all wise men ; I know the world slights and scornes them , but in truth they are the very Chariots and Horsemen of Israel : Ten praying men might have saved Sodom , and the Cities round about . Solomon saith , There was a little City and few men it , and a poore wise man by his wisdome delivered this City from the siege of a great King ; Yet no man remembred that same poore man . Truly thus it is with poore praying Christians , they deliver the Iland and yet no man regards them . David knew how to prize such spirits , who , though hee were a King , thought them fit to bee his companions who cal'd upon the name of God . Paul knew how to prize them who begged for prayers , as a prisoner for a ransome , Now I beseech you , brethren , for the Lord Iesus Christs sake , that you pray for me . Yea , Ioash though an Idolater , when the praying Prophet Elisha lay a dying , wept , and cryed , as sensible of loosing the chiefe support of his Kingdome , O my father , my father , the Chariots of Israel , and the horsemen thereof . Nay , which is yet more , a heathen Emperour Marcus Aurelius , finding by experience the power of the prayers of Christians , gave all the world notice of it , staid the persecution against the Christians , and call'd that band of Christians Legio fulminatrix , the thundring band . Let us therefore not fall short of heathens , let us not undervalue or slight them , who carry the Keyes of heaven at their girdle . Verily ( Right honourable and beloved ) if you knew what blessings they are in the midst of the land , you would take pleasure in them , you would seek for praying friends , praying servants , praying tenants ; you would desire to have a stock goe in every one of their vessels . You would say to them all , as they to their companions going up to the house of God , To pray before the Lord , and to seek the Lord of hostes , I will go also . Yea , you would lay hold upon the skirt of these men , saying we will goe with you , for we have heard that God is with you . This is the greatest help which we can give to the Church of Christ . This wee doe immediately to God for the Church . There are some things also which we must doe for the Church from God : The particulars are innumerable , but in regard the time is wholly spent , I shall give you the summe of all in one short conclusion . And indeed a little time may make it cleare to your understandings , although the practise of it require the study of your whole lives . The conclusion is this , Whatsoever abilities any have received in any kind , they are given to them to this very end , to be serviceable and usefull to the Church of Christ with them : All the manifestations of the spirit in gifts and graces , are chiefly given for this end to profit the Church with ; all the livelyhood of our naturall faculties , of our actions , of our wordly wealth , of office or authority , are given us , not for our own carnall ends , no nor primarily for our own salvation ; but that with them all wee should be as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God . So that our hands if skilfull to write , should be employed as Secretaries of the Church , our feet as Messengers of the Church , our tongues as Advocates for the Church , our Wisdome and learning as Counsellors for the Church , our wealth as Stewards or Almoners for the Church . Whatever any man hath , the Lord would have his Church to be the Common-storehouse , into which all should bee brought , the body to which all should be serviceable : just as it was when the Tabernacle was to be built : Not only Bezaleel and Aholiab , men skilfull in all manner of work , were to bestow their labours upon it ; but all with whom any thing was to be found , whether silver or brasse , or fine linnen , or Goats haire , or Badgers skins , or Rams skins ; all with a willing heart were to bring it in ; yea , the very women , that could spinne either linnen , or woollen , or haire , were all to be employed to further the work of the Tabernacle . This needs no proofe , every mans spirit carries him to do all this for whatsoever is his summum bonum , his chiefest happinesse ; such as make Mammon their God , or their belly , do readily contribute all they have or can doe to the service of them . I shall shut up all with a briefe application , First , for reproofe , Secondly for duty . How sadly doth this speak concerning them whose serviceablenesse to the Church consists only in empty and barren wishes ! the same which they can and doe afford to any creature which they see to be in distresse ; they love the Church , they pity the miseries of the Church , they are sorry for Germany , when they think on it , and that is but seldome : They grieve for Ireland ; but require either their hands to underwrite , their legs to walk , their purses to contribute , their authority to command or countenance , &c. they can spare none of all these . They have a bottomlesse gulfe called selfe , which swallowes all they are , have , or can doe , and yet is never satisfied . Aske them if they have a heart to do nothing for the Church , they answer readily they pray for it with all their heart , and that is all they can doe . But let all such false-hearted Christians know , that the Lord needs none of their help , and cares as little for their dry barren prayers , as the poore beggar did for the Bishops blessing , who begging for a peny , but denyed that , and put off with the offer of a benediction , told him that hee perceived his peny was better than his blessing , otherwise he had denyed him that also . In the meane time think how thou wilt appeare in the day of thine account , when the not having much , but the improving of what we had to our masters advantage , will bring the Euge bone serve ; when others shall come in and say , Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds ; when ( as Gregory sayes ) Peter shall come in with his gaine of Iudea , Andrew of Africa , Thomas of India , Paul , and the rest , of many Nations ; Ministers bring in their sheaves of soules , private Christians their gleanings and bundles ; And thou appeare empty , thy talent buried or embezelled , thy age spent , thy candle burnt out , nothing done by thee for the Church ; when it shall appeare that thou hast had gold and silver to feather thy own nest , power and authority to terrifie thy neighbours ; like a great Tree crushing or overdropping all that stand neare thee ; and hast had this worlds goods , as the Leviathan the Sea , onely to take thy pleasure , and satisfie thy lusts in them . Woe unto thee if thy Master finde thee thus doing . This gaine of thy Talents , will be the losse of thy own soule . Secondly , for exhortation to all , especially to you Right honourable , and beloved ; What words shall I use ? How shall I make up a strength to prevail with you , to give up your selves and all you have so wholly to the Lord and to his Church , that all your other outward occasions may not so much as dare to expect any thing from you , so long as the Church hath need of it ; that your pleasures and superf●uities , nay your profits & sometimes necessities , may never offer to come in competition with the Church of God , for any thing which you call yours . O that you could hear the Lord speaking to you in the same language as once he spake to Cyrus , For Jacob my servants sake , and Israel mine elect , I have even called thee by the name ! I confesse that instead of exhorting we have just cause to blesse God for you , when we consider how you , who heretofore have lived at ease and in pleasure enjoying the delights of the sons of men , have now changed your pleasures for paines , your delights for dangers , your profits and gains for expences , your houses for lodgings , and still continue to deny your selves in all these things , and goe on in your unwearied labours for the Church and cause of God . This is great matter of praise to God , and honour to your selves . Generous plants and odoriferous spices ( they say ) grow onely in hot regions : such fruits as yours are not brought forth by every plant , such plants as you grow not on every ground . But go ye on , ye Nobles and Worthies , forget what is behind ; God and his people will not forget it : look and presse to the work which yet remains : Get the resolution of Zisca that brave Bohemian Captain , who not onely was willing to fight while he lived , but be queathed his skin when he died , to bee made a drum head for the service of the warre . Hold out to the end , Cloath ye with zeale as with a cloak , put on righteousnesse as your ornament : Bee good shepherds still , to rescue and feed the flock committed to you : Be so many Saviours upon mount Sion . All this shall be done for the best Master ; all this seed will be sown in the most fruitfull ground , the bosome of the Church : and to quicken you the more , remember how much of the golden time which is gone you have wasted , with Domitian , in catching of flyes ; how much of your estate hath bin spent needlesly in pictures , feastings , buildings , sportings , if not worse , in riot and disorder ; how much of your strength hath been bestowed in the service of this world , and the God of it : and now when the gray haires are scattered upon many of you , and God might justly cast you aside as broken vessels , the Lord should choose you , and accept you in the most honourable service that the sons of men are capable of ; nay that service which he employed his owne Son in . How readily and cheerfully ought you to consecrate your selvs and service to this work ▪ you should come from your habitations and countries , as the Levite from the place where he so journed , with all the desires of your minds to serve the Lord your God . And to you the rest , beside your Prayers , the exigence of the Church at this present time requires from you many other things . It may be some of you may be called , as souldiers , to spend your blood in the Churches cause : If you knew the honour and the reward that belongs to such a service , you would say , as the Martyr once , Had every haire on your head a life , you would venture them all in the Churches cause . It may be others of you may , with Nehemiah , be called from your own ease and honour to some wearisome task , embrace it readily . It is like your collections and contributions will be more frequent than ordinary , and very shortly in an extraordinary occasion , for the relief of our distressed brethren in Ireland : many in the City of London have set excellent examples , let me provoke you by their pattern , as the Apostle Paul did the Corinthians to the like work , by propounding to them the example of Macedonia : Onely remember this , that what you give in this case is interpreted by Christ as given to his owne person ; and whom would not this provoke ? It is reported of Master Fox , that when a poore man asked something of him for Christ Jesus sake , he questioned with the man , whether hee knew Jesus Christ ; and finding signes that the man was a Beleever , hee gave him his horse , when hee had no money . I commend not his discretion , but his zeal and charity were admirable . Do somewhat proportionable to the distresse of your brethren ; Behold your Saviour comming naked , and hungry , and banished in these his afflicted members . And in whatsoever else the Lord and his Church may have any need of you , remember that Gods blessing is upon them that come to helpe him : and that Meroz , and with Meroz all others are cursed , who come not out to the help of the Lord against the mighty . FINIS . Die Veneris 25. Febr. 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons , that no man shall Print the Sermons Preached on the last Fast day , before the House of Commons , by Master Calamy and Master Marshall , besides themselves , for the space of these two moneths , without the particular Licence and Approbation of the said House of Commons . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. THese are to give notice , that I appoint Samuel Gellibrand to print my Sermon . Stephen Marshall . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52043e-240 Introduction shewing . Exod. 15. 1 Sam. 8. The scope of the Chapter . Iudg ▪ 4 3. Verse 16. Especially of this verse . And the suitablenesse of it to the occasion Psalme 2. 2● Division . And interpretation . 1 Sam. 14. 24. Numb. 5 ▪ 27 ▪ Zech. 5. 3. 4. Rev. 17. 18. The maine Doctrine propounded . Explained . And proved v. 9. v. 15. v. 18. v. 24. Men are cursed or blessed . Esay 16. v. 3. as they help or help not the Church of God . Demonstrated . First from the Churches relation to God ▪ Being made one with him in Christ ▪ All are cursed or blessed . as they help or help not Gods Chur. Their cause is his cause . Verse 15. ● . 22 , 23. Zeph. 3. 4 : Psal. 11. 7 : Therefore a good cause ▪ Psal. 35. 27. Psal. 35. 26 : A noble cause : All are blessed or cursed . 1 Cor. 9. 25 ▪ A successefull cause . Isay 44. 17. Acts 5. 38. 2 Our relation to the Church . All our talents are given us to serve the Church . 1 Cor. 12 , 7. Eph. 4. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Prov. 11. 26 Our conjunction with the Church . Prov. 30. 17. Rom , 9 , 2 , 3 , Our standing and faling with the Church Rom. 12. 4. 1. Coo. 12 , 1● 1 Cor. 12. 25 26. Application 1 For reproofe to them who help against the Church . Psal. 137. Deut. 25. 17 Zech , 14 , 12 , Isa , 27 ▪ ●4 , Isa , 45. 9 , 2 To them who stand Neuters , 2 Kings 17 , 33 , 3● , 41 , Mat , 12 , 30 , Of which two sorts Some out of policy , Iudge , 8●4 , 5 Verse 6 , Verse 6 , 7 16 , 17 , 2 Out of slothfull carelesnesse Acts 18. 14. Prov. 14. 10. Iud , 21. 9 Vers. 10 , 2 For Exhortation . To give our selves up to the service of the Chur. Motives thereunto . 1 From Gods honour . 3 From our relation to the Church and the churches gaine Cap , 2 , 44 , ● , 4 , 31. Act. 9. 3. 3 From our owne good ▪ both In our in , wardpeace 1 Ioh. 3. 14 Vers. 10. V. 16 Isa. 38. 3. Heb 13. . 41 And our honour before God and men . Heb. 1 , 14 1 Cor. 6. 15. 2 Cor , 8 , 23. v. 7. Thirdly in the greatnesse of our reward . Mat. 1● . 29 Meanes to make us usefull . The persons must be First Godly Rev. 7. 14. 14. 4. ● Deniers of themselves . Luke 14. 26. ● Tim. 2. 4. 2 Tim. 4. 23. Men are cursed or blessed Acts 20. 24 3 They must love the Church . 1 Cor. 12. 27 , 28. What these friends of the Church must doe . 1 By way of preparation , the● must 1 Know the wan●s of the Church . Neh. 1 2. Dan. 9. 2 Sympathize with them . Neh. 1 4. Dan 8 27. 3 They must enquire what is in their hand to help . 2 By way of action , they must 1 Pray for it . Psal. 122. 6. Isa. 62. 6 , 7. Ier. 51. 50. What great things Prayer is able to doe . Ezek 36 37. Ier. 29. 10. 17. 1 Ioh. 14 , 15. Psal. 56 9. Isa. 37. 36. 1 Kin. 8. 37 , 39. Gen 32 26. & Hos. 12. 4 〈◊〉 . 32. 10. ●ap . 45 v. 10 Quest . Answ. And the reasons of it . Ro● . 8. 2● Rev. 8. 3. 〈…〉 〈…〉 1. Whence all our present mercies ●nd deliverances come And our hopes of more . 2 For reproofe . Isa. 5. 4. 3 Exhortation to help the Church by Prayer . Motives thereunto . Psal. 66. And d●●ction herein . 2 Exhortation to p●ize such ●s have the sp●rit of Prayer . Eccles 9. 14. Rom. 15 30. 2 King 13 14. Isa. 19. 24. Zech. 8. 21. &c. 2 To employ all our gifts and Tale●s as Stewards and servants for the Church . 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 1● . 〈◊〉 are cu●s●d or blessed as they E●o● . 3● . 〈…〉 , 1 For reproofe of most who are strangers to this duty . Luk. 12 ▪ 45. 2 For Exhor●ation . 1 To the Ho●se of Parliament . Iob 29. Obad. v. ult. Deut. 18 60. 2 To all others . Matth. 25. 35. 
A30262	----	Two sermons preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament at their pvbliqve fast, Novem. 17, 1640 by Cornelius Burges ... and Stephen Marshall ... Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A30262 of text R19851 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing B5687). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 167 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 45 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A30262 Wing B5687 ESTC R19851 12676335 ocm 12676335 65552 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30262) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65552) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 681:13) Two sermons preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament at their pvbliqve fast, Novem. 17, 1640 by Cornelius Burges ... and Stephen Marshall ... Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 2 v. Printed by T.B. and I.O. for S. Man, P. Stephens, and C. Meredith ..., London : 1641. Each vol. has also special t.p. Imperfect: v. 2 lacking in filmed copy. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng Fast-day sermons. Sermons, English. A30262 R19851 (Wing B5687). civilwar no Tvvo sermons preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament. At their publique fast, Novem. 17. 1640: by Cornelius Burge Burges, Cornelius 1641 32021 21 125 0 0 0 0 46 D The rate of 46 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion TWO SERMONS PREACHED TO THE HONORABLE House of Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT . AT THEIR PVBLIQVE FAST , NOVEM. 17. 1640 : BY Cornelius Burges D. D. AND Stephen Marshall B. D. Published by Order of that House . LONDON , Printed by T. B. and I. O. for S. Man , P. Stephens , and C. Meredith , at the Swanne and Gilded LION in Saint Pauls CHURCH-Yard . 1641. TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now Assembled in PARLIAMENT . WHen first it pleased You to require our service in Preaching at Your late Publike Fast , we resolved to close our eyes against all Clouds of discouragement arising from our owne unworthinesse and insufficiency , and to set our selves wholly to seek what the Lord would command us to deliver in his Name , at such a time , to such an Honourable and awfull Assembly , with a totall deniall of our selves . And albeit we should have beene glad to have beene spared this exposing of our selves to the publike view ; yet , You appointing otherwise , we hold it equall that the joynt entreaty of the Representative Body of the whole Communalty of the kingdome should be regarded , and have chosen rather that others should censure us of weakenesse , than You should charge us with Disobedience : Your Request being no lesse than a command ; and Your acceptance sufficient to give value to things of themselves both meane and worthlesse . Wherefore , according to our Duty , so willingly as the consciousnesse of our slender performances would permit , we obey Your Order , and doe now , although somewhat late , humbly offer these two plaine Sermons ( for , who expects other in a Fast ? ) at the footstoole of Your Tribunall , as a lasting Monument of Our Gratitude for Your encouraging Approbation of , and solemne Thankes for our weake endeavours in the preaching of them . If in some places we have taken that just liberty which all others have done before us , we trust it shall not be imputed ; so long as in the most materiall passages we have kept to the very words which at first wee used , so farre as was necessary ; and have not wittingly swerved an haires bredth from the sense and substance in the residue . Wee have indeed pared off some Repetitions , which in speaking had their use , the more to inculcate , and the better to set on the matter , but would not have been so gratefull in Writing , because Readers account every thing too long that hath any thing too much . We have likewise contracted some expressions , which in discourses of so much length , could hardly be so concise as wee desired , Memory being not alwayes at hand to give birth to every Conception of our minds in such formes as wee intended . And some few things we have added , where straites of time , or defect of memory made some balkes in the first delivery . What ever our performances be , we humbly leave them in Your hands , and under Your Honourable Protection , which we are bold to expect , because they are by Your owne Act drawne from us , and that in a time so queasie and distempered as can hardly beare that food , or Physik which is needfull for it . Seldome doth a wise Reproofe , a necessary Exhortation , or wholsome Doctrine meet with an obedient Eare . The God of Heaven steere all Your weighty consultations by his own Counsell , to his owne Glory ; cover You still under his own Wing , and make You the most accomplisht , best united , & most successefull & glorious house of Commons that ever sate in that High Court ; but chiefly in the effectuall endeavouring of a further Sanction of , and stronger Guard about our true Palladium , the true Religion , already established among us ; in the perfecting of the Reformation of it ; in the erecting , maintaining , protecting , and incouraging of an able , godly , faithfull , zealous , profitable , Preaching * Ministery , in every Parish Church and Chappell throughout England and Wales ; and in the interceding to the Kings sacred Majesty for the setting up of a Faithfull , Iudicious , and Zealous Magistracy , where yet the same is wanting , to bee ever at hand to back such a Ministery : without either of which , not only the power of Godlinesse will soone degenerate into formality , and zeale into Luke warmenesse ; but , Popery , Arminianisme , Socinianisme , Prophanenesse , Apostacy , and Atheisme it selfe will more and more croud in upon us , and prevaile against us , doe You all You can by all other meanes . And now , commending You to God and to the Word of his grace , which is able to build You up further , and to give You an inheritance among all them which bee sanctified ; and these our Labours to his further blessing , whereby all may speedily be brought under the line of his Covenant , which is our Safety ; that hee may continue with us , which is our Glory ; and wee with him , which is our happinesse : we rest , Yours , most devoted to the service of Your Faith in all Dutie , Cornelius Burges . Stephen Marshall . The Preface used in Preaching , before the Text was read . THat great Apostle Saint Paul , when he had to doe with wise men , held it a point of wisdome to passe by some things which he would not have wayved among meaner capacities . His practise shall be now my president . This honourable Assembly having designed me to beare so great a share in this weightie Worke , I hold it my dutie to consider , that , how weake and unworthy so ever I my selfe be , yet I am now to speake to Wise Men , who need not so much to be Catechised touching the Nature , as to be incited and quickned to the principall Use of a Religious Fast , which consisteth not solely in such drawing neere to God by extraordinary Prayer and Humiliation as may produce a totall divorce from our deerest Lusts , but also ( and that more principally ) in a particular , formall , solemne , entire engaging and binding of our selves , by an indissoluble Covenant , to that God whose face and favour we seeke , and implore . And this I apprehend to be a subject more necessary , by how much this dutie appeares to be lesse heeded and regarded by the greater number of the choycest Christians . For , as it too often falls out , even among the best , in participating that sacred and dreadfull Ordinance of the Lords Supper , ( whereof also we are shortly to communicate ) that moe labour more to discerne , and feed upon his blessed Body and Bloud , spiritually by faith , to make Christ their owne , ( which must be done too ) than actually , totally , and absolutely ( then ) to devote , resigne , and yeeld up themselves unto him , in the act of receiving , to be his servants : So it doth not seldome happen in the exercise of holy Fasting , that not a few of that small handfull which desire to approach the presence of God in trueth , are more conversant in searching , confessing , bewailing of sinne , and in craving of mercy , ( all of which are necessary duties ) than in working up their hearts to that indispensable pitch of heavenly resolution , sincerely to strike through a religious and inviolable Covenant with their God . Whereas , without this , all their labour will be utterly lost , their expectations frustrate , they take the glorious Name of God in vaine , provoke the eyes of his Glory more against them , causing him infinitely to loath and abominate both their persons , and service ; nor shall they ever , by all their crying , and sighing , no not by whole rivers of teares , be able to draw down an arme of Mercy from Heaven to come and save them . The more effectually therefore to provoke both my selfe and you at this time , to the due performance of this most neglected ( but most necessary ) dutie , I have thought fit , in a very plaine and familiar way sutable to the nature of this exercise ( which ought to be as serious , as solemne ) to worke and chafe into all our hearts the strength and spirit of that good Word of God , which you shall finde written for our instruction in ▪ Jer. 50. 5. They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying , Come , and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . WHich words are part of a Prophecie ( terrible to Babylon , but comfortable to the Church ) uttered , and penned by the Prophet Ieremy , about the fourth yeere both of the Babylonish captivitie , and of the tributary reigne of Zedekiah . The occasion , this . The Prophet having laboured about thirtie yeers , to humble Judah by continually ringing in her eares the dolefull tydings of a sore captivitie approaching , could not be beleeved . But , when once the quick and sad sense of their bondage under the Chaldean yoke had forced from them an acknowledgement of the truth of his prophecies , he found it as hard a taske to worke their hearts to any hope of deliverance . For , as it is a worke even insuperable , to possesse a people ripe for destruction , that any evill is neere them , till the wrath of God breake in upon them and overwhelme them ; so is it a businesse of little lesse difficultie to hold up the spirits even of Gods owne people , once cast under any great extreamitie , with any hope of rescue . This was Iudah's case . Before the Babylonian had laid this yoke on their necks , God had plainly revealed , and often inculcated that it should lye upon them just 70. yeeres and no longer , after which they should have libertie of returne to their owne Land againe . Howbeit , the weight of their misery , the absence of God , ( who had cast them out of his sight ) together with the insolence and crueltie of their proud oppressors , had throwne them downe so low in a disconsolate condition , that nothing which God could either now say or doe , was sufficient to raise up their hearts to any assurance of returne . The same strength which Lust hath to draw men from obedience , it will surely have afterwards to drive men from beleeving , in their greatest necessities of living by faith . The maine beame which stucke in their eyes to hinder ther sight of deliverance promised , was , the greatnesse and invincible potency of the Chaldean Monarchy ( then in her pride ) and more especially the strength of Babylon the Queene and Mistresse of that puissant Empire . How could they hope to be delivered , when she that commanded the world detained them ? Shall the prey be taken from the Mightie , or the lawfull captive delivered ? To cure them therefore of this desperate desponsion of minde , the Lord stirred up this Prophet to foretell the totall and finall subversion and ruine of Babylon and of that whole Monarchy ; and further , to declare from God that the desolation thereof , should be the dissolution of the captivitie of Iudah in it . The better to assure them of all this , Ieremiah wrote the whole Prophecy against Babylon ( contained in this Chapter and the next following ) in a Book by it self , which he sent to Babylon by the hand of Seraiah ( Lord Chamberlaine to Zedekiah , and now going in an Embassie from his Master to Great Nebuchadnezzar ) with Command from the Prophet that , after the reading thereof to the captives , he should binde a stone unto it , and cast it into the midst of Euphrates , with this saying pronounced over it , Thus shall Babylon siake , and shall not rise , &c. But , to hasten to my Text , In the five first verses of this Chapter , the Prophet summarily compriseth the substance of his whole Prophecy against Babylon , declaring , 1. her destruction , 2. the Meanes , 3. the consequent thereof to the people of God . And first , he makes Proclamation , and an Oiyes ! as it were , to all the world , to come and behold the Great Worke he was to doe against Babylon the chiefe Citie of the Empire , against Bell the chiefe Idol of that Citie , and against Merodach the glory both of that Citie and Empire ; yea , though the King then reigning when God meant to destroy it , should prove as potent as that great King , the first of that name , who for restoring the declining Empire to her ancient Splendor , and for translating the Imperiall Seat from Nineve to Babylon , was by posteritie worshipped as a God , and transferred his name to all his successors , as the name of Pharaoh to the Egyptian Kings , of Benhadad to the Syrian Monarchs , and of Augustus to the Romane Emperours . Although all these should be joyned together to withstand the downfall of that Monarchy , yet desolation should be brought over them all , they should all be confounded and removed for ever , Vers. 1 , 2. and all to make way for the deliverance of the Church . But what should be the meanes of such an unexpected destruction ? This was to be done by an Army from the North , that is , by the Medes and Persians , both of which , but more especially the Medes , were situated towards the North from Babylon , and therefore ominous . That these were the men , appeares more fully by their description in the residue of this , and of the 51. Chapter . This Northern Army should be the confusion of Babylon , the confusion of Babylon should prove the restoring of the Church ( vers. 3. ) And the restoring of the Church should produce a Covenant with God . For , behold , the issue and consequent of the ruine of Babylon was , the return of the captive Jews , from thence to Jerusalem , and a renewing Covenant with him that had shewed such mercy on them , vers. 4 , 5. For , in those dayes , and in that time , saith the Lord , the children of Israel shall come , they and the children of Iudah together , going and weeping , they shall goe and seek the Lord their God . They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying , Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . This began to be fulfilled at the end of 70. yeeres determined , when the Empire was first over-run and subdued by Cyrus the Persian . For he made Proclamation of libertie to returne , in the first yeere of his reigne . And when they returned , this was their deportment ; they went weeping ; and , to seeke the Lord their God . They goe , not so much to repossesse their ancient patrimony and inheritance , and to grow rich in the world , as to seeke and finde the Lord their God , and that with a resolution to enter into Covenant with Him , and such a Covenant as should never be forgotten , but daily remembred and carefully performed . You now see the Context . Should I now divide the Text , I might shew you here First , an Act , expressed by their industry , in setting upon a long and tedious journey to Zion . They shall aske the way to Zion . Secondly , the manner how they manage this journey , it is 1. With all intention of spirit , they aske the way to Zion , with their faces thitherward . 2. With fervent charitie towards , and mutuall zeale for each other , to quicken and inflame one another to the same work , saying , Come . Thirdly , the end of their journey which , ( with so much intention of spirit and inflamed charitie , calling and crying to one another in such a manner , ) they set upon ; all was for this : Let us joyne our selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . I might easily also cast out these generals of the Text into many lesser branches : but it is not now a time to trifle , or to play with a Text . Yea , I shall not distinctly prosecute all the parts already laid out , but ( as the dutie of this day requireth ) insist rather upon that which is the maine , and bring in the other as subordinate thereunto , by occasion afterwards , in explication of the principall point . For we see troopes in the Text bound for Zion ; and , so hasty thitherward , that they salute not any man by the way , nor so much as looke aside any way : they goe with their faces thitherward : all the stay they make , is but to call others along with them , and amongst these , us , saying , Come . And , what is the businesse ; the end of all this hast ? Nothing but this , Let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant , &c. This , however it were last in execution , yet was it first in their intention , in the undertaking of this journey , and therefore now must be principally insisted upon . You see here a people loosed from the Babylonish captivitie , and returning to Zion : and , in their returne to have this in their hearts , in their mouthes , and in their endeavours , namely , upon the receipt of this mercy , to make speed to their God , to enter into a new Contract and solemne Covenant with him . So that now the chiefe , and only point of instruction which I shall recommend to , and presse upon you , and mine own heart with you , is plainly this , that When God vouchsafes any deliverance to his Church , especially from Babylon , then is it most seasonable and most necessary to close with God by a more solemne , strict , and inviolable Covenant to be his , and only his for ever . In prosecuting this point ( wherein I resolve to be plaine , and in earnest ) I shall first shew you the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of it , that it is so . Next , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , if you will , how and in what manner this must be done . Thirdly , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the grounds and reasons of it : and so proceed to the Application . For the first , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that it is so , this will appeare , 1. More generally , upon receipt of any deliverance . 2. More specially , upon any deliverance from Babylon above all other . 1. In generall , that this use must be made of any deliverance , appeares both by precept , and example in holy Scripture . We shall carry them along together . In Deut. 29. you shall finde Moses requiring the people to enter into a speciall Covenant with God , beside the solemne Covenant which he made with them ( and they with him ) in Horeb. To induce them thereunto , Moses refresheth their memory with the repetition or representation of the many deliverances God had given unto them , out of Egypt , and in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres , together with the wonders and miracles which he daily wrought for them . And in the seventh ver. he tels them , that when ye came into this place ( that is , into the Land of Moab ) Sihon the King of Heshbon , and Og the King of Bashan , came out against us unto battell , and we smote them ; &c. What then ? Here is deliverance upon deliverance , and the inference is , Keep therefore the words of this Covenant , and doe them , vers. 9. But , that is the Covenant on Gods part , you will say ? True , but that is not all . He therefore presseth them to an actuall personall Covenant on their parts , and that upon consideration of so many deliverances . This was his maine businesse with them at the Lords own command . Therefore in vers . 10. he thus bespeaks them , Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God , your Captaines of your tribes , your Elders , and your Officers , with all the men of Israel , your little ones , your wives , and thy stranger that is in thy Campe , from the hewer of thy wood to the drawer of thy water , That thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God , and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day . And in vers. 14. he addeth . Neither with you only doe I make this Covenant , and this oath , but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God , and also with him that is not here with us this day . Thus you see a Covenant required , stricken , and ratified by solemne Oath of God and his people mutually to one another : they binde themselves by solemne Oath to him , as he by Oath had bound himselfe to them . Thus then it was in the time of Moses , No eminent deliverance went before , but a solemne Covenant followed after * . And , To sweare a Covenant , is no new device , no humane invention , nor arbitrary Action . I will give you but one instance more ( among many ) of this kinde , and it is that of Asa , that good and religious King of Iudah . When Zerah the Ethiopian infested his kingdome with an huge army , even 1000000 , and 300 Chariots , 2 Chron. 14. Asa falls to praying , God heard him ; they joyned battell , Asa obtained the victory , and carryed away very much spoile . What was the issue ? Another Covenant . For , in Chap. 15. you shall finde that , presently upon this , God addresseth a Prophet to Asa , ( Azariah the sonne of Oded ) to tell him and the people , The Lord is with you while ye be with him . And , to encourage them to close with God , he addes , in vers. 7. Be ye strong therefore , and let not your hands be weake : for your worke shall be rewarded . They must not only worke for God , but be strong to his worke ; and that they might be so , there was no way like to that of entring into a Covenant with him . For , so Asa understood it , as appeares by the next words , where it is said , Asa , when he heard these words , tooke courage ; and , although he had before done much in purging the Cities of Judah of Idolatry , and Idols , of high places , Images , and groves , yet now he goes on to a more thorough reformation , and put away the remainder of abominable Idols out of all the Land of Iudah and Benjamin and out of the Cities which he had taken from Mount Ephraim , and renewed the Altar of the Lord ; for ever where Idols goe up , Gods Altars goe downe , therefore he pulleth downe the one , and setteth up the other . And not this alone , but he offered unto the Lord a great sacrifice , and both himselfe and his people entred into a Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers , with all their heart , and with all their soule , that whosoever would is not seeke the Lord God of Israel , should be put to death , whether small or great , whether man or woman ; and they sware unto the Lord with a loud voyce , and with shouting , and with trumpets , and with Cornets . And all this , immediately upon the deliverance and victory which he had obtained : for , in vers. 11. it is said expressely , that they offered unto the Lord , the same time ( or , in that very day ) of the spoile which they had brought , 700. Oxen , and 7000. Sheepe ; meaning of those , which they had carryed away from the Ethiopians that came out to battaile against them . So that now you see another solemne Covenant entred into , not by Asa alone , but by all the people of God , a Covenant solemnized in publique by Sacrifice , by Oath , and under the highest penaltie of death it selfe to all that should not observe it . In pursuit of which Covenant , see what he presently did . He spared not his owne Mother that regarded it not . For , when he perceived that , notwithstanding this Covenant , the Queene his Mother , Maacha , would needs retaine her puppet Gods still , and ( amongst the rest ) one abominable Idol , in a grove , so obscene as it is not fit to be named : ( Abulensis a observeth that it was Priapus , and conjectureth thence , that she was not only a grosse Idolatresse , but an abominable strumpet : b for , ordinarily , Idolatry and adultery , spirituall and bodily fornication goe together c ) It is said , that he removed her from being Queene , because she had made an Idol in a grove , and Asa cut down her Idol , and stampt it , and burnt it at the brooke Kidron , vers. 16. Which passage is exprest with an emphasis , in 1 King. 15. 11. Also Maacha his Mother , even Her , he removed from being Queene . Although a Queene , although a Mother * , yet even her he deposed from her dignitie . This he did , and this he must doe , not only by reason of that voluntary Covenant into which he had entred , but by vertue of the speciall Command of God himselfe , in what ever relation she had stood unto him . Yea , in Deut. 13. 6. the Law was more strict , for though she had been neerer than a Mother , even the wife of his bosome , yet if she were an Idolater , and should entise him secretly , saying ▪ Let us goe and serve other Gods , she must have been put to death , and his own hand must have been first upon her , vers. 9. You now see the point proved in the generall , that thus it is with Gods people ; upon any notable deliverance * , they enter anew into solemne and strict Covenant with God . 2. But more especially ought this to be the care of the Church , when God gives her deliverance out of Babylon , out of that servitude and bondage which of all other was most heavy , and lay longest on her . See this in some instances , both on Gods part ayming at this in giving deliverance , and on his peoples part performing this after deliverance from Babylon . On Gods part , first . This was foreshewed under the similitude of the basket of good figs , Jer. 24. 5. There it is said by the Lord , the God of Israel , Like these good figs , so will I acknowledge them that are carryed away Captive of Iudah , whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good : for I will set mine eyes upon them for good , and I will bring them againe to this Land , &c. And , in the seventh verse it followeth , I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord , and I will be their God : for they shall returne unto me with their whole heart . He will give them an heart to know him , to returne , and become his people , which cannot be without a Covenant . Againe That this is that which Gods heart is exceedingly set upon , and full of , namely , that he never meant to bring his people backe from Babylon , but upon this very condition ( albeit it was a great while ere it was done , and therefore they thrived accordingly , as we shall shew anon ) will yet further appeare by many other passages of the Prophecy of Ieremy , to passe by sundry other Prophecies uttered by Isaiah , Micah , and others . In Ier. 30. 18. we shall finde a Prophecy , that this should be done , ( and I shall shew , by and by , that it was afterwards performed ) Behold , saith the Lord , I will bring againe the captivitie of Iacobs tents , and have mercy on his dwelling places , &c. and , in vers . 21. I will cause him to draw neere , and he shall approach unto me ; and then , as one assured of it , and admiring at it , he presently adds ; for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me , saith the Lord ? That is , both Governour and people , all of them should binde and engage themselves , ( not their outward man alone , but even their very heart and soule also ) by solemne Covenant to be the Lords . That this was the meaning , is cleare by the next verse . Ye shall be my people ▪ and I will be your God . For it was such an engaging of their hearts , as that one should say , I am the Lords ; and another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob : and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord , and sirname himselfe by the name of Israel , Isa. 44. 5. So againe , in Ier. 31. the Lord having first promised to bring back the captivitie , he subjoynes ; Behold , the dayes come , saith the ●ord , that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel , and with the house of Iudah ▪ not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers ▪ in the day that I tooke him out of the Land of Egypt , which my Covenant they brake , although I was an husband unto them , saith the Lord . But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ; After those dayes , saith the Lord , I will put my Law in their inward parts , and write it in their hearts , and will be their God , and they shall be my people . Here is a Covenant , God begins the work , but his people follow . They imbrace the Covenant , and joyne themselves by mutuall Covenant to him . He puts his Law into their hearts , for this very purpose . Once more . In Ier. 32. 37. there is a promise that God would gather his people out of all countries whither he had cast them in his wrath , and that he would bring them back to their own place , and cause them to dwell safely . He presently addes this as the product of that mercy ; they shall be my people , and I will be their God , and I will give them one heart , and one way that they may feare me for ever , &c. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them , that I will not turne away from them to do them good , but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me : Which words go no lesse than a solemn Covenant mutually made and strucken betweene God and his people . Thus then you see , many plaine and pregnant places of Scripture shew , that the maine thing God on his part aymed at , and expected from his people in delivering them from Babylon , was , the firme and solemne tying and engaging of themselves by a formall and effectuall Covenant to him , and the remembring and keeping of it better than formerly they had done . But , secondly , all these were but prophecies shewing what God foreshewed should be . Will you therefore see the thing acted , and all these promises fulfilled ? True it is indeed that the people did not on their parts performe this , they entred not into such a solemne Covenant , so soone as deliverance was by Cyrus proclaimed ; and they sped accordingly . Zorobbabel went indeed before , in the first yeere of Cyrus , and laid the foundation of the Lords House : but we read of no Covenant then made . Therefore , the work was stayed , and the building not finished in an 100 yeeres after , say the best Chronologers . Then comes Ezra , and makes some reformation of manners ; and not only so , but some Covenant he and the people entred into , Ezra 10. But that was but in a particular case ( and it would be thought a strange one , to this age especially , should it now be pressed ; ) there were many that had trespassed against their God by taking strange wives of the people of the Land ( that worshipped not the same God . ) Such therefore , as now were duely touched with the sense of this sinne , desire Ezra that a solemne Covenant might now be made with God , to put away all such wives , and such as were borne of them , Vers. 3. Now , in the fifth verse , we shall finde this executed . For , Ezra arose , and made the chiefe Priests , the Levites , and all Israel to sweare that they should do according to this word , and they sware . This was somewhat , but not enough : a partiall Covenant , and such as came short of that intended in my Text . You shall see it more throughly performed afterwards , in Nehemiahs time . For , after Ezra , came Nehemiah , and he makes a more thorough Reformation ; not of mens manners only , but even of Religion also . He set up the Ordinances of God in their puritie , and tooke care in particular for the preaching of the Word . After all this , he and all the people entred into a solemne Covenant , and that at the time of a publique Fast ? And this brings it home to the businesse we are now about . For , as they entred into Covenant upon receipt of such a deliverance , so they did it at the time of a solemne Fast . This will appeare throughout the whole ninth Chapter of Nehemiah , where it is first said , that the Children of Israel were assembled with fasting , and with sack-cloath , and with earth upon them : they separated themselves from strangers , they stood and confessed their sinnes , and the iniquities of their fathers . They justified God in all his proceedings against them , and in all the evils he had brought upon them . They acknowledged that neither they , their Princes , people , or fathers had kept the Law ; they had not served God in that Kingdome he had bestowed upon them . Behold , say they , vers. 36. We are servants this day , and for the Land that thou gavest unto our fathers , to eate the fruit thereof , and the good thereof , behold we are servants in it , And it yeeldeth much encrease unto the Kings whom thou hast set over us , because of our sinnes : also they have dominion over our bodies , and over our cattell at their pleasure , and we are in great distresse . And because of all this , we make a sure Covenant , in the last verse ) and write it , and our Princes , Levites , and Priests seale unto it . Now here is the full accomplishment of that you have in my Text . What in the Text is set down by way of Prophecy , you here see acted in the History . In Nehemiahs time , they come home unto it . And if you look into the tenth Chapter , you shall see who sealed this Covenant : first , the Princes , the Officers , the Magistrates of the Kingdome , the Parliament men , if you will so call them ; and then the rest of the people . And what is the substance of their Covenant ? They entred into a curse , and into an Oath , to walke in Gods Law , which was given by Moses the servant of God , and to observe and do all the Commandements of the Lord their God , and his Iudgements , and Statutes , vers. 29. Here then is their Covenant : you see also with what solemnitie it was made and ratified ; by subscribing of hands , and setting to of their Seales , by an Oath , and by a curse ; binding themselves by all the most solemne and strongest bonds that possibly they could ; and all this in Publique , and at a Publique Fast . So that now the point is cleare , That it is so , and that the practise of Gods people hath ever been , upon any great deliverance , especially from Babylon , to enter into solemne Covenant with the Lord . Come we to the second branch propounded , which is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , shewing , in what manner this Covenant must be made , and how men are to joyne themselves to the Lord in this action . This I shall demonstrate out of the bowels of the Text it self : for therein may you see somewhat required , 1. By way of disposition or preparation to it . 2. In respect of the substance of it . 3. In regard of the properties belonging to it . These being opened , I shall give you a full view of this Text , and performe my promise before made unto you . The first thing to be unfolded is , the disposition or preparation to the Covenant ; and this appeares in two things , 1. In seeking seriously the face of God , They shall aske the way to Zion . 2. In the manner of their addresse unto him , with their faces thitherward , saying , Come . 1. The first thing requisite to dispose , qualifie , and prepare men to strike a Covenant with God , is a serious and humble seeking of the face of God . They shall aske the way to Zion . And there first a word of the place toward which they were bound ; secondly , of their contending and repaire to it , under that expression of asking the way thither . The place , was Zion , where first ( though it be but a Criticisme , it is yet not unnecessary to be taken notice of , because the word is often pronounced , and written amisse , which may cause ambiguity touching the place ) you must put a difference between Sihon or Sion , and Zion : ( for these were two different places , and are written in the originall with two different Letters , the former with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the other with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) you must not here understand this , of the former , namely , of Mount Sihon , which is all one with Hermon , situate in the utmost confines of Israel North-East-ward , neere unto Jordan , ( Deut. 4. 48. ) but conceive it to be meant of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Zion in Hierusalem , which was once the strong hold of the Jebusites , and held out longer unsubdued than any Peece belonging to that people . For , when Israel under the Conduct of Ioshua had conquered Iebus , after called Hierusalem , yet could they not winne Zion in it . Zion was a strong Castle or Fort , erected upon a rocky mount , toward the South-west part of the Citie , over-looking all the rest ; and that the Jebusites , having aboundantly fortified and victualled it , still held , all the dayes of Ioshua , and long after , albeit the Israelites possessed the rest of the Citie , Iosh. 15. 63. But afterwards when David came against it , even that strong hold ( which the Jebusites thought to be so invincible , that , in scorne of him and his siege , they set up only a few blind & lame people on the walles to defend it ) he conquered and called it the Citie of David , because after he had wonne it , himself dwelt in it , 2 Sam. 5. 7. This , for the Topography . Then , you must know further , that , by Zion is sometimes meant the whole city of Hierusalem , by a Synechdoche ; sometimes it was taken for the place of Gods Worship in the holy city , or rather with reference to his Worship and presence there : for that City being the Capitall City of the Kingdome , where Thrones were set for Iudgement , was also the speciall place which God chose to place his name in : there , were the Altars placed for Gods worship , and thither the Tribes went up to worship , because there God pleased to manifest his more speciall presence , and to command the blessing for evermore . Thither therefore these returning Captives repaired ; even unto Zion , the Watch Towre , as St Hierome interprets it , whence God in speciall manner watched over his people for Good : there they seek his face , and enquire of him , before they presume to enter Covenant with him . Now , their addresse to this place , is set forth in this Text , by asking the way to Zion . The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * though it sometimes import the demanding of a thing which is a point of Justice or equity to give , ( as Gen. 34. 14. ) yet is it usually applyed to note the seeking of some thing by humble prayers and intreaties : so as it is not seldome put for prayer it selfe , 2 Chro : 20. 4. and , sometimes for an earnest & humble enquiry after some thing we know not , ( Num : 27. 21. Deut : 13. 14. ) that we may be directed aright , and pursue the direction with effect : So here , They aske the way to Zion , and that of God , not onely to seek of him a right way for them by fasting and prayer , Ezra 8. 21. but , as resolving that somewhat should be done , that they would walke in it , and appeare before God in Zion : for , so much is intended here as is expressed more fully elsewhere , viz. in Isay 2. verse 2 , 3. Mic. 4. 1 , 2. where they not onely call on each other to undertake , but they also performe the journey , going up to the mountaine of the Lord . So the Prophet Zachary , the inhabitants of one City shall goe to another , saying , Let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord , and to seeke the Lord of Hosts , I will goe also : yea , many people and strange nations shall come to seeke the Lord of Hosts in Hierusalem , and to pray before the Lord . Zach. 8. 21. 22. And how goe they ? not sleightly , carelessely , proudly , but in all humility , yea ( as in the verse before my Text ) even with weeping , they shall seeke the Lord their God with deepe humiliation and godly sorrow for all those sinnes whereby they had formerly broken his Covenant , and for which he had entred upon the forfeiture , and laid those heavy afflictions upon their Loines . Going , and weeping , they shall goe to seeke their God in Zion . The very same thing was foretold before ( to shew the necessity of the duty ) touching Israel . Ier. 31. 9. They shall come with weeping , and with suplications will I lead them . So then , this is the first thing in this worke to dispose and prepare men for the Covenant ; namely , to aske the way to Zion , by a serious , humble , affectionate inquiring and seeking after God in his Ordinances , even with many prayers and teares , that he would be pleased to accept them . Secondly , the manner of their addresse is as necessary as the former . It is not every manner that will serve the turne . It must be done with all intention of spirit in regard of themselves , and with fervent Charity towards others . For , they must aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying Come . Their intention and fervency of spirit wherewith they set upon this worke , is set forth under that Hebraisme of asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward . This phrase is usually an expression of the greatest intention , fervency , and contention of mind that can be , in the pursuit of any businesse on foote , or of any way wherein a man is going . Such a phrase you have in Luke 9. 51. where it is said of Christ , that he stedfastly set his face to goe to Hierusalem , or ▪ as if he would goe to Hierusalem : for which cause the Samaritanes would not receive him , ver. 53. that is , they would not entertayne him with any respect , because , that stedfast setting of his face towards Hierusalem * manifested , by his very countenance and aspect , that , where ever his body was , his heart was at Hierusalem ( which the Samaritanes could not brooke ) and that nothing in the world could take him off from that journey , or , so farre prevaile with him , as to make him linger , or loyter upon the way ; no entreaties , feare , shame , nor anything could stay him , but , obstinata et imperterritamente locum petiit , as it is exprest by Bede . He was no way afraid , or ashamed to be seene and knowne whither he was bound , and what he was going about . When therefore it is here said , they shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , the thing meant thereby , is , that they shall set upon this work with their whole heart , with their whole man , without any feare , or being ashamed , or unwilling to owne the businesse : but , they shall doe it thoroughly and affectionately without wavering , lingring , halting : they shall doe it boldly , presently , openly , indefatigably and continually . In a word , whatsoever can be sayd , or thought upon , to set forth the utmost intention of a mans Spirit in any worke that his heart is most set upon , and that he would lay out his life and all he hath upon , for the accomplishment of it ; that was the resolution , & care of these people , & must be ours : this is to aske the way to Zion with Our faces thitherward . And without this , no entring into Covenant with God . This is , for substance no other ( though otherwise expressed ) than that of the people in Asa his time , when they sware the Covenant before mentioned , 2 Chron. 15. where it is said , they did it with all their heart , and with all their soule , and exprest it by the loudnesse of their voyces , and with shoutings , &c : rejoycing at the Oath , because they had sworne with all their hearts , and sought him with their whole desire , vers. 15. Men that will stand disputing , consulting with flesh and bloud , and casting about how the entring into such a Covenant may consist with their profits , honours , lusts , designes , relations , &c. are no fit Covenanters for God . His people shall be willing , Psal. 110 3. their heart , minde , spirit , body , countenance , all , shall professe , and proclaime this to the whole world , that they are for God , for a Covenant , for putting themselves into the strongest bonds that can possibly be thought on to bind them hand and foot , soule and body to the Lord for ever . 2. Nor is this all . For , the men in my Text , content not themselves to be thus earnestly addicted to the worke in their own particulars ; but , ( as one stick kindles another ) they desire to kindle the same flame of affection in others also , and mutually to blow up the coales in one another , saying , Come . This notes the fervency of their Charitie towards others also . For , 't is not here brought in as a formalitie , or complement , but as the evidence of a strong desire to draw as many others as they can to the same journey , and ( if it be possible ) to keep the same pace with them , as being most unwilling to leave any behind them . This indeed is true Love , unfained Charitie , to draw all we can along with us unto God . True Converts , when once they returne themselves , they cause others to returne also . And this was often prophecyed as a thing which should certainly be : Witnesse all those places in Isay 2. Mic. 4. and Zach. 8. before quoted . So then all these things are requisite , and previous to the Act of Covenanting with God . There must be a seeking to God with true humiliation , a seeking of him with all intention of spirit , and with all manifestations of a resolution not to be terrified from , daunted at , or ashamed of the worke : yea , with fervent Charitie to draw others into the same Covenant also . Thus much for the disposition previous to the Covenant . 2. The next thing considerable in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is , the Substance of the Covenant it self . Let us joyne our selves to the Lord , in a Covenant . Two things here must be opened ; the matter , and the forme of this solemne action . 1. The matter of this Act is set forth under this expression , Let us joyne our selves to the Lord . The original word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ( from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) is very emphatical ; so as that word , being explained , will sufficiently set out before you the nature of the Covenant here intended . Some Translators render it , Let us glue our selves unto the Lord ; which imports a conjuction so neere , as nothing can come between , and so firme , as nothing can dissolve . But more particularly , the verb here used is in Scripture applyed to a double sense , or to denote two things : both of which being set together , will fully discover what it is to be joyned to the Lord in Covenant . First , it signifyeth the binding of a mans self to the Usurer , of whom he hath borrowed money , to pay backe both principall and interest . So it is used in Nehem. 5. 4. where the people complaine , We have borrowed money * , for the Kings tribute , and that upon our Lands and Vineyards . That is , they had engaged both Lands and Vineyards for securitie of the money borrowed , that the Usurer should enter upon all , in case they failed of payment at the day . So that , as men , to make sure , will have a Statute Staple , or recognisance in the nature of a Statute Staple , acknowledged , whereby a mans person , goods , lands , and all , are bound for the securitie of the Creditor , that he shall have both principall and interest at the day agreed upon ( and here that of Solomon proves too true , The borrower is servant to the lender : for , he hath nothing left to his own dispose ; if he would sell any Land , settle any joyncture , there is a Statute upon it , he can dispose of nothing till that be taken off ; ) so it is in the case of any man joyning himself to the Lord by Covenant , he must even bind himself to God as firmely , as fully , as the poore borrower , who for his necessitie takes up money , binds himself to the Usurer . If God lend him any mercy , any blessing , he binds himself to restore not only the principall ( the blessing it self ) when God shall call for it ; but even the interest too ; I meane , all possible homage , service , and honour which becomes those who have received so great a benefit . This is more than implyed in that parable of our Saviour touching the talents dispensed , Matth. 25. 27. for even to him who had received but one talent , was it said , Thou oughtest to have put my money to the Exchangers , that at my coming I might have received mine own with usury . God will have his returne , some interest , for every mercy ; and expects a Statute Staple , that is , a Covenant , for his better securitie . God will have him bound , soul , body , estate , life and all ; so as all he is , and hath , shall be forfeited , if he do not keep touch , and make payment according to agreement and Covenant made between them . This is the first use of the word , nilvu . Secondly , there is yet more in it . For , though it be true that the obligation of a borrower to the usurer be as strong as bonds and Statutes can make it ; yet , there is not such an entire , neere , firme , and lasting tye of the borrower to the Lender , nor such a thorough interest in the whole estate of the Usurer , as there is of him that is in Covenant with God . The Usurer , though he bind the poor borrower fast to him , yet he keeps him at distance , not giving him interest in , or use of any other part of his estate , but only of the summe borrowed . But now this joyning of our selves to the Lord , is such , as is made by marriage ; and gives interest in all that the Lord is , and hath , and admits us to the participation of all the most intimate , neerest , choysest expressions of the deerest Love of God , which is or can be found between the husband and the wife , who are joyned together by the bond of marriage , and made one flesh . So the word is used , Gen. 29. 34 where Leah , being delivered of her third sonne , Levi , thus saith to the women about her , Now this time will my husband be joyned * unto me , because I have born him three sonnes . That is , now shall my husband be more arctly united to me in all love , and in all demonstrations of it , and that in the most free , full , and intimate way of expression that possibly can passe between those who are coupled together in so neere a relation . So then , lay both these together , and you have a cleare view of this joyning of our selves to the Lord by Covenant . He that enters into Covenant with God , doth not only bind himself , as the needy borrower to the Covetous Vsurer , for a time ; but , as the wife to the husband , to be wholly his for ever , without any reservation , limitation , or termination , till death dissolve the bond . As the wife hath interest in the goods , estate , and person of the husband ; and all that he hath is hers : so by this joyning of our selves to the Lord , He becomes ours , as well as we become his , and both are mutually conjoyned to each other by an indissoluble bond for ever . All the power , wisdome , goodnesse , mercy , grace , glory , that the Great God hath to communicate to the creature , is now assured and made over to every soule that thus engageth himself unto him . And on the other side , all the wit , strength , industry , wealth , honour , friends , life , and all that this man hath , he makes over , and resignes up actually , totally , absolutely , and for ever unto the Lord , to serve and honour him withall ; and that with all his heart , and with his whole desire ; to have nothing , to do nothing , to be nothing but for the Lord , though all the world be against him for it . This I take to be the full latitude of the Covenant , for the Matter of it . 2. Touching the forme of this Act of joyning our selves to the Lord , it is expressed in the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Covenant . A Covenant is nothing else but an agreement or bargaine between two or moe persons , and ratified ( ordinarily ) by some externall solemnitie , or rites that may testifie and declare the agreement , and ratifie it , whereby it becomes unalterable . Therefore it is , that among the varietie of ratifications of Covenants mentioned in Scripture , still there is somewhat of outward solemnitie reported to have been used at the making of them , to strike the bargaine thorough . Sometimes they were made by Sacrifice , Psal. 50. 5. sometimes by Oath , Deut. 29. sometimes by an Oath , and a curse , Neh. 10. 29. sometimes by subscription of their hands , sometimes by sealing it with their seales also : Sometimes by all these , and by what ever else might most firmely & inviolable knit men unto God . And as it was then , so must it be still . To strike a Covenant , is not , in a private or publique prayer only , to goe to God and say , Lord I will be thine , I here enter into a Covenant with thee , be thou a witnesse of it , &c. but it is , to stand and make it publiquely before the Lord , by some speciall solemnitie that may witnesse it to all the world , as Iosiah * , Asa , and all the Godly ever did ; ( even as in in entring into bonds , or as in solemnizing of matrimony , men use to doe ) Whether by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , by fasting , or by ought else , whereby they may become so firmely and arctly joyned to the Lord , that they may not only be no longer sui juris , to depart away from the Living God ; but , not so much as to sit loose from God , or to stand in any termes of indifferency , which might leave them at libertie to serve , or not to serve God in any dutie , how difficult , or dangerous soever . And thus have you the Substance of the Covenant opened . 3. Take we now a short view of the properties of this Covenant , and they are two ; perpetuitie and heedfulnesse . 1. It must be an everlasting Covenant , in regard of continuance . In the Originall it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a Covenant of Ages . And the 72 Interpreters render it to the same purpose , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that is , such a Covenant as no time shall terminate , till they who make it cease to be . Some understand this of engaging themselves to stick close to him in the due celebration of his Legal worship , so long as he should continue it in his Church , ( which was till , Shiloh came ) without those mixtures , wherein formerly they had been too bold , and for which God had spewed them out of his Church , and hurled them as farre as Babylon . Others conceive it to be meant of the Covenant of Grace that God had sealed to them in the bloud of his Sonne . But , neither of these are ful . For , it is clearly meant of an Act of theirs towards God , whereby they bind themselves to him , and that not for a definite time only , but for ever . It is such a binding , as that of the borrower to the Usurer , whom nothing can satisfie but full payment . Or rather , such a closing with God , as is that of the wife to the husband , called , in particular reference to the nuptiall knot , the Covenant of her God , Prov. 2. 17. She must be his for ever ; that is , so long as she liveth , Rom. 7. So that , for men to bind themselves by an everlasting Covenant to the Lord , is to bind themselves never to step out from him to Idols , to their base lusts , to any creature , in any strait , upon any occasion , or tentation whatsoever ; nor , with the dog , to returne any more to their vomit of any kind . They are in Covenant as the wife to the husband ; for they are marryed unto the Lord for ever , Hos. 2. 2. It must be heeded and minded ; else , it will be to small purpose to be so lasting . It must be a Covenant that shall not be forgotten . A Covenant , quod non tradetur oblivioni ; as Tremelius well : that is , that shall not be cast behind their backs . It is but a plaine mockery for men so to enter Covenant with God , as young Gallants enter into bonds to the Usurer , never thinking more of them , till the day of payment be past , and the Sergeant ready to attach them . Vnto the wicked saith God , what hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth , seeing thou castest my words behind thee ? Psal. 50. Only they rightly performe this dutie , who so joyne themselves to the Lord , as to remember , and minde the obligation they have sealed . As a poore man that meanes honestly , if he be necessitated to take up money upon his bond , he can hardly eate , walke , sleep , do any thing , be in any company , but that still his minde runs upon the obligation and day of payment : he complaines he is in debt , he hath given bond for so much money , and all his care is how to pay his debts , or to get longer time ; so it is with a Godly man that hath entred Covenant with the Lord , he hath sealed a bond , and he knows it must be satisfied , or it will be put in suit . Therefore he beares it in minde , he is alwayes casting about how he may performe , and keep touch with God . I will never forget thy precepts , saith David , I have inclined mine heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes , even unto the end , Psal. 119. 112. This is one expression . Againe , It is a Covenant to be remembred , as that of the wife , whereby she stands bound to her husband : she must ever remember it . It is the note of an harlot to forget the Covenant of her God . The chaste wife will so remember the marriage bond , that if she be solicited to unfaithfulnesse , to uncleannesse , &c. she ever hath this in her thoughts , that she hath given herself wholly away to an husband , and is bound to keep her only unto him during life ; & this makes her to be even an impregnable wall against all assaults that might otherwise draw her to folly . So must it be in the case in hand : The Covenant must still be in the heart , and in the memory . In every action of a mans life , in every passage and turning of his estate and condition , in every designe or engagement , this must not be forgotten ; viz. I have entred into Covenant with God , as a wife with her husband ; will that I am now doing , or going about , stand with my Covenant ? Is this to performe Covenant with God ? &c. If he be solicited to uncleannesse , to fraud , oppression , any evill whatsoever , this still runs in his minde , There is a Covenant between me and the Lord , I am bound from such courses by the strongest bonds ; How then can I commit this great wickednesse , and sinne against God ? What was it for which Iudah , and Israel became Captives , but the breach of the Covenant ? They kept not the Covenant of God , saith the Psalmist . And , how so ? Because they did not remember it . As they soone forgot his workes , so it was not long ere they forgot God their Saviour himselfe too ; and then no marvaile , if , at the next bout , they forgot his Covenant also , Psal. 106. He then , that would not breake Covenant , must not forget it ; but mind , and performe it . Otherwise , it is like vowing unto God , and not paying , which is worse than not to vow at all . Thus have I dispatcht the Second generall , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and shewed you how and in what manner this Covenant must be striken : first , in regard of the disposition and preparation of the Soule unto it , it must be with serious seeking the face of God & humbling the soule before hand ; it must be with all intention & earnestnes , with fervent Love and charity to draw others the same way . Next , in regard of the Covenant it self , it must be an act & firm joyning and binding our selves the Lord , as of the borrower to the Lender ; of the wife to the husband ; and that by some solemne Act , which may testifie it to all the world , and be a witnesse against us , if we keep it not . And all this , thirdly for properties , must be of everlasting continuance , and had in continuall remembrance , so as it may be continually performed of all that make it . 3. I proceed to the third and last branch , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Grounds and reasons why , upon receit of any deliverance , but more especially from Babylon , people should enter into such a covenant with God . And these respect deliverances eitherin generall , or from Babylon in speciall . 1. The reasons why this must be done , upon any deliverance in generall , are these . 1. Because God , at no time so much as when he bestowes upon his people some notable deliverance , gives such cleere hints and demonstrations of his willingnesse to strike an everlasting Covenant with them . No sooner had the Lord delivered Israel out of Egypt , but within 3. Moneths after , he commanded Moses to tell the people from him ; Ye have seene what I did unto the Egyptians , and how I bare you on Eagles wings , and brought you out unto my selfe . Now therefore if ye will obey my voyce and keep my Covenant , then yee shall be apeculiar treasure unto me above all people . Exod. 19. 1. and verse 4 , 5. God himselfe , you see , was now earnest for a Covenant . It is the nature of God , where he bestowes one benefit , to adde moe , and still to rise in his blessings . Where he once opens his hand to take a people into his protection , he opens his heart to take them into his bosome . Where he puts forth his power to rescue a people , he puts out his heart to make them his owne , if then they have eyes to discerne the opportunity . See this most excellently demonstrated Ier. 32. from ver. 37. to the 42. His gathering them from their Captivity , first warmes , then melts , and after inflames his heart towards them , making it even then to glow as it were upon them , & to become restlesse till he have bestowed himselfe wholly on them by solemne Covenant to be their God for ever . Now then , shall God , at such a time , be so willing and desirous to enter Covenant with men , and shall they think it too much for them to be in Covenant with him ? Shall he be fast bound to them , and they left free to sit loose from him ? Indeed , this is that which our corrupt nature would willingly have : People would faine be their owne men ; which yet in truth , is , to be the greatest slaves . Necessary therefore it is for men , upon receit of any deliverance , to renew Covenant with God who is pleased to honour them so farre , as to be in Covenant with them . For , these two are relatives , and ever goe together , I will be their God , and they shall be my people . God is not the God of any people but of his owne Covenant-Servants . The rest , he stiles , Lo-ammi . Hos. 1. 9. for yee are not my people , saith he , and I will not be your God . They will not enter into Covenant with me , and I will make no Covenant with them . That is the first reason . 2. As God is pleased to enter into Covenant with his people , so is he first in the Covenant . God requires no man to bind himself by Covenant to Him , till the Lord first strike a Covenant with his Soule . As we love him , because he loved us first ; so we enter into Covenant with him , because he first entreth into Covenant with us . I will be their God , he is first bound , and seales first ; and then , and not till then , it followes ; they shall be my people . This is the constant tenor of the Covenant . And shall he begin , and we think much to follow ? Can there be a marriage consummated where onely the man is first married to the woman , and the woman will not after , for her part , be married to the man ? Now , God no way so much declares his willingnesse to be in Covenant , and to be first in it , as by deliverances ( as we shall see more in the next reason : ) great reason therefore , men should then second him by mutuall stipulation . It is an hard case , when men will not follow , where God leades . 3. In deliverances God more especially manifesteth his fidelity in keeping Covenant with his people , even when they have broken Covenant with him , and forfeited all into his hands . When God delivers a people out of any straite , doth not that usually suppose some folly of theirs going before , & provoking him to cast them into that affliction ; whence , upon their cry , he is pleased to deliver them ? And when they have so farre and so long broken the Lawes , and contemned the Counsel of the most high , and dealt unfaithfully in his Covenant , as that he hath bin even compelled to throw them into darknesse and the shadow of death : yet if then , upon their humiliation , he be pleased to deliver them out of all their distresses ; this is to give them fresh experience of his infinite love in Keeping Covenant and mercy with them , that kept no Covenant with him . This is called a remembring of his Covenant with his people , after that their uncircumcised hearts be humbled , and that they accept of the punishment of their iniquity , when God should have cast them out of their land , among their enemies , as afterward he did . So that , in a deliverance , that which is most predominant in God , and should be most sweet and pretious to his people and most eyed by them , is his fidelity , mercy , and unchangeable Love in bringing out that Covenant he once made with them , and spreading it before himselfe , and making of it good , even when they could not exspect it , nor durst to plead it . Hence that passionate speech of God to rebellious Ephraim . Is Ephraim my deare sonne ? is he a pleasant child ? As if he should have said , surely he cannot conclude so ; yet , my love , by vertue of the ancient Covenant betwen us , makes me still so to account him : witnesse that which followes ; for since I spake against him , ( that is , as resolving to cast him off for ever ) I remember him still , ( I remember I am in Covenant with him , ) therefore my bowels are troubled for him , I wil surely have mercy upon him , saith the Lord . Thus , deliverance is a thread drawne out of the bowells of his Covenant . Great reason therefore that , in this case , his people should think of renewing their league and Covenant with the Lord on their parts , when they have so shamefully broken it , and yet he goes on in so much mercy to manifest his fidelity in remembring and keeping the Couenant on his part , by giving them deliverance . Againe , fourthly and lastly , All our hopes of a full deliverance , of complete happinesse , will be delayed , if not frustrate ; and , the next deliverance will stick in the birth , and want strength to bring forth , if we come not up to a Covenant for deliverances already received . If God have delivered us once , he will do it no more : or , if he do somewhat , to hold us up by the chin that we sink not , yet will he hold us down from the throne , that we reigne not , till we come up actually and fully in this point of Covenanting with him . It is only to those that take hold of his Covenant , that he gives an everlasting name which shall not be cut off , Isay 56. 4 , 5. He that hath obtained most and greatest deliverances , will , ere long , stand in need of more . Now , one thing is necessary to draw down more , and to move God to command ( further ) deliverances for Iacob ; yea , to powre out his whole bosome into the laps of his people , and to crowne all deliverances and blessings received , with this assurance , that he that hath delivered , will yet again deliver ; and that is , to enter into a solemne Covenant with the Lord , upon consideration of what he hath done already , how ever he should please to deale with us for the future , or for removing any present pressures that lye upon us . Although God begin to deliver , yet he will never perfect the deliverance , till this be done . The people which returned from Babylon , found God to keep touch with them , to a day . So soone as the 70. yeeres determined , their captivitie was dissolved , and somewhat was done , the foundation of the Lords house was laid , but the building went slowly up , the reformation of Church and State went heavily on ; and , they were never in a thriving condition , till Nehemiah , by the good hand of God , lighted upon this course . Some Fasts they had kept before , yea very many ; but they never thrived , till he added to their publique and solemne Fasting , the fastening of them to God by a solemne Covenant . Then , the worke of Reformation , and establishment , went on merrily , then they prospered . Thus farre the Reasons concluding for a Covenant , upon receit of deliverances in generall . 2. The Reasons inducing us thereunto , upon deliverance from Babylon in particular , are these . 1. Because Babylon ( after once the Church was put under her power ) had alwayes been the most insolent , heavy , bitter , bloudy enemy that ever the Church felt . The violence of Babylon was unsupportable , her insolency intolerable , her bloud-thirstinesse insatiable . Hence the Church is bold to challenge all the world to match her misery under the yoke of Babylon ; Behold , and see , if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow , wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me , ( that is , by the heavy hand of Babylon ) in the day of his fierce wrath , Lam. 1. 12. This was so sore , that it hath been by some Fathers , and others , conceived to be the fullest and most lively typicall expression of that matchlesse agony and extremitie which our Lord himselfe ( hanging upon the Crosse ) sustained , when he bare all our sinnes , and the wrath of God due to us for them , so farre as to make a full satisfaction to the Justice of his Father , in behalfe of all his people . And , as it was with old Babylon , so it is , and ever will be with the new , ( I meane , mysticall Babylon ) to the end of the world ; might she so long continue . Even she also delights in no other drink but the bloud of the Saints , as you shall finde in Rev. 17. 5. where the very name written upon her forehead sufficiently sets out her nature : Mystery , Babylon the Great , the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth . And , what of her ? I saw , saith Saint Iohn , the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints , and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus : and when I saw her , I wondred with great admiration , vers. 6. And well he might . A woman , and drunk ! And , if drunk , would no liquor suffice , but bloud ! no bloud , but that of Saints and Martyrs ! She is never in her element , but when she is swimming in bloud . So insatiable is she , that like the horse-leeches daughter , she never saith , it is enough . Therefore , when God gives any deliverance from thence , there is more than ordinary cause to close with the Lord , in a more solemne and extraordinary manner , giving him the praise and glory of so great a mercy . But then more especially , when God works out the full deliverance of his Church , by the totall , and finall ruine of Babylon . Oh then , then is the time when all the people in heaven must sing Hallelujah ; ascribing , salvation , and honour , and power unto the Lord our God , Revel. 19. 1. And againe , Hallelujah , vers. 3. as if they could never sufficiently expresse themselves to God for such a deliverance , such a mercy , such a vengeance . 2. Againe . When God delivereth from Babylon , there is more than ordinary cause of entring into solemne Covenant with him , because the very subjecting of the Godly under that iron yoke , argues more than ordinary breach of Covenant with the Lord in time past , which stirred him up to deale so sharply with them as to put them under the power of Babylon . The Provocation was exceeding great , too much to be endured even by infinite Patience it selfe : else , the People of God had never been cast into such a furnace . It was for such a fault as dissolved the very marriage knot between God and his people : it was for going a whoring from him . For this it was , that God first put away Israel , giving her a Bill of divorce , Ier. 3. 8. And for this it was , that he afterwards cast Iudah also out of his sight , 2 King. 17. 19 , 20. And as it was in former times , so in later Ages of the world . What was the reason that so many millions of soules have been exposed to the butchery of Antichrist in Mysticall Babylon , and to be so hood-winckt and blinded by strong delusions , as to beleeve nothing but lyes ; even that Great , Great soul-killing Lye , that they might be damned ? Saint Paul tells us , it was this ; They received not the love of the trueth that they might be saved , but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse , 2 Thess. 2. What unrighteousnesse ? Is it meant of every unrighteousnesse ( that is in the nature of it damnable ) which is to be found in the world ? Surely no : but ( signanter ) of that unrighteousnesse whereby men turned the truth of God into a lye , Rom. 1. that is , by corrupting the true worship of the true God , and afterwards falling off to down-right Idolatry , even within the pales of the Church it self . Most of you are well seene in the History of the Church , and can soone , point with your finger to the times wherein Babylon began to besiege Hierusalem , and Antichrist began to pull of his vizzard , in the Churches of Christ : even then , when Pictures and Images began first to be set up in Churches , for remembrance ; then , for ornament ; then , for instruction too ; and at last , for adoration and worship . Then , God suffered her to be over-run , and over-spred by Babylon , as by an hideous opacum or thick darknesse , and to be exposed and prostituted to all manner of whoredomes and filthinesse : so as the slavery of the Jewish Church in old Babylon , was scarce a flea-biting , in comparison of the miseries of the Church Christian under the New , which makes havock and merchandise not of the bodies only , but even of the soules of men , Revel. 18. 13. Now then , when God pleaseth to deliver a people from such bondage , and to awaken them effectually to look up , and to reflect even with astonishment upon those great and gastly sins of theirs which had cut asunder the cords of the Covenant between God and their Soules , and provoked God to subject them to so much bondage ; and , that they must either renew Covenant , or be obnoxious to more wrath , and be laid open to more and greater temptations and sins ; this cannot but exceedingly work upon their souls , causing their hearts to melt , and their very bowels to yearne after the Lord , to enter into a new , an everlasting Covenant that shall never be forgotten . This is that which God by his servant Ezekiel , spake touching the deportment of the remnant of Israel , which should escape the sword among the nations and countries whither they had been carryed captives , Ezek. 6. 9. They should , upon such a deliverance , remember God , not only with griefe , but resolution also to joyne themselves to him more firmely in a perpetuall Covenant . For , of them , he saith there ; they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations , because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me , and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their idols , and they shall loth themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations : And of the same people he saith , afterwards , * that , upon their returne home , They shall take away all the detestable things , and all the abominations thereof from thence . And I will give them one heart , and put a new spirit within them , I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh , and give them an heart of flesh , that they they may walke in my Statutes , and keep mine ordinances , and doe them : and they shall be my people , and I will be their God . So that here is a full Covenant striken , and that upon this ground : viz. the Consideration of those great sinnes they formerly committed , whereby they had broken their first Covenant and departed from their God . So farre the Reasons , and Grounds of the point ; I shall now as breifly as I can , endeavour to bring home , and set on all by some Application , which I shall reduce to 3. heads , namely to matter of Reproofe , Information and Exhortation . For , if , When God vouchsafeth any deliverance to his people , especially from Babylon , it be most seasonable and necessary to close with him , by a more solemne , firme , and inviolable Covenant , to be onely his forever : Then , 1. How may this reprove , and condemne of great ingratitude and folly , many sorts of men among us , that are farre from making any such use of the deliverances which God hath wrought for them . O beloved ! Should I but give you a Catalogue of the many , great , stupendious , and even miraculous deliverances which God hath given us ; the personall deliverances he hath often given to each of us apart ; the publique , eminent , glorious deliverances he hath given to us together with the whole State ; that , in 88. and that of 1605. I meane from the horrid hellish Gun-powder-Treason ; but especially , and above all the rest , our happy deliverance out of Babylon by the blessed Reformation of Religion begun amongst us , some good number of yeeres by past ; the time would faile me . But alas ! What use have we made of them ? Hath this use ever been so much as thought of by us ? Nay verily . For , 1. Some thinke it bootlesse , thus to close in with God , after an evill is over . When Gods hand is heavy upon them , sense of smart compels them to thinke it then a fit season to do somewhat , to confesse their sins ; to humble themselves , and to seek God . In their affliction they will seek me early , saith the Lord . But so soone as he takes his hand off from them , they cast all care away , as if now ( according to that homely proverb ) the devill were dead , and no further use of any feare , or diligence were to be once thought upon , till ( with Pharaoh ) they come under a worse plague than before ; and , as if God had delivered them to no other end , but to live as they list , to cast more dung into his face , and to dishonour and provoke him yet more than ever before . I appeale to the consciences of many who heare me this day , and I require them from the Lord , to witnesse truly , whether it be not even thus with them . If the plague knock at their doore , if death get in at the window , and begin to shake them by the hand ; there is then some apprehension of wrath and judgement ; some humbling , some hankering after God . Then , Oh what would not these men do , what would not they promise , on condition to be delivered from their present anguish , and feares ! But once deliver them , and God shall heare no more of them , till they be in the same , or worse case again . They turne Covenanters ? Nay , leave that to the Puritans . For their parts , they think more of a Covenant with death and hell ; for , God is in not in all their thoughts . Had there been , upon the discovery of the Powder-Treason , ( which this Honourable Assembly hath cause above all others to preserve eternally in fresh remembrance , and to think more seriously what God looks for at all your hands upon such a deliverance ) had there been , I say , no possibilitie of escaping that Blow , what would not men have then done ! Oh what prayers , what fasting , what humiliation should we have seene ! But , when the snare was once broken , what followed ? A Covenant with God ? Nothing lesse ; for , so soone as ever the danger , the feare , the amazement at such an hellish project , and the neere approach to the execution of it , was a little over ; the Traitors themselves fell not deeper into the pit of destruction which themselves had digged , than generally all sorts of men did into the gulfe of their old sins , as if they owed more to Hell , than to Heaven , for so great a deliverance . And , is it better now ? Where is the Covenant ( such a Covenant ) with God ; that so wonderfull a deliverance deserveth , and requireth ? These men may please themselves , and feed sweetly upon a vain dreame , that there is no harme in all this ; but the Apostle brings them in a sad reckoning , after a sharp chiding for it , Rom. 2. 4 , 5. What ? saith he ; Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance , and long suffering , not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance ? The end of all Gods goodnesse in forbearing , advancing , and giving thee prosperitie ; and of his long suffering , in sparing thee when thou hast abused prosperitie ; and of all his mercy , in delivering thee out of adversitie ; is , to lead thee to repentance , to draw thee neerer to Himself , even in an everlasting Covenant . And if it have not this effect on thee , the Apostle hath said it , and the God of Heaven will make it good , that thou despisest the riches of his goodnesse , &c. Thou tramplest all mercies under thine impure feet , when they do not raise and scrue thee up so neere to thy God , as to enter a solemne Covenant with them . And , what then ? Thou wilt not stay there , but fall into more sinne , and under greater judgement ; and , after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart , treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath ( that is , more and more wrath ) against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God . This is the end of all who make not the Goodnesse of God , a prevailing motive thus to joyne themselves to the Lord ; they fall into moe , and greater sinnes , and abominations ; and so adde daily to that great heape , and to those Sea 's of divine wrath that hang over their heads , to overwhelme and confound them for ever . 2. Others , if , after some time of lying under the weight of many pressures of the Church and State , they arrive at some hopes and opportunities of easing themselves of those burdens , and of freeing the Land of the great Instruments of all their evils ; they conceit strongly , that , if this be done , all is done . If but some of the Nimrods who have invaded their Laws , and Liberties , be pulled down , ( Which is an act of Justice ) how do the Many ( who do nothing towards any Reformation of themselves ) rejoyce , and promise to themselves great matters ! Now ( think they ) there will be an end of all our miseries , and we shall see golden dayes ; Iudgement shall run down like waters , and righteousnesse like a mightie streame . Oh Brethren ! deceive not your selves . If this be all you look at ; if , upon opening this doore of hope , this be all you ayme at , to make use of the time to secure your selves against oppressors , and never thinke of closing with God ; or , but thinke of it ; you may perhaps goe farre in pursuit of your owne designes , in providing against the evils you sigh under ; and , this Parliament may do great things this way : But let me tell you from God , that this will never do the deed , till the Covenant we have been all this while speaking of , be resolved on , and solemnly entred into by all those that expect any blessing from that High Assembly . Nor this , nor all the Parliaments in the world shall ever be able to make us happy in such a degree at least as we expect , till the Lord hath even glewed , and marryed us all unto himself by mutuall Covenant . It is not only the making of good Lawes to remove our present grievances ; no , nor the cutting down of all the evil Instruments in our State or Church at one blow , that can secure us against the like ; yea , worse evils for the future ; but rather , as one wave follows another , so one mischiefe will still tread on the heeles of another , and greater plagues will ever crowd in after the former , till we close with God by such a solemne Covenant . The people of Palestine , or Philistia , made themselves marvellous merry , when any of the Governours or Kings of Israel , or Iudah ( such as Sampson , David , Vzziah , &c. ) that had sorely yoked and hampered them , were removed by death , and others come in the roome that could do but little against them . When such an one as Ahaz who never wonne battaile of them , but still went by the worse , swayed the Scepter ; oh how joyfull were the Philistines ! But marke what a damp God cast in among them in the midst of all their mirth ; Rejoyce not thou whole Palestina , because the rod of him that smote thee is broken ; ( that Vzziah , and other Potent and successefull Kings are taken away , and weake unhappy Ahaz come in the roome ) for out of the Serpents root shall come forth a Cockatrice , and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent . Ahaz shall leave an Hezekiah behind him , that shall pay all his Fathers debts upon the Philistines , and plague them yet more than all that went before him . And have not we seen this verified also neerer home ? Have not some , in former times , been taken away , who have been great Oppressors , and Instruments of many sore pressures ? And , how have men rejoyced at their falls ? Nor know I , why they should not , if Justice in a just way have cut them off . But alas ! what Good , in the issue , hath followed , or can be yet hoped for so long as men continue Philistines , enemies to God & his Church , Anti-Covenanters ( even with Hell ) rather than true Covenanters with God ? Whether is our Condition any what better now than heretofore , when those Leviathans were alive , and in their height ? I appeale to yourselves . And the reason of all is this , that men mistake the meanes of Cure , or at least fall short of it . The cutting off of evill Doers ( how necessary soever it be ) is not all , nor the maine requisite to make a people happy ; unlesse also there be a thorough joyning of themselves to God by Covenant . If you therefore that be now convened in Parliament , should sit so long as you desire , even these 7 yeares , ( if your businesse should require it ) and think , you would make such Examples of men that have violated the Lawes , and invaded your Liberties ; and enact so many wholesome Lawes to prevent the like presumptions for the future , as should put us into a new world , causing men to admire the happy state and frame of Government which you would set up : yet all this would never produce the expected effect , but prove as a meer dreame of an hungry man , who in his dreame eateth aboundantly , but when he awakes , is empty ; unlesse you also , not onely resolve upon , but execute this maine duty of entring Covenant with your God . Againe , thirdly , others can roare like beares , and mourn sore like doves , when they find themselves disappointed of their hopes : when Parliaments have been broken up in discontent , when they have looked for Iudgment , and there is none , for salvation , but it hath bin farre from them : then , they have howled like dragons , not onely for afflictions , but perhaps for sinnes also , especially if deliverance upon deliverance hath been snatcht from them , even when it hath seemed so neer that they had begun to take possession of it : yet , ( silly men that they are ! ) their evills haunt them still , and prevaile more and more , after all their fastings , humblings , and strong cryes to God their Redeemer . For alas ! what will all this doe without a Covenant , without taking hold of God , and joyning themselves to him to be his for ever ? you may see such a State of the Church as this described by Isaiah : & good were it for us to take warning by it : We all doe fade as a leafe , and our inquities like the wind have taken us away . And why all this ? The next words will tell you ; there is none that calleth upon thy name , that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee , say they to the Lord who had hid his face from them , and consumed them for their sinnes . Not that they did not at all call upon God , but , because they did not so call upon him as to stirre up themselves to take hold of him by Covenant ; therefore is it accounted no better than a not calling upon him at all . Thus men lose not onely their opportunities of deliverances offered , but their duties also by which they desire to further it against another time . 4. Some , it may be , goe yet further . Vpon the hearing of such a duty ( so much pressed and inculcated ) they begin to be a little stirred ; they are convinced that it is is indeed true , such a Covenant is fit to be made : but here ( like Ephraim an unwise sonne ) they stand still at the breaking forth of the Children of the Covenant . They faine would , but loth they be to go thorough with the bargaine . They begin to come on , and then fall back againe . They are so long a cheapning , treating , complementing , disputing how safe it may be for them , how well it may stand with their profits , projects , ends , interests , relations ; that they coole againe , & never come up to a full resolution . Oh , sayes one , this is a good course , and fit to be taken : but , my engagements , callings , Alliance , company , service will not consist with it . Another sweares , he could find in his heart to make triall of it , but that he should be jeered , scorned , and perhaps lose his place , or hopes , for it : another , he is for it , but at present he cannot enter upon it . Thus one thing or other still keepes this duty without doores , and holds most men off from the worke for ever . But beloved , take heed of this dallying . What ever you think , it is no better than a departing away from the living God , that springs from an evill heart of unbeleife ; when , being fully convinced of the weight , necessity , and commodity of the duty , you will yet , while it is called to day , adventure so farre to harden your hearts , as not to set upon the work instantly , and to go thorough with it . Heb. 3. Woe unto all such dodging Christians ; they shall find to their cost that God will write them Lo-ammi , Hos. 1. 9. and pronounce of them , They are not my people , and I am not their God . If any think , what adoe is here ? what meanes this man to be so earnest ? would he have us all turne Covenanters ? yes , with God . Why , what if I doe not ? Then never looke for good from him , how faire soever thy hopes be . No ? sayes another ; I le try that , sure . I have seene many a good day in my time , and hope to see more , though I never swallow this doctrine : therefore he resolves to goe hence , as he came hither ; as he lived yesterday , so he will to morrow , though this day he doe as his neighbours doe , keeping some order , ( much against the will of his base lusts that ring him but an harsh peale in his eare for this little abstinence ) yet to morrow he will be for his swearing , drinking , whoring , any excesse , and riot , as much as ever ; and yet , by grace of God he hopes to prove all these words to be but wind , and to doe as well as the best of them all when he comes to die . But woe worth the day that ever such a man was born that when he heares God calling him with so much importunity to-stand even this very day before the Lord , to enter into Covenant with the Lord his God , and into his Oath , shall so harden his neck ; and harbour such a roote of gall and worme wood within his heart , as when he heares the of the Curse upon all those that will not enter into Covenant ; or , entring into it shall not keep it , he shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying , I shall have peace , though I walke in the imagination of mine heart , and adde drunkennes to thirst : See , and tremble at what God hath resolved to doe with that man , Deut. 29. 20 , 21. The Lord will not spare him ▪ but the anger of the Lord , and his jealousy shall smoake against that man ; and all the Curses that are written in ( Gods ) Booke shall ly upon him , and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven . Here is nothing but fury powred out , upon such a wretch ; not a blessing shall descend upon him , not a curse shall escape and go by him ; not onely himselfe , and posterity , but his very name ( so farre as it is an honour ) shall all be cast out of the world , as out of the midst of a sling . If he please himselfe with this , Yet I shall live as long as some others ; if they have any happinesse , I resolve to share with them ; he will find that God will not leave him so , but the Lord will separate him unto evill out of all the the Tribes of Israel , so as , though all others be safe ; yet , as a strucken Deere is unhearded from all the rest , and followed by the dogs till he be pull'd downe and kill'd ; so shall it be with this man , according to all the curses of the the Covenant , that are written in the Booke of the Law . Although the whole Kingdome be safe , and all others in it be in peace , yet he and his house shall perish ; the line of Confusion shall be stretched out over him , hell and damnation shall be his portion , how high soever he now beares his head , and how much so ever he suffer his heart to swell against the truth , supposing all that he likes not , to be nothing but a spice of indiscretion , yea of faction , and ( it may be ) of Sedition ; when yet nothing is offered , but what is ( I trust ) pregly proved out of Holy Scripture . So farre the first Vse . 2. This may informe us touching the true cause ( which most neerely concernes our selves ) of the slow proceedings of Reformation of things amisse among us , both in the Church and Common-wealth : Why God hath not yet given us so full a deliverance from Babylon ; why there have been so many ebbings and flowings in matters of Religion , yea , more ebbings than flowings ; Why generall grievances swell to such an height , and that all the opportunities of cure have vanished , so soone as appeared : how it comes to passe that albeit God hath moved the heart of the King to call Parliament after Parliament , yet by and by , one spirit of division or another , sometimes from one quarter , sometimes from another , ( like the evill spirit which God sent between Abimelech , and the men of Shechem , to the ruine of both ) still comes between , & blasteth all our hopes , leaving us in worse case than we were in before ; & whence it is ( in regard of our selves ) that in stead of setting up the Kingdome and Ordinances of Christ in more purity , there is such a contrary mixture , and such a corrupting of all things , in Doctrine , in worship , in every thing ; Arminianisme , Socinianisme and Popish Idolatry breaking in againe over all the Kingdome like a floud . What is a chiefe cause of all this ? Have we not prayed ? have we not fasted ? Have we not had more Fasts at Parliaments of late , than in many yeares before ? Yea , hath not there been , generally among Gods people , more frequent humiliations , more frequent seeking of God , notwithstanding the malice and rage of some men to discountenance and suppresse it , than in former times ? Why then is Deliverance , and Reformation so slow in comming ? Surely , Beloved , we have all this while mistaken the maine businesse , and neglected the principall part of a Religious Fast . You come , Fast after Fast , to seek God in his House ; You forbeare your victuals , afflict your soules , endure it out a long time ; you pray , heare , confesse your sins , and freely acknowledge that all is just that God hath brought upon us , and that we suffer lesse than we deserve . All this is well . But here is the error , and the true Cause of the continuance of all our evils , and of their growing greater , namely , that all this while we have never , in any Fast , or at any other time , entred into such a solemne and publique Covenant with God , as his people of old have often done upon like occasions and exigents . That I may yet more effectually bring home this to all our hearts , give me leave briefly to parallel the slow pace of our deliverance out of Mysticall Babylon with that of Iudah , and some of the remnant of Israel out of old Babylon , which for a long time had held them Captives . And here first , be pleased to call to minde , that , as touching the Captive Iewes , God failed not ( on his part ) of his promise . At the end of 70 yeeres , libertie of returne from Babylon to Hierusalem was proclaimed , in the first yeere of Cyrus the Persian Monarch : whereupon , many did returne , under the conduct of Zorobbabel . Being come home to Hierusalem , we may not conceive that they wer not at all touched with sense of their deliverance , or of the sinnes which had formerly provoked the Lord to cast them into that great bondage out of which they were delivered . Well , on they go ; first , to offer sacrifices in the right place , Although the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was not yet laid . In the second yeere of their coming Zorobbabel began to set forward the work of the house of the Lord , and the foundation was laid . But the adversaries of Iudah ( the Great Officers of the Kingdome under the King of Persia ) apprehending , or rather pretending , the going on of this building to be matter of prejudice and danger to that Monarchy , they procure a stay of it , upon reason of State ; so as it was well nigh an hundred yeers ere they got libertie to go on again , and it was above an 100 yeeres before the Temple could be finished . For , as many exact Chronologers observe , the Temple was not perfected in the reigne of Darius Hystaspis , as some have thought ; but in the sixth yeere of Darius Nothus , between whom and the former Darius , both Xerxes ( the husband of Esther , and called in Scripture Ahashuerus ) and Artaxerxes Longimanus successively swayed the Persian Scepter . In all which time , many things were amisse ; Crueltie , Oppression , Adultery , Mixture with strange wives , and other great deformations remained . Then comes Ezra , after the Temple was finished , and somewhat he did , to set forward the work of Reformation , in the seventh yeere of Artaxerxes Mnemon , successor to Darius Nothus . And yet , there was much more to do . After him therefore , comes Nehemiah , in the twentieth yeere of the same Artaxerxes Mnemon ; and , after all the former endeavours , he findes the Church still weltring in her bloud , and even wallowing in her owne gore ; I meane , in most of her old and long continued sins ; ( although cured of Idolatry ) so that still there was great corruption in doctrine , in worship , and in manners . Whereupon he now resolves , and sets upon a more thorough Reformation of all these ; but could never effect it , till beside the proclaiming , and holding of a publique Fast , he and all the people lighted upon this course , namely , of entring into a publique and solemne Covenant with the Lord , subscribed , sealed ▪ and sworne unto , as before you have heard : and so , from that time forward , the worke prospered , and the Church was purged of many abominations , wherewith till that time she was defiled . Behold here , Quantae molis erat dilectam condere Gentem , how great a work , how long a businesse to perfect a Reformation even of Gods deerest people . Their captivitie in Babylon lasted not halfe so long time , as was spent after their returne thence , ere their Reformation could be brought to any tolerable perfection . And why so ? Did they omit prayer , and fasting , and seeking early after God ? surely no . For , in Zach. 8. 19. we read of foure severall publique Fasts , ( * The fast of the fourth moneth , the fast of the fifth moneth , the fast of the seventh , and the fast of the tenth moneth ) which they held , not only by all the time of the 70 yeeres captivitie in Babylon , but many yeeres after their return thence , Zach. 7. 3. and vers. 5. But all this labour was in great part lost , for want of this addition to all their humiliation , and prayer ; namely , The joyning of themselves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant not to be forgotten . And when God once directed Nehemiah to this course , see , how all things began to thrive and come on a maine . Now , not only the Temple , but even the walls of Hierusalem were built up , ( and that within one twelve yeeres after this Covenant was smitten ) which before lay wast many scores of yeeres . Let us now reflect upon our selves , and the State of Religion , and progresse of Reformation in our owne Church , that we may make up the Parallel . Some beginnings of our deliverance from Babylon , we received by King Henry the eighth . For , he threw out the Pope . His sonne King Edward the sixth came after , and cast out Popery , in the body and bulke of it . A great work , and a large step , for the short time of his infant reigne . And indeed , he had many excellent helps that way , ( beside the zeale of his own pious heart ) an Excellent Archbishop , a Prudent and vigilant Protector , beside others ; else he could never have done so much . Notwithstanding , the potency and secret underminings of those mightie Factions then prevailing , hindred the work not a little , so that it exceeded not an infant-Reformation ; yea , through the immature death of that Iosiah , it soone prov'd abortive . The Princesse that came after , quickly turn'd the Tide , before it was half high water : and she set all the Gates wide open againe both for Pope , and Popery to re-enter with triumph , and to drink drunk of the bloud of our Ancestors , till God discharged her , and released his people from her crueltie . So that when Queene Elizabeth ( that glorious Deborah ) mounted the Throne , although her heart was upright and loathed the Idolatry of the former Reigne , yet found she worke enough to restore any thing at all , and to make any beginnings of a Reformation . She soone felt , when she would have throughly pluckt up Popery both root and branch , ( superfluous Ceremonies , and all remaining raggs of superstition , as well as grosse Idolatry ) that she had to do with an Hydra , having such a strong partie of stout Popelings to grapple with at home , and such potent and dangerous abetters of them , to cope withall abroad . I need not name them . I might adde hereunto , some difficulties arising from the interests and engagements of not a few of those ( though good , and holy men ) that underwent voluntary exile in the heat of the Marian persecution ; who , while they were abroad , had a large share in the troubles at Franckford ; ( too eagerly , perhaps , pursuing the English Formes of Worship , and Discipline ) and so , when upon their returne , they were advanced to places of Dignitie , and Government in this Church , they were the more apt and forward to maintaine and hold up that Cause wherein they had so farre appeared , and for which ( some of them ) with more heat than Charitie had so openly declared themselves , in forreine parts . And so , what by one impediment , and what by another , we see it hath been a long time ere our Reformation can be thoroughly polished and perfected as were to be wished and desired ; for there is nothing so perfect , here , but is capable of more perfection . Nay , so farre are we become now from going forward with the work , notwithstanding the pietie and care of our Princes since the last Restitution of Religion in this Kingdome , that ( as it was in Iosiahs time , though his own heart were for God , yet there was a pack of rotten men , both Priests and People , very great pretenders to Devotion , but indeed mad upon Images , and Idols ) we begin to fall quite back again ; and , not only to coast anew upon the brinks of Babylon , from whence we were happily delivered , but even to launch out into her deepest Lakes of superstition and Idolatry , under pretence of some extraordinary pietie of the times , and of some good work in hand . What is the reason of all this , but that ( not so much as once ) since the first beginning of Reformation of Religion in this Island , we never ( for ought I know ) entred into such a solemn , publique , universall Covenant to be the Lords , as he requireth for those beginnings already given us ; but have sate loose from God , and so have not joyned together as one man , zealously to propugne his trueth and Ordinances , and to stand by him and his Cause , as becomes the people of God , in all just and warrantable wayes , against all opposers and gain-sayers . So long as we please our selves in this libertie of our holding off from a Covenant with God , we may feed our selves with vaine hopes of redresse of things amisse , but shall speed no better than those libertines and back-sliders in Ier. 14. who lookt for great matters from God , but came short of all , and then seemed to wonder at the reason . For , thus they bespeake him , ver. 8. O the hope of Israel , the Saviour thereof in time of trouble , why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land , and as a wayfaring man , that turneth aside to tarry ( onely ) for a night ? Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied , as a mighty man that cannot save ? yet thou O Lord , art in the midst of us , and we are called by thy name . See here how they are put to it . They acknowledge his Power , Goodnesse , Presence , yet they are not saved . He seemes to be like Sampson , with his Locks cut off , as if he were not able to save , or would not do it : and this they wonder and stand amazed at , as a thing incredible , and impossible . But , God makes them a short and sharp answer , ( which may also serve us ) vers. 10. Thus , saith the Lord , have they loved to wander , they have not refrained their feet ; therefore the Lord doth not accept them . If God be as a wayfaring man ; sometimes with a people , more often gone from them ; sometimes blessing , sometimes crossing them , and suffering them to fall under heavy pressures , and never keeps an even and setled station or course of proceeding with them , it is but that he hath learnt from themselves ( as I may so speake : ) they will be their own men ; they will not be tyed to him so strictly ; they will have some libertie for their lusts , for the world , for the devill , for any thing : and loe here is the fruit of it , God will not be bound to , nor walke with them ; he will not draw out that strength , that goodnesse , that compassion which might deliver them from the evils they howle under ; He will neither heare them , nor any body else for them ; not Ieremy himself , vers. 11. not Noah , Daniel , and Iob , Ezek. 14. Nothing therefore , but a more solemne and strict Covenant with God , will put us into a posture and condition capable of perfect redresse of our grievances , how faire so ever either now , or hereafter , we may seeme to be for it . This is the second use . Thirdly , suffer , I beseech you , a few words of Exhortation . The returning Iewes ( you see ) call upon all their Nation to enter into Covenant . Give me leave then , to call upon You the Representative Body of this whole Kingdome who stand here before the Lord this day to humble your soules , and let me also prevaile with you all , to joyne your selves , even this day , to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . Make this day , a day in deed , a day of Covenanting with God , and God shall Covenant with you , and make it the beginning of more happines than ever you yet enjoyed . Beloved , mistake me not , my meaning extends not to engage you in any Civill Covenant and Bond for defence of your Municipall Lawes and Liberties . No doubt you will be able to find meanes enow ( by the blessing of God ) to setle those things , in a legall way ; especially if you be carefull to Covenant with God . Much lesse is it my purpose to draw you into that late Ecclesiasticall Oath and Covenant ( enjoyned by the late Canon ) which in my apprehension is little lesse than a Combination and Conspiracy against both King and State . My businesse is , meerly to perswade you into a Religious Covenant with God , as himselfe hath prescribed and commanded ; and , his people , in the best times of Reformation , have readily admitted : namely , every man to stirre up himself & to lift up his Soule to take hold of God , to be glued and united to him , in all faithfulnesse , sincerity , care , and diligence , to be onely his for ever . This if we doe , we need not care much for other Covenants : God will provide for that , and make a league for us even with the beasts of the field , and with the stones of the street ; he will make our Exactors peace , and our Officers righteousnesse , violence shall no more be heard in the Land , nor wasting , nor destruction within our borders ; our very walls shall be salvation , and our Gates praise . He will be a God of Covenants , and take care for our estates , Lawes , liberties , lives , children and all that belong to us , when once this is done . Therfore I beseech you , yea , I require you in the name of the God of heaven , whose you are , whom you serve , before whom you stand , and from whom you expect salvation in the midst of the Earth , as well as in heaven , that you forthwith enter into this bond . Expect no assistance , no successe in any of your Consultations , in any Lawes that you agree upon , till you have fully brought your hearts to this point , to follow the Lord fully ; to be no more for your selves than you would have the dearest wife of your bosome to be for any other man in the world ; but , to be wholly for the Lord , to imploy and improve all your wit , abilities , industry , Counsells , actions , estate , honour , and lives to promote his service and honour , what ever become of your selves and yours for doing of it . Say not as some Jeerers ( of whom it is hard to judge whether their malice or ignorance be the greater ) doe , that there needes no more Covenants than what we made in Baptisme , and that all other Covenants savour strongly of faction and the Puritan Leaven . For , so Gods people of old made a Covenant ▪ by Circumcision , and after by Sacrifice , that is , in every sacrifice which they offered , they did renew their Covenant begun in Circumcision . Neverthelesse , God thought it necessary often to call them out to strike another solemn Covenant with him besides the former . You have already heard that so soone as the Israelites were gone out of Egypt , & entred a little way in the wildernesse , he put them upon a Covenant . When he brought them neer to Canaan , he required another solemne Covenant of them . And when Ioshuah had brought them into Canaan , and divided to each of them the lot of his inheritance , he drew them into another solemne Covenant . Iosh. 24. So that here was Covenant upon Covenant , and yet can no man ( without blasphemy ) charge it with any Puritan humour , faction , or any thing superfluous or uncomely for the Greatest on earth to submit unto . That I may a little more enforce this duty , and quicken you to the imbracing of it , give me leave to present you with some Motives further to presse you to it , and with some few Directions to guide you in it . 1. For , Motives . Consider . 1. how many , great , admirable , and even miraculous deliverances God hath given us ; What great things he hath done for us . No Nation under heaven can say more to his praise , in this kind , than we have cause to do . Our Great deliverances out of Babylon , from the Spanish Invasion , from the Gun-powder Treason , and from many other evils and feares , do all call upon you for a Covenant . Yea , even the present Mercy and Opportunitie of opening that Ancient , Regular and Approved Way of cure of those publique evils that threaten confusion and desolation to all , pleades hard for the same dutie . But , among all these , I desire You of that Great and honourable Body of the Parliament , to reflect sadly upon that Stupendious Deliverance from the Gun-powder Treason , which more especially and immediately was bent against You. For , albeit the ruine of the whole Kingdome was in their Eye who were the Cursed instruments of Antichrist , and of the Devill his Father , in that hellish Designe ; yet , no blow could have come at us , but through Your sides . And , albeit some of You that have the honour to be members of this present Parliament , were then unborn ; yet , had that Plot taken effect , scarce any of You had been this day in being , to have sate there now , but had long since been covered and buryed under the ashes of confusion . Thinke now , whether such a preservation deserve lesse at Your hands , than to give Your selves to your Great Deliverer , for so Great a Deliverance , whereby three Nations destinated at once to Death , received no lesse than a joyfull resurrection from the Dead , and were again born at once . Therefore , let not this Great mercy seeme small in Your eyes . And , remember too , that you may have as much need of God another time : nay , you know not what need you may have of him this present Parliament . You cannot be ignorant of the many murmures and more than whisperings of some desperate and devilish conception suspected to be now in the womb of the Jesuiticall faction : And , how neere it may be to the birth , or how prodigious it may prove being born , I take not upon me to divine : but this we are all sure of , that what ever it be which they are big withall , it shall not want the least graine of the utmost extremitie of malice and mischiefe that all the wit , power , and industry of Hell it self can contribute unto it ; and , that they labour , as a woman in travaile , to be speedily delivered of it . What dangers , and what cause of feare there may be at the present , I leave to your Wisdome to consider . But this be confident of , if Deliverances already received can prevaile with you for a Covenant , that Covenant will be your securitie ; for it will certainly engage all the power and wisdome of the Great and only wise God of heaven and earth to be on your side for ever . So that if God himself have power enough , wisdome enough , and care enough , you cannot miscarry ; no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper , no plot , no gates of hell shall prevaile against you . And , if he have goodnesse enough , mercy enough , bowels enow in him , he will then also , raine down aboundance of trueth , righteousnesse , justice , peace and plentie upon all Corners of the Land from whence , and on whose errand , You are now come together . Therefore it becomes you , above all others , to be first in a Covenant . 2. Consider that , till we do this , there cannot be such a full enjoying of God , as otherwise there might be . Indeed , the perfect fruition of God is not to be expected till we come to heaven , but yet we might have much more of God , even in this life , than now we have , could we be perswaded to such a Covenant with him . Whatsoever experience we have of him now in any deliverance bestowed , it would be doubled , if , upon the deliverance received , we would thus be joyned to him . Nor is this a notion or conceit only , but a reall trueth . For , marke what He saith to his people , Hos. 2. vers. 19 , 20. I will marry thee unto me for ever , I will betroath thee unto me in righteousnesse , and in Iudgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies , I will even marry thee unto me in faithfulnesse , and thou shalt know the Lord . He that enters into Covenant with God , is betroathed , yea even married to him : And how married ? even to the partaking of all his goods , of all he hath , yea of himself , and of all that he is . As the wife may say , Vbi tu Caius , ego Caia ; and , as Laban sometimes , of Iacobs wives , children , and cattell , These daughters are my daughters , and these children are my children , and these cattell are my cattell , and all that thou seest are mine : So a man once married to the Lord by Covenant , may without arrogancy say , this righteousnesse is my righteousnesse , this judgement is my judgement , this loving kindnesse , these mercies , this faithfulnesse which I see in thee , and all that thou hast is mine , for my comfort , supply , support , direction , salvation , and what not ? And take notice of that phrase , Thou shalt know the Lord . Did they not know him before ? Yes ; but never in such a manner , with such a Knowledge , at least in such a measure . They shall now know him in such neere , familiar , sweet and ineffable expressions of his deerest , deepest , choycest conjugal love , as they never tasted , nor could taste of before . We know how it is with a wife married to a loving husband . They loved one another before marriage , and many expressions of a speciall love passed betweene them , but they never enjoyed one another fully till the marriage was solemnized . Then , there is not only a more intimate manifestation of fervent , intire , loyall , chaste love ; but a further enlarging and stretching out of mutuall affections to each other , than they could possibly have beleeved they should ever have reached unto , till now experience assure them of it . And even thus it is between us and God . Is he Good in deliverances ? have we tasted of his love already ? Oh how great would his goodnesse be , how full of grace , mercy , bountie ; and , how would he communicate even whole rivers of all these to that Soule that would once come up to him , and close with him in an everlasting Covenant ! All the wayes of the Lord are mercy and trueth , unto such as ( make , and ) keep Covenant with him , Psal. 25. 10. 3. Consider that what ever worke God calls You to , Yee will never buckle thoroughly to it , till you have entred into Covenant with him . An apprentise boy when he goes to a Master upon tryall onely , his minde is now on , then off againe ; sometimes he could like the trade , by and by his minde hangs after his Mother at home , or after some other course of life , and he never sets close to his businesse , till he be bound . When once the Indentures be sealed , and he enrolled , he knowes there is now no more time to deliberate , but he must fall to his busines , or else take what happens for his idlenesse and negligence . So is it with a wife ; if she be but onely promised , or betroathed to a man , she may come to his house , and cast an eye up and downe ; but it is rather to observe , than to act : she may perhaps cast out a word now and then somewhat freely also ; but she never sets her selfe to guide the house , or to doe any thing to purpose , till she be married : then , she careth for the things of the world ; that is , with all possible diligence looking to , and managing of the businesse of the family committed to her , how she may please her husband : all her thoughts , care , diligence run this way ; she makes it her businesse that she must stick unto , and daily manage as a part of the marriage Covenant . And thus also it will be with you . You have much worke under your hands , and are likely to have more ; and I hope you desire to doe all in truth of heart , for God , and not for ends of your owne : but let me tell you , this will never be done throughly till once you be marryed to him by solemne Covenant . Then , will you care indeed for the things of the Lord , how you may please the Lord , in every cause , in every Answer to any Petition , and in every Vote of any Bill , or sentence . You would then think , when you come to manage , debate , vote , any Question , I am the Lords , not mine owne , not my friends ; will this I doe , stand with my Covenant ? will it please God ? will it be profitable for the State ? is it agreeable to Justice and equitie ? Then , on with it , no man shall divert , or take me off . But , till then , one will entreate for his friend , another for his ; one will make you one way , another would draw you another way ; and they are both your friends , and you knowe not how to deny either : and thus are you even torne in peeces betweene them , in so much as you sometimes resolve to be absent , or to sit still and say nothing ; or , to gratifie him that hath most power with You , be the Cause what it will . But when once the Covenant is sealed , all this will be at an end ; You will quickly stop your eares against all perswasions that may hinder Justice and Reformation ; and , when this is known , men will soone forbeare also to trouble You with such solicitations . Againe fourthly ; Wicked men stick not at a Covenant with death and hell it self , so they may but satisfie their Lusts ; though they know the end thereof will be damnation . Oh then shall not we much more make a Covenant with our God to do his will , which will be beneficiall and comfortable both here and hereafter , and procure a full torrent of his mercies , bountie , grace , and eternall life , to flow in upon us ! 5. Consider that the Devill himself will have a Covenant from all his vassals that expect any extraordinary matters from him ; else , he will not be engaged to be at their Command . There is not a Witch that hath the Devill at her beck , but she must seale a Covenant to him , sometimes with her bloud , sometimes by other rites and devices , and perhaps he must suck her too ( as in those hellish bargaines you know they use ; ) and then , he is for her , during the time agreed upon . And shall we think God will be so cheap , as to be ( with reverence be it spoken ) at our Command , to help , direct , assist , deliver and save us , who will not do so much for him as Witches and Sorcerers will do for the Devill ? In the 45 of Isay , vers. 11. there is a strong expression this way ; Thus saith the Lord , the Holy one of Israel , and his Maker , aske of mee things to come concerning my sonnes , and concerning the work of my hands Command ye mee . It is not to be thought that God complementeth with his people , but is free and heartie in the expression of what they shall really find him . But marke ; it concernes his Sonnes ; that is , those that are truely in Covenant with him . This priviledge is for none else . So that the way to have God at Command , ( with humilitie be it used ) is to be his sonnes and daughters by Covenant . For , to whom it is said , I will be their God , and they shall be my people , to them is it spoken , I will be a father unto you , and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters , saith the Lord Almightie , 2 Cor. 6. 18. And to them he saith also , Command ye me . 6. Consider that it is the proper and chiefe businesse of a Fast , to enter into Covenant with God . You see it to be the practise of the Church in Nehemiah's time . And where this hath been omitted , the Fast hath been lost . God never accounted any of those foure annuall solemne Fasts before mentioned , that were so long in use among the Jews , to be fasts unto him ; but calles them fasts to themselves , Zach. 7. 5 , 6. Why , but because they looked no further in their Fasts , but to afflict their soules for a day , to bow down their heads as a bullrush , and to spread sack-cloth and ashes under them , and there an end . But they lost all their labour , getting nothing from God but a chiding , and contempt . And in trueth , when will we thus joyne our selves to the Lord , if not at a Fast ? Then , are our hearts in more than ordinary tune for such a work , when we are brought to set our sinnes before us , and humbly to confesse , bewaile and renounce them ; when we have taken some paines with our Soules to soften , and melt them before the Lord ; especially if then they be in any measure raised up towards Him with any apprehension of his love in the pardon of so many and great sinnes , even when the Soule is most cast down for them . Then , I say strike through the Covenant , or it will never be . If you let slip this opportunitie , you may perhaps never obtaine the like while you live ; but either your selves may be cut off , or your hearts shut up in desperate hardnesse , like unto Pharoah , whom every deliverance , and new experience of Gods favour in taking off new evils , hardened more , and made worse . 7. In the last place ( and let it not have the least force of perswasion ) remember and consider that this day , even this very day , the 17. of November , 82. yeeres sithence , began a new resurrection of this Kingdome from the dead , our second happy Reformation of Religion by the auspitious entrance of our late Royal Deborah ( worthy of eternall remembrance and honour ) into her blessed and glorious Reigne ; and that , from thenceforth Religion thrived , and prospered under her Government with admirable successe , against a whole world of oppositions from Popish factors at home and abroad : So as the very Gates of hell were never able to extinguish that Light , which God by her meanes hath set up amongst us . Consider I beseech you , that it is not without a speciall Providence that this your meeting was cast upon this very day ( for , I presume , little did you think of the 17 of November , when you first fixed on this day for your Fast ; ) that , even from thence , one hammer might be borrowed to drive home this nayle of Exhortation ; that the very memory of so blessed a work begun on this very day , might throughly inflame you with desire to enter into a Covenant ; and so , to go forward to perfect that happy Reformation , which yet in many parts lyes unpolished and unperfect . Oh suffer not that doore of hope by Her set open this day , to be again shut , for want of a Covenant . If you would indeed honour Her precious memory ; yea , honour God and your selves , and not only continue the possession of what she ( as a most glorious Conduit pipe ) hath transmitted to us , but perfect the work ; set upon this duty of joyning your selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . And so have you the Motives . 2. I shall now shut up all with some few Directions to help us in it . And here , passing by what hath been already spoken touching the preparatives to it , the Substance of it , and the properties required in it , I shall only give you these sixe subsequent Directions . 1. Give a Bill of divorce to all your Lusts , or kill them out-right . This Covenant is a marriage-Covenant , and there is no marrying with God , so long as your former husband , your base corruptions , your swearing , riot , drunkennesse , uncleannesse , pride , oppression , and what ever else your soules know to be the plague of your own hearts , remaine alive and undivorced . For the woman which hath an husband , is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth : but , if he be once dead , she is free from that Law , Rom. 7. Therefore send these packing , in the first place . A wise man will never marry a strumpet , nor with any woman , that hath another husband : his wife that shall be only his own , none else shall have interest in her . Much lesse then , will the Holy and Jealous God admit of any Spouse that is wedded to any lust , and so continueth . Say then , what wilt thou now do ? wilt thou still keep thy darling lust ? Hast thou been a swearer , and so thou wilt be ? a drunkard , an uncleane person , an oppressour , a prophane Esau , and wilt be so still ? Know , that God will none of thee , but abhorres all such as thou art . He will admit none into Covenant but such as touch not the uncleane thing , but separate from it . To them only it is , that he promiseth , I will be their God , and they shall be my people . 2. More especially purge out and cast away ( as a Menstruous cloth ) all Idols and Idolatry in particular . All our Lusts are lothsome to his stomach , but nothing is so abominable to his Soule , as Idolatry . This is that spirituall whoredome which meritoriously dissolves the marriage bond where it is already knit , and lies as a barre in the way to a Covenant with God , where yet it is not made . This was it for which the Lord proceeded so severely , first against the ten Tribes , and then against the residue , as you all know . For this , the Land spewed them out . And where ever God promiseth to recall them , he usually premiseth this , ( which should first be done ) From all your Idols will I cleanse you , Ezek. 36. 25. Ephraim also shall say , What have I to do any more with Idols ? Hos. 14. 8. and all shall cast them away with detestation , saying , Get thee hence , Isay. 30. 22. Every Idol is that great Image of Iealousy , which the Lord can by no meanes endure , and which will certainly be the destruction of King and People , where ever it is entertained , especially if againe received in , after it hath been once ejected . A sad example whereof we have in Iudah , where , after Iosiah had taken away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to Israel , and made all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord onely , the Act of Resumption of Idols and Idolatry by the succeeding Kings ( although it is probable they did it onely secretly like those in 2 Kin. 17. 9. ) became the ruine of those Kings , and Kingdomes . Beloved , let me speake freely , for I speake for God , and for all your safeties . You cannot be ignorant of the grosse Idolatry daily encreasing among us , and committed not ( as adultery ) in Corners onely , but in the open light ; people going to , and coming from the Masse in great multitudes , and that as ordinarily , openly , confidently as others go to and from our Chnrches . And I doubt not but some of you doe know the number of Masses to exceed that of Sermons . Whose heart bleeds not over this prodigious growth of Popery and over flowing of Popish Masses ? Who knowes not , that in the Masse is committed the most abominable Idolatry that ever the Sunne beheld in the Christian world ? Who remembers not with indignation and horror , how often that insatiable Idol hath bathed it selfe in the bloud of many of our Ancestors and Progenitors ? And can any be so silly as to beleeve , that it will rest satisfied till it swim againe in our bloud also ; unlesse we will joyne with Idolaters , and so perish in Hell ? For what ever some men talke of the possibility of the salvation of some persons in that Church , ( as they call it ) yet it is agreed on all hands , among us , that , for those of our owne Nation and once of our owne Church where the light hath so long shined in so much brightnesse , so as they have both received & professed it ; if they shall ( whether to gratifie a Parent , a wife , husband , friend , Master &c. ) put out their owne eyes , and returne backe to Babylon from whence they were once set free , their case is very desperate and dismall , and it had been better for them never to have knowne the way of righteousnesse , then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement once delivered unto them . Therefore I beseech you to take care of these above others . Nor speake I this , onely to prevent a publique toleration , ( which I hope , through the care of our Pious King , and your diligence , our eyes shall never see ) but to put on Authority to the utter rooting out of that abomination , although committed in secret ; and with connivence onely . If then you will not halt betweene Two opinions , if you will be thorough for God , and follow him fully , downe with all Idols and Idolatry through the Kingdome , so farre as the making of the Lawes yet more strict and full for that purpose , may effect it . Till then , you may , if you will , talke of a Covenant , and thinke to doe great matters : but that Great God who is so jealous of his glory in that , above all other things , will abhorre all Covenants with you . And if you , having now such opportunity and power , shall not throughly cleanse the Land of these spirituall whoredomes so boldly facing and even out-facing the glorious Gospell professed among us ; be sure , that , in stead of a blessing upon your Consulations and proceedings , you will draw downe a Curse that will cleave to you , and goe home with you , and featter like poyson over all parts and Corners of the Kingdome , till all be consumed and become a desolation . You all I thinke , agree upon the necessity of a great Reformation . Where should you begin then , but where God ever begins ? Looke into the Stories of Asa , Iehosaphat , Hezekiah , Iosiah , and even of Manasseh himself , ( the grosseft Idolater and most bloudy Tyrant that ever reigned in Iudah ) when once God had throughly humbled him ; and you shall ever finde that they began their grand Reformation at Idols , and Idolatry committed with them . I speake not this to backe or countenance any tumultuous or seditious spirits that have lately been stirred up to doe things without Commission ; but to You , whom God hath duely called to the worke , and indispensibly requires it at your hands . 3. Execute true Iudgement and Justice . Loose the band of wickednesse , undoe the heavy burdens , let the oppressed goe free , and break every yoke of the oppressor . This is a maine part of an acceptable Fast , and therefore must be performed of all that will enter into Covenant with God . And this was part of Gods Answer to the Jewes enquiring of the Prophet whether they should continue their solemne Fasts ? Zach. 7. Therefore herein deale impartially and throughly , for hereby the Throne it felfe is established . It is true , a difference must be put between those that are only led on in evill wayes by others , and those that are leaders of others : but it becomes not me to prescribe to you in this case , your own wisdome will teach you that . Only I am to pray you , that if you shall find any escapes to have been made in the Ordinary Courts of Justice , in the condigne punishment of Murder , and Idolatry , take notice of them , and there be sure to strike home , as Samuel did where Saul himselfe had been too indulgent . There is nothing makes you such faire Images of God ( in the relation you now stand ) as due execution of Justice and Judgement . Therefore , if you will indeed enter into a Covenant , let this be done . 4. Do your best to draw as many others as you can the same way . Parents and Masters are bound to take care that their children and families do feare , and serve God , as well as themselves . And You who now appeare before him in behalf of the kingdome , as you must enter into a Covenant for them as well as for your selves , so must you do your utmost that they also for themselves may passe under the same Covenant , with you . The representative Body of Israel that stood before the Lord to make a Covenant , in Deut. 29. 15. made it not only for themselves and such as were present , but for all that were absent also ▪ And Iosiah when he entred into a Covenant himself , he not only caused all that were present of Iudah at the house of the Lord , to stand to it , 2 Chron. 34. 32. But he made all Israel to serve , even to serve the Lord their God , vers. 33. that is , to strike a Covenant with him . Therefore take care that all others , when you returne home , may make a Covenant before the Lord to walk after him in all his Commandements : that God may be set up more and more , and the hearts of all men may be lifted up in the wayes of the Lord to take hold of his Covenant also . If you do not this , you do nothing : for more is required at your hands , than of private persons , who yet are bound to call upon others ( as the men in my Text ) saying , Come and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant . 5. Would you have this to be done , namely , that all should appeare before God in Zion , for this purpose ? Then set up Way-markes to direct them thither . Take speciall care that the Ordinances of God be set up , and held up , in more puritie , and plentie . Down at once with all inventions and fancies of men , which corrupt and adulterate the pure worship of God . Let none but He be worshipped , and let no worship be thrust upon him which himselfe hath not prescribed . Herein especially ( yet still within your bounds ) be zealous , and quit your selves like men . Above all , take better order for the more frequent , and better performance , and due countenancing of that now ▪ vilified ( but highly necessary ) Ordinance of Preaching , which , albeit it be Gods own arme and power unto salvation , is yet brought into so deep contempt ( and by none more than by those who should labour most to hold up the honour of it ) that it is made a matter of scorne , and become the odious Character of a Puritan , to be an assiduous Preacher . Yea , so farre have some men run mad this way , that it is held a crime deserving Censure in the highest Ecclesiasticall Court in this Kingdome , to tell but a few Clergy men out of a Pulpit , that it is an essentiall part of the Office of a Bishop , to Preach * . Some of you know that I belye them not . And is it not then high time to vindicate the honour of Preaching from those virulent and scurrilous tongues and pens , that have of late daies ( more then ever ) blasphem'd this Ordinance ; and , to take more pitie of the many darke and barren parts of this Kingdome , where many scarce have a Sermon in seven yeeres ; nay some ( as divers of worth do credibly report ) not in their whole lives ? Hath not God himselfe said plainly , a Where there is no vision the people perish ? Is it not his own complaint , b My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge ? And how so ? thus ; for a long season Israel had been without a teaching Priest , and without the Law , 2 Chro. 15. 3. And mark too , that while they had no teaching Priest they were without the true God also . For , there is no coming at the true God , in the ordinary way , but by a teaching Priest . c How shall they heare without a Preacher ? And d it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve : and e faith comes by hearing . Wherefore I dare pronounce , that while so many thousands within the Kings Dominions , especially in England , Wales , and Ireland , are still suffered to sit in such darknesse and in the shadow of death , and so to perish for ever for want of constant , sound , profitable Preaching , it is impossible that they should be capable of a Covenant with God ; or , that it may be truely said , that the maine body of these Kingdomes are in case to make a Covenant with him ; unlesse you , the Representative Body thereof , take more care than ever yet hath been taken in this behalfe . I know the many plea's of many idle droanes and mercilesse men to excuse and defend an unpreaching , or seldome-preaching Ministry ; but all their fig-leaves are too short to cover their own shame , and the nakednesse of those poore perishing people whom such men make naked , to their own destruction also . To tell us , that preaching indeed is necessary for the planting of a Church , but not so afterwards : is nothing but to bewray their owne sottish ignorance . Is not the word preached , the milk and food whereby men are , and must be continually nourished to grow up in the body of Christ , as well as the Seed whereof they are first begotten unto Christ ? And can men that are born , and living , live safely , or at all , without continuall supply of food convenient for them ? What fearefull trifling is this in a businesse of such high Concernment ! Good Iehoshaphar , when his heart was once lift up in the wayes of the Lord , tooke other order : for , he sent not only some of the prime Levites and Priests , who taught in Iudah and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them , and went about through all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people , 2 Chron. 17. 8 , 9. but with them , he sent divers of his Princes and chiefe Officers , Benhail , Obadiah , and sundry others , to see that this work should be effectually done , vers. 7. yea ( as our late Translation hath it ) he sent to them to teach in the Cities of Iudah : that is , that they should take as much care of the businesse , by putting on the Priests and Levites , as if they themselves in person were bound to do all the worke . And hence it was , that God gave this testimony of Iehoshaphat , that he walked in the first wayes of his father David , vers. 3. that he had riches and honour in abundance , vers. 5. and that the feare of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdomes of the Land round about Iudah , so that they made no warre against Iehoshaphas , vers. 10. So that , beside the spirituall benefit , a Preaching Ministry is one of the best advantages to secure a State ; it is ( you see ) not only an hedge , but walles and Bulwarks unto any Kingdome . And yet , as many of our blind guides and Idol Shepheards care not to erect Preaching where there is none , so doe they all they can to cheat and defraud those of it who doe or would enjoy it , sometimes by pulling it downe where it is set up , and ( to fill up the measure of their wickednesse ) glorying in it , when they have done ; sometimes by striking out the teeth of it , that if men will needes preach , yet it shall be to little purpose ; onely a frigid , toothlesse , saplesse discourse , never piercing deeper than the eare . If the Preacher come home to convince the Conscience of particulars that need reformation , ( which yet was the old course , and should be so still ) the Preacher is either derided as worthy of nothing but contempt , or else censured as indiscreet , rash , factious , and seditious . And least men should surfeit of preaching , how be all Sermons , in the afternoones of the Lord's dayes , cryed downe , as the markes of Iudaizing Puritanisme , and as a burden intolerable to the people ! Indeed , it is true , that when Authority first commanded the afternoones Sermon to be converted into Catechising , there was not onely no hurt done , but a wise and needfull course prescribed for the best edifying of popular Auditories . But as some have handled the matter , it is now become a great hindrance to edification . If a Minister would carefully and solidly open the severall heads of Catechisme , confirme them by Scripture , and bring them home by some short and familiar application most sutable to vulgar eares and Capacities ; I hold it simply the most profitable exercise ( at least for one part of the day ) that can be set up for the increase of sound knowledge and Piety : and pity it is that this is so much neglected . But this , say our new Masters , is worse than preaching . Therefore they enjoyne all to keep onely to the bare Questions and Answers of the Chila's Catechisme . And if any presume to adde any exposition or instruction , he is by some hurried from post to pillar , and censured as a pernitious Malefactor . And as they have thus thrust all preaching ( be it but Catecheticall ) out of the Church in the afternoones of the Lords day , so have they shut divers able , godly , discreet Pastors out of their owne Pulpits on the weeke dayes , even in Populous Townes , where the Ministers were willing to bestow their paines , ( and so for many yeares with great fruit and comfort to the whole Country had done ) gratis , for the refreshing of many hungry Soules who had no preaching at home in their owne Parishes , and dare not stirre thence on the Lords day to seeke it abroad . Nay , some of your Cathedrall Men are come to that passe , that when any Sermon ( such as it is ) is preached in the Cathedrall or Collegiate Church , no Sermon must then be preached in the Parish Church or Churches adjoyning , meerely to uphold the pompe and State of the Greater Church , and for feare of lessening the Auditory , or diminishing the honour of the Preacher , ( who many times deserves little enough ) where as not a fourth part of the Congregation ( by this meanes defrauded of Preaching in the Parish Church ) can possibly come within hearing , or ken of the Cathedrall Pulpitman . Oh Beloved ! are these , wayes to set forth Christ to the people for their salvation , to display God , in all his glorious Attributes and Perfections , and to bring them within view of the beauties and Excellencies of God in his Covenant and Communion with his people , so as to draw them to a Covenant ! Nay hence , hence it comes to passe that God is extremely dishonoured , his Name blasphemed , his day abominably prophaned , and his people run headlong ( like beasts to the Shambles ) by droves , to Popery , Anabaptisme , Familisme , Atheisme , and what not , that may cast , and lock them under the hatches of everlasting damnation . — Quis talia fando , Temperet a lachrymis ? — I know that some of those Step-fathers and hard-hearted Wretches , who be indeed the chiefe ( if not the onely ) cause of all this , blush not to attribute the daily falling off of multitudes from our Church , to over-much Preaching : but this is as rationall , as was his mad opinion touching Saint Paul , that much learning had made him mad . These are crying Abominations , that will cry as loud against you , as now they doe against the Authors of them , if you reforme them not . Wonder not at my length , and heate in this point . It is a matter of greatest Consequence , and of all other most proper for a Preacher to be zealous in . And give me leave to tell you , that this must be put in the head of the Catalogue of your weightiest Consultations at this time , if you desire ever to draw the people of this & the minions into any Covenant and Communion with God , or to setle any thing for the good of your selves and countryes . King Iames indeed took commiseration of the grosse ignorance of multitudes in the North parts of this Kingdome , and sent some Preachers at his owne charge among them . A Pious and a Noble worke ! But what through the unsetled wandrings , idlenesse , the superficiall and unprofitable performances of some of these Preachers , and what through the supine negligence of some in Authoritie who should have looked better to those itinerary Ministers , most of that labour and charge was little better than lost . For , some of you know , that in no parts of the Kingdome hath there been such an increase of Papists , as in those very Corners , where that sleight meanes was used to reduce men from Popery . I beseech you therefore by all the mercies of God , by all the Bowels of Christ in shedding of his deerest bloud for those precious Soules , who now , even by thousands and millions miserably perish in their ignorance and sins , that you would carefully reforme , or cast out all idle , unsound , unprofitable , and scandalous Ministers ; and provide a sound , godly , profitable and setled Preaching Ministry in every Congregation through the Land and the annexed Dominions ; and , to take no lesse care for their diligent and constant performance of their dutie both in life and Doctrine , as also for their liberall maintenance , ( that may be still capable of improvement , as the times grow harder , and commodities deerer ) that both themselves who preach the Gospel , and all theirs also , may cheerefully and comfortably live of the Gospel . And let us once see Zion built up , by your industry , in perfect beautie . Lastly , When you set upon this great businesse of a Covenant , see that you do it out of love to God , and with all your heart : else , it will come to nothing . If you would to Zion , your faces must be set , and setled thitherward . If you would make a Covenant , you must not be unwilling , afraid , ashamed to be accounted such Covenanters , but do it with a steddy , open , undaunted countenance and resolution . You must love the name of your God to be his servants , Isay 56. 6. You have seen how Asa and all his Kingdome did it ; they both entred into Covenant , and they swore it , with all their heart , and sought him with their whole desire , and he was found of them , and gave them rest round about . Thus if you do , God shall be set up , Religion advanced , your grievances removed , you shall heare no more such complainings in our streets . All blessings shall follow , not your selves alone , but the whole Kingdome , in our King and his Government , in your Consultations and proceedings , in the publique , setled , and glorious Peace , and prosperitie of both Church and State . The blessings of the Earth , in the Citie , the field , your bodies , posteritie , in all your goings out and comings in ; The blessings of heaven in the meanes of Grace , the beginnings and growth in grace , the light of Gods countenance which is better than life ; and , after all , even the fulnesse of both grace and glory in the full , cleare , and eternall fruition of God himselfe in the highest heavens , shall all compasse , and Crowne you for ever . Provided alwayes , that when once this Covenant is made , you take care that it never be forgotten , but heeded , minded , and performed ; that as you close with God , so you may alwayes continue with him . Then shall this whole nation and the children which are yet unborne praise and blesse the Lord for ever for this Parliament , and your endeavours in it . But I feele my self spent , and therefore must desist , yet with this hope , that my Reverend fellow-labourer designed for the other part of this worke , will begin where ▪ I leave , and set on with more strength what my weakness is not able to performe . FINIS . Errata . Pag. 30. lin. 28. read arct . pag. 45. lin. 2. 1. sit . errors in the pointing , correct , or pardon . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A30262e-200 Psalm . 82. * This was our joynt & earnest suit to You , in Preaching ; and we now again beseech You to set your hearts and hands to this work , as Benhail , Obadiah and other Princes in Iudah did . 2 Chr. 17. 7 , 8 , 9. Acts 20. 32. The Summe of both Sermons . Notes for div A30262e-940 The Preface , shewing the reason of the choice of this Subject . The Preface . Notes for div A30262e-1180 The Introduction to the maine Discourse . Introduction . Ier. 25. 11. 29. 10. Isay 49. 24. Jer. 51. 59. Omne malum ab Aquilone . 2 Chron. 36. 22. Actus . Modus . Finis . The maine Observation or Doctrine . 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quod fit . That it is so . Proved . 1. More generally . Exod. 19. 5. &c. 1. That it is so , in the generall . The first solemne Covenant which they passed into , was after their deliverance out of Egypt . Vers. 1. A second Covenant , about fortie yeeres after the first , when they came neere to Canaan and shortly after were to enter into it . * As Moses drew the people into a Covenant before their entrance into Canaan ; so did Ioshua also , after they were possessed of it , Iosh. 24. 25 , 26. So did Iehoiada , upon the deliverance of Iudah from the tyranny of that bloudy monster Athaliah , 2 King. 11. 17. 2 Chron. 14. a In 3. Reg. 15. qu. 11. The Vulgar hath it in the Text , ne esset Princips in Sacris Pri●pi . b Lyra is peremptory for this , ibid. c Hom. against peril of Idol . par . 3. Rom. 1. 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , &c. Wisd. 14. 23 , &c. to vers. 28. Minut. Foelix in octavio Athan . orat . cont. Idol . Tertull . in Apolog. cap. 15. B. Hall contempl. . in Asa. Lorinus in Levit. 18. p. 536 , Idem in Num. 16. pag. 572. Aliuque complures . 1. That it is so . * Some suppose her to have been his Grand-mother , others say she was his own Mother , of the same name with his Grandmother , which is more probable , because Scripture stiles her so . * Yea , sometimes upon consideration of Gods Judgements felt , or feared . 2 Chro. 29. 10. 2 Chro. 34. 31 , 32. 2. In speciall . 1. That it is so , in speciall . Vers. 31 , &c. 2. How it is so . 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Quomodo sit . How this is to be done . In a three-fold respect . 1. Of the disposition requisite to strike a Covenant with God . Whereunto is required 1. The asking the way to Zion . 2. How this is to be done . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * From {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to beseech or pray . 2. In regard of the manner . That is , 1. With intention of Spirit . * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He will no longer turne aside hither and thither , and goe about their villages and Cities . Tit. Bost . in Luc. 9. 2. With charitie towards others . 2. The Substance of the Covenant . Both in respect , 1. Of the matter . * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. In regard of the forme . Isay. 44. 5. Neh. 9. ult. * 2 Chro. 34. 31. 3. The Properties of the Covenant , which are two . 1. It must be everlasting for continuance . 2. It must be heeded , and not forgotten . Prov. 2. 17. Psal. 78. 10. Eccles. 5. 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Cu● sit . The Grounds , why it is so . These are of 2 sorts . viz. 1. Why , for any deliverance in generall . 1 God at such times gives clearest evidence of his readinesse to enter Covenant with us . 3. Why it is so , in the generall . 2. God is content to be bound first . 3. In deliverances God more especially manifesteth his fidelity in the Grand Covenant . Psal. 107. Levit. 26. 41 42. Ier. 31. 20. 4 No complete deliverance and happinesse , without a Covenant . 3. Why it is so See Iudges 10. from vers. 9. to vers. 17. 2 Why , for deliverance from Babylon , in speciall . 1. Babylon hath ever been the sorest enemy . 3. Why it is so , in speciall . 2. Such a deliverance implyes more than ordinary breach of Covenant on our parts , for which God formerly put us under such a yoke . * cap. 11. 18 , 19 , 20. Application Threefold 1. Vse , of Reproofe . Of foure sorts of men , viz. 1. Of such as think a Covenant needfull in trouble , but not after deliverance . Hosea 5. 15. 2. Of such as having means of deliverance think it enough to rid out of the way the instruments of their evils . Amos 5. 24. Isay. 14. 28. See 2. King. 28. 8. 3. Of such as thinke extraordinary Fasting and Praeyer sufficient , without a Covenant . Isa. 59. 11. Isa. 64. 6 , 7. 4. Of such as are convinced of the necessity of a Covenant , yet come not up to it . Hos. 13. 14. 2. Vse . Information , touching the chiefe cause why Reformation and full redresse of our evils goes on so slowly . Judg. 9. 23 , 24. Ezra 1. 1 , 2. Ezra . 2. Ezra . 3. 6. Vers. 8. Vers. 10. Ezra . 4. 1. Ezra 7. 7. Neh. 1. 1. Neh. 9. ult. and 10. 29. * Quarto mense Vrbs fuit expugnata , quiato autem fuerat excisum Templum & consumptum incendio : septimo mense interfectus tandem sint Godolias , qui st●lerat cum residua plebe qui collecta fuerat ab ejus manu . Iejunium autem decimi mens●● putant fuis●● institutum post urbem obs●ssam . Ergo jejunium mensis decimi , tempore alio praecessit , Calvin . in Loc. Non , quod haec omnia in eodem acciderunt anno , sed diversis annorum intervallis ▪ 3. Vse , of Exhortation . 3. Vse , Exhortation . Isa. 60. 1● . 18. Gen. 17. 10. Psal. 50. 5. Exod. 19. Deut. 29. Motives to a Covenant , 1. Our many Deliverances . Motives . 2. There can be no full enjoying of God , without a Covenant . Gen. 31. 43. 3. No buckling to the worke God calls us unto , without a Covenant . 4. Wicked men Covenant with Hell . Isay. 28. 5. The Devil himselfe will do no great matters for his vassals without a Covenant . 6. This is the proper worke of a Religious Fast . Nehem. 9. Isay 58. 7. This very Day began the second Reformation of Religion . Meanes how to enter into Covenant . 1. Give a Bill of Divorce to all your Lusts. 2 Cor. 6. 2. More especially cast out all Idols and Idolatry . Psal. 5. 4. Meanes . Ier. 44. 4. 2 Kin. 17. 2 Chro , 34. 33. 2. Pet. 2. 2 Kin. 17. 9. 3. Execute true Iudgement . Isa. 58. 6. 4. Draw others also . 5. Set up Way-markes to Zion . * But ab initio it was not so . The third part of the Hom. against the perill of Idolatry , speaking of the Bishops of the Primitive times , saith , that They were then Preaching Bishops , and more often seene in Pulpits than in Princes Palaces , more often occupied in his Legacy , who said , Go yee into the whole world , and preach the Gospel to all men , than in Embassages and affaires of Princes of this world , pag. 59. edit. 1623. a Prov 29. 18. b Hos. 4. 6. c Rom. 10. 14. d 1 Cor. 1. 2. e Rom. 10. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes. 4. Iam. 1. 18. 1 Pet 1. 23. When a Covenant is to be made , do it with all the heart ; and forget it not when it is made . 2 Chro. 15. 15. 
A52045	----	A peace-offering to God a sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament at their publique thanksgiving, September 7, 1641 : for the peace concluded between England and Scotland / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52045 of text R14789 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M766). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 110 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 29 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52045 Wing M766 ESTC R14789 12853988 ocm 12853988 94564 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52045) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94564) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 255:E173, no 31) A peace-offering to God a sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament at their publique thanksgiving, September 7, 1641 : for the peace concluded between England and Scotland / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 51 p. Printed by T. P. and M. S. for Samuel Man ..., London : 1641. Last page of item filmed with 255:E.173, no. 32. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms CXXIV, 6-8 -- Sermons. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sermons. A52045 R14789 (Wing M766). civilwar no A peace-offering to God. A sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, at their publique thanksgiving, Septe Marshall, Stephen 1641 19410 20 5 0 0 0 0 13 C The rate of 13 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Peace-Offering to God . A SERMON Preached to the Honourable House of Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT , At their publique Thanksgiving , September 7. 1641. For the PEACE concluded between ENGLAND and SCOTLAND . By STEPHEN MARSHALL , Batchelour in Divinity , Minister of Finchingfield in ESSEX . Psalme . 147. Praise the Lord O Jerusalem , praise thy God O Sion : for he hath strengthened the Bars of thy Gates , and blessed thy children within thee , He maketh Peace ▪ in thy Borders . Published by Order of the said House . LONDON : Printed by T. P. and M. S. for SAMUEL MAN , dwelling in St. Pauls Church-yard , at the signe of the Swan . 1641. TO THE HONORABLE House of Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT . THe mercies which God hath shewed to these two Nations of England and Scotland , giving us such great cause and matter of Thanksgiving , causing our sheafe to arise and stand upright , making us with Saul higher by the shoulders then all our brethren ; these mercies ( I say ) deserve so to be recorded , that posterity should be compelled to read and admire them : but who is sufficient for this thing ? It was said of Claudian , that he wanted matter suitable to the excellency of his wit : but where is the head or heart suitable to this matter ? Who can utter these mighty works of the Lord , who can shew forth all his praise ? For my own part had I put my self upon this work to utter these mean conceptions upon this great subject before so great and honorable Audience , I might justly have been condemned for abusing both the one and the other . But you were pleased to command my service in preaching on the day of your publique and solemne Thanksgiving , it may be because I was then neer at hand , and after your Reverent attention had testified that you received them as the counsell of God , you were further pleased expresly to desire me forthwith to print and publish what in my weaknesse I then delivered , I suppose for the better memoriall of these great deliverances ; I could have pleaded much , why these poore notes should not be exposed to publike view ; Treatises to be read by all , should be long meditated , often reviewed : Excellent pictures should be engraven in brasse , and not cast in clay : the setting forth these mercies , and quickning up answerable Thankfulnesse are above the Abilities of any man , much more beyond the capacity of my self , the weakest and unworthiest of many thousands ; But your Order left me not at liberty to do what I desired , you have thus made them your own , the more facile I shall hope to finde you , and all Ingenuous Readers towards my weaknesses , which not presumption but my obedience hath made thus publique . This further encouragement I have , little things have been accepted with God and man in testimoniall of Thankfulnesse ; a female , a Turtle , a handfull of wheat-floure by God himself ; a handfull of water , a bunch of grapes , &c. by great Kings and Emperours . And even under this Notion also I humbly present you with this ensuing discourse . I have no more to say for my self , but much I have to beg of God , that you ( Noble Senatours ) and the Right Honorable Lords , who joyned with you in this peace-offering , may wholly consecrate your selves to advance his glory who hath done these great things for us all , that your faithfull endeavours to do what is behind , joyning with your Thankfulnesse for what is past , the event may be answerable to your desires , even the glory of God , and the good and safety both of Church , and Common-wealth , which is the daily prayer of Your devoted servant STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED before the Honorable House of Commons at their publike Thanksgiving . The Preface to the SERMON RIght Honorable and beloved , It was a priviledge and mercie which the Lord promised by the Prophet Isaiah , That they should reioyce with Ierusalem who had mourned with her . This mercie the Lord hath in great degree vouchsafed to my self this day : the same good hand that cast it to be my lot ( though most unfit and unworthie ) to help this Honorable Assemblie in the day of their humiliation , to dig pits in the valley of Bachah , hath now designed me to sing with them in the valley of Berochah . That after I had helped to carry out their precious seed with teares , I should come with ioy and help to gather in their sheaves , that after our Lamentations we should together sing Canticles and Halleluiahs unto our God . Thus the Lord in mercie mingles rain and sunshine . Oh that we had hearts suitable to all his administrations ! The duty of this day , is to reioyce , and to give praises unto God , a service easier to the flesh , then that of fasting and mourning , but harder to the spirituall part . In a day of humiliation even wicked men have affections stirring in them , consciousnesse of evill , guiltinesse of minde , sense of wrath , astonishing and oppressing feares arising from the apprehension of neare and unavoidable danger , are naturall meanes to make even Pharaohs , Ahabs , and Ninevites mourne and humble themselves before God : But in keeping a day of spirituall reioycing unto God , little or no help is to be expected from the flesh , and that is one reason , why commonly dayes of thanksgiving are translated with much lesse affection , life , and savour then dayes of humiliation . You should therefore have chosen Asaphs , Ieduthuns , and Hemans who might skilfully have helped you to lift up the praises of God : but it s now no time to complaine of your choice , neither will it be needfull , if the Lord please to be present , who can make the tongue of the dumbe to sing , and can ordain his praise out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings : trusting therefore his assistance , I beseech you attend to his holy Word , as you shall finde it written . PSALME 124. verse 6 , 7 , 8. Blessed be the Lord , who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth . Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler , the snare is broken , and we are escaped . Our help is in the Name of the Lord : who made heaven and earth . I Studied to have found out a Text which might every way have been suitable with the mercies which this day we are to celebrate , but I confesse I could not do it , and I do greatly question , whether GOD ever did such a thing for matter and manner , as he hath now done for these two unworthy Nations . This Text which I have chosen comes very neare in the matter and way of our deliverance , very home to the duty which this day wee are to performe . The Psalme is stiled a Song of degrees , a title peculiar to fifteen short Psalmes set downe together , whether they bee so called because they were to bee sung with an exalted voice , or because they were to be sung upon the staires of the Temple where the Singers were to stand , or whether for the supereminencie of the matter contained in them , ( they being so full of short , grave , and pithy sentences , all tending to exalt the praises of God ) I know not : In this all Interpreters agree , that for this third and last reason they all deserve to be called Songs of degrees : and therefore any sentence of them will deserve and call for the highest degree of our reverend attention to the unfolding of it . This Psalme ( and three or foure other of these Songs of degrees ) was unquestionably penned by King David , who therefore counted himself the man raised up on high , because he was the anointed of the Lord , and the sweet singer of Israel , esteeming it a greater mercie that the Spirit of God spake by him , then that the Nations were subdued under him : But upon what occasion he penned it , whether historically , speaking of what was alreadie done , or prophetically , foretelling deliverances to come , ( either that out of Babylon , or that from Antiochus Epiphanes ) Interpreters agree not , but we need not trouble our selves about it , because ( when ever the particular storie fell out ) without question the Spirit of God intended it to suite the like condition of the Church in all ages : so that even we enjoying the same mercie , and called to performe the same duty , may say for our sakes no doubt this Psalme was written . The matter whereof , is that , which David usually cals a new song , even praise to our God , yea the most pleasant and comely praise , recording his dealing to his peculiar people , to his own inheritance in such mercies which he dispences not to other Nations ; and may all be reduced to these two heads . First , an Antecedent or a doctrine . Secondly , a Consequent or the use of that doctrine . The Antecedent or doctrinall part is laid down and explained in the five first verses , the summe whereof is , that God , and God alone is on his peoples side to deliver them in all their most deadly and desperate dangers . The Consequent or use of this doctrine is laid down in these three verses which I have read . Blessed be the Lord , &c. And it contains 2. branches . 1. Therefore his people praise him , because he is on his peoples side , ver. 6. 7. 2. Therefore his people will trust in this mightie God , who is alwayes their help in the time of trouble , vers. 8. The first branch or the use of thanksgiving , I have chosen to speak of this day , wherein ( for the more quickning of their souls to praise God ) the Prophet first repeates and illustrates the danger they were in before deliverance came ; and secondly , the author , time , manner , and way of their deliverance : and then thirdly , celebrates this mercie in his return of praises , Blessed be the Lord , &c. The danger they were in , is in this verse , and elsewhere in the Psalme set out by 3. sorts of comparisons , all expressing the strength , malice , and rage of their enemies , and their own nearnesse to be ruined and destroyed by them . First , they are compared to men , strong men , proud men , wrathfull men , whose rage was kindled , cunning men , subtill men , unweariable men , like men that go about to set nets and snares to catch birds , entangling them before they are aware . Secondly , they are compared to wilde beasts , that go roving and roaring about to catch their prey , whom there is no pacifying , they had almost swallowed us up quicke , A prey to their teeth . Thirdly , they are compared to the most masterfull and mercilesse creatures of fire and water ; their wrath was kindled against us , the proud waters had almost swallowed us . So that look what potent , cruell , cunning men can do ; look what ravenous wilde beasts , Lions , Tigers , Beares , Dragons , &c. are able to do ; look what fire and water , raging fire , and proud water , look what all these are able to do , and then you may judge what the Churches Danger was before Deliverance came . Secondly , The deliverance , the author , time , and manner of it , we have expressed in these words , God hath not given us a prey to their teeth , our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare ; the snare is broken , and we are delivered . The lastly follows the return of their praises for Gods needfull helpe in the time of trouble . The 2. first branches , their danger and deliverance I shall but briefly touch , taking them in , onely as a foundation or groundsill , whereupon the building of thanksgiving ( which we are this day to reare up ) may the more firmly and conspicuously stand . Their danger from these enemies thus described , teaches us among what neighbours Gods people live in this world , and what they are to expect from them . What ever the Lions paw or Foxes skin , open force and secret cunning is able to bring to passe , they must continually look to be put in practise against them , thus it ever hath been , thus it ever shall be till Christ have subdued all their enemies under their feet . The Jews when they dwelt in their own land of Canaan were thus compassed ; on the East they had the Moabites , Ammonites , Assyrians , and Caldeans , on the West the Philistines , on the North the Syrians , on the South the Arabians and Aegyptians , and these were all alike maliciously bent against them , and when ever God let any of them loose , they presently executed all that their wrath , strength , and policie could bring to passe against them . And just so hath it been with the Church of Christ ever since , they dwell among men that are set on fire , even the sonnes of men , whose teeth are speares and arrows , and their tongue a sharp sword . They are hated and persecuted of all men , so that what Paul said of his own case , the whole Church may say of hers , I know not the things that shall betide me , save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every Citie that bonds and afflictions abide me . And would you know the cause of it , It comes partly from the condition and qualitie of Gods people in this world , their lives and conversations are contrary to other men , they dare not runne with them to the same excesse of sin , this their neighbours think strange of , and this their holy life gives checke to others , and armes their consciences against them , and therefore they hate them . This you shall see in Revel. 11. 10. to be the cause why all the inhabitants of the earth were so mad against the two witnesses , ( that is ) the small number of them that bore witnesse to Christs truth , in the time of Antichrists apostasie , because these two witnesses tormented them that dwelt upon the earth , and partly the outward condition of Gods people is most what meane and contemptible ; they have indeed glorious things , but these are hidden from the eyes of the world , their out-side appeares as their Saviours did when he conversed here upon earth without forme or comelinesse , there was no beautie why they should desire him . They have little countenance from men , few of them are wise , noble , or mighty , but they are the foolish , weake , and base ones of the world . Now low stiles are easily troden down , every hawke dare flie at pigeon , any wilde beast run at a silly lambe . 2. And partly it comes from that inveterate hatred and enmity which God hath put betwixt the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman , from which enmitie it comes to passe , that the wicked can no more cease to persecute the righteous , then the troubled Sea can cease from casting up mire and dirt . 3. And partly from the devill , who as he reignes in all the children of disobedience , so where ever he is , he makes it his great work to make warre with the woman and her seed , which keep the commandments of God , and have the testimonie of Jesus Christ . Persecuting men often die , often have been reconciled : persecuting Kings and Princes have become nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers , but Satan never turnes Christian . Non semper saeviunt Nerones , sed nunquam cessat diabolus . The devill ever goes about like a roaring Lion seeking to devoure them . 4. Yea God himself hath ordered it to be so for his own glory , because he delights to rule amongst his enemies , and to make the wrath of man to turn to his praise , that he may shew his wisedome , power , and love in preserving his Lillie among the thornes , and to keep his bush ( though burning ) from consuming . Many are the uses which this lesson might teach us , I shall onely name these two as most agreeable to our present businesse . First , to admire , adore , and praise the wisedome , goodnesse , power , and care of God in the protection and preservation of his Church and people in the midst of so many and mighty malicious and impetuous adversaries . We are prone to wonder why Gods people walking so innocently and inoffensively should meet with so much hard usage , but alas could we read what is in the heart and purpose of all our ill neighbours , we should rather wonder that there is one godly man left in the world : In stead of thinking it strange concerning their fiery trials , ( as though some strange thing happened unto them ) we should with thankfull hearts daily sing this Psalme , were not the Lord himself on our side , we should instantly be swallowed up quick , the waters would overwhelme us , the proud waters would go even over our soul . Secondly , this may teach us all never to be secure , if we have escaped one danger , if we be come out of six troubles , and the seventh hath not been able to hurt us , if whole armies of our enemies be overthrowne , let us not hang up our armour upon the wall , grow not carelesse because the rod of him that smote us is broken , for out of the Serpents root will come forth a Cockatrice , and the fruit will be a fiery flying Serpent . God hath lately done great things for these two unworthy Nations , great enemies are quelld , great yokes are broken , blessed be his Name for it : but our enemies are not all dead , our adversary the devill who rules in all the children of disobedience , compasseth the earth , and goes about like a roaring Lion , seeking whom he may devoure : Be sober therefore and watchfull , and keep on the whole armour of God , that we may be able to withstand in the evill day , and having done all to stand . But though there be cause of watchfulnesse , a yet you will see there is no cause of distrustfull fear by that time I have briefly opened the next branch which is the author , manner , and way of their deliverance . God hath not not given us a prey to their teeth , &c. ( Where among many considerable things ) I shall onely commend to you these 2. observations . First , That they were not made a prey , because God would not give them as a prey to their teeth . Secondly , when they were as birds caught in the net and snared , God chose that for his time to break their snares asunder . The first affords us this comfortable lesson . That how potent soever , how cunning or malicious soever , the enemies of Gods Church are , how great , imminent , or unavoidable the dangers of Gods people are , yet they never can be made a prey , unlesse God will give them for a prey . All things seeme to meet that might make them a prey , yet because God would not give them to be a prey , therefore they were not made a prey . This is abundantly proved out of the Scripture , when ever God told his people they should be spoiled , it was added , he would deliver them up : When at any time they were spoiled , God is said to spoil them . God sold his people into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan . The Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian . God sold his people for nought , he made them a reproach , a scorn , and derision , he made them turn their backs from their enemie . So likewise when they desired deliverance from their enemies , they used to beg in these termes , that God would not deliver the soul of his turtle unto the multitude of their enemies , accounting all to depend upon Gods act , if God refused to deliver up his turtle , they feared none others catching or shooting his turtle . Most remarkable is that place in Deut. 32. 30. The Lord did there in that song tell the people what would betide them for their rebellion afterward , they should be scattered into corners , and be made a spoile to all their enemies round about them , insomuch that two or three of their enemies should chase a thousand of them , and a handfull of their enemies should put ten thousand of them to flight . Now whereas they might object and say , Is this according to thy promise , that thou madest in the 26. Levit. That thy people should chase their enemies , that five of them should chase an hundred , and an hundred of them should put ten thousand to flight , how comes it then , that one should chase a thousand of thy people ? Mark what answer God makes them in that 30. verse . This could never have been , unlesse their Rock had sold them , and the Lord had shut them up . If God say to one , Spoile them , shut them up , it is done presently . If God will not do it , all the world cannot do it . And the ground of it is plain , because God not onely is a wall of fire about them , keeps a watchfull eye upon them , carries them under his wings , and in his bosome , but even all creatures , all things which might hurt them , all their enemies who would hurt them , have such a dependance upon God , that ( not onely in him they live , and move , and have their being , but ) all their motions and operations are but as Tools in Gods hands . That although they seem to work from principles of their own , yet the truth is , they are but meerly as the ax and the sawe in the hand of God who useth them . This the Scripture speaks an hundred times . The great King of Assyria was but the rod of Gods anger , though his heart thought not so . And when he thought to do more against Gods people then God intended , God told him the Ax did but boast it self against him that hewed with it , and the sawe magnified it self against him that shaked it , and the staffe lifted up it self as if it forgot it self to be a piece of wood . And it must needs be so , else God were not onely and wholly to be trusted in , nor onely and wholly to be sought and prayed to , and consequently not onely and wholly to be acknowledged as God : Could any hurt his servants against his will , his servants must fear some others besides him , finde out any creature reasonable or unreasonable , Angels or devils , good or bad , who do or can do any thing otherwise then as second causes which are wholly carried by the first cause , and for my part I should acknowledge a Deitie in it , the creature should passe for a God , and Gods absolute soveraigntie would be denyed . Whereas the Scripture teaches us that not onely the hearts and wayes of ordinary men , but even the hearts of Kings which are most soveraigne and independant , and lots which are most casuall , are all disposed of by God , who works all in all . I note this for these two ends . First , to teach all that are in covenant with God in all the evils that betide them , to look further then the rod that smites them . Some cunning enemy undermines thy peace ; some foule mouth reproaches thy good name , some powerfull and malicious enemies spoil thy cattell , some fire burns up thy sheep and servants , some winde from the wildernesse smites the foure corners of thy house , and makes it fall upon thy children , some devil afflicts thy body with sore boyles , and thy soul with invenomed arrows . What shouldest thou now do ? contend with the instrument ? bite the stone ( like a dog ) that strooke thee ? Oh no! Remember Shimei could never curse David till God bade him . As●ur could never smite Israel till God used him as a staffe in his own hand . Satan could touch nothing that Job had , till God delivered it into his hand : No , not enter into an herd of swine till Christ sent him . Look not therefore to the creature , but with Job acknowledge it is Gods hand onely : The not having learned this lesson , is the cause of most of that sinfulnesse that is found in our ill-bearing of crosses , and makes us exceedingly wrong the creature , our selves , and our God most of all . 1. We wrong the creature , which is but Gods instrument , in over-fearing it , or over-grieving it , as if our weale or wo did come from it ; and so make an Idoll of it , attributing somewhat to the creature which is peculiar to God . Secondly , we wrong our selves , for ( beside a great deale of lost care , and griefe , and pains which increaseth our sinne , and sorrow in fretting at the Instrument , and gnawing the chain which tyes us , in knocking at a wrong doore , seeking help where it cannot be had ) we lose the good which God intends ; God never sends a crosse , but it is upon some arrand for our good ; Gods rod alwayes hath a voice ; Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it . Now would we hear God speaking by his rod , lie down at his foot , and say with Job , Shew me why thou contendest with me , we should then finde , that Gods correction would seal our instruction , to try us , to withdraw us from some sinfull way , and to keep back our soul from the pit , which , by not looking at Gods hand , we deprive our selves of . Thirdly , we wrong God most of all , when with our sinfull communicating to the creature a great part of that griefe , care , feare , desire , &c. which should be onely bestowed upon him , we do also hereby deny his providence , as if there could be any evill in the City , which the Lord hath not done . Secondly , since we never can be a prey till God will give us to be a prey , Keep in with God , and you are safe enough ; none shall arrest you , till Gods hand be to the warrant . We observe , since the beginning of the Parliament , many walk confidently abroad in the very face of Creditours , Bayliffes , and Sergeants , when they have got a lawfull Parliament-Protection , who before durst not shew their heads ; they know they cannot be arrested till their master puts them out of his protection . O how much more boldly may they walk who abide under the protection of the Almightie , who being called to great services for God , and endeavouring to walke faithfully in their work , may conclude that no Writ can be served on them on earth , till their masters hand have signed it in heaven . See how our blessed Saviour encouraged himself and his disciples by this argument in the 11. Joh. ver. 7. Christ told his disciples they must go again into Judea , why Master , say his disciples , the Jews of late sought to stone thee there , and goest thou thither again ? Now mark Christs answer , v. 9. Are there not twelve houres in the day , if a man walk in the day he stumbles not , because he sees the light of this world . The meaning is this ; That as they who travell by day , travell in safetie , so they that walk in the light of Gods call in any businesse , walk safe from danger : go about a businesse without a call , and we walk as at midnight . Men that have letters of publike faith , letters of safe conduct , dare go anywhere through troops of enemies , from one end of an enemies countrey to another : Go on therefore boldly , ( ye Worthies of the Lord ) do his work faithfully , there shall no evill befall you , nor any plague come nigh your dwelling , a thousand shall fall at your side , and ten thousand at your right hand , but till God put your Name in , till God say to plague , or pox , or feaver , or Traitors , or death , ceize upon such a Nobleman , take such a Parliament-man , they never can touch you . And I should expect Gods delivering you in displeasure to any evill anywhere sooner , then when your hearts and hands are employed in his service . The second observation is from the manner and time of their deliverance , God let them alone , untill they were almost in the teeth of the wilde beast , untill the bird was even caught in the Fowlers snare , and then he comes and snatches them as a prey from their teeth , then he breaks the Fowlers snare , and the bird escapes ; And that affords us this lesson . When Gods people are come to the greatest extremitie of danger , that is the time which God chuses for their deliverance . There are 2. branches in this lesson . First , God uses to let evils go on against the Church , till they come to extremities . Secondly , when the extremitie is come , then Gods help comes in . First , God lets evils run on till they come to extremity . I do not say God lets them alwayes come to extremitie , for then the Church should ever be in extremitie , her enemies are alwayes devising mischiefe against her : sometimes God crushes their intentions while they are in the shell : Thus Jeroboams hand withered , when he said against the Prophet , Lay hold of him . Thus the Emperour Valens could not write when he should confirm Basils banishment . Sometimes God meets them in the midst of their enterprise , and thus he put his bridle in the jaws , and his hook in the nostrils of Senacherib , when he was coming against Hezekiah . But oftentimes he lets his people come into great extremitie , Josephs feet are hurt in the stocks , the iron enters into his soul . The Israelites tale of brick shall be doubled . David shall be hunted like a Patridge in the mountains . The 3. Children shall be thrown into the fiery furnace . Daniel cast into the Lions den . The Decree for rooting out of the Jews established by the Law of the Medes and Persians , before any hope of deliverance comes . But then when extremity is come , the Lord never fails to be a help in the needfull time of trouble . All the former examples prove it ; Abundance of promises assure us of it . Our own experience can abundantly testifie it : Yea , I think , were all the examples in the world lost of Gods helping his people at a pinch , they might be all revived in the experience of Gods dealing with this unworthy Nation , especially in these two Instances which I shall give you . The first is , that of the Powder treason , when the neck of the whole State , the glory both of the Church and the flourishing Common-wealth lay upon the block , and the Instruments of death lifted up , and a few houres had done that which all the world could not have repaired : and our case so much the more helplesse , because all was done in the dark , we could suspect no danger . In that extremity our God sends his Angel , and delivers us from all the expectation of his enemies . 2. The other which is as remarkable , is this great mercie which we have now received , and this day come to celebrate : I speak to wise men , and therefore my words may be few , you all know our estates , our Liberties , our Religion , and what ever we may cal ours , were in a manner irrecoverably lost through the malice and practise of wicked Instruments , and a dreadfull cloud hath these two or three yeers been gathering , and hanging over our heads , continually readie to dissolve into showers of blood , the two Nations readie to imbrue their hands in each others blood , the most observing people in the Kingdome expecting nothing but certain ruine , and our neighbours round about us did conclude that we should soon be made the most desolate people in the world , help we could see none , our Prophets were growne fools , and our spirituall men mad ; The Judges and Rulers who should have been our help , had many of them their hands in the means of our destruction : We were tantum non : swallowed up in confusion : And when the foundations were thus dissolved , what could the righteous do , onely with Iehoshaphat mourne before God , and acknowledge , Lord we have no help , we know not what to do , but our eyes are towards thee : and now lo , our God hath brought all about , and wrought a great deliverance as we see this day . And would you know the grounds why it should be so , I could give you reasons enough , why God should help his people , they are his people , in covenant with him , he hath redeemed them by the blood of his Sonne , he hath promised to help them , their cause is his own , they betake themselves onely and wholly to his help . But why he should put off his help till a time of extremitie , why he should suffer his people to come to so lowe an ebbe , this is a thing which many wonder at . To satisfie you in this , I can never give a better reason then our Lord himself gives in the 11. Joh. There you shall finde when Lazarus was very sicke , sicke almost unto death , his two sisters sent a messenger to Christ to tell him , Lord he whom thou lovest is sick , they thought he whom thou lovest is sick was argument enough to fetch Christ presently , but though Christ loved Lazarus , he tarried two or three dayes , and sent this answer , This sicknesse is not unto death , but for the glory of God , that the Sonne of God might be glorified thereby , as if he should say , The true cause of this great sicknesse , and my delaying to come presently , is not because Lazarus should be tormented or killed , but because Christ should be glorified . So the very cause of Gods putting off and delaying to help , and letting things come to an extremitie , is not because he would have his people afflicted , and his enemies to triumph and be exalted , but it is to gain the more honour and glory to his own Name , to manifest his wisedome , power , love and goodnesse in creating deliverances for them . Such mercies as come in an ordinarie way are commonly interpreted to come from an ordinarie love , but mercies and deliverances coming in an unexpected time , in an extraordinary way and manner , in them Gods love and goodnesse is most apparantly seen and acknowledged . God loved Hezekiah as well at other times , as when he sent an Angel to kill nine score thousand of his enemies at one time , in one night , and when at another time , he made the Sunne go back ten degrees in the diall of Ahaz , making one day as long as two , in token of his deliverance . God loved the three Children as well at other times , as when he preserved them in the fiery furnace , so as the smell of fire should not be upon them . And Daniel was as deare to God at other times , as when he shut up the Lyons mouthes , that they could not hurt him . But his power over them , his mercie and goodnesse to them , his justice against their enemies , never was so exalted , as in deferring so long , & so unexpectedly helping them in their greatest extremity . Themselves not onely finde it , but their enemies are then constrained to acknowledge it . All Moses Sermons and threatnings could not make the Aegyptians so much acknowledge Gods being on his peoples side , as when they having promised themselves to overtake them to divide the spoile of them , to have their lust satisfied upon them , to have their hands destroy them , when they were entangled in the land , when the Wildernesse and the Sea had shut them in , God then came in and made the Sea a path for his people , and the waters a wall to them , but took off the Aegyptians Chariot wheels , and turned the waters upon them : Then they are constrained to cry out , Let us flee from the face of Israel , for the Lord fighteth for them against the Aegyptians . Thus you see this truth cleared , that God never fails his people in a time of need , let us briefly make these two or three Vses of it . First , for our Instruction we hence learne , that all plots against the Church and people of God must prove successelesse in the event , how wise , how cunning , how strong soever they are , who manage an ill cause against the Lord , and against his Church , though for a time with that little horn in the 7. of Daniel , they may be very stout , and speak very great things , and make warre with the Saints , and prosper : though they may carry the ball long at their foot , they can never winne the goale , God will come in an adversary against them , he will awake as one out of sleep , like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine , and put them to a perpetuall reproach . Search all the Scriptures , and you shall finde , that this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord , that no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper ; either their plot fails , or the thing which they intended is turned another way : Their plot failed not in the 6. of Daniel , they aymed to get Daniel into the Lions den , and in they got him , but they little thought that the event should be Daniels preservation and exaltation , and their own destruction . So the devill and his Instruments failed not in their plot in getting Christ upon the Crosse , but they little thought that this bruising of our Saviours heel should prove the breaking of the Serpents head , The redemption of the Church , and the leading of all the power of darknesse captivity captive . Mark this all ye wisemen and great Polititians of the world , that dare drive designes against the cause of God and his Church , write it down , and say your unworthy Minister taught you this day from God , Though ye take counsell together it shall come to nought , though ye speak the word it shal not stand , for God is with us . Hamans wife long ago could tell her husband , if Mordecai was of the seed of the Jews , he should never prevail against him , but should surely fall before him . Weigh therefore all your designes in the ballance of the Sanctuary , lay aside all carnall and sinfull projects , put your selves and all your reason under Christs footstool , take Gamaliels counsell , refrain from opposing those men , who advance Gods work , you cannot overthrow it , lest haply ye be found even to fight against God . Secondly , this may be a mighty and wonderfull refreshing to all the servants of God in their deepest and heaviest pressures and afflictions , though one deep call to another , though thou seem to be cast beyond the Antarctick pole , though all humane hope and help fail , though thy heart fail , and thy flesh fail , thy God will never fail ; though thou art at thy wits end , thou hast no cause to be at thy faiths end ; take Gods book in thy hand , finde out the promises , how God hath engaged himself to help at a pinch , and when thou hast got a promise of deliverance , then beleeve that heaven and earth shall be jumbled together , rather then one jot or title of Gods promise shall not come to passe in due time : Nay though he seeme to break his promise beleeve it not ; for so he seemed to do to Mary and Martha , he sent them word Lazarus sicknesse was not to death , and he seemed to fail , for Lazarus died , but they should have beleeved any thing , rather then that that sicknesse should have been unto death . Object . But what if I can finde no promise that God will deliver me out of this strait . I answer , either thou art in covenant with God , or not , if thou be not in covenant , if thou be an unbeleever , an impenitent person , I assure thee there is no promise in all this book of God that speaks one word of comfort to thee : All Gods promises are yea , and Amen to them who are in Christ Jesus : I should wrong God , and his truth , and thy soul , in speaking one word of comfort to thee . But if in truth thou reliest upon Christ , the bent of thy heart be turned to God , and so thou be brought under the line of his covenant , then I say to thee , if there be no promise for thy strait , thy strait is not greatly to be regarded . God hath made promises to deliver thee from every evill work , from what ever might hurt thee , and thou needst not feare that which cannot hurt thee . Thirdly and lastly , Right Honorable and beloved , how should this steel your spirits , and raise up your hearts , and make you with Jehoshaphat lifted up in the wayes of God : you have great works to do , the planting of a new heaven and a new earth amongst us , and great works have great enemies , they are attended with great dangers , and oftentimes great fears ceize upon the spirits of Moses himself , when he looks upon the work which he knows too great for him . But could you remember that you walk not onely under Gods protection , but under a promise that he will come in when ever you need him , how boldly might you place your help in the Name of this God who hath made heaven and earth : Set you your hearts to Gods work , God hath set his heart upon you to deliver you , and he can do it . Darius set his heart on Daniel to deliver him , and laboured it , but could not do it : But it is but for your God to command deliverance and it comes . I may say the lesse , because of all the experience you have had of Gods fulfilling this since your meeting together : how often have you been at your wits end ? how often have you ebb'd and flowed , and yet in all your extremities God hath come in beyond your expectation . Trust still in this God , seek him in his own way , and say thus with your selves , He is our rock , our fortresse , he will deliver us , his truth shall be our shield and buckler . Yet remember that I do not teach you , that ye can never be left to suffer in a good cause , that were to preach contrary to the Gospel , all Christs disciples must take up their crosse and follow him : you shall read in the 11. of Daniel , ver. 33. That they that understand among the people , and instruct many , shall fall by the sword , and by flame , by captivitie , and by spoil many dayes , and when they fall , they shall be holpen with little or no help , but yet mark what follows , their fall shall onely be as the silver fals into the furnace : There are three ends why the Refiner of silver puts it into the fire . First , to try it , whether it be pure or reprobate silver . Secondly , to better it , to purge out the drosse : Thirdly , to burnish it , to make it more beautifull . So these shall fall to try them , and to purge and make them white , neither shall it be so long as their enemies please , but even to the time of the end , to the time appointed by God . Resolve therefore upon it , that if ye do suffer , if evill do betide you in a good way , and for a good cause , your sufferings will be better for you , then freedome from sufferings , they shall be onely to try you , to purge you , and to make you white , and at the appointed time deliverance will come , which if it be a while deferr'd , you shall be liberally pay'd for your forbearance . Thus I have done with the second part of my Text , and now I proceed to the third Branch of my text , which I most aymed at , the use which the Church makes of this goodnesse of God , Blessed be the Lord , &c. The Hebrew word , Barach , when it is applied from the creature to God , signifies , Benedicere , laudare , offerre munus , To Blesse , to speak well of , to offer a gift , to praise . This is our work this day , and so without any more Preface , I come to handle that lesson which is our maine duty , viz. That the praising of God is the service which Gods people are to performe , when ever God delivers them . This is a Doctrine which needs much explication and application , but little proofe . No one lesson more inculcated in the whole Scriptures , frequently commanded , Call upon me in the time of trouble , and I will hear thee , and thou shalt praise me . All that seek the Lord shall praise him . Oh that men would praise the Lord for for his goodnesse , foure times repeated in one Psalme . At least an hundred times in one expression or other it is enjoyned in this book of the Psalmes . Oh praise the Lord , praise ye the Lord , pressed and repeated almost in every verse of diverse Psalmes ; as if the Prophet knew not what other duty to call for . 2. This duty was likewise typified in the old Law ; They had two sorts of sacrifices , shadowing out morall duties , some petitionary , whereby they sought God for the mercies which they needed : Others were Eucharisticall , peace-offerings , wherein their praises were rendred unto God , and these was to be as constant as their Supplicatory or Expiatory sacrifices . 3. The duty hath alwayes been practised by all Gods servants : the time would fail me to tell of Noah , Abraham , Jacob , Moses , all the good Judges , Kings , Priests , and Prophets , whose Hallelujahs were as constant as their Hosannaes . When ever they had sought God and found him , their next work was to magnifie and praise him . And for the rule and practise of the Christian Church , I shall passe by many exhortations and examples , and satisfie you abundantly with one place which is the fourth of the Revelation . That Chapter is a description of Christs presence in the Christian Church , and of all their service and carriage towards him ; there ye have the Lambe sitting upon the throne in the midst of his people , there ye have also , all the multitude of his Saints in all the foure quarters of the world , shadowed out by the foure beasts , there ye have the multitude of Christs Ministers , shadowed out by the foure and twenty Elders , sitting upon their seats : Now mark what all the service is which these foure beasts , and foure and twenty Elders perform to him that sits upon the throne , it is expressed , vers. 9. to be nothing else , but to give glory , honour , and thanks to him that lives for ever and ever : So that all Christian worship , publique , and solitary , whatever the corps of it be , the soul of it is nothing but honour , and glory , and praise to our God through Jesus Christ . Many reasons might be given , why praise and thanksgiving should be rendred unto God : All excellency and honour is his originall due : All good things are received from his hand freely : Now common honesty requires , that undeserved favours should be received with thankfulnesse . A benefit received , and a Return of praise are inseparable among all Civill Nations . But I shall insist onely upon this one . This service of praise is the onely Quit-rent or Homage which God hath reserved to himself for all the mercies which he bestows upon his Church . Vnderstand it , I beseech you , I say what ever the Lord doth for his Church and people , he hath reserved not a shoe-latchet , save onely his praise and glory . Which to understand , know that there are three things meet in every mercy . First , the thing it self which is given , suppose food , rayment , health , life , peace , wife , children , or what ever we enjoy . Secondly , there is the sweetnesse of it , the comfort which may be drawn out in the use of it . Thirdly , there is the glory of it , or the commendation that may arise from it , the honour or praise which exults out of it . The two first God freely gives away , he hath made nothing but he freely bestows , he gives heaven to the Saints and Angels , he gives the earth to the sonnes of men , he gives all creatures living upon earth for their use ; And allows them to take all the sweetnesse and comfort , which can possibly be drawn out of his free gifts , le ts them drink and be filled with the juyce and marrow of every mercie : onely his glory he will never part with , his glory and praise he will give to none . They say Quit rents and Royalties are so prized by Lords of Mannors , that they will not sell them under thirtie or fourty yeers purchase : But the Lords Royalty and Homage of praise and thanksgiving is more precious unto him then heaven and earth : In somuch that it is all one in his account , not to be acknowledged God , and not to be praised . Yea so deare is his praise and glory , that it was the utmost and highest end he propounded to himself in creating , upholding and governing this goodly frame of heaven and earth , even that his glory and excellency might shine forth , that as of him , and by him , so all things might be for him . And as all things were made for his praise , so the creature man was in speciall manner made to be a fit bayliffe or gatherer in of Gods Quit-rent of praises from all the rest of the creatures , and to pay it unto himself . And this David acknowledges in the 8. Psalme , and magnifies as an infinite advancement of man above all the rest of the creatures , that Gods glory which is above the heavens should be ordained to proceed out of the mouth of such a poore worme as man is . Nay if we look yet further into it , we shall finde that when all mankinde had sinned , and sell short of the glory of God , would not praise him , and could not praise him , the Lord therefore bought a peculiar family to himself by the blood of his Sonne , that he might have a people of his own to praise him ; who might while they are here upon earth , collect , gather in , and offer up the praises due unto his Name . And therefore he cals his redeemed ones his sonnes and daughters , which he hath created for his glory . This is plainly taught in the 22. Psalme , in the latter end whereof , ye have a description of the Church or kingdome of Christ , which ( as there is said ) shall be gathered out of all Nations , and all sorts of people , some that are fat and mighty upon earth , some of the poore that lie in the dust , who want bread to keep themselves alive , all these shall be counted to the Lord for a generation , a seed who shall serve him ; and what shall this service be ? even to declare and set forth his righteous works from generation to generation , here is all this holy seed hath to do ; first to seek him , then to praise him , to enioy him , and to glorifie him . So that what Solomon said of fearing God , and keeping his Commandments , this is the whole duty of man . The same I may say of thanksgiving , praise God and glorifie him , for this is the whole duty of the Church in this world ; And not onely in this momentany pilgrimage , but even to all eternitie : if you would know what the triumphant Church doth , how the glorious Saints and Angels are employed , this one word Hallelujah expresseth it fully , praise ye the Lord . And by this time , I hope you see good reason why our praises should succeed our prayers , and accompany our deliverances . But will some say , all this labour might have been spared , is there any man who will not praise God ? Doth the man live who is not willing and ready to give God the praises due unto his Name ? I answer . Indeed if to praise God were no more then most people think , it were the most universall , common , easie , cheap , and constant duty in the world , such who never kept a holy fast in all their life time , such who neither pray to God in their family , nor in their chamber , do yet ( if their carnall minds may be the iudge ) praise God an hundred times . Every day , their ordinary phrase is , I thank God , I praise God . Ask but of their welfare , well I thank God , they say : Enquire of their families , all well , I praise God : Every mouth is filled with the praises of God , blessing proceeds out of the same mouth which is full of cursing : young men and maids , old men and children can all praise God . But alas , most men are infinitely mistaken in this dutie , a thankfull man who can finde ? there is not in all the world a duty more rare to be found , a duty more spirituall , more difficult , more costly , then the duty of praise . Let me therefore ( that we may not mistake when we come to application ) give you briefly the Institution of a thankfull man according to the word , and I will bring it all to these two heads . First , the qualification of the person of a thankfull man , who and what he is : Secondly , the Ingredients into the duty , or what makes it up : Who the man is , And what his work is . First , who is the man that may praise God ? Answ. Onely the godly man ; True it is , all men even the worst are bound to do it , it lies upon them as a duty , but it belongs not to them as a priviledge : it is the priviledge onely of the righteous , they may do it . Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous , it becomes well the just to be thankfull . Let the high praises of God be in their mouthes . Their praises please the Lord better then a bullock that hath horns and hoofs . Not so the wicked , they have a woolfe by the eares in this work ; if they do it not ▪ God will have his glory out of them . Pharaoh , Senacherib , Herod , such as proudly seek to rob him of his glory , shall yeeld him his glory in their righteous destruction ; they would not do it with singing , they shall do it with howling . On the other-side , if they bring their peace-offerings , God spreads the dung of their sacrifices upon their faces : They are an abomination to him . See this notably expressed in the 50 ▪ Psalme , vers. 7. and so forward , the Lord sh●wed how little pleasure he took in the sacrifice of beasts , in comparison of the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving . Offer unto God thanksgiving , and pay thy vows to the most high . Call upon me in the time of trouble , and I will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . This God takes pleasure in . Mark now what follows , But unto the wicked , saith God , what hast thou to do to take my covenant into thy mouth ? who required these things at thy hands ? so that you see whether wicked men praise God , or praise him not , they are abhorred by him . Just as some great Lord of a Mannour , who having an enemy holding lands of him , will compell him to do suit and service , and yet abhorres him in his suit and service . But Israel may rejoyce in God , let them praise him in the dance , let them sing praises to him with timbrell and harpe , for the Lord takes pleasure in his people . The second quare , what makes up the duty . Now you have found the man , wherein stands his work ▪ Answ. When God appointed the sacrifice of peace-offerings , he made it an indifferent thing whether it were a male or female , so it were the best they had , the best it must be : Cursed be that deceiver who hath a male , and sacrificeth a corrupt thing unto God . Were a female the best , it was accepted , provided it were a whole one : To bring a limbe of a torne beast , should I accept this at your hands , saith the Lord ? He will have all , or none : A whole one then it must be : Now this whole peace-offering is made up of these 3. things . The first is the soul which is the fat and inwards of it . Secondly , the tongue which is the glory of it . Thirdly the life which indeed is the life of thankfulnesse . 1. First the soule , the heart , and spirit , this must chiefly be looked to , having to do with the Father of spirits , with God the searcher of the heart : I will praise God ( saith David ) with my whole heart . My soule praise the Lord , and all that is within me praise his holy Name . My heart is fixed , O God , my heart is fixed , I will sing and give praise ▪ Now to this soul-praising of God are required principally these three things . First , A A minde observing the wayes and mercies of God , a spirit inquisitive into Gods wayes , not out of Athenian curiosity , but ( as Bees flie from flower to flower to gather honey ) to digest them into matter of praise and thanksgiving . God makes it an argument of an unthankfull heart , not to consider his wayes , nor the operations of his hands . And on the other side , it is an argument of a thankfull heart , to take pleasure in searching out the works of God . See how David sets this down in the 68. Psalme ver. 14. They have seen thy goings , O God , the goings of my God my King in the sanctuary : then follows , The singers went before : the players on Instruments followed after : Blesse ye God in the Congregation . First they observe Gods footsteps , then blesse him in the Congregation . And in the 107. Psal. after the Prophet had set down the variety of Gods administrations for which he should be praised , he thus concludes the Psalme , Who so is wise and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord . And ye may further observe , that the thankfull men recorded in the Scriptures have not let slip from their observation the very circumstances of Gods dealings towards them , not onely the substance of the mercie , in a grosse summe , but all circumstances which have accompanied it , as time , place , manner , meanes . Secondly , this soul thankfulnesse must have affections suitable to the mercies bestowed , when our heart is affected according to Gods dealing , this is thankfulnesse . And these affections are chiefly love and joy . I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my prayer . And then they must rejoyce in his mercy . Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous , it becomes the just to be thankfull . Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work , therefore will I triumph in the works of thy hands . Mercies are not mercies , deliverances are not deliverances to men who are not glad of them . God gave David a great deliverance from his rebellious sonne Absolon , he upon the news weeps and cries out , O Absolon , my sonne , my sonne . Was this thankfulnesse ? God hath wrought a great deliverance for us , can those men whose fingers itcht for blood ; and are grieved at our peace , be thankfull for this deliverance ? Thirdly , the last thing which makes up this soul-thankfulnesse , is the laying up and registring these mercies of God in our memorie , to lay them up in our treasurie , not as some do their bundles of old writings in their counting-house , never looking on them in seven yeers : but in a memory which may suggest to them upon every occasion what great things God hath done for them . A memory which will lay Gods mercies before them , as the Chronicles which Ahasuerus read when he could not sleep in the night . God requires it should be so . The righteous Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in thankfull remembrance . This thankfull memory feeds the heart with continuall matter of praise , fils the thoughts with admiration of Gods dealing towards them , shews them how Gods mercies passe their understandings in the manner of them , in the measure of them , making the soul stand amazed : thankfull hearts have found so much good in remembring of Gods mercies , that they have been carefull to keep Registers , and set up Monuments to help their memorie , endited Psalmes to bring to Remembrance , gave Names to places where mercies were received , new Names to times when they were received , write the Names of their deliverances upon their children , that the sight of them might quicken their memories and thoughts . Yea God himself used to take new Names to himself as he gave new mercies , sometimes calling himself , The God that brought Abraham from Vr of the Caldees , then the Lord that brought them out of the land of Aegypt , then the Lord that gathered his people out of the North countrey , and now since the greatest deliverance of all , The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ . And all to help their memories . 2. This is the Inside of a thankfull man , but if praise be in the heart it will not be kept in , but it will be like oyle in the right hand , like the word in Ieremies heart , like a burning fire in his bones which he could not contain within . The tongue will be set on work , and beares a great part in this Musick of thankfulnesse , confessing to God , publishing to others , I will tell you what God hath done for my soul . My tongue shall ever be talking of thy wondrous works , and of thy praise all the day long . Our tongue is therefore called our glory , because with it we glorifie God . As praise is Gods glory , so our tongue in exalting him is our glory . Now this tongue-praise is not confined to saying of a grace , singing of a Psalme , uttering a Benedictus , or Te Deum laudamus , but in all speech which tends to exalt God , and sets forth his excellency . Iunius told the mercies of God , when he wrote his owne life . And Davids tongue was ever talking of Gods praise , because his speech one way or other rended to exalt God . Thirdly , true thankfulnesse is expressed in the life , as one truly saith , the life of thankfulnesse consists in the life of the thankfull . The praising of God , and ordering our conversation aright , are not onely inseparable , but exegeticall interpretations one of another . Now this life Thankfulnesse stands in these two things . First , in using Gods mercies to the right end , this is to praise him indeed , without this all other thankfulnesse is but complement , formalitie , and hypocrisie : Set this down for an everlasting truth , that its impossible God should be praised with an abused mercie . Did Israel and Judah praise God for their faire jemels of gold and silver which God had given them , when they made to themselves Images of men , and committed whoredome with them ? Did they praise him for their broidered garments , their fine floure , oyle , and honey , wherewith God clothed and fed them ? Did they praise him for their sonnes and daughters when they sacrificed them unto devils ? Read the sixteenth of Ezekiel , and you will finde the contrary . I shall give you one example which will cleare it beyond all contradiction , and that is of Hezekiah . God gave him a most miraculous recovery , he was sick to death , and it is thought he was sick of the plague , God not onely healed him , but made the Sun go back for six houres at least , and by this miracle told all the world , that the God who loved Hezekiah , had recovered him from death to life ; Now mark Hezekiahs thankfulnesse , as soon as he got up , he makes a Psalme , wherein he confesses his unworthinesse , his bitter affliction , Gods gracious restoring of him , goes to the Temple and sings it , resolves to sing it all the dayes of his life , who would not think but this man had been thankfull ? But Hezekiah abused this mercie , his heart grew proud , he began to think himself the most remarkable man in the world , discovers this vanity of his heart to the Ambassadours of the king of Babylon : See now what God judged of his thankfulnesse : Hezekiah was sick to death , and God spake to him and gave him a signe , but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him , for his heart was lifted up . Never doth a man render according to the mercie , who abuseth the mercie . The second thing in life thanksgiving is the rendring back again to God , what God requires by way of homage or Lords-rent . Quid retribuam ? What shall I render to the Lord , is every thankfull mans Psalme . Now although no man can give unto God any thing worthy of him , yet there are foure things which God requires and accepts from all his thankfull people by way of homage . First , an humble broken contrite heart , a self-renouncing , a self-abhorring spirit , for our vilenesse against so gracious a God is infinitely pleasing to him . Oh saith David ( when God had pardoned his great sin , and healed his broken bones ) I would give thee sacrifice and burnt offerings if thou delightedst in them : But these God cared not for ; but David lights upon that which he cared for : The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit , a broken and a contrite heart , O God , thou wilt not despise . Secondly , the giving up of our selves , bodies , and souls , to have and to hold , and to use them at the will of the Lord , to consecrate them unto him , to do him faithfull service . This is notably expressed by David in the 40. Psalme , when he studied what to render to God , and found that sacrifice and offerings God did not desire , but this pleased him , My eare thou hast bored : What is that boring his eare ? why he alludes to the practise in Israel , that when a servant did chuse to dwell with his master for ever , his master should bore his eare through with an awle . So saith David , I will be thy servant for ever , I delight to do thy will , O God , thy law is written in my heart . This is a little otherwise expressed , Hebr. 10. 5. In stead of reading it my ear thou hast opened . The Apostle following the Septuagint reads it a body hast thou prepared me , but full to the same sence , as if he should have said , Lord thou hast fitted me , moulded my body and soul to be thy servant . This same thing the Apostle cals for , I beseech you brethren , by all the mercies of God , that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice , holy , acceptable unto God , which is your reasonable service : this is a second peace-offering . Thirdly , when God had put an end to all Leviticall sacrifices , both Propitiatory and Eucharisticall , in stead of them he hath instituted the attending upon his holy ordinances , praying , preaching , hearing , Sacraments , to be in the Christian Church acknowledgements of our homage , spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto him through Jesus Christ . This the Apostle expresseth in the 13. to the Hebrews , vers. 15. Having before shewed that all other sacrifices were abolisht , he tels them , that the calves of our lips , the sacrifice of praise were now to be offered up to God continually . Fourthly and lastly , the works of mercie the poore , visiting the sick , feeding the hungry , clothing the naked , ministring to the necessities of the Saints , are an adour of a sweet smell , a sacrifice acceptable , well-pleasing unto God . To do good and to communicate ( saith Paul ) forget not , for with such sacrifices God is wel pleased . Provided that because they are sacrifices they must not be offered to the Idol of our own credit , or esteeme , or private ends , but unto God alone , even in obedience unto him , and for his glory . Thus have I as briefly as I could possibly given you the true Institution of a thankfull man , his person must be holy , his sacrifice must be whole , made up of heart and tongue and life , an observing minde , suitable and enlarged affections , a readie memorie , a tongue to tell Gods praises , a life using Gods mercies aright , abusing none of them , abhorring himself before God , devoting himself unto God , humbly waiting upon his ordinances , and according to his ability , endeavouring to be an Instrument of help and comfort to him that needeth . Now give me leave ( Right Honorable and beloved ) to endeavour to set all this home to your hearts in a double use . First for Humiliation . Secondly , for Exhortation . First for humiliation . It may be some will think it unseasonable in a day of rejoycing to put you upon sorrow and mourning , but certainly could I but help you to be rightly humbled for , and to slay this beast of Ingratitude , it would be the best peace-offering which ever God received from many of your hands , neither will you ever be able to give him the sacrifice of an humble contrite heart , till your spirits be laid low in the sence of this great sin . Let me speak plain and in earnest , I remember I speak to a great assembly , to an assembly of Gods , but I speak in the name of a great God , before whom you are but as so many gras-hoppers , his potsheards , his poore sinfull creatures : Pardon me ( ye great Lords and Gentlemen ) if I passe over all your eminencie , and discharge my dutie ; Are we not a most unthankfull people ? Do we render to God according to his infinite mercies vouchsafed to us ? I could easily set before you great lists and Catalogues of mercies , which you have received ; Many in common with the rest of the world , Many in common with this Nation , to which God hath been mercifull above all Nations upon earth : Many in common with the places where you live : Many peculiar to your own persons , to your own souls and bodies , to your estates , families , relations , privative mercies , positive mercies , ye eat mercies , drink mercies , weare mercies , compassed about and covered with mercies , as much as ever the earth was with water in the time of Noahs flood . But beloved , where is your thankfulnesse for all these mercies to be found ? I can tell you where the houses are that are full of mercies , but who can tell me where true thankfulnesse may be found ? May not God say of you , that for all his goodnesse and mercies which he hath multiplied and bestowed upon you , the return is nothing but abominable Ingratitude : let me help you in a few things . 1. Are there not abundance to be found , who take no notice of Gods gracious dealing to them ? either through the pride of their heart , esteeming nothing worthy of their observation , or having their souls so crooked to the earth , that they cannot look up to heaven : or through the peevishnesse of their spirit burying ten thousand mercies under one clod of discontent : and so can finde nothing for which they should either rejoyce in God , or love him , or admire his goodnesse to them ? 2. Are there not abundance whose tongues ( in stead of being their glory , to exalt God and his goodnesse ) are as it were set on fire of hell , depressing his majestie , reproaching and blaspheming his Name , and works , his ordinances , and servants , seldome naming him for his praise , unlesse ( when with the Pharisee ) pretending to thank God , they intend to commend themselves ? 3. Are there not abundance ( even great ones , Lords , Ladies , Gentlemen ) whom God hath singularly and eminently loaden with his mercies , who with all th●se do nothing but beare armes to fight against God ( as David against Goliah ) with his own sword . Waters of a full cup are wrang out into them , they prosper in the world , encrease in riches , they have all their hearts can desire , therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain , therefore they are corrupt and wicked ; therefore they may swear and drink , dice and drab . Oh beloved , God hath a tallie of all the mercies which you enjoy , a Catalogue of all the favours which he hath bestowed upon you , and if you be found to be the people , who thus requite him , who are thus advanced and work all these abominations , God will ere long say of you , as David said of Nabal , Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath , and he hath requited me evill for good , I will not leave any thing that pertains to him , in vain have I done all which I have done for these men , they have requited me evill for good , I will strip them naked , I will deprive them of all my abused mercies , I will spend my arrows , and heap mischiefs ( in stead of mercies ) upon them ? 4. Are there not abundance to whom ( this thankfull rendring of a contrite heart , of bodies and souls consecrated to Gods service , reverent waiting upon him in his ordinances , and doing good to others , thereby to praise God ) to whom ( I say ) these things are the darkest riddles in the world : who think God never doth enough for them , and think any thing too much for them to do to God ? But to leave this generall complaint , I beseech you ( Right Honorable and beloved ) to see what great cause we have to be abased concerning our great Ingratitude , for the admirable mercies which God hath bestowed us this very last yeer ; This one yeer , this wonderfull yeer , wherein God hath done more for us in some kinds , then in fourescore yeers before , breaking so many yokes , giving such hopes and beginnings of a very Jubilee and Resurrection both of Church and State : This yeer wherein we looked to have been a wonder to all the world in our desolations , and God hath made us a wonder to the world in our preservation : giving us in one yeer a Return of the prayers of fourty and fourty yeers . Now look abroad into the kingdome , enquire ( as Ahasuerus did of Mordecai ) what honour and dignity is done to the Lord for all this ; my heart would bleed , were it rightly affected in the expressing of it : We scarce make any shew of thankfulnesse , but manifest the very power of Ingratitude . Alas , there are many whose hearts are grieved at the great things which God hath done for us , turning a Jubilee into Lamentations : I know not better how to expresse the spirit of these men , then by that in the 8. of Ezekiel . Among all the abominations which the Lord shewed the Prophet , whereby he was provoked to go far off from his sanctuary , one was a company of women sate weeping for Tammuz , they wept because they they had lost their Idoll : so these grieve because they fear to loose their toyes and fooleries , which provoke God against us . Others bring up an ill report of Gods goodnesse and his worthy Instruments , who can see no wood for trees , ever enquiring in discontent , what is done all this yeer , the Parliament hath sate long , abundance of money given , but what have they done for us ? Indeed , lesse is done , then might have been , had we been truly thankfull , but much more is done , then ever thou or I had cause to hope our eyes should see : when it is Gods mercie we are not all as Sodome , art not thou a wretched man , to say what is done by way of sleighting what thy eyes see this day ? Others deny not but God hath done great things this last yeer , and all their enquirie is , What is to be done next , who ( as swine under the pear-tree devoure all that fals , and whine for more , never looking to the hand that shakes down to them ) in the meane time return nothing to God , abate not an ace of any of their former courses , whereby God was offended , as proud , vain , wanton , worldly , prophane , this yeer as the last , yea a greater torrent of sin ( for ought I can hear ) rusheth in , and fearfully prevails and domineers in most places . God is free in his goodnesse , and will be mercifull to whom he will be mercifull , and the wickednesse of a Nation can set no bounds or limits to his goodnesse , else we should certainly conclude , that this drie winde from the wildernesse , this ingratitude of ours , would even sweep and drive away all Gods mercies from us . Yea , may I not , must I not ( Right Honorable and Noble Senators ) humble you , even you , before the Lord this day , even in this day of your rejoycing , to make you begin this your Passeover with eating some bitter hearbs : have you rendred to God according to the mercies of this yeer ? I think you may say of Gods dealing towards you , as never Parliament could say , God hath carried you in his bosome , prevented and discovered great designes against you , queld great adversaries before you , restored great priviledges unto you , appeared as your Councellour in all your darknesses , opened a doore , an out-gate in all your straits : all rubs and stumbling blocks before you , God hath made them but as vantage ground to raise you higher : What should I say ? you have found your gracious Soveraigne granting ( I think ) all your suits hitherto ; your Rights and Liberties are establisht , and your houses built , if it were possible you should surpasse the very Angels in thanksgiving . Now let your servant be bold with you , what glory and honour do you return to God ? How have you observed the goings of your God and King amongst you ? With what admiring thoughts are your hearts filled ? what Reformation appears in your hearts and lives ? what cost are you at for this God ? how strongly have you engaged and consecrated your selves and all which you have for his service and glory ? Lay your hand upon your heart , and think in this your day of rejoycing , whether your continuance in your old sinfull wayes , your unbeliefe , your ebbing and flowing in your spirits , according as humane hopes and helps have come and gone ; your not zealously laying to heart the cause of Christ , his worship and servants , may not make the Lord say of you ( as of Hezekiah ) the Lords and Commons of England prayed unto God , and the Lord heard them , and gave them a signe , but they rendred not again according to the benefits done unto them : If it be so , the good Lord humble you under it , and turn away the guilt of this great sinne from you and from us all for Christ Jesus sake , and so much for the use of Humiliation . Secondly , one more for exhortation and I have done . Oh that I were able to speak something to raise up your hearts to the practise of this excellent service , I shall confine my self to these two heads First , a few Motives to quicken you to the duty . Secondly , a few Directions to guide you in it . First , the man lives not who owes not this homage or quit-rent unto God , yea even for every thing which he hath , finde out the man who lies under one evill so great as he hath deserved , or enjoyes one mercie which he hath not freely received , and that man shall go scot-free from the dutie of thankfulnes : Now even common honesty will call for the discharge of this ingenuous , equall , and easie rent of Thanksgiving to men who are but Instruments of mercie , how much more to God the welspring and fountain of them all . Secondly , consider the excellency of the duty , what a high and honourable service it is , so high that though God be most worthy to be praised , yet no creature is found worthy to praise him . In our praises we are said to blesse , honour , exalt , magnifie , and glorifie God ; can any creature be thought worthy or able to do this ? to lift up God , to make him a great God ; to put glory upon God , yet God so interprets it , he that praiseth me honoureth me . Yea so excellent is this duty , that it is the onely imployment of all the glorious host of heaven . It is said in the Psalme , that man did eat Angels food ; sure I am , this is to do Angels work , heavens work , to bring heaven down to earth , and to raise up poore dust to heaven , to be enabled to praise the Lord ; what should I say more ? this praising of God is by Interpretation , the doing of all that God requires . Tully said that Gratitude to man is Maxima & mater omnium reliquarum virtutum . But what ever Gratitude to man be , the Scriptures teach us , that gratitude to God is the comprehension of all our obedience . 3. Thirdly , it is the comfortablest duty that ever we can perform , partly , because it is the sweetest evidence of our sincere love and faithfull dependance upon God : we may pray for base self-love , when we love not God , but his gifts , but a cordiall praising of him , is a reall expression of our love to him ; and partly , because God graciously accepts what ever comes under the notion of praise , a female , or turtle , a handfull of wheat floure , a pepper corn , a cup of cold water , a sigh or teare , is most kindly accepted when presented as a peace-offering : I will praise God with a song , this shall please the Lord better then an ox or a bullock that hath horns and hoofs . Who that loves God , would stick at any thing in this duty so acceptable unto him : It is pitifull to observe what pains and cost many poore seduced Papists are at out of a false conceit of meriting for themselves and theirs , should not love and Gratitude to God and our Lord Jesus , ( who hath merited all for us ) be more prevalent with us , then self-love and blinde superstition in them . 4 Fourthly , I have one Motive more especially to presse upon you according to the duty of the day , the consideration of the wonders , ( I had almost said the miracles ) of this last yeer : Could I lively draw them before your eyes , that you might see what this yeer God hath done for you , and wrought by you , such whose affections are lame among you would leap as an Hart , and the tongue of the dumbe would sing . This yeer we have seen the three Nations of England , Scotland and Ireland in a posture of warre without blood . shed , Oh wonderfull ! This yeer we have seen our neighbour Nation come into England in a hostile shew with peaceable hearts , oh wonderfull ! This yeer we have seen the same Nation ( after all mistakes cleared ) received into the bosome of their Soveraignes favour , their loyalty and faithfulnesse acknowledged , and with a friendly aid honorably and peaceably sent to their own homes , and the two Nations faster cemented together in a league of love then ever heretofore : oh wonderfull ! Nay yet more , this yeer have we seen broken the yokes which lay upon our estates , Liberties , Religion , and Conscience ; the intolerable yokes of Star-Chamber , and terrible High-commission and their Appendances ; unsufferable pressures to many thousands , all eased , removed , broken and swept away . This yeer have we seen the two houses of Parliament ( and many ten thousands in the kingdome following their example ) enter into a Protestation promise and vow for defence of Gods true Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations and superstition . This yeer the Complaints of the Imprisoned , outcast , persecuted , and afflicted we have seen and heard , tenderly received into the high and honorable Court of Parliament , and the faces of many proud enemies covered with shame . This yeer for preventing future grievances , the Lord hath put it into the heart of our gracious Soveraigne , the Lords and Commons all to agree upon a Trienniall Parliament , and this present Parliament to continue till all things be rightly established both in Church and Common-wealth , that the foundations of the Land may be no more out of joynt , that Liberty and Religion henceforth receive no dammage , unlesse the State ( like the foolish woman in the proverbe ) plucks it down with their own hands . Quadragesimus primus mirabilis annus . Oh wonderfull yeer ! and so much the more wonderfull that all these things are done for us , when our neighbour Nations round about us see no such dayes , when Germany remains a field of blood , when their Cities and Towns are desolate , their wives ravished , their children kill'd , when many of them eat their dead carcasses , and die for want of food , yea when Gods sword rides in circuit round about us , these great things are done for us , and hopes of greater : And which is most wonderfull , all this done for the most unworthy and unthankfull Nation in all the world , our God hath thus broke in over all the walls of separation which our sins have built up against us , and called for vengeance upon us . Me thinks ( Right Honourable and beloved ) every one of your hearts should say to God , as the Prophet to the 〈◊〉 , thou hast been carefull for us with all this care , what is to be done for thee ? Lord what wouldst thou have us do to testifie that we are sensible of thy goodnesse ? Oh praise the Lord . 5. And the rather , because else God knows whether all these mercies may not be removed , and destruction and miserie yet break in upon us . When Tamar was to be delivered , and twins in her wombe , Zarah first put forth his hand , and they tyed a scarlet threed about it , and said this came out first , but his hand was plucked in again , and his brother broke out before him . So mercie and judgement , deliverance and ruine , have seem'd to be long strugling in the wombe which should first break out upon us : Deliverance hath now put forth the hand , and we have tyed our scarlet threed about it , and say this came out first : Oh that Ingratitude cause not this hand to be plucked back again , and destruction yet to break in upon us . Ingratitude that , Obex Infernalis , as Divines call it , that hellish stop may interrupt the course of all Gods mercies . According to what God hath threatned : that though he speak concerning a Nation to build and plant it , if that Nation do evill in his sight , he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them . Quest . What then is to be done ? or wherewith shall we be thankfull ? Answ ▪ Chrysostome once desired that he had a voice to speak to all the world . I could wish that my voice could speak to all the kingdome , that I might tell them what God expects from all their hands . But though that cannot be , I am called this day to speak to you , ( Right Honorable and beloved ) who are the Representative Body of the kingdome , and whose thankfulnesse will be interpreted by God and man to be the thankfulnesse of the whole kingdome ; you must think of some such way of praising God , as becomes your high places and callings , and the whole kingdome which you represent : if single persons praise God upon a ten stringed Instrument , you must do it upon a ten thousand stringed Instrument : some thing worthy of a Parliament of England , such a Parliament , for whom God hath done such great things . When King Solomon offers a peace-offering he brings two and twenty thousand fat beeves , and an hundred and twenty thousand fat sheep , there is thankfulnesse fit for a King to shew . And when David would shew his Gratitude to God in preparing to build him an house , he offered a thousand thousand talents of silver , and an hundred thousand talents of gold , which comes to above three and thirtie thousand cart-load of silver , allowing two thousand weight or six thousand pound sterling to every load ; and of gold seventy millions of French crowns , besides brasse and iron without weight : And when he and his people had added much more unto it , he admired Gods goodnesse to give them a heart to offer so willingly , and excuses the smalnesse of his own gift as being prepared in a time of trouble . Let not therefore your Thankfulnesse be in trifles , lowprizd , serve not God with that which costs you nothing . And if indeed you would do something heroicall , worthy of your selves , take him for your pattern , who for his thankfulnesse was called the man after Gods own heart , and that is David , who ( when God had delivered him from all his enemies , and established him in his kingdome ) expresses in the hundred and first Psalme , wherein his thankfulnesse should appeare , weigh the Psalme seriously , it comprehends the sum of what I have to say to you . I will sing ( saith he ) of mercie and judgement , that is , I will celebrate thankfully all Gods mercifull administrations unto my soul : how would he do this ? Answ. In binding himself in his rule of walking towards three sorts of persons with whom he had to do . First , himself . Secondly , his family . And thirdly , his kingdome . For his own person he would be holy , he would walk uprightly in the midst of his house . For his family he would have no wicked person about him , no slanderers , liars , proud , or deceitfull persons , he would root them out as pests to his family ; And he would search throughout the whole kingdome to have his family stored with good servants . Thirdly , for his kingdome , he would root out wicked men without exception of persons , and that early , that so his whole kingdome might be a City of the Lord , a people with whom God might delight to dwell . Here is an example fit for a King and Parliament to follow , oh that God would encline your hearts this day to resolve to begin first with your own persons , else you will never be sincere for the rest : Now God hath called you and separated you for his work , be not the vassals of Satan , factors or pensioners for his enemy , who hath thus far be trusted you . Secondly , look to your families , do as Jacob did at Bethel , when he payed his vow of thanksgiving unto God , he made all his family bury their Idols under an oke ; that so when hereafter any of you shall be mentioned , it may truly be said , such a Noble-man , such a Parliament man , and the Church in his house , that your families may be little Congregations of Saints , with whom God may delight to dwel : Not like Taverns and Alehouses , houses of lewd and debaucht persons , where Zim , and Jim dwels , dolefull creatures , fit onely to be agents for Satan , as it is much feared many of them are untill this day . Thirdly , then look to sweep the Church and kingdome ; blessed be God you have begun well , you have been happie Instruments to ease many pressures ; But beloved , there is yet much work to be done , yet the root of our evils is not taken away , yet the Ministery is not purged , yet the great Cities and Towns , and many thousand other places in the kingdome want bread for their souls , and the portions of the Levites , honorable maintenance for them who should do the work of the Lord in many places are not yet provided : yet there remains much rubbish to be carried away , as yet the honour of the Lords day is not fully vindicated , as yet the Lords Temple is not builded , nor the Scepter of Christ throughly set up . These are services fit for a thankfull Parliament , if you neglect these , and cause a cessation in building the Temple , and let it lie unfinished , as it was in Cyrus his dayes , if there be a P●rez-Vzizah , a breach in bringing in the Ark of God unto us : Now you have built your own house , and procured Civill Liberties , should you let Gods house lie waste , should you be ( as many fear you are ) lesse zealous in Gods cause , then in your own , I solemnly professe unto you , the God of heaven will require it at your hands , and the hands of your posteritie : he will curse all your blessings , and overturn what you think you have established . But the people of God in whose hearts and prayers you daily are , expect and hope for these great things from you : This do in the fear of the Lord , and ye shall prosper . 2. This ( Right Honorable ) is that I had to say to you from the Lord , if now you ( that are the residue of this great Assembly ) enquire what you shall do , and how you shall testifie your thankfulnesse . I answer , if you will go and ring Bels , make Bonfires , feast one another , and send portions to the poore for whom nothing is provided , I have nothing to say against it , I think you shall do well . But this I beseech you do , go home and pray God to encline the hearts of the Parliament to practise what this day they have heard , write down a Catalogue of all the great things which God hath this yeer done for us , and let your children know them , ( and the Lord put it into the heart of some wise observer of the times , so to write them , that the present and future generation may be blessed with a true Narration of these wonderfull mercies ) give every one of you up , your selves to the Lord to be his servants , abuse not your peace and Libertie with Idlenesse , riot , and excesse , or in being choked with enlarging your selves with worldly businesses , but make that use of our peace which the Church did in the ninth of the Acts , and the 31. vers. Then had the Churches rest and peace ; and what use made they of their peace ? They were edified , and walking in the fear of the Lord , and in the comforts of the holy Ghost were multiplied : which the Lord grant unto us for Christ Jesus sake . Amen . FINIS . In the Preface , for Berocah r. Beracah . for translated r. transacted . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52045e-170 Psal. 106. 2. Notes for div A52045e-850 Isa. 66. 10 Psal. 84. 6. 2 Chron. 20. 26. Preface . Isa. 35. 6. Psal. 8. 2. Notes for div A52045e-1210 Introduction . Introduction to the Text . Shewing the fitnesse of it , and opening generally . The Title . Author . 2 Sam. 23. 1. Scope . Psal. 40. And parts of this Psalme . More particularly opening the text . In 3. branches . First Branch . Description of the Churches enemies . Description of the Churches enemies . Psal. 57. 4. Act. 20. 23 Mat. 5. 11 , 12. Ioh. 16. 33. 2 Tim. 3. 12. The causes why they are so . 1 Pet 44. Esay 53. 2. 1 Cor. ● . 26 Rev. 12. 17. Application . 1. Instruction . To admire Gods preservation of her against such and so many enemies . 1 Pet. ● . 12. 1 Exhortation against securitie never expect better from them Isa , 14 ▪ ●● . Ephes. 6. 11. &c. a Branch of the text Author , manner , & way of their deliverance . The Churches deliverance . In it . 1. Doct. No spoile of the Church , till God give her to be a spoil . Proved by Scripture . Iudg. 4. 2. Iudg. 6. 1. Psal. 44. 8. Psal. 74. 19. Levit. 26. 7 , 8. And Reason . 1 Their interest in God . 2. Their enemies dependance upon God , being onely his instruments . Isa. 10. 5. Vers. 1● . Churches deliverance . Thom. in 1. p. Sum q. 22. A●t . 2. contra Gent. li. 3. Estius in lib. 1. Sent , Dist. 39. Se● . 5. 6. 7 Pro. 16. 9. 33. Pro. 31. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 6. Application . 1 Instruction , in all evils look only at Gods hand . Iob 1. ●4 . &c. Iob 2. The necessity of this duty . Mica . 6. 9. Iob 10. 2. Iob 33. 16 Amos 3. 6 2 ▪ Exhortation . Keep in with God and all is safe . 2 Doct. Gods help comes in , in extremity . Herein 2 , Branches , 1. God ▪ lets evils come to extremity , though not alwayes . 1 King. 13. 4. 1 Kin. 19. 2 Branch . In extremity God alwayes helps his people . 2 Chron. 20. Reason why God is a help to his people in time of trouble . The Churches deliverance . And why he so oft defers his help till extremity . Ver. 34. Not to grieve his people , or please his enemies . But for their great good , and for his own glory Application . 1. Instruction . Therefore all plots against the Church must prove successelesse . Churches deliverance . Psal. 78. 65. Isa. 54. 17. Isa. 8. 10. Act. 5. 3 8. 2. Consolation , encouraging to expect help in deepest trials . And to stay our selves upon God and his Word . 3. Exhortation to all Gods servants especially when employed in great services . To feare nothing . Ver. 35. Churches thankfulnesse . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 3 Branch . The Churches duty . To praise God for deliverance . This duty 1 Commanded . Psal. 50. 15. Psal. 22. 22. Psal. 107. 2 Typified . 3 Practised The Churches thankfulnesse . Both in the old and new Testament Mead . comment . in Apoc. p. 4. Reasons of this duty . The main reason . It is most deare to God being all which he requires Rom. 1. 21. His greatest end of all his works . Pro 16. 4. Rom. 11. 36. Man being in speciall manner created for it . And the Church redeemed for this very and and work . Isa. 43. 7. Ver. 26. Eccles. 12. 13. Many mistaken in the nature of this duty . The Institution of a thankfull man . None but a godly man can do it . Psal. 33. 1 Psal. 149. Though all are bound to it . Mal. 2. 3. Es 1. 12. Prov. 15. 8 Ver. 14. Psal. 149. 3. 4. The duty is made up . Levit. 3. 1. Mal. 1. 14. Ver. 13. Of 3. things . 1. Heart 2. Tongue 3. Life . Psal. 138. 1 Psa. 133. 1. Psal. 108. The heart to which required 1. A mind observing Gods dealing . Psal. 28. 5. Psal. 111. 2. Ver. 43. Thus did Hezekiah concerning his recovery . Ezek. 38. 9. &c. Thus David for all his deliverances . 2 Sam. 22. 2. Sutable affections . Psa 116. 1. Psal. 33. 1. Psal. 92. 4. 3. Registring thē in our memory . Gen. 22. 14. 2. Chron. 20 20. Esther 9. 1. Sam. 1. 20. Ier. 20. 2. The tongue . Psal. 66 , 16. Psal. 108. Miserecordias Domini narrabo . Psal. 50. ult. 3. The life in 2 things . 1. In using mercies to the right end . Isa. 38. 2 Chron. 32. 2 Rendering back again to God . 1. A contrite heart . Psal. 51. 16. 17. 2. Our bodies and souls to his service . Exod. 21. 5. 6. Rom. 12. 1 3. A reverent attending upon his ordinances 4. Doing works of mercie . Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13 16. Application . 1. For humiliation . In general our unthankfulnesse for all Gods mercies . Luk. 18. 11 Psal. 73. 1. Sam. 25. 21. In speciall our unthankfulnesse for these late deliverances . For which some are grieved . Vers. 14. Churches thankfulnesse . Others sleight . Most abuse . Even the honorable Parliament ought to be humbled for this sin . 2. Exhortation to thankfulnesse . Motives to this duty . 1. The equity of it , all owe it unto God . 2. The excellency of it . Psal. 50. ult. Psal. 78. 25. The fruit of it . Psa. 69. 30 The mercies of this yeer in speciall manner call for it . Jer. 18. 9 , 10. Directions for the practise of it . 1. To the honorable house of Parliament . To shew thankfulnesse worthie of their condition & office . 1 Chron. 22. 14. Cap. 29. 12. Following the example of David . Vers. 2. In reforming . 1. Their own persons . Gen. 35. 1. Their families . 3. The Church and kingdome . Nehem. 12. 10. To all others to expresse their thankfulnesse . In rejoycing . In praying for the Parliament . In remembring Gods deliverances . And walking worthy of them . 
A52048	----	The power of the civil magistrate in matters of religion vindicated the extent of his power determined in a sermon preached before the first Parliament on a monthly fast day / by ... Mr. Stephen Marshall ... / published by G. Firmin ... with notes upon the sermon. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52048 of text R31209 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M769). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 112 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 26 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52048 Wing M769 ESTC R31209 11790866 ocm 11790866 49197 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52048) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 49197) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1487:24) The power of the civil magistrate in matters of religion vindicated the extent of his power determined in a sermon preached before the first Parliament on a monthly fast day / by ... Mr. Stephen Marshall ... / published by G. Firmin ... with notes upon the sermon. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Firmin, Giles, 1614-1697. [6], 45 p. Printed for Nathaniel Webb and William Grantham ..., London : 1657. Running title reads: The civil magistrates power in matters of religion, vindicated. Reproduction of original in the Union Theological Serminary Library, New York. eng Church and state -- Church of England. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A52048 R31209 (Wing M769). civilwar no The power of the civil magistrate in matters of religion vindicated. The extent of his power determined. In a sermon preached before the fir Marshall, Stephen 1657 20902 63 35 0 0 0 0 47 D The rate of 47 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Rachel Losh Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Rachel Losh Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE POWER OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE In matters of RELIGION , VINDICATED . The Extent of his Power determined . In a SERMON preached before the First PARLIAMENT on a Monthly Fast day . BY The late faithfull and laborious servant of Christ , Mr. STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. and Minister of the Gospel for many yeers in Finchenfield , but the two last yeers of his life in Ipswich . Published by G. FIRMIN Minister in Shalford , With Notes upon the Sermon . Isa. 49.23 . And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers , and their Queens thy nursing mothers , &c : Isa : 60 : 12 : For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish , &c. London , Printed for Nathaniel Webb , and William Grantham , at the sign of the Black Bear in St. Pauls Church-yard , neer the little North door . 1657. To the Worshipful JOHN MEADE Esquire , dwelling in Finchingfield in Essex . SIR , THe exceeding love you bare to this Author [ your dear friend and faithful Pastour ] together with that respect which your love unto me hath Commanded from me , have caused the Dedication of what was his , and what is mine unto you . The Subject [ though it may be not so profitable to you ] is of great concernment in our dayes , wherein the old Serpent to the end he might have free passage for the Doctrines of Divels , hath by the mouths and pens of men Cryed downe the Civil Magistrates power in matters of Religion ; which Stratagem of his may it prevail [ and I wish it had not prevailed too much ] then as Mr. Cotton saith , Rejoyce ye Hereticks , Idolaters , Seducers , go on and make havock of the Sheep of Christ like ravenous wolves ; you may now doe it [ impunè ] without fear or danger . It had been well if this Author could have been prevailed with , to have published his many spirituall and practicall Sermons upon Prov. 4.23 . in which worke and Preaching of Christ he tooke most content . I know boah your selfe and others urged him to it , and could he have wrought with his hand ( by writing ) as he could with his head and lungs , we had enjoyed them . A labourer he might well be called , few such Labourers hath he left behind him : we say men cannot worke that doe not eate , but he could worke when for many weekes ( yea monthes ) he could not eate , his worke was meate to him . a Christian was his profession , and Christianity was his practice ; Bookes , he told me never taught him to preach Christ , but yet how well acquainted was he with Christ , his sermons declared , and that excellent sentence of his when we were discoursing with him about his death at your house . I cannot say as he , I have not so lived that I should now be afraid to dye : but this I can say , I have so Learned Christ that I am not afraid to dye . Faith he preached , by Faith he lived , by Faith he died ; he answered the Apostles exhortation to Timothy , 1 epist. Cap· 4.12 . Be thou an example of the Believers in Faith , &c. amongst all his other graces , this Gemme did shine most gloriously : what you have lost by the removal of such a friend you know best : I know he was an Instrument by whom the Lord conveyed much Comfort unto you in your pilgrimage : yet this is some comfort , that while you had him , the Lord gave you a heart to improve him , and so improved him , that I doubt not what is said of Abel in another case , He being dead yet speaketh ; it may be said of Mr. Marshal , though he be dead , he yet speaketh to you . It will not be long , but the people of God shall be freed also from this evil [ which our honoured friend was wont to say , was one of the greatest outward evils ] the loss of friends : you are hastening , and in a good way [ I doubt not ] to that place , where you shall meet with your dear and christian friend again , and with many others gone before you ; the Lord hath kept you hitherto steady , sound , unshaken , in these times , holding fast to the old truths , [ which I esteem an honour in these daies ] hold there still [ good Sir ] for they must stand in stead when we come to dye . I shall add no more , but crave your acceptation of what I have presented , Subscribing my selfe Your Servant , GILES FIRMIN . To the Reader . I Have heard it reported since this reverend Author died , that upon his death-bed he charged his Executors that none of his Notes should be printed : If any then should say to me , Why doe you publish these ? I answer : First , These Notes I had from himselfe , and I know as perfect as any he hath left behind him . Secondly , I told him while he was Living , if he would not publish his Sermon , I would publish what Notes I had : The reason why he would not publish his Sermon , was this , because in some things [ especially in his 4th Argument to prove the Magistrates power ] he differed from some other Divines , which might Occasion some to write against him , and for him to Reply [ writing being to him a most tedious work in his health , much more in his sickness ] he would not doe it ▪ but that reason being now taken away , I have taken this liberty to publish his Notes . Though they are but short , yet they containe the Substance of the Doctrinal part of his Sermon , which was preached in the Parliament House on one of the last Monthly Fast dayes , and gave great Content to the soundest part , professing they never heard so much before . For the application of his Doctrine , I did not desire it , the Doctrinal part [ upon such a Subject as this ] being the maine . For the other Notes which I have added , I hope the Reader will not judge them either impertinent or uselesse , considering our times : I took Counsel of such , whom I know to be godly , judicious , and learned , before I would publish them , and they wishing me to it , I have presented them to your View , and Committed them to the Lord for his blessing . THE CIVIL MAGISTRATES POWER IN MATTERS OF RELIGION PROVED . 1 Tim. 2.2 . That we may Lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty . The Observation is this . WHen Civil Magistrates themselves are brought to the knowledge of the truth , they will make it their great Care , that the people of God under them may live a peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty . It is the end why the Apostle exhorts the Saints to pray for them , and it is to be believed that God would not direct his people to beg for that in order to their office , which doth not belong unto their office . Objection . True , If any will be Godly , the Magistrate must provide that they may live peaceably and quietly , as if men be married , Learned , &c. the Magistrate must provide , that such may live quietly : this is the meaning and no more . Answer . Will any say the same of the Second , viz. Honesty , that if men will be honest , the Magistrate must provide they may live peaceably ? Is it not true [ who dare deny it ] that the Magistrate is bound to provide that men live honestly in matters of the second table ? to make lawes about it and see to the execution of them : why then must he not provide for Godlinesse , under the first table ; the Holy Ghost hath joyned them both together in the Text . Caution . I mean not when Magistrates are Godly then they must begin to doe this as if it were not their duty , or they had not power before [ Dommum non sundatur in gratia ] but he is not qualified to Cause this before . The married man converted , is bound to endeavour the Conversion of his wife and children , he will now seek it ; being converted he is qualified for it , but it was his duty to seek the spiritual good of his wife and children before . So here In the Doctrine , are three parts of the Magistrates duty . First , Publike peace , 2. That the people live in honesty . 3. Godly . The two first there are none have doubted of , but the third is the question of our times . To make way to it , I shall lay down this Conclusion as the Foundation of what shall follow . That , Civil Magistracy is a Divine Institution : therefore , First , God hath appointed some to rule , and some to obey . Secondly , He hath given them rules about their Laws , that they be conformable to his mind . Thirdly , In the Execution of them the Magistrate is Gods Vice-gerent . Fourthly , He is accountable to God for his Office . This Foundation being layed , Two Questions will here arise . 1. Q. Whither the Lord hath Committed to these Magistrates the Care of Religion ? 2. Q. If so , what he hath committed to them in this behalfe ? To the first I answer affirmatively , and thus I prove it . First out of my Text : he must take Care that is people live in all Godliness . To whom the End is committed , to him the Media are Committed ; none can deny this : If godliness the End , then all the means to this end he must take care for . Secondly , From all the examples in the Old Testament ; Why Magistrates under the Old Testament should be types more of Christ in matters of Religion [ belonging to the first Table ] then in matters of justice [ belonging to the second Table ] I know not . [ Non distinguendum est ubi Scriptura non distinguit ] What ever colour they turn for the Kings of Israel , David , &c. who in some things were types of Christ ; yet this cannot be said of the Heathen Kings , Cyrus , Artaxerxes , for whose care in this matter the Church blessed God , Ezra 7.27 . Though we infer not that Magistrates under the New Testament , are bound to doe in every particular as they did ; yet as they did set up the worship of God , and all means tending to godliness under the Old Testament , so must ours now set up the worship of God and the means tending to godliness under the New Testament . Thirdly , I prove it from Gospel-promises under the Old Testament of Magistrates what they should be under the New Testament , Isa. 49.23 . And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers , &c. so Isa. 60.10 . And their Kings shall minister unto thee . Now if God promise that Magistrates shall be such nursing fathers , then they ought to endeavour to be such . To which may be added the exhortation to Kings , Psalm 2. and Psalm 24. As Kings , they must open the gates to Christ . Also the threats against such as will not serve the Church , Isaiah 60.12 . For the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve thee , shall perish ; yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted . Fourthly , Because Jesus Christ as Mediator , hath the Kingdom and the power ; He is head and ruler over all for the Churches good , Eph. 1.22 . Therefore all being under him , must be subservient to him and his ends , Prov. 8.15 , 16. By me Kings reign , &c. which is meant of Christ , v. 23. I was set up from everlasting . The Hebrew word is the same with Psalm 2.6 . I have set [ anointed ] my King . Vnctus , regno inauguratus sum , Princeps constitutus sum . Fifthly , From the fourth Commandement ; Thou , nor thy son , nor thy daughter , &c. nor the stranger . Every one that hath others under him must see that they keep the Sabbath . And therefore the Magistrate ( as did Nehemiah ) if the time for the worship belongs to the Magistrate to take care of , then likewise he must take care for the worship it self . Sixthly , If the flourishing of Religion be the safety of the Commonwealth [ as may be abundantly proved from Scripture & experience ] then Magistrates must take care of matters of Religion . The Heathens care about their Religion will prove this ; and the Scriptures show how Idolatry hath broken all Empires . If all other professions , Physitians , Lawyers , &c. must come under the Magistrates power and care , because of the interest of the Commonwealth , then much more matters of Religion ; because miscarriages in those , reach but some particulars ; but miscarriages in matters of Religion reach all , and are of a more dangerous consequence . Seventhly , If Magistrates must not meddle in matters of Religion , then the Ordinances & Acts made by Parliaments about the Sabbath , for propagation of the Gospel , with Acts and Committees for like businesses , your Fasts , Thanksgivings , are all unjustifiable proceedings if not horrid usurpations ; yea the professed desire of this present Parliament held forth to all the world in the late Declaratioin of July , 12. 1653. is a vain and empty thing [ to say no worse of it ] the words are these , Page 6 , That in all we may be fitted and used as instruments in the hand of God , for more full and clear revealing of the Lord Jesus , and for the right promulgation of his blessed Gospel , and for the true interest of his Kingdome and advance thereof in the hearts of men , by reall true goodness , righteousness , peace and joy in the holy Ghost . Now if you were right you would doe as Theodosius , you would Hoc agere . The second Question : What Care hath God Committed to the Magistrate in the matters of Religion ? This is a harder question : two extreams we commonly find . First , Some give too much , all must be ad nutum Magistratus . Secondly , Some give too little ; as if no Care at all did belong to the Magistrate , but he must give Liberty to all . Woful experience teacheth when Magistrates doe meddle with Religion , they either meddle with what they should not , or neglect what is enjoyned them by God . But I will bring my discourse to two heads ; shewing , First , what the Magistrate must not do . Secondly , what he must do . What the Magistrate must not doe . First , Magistrates must not doe what is good in their own eyes : Your wisedome , reason , and will , must not be the rule of your proceedings herein , but the revealed will of Christ , by which you are to be guided , Deut. 17.18 . when the King sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdome , he shall write him a Copie of this Law in a book , &c. Nor may Magistrates prefer reasons of State [ as they are called ] before reasons of Religion held forth in Gods word . Your wisdome and reason in matters of the Common-wealth is regula regulans , but in matters of religion , regula regulata : every pin of the Tabernacle was appointed . Secondly , Nor are they to give themselves up to follow the Dictates of other men whatsoever , till the Word show it to be their duty : they are to inform themselves from the Word , Deut. 17.18 . [ This head was improved against the Popish Clergy , who binde the Civil Power to execute what they determine . ] Thirdly , Nor do I find a warrant for Magistrates to compel any to the profession of truth , Psal. 110. His people a willing people . To Order what men shall believe , is to exercise Dominion over mens Consciences : It is One thing to cause the people to attend the means , and another to make them believe the truth , the first they must doe , but not the second : Faith is Gods gift . It is one thing to hinder Idolatry , and blasphemy spreading , another thing to make people renounce an opinion , and embrace the truth . Sed nec religionis est cogere religionem , quae spontè suscipi debeat , non vi . Tertul. ad Scap. Nova & inaudita est ista praedicatio , quae verberibus exigit fidem , Greg. Fourthly , neither may Magistrates deprive the Lords people of any one of the priviledges he hath bought with his blood : in civils , when reason require , they may ; but not in religion . What he hath left indifferent , they must leave indifferent ; as if the Lord should appoint his servants such cloths , colours , dayes , &c. and the steward hinders , the steward is now a Lord , not a fellow servant . Fifthly , Nor must the Magistrate deny that Indulgence , Toleration , to all the Lords people , in their weaknesses , whither of Iudgement or Conversation ; which Christ would have his Saints exercise one towards another . Now I come to the second question , Positively , what must they Doe ? Answ. I will lay down two general rules ; then I will come to some particular rules . The general rules are these , First , As all men in their Callings must order their businesse so , as the way to heaven may be most promoted in themselves and those which relate unto them : So the Magistrates in ordering and regulating the peace , trade , and all interests of the Commonwealth , are to doe it so , that all be subservient to Christs great Interest , that his people may be promoted in their way to eternal life . This is like to Christ : Eph. 1.22 . who is head over All things to the Church . Secondly , To take Care that all the Lords Institutions be Observed ; what he hath appointed to be done , they must see it done . The Heathen King hit it right , Ezra 7.23 . Whatsoever is Commanded by the God of Heaven Let it be diligently done . They are to look to the preservation and restauration of Religion : as the Physitian either aimes at the preservation , or restauration of health . And in subserviency to these , to come to particular rules . First , they are to doe as Jehoshaphat , 2 Chron. 17. and Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29. That sent forth according to Gods Order , approved , faithful Ministers ; by whom truth of religion , puritie of worship , wayes of holiness , may be published , inculcated , and whatsoever is contrary to sound and wholesome doctrine , and Godlinesse , may be discovered , confuted , reproved : and with the same Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. they are to speak comfortably to those who teach the good knowledge of the Lord . Secondly , In order to this , they are to erect , maintaine , Schooles , and Universities , and to allow unto the Ministers , honourable maintenance it being Gods expresse Ordinance , 1 Cor. 9 . ●4 ▪ that they which preach the Gospel should live of the G●spel . They are Nursing fathers , then they must provide bread . Q. Whence or how shall this maintenance rise , and be provided shall they who may not compell men to the faith , compell them to maintain Ministers to preach the faith ? Answ. The publique provisions by Glebes , Tythes , and such publike stipendia already setled by law , whereof the magistrates are the publike Feoffees , and which are not the peoples [ and for which going and issuing out of their lands and labours , consideration is had , and abatement made in all purchases and letting of lands , as for a Rent charge , or rates for the poor , and therefore no more to be counted burdensome or oppressing , nor contention to be made about them , then any the forementioned charges . ] These if good order were taken to see them paid , would go very far to help , and what is lacking the Magistrates cannot want means to maintain the Ministers of the Gospel , more then the Ministers of State , if there be a will to it : we see you can doe it to whom you please . Thirdly , They may Command and Order the people to come and attend upon the Ministry of the Word , as the means instituted by Christ for their instruction to salvation . It is one thing to order them what they shall believe , another thing to order them to wait upon the means . All grant the civil Magistrates may call publike Assemblies , to hear their Proclamations , and Statutes , &c. read : if they may call a whole Town to hear a Law , then much more may they call them and order them to hear Gods Laws . Fourthly , When people have declared themselves to be a willing people , and professe to embrace the Lord and his waies , then may the Magistrates engage them by Covenants , stirring them up in a Moral way : thus did the godly Kings of Judah , though they Compelled none to become proselytes , yet when they were become such , they engaged them as well as other Israelites , by Oaths , Covenants , Curse , to walke worthy of the Lord : And this you doe now ( in effect ) in Commanding Fasts to be kept , wherein the Covenant is renewed ▪ &c. Fifthly , It belongs to the Magistrates , to reject corrupt and unworthy Ministers ; for it cannot stand with the faithfulness of Nursing-fathers to Commit their Nurse-children to such as will starve , or poison them , Ezek. 34. By corrupt Ministers , I doe not mean such as labour under any infirmities , for who is sufficient then ? But I mean ignorant , erroneous , scandalous , unsavoury Salt ; thus Samuel visited from Bethel to Gilgal , &c. Sixthly , They ought to prevent , and pull down Idolatry , Superstition , being spiritual adultery , and esteemed by God as the defiling of the marriage bed : this was so charged upon Magistrates , and so practised in the old Testament , that the uprightnesse of their hearts was judged by it : And in the New Testament it is foretold , that as the ten Kings come into the Lord Christ , they shall hate the Whore , make her desolate , eat her flesh , burn her with fire , Revel. 17. Seventhly , On the same account , they ought to doe the like by blasphemies and other damnable doctrines : the spreaders whereof are termed Dogs , evil workers , Wolves , and are not to be tolerated by faithful shepherds , i. e. Magistrates ; the Office of a Nursing father ties him as well to prevent his childrens poison , as to provide them bread . These First , are workes of the flesh , Gal. 5. and can challenge no other Toleration then such works amongst which they are ranked . Secondly , These are called a Leprosie , a Gangrene . Thirdly , These cause the way of truth to be blasphemed , make religion a vain thing . There is a heavy charge against the Church of Thyatira for tolerating of Jezabel , Rev. 2. and it will not be a light one against the Magistrates , if they shall tolerate , &c. Which way to punish these is not so easie a question : [ as to simple Heresy ] But if men will spread them , then the question is not so hard . As if a Physitian should hold such druggs are fit for mens bodies , which yet are poysonful , the Magistrate would not punish him for this ; but if this Physitian will administer and use those druggs in his practise , then the Magistrate may non-licentiate him . So here If Magistrates would conscienciously and really discountenance such men , it would go far , both for preventing , and suppressing them : for commonly they take up such Opinions , to serve their own bellies , ambition , to serve men and factions ; and if they were made infamous , they would as fast lay down . Objection . But will not this expose Gods people to persecution , there are so few Magistrates good , and if their Consciences be misinformed , what then ? Answer . First , This objection was full as strong in the old Testament , yet then it was their duty , none question . Secondly , It holds as much against the Authority of Parents in educating of their children , or Masters their servants , because many may be supposed , and are wicked , yet it is still a duty incumbent on them , and praise-worthy in them , the Godly . Thirdly , The Inconvenience under Jeroboam , &c. was foreseen by the Lord before he made his Laws , yet it did not hinder him from giving them , nor the godly Kings of Judah from walking by them . Fourthly , The Magistrates Conscience is not the rule for him to go by , but let the Magistrate looke to have his Conscience rightly informed from the word of God , which is his rule ; then his ●aw to c●●se men to wal● Orderly , cannot be called Persecution . Thus far Mr. Marshal● ; for the Application of his point , he gave it not to me , nor did I desire it : These Heads of his Sermon being but short [ yet clear enough to an Intelligent head ] I shall desire to add some Notes upon these Heads , tending to clear them , and I trust not unprofitable to the Reader . WHither the Civil Magistrates Power reacheth to matters of Religion , is not a question first started in these troublesome times . Vtenbogardus [ and his followers ] from Deut. 17.18 . and other Scriptures which he thinks make to his purpose , together with the examples of Moses , Joshua , &c. thinks the Civil Magistrate is so much concerned in matters of Religion , that he affirmeth the Care of Religion is chi●fly and in the highest degree , committed to him immediately from God , but not to the Ministers immediately , but in the name and under the Magistrate ; so that the Magistrate doth teach the people by the Ministers of the Church , and the Ministers doe their acts à & sub Magistra●y . It was supposed that the putting in of those words into the Title of our Kings , next and immediately under Christ supreame Head and Governour , did lean this way , and gave offence to the Orthodox abroad . Calvin Calls them inconsiderate men who did it , and s●ith they were blasphemous when they Called him the supream Head of the Church under Christ ; hoc semper me graviter vulneravit , saith he : But Dr. Reynolds and Nowell took off that offence afterward . The Papists on the other side that they may hold up the Authority of their Pope , and keep the Magistracy from medling with their Clergy , together with some Hereticks who would have liberty to hold and vent their wicked Conceptions , these have shut the Magistrates quite out , they must have nothing to doe in the matters of religion : onely the Papists will give them so much honour as to be the Executioners of the decrees of their Church . The Orthodox look on both these as unsound , proving and that with strength enough , that the Ministers of the Church receive their power immediately from Christ , not from the Magistrate : yet withall they strongly prove both against Papists and Hereticks , that he is not excluded from having power about matters of Religion . Our Author hath given seven Reasons to prove the latter , and I doubt not but they will appeare to be reasons to rational men : Some scruple there may be about the fourth , which was the cause why he would not Print his Sermon as I have hinted in my Epistle to the Reader . But yet to clear our Author , this I will say for him ; he did not intend to side with Mr. Coleman and Mr. Hussey , in their judgement about the Civil Magistrate , v●z . that , Jesus Christ as Mediator hath substituted and given Commission to the Christian Magistrate to govern the Church in subordination to him : or that he is a Governour in the Church Vice Christi . These Mr. Gallespy oppose . I never heard him publikely , nor privately own any such thing , that text in Ephes. 1.22 . which he quotes , lead him [ with other texts ] to what he hath said . That text he handled largely in the Countrey upon the Lecture daies , and while I viewed over some Notes I took from him , I saw enough to Convince me he was far from their judgement . I will give the Reader a taste . For his Analisis . There is a double Dominion Christ hath by sitting at the right hand of his Father , ver. 20. 1. A Dominion over all Creatures . 2. Over his Church : The first is laid down in three expressions . 1. He hath lifted him up above all , &c. 2. Put all under his feet . 3. Gave him to be Head over all . The second is laid down in two expressions . First , That he hath a headship over this as his body : a political Head he is to all , but they are not his body as his Church , to which he is , q. d. a natural Head . Secondly , It is his fulnesse . Again , These two Dominions are laid down under a double Consideration . First , What they are simply in themselves . Secondly , What they are in relation one to another , What is it to the Church that Christ is head of the world ? and What to the World that he is head over the Church , what are they better or worse ? He hath given him to be head over all things To the Church . The same relation then that there is between Medium and Finis : the Church hath not onely more of his heart and love , but All subservient to his Church ; were it not for his Church , he would not foule his fingers with the world . Then drew up a generall Doctrine . Doctrine . Christ having fini●hed the work of our Redemption , hath now committed to him the Dominion and Lordship over all Creatures . One distinction I must premise . A double title Christ hath to this Lordship . First , Natural , as the second person of the Trinity , this is his essential right , and not meant here . Secondly , Delegated , as Mediator , given as a reward of his sufferings : this is a power immediately to execute , the soveraign Authority over the Creature . This power because some question , I will prove : Rom. 14.9 . Mat. 28.18 . Phil. 2.6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. verses , Psal. 8.4 . compared with Heb , 2.6 , 7 , 8. besides Prophetical predictions , &c. Then he opened , wherein this Dominion stood : his third head was this . There are Constituted by Christ , powers , gifts , Authorities ; omnes species Magistratus : and all Governments , what power soever they have , is from him . His Church-Officers doe not belong to this . Thus much he . Whence , if the Magistrate and the Church-Officer come under different Dominions of Christ as Mediator , then though he doth maintain the Magistrate to be under Christ as Mediator , receive his power from him , &c. yet it will not follow that he governs the Church Vice Christi , for the Church-Officer comes under another Dominion . When Greg. Naz. would asswage the anger of the President , and told him , that he did not rule with Christ , govern the Commonwealth with Christ , that he received his sword from Christ , &c. I know not but he meant Christ as Emanuel our Mediator , but yet Greg. did not think the President ruled the Church under Christ . Yet hence will follow what our Author doth infer , That since the Magistrate is thus under Christ , that it is his duty to take care of Christ his Church , and doe what in him lye that his Master Christ be set up in his dominions , for the Church is that he minds more then Commonwealths , and these for the sake of that . Give me leave to enlarge upon that which our Author in the sixth reason hath onely named : The Heathens care about religion . It is great shame to those who have the light of Scriptures , to deny that to be the Magistrates duty which those who had but the light of nature could see to be their duty : who knows any thing of the Persian , Grecian , and Roman Magistrates , and knows not the care they took about their Religion : shall the Turke take more care for his Mahomet , then a Christian Magistrate for his Christ ? When Aristotle would reckon up the requisites for a Commonwealth without which it could not be , he numbers six . Food , Arts , Arms , money , and ( that saith the Philosopher which I should have named first ) Care of Divine things [ which they call the Priesthood ] Justice : and so summes them up in the end of the chapter , Husband men , Artificers , Military men , Rich men , Priests , Judges . When God would unravel the Commonwealth of Israel , Isa. 3.1 , 2 , 3. how many of these which Aristotle hath mentioned he doth threaten to remove . These persons had need goe to School to Plato , Aristotle , and Tully , to know their duty . Objection . Christians are not to learn their duty from the light of nature , but the light of Scripture . Answer . In the matters of faith , things which we know onely by Divine Revelation , As about mans Redemption , The Trinity , &c. there indeed we cleave onely to the Scripture , natures light can shew us nothing here . But if we come to other moral duties , certainly they doe not understand what Natures light is that make so little of it : [ though Scripture light doth not crosse natures light in this , for the Scriptures also are clear to prove the Magistrates Care , &c. ] Rom. 2.14 . the Gentiles that had not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law . There was a law of nature that did teach them many things of the Law of God written . The law of nature , is but that Divine law implanted by the Author of nature in the nature of all men . Take the moral law strictly , and lay by the fourth Commandement , what doth it differ from the law of nature ? A moral law say some of our Divines , is such a law which is therefore Commanded because it is g●od , and is not therefore good m●erly because it is commanded [ as the Ceremonial law . ] The goodness in a moral law for which it is therefore commanded is , that Comely su●able●●ss and meetness in the thing Commanded unto humane nature as rational , or unto man as rational . By rational , understanding , right reason neither blinded nor corrupted , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Clem. Alex. l. 1. c 13. pae l. According to this rule exam●ne our question , and see if the Magistrate be not bound , &c. The Christian Magistrate knows God to be the true God , and Jesus Christ the Redeemer ; he believes in this God and Christ , and knows he rules under this God , must give account to him of his actions as a Magistrate ; doth it now sute or not with right reason that this Magistrate takes care that this God and Christ whom he knows and believes in , be also made known and as much as in him lieth be believed in ? doth right reason judge that this Mastistrate hath performed his duty to God and Christ , and may give a comforable account to him though he neglects this ? This Magistrate having the highest power [ under Christ ] over the people whom he rules , a power of life and death [ regularly ] and so by his power may doe very much for the setting up of the honour of God and Christ amongst his people , [ commonly following the example of their chief rulers ] doth right reason say this Magistrate should not take Care for the things of God and Christ ? Again this Magistrate knows that in the knowing and believing in this God and Christ consists his own good , and the good of all men ; doth then right reason say that this Magistrate , who is a Minister of God for the Good of his people , Rom. 13.4 . doth take care for the Good of his people , who takes not care that all the people under him doe come to know and believe in this God and Christ , that they also may be happy with him ? Let any man who hath right reason left in him then see , whither that Magistrate be not a great sinner again●t the moral law of God , who doth not the utmost that in him lieth to promote the Interest of God and Christ , amongst those over whom he ruleth , there being the same ground for this duty that is for any other . Some lawyers reckon Religion amongst those things which pertain to the Law of N●tions , because by Natures guidance we learn there is a God , and that this God ought to be worshipped : Shall then Christians who have both the light of nature and of Scripture and both agreeing in the Magistrates duty about Religion , deny it ? Shall I draw another reason to prove the Magistrates Duty , &c. The best way for the Magistrate to procure Honesty amongst his people , yea and a good way to estalish his own power , is to endeavour , that his people may live in Godliness . For Honesty it is clear , for who shew more Honesty in their conversations , then those who have most Godliness in their hearts . If men be right in the first table , they will be in the second : the Magistrates are not much troubled with these . For the second thing , experience hath proved it , that the Magistrate hath had need of the Ministers pen to maintaine his power in the Consciences of people , as well as the Ministers have had need of his Sword to defend them against unconscionable people . How many pages have the Ministers pen filled in defence of the Magistracy against the Anabaptists ? whence it was truly said by one of our ablest Lawyers in his charge at the Alizes , were it but for our own selves [ i. e. the upholding of the Magistracy ] we had need uphold the Ministery . For that Deut. 17 ▪ 18. a text commonly brought to prove that the Magistrate is keeper of both Tables ▪ and Vtenbogardus [ whom I named before ] draws it to uphold his Opinion , others wave it , thinking it related only to the Kings own person . But the Kings actions and the Verdict of the Scripture concerning those actions , best interpret it : we see they did meddle and that much in matters of religion , and they are commended for so doing : 2 Kin. 18.6 . the text had spoken before of Hezekiahs Carriage toward God , v. 5. and the matters of Religion in v. 4. and this text saith , he kept the Commandements which the Lord Commanded Moses . Then it seems Hezekiah took himself to be Commanded to do what he did . For those who would yield it to these because they were Types , &c. our Author hath answered before : I add onely , Right reason saith there is as much need of such acts of the Magistrate now as then ; for mens hearts are as vile now as then , as apt to corrupt the worship of God now as then , and the text saith plainly , there will be damnable Heresies , and shall not a Christian Magistrate regard damnable Heresies ? besides , Christs Kingly power reacheth Honesty I hope as well as Godliness , if therefore they being Types or Christ his Kingly Office , ours must now cease meddling with Religion , by the same reason also with Honesty , and Commit all to the King Christ . This were excellent Divinity ! I have heard of some who have been numbred amongst our Grandees that would yield , that the Magistrate was bound to pull down Antichrist , but not to set up Christ . This is a new and I conceive a Vain distinction . Pull down Antichrist ? What then ? Let Mahutanisme , Heathenisme , Judaisme , spread and over run the Nation , Christ must shift for himself it seems ! but doe they think the Magistrate is bound , then surely by a Command : If so , doth the Command bind onely to the Negative , and not the Affirmative part ? this is strang● : Asa did not think so , 2 Chron. 13. ver. 3. he answers the negative part , verse 4. the affirmative . But I doubt this distinction was taken up to serve some other designes . Antichrist they must pull down ▪ how else pull down all the Hierarchy , and all the Ministers Ordained by them ; how shall we get such and such things into our fingers that are of great worth , but set Antichrist upon the head of these men and things , the● down go all these Black-coats , and the profits are ours . But leaving these , our state hath declared that the Magistrate is concerned in matters of Religion ; for we find laws made in reference to every Command of the first table . Indeed we could wi●h there were more , and that there were not some things granted , which do under-mine those which are made . Yea the supreme power have called the people of this Nation together , to humble themselves in solemn daies of Fasting and Prayer , and amongst other Causes , because of Heresies , men growing weary of preaching of the Gospel , and of the Ordinances of Christ , this showes that the Magistrate is Concerned : these things I conceive to be true . First , Though every sin in its own nature deserve humbling , yet to have a Nation called together solemnly thus , it hath not been for sins of a small size , they are sins commonly in Folio ; as for those infirmities of judgement or practise which Christians are bound to bear with each other in , surely these are not the Causes of such solemn daies , must I bear with that , which I must keep a solemn day of Fasting and Prayer to seek God against ? I conceive not . Secondly , If the Magistrate finds such evils as to Call the Nation thus , then surely he hath some power , and is bound to put forth that power to help to remedy those evils so far as he can : if they be evils from God upon us , Plague , Famine , Warr , &c. yet if it lye in his Compasse to doe any thing for the good of the Nation , he will and must doe it : then as well if they be evils of sin from a people against God , he is to doe what he can , or else such Fasts are not rightly kept nor can the Magistrae have peace . I never heard of a Magistrate that did otherwise , if right . True Ezra was a Priest , he Fasted , but I find not that he Commanded or Called the whole Nation in such a solemn manner ; but as he Fasts and Prayes because of a sin , so he put forth power to remedy that in , chap. 10.4 , &c. Why then does it not as well belong to the Civil Magistrate ? &c. Our Author having proved that God hath Committed to the Magistrate the Care of Religion , now ●hews us what it is God hath Committed , and for clearnesse sake shewes first what he hath not Committed . For his first and fourth , had the supreme power of England heretofore observed those rules , English ground had not sucked in so much blood as not it hath . For his second , as he hath laied it down , there is no doubt of it ; something I might move here , but I will bring it in afterwards . For his Third ; all men speak not as our Author : I will not inquire what the Papists say to this , I heard enough of their Inquisition when I was in Spaine , to know the Romish judgement : I find our own Divines affirming that the Magistrate may Compel men to embrace the true Faith , and Religion . Altingus , Perkins , Bucanus , &c. they are many that are of this judgement , and quote Luke 14.23 . Compel , &c. but this sure will never prove it . Jansenius a Popish Author , opening the text , comes at last to the Magistrate , with prisons , death , &c. to compel , but yet acknowledgeth that since the parable speaks of those who were without the Church , therefore , Church Excommunications , and Magistrates compulsion is not here [ chiefly , no nor at all ] meant . Stella , another of those Authors , opens the text without mentioning any thing of the Magistrate ; he shews two waies how God Compels men , and that is excellent compulsion indeed . 1. Ostendendo voluntari nostrae tantum bonum , ut non possit non appetere illud . 2. Removendo & abscondendo omne m●lum , & cum objectum voluntatis sit bonum , tantum bonum potest voluntati repraesentare , ut non possit non amare illud quod videt bonum , &c. who would not be thus compelled ? But for our Divines , I see when they come to answer the arguments that are brought against this position , they say no more in effect then our Author hath said . Means must be used ▪ i. e. compel them to come to ur Assemblies , to hear the Word , and to learne the grounds of our Religion So Mr. Perkins , Dominari fidei , est praescribere quid sit credendum : cogere autem non est adigere mentem ad fidem ejusque assensum , sed cogere loco motivam , ut audiat veram doctrinam , caveat blasphemias , & scandula . Sic Alting . To the same purpose speaks Buchanus , Non potest cogere mentem sed loco motivam , ut audiat veram doctrinam , & media quibus excitatur fides , &c. This is no more then our Author affirmes . Objection . The Magistrate may compel in matters of Honesty , why not as well in matters of Faith and Religion . Answer . First , He may and ought to compel to the means whereby faith is bred . Secondly , The Duties of the second table being the sinews of Commonwealths , are more manifest to natures light then those of the first ; to be sure much more then those things which we believe and know onely by Divine revelation . Thirdly , The Magistrate punisheth the breaches of the second Table , and forceth men that they shall not doe so or so ; men shall not steal , commit Adultery , &c. now those vertues and vices being immediately contrary , he who is not , or doth not the vice , he appears to have the vertue . Thus far the Magistrate as our Author , and so our Divines grant , compels men they shall not blaspheme , they shall not vent nor spread their heresies ; but to force them to believe a Truth is another thing . His fifth head hath more difficulty in it , the Indulgence and Toleration which the Magistrate must give . When he saith Christ will have his Saints exercise the same one towards another , I suppose he means Christ would have his Saints to love each other , and not have Unity broken , but Communion afforded , [ as he hath expressed his mind in his Sermon for the Vnity of the saints , &c. ] though there be weaknesses in judgement and conversation ; and if saints must doe so , then the Magistrate must indulge and tolerate such also . First , It is certain there are and may be such weaknesses both in judgement and practise in people , to whom love and communion ought to be continued , unless we will have none to be saints , but those who have the infallible spirit , and perfection of grace , according to the Quakers dreams . Those who are strong have that duty laid upon them to bear the infirmities of the weak : but gladly would I read that book where it were cleared how far I must go in affording Communion to men weak in judgement and conversation : to say these weaknesses I must tolerate , Christ will have me exercise indulgence thus far , and no further . Some errors in practise we must bear , why not then some errors in judgement ? the Head is imperfect as well as the Heart . Yet we find it a harder matter to keep unitie when men differ in judgement . Whither , First , Because we are sensible of weaknesses in our own conversations , we are passionate , &c. Well then may I bear with others who are so ; but for our judgements we conceive we are right . Secondly , Men doe not use to defend themselves in such weaknesses , but doe more pray against them , and they are their burden if saints ; but they will defend their errors . Thirdly , For errors in practise . Saints do value the grace which is contrary to their corruption , and those men who have attained beyond them , they Commend . But in errors of judgement , men set high prices on their errors , and Condemn all those who are contrary to their judgements . More causes I could give , but we find it hard to bear . Secondly , As the Saints must bear , so no doubt there are such weaknesses which the Magistrate ought to Tolerate . But whither the Magistrate must or will tolerate , what ever a Church must , I question very much . I know our Author had large principles this way , and I doubt not but he took them up from the love he bare to Christs Image , which might be where yet were too many errors . If the error were not in the Fundamental points [ alas that some body would once tell us what those are , for I took those to be Fundamental , which our times now deny ] I know he would bear much . But suppose then Churches be overspread with this error , that Christians must not swear though lawfully called , and matters of great moment depend upon an Oath ? Suppose men deny War [ upon never so just grounds ] to be lawful : Suppose , deny All Magistracy , [ as we know the old Anabaptists did all these , and how many amongst us now ] with divers more such things , which will not I suppose come under the Fundamentals : I say these errors spread abundantly , what will or what must the Magistrate doe , indulge all these ? What shall become of the Nation , and Courts of Judgement ? Something 's we may gather from our Author which the Magistrate must not Tolerate . First , Not Idolatry , superstition , &c. Secondly , Not Heresie , this can claim no more Toleration then other works of the flesh , Gal. 5. But if the braines of Christians had been as much troubled when the Apostles writ to them about heresies as ours are now , they had need have writ again to the Apostles to explain what they meant by heresies , for they could not tell . Thirdly , Not the contemners of the Ordinances of Christ . For he hath laid it down as one of the things that God hath committed to the Magistrate , to take care that all the Lords Institutions be executed : also that he must command and order the people to come and attend the Ministry of the Word . But if the Magistrate Tolerate those who cast off the Institutions of Christ , to what purpose doth he take care to see them executed ? How can it be his duty to doe this , and yet his duty to Tolerate those who throw them off ? More I could gather : but let me speak a few words about Toleration . It is true what Learned Mr. Norton saith , to Tolerate all things , and tolerate nothing , are both intolerable . Acts of Toleration are but Mercurial Medicines to recover a sick state , but if the preparations of such Medicines be not exquisite , Mercurius vitae [ as the Chymists call it ] proves often Mercurius mortis . States had need look about them what they doe when they make Acts for Toleration in matters of religion , unless they think they must give no account for such Acts . First , Toleration , is , Malorum of things that are evil , they are so reputed in the judgement of those who doe tolerate : we do not tolerate good , but evill things . True , Toleration doth not infer approbation [ though most will think so ] yet being they are evill , he that is Minister of Good , must needs desire to tolerate as few of them as may be : there will be evils , errors , in the Churches doe he and the Churches what they can , but when there is an Act of Toleration for them , who takes care to heale them ? Secondly , When States will make Acts for Toleration in matters of Religion , they had need have another Act go first , i. e. to declare what they will NOT Tolerate : they had need make good fences about the Vitals of Religion , or else we shall have errors arise that will threaten them also : have we not experince of it now ? Thirdly , Rules for Toleration must not be taken from Persons that appear to be godly ; that is , because such persons are looked upon as godly , therefore what Opinions they hold shall be tolerated . Because David a godly man falls into adultery , therefore tolerate that sin ? May not a man that is godly [ at least seems to be so , ] fall into such an errour of judgement , as neither Church nor State must tolerate ? I know no such warrant to secure us , but when professors grow wanton God may leave them to such errors in judgement , as he hath left to errors in practise . Also may not godly men be true and blamable causes of great Schisme ? but yet because godly , they must not be indulged . Fourthly , If because Arguments can be brought to prove an Opinion , therefore such an Opinion must be tolerated , then what Heresie must not be tolerated ? If a man will listen to his own Atheistical heart and carnal reason , there are those who could bring arguments very strong against the Scriptures , Christs Divinity , his satisfaction , such things as we call Fundamentals , ( if there be any ) ; I doubt not but there may be stronger arguments brought against these , then there are for some things wherein men cry for Indulgence , though they break the peace of the Churches , and have brought us into this Confusion . But if therefore those Heresies should be tolerated , then let Churches and Religion go whither they will . Fifthly , Such Doctrines and practises as the Churches of Christ since the Apostles daies have constantly condemned ; Churches , where soundness of doctrine , and holinesse in conversation have met together , having also libertie to search the mind of God , and to reform : what these have constantly condemned , I humbly conceive , that a State had need be cautious in making Acts to Tolerate such doctrines and practises : and I am sure there are too many such now Tolerated . Sixthly , It had been much better for the Churches , to have yielded each to other so far as they might , and studied an Accommodation , rather then put the Civil power to make an Act for Toleration , which wanton spirits look at but as an Invitation , to vent their own frothy and erroneous conceptions , being they have a law to back them . I am not to this day satisfied , what sufficient reasons can be given , why the Congregational and Classical brethren might not have joyned together , and strengthned each other , but that through their division the Nation should be as it is at this day . If the letting of a godly Minister enjoy his own people , without taking them from him , would have healed the breach , what an easie Medicine had this been for so great a wound ? The text which our Author hath pitched upon saith , in All Godliness . A good Magistrate will look that this people may live in All Honesty : One part wil not serve the turn , and if he could cause them to live in All godlinesse also , it would be well for that people . Seventhly , To displease Thousands of godly and sound Christians , for the sake of pleasing a few Christians in doctrines and practises corrupt , I conceive is no safe policie : whose spirits have shown themselves more Turbulent , then those for whom Toleration hath been pleaded ? We have now had experience what it is to live under Episcopal Persecutions , and an Armies Toleration , which of these two have proved the most destructive to the power of godlinesse I need not say . This onely I would say , [ and that not without some sense of grief on my spirit ] it is sad that those who lay claim to New-England principles , should so Act their part that men should not say , and our posterity hereafter believe it , That Independency ruined the Church of England . Then our Author , comes to his Positive rules ; and his second general rule is , that the Magistrate takes care that all the Lords Institutions be observed . The word in the Original which we translate godliness , signifieth firstly , the worship of God . A godly man {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a good worshipper , qui probè c●lit & veneratur Deum : Godly Kings did show their godlinesse in this point very much , putting down false worship , and setting up the true worship of God : while the Ordinances of God are maintained as they ought to be , God is known in the world : and much godliness is shown in a due worshipping of God . If we look back to the beginnings of our troubles , and recall what it was the Professors of England would have had , let them speak : when you were fain to get into houses privately to keep Fasts together , afraid that any should see you , lest the Bishops should know it , why did you Fast , why did you utter such sad Complaints to God , why did your tears drop so , what was your burden ? Oh this Hierarchy , did so Tyrannize over Gods faithful Ministers , suspending , imprisoning , &c. they did so mix their humane Inventions with Gods Institutions , that we could not have the worship of God according to the pattern , but must wound our consciences if pertake of the Ordinances ; what do you desire of God ? why , that he would root up these persecuting Bishops , and all the rabble that belongs to them , that we may have none but Christs own Officers , & Ordinances pure without this mixture , no Railes , Surplice , Crosse , &c. this was the businesse why men thus prayed , and fasted ; and for these things the old solid Puritan prayed many yeers since , though died before these times ; well , what those deceased Christians prayed for , and these living , God hath given this generation , Surely now those Ordinances and Officers shall be highly prized , &c. But what are more despised ? the Officers are but Anti-christian Blackcoats ; any gifted brother is as good as these Priests ; and for the Ordinances , Church-Discipline , singing of Psalms , Infant-Baptisme , these are none of Christs Institutions ; and for elder persons water-baptisme , is a needless thing if have the inward ; so the Supper , if have the thing signified , &c. that thus all are thrown off : would any man have believed such horrid Apostasie should ever have been heard of , principally from those things , where their Prayers , Fasts , and tears , together with the old Christians went so strongly ? What , in these points Apostatize ? what do these things presage ? All Christs Institutions saith our Author , the Magistrate must take care for . So indeed said the Persian Emperour , Ezra 7.23 . whatsoever is Commanded by the God of Heaven , let it be diligently done , &c. But it seems the Lord hath No Institutions now , they are all disputed out . Church-Discipline , hath gone unquestionably for an Institution of Christ grounded on good Scripture , till Erastus had a mind to quarrel with it , but it seems God did befool the man , that whilst he falls out with the Ordinance , his pen must write down seven sorts of persons , which ought not to be esteemed as members of the Church , and if there be any such , they ought to be cast out . And Mr. Prynne after his great stir , yet acknowledgeth , that 1 Cor. 5. ult. proveth Excommunication , * yea and more texts besides that . That which was once a Church-ordinance , remained ever so , unless God himself removed it ; but where men will prove the Translation of this Ordinance from the Church to the Civil Bench in case the Magistrate prove Christian , I cannot tell , One of our Magistrates did attempt to prove such a thing once to me by way of argument ; because there is no thing which falls under the Churches Cognizance as being an object for Church-Discipline , but falls under the Magistrates also . But I thought Christian Magistrates would first have brought a word of Scripture from Christs mouth to have proved the removing of an Institution , but I heard none : Then surely there is no great fear of the loss of the Ordinance , if it must be lost by Scripture . 2. To the argument I answer , by denying the consequence , that though the same things do fall under the Magistrates cognizance that do under the Churches , yet it doth not prove that Church-discipline is removed , &c. 1. I doubt not but in the Primitive Churches there might fall out such sins that the Heathens Courts might take hold of , [ for there was government then among the Heathen in matters of Honesty , wherein yet some Church-members might be tardy ] but that did not take off the Churches discipline . 2ly . But the end is very different : The Church in her discipline makes Repentance her end ; if the Delinquent be brought to that , the Church desires no more , nor can require no more . But doth the Magistrate require no more ? is Repentance his end he directly and firstly aymes at ? I think not ; but he aimeth at the satisfaction of a Law made against such offenders , to be a terror to others . 3ly . If persons come not to Repentance , the Church doth not proceed by Mul●●s , Death , Prisons , Bridewels , &c. which the Magistrate doth , yea though the person repents . If Repentance would save from death , abundance should not dye by the Magistrate . The Church labours to bring to repentance [ which the Magistrate quâ sic doth not , as not being his businesse ] and if not , proceeds to Excommunication , the person cast out of the visible Kingdome of Christ , and now reckoned in Satans Kingdome : This the Magistrate doth not , nor can doe . Obstinacy in a sin and offence , is that the Church looks at , as much and [ most what ] more then the sin it selfe ; but so doth not the Magistrate ; for it is the act , the Law broken , not obstinacy , [ which is but an Adjunct to the Act ] which the Law punisheth . 4ly . The Magistrate deals not with the offender , by applying the Law of God to him immediately , but such a Law made in such or such a Kings time , or such an Act of Parliament , &c. but the Church meddles with no such things , but applyes the word and law of God only to the offender . 5ly . The Church have a rule to proceed by degrees ; if offences be private , to take one or two , goe and deale , &c. if can attain the end , Repentance , go not to the Church : But this doth not belong to Magistrates Courts . 6ly . The Church upon repentance receives a man into fellowship , 2 Cor. 2. the members confirm their love , &c. Doth the Magistrate thus ? 3. Again I answer , by denying the Antecedent , namely , that nothing falls under the Churches Cognizance , but comes under the Magistrates also . There is nothing comes under the Magistrates Cognizance , but that the State hath made a law against : but I have not known of any laws made against lying , filthy speeches , Totall neglect of religious worship in families , wicked carriages of children to parents , with many more which might be mentioned , as Covetousness , when evident notes of that sin reigning have appeared [ which because Mr. Prynne scoffs at the Churches for , I could name to him a person that was cast out of a Church ; and that was one of the chief causes , his covetousness , as the members told me . ] Now the Magistrate meddles , not with these , but I think no Church that is as it ought to be , but will call persons guilty of these , to account ; and proceed , upon obstinacy . This Ordinance then stands as an Institution of Christ , and surely the Magistrate is to look tha● this be observed ; and if a christian Magistrate would doe service to Christ his Church at such a time as this is , next to the bridling of the rage o● furious , irrational , erroneous , blasphemous men , this would be a worthy work , to stablish this Ordinance and that great Ordinance of Cathechizing , for want of which we see the wofull Condition our Churches are fallen into . Obj. The Magistrate gives you leave to doe these , why do not the Churches do them ? what need of him ? The Churches have done these when the Magistrate was a Heathen . Answ. In those times when Christian , Jew , and Heathen , divided the whole world , then the Churches could do more then now we can : the Churches then would admit none to baptism [ if adult ] but first they were well Catechized : we have such , as [ set by the name Christian , ] are as ignorant as Heathens , and take themselves to be Church members , but scorn to be Catechized . 2. There is difference to be put between times , when the Ordinances and Worship of Christ were had in high esteem , and feared , according to their worth : and these times when wanton corrupt men and Apostates , have learned to despise the Ordinances of Christ , and grown fearless ; our Apostates will jeer at that which then the Churches feared : Cast them out of a Church , they can fin a knot of corrupt Sectaries to receive them , and hold Communion with them , and what care they for Excommunication ? [ we see they can despise all ordinances ] But it was not thus in the Primitive Churches . 3. Surely a bare permission is not sufficient to discharge the Magistrate , that he suffers the Ordinances to be set up ; our Author saith he must take care , &c. which is more then a permission . The Persian Emperour did more then permit . Fourthly , It is true the Churches did observe these Ordinances , when the Magistrate was a Heathen , but then he did not his duty : shall the Church and Ordinances have no advantage by a Magistrate being Christian ? Obj. But what shall the Magistrate doe , when there are such disputes about Church-Government ? one saith it is Episcopal , another Presbyterial ; another Congregational ; and the Magistrate cannot be satisfied himself which it is ; how then shall he take care that this or that be set up ? Answ. Is the Magistrate indeed unsatisfied that he knows not which it is ? I doubt it . For the Episcopal government , I suppose there needs no words about that , the Magistracy hath sufficiently declared against that . The Bishops before allowed the Ministers power to suspend from the Lords Supper , which is Excommunicatio minor in the esteem of many . That the Bishop would Monopolize the power of Excommunication , as if Presbyters might not doe such an Act , is more then any Bishop dare undertake to prove . Hierom could tell us in his time , when Corruptions had overgrown the Church , Excepting Ordination what doth a Bishop that a Presbyter doth not ? It seems then Presbyters did excommunicate . I thought to have added something more ; but reading of Anselm the Archbishop of Canterbury upon the first Chap. of Titus , he giveth such strong grounds to convince me that such Bishops were never of Divine Institution , that I trouble my selfe no further . For the other two , if any suppose the Congregationall Government not to be Presbyterial , they mistake . It should be so I am sure , or else there must be no government at all : to find government , where there are not Governors and governed , will be very hard : but who are governed , if the people be Governors ? Let learned Mr. Norton , one of the strongest Congregational Divines be heard ; he speaks to the purpose : I appeal to any competently judicious and sober-minded man , if the denial of Rule in the Presbytery , of a decisive voice in the Synod , and of the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion , doth not in this point translate the Papal power unto the Brotherhood of every Congregation ? thou that abhorrest Episcopacy , dost thou commit Popery ? Alas , alas , is there no medium between Boniface and Morellius , between Papacy and Anarchy ? if there be a mystery of iniquity in the one , is there not an university of iniquity in the other ? The Historians indignation that the East was overcome by a drunken Commander with a drunken Army , is now become a matter of astonishment , when so drunken a Tenet , in an Age of such learning , piety , action , suffering , and successe , should threaten the hopes of so glorious a reformation , come unto the very birth . By this you may see the judgement of this solid Divine and his fears ; and what sober man doth not fear the like ? The businesse then is not whether the government be Presbyterial , we all agree in that : but whether Classical , &c. That which troubleth us here , is , that the Churches mentioned in the Scripture were in Cities and populous places , where there were many Elders , and so there is no question about them : but how they carried on their government in small Villages [ we read not of any in such places to my remembrance ] such as ours are , we have no example . Yet let us see how much we differ as now we stand : the Congregational Divines , though they deny a Pastour to have Authoritative power over any Church but his own , yet in matters of weight , and so in Excommunication they judge that a Council of Elders ought to be called , which they look upon as an Ordinance of God : thus in N. E. one Church going about to excommunicate a person , a neighbour-Minister sent word , he conceived the Church ought not to doe it ; some of the Church came to him to know his reasons ; he bad them call a Council , and in the Council he would give his reasons , but not else ; the Church would not hearken to him , but cast the person out . This bred division . Thus most of the miscarriages have come from this , when people have been head-strong , and would not call Councils . But now there the most learned , wise , and solid Divines doe call for Councils in all weighty acts . I see here amongst us , our Congregational Brethren doe the like . The case is judged and determined by the Council , but it is executed by the Officer of the Congregation . Let us keep close to this , and many miscarriages will be prevented . Come to the Classical government , though these Divines suppose they have Authoritative power over other Churches ; yet this I suppose , look where the fact is committed , there the case is to be heard . This was the old practice : when the Classis have determined what ought to be done [ as suppose a person is to be excommunicated ] yet if the Classis allow that the officer or officers of the Church where the fact is committed shall execute the sentence with the consent of the Church ; then though there be difference in our judgements , yet none appears in our practices . If we ask further concerning the power of Synods , what they may doe to Heretical Congregations ? The Congregational men say , A Synod is a solemn Ordinance of Christ ; that the Synod doth admonish men or Churches in the name of Christ authoritatively , as there shall be cause ; the Synod declares men or Churches to be subverters of the faith , or otherwise according to the nature of the offence to shame them before all the Churches ; in the name of Christ refuse communion with them ; also declare in the name of Christ that these erring people or Churches , are not to be received into fellowship with any the Churches of Christ , nor to have communion one with another in the Ordinances of Christ : And thus they practice , keeping such from Communion : what is this but excommunication in effect ? The Classical adde one step more , a formal , and juridical delivering such to Satan ; but that produceth no more effects . Look into the Congregational Churches , you see the same and as many effects , as in the Classical , upon their formal delivering , &c. Here is but a poor difference , no man can see any difference ; whence I wonder that there is such complaints against the Ministers for differing about Forms . For other power of Synods , see Mr. Cotton , Keys , &c. p. 25 , 53 , 54 Our Divines in their Preface to his Book , say , they have a Ministerial power and Authority , to determine , declare , and enjoyn such things , as may tend to reduce such Congregations to right order and peace . The summe is this , the Congregational men goe so far , that men who have any conscience will fear to oppose and crosse them ; and for those who have no conscience , they will little regard the Synods formal delivering to Satan ; but then we hope the Magistrate will not tolerate such as have no conscience , nor suffer such heretical persons to vent their Heresies when the Synod hath proceeded to Excommunion , or Non-communion , [ our Author saith he must not doe so ] Then he helps both , the Classical and Congregational Churches . Yet a few more words to see if I can make things plain . 1. Every Pastour of a Church hath the power of government , he is a Ruler in the Church , he depends on no man for this , he hath it from Christ immediately annexed to his office inseparably . As soon deny a Magistrate to have power of ruling in a Commonwealth , as a pastor in the Church : The title implies as much , with divers others in Scripture . They are Ministers ; true , so is the Magistrate , Rom. 13.4 . Minister of God . And these are called Ministers of God , 2 Cor. 6.4 . and of Christ , chap. 11.23 . Their being Ministers , deny not their ruling power . 2ly . All persons who professe themselves to be Christians , and Church-members , are to be subject to these in the Lord . This is necessarily inferred from the former ; even as truly as the members of a Commonwealth are subject to the civil Ruler . I doe not say that the Pastors rule , as doe the civil Magistrate , if you respect the modus , but rule they doe . 3ly . Though every Pastor hath the power , yet some Pastors question whether they alone may put forth this power [ especially in the highest acts ] with the consent of the Church-members , but rather think it must be as they are united with more Pastors in a Classis . Others conceive they can with the consent of the members without any such conjunction ; yet that they might act more safely from errour , when they do apply the power , and that the Church might be kept from division , when the Church shall hear the counsel and judgement of many other Pastours , going along with their own Pastour , and to make the Ordinance more solemn , these call in a Council of Elders . 4ly . According to the judgement of these Pastours , so are the members of the Churches perswaded , over whom they watch and have the care in the Lord . Now let us see what should hinder the Magistrate from assisting the Church in executing of this Ordinance of Christ . 1. Not his qustioning of the subject of this power , for that is clear enough ; if I be a Pastour , this power I receive from Christ , as before : we doe not ask the Magistrate to put power into our hands , as if we had none , but only to assist in the putting forth of that which is ours before by a Divine Institution ; as when the Ministry Preach and Print in defence of the power of the Civil Magistrate , the Ministry doth not give him a power which was not his before , but what God hath given him , the Ministry assist the Magistrates , by stablishing that power in the consciences of people : so the Ministers desire the Magistrate would assist them , that they may apply , and in applying their power to the corrupt practices of their people . If he object , Many of these Ministers are weak , not fit for it . We could say the same of many Magistrates , they are weak enough . But then suppose this , the Classical Minister hath his Classis which helps him , the Congregational his Council which helps him . If he saith the Ministers are nought , many , &c. Then let him doe his part to remove such : To which end , if Church-government were setled there would be a meanes serving better then now there is . Secondly , Neither need he be troubled at the difference between these two ; for the difference is so small we see , that there are no different effects appear : he who is cast out of one Church is cast out of all , at least till the case be heard there is no Communion : so it was in the old time though a person were Excommunicated wrongfully . Besides he assists the Ministers where the power lieth without question , [ with the consent of the people ] he doth not consider them as Classical or Congregational , but as Pastours . Thirdly , Neither need he fear the compelling of the peoples consciences , for that the people ought to be subject in the Lord , there is no mans conscience [ unless it be a wretched one ] doth question it , if he ownes a Pastour : and as for the Classical or Congregational subjection , the people are perswaded before , [ upon what grounds I leave ] so that if compulsion be , it is but to make people walk according to what in their consciences they think to be right . But what shall he do with the Episcopal mans Conscience for he is against both these , shall he compell him ? no , no body shall compel him , let him keep his conscience : suppose I have two or three Episcopal men in my parish , these making every parsh to be a Church , must needs acknowledge themselves to be members of that Church ; if I be Minister to that Church I suppose they will acknowledge me to be their Minister ; if they come to require the Sacraments of me , then be sure they doe acknowledge me , according to their own principles . If they own me , I will not aske them whither I have power or no over them ; they know it , and I know it ; let these walk regularly , there is no body troubles them they enjoy their judgment as to Episcopacy , but if they prove Heretical , or scandalous , and will not be reclaimed , I will not trouble my self about their judgements , but be ● Classical or Congregational , will cast them out of the Church ; and let them keep their judgements as to Episcopacy when Excommunicated . The same I would doe with an Erastian . I have enlarged upon this Institution , because there is such want of it , and is so much called for . For singing of Psalms , I have spoken to that in another book , but I think that will ere long be owned again for an Ordinance of God , the Quakers proving such Songsters . For Infant-Baptism , the Congregational differ not from the Classical in this , that the children of such parents as visibly appear to be penitent believers , ought to be baptized : they agree in the rule , but in the application of this rule to persons , there is some difference . Some apply it larger , some more streightly . Because they agree not in this , what is required to a Visible believer : it is likely that if Church-government were erected , that they may come neerer , when the Classical brethren shall have that power they desire to have to reforme their Churches . Yet since we agree in the subject of the Ordinance , and the rule , differing onely in the latitude of the application of the rule , one would think here might be a forbearance ; I suppose the Classical brethren will lay down the same rules for admission to the Lords Supper , yet when they come to apply those rules to particular subjects , some will go larger , some narrow●r ; but what then ? will they not bear each with other ? so in Church-Discipline . But there comes in another Company and tells us , that Infant-baptism [ let the parents be never so godly ] is no Institution of Christs . My intention is not to meddle with the Controversie , divers of our Divines have done it most strongly : This I can say . First , I am sure it was once a Divine Institution , that Abraham● seed should be reckoned Members of the Church with Abraham himself . Secondly , I am sure it was also a Divine Institution , that his seed should have that Ordinance which was a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of faith . Thirdly , I am as sure that All the Anabaptists who have yet put pen to paper , have not brought one text that proves the repealing of the Institutions . When God makes a law to debarr his people from eating swines flesh , &c. Levit. 11.7 . if that law must be repealed , what care God takes once and twice , Acts 10. the sheet let down , &c. Rom. 14.10 . Is God so careful in repealing a law about a Hog , and will he now have all the posterity of Abraham cast out of the Church , and reckoned amongst the unclean , without giving us a word as clear for repealing the Institution as he hath done for that law against a Hog ? for my part I will never believe it . I wonder that such an Opinion that hath been constantly condemned by all the Churches , where truth and holiness have flourished since the Apostles times ; and an Opinion which hath been accompanied with other Heresies , Arianisme , Pelagianisme , Socinianisme , &c. should now be swallowed down so readily amongst some whom otherwise we would esteem to be godly . It being an Opinion that hath been searched into , studied , when Churches have had their liberty ; I remember in N. England an officer of a Church was arguing with one of his members who was snared in this errour , and asked the man what comfort he could have of his babe , if God should take it away in the Infancy , more then George Sagamore [ an Indian ] could have of his ? the man [ being an honest plain man ] answered , yes , he had more then the Indian ; the Covenant of God with him and his seed . It seems Abrahams children are solicitous about their seed , and though some doe in their practise ranck them among the Indians , yet they would fain have something to lay hold upon , as this poor man , and so confuted his practise , for if the seed be in Covenant , then give it the signe and seal . Though I do not passe that censure upon all these Anabaptists which I hear Mr. Sidrach Simpson did , yet surely it is an errour of more consequence then men doe esteem of , and grounded upon such principles , that will necessarily infer more errours then this . Certainly such had need give strong testimony by their whole conversation that they are very consciencious men [ if they do plead conscience in this ] & if they can find so much Toleration as to have Communion with Churches [ being indeed consciencious men ] to live peaceably in a Nation , upon this condition that they divulge not their errours , it is as much as can fairly be yielded by Churches or State , unlesse all the Scripture grounds which are brought to prove the Interest of Abrahams seed in the Church , with the constant practise of all Churches Orthodox and holy since the Apostles times , are of no more worth then to be thrown at mens heels . So much for our Authors general rule : For his particular rules . If the first be true [ as I am sure it is ] then who shall answer for all those ignorant , erroneous , Scripture-abusing [ I will not say preachers but ] praters that have gone forth into Wales , the Northern and other parts of England , sowing such seeds of errors , as will not be plucked up in hast , occasioning so many to turn Papists , making the pretended reformation to be so much despised , and the English Ministery to become a scorn . These are far from those qualifications which our Author hath set down , and from the example of Jehoshaphat , he did not take up Taylors , Shoomakers , and such kind of fellows , and send them to preach , but Priests and Levits , orderly called to the work , brought up to it : If you say , he sent Princes also ; This is well answered by Mr. Rutherford : but if it were so as some understand , such were in more likelihood fit for the work and more honour to the work , then Jeroboams practise was . Do these answer the Apostles description in his Epistles to Titus and Timothy ? now it is , who is Not sufficient for these things ? Besides our Author faith , it must be according to Gods Order . But is this the Order of Christ , to send out Ministers without Ordination ? these fellows had no election from the people , nor no Ordination : What is all Order thrown down ? Ordination hath been looked at as an Institution of Christ , till the Socinians and some others objected : but the Orthodox have constantly maintained it , both Episcopal , Classical , and Congregational ; and if Scripture authority be worth any thing , no doubt but we can bring good warrant still to prove it . There is more ground to bring in Bishops to Ordain , then to leave out Ordination . 2. For his second rule : If Schools and Universities be needful , then our Author must needs condemn those against whom I spake before . Julian knew what he did , when he forbad the children of Christians the use of Schools : the Christians also knew what he did , with very sad hearts ; and I know they doe but act what Julian intended , who ever looks at Schools and Universities as uselesse , and so are hinderances to them . I have heard it reported [ though I can scarce believe it ] that one of the Masters of our Colledges , should in his Sermon declare that he thought Universities were good to train up youth to Civilitie , but not to Divinitie . If this should be a true report , I wish he would read over Zanchy his Oration concerning the necessity of Schools in the Church : and tell us how a man can open the Scriptures , without the knowledge of the Original Tongues , the three general Arts , and History . Besides other special arts , and as for the other Oriental Tongues what helps they are to understanding of Scripture , those who are a little versed in them know already . But the man might have another end in this , to satisfie country Ministers why they have stood sweating so many years in the Commencement house , but could never hear him either Opponent or Respondent . Those who must be so able to Convince others , had need be trained up in the way to it . What Cause have the Church to bless God for those brave lights which have shined in our Universities ? 3. Our Authors reason is strong to prove the Magistrate may cause his people to attend upon the Ministry of the Word , onely provided the Ministers be such as in his first he described . If this course had been taken it would have prevented much of that evil that is now come by separation from the publike Ministery . As for the objection they make , they cannot believe these Ministers be true Ministers : neither doth the Magistrate compel them to believe so , he compels them to attend upon those which he looks at as true , being sound , qualified , orderly sent forth , but he troubles not the people with this , that they must believe the standing [ as they call it ] of the Ministers to be right , let them attend to the Doctrine . Obj. But they are unsound . Answ. 1. So will the Heretick say of the soundest Minister that is . 2. It lieth upon the Magistrate to look to that . 3 If you can prove their doctrine to be unsound , you have libertie to reject their doctrine : what the evill is for want of the Magistrates performing this part of his duty , England knowes at this day . Why by the same rule the Magistrate may not compel the people to be Catechized I know not : to be sure Catechizing was an Ordinance great in use in the primitive times , and woful experience hath taught us , how people may set under good preaching forty yeers , and yet for want of Catechizing , be more ignorant then many children are . The Churches of England cry aloud to the Magistrate , that if he will doe any thing for them ▪ then strengthen the hands of the Ministers who would set up Catechizing , and Discipline . 4 If the Magistrate may engage the people by Oaths , and Covenants , as saith our Author , [ to whom also Gerhard inclines . ] Then there would arise a question , whither the Magistrate have not more power over these in case they Apostatize from what they have Covenanted then over others who have not so Covenanted ? I shall desire to add but two things more to what our Author hath set down , which I conceive also the Magistrate is concerned in . First , The calling of Synods . In the primitive times they used to have Synods twice in a yeer . * That the Christian Magistrate did use to call them also [ when the Church came to have such Magistrates ] is well known ; the story of Constantinus surnamed Pogonatus * when the Monothelytes troubled the Church , is worth the reading : the Centurists in their preface to the seventh Century have set it down : how he called the Synod , and carried himself in the Synod ; a pattern indeed for all Christian Magistrates . The reading of the story put me in mind of our Magistrates in N. England , when the first Synod there was Called , who carried themselves according to that Prince . 1. Synods are a solemn Ordinance of Christ for the helping the Church against errors , schisms , scandals , saith Mr. Burroughs Iren. p. 43.44 . Mr. Cotton * hath spoken sufficiently for them . The Synod of N. E. an. 1649. call Synods assembled and proceeding according to the pattern , Act. 15. an Ordinance of Christ . And in the third section of the same chap. say , the Magistrate hath power to call a Synod ; the Classical Divines be sure differ not : now if it be an Ordinance so much concerning the well-being of the Church , then the Magistrate must look to such an Ordinance . 2. Synods are necessary in regard of the Magistrate himself : for as our Author saith , the Magistrates Conscience is not the rule , but he must looke to have his Conscience rightly informed from the word , then what more likely way for the Magistrate to have his conscience informed in things concerning the Church which he must look to , then to have a company of holy & learned men gathered together in the name of Christ , debating of matters which concern the Church ; the Magistrate being present as to keep civil order , so also to propound what may trouble him , that so he may be informed . Q. But what shall the Magistrate do ? give himself up to the Synod ? our Author saith he must not give himself up to the Dictates of men . Answ. First , No more he doth , for while he heareth the debates , the reasons given on both sides , propounds his own scruples , he doth not give himself up to the dictates of men . Secondly , Mr. Cotton saith , and that truly , that the Synod binds not onely materially , but also formally , from the Authority of the Synod ; which being an Ordinance of Christ bindeth the more for the Synods sake . If there be no respect due to Synods to what purpose are they called ? If a Synod may pronounce a Church to be Heretical , renounce Communion with a Church , and declare such a Church ought not to have Communion with any Church [ which is in effect excommunication ] as our Congregational men say : then certainly Synods have Authority from Christ , and a Magistrate that is godly will not lightly esteem their Determinations . 2ly , The Second thing which I conceive the Magistrate is to look to , is , to prevent Schisme what may be , and to heal it where it is . Schisme never riseth but from bad causes , and the effect as bad . Were it but in respect to civil Policie , the Magistrate had need take care of this , for where Schisme is , there Unitie is broken , and that people will not live peaceably , which our Authors text mentions . Rents in the Church will cause rents in the State , if opportunity be given , experience hath proved it : But if we look to the Church , there the Magistrate if he takes himself to be a Minister for the good of it , shall find cause enough why he should step in here . Our Author in his Sermon about Vnitie , &c. tending to heal our rents ; saith truly , that the sin of schisme according to the sense of the Scripture is a most hainous sin , though many make no account of it , whether they be charged justly or unjustly with it . He opens the evill of it both in the nature and effects of it . Now however our Author doth show he hath larger principles then many other men have , yet let the professors of England be tryed by his rules , and then see who be the Schismaticks . I never yet heard that any godly classical Divine hath so much as debarred an Anabaptist [ who was otherwise godly , and desired forbearance ] from any Communion in the Lords Supper , or other Ordinances , but to be sure the Anabaptists , the Separatists , &c. have denied Communion with them and cast them off with highest scorn : where errors are not in the fundamentals and persons be otherwise unblameable there we ought to hold Communion . Be it so , let us yield it for the present : is Ordination by Bishops an errour in the foundation , is the owning of Abrahams seed as members of the Church and baptizing them being yet Infants , an errour in the foundation ? so I may number more . Let all the Separatists and Anabaptists with other Sectaries whatever in England charge the Classical Churches with an error in the foundation . If they cannot , why do they cast off Communion with them ? It is commonly said to us , though we differ in judgement let us not differ in affection . Well , be it so , but this generation differ not onely in judgement , but affection , which they manifest openly in throwing off Communion with all but their own sect , and yet they call to us we must not differ in affection , though they doe ; for Schisme is properly against Christian love ; but to be sure they are the Schismaticks by our Authors rules . The meaning is this , though we differ in judgement from you , and break our Vnion with you manifesting it openly by casting off Communion with you , yet you must be united to us . Though we call you Priests , Black-coats , Antichristians , and so your Churches , yet you must not differ in affection . Though Churches can tolerate some errors in persons when they carry themselves otherwise humbly and conscienciously , and not divulge them nor labour to draw away others , yet this schismatical spirit in such a high way also , is intolerable . As for that question , What way simple error or heresie should be punished ? This our Author [ and that truly ] calls a hard question : yet the difficulty lieth not so much in this , whether the Magistrate may inflict any punishment but capital punishment ? As for the Papists , we need not ask their judgements : their Books , their practises , Smithfield and many other places in England , where our glorious Martyrs have suffered , declare sufficiently what their judgement is . For the Calvinists , Gerhard a learned Lutheran gives them a nip as if they varied their judgements , according to the variety of conditions they were under . Calvinianos quod attinet , ille pro rerum ac fortunae diversitate , diversas proferunt sententias . If things go ill on their side , if they be under the popish power , then they use these rules ; No man must be compelled to believe : It is Antichristian tyranny to rule over mens consciences , &c. But if things go well on their side , that they have the civil power with them , erumpunt in sanguinariam illam vocem , Haereticos esse occidendos . Yet Gerhard was not of that mind , that the Magistrate should let Hereticks alone , he was far from this opinion . He distinguisheth between Seducers and the Seduced , [ so do we ] between errors fundamental , and not fundamental ; I wish he had set these down that we might know them . But though he hath not done it here , I find amongst other Lutherans where he is quoted , that he takes some doctrines for fundamental errors , which others will not believe to be errors at all ; thus Calovius in his answer to that question Num Lutherani cum Reformatis & Socinianis in unam coire possint ecclesiam ? he excludes not only the Anabaptists and other Sectaries , but even the Calvinists , giving his reasons , though he doth us wrong in some of those doctrines he names , especially as he laies them down . He distinguisheth between the times of the Old Testament and the N. T. Under the old T. the Magistrate might put Hereticks to death , not under the N. T. saith he : but I believe he will get nothing by this distinction . He distingisheth between simple Hereticks , and Hereticks that are Seditious and Vomit out plain blasphemies against God . These he denies not but the Magistrate must put to death . With whom agrees Dr. Ames , grounding his sentence upon Levit. 24.15 , 16. Also Mr. Cotton * : If the Idolater or Heretick grow obstinate , wax worse and worse , deceiving himself and others to the destroying , corrupting , and disturbing of others , now the Magistrate maketh use not of stocks and whips [ for these doe not remove , but exasperate the malady ] but of Death or Banishment , &c. That speech of the Heathen King Artaxerxes Ezra 7.26 . seems to look this way , And whosoever will not doe the Law of thy God , and the Law of the King [ which law , I conceive , was this law of his concerning the House and worship of God ] Let judgement be executed speedily upon him , whither it be unto Death , or to Banishment , or to Confiscation of goods ●or to imprisonment . Also Nebuchadnezzars Decree Dan. 3.29 . Though the Athenians erred in the misapplication of that principle , when they Condemned Socrates , yet that Act showes , that Magistrates are taught even by the light of Nature , to take care of Religion , and of their God , so far as to punish severely , blasphemers of God and corrupters of Religion . But to let that knotty question alone , Herein I am sure our Author with all other sober men [ both Lutherans , and Calvinists , Classical and Congregational Divines ] agree , Viz. First , That Magistrates ought not to Countenance , but Discountenance , and repress Hereticks . Gerhard who is so stiff against the punishing of simple Heresy with Death , yet makes this the Magistrates Duty , to enquire after these Seducing Hereticks : that they may catch these Foxes , who first convey their poison more secretly before they come to appear openly . Blessed Burroughs , a man moderate enough , yet saith , we were in a most miserable Condition , if we had no external Civil power to restrain from ●ny kinds of blasphemies and seducements : the Condition of the Jews , ô how happy was it in comparison of ours : When those who are mad with damnable Heresies run from place to place , seeking to draw all they can from the truth , if we have no means of help but arguments , it is all with us . Dr. Ames [ in his answer to that question , whither Heretics should be punished by the Civil Magistrate ? ] laies down an undeniable Truth . That Hereticks ought to be repressed of all godly men according to that calling and power which they have received from God , is clear enough ex natura rei : because all godly men are called to the Christian warfare , that every one in his station should oppose himself to the Kingdome of darkness . Now to what Kingdom doe Errors and Heresies belong ? I am sure not to the Kingdome of Light . The Ministers in their station oppose these by Scripture , arguments , reproofs , exhortations , admonitions , excommunications : private Christians oppose them in their station either privately by arguing , &c. or more publikely as they consent to their Officers in Church Censures . Now how doth a Christian Magistrate in his station oppose these , [ as a Magistrate ] if he puts not forth his Coercive power also , to repress them . How shall he answer this Text , that his people under him may live in All godlin●ss ? if he lets his people run into Heresies , and Gallio-like regards not these things ; How is he a Minister for good , Rom. 13.4 . To tie up this good to the second table , is to streighten where the word doth not ; I hope godliness is good , and he is to be a Minister for that , according to our Authors Text ; and that belongs to the first Table . But Heresie and Error are no parts of godliness . What our Author saith concerning corrupt Opinions and practises , that men take them up to serve factions and times , to please men , to serve their own bellies ; this is true of many if not most of the Sectaries in our Times . As a man may discern here , as also by what I have learaed by good Intelligence out of Ireland : and it is as true what our Author saith , had these been conscienciously and really discountenanced by the Magistrate , many had not taken these up , and many had laied these down . Secondly , This I find is agreed upon by our Divines , who question the putting to Death of Hereticks ; that Seducing Hereticks , obstinate , that will not be reclaimed , they should be Banished or some other way restrained by the Magistrate , to the end they may not infect others with their poison . Thus the Leyden Professors : aut deponendos , aut relegandos , aut alt● modo constringendos , &c. So Gerhard : expellendi sunt , &c. As for the plea of Conscience ; it is true , Conscience is a tender thing , and those who carry themselves as consciencious men indeed , ought to be dealt very tenderly with : but for these we find them to be very rare amongst those who have drunk in the errors of our Times : And as Mr. Burroughs saith well , the Divell must not be let alone though he be got into mens Consciences , God hath appointed no City of refuge for him : If he flies to mens Consciences as Joab to the horns of the Altar he must be fetched from thence , or fallen upon there . As for the clamour of Persecution , when the Magistrate puts forth his power to repress Heresies , our Author hath given a full answer to it : He may as well be charged with Persecution for punishing and labouring to represse Drunkennesse , uncleannesse , &c. which are works of the flesh , and so is Heresy , Gal. 5.20 . Postscript . IT pleased the Lord in whose hands are our times , whilest this Book was in the Presse to call home to himselfe this godly Gentleman Mr. Meade , to whom this book is dedicated : the man was a sincere lover of Christ , a great lover and companion of all those who loved Christ , a diligent waiter upon all his Ordinonces , a high esteemer of and great friend to all his faithful Ministers , a man who loved not to eat his morsels alone [ nor did . ] Such a succession of strangers [ especially of Ministers ] there was to his house that none need fear an unaired bed that lay there ; considering his estate , we need not say , he was the second liberal Gentleman in Essex : he was deeply affected with the apprehensions of the dark and miserable daies comming upon England ; but as he lived not to read over this book , so the Lord would not let him live to see those daies , he is gone to his fathers in peace . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52048e-260 Answ. to bloody Tenet c. 33. Heb. 11.4 . Notes for div A52048e-680 Observation . Objection . Answer . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ●Chro . 15.3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , General rules . Particular Ruler . Here he tooke hold of something which Mr. Williams [ though an enemy to the Ministry ] had granted in one of his books . Phil. 3.2 . Acts 20.29 . Notes for div A52048e-2780 Vide in 7 Amo. 13. Aaro . rod . p. 209. Orat. 18. P●l . l. 2. c. 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I wil not meddle with that great question whither any thing be justuin & bonum anteced●nter ad Divin●m Vol●ntatem . Patres & scholastici● d●ceat , Deum non velle res quia bonae sunt , sedeas esse bona● quia à Deo sunt volit● . Yet say our Divines nulla est Lex justitiae in actionibus Divinis priusquam voluntas acceptaverit : nihil est justum nisi quia volitum , quamvis non sit justum quâ volitum , sed potiu● quatenus à sapientia divina dictatum . Twis . vind. gra. p. 228. Rhaet . Apol. 345. Bradward . 231.233 594. See Calvins Epistle to K. Edward the 6. ( before his Commentary upon the Catholick Epistles ) toward the latter c●d . See him also in his Epistle to the same King , before his commentary on Isaiah ; out of which prophesie he gathereth divers things and applies them to the King . 2 Pet. 2.1 . Deum posse objectum libertati ita proponere non negamus sed actum voluntatis tunc esse liberum negamus . Rhaet . Apol. p. 10.11 . Vol. 2. p. 412. Loc. Com. 10.2.166 . Loc. C●m . p. 865. Ep. to the Court in ● . E. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} probus Dei cultus . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . veneror , colo . * Mr. Prynne , i● his Vindication of four serious Questions , pag. 57. [ to which book , and his Suspension suspended , he often referrs his Reader in his late book , called a Legal Resolution of two important Quaeries , &c. tending to the casting out of many hundreds of godly Presbyterians , as well as others ; but he never referrs his Reader to Mr. Gillespies Aarens rod , &c. nor ever undertooke an answer to him , that I can learn ] disswades from that strong desire many Ministers have expressed to have Church Discipline erected , and defended by the Magistrate , upon this ground , because the practical power of godlinesse is generally more evidently visible in our English Congregations , where there hath been powerful preaching without the practise of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament , then in the Reformed Churches of France , Germany , Denmark , or Scotland . Therefore the best way to reform us , is , for Ministers not to dr●w out the sword of excommunication which will doe little good : but the sword of the spirit , the powerful preaching of Gods word , and the sword of the Civil Magistrate , which are onely able to effect this work . But First , The question is , whither Church Discipline be an Institution of Christ or not ; if it be , as Mr. Prynne himself cannot deny , then the Ministers may well seek for it : and whence had Learned Mr. Prynne that Divinity to say an Institution of Christ will doe little good . Secondly , It is true , powerful preaching the Lord hath blessed in England , but yet I know those powerful and converting preachers did suspend scandalous persons from the Lords Supper . I believe they had fewer unworthy persons at that Ordinance , then any of the Churches he mentions ; neither did they depend upon Mr. Prynnes Chaire to know what make men scandalous , however he is pleased to call the Ministers , ●●eevish , ignorant , wilful , &c. Thirdly , If Church-Discipline be joyned with powerful preaching , I hope one Ordinance will not hinder another . Fourthly , I grant that Male-administration , and the ignorance of people how to carry themselves towards excommunicated persons , may hinder the efficacy of the Ordinance ; but let these be avoided , and the Ordinance is fitted to do good . There have been such who have been excommunicated , who have blessed God that ever they knew the Ordinance ; and more experiences I could tell concerning this Ordinance , what effects it hath wrought in the hearts of people . Fifthly , No more can be expected from this Ordinance then from others ; God doth not blesse other Ordinances to the good of All those who come under them . Sixthly , Why doth Mr. Prynne add which are Onely able to effect this work ? if these two Swords be Onely able to doe the work ; then the Sacraments are not Converting Ordinances , nor will the giving the Lords Supper to All advance our Reformation for which he so much contends . If God speaks , Nature will teach , it is now the Creatures duty to hear : Nature also teaches it is my duty to pray to my Creator . But that water in one Ordinance , Bread and Wine in another Ordinance should signifie , seal , be Instruments to convey such things as they doe , Nature is silent here ; whence I must say with the Assembly of Divines , The Believer is the subject of these last ; and it will not hold true that an excommunicated person must be debarred from All Ordinances , as saith Mr Prynne . Hearing of the Word preached , and Prayer , belong to Natural worship , but the Sacraments to Instituted worship . Calvin in 7 Amo. 13. complains , that the Princes in Germany , & so in the Countries about him were grown so spiritual , that they would be chief Judges in matter of doctrine , & null Church-discipline . He cals it Sacriledge . Epist. ad Euag● Epist. to the Gen. Court ▪ in N. E. Cypr. Ep. 55. Burro . Iren. c. 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , &c. Concil Sard. can. 17. First Rule . Due right Presb. p. 282. Second Rule . To . 7. p. 415. Third Rule . Fourth Rule . Loc. Com. de mag . p●l . p. 618. * Can. Apos. 38. Concil. Antio. Can. 20. * Why so called , see Forbes . inst. Hist. theol. p. 223. * Keys , cap. 6. Plat. chu . ● c. 16. Key . c. 6. p. 25 22.1 edit. Loc. Com. de ▪ mag . pol. p. 775 ▪ p. 744. Socinis , proffig . p. 942. De Consc. l. 4. c. 4. S. 15. * Ans. to Bloody tenet p. 95. p. 599. Iren. p. 23.24 . Synops. disp. 50. S. 56. De magis . pol. p. 600. Iren. 
A52049	----	Reformation and desolation, or, A sermon tending to the discovery of the symptomes of a people to whom God will by no meanes be reconciled preached to the Honourable House of Commons at their late solemne fast, Decemb. 22, 1641 / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52049 of text R235206 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M770). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 106 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 29 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52049 Wing M770 ESTC R235206 12987520 ocm 12987520 96240 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52049) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96240) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 390:5) Reformation and desolation, or, A sermon tending to the discovery of the symptomes of a people to whom God will by no meanes be reconciled preached to the Honourable House of Commons at their late solemne fast, Decemb. 22, 1641 / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 52 p. Printed for Samuel Gellibrand ..., London : 1642. "Published by order of that House" Reproduction of original in Princeton University Library. eng Fast-day sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A52049 R235206 (Wing M770). civilwar no Reformation and desolation: or, A sermon tending to the discovery of the symptomes of a people to whom God will by no meanes be reconciled. Marshall, Stephen 1642 20026 25 5 0 0 0 0 15 C The rate of 15 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Rachel Losh Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Rachel Losh Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion REFORMATION AND DESOLATION : OR , A Sermon tending to the Discovery of the Symptomes of a People to whom God will by no meanes be reconciled . Preached to the Honourable House of Commons at their late solemne Fast , Decemb. 22. 1641. By Stephen Marshall B. D. Minister of Finchingfield in ESSEX . Published by order of that House . Zeph. 2. 1 , 2. Gather your selves together , yea gather together O Nation not desired , before the decree bring forth . LONDON , Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND , at the Brasen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard , 1642. To the Honourable House of Commons , now assembled in Parliament . IT pleased this Honourable Assembly to require my service in preaching at the late solemne and religious afflicting your soules before the Lord , to which not only my duty but experience of your former acceptance of my endeavours , made me yeeld a ready obedience . But although I knew your goodnesse would beare with that weaknesse which would be discovered in speaking to so grave and judicious an auditory ; yet could I not expect to receive so large a testimony , not only of your acceptation , but thanks , as I and my Colleague have done , much lesse that you should so expresly send to have them published ; because now what blame shall be cast upon my insufficiency in handling and prosecuting such a subject , must in some sort reflect upon your selves . For my selfe I answer all objections against my sending them abroad , with this , that they are yours , and it is fit for me to yeeld unto your disposing of them . For the maine lesson handled , the Lord grant that our seeking him while he may be found , may prevent us from being a further proofe of it to other Nations , and succeeding generations . And to this end , the same Lord guide and blesse unto us , and reward into your owne bosomes , and your posterities , all the many , long , and unwearied labours which you have undergone , and still continue in for the glory of his name , the reformation of his Church , the honour of his Majesty , the peace and prosperity of the whole Realme . This is so generally desired and sought for at Gods hands , that I hope the God who heareth prayers , will not leave the happinesse imperfect , which he seemes to have prepared by your meanes , nor deprive us of the good which you are working . To his wisedome , protection , mercy , and grace , he leaves you , who is your daily Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace . STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED at the late Fast , before the COMMONS House of PARLIAMENT . 2 KINGS 23. 26. Read also Vers. 25. And like unto him ( that is King Iosiah ) there was no King before him hat turned to the Lord with all his heart , and with all his soule , and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses ; neither afterwards arose any like unto him . Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath , wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah , because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall . THis King Iosiah ( Right Honourable and beloved ) may most truly bee counted , not onely one of the Worthies of the world , but also one of the worlds wonders : There is hardly any thing recorded of him but what is wonderfull , his very birth was wonderfull , he being prophesied of by name about three hundred and fifty yeares before hee was borne : And therein fore-promised to doe those great thinges which he effected against Idolaters , and the reliques of Idolatry . And it was as wonderfull to thinke in what a desperate condition , and time of the Church he was borne , in the darkest midnight of apostasie , when the ten Tribes were carried away captive , and Iudah and Benjamin onely left , and they ( as farre as the eye of man could see ) wholly and generally fallen from the Lord their God to all manner of Idols and Idolatries ; when the very Temple of God was made a denne of Idols ; nay , his Altar the onely Altar of Israel destroied , to make roome for Altars erected to Idols : When the true Church had hardly any visible being upon the face of the earth ; yea I am perswaded that in the darkest times of Antichristianity ; the true Church of Christ was never more invisible , then it was about that time when Iosiah was borne . And it was another wonder , that in such a strong faction as Idolatry then had , that any could possibly so prevaile in the Court as to give such education to the young Prince : Nor is it lesse wonderfull that by that time he was but sixteen years old , hee stood out a perfect godly man , undertaking the cause of God , and the reformation of Religion , and that with such a perfect heart to make the most compleat and absolute reformation of the Church that ever was wrought by any mortall man since God had a Church on earth . But the successe of his labours seems to me the most wonderfull of all the rest , whether you looke upon the successe it had with the people , or the successe it had with God . The successe with the people was this , that although at Iosiahs first appearing as a right Orient , and illustrious Starre in a darke night there was hardly any visible worship or worshipper to bee found ; yet hee carried all before him like a torrent , and walked like a man of fire , ( as his name signifies the fire of the Lord ) and brought the whole Nation so about , that there was scarce ever such a Covenant made as hee procured , and that not by a prevailing party , but the universality of his Kingdome joined with him in it , and continued in it , and held close to it all the time that Iosiah lived in the world . This was the successe that hee found among the people . But now the successe that all this found with God is yet more wonderfull , and this my Text will tell you of , viz. That not withstanding such a rare man was thus wonderfully stirred up , thus miraculously carried on with such a perfect heart , with such an unanimous consent of his people , to set upon the worke of reforming Religion ; and did it so as never mortall man did the like before , nor any arose afterward like unto him ; yet notwithstanding all this the Lord turned not away from the fiercenesse of his great wrath , &c. And so now you see my Text is a description of the altogether hopelesse and helplesse condition of the Church of the Jewes , though there was a Physitian risen up who had found out the most pretious balme that ever was , and faithfully applyied it , yet the hurt of Gods people could receive no cure , but they must die for it . And this may be reduced to these two heads . First , you have their miserable and forlorne estate in these words . ( Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath which was kindlcd , against Iudah . ) Secondly , you have the cause of all this , what it was that made God irreconciliably and inexorably set against them in these words : Because of all the provocations wherewith Manasses had provoked him ; though hee were dead betweene thirty and forty yeares before Iosiah ended his dayes , yet his provocations were the cause that God would never bee reconciled to his people , though hee was reconciled to Manasses person before hee dyed . I purpose not any exact or large handling of this Text , nor is it possible to bee done in one Sermon : I shall onely cull out such things as are most intended by the holy Ghost , and most sutable to the occasion of our meeting . And first , let us in a few words consider it in relation to the former Verse , and secondly , as it lyes in it selfe . As it stands in relation to the former description made of Iosiah , and the high praises which God there bestowes upon him , I thence observe , That when God raises up any excellent instruments to appear in his cause , they are most graciously accepted with him , though their endeavours should come to nothing : There shall be glory and honour , and immortality , and eternall life to themselves , though there be indignation , and wrath , tribulation , anguish and woe , upon the people whom they would willingly doe good unto . This you see plainly in this Text , Ioshiah sets up a building which was instantly throwne downe sticke and stone , yet never man received better wages and greater reward than hee did . God hath raised up many instruments to doe him service who have had admirable successe in their way . Moses brought Gods people out of the bondage of Egypt , carried them through a desolate , wastefull , howling wildernesse , and that miraculously for forty yeares together : Ioshua gave them the possession of the promised land , and left them in it in peace . David subdued all their enemies about them , untill they were all put under the soles of their feet , leaving them neither adversary nor evill occurrent . Solomon built Gods Temple , and established the Church in the purity of Gods Worship and Ordinances , and the Common-wealth with admirable peace and prosperity ; yet , not any of these more magnified by the Lord than Iosiah , whose work came to nothing . This is my first observation ; and it hath these two branches ; first it implies that the endevours of rare Instruments may come to nothing , that men may bee stirred up with admirable spirits to attempt great things for God , and yet their work miscarry . Secondly , that though their work come to nothing , yet themselves shall be highly magnified with the Lord . I could easily give abundant testimonies and instances of such whom God hath raised up with extraordinary spirits ; men that wee might think had been fit to carry the world before them who have effected little or nothing : Elias for one , a man ( as it were ) made of fire , who at one time called a Parliament of the King , and all the Heads of Israel together , convinced them of their halting between God and Baal , and wrought so at the present , that all the people cryed out the Lord is God , and seemed to have their hearts brought back again to the Lord their God ; and likewise that eight hundred Idolatrous Priests and false Prophets were put to the sword ; yet the very next day , he was faine to run away to save his life , undertaking a journey of forty dayes to keepe himselfe from the fury of Iezabel . Ieremy was another rare man , one of the most zealous Instruments that ever God employed ; insomuch that he said of himselfe that he was a man of contention to all the earth , and Gods word was in him like fire in his bones which hee could not keep in ; yet this man in his almost forty years preaching , could neither prevaile with King nor Princes , Prophets . Priests , nor people , all grew worse and worse , and himselfe in the end was carried away by a rebellions company into that accursed land of Egypt , and there died . And it hath beene often observed , that the Lord hath seene it fit for reasons best knowne to himselfe , to let abundance of the Worthies whom he hath employed even ( so far as men could judge ) to perish in the worke he hath set them about . But secondly , what ever their successe hath beene amongst men , they have been never a whit lesse regarded , or rewarded by the Lord ; for this the Scripture is plaine , Esay 49. 5. There the Prophet in Christs name , and in his owne name , and in the name of all Gods instruments , concludes , That though they spend their strength for nought , and in vaine ; yet surely their worke is with the Lord , and though the people be not gathered yet they shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord , and their God will bee their strength . And Paul saith , 2 Cor. 2. 15. We are a sweet savour to God in them that perish , as well as in them that are saved . And there is plaine reason for it , because sincere endeavours to doe Gods service is our whole worke , but the successe of these endeavours is Gods worke . Now the Lord hath tied himselfe in his covenant to reward every man according to his owne worke , and not according to the worke of another : God never required at the hands of any Minister to save soules ; or at the hand of any Magistrate to preserve a Nation , of any husbandman to produce a crop out of the ground , &c. this belongs only to himselfe ; he only requires at their hands to be his servants , to obey his will ; wherein if they be faithfull , they shall not misse of their reward . God compares Kings and Princes , and other of his servants , to nursing fathers , and nursing mothers : Now you that are persons of quality , if you put forth a childe to nurse , and can have perfect information that the nurse loves , attends , suckles your childe , and performes all the duties belonging to a nursing mother ; this nurse , I say , is by you esteemed and rewarded , whether the childe live or die : yea it may be the more when the childe dies , because you see her afflicted in losing your childe which she would gladly have enjoyed . I doe but name this , you are wise to apply it to your selves , you ( Right honourable and beloved ) are employed in great services , God hath raised you up to attempt glorious things for his name , for the purging of his house , and the establishing of this great people in the peace of the Gospel : how farre God will use any of you , I cannot tell ; and how farre this unworthy Nation will acknowledge your indefatigable paines , I cannot tell ; as yet you have the prayers and blessings of all sorts of people , high and low , rich and poore , that wish well to Sion . But however goe on , yee Worthies of the Lord , with sincere hearts to doe what God requires at your hands ; and whether this Nation be gathered or not , you shall be glorious in the eyes of God , and the Lord will be your strength . Iosiah you see had the greatest commendation of all others , notwithstanding the Lord turned not from his fierce wrath : and this is all I have to say from the connexion of the words , that God magnified Iosiah , though his work came to nothing . Now let us consider them in themselves , where I shall not need before so grave and intelligent Assembly , to waste the time in analysing or giving the grammaticall interpretation of so plaine and easie a Text , I shall only take up three doctrinall observations ( which you will see to lie clearly in the words ) and handle them as the Lord shall please to enable me , and the time permit ; whereof the first is : That Gods wrath is a most fearfull and dreadfull thing when it is once throughly kindled : The second and maine doctrine is , That the sins of a Church and people may come to that height , and Gods wrath may be kindled to that heat , notwithstanding their reformation , God will inexorably goe on to a desolation . Notwithstanding all that Iosiah did , the Lord turned not from his fierce wrath . The third is , this being done for Manassehs provocations , I observe , That the sins of one generation may be the ground and cause of the destruction and ruine of the succeeding generation . The abominations that Manasses committed and commanded in his time , were the cause why God was unappeasably bent to the destruction of the generation that lived after him . I begin with the first , That the wrath of God , when it is greatly kindled , is extreame fierce , or it is a most dreadfull thing to bee under Gods wrath when it is once kindled . Mark how the words here are eg'd , how wonderfully emphaticall , how dreadfully expressed . God turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath , wherewith his anger was kindled . David saith , if his wrath be kindled but a little , blessed are they that trust in him , implying their misery that be under it ; but when there is the fiercenesse of his great wrath , they are miserable indeed who are under that . In clearing of this , I shall first briefly discusse two or three questions , and then endeavour ( as the Lord shall help me ) to set it home to you in an application . What the wrath of God is ? what is the wrath of God , of which the Scripture speaks so often , and such dreadfull things ? In men we use to say , that anger or wrath is perturbatio concitati animi , the perturbation of a troubled spirit ; but in God it is tranquilla constitutio justi supplicii , a calme and quiet appointment of just punishment . Plainly , wrath or anger in God is never attributed to him , in regard of any troublesome passion , or affection ; but only in respect of the effect . I say , that wrath or anger is attributed to God , not secundùm perturbationis affectum , but secundùm ultionis effectum . In a word then , Gods wrath is nothing but his revenging justice ; which justice of God , as it simply burnes against sinne , the Scripture calls his anger : when it doth more fiercely excandescere , or sparkle out , it is called his wrath : the same justice , when it pronounceth sentence , is called his judgement ; when it is brought into execution , it is called his vengeance : so that wrath , anger , judgement , and vengeance in God are all one : Gods wrath is his revenging justice , and when I say , his wrath ( when greatly kindled ) is exceeding fierce , I meane it is a dreadfull , horrid , and fearefull thing to fall under the dint of Gods revenging justice . How may the fiercenesse of Gods wrath appeare ? I answer briefly , it is impossible for any tongue to set it forth . Moses tells us , no man knowes the power of Gods wrath : God is not easily provoked , hee is slow to wrath : his wrath is as a great Bell long raising , but when it is once up , makes such a dreadfull sound , as no tongue can expresse . Many a poore soule feeles a great deale of it , whole Nations have laine under it ; but never was any creature able to say what the power of Gods fierce wrath is . But if you will give your reverent attention one quarter of an houre , I shall ( God willing ) out of the holy Scriptures open something , which may in some degree make you conceive , how fearfull the wrath of God is , when it is once kindled . And doe not think that I shall speak of what concerns strangers , and not your selves ; for I greatly feare , that before we part it will be too evident , that this fierce wrath is kindled against some of our owne soules who are here present . Indeed your calling and meeting this day for humiliation , fasting , and prayer seemes to tell all the world , that you beleeve that Gods wrath is kindled ; and therefore being kindled , it is fit you should know what kinde of flame it is . First , Consider by what dreadfull comparisons the holy Ghost useth to set out the fiercenesse of Gods wrath . As the roaring 〈◊〉 a Lyon : the Lyon hath roared , who will not tremble ? the Lord hath uttered his voice , who will not fear ? To a terrible earth-quake , that makes the foundation of the hills to quake and tremble . But most usually it is set out by devouring fire , the most terrible of all the creatures which Gods hand hath made ▪ and mark what kind of fire it is : Sometimes it is compared to a shower of fire ; God raines downe upon the wicked fire and brimstone and horrible tempest : raining downe of snares , and fire , and brimstone , is a horrible tempest indeed . If any mortall man had stood with Abraham , and seene the Lord raining downe flakes of fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrha , hee would have thought it an horrible tempest . Yea it is compared to a lake or river of fire , Esai . 30. ult. The breath of the Lord ( speaking of Tophet ) like a river of fire and brimstone kindles it . Imagine the anger of the Lord thus set out , as if from Gods nostrils , and out of his mouth should come huge lakes or floods of fire and brimstone , streaming out upon the people with whom hee is angry : What dreadfull things are these ? Yet further , Gods wrath is set out to bee such a fire as is altogether irresistible ; so that the poore creatures on whom it falls , cannot possibly stand before it : and therefore usually when God is said to arise in wrath and fury , the people , that bee the vessels of this wrath , are said to bee wax , and straw , and stubble , dry leaves , and rotten hedges ; and what are these to stand before huge stormes and floods , lakes of fire and brimstone ? And as it is irresistible , so it is intolerable ; which is usually set out by weeping and wailing , and gnashing of teeth . And lastly , Such a fire , when once throughly kindled , can never be quenched . There bee two expressions ( among many others ) in the Scripture , which bee very dreadfull , to this purpose : The one is Deuter. 32. 26. Where the Lord saith , that a fire is kindled in his anger ; and mark what a fire it is , it shall burne to the lowest hell , and shall consume the earth with her encrease , and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines . Such a fire as when once kindled burnes up Mountaines , earth , and world , and all , and never rests till it abide in hell , where there is no bottome , and there it burnes for ever . The other is in Nahum 〈◊〉 . where Gods fury and fierce anger is compared to fire which throwes down rocks , licks up the sea , burnes up the forrests , melis and burnes the earth and world , and all that dwells therein . Certainly , that must needs be a dreadfull and horrid thing which the Spirit of God thus describes . Secondly , Consider some of the effects of Gods wrath , and then you will conceive in some measure what it is . The throwing of many millions of Angels out of heaven into the lowest hell , was nothing but the effect of Gods wrath . The opening the flood-gate of all sin and misery upon all mankind , was nothing but an effect of Gods wrath . The deluge that over-whelmed all the world , all the plagues of Egypt , burning of Sodom , the earths opening and swallowing up Korah and his company , all the famine , pestilence , blood , that ever the world lay under , are but so many effects of Gods wrath . Nay , the dreadfull appearance at the last day , when the Potentates and Princes of the world will bee humble Suiters to the hills and mountaines to fall on them , will bee nothing but an effect of the Lords comming in wrath , to render vengeance to his enemies . Yea , to be thrown to all eternity into the pit of hell , into utter darknesse , into the fire that never is quenched , and among wormes that shall never cease gnawing , all these are nothing but to be under the wrath of God . But above all these , and if ten thousand more could bee named , that one effect of it , in the Lords powring out his viall of his revenging justice upon the body and soule of our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ , is most able to in forme us , how great and fierce the wrath of God is : that when he had but one Son who was his fellow ( as the Prophet saith , Awake sword , and smite the man that is my fellow ; ) yet this revenging justice being powred out upon him , made him ( who in his person was no other than God himself , yet in his humane nature ) when this Cup was put into his hand , yea the very first taste of it , made him sweat drops of blood trickling down to the ground , in a cold winters night ; and when he had drunk it off , it made him cry out in the anguish of his soule , My God , My God , why hast thou forsaken me ? These effects may helpe us to conceive what a dreadfull thing it is to wrestle with the wrath of God . But thirdly , Were I able to open the thing it selfe , and let you see it in the causes , you would instantly conclude , that it is beyond all apprehension . Conceive it thus , The revenging justice of God is Gods opposing himselfe against the creature ; When God takes his creature into his hand , and by his almighty power upholds the being of it , that it may feele what the Lord Jehovah can doe upon it , and against it . This no living creature can conceive . When God hath only hid himselfe from his dearest friends , this very hiding of himselfe hath been so dreadfull , that it hath made them goe roaring all the day long , dryed up their moisture , neade their lives uncomfortable , and a burden to themselves , turned all other comforts into gall and worm-wood . Now if onely an Eclipse of his loving countenance bee thus intolerable , what is it for God to fall upon a creature as his enimy ? When a poore worme must not only stand under the weight of a huge rock falling upon it , but of an almighty God . You that have large thoughts may now easily conceive what a fearefull thing the wrath of God is . The third Question is ; Against whom is this wrath of God thus kindled ? I Answer ; First , Gods wrath may be kindled mildly , and gently against his owne deare children , when they walke not faithfully in his Covenant , when they lay aside their filiall obedience , when they give occasion to his enimies to blaspheme his Name : though hee will not suffer all his indignation to arise , yet his fatherly displeasure may bee kindled against them . And even this fatherly wrath , this gentle wrath , ( if it bee not a contradiction to call it so ) these small drops of his displeasure , are more unsupportable to them than all the miseries of the world : Yea , they could more willingly submit to the torments in hell ( provided that Gods countenance did but shine upon them ) than to undergoe that which this wrath of God sometimes distills upon them : And yet all this while wee may truly say of them , they are children under wrath , but not the children of wrath ; not the people of his wrath , not the vessels of his wrath . But if you will know , Secondly , What are the people against whom God hath indignation for ever ; the Scripture tells it you in this expression ordinarily , they are the children of Belial ; so they are usually called in the Old Testament ; that is , such as will not beare Gods yoke ; master-lesse children , yoke-lesse children : And in the New Testament , they are called children of disobedience ; as the Apostle , For which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience . Now who these children of Belial , and of disobedience are , I must a little explaine to you , and then the Application will bee easie . I say therefore that these children that will not carry the yoke , are , First , all unbeleevers . I doe not meane Negative unbeleevers , that is , those that doe not beleeve in Christ , because they never heard of him ; but Positive unbeleevers , who have had the glorious light of the Gospel shining to them , to whom the Lord Iesus hath been freely offered , as a Saviour to deliver them from wrath to come ; and yet they refuse to come in , and to accept of him , as hee offers , himselfe in his Gospel ; because they doe not like to take him upon such hard termes : you may be sure the wrath of God rests upon these men . Turne but to Iohn 3. ult. Hee that beleeves in Christ shall be saved , hee that beleeves not is a damned man : and how ? the wrath of God abides on him . Mark that expression , abides on him : The wrath of God takes up , as it were , his habitation in an unbeleever . So that what Gods grace sometimes said of Solomons Temple , Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it : So the wrath of God seemes to say of an unbeleever , Here I will dwell , here I will abide for ever . Secondly , The children of disobedience and sonnes of Belial , are such , whose lives and conversations are contrary to the rules of the Gospel ; who as they will not take Christ to be their portion by faith , so they will not take Christs word in the Gospel to be their guide ; but they will live indeed without all yoke , doing what is good in their owne eyes ; these are the sonnes of Belial . You may see a notable description of them in the prophesie of Zacharie , ch. 7. v. 8. where the wilfull disobedience , obstinate stubbornesse and intractablenesse is expressed by divers similitudes , all tending to the same purpose . They refuse to hearken , stop their eares , as not willing to hear Gods counsel , they pull'd away the shoulder , as an Oxe or Bullock that shrinks back from the yoak , or as one that should carry a burthen , pulls away his shoulder , when he should take it , and lets it fall : so these deale with the easie yoak , and the light burthen of Gods commandements . Yea , they make their hearts as an Adamant Stone ; there is in them a stiffe and wilfull resolution to sin , whereby their hearts are as intractable to any goodnesse , as the hardest sort of stones , Flints , or Diamonds are to be wrought by the toole into any fashion we desire : when you have said all you can against their wantonnesse , uncleannesse , prophanness , pride , covetousness , &c. you prevaile no more than when an hammer strikes upon an anvile : Their hearts can easily reject all yee cannot beat a splinter off from them : then immediately it followes in the next verse , Therefore there came a great wrath from the Lord of Hostes . These are the sons of Belial , these are the vessels of Gods wrath . Now to apply this to our selves , it might first teach all who are reconciled to God by Christ , what infinite cause they have every day of their life , to blesse that grace of God , which hath not appointed them unto wrath , but by the blood of his own sonne , hath delivered them from wrath to come , and provided for them everlasting glory and happinesse . Secondly , it may likewise teach all that feare God never to envie the prosperous estate of any child of Belial , though waters of a full cup be wrung out for them , though they swim in wealth and honour , and pomp in this world , and have all their hearts can desire , and in the meane time account it their glory that they carry not the Lords yoak , never envie their lot ; If any here knew of half a score good fellowes set at a banquet of wine , furnished with all the helps of mirth and jollity , if hee knew withall , that the shot to be payd for it , must be every mans heart blood , he would be loath to be one of the pack with them . I confesse it is hard not to be troubled at the prosperity of wicked men : even David and Ieremy found it a hard thing not to envie their prosperity . But stay till the shot be payd , enquire how able they will be to undergoe the wrath of God , enter into the Sanctuary , understand their end , and thy envie will bee at an end , but these I intended not to insist upon . There is one only proper use for the present occasion and that is this ; you are met this day together to Fast and Pary and mourne before the Lord ; and ( as I touched before ) hereby you acknowledge that the wrath of God is kindled , and that your selves are called to take a course to turn away Gods wrath : and I verily believe this is the very end you aymed at , in calling us the unworthy Ministers of Christ to your help this day , that wee might bee assistant to you in whatever might turn away the wrath of God from you . Now two things were at large pressed upon you in the morning , as well befitting the work of this day . The one was to rent , and break , and teare every one of your hearts in the sense of your sins , kindly and throughly to humble you in the sight of God . The other was to provoke you to a strong resolution to leave the waies of sin in time to come . In which two things , humiliation and Reformation , stands the very life of unfained repentance , and the spirituall part of a Religious Fast ; without which all our abstinence and sackcloth , and bodily exercises in watching , hearing , &c. are meere abominations in the sight of God . I rejoyce that you had these things set so home in the morning , some of my work being thereby spared . But the bringing this lesson home , if God set it on to your hearts , may help to fasten the counsell given you in the morning , as a nayle in a sure place . I shall endeavour to further your humiliation and reformation from the meditation of the fearfulnesse and dreadfulnesse of the wrath of God . I must therefore entreat you all , ( Honourable and beloved ) since you have vouchsafed to call for the labour of a poor man to help you , let mee be as free with you , as if you were so many meane people : my duty this day is to doe that which Ieremy did : God calls him in a mourning time , and saith , goe to the King and Queen , and say come yee down , sit in the dust , humble your selves : So I say to you , comedown , forget that any of you are Earles or Lords , Knights , or Gentlemen , lay for a while these thoughts aside ; and give mee leave to ask you two or three Questions , and be so faithfull to your own soules as to think how you can answer them before the Lord . Are yee not children of Belial ? ( that is the very thing which you must answer in your own bosome ) that is , are there not amongst you such as refuse to carry the yoak of Christ ? who will not take Christ to be your Saviour as he offers himselfe to you in his Gospel ? you will have him upon other termes than to make him your King , Prophet , and Priest ; you would have him to deliver you from hell , but hee shall not bee your Lord , so , as for you to resigne up your selves to him , as a dutifull wife resignes up her selfe to her husband . And for your conversations , you will doe what is good in your own sight ; if you have a minde to sweare you will sweare , you will lie , bee uncleane , dissemble , these things please you well and you will doe them . Now hear what I say , what thy outward quality or condition is I know not : but this I know , persons of your quality do not use much to be scared ; men are affraid to speak any thing that may make you tremble : but you must be scared , or we shall doe no good to you . You are now called to have your hearts rent , I have that to say , might rent the very cawle of your heart , even this , oh thou miserable and wretched worme ! great is the wrath of God that is kindled against thee . This terrible Lyon roares against thee , a dreadfull fire is kindled , a horrible tempest is ready to fall upon thy head , showers and floods of fire and brimstone are even ready to be powred out upon thee : how art thou able to live with everlasting burnings ? how wilt thou dwell with devouring fire ? Thou that art crushed before a moth , how can thy heart endure , or thy hands be strong in the day that God shall deale with thee ? Thou that dar'st not think of lying one day upon a wrack , that canst not endure for two or three dayes to be wrung with the cholick , that art not able to beare the thoughts of lying under the tearing of a Quartane Ague from Michaelmas to Easter ; how wilt thou bee able to stand under the fall of such a huge rock as the wrath of the Almighty God ? which every moment is ready to break downe upon thee . How wilt thou doe when these rivers of fire and brimstone shall be powred out upon thee ? and thou no more able to stand before them , than a few dry leaves are able to resist the huge breaking in of many waters ? Oh beloved , would you with due care apply these things to your own hearts , and present them to your souls as things present , how would they bring down the most stubborn spirit ! how would they help to break the hardest of your hearts before the Lord ! But there are two things which keep most people frombeing affected with them . The first is , These things are looked upon as things a farre off : Now it is a rule in Opticks , That things farre off , though they be marvellous great , yet seeme very little : a Starre that is bigger than all the earth , seemes no bigger than a candle being many miles distant from us . So while men look at the wrath of God , as they did at the Prophets Vision , The Vision that he sees is for many dayes to come , and he prophesies of the times that are farre off : And put the evill day from them : All these threatnings are but light matters . Secondly , it fares with most men in this point , as with some men that have shrewish wives ; though their businesse lie within doors , yet they have no heart to be there for feare of chiding : So though it be the most necessary work to think of these things ; yet because their unquiet consciences upon the least serious meditation , are ready to gnaw and teare them , and make them sleep uncomfortably , they labour to drive off the thought of this thing as farre as they can , and will not think of Gods wrath due to sinne , from yeers end to yeeres end . Whereas if men would bring it in rempraesentem , and keep their eyes open to behold it , as a thing which unavoydably will come upon them , how admirably would it work upon mens hearts ! To this end , let me tell you a story which I have often read to this purpose . It is reported of a certaine Christian King of Hungary , who being on a time marvellous sad and heavie , his brother that was a resolute Courtier would needs know what he ailed ; Oh brother , ( saith he , ) I have been a great sinner against God , and I know not how I shall appeare before him , when he comes to judgment : These are ( said his brother ) melancholy thoughts , and makes a toy of them , as Gallants use to doe : The King replyes nothing for the present ; but the custome of that Countrey was , that if the Executioner of justice came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans doore , the man was presently to be led to execution : the King in the dead time of the night sends his Deaths-man , and causeth him to sound his Trumpet before his brothers doore , who hearing and seeing the messenger of death , springs in pale and trembling into his brothers presence , and beseeches the King to let him know wherein hee had offended . O Brother , replyes the King , thou hast loved me , and never offended me , and is the sight of my Executioner so dreadfull to thee ; and shall not I , so great a sinner , feare to be brought to judgment before Jesus Christ ? If we would thus suppose with Hierom , that we heard this Trumpet sounding , Arise ye dead , and come to judgment , it would work to the purpose . O set yóur selves therefore in Gods presence , and behold the Lord shaking his lap , ( as Nehemiah when hee shook his lap , and said , so God shake out everyman from his house : ) Thus will I shake into eternall destruction all the children of Belial , and then evidence be brought in against thee , ( how great soever thou art amongst men ) that thou hast a huge pile of sin heaped up against God , and still hast gone on to adde drunkennesse to thirst , opposing God , his wayes , and his cause , refusing grace offered freely not willing to be at peace with God , while thou hast any meanes to fight against him : when all these things shallbe laid open before thee , and ( as thy iust reward ) God strike theea full blow , and sinke thee to the bottome of hell , where thou shalt wish that thou hadst been a toad , or ( as one in desperation sometimes wished ) that thou mightst live there a thousand yeers , so thou mightst have any hope in the end , that the wrath of God might cease towards thee . Would not these things then work upon thee ? Couldst thou then passe such a day as this , without trembling ? Couldst thou be before the Lord , and not have thy heart rent and torn ? Be perswaded therefore once more to bring it home to thy own soule , and say , as he said of his green fig , this grew in Carthage yesterday : This wrath , this sea of misery may break in upon me the next moment : I am yet joviall and merry , but Gods vengeance with woollen feet follows me close at the back , and will overtake me ; if I cannot mourn at the hearing of wrath , I must burn at the feeling of it . The good Lord melt our hearts with the feare of these things , lest we be swallowed up in them . And then for the second part , for your Reformation , would the Lord make this day , a day of Reformation to this honourable Assembly , what glorious things would be done by you ! Now what more effectuall motive , what Furies whip would more restraine from the practise of sin , or more drive to seek a shelter under the wing of Christ , and to get into the safe condition of the servants of God , than the beholding of this devouring fire , these everlasting burnings , which sinfull men will never be able to abide ? I know such is the depravation of mans nature , that if there were any possibility of avoiding Gods wrath without leaving their sinnes , many men would resolve with that wicked Cardinall not to leave their part in Paris , for their part in Paradise : And with that noble man ( which Luther speaks of ) who professed , that if this life of going from whore-house to whore-house might last ever , hee would not envie any mans going to heaven . But this will not last ; There is great wrath prepared for the workers of iniquity . And therefore my humble request is , that if any of you finde your hearts unwilling to submit to that godly counsell , given you in the morning , of turning to God , doe but think what your sinnes , which you prize so much , will cost you . They say the Pope hath a book called Taxa camerae Apostolicae , wherein men may know the rate of any sinne ; upon what termes a man may keep a whore , be a Sodomite , or murder his Father , &c. But here is a rate-book , where any of you may know what a beloved sinne will cost you ; not a farthing token lesse , than to lie under the devouring fire of Gods wrath to all eternity . Porters will try their burthens upon their shoulders before they engage themselves to carry it , doe thou so . It is reported of Master Bilney when he thought he should be burnt , he would put his finger into the candle to see how he could endure burning , doe thou often so ; goe often alone and say , here is a sinne marvellous pleasant , such a sinne gaines me thus much every yeere , but there is wrath to come : And therefore as Elihu said to Iob , Because there is wrath , beware lest he take thee away with his stroak ; a great ransome cannot deliver thee , hee will not esteeme thy riches , no not gold , nor all the forces of strength . Fourthly and lastly , there is one use peculiar to you that be our Noble Senators , the Lords and Commons gathered in Parliament : wee know your care is for our good , but this I humbly propound to you , you will never doe us good , if Gods wrath bee not taken away from us : were you so many Gamaliels , so many Hemans , so many Solomons , so many Angels gathered together , and all of one heart to study Englands good ; you can doe England no good , if Gods wrath , which is kindled against it , be not pacified . And therefore let your great study bee both to finde out what hath kindled Gods wrath against us , and what may remove it from us : of which I shall bee able to give you further knowledge in the next and maine lesson to which now I passe , viz. That the sins of a people may come to that passe , and Gods wrath may bee kindled to that heigth , that notwithstanding their reformation , God will goe on to a desolation . In handling whereof I shall ( the Lord helping mee ) discusse these three things . First , I shall open the thing in Thesi , clear the conclusion , and see if I can make you understand it . Secondly , enquire in hypothesi , whether it concerne us or not ; whether our Nation , Church , or State , may bee thought to be in any danger of it . And thirdly , I shall endeavour to make some uses which may bee fitting for such an Assembly as this is . For clearing the conclusion , I shall endeavour these three things . First , I will demonstrate the truth of it . Secondly , I will enquire whether the signes of it may be known , and how farre they may be known : Whether the Lord hath left any foot-steps or rules for us to prognosticate by , and so to judge when a people is come to that passe : And if so , then , Thirdly , what those tokens are : And I shall endeavour to speak plainly and freely of them all . For the truth of it , were there no other Instance to be found in any other story , but this in my Text , it were sufficient to prove that such a thing may bee . That which hath been already , may bee so againe . Iosiah , we see , wrought such a Reformation , that the whole Kingdome did , all his dayes , follow the Lord ; and notwith standing all this , God turned not from his fierce wrath ; but went on to destroy them . The Lord threatens else-where that he would doe it , Zeph. 2. 1 , 2. Gather your selves together before the decree bring forth , before the day passe as the chaffe , before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you : As if he should have said , The decree is not yet come forth ; but if once it bring forth , it will be too late for you to seek for mercy . There be other examples ( though not so full as this ) sufficient to prove this truth : As Nineveh for one : The Lord sent the Prophet Ionah to preach repentance or destruction to them ; and you know it is said , The King laid aside his Crown , and called them all to repentance ; and repent they did ; and God saw their works , and for a while forbore that City ; and yet the judgement of most Interpreters is , that within fourty years after , the City was destroyed , even in the same age wherein the Reformation was made . That Instance of the Iewes is most remarkable , in our Saviour Christs time : Iohn Baptist came before him , and turned the hearts of the parents to the children , and the children to the parents ; made ready a people prepared for the Lord ; there went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudea , and all the region about Iordan , and were baptized of him , confessing their sins . And Christ had so many followers , that the Scribes and Pharisees said , all the world went after him ; that is , the body of their Nation . And the Apostles converted so many , that they said to Paul , that there were many myriads , many ten thousands of Iewes that beleeve , who are all zealous ▪ yet notwithstanding , in that very age , wherein the Gospel wrought thus effectually among them , the wrath of God came upon that Nation to the utmost , and scattered them over all the world . It is likewise recorded of the Romane Empire , which for a matter of sixe or seven hundred yeares had been a dreadfull enemy to the Kingdome of the Lord ; first against the Church of the ●ewes , and afterwards against the Christians ( while it was unconverted ; in Constantines time the Empire turned to Christianity , and in the very first age of the Empires Christianity , came the destruction and dissolution of it . So that there is a truth in it , that Gods wrath may be so far kindled , that he will accept of no attonement , but will inexorably proceed to desolation . The second Question is , Whether this may be known ; whether we may possibly find out any direction , whereby to iudge of Gods purpose of thus comming against a people . Answ. And for that , I confesse , a great many men , especially such as are not willing to have any dangerous truth preached to them , doe thinke that all preaching and study , in such points as these , is of no more certainty , than the iudgement of judiciall Astrology : Tell them of wrath to come , or desolation of Churches , or destruction of Common-wealths ; they look on such as shall tell them of these things , as upon a company of ignorant people , who will be of their Authors faith ; or esteem them as proud men , who would be thought to have more acquaintance with Gods secrets than their neighbours , and therefore they must adventure upon such high points ; or at best , conceive them to be sullen , discontented , melancholick people , who look on every thing with black spectacles ; but in the meane time themselves will never be perswaded , that any can give them rules of directions to judge in this kind : But you are wise : and if you please to take two or three places of Scripture into your serious thoughts , you will conclude quickly ▪ that this is a point may be known : The one is Ierem. 8. 7. where the Lord blames the stupidity of the people , that whereas the Stork in the heavens knowes her appointed times ; and the Turtle , and the Crane , and the Swallow observe the times of their comming ; but his people would not know the judgements of the Lord : arguing them to bee more filly and simply than the very birds and fowles , who could observe what seasons were fit or unfit for their staying or removing in such or such a Countrey ; and Gods people remained ignorant of the seasons of Gods approaching judgements . Another place you shall find Hos. 7. 9. where the Lord saith of Ephraim , that is , the ten Tribs , gray haires are scattered here and there upon him , yet hee knowes it not : The meaning , plainly , is this ; That as gray hairs are remembrances , and plain tokens of declining old age comming upon men ; so there were symptomes and tokens of Ephraims ruine comming upon him , and yet he would take no notice of it . Our blessed Saviour also in Mat. 16. v. 1 , 2 , 3. tells his hearers , that they could make Almanacks for weather , and discerne the face of the skie , and yet could not discerne the signes of the times , ( implying that Prognostications might also bee made , if men would study the right way ) whereby they might know what God intends to doe with a people . So then , there is one step gained , that something may be known of Gods approaching judgements . But that I may not deliver any thing but what you shall have a sull suffrage for , I adde in the next place , and confesse , that because all seasons are in Gods hands , and all people under his absolute prerogative ; so that , if hee pleaseth , hee may destroy a Nation for one sinne ; and againe , if hee pleaseth , hee can exercise so much mercy , that no sinnes of a people can set any bounds or limits thereunto ; nothing but his owne holy will setting limits to his patience , long-suffering and mercy ; and because also God doth alwayes beare such a tender regard to his owne children , that where-ever they live , hee doth often for their sakes ( as it were ) reverse his sentence of desolation . In regard of these things and some others which might bee suggested , I thinke I may say , no mortall man can possibly determine when the precise time of this or that Nations utter ruine is certainly come . What Christ said of the day of Judgement , may fitly bee applyed here , the very day and houre of the last Judgement no man knowes , but only the Father , and the Sonne , to whom it is revealed from the Father , and that also since his Resurrection ; but yet there bee signes whereby wee may know the approaching of that day : So wee may say of this , though wee cannot know the very time of a Nations desolation ; yet wee may know when the ruine of it comes neere at hand . And what learned men say of them , who have studied for the Philosophers stone , though they could never finde out the Elixar ; yet in their search after it they have found out many excellent things , admirably usefull for mankinde : so in this search if wee cannot determine that such a Nation will infallibly bee ruined , yet wee may certainly finde such things as thereby to learne what to feare , what to expect , what to pray against , what to strive after , &c. And so consequently the handling of this question may bee exceedingly usefull to such an Assembly , as I am now called to speak to in the name of God . This then is a second step that wee may know such things as may make us feare desolation , and consequently labour to prevent it , or prepare for it . Thirdly , the maine question is to enquire what are the Tokens , the gray haires , the flourishing of the Almond tree , whereby wee may guesse at mans going to his long home . I answer , Politicians , and some Divines will tell you of the fatall period of Kingdoms , that they have their youth , their strength , and after a time their declination ; and shew by abundance of experience , that States seldome continue above five or six hundred years without some fatall change : But we must goe by a surer rule than this . It is not length of time , which makes God weary of shewing mercy ; but , what Solomon saith of Kings , for the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof : so for the transgressions of a land , and the transgressions only , many are the ruines thereof . Now there is one rule which God hath alwayes proceeded by in the dissolution of Churches and Kingdoms ever since the beginning of the world , and that is this . That whensoever the sins of any Church , Nation , City , Family , or Person ( you may take it as large or as narrow as you will ) are come to a full measure , then God infallibly brings ruine upon them . This is the rule which I shall make plaine to you : God hath set severall vessels to limit the sinnes of all Nations , beyond which they shall not goe ; as once God said to the waves of the Sea , hitherto thou shalt goe , but here ▪ thy proud waves shall be staied : so God hath said of the sinnes of Nations , Families , Persons : thus farre I will forbeare thee , but farther thy wickednesse shall not exceed ; then comes thy end . Take foure or five cleare evidences for it in the Scripture . First that speech of God to Abraham : I will give thy posterity all this land , but not yet , because the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full : though they were Amorites , God would beare with them , till their iniquities were come to the full , and then he would spare them no longer . Another is Zachary 5. verse 6. The prophet in a vision saw an Ephah , a thing like a bushell , and moreover the Lord told him , this is the resemblance of the Ephah , throughout all the earth : as if God should have said , this is not only proper to this people , but this rule I go by throughout the whole world : and what was that ? the Ephah is brought out , and into the Ephah is cast a Woman ; this woman sate and filled the Ephah : then one brings a talent of lead for a cover to it , and that stops the mouth of it , and shuts the woman in ; then come two women with the wind in their wings , and they take up the Ephah and carry it between heaven and earth , and place it in the land of Shinar or Babylon , there to build it an house , and to set it upon its own base . Now what is the meaning of all this ? there is one word in the vision , which is a key to open this lock , viz. this is wickednesse : the meaning whereof is , That the Lord had brought the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon , where they had beene seventy yeeres : as soone as they came home ; though they turned not to idolatry , yet they proved stark naught . God sets them their Ephah , puts their iniquity into a vessell , and doth ( as it were ) say , Goe on , till yee have filled the Ephah ; but as soone as that is full , I will clap a talent of lead in the mouth of it , I will take a course yee shall sinne no longer in this land , but will scatter you into Mesopotamia , into the land of Shinar , and there be as wicked as yee will . So you see when the measure is full , then vengeance comes . Take another instance , in the first of Iames verse 15. When lust hath conceived , it brings forth sinne ; and sinne when it is finished , brings forth death ; which is of the same interpretation with the former , and shewes us sins progresse in the rising , reigning , and ruine . First a man hath lust , a wicked corrupt heart that hee brings into the world ; every man ▪ comes into the world with a heart full of lust , now this lust brings forth iniquity ; God leaves people to goe on in wickednesse , if they be not such as he means to save ; and when their sinne is perfected , it brings forth death ; when it comes to the full fourty weeks , and hath gone the full time , then comes destruction . Take yet two instances more , both in the fourteenth of the Revelation verse 14 , &c. in the Parables of the vintage , and of the harvest ; when they were ripe , then ruine comes . Till then God useth to beare with people : smaller judgements often come before sinne is ripe , and are removed againe ; but when once the measure is full , then God saith , as in Nahum chap. 1. verse 6. He will make an utier end , affliction shall not rise up the second time ; hee will so doe it at once , that they shall not need to feare a second . Now if by the way you desire to know why God defers so long , and rather cuts not off wicked men sooner . I answer , it should suffice us , that it is his will to do it ; but further he doth it , partly that they may be for exercise to his people to purge and humble them , as Ashur was his rod to whip his people , before the rod was burnt . And partly to declare his long-suffering , and patience , thereby to leave them without excuse if they prove incorrigible . Thirdly , this is for salvation to some , who in the meane time are to be gathered in : and this I take it , the Apostle meanes , 2 Pet. 3. 9. when he saith , the Lord defers his comming to judgement , because the Nation of the Jews is first to be gathered in . So that as the Angel staid till Lot was plucked out of Sodom : so God hath some brands to snatch out of the fire , for whose sakes he defers the execution of vengeance against them , whose sins call for it . For these causes , and it may be others not known to us , but secret to himselfe , doth God deferre the full execution of his wrath till sinne be ripe . But how may wee judge when the sins of a people grow to the full ? I answer ( and but briefly , because I would not be burthensome to an attentive auditory ; the spirit is willing , but the flesh is weak in the best ; ) to finde out sinnes fulnesse foure things must come into consideration . First , what kindes of sinnes they are which are land-destroying sinnes . Secondly , the quantity of these sinnes . Thirdly , the aggravation of them . Fourthly , which is the upshot of all , the incorrigiblenesse of them . First , the kinds of them , I meane thus , there was never any Church or Nation without sinne , but all sinnes are not Church-wasting sinnes , nor Land-destroying sins ; but there are sins which are called abominations , such as make a land spue out the inhabitants : such as make God drive them out : And they are some against the first Table , some against the second Table . Against the first Table , first , the sin of Idolatry . Evermore as Idols come in , God goes out : When there was an Image of jealousie set up , God goes farre from his Sanctuary . God likes no such neighbours . When Ephraim offended in Baal , he dies for it : when the meane man bowes himself , and the great man humbles himselfe to stockes and stones , God will spare them no longer . When the glory due to Jehovah , is communicated to dumbe Idols , this God will bear at no peoples hand . And the reason is plaine , this is as the marriage bed to God , this provokes his jealousie , which is his rage , then he will accept of no ransome : This therefore is the abomination that makes all desolation . Secondly , the sins of prophaning , contemning , scorning and persecuting of Gods holy things , his holy day , his holy servants . I joyne all these sinnes together , because they come all from the same roote , that is , malignancy against God : God himselfe is prophaned , sleighted , contemned in all these . Thou hast despised my holy things , and prophaned my Sabbaths , therefore thou hast caused thy day to draw neere . God therefore would make Moab as Sodom , and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah , because they reviled his people ; but there is one proofe may serve in stead of an hundred . 2 Chron. 36. The Lord did a long time beare with them , but when once they came to that passe they polluted his House , despised his Word , mooked his messengers , misused his Prophets , his wrath grew hot against them till there was no remedy . God could thē beare them no longer , but utterly would destroy them . And it is our Country-man , Venerable Bedes observation , that when the old Britains grew to that height of sinne , as to cast odium in religionis professores , tanquam in adversaries , God presently sent in the Saxons ; who destroyed them all . There are also some sinnes against the second Table which greatly helpe to fill the measure of a peoples iniquity : As first , such sinnes as are destructive to humane society , cruelty , bloud , oppression , deceit , these were the sinnes which brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly . These are the sins which the King of Nineveh saw would ruine him and his Kingdome . Secondly , the sensuall lusts of drunkennesse and whoredome ; I joine these sinnes together , because they are usually joined in Scripture , and seldome severed in mens practice : And you shall cleerly in the search of the Scripture finde them to be among the abominations which helpe to fill up the measure of a peoples sin , and prepares them for judgement . I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel ( saith God , speaking of the sinnes which made God hew them downe ) there is the whoredome of Ephraim ; whoredome and wine , and new mine take away their heart : This was one of the things that made God have controversie with the land to make it mourne , and to take them all away . I have not time to prosecute these things , you shall easily finde that these are gray haires in any Nation where ever they are found Secondly , the quantity of these sinnes is very considerable , when they are universall , no Nation ever was without them , but when once they come to spread as a Gangrene over the whole body , then the measure quickly growes full : When all flesh had corrupted their wayes , then the flood came rushing in : When from the crowne of the head , to the sole of the foot , the whole body was full of wounds , and bruses , and putrified sores , then it was to no purpose for God to strike them any more with any hope of healing . You shall finde in the 24. of Ezekiel , 〈◊〉 notable description of Jerusalems condition when Nebuchadnezzar came to destroy them , the Prophet compares the City to a great pot , whereinto all the choice peeces were put to bee boiled , the thigh and the shoulder , and all the choice bones , but they were all rotten flesh whose scumme would not boile out , meaning , that the Princes and Rulers , Prophets and Priests and People were all overspread with abominable wickednesses . So in the 22. of Ezekiel , all states are brought in , the Prophets devouring soules , the Priests violating the Law , prophaning holy things , Princes and Rulers oppressing , the people robbing , &c. then God powres out his indignation , and consumes them with the fire of his wrath . But this must be understood with this caution , that when I say all , it is not to be understood , as if God would spare a people untill the whole multitude grew wicked , and none remaining on his side : God had seven thousand in Israel who were faithfull to him in the worst time of Ahabs apostacy ; but the meaning is , when the number of such as abstain from these abominations , is so small , that they are not considerable , to God they are alwaies considerable , but not alwaies considerable as to the turning away of judgement , or to the preventing of ruine . Ten righteous men would have been considerable in Sodom for the sparing of it , when five would not . So the sum is , that when these abominations are generally spread , and very few in comparison abstaining from them , a people growes ripe apace for destruction . 3. The third thing considerable , is the aggravation of these sinnes , and therein I shall only give this one briefe rule , that in all places and Countries , houses , families , or persons , the more mercy , light and meanes these sinnes are committed against , the sooner is the vessel of their iniquity come to the full . Amos 3. 2. You onely have I knowne of all the Nations of the world , and therefore I will visite you for all your iniquities , Ezek. 9. God begins at his sanctuary , and with the antient men , who had stood longest before him . And Daniel makes this the reason why God brought a greater evill upon them than upon any other Nation , because no other Nation had enjoyed the like meanes to keep them from sinne , or to bring them to repentance . And in the 22. of Esay . The valley of vision had the greatest burthen of wrath of all others ; that is , the people of Israel , to whom God had sent all his Prophets from time to time . And there is great reason why sinnes against light and covenants , mercies and Conscience should be most provoking ; It is thus even amongst all ingenuous men , he that eateth my bread , ( saith David , hath lift up his heele against mee , if it had been a stranger , I could have borne it : Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend , could unnaturall Absolon say to Hushai ? This then is a plaine case , that the more mercies a people sinne against , the greater is their sin , and the sooner comes their judgement . 4. The last thing considerable to finde out the fulnesse of sinne , is the Incorrigiblenesse of it , and if the Lord grant that we can quit our selves of this , we shall yet doe well : by this Incorrigiblenesse , I meane , when the sinnes of a people are growne so great , that they are too strong for the mounds and bankes which God hath set to keep them in compasse . Now God hath set Foure Boundaries for sinne , and when sin is growne too strong for all these , you may conclude that ( reserving or excepting what God may doe in his absolute prerogative ) if he goe by his wonted rules , that Nation is going to her long home . First , God hath set Conscience and shame to be boundaries among all people , to keep sin in compasse : Conscience to make them stand in awe of God : shame to make them stand in feare of men : These two God hath set up ( as his Officers and heraulds ) in all mens hearts ; and when once men can run into sin , as the horse into the battell , rejoycing to doe evill , proclaiming their sins as Sodom , not being ashamed and past all feeling , there is one bank broken downe , one Boundary plucked up . Secondly , another bank that God hath set , is the example , and conversation , and prayers of his owne people , whom he scatters here and there amongst men , and great is the power and force of their presence to keep sinne in compasse , partly by the Majestie of the Image of God , shining in them , partly by their holy examples , partly by their wise and seasonable counsells , admonitions , reprehensions partly by their prayers , whereby they bring downe restraining and constraining grace : Now when these are either taken away from a place by death or driven away by persecution , as Lot out of Sodom ; or living amongst them , God takes off their edge to pray no longer , as Abraham for Sodom , or Ieremy for the Iewes : There is a second Boundary pulled up . The third is , that of Magistrates and Ministers , whom God hath invested with his owne authoritie , and put upon them some beames of his owne Majestie and Image , put his sword into their hands , and armes them with power to keep sin in , and beat it downe ; The Magistrate having the sword of Iustice , and thereby being made custos utriusque tabulae ; and Ministers having the sword of the Spirit , these two are strong Rampires , and Banks , they are the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to hinder sinnes course , they are Physitians to the hurts of Gods people , and when once the sins of a Land grow too strong for these , farewell all , you will soone heare the daies of their visitation are at hand . And this is done in three Cases . First , when Magistrates and Ministers take sinnes part , and in stead of joyning with God against sin , they joyne with sin against God : as if the dogges should joyne with the wolves against the sheep , and the Shepheards . Thus it was in Ieremies time , he found the people harder than a rock to be wrought upon , but he said , Surely these are poore and foolish , who know not the way of the Lord I will get me to the great men , and I will speake to them , for they have knowne the way of the Lord , and the judgement of their God ; but were they such , or did they so ? marke what follows , these have altogether broken the yoke , and burst the bands , in stead of maintaining Gods yoke , and strengthening Gods hands , they broke them a pieces : and what followes , therefore a Lyon out of the forrest shall slay them , an evening Wolfe shall spoile them , a Leopard shall watch over the cities , every one that goes out shall bee torne in pieces . Thus it was likewise in Hoseaes time , when the Prophet was a foole , and the spirituall man was mad when the Princes would be drunke with bottles of wine , &c. Thus it was in Ezekiels time ( as was before touched ) immediately before their desolation . Secondly , when Magistrates or Ministers are dastardly , when they are affraid of sin and sinners , and dare not appeare for God , when such men have God , Conscience , their office , the lawes , all on their side , and yet dare not appeare against Idolatry , prophanenesse , violence , sensuality , as it showes the men to be of a base spirit , so it argues the sins of that place to be of great strength , even fit for judgment . Thus it was in the 22. of Ezekiel , verse . 30. when all such were growne corrupt , I sought for a mā among them , that is some Phinehas to stand in the gap , to make up the hedge , some zealous Ministers to stand up and mediate with God for them , and testifie in their ministery against them , but I found none , and therefore I powred out my indignation upon them . Thirdly , in case any Magistrates or Ministers doe appeare on Gods part , as Iosiah , Ieremiah , and others did in these forlorne times , yet they prove too weake stakes , they are able to doe nothing ; the inundation of wickednesse beares them downe , and runs over their heads : In a word , when some Magistrates take part with sinne , others afraid of it , and the remainder , who are faithfull can prevaile nothing , this Rampire is likewise overthrowne . 4. There is but one more , which when it is likewise cast downe , destruction is at the very doore , and that is , Gods lesser judgements : God sometimes keepes petty-sessions , to prevent great Assizes , inferior executions , to prevent utter desolations , which when they prevaile not , it is a certaine token of extreame wrath . Sometimes God afflicts neighbour Nations , destroying their Cities , that the rest might receive Instruction , and their dwelling not be cut off : As Judges will hang up a thiefe upon a Gibbet , to keepe others from the gallowes . I have overthrown some of you ( saith God ) as Sodom , I have smitten you with blasting and mildew , I have sent among you the pestilence , yet yee have not turned to me , why should ye be smitten any more ? You shall see this notably expressed in the 24. of Ezekiel . Where God compares Ierusalem to a pot , and all the Inhabitants to flesh boyling in the pot , but all the boyling would not ferch out their scum , no threatnings , no visitations , no inferiour Judgements could prevaile with them , but still their scumme , their blood , their filthinesse and lewdnesse abode in them ; marke then in the 13. v. what doome God gives of them , because I have purged thee , and thou wast not purged , I have tryed all means to doe thee good , and thou wilt not bee reformed , thou shalt never be purged from thy filthines any more , till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee , I the Lord have spoken it , and I will doe it . And that example in the sixth of Ieremy , is most remarkable , where God useth such a parable as this , the bellowes are burnt , the lead is melted in the fire , the founder workes in vaine , for the wicked are not taken away , reprobate silver shau men call them , for the Lord hath rejected them . God here compares himselfe to a Silver-smith , who takes a piece of oare , and tryes all his art to divide betwixt the drosse and the metall , but cannot doe it , and at last throwes it away with indignation , saith it is base stuffe , on which hee will never bestow any more labour . So God seems to say , my Ministers have spent their lungs , dryed up their throats , all my other judgements have been tryed , but the wicked are not taken away , they are all base drosse , I will bestow no more paines upon them . And now you understand what the gray hairs of a State or people are , and when a people are ripe for destruction , when the time is come that God will passe them no more , you shall not need to enquire by what meanes he will doe it , he hath all in his owne hands , he hath famine , and pestilence , and sword , & wilde beasts , and fire , and earthquakes , & if none of all these doe it , hee hath flies , and lice , and grashoppers , & rats , and mice enough to destroy the strongest Kingdome in the world in a moment ; if hee but whistle , hisse , or call for them . Objection . It is true may some say , if people goe on in their wickednesse , and prove Incorrigible , no marvaile though God proceed thus against them : but that it should be the case of a people , who set upon Reformation , this is strange : And how wil this stand with the doctrine preached in the forenoon , that whē a natiō repents , God wil repent , & c ? Answer . In such an assembly as this , a short answere ( if true ) will satisfie . First , God never promised that the sincere Reformation of a few should prevent the judgement of a multitude : if Gods time of Execution be come , Noah , Daniel and Iob shall deliver neither son , nor daughter , who are not turned home to God . Secondly , I answere , that though the Nation joyned in the Reformation , it was not in sincerity , if it had been sound , the doctrine in the morning would have carried it away , and I must have had another Interpretation of my Text . It is true , Iosiah carried it by his authoritie , but the peoples hearts were not right . And Ieremy saith no lesse , when I removed Samaria out of my sight , her treacherous sister Iudah turned not to mee . Yes might the people say , wee did turne to thee under good King Iosiah , but it was but fainedly ( saith the Prophet ) and it appeares to be so , for as soone as ever Iosiah was dead , they made a universall Apostacie from the Lord , and so their Reformation was but like that of the Nation of the Iews in Christs time , which our Lord compares to the uncleane spirit , going out for a while , and returning againe with seven Devils worse then himselfe . As if England by the help of this noble Parliament , who lay the cause of God to heart , should joine in a reformation , though against the haire , it would come to nothing in the end . And so I have in some measure cleered this doctrine in Thesi , how far the approaching ruine of a Nation may be knowne , and what the signes of it are . The second followes , and that is ; Whether this concerne us . And what answer would you have me give you ? I could willingly answer in this , as Daniel did Nebuchadnezzar , when he was to interpret a dreame to the King , which in the true exposition foretold Nebuchadnezzars fall : It is said Daniel stood still for an hour , and his thoughts troubled him , and in the end speakes out , My Lord , the dreame be to them that hate thee , and the interpretation of it to thine enemies . So say I , Oh let the parallell of this be some other people : Oh that it might not fit England , but doth it fit it ? Right honourable and beloved , your great wisdomes , your diligent inspection , your ample intelligence , your faithfulnesse and sincerity makes you better able to judge , then my meannesse can attaine unto , who am none of the wisest observers of the time ; but I must speake , and what I speake , I shall speake freely and humbly , I would I could speake sorrowfully : I know I speake to wise men , who can well judge what I say . First , I hope verily we are not yet come to that passe that God should say of us , I will passe by England no more ; blessed bee God , wee have a gracious King , many Noble Peeres , many excellent Commons , who have already done great things for God ; I need not repeat them , all the Kingdome knowes them to their comfort . Yea , and blessed be God , the same gracious Soveraigne and Honourable Assembly of Parliament doe yet enquire what is further to be done , what wrath is kindled , and how it may bee quenched , and have called the whole Kingdome , to afflict themselves before God , that his great wrath might bee turned away from us . And as yet wee have a sprinkling of Phinehazzes , worthy Magistrates , who in their severall Countries and Counties dare appeare in Gods cause against sinne , and the boldest sinners . And wee have also a good sprinkling of faithfull Ministers , who stand on the Watch towre , and blow the Trumpet , and give the people warning . And for ever blessed be the Lord ( which is not the least pledge of our hopes , for the lengthning out of our tranquility ) we have many ten thousand Saints in England , who not onely abstaine from the abomination of the times , but mourne for them , and give God no rest night nor day , untill hee bow the heavens and come downe , and set up for himselfe a glorious Throne amongst us : And unto these God hath made many promises of sparing the land for their sakes , and that their posterities after them shall be blessed . But as I hope this , so the Lord will bee a witnesse with me , that I feare whether all these persons , and their graces doe beare a just proportion to the meanes and mercies , which God hath given to England ; or to that huge Inundation of finne , wherewith England is over-run at this day . And here ; had I a tongue to speake , and you and I hearts and eyes to powre out teares and sorrow , wee might make this place a Bochim a place of weepers . For , what kinde of these sins doe not overflow us ? You will say at first , not Idolatry ; but I tell you , neither were the Germanes carried away with Idolatry , when their desolations broke in upon them ; nor the Iewes , before their last destruction . The measure of our Iniquity may possibly be full , though this sin come not in ; but God knowes , and you know that we have not onely abundance of Idolatrous Papists , who are proud , insolent and daring , but abundance of Popish Idolatrous spirits , superstitiously addicted , willing to embrace any thing that goes that way , onely they will not have it goe under the name of Popery . And for the other sinnes of contempt of Gods holy Ordinances , his day , his servants , and all his wayes , oppression , cruelty , defrauding of brethren , the sensuall sinnes of uncleannesse , especially that of drunkennesse ; Goe but to the places of greatest resorts , Market-Townes , populous Cities , and Fayres , &c. and your hearts would tremble to thinke , how our Land is overspread with these : Oh Beloved , the generality of the people of England , is extreamly wicked , and which argues our case to bee most miserable , it seemes to beare downe , and to break over all our Bankes , multitudes sinning with a whores forehead , proclaiming their sinnes as Sodom : And the vox populi is ; that many of the Nobles , Magistrates , Knights and Gentlemen , and persons of great Quality are arrand Traytors and Rebells against God , taking part with wicked men , and wicked causes against the Truth , Patrons of Ale-houses and disorders , checking inferiour Officers , who discover any zeal for God against an ill cause : That in many of their families ( not to mention Religion ) there is not so much as a face of Civility : Many others of them , who seem to wish well , dare not draw out the sword which God hath given them , and some few others borne downe in their places with the torrent of wickednesse . And as for our Ministers , how many sad complaints and petitions hath this Honourable Assembly received against many hundreds of them ? multitudes of them rotten and unsound in their doctrine , and so vitious and corrupt in their lives , that they fulfill that which Archbishop Abbot said in his Lectures upon Ionah , professing that his heart bled within him , to thinke of the miserable condition of the precious soules of many people who had such Ministers , as Iohannes Aventinuus speakes of , who ( if they were not in the Ministery ) would not bee thought fit hog-heards to keepe swine . Besides thousands of others , who ( God knowes ) want either will or skill to doe the Lords worke faithfully . And the residue who have endeavoured to give the people warnning , and to teach them the good way of the Lord , have been a long time both downe and opposed as the troublers of our Israel . Sure I am , what ever our Ministers are , or doe , the sins of the land are too strong for them , and our people remaine unsubdued to Jesus Christ . Yea which is yet worse , the very judgements of God have wrought little upon us , all the long and heavy pressures of the Neighbour Churches , his rods upon our selves , terrible and wasting pestilences and famine , his blasting all our enterprises , his scaring us with rumors of warres and bloud prevaile nothing ; wee still grow worse and worse : Indeed if any sin grow out of fashion , ( as cloathes doe ) then wee leave it , otherwise wee goe on boldly and impudently , let God threaten or doe what he will . And all these evils are aggravated by being committed against greater meanes and mercies , than any nation under Heaven enjoyes this day besides our selves . And which is yet sadder , ( oh that I were mistakē upon condition I were tyed to a recantation ) our dealing this last year is more injurious against God , than heretofore . The Lord hath gathered such an Assembly of Noble Peeres and Commons , who have done such great things , that many of us began to hope our Pilgrimage through this wildernesse had beene almost ended , and that England would now turne to the Lord , and become a people zealous of good workes : But verily so far as I can understand , the body of the Nation makes little other use of all the mercies of this last yeare , but to abuse all the liberties procured both for Church and Common wealth , to greater and bolder sinning against God : and now also , which yet speakes more sadly , the Lord God beginnes to appeare against us , not onely in permitting many unexpected blocks and rubbs , huge trees cast in the way of our Worthies that they cannot march on in their strength , and so the much expected Reformation stickes long in the birth ; but God hath drawne out , and fourbished the sword , and made it begin to drinke blood in the Neighbour Nation , which when it once begins to drinke , seldome is put up againe , till it bee drunke with blood : this God hath suffered to bee drawne out upon our deare brethren in Ireland , upon our owne flesh and blood , and that by a Nation , by whom ( though they may seeme contemptible to some , as being barbarous , unarmed , &c. yet ) wee may feare that God will plague us , because wee have not laboured to bring them to the knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ . Mene tekel . The Lord grant that being put into the ballance we be not found too light . What shall wee doe then ? First beleeve it , not that England shall be ruined ; I say not so : but beleeve that great is the wrath of God which is kindled against us , that wee stand upon ill termes before him ; that though he may save us by his Prerogative , yet if hee proceed with us at common Law , according to his usuall rule with other Nations , wee are in great danger to be utterly lost . I presse this the rather , because we are a secure nation , not willing to beleeve any thing that may disturbe our ease . One Zedekiah who will preach pleasing things , shall bee beleeved more then twenty Micaiahs : such as tell us wee are the most flourishing Church in the world , the strongest people by Sea and Land , all other Nations court us , and have their owne hands full , the Irish be onely discontented , weake men , and will soone be quieted : such I say shall be beleeved more then an hundred Ieremies , who would put us in feare . It is reported that Honorius the Emperour lying at his pleasure at Ravenna , when newes was brought him that Rome was taken and spoyled , hee thought they had meant a fighting Cock which he called Rome : so when we are told of danger , wee slight all that is spoken , & believe nothing in that kind : But the Lord grant that this security of ours bee not a Calme before an earthquake : When they say peace , peace , then sudden destruction comes upon them . But let us believe and tremble : the Wise man never hides himself till he sees the evill comming ; and the first step to Ninevehs peace was their believing that God was comming against them . But you will say that is the way to discourage men , & you do not well to discourage thē in whose hand & courage our welfare lyes . Oh beloved , let me not be so interpreted ; were this objection fit in other cases ? suppose one should come and truly tell us the enemy were landed , the Sea were broke in , the House or City , were on fire , were it fit to object , oh say not so , you will discourage men ? Discourage or not discourage , if this be not told , how shall the enemy be driven back , the breach of waters stopped , or the fire quenched ? But neither need this discourage , but rather furnish us with matter of humiliation & action . Iosiah sate down and wept , when he understood Gods wrath was kindled , & fell to reformation . Ezra rent his garment and plucked off his haire , and fell to his work , & so let us do : Let us believe that Gods displeasure is against us , that we may feare before this Great God , and labour to get his wrath turned quite away ; & that is the second Use . 2 Let us all labour in the right way to turn this wrath of God from us , & that , First , by mourning under it ; God looks we should be ashamed when he spits in our face , and takes it wonderfull unkindly , if we tremble not when this Lion roares . Consider seriously of that place , Esay 22. There you shal see an enemy was comming against Ierusalem & God was much displeased , because they took not the right way for their safety , and so ill that he said that iniquity should never be purged from thē till they dyed , & yet see what they did , they scoured up their armour , they gathered the waters , that the enemy might have no benefit by them , they repaired the breaches in the wals , made a deep ditch for greater fortification : what hurt was there in all this ? Oh but they begun at the wrong end : the Lord called thē to weeping and mourning , and to baldnes , and to girding with sackcloth , to tremble before him because of his wrath , and this they regarded not , and therefore God would never pardon it . Till therfore we mourn because of Gods displeasure , all other meanes of welfare will faile of that comfortable effect which we desire . I know the world makes a scorn of this , you are one of the mourners , but let our soules be numbred among those mourners ; God will restore comfort to these mourners : and no man knowes the power which these poore mourners have to turne away Gods wrath . Secondly , and as we must mourn for this fulnesse of our sinnes , so every one must help to empty the vessel , as we have helped to fill it : the fuller our vessel is with sin , the neerer our ruine is , & if we could knock out the bottom of the vessel , or by any meanes empty it , Gods wrath would passe away with our sins : oh help to empty it , your Atheisme , your prophanenesse , your opposing of good men , & good causes , your adulteries , lies , &c. get them out by all meanes ; all Gods threatnings speak to us , as the waves of the Sea seemed to speak to the Mariners in the first of Ionah . Ionah had told them that the tempest came for him , and till he was cast over the sea would never be quiet , yet they rowed hard to carry Ionah to land , but the waves seemed to tell them , cast Ionah over board , or we wil fetch you over-board . Out therfore with your lusts , God hath no other quarrell against us , he doth not afflict us willingly , he saith to us as Ioab said to the wise woman of Abel , farre be it from me to swallow up or destroy a City in Israel deliver only Sheba the Son of Bichri , or throw his head over the wall , and I am gone . Do thou so , finde out all thy beloved sins , say to thy darling lust , as Iunius Brutus said to his son , thou villain , shal I nourish thee to destroy the Common-wealth ? & stabs him : shal I walk in these wayes , to be the ruine of the Church and Common-wealth ? the Lord rather strike me dead with a Thunderbolt . Let us therefore every one , begin to sweep before our own door , and we know not how soon the whole street may be made cleane . Thirdly and lastly ( right Honourable & Beloved ) you are to be our Physitians , and repairers of our breaches ; the horns of Gods wrath begin to push at us , you are the Carpenters that must cut off these horns : I therefore make this humble fuit to you , that ( as you have besought his Matie to call a day of Fasting and Prayer throughout England , and we hope we shall have many more , till the fierce wrath of God be turned away ) so in all your thoughts to do England , Scotland & Ireland good , you would set down this , that the turning away of Godswrath is of greatest consequence : if you let God go on to be angry , do what you can we shal lose all at home and abroad . Thus did Iosiah , when once he understood out of the Book of God , that the Lords wrath was kindled , he presently sends to Hulda the Prophetesse , to enquire what was to be done that they might quench it , esteeming all other busines unseasonable and fruitless , while that fire was burning . And here I shall only in a few words commend to you the example and practice of this brave King , whom this Text so magnifies . 1. He mourns , and cals all the people to mourn with him : and that through Gods mercy you have done . 2. He goes out in that way , whereof you heard more in the forenoon , & breaking down all the Images and relicks of Idolatry : the Lord set it close to your hearts , that you may leave nothing which is contrary to Gods pure worship . 3. He executed the justice and vengeance of God upon the Instruments of the kingdoms ruine , the idolatrous Priests , digging the very bones of some of them out of their graves : the same Lord direct you , that in your great wisedomes you may be as the Angels of God , to discern what is to be done with them who have been the troublers of our peace , & the greatest kindlers of Gods wrath against us : spare whom ye may spare with Gods good will ; but remember , it is foolish pity that destroyes a City let not the men escape , whom God appoints out to punishment . 4. He resolves to reform Religion , and the worship God , and to set it up , and maintain it according to the word : and to that end he cals together the Priests , and Prophets , the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem , & with them enters into a covenant before the Lord , to walk after the Lord , and to keep his commandments , &c. O that the Lord would put it into the heart of you all to do the same ; you know what you have bin often petitioned for , the God of all wisdom direct you in due time to proceed in this cause , and if in your wisdomes you shall find it fitting that a grave Synod of Divines should be called , to inform your consciences what is to be done , I beseech you follow the direction of Gods word in it . Fifthly , And then fo● the manner . Hee did all according to Gods law , he consulted not with flesh and blood , enquired not into terms o● policy , how far the state would bear it , or how far the people would concur without grumbling : but did according to 〈◊〉 which God had appointed in his word . And lastly , he did it with zeal and fervency , he laid not out his strength in his own cause , & then use diversions and diminutions in Gods cause but there was his strength laid out , where he knew Gods iealousie lay . The Lord make you such Iosiahs , such zealous men what Anakims or Gyants would you prove ; you might ( with Briareus the Gyant with 100 hands , of whom the Poets feign take thunder-bolts out of the hand of God , and so save you selvs , your families , and the Nation . Go on , ye Worthies of t 〈…〉 Lord , and thus deliver us . If there be any healing , any deliverance , you shall be our Saviours ; if there be none , you may with Iosiah get the iudgment respited for your life time : le 〈…〉 the worst come , the glory of the Lord shall not only be yo 〈…〉 reward , but your rereward , your safety : you shall deliver yo 〈…〉 soules , and your children after you shall be blessed . Do th 〈…〉 and the Lord God be with you . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52049e-240 Introduction . 1 King. 1● Introduction . 2 Chr 33. 2 Chro. 34. 3. 2 Chr. 2 4 31. 32. 33 The scope of the Text and parts of it . Observation from the connexion . Deut. 29. 5. Josh. 23. 4. 5. King. 53. 4 In two branches . 1. Branch , The endeavours of rare instruments may come to nothing . 2. King. 18 19. Jer. 15. 10. Jer. 20. 9. See to this purpose , Matth. 23. 34. 37. Act. 7. 52. Heb 11. 37. 38. Second Branch . Yet themselves highly magnified and rewarded by God . Esay 49. 2. 3. 1. Thes. 2. 7 Application to the Parliament . Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. First Doctrine from the Text , that the wrath of God is exceeding fierce . Psal. 2. Explain it . Quest . 1. What the wrath of God is . Answ. The fiercenesse of Gods wrath Quest . 2. Answ. Psal. 9● . 11 The fiercenesse of it illustrated from divers comparisons . Amos 3. 4. Psal. 18. 7. 8. Psal. 〈◊〉 . 11. Gen. 1● . 24. 2 By the effects of it . Zach. 13. 7. Luk , 22. 41 3. From the cause of its Quest 3. Who are the objects of this wrath of God . Answ. Deut. 4. 21. 2 Sam. 11. 27. Psa. 89 , 3● . Col. 3. 6. Applic●● . To praise God for deliverance from it . 2 Not to covie the prosperity of such as are under it . Psal. 73. 3. Ier 12. 1. 3 To help forward our repentance . In humiliation for sin , which hath kindled it . Ier. 13 1● How this may bee done . Ezek. 12. 27. Neh. 5. 1● . Rarò antecedentem scelestum descruit pede poena claudo , Horace . 2 For Reformation . Meditation of wrath how it may promote it . Esay 33. 14. Iob 36. 18. 4. To the Parliament , o make it their great care to pacific it . Doct. 2 : In reformation God may goe on to desolation God may go on to desolation . Proved by Scripture . 2 Chro. 34. Ionah 3. Act. 21 2● . Notwithstanding Reformation . That this may be known . And how far it may be known . Psa. 106 23 Mat. 24. 36 And how it may be known . Prov. 28. Fulnesse of sin the evidence of it . Gen. 15. 16. Why God defers till sin be full . Esay 10. Rom. 2. 4 , 5. How the fulnesse of a Peoples sin may be known . What sins are desolating sins . Idolatry . Levit. 18. 28 Deut. 9 5. Ezek 8. Ezek. 43. 8. Hos. 13. Esay 2. 9. Prophanesse and contempt of Gods Ordinances , day , 〈◊〉 . Ezek. 22. 4. 8. Zeph. 28. 9. 10. Sins destructive to humane society . Gen. 6. 11. Jon. 3. 8. Ezek. 22. 3. 4. 6. 9. 12. Hos 12 7. Hos. 4. 2. Sensuall lusts of drunkennesse and uncleannesse . Hos. 6. 10. Hos. 4. 2. 11. Esay 28. 1. 3. ver. 7. 8. The generality of these sins . Gen. 6. 12. Esay 1. 5 , 6. Vers. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. Vers. 15. &c. Yet to be understood with a caution . The aggravation of these sins . Dan. 9. 12. This is the very argument of the whole Chapter of the second of Ieremy . See also Mic. 1. 5. Psal. 41 9. 2. Sam. 16. 17. Incorrigiblenesse of these sins , when they are too strong for Conscience and shame . Prov. 2. 14. Es. 3 9. For prayers examples & counsells of the godly . Iob 22. ult. Esay . 57. 1. Gen. 19. 18. Gen. 33. Ier. 14 11. For Magistrates and Ministers , which comes to passe either , When they take part with it . Ier. 4. 5. Hos. 9. 7 , Ezek. 22. 15. &c. Ordare not oppose it . See also Ier. 5. 1. Or doing their duty cannot yet prevaile against it . And for the judgements of God . Zeph. 3. 6 7. Ames 4. V. 29 , 30. What kind of Reformation may meet with desolation . Ier. 18. 7. 8. Ezek 4. Ier. 3. 20. Matt. 22. 43. 44 , 45. Whether this may be thought to bee our own case . Dan. 4 19. It is hoped that we are not yet in that condition . And why . Yet feared that we are very neare it . because all these sinnes are found amongst us . And that in great measure , which prevailes over Magistrates . Ministers . And the very judgements . and mercies of God . And God begins to appeare against us . and wherein . Application to our selves . First , to beleeve that we are in danger , 1 King 22. Which we are loth to doe . 1 Thes. 5. 3. Prov. 22. 3. Ion. 3. 5. But till we doe it our danger encreases : And wee shal never use the rightmeans for sa●●● . 2 Kings 22. Vse . To prevent it , First by mourning for it . Num. 12 14 Amos 3. v 9 &c. By p 〈…〉 onall 〈…〉 formation . 2. Sam , 20. 20. What the Parliament should do for our safety . Following Iosiahs example . 1. In mourning , because of Gods wrath . 2 Kin. 2● . 11 , &c. 2 Rooting out idolatry , &c. 3 Inexecution of Gods vengeance upon his enemies . 1 Kin. 20. 42 4. Insetting up and maintaining Gods true Religion and Worship . 2 Kin 23. 1 , 2 , &c. Exactly , according to the Word . And that with all their strength . Encouragement thereunto . Obad. 21. Esay 58. 8. 
A45421	----	Of resisting the lavvfull magistrate under colour of religion and appendant to it, of the word keima, rendred damnation, Rom. 13, reprinted : also, [brace] of zelots among the Jewes, of taking up the crosse, a vindication of Christs reprehending St. Peter, from the exceptions of Mr. Marshall. Hammond, Henry, 1605-1660. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A45421 of text R40544 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing H557A). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 201 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 32 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A45421 Wing H557A ESTC R40544 19350334 ocm 19350334 108766 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A45421) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 108766) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1672:14) Of resisting the lavvfull magistrate under colour of religion and appendant to it, of the word keima, rendred damnation, Rom. 13, reprinted : also, [brace] of zelots among the Jewes, of taking up the crosse, a vindication of Christs reprehending St. Peter, from the exceptions of Mr. Marshall. Hammond, Henry, 1605-1660. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 61 p. Printed for H.H. and W.W., Oxford : 1644. Attributed to Hammond by Wing and NUC pre-1956 imprints. Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library. eng Church and state -- England. Government, Resistance to -- Religious aspects -- Christianity. Zealots (Jewish party) Liberty of conscience. A45421 R40544 (Wing H557A). civilwar no Of resisting the lawfull magistrate under colour of religion: and appendant to it, of the word krima, rendred damnation, Rom. 13. Reprinted. Hammond, Henry 1644 39959 16 1185 0 0 0 0 301 F The rate of 301 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion OF RESISTING THE Lawfull Magistrate Under colour of RELIGION : AND Appendant to it , of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , rendred Damnation , Rom. 13. REPRINTED . ALSO , Of the Zelots among the Jewes . Of taking up the Crosse . A Vindication of Christs reprehending St. Peter , from the exceptions of Mr. Marshall . OXFORD , Printed for H. H. and W. W. 1644. Of resisting the lawfull Magistrate upon colour of Religion . IN this proposall of the point for debate , there are onely two words will need an account to be given of them : 1. What is meant by Resisting . 2. Why the word Colour is put in . For the first , Resisting , here signifies violent , forcible , offensive resistance , fighting against , as Hesychius the best Scripture-glossary explaines it , ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} & {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} all one , and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) and the Apostle in like manner , Rom. 13. 2. using {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} & {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , promiscuously for the same , and so in other places , although it is true , it is used sometimes in a wider sense ; but that will not here be materiall , when we here set down before-hand what we meane by it . For the second , the word [ Colour ] is in the Title added , onely for this reason , ( not to prejudge the Religion , which is fought for , to be onely a colour , but ) because it is possible for a man to fight for Religion , and yet not upon colour of Religion ; to wit , in case the Religion for which hee fights be establisht by the Law of the Land , for then his colour for fighting may be the preservation of Law , which the Magistrate is bound by oath to maintaine , and though hee fight for Religion , yet it is under that other colour : whereas hee that fights upon colour of Religion , making that his onely pretence of fighting , is ipso facto supposed to fight for a Religion distant or contrary to that which is established by Law , and so all pretence or colour of Law excluded , yea , and all supposition of falling in the Magistrate ; he standing for the Law present , not against it ; which I desire may be the setting of the case , to exclude the fallacy , plurium interrogationum , and to distinguish the quarrell of Religion from that other of Law , and so to meddle at this time onely with that which is fully within the Divines Spheare , and leave the other to some body else . Those two termes being thus explained , and so the state of the question set , the lawfull Magistrate , and the establisht Law of the Kingdome on one side ; and some person or persons inferiour to him , upon colour of Religion , i. e. for some Religion not yet established by Law , on t'other side , that it should be lawfull to them to take up Armes against him , would seem not very reasonable , if he were but a private man , abstracted from Regall power , ( which sure doth not make it more lawfull to resist him then any body else ) having broken no established Law , ( as is supposed in the case ) for what legall accusation can lie against him in a point wherein hee hath not broken the Law ? But then this will be more unreasonable , it moreover it be considered , that colour of Religion is so wide and unlimited a thing , that no man , that is never so much in the wrong in any opinion , but thinks himselfe in the right , ( for otherwise he would not continue in that errour ) and so that colour will be plea equally good to all sorts of errours , as well as truths : and besides , he that hath not so much Religion as to be in an errour , may yet have so much wit as to make use of that Apology for his sedition , ( to wit , colour of Religion ) and plead it as legally as the most zealous professour ; and consequently , if that will serve turne , who ever shall but pretend to beleeve contrary to the Religion established in any Kingdome , shall be ipso facto absolved from all bond of Allegiance in foro humano , and if hee will adventure the hazard of the judgement to come , shall have no restraint laid on him by any earthly Tribunall ; and so by this meanes already , the grounds of the dissolution of any government are laid by this one unpolitick principle , and the world given up to be ruled onely by the Religion ( which is in effect , the will ) of every man ; whereas before , there was a State as well as a Church , Policy as well as Religion , a power in the Magistrates hand , besides that in every mans owne brest or conscience ; and yet more particularly , a restraint for hypocrites , as well as any else , i. e. for pretenders of Religion , who , if this ground would hold , were left unlimited . Where , if it be interposed , that such an one that fallaciously pretends Religion , though by this disguise hee escape here , yet shall surely pay for it hereafter ; and that that is sufficient , because there is no other Court , but of that searcher of hearts , to which the hypocrite can be bound over : I answer , that although that be true , yet it is not sufficient ; because , although there be a judgement to come for all crimes , yet it is notwithstanding thought necessary to have present judicatures also , not to leave all offenders to terrours at such a distance : and indeed , for the continuance of the peace of Communities , to provide some violent restraint at the present for those , whom those greater but future deterrements cannot sufficiently work on . This every man knowes is the originall of humane Lawes , yea , and of Dominion it selfe , a praevision that all men will not doe their duties for love or feare of God , ( it is apparent , the Jewes would not under their {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) and therefore for good mens sakes , and for peace sake , and for the maintaining of Communities , those superadditions have been thought necessary , as some thornes in the hedge of Gods Law , that may pierce the hands and sides of him that shall attempt to break over or thorough it . From whence the conclusion will be evident , that the Rules for the preserving of government must be such as shall have force to restraine the Atheist or the Hypocrite , as well as the good Christian ( which sure will lesse need those restraints ) or else they are utterly unsufficient to the attaining of their end , i. e. to the preserving of government , peace , community , or protecting any that lives under it : Which being supposed , it will also follow , that nothing must be indulged upon any colour of Religion , ( be his Religion never so true , and himselfe never so sincere in it ; ) which will open this gap or out-let to others , that may make the ill use of it : For this will be utterly destructive of the end of government ( which is , that wee may lead a peaceable quiet life , 1 Tim. 2. 2. ) yea , and of government it selfe . This argument being thus prosecuted and cleared , might be sufficient to determine this whole businesse , were it not for one rejoynder which is ordinarily made , the force of which is taken from that supreme care that every man ought to have of his owne soule , and consequently of the maintaining of his Religion , on which ( to abstract from all possible disputes concerning the particular truth of it , he being perhaps not acute or artist enough to uphold it against all objecters ) he is fully convinc't , the health and salvation of that wholly depends . For the maintaining of which against all the humane power in the World , if he may not take up Armes , or doe any thing , he cannot see what can be fit for him to fight for , ( nothing sure being more precious then that ; ) or consequently , why he may not take up that opinion of the Beyond-Sea-Anabaptists , That it is not lawfull to fight at all : which if it should be yeelded to , although for the present it would produce peace , yet it would be little for the advantage of Magistrates in the issue . To this I shall answer , by concession of these foure things : 1. That Religion is to be every mans supreme care , the prime Jewel in his Cabinet . 2. That it cannot , at least in humane consideration , be expected that any man should be lesse carefull of his false Religion ( if hee be really perswaded of the truth of it ) then any other is of the true . Nay , 3. that if he doe not use any lawfull meanes to defend that false ( whilest he is convinc't it is the true ) Religion , this is a sin of lukewarmnesse in him ; though indeed through prepossession not to open his eyes to greater light and revelation of the truth offered to him , and perhaps through sluggishnesse not to seek that light , be yet a farre greater sin in him . For though no man ought to defend the contrary to what he takes to be truth , yet ought he to be most ready to deposite his errour , not onely when it doth , but also when it may appeare to him to be so , and to seek to those helps that may be instrumentall to that end . 4. That in some cases the use of Armes is not unlawfull . But then all this being thus granted , and so in effect , that all lawfull meanes may be used for the maintaining of Religion , we must yet secondly deny the inference of the Objection , upon this onely ground , because though Armes may lawfully be used in some cases , and Religion be maintained by all lawfull meanes ; yet Armes are not a lawfull meanes for this end , and so may not be used in this case ; that is , by Subjects against the lawfull Magistrate in case of Religion , at least when some other Religion is by Law established in that Kingdome . Which Assertion I shall confirme onely by foure Arguments : 1. Taken from the nature of Religion . 2. From examples of Christ and Christians . 3. From the very making of Christianity , and particularly of the Protestant Doctrine . 4. From the Constitution of this Kingdom , which being subordinate to the other three , may deserve consideration , as farre as it agrees with them . 1. From the nature of Religion , which is an act of the soule , which cannot be forced or constrained by outward violence ; and therefore , 't is apparent , needs no outward defence for the maintaining of it , much lesse invasion of others . A man may be as truly religious under all the tyranny and slavery in the world , as in the most triumphant prosperous estate ? They that have power to kill the body , are not able to commit them least rape upon the soule ; they may rob me of my life , they cannot of my Religion ; the weakest creeple in the Hospitall may defie the whole Army of the Philistines in this matter . But you will ask , Is not the outward profession and publike exercise of Religion some part of it , and that to be thus maintained , where any attempt to hinder it ? To which I answer , That the first of these , the outward Profession , can no more be hindred then the former act of the soule , but rather may be most illustrious in the time of depression . I may confesse Christ in the den of lyons , in the furnace , on the rack , on the gridiron , and when my tongue is cut out , by patient , constant suffering in that cause . Religion is not so truly professed by endeavouring to kill others , as by being killed patiently our selves rather then we will renounce it . When I fight , it may be malice , revenge , some hope of gaine ( or impunity at least ) by the present service , any one of a hundred worldly interests , that may help to whet my sword for me ; or most clearly , a hope I may kill and not be killed : and so all this while here is no act of confession of Christ in thus venturing my life , although I doe affirme I doe this for my Religion ; because , though I so affirme , men are not bound to beleeve me , there being so much oddes against me , that I doe it for some-what else . But when I say down my life patiently , the sacrifice of my God , resigne up all possible worldly interests for the retaining of my one spirituall trust , this is to the eye of man a profession capable of no reasonable suspition of infincerity ; and indeed none so , but this . As for the second , the publike exercise of the true Religion , it were by all men heartily to be wisht that it might be enjoyed at all times , for the advancing of Gods glory , increase of charity , conversion of others , &c. But if it may not be had by the use of lawfull meanes , it will not be required of us by God , without whose speciall providence it is not , that hee permitteth us to be forbidden that exercise . Till the same providence be pleased to remove such hinderance , and open to us a lawfull way of obtaining it , the primitive Christians secret meetings will first be imitable to us ; and if those be obstructed also , their folitudes next . And however , that designe of obtaining free exercise of our Religion , will never make any practice lawfull to be used in order to that , that before was utterly unlawfull . But are we not to take care of our children and posterity , as well as of our selves ? If our Religion be now supprest , our poore children and progeny to the end of the world may in all probability be kept in blindnesse and ignorance , and so left to the place of darknesse irrecoverably . This objection sounds somewhat pathetically , and is apt to affect our bowels , more then our reason ; moves our compassion first , and thorow those spectacles is then represented with improvement to our judgement . But for answer to it , though the Doctrine of Election of particular men , as well and as absolutely to the meanes as to the end , might be to him that acknowledges it a sufficient amulet against this feare , and so no need of that their jealous care for their posterity , any farther then it is in their power to contribute toward them ( which sure is no more then to doe what is lawfull for them to doe ; ) yet the answer will be more satisfactory to all that acknowledge Gods providence , however opinionated concerning decrees , that whosoever considers himselfe as a man , much more as a father of a posterity , must have many things to trust God with , and onely God ; and among those nothing more , then the future estate of those which are come from him . Yet , if he be importunate and still unsatisfied , unlesse he himselfe contribute somewhat to the securing of his posterity in this matter , let me tell him , There is nothing ( after his prayers to God , and paternall blessing on them ) so likely to entaile his Religion upon them , as his sealing it by his sufferings . This sure will be a more probable way to recommend his Religion to them , ( when they shall heare , and be assured by that testimony , that their fathers thus hoped in God ) then that other so distant , that they died in a rebellion against the King ; or , that this Religion had been in their time turned out of the Land , had not they done something so unlawfull to protect it . Besides , the greatest prejudice which but posterity ( of which wee pretend such care ) can suffer by my non-resistance , is onely to be brought up in a contrary Religion , to heare that way first , but sure not to have their eares deafed against all others when they shall be represented , nor to bring the guilt of non-representation upon them if they be not . And if I bring forth reasonable creatures , I hope they will , by the grace of God , make use of the reason and his grace , to find out that truth that their soules are so much concerned in : and if ( through no default personall of theirs ) they should misse of it , I hope the invinciblenesse of their ignorance , and their sincere repentance for all their sinnes and errours knowne and unknowne , and their readinesse to receive the truth , if it were or might be represented to them , would be antidote sufficient , by Gods mercy in Christ , to preserve them from that poyson , so they were carefull according to their means of knowledge to escape all other dangers . And all this upon supposition , but not concession , that the Religion of him that would fight for it , were the truth and only truth ; whereas indeed , there is not a more suspitious mark of a false Religion , then that it is faine to propagate it selfe by violence : The Turks and Papists being the onely notable examples hitherto of that practice ; till some others , directly upon Popish principles a little varied in the application , have falne upon the same conclusion . Now secondly for the examples of Christ and Christians , but first of Christ : His example ( as to this purpose ) is evident in three passages ( besides that grand transcendent copy , proposed from the aggregate of all his life and death , Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly . ) The first is , Luk. 9. 54. The inhabitants of a Samaritan village would not receive Christ , vers. 53. upon that , James and John remembring what Elias had done in the like kind , 1 King. 18. and 2 King. 1. ask't his judgement of it , whether he , would be pleased that they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume them , as Elias did , that is , in effect , whether they should not doe well to use whatever power they had ( and be confident that God would assist them in it ) to the destroying of those who-ever they were ( and yet that they were not their Magistrates it is cleare ) which affronted them in the exercise of their Religion , or indeed , which would not receive Christ . To this Christ answers sternly , the words are emphaticall , he turned ( as to Peter when he gave him that check , Mat. 16. 23. ) and rebuked them , and said , Ye know not what manner of spirit you are of : that is , Elias was a Zelot , 1 Mac. 2. 58. ( the full importance of which will belong to another disquisition ) & jure zelotarum , might doe somewhat against Baals Prophets , which will not agree with that distant calling or profession of a Disciple of Christ , or Christian ; they are mistaken if they think they may doe as Elias did . From whence , by the way , is a prohibition fully legall put in against all examples of the Old Testament , ( if any such there were ) from being pleadable amongst Christians , upon this ground of Josephus his observing , that the Jewes were governed by a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , God being as it were their King on earth for a long time , presiding immediately , and interposing by his Oracle , and other particular directions , as well as standing Law , as in that case of Phinees and Elias , &c. By which those acts of theirs , though authorized by no setled or ordinary Law , were yet as legall as what-ever in any other Common-wealth were done by authority legally descending from the supreme Magistrate . Which whosoever shall now apply to Christians , besides that he professes himselfe an asserter of Enthusiasmes , will meet with Christs check to the Boanerges , You know not what spirit you are of : I have not authorized you to pretend to the Spirit of Elias , or to doe what a Zelot among the Jewes might doe . The second exemplary passage to this purpose in the story of Christ is , Mat. 26. 51. when Christ was apprehended by those tumultuous persons , at the best but servants of the chiefe Priests and Elders ( not againe by any power of lawfull Magistrate ) Peter drew the sword , and smote off one of those servants ears ; upon that , Christs Answer is the thing to be observed , vers. 52. Then said Jesus unto him , Put up again thy sword into his place , for all they that take the sword , shall perish with the sword : The speech particular to Peter , a prime Disciple or Christian , that he having drawn the sword in defence of Christ , and in him of Christianity it selfe , ( a more justifiable course then ever any man since undertook under the colour of Religion ) must put it up again ; but the reason added , of an unlimited universall obligingnesse to all Christians ; For all they that take the sword ( as Peter did , in defence of Christ , &c. or else the citation had not been pertinent to him ) shall perish by the sword . And the two parallel places which are noted in the margent of our English Bibles , are somewhat considerable ; the first , Gen. 9. 6. where that Law was given to the sons of Noah , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} concerning the effusion of bloud , which sure was not any prohibition to legall , though capitall punishments of Malefactors , ( but rather the investing the Magistrate with that power of the sword ) and yet is by Christ urged as a prohibition to Saint Peter ; signifying , that effusion of bloud by him in that case to be utterly illegall , and against the intention of that old Law , not abrogated ( it seemeth ) by Christ . The other parallel place is Revel. 13. 10. where immediately upon the repeating of those words , He that killeth with the sword , shall be killed with the sword , is subjoyned , Here is the patience and faith of the Saints . i. e. Christian Martyrs , vers. 7. whose faith it seems and patience must goe together ; which sure is most irreconcileable with forcible resistance . * The third exemplary passage of Christ was in his suffering , wherein many particular circumstances might be observed , especially his answer to Pilate , John 19. 11. in acknowledgement of his legall power given him from above . But all that I shall observe is onely in the generall , That hee that had so many legions of Angels , certainly sufficient to defend him and invade his enemies , ( whatsoever will be thought of the Christians strength in Tertullians time to have done so too , of which more anon ) did yet without the least resistance give himselfe up to suffer death . And if it should be objected , that this was to accomplish what God hath decreed ( ought not Christ to suffer these things , and thus it is written , and thus it behoved Christ to suffer ) and in obedience to that decree , not as matter of example to us , or of intimation , that it had not been lawfull for him to have done otherwise . To this I answer , That as Christ was decreed to that death , and non-resistance , so are Christians ( if Saint Paul may be beleeved ) predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son , Rom. 8. that is , to that pattern of his in suffering , not fighting for Religion : and that revelation of Gods will in that decree being supposed , it will follow , That though Christ might have lawfully done otherwise , yet wee Christians now may not , especially being commanded to learne of him particularly his meeknesse ; i. e. especially that Lamb-like quality of the Lamb of God in his sufferings , Isai. 53. 7. So much for the examples of Christ . Now for the like of Christians ; it will be needlesse to mention any other then those of whom Tertullian and Saint Cyprian spake , being so perfectly home to that purpose , Tertul. in Apol c. 37. and his book , Ad Scapulam , wholly to this purpose : and Saint Cyprian in his book against Demetrianus , &c. The summe of which is this , That the Christians of that age had strength sufficient , either to have resisted , or avenged themselves upon their heathen persecuting Governours ; but in obedience to the Lawes of Christ , chose rather to die , then doe so . The severall testimonies ( of which this is the Abstract ) being so fully produced by many , and known by all , it will be more to purpose to vindicate them from all exceptions , and intercept all evasions , which the wit of this last yeare ( beyond all that any former age pretended to ) hath invented to evacuate those testimonies ; witnesse Goodwins Anticavalierisme , p. 23. &c. And this I shall take leave to doe at large , because it is said , many have been satisfied in the lawfulnesse of their present course , by those Answers and Objections which that book hath helpt them to . 1. It is objected , The father ( Tertullian ) might easily be mistaken , in making the estimate of the strength of Christians , in comparison of the strength of them that were to oppose them . This is in civill termes , to say , Tertullian wrote hee knew not what ; or at the softest , Hee might be ignorant of what he affirmeth he knew ; and I am confident , was more likely to know , living then , then the Objecter now , seeing or conjecturing at the distance of so many hundred years ; who hath not the least authority ( which must be the Judge in matter of fact ) on his side , against so distinct and cleare affirmation , not onely of Tertullian in severall places ( and that in an Apologie against the Gentiles , who could and would certainly have tript him in so manifest a falshood , if it had been such ; and though the negative Argument be not fully convincing , that they did not thus trip him , because we doe not heare or read they did , yet will this be of as much force as any he hath to the contrary : This certainly , the writing it to the Gentiles , will be able to conclude , that Tertullian had been very imprudent and treacherous to his owne cause , to have affirmed a thing in defence of it , which his adversaries could so manifestly have proved a falsity , if it were not so as hee affirmed ) but of Cyprian also , who lived about the same time ; and no Writer of that age or since produced ( I doubt not but I may say , producible ) to the contrary . Of the proofes that are offered to make it appeare possible and probable , that Tertullian should be so mistaken , the first is , Because this was no point of faith , &c. and therefore a devout father might fall under a misprision herein . I grant he might , but that doth not prove he did ; no nor that it is probable he should be a more incompetent judge in such a matter , then hee that now undertakes to controll him : Nay sure , lesse reason is there to deny the authority of the Ancients in matters of fact ( which if they were not evident to them , must needs be much lesse evident to us , who have no means to know any thing of them but their relations , nor cause to suspect such relations , but either by some impossibility in the things themselves , which is not here pretended , or by some other as authentick relation contradicting it , which is as little pretended ) then of faith , the ground of which being onely the written word of God , is common with them to us ; and therefore may enable us to judge , whether that which they affirme to be matter of faith , be so indeed , to be found really in that sacred Writ , from whence they pretend to fetch it . And whereas it is farther added , That no rule of charity or reason binds us to beleeve another , in any thing which belongs to the art or profession of another , and wherein himselfe is little versed or exercised : I answer , that this saying , thus applied , will take away , the authority of a very great part of those Histories which no body yet hath questioned . If it were spoken of Doctrines , it might hold , and sure to that belongs the axiome quoted , Unicuique in arte suâ credendum est ; but in narrations it is the unreasonablest thing in the world , to require the Narrator to be of that profession of which hee relates the fact ; for then no man must adventure to write a Kings life but a King : and if Mr. M. Mr. A. or Mr. S. being Ministers of the word , shall write their letters concerning the Parliaments victory at Keinton , and relate the number of the slaine on that side , so farre inferiour to those on the Kings , we must now upon this admonition retract that beliefe we then allowed them , and begin now ( though too late ) to question whether it were indeed a victory or no , which caused such solemne thanksgiving in this City . But then secondly , why this Relation should so wholly belong to the profession of another , i. e. not to Tertullians , I cannot yet discerne : For the maine of Tertullian's testimony was , That the Christians chose rather to suffer then to resist , though they were able ; because Christian Religion taught the one , and forbad the other : And this sure was not without the sphere of the Divine . But for their strength to resist , depending on the number of Christians , not as even ballancing the Heathens in the Empire , but as very considerable , and able to raise an Army , if they would make head , I doubt not but Tertullian , a Presbyter , that now laboured in converting and confirming Christians , and was not alwayes in his study , nay , who had lately been a Lawyer , and so not unacquainted with the Publike , might know and relate with farre better authority , then any who hath dared now to contradict him . For , for the art of ballancing the power of parties in a Kingdome , and grounds of precise determination of such differences , ( which as the Objecter denies Tertullian , so he is unwilling to yeeld to the States-man himselfe ) you shall see anon that we have no need to make Tertullian Master of it , his relation will stand unmoved without it . The second proofe to blast Tertullians Relation , is the ordinary one in fashion now-a-dayes ; if any man differs in opinion from us , presently to examine his whole life , and if ever hee did or spake any thing unjustifiable , lay that vehemently to his charge , and by that defame him , and then we may spare the pains of answering his reasons , disproving his assertion ; he once lyed or sinned , and therefore it is ridiculous to expect any truth from him . The Argument is this , He might mistake and miscarry in this , for not long after he miscarried so grievously , as to turne Montanist , who called himselfe the Holy Ghost , &c. Just as if I should resolve to beleeve no relation of any Minister ( present in either of the Armies ) of the strength of that Army , untill I had examined , and were assured that hee were not a Chiliast , an Arrian , nor guilty of any others Heresie condemned by the Church : Yea and more , till I had some degree of assurance that hee would never be such . Or , as if I should resolve this man knew no Logick , because in this period he offends so much against Grammar in these words , [ to turn Montanist , who called himselfe the Holy Ghost ; ] where the Relative [ who ] hath certainly no Antecedent ; Tertullian cannot , for hee called not himselfe the Holy Ghost , but onely used that stile so ordinary now-a-dayes [ nos spirituales , ] and all others [ animales psychici ; ] and Montanist cannot , unlesse as once Areopagi signified the Areopagites , so now by way of compensation , Montanist must passe for Montanas ; for he it was that called himselfe the Holy Ghost , not all or any of his followers . This way of concluding , from a slip in Grammar , an ignorance in Logick , ( especially being backt with the suffrage of so many unconcluding Arguments ) will be as faire Logicall proceeding , as to inferre , because Tertullian afterward turned Montanist , therefore then he spake hee knew not what . But then Saint Cyprian was no Montanist , and yet he affirmed the same that Tertullian doth , contra Demetrian : As for the approving of dreames and furious phantasies for true prophesies , ( which is added to be revenged on Tertullian , for contradicting this Objecter ) I confesse I excuse not him , but wish we might learne any thing of him , rather then that . But I hope the narration we have now in hand , was neither Maximilla's nor Prisca's dreames : If it was a phantasie , it was quite contrary to a furious one . And for the close of this Argument , wherein the warning is given as it were from heaven , how unsafe and dangerous it is to build on the authority of men , as I desire the Reader may take it home with him , and from thence resolve to beleeve no longer any thing upon this Objecters authority , so denudate of all reason ; so I doe not yet see , why hee that once erred , must never be allowed to speak truth ; the making of true narrations being compatible with the greatest heresie in the world . The third Argument against Tertullian's testimony , is an observation of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that there is a pronenesse of inclination in much devotion , in persons devoutly given , to over-value the workes and piety of other men . To which my onely Answer shall be , That yet I hope it is not observed , that devout men are so strongly inclined to tell plaine lies , to this end , that they may make themselves over-valued by others . This must be Tertullian's infirmity , ( if the Objecter guesse aright ) being a Christian himselfe , and in his Apologie labouring to raise an high opinion of Christians in the Gentiles , to whom hee writes ; to which purpose , if he should forge falsities , I must confesse it were a shrewd weaknesse , very ill becoming devotion , whatever the practice of later times may say in excuse of it . The fourth proofe is from a second observation , That in the pious and orthodox Fathers themselves , there are some touches and streins , some fibrae of the root of bitternesse , which afterwards grew rank in the times of Popery , &c. The Answ. All that I can collect from hence toward the conclusion designed , is , that this Objectors sense is , that for Tertullian to say there were Christians enough in the Roman Empire to work revenge on their oppressors , was a spice of Popery ; and so there is one new piece of Popery more added , to the many which this Age hath concluded under that title , above the inventory of the Trent Catechisme . And so now to debate this any further , or professe my selfe to opine as Tertullian did , is to acknowledge my selfe Popish , and that is as bad as Prelaticall ; and so from henceforth all my Arguments will but passe for temptations , which none but carnall men must submit to , be they never so demonstrative . Yet must I have leave to wonder , how in the close of this Section these words [ the sounder and more considerate knowledge of these latter times ] can have any reference to the point in hand : For certainly , for the strength of the then Christian party , our knowledge in these latter times cannot be sounder or more considerate , then theirs that then lived amongst them : or if it be , the words [ latter times ] will be improper , for sure it will be affirmed onely of that time wherein Mr. J. G. wrote this part of this book ; for I am confident he was the first that ever revealed this act of more considerate knowledge to the world . The fifth and last proof is , That what ever their number was , yet it is no wayes likely they should be fuffered to have any Armes , &c. To which , and to all the prudentiall state motives whereon it is grounded , ( and so to all that Section ) I shall return no answer but the very words of Tertullian , which if all put together , they doe not defend their Author from all their assaults , neither will I beleeve the Christians strength was sufficient to buckle with their adversaries . His words are plain : first , if we would hostes exertos agere , deale like profest enemies , desiisset nobis vis numerorum & copiarum ? should we have wanted force of numbers ( i. e. men ) or armed souldiers ? ( for so sure copiae signifies . ) Secondly , he saith as plainly , Castella vestra , castra implevimus , we have filled your Castles and Camps , ( there , sure they were armed ; and so the Thebaean Legion , which yeelded themselves to the Emperours butchery , wanted neither number nor armes to have resisted . ) Thirdly , he saith , cui bello non idonei ? what war had we not been fit for ? etiam impares copiis , though we had not had so many armed men as they , qui tam libentèr trucidamur . Their despising of death , ( nay , gladnesse to dye ) might have put them upon any hazard unarmed ; and hee professes the onely thing that kept them from resisting , was the Doctrine which they had learnt , That it was more lawfull to be kil'd , then to kill . Fourthly , hee saith , They had a way of revenge without Arms , to wit , by departing from them , by that secession to have brought envie upon them ; ( as for example , upon dislike of the present state , to have gone to New-England , &c. to raise an odium upon the Old ) but this they would not be so malicious as to doe neither : nay , besides , amissio tot civium ipsâ destitutione puniisset , the losse of so many Citizens would have been a punishment , by making them lesse able to resist other enemies ; plures hostes , quàm cives usque remansissent , there would have been a greater number of enemies , then there would have been Citizens remaining . Fifthly , to put all beyond exception , he puts them in mind how one night with a few fire-brands they might have wrought their revenge , if it were lawfull for them to repay evill with evill . This one last particular being considered , is so full a demonstration of the truth now in debate , that supposing there were but one Christian at liberty to use that one fire-brand , there can be no longer doubt but that there was sufficient strength to work their revenge , if their Religion would have permitted them to doe so . And if their Religion ( as was said out of him ) were the onely restraint , then certainly their weaknesse was not . Nay , though they should after all this ( by a morally impossible supposition ) be supposed weak , yet if their Religion did truly restraine them , as he professes it did , this were abundantly sufficient to decide the controversie betwixt us and the Objecter . Having proceeded thus farre in answer to the severall exceptions against the truth of Tertullian's assertion , concerning the strength of those Christians , I am invited farther by a second proffer of the Objecter to make appeare , that although Tertullian's assertion should be supposed true , yet it were unsufficient , it would not reach the question , or case in hand . This certainly is strange at first sight , the case in hand being , Whether the reason of their non-resistance were their want of strength . Which in all reason must be determined negatively , when once these two things are supposed ; first , that they had strength ; secondly , that the command of Christ , or making of Christianity was the cause of their non-resistance , and not want of strength . But there is no truth so evident , but the cunning of such a crafts-master will be able to transforme , both from evidence and truth ; and therefore ( though in all justice a man might vow never to have commerce with such a man more , that should undertake thus to master his understanding ; that he should beleeve and not beleeve the same thing ; yeeld the want of strength to be the cause , at the very time when hee acknowledges or supposes , first , no want of strength ; secondly , somewhat else , to wit , the command of Christ , to be the cause ; ) yet I shall ( to exercise that Christian meeknesse which I desire to assert by my actions , as well as words ) wait on this great Artificer to the second part of his Answer . The summe of which , as hee first sets it , is this , That supposing the father spake truth concerning their strength , yet on some considerations he mentions , It had been in those that were called to suffer , both want of wisdome in respect of themselves , and of charity in respect of others , if they should have made the least resistance . To which my onely answer shall be , to beseech him to consider , that this is part of Tertullian's testimony , that the thing that restrained them was ( not this wisdome , but ) the doctrine of their Christ ; concluding it more lawfull to be kil'd , then to kill ; and utterly unlawfull to repay evill for evill . And as for charity to others , I humbly wish that were , or may yet be considered , how much burden , &c. this resistance ( of which he is the profest a better ) hath brought on others , who are no parties on either side ; nor , I hope , ill Christians , if their onely punishable crime be , making conscience of non-resistance . To the next Section , in answer to a supposed Reply , where he saith , That it is not probable they had any sufficiency of strength . I answer , that I cannot be so tame as thus to be caught , or so wild as to imagine that improbable , at a time when Tertullian's testimony is supposed to be true , ( as now it is supposed ) the speciall part of which testimony is yeelded to be , that they had sufficient strength . And where he adds 2. that 't was not necessary they should be of one mind and judgement touching this sufficiency , &c. I answer , that wee doe not assert any such necessity , nor doth our cause any way incline us to it , or want that refuge : For sure we affirme not , that they did actually resist ( to which only , that concurrence would have been necessary ) but onely that they would not , though they were able ; and to the evidencing of that , the concurrence of judgement you speak of , is not materiall ; for if they that did so think of their strength , were upon grounds of Christian patience and obedience , as farre from doing or attempting it as any other , these men would certainly have continued in the same obedience , though all the world had concurred with them in the opinion of their sufficiency . For , to professe Christian meeknesse first , and then upon any supervenient occurrence to be ready for resistance , though it might be a character of the temporary ( that I say not hypocriticall ) subjection of our dayes , yet must not wee be so groundlesly uncharitable , as to affix it on those Christians : and though the Objecter should renounce his present supposition , and again contend , that Tertullian lied , and so divest him of all authority as a father , of common honesty as a relater ; yet sure he will not be so severe to deny him so much of an ordinary Rhetor , as to make that an ingredient in his Apologie for Christians , which were the highest piece of an accusation . Grant but Tertullian to have any skill in any of his professions , suppose him but an Oratour , if not a Divine , a tolerable pleader , if not a tolerable man ; allow him but skill at the Deske , ( his first trade , before he was a Christian ) the reputation of a little eloquence , though no sincerity , and his very pleadings will be argumentative , though his words may not . But 't is added in the third place , That having no invitation , countenance , or command from any authority , &c. their case was differing from ours . To which I answer againe , 1. That it was not still the want of such command or invitation , that restrained them , but the contrary command of Christ ; as hath been cleare . But then secondly , I pray let me ask a question , as of one which I will in reason suppose not to be unacquainted with the sense of Junius , Brutus , and Buchanan , and it is only this , Whether , if all temporall Magistrates neglect the worke of Reformation , the Ministers may not and ought not to attempt it , if they can hope to prevaile ? If so , then though the case be not just the same now and then , yet the difference is not materiall or pertinent ; for then sure Ministers there would have been to invite , if that had been the Christian way . But when it is added within three lines , that we are invited , &c. by as great and as lawfull an authority as this State hath any : I must confesse , I had thought that the King and both Houses had been a greater authority , unlesse the meaning be not simply , but ad hoc , as great and as lawfull an authority as this State hath any , to doe what is now done ; and then sure it shall be granted by me , who professe my selfe to suppose it impossible , that any command given to this purpose should be lawfull , or able to secure any from that sentence of Saint Paul's , They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation . Yet once more , It is possible that the Authour , by this State may mean a Republique , which though it be a word of some signification in some other Countries , yet that our Lawes acknowledge any such here , I have not yet been taught ; nor sure can any part of this Kingdome without the King be capable of this Title , till we have moulded a new forme of Government , and new Lawes , as the Modell of that ; for undoubtedly the old ones are not acquainted with any such . But that I will hope is not the meaning , because it is added , that inferiour Magistrates , &c. which seemeth to acknowledge , that the Parliament without the King are but inferiour Magistrates . Of the agreeablenesse of that Title of Magistrates and Rulers , to that body without the head , I purpose not to speake ; onely to that which is added , That they should be obeyed , as well as Kings . I answer , ( without canvasing of the place in Saint Peter , which others have done ) That if they are to be obeyed ; but as well as Kings , then 1. The King that commands not to doe it , is to be obeyed , as well as they . 2. Not they against the King , for that the inferiority implies . An inferiour Magistrate , in that that is lawfull , and within his Commission , and not thwarted by a superiour , is to be obeyed as well as if he were superiour in that , or as well as the superiour in any thing else ; but sure not to the despising of the superiours lawfull commands , when they doe interpose ; for that were more then as well . When the King commands that which God and the Law doth not forbid , it may be said , that his commands are to be obeyed as well as Gods ; which the Apostle intimates , when he saith , You must be subject for conscience sake ; and the ground of this truth is , because indeed God the supreme , commands that subjection to the King in such matters . But sure for all this the King is not to be obeyed against God , or where any countermand of his hath intervened ; for this were , in Saint Peter's phrase , to obey men ( not as well , but ) rather then God . Thus is it in that other case , the inferiour is to be obeyed , as well as the superiour , ( in things lawfull , and not contradictory to the Superiours commands ) upon that ground of necessity of obedience to the Superiour , from whom he hath his Commission , and as Saint Peter saith , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , is sent of him ; i. e. of , or by that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , supereminent person , the King ; but sure this holds not against the superiour , as in the other case it did not . 3. Not they , when they command to take up Armes against him whom Saint Paul bids me not resist , upon pain of damnation ; and by my oath of Allegiance ( if it were otherwise lawfull ) I have bound my selfe that I will not . Whereupon it is observable , that the Assertors of this warre are now brought to undertake , that damnation , or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Rom. 13. shall not signifie damnation , ( poor men , what a weak threed doth the sword hang in , that is just over their soules ? and what a sad condition would it be , if to one that dyes a confident Martyr in this warre , damnation at the day of doome should prove to signifie damnation ? ) but some temporary mulct ; and yet withall , that this warre is not against the King ; ( when yet that other against the Earle of Essex his Army , is not doubted to be against the Parliament ; ) which two so strange , and yet distant holds , ( for if it be not against the King , what need of that other evasion from the damnation that belongs to resisters ? or if resisters shall carry it away so easily , why may not Warre be avowed against the King , by any that will adventure his wrath ? ) doe sure signifie mens consciences to be strangely grounded , and themselves very groundlesly confident , which are satisfied upon no better principles , and whose practices are capable of no better security . Upon these grounds thus laid , of obedience due to inferiour as well as superiour ( supreme it should be , for so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must here signifie , and I hope that our King amongst us is such ) Magistrates , the Objecter puts a case , that the inferiour Governour requires that which is onely honest , &c. as to doe our best to defend our selves against those that contrary to law and conscience assault us , the superiour that which is contrary to both , viz. to sit still , &c. In this case hee resolves it is most cleare on his side , for ( whether the lawfulnesse or necessity he intimates not of ) resistance against the superiour . To this I answer , that it is hard to beleeve that the Objecter did not purposely intend to deceive his Reader by that phrase [ onely honest , &c. ] for that is a very doubtfull sense ; it may signifie , that nothing else were honest , and then it is in that sense apparently false ; for if it were honest to take up Armes against a King , yet sure may not-taking-up Arms be honest too ; for ( whatever that crime of neutrality signifie in these dayes ) it may be lawfull for a man to suffer injury , to suffer himselfe to be defrauded ( and that by a King , as well as by an equall ) 1 Cor. 6. 7. I hope resistance , though it have lately commenced , and taken upon it the degree of vertue , yet hath not turned Projector , got the monopoly of vertue and honesty into its hand , that it should engrosse and enclose that title , and there be no other vertue or honesty besides this : yet would the affirmations of some , out of no meaner place then the Pulpit , [ that all that are for the King at this time are Atheists or Papists ] conclude and perswade thus much . But I would fain beleeve , that the meaning of the phrase [ onely honest , &c. ] is , [ no more then honest ] i. e. not necessary . But if that be it , then sure the superiour Governour may deserve to be obeyed in forbidding it , as well as the inferiour in commanding : For it will not follow in that case , that the King commands somewhat contrary to the Law of God , and nature ; but onely somewhat contrary to something which was agreeable , i. e. not against the Law of God and nature ; i. e. prohibits a thing lawfull , not necessary ; as the other is supposed to command a thing lawfull , not necessary : which sure were as free for him to doe , as for the inferiour ; supposing , as the Objector supposes , that the command of God indifferently extends it for obedience to either , in things that are lawfull . Hence it appears , that in the case here put , the command of the superiour is falsly affirmed , to be an unlawfull command ; ( for then the matter of the inferiours command must be supposed , not onely honest , but necessary ) and if it be a lawfull one , it may and will then make void that obligation for that particular , which is supposed by the Law of God to lie on us , to obey the inferiour in that which is lawfull . The short is , if that which is here spoken of , be in it selfe necessary , we must doe it , as in spight of all countermands of the superiour , so without all commands or invitations of the inferiour Magistrate ; but if it be not necessary in it selfe , neither will the commands of an inferiour make it necessary to any who stands prohibited by a superiour . In the fourth Section the Objecter offers at a reason , why those ancient Christians ( supposing strength in them ) should rather patiently suffer , because before their conversion they had consented to the Emperour's power , whereby those Edicts were made for the murthering of Christians , &c. To which I answer , that it is ridiculous to seek out , or impose upon the Reader probable or possible reasons for their non-resistance , when Tertullian in their name specifies the true only reason , the Gospel Doctrine of Christian patience and obedience . But for the particular of their consent , much might be added , to shew the vanity of that plea , if that were tanti , or pertinent . I shall only say , that if the Emperour legally murthered Christians , then their consent to that Law ( or to the power of the Emperour who made it ) would not bind or dispense with them to omit any thing necessary , or otherwise commanded by any greater power ; for if I swear to doe so , I must break my oath , non obstante what is concluded from Psal. 15. 4. And if it were not otherwise necessary , or commanded by greater power then , neither is resistance now . And then , the Kings prohibition will as much restrain me in any thing not necessary , as their heathenish consent could be supposed to restrain them then . Nay , he that makes that consent a nullity . ( as this Objecter in fine doth ) what reason can hee render , why he that gave that consent , might not plead that nullity , for such ( though carnall ) advantages as life is , if he could make good his pleading , and no other restraint lie on him , but onely that null-consent ? For the fifth Section : How that may be lawfull [ for an entire body to doe , which may not be lawfull for a part , ] and so for us now , though not for them . I answer , That if the phrase [ entire body ] signifie the head and members too , then the period is true ; if not , then the whole Section is fallacious : for it followes not , that though the representative body without the head is more then a party in the Empire , without the representation of the rest , therefore the first may resist forcibly , though the second should not ; for he that from Saint Paul denies resistance of Subjects indefinitely to Kings , will not be moved from that hold , by discerning some other flight differences between Subjects , unlesse they may appeare such that on one side they may authorize resistance . But then secondly , If the Doctrine of Christian patience , &c. were the cause of Non-resistance , then sure was not this other consideration wherein they differ from us , the cause of it . Well , having gone thus farre , in attendance on this Objecter , and to exercise that patience , which we so much desire to perswade ; there is yet the greatest Fort , behind unvanquished , erected in the sixth Section , and rescued from all supposed assailants in six particulars following , set up like so many fortresses about it : The summe of it is ( for I would not be bound to recite what every one may read in a printed Book ) that if those Primitive Christians had strength , and might lawfully have resisted , ( by the way , Tertullian onely affirmes the first , and is so farre from supposing , that hee absolutely denies the second ) yet might God hide this liberty from them ; and so his after dispensations did require that he should hide it from them , and yet manifest it to us : and these dispensations he specifies to be Gods counsell of Antichrists coming into the world than , and of his being destroyed and cast out now . The hiding of this truth , of Subjects power and right to resist their Superiours , being necessary to help Anti-Christ up to his throne . And the commonalty of Christians doing contrary to the will of their Superiours , being the men that must have the principall hand in executing Gods judgements upon the Whore , Revel. 18. 4 , 5 , 6 , & 9. that is , in the pulling him down . To this whole discourse ( the first I am confident that ever was written on this Subject ) I must answer by degrees , ( that I may not omit any thing that is added for proofe or explication by the Authour ) and first , I must desire the word may or might [ may hide ] may be changed into plaine intelligible sense . Say , did God hide the liberty of resistance from those Primitive Christians , or no ? If he did not , then away with this whole Section , and particularly that affirmation , Pag. 30. that Gods dispensations did require that it should be hid from them . But if God did indeed hide it , then first , this is more then a supposition ; it is a plaine concession , that those Christians Tertullian speaks of , might not lawfully have resisted , though they had had strength ( which was so long denyed ) ; for the light being hidden , they must have done it without faith , or against conscience ; yea , and against Gods determinate counsell ; who , ( the Objecter saith ) had great causes to hide it ; of which one sure must be , that it should not be used . 2. Here is a great secret of new Divinity , that God hides truths ( not as Christ spake in parables , because they seeing see not , Mat. 13. 13. but ) on purpose to help Antichrist to his throne ; ( of which more anon . ) As for that instance of those that eat herbs , I pray consider , whether that be pertinent to prove that God purposely hides truths from us , or particularly this truth in hand : For sure that liberty God hid from none in the Apostles time ; for the preaching of the Gospel manifested the lawfulnesse of meats , as well as herbs ; onely some saw not , or considered not that that was manifested ; and thinking some old legall obligation ( as others did circumcision ) to lie still on them , submitted to it out of piety . Now apply this to the point in hand . Certainly , the liberty of forcible resistance against Superiours ( though it should be granted ) would never be found of this kind , a liberty brought into the world by Christ , which before had not been there . If hee shall affirme it was , ( as hee must , if that instance of eating be pertinent ) though by the concession of the latter part , hee must disclaime all his former Old-Testament pleas for resistance , from the people about Jonathan , from David , and from Elisha ; yet will hee never give any probable appearance for the affirmation in the first part , that Christ gave any such new before-unrevealed liberty : but rather , if any such liberty before there were , it was undoubtedly taken away by Christ , from whose example and precepts it was that those Primitive Christians , and we also , dare not make use of that supposed liberty . The onely thing I can imagine possible to be replied , is , That though the comparison hold not exactly , yet it may hold in this , that as that liberty of eating was hid to some , ( it matters not by whom , or how ) so this of resisting to others . To which I returne , that then it is confest , that this instance doth onely illustrate the Objecter's meaning ; but not so much as probably confirme his assertion : and then I am sorry I have considered it so long . And therefore to bring the point to an issue , I must thirdly aske , Where this liberty , or the authority for this liberty was , when it was thus hid ? Was it in the Old Testament ? Though it should be there , as it is not , yet it might be taken away in the New , ( as those things which in the Old Testament , or the law of nature , are nearest to giving of that liberty , are absolutely reformed by Christs doctrine and practice ) and then that were good for nothing . Was it in the New ? Then deale plainly , shew the place in the New Testament which gives that liberty , and is now found out by posterity , though hidden to them . Sure we have found out no new Scripture , to them unknown , ( the Nazarites Gospel , though it rehearse some speeches of Christ not in our Canon , yet is not produced for any of this nature : that famous one which it fathers on our Saviour , Nunquam laeti sitis nisi cùm sratrem in charitate videritis , is of another stamp ; I would to God this Apocryphall Precept might be Canonicall among us ) and for any place of the known Canon mis-understood by them , and now clearly unclouded and revealed to us in a right understanding , which inforces this , I must be so charitable to the Objecter , as to think that if hee had discerned any such , hee would not have failed to have shewed it us , ( as well as his interpretations of Rom. 13. and Revel. 17. 17. ) if it were but to leave us unexcusable for not being his Proselytes . Beyond these severall wayes of revelation , if posterity have had any other , ( or indeed any but that , of understanding of Scripture by Scripture light , or assistance of Gods Spirit , which was not before understood ) from whence to fetch a liberty which is not in the Old Bible , or is denyed in the New , this is it which wee desire so to warne men of , under the name of Enthusiasme , which is hardly ever distinguishable from a demure frenzie , and I must call it now , the dreame of the dreamers , Jud. 8. that despise dominion , speak evill of dignities , but farre from divine revelation . And yet that this is the thing that this Objecter hath an eye to , ( and not the understanding of Scripture more clearly then before ) may appeare , in that hee affirmes this truth hid from their teachers , ( though not from all without exception ) who yet if it were hid in the Scripture , were of all others most unlikely not to find it . As for that offer of proofe , that this truth might lie hid , because there was no occasion of studying it : I answer , that in Tertullian's dayes , when there was occasion to study it , ( as great as ever can arise any , because the persecutions then were as heavie persecutions ) we may by that argument think they would have searcht into it , at least the light then would not in ordinary account have proved more dim , as hee saith it did , if the Scripture were the candlestick where this light was held out . That which he adds in the next place , of the spirit of courage , patience , and constancy , which was by God poured out on the Church in those dayes , and so made martyrdome seeme a desirable thing to them , is more like a reason indeed of their not-inquiring into this liberty : and herein , I must acknowledge the ingenuity of the Objecter , or the power of truth which extorted this reason from him , so little to the advantage of his cause , and so much of ours : For this is certainly the bottom of the businesse , the want of Christian courage , patience , &c. ( for that kind of courage is not in fighting , but suffering ) hath helpt us of this last age to that [ dreame , not ] revelation of liberty , which was never heard of among the ancients . But by the way , it seemes by the Objecter , that now martyrdome is no desirable thing , nor taking up Christs crosse , nor following of him . Wee are resolved to have no more to doe with martyrdome , think that the thousand yeares for the Saints to reigne on earth are now at hand , and so suffering , or conformity to the image of Christ , no longer the thing wee are predestin'd to ; wee must set up a new trade of fighting , destroying , resisting , rebelling , leave enduring to those Christians which were furnished with extraordinary strength from heaven . Which are the Objecters words of the Primitive Christians ; which , saith hee , kept them from studying cases and questions about lawfulnesse of escaping ( which word meere shame hath put in , utterly impertinently , instead of resisting ) I confesse , I had thought our Queen Mary Martyrs had had this strength from heaven too ; and that it was not like miracles , an extraordinary gift onely for the infancy of the Church : but now it seemes wee must expect to see no more Martyrs , till wee can remove mountaines againe : This Objecter , it is cleare , is resolved against it at this time , and that his actions , as well as writings , will be ready to testifie . For my owne part , I trust I shall be as ready to oppose the one , as I am to confute the other , and to think nothing more Christian still , then to be crucified with my Christ ; and if I might chuse the Article of Christian Doctrine which I should most desire to seale with my bloud , I thinke it would be that of meeknesse , patience , non-resistance , peaceablenesse , charity , which I conceive Christ hath been so passionately earnest to recommend unto me , as most diametrically opposite to the most unchristian damning sinnes of pride , ambition , malice , rebellion , unquietnesse , uncontentednesse , &c. Fourthly , for the whole discourse about Antichrist , there must many things be returned : 1. That it is not tolerable in a Christian to affirme , that God purposely hid truths , that Antichrist might come into the world : This so harsh sense the Objecter first disguises in another phrase , that God by speciall dispensation suffered him to make many truths his footstoole ; but indeed that reaches not home to the businesse undertaken to be proved , for it followes not thence , that this of resisting superiours was one of those truths : if it were , then God suffered him to make use of it , which hee could not but by its being made known , whereas hee supposes it was then hid . If hee meane Antichrist hid it , and so made the holding it , his footstoole ; Then 1. It was not God that hid it , as before hee said , but Antichrist . 2. It had then been manifest before , and then began to be hid , when there was most occasion to use it ; which before hee made improbable . If I were put upon the rack , I could not give a rationall account of those words of the Objecter last recited , or such as may but be consonant to his present undertakings . That which followes is more cleare , that God caused a dead sleep to fall upon those truths : If hee did , I wonder who first raised them out of that dead sleep , Jun. Brutus , or Buchan . or Mr. Goodwin ? But still it seemes God did on purpose hide truths , in favour and assistance to Antichrist , to help him into the world ; and this , not like the spirit of slumber sent on men for their punishment , but on divine truths , which sure had not deserved it . Yet more particularly , that the doctrine of liberty to resist superiours should be so opposite in a speciall manner to Antichrist , that it was fain to be laid asleep to give him passage into his throne , seemeth very strange to me . 1. Because one piece of Antichrists pride is , to exalt himselfe above all that is called God , which is mostly interpreted Kings ; and if rightly , then they that doe so enhaunce the power of the people , as to make the King universis minorem , and loose the reins of obedience so farre as to permit resistance , will I feare discerne some part of the mark of the Beast upon their own brests . 2. Because the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , 2 Thes. 26. and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , vers. 7. that hindred , or let Antichrist , and was like to doe so still , till he were taken out of the way , was by the Fathers commonly resolved to be the Roman Empire , or Imperiall Soveraignty of Rome : See Tert. de resurr . c. 24. Ambr. com . in 2 Thes. Hier. qu. 11. ad Algas . Chrys. in 2 Thes. Cyr. Hier. catech. 1● . Aug. de civ. Dei , l. 20. c. 19. Lact. l. 7. c. 25. Oecum . in loc. & ib. Sever. & Gen. and therefore on the sacking of Rome by Alaricus the Goth , S. Jerome presently expected that Antichrist should come ; and in his book ad Ageruchiam de monogam . wonders that any one would think of marrying at that time . Hence , have learned men observed , was that custome in the most ancient times to pray in their Lyturgies for the lasting of the Roman Empire , that so Antichrist might be long a coming , Tert. Apol. c. 33. ad Scap. c. 2. From whence , though nothing else can be demonstratively inferred , yet this certainly may , That in those many Fathers opinion , the power of Kings continuing intite , was not like to help Antichrist in ; nor consequently , the bringing down that power , by the revelation of the doctrine of resistance , like to cause an abortion in Antichrists birth , or now tend to the casting him out of the world . As for the evidence of that Revelation-rule , that the communalty , in opposition to their Kings , must have the great stroke in executing Gods judgement on Antichrist , proved , Revel. 18. 4 , 6 , 9. I must answer , 5. That I shall never wonder enough at the power of Prejudice evidenced in this Objecter , by what hee hath put together to this purpose , pag. 32. To prove that the people contrary to their Kings shall destroy Antichrist , this is thought by him sufficient evidence , that the people are commanded to goe out of her , vers. 4. when vers. 9. it followes , that the Kings of the earth shall bewaile her , and lament for her : The unconcludingnesse of the Argument I shall not insist on , but onely looke forward to another place which hee cites immediatly , Revel. 17. 17. Where the ten Kings are said to hate the Whore , and make her desolate . Now the word Kings in this last place signifies , saith the Objecter , not the persons of Kings , but their States and Kingdomes ; and to this purpose proofes are produced : But , first , I beseech him to deale ingenuously , Doth the word King ever signifie the Kingdome opposed to the King ; 1. Any part of the Kingdome excluding the King ? But then , 2. See the mystery of prejudice which I mentioned , where it is for the Objecter's turne , Revel. 18. the Kings of the earth , must signifie their persons , in opposition to their people ; but where it is not for his turne , Revel. 17. there the word Kings , must signifie the people , or any but the King . Would not the spirit of meeknesse have easily compounded this businesse , and have given the word [ Kings ] leave in both places to signifie both their Persons and their Realmes ; and so have reconciled the places , that some Kings with their Kingdomes should bewaile her , and some againe hate her ; they bewaile her , that continued with her till her destruction , when they see the smoak of her burning , 18. 9. and others hate her , who had once tasted of her filthinesse , and repented and left her before : This were very agreeable to those Texts , if wee had not peremptorily resolved to fetch some other sense out of them . 3. That first place alone by it selfe concludes onely thus much , that good men come ( or are exhorted to come ) out from Antichrist , and avenge the Whore ; and earthly men that have love to her , bewaile her ; but not that either the first are all common people , ( for sure Kings may be called Gods people , or be in that number ) or the second none but Kings . As for the proofe that those people , vers. 4. are the Subjects of those Kings , vers. 9. because they are such as come out of Babylon , sure that is very weak ; for Babylon being the Province of the Whore , there may be Kings as well as Subjects there , and those Kings come out too , as well as those Subjects . For , suppose King and People of England all Popish , why might they not all reform together ? It seems Antichrist must never be cast out of a Kingdome , till the people doe it in spight of the King ; and therefore it is concluded , that it was not done here in the dayes of King Edward , nor Queen Elizabeth , nor King James : and now since the new Revelations have assured men , that Antichrist must now be cast out utterly from among us , it is become necessary that our Soveraigne should be a Papist ; and as much zeale , and as solid arguments used to perswade our friends that indeed he is so , ( though his constant word and actions now evidence the contrary ) as are produced to maintain any other article of our new Saints beliefe : One of the most suspected and hated heresies of these dayes is , to doubt of the Popish affections of our Superiours , especially the King . Well , by this doctrine , if the King should chance not to be a Papist , hee must turne to be one , or else Popery cannot be cast out in his time . If so hee should doe , turne Papist on purpose to prepare , or dispose his Kingdome to turne Antichrist out , this might be but answerable to Gods hiding of truths , to that end to help Antichrist in . But should his Majesty be so malicious as to prove Protestant in earnest , then what would become of that sure word of Prophecy , that so many have been perswaded to depend on , That Antichrist must now be cast out of this Kingdome ; which , saith the Objector , cannot be , unlesse the people do it while the King bewailes . I hope I have said enough of this . As for the connexion of this observation , with the conclusion in hand , ( though it matter little now , the observation is proved so false , yet ) I shall adde , that if the people were to doe that great feat of casting out Antichrist , yet it appeares not how liberty of forcible resisting their Kings should be a necessary requisite to the work , unlesse the lawfull King be the Antichrist in every Countrey ; for otherwise it is very possible , that though they obey their Kings , they may resist Antichrist ; though they love and revere their lawfull Superiour , they may hate and abjure their unlawfull . Once more , whereas it is againe repeated , that the knowledge of the supposed Subjects liberty would have kept Antichrist from his throne ; I repeat again , that if it would , God sure would have revealed it to them of all others ; unlesse it appeare , that God was more angry with the sinnes of Christians in Tertullian's age , and so more fought against them , then hee doth in ours against us ; for though God may of mercy undeserved throw down Antichrist , yet that hee should so immediately and illustriously labour to set him up , unlesse out of deserved indignation to a people , is not easily resolved ; yet if this may appeare de facto to be so , I shall yeeld ; till then , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . The last blot laid on Tertullian , to obliterate all whatsoever can be fetcht from him , is , That the authority of Tertullian , and the submission of the Christians , being both Apocryphall , is too light to weigh against the practice of the great Prophet Elisha , &c. To which I answer , That that being supposed , yet the grounds on which Tertullian saith the Christians of his time did so patiently suffer , viz. the doctrine of Christian patience and meeknesse , are not Apocryphall , nor inferiour to that of Elisha , though it were supposed to be argumentative , or concluding for resistance . For any thing else added by the Objecter in this businesse , as the disproving of Tertullian's relations on grounds of Christian doctrine , from the contrary practice of David and Elisha , though I might answer in one word , That Christians are restrained from some things , which were practised without fault in the Old Testament ; yet because those Old Testament-examples have been fully cleared by many others of our Writers , and indeed are not pertinent to the discourse I was upon , when this Objecter first met me in the way , and led me this chace after him , I shall not be so impertinent as to adde any thing , but conceive my selfe to have vindicated the testimonies of those Fathers from all possible objections , and so to have joyned the practice of Christians , ( those ancient Primitive ones ) and proved them correspondent to the example of Christ , and so to have made good my second Argument , proposed from the example of Christ and Christians . My third is , from the very making of Christianity , and particularly of the Protestant Doctrine . And 1. Of Christianity , which as it differs from the Lawes both of Moses and Nature , so it constantly reformes and perfects those ( dissolves not any thing that was morall in them , nor promises impunity for non-performance , but upon repentance and reformation ) elevates and raises them up to an higher pitch , at least then Jewes or naturall men had conceived or understood themselves obliged to , which the ancient Fathers generally resolve to be the meaning of his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Mat. 5. 17. to fill up all vacuities in those former Lawes , and adde unto them that perfection which should be proportionable to that greater measure of grace now afforded under the Gospell . Thus in that Sermon upon the mount , that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that top of practicall Divinity , ( set down by way of particular instance of Christs purpose , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) besides the third proaemiall beatitude , Blessed are the meeke , which certainly though it may containe more , yet excludes not , but principally notes the meeke , obedient subjects under government , the non-resisters , and therefore hath the same promise annext which the Law had given in the fifth Commandement ; ( 't was there , That thy daies may be long in the Land ; 't is here , They shall possesse the earth , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , which Psal. 37. 11. whence it is cited , refers clearely to the land of Canaan , though improved into an higher sense now in the Gospell . ) And againe , besides the seventh beatitude of the peace-makers , or peaceable , ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , being equivalent in the Scripture stile , vid. Jam. 3. 18. ) and the eighth , of those that are persecuted for righteousnesse sake , ( whence sure is not excluded the cause of Religion and Christianity it selfe ) as also of taking up the Crosse ( of which I designe another discourse to speake more largely ) which sure are opposite enough to forcible resisting of lawfull Magistrates , especially for Religion : besides all these , I say , in the introduction to that Sermon , there is in the body of the Sermon it selfe , an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , which sure prohibits all forcible resisting or violence even to the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the injurious or ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) troublesome person , which if it should chance to be our King , would not certainly be more lawfully or Christianly resisted , then any body else ; especially , when it is our religion which is invaded , which of all other things a whole Army of plunderers cannot rob us of , ( as they may of the cloake , vers. 40. ) and therefore needs not our violence to retaine it ; nor is ever injured , but more illustrated by our suffering . To this may be added the consideration of the depositum left by Christ with his Disciples , pacem , peace , John 14. 27. ( which it seemes onely the beloved disciple had recorded ) Peace I leave with you , externall peace , for the pacem meam , my peace , followes after as a gift perhaps peculiar to them that prised and kept this legacy : and if it be objected that Christ came not to send peace , but a sword , Mat. 10. 34. that sure refers not to Christs prime counsell or purpose , but to the event ; what he foresaw it would be , or what he had determined it ought ( which manner of speech is very ordinary in all Authors ) for the precept is punctuall to Peter against the use of the sword , and to all the disciples for preserving of peace , Mar. 9. 50. and to that it is thought the mention of falt belongs in that place , which among other qualities is , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ; unitive , have falt in your selves , and have peace one with another . On these texts , many effectuall emphaticall descants are added by the Apostles , Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible , as much as in you lieth , live peaceably with all men , and Heb. 12. 14. follow peace with all men , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , an agonisticall word to run for it as for a prize , or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and 1 Thess. 4. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , we render it , study ( it is , be emulous , contend , strive , make it your ambition ) to be quiet , to which I shall onely adde two places more , Jam. 3. 17 , 18. The wisdome which cometh from above is first pure , then peaceable , &c. Which before , ver. 13. he had called meeknesse of wisdome , then 1 Pet. 3. 3. where after direction for the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} obedience of wives to husbands ( and we know the Kingdomes relation to the King is besides others , that of a wife to an husband who is therefore espoused to it with the ring at his Coronation ) it is added , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that her bravery consists in the sincerity ( I think it should be rendred ) of a meeke and quiet spirit , which is in the sight of God of great price . If it be objected , that these many places of peace are but generall wide illations against resistance , or however , no more pertinent to the case about resisting of Magistrates , then of any other private man : I answer , that though I might thus argue , á minori , ( and also assume that no other resistance is neare so destructive of peace , as that resisting of the Supreme power , that being indeed the shaking of government it selfe , which is the band of peace , and the dissolving of which returnes us to the state of common hostility , leaves us a wildernesse of Beares or Tygers , not a society of men ) yet I shall confesse , that I intended not to lay any more weight on this part of the Argument , then any man will acknowledge it able to beare , and that therefore before I inferre my conclusion of non-resistance from the making of Christianity , I must adde to these places so passionate for peace , another sort of places concerning obedience , of which ( without naming the places being so knowne already ) I shall venture this observation , that in the new Testament especially the Epistles of the Apostles ( which were all written in time of the reigne of wicked Heathen bloody adversaries of Christianity , and can referre to none but those ) there is no one Christian vertue , or Article of Faith more cleerly delivered , more effectually inforced upon our understandings and affections to be acknowledged by the one ( against all pretence of Christian liberty to the contrary ) and submitted to by the other , then that of obedience to Kings , &c. It were most easie to vindicate those places from all the glosses and scholia's that the writers of this yeare , Mr. Goodwin in anticav . Mr Bur. Mr. Bridges , &c. have invented to free themselves and others from the obedience most strictly required there , but I would not againe trouble any ingenuous man with such extravagant discourses as even now I learnt by experience would be necessary to answere such exceptions , which mens wit or somewhat worse hath produced ; besides , those places have beene by others vindicated already . I shall onely say , whosoever can without coloured spectacles find ground for the present resistance in those places of Scripture , Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 18 , &c. so farre as to settle and quiet a conscience , I shall not conceive my understanding fit to duell with his , any more then I would wrestle with a fiend , or combate with the fire , which Pythagoras tels me would availe little ; he that can be sure that damnation ( Rom. 13. 2. ) signifies not damnation , but some temporary mulct onely ( if the King should proveable to inflict it ) when , vers. 5. it is added we must needs be subject , not onely for wrath , ( i. e. feare of temporary punishment ) but also for conscience sake , ( which when it accuses , bindes over to eternall wrath , or damnation ) I professe I know not what camell he may not swallow ; I shall onely in the bowels of Christ desire him to consider , what a sad condition it would prove , if being on this confidence engaged , and by Gods hand taken away in this warre he should at Gods tribunall heare Saint Paul avouch , that by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or damnation in that place , he did meane no lesse then eternall damnation without repentance : O how would his countenance change , his thoughts trouble him , the joynts of his loynes be loosed , and his knees smite one against another , one generall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} possesse all his faculties , and Mr. Bridg : &c. be unable to settle him or give him confidence any longer , when the Tekel shall come out of the wall over against that interpretation of his , that it is weighed in the ballance ( of truth and judgement ) and found wanting ; Of this word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I designe another disquisition : onely I could not deferre to forewarne the Reader of his danger in this place , and now I shall not doubt from the making of Christianity to inferre my conclusion of non-resistance , not doubting but the premises will beare it . For the other part of this third Argument from the making of the Protestant Doctrine , I would faine be very briefe by way of compensation for my former importunity , and therefore shall engage my selfe not to trouble the Reader with citations or names , which yet might be brought by hundreds of reformed Writers for every Junius Brutus , and Buchanan that hath appeared for the contrary since the Reformation . Though the truth is , suchas these if they must be called Protestants , are yet in this somewhat more then that title ever imported , I may say perfect Jesuits in their principles , and resolutions concerning Kings ( no Papists of any Order hath gone so farre ) although they differ somewhat in the seat of that power of making such resistance . That which I designed to say on this point is onely this ; That the doctrine of Allegiance to Kings , and of their supremacy in all causes , hath alwayes beene counted a principall head of difference betweene the Protestants and the worst of Papists , and a speciall evidence , which most men have used , to conclude the Papacy to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Antichrist , is this that the Pope exalteth himselfe above all that is called God : 1. The Kings of the earth , that he in case the King be not a Catholicke , absolves Subjects from their Allegiance to him , that he pretends power over them in spirituall things , and in temporall in ordine ad spiritualia . It is not unknowne to any that the Oath of Supremacy if not of Allegiance among us is principally designed to discerne and discover Papists , of whom , one of the prayers appointed for the fifth of November affirmes , that their Religion is Rebellion , that sure is , that one maine difference betwixt Romish and English , Popish , and Protestant doctrine , is that of liberty to Rebell in some cases , particularly in that of Religion : In opposition to all which doctrines or insinuations of theirs , there is no Church that ever-exprest their sense in any Article more fully and largely , then ours hath in this particular , witnesse the severall parts of the Homily of Disobedience and Rebellion , printed in Queene Elizabeths time . And if herein all other parts of the Reformed Church have not gone as farre as we , yet shall I not retract my asserting this doctrine purely Protestant , 1. Because this Kingdome hath alwayes beene esteemed a prime part of the Reformation , wherein the Papacy was legally cast out , not by violence or tumults of the people , and so nothing rejected but what in sobriety was necessary to be rejected , and therefore our Church hath generally beene the Norma , or rule , by which others have desired to compose themselves , and never yet any other so preferred before us , as that our ancestours could thinke sit to conforme to them . 2. Because in many other countries the government is not Regall , or Monarchicall , as here it is , Bodin . l. 2. c. 5. de rep. can finde none of this nature in Europe , but France and Spaine , and England and Scotland ( I conceive Ireland he contained under the word Angliam ) in which , saith he , Reges sine controversiâ jura omnia majestatis habent per se : Singules civibus nec universis fas est ( it seemes Master Dale our Embassadour , from whom he had received his advertisements of the state of this Kingdome had not then heard that our King , though Singulis major , is universis minor , which certainly had divested him of all Soveraignty , it being impossible that the Soveraigne or Supreme of all should be Minor then any ) Summi principis vitam , famam aut fortunas in discrimen vocare , seuvi , seu judicio constituto id fiat , &c. As for the Emperour of Germany , Charles the fifth by name , he saith plainly , Tyrannide cives ad rempublicam oppressit , cùm jura majestatis non haberet , which if it be true , will be some excuse to the Germane Princes in what they did at that time in taking up Armes for Religion , though it is most certaine what he affirmes , that when those Princes consulted M. Luther about it , num id jure divino liceret , whether it were lawfull in the sight of God , Ille negavit , he resolved it utterly unlawfull : this answer , saith Bodin , Luther gave Perinde atque si Carolus summam imperii solus haberet , and therefore much more must it be given when the case is of a Monarch indeed , as he concludes ; and though he acknowledge that distinction , which it seemes Luther did not , betwixt that Emperour and true Monarchs , yet is he faine to passe a sad observation upon the fact of those Princes , in taking up Armes for Religion , against Luther's advice , Ita funestum bellum reique publicae calamitosum susceptum est , cum ingenti principum ac civium strage , quia justa causa nulla videri potest adversus patriam arma sumendi . I would to God those words were Englisht in every of our hearts : a direfull and calamitous warre with the slaughter of all sorts , because ( though it were for Religion ) yet no cause can be counted just of taking up Arms against one's country . The truth is , what was done there though , 1. very unhappily , and 2. against no Monarch , hath been thought imitable by Knox and Buchanan in Scotland , and from thence infused into some few into England , as Penry , &c. But by Gods providence hath formerly beene timously restrained , and not broken out to the defaming of our Protestant profession . It seemes now our sinnes are ripe for such a judgement , the land divided into two extreame sinfull parts ; one by their sinnes fitted to suffer under this doctrine , others sinfull enough to be permitted to broach and prosecute it . I meekly thanke God , that though my sins are strangely great , yet he hath not given me up to that latter judgement . I conceive I have also given some hints at least of proving my position from the making of the Protestant Doctrine . Now for the last Topicke , taken from the constitution of this Kingdome . Though that be the Lawyers taske , very prosperously undertaken by others , yet one generall notion there is of our Laws , which from my childhood I have imbibed , and therefore conceive common to all others with me ; and it is this , That the Lawes of this Kingdome put no man ( no Papists I am sure ) to death for Religion . When Jesuits and Seminary-Priests have suffered , every man is so perfect in the Law , as to know that it is for Treason , by a Statute that makes it such for them to come into this Kingdome . The truth of this , and the constant pleading of it against all Objecters , hath made me swallow it as a principle of our Law , that even Popery strictly taken ( and not onely as now this last yeare it hath learnt to enlarge its importance ) is no capitall crime . From whence , I professe , I know no impediment to forbid me to conclude , that in the constitution of our State no warre for Religion is accounted a lawfull warre ; for that it should be lawfull to kill whole multitudes without any enditement , yea , and by attempting it , to endanger , at least , our owne , 1. Many good Protestants lives , for that , which if it were proved against any single man , would not touch his life in the least degree , is , I must acknowledge , one of the Arcana belli which I cannot see into . And therefore Sleidan tels us of M. Luther , that he would not allow a warre , though but defensive , with the Turke himselfe , com . lib. 13. pag. 403. and though after he had mitigated his opinion upon a new state of the question , and perswaded the Emperour to it , yet it was with this limitation , Modò nec vindictae , nec gloriae , nec emolumenti causâ subeatur , ( three things that are very rarely kept out of warre ) sed tantùm ut sparcissimum latronem , non ex religionis , sed furti & injuriarum actione aggrediantur . It seemes the cause of religion , although it were of Christianity against Mahometisme , was not to him a sufficient warrant for a defensive war . But then 2. For this warre to be waged against the Prince , ( or by any one but the Prince , in a Monarchie , as this is ) who whatsoever he hath not , hath certainly the power of the sword immediatly from God ( or else must be acknowledged not to have it at all , for this power cannot be in any people originally , or anywhere but in God , and therefore it may be most truly said , that though the regall power were confest to be first given by the people , yet the power of the sword , wherewith regality is endowed , would be a superaddition of Gods , never belonging to regall or whatever other power , till God annext it : in Gen. 9. 6. which also seemes to be out of all dispute in this Kingdome , even at this time , where the universall body of the commonalty , even by those that would have the regall power originally in them , is not yet affirmed to have any aggregate power , any farther then every man single out of government was presumed to have over himselfe , which sure was not power of his owne life ; for even in nature there is Felonia de se , and therefore the representative body of the Commons , is so farre from being a Judicature in capitall matters , that it cannot administer an oath ) and therefore is not justly invasible by any subject , or community of subjects , who certainly have not that power , nor pretend to have it , and when they take it , thinke it necessary to excuse that fact by pretence of necessity , which every body knowes , is the colour for those things which have no ordinary meanes of justifying them ( like that which Divines say of saving of children and ideots , &c. by some extraordinary way . ) Nay , 3. For this warre to be waged , not against Popery , truly so called , but against the onely true Protestant Religion , as it stands ( and by attempting to make new Lawes is acknowledged as yet to stand ) establisht by the old Lawes of the Land , and therefore is faine to be called Popish ( and our Martyr-reformers not able , by those fiery chariots of theirs , to get out of the confines of Babylon ) that it may be fit to be destroyed ; just as the Primitive Christians were by the persecuters put in wilde beasts skins , that in those shapes they might be devoured : this I confesse is to me a complication of riddles , ( and therefore put by some Artist under that deep-dark-phrase , and title of Fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome ) to which certainly no liberty or right of the subject in Magna Carta , no nor legislative power , will enable any man to give any intelligible , much lesse legall name : At which I professe I am not ill pleased , because this I hope will keepe it from being recorded to posterity . I have done with my fourth Argument , and am heartily sorry I have kept my Reader so long from his prayers , which must set an end to this controversie , for sure Arguments are too blunt to doe it ; I beseech God to direct all our hearts to a constant use of those meanes ( together with fasting and abstinence , at least from farther provoking sins ) to exorcize that evill spirit that hath divided his titles ( of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and now at length , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , & {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) among us , and by those meanes infused his mortiferous poyson into the very veines of this whole Kingdome . [ I create the fruit of the lips , peace , peace to him that is farre off , &c. and I will heale him . Thou hast moved the land , and divided it , heale the sores thereof , for it shaketh . ] The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , according to its origination signifies Censure , Judgement , and in its making hath no intimation , either of the quality of the offence to which that judgement belongs , or of the Judge who inflicts it : that it belongs to humane judgements , or sentences of temporall punishments sometimes , is apparent by Luke 23. 40. where one thiefe saith to the other , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , meaning it seemes , the same sentence of death , or capitall punishment , called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , c. 24. 20. judgement of death , temporall ; and that at other times it signifies also divine judgement , is as apparent , Act. 2● . 26. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , judgement to come , that is , certainly at the end of this world , at the day of doome . So Rom. 2. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the judgement of God , and so againe , vers. 3. which vers . 5. is explained to be wrath or punishment against the day of wrath , &c. so Heb. 6. 2. resurrection of the dead , and eternall judgement . The truth is in this sense it is most-what taken in this Booke , see Matth. 23. 14. Mar. 12. 40. Luke 20. 47. Rom. 3. 8. and therefore Hesychius , the best Glossary for the new-Testament , renders it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Gods retribution or payment , or rendering according to works . It will not be worth while to survey and consider every place where the word is used , he that shall doe so , will perhaps resolve with me to accept of that glossary , and understand it constantly of Gods judgment ; unlesse , when the circumstances of the place shall inforce the contrary , as they doe in the places first mentioned , and 1 Cor. 6. 7. But then when the context rather leades to the second sense , there will be great danger for any man to apply it to humane judgements , for by so doing , hee may slatter himselfe or others in some sin , and run into that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as it signifies eternall judgement , when by that mis-understanding he doth not conceive himselfe in any danger of it . Of places which without all controversie thus interpret themselves ; I will mention two , 2 Pet. 2. 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , wee render it , whose judgement of a long time lingereth not : which that it belongs to eternall vengence , appeares by the next words , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , wee render it , Their damnation , it is literally , Their destruction sleepeth not . The second place is , 1 Tim , 3. 6. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , fall into the condemnation of the Devill ; that is , sure into that sentence that fell upon Lucifer for his pride ( being cast out of Heaven , and reserved to chaines of eternall darknesse ) for the person spoken of here , is the Novice , or new Convert , lifted up with pride , just parallel to the Angells newly created , lifted up with pride also , the crimes and the persons parallel , and so sure the punishment also . Now three places more there are which appeare to me by the same meanes of evidence , or rule of interpreting , to belong to the same sense , though I cannot say of them as I did before , [ without controversie ] For I see it is not onely doubted by some , whether they doe belong to this sense or no , but that it is resolved they doe not : which resolution sure must be obnoxious to some danger , that I say no worse of it . The first of these places is , Rom. 13. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} : we render it , They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation : But say others , it must be rendred judgement , as that signifies some temporary punishment which the higher powers may inflict , and nothing else : and this they labour to make appeare by the words following : For Rulers are a terrour to evill works , and he beareth not the sword in vaine , &c. To which I answer , That there is no doubt made by me or any , but that Rulers are to punish men for evill works , particularly that of resistance against them , and not onely that , but also crimes against our brethren , and God ; and in that respect it is added , vers. 4. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Minister or officer of God he is , and executioner for wrath , that is , punishment temporall to him ( indefinitely ) that doth evill . But doth it follow from hence , that either he that makes forcible resistance against the Superiour or Supreme power , or that commits any other sinne ( which the Supreme power is set to avenge or punish temporally ) shall incurre no eternall punishment ? If this new Divinity should be entertained , it must be priviledge and protection to other sins , as well as resistance and rebellion , even to all that any judiciall lawes have power to punish , for in these also he is the Minister of God , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , an avenger , or executioner for punishment , and there is no avoiding it ; but this must be extended indefinitely , or vniversally , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to any malefactour punishable by that power , or that comes under this cognisance ; and so by this Logicke , he that is hanged , may not be damned , what ever his crime be ; an execution on earth shall be as good as a Purgatory to excuse him from any other punishment . But then secondly , suppose a Rebell escape the hand of justice here below , by slight , &c. nay , that he prosper in his rebellion , and get the better of it , that the King be not able to punish him ; nay , yet farther , that he proceed higher , Despose the King , and get into his place , What {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is he like to receive , if that signifie onely the Kings wrath or temporall punishment ? Sure this prosperousnesse of the crime must make it cease to be a crime , make it commence vertue , as the Turkes on their principles are wont to resolve it , saith Busbequius , Ep. 4. — Ex opinione quae Turcis insedit ut res quocunque consilio institutas , si bene cadunt , ad Deum Authorem referant , &c. Or else give it , ( though it be a sinne never so great , and unrepented of ) perfect impunity both in this world , and in another : And certainly this is no jest , for he that observes the behaviours of many men , ( the no manner of regrets or reluctancies in their course of forcible resistance , ( save onely when they conceive it goes not on so prosperously as it was wont ) and the great weekly industry that is used to perswade all men of the continued prosperity of the side , as being conceived farre more usefull and instrumentall to their ends , then the demonstration of the justice of it , mens consciences being resolved more by the Diurnall , then the Bible , by the Intelligencer then the Divine , unlesse he turne Intelligencer also , I would we had not so many of those Pluralists . ) Will have reason to resolve that this Divinity is the principle by which they move ; which if it be not yet brought to absurdities enough , then looke a little forward to the conclusion , deduced and inferr'd vers . 5. Wherefore ye must be subject , not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake . Words by Prophetick Spirit added by the Apostle , as it were on purpose to contradict in terminis , that new interpretation . Wrath signifies that temporall punishment , vers. 4. which if it were the all that is meant by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , then how can it be true , that we must be subject not onely for wrath ? Certainely he that resists is not subject ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , is all one with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and both directly contrary to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the word used both in the third and fifth verse ) and therefore if we must be subject not onely for wrath , as that signifies temporall punishment , then he that resists , shall receive more then wrath , as that signifies temporall punishment , viz. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , in our rendering , condemnation , if he doe not prevent it timously by repentance : which sure is the importance of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , but also for conscience sake ; that if he doe it not , it will be sin to him , wound his conscience , bind him over to that punishment which belongs to an accusing conscience , ( which sure is more then a temporall mulct ) which is farther cleare from the first verse of that Chapter , the command of subjection . For sure , every Divine or Apostolicall command entred into the Canon of Scripture , doth bind conscience ; and the breach of it , knowne and deliberate , is no lesse then a damning sinne , even under the Gospel , mortiferous and destructive without repentance ; which is just equivalent to the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , he shall receive damnation , in our way of interpreting it . So much for that first place . The second is , 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily , eateth and drinketh damnation ( or as our margent , judgement ) to himselfe , &c. This place I find avouched for the confirming of the former interpretation , Rom. 13. That {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies onely temporall punishment ; and thus it is known the Socinians commonly interpret this place , per {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} non sempiternam damnationem nominatim , sed supplicium in genere intelligendum esse . Volkelius l. 9. de ver. rel. . l. 4. c. 22. That which is used to perswade this to be probable , is that which followes vers. 30. for this cause many are weak and sickly among you , and many sleep ; which belonging onely to temporall punishments , is conceived to be a periphrasis of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , judgement , which should seem consequently to be so also : And , indeed , Volkelius hath added other proofes , 1. Because the Apostle speaks of any one single act of this sin of unworthy receiving , ( not of any habit , or custome ) which hee conceives not actually damning now under the second Covenant . 2. Because it is vers. 32. and when we are judged , we are chastened of the Lord , that we should not be condemned , &c. To these three ( and I know not that there are produced any more ) probabilities , I conceive cleare satisfaction may be given by those who affirme {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to contain in it eternall punishment : Though if it were onely temporall punishment , yet being sicknesse , &c. which are not inflicted by the Magistrate , but by the hand of God , it will not come home to that which was by Master Br. affirmed of the word in Rom. 13. For this must be premised , that wee doe not conceive it to signifie eternall punishments , exclusivè , or so as to exclude temporall , but eternall and sometimes temporall too ; ( for so sure hee that for his rebellion receives damnation , hereafter , is not secured from being hang'd , drawn , and quarter'd here ) or else eternall if hee repent not , and perhaps temporall though hee doe : by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as I said , I understand with Hesychius , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Gods vengeance , whether here , or in another world ; but , I say , in this place both of them , ( and so ordinarily in the former also . ) This being premised , the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may still containe in it eternall punishments , vers. 29. though many for this cause of unworthy receiving did fall sick and die , vers. 30. for 1. they might both die and be damned too ; or if , as Volkelius saith , the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , obdormiscunt , sleep , be never used in the New-Testament , of those that are destined to eternall destruction , then still may this be very reconcileable with our interpretation , that many for this cause are weak and sickly , and many others sleep , God chastising some by diseases to reforme them , and punishing others , who , as Volkelius acknowledges , were guilty onely of some single act of the sinne onely , with death temporall , or shortning their dayes ; which certainly hinders not but that God might punish others that did customarily commit this sinne ( and perhaps with greater aggravations ) with no lesse then eternall death , however that it were just for him to doe so , whatever hee did , it is plaine by vers . 27. which is parallel to the 29. Whosoever shall eat and drink unworthily , shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord ; that is , in Volkelius his own words , Ipusm Christi corpus ac sanguinem contemnere & ignominiâ afficere , ac quantam in ipsis est profanare proculcareque censendi sunt , shall be thought to contemne and disgrace , and as much as in them lies to profane , and tread under feet the body and bloud of Christ ; which , what is it but to count the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing , Heb. 10. 29 ? Which yet there is used as a maine aggravation of that sinne , for which , saith the Apostle , there remaines no more sacrifice , vers. 26. It is apparent that the phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , guilty of the body , &c. is parallel to the Latine , Reus Majestatis , used for a Traitour , and sure signifies no lesse then a guilt of a great injury to Christ ; which how any man can affirme to be a sinne to which no damnation belongs , ( supposing no antidote of invincible ignorance or weaknesse , nor recovery by repentance , nor gracious pardon of God in not imputing some single act of it ) I professe my selfe not to discern , though I think I have weighed impartially all that is said of it . This sure will keep the first proofe from being any longer probable ; and for the second , ( or first of Volkelius ) it is already in effect answered too ; for though hee that is guilty onely of some one act of this sinne found mercy , yet sure they that are guilty of the customary sinne , may speed worse : and indeed of all indefinitely the Apostle speaks according to the sinne ; as when hee saith , The drunkard and adulterer shall not inherite the kingdome of God : Where yet perhaps he that is guilty onely of one such act , may find mercy . For the last proofe , I conceive it so farre from being a probable one against me , that I shall resolve it a convincing one on my side ; for if those that were sick , &c. were chastened of the Lord , that they should not be condemned , then sure if they had not been so chastened , nor reformed by that chastening , they should have been condemned with the world ; and so their temporall judgements may be a meanes , through the mercy of God in Christ , to free them from their eternall , but not an argument that eternall was not due to them , but a perfect intimation that it was . The third place ( which is not indeed of much importance in it selfe , but only is used to give countenance to the interpretation in the two former places ) is 1 Pet. 4. 17. The time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God . Here , say they , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} judgement , is that that befalls the house of God , the godly ; therefore but temporall judgements . To which I answer in a word , that here is a mistake in applying judgement in its latitude to the house of God , when onely it is affirmed by Saint Peter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the beginning or first part of judgement : for of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , or judgement , in this verse , there are specified two parts , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the first part , and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the end ( or as the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} seems to sound in our English , the taile ) of it ; as Psal. 75. 8. the cup of Gods displeasure , or punitive justice , is supposed to consist of two parts , 1. red wine , ( or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) and 2. mixture of myrrhe and other poysonous bitter spices , called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Apocal. 4. 10. and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Mat. 24. 17. and both together , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , myrrhate wine , Mar. 15. 25. Now , this cup is poured out , and tasted of indefinitely , by the godly some part of it ; but the dregs thereof , i. e. the myrrhe-bitter part , that goes to the bottome , is left for the wicked to wring out and drink : so that onely the tolerable , supportable , easie part of the judgement belongs unto the godly ; but the end , the dregs , the unsupportable part , to those that obey not the Gospel of God . Or yet a little further , the beginning or first part , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , of the judgement , is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , from the godly , ( and so it was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) intimating , that the judgement doth not stay upon them , but onely take rise from them : but the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the second , sadder part of it , is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , of them , ( or belongs to them ) that obey not , &c. So that still in this place also , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies Gods judgement of this life and another both ; not of this life onely , to the excluding of the other , but one part in this life , another in that other : And though the godly had their part in it , yet there was somewhat in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that the godly never tasted of , but only the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , they that disobeyed the Gospel of God : and this is apparent by vers . 18. For if the righteous {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , wee read it , scarcely be saved ; it signifies ( by comparing that place with Pro. 11. 31. where instead of recompensed on the earth , the Greek translation reads , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) be rendred unto , or recompensed , i. e. punished in the earth , then where shall the ungodly and sinners appeare ? There are againe the two parts of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , one {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Gods retribution to sinne here , wherein the godly have their part ; and the other , his rendring to the wicked hereafter ; and so neither of them the punishment of the Magistrate in this life , as Mr. Bridg. out of Piscator , contends to have it , Rom. 13. and as it must be here also , if others speake pertinently , who use it to avoid that interpretation , which I confesse Mr. Bridg. doth not . They that are unlearned and unstable wrest the Scriptures to their owne destruction . Yee therefore beloved , seeing yee know these things before , beware lest you also be led away with the errour of the wicked , and fall from your owne stedfastnesse , 2 Pet. 3. 16 , 17. Of the Zealots among the IEWES , and the Liberty taken by them . THere was among the Jewes , either truly or pretendedly , a judicium Zelotarum , a peculiar liberty or power of Zelots , ( i. e. of private men led by zeale ) to punish or execute Malefactors , whether with death , or any lower punishment . These they stile Pious-men inflamed with the zeale of God : And these were wont , when they found any man in the fact , guilty of sedition , blasphemy , or any other crime of the greater size , openly and publikely committed , presently to set upon him , to smite , and if need were , to kill him , without any processe of Law against him . The originall of these came from the fact of Phinees , Num. 25. 7. of whom Mattathias , in his dying oration to his sonnes , hath these words , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Phinees our father ( by zealing the zeale of God , saith the Vulgar Latine ) by behaving himselfe zealously , received the promise of an eternall Priesthood , 1 Mac. 2. 54. Which is also affirmed of Elias , vers. 58. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Elias by zealing the zeale of the Law , or behaving himselfe zealously for the Law , was received up to heaven ; ( which belongs to that fact of Elias , immediately before his assumption , when he call'd twice for fire from heaven on Ahaziah's messengers , 2 King. 1. 10 , 12. unlesse you will rather apply it to that fact of his , 1 King. 18. 40. against the Prophets of Baal , whom hee apprehended and slew together every man of them : ) by which examples hee there stirres up and incites his sonnes , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to be zealous for the Law , vers. 50. though not to commit any such particular act of that nature , as that which those had done . Testimonies of Jewish Writers to this purpose , Master Selden hath put together in his book , De jure Natur. & Gent. ad Heb. plac . lib. 4. cap. 4. and given some hints of explaining some difficulties in the New-Testament from thence . To this belongs that fact of Christ , Joh. 2. 15. as appeares by the Disciples ; of whom it is said , vers. 17. that upon that occasion they remembred how it was written by the Psalmist , Psal. 69. 9. The zeale of thy house , or for thy house , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , hath fed on me , or carried me with a kind of fury . That Christ did not take upon him to be a Magistrate , or a Judge , or a publike person here on earth , is sufficiently acknowledged : as also , that as a private man hee neither did , nor attempted any thing contrary to the Lawes or customs of the Jewes or Romans : Or if hee had , that the Jewes who had a competent measure of animosity against him , would not probably have suffered him to have done it Scot-free . From all which it will follow undoubtedly , that this was done by Christ , jure Zelotarum , by the power that belonged to the Zealots , for whom onely the Law allowed this liberty . The same is to be said of that attempt of the Jewes , Joh. 10. 31. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , The Jewes therefore carried stones again that they might stone him , no legall processe having preceded . The same Master Selden notes of the servant of the High Priest that struck Christ , Joh. 18. 22. whose answer is a seeming argument of it , vers. 23. If I have spoken well , why smitest thou me ? intimating , that if hee had said any thing amisse , or irreverently of the High Priest , hee should not have questioned his striking him : And yet the truth is , the phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , beare witnesse of the evill , seems an advertisement , that if Christ had offended , it would have better become the servant to have accused and witnessed against him , proceeded legally , then thus , jure Zelotarum , to have stricken him . On the same ground was the fact of Ananias , Act. 23. 2. though sitting in the Sanhedrin , when he appointed Paul to be smitten , though without any just crime also . The like proceedings the Scribes were , it seemes , affraid of , Luk. 20. 6. The people will stone us : which must have been an act of popular zeale , without publike judgement . That Saint Steven , Act. 7. 57. was stoned after this manner , is observed by Hugo Grotius , and certainly upon good reasons ; for although hee were accused of blasphemy , c. 6. and false witnesses brought to that purpose , yet after that , there was nothing legally past against him through all the seventh Chapter , beside his Apology for himselfe to the High Priest . In the conclusion of which ( no sentence passing against him ) it followes , that the people {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , vers. 54. which Hesychius will help us to render thus , They were very angry , they were madded with fury or zeale against him , and gnashed their teeth ( it seems that flame of zeale produced the same effect in them that the flames of hell are said to doe , Mat. 8. 12. ) against him , and crying with a loud voice , they stopp'd their eares , and ran with one accord upon him , ( all which , were evidences of a most violent zeale ) and cast him out of the City , and stoned him ; which out of doubt was not now lawfull for the Jewes , ( all power of capitall punishment being before this taken from them , Joh. 8. 31. ) nor before legall condemnation ever lawfull by the common way of proceeding ; no nor after condemnation , to be done thus tumultuously by the people : save onely that by the liberty of Zealots it was permitted . So Act. 14. 19. it befell Saint Paul , ( God in his providence permitting him to be thus dealt with , by way of retaliation , for his having an hand in stoning Saint Steven , when Barnabas met not with the like adventure ) certaine Jewes that came from Antioch and Iconium having stoned Paul , &c. by this judgement onely of zeale , which we now speake of . Hither perhaps we may referre that of the Jewes , who brought the woman taken in Adultery to Christ , that she might be stoned ; not desiring , as it appears , that Christ should give sentence of death on her by ordinary legall judicature , ( for neither was Christ a Judge , nor had the Jewes now power of capitall punishment ) but by the liberty of Zealots , which was thought principally to belong to that case of one taken {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , in the very fact , as appeares by the example of Phinees . So Act. 23. that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , great cry ( such as was observed in the story of Saint Steven ) was the beginning of the flaming of zeale , and vers. 10. it followes , that the chiefe Captaine , or Tribune , sent Souldiers to rescue and defend Paul , that hee might not be taken by that party of Zealots , who , vers. 12. had bound themselves under a curse , that they would neither eat nor drink untill they had slain Paul ; who sure could not have done so impunè , had it not been thus indulged to them , as Zealots . So when James and John demand of Christ , whether they should command fire from heaven to descend on a Village of the Samaritanes , Luk. 9. 54. this they did by the liberty of Zealots , for the legality of their action taking their pattern from the example of Elias , and presuming of the power to doe it , because Elias had . ( In reference to both which , wee read of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Luk. 1. 17. the spirit and power of Elias ; that spirit , by which hee was incited to that act of zeale , and that power by which hee could call for fire from heaven ; whereupon it is Procopius his expression of Elias , that hee was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , accended with divine zeale , or set on fire by it . ) Now when Christ reprehendeth those Disciples , telling them they knew not , i. e. considered not , what spirit they were of , hee advertiseth them that this practice of Zealots is not agreeable to the spirit of the Gospel , nor generally to the temper which hee came to plant among Christians . And having now among the Apostles of Christ themselves found some footsteps of the Jewish zeale , 't will not be amisse to interpose a conjecture , that from the same originall sprung that bloudy fact of Peter , cutting off Malchus his eare , Mat. 26. 51. For that this was not lawfull for him to doe , or justifiable by the ordinary rule , may be guest by Christs answer of reproofe and vouching the Law , ( All they that take the sword , shall perish by the sword ; ) and yet that it was not a fact very enormous among the Jewes , or being compared with their avowed practices ( though clearly forbidden by the Gospel ) Origen and Theophylact seem to intimate . Origen on Mat. 26. Unus eorum qui erant cum Jesu nondum manifestè concipiens apud se Evangelicam patientiam illam traditam sibi à Christo , nec pacem quam dedit Discipulis suis , sed secundùm potestatem datam Judais per legem de inimicis , extendens manum accipit gladium , &c. One of them that were with Jesus , having not yet any full cleare conception of that Evangelicall patience delivered them by Christ , nor of that peace which hee gave to his Disciples , but according to the power given the Jewes by the law of enemies , took out his sword , &c. Theophylact yet more clearly in Mat. 26. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Let us not find fault with Peter ; for what hee did , hee did out of zeale , not for himselfe , but for his Master : but the Lord reducing him to the Gospel-discipline , teaches him not to use the sword , though thereby a man should seeme to defend or vindicate God himselfe . And in another place in Luk. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Disciples are mov'd with zeale , and draw swords . And in a third place in Mark . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , intimating , that Peter himselfe counted this fact of his a piece of zeale , for which hee might be commended . Thus much was not amisse to produce in behalfe of this conjecture , that what Peter did in defence of Christ , hee did as a Zealot ; and yet to see , Christ is so farre from approving it , that it incurres the same reprehension which James and John before had met with ; nay , somewhat a severer , that all might discerne how distant the spirit of Zealots was , from that other of Disciples ; the Judaicall fervour , from the meeknesse of the Gospel : Though the Apostles themselves had not yet perfectly learn't this truth at Christs death , nor untill the Holy Ghost came to teach them all things , and to bring to their remembrance whatsoever hee had in person being present said unto them . A plaine mention of these Zealots we find , Act. 21. 20. where of some of the Jewes 't is said , they are all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Zealots of the Law , that were like to be very hot if they saw any thing done to the prejudice of the Law : Of whom therefore Saint Paul is advised to beware . So of Paul himselfe before his conversion , Act. 22. 3. 't is said hee was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a Zealot of Gods , or in Gods cause ; and presently it followes , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , I persecuted to death , &c. for so the Zealots were wont to doe . So Act. 17. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Zealots of the Jewes , or , the Jewes inflamed with zeale , ( as the old Translation reads it , Zelantes , better then the new , invidiâ commoti ) of whom 't is added , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , took unto themselves certain lewd fellowes of the baser sort , and made a tumult , and set all the people in an uprore . Of which kind Master Selden has observed , that Simon was one , Luk. 6. 15. Act. 1. 13. called by Saint Luke , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Simon the Zealot ; but by the other Evangelists , Saint Matthew and Saint Marke , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , or ( as Schindler and other learned men are bold to mend it ) {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , which we render , the Cananite ; but 't is apparent the word is to be fetcht from the Hebrew {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Canna , which signifies , Zealot ; not from the name of the place : and so is all one with the Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as perfectly the same as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and Cephas , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and Tabitha , and many the like . And thus farre by Scripture light have we past in this disquisition . Now what tumults and riots have been wrought by the rude multitude among the Jewes , ( or those at least who had no lawfull power in their hand ) under the pretence of the priviledge of Zealots , no man can be ignorant , who is not wholly unacquainted with Josephus story . For in his relation there is nothing more ordinary , then to find all things disturbed by them , the Temple or holy place defiled , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , by their prophane feet , to the reproach of God ; chiefe Priests removed , and others placed in their roome without all respect of bloud , elected by them either according as they pleased , or else by lot ; ( as it was in the election of one Phannias the son of Samuel to the high Priesthood ) a man , saith Josephus , who {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , was not onely unworthy to be high Priest , but that did not so much as know what the high Priesthood was , such was his rusticity . Many passages we find scattered in this Authour , in his books of the Captivity , and large stories of the seditions , and uprores , and massacres , by two sorts of men among the Jewes , the one called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Sword-men or Cutters ; ( of whom Saint Luke makes mention , Act. 21. 38. we render them , Murtherers ; and it seemes foure thousand of them got together in a company ) the second {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Zealots ; of whom hee makes relations , especially lib. 4. c. 11. where hee saith of them , that they killed many of the chiefe men of the Nation , and still when they did so , boasted and bragg'd of themselves , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that they were become the benefactors and preservers , or saviours of the City . And by the timidity and basenesse of the people concurring with their insolence , advanced so farre , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that they took to themselves the election and constitution of the high Priests . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and contemning the rules of birth by which the high Priests were to succeed , they constituted ignoble obscure men in those places , that by that means they might have some abetters and partners of their villainies . And cap. 12. hee saith , the name of Zealots was of their owne imposing , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as if all that they did ( Murthers , Sacriledges , Profanations , before mentioned ) were by them done in good intentions , and not , as indeed they were , in emulation , and even to the out-stripping and exceeding the worst actions that had bin recorded . Thus far Josephus . That these Zealots were a fourth Sect of the Jewes , ( added to Sadduces , Pharisees , Essens ) having its originall from Judas Gaulonita and Sadduchus , is the affirmation of Bonaventura Cornelius Bertramus , in the end of his book De polit. Jud. A Sect , saith hee , Judaeis ipsis omnibus perniciosissima , ut quae Judaeorum omnium excidium totiusque reip. Judaicae prostrationem non modo accelerârit , sed & eam tam miseram & calamitosam effecerit : A Sect most sadly pernicious to the Jewes themselves ; the destruction of all whom , and the prostration of their whole Common-wealth , it did not onely hasten and precipitate , but made it so miserable and calamitous when it came . Having proceeded thus farre by way of narration , it may chance to be worth the paines to present unto the Reader a conjecture upon the twelfth verse of , the fourth Chap. of the 1 Epistle of Saint Peter , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , The vulgar Latine renders it by words utterly unintelligible : nolite peregrinari in fervore . Beza , ne tanquam peregrini exploratione illâ per ignem percellimini : as if {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signified a strangers being stricken or amazed : and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} triall by fire : which whatsoever it may in some other place , it cannot doe here : because here is added {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is befallen for your triall , which word would be superflous , if {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} noted triall by fire . The more simple and cleare rendring will be to set the words so , that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may signifie a combustion , or fire , or burning , ( so both the Vulgar and Beza , Revel. 8. 9. render {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fumum incendii , and the smoke of her burning ) and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may denote these 3 things . 1. To wonder ( so the Greeke Scholiast , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) 2. To be affrighted : ( so Tertullian , ne expavescite ) 3. So as it may be all one with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to be stricken as with an accident wherewith we are unacquainted . These three senses each , as all of them , may be allowed their places here . Now the conjecture is , that by the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the combustion or burning , &c. should be meant , that notable combustion of the Zealots before mentioned , ( for indeed the words are of some affinity , the one comming from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , fire , the other from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , growing fervently hot or burning . ) The grounds of the conjecture are these ; 1. Because that last fatall day , the destruction of Jerusalem is spoken of in that very Chap. ver. 7. as that which for some time had been at hand : for I conceive I can make it plaine by comparing of places of the new Test. that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the end of all things is ( not the finall period of the world , but ) that destruction of Jerusalem or the Jewish Common-wealth , and of that it is said , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , it is , or hath for some time beene at hand , it was not yet comen : but of this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or combustion , that it was then {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , already come ; which is directly agreeable to the observation of Josephus , and others conversant in the Jewish , who affirme that that raving and rioting of , ( and sad civill combustion wrought by ) the Zealots , was antecedent and precursory to the finall destruction of the Jewes by Titus . 'T is affirm'd of this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that it was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , i. e. among you , in your Land , in the midst of you , ( as that phrase frequently signifies in the new Test. ) by which is marked out some remarkable thing , which was fallen out among the Jewes , as that time when Peter wrote ; to which time that the raving of the Zealots endured , is apparent by mention of them , Act. 21. 20. Act. 22. 3. and that by their stirres these Christian Jewes of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or the dispersion to whom he writes , had beene first scattered abroad , may be conjectured by Act. 8. 1. This may suffice for a conjecture , which whether it stand or fall , will not be much concernant to the businesse which occasioned this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . To conclude this historicall uneven discourse , I shall onely annex these few animadversions by way of corollary . 1. That this law , or power , or custome , or liberty of Zealots , was never of force but among the Jewes . 2. That the originall and ground of it among them is to be fetcht from hence , that among that people , God immediately presided , and reserved many things to be manag'd and ruled by his peculiar and extraordinary incitation and impulsion , not by any rule of standing publicke law ; that so that Common-wealth might be truly capable of that title which Josephus bestowed on it , none of the kinds of humane Governments , but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the government of God . 3. That it followes not from hence , that all things which were by the Jewes themselves done under pretence of this right , and passed unpunished , were therefore well done ; but onely those which were undertaken by men truly incited by God , ( such as Phineez and Elias ) for that priviledge is not therefore stil'd zeli privati , of private zeale , because private men by their owne incitation ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as that is opposed to Gods ) did what they did ; but because they did it without legall processe , or publike judicature . And though I should be so scepticall , as not to dare peremptorily to affirme , that nothing was well done or justifiable in that kinde , but what they did who were truly and immediately incited to it by God ; yet should I not be so cowardly as to doubt , but that all those Jewes were so bound to observe those examples of Phineez and Ellas , that if they were not immediately incited by God , yet they should not dare to exceed the limits of those patterns commended by God , either in respect of the manner of doing , or matter of the action . In one of which you shall finde all the examples mentioned in the New Testament , except that of Christ , to have miscarried . And therefore I hope no man will be so unjust to the charitable designe of this Paper , so treacherous to his Readers , so unkinde to his owne Soule , as to borrow from these premises new hints of arguments to susteine a desperate cause by his pretence of zeale ; for that would be to extract Rosacre out of Treacle , poyson from that which was designed for antidote . And he must withall resolve , that if the practice of Christ first mentioned , be his president , he must also prescribe to Christs power ; or if any of the other New Testament examples ; he must be content to fall under their condemnation , for not one of them that I ever yet heard of , was excused by any . 4. That this Sect of Zealots when they thus got together into a body was by the Jewes themselves ( among whom the priviledge of Zealots was yet in force ) taken for the most unlawfull , yea pernicious and fatall , most eminently destructive to that Common-wealth ( as appeares by Josephus and Bertram ) and that those things which they did under pretence of law and colour of zeale , were violations of law and meere sacriledge . 5. That all use of this liberty , all imitation of that Jewish priviledge of Zealots in the Old Testament , is cleerly interdicted all Christians ; First , because the written word is the onely Oracle wherein God constantly reveales himselfe to Christians now under the new Testament , neither are any other incitations to be expected from God , but what in the Gospell or New Test. the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the administration of the Spirit ( as preaching the Gospell is call'd ) doth yeild or afford us ; what is more then this , yea , though it come to us from the Pulpit , savours of enthusiasmes and seducing spirits ; Secondly , because Christ hath both by his doctrine and example commended to his Disciples all manner of meeknesse ( and Saint Peter , the meeke and quiet spirit , as most precious in Gods sight under the Gospell , and this a grace most directly contrary to that Spirit of Zealots ) yea and hath forbidden all private revenge of injuries ( done not onely to our selves , but God ) referring all to the Magistrate ( whom Saint Paul calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Rom. 13. 4. the minister of God to execute wrath , or an executioner for wrath ) and therefore himselfe medled not with the woman taken in Adultery ; Thirdly , because he interdicted James and John the use of this power , adding a reprehension , and words emphaticall to this purpose , he turned and rebuked them , saying , you know not what spirit you are of ; intimating , the Christian spirit to be very distant from that of the Zealots among the Jewes . I shall adde no more , but my prayer , that as many as have zeale , may have it according to knowledge , and that knowledge , according to the directions of the Gospell . Of taking up the Crosse . MAny places of the New Testament there are that require this duty of a Christian , ( of which I thinke I may truly say , that 't is a duty never so much as in kinde required before by God in the Old Testament , nor by the lawes of nature , or Canons of any other Religion , and so a peculiar Christian duty ) the chiefe places are these , Matth. 16. 24. If any man will come after me , let him deny himselfe and takeup his Crosse , &c. and in the same words in the parallel places , Mark 8. 34. and Luk. 9. 23. So againe , to him who desired to be put in a course by Christ to inherit eternall life , Mark . 10. 21. in the close , Come , take up the Crosse , and follow me . In all these places 't is a duty of plaine command ; yet somewhat farther , Mat. 10. 38. He that taketh not his Crosse and followeth not after me , is not worthy of me : and in Luk. 14. 27. the words are most punctuall , and of unlimited extent , from whence 't will be hard for any man to obtaine any dispensation , or excuse , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} — whosoever doth not beare his Crosse and come after me , cannot be my Disciple . No man will be exempted from the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} — and no Christian it seemes can be without it ; for that is the meaning of [ my Disciple , ] not onely those peculiar twelve of his , and their successours in the Ministry , for that Relation belongs to them , considered under another notion , as Apostles sent out after by Christ , answerable to the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} among the Jewes under the Temple , but the disciples are all true followers of Christ , all sincere Christians , and so the doctrine is most plaine , that whosoever doth not beare ( which as from those other former places appeares , implyes a taking up ) the Crosse of Christ , cannot be a true Christian . Now the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , taking up the Crosse , will be easily explain'd what it 's full importance extends to , the voluntary embracing of shame , contumely , ( for the Crosse was a contumelious death Heb. 12. 2. ) and consequently all other losse of goods , liberty , &c. and beyond that , paine of body and death it selfe : which are said , to be taken up , not when we bring them unnecessarily upon our owne shoulders , ( for that is to pull the Crosse upon us ) but when by the providence of God they are laid , or permitted to lye in our way to Christ , or Christian obedience , so that we cannot serve Christ perfectly , but it must become detriment or dammage to us , then voluntarily to undergoe that detriment , whatever it is , is to take up the Crosse ; and patiently and cheerfully to beare it , is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to carry or beare the Crosse of Christ , which is the duty , without which a man cannot be a Christian . There is now one thing to be a little more punctually considered , the strict and neere dependance and connexion betwixt Christianity and the Crosse ; and that from the pleasure and providence of God , and dispensation of things under the Gospell , so ordering it generally that we should not serve the Lord our God of that that costs us nothing , but that true Christian piety should bring endurances and sufferings upon us . Thus it is plaine it did to Christ our elder brother ; the discharge of the office he had undertaken , brought him to the Crosse , and that Crosse was the onely way to his consecration to the office of high Priest , to which at his resurrection he was inaugurate ; vid. Heb. 2. 10. it became him , &c. i. e. God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ( not in bringing , but ) bringing , ( or being about that most gratious and mighty designe of bringing ) many sonnes unto glory , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by sufferings to consecrate or inaugurate , ( for so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} critically signifies , being the word solemnely used by the Septuagint to signifie the legall consecration of the Priests under the Law ) the captaine of our salvation , that is Christ , who {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , being so consecrated , became the author of eternall salvation , &c. Heb. 5. 9. From hence , without more places it would follow , that we Christians are to expect our {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ( whether consecration to our {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} our dignity of being Kings and Priests , i. e. Christians here ; or consummation and crowning hereafter , as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} also signifies ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Nyss. ) by the same method and means that our captain had his , which is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by sufferings : which course of divine Oeconomy is so generall and without exception , ( 2 Tim. 3. 12. yea , and all that will be godly in this world , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , shall be persecuted ) that Heb. 12. 6 , 7 , 8. the words are very remarkeable , Whom God loveth , he chastneth , and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth , if you endure chastning , God dealeth with you as with sonnes , for what sonne is he whom the father chastneth not ? But if you be without chastisement whereof all are partakers , then are you bastards , and not sonnes . Words of a large unlimited latitude , which I cannot discerne any way in the world to soften , so as they may be supportable to him , that ( as the Psalmist saith ) hath no changes , hath enjoyed an age of an uninterrupted continued prosperity , without ever having the Crosse on his shoulders . I confesse I would faine finde out some {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or mollifying distinction , as that of the animus martyris , the preparation to suffer , though God never send occasion , that that might suffice for his qualification , who hath no other , but sure that will not be able to allay or take off the force of [ and chastneth every sonne , &c. ] and if yee be without , not onely if you be not prepared to beare , but if you be without chastisement , then are you bastards , &c. which when it is set downe as an aphorisme of divine observation under the Kingdome of Christ , an Axiome of Gods Gospell-providence , there will be no safety in disputing or labouring to avoyd the literall importance of it . To that purpose I conceive those words tend Rom. 8. 28. where to prove the conclusion premised , vers. 28. that all things tend to the good of them that love God , ( and what those all things are , is specified , vers. 35. tribulation , distresse , persecution , famine , nakednesse , danger , sword , ) the Apostle thus argues : From whom he hath foreknown , i. e , fore-appointed , the lovers of God premised , those he hath also predestin'd to be conformable to the image of his Sonne , i. e. in suffering ; and whom hee hath predestined , those he hath also called ; to wit , to that conformity to which he hath predestined them , ( as 1 Pet. 2. 21. the phrase is used , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , for to this ye were called , i. e. to this suffering as Christ did , and c. 3. 9. ye are thereunto called , that you should inherit {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , blessing ( not as we render it , a blessing ) i. e. that yee should blesse enemies as Christ did , and so inherit that exemplary grace of his , which as a grace may as properly be said to be inherited ; thus the context seemes to inforce it [ not rendring evill for evill , but blessing , knowing that you are thereunto called , that you should inherit blessing , &c. i. e. possesse that grace after him , so eminently discernible in him . ] And whom hee hath thus called , he justified and glorified . Where the first and second proposition must be acknowledged universall , that all whom he hath foreknowne , all lovers of God , are thus predestined , and all that are predestined , called ( by their very title or profession of Christians ) to this conformity with Christ in sufferings . Adde to these 1 Pet. 4. 18. if the righteous hardly be saved ; which must be understood by the sense of the Hebrew phrase , Prov. 11. 30. rendred by the 72. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and here retained by Saint Peter , and then the sense will be [ and if the righteous be recompenced , i. e. by an Hebraisme , punisht in the earth , &c. or more literally to the Greeke , If he escape hardly or with difficulty . ] ( as 1 Cor. 3. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , he shall bee mulcted or suffer losse , but shall escape ) which interpretation the former verse in Saint Peter , confirmes [ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ] for it is the season of that act of divine dispensation , viz. of judgements beginning from the house of God , i. e. of Gods inflicting judgements of this life ( which are the beginning or first part ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as it followes ) of Gods retribution for sinne ) on the Godly ] which signifies that the state of the Gospell , is that season , though the Law was not : and to the same purpose , the verse following also , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} &c. They that suffer according to the will of God , It seemes by all put together , that the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} [ scarcely saved ] is spoken of suffering , and the will or providence of God is that that disposes it so , and so the conclusion from thence is cleare , and universall . The righteous shall be punisht in the earth . 'T is true indeed , under the Old-Testament we finde not any such oeconomy , but promises of a long and happy life , in a temporall Canaan to the obedient servants of God , ( though sometimes , God was pleased to interpose some variety in this kind , many troubles of the righteous in Davids time ) but under the Gospell 't is quite contrary , even those duties which are promised a reward on this earth , as mercifulnesse or almesgiving , are yet to expect the payment of this reward with some mixture ( like Homers good cup powred out alwayes with a dash of the bad ) the hundred-fold which such men are promised to receive {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} - in this time , this first inferiour harvest of retributions , though they be secular blessings , houses , and lands , &c. yet must they be with persecutions , Mark . 10. 30. Which particular though neither S. Matthew nor S. Luke records , yet S. Peter ( who had most reason punctually to observe those words of Christ , being an answer directed to a question of his proposing , as all the three Evangelists acknowledge ) remembred them , and so we finde them in S. Markes Gospell , which is resolved to have been dictated by Saint Peter . Having thus farre in the passage briefly pointed at this piece of Gospel-Providence , 't will not be amisse as briefly to guesse at the ends of this divine Oeconomy . 1. To administer occasion of the practice and exercise of many Christian duties , and graces , as of patience , meeknesse , waiting on Christ , of loving our enemies , of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the non-resisting evill , we render it , or not using any violence against him that molests us , ( rendring [ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ] of the Person , &c. ) which if we have in seed or habit , 't is certainly a great felicity to us , to meet with oportunities to actuate them , both inrespect of the evidencing the sincerity of them to God , to our brethren , to our own soules ; and in respect of that reward , or Crowne promised , the great degree of glory , Math. 5. 12. that is proportioned to the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to his worke , Psal. 62. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to the nature and number of the Acts , or operations of those gifts or graces , as on the other side , a greater portion of the Torments of hell is allotted to the more multiplyed acts of wilfull winne . 2 To helpe to mortifie any remainders of sinne in us , which by continued prosperity are ready and apt to take root , and reflourish in us . 3 To assimilate , or make us like to Christ , to conforme us to the image of his son , Rom. 8. 29. that is the image of the crucified Saviour , as was said , that he might be the first borne of many brethren , that is , might have a Church or family , a multitude of brethren like himselfe , all sufferers as he was . 4 That our sins being punished here , there might remain no arreare to be paid in another world ; having had all our Purgatory here , there might remain nothing but heaven hereafter ; which the Apostle expresseth 1 Cor. 11. 32. We are chastned of the Lord , that we should not be condemned with the World : to which Father Abraham referres Luke 16. 25. Lazarus received his evill things in this life time , and now he is comforted . These and such like being the designes of this act of Gods Gospell-Providence ; It is next observable what a character the Spirit of God sets upon the Crosse , i. e. Tribulation or affliction here , that it is the happiest , blessedest estate , the most comfortable joyfull condition that a Christian can meete with . This riddle and paradox , or prodigy to carnall reason , is become the most ordinary beaten acknowledged truth in the new Testament . 'T is the close of the beatitudes , in that institution of Christians , the Sermon in the mount , Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that are persecuted , and vers. 11. reviled : and the exhortation in this case {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rejoyce , and be exceeding glad , so Luke 6. 22. ( which there is some reason to thinke was spoken by Christ at another time ) blessed are you when men shall hate you , and separate you , and reproach you , and cast you out , &c. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , rejoyce ye in that day , and leape for joy , &c. Saint Paul had learnt this , Col. 1. 24. who now rejoyce in my sufferings , yea , and glory too . 2 Cor. 11. 30. 12. 5. 9. Saint James his exhortation is remarkable in the front of his Ep. 1. 2. My brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , all joy ; i. e. The most joyous accident possible , and vers. 12. blessed is the man that endureth Temptation , &c. & cap. 5. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , behold we count them happy , wee render it ; it signifies more ; behold we account them as a kinde of Saints in Heaven , ( for so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} usually signifies ) and Aristotle speaking of some heroicall super-humane excellencies , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , saith he , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) it seemes that of suffering , a most blessed condition . To these adde Saint Peter , 1. Ep. 3. 15. but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts ; where the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is to sanctifie , as that is all one with glorifying , or hallowing , or praising ; a consequent of the generall rule , verse 14. if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake , happy are yee ; and perfectly opposite to [ being afraid of their terror , and being troubled , ] in the end of that vers . and so is an expression of this duty of praising , thanking , blessing God for our sufferings in this life . So againe , 1 Ep. 4. 13. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , vers. 12. be not frighted or stricken , &c. but rejoyce in as much as you are partakers of Christs sufferings , and vers. 14. If yee be reproached for the name of Christ , happy are you , &c. and vers. 16. If any suffer as a Christian ( not as a murtherer , a thiefe , an evill doer , a busie-body in other mens matters , vers. 15. no great joy or comfort in any of those sufferings ) let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalfe , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that it is the season for judgement to begin , or of judgements beginning , at the house of God , as hath beene explained ; 't is seasonable that the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the first part of Gods {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ; retribution to sinne , that which is in this life , should befall the house of God , Christians , and the most obedient of them ; and being so , this is matter of rejoycing , and glorifying God . Other places ye will observe easily to the same purpose , let these for the present suffice , to soften this carnall paradox . But now having proceeded thus far in a matter , to him that is conversant in the new Testament , so obvious and vulgar , that I shall presume it matter of wonder to him , what should move me to so superfluous and unnecessary an undertaking ; I must now take confidence to proceed to that which Arrian cals the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the applying of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} known and granted principles , to particular persons , or cases , or practices . For therein as that excellent Philosopher observes , consists the ground and beginning of all strife and difficulty , and difference betwixt men ; no man having any considerable Temptation , to keep him from consenting to the truth of a generall proposition sufficiently assert , as long as he appeares not concern'd in it , and yet every man almost having some irreconcileable quarrell to it , when his actions are required to be ruled by it ; hence is it , that the speculative part of knowledge , is farre easier then the practicall ; and as Aristotle saith , the Mathematicks which are the most abstruse Science , are most easie to be learnt by a young man , or a dissolute , of any the most untamed affections , so he have but an ordinary naturall capacity , ( and 't is evident by his Organon , that he supposed children to have learnt Geometry before they came to Logicke ) whereas of the precepts of Morality , such are utterly uncapable {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} : they can recite them by rote , but beleeve not a word of them . I wish it were now uncharitable to affirme the same , of many that have taken upon them , to be the best , and most reforming Christians amongst us ; that it continued still to be but our jealousie , what is now proved our sense , that some of those who have hitherto been admired for our strictest Christians , have at length confest themselves farthest from the merit , and true desert of that title , if the doctrine of the crosse which hitherto we have laid down for acknowledged truth , doe not at last prove a fable . The Apostle Phil. 3. 18. tels us even weeping , that there are many walkers , ( I thinke he meanes by that phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Christian professors ) whom judging by their actions , he cannot chuse but call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , ( of whom it seemes he had oft admonished them , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) enemies of the Crosse of Christ ; what those were in the Apostles time will not be pertinent now to examine , I shall onely with a sad heart ( not desiring to judge my brother , but if it were possible , to direct him to prejudge , or at least examine himselfe , and so either anticipate and prevent , or else prepare himselfe to approach with confidence Gods judgement , and withall , to helpe undeceive others whom we finde ductile to some moderne sinnes , much-what upon that dangerous prepossession which the Apostle cals having mens persons in admiration ) make these few quaere's , and leave every mans owne soule to answer them . 1. Supposing our grounds layd to be true , I demand whether it be the temper of a true Christian , and not rather of an enemy of the Crosse of Christ , instead of rejoycing , to repine and murmure under the Crosse , and evidence that by speaking evill of those powers who have layd it on our shoulders ? 2. To be more refractary after such sufferings , ( instead of being more meek and more humble ) more violent in matters of indifferency , ( by our own continued practice acknowledged to be so in our account , till after such sufferings our judgements or rather our practice altered ) and more resolv'd not to yeeld obedience in them , then before we thought our selves bound to be . 3. To plot and project , and to that purpose to hold correspondence with other men , ( whom we conceive already moved with discontents , or our selves have labour'd so to move ) to find out the most probable way of delivering us from the Crosse , whatsoever that way be , beside our addresses to God in prayer to remove it , if he see it best for us in all respects . 4. To make use of any meanes to this purpose , which wee are not assured is administred and offered unto us by God , of which wee can no way possibly be assured , but by the evident goodnesse and justifiablenesse , at least , lawfulnesse in all respects of that meanes which we thus designe to make use of . 5. To move or stirre the quiet and peace of one or more Kingdoms , ( though not principally , yet collaterally , or at all ) in this contemplation , that we shall get the Crosse off from our own shoulders , come to a more prosperous condition , yea , though it be but to a more peaceable enjoying of our manner of Religion , then hitherto we have attained to . 6. To venture on , and ( though not primarily to designe , if it may be done without it , yet if it may not , then secondarily and consequently ) to resolve on the shedding of any one mans bloud , which wee know would not otherwise be shed , especially if it proceed further , to the waging or but occasioning of a warre , in which ( whether offensive or defensive on our parts ) it cannot be hoped but a great effusion of Christian and Protestant bloud will follow . 7. To attempt or desire the removing of the Land-marks , the altering of the Government of Church and State , the working of any considerable change in either , ( which wee can have no revelation to assure us may not prove authour of some inconvenience which wee fore-see not ) the better to secure our selves or others , that the Crosse shall not returne to our shoulders again . 8. To thinke it just and reasonable ( and our selves injur'd if it be not so ) that wee should have the greater portion of secular dignities for the future , in regard of some former sufferings of ours ; which if it should befall us , would be parallel to that curse , Mat. 6. mercedem habent , they have their reward , in this life . 9. To endeavour to lay this Crosse on other mens shoulders , of which wee have freed our own , whether those other men be such as were not guilty of our former sufferings , but perhaps pitied and mourned , and prayed for us , ( for that were rewarding good with evill ) or whether they be our greatest persecuters , ( for that will be rendring evill for evill ) most perfectly contrary to Christs doctrine , Mat. 6. 44. Rom. 12 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 21. Secondly , supposing things to be as now they are in this Kingdome , my Question is , First , Whether we have no great reason to beleeve , that ( the doctrine of the Crosse being not so well laid to heart by those who three yeares since conceived themselves the principall Schollers in that Schoole ) God is now pleased to call another sort of men into that forme , to try whether they will prove better proficients then their predecessours have done . Secondly , Whether those on whom that lot is now falne , be not most eminently bound to glorifie God in this behalfe , 1 Pet. 4. 16. Thirdly , Whether by the experience of other mens failings in this kind , they have not reason to be earnest in prayer to God , and diligent in using and improving all Gods directions , for the due Christian discharging of so glorious , and withall , so difficult a task ; that when they are proved to the utmost , are brought forth to resist to bloud , they may be found faithfull . Fourthly , Whether the obtaining of this grace from God be not more highly conducible to every mans owne individuall interests , then the removing of the Crosse from us , though wrought most directly , and by meanes administred undoubtedly by God himselfe . Fifthly , Whether it can become a Christian to make use of any meanes which he is not on sure grounds satisfied to be purely and perfectly lawfull ( i. e. agreeable first to the Gospel-rule of obedience to Christ in every particular , and second to the lawfull commands , of our undoubted Superiours , not contradicted by any law or power higher then they ) to get now either totally or in part from this Crosse , i. e. from any pressure which in the discharge of a good conscience God shall permit to fall on any of us . When every man in this broken State and Church , most sadly militant , of what perswasions soever hee be , hath laid the severall parts of these two Quaeries to his heart , and examined himselfe by them , ( which truly I should not have laid thus plainly before him , had I had any other thought or aime , but this one of making it impossible for him to be blinde in judging himselfe ) I shall hope hee will pardon his Monitor , and save this paper the labour of proceeding further to beare witnesse against him at any other tribunall then this of his owne conscience . The Lord prosper this short discourse to the end to which it is designed . A Vindication of Christs reprehending Saint Peter , from the Exceptions of Master Marshall . THere is nothing more unjust and uningenuous , then Master Marshall's dealing about Christs reprehension of Saint Peter's using the Sword ; whilst hee labours to answer the Objection , which from thence is brought against the use of Armes , though but defensive , taken up against a lawfull Magistrate . The Argument is briefly this : Saint Peter , in defence of his Master ( Christ himselfe ) drew his Sword , and cut off the Eare of Malchus , one of the High Priests Servants , sent by Commission from their Masters , to apprehend Jesus : and our Saviour commands him to put up his Sword ; adding by way of reason , for they that take the sword ( take it not when 't is put into their hands by God , or the supreme Magistrate , or any Delegate of his , who hath the power of the Sword ; but take it , usurpe it , without legall authority or concession , giving or permitting it to them ) shall perish by the sword . Which reason , or backing of Christs reprehension , is brought to inferre , That 't is a sinne for any to use the Sword against the supreme Magistrate , though for defence of Christ , or Christian Religion . To this Master Marshall's Answer is three-fold : 1. That the speech of Christ to Peter , is not a reproofe of the sword taken for a just defence ; but of the sword taken for unjust oppression , and a comfort to those who are oppressed with it . For Origen , Theophylact , Titus , Euthymius , interpret the meaning to be , that Christ doth not rebuke Peter for using defensive Armes ; but to let Peter know , that hee need not snatch Gods worke out of his hands ; for God would in time punish those with the sword , that came thus with the sword against him . And that these words are a prophecy of the punishment which the Roman sword should exact of the bloudy Jewish nation , according with the like expression , Revel. 13. 10. Hee that kills with the sword , must be killed with the sword : here is the patience and faith of the Saints ; i. e. this may comfort the Saints in their persecutions , that God will take vengeance for them : and for all this , the Margine advises the Reader to consult Grotius de jure belli , l. 1. c. 3. n. 3. This is the place at length in Master Marshall his Letter to a friend , which ( being of some concernment and importance to the present controversie of the times , though not to confirme his cause by this exposition , yet to dispatch one of his speciall adversaries out of the way ) I shall now beg leave to examine ; and of all together , observe these foure things : First , that the ancient Writers , vouched by him , are not vouched from his owne reading , but taken upon trust from Grotius , as also the observation of the Roman Sword , and the place in the Revelations . Secondly , that the interpretation , asserted by him out of them , is not asserted by them . Thirdly , that it is not asserted by Grotius . Fourthly , that Grotius , to whom hee owes all this seeming aid to his cause , is the most declared enemy of this whole cause of his , in behalfe of defensive resistance of the Magistrate , that hee could possibly have falne on ; and upon occasion of these words of Christ to Peter , hath said as much against it . If these foure things be made good , I cannot guesse what could be further added , to prove the injustice and uningenuousnesse , I shall adde , the untowardnesse and unluckinesse of this Answer . And for the particulars , I shall but require a Reader with eyes in his head , and suppose him not possest with a beliefe of an absolute infallibility in Master Marshall , and then I shall be confident to demonstrate them . For the first , the proofe will be short , if you please but to look on Grotius in the place directed to in his Annotations on the Gospels , pag. 465. almost verbatim transcribing what hee had before published de jure belli ; you shall in each find every of the particulars mentioned : but for this I would not charge Master Marshall , I wish hee would alwayes gleane out of so good Writers . The onely fault here is , that having borrowed so much from him , and digested it into nourishment of his owne errour , hee did not also take the paines to borrow what was present to be had , a most soveraigne antidote for his owne poyson , meanes of rectifying his mistake : but like the man in Gellius , that had eat so much poyson , and therewith so invenom'd his bloud , that hee could poyson the Flea that came to bite him : so , hee the Grotius , that came to prick and wound ; or , if hee had pleased , to convert , to b●ing him to repentance . For the second , I shall not expect to evince it against so great an authority of Master Marshall , without transcribing the very words of those Writers in this matter . Origen upon the place in Mat. 26. tr . 35. p. 118. explaines the whole period in these words , ( I shall omit no word that is pertinent to the matter in hand : ) Unus eorum qui erant cum Jesu , nondum manifestè concipiens apud se Evangelicam patientiam illam traditam sibi à Christo , nec pacem quam dedit discipulis suis , sed secundùm potestatem datam Judaeis per legem de inimicis , extendens manum accepit gladium , &c. Peter it seemes had not perfectly learned the doctrine of Christian patience , and the peace which Christ commended to his Disciples , but proceeded according to the Jewish Law of dealing with enemies . This concludes Peter's act contrary to Christian patience and peaceablenesse , and so makes him capable of Christs reproofe , which Master Marshall will wholly divert from him , and cast upon the Jewes . Then hee goes on , Mox Jesus ad eum , converte gladium in locum suum : Est ergo gladii locus aliquis , ex quo non licet excipere eum , qui non vult perire maximè in gladio . ( This clearly of Saint Peter againe , and not the Jewes , that hee must not take the sword out of its place , unlesse hee will be content to perish by the sword : ) Pacificos enim vult esse Jesus discipulos suos , ut bellicum gladium hunc deponentes , ( O that Master Marshall would remember this , and after so faire an admonition , put the military sword out of his mouth also . ) Alterum pontificium accipiant gladium , quem dicit Scriptura gladium Spiritûs . Simile autem mihi videtur quod dicit , Omnes qui accipiunt , &c. i. e. omnes qui non pacifici , sed belli concitatores sunt , in eo bello peribunt quod concitant , &c. Et puto quòd omnes tumultuosi & concitatores bellorum , & conturbantes animas hominum , maximè Ecclesiarum , accipiunt gladium , in quo & ipsi peribunt . Excellent seasonable doctrine for these times , if it might be laid to heart ; but no way excusing Saint Peter . Againe , Qui accipiunt gladium , &c. cavere nos convenit , ut ne occasione militiae , vel vindictae propriarum injuriarum ( remember , not for revenge of ones owne injuries ) eximamus gladium , aut ob aliquam occasionem , quam omnem abominatur haec Christi doctrina , praecipiens ut impleamus quod scriptum est , Cum his qui oderunt pacem , eram pacificus . Si ergo cum odientibus pacem debemus esse pacifici , adversus neminem gladio uti debemus . These are the words of Origen ; out of which , he that shall inferre that Origen conceived the meaning of the Scripture to be , that Christ did not rebuke Peter for using defensive Armes against Malchus , I shall resolve , he hath gotten the Philosophers stone , is Alchymist enough to extract fire out of water ; any the most contrary sense out of any words . Not so much as one word here of the Jewes or the Roman sword that should give them their payment ; but all of Peter's sword , and the miscarriages of that . And so much for Origen . Then for Theophylact ; hee is also punctuall enough to this purpose : {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Let us not find fault with Peter , ( make not too much haste Master Marshall to catch that , till you see the consequents ) for hee did this not for himselfe , but in zeale for his Master : Herein I shall interpose my conjecture , that Theophylact might think Peter did this , as a Zealot ; as James and John would have destroyed the Village of the Samaritanes , jure Zelotarum : so his words also sound on Luke , pag. 518. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} : and then though that were unlawfull for a Christian , a piece of Judaisme out-dated by Christ ; yet in Peter , as a Jew , not perfectly illuminate , or instructed in the Christian doctrine , ( as Origen before observ'd ) it was not so blameable yet , till after the coming of the Holy Ghost , who was to bring all things to their remembrance which Christ had taught them . And therefore perhaps it is , that , although Saint Augustine calls this of Peter , earnalem amorem ; yet , amorem Magistri still . The same Authour upon Saint Marke hath these words , upon this same occasion , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Counting this zeale , as in a Jew , rather a commendable thing . If all this be yeelded , yet will it be no justification of the like in a Christian ; because now Christ hath reformed that law , and checkt that Peter , And therefore , the same Theophylact goes on ; that though wee should not aggravate Peter's fault , nor chide him for it , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ▪ yet Christ reformes him , turnes him to the Gospel-discipline , and teaches him not to use the sword , though by so doing hee seeme to defend or vindicate God himselfe . Could any man have spoken more expresly or prophetically against Master Marshall his doctrine , then this father doth . ( So likewise in other places upon Saint Lukes Gospel , pag. 518. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ▪ hee confesses Peter was chid for his zeale . And on Saint John's Gospel , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} &c. The Lord reprehends Peter , and threatning , saith , put up , &c. threatning whom ? sure that person , in Theophylact's opinion , to whom hee said , put up : and that sure was Peter , not the Jewes . ) But to shew you the occasion of Master Marshall's mistake : It followes indeed in Theophylact on Matthew , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Insinuat autem , as Oecolampadius renders it : Christ insinuates that by the Romans sword , the Jewes that took the sword against him , shall be destroyed . This acknowledged truth , ( that the Romans should destroy the Jewes , the apprehenders and crucifiers of Christ , i. e. that were guilty of crucifying him , ) was , saith hee , insinuated in those words of Christ , wherein , as before wee shewed out of Theophylact's words , hee reproved Saint Peter . Now wee know that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , or insinuating , or intimating , signifies a secundary or allegoricall sense of a Scripture , as it is frequent in that Authour . Speaking of the cutting off Malchus his Eare , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , saith hee , hee insinuates , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that the Jewes did not heare and obey the Scripture , as they should : a meere allegoricall interpretation . So when Christ bids him that had no sword , sell his garment and buy one , Luk. 22. 36. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , &c. hee speaks aenigmatically ; and tells them by way of insinuation , what warres and dangers should betide them . Which insinuated or aenigmaticall sense , though it be acknowledged true , will not evacuate that other literall . For I hope , in Master Marshall his owne judgement , that 't is lawfull to use a sword in ones owne defence , in time of warre and danger , and that that lawfulnesse is authorized by Christ , in those words : which I shall not doubt to acknowledge with him , if it be not against the lawfull Magistrate . The product then of Theophylact's interpretation will be this ; that by those words , ( for all they that take the sword , shall perish by the sword ) Christ reprehends and chides Peter for drawing his sword , and using it , as hee did : and withall , insinuates aenigmatically the destruction of the Jewes by the Romans . Which if it be acknowledged true in both senses , 't will no way prejudice us , or serve Master Marshall , whose cause depends upon rejecting of the former sense , not on asserting the latter : and doth not onely affirme , that it is a reproofe of the sword taken for unjust oppression , but also that it is not a reproofe of the sword taken for just defence : which is absolutely false in Theophylact's opinion , if defending of Christ be just defence , or chiding be reproving ; or if teaching not to use the sword , though one seeme to defend God himselfe , be rebuking Peter for using defensive Armes for Christ . The short is , though Theophylact's interpretation bring the Jewes under Christs threatning and reprehension , yet doth it no way free Peter from the same ; but primarily subjects him to it : The contrary to which is the onely thing would be for Master Marshall his purpose . 'T is true indeed , in his Scholia on Saint John , hee saith , Christ comforted Peter , which seemes opposite to rebuking ; but that was not in those words , For they that take the sword , &c. but in those , the cup , &c. ( {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , &c. ) which Saint John immediatly adds , omitting the words of the threatning out of the law . And so much for Theophylact also . Now that which hath been thus largely set down out of Theophylact , will sufficiently cleare this whole businesse , without proceeding to examine what may be found in Titus Bostrensis , or Euthymius , to this purpose . The former of these , in his Exposition of Saint Luke , in the Bibliotheca patrum Graec. hath not the least word sounding that way , but rather contrary ; interpreting Christs command of buying a sword , as a designation onely of the Jewes preparation against him , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and that they were about to apprehend him : which ( as Theophylact did , so ) hee calls , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the intimation of the sword ; and saith , that therefore Christ adds , that the things written of him must be fulfilled . And againe , that if Christ would have had his Disciples use any humane help at his apprehension , a hundred swords would not have been sufficient , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and if hee would not , even these two would be too many . But all this hee saith upon the passage of the two swords . The truth is , in the Exposition of the Gospel , hee saith nothing of this reprehension of Peter , but passes it over in silence . And for his notes on Saint Matthew , as also for Euthymius his , though , I confesse , that I have them not by me , yet ( besides that I find nothing that way in those Excerpta that Lucas Burgensis hath out of them , who would not probably have omitted the mention of such a rarity , if it were there , ) I thinke I may take upon me at a venture to say , that hee that examines those bookes , shall not possibly meet with more then out of Theophylact was cited : These three Expositors running generally on the same notions , and all of them for the most part gleaning from Chrysostome , ( Euthymius being his Scholler , Titus his profest Epitomater ) who I am sure hath nothing in favour 〈◊〉 this Exposition . Out of him , as the Homes of those after-Expositors , I shall transcribe these few passages , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , in his homil. 54. on Mat. c. 26. Why did hee bid buy a Sword ? to give them assurance that hee should be betray'd : {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Not that they should be armed on that occasion , ( away with that ) but to signifie his betraying . Then , that their having those two weapons at that time , was upon occasion of killing the lambe for the Passeover , and the Disciples then coming from Supper , and hearing that some would come to apprehend him , took them out from thence with them , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , meaning to fight for their Master ; {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , which was their opinion onely , not Christs intention : {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , wherefore Peter is chid for using of it : {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and that with a sound threat ; which what can it be , but that about which wee now contend , they that take the sword , & c ? upon the hearing of which words , saith hee , hee straight obeyed , and did so no more . Againe , citing the passage in Saint Luke , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , hee chid and threatned the Disciples into obedience ; and then sets down the words of the threat , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , &c. for all that take , &c. And yet after all these plaine words of reprehending and threatning Peter , in those words ( all they that take the sword , shall perish by it ) hee yet adds , that hee comforted his Disciples by two things , first the punishment of the betrayers , applying to that the same speech in a Parenthesis ( They that take , &c. ) and that hee suffered not unwillingly . All which together signifie clearly the same that wee found in Theophylact , ( and presume the utmost either of Titus or Euthymius their exposition ) that in that threatning of Peter , is intimated also or insinuated aenigmatically a threat of those other Sword-men that came out with swords and staves to take Jesus : which will not be denyed by any , or disputed of by me , so the other be granted , viz. that Peter was here reprehended and threatned ; which is the onely thing we quarrell in Mr. Marshall . And so much for the second under-taking . Now that , in the third place , Grotius himselfe who cites these foure Ancients , and is here cited by Master Marshall , de jure belli , l. 1. c. 3. n. 3. doth not in this place , or any other of his writings , assert this interpretation , I shall thus prove : The thing that in that place hee hath in hand is to enquire , Whether all use of the sword , for a mans owne defence , be unlawfull under the Gospel ? And hee resolves , that in case of one private mans being invaded by another , 't is lawfull by the law of Christ , ( not necessary , but lawfull ; a man is onely not obliged to the contrary ) or notwithstanding the prescribed rules of Christian patience , to kill another in defence of my owne life . Against this , three objections hee mentions out of the New Testament , Mat. 5. 39. Rom. 12. 19. and the saying of Christ to Peter , Put up thy sword , &c. For all they that take the sword , &c. To those three hee answers : 1. By opposing some other places of Scripture ; that of Christ to his followers Luk. 22. 36. that to buy a sword , they should sell a coat . In which company of his auditors there were , saith hee , at that time none but his Disciples ; and although , saith hee , it be a proverbiall speech , signifying the great dangers approaching , yet it referr'd to the ordinary use of swords at that time , for private mens defence in time of danger , not there prohibited by him : applying that of Cicero , Gladios habere certè non liceret , si uti illis nullo pacto liceret : Wee might not be allowed to have swords , if it were in no case lawfull to use them . Which still confirmes his point in hand , that in some case , the use of the private sword is lawfull . 2. Hee proceeds to the particular places , saith , in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , there is some exception allowed , that it binds onely in tolerable injuries ; such as the box on the cheeke , &c. there mentioned : in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies not defence , but revenge . Then for that of Peter , it containes , saith hee , a prohibition of using the sword , but not in case of defence : for hee needed not defend himselfe ; for Christ had said , Let these goe , Joh. 18. 8. nor Christ , for hee would not be defended , &c. Besides , saith hee , Peter took up the sword ( in eos qui nomine publicarum potestatum adventabant , quibus an ullo casu resistere liceat , peculiaris est quaestio , infra à nobis peculiariter tractanda ; ) against those that came in the name of the publike powers ; against whom , whether it be lawfull to make resistance in any case , is a peculiar question , to be handled afterward peculiarly . ( And , let me pawne my faith for it , stated negatively . ) As for that which Christ adds , All they that take the sword , &c. that is , either a Proverb , or ( which is the opinion of Origen , Theophylact , Titus , and Euthymius , ) indicat , it shewes or intimates , that wee should not snatch revenge out of Gods hands : and to this applies the place in the Revel. a place in Tertull. Adeò idoneus patientiae sequester Deus , &c. and adds , Simúlque his Christi verbis vaticinium videtur inesse de poenis , quas à sanguinariis Judaeis erat exacturus gladius Romanus : And also in the words there seemes to be included a Prophecy of the punishment , that the Romane sword should exact of the bloudy Jewes . From all which put together , this will be the utmost that Master Marshall can conclude , That Grotius conceived , that the speech of Christ to Peter prohibited not all use of the sword , for private defence ; ( no man saith it did ; or that all such defence is unlawfull ; our case is onely of resisting Magistrates ) that Origen , Theophylact , &c. owned an exposition of it , that thereby wee should be taught , not to take Gods office of revenging out of his hand ; ( which wee also make a speciall part of the importance of that speech , both there , and in the Revel. and so a plaine check of Peter , who did take it ; ) and that withall in these words a Prophecy seems to be implied , of the revenge of Christs death , wrought by Titus upon the Jewes ; ( and wee can acknowledge the Scripture so rich a mine of variety , that it may have this propheticke sense also : though by the way , Grotius cites not this out of those foure Writers , ( nor could hee , for in Origen we find it not ) but as from himselfe , simúlque vaticinium videtur inesse , &c. But for the literall sense , that Peter should not be rebuked by Christ , for using defensive Armes against the Magistrate , ( when with the use of those , the leaving vengeance to God is utterly unreconcileable ) and Christians conceive themselves bound not to use those Armes against the Magistrate , for this very cause , because hee is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , punishable , revengeable by God alone : ) and yet be rebuked for snatching Gods work out of his hand : Or that these words should not belong in the prime sense to Peters fact , as well as in a secundary propheticall seeming one to the Jewes , there is not any appearances of sound of any word in Grotius there , or in any other place in that book , or his large Annotations on the Gospels : which if Master Marshall had read with his own eyes , hee would confesse with me . And so much for his citation of Grotius . Now , in the last place , for the opinion of this learned man Grotius , ( an excellent Casuist , exactly distinguishing the severall obligations of Nature , of Moses , and of Christ ; a Protestant , and , if an Arminian , farre from deserving that part of the censure which Master Cheynel layes on such , of being as lawlesse as that faction at Munster , whose law it was , Magistratibus ac Principibus nullus subjiciatur ) in the businesse of taking up Armes against a King for just defence , I shall referre you to his first Book de jure belli , & cap. 4. ( Not that I can hope you will be moved with his authority , when hee appeares against you , that is not the manner of men now-a-dayes , to be content to be tried by your owne witnesses ; but for the satisfaction to conscience , which this Authours reasons and perspicuity will yeeld any Christian Reader ) the very place whereto hee referr'd the Reader even now for his resolution in that point ; and the state of this question being set ( An aut privatis aut publicis personis bellum gerere liceat in eos , quorum imperio subsunt ; ) Whether any private or publike persons may lawfully wage warre against them , under whose command they are ; hee defines , that by the very Law of Nature ( so much now talkt of ) 't is not lawfull . 2. That by the Law of the Jewes it was not allowed . 3. That it was lesse allowed , but become more unlawfull by the Evangelicall Law , Rom. 13. 1. & 1 Pet. 2. 12 , &c. and practice of ancient Christians . 4. Confutes the opinion of those that affirme it lawfull , for inferiour Magistrates to wage warreagainst the Supreme , by reasons and Scriptures . 5. Proposes the case of extreme and inevitable necessity , when the King goes to take away a mans life unjustly : and ( whatsoever might from nature or practice of the Jewes , as of David , or of the Macchabees , be brought to assert resistance in this case ) hee defines from the Christian Law , ( which commands so oft to take up the Crosse ) an exacter degree of patience ; and particularly , when for Religion our Superiours goe about to kill us , though hee will allow flight to some sort of men , yet to no man more then flight ; but rather rejoycing when wee suffer as Christians . This , saith hee , was the course that brought Christian Religion to such an height in the world : and resolves it the greatest injury that can be done to the ancient Christians , to say , that it was want of strength , not of inclinations that way , that they defended not themselves in time of most certaine danger of death . Tertullian , saith hee , had been imprudent and impudent , if in a writing presented to the Emperours ( who could not be ignorant of the truth ) hee had dared to lye so confidently , when hee saith , Non deesset nobis vis numerorum , &c. most admirable passages out of ancient Writers hee there cites , for a leafe together to the same purpose , of dying for the truth of Religion ; and never defending themselves by Arms , against the illegall will of the lawfull Magistrates . ( I beseech Master Marshall to send to the shop and read the passages , and consider how farre hee hath departed from the Primitivenesse , and Christianity of those examples . ) And to conclude , Though Grotius ( according to his manner ; which is to say all that can be wisht in any subject ) mentions some cases wherein a King may be resisted , yet if you read them , you will find little joy in any of them : As in case a King shall abdicate his Kingdome , and manifestly relinquish his Power , then hee turnes private man , and so may be dealt with as any other such . And some other the like . Well , I have said enough of Grotius in the businesse , and should adde no more ; but , I remember , I promised to shew that on occasion of these words of Christ to Saint Peter , hee hath as much against the Exposition pretended to be his , and the whole doctrine of resistance , as the Kings friends could desire ; and that is in his Annotations on the place , Mat. 26. 52. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , &c. Neque vero ad Petrum tantùm admonitio ista pertinet , sed & ad Christianos omnes , qui à publicis potestatibus ad poenam expetuntur ob pietatis professionem : The admonition belongs not to Peter onely , but to all Christians , when they are called by the Magistrate to suffer for the profession of piety : and sets the rule in that case , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to commit our soules to God , to expend our lives in his cause that gave us them ; alledging to this purpose , what this Peter had learned from this Master , 1 Pet. 4. 16 , 19. and answering the common frivolous objection , fetch from the law of naturall defence , or selfe-preservation , shewing the difference between the use of that liberty against theeves , &c. ( against which the Lawes and Magistrates give us the liberty ) and against the commands of the Supreme Magistrate ; whom if in any case of injury , &c. private men may have permission to resist , or repell force with force , omnia erunt tumultuum plena ; nulla legum , nulla judiciorum authoritas : the perfect image of our Kingdom at this time , when the words are Englished , as God knowes the sense is : and then hee concludes with the case of Religion , wherein there is no place of resisting the higher powers , be their violence never so unjust . I have undoubtedly made good my foure under-takings in this businesse ; and shall beseech Master Marshall hereafter to write more cautiously , lest hee provoke men to put him and the world in mind of other unjustifiable passages in his writings ; to tell him of ( that which in meere charity to him I desire hee should know men doe take notice of ) his dealing in a Sermon of his , about Josiah's reformation , preacht before the House of Commons long since : and of the applying of the curse that fell on the Inhabitants of Meroz , Judg. 5. ( for not helping their Soveraigne , namely Deborah , against a forraigne Enemy , Jabin ) to those that will not joyne with himselfe against his Soveraigne , and his Cavaleirs ; i. e. those Forces raised by him . I wish heartily that Master Marshall , having gotten so much authority as to be the Augustine , the truly polemicall Divine of our times , would be so charitable to his disciples , as to imitate him , in retracting so many of his misadventures , as hee cannot chuse but know to be such ; and not to impose too intolerably on their credulity : or so tender of his owne reputation , as to acknowledge those himselfe , which every man that hath eyes doth discerne in his books ; and would , were it not for meere pity , and the duty of loving enemies , give a large account of . But I must remember , that Master Marshall adds two appearances of answer more to that allegation from Christ to Saint Peter ; a word or two of those . Secondly , saith hee , supposing it was a reproofe of Peters using the sword , then the plaine meaning is to condemne Peters rashnesse , who drew his sword , and never staid to know his Masters mind whether hee should strike or not ; and so reproves those who rashly , unlawfully , or doubtingly use the sword . But , I pray Sir , are those the words of Christ , They onely that take the sword without asking , or knowing my mind , shall perish , &c. Or have we any reason to think , that Christ would have then dispensed with a known law if hee had answered him , and not rather have referred him to be regulated by it , as you see hee doth , for all that take , &c. 2. To see the unluckinesse of it againe , the text Luk. 22. 49. saith expresly , that they did ask him , said unto him , Lord , shall wee smite with the sword ? so that the question was aske before hee smote : And sure , if it had been Christs pleasure they should smite , one syllable would have exprest it , and justified them ; and that might have intervened before his striking : and that it did not intervene , is no argument of the lawfulnesse of that striking in him , or the like in us ; especially when so sharp a reprehension immediately followes . 3. I shall grant the meaning is to condemne Peter's rashnesse , in doing a thing so unlawfull , without any commission ; especially , when it was denyed by Christ upon asking ; but not that the matter of the fact was perfectly justifiable , if abstracted from that rashnesse : or that now Christs judgement being declared by his answer to him , it should be more justifiable in us , who have his example for our document . 4. I shall aske Master Marshall , whether hee hath asked and received knowledge of his Masters mind or no ? hee must not meane any of his great earthly Masters , ( that joyne with him in the warre against the Supreme ; for sure , if such tell us wee may , or be so minded , that doth not prove that 't is lawfull ; for then I must aske them what Master they asked ? and so , if they have none , conclude them in the number of the rash smiters ; ) but Christ , ( for sure hee was Peter's Master ) or some taught by him in his word , who may give him assurance of the mind of Christ : and if this be produc'd wee will be his disciples also . For , for his Supreme Master on earth , the meer-humane Christ , the Lords anoynted , I beleeve hee meanes not that hee should be asked , whether hee may be , and should be resisted ? and as little reason is there for us to be satisfied by being told by any others inferiour to him , ( especially by the chiefe resisters ) that wee may lawfully resist . 3. Master Marshall adds a consideration , that now was the houre come of Christs suffering , and not of his Apostles fighting , wherein Christ would not be rescued , no not by twelve legions of Angels , much lesse then by the sword of man : therefore hee saith to Peter , Put up , &c. but intended not , that it should alwayes be unlawfull for his people to use the sword in their just defence against unjust violence ; for then hee would never have commanded them but a little before , that hee that hath two coats , let him sell one and buy a sword . To this I answer , 1. That Christ might suffer , though Peter did resist ; as wee know hee did ; and consequently , the houre of his suffering being come , could not make it in him a crime to resist , if otherwise it were not : It might make Christ refuse the help of his sword , but not produce the text proper to man-slayers against him , unlesse the fact in it selfe were of that nature . 2. This patient manner of Christs suffering , and prohibiting resistance in his just defence , though it were then peculiar , and by decree necessary to Christ ; yet is it since become matter of example , and necessary imitation to us , by force of that observation past upon it by Saint Peter , and entred into the Canon of our Scripture , 1 Pet. 2. 21. Christ suffered for us , leaving us an example that wee should follow his steps , &c. And this used as an argument to enforce on us that duty , vers. 18. of being subject not onely to good and gentle , but also to froward Masters . So that now , thirdly , though that checke had been peculiar to Saint Peter's act , clothed with those circumstances , of being done when 't was Christs houre of suffering ; yet it will be obliging to us also , who are hereunto called , vers. 21. to suffer as patiently as Christ did . But then fourthly , wee conclude not from any or all of this , that it should be alwayes unlawfull for Christians to use the sword in their just defence : nor indeed , that it was unlawfull then ; Kings may and might subdue by the sword their rebellious Subjects : and private men might defend themselves from private invaders , and besides the proverbiall meaning of that speech ( of selling a coat and buying a sword , whereby , say the fathers , hee foretold them the dangers impendent over their heads , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrys. and advised them to provide for their owne security ) I shall not doubt to acknowledge that this liberty of private defensive resistance is authorized by that same Scripture : But the resisting of the Magistrate by the Subject , is the thing that from Christs words to Peter wee undertake to shew unlawfull , and not any other resistance ; and that the swords were appointed by Christ to be bought to that purpose , is not attempted to be proved by Master Marshall ; and to suppose it without proofe , is to affirme , that no man could invade , or be fit to be killed , but Magistrates . The truth is , here is some art used , either by Master Marshall , or some other Artificer ( interest , prejudice , or the like ) by Master Marshall to deceive the Reader ; or by that other to deceive the Composer , by using the phrase of just defence against unjust violence , ( which every man grants lawfull among private men ) and concluding that not to be made unlawfull by this text , ( which we doe not affirm , ) whereas all the dispute is , of resisting ( not simply any man , but peculiarly ) the Magistrate ( and those that come with authority from him , ) which wee doe affirme to be the very thing exemplified and rebuked in this Text , and so still stands ( by that reprehension of Christ ) forbidden to us , in despight of Master Marshall's evasions . 'T will be now matter of wonder to any , that all this paper should be spent in defence of this one Argument , so briefly confuted and dispatcht by Master Marshall ; but I shall answer that wonder too : First , that at the entring on this examination of those few , the necessity of this length of words was not fore-seen . Secondly , that though the escaping the force of this place would not be matter of triumph to Master Marshall , because there be other places of the New Testament produced by his adversaries , yet unanswered , and one is enough to establish a Christian truth ; yet the vindicating and clearing of this one from all exceptions , is the absolute carrying the cause against him by that one : And therefore if this may be compassed , ( which I am confident is by this discourse ) wee may spare all further travell in this business ; and command the Subjects sword taken out ( though upon supposition of just defence , how unjustly soever that be pretended ) against the lawfull Magistrate , to returne to its sheath againe . I wish to God it would obey the command . Tu verò discipuli & amorem pium & humilitatem considera : alterum enim ex diligendi fervore ; alterum ex obedientiâ fecerat . Nam cùm audisset , Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam , statim obtemperavit , & nusquam postea istud fecit . Titus Bostr. in Matth. Non se sed magistrum est ultus , praeterea nondum perfectae & consummatae virtutis erat . Quod si vis Petri sapientiam intelligere , videbis posteà caesu● & sexcentas injurias passum , nullis malis , nullis calamitatibus pertur●●●● 〈◊〉 omnia tolerantem . Euthym. in Johan . Ille utitur gladio , qui nullâ superiori ac legitimâ potestate vel jubente vel concedente , in sangninem alicujus armatur . Nam utique Dominus jusserat , ut ferrum discipuli ejus ferrent , sed non jusserat ut ferirent . Quod ergo incongruum , si Petrus post hoc peccatum factus est pastor Ecclesiae : sicut Moyses post percussum Aegyptium factus est rector istius Synagogae ? uterque enim non detestabili immanitate , sed emendabili animositate justitiae regulam excessit , uterque odio improbitatis alienae ; sed ille fraterno , iste Dominico , licèt adhuc carnali , tamen amore peccavit . Aug. lib. 22. cont. Faust . Man. cap. 70. FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A45421e-240 * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . * The fo●… of this ●lace of Christ to St. Peter , see M. M hath labour'd to delude , an● therefore 〈◊〉 have labour'd to vindicate in anoth●● Discourse hereto appendant , to which I referre the Reader . Of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Notes for div A45421e-5570 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Notes for div A45421e-9210 Vid. suprà pag. 7. What if a man should construe this ( not o●… occasion of the Militi● In Matth●… p. 162. ●…f Socin. ●…3 . In Luk. p. 464. 
A52050	----	The right vnderstanding of the times opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, December 30, 1646, at Margaret Westminster, being the day of their solemne monethly fast / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52050 of text R6357 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M771). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 97 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 26 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52050 Wing M771 ESTC R6357 12987638 ocm 12987638 96242 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52050) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96242) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 390:6) The right vnderstanding of the times opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, December 30, 1646, at Margaret Westminster, being the day of their solemne monethly fast / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [6], 46 p. Printed by Richard Cotes for Stephen Bowtell ..., London : 1647. Reproduction of original in Princeton University Library. Marginal notes. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Chronicles, 1st, XII, 32 -- Sermons. Fast-day sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A52050 R6357 (Wing M771). civilwar no The right vnderstanding of the times: opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, December 30. 1646. at Margaret Westmins Marshall, Stephen 1647 19016 34 15 0 0 0 0 26 C The rate of 26 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Die Mercurii 30. Decemb. 1646. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament , That Sir William Massam doe from this House give thankes to Mr. Marshall and Mr. Newcomen for the great paines they tooke in their Sermons they preached this day before the Commons at St. Margaret Westminster ( being a day of their publique Humiliation ) and desire them to Print their Sermons . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Stephen Bowtell to print my Sermon . Stephen Marshall . THE RIGHT VNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES : OPENED In a Sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons , December 30. 1646. at Margaret Westminster , Being the day of their solemne Monethly Fast . By Stephen Marshall , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . Jer. 8. Vers. 7 , 8. The Storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed times , and the Turtle , and the Crane , and the Swallow observe the time of their comming , but my people know not the judgement of the Lord : How do yee say , wee are wise ? If thou hadst knowne , even thou at least in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace , but now they are hid from thine eyes . Luk. 19.42 . So teach us to number our dayes , that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome , Psal. 90.12 . LONDON , Printed by Richard Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , and are to bee sold at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1647. TO THE HONORABLE The House of COMMONS Now Assembled in PARLIAMENT . IT hath been much lamented by learned men , that the times wherein things have been done in the world , are no more truly computed , and that thereby all Histories of times are very imperfect , Apud quos ratio temporis non cohaeret , apud illos neque veritatis neque fidei historicae ratio ulla constare potest ; How much more is it to bee lamented , that so few have any understanding of the times in reference to the things which concerne their everlasting peace ? because no lesse mischiefe then ruine of soules , of Nations and Churches unavoidably breake in upon them , who know not the time of their visitation ; If this plaine Sermon may help this way to mend the times , and promote the right and best study of them , especially if God vouchsafe to blesse it to bee in any degree usefull to you in your great worke , for whose Meridian it was calculated , for whose use it was composed , to whom it was preached , and by whose order it is now made publique , it will bee a great comfort to the spirit , and a blessed answer from heaven to the Prayers of Your unworthy and most devoted Servant , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honorable House of Commons , at their Monethly Fast , Decemb. 30. 1646. 1 Chron. 12.32 . And of the Children of Issachar , which were men that had understanding of the times , to know what Israel ought to doe ; the heads of them were two hundred , and all their brethren were at their command . THis whole Chapter ( Beloved ) doth containe a List or Catalogue of all the men of warre which did cleave to David , their names , their qualities , their Number ; and there is a double Catalogue of them : First , a Catalogue of them that did cleave to him , before Saul was dead , while he was in a defensive warre for his owne safetie ; for although David for a great while , had not above six or seven hundred with him , yet in the end they fell to him , especially out of the Tribes of Judah , Benjamin , Gad , and Manasseh , so many that his Army grew to be like an Army of God . And lest any man should thinke that it were no better then rebellion in him and them to beare defensive Armes against his Prince , it is said in the 18 Verse , That the Spirit came upon one of the chiefe Commanders , and told him they were his , and would live and die with him , and that God was with him , they knew him innocent ; they saw he was unjustly persecuted , they came to rescue him as a Partridge out of a Falcons Talons , and in so doing they did no more , then the whole hoste did at another time , when they saved Jonathan out of the hands of his father Saul , who would unjustly have put him to death . The other part of the Chapter beginning at Verse 23. containeth the Catalogue of the Commanders and Souldiers that fell in to him to make him King , after the death of Saul , and there you shall finde that the excellent qualities of all the Leaders , and of many of the Souldiers are described ; some of them were excellent Archers , some were exact Slingers who could throw and hit at a haires breadth , some of them were as couragious as Lions , some of them were as swift as the Roes upon the Mountaines , but none of them all came neere the Tribe of Issachar , in that which makes a people strong and happy both in the time of warre and peace ; They were men of understanding , who knew the times what Israel had to doe ; and of this excellent commendation of this Tribe of Issachar , as of a Theame that very much concernes us , I have chosen to treate this day before this great Assembly by the assistance of Almighty God ; wherein there are three things to bee handled . First , The persons spoken of , the Tribe of Issachar , and their heads and leaders especially . Secondly , Their singular commendations , they had understanding to know the times , what Israel , had to doe ; the whole Tribe , but especially their Leaders , who were about two hundred , knew the times in reference to their duty . Thirdly , Here is the interest which these Leaders had in the hearts of their Brethren , and this procured principally by their wisedome and understanding ; all their Brethren were at their command , or as the word signifies , depended on their mouth . I begin briefly to speake of the first . The persons , they were the men of Issachar ; Issachar you know was one of the twelve Tribes , one of Iacobs sonnes by Leah , and their lot in the land of Canaan fell betwixt the halfe Tribe of Manasseh and Zebulun , and their province was bounded by the mountaines of Gilboa on the one side , and mount Hermon on the other ; all that goodly part of the Countrey , that was called the fat valley of Jezreel , was the inheritance of this Tribe of Issachar , a rich in-land Country , and formerly their Spirits and Genius was like to that of Country Farmers . They minded nothing but their back and their belly , and so Jacob himselfe did foretell of them , in the 49. of Genesis , when he said , that Issachar was like a strong Asse that couched downe betweene two burthens , and saw that rest was good , and gave himselfe willingly to beare Tribute : The meaning was , that this Tribe would bee like unto that dull , simple , slothfull creature the Asse , that minded nothing but his belley , give him but meate enough for his belly and lay what you will upon his back ; so this Tribe , if they might not be outed or plundred in their rich Country , but might follow their businesse , and gather wealth , lay any thing upon them they would beare it : this of old was the Genius of this Tribe , but now another manner of Spirit possessed them ; none of all the Maritine townes nor Cities where the people are most active , and fit for Negotiation , went beyond , or came neere to the Tribe of Issachar , now ( I say ) they had learned that that makes a people happy , they had wisedome and unitie , they had understanding to know the times and their dutie , they had many thousands of eyes to see into the true state of affaires , and then they had as many thousand hands ready to execute ; they could presently fall upon that which belonged to them ; they had understanding of the times , and knew not onely what themselves , but what all the Country , what all Israel had to doe ; this was the people , and this strange alteration that God had made in the Spirit of this Tribe of Issachar , doth afford us this excellent lesson . That the Lord can at his pleasure inable and raise up the spirits of persons , and people to doe worthily , from whom no body would expect any thing . Moses had foretold that Issachar would bee but a dull Asse , but you see how the Lord had altered , and raised him up to doe excellently ; hee went beyond all the other Tribes ; and God hath often done so , hee takes Moses a Shepheard , a man slow of speech , sends him and makes him a fit man to deliver a whole nation out of bondage and captivitie ; at another time , hee raises Gideon , a private Gentleman , it may bee but a Yeomans sonne , from his Flayle when hee was threshing of Wheat , and makes him a Captaine to route the whole Army of the Midianites and to judge his people ; at another time takes Saul , a Private Gentlemans sonne , who was seeking for his fathers Asses , and makes him fit to governe a kingdome ; takes David a young youth from following his Ewes great with Lambe , and presently enables him to cope with the Gyant Goliah , and to destroy him , and afterwards to bee the ruler over Gods people ; hee takes Amos from being a Neatheard , and a gatherer of Summer fruit , to bee a Prophet , and to preach in the Kings Chappell ; takes Fishermen who were never bred in Universities , and sends them into all the world with the power of the Gospel to subdue the Nations to Jesus Christ . Thus the Lord hath raised up instruments , and hee can easily doe it , for there is a spirit in man , but the inspiration which gives understanding and gifts comes onely from the Almighty ; the Lord hath abundance of the Spirit , and powres it out where , and how , and in what manner hee pleaseth . This may bee a great incouragement to us in all our extremities and exigents , let us doe our dutie , and let us never feare Gods wanting of instruments for his worke ; when wee are low , wee presently cry out , Lord by whom shall Jacob arise , by whom ? by stones raised up to bee children , and by children inabled to doe the worke of men : Wee should never bee at our faiths end , though sometimes wee are at our wits end , let us doe our dutie , and leave it to God , who can easily raise up instruments to do his worke , from whom wee would never expect it ; wee our selves have had a great deale of blessed experience of it . In the beginning of our publique troubles , our question was , by whom shall England arise now it is thus low ? Wee demanded , where shall wee finde Captaines and Commanders for a warre in a Nation where all men have been bred in ease and peace ? God hath found them , and tooke Gentlemen from following their Hawkes and Dogs , and Tradesmen from their shops , and Husbandmen from their Ploughes , to bee able to cope with the most expert Commanders in the world : and now wee are at another losse , now wee are demanding , where shall we find Ministers for eight or ten thousand Congregations , to instruct them in the way of life ? Feare not , if God for our sinnes deny us not this mercy , hee can fulfill that in the 68. Psalme ; The Lord will give the Word , and great shall be the multitude of them that shall publish it , the Lord can raise them up unexpectedly ; and so in all other our difficulties . But this I purposely onely point at , that I might not bee straightned in the second , which is the singular commendations of this Tribe , They were men of understanding to know the times , and what Israel had to doe . That it is a great and high commendation of any people , especially of their Heads and Leaders , to know the times in reference to their dutie : These men of Issachar had understanding of the times , to know what Israel had to doe ; this God sets downe as their high commendation ; in the handling of it I shall indeavour these three things . First , I shall interpret the meaning of it , make you see what it is to know the times in reference to duties . Secondly , I shall indeavour to prove it out of the Scripture , and illustrate the truth of it , that you may see , that it is a high commendation , and a matter of extreme consequence ; and thirdly , and principally , I shall indeavour to make Application of it for our own good . For the first , What it is to know the times in reference to dutie ; you may please to observe that in the Scripture , and in the practise of men , there is found a fivefold knowledge of the times . There is an Astrologicall knowledge of the times , such a knowledge as the Starre-gazers do boast of ; a knowledg whereby a company of vaine men doe undertake out of the bookes of the Starres to tell you whatsoever God hath decreed concerning Men or States : this knowledg is so condemned in other places of Scripture that none of you will imagine , that this was the commendation of this Tribe . Secondly , There is another knowledge of the times , which I may call a Diabolicall knowledge of the times , whereby wicked and ungodly men do studie to improve all advantages of time to further their own lusts and wickednesses ; the study and knowledge of time-servers , who indeavour to make the times further them in their cursed designes ; men who like Willowes or Bulrushes in the water will bow which way soever the streame runs , and dance after the present Fiddle of the times for their owne ends . I am certaine none of you think that this was the commendation of this Tribe ; such Temporizers & Time-servers , however they may for a while applaud their own wisedomes , will one day know , they have served but an ill Master ; this was farre from the Tribe of Issachar . Thirdly , You shall read of a Propheticall knowledge of the times , that is , such a knowledge as wherein the Lord by revelation doth in able some of his servants , I meane the Prophets , to know what shall afterwards come to passe ; and this kinde of knowledge , though every man hath an itch after it , and many doe as Nebuchadnezzar did , when his thoughts troubled him in the night , that hee might know what should come to passe afterwards ; yet our Lord hath told us , That it is not for us thus to know the times and seasons , which the Father hath kept in his owne hand ; there is fourthly , Another knowledge of the Times , and study of it , which is , an Historicall knowledge of the times , or an Astronomicall knowledge of the times ; a knowledge which is extremely and deservedly cried up by learned men ; a knowledge wherein many men of choycest wits , both among Heathens and Christians , have tooke very great paines , wherein they have much advanced wisedome and learning , especially in our latter age . Many rare men of choycest abilities have set downe in a continued Series , a Chronologie of all the yeers , that have been since the Creation , and of the most memorable things and persons that have fallen out , or lived in the severall ages , and yeeres ; and this they have done to their owne everlasting honour , rectifying the accompt of time , and extremely advantaged even the studie of the Scriptures ; now this knowledge , though it bee excellent , yet my Text hath nothing to doe with it , and truly though it bee an excellent thing , men may have it , and yet die fooles , and be miserable for want of that knowledge which I am this day to speake of . The Nation of the Jewes were admirable in that kind of accompt of times : Scaliger saith of them , they were exact even to admiration ; and Sethus Calvisius one of the most learned writers of that kind , though hee goe another way to worke , yet confesses that in the Jewes accompt , they did not lose above the accompt of one houre in the space of 1500. yeers ; yet because they had no better knowledge of the times then that , the Lord in the eighth of Jeremiah saith , they were fooles , and had not so much wisedome , as the Crane and the Storke , and the Swallow , those irrationall Animals , who had so much sagacitie , as to know the times of their comming into a Countrey , and leaving a Countrey ; but this people knew nothing of the times in reference to Gods judgements , and their owne duties : the Lord counted them fooles for all their other learning ; And therefore there is , fiftly , Another knowledge of the times , which I may call a Theologicall knowledge , or rather a gratious and a practicall knowledge of the times , which is , so to know the times , as to understand the moment and exigence of all affaires which fall within the times in reference to their owne dutie , that they may improve all occurrences which fall out to the right end . This is the knowledge that I am to speake of , and this knowledge infinitely goes beyond that other ; I confesse I finde a great many learned Volumes writ for the helpe of the other , to further the Chronologicall , or Historicall wisedome of the times , abundance of Astronomicall Tables have been compiled , and other helpes set forth ; but for this latter , I hardly know one little Pamphlet extant about it , and yet this infinitely goes beyond the other ; for though a man should die ignorant of the other , and never know the Julian Account , or wherein the new & old stile differ one from another , if hee have but learned to number his dayes , so as to apply his heart to wisedome , hee will honour God here , and bee happy for ever ; but without this , what learning soever hee had in the other , his life will be wicked , and in the end hee will die a foole : And this was the knowledge of this Tribe , this Practicall knowledge , so that when the other Tribes some of them stood for the house of Saul , to continue the government there , others of them inclined to David to make him King , and others probably were unsatisfied in their thoughts concerning either of them , possibly thinking it would bee best to continue their old Aristocraticall government , in their severall Tribes , and to waite that God should raise them up extraordinary Judges in difficult times , and so they stood in a kind of indifferency and neutralitie ; these men of Issachar , especially their Leaders , had so studied the times , that they did not onely know what was lawfull and expedient in this huge turne of theirs , in this great businesse that was before them , but they knew what was their dutie , yea what all the kingdome , all the Common-wealth ought to doe with them , they knew the times , and what Israel had to doe . Now this knowledge that I have brought you to , is not a mentall or speculative understanding of humane affaires , or things belonging either to Church or Common-wealth , but it is a Practicall knowledge , which is a wise abilitie to manage all the understanding that they have in reference to their dutie ; in one word , it is to observe all Gods administrations , wherewith the present time is filled , his providences , his mercies , his judgements , his words , his workes , to observe them ( I say ) so as thereby to bee inabled seasonably and timely to performe their owne duties , and to regulate their conversations according to the exigence and juncture of times , for the glory of God , the good of their brethren , and the salvation of their owne soules , and this is the Theame wherein I now proceed . To give you some evidence out of the Scripture , to make it apparent to you , that it is the highest commendations that can bee given of any people , to have this understanding of the times , in reference to their dutie : and for the proofe of it , I shall indeavour these two things . First , To shew it you plainely out of the Scriptures , that it is a marvailous high commendation , and a deserved one . And secondly , I shall indeavour to make a further illustration of this Doctrine , of knowing the times , out of Gods Word . To prove that it is such a high and deserved commendations , take but these three proofes . First , every where in the Scripture this is counted true wisedome , and in the accompt of God , they goe for wise men , who understand the times in reference to their duties ; looke first into the fift of the Ephesians , at the eight verse , and so forward , the Apostle layes downe this great Doctrine , That now God had sent the light of the Gospell amongst them , they must not for time to come walke as other Gentiles did walke in the vanitie of their minds , but they must leade a life worthy of the Gospell ; and this hee proves by many Arguments , which when hee hath proved , then in the 15. and 16. verses , hee sets downe what this life is , see then , that you walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , exactly , not as Fooles but as Wise men ; wherein lies that ? redeeming the time , because the dayes are evill ; there is all required , there is the manifestation and demonstration , that you do not walke like Fooles , but as Wise men , if you have but once learned to redeeme the time in these evill dayes ; the dayes are naught , the times are evill , full of snares to be avoyded , many duties to bee done ; now herein will appeare Gospell-wisedome , to walke so as that in these evill dayes , you may redeeme the time : and Solomon hath an excellent discourse of the same subject , in the eighth of Ecclesiastes , in the beginning of the Chapter , hee gives a high Encomium of a wise man ; Who is ( saith hee ) as the wise man ? that is , no ●an can bee compared to a wise man , what is hee ? 〈◊〉 that knowes the interpretation of a thing , hee that knowes what every businesse doth truly signifie and call for , that is the wise man ; then hee tells you , this mans wisedome will gaine him courage and credit , hee will bee honored and esteemed ; then brings it downe , to manifest the excellency of this wisedome in one particular case , which is the most tickle businesse in the world for men to bee imployed in , and that is in attending upon the affaires of supreme Governors in doing that which the higher powers command them , for they will quickly bee angry and take offence , therefore doe their businesse carefully and speedily as you should , and if they bee angry , goe not away in a pet , &c. But now lest some body should say , Doe you meane that a man should doe all that Kings , and supreme Magistrates doe command , without further enquiry or delay ? No , saith Salomon in the fifth Verse , the wise man knowes both time and judgement ; the wise man that hath the interpretation of a thing , knowes what is to bee done , what is to bee refused , and when things are to bee done most fitly or opportunely ; therefore none like the wise man . So likewise Moses in the 32. of Deuteronomy , about the 19. Verse , O that this people were wise , that they did but understand their last end ; that they but rightly knew their time : and in the 90. Psalme , which is another prayer of Moses , Lord teach us so to number our dayes , to make such a compute of our times , that wee might apply our hearts to wisedome . I might give you many other Scriptures which show that the Lord counts this to be true wisedome ; nay , I 'le add this further , the very light of nature hath taught the Heathens to judge this to bee true wisedome : the seven Counsellors of that great Emperour of Persia , in the first of Ester are said to bee men that knew the times , the meaning is , that they were wise Counsellors ; and among the Romans it is a Proverbiall Adage , homo omnium horarum , that is , hee is a wise man that is a man for all houres , knowes the businesse of every time , of every place , whatsoever hee is called to , hee understands his affaires ; and in truth this may well bee called wisedome , for it is wisedome ; it is not onely a part of wisedome , but it is the very Systeme and comprehension of all wisedome : I know there is a particular wisedome that men may have in some affaires , as a Husbandman that knowes but how to plough his ground seasonably , &c. that is called his wisedome ; and the women that did but know how to spin finely , &c. Men may have a kind of wisedome in this or that particular trade , and yet all the world may know him to bee a foole in everything else ; but that that is the true and reall wisedome which properly sets a man out to goe for a wise man , properly stands in the true understanding of the times , in reference to mens duties . For both Philosophers and Divines doe agree , that wisedome is made up of these two things ; the one is , Intelligence , which is nothing but the understanding of things in their nature , as they are good or evill ; the other is Sapience , which is the same understanding applyed to particular businesses , as they stand vested with all their circumstances : and that man that hath the understanding of affaires , as they are circumstantianted with all things that goe with them , and knowes how hee may dexterously and opportunely apply himselfe to them , hee is the wise man , that is the first proofe , that the Spirit of God every where calls this wisedome . Secondly , The same Spirit of God doth ●sually call the want of this , folly ; whatsoever other excellencies meete in any man , if they want this , the Scripture calls them fooles ; yea hypocrites , wicked ones , in the 8. of Jeremiah , the Lord speakes in the 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. Verses , after this manner , How doe you say you are wise ? why doe you pretend to wisedome , ( and hee speakes not to the vulgar people , but to the Scribes , their learnedst men , that could handle their tongues and their pens best ) there was no wisedome in them , they were fooles ; Why ? because ( saith God ) the Storke , and the Crane , and the Swallow know their seasons , but this people knowes not the time of my judgements ; and therefore the Lord would not have them pretend to any wisedome , but bee contented to bee counted fooles , because they were ignorant of this : and our blessed Saviour in the 16. of Matthew , when the Scribes and Pharisees , and the learned Doctors of the Law came and desired to have some further evidence from him , by some signe from heaven , that hee was the Messias ; Christ told them they were Hypocrites , they were a sinfull and an adulterous Generation , meerely because they did not understand the signes of the times , A wicked and an adulterous generation would have more light : you can tell by the Clouds when it will bee faire weather next morning , and you can guesse by the morning whether it will be rain ; but yee hypocrites , yee fooles ( saith hee ) you cannot discerne the signes of the times , what the times signifies , and calls for at your hands , you have no understanding of this , and therefore you may goe for a company of fooles , and hypocrites , and so left them and departed . Nay , thirdly , which makes it yet more cleare , The want of this knowledge of the times in reference to mans dutie , is that which the Spirit of God uses to render as the onely cause of a peoples ruine : whensoever a people are brought to ruine , if they be a people to whom God afforded meanes to save them , when they come to be ruin'd , the Lord layes it wholly upon this , that they knew not the times of their visitation . This you 'le find in the 19. of Luke , and the latter end of it , when Christ about the 41. Verse , came to take his farefull of Jerusalem and to die there ; from the top of the Mountaine he looked over the Citie and fell a weeping , O ( saith hee ) that thou hadst but known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace , but they are hid from thy eyes ; then hee goes on and tells them what shall become of them , the enemies shall cast a banke and not leave one stone upon another , levell them to the ground and their Children in them ; for what I pray ? because thou knew'st not the time of thy visitation : destruction came in onely at that breach , they knew not the time of their visitation ; and elsewhere our Lord saith , in the latter end of the world , when ruine shall come , it will bee then , as it was in the dayes of Noah , and as it was in the dayes of Lot , men shall bee eating and drinking , and marrying wives , but know nothing they should do for their salvation till utter ruine come upon them . I hope now the truth of this Lesson is cleare out of the Scripture . But if you please to goe a little further yet , and consider the excellency and difficulty of this wisedome to know the times , how much depends upon it , & how much is required to it , you 'l bee fully satisfied , that a greater commendation can never bee given of any man , or any people , then this , that they know the times in reference to their duties : and that I may open what belongs to the making up of this worke , I beseech you give mee leave to open these six Conclusions out of the Scripture , which all much concerne this wisedome of knowing the times in reference to dutie . First , That time is one of the most pretious treasures that ever God bestowes upon any man , or any people ; 1. because time is the onely measure out of which God powres out all his administrations . 2. Time it is the onely space in which men are to doe all their worke . 3. It 's so pretious that God would have men value it one to another : if any man had hurt another , hee must not onely pay for his healing , but hee must pay for the losse of his time . Yea , 4. God calls upon his people to redeeme it at any rate ; Redeeme the time , redeeme the time , as if there were no commoditie , that the God of heaven would so commend unto men ( next to his truth ) that wee should buy so eagerly , as wee should purchase time . Yea , 5. it is so pretious , that Hee who is at that great cost to make and contrive it , as to cause the Sunne every day to run about the world , and all those excellent creatures in the firmament to make it their work , for the continuation of time will call men to accompt for every moment , for every minute of it : That is my first Conclusion , that time is a pretious Jewell in Gods account , and ought to be so in all people's . Secondly , God hath joyned time and dutie inseparably one to another ; so that there is no dutie , but it hath an appointed time for it , and there is no time , but it , hath an appointed dutie for it ; it 's disputable whether there bee a vacuum in nature or no , it is most certaine there is no vacuum in time : No man ever lives to see that minute of time , nor that ragge or cranny of time , of which hee may truely say at this time , I have nothing at all to doe ; but the Lord hath measured out to all times some dutie or other : this our Saviour saith expresly , Matth. 6.34 . when hee would disswade men from troubling themselves to day with the duties that belong to to morrow , hee useth this argument among others , Trouble not your selves for to morrow , for to morrow day hath trouble enough of its owne , sufficient for every day is the trouble of it ; the care , the worke , the dutie of every day that passeth over our heads is enough to fill the day , that is the second , that God hath joyned time and dutie together . Thirdly , There are some great duties that are to bee concurrent in the practise of all men , with every moment of their lives : My meaning plainly is this , the great businesse of glorifying God , of saving our immortall soules , of keeping a good conscience , of working out our salvation , these great things are not set off by God to any set time , but they are to be concurrent with every moment of a mans time ; Trust in the Lord at all times ; have respect to Gods Commandements at all times ; Blessed are they that doe justice and judgement at all times ; bee yee alwayes ready for your masters comming : And of those excellent men Josiah and others , it is recorded that they looked to Gods Commandements all their dayes ; so that the great matters of glorifying God , saving our soules , looking for our Masters comming , &c. these duties are to bee concurrent with all our time . Fourthly , Severall times , I meane the severall compositions of times , or Scenes , or Junctures of times , have their severall and peculiar duties laid out for every man by God himselfe : my meaning is this , there is a time of youth , a time of age , a time of prosperitie , a time of adversitie , a time of comfort , a time of trouble ▪ a time of warre , a time of peace , and a hundred other severall frames , and compositions , and junctures of time . Now so often as God doth make a new Scene of the time , every man hath some new duty or other to act ; his part requires that hee should act some new thing ; the Scripture is full of such expressions as these , in the times of prosperitie doe thus , in the time of adversitie doe thus , in the time of the Gospel doe thus , &c. Now to know the time , and the severall duties belonging to every time , is one of the hardest things that belong to the taske of man , this wisedome lies in the deepe ; it is a difficult thing to find out what the duties are that belong to the severall times . But then fiftly , That the Booke of God , and onely the Booke of God , is able to informe them who faithfully study it , in all the duties that doe belong to every new posture or face of time . First I say , onely Gods Booke can do it , there are Bookes of excellent wisedome written by other men , but take them all together , let a man bee never so versed in them , they will never discover to him every duty that belongs to every time , but the Booke of God can doe it if men have their senses exercised in the study of it ; there is no time so intricate , no dutie so arduous , but the booke of God will teach all men , from the Minister to the Hearer , from the Prince to the Subject , to make every one of them perfect in all the workes which belong to them . Psalme 19.7 . it is said , the Word gives understanding to the simple ; and in the third of the Proverbs , Vers. 21 , 22 , 23 In all thy wayes acknowledge her , and thou shalt walke in thy way safely , and thy foot shall not stumble ; when thou liest downe thou shalt not bee afraid , &c. Doe but get wisedome into thy heart , get acquaintance with Gods Word , it will direct thee in all thy w●●es , whether to the right hand or to the left , at every turning place it will say , here is thy way , and these must bee thy steps . Sixtly , and principally , As there are severall times , and severall duties annexed to these times , so in every time for any duty , there is some particle of that time , which is the opportunitie of the dutie , the season of the dutie there is the space of time , and there is the season of time ; the space of time is nothing but the continuation and succession of so many minutes and moments one of another ; but the season of time , or opportunitie of it , is time apted and fitted , to doe a businesse . Now these two doe very much differ one from another , the one of them the length , the duration of time , the Greeks calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , but the season , the opportunitie is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , which is the tempus commodum , the tempestivitie of time , the ripenesse of time : and this indeed is properly time in reference to dutie . And concerning these seasons of time or times fitted for businesse , be pleased to consider these five things , I shall need onely to name them , because I speake to an understanding people . That any worke to be done is done easily if the opportunitie be taken ; take opportunitie by the forelock , and any businesse whatsoever is to bee done , will bee done with ease ; not onely because opportunitie is the ripenesse of time , but because in opportunities God offers to worke with us , and for us : Now you know any businesse that must bee done by the helpe of another , is then easily done , when both parties joyne in it . Two Men that are to lift up a burthen , if they both lift together , and take the Hae , now , it goes up easily . A vessell that is to be driven , if the Watermen ply the Oares , the wind & tide go with them , the vessell is carried easily ; Now ( I say ) the Lord offers himselfe to come in to a people when there is a fit opportunitie ▪ ●hen he holds up his hand , and saith , Now lift , and I 'le lift with you , now row , and my Word shall blow with you ; such Scripture as these are frequent , In an accepted time I have heard thee ; and I will heare thee in an acceptable time ; In a day of salvation I will succour thee , in an opportune time : God offers to come in and helpe , if opportunitie bee taken ; This made the heathens esteeme opportunitie a goddesse . As things are easie when men take opportunities , so they are then beautifull ; the beautie and grace of every dutie , both with God and man , is , when it is done in its fit season ; the righteous man in the first Psalme , is compared to the Tree that brings forth his fruit in his season , suum in suo , his owne fruit , and in his proper season ; God ( saith Solomon ) hath made every thing beautifull in its season ; all Gods works are beautifull in their season , and so are all mens workes too : A word spoke in season , is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver ; and a good word in season , O how comfortable it is . Thirdly , But know , that these Opportunities are wondrous hard to find out ; very difficult it is for men to know the true season or opportunitie of a businesse : men may know times and seasons wel enough in particular businesses , the seasons for tilling the ground , and breeding and breaking of Cattle , &c. In such low and triviall things in comparison , seasons may easily bee knowne , but in the great morall affaires , that concerne God and mens soules , the difficultest thing that lies before man , is , to finde out the true season when they are to bee done ; this Solomon sets downe most excellently in the eighth of Ecclesiastes , Verse 6. Because to every purpose there is required time and judgement , therefore the misery of man is great upon him ; marke that expression , most men are miserable , because a businesse cannot bee done , without a fit season and judgement to know it : as if Solomon had said thus , The truth is , opportunities are so rare , oft-times so sudden , so violent , so short , the wind seldome blowing long in an opportune point , and men so ignorant , so blinded with prejudice , with vaine hopes or feares , that most men are miserable in that they cannot find out the true season of a businesse , and thereby intimates that in every businesse the most difficult part of the worke is the right timing of it . I adde fourthly , That when opportunities are past , if they bee let slip , they are oftentimes altogether irrecoverable ; and the businesse is either wholly lost , or never better then halfe done ; it may cost more to patch up a businesse out of season , then required to have done it beautifully if the season had been taken ; As the story goes of the Sibylls bookes , they were faine to give the full price for one , which would have bought all three , when two of them were burnt . Post est occasio calva . Unlesse God make another opportunitie , man can never call opportunitie back againe . Opportunities are Gods fitting of time to businesse , & none but God can thus fit it ; therefore you shall find Esau would have repented and got the blessing , he wept and cryed for it , yet missed it , he might have had it once without weeping and crying , but he lost the season , and the season being gone , hee could never recover it with all his weeping : So the foolish Virgins came with their Lampes , pretending to have got some oyle , and cryed , Lord open to us , but the season was past , and there was no entrance ; the truth is , seasons are to businesses as money is to wares , hee that would buy a commoditie upon a market day , when possibly the commoditie is very cheape , may then have it for laying out his money , lose but that market , possibly ten market dayes will not helpe him againe with it , and either never buy it or give a greater rate for that which is not so good as the other would have been ; if opportunities bee once past over , without the Lord create them againe , men are utterly lost in their businesses . Fiftly , and lastly , As these opportunities are excellent , and hard to find , and irrecoverable if they bee lost : So in the last place , know , that no wisedome , no learning , nothing but a gratious heart guided by the Spirit of God , doth know how to take opportunities in time , for the great businesses that concerne God and his glory , no wisedome but the wisedome of grace , and Gods Spirit guiding the heart , doth ever know to doe businesses in their right seasons . In other things ( as I said before ) they may bee taken , naturall men may plow and sow in season , &c. Yea , men may sensibly understand the times , so as to mourne for the afflictions of them , so as to rejoyce in the good of them ; and wicked men by a devillish wisedome can take the seeming opportunities , to promote their owne wicked designes ; the harlot can take the opportunitie of her husbands absence , the thiefe the opportunitie of the twilight , and so every man the seeming opportunitie of things that are of the Devill , for Satan helpes them ; but to know the opportunities of the things that concerne God and our soules , nothing but a gratious heart enables a man to doe it : the Scripture is very plaine for this , Solomon expresses it notably in the tenth of Ecclesiastes , Vers. 2. A wise mans heart is at his right hand , but a fooles heart is at his left ; the meaning is this , when a businesse is to be done , & the right season for it , the wise man , a gracious man hath his hand ready , and his heart to joyne with his hand , he is alwayes dexterous at it , but a fooles ( i. e. a wicked mans ) heart , when his businesse is to bee done , his heart is at his left hand , every finger is a Thumbe , hee cannot manage it : but more clearely Solomon expresseth this , Prov. 17. Vers. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a foole to buy wisedome , seeing he hath no heart to it ? Let a wicked man have opportunities , give him wealth , give him honour , give him meanes of grace , give him any thing that may helpe to wisedome , hee hath no heart to it : So also saith Daniel , Dan. 12.10 . speaking of understanding the times , none of the wicked shall understand , but the wise shall , the godly shall . Thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of it , and by this time I hope you all grant , that it is a matter of wonderfull concernement , of admirable wisedome and commendation , to have understanding of the times and seasons , so as rightly to discharge their owne duties : I now come to the Application of it , wherein I shall onely insist upon two Uses , the one is , For Humiliation , in reference to time past , to seasons and opportunities which are past and lost . The other shall be , For Exhortation , in reference to the time to come , that wee may learne this excellent wisedome to know the times and seasons so as to lose no more of them . For the first , Is it such a singular commendation , so excellent a wisedome , a matter of so great moment and consequence , to know the times in reference to duty ? O what cause of lamentations is there : First , In generall to us all ? a man might in this case fill such a booke as Ezekiels roule was , wi●h weeping , and lamentation and mourning : Here is a great Assembly gathered together to mourn upon a day of mourning , and if ever any Doctrine that ever I have preached might call for mourning at all your hands , I am perswaded this doctrine calls for it from every one of us ; God bee mercifull to us , wee have all been fooles , we have not knowne the times of our visitation , wee have knowne the times to talke of them , sometimes to inveigh against them , crying out , they are the worst times that ever were ; but for this knowledge of my Text ( wherein true wisedome should appeare ) to know the times in reference to our duties , I feare I may say as Paul said of the Corinthians , hardly one wise man to bee found amongst us . One said , ( I know not how truely ) of the Helvet●ans , that he travelled through their Country , and found that there are toti pagi repleti fatuis , whole Villages inhabited by none but fooles ; Truly ( beloved ) not onely our Country Villages , but our market townes , and our Cities , and I pray God it prove not that our Parliament and Assemblies are all filled with fooles in this great point , few or none of us know the times in reference to our duties . Let mee speake freely to you , God hath cast the lot of all of us in such times as have been filled with such administrations , as the like could not have been in the space of these 1000 yeers ; and confident I am , that hee that loses these times wherein we have lived , would never have redeemed any time ; and yet notwithstanding , have not wee , O have not wee all usually put off to the future , the duties that belong to the present time , and done in the present time , the things that should never have been done at all ? Have not most of us lived all our dayes , as if God had made us for the World , as Leviathan for the Sea , onely to take our pleasure in it ? others of us to fill our shops with commodities , our purses with money , our houses with stuffe and provision , as if there had been no better things to have been regarded ? when in the meane time for the admirable opportunities wee have had for the glorifying of God , and the saving of our soules , as if these had been nothing worth ; woe unto us , wee have done any thing rather then make improvement of them : and as rich people will give any poore people leave to goe into their Pease-fields to gather lapfulls of their Pease , as being things of little worth , so have wee allowed any thing to take up our time , sporting , and eating , and prating , and sleeping , and such things that are of little concernment . O how much of our pretious time have they devoured and wee regard it not ? what cause have we to tremble at the thought of it ? I beseech you tell me , if God should come now , and say to any Nobleman , Gentleman , Minister , Citizen , or other that is here , I have given thee 20. yeers , 40. yeers , threescore yeers of time , I have filled thy time with glorious opportunities , as excellent as ever I gave to any , the least of them worth a world , give in your Bill of accompt what you have done with these ? what improvement you have made of them ? how have you walked I beseech you ? what accompt could you make ? would it not appeare that you have spent many houres and dayes in riot and wantonnesse , sporting and playing , in swearing and cursing , in contriving and acting that which is evill and mischievous , and very few minutes for your God , & for your soule , for obtaining eternall life , happinesse , or doing good to your brethren : God bee mercifull to us , wee could not answer him one word for a thousand , wee have all cause to lie in the dust , and acknowledge we have been fooles , and not knowne the things that belonged to our peace , not regarded the time of our visitation . But ( Honorable and beloved ) give me leave to bring this lesson nearer to you , who have called mee this day to preach , and let me make a more through enquirie after your wisedome in this particular , because you are look'd upon as the wise men of the Land that know the times better then others ; I am confident you doe not desire to bee flattered any day , but this day I hope that will bee most acceptable which in a way of God could most effectually humble and abase you , and you have put a necessitie upon mee , to deale freely and faithfully with your soules . Have not you , honored and worthy Patriots and Senators , infinite cause to bemoane this , that you have not knowne the times in reference to your duties ? First , be pleased to view the times you lived while you were private Gentlemen , before you were called to these publique services , when you lived in your severall Countries ; where I know by reason of your wealth , and parts , and interests , and states , you had abundance of opportunities more then other people had , to have done much service , to have made the times and places better for you . Did you then thus know the times ? did you then walke as wise men , redeeming the times ? did you know what God expected from you in your places , and have you done it ? O blessed yee , if you have : But ( I beseech you ) will it not rather appeare upon a true search , that many of you in those dayes walked in the wayes of riot , in uncleannesse , in drunkennesse , possibly in swearing , in prophaning Gods holy time , in opposing and scorning Religion , was it not thus ? it behoves you to search ; did you not make your owne Families , the Townes and Lordships where you lived the worse for you , as so many Jeroboams causing Israel to sinne ? did not you thereby helpe to pull downe those judgements that have beene like to devoure and destroy this whole Land ? and if so , have you beene humbled under these things ? have you since repented of them ? or do they still stand upon your score before that God that keeps an exact accompt of all the Talents that ever hee hath put into your hands ? I beseech you enquire into it ; but let me goe further , and enquire whether since the time that God hath separated you from your brethren , and by a notable providence called you out to be the heads of all our Tribes , have you since that time knowne the times in reference to your duties ? It is now above six yeers since many of you have beene called to this worke , one of the greatest workes that mortall men have beene imployed in these many hundreds of yeers , a work wherein you have beene assisted not onely with the prayers and teares of those that feare God , throughout the Christian world , but with the states and blood of many , and God himselfe hath carried you in his bosome , and made you the most remarkable handfull of men , that I thinke this day breath upon the earth , in regard of the mercies that hee hath shewed you , and in this time ( certaine I am ) hath put into your hands as many golden opportunities , not onely required as many duties , but put as many golden opportunities into your hands to establish our wretched kingdome , and to rescue a decayed , lukewarme , Apostatized Church , as ever were put into the hands of a Parliament . Now ( beloved ) have you known your times , and taken your opportunities ? I know it well , that you have wrestled with huge difficulties , infinite oppositions , and I know that oft-times the perversnesse of a Patient poysoning his owne disease or wounds may frustrate the care of the best Physitians ; and God forbid , that that which is onely your misery , should ever bee imputed to you as your sinne ; but suppose upon a diligent search , any of you that are called to bee our wise men , to know the times for us , that at your doore it should lie in great part , that our miseries are not yet healed , how sad would that bee ? To this end I most humbly pray you inquire , if upon a diligent search there should bee found among you any who at this day live in the same sinfull , riotous , ungodly , wicked conversation that they led , before God called them to this publique service : that after your solemne oath , with your hand lifted up to the most high God for the reformation of your wayes , that you should bee found still with Zimri and Cozbi , to live in those sinnes for which God is judging this Nation ; Were this to know the times , and what Israel hath to doe ? Suppose further , there should bee found amongst you any such as should ordinarily neglect the publique service , and turne your backs upon it , to attend your own private affaires , after that the Kingdome hath put into your hands whatsoever under God is pretious and deare unto them ; were this to know the times and what Israel hath to doe ? Suppose there should bee found amongst you any that should seeke advantage to themselves out of publique calamities , or should sinfully helpe to undoe those for whom they are called to bee Saviours ; were this to know the times ? Suppose that any of you should bee found unjust in judgement , and favour an unrighteous man in his cause , either for corrupt gaines or out of opposition to them you like not , and so prostrate the untainted honour of the Parliament to the reproach of the adversaries , the scandall of the Nation , the teares and griefe of them who love you ; were this to know the times , and what Israel hath to doe ? Suppose it should bee found that there should bee any that in matters of Religion should side with a partie for corrupt and sinfull ends , and make Religion but an Engine to carry on some other sinfull designe ; were this to know the times and what Israel had to doe ? Suppose yet further , that upon a diligent search there should be found among you any that doe retard matters of the greatest moment ; that the setling of Religion should bee obstructed by you , that many people abroad are remisse in it , because they judge you have no heart to it ; were this to know the time , and what Israel hath to doe ? Suppose that the cries and teares of the oppressed ▪ I meane not the fatherlesse and widowes , ( whom I am confident the Houses of Parliament would helpe this very day , if it lay in their power ) but the cries of some oppressed by Committees or others in the Countrey , should come up to you and seeke for succour , and it should bee found that some of you should patronize the wrong-doers , and keepe them off from comming to a hearing , and thereby from redresse ; were this to know the times , and what Israel had to doe ? Honorable , and Worthy , doe not mistake mee , I am farre from saying it is so , I onely suggest these things to your owne search , and if in naming the particulars I mistake any of them , God knowes it is with the same singlenesse of heart , wherewith Job sanctifyed his Children , sacrificed for them , saying , Peradventure my sonnes have sinned , and cursed God in their hearts ; sure I am it concernes you all to search and try ; for if it should be so , wee are all like to smart for it , for as he said of the Roman Senate , Ita nati est is ut bona malaque vestra ad rempub. pertineant , Your condition is such , that your good and your evill , is the good and evill of the Commonwealth ; it belongs to us all : and should the great God find any of you walking thus unworthy of the great trust hee hath committed to you , when hee hath put ( as it were ) the fates of his Church and Kingdome in your hands , under him to dispose of them , h●s wrath would bee kindled against you , these things would lie very heavy upon your score , and wee and you should dearely rue it . Sure I am , there is not a man of us , but for some or other of these things , hath just cause to lay his hand upon his heart with sorrow , and to put his mouth in the dust , and this day to bee very deepely humbled and abased before God . And this is the first Use , a Use of Humiliation , that wee have not in time past , so knowne the times as wee should in reference to our duties . There is one more , and that is , A Use of Exhortation ; Is this so excellent and necessary a dutie , to know the times in reference to our duties ? O that I knew how to speake somewhat in the name of the Lord , that might promote this wisedome in you for time to come , that in this our day wee might know the things that concerne our peace , that they may not be for ever hid from our eyes ; O that I could say to you , as Paul said to the Thessalonians : Concerning the times and seasons , it is superfluous for mee to write to you , for you your selves know perfectly . To this end I beseech you take briefly these foure Meditations to provoke you to study this wisedome in time to come . First , Often consider how much time , & how many golden opportunities thou hast lost already ; how oft there hath been in thy hands a price to purchase Wisdome , and thou hast lost it for want of a heart ; and then thinke whether it bee not more then needfull that thou shouldest lose no more . Secondly , Consider how much doth depend upon that moment of time that yet is behinde ; It is an old saying , Our life is but a moment ▪ but Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas , Eternity dependeth upon this moment ; no lesse then the glory of God , and the saving of thy immortall soule , and it may bee of thy family , it may bee of the Church and Kingdome , dependeth upon thy knowing the times . Thirdly , Consider thou canst not tell , whether ever thou shalt enjoy after this day one opportunity more ; the Angel may quickly come and sweare concerning thee and mee , Time shal be no more . And then Fourthly , Consider when Time ceases to bee any more , thou must give an accompt for all the time that hath been ; that certainly at the barre and Tribunall of God , all the Times and seasons that God hath trusted thee with , stand upon thy score , and will bee exacted of thee : Rejoyce O young man ( saith Solomon in the 11 of Ecclesiastes ) in thy youth , and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth , and walke in the wayes of thine heart , and in the sight of thine eyes ; take thy pleasures , waste thy seasons , but know that for all these things thou must come to judgement . Such Meditations as these would provoke your hearts to bee very carefull to lose no more time ▪ but rather to enquire what you should doe for time to come , and how you might learne this Wisdome : And truly , it would fill a Volume , to tell what every one should doe , from what wee should redeeme our time , and to what wee should redeeme it , and by what meanes wee should doe it . I dare not enter upon that discourse : But there is one thing wherein I desire freedome , that I might be as helpfull as I can to the Honourable Senate that hath called me to the service of this day : Honourable and Beloved , God hath cast your lot so , that if you be rightly instructed in this one Lesson , you may make our times differ as much from former times , as Nebuchadnezzars Golden head did from the feet of iron and clay ; Golden times indeed might bee brought about , if God vouchsafed but to teach you this one Lesson . Your duties are many , for whatsoever lies upon any other , lies eminently upon you ; You are to doe all those things in every time , that others are to doe ; and you are to doe many things that others cannot doe , and may not doe : That you may therefore know your duty , give mee leave to represent before you the true face of our Times wherein wee live , and shew what in these Times you have to doe , and herein I will not presume to put any Prudentialls upon you , ( we ought all to thinke that Prudentialls are better understood by you , then by us ) but what shall I say , shall ( God willing ) appeare to be matter of Conscience , matters of necessity , and things that may not bee left to liberty ; Know then our present times . First in generall , are such Times , as I thinke never were before us in the World ; I may say of our times , as the Prophet Joel saith in the 1 of Joel , Heare O yee old men , was it ever thus in your dayes , or in the dayes of your forefathers ? I meane , our times are so full of various administrations , such a concurrence of all kinde of Providences and Administrations , as seldome were ever knowne in so few yeares ; Wee have been sometimes full of hopes of recovery , sometimes at the brinke of despaire , sometimes dawnings of light , by and by all clouded over againe with utter darknesse ; sometimes we see a people drawing nigh to God that hides his face from them , by and by God drawing nigh to a people that run away from him ; such alterations , such vicissitudes of all kindes of administrations , that truly I may compare our times to the wind mentioned in the first of Ecclesiastes , It whirles about continually , now in the North , and then in the South , and never abides in one Point : So hath it been with us for these foure or five last yeares : this day of ours hath been like that day in the 14 of Zachariah , neither night nor day , nor light nor darknesse , but a strange kinde of mixture of all these , and in such various and uncertaine Times as these are , what have the heads of our Tribes to doe ? I answer plainly , all others with you , and you with others , are in such dayes to stand and behold the Workes of God , viewing and admiring , and adoring these Mosaick works , these Checquer workes of God , but it concernes you above all others , to stand constantly upon your watch , and employ all your Parts and Wisdome , and Faithfulnesse , lest a change of time take you upon a sudden . As when a Ship is at Sea , if it saile to the Westward , and once get beyond the Canaries , where the Sea sets constantly one way , and state-winds blowing for so many Moneths together in one Point , a moderate skill and care of him that guides the Helme , wil carry them on with ease ; but in various winds , and tumultuous Seas , when they saile sometimes among Rocks , and sometimes among Quicksands , sometimes in Gulfes , sometimes in the Ocean , sometimes almost at the Shoare , if the Pilot be not extreame skilfull and carefull , himselfe , his Barque , and all that are with him are quickly cast away : So I am assured is it now with us in these various administrations ; you that are our Pilots , that sit at the Sterne , must shew more then ordinary skill and diligence , or we may quickly perish . But More particularly , there are seven severall Scenes of the Time ( if I may so call them ) or sorts of things , that every day are acted upon our Stage , and in every one of them I shal shew you , what you that are the Heads of our Tribes have to doe . First , Our times are times of most prodigious wickednesse , horrible abominations in mens manners ; I am confident , never such abominable drunkennesse , and generall loosenesse in that kinde ; never more universall liberty of whoring ▪ Incestuous mariages , oppressions , cruelty , injustice , malice , revenge , and every thing that might fill a Land with ungodlinesse . Since wee or our fore-Fathers were borne , never was there a greater deluge of wickednesse , then in these our times ; and what have the Heads of Israel to doe at such a time ? Certainely you , and all others at such times are called to mourne for all the abominations of the Times ; and you , and all others are called to walke more exactly , in that time , to redeeme the time when the dayes are evill : But You above all others are called out by God , in such times , to be his instruments , to oppose these things , the Ministers of God , to execute vengeance upon those that do evill : For these things , I think you shall not need to trouble your selves to make new Lawes , as excellent Lawes are already made against them all , as I thinke any Common-wealth in the world hath , but it concernes you to see that these bee put in execution ; It concernes you in times of oppression to deliver the poore and the oppressed , out of the Talons and Pawes of them , who teare them and crush them in pieces ; It concerns you to see that the Justices and other officers in the Countrey , set not up these houses of Sinne , Alehouses and Tavernes , nor that when some well-affected put them downe , Great men set them up againe ; and so in other abominations it concernes you to see that incestuous Mariages and such ungodlinesses , go not unbranded and unpunished ; the Lord kindle zeale in your hearts , that you may doe it : that is one , Our Times are times of abominable wickednesse . Secondly , Our times are times of Errors , horrible Errors , I meane not such Errors as are to bee found among Gods people , to whom hee never hath given an equall light , and notwithstanding which Errors himself beares with them , and would have his people bear one with another ; but I meane our times are times of such Errors as are heretical and blasphemous , such as concern our Christian faith , and holy conversation , in a very high degree ; it would weary you , but to tell you , the things that are generally knowne to spread as a Gangrene , a new generation of men are risen up , and spread all the points of Arminianisme , universall Redemption , Apostasie from grace , Mans free-will ; multitudes of others cry downe the Law , as not having any thing to do with Gods people ; others denying that the Saints of God should ever any more confesse sinne to God in prayer ; others questioning whether there bee any Church or Ministery this day upon the face of the earth , and whether there shall bee any till new Apostles arise : Nay , beyond all these , many denying the Lord Jesus , that bought us with his blood , to bee God ; or the Holy Ghost to bee God ; others denying the three Persons in the Trinity ; and consequently affirming that we , and all the Christian world with us , doe worship Idols in stead of God , for if these men bee right , they are Idols whom wee worship . These , and abundance of such horrid things as these are , doe spread and scatter like wilde-fire every where in all corners of the Land , to the great provocation of Gods wrath , & our reproach through the Christian world . And what have our Heads to doe at such a time ? Certainly you , and al others ought to mourn for these things , and teare your clothes , and your haires , and your hearts , that God should be so dishonored , but for your duties who are in high Places , for what is peculiar to you , I 'll not dispute any controversie at this time , but set down Two things which I know you must yeeld to . One is , Certainly you must search diligently into the Scriptures , and enquire whether Jesus Christ would have you oppose your selves against these things that are so opposite to him ; If upon a diligent search , you finde that hee hath not authorized you , doe not you arrogate any authority that Christ hath not given you ; my Lie will never honour God , though I should tell it for Gods glory , and your thrusting your selves into an office , Christ hath not called you unto , will never be accepted by him . But if Secondly , Upon a diligent search , it appeares hee hath given authority unto you , then I am as assur'd that hee hath not left it to your arbitrement , whether you 'll use it , or no ; hee hath not left it to your will , whether you will punish them , but if you have power to stop them , and doe not , hee will lay them all at your doores , and require them at your hands ; therefore search diligently what you have power to doe , and then let not these things goe on , to Gods dishonour . But supposing you have authority . What then is to be done ? I answer , you must not take Blasphemies , Errors , and Heresies to bee such upon the reports of other men , but as the Lord ordered them in the 13 of Deuteronomie , so likewise must you doe , Search diligently whether indeed such and such things are done ; and when they appeare to bee done , out of the zeale of God , doe that against them which the Lord would have you doe ; let not your Religion be thus contaminated , suffer not your children , to whom you ought to bee nursing Fathers , to bee thus poisoned by such corrupt Doctrines , nor devoured by such wolves : This I know you will all subscribe unto ; This I desire above all may sticke with you , that if the Lord hath given you power , hee hath not given you libertie to forbeare such men ; God in mercy make you zealous for him , that hath been zealous for you in all your troubles . Thirdly , Our times are times of wrath , a great deale of wrath from the Lord is gone forth ; you know what dreadfull Vialls of wrath , have been poured out in blood ; terrible quivers of destroying arrowes have been shot out in Pestilence , all which tell you God is angry : And what then have our Heads and Leaders to doe ? certainly all people should tremble when God is angry ; The Lyon roares , what beast doth not tremble ? and every one must labour to pacifie him when hee is angry ; but you whom the Lord hath placed under him in such high place and authority , must with Moses at such a time , call to Aaron to run with his Censer , you must labour to enquire out the Causes of it , and execute the judgement and vengeance that God would have executed upon them who have procured it ; You must with Josiah , 2 Kings 22.13 . inquire what will appease him , and with the King of Nineveh , call upon every one to turne from the evill of his doings , and your selves bee examples to the rest . Fourthly , Our times are times of Warre , terrible warres , unnaturall warres , bloody warres , as ever England knew , and as yet the Armies are in the Field , and though there bee no open Enemy , the Sword is not put up ; and in Ireland , poor wretched Ireland , the warre is more terrible , where if we labour not to end it by sending our brethren timely succours , the bloody enemy is like to come to make a new war upon us ere it be long ; And in the times of warre , What have the heads of our Tribes to do ? Certainly all people in a time of warre , should make it a time of mourning ; Ezekiel saith , The Sword is furbished ▪ and drawne , and made bright for slaughter , should wee then make mirth ? Should this bee a time of jollitie ? and all should labour to finde out the Causes of the warre , what the Sword-procuring sins are , and every one to repent and turne from them . But you that are our Heads , are to look to these 2 Things principally . First , That while the warre doth last , and must last , that our Campes and Armies may bee in such a condition , that God may not abhorre our Armies ; When the Host goes forth to the battail , keepe thee from every evill thing . And Secondly , In the times of Warre , you should alwayes labour after an honourable , safe , and just Peace ; peace is the end of warre ; Pax una triumphis , One peace is worth 100 Victories ; and therefore you must principally addresse your selves to God , who alone can give us Peace : Kings and States may begin a warre , but God onely must end it ; we may daube up a peace , and get counterfeits of peace , but all will bee arena sine calce , Sand without lime , a mortar which will not hold , but as a swelling in a high wall , whose breach comes suddenly : Therefore remember againe and againe , your work lies with the God of Peace , pacifie him , and hee will create peace for you . Fifthly , Our Times are times of Divisions ; such Divisions , as ( I thinke ) were hardly ever knowne in the Christian World ; Divisions every where , divisions in Parliament , divisions in the Assembly , divisions in the Citie , divisions in State affaires ; but woe and alasse , most of all , and worst of all , divisions among Gods people , the Servants of God who heretofore prayed together , fasted together , could have been banished together , now , as if the curse of Simeon and Levi were fallen upon them , they are divided in Jacob , and scattered in Israel ; Manasseh is aagainst Ephraim , and Ephraim against Manasseh , and every one eates the flesh of his owne arme , and through the wrath of the Lord , the Land is darkened and infatuated , by the miserable divisions of Gods owne people ; and these divisions are fomented , encouraged , and back'd by a Third il-affected party , who desires that these Two , like wilde beasts , may teare one another , and weaken one another , that they may devoure them both ; and all this goes on thorough our sinne : And truly wee are in my poore thoughts , as if God had left us to bee as Moab , and Ammon , and Mount Seir , where two stood up against one to destroy it , and then the other two to destroy one another ; as the foolish Woman , wee are pulling downe our house with our owne hands . And now ( Honorable and Beloved ) in such sad & uncomfortable times as these are , what have the Heads of our Israel to doe ? what doth the Lord looke for at your hands ? Certainly you with others , and you above all others , should labour to bee our Physitians , our Aesculapiusses , to joine our dissever'd limbes , and if it bee possible , to make us one againe : Noble Senators , is there no way that your Wisdome can contrive to make Pacification , Accommodation , and Reconciliation , but must wee goe on thus to ruine one another ? Any ordinary head may serve to embroyle things , but here would bee the Master-piece of your Wisdome , if you could find out a way how the envie of Ephraim , and the ill will of Manasseh might cease , and that Gods people might yet bee reconciled and united , of one minde as farre as is possible , and made of one heart in those lower things , wherein they cannot bee of one minde : Would God put this in your hearts , that you might speedily and earnestly set about it , that if there should be found any Animosities amongst your selves , you would lay them down first , & all agree to study the Publike good , and then see what you can doe to reconcile others in the Ministery , in the City , in the Countrey ; o that you could doe as Constantine did , who burnt all the Libells that were presented to him from one Bishop against another , and never left till hee had made peace among them . O that God would both inable you , and provoke you to set speedily upon this worke , God , and his people have their eyes upon you , and expect you should imploy all your Wisdome , Piety , Parts , and Authority to extinguish those flames which threaten speedy ruine to us all . Our times are times of Reformation ; As they are times of sinne and errour , and wrath , and warre , and divisions , which all five are very sad , so the other two are excellent , our times are times of Reformation ; I mean , they are times not onely of much Gospell light , but they are times of growing , and increasing light , wherein the light of the Gospell spreads more , and the Lord as in other parts of the world , so especially amongst us , seemes to bee laying out the platforme of his Temple , and to set out a new edition of his Church , fairer and more beautifull then ever ; and what have the Heads of our Tribes to doe at such a time ? without all question , very much of it will lie upon your hands under God , you have contended stifly and couragiously for our liberties , and properties ▪ and to recover us from bondage and slavery , and God hath been with you in it ; and although the kingdome doth not yet feele it , and so it may bee doth not greatly thank you , because in desperate diseases , the cure is commonly more costly and more tedious then the disease is , but I doubt when God vouchsafes a settling they will finde the fruit of what you have done for them , and blesse God for you that are their healers . But know ( I beseech you ) that our Religion is our most Orient Pearle , and that whereupon our heart is most set ▪ and if there should bee any miscariage in it all will perish with it , wee should call every thing else Ichabod , if Religion miscarry , all is gone ; and therefore to provoke you to helpe us in this thing , let mee leave these two Conclusions in your bosomes . First , A Reformation begun , and not carried on ▪ alwayes brings more wrath from God ; you have begun the Reformation , you are engaged in it by oath and Covenant , and some happy proceeding and progresse you have made in it , God grant you slack not in it : For you●l finde in the Scriptures , a reformation begun and laid aside is a peoples undoing ; In Elijahs dayes there was a Reformation begun , it fell downe and the Kingdome perished with it . In Josiah's time a Reformation was begun , and quickly laid aside with the death of that good King , and the Kingdome was ruined presently after it . In Haggai his dayes , the Reformation was begun , then laid aside ; God presently smote them with Blasting and Mildew , and would have undone them , if they had not taken it up againe : God lookes you should carry this work on . And I adde , Without setling Religion , you shall never settle the Common-wealth ; Hee that writes a Booke of the corrupt and troubled state of the Church , will hardly ever write a Booke of the quiet and setled State of the Commonwealth ; Christ is King of Nations and Common-wealths as well as King of Saints : Now the glory of Christ is so much concerned in the matter of Religion , that they shall never finde him propitious to them , for their good in humane affaires , who neglect him in that that is dearest to him . But what have our Heads and Rulers to doe in that ? I feare not to say confidently , that they are mistaken who say , you have nothing to doe with it ; All the good Kings that ever I read of in the booke of God , thought not onely they had to doe with it , but it was their first work a Jove principium , they all began with it , they ever accounted the Reformation , & preservation , & propogation of Religion to be their Crown : but what have you to doe ? I answer , you must with David , set your whole hearts to the house of your God , really and seriously ; with Solomon set as many on worke as you can possibly , to prepare materialls for Gods house ; with Jehosaphat send abroad as many faithfull Preachers as you can , to goe about and instruct the people from Towne to Towne , and Citie to Citie , till you can get Ministers to bee setled . With Nehemiah labour to build the walls of Jerusalem , though in a troublesome time , with a Sword in one hand and a Trowell in the other , set up discipline to bee a hedge and fence to the Churches . With Hezekiah labour to provide honorable maintenance for Gods house and his Ministers , that young men may not bee discouraged in their studies . For when young Students can see , Galen and Justinian , the study of the Law or Physick can give them wealth and honour , and the Ministry nothing but beggery , it will bee a great snare to them , though the worke of the Ministry bee honorable , and hath an abundant reward with God , yet for want of maintenance the house of God will bee forsaken ; Sint Maecenates , non deerunt marones : Men of parts must have incouragement , and in your provision for them forget not the Schooles of the Prophets , remember the Universities : Indeavour to carry on the worke , that the beautie and power of Religion may be promoted , and the Lord direct you to it . Seventhly , and lastly , Our times are times of Deliverances , the greatest deliverances that I thinke the Lord hath wrought , since hee brought Israel out of Egypt ; such deliverances as we our selves are like men in a dreame , such deliverances that there hath beene but few footsteps of ordinary Providence in them ; deliverances that have beene the fruit of Prayer , the fruit of Covenanting , the fruit of Fasting , and in all these the fruit of free grace , wherein the Lord hath exceeded not onely our Faith , but our Prayers , and hath measured out to us all that hee hath done by the shekel of the Sanctuary , his own shekel that is double of ours ; I know , you forget not the wonderfull things the Lord hath done , and what have our Heads to doe at such a Time ? Truly , all others with you , but you more then all , at such a time must bee carefull of these foure things ; First , God expects when hee workes deliverances , that his people should consider his workes , and stand amazed at it ; When the Lord turned the captivitie of Zion , wee were like men in a dreame , our mouth was filled with laughter , and our tongue with joy ; The Lord ( say they ) hath done great things for us ; Thus let us admire his works . In times of deliverance , you must bee very carefull to pay your vowes ; the vowes that you made in the time of your low condition ; the vowes you made , when your Selves , and Liberties , and Religion , and the Kingdom were all like to bee buried quicke together ; God expects in times of deliverance to have those vowes remembred and paid ; consider what they were . Thirdly , When the Lord workes such deliverances , hee expects , and it will very well become the Heads of our Tribes , to keepe the same lowly and humble spirit , that they had while God kept them under afflictions ; to have their eares as much opened to good counsell , when God hath exalted them , as when hee abased them ; this is a hard lesson to learne : I finde the best of all Gods servants have much failed in this particular . Good David himselfe in the day of his prosperity kept not alwayes that humble spirit which hee had in his low estate , nor Asa , nor Uzziah , nor Hezekiah ; and wee know the story of that famous Queen , whose motto in the time of her afflictions was Tanquam ovis , as a sheepe for the slaughter , yet afterwards it was thought needfull to intreate that it might not bee tanquam indomita juvenca , as an untamed Heifer . Men are infinitely prone to bee lifted up , when God enlarges them , but God infinitely detesteth it , and will not put it up at the hands of any . Therefore I most humbly beseech you , ( Right Honorable , and Honorable and beloved ) let David and Solomon his sonne , and Uzziah , and Hezekiah bee warnings to you , and doe you labour to maintaine the same lowly spirit , that you had when you could keepe dayes of mourning for the sinnes of the Kingdome , for your personall sinnes and Parliament sinnes , such a spirit would infinitely please God . And lastly , In the time of deliverance , God expects of those that are the Heads and Rulers of a people , that every deliverance should by them bee improved to the utmost , for the end for which it is given ; every Rod hath a voyce and calls for some dutie , and every mercy and deliverance hath a voyce and calls for a dutie , every victory your Armies have got , and every towne hath beene surrendred , every plot that hath been discovered hath some dutie written upon it , which God expects you should learne : All these things without question lie upon you , and God doth and will expect them at your hands , and what heart would not tremble to thinke how much lies upon you ? my soule is deepely affected with your taske , more then humane strength must carry you on , or you will bee impares oneri , never able to goe through your work . VVhat gratious man who understands this , would ever pray to God in his Chamber without remembring you , and your work ? and for you your selves ▪ O what need is there that you should call in the Payers and supplications of all Gods people to helpe you ; and that every one of you , lay aside any businesse of your owne , all self-interest , and count it to be but catching of Flyes , in comparison of the worke you are called to ; and that you lay aside all carnall confidence of any power or wisdome of your owne , or relying on any Arme of flesh , that is never able to carry you thorough all your worke : But in stead hereof , to relie wholly upon the wisdome , promise , and power of God , submit your selves to him , and trust to him alone , who onely is able to carry you thorough all . Thus of the second part of my Text , the excellent commendation of this Tribe of Issachar , They had understanding to know the times , and what Israel had to doe . Spare mee libertie for a few words of the Third , and I have done ; which is , The interest that they had in their Brethrens hearts , all their Brethren were at their command , or at their mouth , hung upon their mouth : certainly it is not meant of any compulsion , but a power they had got in their brethrens hearts by their Wisdome and faithfull carriage ; they saw that they were wise and faithfull men , and that set them up high in their esteem , and by this inward respect , the lifting up of their hands , was as good as the displaying of a Banner , to make all their brethren come out and spend their lives , and whatsoever they had in their Countreys service ; which affords us this Lesson , That when the Heads and Leaders of a people are wise , to doe their duties , it gives them that interest in their Brethrens hearts , that they will bee at their disposing . Of this I could give you abundance of evidence ; Moses reigned as King in Jeshurun , his wisdome and grace was the things which set him so high . Joshua that had beene but Moses servant , had the same power with them , because they saw the wisdome of God in him : This was it got Job that authority , that the young men feared him , and the aged , reverenced him , and every eye which saw him , blessed him ; because hee put on righteousnesse , and wisdome ; and judgement was to him as a robe and diademe . David a man of a meane family , from a Shepheard , was feared by Saul , loved by the people ▪ even while hee was but a Captaine , because they saw hee behaved himselfe wisely . Solomon a childe , and being but a childe , very subject to be contemned , swayed all Israel , they honoured him and feared him , When they saw the wisdome that God had given him to doe Justice and Judgement ; abundance of other instances there are of it , and David expresseth it notably in the 2 of Samuel 23. He that rules over men must bee just , ruling in the feare of God ; if hee bee such an one , hee shall bee like the light of the morning , like a cleare bright morning without clouds , as the tender grasse that growes by the sweet showers of raine ; such a one shall bee amiable , desirable , beautifull , comfortable , hee is every thing you can wish , if hee bee a good Man ruling in the feare of God ; and Solomon proves it notably by the contrary , in the 4 of Ecclesiastes , Better is a poore and wise Childe , then an old and foolish King , who will no more be admonished , &c. A childe , a poore childe that hath wisdome , will have more love and honour , then a King , though an old man , and a great Prince , if hee bee doting and foolish , and will not receive Counsell , nor learne wisdome to discharge his duty ; 'T is wisdome will winne hearts , and one dram of this wisdome and grace will do more then a whole pound of greatnesse : And the reason is plaine , Because this Wisdome that I have spoken of , is the Image of God , which cannot bee contemned , but will bee feared by them that are bad , and honoured and embraced by them that are good ; and therefore it is said of most of them I instanced in , that the people would say , God was with them , when they saw their wise behaviour . I winde up all with a brief Application . To you our Heads and Leaders , give me leave to instruct you , how you may keep England to be yours ; how you may have your Brethren at your Command , not out of Rules of State-policy , but as a Minister of Christ , out of the Word of God , know the times and your duties , and walk as Men fearing God , taking the counsell of his Word as your onely guide ; This will make the worst of men feare you , and the best honour and love you , your Brethrens hearts will hereby bee at your command , and your interest in their hearts will rule them better then Armies or Garrisons : Many great Politicians go another way to worke , they thinke the affections of people are not to bee valued , they say , Populus humiliter servit , superbe dominatur , that the People ( like fire and water ) are good Servants , but evill Masters ; and therefore the best way is to subdue them and keep them under , but I am assured that you detest these Rules ; you know well enough , that the Peoples love is the best Exchequer ; and this Lesson teacheth you the surest way how to hold that firme , and close to you , even your wise walking and working in your great Trust ; Herein lies the difference between Wisdome and Policy , VVisdome makes a man constantly keep the high road-way of Justice and Judgement , doing every thing upon Scripture grounds and rules : Policy directs men , when need is , to turne into odde by-paths , sometime taking in the helpe of the Foxes skin , sometime of the Lions paw ; But ( Beloved ) you shall certainly finde the way of VVisdome to bee the safest and most successefull ; Politicians may deceive others for a while , but themselves for ever : You your selves have had much experience of it , you know what it is to command in the hearts of your Brethren , had you had all the Port Townes in England , in the beginning of your Troubles , and Garisons wheresoever you could have desired , it would never have done you the service 〈◊〉 the hearts of your brethren have done ; you were in their hearts , and they have been at your command , and wha● gave you this interest ? VVhy , they saw you were set upon Judgement and Justice , breaking their yoakes , removing their grievances , they saw your hearts were set to it ; and while you goe on in the same wisdome , pietie , singlenesse and integrity ; You will preserve your interest in God and his people , and while you have Gods favour , and your brethrens hearts , all confederacies against you will bee broken , all conspiraeies come to nought , No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper , and every tongue that riseth up against you shall bee condemned . But should they ever finde , ( which God forbid ) that you turne out of the right way of VVisdome and Piety , of Judgement and righteousnesse , that you grow injurious , that oppression and injustice should bee found among you , that you should favour evill men in evill causes , grow to bee self-seekers , or not cordially indeavouring to settle Peace and Religion , you would then certainly engage God against you , and lose the hearts of your brethren , and you will be undone , and wee shall be undone with you . But I am perswaded better things of you , and such things as become a Parliament of England ; yea , a Parliament thus blessed and magnified by God . But consider what I have said , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52050e-430 Introduction shewing the scope of the Chapter . Verse 22. 1 Sam. 14.45 . The Text opened and divided . 1 Part , what the Tribe of Issachar was . What their temper and spirit in time past . Gen. 49.14 , 15 opened and explained . What at the present . Doct. 1. God oft raiseth up the spirits of people to doe worthily from whom men would little expect it . Gen 4. Iudges 6. 1 Sam 9. 1 Sam. 16. Amos 7.14 . Reasons of it . He hath abundance of the Spirit . Application . Psal. 68.11 . The second and chiefe thing in the Text . Their singular commendation . Doct. 2. It is a singular commendation to know the times in reference to mens duties . This Doctrine , first , explained . 2ly , proved . 3ly , applyed . First explained , there is a fivefold knowledge of the times . 1 Astrologicall . 2 Diabolicall . 3 Propheticall . Dan. 2 ▪ 29. Act. 1.7 . 4 Historicall and Astronomicall Ier. 8. 5 Theologicall , a gracious and practicall knowledge , which is here meant . What this practicall knowledge of the times is . 2. This Doctrine proved . ● . The Scripture calls this wisedome . Ephes. 5.15 , 16. opened and explained . Ecles. 8.1 . to 6. opened ▪ Deut. 32.19 . Psal. 90.12 . Ester 1.13 . Esay 28.16 . Exod. 36. What wisedome is ▪ Jer. 8.6 , 7 , 8. Matth. 16.1 , 2 , 3 , 4. Luke 19.41.44 . Matth. 24. Luke 17. The right understanding of the times opened out of the Scripture in 6. Conclusions . Conclus . 1. Exod. 21.19 . Ephes. 5.16 . Col. 4.5 . Conclus . 2. Eccles. 3.1 , 2 , &c. Matth. 6 ▪ Conclus . 3. Esay 26. Psal. 106.3 . Psal. 62.81.119.20 . Conclus . 4. Conclus . 5. Psal. 19.7 , 8. Prov. 3.21 , 22 , 23. Esay 30.21 . Conclus . 6. 2 Cor. 6.2 . Psal 1.3 . Eccles. 3.11 . Prov. 25.11 . Prov. 15.23 . Eccles. 8.6 . opened . Heb. 12.17 . Matth. 25. Eccles. 10.2 . opened . Prov. 17.16 . opened . Dan. 12.10 . Application in two Uses . Vse 1. Humiliation . 1 In generall to all . 2. More particularly to the Parliament . Vse 2. Exhortation . 1. In generall to all , to indeavour after this wisedome . ● Thes. 5.1 . Motives thereto . 2 In particular to the Honorable Members of this House . Daniel 2 ▪ The face of our present times represented . First , in generall , full of changes . Joel 1.2 . Eccles. 1.6 . Zach. 14.6 , 7. Psalm 107.43 . 2 More particularly our times are opened in 7 Particulars . 1. Our times are times of prodigious wickednes in mens conversations . Ezekiel 9. Ephes. 5.15 . Rom. 12.4 2. Our times are times of errors , heresies , and blasphemies . Deut. 13. Deut. 17. 3. Our times are times of wrath ▪ Amos 18. 2 S●m . 21.1 . 2 Kings 22.13 . Ionah 3. 4. Our times are times of warre . Ezek. 21.10 . Deut. 23.9 . 5. Our times are times of divisions . 2 Chron. 20. 6. Our times are times of Reformation . 1 Chron. 29. 1 Kings 5. 2 Chron. 17.7 . Nehemiah 8. 2 Chron 31. Nehemiah 13.11 . 7. Our times are times of deliverances . Psal. 126.1 , 2. Psal 50.14 . Psal. 66.13 , 14 Eccles. 5.4 . Third part of the Text , The interest these ● Leaders had in their brethren . Doct. 3. Deut. 13. ● . Iob 29 ▪ ● . 1 Sam. 18.16 . 1 Kings 3.28 . 2 Sam. 23.3 , 4. Eccles. 4.13 . Vse . Of Exhortation . Esay 54.17 . 
A52054	----	A sermon preached to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen of the city of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easter Monday April 1652, at the Spittle wherein the unity of the saints with Christ, the head, and especially with the church, the body, with the duties thence arising, are endeavoured to be cleared : tending to heale our rents and divisions / by Stephen Marshal ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52054 of text R206697 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M782). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 109 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 23 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52054 Wing M782 ESTC R206697 12951588 ocm 12951588 95931 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52054) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 95931) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 720:9) A sermon preached to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen of the city of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easter Monday April 1652, at the Spittle wherein the unity of the saints with Christ, the head, and especially with the church, the body, with the duties thence arising, are endeavoured to be cleared : tending to heale our rents and divisions / by Stephen Marshal ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52054 of text R206697 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M782). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread [4], 40 p. Printed by R.I. for Stephen Bowtel ..., London : 1653. Marginal notes. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng Schism -- Sermons. Communion of saints -- Sermons. Christian union -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A52054 R206697 (Wing M782). civilwar no A sermon preached to the right honourable the lord mayor, and court of aldermen of the city of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easte Marshall, Stephen 1652 21393 25 0 0 0 0 0 12 C The rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor , and Court of Aldermen of the City of London , at their Anniversary meeting on Easter Monday April 1652 , at the SPITTLE . WHEREIN The Unity of the Saints with Christ , the Head , and especially with the Church , the Body ; With the duties thence arising , are endeavoured to be cleared . Tending to heale our Rents and Divisions . The second Impression , corrected by the Authour . By STEPHEN MARSHAL B. D. and Minister of the Gospel at Finchingfield in Essex . 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether wee be Jewes or Gentiles , whether we be bond or free , and have been all made to drinke into one Spirit . Zach. 8. 19. Therefore love the truth and peace . LONDON Printed by R. I. for Stephen Bowtel , at the Bible in Popes Head-Alley . 1653. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord Mayor , and Court of Aldermen , of the famous City of LONDON . Right Honourable : MY earnest desire to help quench the flames of our Church-divisions , which threaten destruction to us all , put mee upon the study of this Theame , when I was called to Preach at your late solemne Anniversary meeting ; the same desire hath perswaded me to yeeld ready obedience to your Order for the publishing of it . I doubt not , but as it was the prayer of our blessed Saviour , That all his Saints might be one ; so it is the desire of all true Christians , that Jesus Christ would make all his to be of one mind , and of one heart , and when they cannot be of one minde , yet to be of one heart , and I am as assured , that in his due time he will effect it ; when that blessed time is approaching , such Doctrines , as this plaine Sermon holds forth , will be more seriously studied , and more readily imbraced , then they are at this day . If this mite may contribute any thing to it , yea , if it doe but provoke divided and ingaged men , to search the Scriptures , whether these things here delivered be true , or not , and especially , if it occasion some other of his servants , who have obtained greater ability , and more leasure , to arise , and put their hand to this worke of reconciliation , and pacification ; I should then hope , that the Day-star of our peace begun to appear ; however , I have peace in the discharge of my duty , and humbly commend the healing of all our breaches to him , who is the Prince of peace ; to him also I commend your selves and your great work , and subscribe my selfe , Your Servant in , and for the Lord , STEPHEN MARSHALL . The Unity of the Saints with Christ , and especially among themselves . ROM. 12. 4 , 5. For as we have many members in one body , and all members have not the same office ; so we , being many , are one body in Christ , and every one members one of another . THat you may the better understand the true scope of the Holy Ghost in these words , it is necessary that I carry you a little back . The Apostle having in the eleven first Chapters at large opened the Doctrine of Faith , begins in this twelfth Chapter with the second part of our Christian Religion , which is the Doctrine of Evangelicall obedience , and there hee first propounds the generall nature of it , That it is a giving up of our selves to be holy and living sacrifices unto God , yeelding unto him a reasonable service . Secondly , He sets it out by the generall rule of it , and that is first Negative , not to bee conformed to the world , the modes , and customes , and manners of men . And Secondly , Positive , viz. to search and know with a renewed minde , what is the will of God , and , as the will of God is discovered , to imbrace and obey it , acknowledging it to be a good and an acceptable will to us ; these two are generall . Then in the next place hee begins more particularly to shew wherein this will of God doth stand , or what he hath revealed for the direction of his people . And in the third verse he doth propound one particular rule , to which ( because he would have it take the better place ) he makes this Preface , I say , through the grace , that ▪ is given me ; as if hee should have said , I propound that which through mercy , I well understand to be a most excellent and necessary rule , viz. That every one would be earefull to imploy that talent , which the Lord hath trusted him with , within the compasse of his owne line and place , thereby to be usefull and profitable to the whole , that is the scope of those words , That no man should thinke more highly of himselfe , then he ought to thinke , but to think soberly , according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith , the same thing which the Apostle , 1 Cor. 12. 7. means by the manifestation of the Spirit , which is given to every man to profit withall , to be faithfull in the imployment of that talent , which the Lord hath be trusted him with , and to use it within the bounds of his own line and calling , and not to thrust himselfe into other mens office or worke , which the Apostle afterward more fully prosecutes verse 6 , 7 , 8. Now because some man might a little wonder that the Apostle should begin with this , as the very first duty , which he imposeth upon Christians , that therefore the necessity and weight of it might the more appear , he useth a most apt and elegant similitude ; look as it is in the natural body of man , the members are very many , take the joynts and sinews , nerves , and vaines , &c , there are abundance of them , and every one of them is indowed with some faculty or other , and all the multitude of members doe make but one body , wherein every member doing its owne office , the whole is nourished , and should they neglect the performance of what God in Nature had intrusted them with , or should not each of them keepe to their owne worke , this neglect or disorder would tend to the destruction of the whole ; even so hath the Lord appointed and ordered it in the Church of Christ , that all the people of God , scattered throughout the world , though their multitude bee not to be numbred , yet all these are all compacted by the Lords institution into one body , and in this one body , they are all of them not onely members of Jesus Christ the head , but every one of them members one of another , and given gifts and abilities to be imployed by them for their common good , each needing another , each bound to helpe one another , and by what every one is bound in his place to supply , the whole Church , ( which is the body of Christ ) growes up to perfection , as is most excellently laid down , Ephes. 4. 16. And thus I have brought you to my Text , and opened the generall scope and meaning of it , which words in themselves doe containe the Unity of the Saints in one body with Christ the head , and each of them one with another , from which without any more preamble or interpretation , I propound this one onely Lesson , viz. The whole Church , or the collection or aggregation of all the Saints , are one body in Christ , of which body Christ is the head , and all the Saints are members . Which I will indeavour briefly to explain , and then come to that branch which I have chosen to insist upon this day . Know then that our Lord Jesus Christ in the Scripture is said to have a twofold body , the one a natural body , that body which was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin , which was borne into the world , wherein Christ lived , which dyed , rose againe , and is now ascended up into heaven , this natural body of Christ is not the body meant in my Text . But secondly , Christ hath another body very often mentioned in the Scripture , which is called his mysticall body , or a body in a mystery : but because that may be looked upon , but as a blinde , which every man may interpret according to his own fancy , therefore the Spirit of God hath taught us , that the collection or aggregation , or the thus gathering together of all the Saints in one , which the Scripture cals the body of Christ , though it be not his naturall body , yet it is to him as his naturall body , and this I pray you to marke , and give me leave to prove , because it is the onely foundation of all the Discourse , that I am this day to make to you ; I say , The Church , when the Scripture cals it the body of Christ , is to him , as his naturall body , that is , they stand to Christ in the same relation that the naturall body doth stand to the naturall head , and Christ stands to them in the same relation , that a natural head doth to the naturall body , and all the members , that is , all beleevers , or Saints ' , stand in the same relation one to another , as the members of a naturall body doe stand one to another : this I say , is the foundation of all , and out of the many Texts which might bee alledged , to prove it , I shall onely ( to this which I have in hand , which saith expresly that wee are all one body in Christ , and every one members one of another ) mention two more , which are so plaine , that he that runs may read this truth in them ; one is in the 1 Cor. 12. Indeed almost the whole Chapter is a proofe , and an improvement of this one truth : the Apostle tels them in the beginning of the Chapter , that there are given to the Church , diversities of gifts , diversities of administrations , diversities of operations , and all these come from the same Spirit , and this Spirit that gives these gifts , and administrations , and operations , hee gives them all to this end , that there may be a profiting of the whole : and presently ( that you may understand his meaning ) tels us , that look as it is in the naturall body , there is abundance of members joyned , and every one have their severall office for the good of all , so is Christ , saith he by Christ , there , he doth not mean Jesus Christ in his humane nature onely , but Christ mysticall , Christ and all his members gathered into one ; and then goes on in the thirteenth verse , and tels us , That by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether Jewes or Gentiles , bond , or free , and are all made to drink into one Spirit , and so , throughout to the end of the Chapter , prosecutes the same comparison of Christs being as a naturall head to his Church , and all the Saints , as naturall members to Christ , and one to another , and the duties which follow thereupon . The other place is Ephes. 4 from 12. to 17. in the beginning of the Chapter , he exhorted them earnestly to live in love , and keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ; to provoke them the better to it , he shews them verse 4. 5 , and 6. in how many things they are one ( of which you shal hear more afterward . ) Then vers . 7. he addes , that each of them had received gifts , which were the fruits of Christs ascention , all which were given for the converting , edifying , and perfecting of the body of Christ , untill it attaine unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ , that they all might grow up in all things unto him that is the head , even Christ . Now that it might appear what kinde of head and body is meant , he presently fals upon this similitude of a naturall body , verse 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned and compacted together , by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part , maketh increase of the whole body to the edifying of it selfe in love . And almost parallel to this is , Col. 2. 19. where the Apostle tels us , that from Christ the head , all the body by joynts and bands is knit together , receives nourishment administred , and so increaseth with the increase of God . Nothing can be plainer , that , look as it is in the naturall body , the Lord hath so cast it , and what the Head doth for its part , the Liver for its part , the Heart for its part , the Brain for its part , and every Joynt and Sinew for its part , the whole body growes up to a full stature , and all grows up together ; so hath the Lord ordained , and cast it to be in the Church of Christ . Now this foundation being laid , that though the Church be not Christs naturall body , it is yet as his naturall body . The great Question is , Wherein doth this comparison or resemblance stand ? To that I answer first : it is easie for a man to name many particulars , wherein the comparison will not hold betwixt the Church and a naturall body : and it is as easie for a man to name many things wherein they are very like one to another ; but we must not be wise beyond the Scripture , nor stretch it any further then the Lord intends it ; I humbly conceive that the comparison lies properly in these two things . First , That as in the naturall body the members , and every member hath a reall union with the head , for its owne part , having the same spirit animating it that is in the head , and thereby hath a communion with , and dependance upon the head in all the offices that the head can do for it ; so every particular Christian , or member of the Church , hath a reall , indissoluble , spiritual union , and conjunction with the Lord Jesus Christ , having his Spirit communicated unto them , which is the foundation of all their communion , the very root and principle of their spirituall life , and which inables them every one for their part to live unto Christ , that is one . Secondly , Which is the thing I intend , that as in the natural body all the members doe not onely meet in the head , as all the lines do meet in a Center , and are one there , though they do not touch one another anywhere else , but they are all by the wonderfull power and wisdome of God so contrived , and compacted , and joyned together , that they have a reall union one with another ; So in this mystical and spiritual body , all the Saints have not only each for his owne part a union and conjunction with Jesus Christ ▪ but also a reall union and conjunction one with another , which is the foundation of many duties , which every one of them are thereby bound to perform one to another , and of many priviledges , which thereby they injoy with ▪ and by one another , as shall , God willing ▪ be afterwards opened unto you . Now this my Text speakes as plainly as any man could wish , when it saith , that we being many , that is , all we Christians , all that truly beleeve in , and professe the name of Christ , being very many , are all one body in Christ ; that is , we all meet , and are one in him , and that is not all , but we are also all of us members one of another . Now the first of these , the reall , indissoluble , and spirituall union , that all the people of Christ have with Christ their head , is a most divine , excellent and necessary truth , and indeed , is the foundation , and principle of all our Christian life , and therefore most worthy to be understood by all Gods people : But that not being the maine drift of the holy Ghost in this place , I forbear to speak of at this time , and shal treat only of the second , and that is the union and conjunction that is , and ought to be between all the people of Jesus Christ one with another , they being members one of another ; and therein shall indeavour first to prove and clear it , and then hasten to the application of it . For the proof of it , I shall not need any other Texts , then those that I have mentioned already , that 1 Cor. 12. how fully and clearly doth the Apostle teach , that the eye , the hand , the foot , and every member are for the good , and use of the whole , and none of them can say I have no need of thee , or I have no need of thee ; God having so ordered it , that every one of them needs one another , and every one of them are , and ought to be usefull one to another ; yea , that even the most mean and feeble of all the members , are not onely of the body as well as the rest , but are necessary to the good of the whole , and those members which we are prone to think lesse honourable , and more uncomely , God hath appointed in this mysticall body , as well as in our naturall bodies to have the more honour put upon them . And so in that other fore-mentioned place , the fourth of the Ephesians , where he saith , That the whole body being joyned together by that that every joynt supplieth , &c. there is not the least joynt , but it makes for the supply , for the edification of the whole . To these might be added all those places , which speake of the Church , as one corporation or body under other resemblances , one vine , one house , one City , &c. whereof very many do occur in the holy Scriptures ; but all these things will be clearer in my subsequent Discourse , wherein for the fuller clearing the doctrinal part , I shall a little insist upon two maine questions , and then endeavour to resolve a doubt or two , which may seem to lye as objections against all the Saints making but one body . First , If the Saints bee one body , &c. it may bee demanded , wherein this unity of the Saints stands , or what are the things wherein all the members of Christ have union one with another ? Secondly , If they be thus all one , what are the bands and ligaments , whereby this vast multitude are all of them tyed thus firmly together ? For the first , If all the Church and people of Jesus Christ be all really one , one with another , and have thereby a communion one with another ; the Question is , what are those things wherein they are thus one ? To which I answer , the particulars are both many and excellent ; but because I would not burden your memories , I desire you to turne to , and consider with me but one onely Text , which indeed doth comprehend the sum of all that can be said about it , and that is Eph. 4. ver. 4 , 5 , 6. the Apostle exhorting all the Saints to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace , the better to encourage them to it , useth this motive , For there is one body , and one spirit , and one hope of your calling , one Lord , one faith , one baptism , one God , and Father of all , who is above you all , and through you all , and in you all . Now in these seven Unities are comprehended all the things , wherein all the Saints of Christ are one ; therefore I shall endeavour briefly to open them . First , They are all of them one body , that is , all Gods people throughout all the world , are but one incorporation , and there is no one of them but hee hath as really a membership in the body of Christ , as any other of them ; as in an Army , though every one be not an Officer , nor every Souldier equally valiant , or skilfull , yet every one is equally a member of the Army ; and as in a City , or Corporation , every Free-man , though no Mayor , Alderman , or Master of a company , &c. yet is as really a member of the City as any other ; or look as in a building , it may be some rooms may be larger , beautifuller and usefuller , yet there is not the least stud , the least naile , the least pin , but it is as really a part of the building , as the maine post that upholds it ; So take the Church of Christ , which is made up of the collection , and aggregation of all Gods people , there is not one of them , but hee may truly say , I am a part of that house , body , or building of Jesus Christ , as reall as any other . Secondly , and they are all one in this , that there is but one Spirit , which I thinke signifies these two things ( for other Scriptures teach me so to interpret it ; ) First , they are all of them animated and led by the selfe-same Spirit , that as the members of the body , though they be ( it may be ) many hundreds , yet there is one individual soule that animates them all ; so in the Church of Christ , all the Saints , every one of them have the selfe-same Spirit of Jesus Christ , which is the principle of their life , and animates every one of them ; but that is not all : but by the same Spirit , he secondly means the Spirit , as it is the Administrator , or distributor of all the gifts of Christ , that whatsoever gifts , graces , operations , administrations are to be found in the whole Church , the self-same Spirit distributes his gifts variously , as he pleaseth , to some more , and to some lesse , yet gives them all to , and for the good of the whole Church in generall , and for every member in its particular ; so the Spirit of God himselfe interprets this , in the first of the Corinthians , and the twelfth , from ver. 4. to 14. There are diversities of gifts , but the same Spirit , the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall , to one is given a word of wisdome , to another the word of knowledge , to another faith , to another the gift of healing , &c. but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit ; dividing to every man severally , as he will , that is the second , they are all one body , and they have one Spirit . Thirdly , and they are all one in this , That they all have the same hope of their calling ; by hope , there , is not meant the grace of hope , whereby we expect and waite for the good that Christ hath purchased for us , but there it signifies the object of hope , and therefore is called the hope of our calling , which in other places is called the hope set before us , and plainly signifies that , which the Holy Ghost cals the common salvation of all Gods people , the meanest as well as the greatest have a share in the great things laid up in store for them all , which they all aspire to , and seek after , and in the end doe all injoy , which is , the end of their faith and hope , the salvation of their soules ; there is one Body , one Spirit , one hope of their calling . Fourthly , They have all one Lord ; one Lord , what is that ? to interpret this aright , bee pleased to remember this one rule , that where-ever in the New Testament you find God , and Lord , both mentioned together , to signifie distinct Persons , Lord always signifies Jesus Christ , as Mediator , as in 1 Cor. 8. and other places , there are gods many , and lords many , but we have but one God that is over all , and one Lord , by whom are all things , and we by him ; so that by one Lord he there means , that all the Saints throughout the world have their addresse to God , only in the name and mediation of the same Lord Jesus Christ , they have but one Advocate , one Intercessour ; one Mediator between God and them , and by whom alone are communicated to them all the good things , which come from God . Then fifthly , they have all one faith , there is one Lord , and one Faith ; I conceive that there by faith is not meant the grace of faith , ( although if that be meant , as I shal shew you by and by , yet they have all that one faith ) but there , he meanes by faith , the rule , Doctrine , and object of faith , the Doctrine which is beleeved , and signifies , that all the Saints throughout the world doe by faith receive , and beleeve the selfe-same truths , which give them an interest in God , and our Lord Jesus Christ , & which carry them to eternal Salvation . Now because this seemes a little difficult , I must endeavour a little more fully to cleare it , then I have done any of the former : I say , all the members of Christ throughout the world have one faith ; the meaning is , in every Age , and every corner of the world , where Christ hath any of his people , there are some common Doctrines , wherein Salvation is to be found , in which all Gods people doe agree , each of them beleeving , and receiving them for his particular ; for although great Clerkes doe know and understand many truthes , which others are ignorant of ; yea , and among the people of Christ there are great differences , and divisions in their opinions in many particular things of weight and concernment , yet if you sever the things , wherein they differ one from another , and set them aside , and gather into one symboll or summe those great truthes , wherein they all agree , there wil be found so much truth imbraced by all the people of God , which wil bring them all to Salvation , being really beleeved , and answered with a holy conversation . For instance , looke this day into all the corners of the earth , East , West , North , and South , where the name of Christ is knowne and professed , the great fundamental Doctrines , which bring Salvation , are received by all the members of Christ . Truth is , there are in many places damnable Heresies superinduced , which , if received , the foundation is destroyed ; but Christs Spirit in all the Saints either make them see the danger of them , and abhor them , or else in mercy keep them ignorant of them , and so I doubt not but it is , even in the Church of Rome this day ( among whom Christ wil have a people to be called out from among them , when that Babilon is to be destroyed ) though their Doctrine in the grosse summe , as set forth in the Councel of Trent , wil not stand with Salvation , yet some latent members of Christs Church among them , doe through mercy see , and shun those things which are damnable , or are ignorant of that mystery of iniquity , and place all their hope of Salvation in Christ alone , and lead their lives in holinesse , according to their measure of Light received . The summe of all comes to this : That among all Christs people in the world , there is imbraced so much truth , as being accompanied with an answerable conversation , wil save them , and notwithstanding the remainders of their mistakes , errours , corruptions of judgement about lesser truthes , and corruptions in their conversations , we may comfortably say of them all , as the Apostle doth in the sixth of the Galathians , As many as walk according to this rule , peace be upon them , and upon the Israel of God . This is the fifth thing , that all the Saints in every corner of the world have one faith : and if also you would take faith for the grace of faith , whereby each for their part are united to Jesus Christ , which faith also is the principle of that Life of Grace , which the Saints lead in this world , ( for we live by faith ) in this also all Gods people in the world have the same faith , which is therefore called the faith of Gods elect , and the like precious faith ; so they are one body , have one Spirit , one hope of their calling , one Lord , one faith . Then 6ly , and they have all one Baptism , which is not to be taken literally , barely for the Sacrament of washing with water , but either it is taken , as some interpret it , for the Spiritual part of Baptisme , which is their new Birth , the washing away of their sins , and the washing of them with Gods Spirit ; or rather , as it was the custom in the Jewish Church , to have all their Ordinances signified by circumcision ( whence therefore , all who imbraced the Jewes manner of worship , are called the Circumcision ) because it was the first Ordinance , and that which sealed them to all the rest ; so I conceive he meanes by Baptisme , that as it is the first Ordinance , so it is here used to expresse all Gospel institutions , so that by one Baptisme he meanes , that Gods people all have the same Ordinances , or meanes for their edification , and building up in Christ . And then lastly , they have all one God , and father of all , who is above them all , and through them all , and in them all , which signifies that they all have one God , which is their Soveraigne Lord , the Father , of whom originally are all things , and to whom alone , as supreame , all their addresses are made in the mediation of Christ , and in whom alone they all acquiesce , and rest , as their supream good , and last end , and is therefore here said to be above them all , and through them all , and in them all ; above all in regard of his Soveraignty , and divine Eminency ; through them in regard both of his providentiall , and gracious administrations , and in them all in regard of his neare relation , and conjuction with them in Christ his Sonne ; In all these seven things all the people of God throughout the world are one , they all of them have a state , standing and membership in the same body , they all are anoynted by the same Spirit , and all the gifts of the Spirit are intended for the good of them all , they all have the same common salvation , they all have their accesse to God in the name and mediation of the same Christ , and all doe imbrace the same common truths , they all live upon the same Gospel-ordinances , and administrations , and they all serve , and reverence , and seeke to injoy and rest in one supream God , who is our God , and the God of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , in all these things they have copartnership , fellowship , and are herein as I may say , heires in Gavel-kinde . And let this be for the first question , viz. What are the things wherein all the Saints and people of Christ are one ? The second is , What are the bands that doe tye all the Saints , and people of Christ thus together ? Surely , it must needs be some strange Genius of Government , that must be able to keep in one such infinite multitudes , so differing in their languages , in their birth , in their spirits , in their educations , in almost all things , wherein temperature or corruption can make men opposite , and contrary one to another ; what strange band must it be , which can keep all these so united , that you may predicate all these seven things of every one of them . I answer ; the bands of them are not any politick tricks of mens devising ; the Church of Rome saith , it is impossible the Church of Christ should be kept thus in unity , unlesse you allow some visible head , that may have a visible government over all , and upon whose judgement and decision , all must depend ; but we need not look after any such devices , the bands are of Jesus Christs own appointing and giving , which are these two . The first is , his holy Spirit given to every one of them , which doth not only serve , as a band to tye them all to Christ their head , but this self-same Spirit is intended by Christ the head to be the band , that should tye them all one to another , and therefore it is said , 1 Cor. 12 , 13. That we are all made to drinke into one Spirit , that as we are all united into one head , so we are all made to drink into one spirit : conceive it thus ; The Lord Jesus being the quickning head of all his people , gives the self same spirit ( which resides in him without all measure ) and pouring it out in what measure he pleaseth upon all his people ; This Spirit makes them all so to understand his Laws , rules , and directions , that without any other Teachers ( not excluding the use of his owne Ordinances , but any device or policy of men ) he makes them all to understand what is the minde of their Lord , which are the duties imposed upon them by their Lord , and so inlightning their minds , and ruling their hearts , makes them conformable to all his good pleasure , and thereby keeps them all in this peace , and unity one with another . A most excellent instance you have of this in Esa. 11. where the Lord Christ is spoken of , first , as he is the head ; and of him it is said there , that he hath the spirit of wisdome , and the spirit of knowledge , and the spirit of the feare of the Lord , signifying thereby how fitted and inabled he is to the worke , of being head of the Church , to ver. 5. then afterwards , ver. 6 &c. he tels you , how all his people shal be associated , and joyned together , that the Wolfe shal agree with the Lamb , the Leopard with the Kid , the Calf , and the young Lion , and a little child shal lead them , the Cow and the Bear , the sucking child and the Asp , the weaned childe , and the Cockatrice , none shal hurt other , that is , people , who before they came under Christs government , were as Lions , Beares , and Serpents one towards another , shal now all be united , and live in peace . What strange Discipline must it be , that can make Lions and Lambs , Tigers , and Cockatrices , and little Kids and Children , agree thus together ? the reason of it is given in the ninth verse , All the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord ; that is , that spirit of knowledge , which Jesus Christ is endowed with , shal be poured out upon all the Lords people , and them let them be of what nature or disposition they wil , as this Spirit prevailes , where he doth but informe them , that this or that is the minde of Christ , this Spirits teaching wil make them all of one minde , and all live in peace thus one with another : and this is the same , which the Lord elsewhere promiseth both in 11. of Ezek. and the 36. of Ezek. I will put my spirit in them , end cause them to walke in my Statutes , and keep my Ordinances , and my Judgements , and doe them . Now this band of the Spirit of Christ , is such a band of union , which none of all the heathen Philosophers , or Law-givers , ever so much as dreamed of : Plato , Lycurgus , or any of them , who have framed plat-formes of Common-wealths , and propounded meanes , how all the subjects should be kept in concord and peace , could never once thinke of such a thing as this is ; but our Head the Lord Jesus hath both promised and done it . Then secondly , there is another band , which is a secondary and subordinate band , and that is the grace of Love , the grace of Christian love , and charity , which in this place you are not to look upon only , as a particular grace , a branch of the Image of Christ , as all other saving graces are , but as a grace exalted by Christ to this peculiar office , that it should be the band to tye all the Lords people in one , and so the Scripture saith expresly of it . The Apostle Paul having opened the conjunction of all the Saints in one body , 1 Cor. 12. doth in the latter end of the Chapter exhort them all to labour after the best gifts , which might edifie the Church ; But behold ( saith he ) I wil shew you a more excellent way : a more excellent way then what ? why a more excellent way for edification of the Church , then Apostles , Prophets , Pastors , Teachers , Governments , helps , take them all ; he would shew them an excellent way beyond all these : what is that ? the grace of love ; which he discourses of throughout the whole thirteenth Chapter , and tels you all miracles , all abilities to preach , all that it is possible for man to be endowed with , are not able to doe that good to the Church which the grace of love doth . And the same Apostle Paul , Col. 3. when he had exhorted Gods people to seeke after , and put on all those graces , wherein the new creature stands , Bowels of mercy , kindnesse , humblenesse of minde , &c. adds ver. 14. But above all put on love ; why ? it is the band of perfection , it is the perfect band , or the band that perfectly tyes all Gods people together . And therefore our Saviour Christ in Iohn . 13. 34 , 35. makes it the Livery of the Church , whereby in all places of the world they may be knowne to be his Disciples , even by their loving one another ; and therefore also the Apostle in the fourth of the Ephesians , vers. 16. when he had shewed that every joynt contributes , and supplyes its part towards the building up of the whole body , concludes it thus ; by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part , maketh increase of the body unto the building up of it selfe in love ; as if the grace of Love were the thing that ran through them all , and gave vigour and strength to them all , in their working one with another , and one for another . Thus you have heard what the things are , wherein all the Saints are one , and what the bands are , whereby they are thus united . Now before I proceed to the application , of necessity I must remove one great doubt out of the way : It may be said , If the Church of Christ be but one Church , whence comes it , that wee read mention of so many Churches , of a Triumphant Church , and a Militant Church , of a visible , and an invisible Church , of the Church at Jerusalem , the Churches of Judea , the Churches of Galatia , the seven Churches , all the Churches where the Scripture doth mention so many Churches , how are these expressions reconciled with this , that all Gods people are but one Church ? I answer ; First , it is most cleare , that Jesus Christ hath but one mystical Church , which is his body ; the Church of Christ is as we say in Logick , Species specialissima , it cannot be sub-divided into other Churches , if we wil speake properly ; but though it be but one Body , one reall individuall Church , yet this one Church is capable of severall distributions , from some properties , or qualities , or adjuncts which are found in it , and those distributions , or considerations of it , doe , and may in some sence obtaine the name of the Church . To give you a little taste , the Church of Christ , though it be but one , yet it is sometimes considered , distributed , or distinguished according to the manner , and the measure of the communion , which the parts and members inioy with their Head , thus ; one part of this Church injoyes communion with the Head by sight , and not by faith , and the communion which they have with Christ is perfect , freed from all imperfections , or infirmities , or crosses , in this respect these members are called the triumphant Church . Another part of the same Church hath communion with Christ by faith , and not by sight , and the communion which it injoyes with him is imperfect in all the Graces , and mingled with corruptions , temptations , and afflictions , in respect whereof this part of the Church is called the Militant Church , but all these are not two Churches , but one Church , only one part of it hath shot the Gulfe , and is at rest , and the other is in another condition here upon earth . Secondly , that part of it which is upon earth , in regard that the very life and being of it , and of all the members of it , lye in internall Graces , which cannot be seen , in that respect the Church of Christ is called an invisible Church ; but now as the same Church and Members doe make an outward profession of their faith , and obedience , sensibly to the eyes and eares of others , in that respect it is called a visible Church ; but the visible is not one Church , and the invisible another Church , but meerly the same Church under severall denominations , the one from their constituting Graces , the other from the external profession of them : How men , who have no Grace , come to be accounted a part of the Church , I shal endeavour to expound afterwards . Or , Thirdly , take it thus ; the selfe-same Church of Christ at one time hath been trained up under one kind of outward administration , and forme of worship and Government , one before Christs Incarnation , and that is called the Church of the Jewes ; since Christs time there is another Administration , and thence it comes to be called the Church of the Gentiles : but Jewes and Gentiles before and since Christs incarnation , are but one Church ; so likewise you may read that Jesus Christ , though he have but one Church , yet he hath appointed that the multitude of those , who professe his Name , for their better discipline , instruction , and edification , should be ranged , and ranked , and ordered into particular assemblies ; now in regard of this Marshalling , and Disciplining of them , these severall Associations , or Congregations make so many Churches , but these Churches are not severall bodies of Christ , but only parts of his one body ; as in a great Army , the number of all , who ▪ have listed their name in the Muster-role , are all under one Generall , and all under some generall Officers , but yet for their better ordering , there is this Brigade , this Regiment , or that Troop , or that Company , and every one of these under some meaner Officers , yet all of these taken together are all but one Army , so is it in the Church . I might adde , that sometimes these several associations are distinguished and known by the outward confessions which they make of their faith , and in that respect you have in our dayes the Churches of the Reformation , the Protestants , and the reformed Protestants and these againe according to some of their confessions are purer , and holier then others . And just as it is in a great building , some rooms ( it may be ) are more light and glorious , and some of them more dark , and it may be some of them have more weak timber , and other materials , then the rest , and yet all of them are but parts of the self-same house . So I say , all these , triumphant , militant , Jewes , Gentiles , visible , invisible , the severall Churches in the several quarters of the world , in the East , West , North , and South , all these , or rather the members of Christ in all these taken together , doe make up that one Church of Christ , which is his Body , his Spouse , his Kingdome , his City , his Vine , his Love , his Dove , his Turtle , his only one of her mother . Now , whether this Church of Christ , that is thus one , be authorised to meet in her representatives to make Lawes , and to exercise Discipline ? whether it be the first subject of the Keys , whether the government of particular Congregations slow from this Church to the rest ? or whether any wayes at all it may doe any judicial , or judiciary act , is a most noble question , and much disputed amongst learned Divines , especially in our latter age ; my haste doth not allow me to meddle with that controversie , only thus much I may safely assert : 1 That all the Officers , Offices , and gifts , that Christ gave , when he ascended up into heaven , he gave them all to this Church , and they all serve for the gathering , edifying , and perfecting of this Church . 2 And as any ever were , or are converted to Christ from the world , they are all primarily added to this Church . 3 Yea , and all , whether particular Christians , or numbers of Christians associated , all are to act , as parts of this Church , and consequently in reference to the good of this whole Church , all having such relation to , and dependance upon this Church , as parts have to the whole : and a standing in a particular Church-relation doth no more take off from duties to this great body , which is the great Common-wealth , then the Jewes being ranked under their several Tribes , or in their particular Cities , were taken off from the duties , which they owed to the whole Common-wealth of Israel , &c. that therefore he who is justly ( clave non errante ) excommunicated , or cast out of any particular Church , is cast out from all Churches , as he who is shut out of any one Gate of a City , is shut out of every ward of that City , yea , out of the whole City it selfe . Having thus farre cleared the Doctrinall part , I now proceed to the application of it , and there are many excellent uses , which this Lesson doth afford , I shal handle only two at this time , 1. for instruction , 2. For duty . First for instruction , from all this it appeares , that to be a Member of the Church of Christ , or the Association of all Gods people into this one body , is the only desirable good Fellowship , and Society in this world . You shal read of a great many other Fellowships , and Co-partnerships : you may read in the first of the Proverbs of a fellowship of Theeves , in Isa. 56. of a company of Drunkards , in Psal. 2. of a Society of Malignants , and abundance of several companies , and societies of men there are , some joyned for pleasure , some for profit , and many glory , and take great content in the society , and fellowship , and fruit they enjoy , in those whom they are linked with : but ah ! beloved , when things are rightly viewed , it will appeare , that the Congregation , or the Society of the Church of the first borne , whose names are written in Heaven , wherein all the Saints of God from the beginning of the world to the end of it , are all joyned in one body , all of them united to Christ , and one to another , having the same Spirit , the same Lord , the same hope , all of them one in all these seven things , which I have opened to you ; it will , I say , one day appeare , this is the only desirable society under Heaven . Let them therefore , who are men of other societies , glory as much as they please in their supposed good Fellowship , when in the meane time they are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel ; But let us count our selves happy , that we have a part and lot in this communion , wherein we have Fellowship not only one with another , but with the Father , and his Sonne Jesus Christ . Secondly , it hence also followes for our instruction , That none in all the world are , or ought to be judged Members of the Church of Christ , but only those that have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in them , really regenerate , really holy , really united to Christ the Head , these and no other are Members of the Church , which is Christs Body , which is a Lesson of very great use . You all know there is at this day much disputing , about what things are requisite to make men Church-members ; some very learned men maintain , That to make a man admittable into Christs Church , or to make him a Church-member , no more is in the Scripture required , but only , that he give up his name , and professe , that he is willing to learne the wayes of Christ , and to walke in them ; the Church of Christ being , say they , appointed as a Schoole , to traine Schollars up , into which are admitted not only those that are Learned , but those who are willing to learne . Others say , That is too laxe , if you wil own a man , as a Church-member , he must be able to give you an account of his faith , and a promise of a voluntary subjection to the Gospel of Christ for time to come , and if they come to that , then you may take them in ; and owne them , as Church-members . Others say , You must yet goe further , unlesse you can in the judgement of your owne charity conceive , that the worke of Grace is really wrought in their hearts , you are not to owne them , or joyne with them , if you can probably hope that , then you may take them in . Others will goe yet further , and say , These things are not sufficient , for unlesse there be a right admission by Baptisme , when you make your first confession , all the rest is in vaine , and upon these points we dispute , till we have disputed our selves into a thousand peeces . Now Brethren , be pleased to know , that though there be good use of these debates , to direct us to know the persons , with whom we may exercise the acts of communion in the wayes and worship of Christ , yet none of all these rise up , to prove a man to be a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ ; there are indeed signes , and rules , that may teach us , with whom we may joyne in visible and external Fellowship , and whom we may reject , or cast out , if they be taken in ; but these are not rules to make us know , who are reall Members of the Church of Christ ; indeed as the Church is denominated from some external things , these rules direct us to judge with whom , and to whom we may communicate in those external things , but these are clearly two Distinct questions , with whom we may joyne in visible and externall communion , and who are truly Members of this Church of Christ , Of the latter there is but one note , and that is , if they be united to Christ the Head , have the quickning Spirit of Christ in them , and the grace of Love wrought in them , which note is invisible , and not external , and can be knowne only in our owne Consciences ; if this be wanting , let men carry themselves never so wel , so that all the people of Christ under heaven should owne them , yet Jesus Christ ownes them not , and you may truly say , that all they , who have not communion with God the Father , and the Lord Jesus , and his holy Spirit , have no reall communion with the Saints ; therefore let no man rest , or pride himselfe in being joyned in this , or that Church-fellowship , a carnal , or unconverted man , whatsoever his outward shape or mould be in his profession , that man for his Spiritual standing belongs to another Corporation . There are two great Spiritual corporations , the one is , that whe●eof Christ is the Head ; the other is , the corporation of Hel , whereof the Devil is the Prince ; now all men , let them be of what Profession they wil , if they be not under Christ the Head , they belong to another corporation , and their external visible profession alters not their Spiritual relation . A lump of Lead , whilst it is in the lump , it is a lump of base Metall , called Lead , melt this , and mould it into the forme of a Beast , what is it then ? it is but a leaden Beast ; melt it , and mould it againe into the forme of a man , it is but a Leaden man ; melt it , and mould it againe , into the forme of an Angel , it is but a Leaden Angel : So I say , take a carnal Man , an unregenerate Man , he is a carnal man , whilst he professeth no Religion ; suppose him then , to professe himselfe a Protestant at large , he is but a carnall Protestant ; suppose him next , to joyne himselfe into some Church Order , let him joyne with those that are called of the Presbyterian way , he is a carnall Presbyterian . Take him off from that , put him into the Congregationall way , what is he then ? a carnal congregational man ; joyne him next if you wil , to those , who deny our Baptisme , he is then but a carnal Anabaptist , he is stil a carnal , an ungodly man , belonging to the corporation of Satan , whatsoever his out-side be ; and know ye all for certain , that no Bastard , no Gibeonite , no Hypocrite , no man unconverted , what gifts soever he may have , what reputation soever he may have amongst men , he is no member of the Church of Christ , unlesse the Spirit of Christ be in him . I say therefore againe , beare not your selves too much upon your visible Church-standing , as too many doe ; beleeve it , it s an easie thing for the children of the world to put on an outward forme of Church-communion : but O! how hard is it to become a new creature , to resigne up it selfe wholly to Jesus Christ , and the guidance of his holy Spirit ? and I presse this the more upon this account also , viz. were this well understood ; it would satisfie , and cure the mistake of many , who thinke , that there are the same rules to direct us , with whom we must exercise our external communion , as there is to judge with whom Jesus Christ exercises his communion ; no , no ; we may exercise outward acts of communion , by the appointment of God , with those unto whom Jesus Christ never communicates himselfe , nor his Spirit . Thirdly , one instruction more , which I doe but name from all this , That the Church of Christ is but one Body : it followes plainly , that therefore among all the great multitudes of the Members of the Church , they are the honourablest , and noblest Members , who are most useful for the common good of the Church , as it is in a Natural body , the Liver that makes bloud for all the body ; the Heart , that makes spirits for all the body ; the Stomach , that digests meat for all the body ; and the Eye , which sees for the whole body , &c. these are counted the noblest , and excellentest : So among all Christians , the man , or men , who are most useful , best fitted for use , and laid out for use , these wil one day be found , and acknowledged the honourablest Members of the Church of Christ , what esteeme soever the world hath of them . But the maine use , which I purpose , and which indeed we most need , is to shew what duties doe arise from this unity of the Saints in one body , and they are two , which the Apostle Paul layes downe , in the first of the Corinthians , the twelfth chap. vers. 25. when he had shewed , how the Lord had framed all his people into one body , he then tels us , to what end and purpose all this was done , viz. First , That there should be no schisme in the body . Secondly , That therefore all the members ought to have the like care one of another . The first of these I purpose with the Lords assistance to speake somewhat to at this time , because all the Church , the Saints , the people of God in all the world are but one body , therefore rents , and divisions are most unnaturall , and destructive to it . I hope you wil all judge it a necessary and seasonable Theam , it being almost our epidemical disease , we being rent and torne into multitudes of sects and divisions , which this doctrine of the unity of the Church of Christ doth utterly condemn , and therefore though I know it is an unpleasing subject , and possibly many may give me small thanks for it , yet truly I durst not ( being called to this place ) but cast in my mite towards the healing of this wofull distemper ; and three things I shall endeavour to cleare about it : First , What Schisme is , and what is the nature of it : Secondly , the greatnesse of it , what a horrible sin it is : And thirdly , and principally , I will labour to shew you , who they are , that are guilty of it . For the first , what it is , It s usually defined to be a rash or unjust separation in matters of Religion , but I would rather describe it to be a renting , violating , dissolving , or breaking of that unity , which ought to be amongst Christians , or amongst all the Saints of Christ . And this rending or breaking of this union properly lyes in two things ; one is inward , and that is dissolving or breaking the band , or bands , which the Lord hath given to tye them all together , which band on our part ( as you have heard before ) is the grace of love , and therefore the breaking off of love among Christians , whether it be from all the Church , or from a particular Church , yea , or from a particular man ; I say , the dissolving or breaking of this spirituall band , hath in it the very intrinsecall nature of the sinne of Schisme , the Lord having appointed that grace to be the band to tye his people together ; but because the inward band is invisible , and therefore not easie to judge of , therefore there is a second thing in Schism , and that is , a denying , or with-drawing from the exercise of those things , which Christ hath given , as the symboles or pledges of love amongst his people , as conversing together , praying together , hearing together , conferring together , receiving Sacraments , and the like together ; the with-drawing from these , or the denying of these , otherwise then Jesus Christ directs in his Word . These things are visible , and therefore Divines use to appropriate the name of Schism to such with-drawings , or denyings , which indeed are but the fruites of the other : for the dissolving of the band of love , is the root of the disease , and the denying of the expressions , and exercise of love are the bitter fruits growing from that evill root ; So then , he , or they , who ever they are , that do deny to exercise , or with-draw from the exercise of those things , which Jesus Christ hath made to bee both duties , and pledges of love among his people , are truly and properly guilty of the sin of Schism ; the nature of this sin of Schism lying properly in this ▪ that it is against Christian love ; and hereby also you may learne the difference between Heresie and Schisme ; Heresie is a false opinion , which destroyes faith , but Schisme is either an opinion , or practice against charity . The first of them , which is against faith , tends to rend off from Christ the head . The second , which is against love , tends to the rending off from the body ; This for the nature of it . In the next place , let us consider the greatnesse of this sin , and the rather , because in truth , the name and charge is grown so common amongst us , ( as formerly the name of Puritan was ) that many make no account of it , whether they be charged justly , or unjustly with it ; but who ever considers of it , according to the sense of the Scripture , wil find that the sin of Schisme is a most hainous sin ; The greatness of it not easily set forth in words , whether you consider it in the nature of it , or the effects of it . In 1 The nature of it ; its contrary to one of the highest ends of Christs great undertaking , which is , that all his people should bee one , he dyed to that end , to make them one with himselfe , and one with one another , he begged it of his Father , that they should be one ; now this sinne tends to frustrate this great designe of Jesus Christ . And secondly , It is contrary to all the Commandements of Christ , for all the Commands , which he hath given to his people for the ordering of their conversation , himselfe tels us , That the end of the Commandement is love ; 2 If we consider the effects of it , they are most dreadful and mischievous : For first , it is wonderfully dishonourable to Jesus Christ ; for whereas he holds out to all the world , that his people are one house , one body , one city , which is at unity , compacted together , &c. this is a publick confutation of it , makes Jerusalem appeare as a Babel , a City of confusion , a Kingdome divided , wherein is nothing but disorders , and tumults , and the like . And as it is dishonourable to Christ , so it wonderfully hinders and destroyes the edification of the Church , both the edification of them , who make the Schisme , and the edification of them , from whom the rent is made , depriving them of that spiritual good they might , and should receive and supply from , and to one another ; for though Iesus Christ the head , be the only fountaine of our spiritual life , yet it is as true that Christs usuall way of exercising , strengthning , increasing , and perfecting it , is in the fellowship of the body , that by what every joynt supplyes , the whole may be increased ; so that if we weigh it seriously , we must conclude , That as nothing within the bounds of the Church more argues a conformity to the spirit of the Gospel , then the study of unitie , peace , and concord , so few things more argue an opposition to Christs worke , and his peoples good , then this spirit of division . But the third is the greatest question , who are guilty of it ? and before I enter upon this discovery , give me leave to premise this , that in our dayes it is in this point of Schisme , as it was of old in the primitive Church in the first point of Heresie : what opinions the Ancients would make odious , they would brand with the name of Heresie , and thereby sometimes very truths of Christ were condemned , as Heresies ; so it is at this day in the point of Schisme , the Papists cry downe all , who professe Christianity through the whole world as Schismaticks , who joyn not with , and subject not unto the Church of Rome . The Prelatical party usually account all Schismaticks who are not under the Church-government of Bishops ; come among them who are for the Presbytery , many of them call all Schismaticks , who joyn in any other way : the Congregational men , ( as they are called ) have the same esteeme of them who depart from them , and goe into another way : I premise this , only for this end , that you may hence conclude , that doubtlesse sometimes the name is given , where it should not be given . Now let us returne to our Question , Who they are that are guilty ? Answ. Truly with sorrow I must reply , It is a hard thing to say in our sad dayes who is not guilty , as in Common-wealths , where the bands and sinews of Civil government are cut asunder , & no conjunction , or associating of a people into or under government ; Politicians say , that in such times , Every man is at war with every man , every man is an enemy to every man ; so the Lord for our sinnes hath poured this evil upon us , that we lye in confusion , almost every man is divided from every man , and so deep hath the malady taken root , that many are in love with it , and like their very divisions ; and as it is in popular tumults no man will heare any man , but still the confused noyse goes on ; so in truth is it with us , we are not willing to heare of agreement , he is almost an enemy , who would labour a pacification , or reconciliation . The Lord have mercy upon us , our divisions are very great and sad ; but as a generall declaiming against sin , never converted a man from sin , untill he bee convinced that himself be guilty of this or that sin ; so my declaiming against Schisme in generall wil not heal it , until I discover more particularly , who they are that are guilty of it . And to this I answer first negatively , all departure , separation , and denying to joyn in Ordinances from some such , as call themselves Christians , is not Schisme ; the Israelites separation from Jeroboams Calves was no Schisme , if the faith of a people be heretical , or their worship be idolatrous : the Lord bids his servants come out from such a people . I adde further , that although the faith of a Church be sound , and the worship pure for the substance , yet if that Church , or Company , wil presse some such things , which others cannot practise without sin , and which unlesse they will practice ( though against their consciences ) they must be under intollerable persecution , as losse of state , life , &c. or spirituall anathematisme , unjust excommunications , or the like , to with-draw from such a people ( provided that still they will retaine those truths which are held by that persecuting Church , and be ready to perform what Christian duty of love lyes in their power towards them ) this with-drawing is no Schism , it is no more then Christ and his Disciples did to the Church of Jerusalem , and no more then the Lord hath bid his people do , when they are persecuted in one place , to with-draw and flye to another . 2 I answer positively , they who are guilty of the sin of Schisme may be reduced under two heads : Some are guilty of Schisme from their principles of judgement ; their principles of judgement carry them to the practice of that which is a rending of the Church . Others , though their principles of judgement be right , yet are Schismaticall , through principles of a corrupt heart and spirit ; I shall speake to both these , but principally to the first sort . First , all those whose erroneous judgements make them Schismaticall ( as I conceive ) may all be brought to these foure . First , Independency properly so called , is one of the highest principles of Schisme , all such Christians , whether they be single persons or associated bodies , yea , though all the Christians in a Nation , associated into a body , doe looke upon themselves as absolute , and independent from the rest of the Church of Christ , with whom the rest of the Church of Christ hath nothing to doe ; this I say , is one of the highest principles of Schisme in the world : but doe not mistake me , I know there are some called , and branded with the name of Independency , who professe they abhor both the name and thing , I meane such , as conceive that a particular Church hath all power in it selfe , and that no other assembly can authoritatively call them to an account , so as to dissolve their sentences , or excommunicate them , because they conceive , that the government of the Church is not placed in Synods , or in any other Assembly , then that of a particular Congregation ; yet readily acknowledge that themselves are but part of the Church , and ought to be countable to the Church of Christ for their wayes , and that , if upon brotherly counsel given by other Churches , they reforme not , they may and ought to with-draw from all Christian communion with them : whether their way of being countable be right or no I dispute not , only I say , this is not the Independency here intended ; but I meane any man , or company of men , who looke upon themselves , as an intire Civil State , or Common-wealth lookes upon it selfe , how small soever it be ( as in Italy , there are some such , which containe not above one City or two ) yet they count all the world hath nothing to do with them , nor are they to be countable to any other State , no not to the whole world , any further then their owne interest carries them , either for their owne safety , or as they make use of them ; this is true State independency ; so is it here when any persons , or company of Christians looke upon themselves , as totum quid seorsum , as men by themselves , and in their intentions , carry not themselves as parts of the great Common-wealth , accounting it a thing little or nothing materiall , so they professe the Name , and faith of Christ , and serve him , whether they doe it in the communion of the Catholick Church , or out of it , as if they were not persons contained within the whole , or part of the same Common-wealth , this , I say , is high and deep Schism ; the very nature of Christs Church , being one Body , requires , that whatsoever any , whether persons or Churches do in matters of Religion , teaching , or being taught , praying , fasting , Almes-giving , in word , and Sacraments , yea , in beleeving , loving , hoping , &c. should all be done intentionally with relation to , and communion with the whole Church of Christ ; this first principle lies deep rooted , many live by it , though few wil own it . 2 Others are deeply schismatical from principles of judgement , who are so farre in love with their own constitution , or way of Association into Church-Order , that they condemne all the other Assemblies throughout the world , as no Churches of Christ , because they be not modelled and moulded according to the Plat-form of their own particular Church-order , and association . I doe not deny , but it is possible that some of Gods people may have some such great mistakes lye upon them , that they cannot possibly joyne in all Christian ordinances with any congregation in the world : as the converted Christian Jewes , while they were under that apprehension that no man ought to be owned , but he that was circumcised ; I say , as long as that errour possest them , they could never joyn in all Ordinances with the rest of the Gentiles ; and how farre the rest of the people of God should beare with such , and still own them as Christs servants , is a thing worth the studying , but certainly the principle it selfe is most destructive to the unity of the Church . To refraine fellowship and communion with such Churches , or Companies , who professe Christ their Lord , whose faith is sound , whose worship is Gospel-worship , whose lives are holy , unlesse they will come into that very particular way of Church order , which they have pitched upon , is a dreadfull renting of the Church of Christ to peeces ; for if all Christs people in the world are one body , and all thereby bound to have communion one with another , then certainly that principle , which necessitates men to cast off ( it may be ) nine hundred ninety nine parts of a thousand , must needs be dangerous , and Schismatical ; of this none are so guilty , as the Church of Rome , who circumscribe the Church of Christ within the precinct of the Roman Jurisdiction , and cast off all Christians , and all Churches in the East , West , North , and South , yea , cast them off from all hope of Salvation , who subject not themselves to their way . 2. Nor can our rigid Separatists bee any way excused , who censure and condemne all other Churches , whatever their faith , worship , and conversation be , meerly because they are not gathered into Church-order , according to their own patternes . This so strict bounding of our christian communion by outward formes , I humbly conceive hath been a great , and almost generall fault among the Churches of Europe ever since the Reformation : in some Churches , the large forme of the confession of their faith is made the Shibboleth ; without owning , and subscribing to this , without abating of a tittle , no communion to be injoyed ; in other Churches , without conforming to their formes of Prayers , Rites , and Ceremonies in administration of the Sacraments , no communion to be injoyed , in others without submitting to their forme of Church-government , no communion ; and with these , of whom I now speake , without submitting to their manner and forme of gathering into Church-fellowship , none to be owned , or acknowledged to be Churches of Christ ▪ but alas ! how little is to be found in Scripture to bound our fellowship and communion of Saints by any of these things ? In the Scripture , Churches are cryed up or downe , commended and blamed , according as their fundamentall faith was sound , and their lives holy ▪ and I doubt not but one day , we shall all judge those Churches the best , whose substantial faith is soundest , and lives most holy , whether their first manner of gathering were every way regular or not . Suppose that in an Army , the Lawes of that Army were , That none should be prest to serve , but all to come in as Volunteers , that their Officers should bee so and so chosen , and qualified ; now suppose in this Army should be found some Souldiers , who at first were forced in , or Officers , who came corruptly by their places ; suppose whole Troops or Companies of these , who yet being in , prove as good Souldiers , as faithful , skilfull valiant for the Cause , as any other , it may be , beyond any others , think you these would not be owned by the Army , when they should be found such ? Or , suppose in Marriage , at the first the Parties marry , while not of years of discretion , or to please Parents , or the like , yet afterward come to love , and live in their Marriage-relation according to the Word , thinke wee these shall not be owned as Husband and Wife ? so is the case here : Let mee for present suppose these men , or Churches , to whom I speak , to be at their fi●st gath●ring according to the purest patterne ; and let mee also suppose another Company irregularly joyned , it may be forced in ▪ and that also whilst they are ignorant , prophane , &c. and that their Minister also was put upon them ; now if the Lord please to worke upon those effectually , so that Minister and people grow sound in the faith , holy in their lives , pure in their worship , zealous for the truth ; when possibly they who boast of their first joyning , are grown like Sardis , to have a name to be alive , and yet are dead , &c. shal we thinke the Lord Jesus wil not owne the other before themselves ? yes doubtlesse , and so should all his people ; give me leave to adde one thing more ; That the notion of making the first gathering of people into Church-fellowship , to be the rule to direct us with whom we may joyne , or not joyne ; this I say , may make us refuse some Churches , upon whom are apparently seen the Scripture - Characters of a Golden Candlestick , and imbrace communion with others , only upon a humane testimony or report ; for in that Church above mentioned , I may see a visible profession of soundnesse in faith , and holinesse there ; in the other , men only tell me , the first were not orderly gathered , and the others were ; to conclude this branch , this principle of renouncing all Churches for want of a supposed orderly gathering , or for want of some such desirable perfection , which themselves injoy , is so dangerous and schismatical , that I feare not to say ▪ that it is more lawful to have a Church-standing in the corruptest Church in the world , where salvation and life may be obtained , by the doctrine held out , and the way profest in that Church , though there should be very many frailties , and corruptions amongst them , then with that company , how holy soever it seemes to be , that wil necessitate such as joyne with them , to renounce communion with all the rest of the Body of Jesus Christ upon earth . Thirdly , another principle of Schism , and which I conceive to be of larger , and of farre greater extent , and may make a fairer plea for it selfe , then yet any named , is , that which shuts up many servants of Christ , that they cannot joyne , nor afford Christian communion unto others for some particular errours found in their profession of faith , or some frailties found in their conversation . I say , that principle which makes the servants of Christ deny communion to them , to whom Christ wil not deny communion , to interdict communion with them , with whom Christ doth not interdict communion , is a renting principle . Conceive my meaning in a plaine comparison . Suppose in a Corporation , there were some rules given by their Charter and Founder , concerning their infranchizement , that whosoever is so , and so qualified , shal be a Free-man ; if that Corporation , or any number shal deny freedome to any so qualified , or shal disfranchise any for any offence , for wch the Charter whereby they all stand , doth not warrant them , they are guilty of rending their Charter , and they usurpe a power not given them by their founder ; so is it in the Church , let me give a few instances ; Take the Churches in the Apostles time , some of them did think it utterly unlawful to eat any meat that had been offered to an Idol , some did think all days were alike , some thought that it was utterly unlawful to eat any thing , but herbes , &c. Suppose now that the number of those , who held these opinions , should have gone to the rest of the Church , and said , You are too lax in your principles unlesse you will renounce that carnall , ungodly liberty , which you take , to eate in Idols temples , or to eate meat that hath been offered to an Idol , &c. we professe we must renounce communion with you , they had been Schismaticks in doing so . If on the other side the Church had called them , and said , You by your strict opinions cut short the liberty Christ hath purchased for us by his bloud , unlesse you lay aside these conceits of yours , we cast you out , then the Schisme had laine on their part ; because the Charter of Christianity hath provided , that for these things the people of God should not rent one from another , but bear one with another , that thereby they might heale one another . Come a little nearer our own times , Take the Reformed Churches , as now they stand , all the Churches of France and Geneva , though they be sound in their faith , yet generally they are against the divine institution of the Lords day . Goe to Helvetia amongst the Switzers , generally the Churches there are against all Divine-right of any Church-government , and require nothing but the help of the Magistrate to keep their people in order . Go from them , if you wil among the Lutherans , among them are many ( as we judge ) dangerous opinions , the Arminian points , and besides them , Consubstantiation , and the ubiquity of Christs body , and the like . The like might be said in many particulars of the Swedes and Danes ; all these Churches being sound in the fundamentals , and owned by Christ , ought also to own one another ; there are indeed some doctrines , wherein if men or Churches be not sound , the Lord Christ wil have nothing to do with them , or if a Churches worship be Idolatrous , the Lord Christ wil not hold communion with them , but there are some errours in doctrines , and corruptions in conversation , for which ( though Christ like them not ) he doth not reject them ; apply this to our purpose . At this day the Socinians deny the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ , the Deity of the Holy Ghost , the Trinity of Persons , they deny that Jesus Christ hath merited , or satisfied for his people , these doctrines overthrow our Christianity , and we count the holders of these to have nothing with Christians in common , but only the name , therefore we renounce them . The Papists also , besides some fundamentall errours , as justification by the merit of our owne workes , &c. are most abominably Idolatrous in their worship , and the Lord therefore bids us come out from them ; but take all the rest of the Churches of Christ in Europe , and I humbly conceive that we ought , and must owne them to be Churches of Christ ; and therefore when the Calvinists , and the Lutherans had had many disputes , to see if they could fetch off one another from their principles , and could not do it , the Calvinists even the holiest , and learnedst of them , such as Calvin , Beza , Martyr , Zanchy , Vrsin , Pareus , have offered to owne them as brethren , as Churches of Christ , and would have been willing to heare them , to receive Sacraments with them : the rigid Lutherans refused it , and cry out , From communion with the Calvinists , Good Lord deliver us : Now say I , the Schisme was on the Lutherans part : if the Lutherans had offered it , and the Calvinists had rejected , the Schisme had laine on the Calvinists part . Bring it yet nearer , many of these opinions are got in among us , especially about free-will , Infant-baptisme , formes of Church-government , &c. and we should not refuse communion with any of them ( supposing their lives unblameable . ) If they will hold communion with us ; I say , if they will , for ordinarily erroneous persons are proud , and must have all mens sheaves bow down to theirs , and will close only with teachers and companies according to their owne lusts , but if we in a spirit of Christian love would have peace , and they refuse it , then both the errour and schisme lyeth at their doore . But against all this , it may be , and is objected : What a speckled bird would you make a particular church ? Suppose the church you should be an Officer unto , should be such a medly , of some holding the morality of the Lords day , some denying it , some for Infant-baptisme , some condemning it , some like the Presbyterian-government , others are for the Episcopal , others like a Congregational better then either of them ; some would have their children baptised , others are utterly against it , some of them Calvinists , some Lutherans , to have a Church made up of all these , would not this be a reproach to you to be a Pastor to such a flock ? To which I answer ; what reproach would it be to me to be Pastor of such a Church ▪ as Jesus Christ is a head of ? If the Church of Christ , wherein his Spirit rules , to whom he is a head , and which shal be saved , be made up of all these , what reproach ( if prejudice did not blinde mens eyes ) could it be to any of us , to have such members to be members of our Congregations ? But doe you then intend a toleration of all these opinions ? would you have Lutherans , and Anti-sabbatarians , Anabaptists , and others tolerated among us ? I answer first , what the Magistrates office is about toleration , or non-toleration , I have nothing to doe to meddle with at this time ; my doctrine confines me to speake only of Church forbearance , and upon that account . I answer , if by toleration , you meane an approbation of these , God forbid , we must approve of no errour , we should all seeke to make one another imbrace every truth of Christ ; But if by toleration you meane a not cutting them off , unlesse they lay downe their errours and renounce them , that indeed I plead for , we should hold Christian communion with them for Christ thus beares with them , and will have us beare one with another ; and as it is in our naturall body , if a man have an ulcer in his hand or his leg if ordinary medicines wil not cure it , he wil wait till the strength of nature work out the humour , or till by the providence of God , he can light of some more happy medicines , then yet have been propounded , but he will not cut his hand or his leg off , so long as it may be any wayes usefull to him ; so is the case here . Thirdly , Some will yet object , indeed if you meane to bear with them for a while , till the truth hath been set before them , that they have all meanes of conviction , it wil be granted ; but suppose all paines have been taken , the truth hath been propounded , they have been reasoned with , and they still hold the same , then they may be judged obstinate and self-condemned . I answer plainly , faith , as it is the imbracing of any particular truth is as well the gift of Gods Spirit , as that faith whereby we receive Christ for our Saviour , no wisdome , or rhethoricke of man can ever make a man receive the faith of any one doctrine of Christianity , till Gods Spirit inable him , and it is a far easier matter to non-plus a man in disputing , then it is to clear his understanding , and inable him to receive a truth ; and when such persons do appeal to the searcher of hearts , that it is meer want of light which hinders them from being of one minde , our Christian love ( which ever judgeth the best ) should rest satisfied , especially when their lives are unblameable , we must not take upon us to be Lords of their faith ; and therefore after many disputes and conferences between the dissenting Churches in Germany , when they were not able to dispute one another out of their principles ( as I before noted ) the Calvinists propounded to hold an amicable Christian communion one with another ; and if in a fair debating way they could afterward satisfie one another , well and good , in the meane time they would wait , till Christ would give more light : and upon this account , the Calvinists and Lutherans in Polonia doe at this day live in concord , both of them retaining their opinions . And in truth , we all professe to doe the same toward them ; for I hardly know any amongst us , but confesse the Helvetians , Lutherans , &c. are true Churches , notwithstanding their errours : Now ( say I ) shal a company associated in such , and such opinions , bee counted a true Church ? and shal not a particular man , who holds the same points , be counted a true visible member ? or shal we hold communion with them in Germany , and shal we deny it to our brethren in England ? God forbid , that the exercise of our Christian charity , and communion should vary , according as Regions vary . If whole Churches be owned , because of their faith and holinesse of life ( notwithstanding their errours ) to be true visible Churches , then one man that hath those errours , may goe for a true visible Christian , because of his faith and holinesse . And in truth they who are the brethren of our elder brother , are our brethren , wil we , nil we , and we shal repent , if we use them not as brethren . Yet againe , it wil be said , but Paul did wish they were all cut off that troubled the Galatians . I answer ; But mark who they were , they were such who brought such a doctrin that he profest , if they imbraced it , Christ would profit them nothing ; they , who would set up a new Christ , a new way of salvation , to seek justification by their own works , he prayed they might be cut off , but he never wished it for errours of a lower nature . But lastly , some may yet demand , and say , What if they who hold such Opinions , joyn in communion with you , and in your communion make it their worke and practise ; ( for errour is very Pragmatical ) to draw all the rest of your company into their errors , and labour to infect all ; yea , to put all into flames of division and confusion , unlesse they can prevaile . Shall we indure to see our brethren , and our people before our eyes drawne into errors , although those errors , it may be , are not fundamentall ? I answer ; First , I know no great hurt for men to be permitted modestly , and humbly to debate among their Brethren the things wherein they differ ; But , Secondly , I answer ; If men , who hold differing opinions in these lesser points , can neither be content to follow Pauls counsel , to have their faith , in these , to themselves before God , nor modestly propound their arguments , and grounds , and so be quiet , but must make it their work to draw ( it may be ) weak ones , into doubtful disputations , and thereby take them off from the study and prosecution of more weighty things ; I can bee no Advocate for such people , if they judge the spreading of their opinions to be such a duty , that they take themselves bound in conscience , to do all that is possible , to draw all others in to them ; I know no remedy , but such people must be contented to with-draw , and joyne with such Churches , where their opinions are received ; for it cannot be conjectured that in any Society , of any nature , men will be quietly tolerated , who shall professedly be boutefues , and kindle-fires , to disturbe their peace , and alwayes putting them into flames . Suppose a man were of Erastus his opinion , that there is no Church-Government by Christs appointment , and yet withall should joyne in a Congregationall , or Presbyterian way , and they also willing to joyne in Church-Fellowship with him , as knowing his errour not to be fundamentall , if this man will now make it his worke to draw them off , from what they beleeve to be Christs Ordinance , and their duty , that they must either all yeeld to him or enjoy no quiet , this I say will prove intolerable ; thus also it is in Civil associations . Suppose in any Corporation , where a Court of Aldermen , or Common-Counsell should bee Judges , if the major part judge any Cause before them , and the residue , who judge otherwise , wil not be content to sit downe , but be alwayes quarrelling , and calumniating the rest , charging them to be erroneous , or unrighteous Judges , such unquiet and turbulent carriage over-throws all , and is not compatible with humane Society . Beloved , I beseech you pardon me , that I have been so long upon this third Branch , for I confesse it is deeply settled upon my spirit , that were this rule received , it would have a great influence upon the healing of our divisions ; I know indeed , that many learned and holy men think otherwise , and doe conceive , that their zeale for Christs truth must not suffer them thus far to tolerate them , who hold errors derogatory to the truth of Christ ; but I humbly conceive that zeale for Christs truth should never use other meanes to preserve Christs truth , then Christ himselfe hath appointed ; zeale to preserve Justice , and Righteousnesse , and to punish disorders in a Common-wealth is very commendable , but yet that zeale would not be commendable in a Magistrate , who should hang a man for such a fault , for which the Law hath only appointed the house of Correction , or Whipping-post . Let us confine our selves to Christs rules , and then let our zeale burn , as hot as may be . Fourthly , There is yet one sort more , and they are such , whose principles carry them to separate from particular Churches for light causes ; suppose some defects , or some miscarriages in their Church-government , it may be , some too great connivence at unworthy or scandalous persons , or it may be some defects or miscarriages in their publick administrations . I say , the renting off , and departing from particular Churches for such causes , as these , wil be found to be but Schism , to separate from Churches , from which Christ doth not separate , is schismatical ; now it is cleare in the Scripture , Christ Jesus owneth Churches , who are defective in many things , and if , as I said before , Churches should bear with particular persons in their errors , certainly particular persons should bear with Churches ; and therefore when a Churches faith is sound for the substance , and their worship Gospel-worship , though their Government be not perfect , and other defects found among them , we must not separate ; and separation from them is the more unjust , if that Church bee seeking for light , and willing to be informed ; I grant , there may bee slitting from one Church to another , for greater edification , which is without condemning that Church , they slit from : but separation from a true Church for want of some desirable perfection , is a fruit of this bitter root of Schisme , because it rents where Christ rents not ; for if we looke into the Scripture , we shal find there were Churches , who had many errours in Faith , others disorderly in their Worship , others had many among them loose in their conversations , but not one word of the Holy Ghosts counselling the Lords people to with-draw from them , or to go and gather into a body by themselves ; they are often called upon to do what they can , to heale them , but not one word of separating from them , or with-drawing from them ; indeed we sometimes read of some , who separated themselves , but we may also read in the same places , what sad brands the Spirit of God gives them ; and should it bee lawful for every errour , and every miscarriage , or for the want of some desirable perfection thus to rend off , we must rend , and rend , and rend , for ought I know , to the end of the world , and the union and communion of Christs people would come almost to nothing ; whereas he would have all his throughout the world , as they injoy communion with himselfe , so to injoy ( as their occasion and need requires ) communion with all his Saints ; now such limitations and restrictions , as these are , make such a communion impossible ; I am veri●y perswaded , that were the union and communion of the people of Christ rightly knowne , there is no Saint in any part of the world , but where ever he comes , might demand upon the profession of his faith , and his voluntary subjection to the Gospel , his right in the Ordinances , hear the Word with them , pray with them , receive the Sacrament with them ; I say onely upon that ticket , that hee professeth that faith , which is the common faith of Gods people , and while hee is with them , walkes according to the Gospel rule ; now where mens principles doe shut them up , after the manner I have been treating of , these things are not practicable . I shut up all this discourse , concerning all these , who are schismatical through erroneous judgements , with this briefe corollary ; The communion of Saints one with another is not only a priviledge , but a duty injoyned by Christ , he hath not left us at liberty to chuse with whom we wil hold communion , and to refuse whom we lift , no ; as ever wee wil appear before him with comfort , wee must hold communion with those , who professe his name , and labour to keep with them all , the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace . Now , as these are schismatical from erroneous judgements , so there are others from principles of a corrupt heart , I shall only name them , and indeed naming them is sufficient to convince them , for no man dares take upon him to justifie them , yet named they must be , for they are as mischevious as the others . First , therefore all selfe-lovers , and selfe-seekers , with whom all others in their affections and spirits are regarded , onely as they can make use of them ; we know that if the members of the body were thus affected , the whole body would soon perish . Private-wealths-men , are never good Commonwealths-men ; Paul exhorted the Saints not to looke upon our owne things , but every man on the things of others , else it is impossible , but we must divide from them , as our private interest leads us : This self-seeking ruined and overthrew Carthage , and the other , of seeking the publick-weale , built up Rome , and so is it in our great , and spiritual Common-wealth . Secondly , All proud , insolent , arrogant , high-minded men , who must have rule , and beare sway where ever they come , or who use to despise and contemn others , I have no need of thee , full of themselves , and sleighting of others : This spirit of pride is a cursed root bringing forth heresie , schisme , contention , and every evil work . The first rent which ever was in Gods family , was the pride of the Angels , and ever since it hath born the like fruit ; examples are innumerable , Cain , Esau , Corah , Dathan &c. Thirdly , All quarrelsome , railing , froward spirits , who upon every dissent from them in any opinion , or in matters of conversation , fall into railing language , branding others with odious terms , seeking to make them infamous and hateful : railing never cures errour , or infirmity , but keeps division open , and makes the breach wider ; truth and love joyned together may work great things , but truth and bitternesse can do little . Fourthly , And so are all busie-bodies , who must have an oare in every mans boat , who cannot be content to keep within their owne calling , but as the Apostle expresseth their nature in this Text , are wise , or thinke more highly of themselves then they ought to think ; all these polypragmatical spirits , which delight to be Bishops in all mens Diocesses , are dangerous persons , nothing more divides or rends the body , then when the members keepe not to their owne worke . And fiftly , All factious people , who , where ever they come wil be making parties , ( though it may be ) they draw them not into a new Church , yet divide into several parties , some for Pauls , and some for Apollos , and some for another , and all that is but to make themselves seem some body , and serve their own bellies . Paul often complains of such kind of men , these carnal men made the schisme in Corinth , of these he admonishes the Romans , Mark them , who cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine , which you have learned , and avoid them ; for they that are such , serve not our Lord Jesus Christ , but their owne bellies . A very sad sentence . Sixtly , and lastly , All they , whose spirits carry them to foment and cherrish such , as make rents and divisions , who not onely bear with such , as we would bear with a disease , so bear with , as yet to lance it , and seek to cure it , but delight in them as to make them the men of their counsel and confederacy , and thereby doe harden them in their way , expose themselves unto snares , and occasion others who are weak , to incline to these dividers , all these , some from one principle , others from another , help to rend and divide that body , which Christ would have preserved in unity . I have thus far , according to my weaknesse , discovered to you the true causes , and in part the instruments of our woful divisions , which have made the Church of Christ present it selfe such a rueful spectacle , as it is at this day : what remaines , but only these two things ? First , That we all lament this , and mourn for it . Secondly , That we all labour to help to cure it . First , That we all lament it ; I confesse our divisions in opinions are very sad , but our divided affections are sadder : were our spirits united , the spirit of love would have such a power upon our hearts , that when we had once learned to follow the truth in love , truth and love would carry all before them : Ah , that God would teach us to lay it to heart , and to mourne , that wee should be as so many Ishmaels , our sword against every man , and every mans against us . Beloved , we little consider how precious the peace of the Church of Christ ought to be , even more precious then our lives ; we little consider how dishonourable our divisions are to Jesus Christ , making his Jerusalem appeare as Babel , a disordered and confused heap , when he dyed to make us one , and prayed to his Father that we might be one , we thus to expose his body to be a scorne and reproach , is very sad . We little consider how pleasing our divisions are to Satan , who prevailes upon our hearts , while we thus furiously busie our heads ; nor how pleasing are they to our common enemies , who , no doubt do secretly foment them , that thereby they may destroy us ▪ and get the rule over us ; our divisions and sub-divisions are strong weapons in their hands against us . Little doe wee lay to heart these things ; if wee did , our hearts would bleed in secret for them ; and I humbly beseech you , let these things be to us for a lamentation . And secondly , Labour to heale them ; Beloved , it must be done , Christ wil have it done , he wil compel us to it , he wil beat us into one , or he wil beat us til we are none ; he wil not bear long , if we remaine as we are , and therefore let all Gods people first pray earnestly for it , Oh pray for the peace of Jerusalem , intreate the Prince of peace , and the Spirit of peace to grant us peace , to heale our divisions , to raise up healing instruments , make it our supplication every day , that our Lord , the good Samaritan , would poure in oyle and wine , and bind up these our woful rents , he , and he alone can doe it . I read , that when the divisions in Germany about matters of Religion , were extream hot and fierce , the Emperor Charles the fifth made a decree , called the Interim , that there should bee common and publick peace in Germany , and none to make war upon other for the cause of Religion , but that Christian amity should be practised by all until a free and general Councel should be called : Oh pray to Christ for such an Interim , that we might not quarrel , but live in love , untill himselfe reveale such light , as wil make his people all of one minde ; Charles made the Decree , but could not give the heart : our Lord can give the Decree and the heart also . Follow him with this Suite . And secondly ; Let us not onely pray , but let us labour to promote it , and let us to this end , examine our owne principles , and let us count no principle , no affection , no disposition of spirit worth the keeping , which wil not let us bee one with them , with whom Christ is one , and let us beleeve , that while we are in this world , we shal all of us know in part , and but in part ; beleeve in part , and but in part ; let us never expect to finde in this life , all who agree in fundamental truths , to agree in all other truths ; and let us beleeve , that though every truth of Christ be precious , and worthy to be contended for , yet every truth is not necessary to salvation , nor necessary to be found in all , with whom we ought to hold and exercise Christian communion ; many meats , which are whole some , yet cannot be relished by all , with whom we may sit at the same table ; while we are here , we shal often see cause , to differ in our judgement about many precious truths , but wee shall never see cause to differ in affection from those whom Jesus Christ loveth . Certainly , I may love , where Christ loves ; and I may imbrace , where Christ imbraceth ; and I may not interdict , where Christ doth not interdict , and wee may , and ought to bee of one heart with them , with whom wee cannot be of one minde in all things ; the time is coming when we shal be of one minde . Luther and Calvin are of one mind in heaven , while their Disciples wrangle on earth : at which day he will appeare with more comfort , who beares and forbeares with his weak and erring brethren , then he is like to do , that loves not his brother ; sure I am this is Pauls counsel , who said , Whereto we have attained , let us mind the same things , and if any be otherwise minded , the Lord will reveale it to him in his due time . And therefore I conclude this Use with that speech of the Apostle , Above all , put on love , that is the band of perfection , and let the peace of God rule in your hearts ; I meane that peace the Lord Jesus Christ is the Authour of , let that rule in your hearts ; The Greeke word signifies , let it bee as the Officer the Greekes had in their solemne Games , who determined and quieted all differences , in all strifes and contentions , to whom he gave the Palm , that quieted all the rest ; So let the peace of God be such a brabeutes , let it rule in our hearts . And the Spirit of God presseth it there upon this very ground , because we are called thereunto in one body . We are brethren , let us not strive , or if we do contend , let us contend who shal be most holy , who shal love most , who shal beare most one with another , till that blessed day come , when Christs light shal shine so perfectly upon us , that wee shal be all of one minde , and one heart in all things . Thus much for the first great duty , That Saints are all one body , therefore there should be no schisme , no divisions among them . The second is , That all the members should have the like care one of another ; that is , they should not onely love one another , and study to bee at peace one with another , but they should all sympathize one with another , if one be honoured , all should rejoyce ; if one suffer , all the rest should mourn , yea , they should all account themselves but as Stewards for the good of all , and expresse this in using all their talents for the good of the soules of all , and the bodyes of all , each within the compasse of his owne calling , and especially in the particular Church , where the Lord hath set them ; These things are of great concernment , and for daily use , and therefore most worth the handling ; But I suspect I have already presumed upon your patience . Consider what I have said , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52054e-320 Introduction shewing the coherence and scope of the Text . Ephes. 4. 16. The generall Doctrine propounded . The Church is Christs body . And explained And proved out of Scripture 1 Cor. 12. 12 ▪ &c. Vers. 7. Vers. 12. Vers. 13. Eph. 4. from 1● . to 16. opened and explained . Wherein the comparison stands between the Church and a natural body The union of the Saints one with another . 1 Cor. 12. 15. 22 , 23 , 24. Quest . 1. Ephes. 4 4 , 5 , 6. opened . Heb. 6. 18. Iude 3. 1 Cor. 8. 5. Gal. 6. 16. Titus 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 2. Quest . 3. What are the bands of this Union ? Answ First , The Spirit of Christ teaching and ruling them all . Esai 11. 6 , 7 , 8. Ezek , 11. 19 Ezek. 36. 27 2 Band , the grace of love . 1 Cor. 12. 31 ▪ and cap. 13 Col. 3. 14 Ioh. 13 , 34 , 3● ▪ Ephes. 4. 16 3 ▪ Q. How is it then that the Scripture speaks of many Churches , if all are but one Church Answ. Application . 1 Instruction Therefore this communion of Saints is that brotherly good fellowship , Prov. 1. 14. Esa. 56 , 12. Psal. 2. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 3. 2 Instruction . Therefore none are true members of this Church but regenerate men . 1 Joh. 1. 3. 3 Instruction . Therefore the most usefull Christians are the most noble members . 2 Use for exhortation . 1 Therefore there must be no Schisme in the Church , 1 Cor. 12. 25. What Schisme is . 2 The greatnesse of the sin of Schisme . In the nature of it . Eph. 1. 10. Joh. 17. 21. ● Tim. 1. 5 2 In the effects of it . Eph. 4. 16. 3 Who are guilty of it , Who are guilty of the sin of Schisme . Answ. 1. In generall most Christians this day are guilty of it . This opened more particularly . Negatively . All separation is not Schisme , such as are Schismaticks , who separate from Hereticks , or Idolaters . Or from persecutors . Some are schismaticks from principles of an erroneous judgement , some from principles of a corrupt heart . Schismaticks from corrupt judgement are Independents properly so called . 2 All who renounce all other Churches because not of their own manner of constituon . Of which the Papists are most guilty . 3. All who refuse communion with persons erring in points not fundamentall . Rom. 14. 3 , 4 , 10 , &c. First objection against this third branch . Answ. Object . 2. Answ. Object . 3. Answ. Object . 4. Gal. 5. 12. Answ. Gal. 5. 2. Rom. 14. 22. 4 They are Schismaticall who separate from true Churches for light cause● . Heb. 10. 25. Jude 19. 2 Some are Schismaticall from principles of a corrupt heart . 1 As self-lovers and self-seekers . Phil. 2. 4. Plutarch . 2 Proud and high-minded spirits . 3 Quarrelsome and railing spirits . 4 Busie-bodies . Rom. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 15. 5 All factious spirits . 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 16. 17. 6 All who delight in the society of Schismaticks . Exhort . 1. To lament our divisions . Ephes. 1. 10. Iohn 17. 2● . Exhort . 2. To endeavour to cure them . 1 Pray for it . Phil. 3. 15. Col. 3. 14. 15. Vse 2. The members : to have the like care one of another . 
A52051	----	A sermon of the baptizing of infants preached in the Abbey-Church at Westminster at the morning lecture, appointed by the honorable House of Commons / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52051 of text R876 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M774). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. 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A52051) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 50201) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 228:E7, no 21) A sermon of the baptizing of infants preached in the Abbey-Church at Westminster at the morning lecture, appointed by the honorable House of Commons / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 61 p. Printed by Richard Cotes for Stephen Bowtell ..., London : 1644. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Bible. -- N.T. -- Peter, 1st, III, 21 -- Sermons. Infant baptism -- Sermons. Sermons, English. A52051 R876 (Wing M774). civilwar no A sermon of the baptizing of infants. Preached in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, at the morning lecture, appointed by the Honorable House Marshall, Stephen 1644 25036 30 20 0 0 0 0 20 C The rate of 20 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON OF THE BAPTIZING of INFANTS . PREACHED In the Abbey-Church at Westminster , at the Morning Lecture , appointed by the Honorable House of Commons . By STEPHEN MARSHALL B D. Minister of the Gospel , at Finchingfield in Essex . ACT. 2.39 . The Promise is unto you and to your Children , and to all that are afarre off , even as many as the Lord our God shall call . ROM. 11.16 . If the roote bee holy , so are the branches . 1 COR. 7.14 . The unbeleeving husband is sanctifyed by the wife , and the unbeleeving wife is sanctifyed by the husband , else were your children unclean , but now they are holy . LONDON , Printed by Richard Cotes for Stephen Bowtell , at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley . 1644. TO The Reverend and Learned the Prolocutor , Assessors , the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland , and the rest of the Assembly of Divines , now sitting in Westminster . SOme few of us who are of your number , freely bestowing our Labours in the Abbey-Church , every Morning ; we agreed among our selves to instruct our Auditors in all the necessary Truths of that Doctrine , which is according to godlinesse ; One taking for his Subject , the Articles of Faith ; Another the Ten Commandements ; Another the Lords Prayer , &c. My lot of late hath been to handle the Doctrine of the Sacraments , and comming in order to this Point , I indevoured to cleere it as fully as I could in one Sermon , and was thereby compelled to borrow a little more time then is usually allotted to that Exercise . Importunity of many Friends , who conceived it might give some light to that which is now made a great controversy , and might through the blessing of God , be a meanes to reclaime some deceived Soules , or prevent the deceiving of others , hath brought it thus into Publick view . And although I know my selfe the unworthyest , and unablest of many , yet because I am assured that it is Gods Truth which I have Preached , and which hee will blesse , I was the more easily overcome by that importunity ; if it may contribute any thing to the helping forward of the great Work now under your hands , and may ease you of any part of that Labour which so exceedingly presseth you , therein I shall rejoyce ; And in the opportunity I have by Dedicating this to your Names , to testify that I am Your unworthy Brother and Servant in the Lords Work , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON OF THE BAPTIZING of INFANTS . 1 PET. 3.21 . The like figure whereunto , even Baptisme , doth also now save us , ( not the putting away of the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience towards God ) by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ . IN this Morning Lecture , I have formerly in my course out of severall Scriptures handled the Doctrine of the Sacraments in Generall , and then proceeded to speake of the Sacraments of the Old Testament , and therein their number , their agreement and disagreement , with those of the New Testament ; And now lately have begun to open the Sacraments of the New Testament . The first of them is now in hand ; And I have already out of this Text , made foure or five Sermons , concerning the nature and use of the Sacrament of Baptisme , wherein I have cleared unto you : First , Who was the Authour and Institutour of it : Secondly , Who is to bee the 〈◊〉 of it : Thirdly , The Essence of it , the matter and forme of it ; both the res terrena , and the res Coelestis , the earthly , and the spirituall part : and now Fourthly , it remaines , that I treat of the subject of it , or the persons who are to be Baptized ; and they are of two sorts ; either grown men , who being instructed in the Doctrine of Christ , and professing their Faith in him , and their willingnes and readines to live according to his will , and do desire to bee partakers of this blessed Sacrament ; These whether Jews or Gentiles , Male or Female , bond or free , are to bee admitted to the participation of this Ordinance ; of the Baptizing of such as these there is no question . The other sort are Infants , of whose right to this Sacrament , I shall ( by Gods assistance ) treate this day . And concerning these , there are two sorts of questions : First , Whether any Infants at all are to bee Baptized ? Secondly , Supposing some have right to it , yet it 's greatly disputed , whose Infants may bee Baptized ? viz. Whether the Infants of Excommunicate persons , of Hereticks , of Profane men , of meerly civilly Righteous ; whether Bastards , whether the Infants of Heathens , who are to bee brought up by Christians ; and whether these may not be Baptized , with some caution used , thereby to make distinction betwixt the pure and the impure ? I shall for the present baulk all these latter questions , and handle only the former , viz. 〈◊〉 any at all are to bee Baptized ? or , as the Question uses to bee stated . Whether the Infants of beleeving Parents , the Infants of Saints , are to be admitted to the Holy Sacrament ? And here also ariseth another question , Who are to bee meant by Beleevers and Saints , whether only such as have the inward vertue of faith and holinesse , who are really beleevers and sanctifyed ones , or whether by Beleevers and Saints , may be meant such a faith and sanctity as is outwardly professed , although possibly the inward grace it selfe ( which only God can judge of ) bee altogether wanting ? Concerning which question , although for my owne part I beleeve wee are to understand it of that which man may judge of , and that God hath not made that the condition of his servants applying his Ordinances , which can be infallibly known to none but himselfe , and that therefore the profession of Faith and holinesse , is sufficient to make men passe for Beleevers , and Saints in the Churches judgement , yet I shall at the present baulk the handling of this also , and will take it in the surest sense , in the Apostles sense , what the Apostle means by Beleevers and Saints , when he writes unto the Churches , that I will take to bee the state of the Question : if by Beleevers and Saints the Apostle meane visible professors of faith and holinesse ; then the Question is , whether their Infants are to bee baptized ; if the Apostle by beleevers and Saints , mean such onely as are inwardly holy , inwardly beleevers , then the question is , whether their Infants are to be Baptized : in a word , whether the Infants of such as were or might have been stiled beleevers and Saints in the Apostles daies and writings , are to be admitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme . This priviledge of the baptizing of such Infants the Christian Church hath been in possession of for the space of fifteen hundred yeers and upwards , as is manifest out of most of the Records that we have of antiquity , both in the Greek and Latine Church ; which I the rather mention in the beginning , because many of the Anabaptists blush not to say , that the Antients , especially the Greek Church , rejected it for many hundred yeers : Justine Martyr , who lived about Anno 150 ( in a Treatise which goes under his name ) Question 56. disputes the different condition of those children , who dye baptized , and of them who dye unbaptized . Ireneus , who lived in the same Century , lib. 2. cap. 29. saith , Christus venit per seipsum omnes salvare ; omnes , 〈◊〉 , qui per eum renascuntur in Deum , Infantes & parvulos & pueros , &c. Now it 's well known , say the Glossers upon that Text , renascentiae nomine , Dominica & Apostolica phrasi , Baptismum intelligi . Origen , who lived in the beginning of the third Century , in his Treatise upon Rom. 6. lib. 5. saith , The Church received this tradition of Baptizing of Infants from the Apostles : and Homily 8. upon Leviticus , Secundum Ecclesiae observantiam , Baptismum parvulis dari concedit , Hom. 14. in Lucam , Parvuli baptizantur in remissionem peccatorum : he cals it indeed a Tradition , according to the expression of the Ancients , who ordinarily called the greatest points of Faith , by the name of Traditions received from the Apostles . Traditions being onely such things as are delivered from one to another , whether writen or unwriten . And so did the Apostle himselfe , 2 Thess. 2.15 . when he charged them to hold the Traditions which they had been taught , either by word or Epistle . However his calling it a Tradition received from the Apostles gives us a sufficient proofe , that time out of mind , it had been received in the Church , that it was delivered over to the Church in his time , and was of antient use in the Church before his time . Gregory Nazianzen , Orat. 40. in Baptismum , cals Baptism signaculum vitae cursum ineuntibus , and commands children to be baptized , though afterward he seemed to restraine it to the case of necessity . Cyprian , one of the Antientest Writers amongst the Latines , handles it at large , in Epist. 59. Ad Fidum , upon this occasion ; Fidus denyed not the Baptisme of Infants , but denyed that they ought to be Baptized , before the eighth day ; Cyprian assures him that by the unanimous consent of 66. Bishops gathered together in a Councell , Baptisme was to be administred to Infants , as well as to growne men , and not to be restrained to any time , and proves it by such Arguments as these : They are under originall sinne , they need pardon , are capable of grace and mercy , God regards not age , &c. This testimony of Cyprians is cited and approved by August . Epist. 28. & lib. 3. de Merit . & Remiss . pecca . cap. 5. & lib. 3. contra Pelag. and by Hierom contra Pelag. lib. 3. Of the same judgment was Ambrose , lib. 2. cap. 11. De Abraham Patriarcha , and many other of the Ancients , which I relate not to prove the truth of the thing , but onely the practise of it : and indeed , although some in those times questioned it , as August . grants in his Sermons , De Verbis Apostol. yet the first that ever made a head against it , or a division in the Church about it , was Baltazar Pacommitanus in Germany in Luthers time , about the yeere 1527. and since that time multitudes in Germany have imbraced his opinion , who because they opposed Paedo-baptisme , were forced to reiterate their owne Baptisme , and thence were called Anabaptists , and soone proved a dangerous and turbulent Sect against that Reformation ; not onely working a world of mischiefe about Munster and other parts of Germany , but have with this opinion , drunk in abundance of other dangerous Heresies and Blasphemies , and quickly grew into such divisions , and sub-divisions among themselves , that Bullenger notes that they were growne to no lesse then fourteene severall Sects in his time : which in truth is the common lot of all Sectaries ; who when once they have departed from the Church , upon every small occasion they come to bee divided againe among themselves , and one from another : As the Ecclesiasticall Story lets us see in the Novatians , Macedonians , Eunomians , Arians , &c. which divisions also opened a way to their totall destruction in the end : their mutuall bickerings among themselves , being as the beating of the waves of the Sea one against another , till all were changed , as the Historian notes of them . And because this Opinion , and divers others which depend upon it , begins unhappily to take place and spread among our selves in this Kingdom ; and so the work of Reformation ( without Gods mercy ) likely to bee much hindred by it ; I shall ( God willing ) handle this Question more largely , then I have done any other in this place ; and the rather because of three other great mischiefes which goe along with it . First , I see that all who reject the Baptizing of Infants , doe and must upon the same ground reject the Religious observation of the Lords day , or the Christian Sabbath , viz. because there is not ( say they ) an expresse institution or command in the New Testament . Verily , I have hardly either knowne , or read , or heard of any one who hath rejected this of Infants , but with it they reject that of the Lords day : now God hath so blessed the Religious observation of the Lords day in this Kingdome above other Churches and Kingdomes , that such as indeavour to overthrow it , deserve justly to be abhorred by us . Secondly , the Teachers of this Opinion , where ever they prevaile , take their Proselytes wholly off from the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments , and all other acts of Christian communion , both publick and private ; from any , but those who are of their owne opinion , condemning them all as Limbs of Antichrist , worshippers and followers of the Beast : And so not onely labour to cast the godly Ministers out of the hearts of those people whom they have wonne to Christ ; but leave the people whom they insnare without any hope of recovery , whilst they impose upon their consciences to heare none but such as may confirme them in their errors ; An old trick of Satan which hee taught the Papists long agone , a meere politick device to keep their Disciples fast unto themselves : which unchristian course , how prosperous soever it may seeme to bee at the first , cannot bee blessed by God , nor indeed is it , the Lord giving them up almost every where , to other most dangerous , vile , and abominable opinions . I deny not but some few who are of this opinion are otherwise minded , but all our experience teacheth us that the generality of them doe runne this way . Thirdly , this opinion puts all the Infants of all Beleevers into the self-same condition , with the Infants of Turkes and Indians , which they all readily acknowledge ; and from thence unavoidably one of these three things must follow . 1. Either all of them are damned who die in their Infancy , being without the Covenant of grace , having no part in Christ . Or , 2. All of them saved , as having no originall sinne , and consequently needing no Saviour ; which most of the Anabaptists in the world doe owne , and therewith bring in al Pelagianisme , Universall grace , Free-will , &c. Or , 3. That although they bee tainted with originall corruption , and so need a Saviour , Christ doth pro beneplacito , save some of the Infants of Indians and Turkes , dying in their Infancy , as well as some of the Infants of Christians ; and so carry salvation by Christ out of the Church , beyond the Covenant of grace , where God never made any promise : That God hath made a promise to bee the God of believers , and of their Seed , wee all know ; but where the promise is to bee found , that hee will bee the God of the seed of such Parents who live and die his enemies , and their seed , not so much as called by the preaching of the Gospel , I know not . These men say the Covenant of grace made to the Jewes , differs from the Covenant of grace made with Us ; but I desire to know , whether in the one , or in the other , they find any promise of salvation by Christ to any Infants dying in their Infancie , whose Parents no way belonged to the Family of GOD , or Covenant of Grace . The matter then being of such consequence , and many amongst us in such danger of being seduced , further then is easie to imagine , through the subtilty , activity , and diligence of such as with a great shew of Scriptures , and under a pretence of zeale , doe creepe into Houses ; yea , proclaime these things openly in Pulpits : I take my selfe bound upon this occasion to shew you upon what grounds the Orthodox Church hath hitherto retained this practise , and shall bring all that I intend to speake of it under two Arguments , and under them shall indeavour to Answer whatsoever I have found of any moment objected to the contrary . My first Argument is this , The Infants of beleeving Parents are foederati , therefore they must bee signati : they are within the Covenant of grace , belonging to Christs body , kingdome , family ; therefore are to partake of the seale of his Covenant , or the distinguishing badge between them who are under the Covenant of grace , and them who are not . The ordinary Answer to this Argument is , by denying that Infants are under the Covenant of Grace ; onely some few deny the consequence , that although they were within the Covenant , yet it followes not that they must bee sealed , because ( say they ) the Women among the Jewes were under the Covenant , yet received not Circumcision , which was the seale of the Covenant ; but this receives an easie answer , the Women were Circumcised in the Males , else could not God have said , that the whole house of Israel were Circumcised in the flesh , else could not the whole Nation of the Jewes bee called the Circumcision , in opposition to all the World beside , who were called the Uncircumcision . But for the better clearing of this whole Argument ; I shall indeavour to make good these five Conclusions . First , that the Covenant of Grace hath alwayes for substance been one and the same . Secondly , God will have the Infants of such as enter into Covenant with him , bee counted his , as well as their Parents . Thirdly , God hath ever since Abrahams time , had a Seale to bee applied to such as enter into Covenant with him . Fourthly , by Gods owne order the Seed , or Infants of Covenanters before Christs time , were to be sealed with the seale of admission into his Covenant , as well as their Parents . Fifthly , the priviledge of such as are in Covenant since Christs time , are as honourable , large , and comfortable , both to themselves and their children , as they were before Christs time : and these five Propositions made good , the Argument will be strong and undeniable . The first is , That the Covenant of grace , for substance , hath alwayes been one and the same , both to the Jewes and to the Gentiles . Which to understand , know , that the new and living way to life was first revealed to Adam immediately after his fall , and that blessed promise concerning the Seed of the woman was often renewed , and the Patriarchs faith therein , and salvation thereby , recorded plentifully in the Scripture : but the first time that ever it was revealed under the expresse name of a League or Covenant was with Abraham ; and therefore we shall need looke no higher then his dayes : who because he was the first explicite Covenanter , is called the father of the faithfull ; and ever since clearly hath all the world been divided into two distinct bodies or families ; the one called the Kingdome , City , Houshold of God , to which all who owne the way to life , were to joine themselves ; and these were called the Children of God , the Sons of Abraham , the Children of the Kingdome : all the rest of the World , the Kingdom of the Devill , the Seed of the Serpent , Strangers from the Covenant of Grace , without God in the world ; &c. Now I say that this Covenant of Grace hath for substance been alwayes the same ; for substance I say , for wee must distinguish betwixt the Covenant it selfe , and the manner of administration of this Covenant : The substance of the Covenant on Gods part was , to be Abrabrahams God , and the God of his Seed , to bee an Al-sufficient portion , an Al-sufficient reward for him , to give Jesus Christ to him , and Righteousnesse with him , both of Justification and of Sanctification , and everlasting life . On Abrahams part the substance of the Covenant was , to beleeve in the promised Messiah , to walke before God with a perfect heart , to serve God according to his revealed wil , to instruct his family , &c. The manner of administration of this Covenant at the first was by types , and shadowes , sacrifices , &c. And foure hundred and thirty yeeres after the Law was added with great terrour upon Mount Sinai , not as a part of this Covenant , but as the Apostle saith expressely , it was added because of Transgressions , to bee a Schoolemaster to whip to Christ ; Plainly in that giving of the Law , there was something of the Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise ; yet in order to the Administration of the Covenant of grace , there was a rehearsall of the Covenant of workes , under which all men lie by nature , untill they bee brought under the Covenant of grace : and this was delivered with great terror , and under most dreadfull penalties , that they who were prone to seeke justification in themselves , by finding the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the impossibility of their keeping the Law , might be driven to seeke for a better Mediator , even the Lord Jesus Christ , as was excellently shadowed out , Exod. 20.18 , 19 , 20. Deut. 5.24 . when they cryed out to Moses ; that they might no more heare this dreadfull voice , which would kill them , but that they might bee spoken unto by a Mediator : and GOD said , they had well spoken , and presently accepted Moses for their typicall mediator , and by him gave them the Gospel in their Tabernacle Ordinances . And there was also somthing of the administration of the Covenant of grace ; partly , because all the threatning and cursing part of it was intended as a preparative and meanes to fit them for Christ ; and partly because the directing part of it , containes that very rule whereby Abraham , and all his Seed were ordered to walke in obedience towards God . To conclude this , All their externall promises in case of obedience , all outward blessings which were to bee injoyed by them , the Land of Canaan , and all the good things in it , all outward punishments and threatnings , losse of their Countrey , going into Captivity , all their Sacrifices ▪ their Washings , their Sprinklings , their holy Persons , holy Feasts , and holy things , were all of them but so many Administrations of the Covenant of Grace ; Earthly things then , were not onely promised or threatned more distinctly and fully , then now they are to them who are in Covenant , but were figures , signes , types and Sacraments of spirituall things , to bee injoyed both by them and by us ; as might bee cleared by abundance of particulars : Take but that one instance of the Land of Canaan , which albeit in it selfe it was but like other Lands ▪ yet was it by the Lord sanctified to spirituall ends , where he would have his Tabernacle pitched , and Temple built , out of which Land , when the ten Tribes were carried captive , hee is said to have put them out of his sight : the very Land being figuratively holy , and a signe of Gods presence , the resting of Gods people there , a signe of their eternall rest in Heaven , into which not Moses the Lawgiver , but Joshua , or Jesus , the type of their true Jesus was to bring them : neither did the Lord promise them entrance into , or continuance in that Land , but upon the same conditions upon which hee promiseth eternall life , as true Faith in the Gospel , with the love and feare of God , and obedience of his Commandements : Godlinesse having then , as it hath now and alwayes , the promise of good things for this life , and the life to come , of earthly things , then more distinctly , and fully , and typically , but of heavenly things more generally and sparingly ; whereas now on the contrary , there is a more cleare and full revelation and promise of heavenly things , but the promise of things earthly , more generall and sparing : Now this externall Administration of the Covenant is not the same with us , as it was with them , but the Covenant is the same ; they were under the same misery by nature , had the same Christ , the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the World , the same conditions of Faith and repentance , to bee made partakers of the Covenant , had the same graces promised in the Covenant , Circumcising of their heart , to love the Lord , &c. Theirs was dispenced in darker Prophecies , and obscurer Sacrifices , types , and Sacraments , ours more gloriously and clearely , and in a greater measure : the cloathes indeed doe differ , but the body is the same in both . As is apparent , if , First , you look but into the Prophecies that were made , Jer. 31.33 . Isaiah 59.21 . Joel 2.32 . and many other places , where the same things are promised to the Gentiles , when the Gospel should bee preached unto them , which were first promised to Abraham , and to his seed ; but more fully , if you looke into the New Testament , where you shall find , Luke 1.54 , 55 , 69 , 70 , 72 , 73. Luke 2.31 , 32. that Christ and the kingdome of grace by him , is acknowledged to bee the summe of the oath and Covenant , which God had promised to Abraham , and to his seed : So Matth. 21.41 , 43. the same Vineyard that was let to the Jewes , should afterward be let to the Gentiles ; the same kingdome of God which was formerly given to the Jews , should be taken from them , and given to the Gentiles : So Rom. 11. the Gentiles were to bee ingraffed into the same stocke in which formerly the Jews had growne , and from which they were now to bee cut off , and into which in the end they should bee ingraffed againe : So Gal. 3.8.14.16 . Abraham had the same Gospel preached to him , which is now preached to us , the same blessing bestowed upon Abraham , comes on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ , that they ( as well as he ) might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith ; they who receive the promise of the Spirit through faith , have the blessing of Abraham come upon them : as cleare is that , Ephes. 2.13 . to the end of the Chapter , the partition wall which severed us from the Jewes , is now broken downe , and the Gentiles who formerly were afarre off , are now taken in , and made Inter-Commoners with the Jews ; the Apostle alluding to the manner of the Jewish worship , where beyond the Court wherein the Jews did worship , there was another Court divided from it by a sept or wall , which was called , Atrium gentium & immundorum , the Court of the Gentiles and of the uncleane , nearer then which none of them might approach unto the Temple ; but now saith he , The partition wall is broken downe , and wee are no more Strangers and Forainers , but made felow-Citizens with the Saints , and of the houshold of God ; and with them grow up unto an holy Temple in the Lord ; all which shews , that the very selfe same priviledges formerly made peculiar to the Jews , are now through Christ communicated to the Gentiles . And this will yet more fully appeare , if wee consider how St. Paul to the Galatians , shews that the same seed of Abraham , so much spoken of in the Covenant made with him , is now found among the Gentiles , as 〈◊〉 was formerly among the Jews , there you shall find three sorts of Abrahams seed : First , Christ , Gal. 3.16 . the root and stock , the head , and Elder brother of all the rest . Secondly , all true beleevers are Abrahams seed , cap. 3.29 . these onely are made partakers of the spirituall part of the Covenant . Thirdly , you shall find another seed of Abraham , who were onely circumcised in the flesh , and not in the heart , who though they were either borne of Abrahams seed or professed Abrahams faith , and so were Jews facti , though not nati , made though not borne Jews , becomming Proselytes , yet never came to make Abrahams God their All-sufficient portion , but placed their happinesse in somewhat , which was not Christ , either by seeking justification by the works of the Law , being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse , and going about to establish their own righteousnesse did not submit themselves unto the righteousnesse of God , or placed their happinesse , in satisfying the lusts of their flesh , going a whoring after the creature ; and so though they were Abrahams seed by profession and outward cleaving to the Covenant , yet were to be cast off with the rest of the uncircumcised , of whom Ishmael and Esau were Types , Gal. 4.22 . &c. Even so is it now in the times of the Gospel , we have now Jesus Christ , the Elder brother , the first-born of the Covenant , we have also true beleevers , who are brethren and Co-heires with him , who are properly the heires by promise , and wee have also some who are onely a holy seed by externall profession , Gal. 4.29 . who either with the false Teachers , which Paul there speaks of , mingle justification by the Law and Gospell together , or with others , 2 Tim. 3.5 . though they have a forme of godlinesse ; yet deny the power of it in their lives and conversations . So much for the first Conclusion , that the Covenant of grace , for substance , was alwayes one and the same . Ever since God gathered a distinct , select number out of the world , to bee his Kingdom , City , House-hold , in opposition to the rest in the world , which is the kingdom , city , house-hold of Satan , he would have The Infants of all who are taken into Covenant with him , to bee accounted his , to belong to him , to his Church and Family , and not to the devils . As it is in other Kingdoms , Corporations , and Families , the children of all Subjects borne in a Kingdome , are borne that Princes Subjects , where the Father is a free man , the childe is not born a slave ; where any are bought to be servants , their children born in their Masters house , are born his servants . Thus it is by the Laws of almost all Nations , and thus hath the Lord ordained , it shall be in his kingdome and family ; the Children follow the Covenant-condition of their Parents , if he take a Father into Covenant , he takes the Children in with him ; if hee reject the Parents out of Covenant , the children are cast out with them ; Thus without all question it was in the time of the Jews , Gen. 17.9 . &c. and when any of any other Nation , though a Canaanite or Hittite , acknowledged Abrahams God to be their God , they and their children came into covenant together . And so it continues still , though the Anabaptists boldly deny it : Act. 2.38 , 39. when Peter exhorted his hearers , who were pricked in their hearts , to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins , he useth an Argument to perswade them , taken from the benefit which should come to their posterity , for the Promise ( saith he ) is unto you and unto your children , and to all that are afarre off , even as many as the Lord our God shall call : if once they obey the call of God , as Abraham did , the promise was made to them and to their children , whether they who obey this call were the present Jews to whom he spake , or were afarre off : whether by afarre off , you will meane the Gentiles , who as yet worshipped afar off , or the Jews or any who as yet were unborn , and so were afarre off in time , or whether they dwelt in the remotest parts of the world , and so were afarre off in place , the Argument holds good to the end of the world , Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost ; For the Promise is made to you and to your children , they shall bee made free of Gods City , according to Abrahams Copy ; I will be thy God , and the God of thy seed . Let Zacheus the Publican once receive Christ himselfe , be he a Gentile , as some thinke he was , be he a great sinner , esteemed as a heathen , as wee all know he was , let him professe the faith of Christ , and the Covenant of Salvation comes to his house ; for now he is made a sonne of Abraham : that is , Abrahams promise now reacheth him . Neither can the evidence of this place be eluded by saying , the promise here meant , is of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost , to speake with tongues , &c. For we all know that all who then beleeved and were baptized , did not receive those extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost , and beside this Argument remaines still in force to be used to the end of the world , Who ever beleeves and is baptized , shall receive remission of sinnes , and the gift of the Holy Ghost : Which was not true , if by the Holy Ghost was meant onely those extraordinary gifts . Nor , secondly , can it be avoyded by that shift of others who interpret it thus , To you and your children as many of them as the Lord shall call , that is ( say they ) whether your selves or your children , or any other whom the Lord shall call . if they repent and be baptized , they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost , for it is plaine that the strength of this Argument lieth in this , That if they did repent and were baptized , the promise should be made good to them and to their children and what comfortable argument can this be taken from respect to their children , if the Apostle must be interpreted as these men would have him ? viz. You and your ch●ldren have hitherto beene an holy seed , but now if you beleeve in Chr●st your selves , your children shall bee in no better condition then the rest of the Pagan world , strangers from the Covenant of God ▪ but if afterward any of them , or any of the Heathen shall for their parts beleeve and be baptized , their perticular persons shallbe tooke into Covenant , but their children still left out : Had this thinke you beene a comfortable Argument to perswade them to come in , in relation to the good of their children after them ? The plaine strength of the argument is , God hath now remembred his Covenant to Abraham , in sending that blessed seed , in whom he promised to be the God of him and his seed ; doe not you by your unbeliefe deprive your selves and your posterity of so excellent a gift . And except in relation to the Covenant , there was no occasion to name their children , it had beene sufficient to have said , a promise is made to as many as the Lord shall call . As plaine it is out of the 11. of the Rom. 16. &c. where the Apostles scope is to shew that we Gentiles have now the same graffing into the true Olive which the Jewes formerly had , and our present graffing in , is answerable to their present casting out , and their taking in in the latter end of the world shall be the same graffing in ( though more gloriously ) as ours is now : Now all know that when they were taken in , they and their children were taken in , when they were broken off , they and their children were broken off , when they shall be taken in , in the latter end of the world , they and their children shall be taken in , and that because the root is holy , that is , Gods Covenant with Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , extends yet unto them when their unbeleefe shall be taken away . The root being like Nebuchadnezzars tree , the tree hewen downe , and the root bound with a band of yron untill seven times were passed over it , and then the bands should be broken , and the root should spring , and the tree should grow againe : so their present Nation , like this tree , is cut downe , and this holy root the Covenant made with their forefathers , is suspended , bound with an iron barre of unbeliefe , blindnesse being come upon them , unt●ll the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in , and then all Israel shall be saved . And marke that in all this discourse , the holinesse of the Branches there spoken of , is not meant of a personall inherent holinesse , but a derivative holinesse , a holinesse derived to them from their Ancestors ; the first fruit is holy , the lumpe holy , the root holy , the bra●ches holy , that is , the Fathers holy accepted in Covenant with God , the children beloved for their fathers sake ; and when the vaile of unbeliefe shall be taken away , the children and their posterity shall be taken in againe , because beloved for their fathers sakes . Now then if our graffing in , be answerable to theirs in all , or any of these three particulars , we and our children are graffed in together . Ob. But here is no mention made of our Infants graffing in . Answ. We must not teach the Lord to speake , but with reverence search out his meaning , there is no mention made of casting out the Jew●sh Infants , neither here nor elsewhere : when he speakes of taking away the kingdome of God from them , and giving it to the Gentiles who would bring forth fruit , no mention of the infants of the one , or of the other , but the one and the other for these outward dispensations , are comprehended in their parents , as the branches in the root , the infants of the godly in their parents , according to the tenor of his mercy , the infants of the wicked in their parents , according to the tenor of his justice . And yet plainer ( if plainer may be ) is that speech of the Apostle in 1 Corinth . 7.14 . The unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife , and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband , else were your children uncleane , but now they are holy ; the plaine scope and meaning whereof is this ; the beleeving Corinthians , among other cases of conscience which they had sent to the Apostle for his resolution of , had written this for one , whether it were lawfull for them who were converted , still to retaine their infidell wives , or husbands : their doubt seemes to arise from the Law of God , which was in force to the Nation of the Jewes ; God had not onely forbidden such marriages to his people , but in Ezra's time , they put away not onely their wives , but all the children that were borne of them , as not belonging to the Common-wealth of Israel ; and it was done according to the Law , and that Law was not a particular Edict which they did agree upon , but according to the standing Law of Moses , which that word there used signifieth ; and in Nehemiahs time , the children who were borne of such marriages were accounted a Mungrell kind , whom Nehemiah cursed . Now hereupon these Corinthians doubted whether their children , as well as their wives , were not to be accounted uncleane , and so to be put away according to those examples ; to which the Apostle answers , No , they were not to be put away ; Upon what speciall reason soever , that Law was in force to the Jewes , beleeving Christians were not in that condition , the unbeleeving wife was sanctified in the beleeving husband , quoad hoc , so farre , as to bring forth an holy seed ; were it with them as when both of them were unbeleevers , so that neither of them had a prerogative to entitle their children to the Covenant of grace , their children would be an uncleane Progeny ; or were the children to be reckoned in the condition of the worser parent , so that the unbeleever could contribute more to Paganisme then the beleever to Christianity , it were so likewise ; but the case is otherwise , the beleeving husband hath by Gods ordinance a sanctified use of his unbeleeving wife , so as by Gods speciall promise made to beleevers and their seed , they were invested , in , and to the most spirituall end of Marriage , the continuance of a holy seed , wherein the Church is to be propagated to the worlds end : and the case is here in Relation to the posterity for spirituall priviledges , as in other marriages , for civill priviledges , as suppose a Prince , or Nobleman marry with a woman of base or meane birth , though in generall it be true , that the children of those that be base , are borne base , as well as the children of Nobles are borne Noble , yet here the issue hath honour from the Father , and is not accounted base by the basenesse of the Mother . This I take to be the plaine meaning of the Apostles answer : But because the Anabaptists doe very much indeavour to weaken the evidence of this Argument , I shall indeavour to cleare it from their exceptions . They utterly deny that this place is meant of any Federall holinesse , but of legitimation , which they call civill holinesse , and so interpret the Corinthians doubt to bee , whether their marriage with Unbeleevers were not now a nullity , and their children thereupon to bee spurious , illegitimate , or Bastards , and the Apostles answer to bee , that because the unbeleeving wife is sanctified to the beleeving husband , that is , their marriage remaines lawfull , therefore their children are not spurious , but lawfully begotten . But that this cannot be the meaning , I clearly prove by these foure Arguments . First , uncleannesse and holinesse , when opposed one to the other , are never taken for civilly lawfull ; uncleannesse indeed , when opposed to cleannesse , may be taken in severall senses , an uncleane vessell , an uncleane cloath , an uncleane garment ; when opposed to cleane , may signifie nothing but dirty or spotted ; but when uncleannesse is opposed to holinesse , it is alwaies taken in a sacred sense , referring to a Tabernacle use , to a right of admission into , or use in , the Tabernacle or Temple , which were types to us of the visible Church ; and holinesse is alwaies taken for a separation of persons or things from common to sacred uses ▪ Even the meats and drinkes of beleevers sanctified to them , serve for a religious end and use , even to refresh them , who are the Temples of the Holy Ghost ; so that they have not onely a lawfull , but an holy use of their meat and drinke , which Unbeleevers have not , to whom yet their meat and drinke is civilly lawfull . And whereas some say , 1 Thess. 4.3 , 4 , 5. that chastity a morall vertue found among Heathens , is called by the name of Sanctification ; Let every one possesse his vessell , not in the lust of concupisence , but in sanctification and honour . I Answer , Chastity among Heathens , is never called Sanctification , but among Beleevers it may well bee called so , being a part of the new creation , a branch of their sanctification , wrought by the Spirit of God , a part of the inward adorning of the Temple of the holy Ghost . So that the meaning cannot be , your children are holy , that is , now they are not Bastards ; but rather , whereas before , both you and they were uncleane , and might have nothing to doe with the Temple of God , now both you and your Children are a holy seed , according as was shewed to Peter in his vision , where God shewed him , that the Gentiles formerly no better then uncleane beasts , and creeping things , should upon their conversion to Christ bee no longer esteemed common or defiled . Secondly , this being so , had this beene the meaning , else were your Children uncleane , but now they are holy , else had your children been Bastards , but now they are legitimate ; the Apostles answer had not been true , because then if one of the Parents had not been a Beleever , and so by his being a believer , sanctified his unbeleeving Wife , their children must have been Bastards : whereas wee know their children had been legitimate , being born in lawfull Wedlocke , though neither of the Parents had been a beleever : Marriage being a second Table duty , is lawfull , ( though not sanctified ) to Pagans as well as to Christians , and the legitimation or illegitimation of the issue depends not upon the Faith , but upon the marriage of the Parents ; let the marriage be lawfull , and the issue is legitimate , whether one , or both , or neither of the Parents be beleevers or infidels : take but away lawfull marriage , betwixt the Man and the Woman , and the issue is legitimate , whether one , or both , or neither of the Parents are beleevers or infidels : withall , if the children of Heathens be Bastards , and the marriage of Heathens no marriage , then there is no adultery among heathens , and so the seventh Commandement is altogether in vaine in the words of it as to them . Besides , St. Pauls reason had no strength in it , supposing the Text were to be interpreted as these men would have it ; Their doubt ( say they ) was , that their marriage was an unlawfull wedlocke , and so consequently their children Bastards ; now mark what kind of answer they make the Apostle give , Were yee not lawfull man and wife , your children were Bastards , but because the unbeleeving wife is sanctified in the husband , &c. because your marriage is a lawfull marriage , your children are legitimate . What strength of reason is in this ? if this had been their doubt or question , whether their marriage were not a nullity , the Apostle by his Apostolick authority might have definitively answered , without giving a reason , your marriage is good , and your children legitimate ; but if Paul will go about to satisfie them by reason , and prove them to be mistaken , it behoved him to give such a reason which should have some weight in it , but this hath none ; set their doubt ( as these men frame it ) and the Apostles answer ( as these men interpret him ) together , and you will easily see the invalidity of it ; We doubt , say the Corinthians , we are not lawfull man and wife ; and that therefore our children are bastards . No , saith Paul , you are mistaken , and I prove it thus , Were ye not lawfull man and wife , your children were bastards ; but because ye are lawfull man and wife , your children are not bastards . Is there any Argument or proofe in this ? Fourthly , according to this their interpretation , the Apostles answer could no wayes have reached to the quieting of their consciences ; there doubt was , whether according to the example in Ezra , they were not to put away their wives and children , as not belonging to God , as being a Seed whom God would not own among his people ; now what kind of quiet would this have given them , to tell them that their children were not Bastards ? We know the Jewes did not put away their Bastards , as not belonging to the Covenant of God ; Phares , and Zarah , and Jepthah , and innumerable others , though bastards , were circumcised , and not cut off from the people of God . And whereas some object out of Deut. 23.2 . That Bastards did not belong to the Covenant among the Jews , because God there forbad a bastard to come into the Congregation of the Lord . I Answer , that is meant onely of bearing Office in the Church , or some such like thing , and not of being under the Covenant , belonging to the Church : as is manifest , not only by what hath been now said of Jepthah and others , who were circumcised , and offered Sacrifices , and drew nigh to God , as well as any other ; but the very text alledged gives sufficient light , that it cannot be meant otherwayes ; because in that place who ever is an Eunuch , or wounded in his stones , hath the same exclusion from the Congregation of the Lord : and I hope no man will dare to say , that none such are holy to the Lord ; if they should , the Scripture is full enough against them : That putting away in Ezra was of an higher nature then bare illegitimation ; and therefore it behooved the Apostle to give another manner of satisfaction to there doubtfull consciences , then to tell them their children were not bastards : Therefore I conclude , that this holinesse being the fruits of one of the Parents being a beleever , must be meant of some kind of holinesse , which is not common to the seed of them whose Parents are both Unbeleevers , and that is enough for our purpose . Yet there remaines two Objections to bee answered , which are made against this our interpretation . First , The unbeleeving wife is here said to bee sanctified , as well as the childe is said to be holy , and the Originall word is the same for both , one the verb , the other the noune : if then the childe is holy , with a federall holinesse , then is also the unbeleeving wife sanctified with a federall sanctification , and so the wife , although remaining a heathen , may be yet counted to belong to the Covenant of Grace . I answer ; Indeed there would be weight in this objection if the Apostle had said the unbeleeving Wife is sanctifyed , and no more , as hee simply says , the children are holy ; but that he doth not say , he saith indeed the unbeleeving wife is sanctified in the beleeving husband , or to the beleeving husband : that is , to his use , as all other creatures are , as the bed he lies on , the meate he eats , the cloathes he weares , the beast he rides on , are sanctifyed to him , and so this sanctifyednesse of the wife is not a sanctification of state , but only of use , and of this use , to be sanctifyed to the beleeving husband ; whereas the holinesse and sanctification that is spoken of the children , is a holinesse of state , and not only a sanctification to the Parents use . That holinesse of the Children is here meant , which could not bee , unlesse one of the Parents were sanctifyed to the other , which is the force of the Apostles arguing , the unbeleever is sanctified to the beleever , else were not the children holy , but unclean : but federall holinesse of children may be where the Parents are not sanctifyed , one in or to the other , as in bastardy , Davids childe by Bathsheba , Phares , and Zarah , Judahs children by Thamar , the Israelites children by the Concubines , Abrahams son Ishmael by Hagar , &c. in which cases the children were federally holy , and accordingly were circumcised , and yet the Harlot not sanctifyed in or to the Adulterer or Fornicator , though a beleever . I answer , we must attend the Apostles scope , wch is to shew that the children would be unholy , if the faith or beleever-ship of one of the Parents could not remove the barre , which lies in the other , being an unbeleever , against the producing of an holy seed , because one of them was a Pagan , or unbeleever , therefore the childe would not be a holy seed , unlesse the faith or beleevership of the other Parent , could remove this bar . Now this can have no place of an Argument , in any case , where one of the Parents is not an Infidell : but this was not the case among the Jews ; Hagar , and Thamar , and the Concubines , however sinfull , in those acts , yet themselves were beleevers , belonging to the Covenant of God , and that barre lay not against their children , as did in the unbeleeving wife : indeed if a beleeving man or woman should adulterously beget a childe upon a Pagan , a Heathen , or Unbeleever , there this objection deserves to bee further weighed , but here it comes not within the compasse of the Apostles Argument . Before I passe from this second conclusion , let me further shew you why the Lord will have the children of beleeving Parents reckoned even in their Infancy , to belong to him . First his own beneplacitum , his free grace and favour which moves him to shew mercy to whom he will , is a sufficient answer to all : But secondly , he will have it for his owne glory . It is the honour of other Princes , that all who are born in their kingdome should be accounted borne their Subjects ; and the honour of great Masters , that the children of their servants born in their houses should be born their servants : Solomon counts it a peece of his glory , that he had servants born in his house . And on the other side , it is a dis-honour to a King not to be able legally to lay claime to those born in his kingdome , but that another King , yea , an enemy might legally challenge them to be his Subjects . So is it with the Lord , he having left all the rest of the world , to be visibly the devils kingdome , will not for his owne glories sake permit the devill to come and lay visible claime to the sonnes and daughters , begotten by those who are the children of the most High . And thirdly , he doth it both for the comfort and duty of those who are in Covenant with him , partly , I say , for their comfort and priviledge , while they may see their children visibly to be provided for by a better Father , under a Covenant of Grace , to whose care , and under whose wing they may leave them , when themselves shall faile ; and partly to be an obligation to bring them up for God , not to themselves , much lesse to the devill , but ever to look upon themselves in the education of their children , to be but nursing Fathers and Mothers to train them up in the nurture and feare of the Lord , unto whose kingdome , family and Covenant they thus belong . I have been the larger upon these two first Conclusions , because indeed the proving of these , gains the whole cause , if the Covenant be the same and children belong to it , then they are to be owned as Covenanters , and to be admitted to the distinguishing or discriminating sign betwixt Gods people and the devils , and this the most learned of the Anabaptists doe professe , that if they knew a childe to be holy , they would baptize it . In the other Conclusions I shall be more briefe . The Lord hath appointed and ordained a Sacrament or seale of initiation to be administred unto them who enter into Covenant with him , Circumcision for the time of that administration which was before Christs incarnation , Baptisme since the time of his incarnation ; both of them the same Sacrament for the sp●rituall part , though differing in the outward Elements ; both appointed to be distinguishing signes , betwixt Gods people and the devils people ; both of them the way and means of solemne entrance and admission into the Church ; both of them to be administred but once , and none might be received into the Communion of the Church of the Jewes , untill they were circumcised , nor into the Communion of the Church of the Christians untill they be Baptized ; none but the circumcised might eat of the Paschall Lamb , none may , but those who are baptized , be admitted to eat the Lords Supper , which succeeds in the room of the Passeover , and this our Lord himselfe taught us by his own example , who was circumcised , as a professed Member of the Church of the Jews , and when he set up the new Christian Church , he would be initiated into it , by the Sacrament of Baptisme . Of this Conclusion there is no great doubt , but because some of the Anabaptists doe deny the Sacrament of Baptisme to succeed in the roome , place , and use of Circumcision , be pleased to observe how plaine the Apostle makes it , Coloss. 2.8 , 9 ; 10 , 11 , 12. where the Apostles scope is to disswade the beleeving Christians from the rudiments of the world and Jewish Ceremonies , and observations upon this ground , that we are compleate in Christ , and that in him as in the head , the Church hath all perfections , and because he would take them wholly off from Circumcision , the use wherof ingaged them to the use of the rest of Jewish Ceremonies , he tels them , that in Christ we are circumcised with a Circumcision made without hands ( a better Circumcision then the Jewes was ) in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ . And whereas the Jewish teachers would be ready to object that the receiving of the inward grace of Circumcision , did not make them so compleate as Abraham and his seed was , because they also had an outward sensible signe whereby they might be farther perswaded , comforted and confirmed ; to this he answers , ver. 12. That neither is this priviledge wanting to Christians who have as excellent and expresse a Sacrament of it , being buried with Christ in Baptisme , the effect whereof he there sets downe , and therefore they needed not Circumcision , as their false Teachers insinuated , thereby directly teaching that our Baptisme is in stead of their Circumcision . And the Analogy lies betweene two Sacramentall types of the same substance [ regeneration ] to both Jews and Gentiles . And in truth had not Baptisme come in the roome of it , the Apostle could not have pitched upon a worse instance then that of Circumcision , which was so much valued by them , and was so great and usefull a priviledge unto them : Nor had there been any reason to have here named Baptisme , but that he meant to shew Baptism to Christians was now in the roome of Circumcision to the Jews . That by Gods owne expresse order , infants as well as growne men were in the time of the Jewes to be initiated and sealed with the signe of Circumcision : Whether Jewes by nature , or Proselytes of the Gentiles , one Law was for them al , if they receive the Covenant , they and their children receive Circumcision : and although , as I touched before , this signe was actually applyed onely to the Males , yet the females were virtually circumcised in them , as is apparent both because the whole Church of the Jewes were called the Circumcision , and because by Gods expresse order , no uncircumcised person might eate of the Passeover , which we are sure the women did as well as the men . And whereas some who see which way the strength of this Conclusion bendeth , doe alledge , that though Circumcision was to be applyed to their Infants , yet it was not as a seale of the spirituall part of the Covenant of Grace , but as a nationall badge , a seale of some temporall and earthly blessings and proviledges , as of their right to the land of Canaan , &c. and that Ishmael though he was circumcised for some temporall respects , yet he was not thereby brought under the Covenant of Grace , which was expresly said to be made with Abraham in relation to Isaac and his seed . I answer , there is nothing plainer then that the Covenant whereof Circumcision was the signe , was the Covenant of Grace ; Abraham received Circumcision a signe of the righteousnesse of faith , and the Jewes received it not as a Nation , but as a Church , as a people separated from the world , and taken into Covenant with God : It is true indeed , that Circumcision bound them who received it to conforme to that manner of administration of the Covenant which was carried , much , by a way of Temporall blessings and punishments , they being types of spirituall things ; but no man can ever shew that any were to receive the Sacrament of Circumcision in relation to these outward things onely , or to them at all , further then they were administrations of the Covenant of grace ; sure I am , the Prosolytes and their children could not be circumcised in any relation at all to the Temporall blessings of the Land of Canaan as they were temporall , because notwithstanding their Circumcision they were not capable of receiving , or purchasing any inheritance at all in that Land , sojourne there they might , as other strangers also did , but the inheritance of the Land , no , not one foot of it could ever bee alienated from the severall Tribes to whom it was distributed as their possession by the most High : For all the land was divided unto twelve Tribes , and they were not any one of them allowed to sell their lands longer then till the yeare of Jubilee , Levit. 25.13 , &c. Yea , I may boldly say that their Circumcision was so farre from sealing to them the outward good things of the Land , that it occasioned and tyed them to a greater expence of their temporall blessings by their long , and frequent , and chargeable journeyes , to worship at Hierusalem . And as for what was alledged concerning Ishmael ; the answer is easie , God indeed there declares that Isaac should bee the type of Christ , and that the Covenant of grace should bee established and continue in his family ; yet both Ishmael and the rest of Abrahams family were really taken into Covenant , untill afterward by Apostasie they discovenanted themselves , as also did Esau afterward , though he were the Son of Isaac , in whose family God had promised the Covenant should continue . Fifthly and lastly , the priviledges of beleevers under this last and best administration of the Covenant of grace , are many wayes inlarged , made more honourable and comfortable , then ever they were in the time of the Jewes administration ; many Scriptures speake of the inlargement of their priviledges , not one for the diminishing or depressing , or extenuating of them ; that yoke , that hard and costly way of administration , which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare , is taken off from our shoulders ; our Covenant is said to be established upon better promises , the glory of theirs had no glory in respect of ours , they were under the bondage of Infants under age , in comparison of our freedome , we as well as they are called a holy Nation , a peculiar people , a chosen generation , separated to him from all other people , to whom , as well as to them , belongs the adoption , the Covenant , the promises ; we as well as they injoy him to be our Father , and with his dearest Son our Lord , are made Co-heires of the Kingdome of glory ; we have all these things with advantage , not onely in the clearnesse of the administration , but in some sense in greater extent to persons with us , there is neither male nor female . Some indeed goe about to shew , that in some things the Jewes had greater priviledges then Wee have , as that Abraham had the priviledge to be called the Father of the faithfull , that Christ should bee borne of his flesh ; Mary had the priviledge to be the Mother of Christ , and the whole Nation this priviledge , that God will call in their seed againe , after they had been cast off for unbelief many hundred yeers , which priviledges , say they , none of the Gentiles have , or can have . Answ. But these things have no weight : we are inquiring for priviledges which are branches of the Covenant of grace , which every man who is in Covenant with God , may expect from God by vertue of the Covenant , were he a Jew or a Proselyte , not for any particular or peculiar favour to a particular man or woman , or family , or tribe : All these forementioned things , and many other of the like kind ( as the Ministery of the Tabernacle and Temple to belong to one Tribe , the Kingly office to one family ; such and such men never to lack a man of their house to stand before God ) proceeded indeed from Free-grace , but were no parts of that Covenant of grace which God made to Abraham , and all his Seed : For could every man in Covenant challenge these things at Gods hand , and that by vertue of the Covenant ? Could every one of them promise to himself that Christ should be born of his flesh ? Or every one of their women that she should be the Mother of Christ ? Could every one whom God owned to be in Covenant with him , promise by vertue of the Covenant , that their children , if cast off by unbeleefe , should after many hundred yeers be again called in ? We speake only of such priviledges as were universall , and common to all who were in Covenant , for which by vertue of the Covenant they might relie upon God ; Let any man shew out of the Scripture where our priviledges under the Gospel are cut short in any of these things , and he saith somwhat ; and in particular for the Case in hand , concerning our Infants right to the Covenant of grace , and the seale of it , once we are sure the Infant Children of all Covenanters were within the Covenant , and the seale also belonged to them , and by vertue of the Covenant ( which is still the same ) we plead their interest in it . Let any man shew when and where this was taken away , when the Infant-children of beleevers were expunged out of the Covenant of grace ; certainly whoever will go about to deprive them of it , to cut off such a great part of the comfort of Beleeving parents , must produce cleare testimonies , before they can perswade beleevers to part with either of them , either their right to the Covenant , or to the seale of the Covenant . For , first , their Infants interest in the Covenant , next to glory of God , and the salvation of their own souls , is the greatest benefit of the Covenant of grace ; even this ( I say ) to have their Children belong to Gods family and kingdom , and not to the Devils : certainly , the greatest treasure of Parents is their children , and in them the salvation of their souls : Now how uncomfortable a thing were this to Parents , to take away the very ground of their hope , for the salvation of their Children ? and I dare affirm it , that we have no ground of hope for any particular person , untill he be brought under the Covenant of grace . All the world , as I have formerly touched , is divided into two kingdoms , the kingdom of Christ , which is his Church ; and the kingdom of Satan , which is the rest of the world ; now so long as any person is visibly a member of the kingdom of Christ ▪ we have no cause to doubt their election & salvation , until they visibly shew the contrary , although we know that there are some reprobate among them ; so on the other side , although we know Christ hath many of his elect to be gathered out of the Devils kingdom , yet we have no cause or ground to hope that any particular person is any other then a reprobate , being a visible professed member of Satans kingdom , untill he give hope to the contrary : now what a most uncomfortable abridgment were this of the Covenant of grace , thus apparently to cut off the Seed of Beleevers from their visible right in the Church of Christ , and to put them in the visible Kingdome of Satan ? And , Secondly , as really unwilling must they look to find Parents , to part with their childrens right to the Seale of the Covenant ; this their right to the Covenant being all the ground of hope that beleeving Parents can have that their Infants who die in their Infancy , are saved rather then the Infants of Turkes , had need bee sealed , if they live untill they are grown men , and give other signes of grace , they may conceive good hopes of them , though they were not sealed with a Sacramentall seale : This therefore is apparent , that the cutting off our priviledges and comfort in these two were a great abridgment of the priviledges of the new Covenant , and would put the Seed of Abrahams faith into a farre worse condition in regard of their posterity , then the Seed of his flesh were in : And the Jews in Acts 2.39 . if this Doctrine had been preached to them , might have replied unto St. Peter , when he exhorted them to be baptized for their Childrens good ; Nay , Peter , even therefore we will not be baptized , for as yet we are sure our Children are in Conant with God , and reckoned to his family ; but if we receive your new way , our children must be counted to the kingdom of the Devill ; and so might they in Coloss. 2. when Paul told them they need not be circumcised , because Baptism came in the room of it , they might have replied , that though they need not be circumcised themselves , yet they would still circumcise their children , because Bap●ism was not to be applied to them according to these mens Doctrine . Upon these five Conclusions , 1. That the Covenant of grace is alwayes the same . 2. That the Infants of those in Covenant are alwayes reckoned Covenanters with their Parents . 3. That our Baptisme succeeds in the room and use of their Circumcision . 4. That by Gods expresse order , their Infants were to be Circumcised , as it was a seale of the Covenant . And 5. that our priviledges for our selves and our Children are at least as honourable , large , and comfortable as theirs were : The Conclusion follows undeniably , that therfore the Infants of beleeving Parents are to be baptized . Against this Argument the Anabaptists object many things . They say the Covenant was not the same ; some of them say , the children of the Jewes were not under the Covenant in relation to spirituall things : They say , Circumcision and baptism served not for the same ends and uses : They say Circumcision was administred as a nationall badge , and properly sealed temporal blessings : They say , whatever priviledges Infants of Beleevers had before Christs time , they have now none at all ; and many such like things : All which I have so fully cleared in this former Discourse , that I suppose I need not adde any more ; the main and only Objection remaining , which hath any colour of weight in it , is this , There is no command , no expresse institution , or cleare example in all the New Testament of baptizing of Infants : And in the administration of Sacraments , we are not to be led by our owne reason or grounds of seeming probability , but by the expresse order of Christ , and no otherwise . If by institution , command and example , they meane an expresse syllabicall command , &c. I grant that in so many words it is not found in the New Testament ; no expresse command in the New Testament that they should be baptized ; no expresse example where Children were Baptized ; but I also adde , that I deny the consequence , that if in so many words it be not commanded in the New Testament , it ought not to be done , this is not true divinity , that Christians are not tyed to observe that , which is not expresly and in so many words set down in the New Testament ; there is no expresse reviving of the Laws concerning the forbidden degrees of marriage in the New Testament , except of not having a mans fathers Wife 1 Cor. 8. no expresse law against Polygamy , no expresse command for the celebration of a weekly Sabbath ; are therefore Christians free in all these cases ? Yea , in the Point of Sacraments there is no expresse command , no example in all the New Testament , where Women received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ; there is no expresse command that the Children of Beleevers when they are grown , shoud be instructed and Baptized , though instructed by their Parents ; expresse command there is , that they should teach the Heathen and the Jewes , and make them Disciples , and then baptize them , but no command that the Children of those that are Beleevers should be baptized when they are grown men ; nor any example where ever that was done ; will any man therfore say , that Christian women are not to be partakers of the Lords Supper , nor the children of beleevers when growne men be baptized ? I think none will be so absurd as to affirm it . If it be said , though these things be not expressely , and in terminis in the New Testament , yet they are there v●rtually , and by undeniable consequence ; I confesse it is true , so have we vertually , and by undeniable consequence sufficient evidence for the baptizing of children , both commands and examples ; For first we have Gods command to Abraham , as he was the Father of all Covenanters , that he should seale his Children with the seale of the Covenant . Now this truth all our Divines defend against the Papists , that all Gods commands and institutions about the Sacraments of the Jewes , bind us as much as they did them , in all things which belong to the substance of the Covenant , and were not accidentall unto them : as because circumcision is called a seale of the Covenant , therefore our Sacraments are seales of the Covenant ▪ because circumcision might be administred but once , being the seale of initiation ; therefore Baptism being also the seale of initiation , is also to be administred but once . But that circumcision was to be administred upon the eighth day onely , was an accidentall thing , and therefore bindes not us ; the Jewish Passeover being to be yearely repeated , binds us to have a repetition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , which came in roome of it , because this belongs to the substance of the Covenant , both of them being Sacraments for spirituall nourishment , growth and continuance in the Covenant ; ( as the other was for birth and entrance ) but that their Passeover was to be eaten in an Evening , and upon one set Evening in the yeare was accidentall , and so binds not us . The like instance I give in our Christian Sabbath : the fourth Commandement binds us for the substance of it as much as ever it bound the Jewes ; There God once for all separated one day of seven to be sacred to himselfe , and all the world stood bound in all ages to give unto God that one day of seven , which should be of his owne choosing . Now untill Christs time God chose the last day of the seven to be his Sabbath , and having by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus , put an end to the Saturday Sabbath , and surrogated the first day of the weeke in stead thereof to be the Lords day , we need no new Commandment for the keeping of the Lords day , being tyed by the fourth Commandment to keep that day of seven which the Lord should choose , the Lord having chosen this , the fourth Commandment binds us to this , as it did the Jews to the former : so in like manner I say in the Sacrament of Baptisme . When God made the Covenant with Abraham , and promised for his part to be the God of him and his seed , what God promised to Abraham , we claime our part in it , as the children of Abrahams , and what God required on Abrahams part for the substance of obedience , we all stand charged with , as well as Abraham ; we as Abraham are tyed to beleeve , to love the Lord with all our heart , to have our heart circumcised , to walke before God in uprightnesse , to instruct our children , and bring them up for God and not for our selves , nor for the Devill , to teach them to worship God according to his revealed will , to traine them up under the ordinances and institutions of Gods owne appointment : all these things Gods command to Abraham charges upon all the children of the Covenant , though there were no expresse reviving these commands in any part of the New Testament , and therefore consequently that command of God to Abraham which bound his seed of the Jewes , to traine up their children in that manner of worship which was then in force , bindes the seed of Abraham , now to traine up their children in conformity to such ordinances as now are in force . And the same command which injoyned Abraham to seale his children with the seale of the Covenant , injoynes us as strongly to seale ours with the seale of the Covenant , and that command of God which expressely bound Abraham to seale his with the signe of Circumcision which was the Sacrament then in force , pro tempore ; doth vertually binde us to seale ours with the signe of Baptisme , which is the Sacrament now in force , and succeeds in the roome of the other by his owne appointment . There is one command by cleare consequence , another you shall find , Matth. 28. where our Saviour bids them goe and teach all Nations , Baptizing them in the name of the Father , and of the Sanne , and of the Holy Ghost . Where you have two things : First , What they were to doe ; Secondly , To whom they were to doe it . They were to preach and teach all things which he had commanded them , that is , they were to preach the whole Gospel , Mark . 16.15 . The whole Covenant of Grace , containing all the promises , whereof this is one , viz. that God will be the God of beleevers , and of their seed , that the seed of beleevers are taken into Covenant with their Parents . This is a part of the Gospel preached unto Abraham , and they were to Baptize them , that is , to administer Baptisme as a Seale of the Covenant to all who received the Covenant . Secondly , wee have the persons to whom they were to doe this , all Nations , whereas before the Church was tyed to one Nation , one Nation onely were Disciples , now their Commission was extended to make all Nations Disciples , every Nation which should receive the faith should be to him now , as the peculiar Nation of the Jewes had beene in time past . In a word , Nations here are opposed to the one Nation before . Now we know when that one Nation of the Jewes were made Disciples , and circumcised their infants were made Disciples , ( made to belong to Gods Schoole ) and circumcised with them , when that nation was made Disciples in Abrahams loynes , and circumcised , their seed also was the same , when that Nation was taken out of Egypt , and actually made Disciples , their children were also with them ; and we know that in every Nation the children make a great part of the Nation , and are alwayes included under every administration to the Nation , whether promises or threatnings , priviledges or burthens , mercies or judgements , unlesse they be excepted ; so are they in Cities , in Families , it being the way of the Scripture , when speaking indefinitely of a People , Nation , City or Family , to be either saved or damned , to receive mercies or punishments , expresly to except Infants when they are to be excepted , as we see in the judgement that befell Israel in the Wildernesse , when all that rebellious Company that came out of Egypt , was to perish by Gods righteous doome , their little ones were expresly excepted , Num. 14.31 . and in the Covenant actually entred into by the body of the Nation , Neh. 10. it is expresly limited to them who had knowledge and understanding . And the Disciples who received this Commission knew well , that in all Gods former administrations , when any Parents were made Disciples , their children were taken in with them to appertaine to the same schoole , and therefore it behooved the Lord to give them a caution for the leaving out of Infants in this new administration , that they might know his mind , if that he intends to have them left out , which that ever he did in word or deed , cannot be found in the Scriptures . If it be said , they are not capable of being Disciples : I answer , even as capable as the Infants of Jews , and Proselytes were , when they were made Disciples : and beside , they are devoted to be Disciples , being to be trained up by the Parents , who are from their infancy to teach them the knowledge of Christ , and at the present , they are capable of his owne teaching : and sure I am in Christs owne dialect , to belong to Christ , and to be a Disciple of Christ , or to beare the name of Christ , is all one ; and that such Infants do belong to Christ , and beare the name of Christ , I have sufficiently proved already . And I desire it may be seriously weighed whether that expression , Act. 10.15 . Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples , do not necessitate us , to give the name of Disciples to Infants , as well as to grown men : for I reason thus , All they upon whose necks those false Teachers would have put the yoke of circumcision are called Disciples , and to be called Disciples : but they would have put the yoke of circumcision upon Infants , as well as grown men : therefore Infants as well as grown men are called Disciples and to be called so . The major is undenyable , the minor I prove thus : They who pressed circumcision to be in force , according to the manner of Moses Law , and would put it upon their necks after the manner of Moses his Law , they would put it upon Infants of those who were in Covenant with God , as well as upon the necks of those who were grown men , for so Moses Law required : but these fals teachers pressed circumcision to be so in force , as is apparent , Act. 15.1 . Another command by good consequence for the baptizing of Infants , you shall find in that forementioned place where the Apostle exhorted them to repent & be baptized , &c. Because the promise was made to them and to their children , which , as I shewed you , clearely proves that the Children of such who beleeve and are baptized , are taken into Covenant , and therefore by good consequence they also are to receive the seale of the Covenant . The Text not onely shewing that they are within the Covenant , but also that a right to Baptisme is a consequence of being within the Covenant . Thus for Commands : for Examples , though there should be none , there is no great argument in it , when the rule is so plain , yet we have examples enough , by good consequence , for you shall finde the Gospell took place , just as the old administration , by bringing in whole families together ; when Abraham was taken in , his whole Family was taken in with him ; when any of the Gentiles turned Proselytes , ordinarily their Families came in with them : so in this new Administration , usually if the Master of the House turned Christian , his whole Family came in and were baptized with him ; The whole household of Cornelius , the first converted Gentile , Act. 11.14 . the household of Stephanus ; the household of Aristobulus ; the household of Narcissus ; the household of Lydia ; the household of the Gaoler ; these are examples not to be contemned . And whereas some object against this Argument , taken from whole Families , that the argument is at least as strong to prove that the Jewish Infants did eat the Passeover , because not only severall Families might , but did , and that by Gods appointment , eat the Passeover . I Answer , by denying the consequence , the argument is not so strong , for the one as for the other , because no other Scripture shews that the Passeover doth belong to Infants ; but we have other plaine Scriptures proving that Baptisme is in the room of Circumcision , which belongs therefore to Infants , as well as grown men : If any can instance of any families of Gentiles who were circumcised , the consequence were good , Therefore Infants were , if there were any Infants , because other Scriptures shew that circumcision belongs to Infants as well as grown men , but in this case the argument is not good . So much for my first and main Argument , they are foederati , and therefore must be signati , they are under the Covenant of Grace , and therefore are to be signed with the seale of admittance into the Covenant ▪ The second Argument , To whom the inward grace of Baptism doth belong , to them belongs the outward sign , they ought to have the signe , who have the thing signifyed ; the earthly part of the Sacrament must be granted to them who have the heavenly part : but the Infants of beleevers , even while they are Infants are made partakers of the inward grace of Baptisme , of the heavenly and spirituall part , as well as grown men : therefore they may , and ought to receive the outward sign of Baptism . The major Proposition , that they who are made partakers of the inward grace , may not bee debarred of the outward signe , is undeniable , it is Peters argument , Act. 10. Can any man forbid water that these should not bee baptized , who have rece●ved the Holy Ghost as well as wee ? and againe , Act. 11. For as much as God gave them the like gift as hee did unto us , what was I that I could withstand God ? And this is so cleare , that the most learned of the Anabaptists do readily grant , that if they knew any Infants to have received the inward grace , they durst not deny them the outward signe , and that the particular Infants , whom Christ took up in his Armes and blessed , might have been baptized . And for the assumption or m●nor , That the Infants of Beleevers , even while they are Infants , do receive the inward grace , as well as grown men , is as plaine , not onely by that speech of the Apostle , who saith , they are holy , but our Saviour saith expressely , Mark . 10. That to such belongs the kingdom of God , as well as to grown men : And whereas some would evade it , by saying that the Text saith not , to them belongs the Kingdome of God , but of such is the kingdome of Heaven , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , of such like , that is , such as are graced with such like qualities , who are humble and meek , as children are , and that Luk. 18. is parallell to this , in the meaning of it , Whosoever doth not receive the kingdome of Heaven as a little childe , hee shall not enter therein . But I answer , though it be true that in other places this is one use that Christ makes of an Infants age and condition , to shew that such as receive the Kingdome of Heaven , must be qualifyed with humility , &c. like unto children ; yet here it cannot be his meaning , because his argument is , suffer them to come to mee and forbid them not , because of such is the Kingdome of God , that is , my Church and Kingdom is made up of these as well as of others . This was the very cause why the Disciples rebuked those who brought the children to Christ , because they were little , not fit to bee instructed , and therefore not fit that Christ should be troubled about them ; this Christ rebukes in them , and tels them that the littlenesse of children , is no argument why they should be kept from him : Suffer them , said he , to come , and forbid them not , for of such is the Kingdome of God : and what kind of argument had this been , if the Text should be interpreted as these men would have it , Suffer little children to come unto me , that I may touch them , take them up in mine armes , put my hands upon them , and blesse them , because the Kingdom of God belongs to them , who have such like qualities , who resemble children in some select properties ? By the very same ground , if any had brought doves , and Sheep to Christ , to put his hands upon them , and blesse them , the Disciples had been liable to the same reproofe , because of such is the Kingdome of God , such as are partakers of the Kingdom of God , must be indued with such like properties . Beside , what one thing can be named belonging to the initiation , and being of a Christian , whereof Baptisme is a seale , which Infants are not capable of , as well as grown men ? they are capable of receiving the Holy Ghost , of union with Christ , of adoption , of forgivenesse of sins , of regeneration , of everlasting life , all which things are signifyed and sealed in the Sacrament o● baptism . And it is further considerable , that in the working of that inward grace , of which baptism is the sign and seale , all who partake of that grace , are but meere patients , and contribute no more to it , then a childe doth to its own begetting , and therefore Infants as fit Subjects to have it wrought in them as grown men , and the most grown men are in no more fitnesse to receive this grace when it is given them , in respect either of any faith or repentance , which they yet have , then a very little childe , it being the primary intention of the Covenant of Grace , in its first worke , to shew what Free Grace can and wil do to miserable nothing , to cut miserable man off from the wild Olive , and graffe him into the true Olive , to take away the heart of stone , to create in them a heart of flesh , to forgive their iniquities , to love them freely , what doth the most grown man in any of these , more then an Infant may do ? being onely passive in them all ; and of this first grace is the Sacrament of Baptism properly a seale : and who ever will deny , that Infants are capable of these things as well as grown men ; must deny that any Infants dying in their Infancy are saved by Christ . Against this Argument severall things are objected : which I shall indevour to remove out of the way . First , It is said , that although Infants are capable of these things , and they no doubt are by Christ wrought in many Infants , yet may not we baptize them , because , according to the Scripture pattern , both of Christs command , Matth. 28. in his institution of Baptisme , where this was injoyned ; and John the Baptist , Christs Disciples , and Apostles , They alwaies taught and made them Disciples by teaching , before they baptized any . I answer , First , that of Matth. 28. is not the institution of Baptisme , it was instituted long before , to be the Seale of the Covenant ; it 's only an inlargement of their Commission , whereas before they were to go onely to the lost sheepe of the House of Israel , now they were to go unto all the world . And beside , it is no where said , that none were baptized , but such as were first taught , and what reason we have to beleeve the contrary , you have before seen . Secondly , It is said indeed , that they taught and baptized , and no expresse mention made of any other : but the reason is plain , there was a new Church to be constituted , all the Jews who should receive Christ , were to come under another administration , and their Infants were to come in only in their right , and the Heathen Nations who were to be converted to Christ , were yet wholly without the Covenant of Grace , and their children could have no right untill themselves were brought in ; and therefore no marvaile , though both John , and Christs Disciples , and Apostles , did teach before they baptized , because then no other were capable of baptism : but when once themselves were instructed and baptized , then their children were capable of it , by vertue of the Covenant . If any in the Jewish Church had received Commission , to go and make other Cities , Proselytes to them , their Commission must have run thus , Go teach and circumcise , would it therefore have followed , that none might be circumcised , but such as were first taught ? But it is expresly said , That hee that beleeves and is baptized , shall bee saved ; Faith in Christ is the Condition , upon which men may be baptized : and this is the most common objection among the Anabaptists : Unbeleevers may not bee baptized , children are unbeleevers , therefore they may not bee baptized . We have , say they , cleare evidence , that Faith is a condition required in those that are to be baptized , no evidence of any other condition that makes them capable of Baptism . Others of them adde , that under an affirmative command , the negative is to be included , beleeving is the affirmative , unbeleeving is the negative , therefore where beleevers are commanded to be baptized , unbeleevers are forbidden to be baptized : this objection they much glory in , and some of them dare all the world to answer it . I Answer first , but if this argument have any strength at all against the Baptizing of infants , it hath much more strength against the salvation of infants ; it is said expresly , he that beleeveth , and is baptized , shall be saved ; but he that beleeveth not , shall bee damned : there yee have both the negative and affirmative set downe , Hee that beleeves shall bee saved , hee that beleeves not shall bee damned ; now I frame their owne argument thus against the salvation of infants , All unbeleevers shall bee damned , all infants are unbeleevers , therefore they shall bee damned ; now look at what doore they will goe out , for the salvation of infants , at the same will we go out , for the baptizing of infants ; how ever they will evade the one , we shall much more strongly evade the other , if they say this Text is meant of growne men , of the way which God takes for the salvation of grown men , Infants are saved another way , upon other conditions ; the same say we of infants baptisme , the Text means of the condition of baptizing of grown men , infants are baptized upon other conditions ; if , they say , infants though they cannot have actuall Faith , they may have virtuall Faith , Faith in the seed and roote , the same say we ; if they say , though infants have not Faith , yet they may have that which is Analogous to faith , the same say we , they have somwhat which hath analogy to faith , and as effectuall to make them capable of baptism , as of salvation . Secondly , I answer , it is no where said Unbeleevers , ( or rather Non-beleevers it should be said ) may not bee baptized ; it is said indeed , hee that beleeveth and is baptized , shall bee saved ; and it is said , that he that beleeveth with all his heart , may be baptized ; it is no where said , that he that beleeveth not , may not be baptized : Therfore I deny the consequence , if all beleevers must be baptized , then no Unbeleevers , or Non-beleevers may be baptized ; these two are not here intended by way of opposition , Christ excludes Infants neither from baptism , nor from salvation for want of faith , but positive Unbeleevers , and such as refuse the Gospel he excludes from both : The stone upon which these men stumble , is the ignorance in the opposition in the Scripture they bring , which is not betweene beleevers , and their Children , but betweene them , and Unbeleeving and profane persons who are shut from the Lords Covenant , Baptisme , and Salvation . But suppose they are capable of the inward grace of baptisme , and that God doth effectually work it in some of the Infants of beleevers , is that sufficient warrant for us to baptize all the Infants of Beleevers ? if we knew in what Infants the Lord did work this , we might baptize those Infants , say some of them , but that he doth not make known to us , we cannot know of any one Infant by any ordinary way of knowledge , that they are inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost ; and therefore we may not baptize any of them , but wait to see when and in whom God will work the thing signified , and then apply the signe to them . Answ. Our knowledge that God hath effectually wrought the thing signified , is not the condition upon which wee are to apply the signe , God no where requires that we should know that they are inwardly and certainly converted , whom we admit to the Sacrament of Baptism , the Apostles themselves were not required to know this of those whom they baptized , if they were , they sinned in baptizing Simon Magus , Alexander , Hymenaeus , Ananias and Saphira , with others : we are indeed required to know that they have in them that condition which must warrant us to administer the signe , not that which makes them possest of the thing signified ; fallible conjectures are not to be our rule in administring of Sacraments , either to Infants of grown men , but a known rule of the word , out of which rule we must be able to make up such a judgment , that our administration may be of faith , as well as out of charity : In baptizing or grown men , the Apostles and Ministers of Christ administred the signe , not because they conjectured that the parties were inwardly sanctified , but because they made that profession of faith and holinesse of which they were sure , that whoever had the thing in truth , were received by Christ into inward Communion with himself , and that whoever thus made it ; that Christ would have them received into the communion of his Church , though possibly for want of the inward work they were never received into the inward communion with Iesus Christ , indeed when such a confession was made , Christian charity which alwaies hopeth the best , and thinketh no evill , bound them to receive them , and think of them , and converse with them , as with men in whom the inward work was wrought , untill they gave signes to the contrary ; but this their charity , or charitable conjecture was not the grou●d of their admitting them to the ordinance , but the profession and confession of the party , made according to the Word , which they were bound to rest in ; yea , I greatly question , whether in case Peter or Paul could by the spirit of revelation have known that Ananias or Alexander would have proved no better then hypocrites , whether they either would , or ought to have refused them from Baptism , whilst they made that publike profession and confession , upon which others were admitted who in the event proved no better then those were . So that I conclude , not our knowledge of their inward Sanctification , is requisite to the admitting of any to baptism , but our knowledge of the will of Christ , that such who are in such and such condition , should by us be received into the communion of the Church : and in this the rule to direct our knowledge , is as plain for Infants as for growne men , the rule having been alwaies this , That growne men who were strangers from the Covenant of God , Unbeleevers , Pagans , Heathens , should upon their being instructed , and upon profession of their faith and promise to walke according to the rule of the Covenant ; bee received and added to the Church , and made partakers of the seale of their entrance , and their Infants to come in with them ; both sorts upon their admission to be charitably hoped of , untill they give signes to the contrary , charity being bound from thinking of evill of them , not tyed to conclude certainly of any of them , because they ought to know that in all ages , all are not Israel who are of Israel , and that many are called , but few are chosen . But all who enter into Covenant , and receive the seale of the Covenant , must stipulate for their parts , as well as God doth for his , they must indent with God to perform the beleevers part of the Covenant , as well as God doth to perform his part , as even this Text , 1 Pet. 3. requires , That Baptism which saves us must have the answer of a good conscience to God ; now although it be granted , that Infants are capable of receiving the first grace , if God be pleased to work it in them ; yet what answer of a good conscience can there be from Infants unto God ? they having not the use of reason , and not knowing what the Covenant meanes ? Answ. The Infants of the Jewes were as much tied as the Infants of beleevers under the Gospel , every one who was circumcised was bound to keepe the Law , Gal. 5. and these men professe that Israelitish Infants were within the old Covenant , when yet they knew not what it meant , nor could have the same use of it with their Parents and others of discretion . Looke what answer they will make for the Jewes infants , if true , will abundantly satisfie for the Infants of beleevers under the Gospel . Secondly , God seales to them presently , their name is put into the deed , and when they come to yeers of discretion , to be adulti , then in their own persons they stand obliged to the performance of it ; in the meane time Jesus Christ , who is the surety of the Covenant , and the surety of all the Covenanters , is pleased to be their surety ; we know when severall parties stand obliged in the same bond , they may seale at severall times , and yet be in force afterward together ; or even a child sealing in infancy , may aguize and recognize that sealing , when they come to yees of discretion ; if then they will renounce it , as done when they understood not , they may free themselves if they please , if they find the former act an inconvenience or burden to them : so is it here , God of his infinite mercy is pleased to seale to Infants while they are such , and accepts of such a seale on their parts , as they are able to give in their Infant age , expecting a further ratification on their part , when they are come to riper yeers , in the meane time affording them the favour and priviledge of being in Covenant with him , of being reckoned unto his kingdom and family , rather then of the Devils ; if when they are grown men they refuse to stand to this Covenant there is no hurt done on Gods part , let them serve another God , and take their lot for time to come . But what benefit comes to children by such kind of sealing as this is ? it seems then ( say they ) by your own confession , that this is but a conditionall sealing on Gods part , viz : that they own it , and ratifie it when they come to age , and if they then refuse to stand to it , all is then nullified , were it not therefore better to defer it to their years of discretion , to see whether they will then make it their own voluntary act , yea , or no ? Answ. 1. This objection lay as strongly against Gods widsome in requiring the Jewes Infants , even in their Infancy thus to seale ; and therefore argues no great wisdome or modesty in men , who would thus reason with God about his administrations . 2. God hath other ends and uses of applying the seale of the Covenant to them who are in Covenant with him , then their present gaine , it 's a Homage , Worship , and Honour to himself , and it behoves us even in that respect , to fulfill all righteousnesse : when Christ was baptized and circumcised , he was as unfit for the ordinance , through his perfection , as children through their imperfection , being as much above them , as children are below them . 3. I Answer ; The benefit and fruit of it at the present is very much , both to the Parents and to the children ; to the Parents first , whilst God doth hereby honour them to have their children counted to his Church , to his kingdome , and family , to be under his wing and grace , whilest all the other Infants in the world have their visible standing under the Prince , and in the kingdom of darknesse , and consequently whilest others have no hope of their childrens spiritual welfare , untill they be called out of that condition ▪ these need not have any doubt of their childrens welfare , if they die in their Infancy , nor if they live untill they shew signes to the contrary : God having both reckoned them unto his people , and given them all the meanes of salvation , which an Infants age is capable of . Secondly , here is much priviledge and benefit to the children , when as ( beside what inward secret worke God is pleased to worke in them ) they being Members of the Church of Christ have their share in the Communion of Saints are remembred at the throne of Grace , every day by those that pray for the welfare of the Church , and perticularly in those prayers which are made for his blessing upon his Ordinances . And lastly , it 's no small priviledge to have that Seale bestowed upon them in their Infancy , wch may afterwards plead when they are grown and come to fulfill the condition . But if their being capable of the spirituall part , must intitle them to the outward signe , why then doe we not also admit them to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , which is the seale of the Covenant of Grace , as well as the Sacrament of Baptisme ? And this is urged , the rather , because ( say they ) the Infants of the Jewes did eate of the Passeover , as well as were circumcised ; now if our Infants have every way as large a priviledge as the Infants of the Jewes had , then can we not deny them the same priviledge which their Infants had , and consequently they must partake of the one Sacrament , as well as the other . I answer , that Infants are capable of the grace of Baptisme we are sure , not sure that they are capable of the grace signed and sealed in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , for though both of them are seales of the new Covenant , yet it is with some difference ; Baptisme properly seales the entra●ce into it , the Lords Supper properly the growth , nourishment and augmentation of it ; Baptisme for our birth , the Lords Supper for our food ; now Infants may be borne againe while they are Infants , have their Originall sinne pardoned , be united to Christ , have his Image stampt upon them , but concerning the exercise of these graces and the augmentat●on of them in Infants , while they are Infants , the Scripture is altogether silent , and for what is said concerning the Infants of the Jewes eating the Passeover , to which our Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth succeed , there is no such thing mentioned in all the Booke of God , it is said indeed that the severall families were to eate their Lambe , if the household were not too little for it , and that when their children should aske them what that service meant , they should instruct them about the meaning of it ; but no word injoyning , nor any example witnessing , that their little children did eate of it . If they say ( as some of them doe ) that those little ones , who were able to enquire concerning the meaning of that service , and capable to receive instruction about it , did eat of the Passeover with their Parents ; I answer , ( although the Scripture speakes nothing of their eating , yet if that be granted ) it is no prejudice to us , because the Gospel prohibites not such yong ones from the Lords Supper , who are able to examine themselves , and discerne the Lords Body . Thus have I according to my poor ability made good this second argument also , and vindicated it from all Objections of any weight wch I have met with all to the contrary , it remains that I winde up all , with a briefe Application . And first it serves for just reproofe of the Anabaptists , and all such as by their rash and bloody sentence condemne Infants , as out of the state of Grace ; it 's a great sinne to passe sentence upon any particular person for any one act , as was that of Eli , concerning Hannah , how much more heinous is it to condemne ail the Infants of the whole Church of Christ , as having nothing to doe with the Covenant of Grace , or the seale of it ? We read of Herod the Tyrant , that he destroyed all the children in Bethlehem , and the Coasts thereof from two yeares old and under ; is not this a farre more cruell sentence , to set these in no better state then Pagans and Infidels , Without Christ , aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel , as strangers from the Covenant of promise , having no hope , and w●thout God in the world ? can any sober Christian thinke this a small fault ? Our blessed Saviour saith , It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs , but these men take Children , and in their judgement , conclude them for no better then dogs ; baptisme is the bread of the Lord , which he would have given to his children , and to deny it to them as none of their right , is to make them no better then dogs . The Prophet Elisha wept when he looked upon Hazael , because he foresaw that he would dash the infants of Israel against the wall , and even Hazael thought himselfe worthy to be esteemed a dog if ever he should do such a thing . But certainly , thus to dash all Infant children of beleevers out of the Covenant of Grace ( as much as in them lyeth ) & to deprive them of the seale of it , is in a spirituall sense farre more heavy . And I dare appeale to the tender bowels of any beleeving Parents , whether it were not easier for them to thinke that their Infants should be dashed against the stones , and yet in the meane time to die under Christs wing , as visible Members of his Kingdome , Church and Family , rather then to have them live , and behold them to have a visible standing onely in the Kingdome of the Devill : These men know not how much they provoke Christs displeasure against themselves ; He was greatly displeased with his owne Disciples for forbidding little children to come unto him ; & one day such men will know , that he is much more displeased with them , who with so great violence oppose the bringing of beleevers children unto his holy Sacrament , that with unspeakable wrong , injury , and slander , they prosecute all the Ministers of Christ , who give Infants this their due , condemning them for Ministers of Antichrist , and limbes of the Beast ; yea , some of them proceeding so farre , as condemning all the Churches of Christ , to be no Churches , who cast not their children out of the Covenant of Grace , and the seale of it , and doe cry out upon the Baptizing of Infants , as one of those great sinnes which bring and continue all our judgements upon us . The Apostate Emperour Julian is justly cryed out upon for his cruelty against the Christians , for denying to their bodies humane Sepulture ; how much more cruell is it to deny to the souls of Infants the just priviledge and benefit of the Covenant of Grace ? We know he did it out of hatred to Christianity , which I am farre from charging upon these men ; but if we compare the sentence and fact of the one with the other , we shall find the latter ( be their principle what it will ) farre more injurious to the Church of Christ then the other : The Lord in mercy give them to see how unjust that sentence , and how heavy that doome is , which they thus passe , not only upon Infant Children , but upon all the Churches of Christ ; and seriously to consider , whether the Lord , who once in his displeasure threatned to dash their Infants against the Stones , who had dasht the Infants of the children of Israel against the Stones , will indure it at the hands of any to expunge the Seed of the faithfull out of his Covenant , and to drive them from his City and Kingdom after this cruell manner . Secondly , how much may this comfort the Soule of every beleeving Parent , to behold this great love and goodnesse of God in his Covenant of Grace to them and their posterity , that not only themselves , but even their Infants for their sakes , should be reckoned to the household of God , put into the Arke , wrapped up in a Covenant of love , brought under the wing of God ? When God had promised to David , that he should have a son to whom God would be a Father , and that all his posterity , should after such a gracious manner be regarded , his heart was even ravished with it , O Lord God ( said he ) what am I , and what is my house , that thou hast brought mee hitherto ? and this was yet a small thing in thy sight , O Lord God , but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come , and is this the manner of men , O Lord God ? And even so should Christian Parents break out into admiration of his goodnesse , in taking their children into that gracious Covenant , which is not only the womb and vessell , but also the well-head of so many mercies , which are terminated , not in themselves , but flow down to their posterity from generation to generation . And this is yet more admirable in our eyes , when we seriously consider , how uncleane and filthy , how viperous a brood they are , as proceeding out of our loines , empty of all goodnesse , full of all wickednesse , an uncleane leprosie having bespread them from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot , fit only to be cast into the open field , to the loathing of their persons , in the day that they are born , as all the rest of the world are ; and that God should set his heart upon such as these , to take them thus neere unto Himself , when he passes by both Parents and Infants of all the world beside , now would our hearts melt in his praises , if we could consider these things ? 2. How should this ingage all Christian Parents to look to the education of their Children , to bring them up in the nurture and feare of the Lord ? It 's a wofull thing , to consider the wretched carelesnesse of many Parents ; yea , not onely carelesnesse , but ungodlinesse of many Parents ; who prostitute their children to the Devill and his service , after they have consecrated them to Christ by baptisme ; train them up in ignorance , profanenesse , &c. To whom God may say , as he did to that Harlot , Ezek. 16. Thou hast taken my Sonne and my Daughter , whom thou hast born unto mee , and these thou hast sacrificed unto Devils . A generation of wretched men , who take more care of their Hogs and Dogs , then they doe of their Infants immortall soules , nourishing the former , murdering the latter ; that we may say of them , as Augustus did of Herod , that it is better to be Herods Dog then his Son . I have often heard a sad Story of a wretched Woman , who perswaded her Daughter to yeeld to the lust of a rich man , in hope he would marry her , as he had promised to doe ; which she did , and presently after fell sick and died ; The wretched mother hereupon grew distracted , and in her madnesse cryed out , O my Daughters soule , my Daughters soule , I have damned my Daughters soul : Verily , thus may many Parents cry out upon themselves for murthering their childrens soules ; and their children may wish that they had beene either dogges , or swine , rather then their Sons or Daughters ; miserable children , of miserable Parents ; what will such Parents answer God , when he comes to demand his children of them ? Suppose a Prince or Noble man should put a Child to Nurse unto some mean man , and pay them well for the education of it ; or rather suppose a Great man should adopt the child of a poor man to be his own , and should say unto this poore man , as Pharaohs daughter said to Moses mother , Bring up this Child for mee , and I will give thee thy wages ; & afterward comming to see this Child , should find they had lamed the Child ▪ and taught it nothing but to speake evill of them , and to fight against them : thinke I pray you what they would say , or doe to this wretched man . How much more abominable is the sin of many Parents , who by their own carelesnesse , and vile example , leaven their children with principles , and lead them in wayes quite contrary to the Covenant of grace , tending to nothing , but to dishonour God , and to their own destruction . If any of you have been guilty of it in time past , be deeply humbled for it , crave mercy and pardon ; and for time to come , indeavour to do the part of a nursing Father or Mother for Christ , looking upon thy children as being Christs more then thine , yea , as not being thine , but Christs , to whom thou hast consecrated them , and therefore ( as wise and loving Nurses use to doe ) carry them often to their father for his blessing , and he will blesse them , and reward thee also ; we find in the second of Joel , that in the day of their Fast , they were to bring their children and set them before the Lord , that he might be moved to compassion for the childrens sake whom he used to call his owne ; set thou thy children often before him , intreat him as Joseph did his father for his two sonnes , and as they did our Saviour , Marke 10. that he would put his hands upon them and blesse them ; Doe it heartily , humbly , frequently , tell him how deare they are to thee , and the dearer because he is pleased to owne them , tell him their wants , and thy own inability to supply them in any thing , and how easie it is for him to doe it by his Spirit and Grace ; Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight , said Abraham ; Say thou so also , Lord let these children live before thee , thine they are , and thou gavest them me to bring up for thee , Oh blesse my labour among them , and make them such as thou wouldest have them to be . And doe not onely pray for them , but discipline them and instruct them , acquainting them with the Scriptures , and Catechising them in the Principles of Religion ; as the Mother and Grandmother of Timothy did him , training him up from his infancy , in the knowledge of the holy Scripture ; and be assured , if thy children may learne from thee to know their heavenly Father , to beleeve in him , to love him , and feare him betimes , that being taught the trade in their youth , they may not forsake it when they are old , they will then more blesse God for thee , then if thou couldest leave them all the world for their inheritance ; it was for this that Solomon gloried in his father and mother , Prov. 4.2 , 3. and for this will thy children rise up and call thee blessed . Thus shalt thou approve thy selfe a true sonne of Abraham ; Thus shall thy children be blessed with faithfull Abraham , Thus shall the Covenant , the spirituall part and benefit of it , as well as the outward , rest upon thy posterity from generation to generation . Thirdly , and lastly , This serves for use to all children whom God honours so farre , as in their Infancy to bring thus neare unto himselfe , and to use them thus as his owne , and that three severall wayes ; First , to incourage and comfort them to beleeve in him , and rest upon him , for all the good things which he hath promised in the Covenant of Grace . The Papists , as in some things they give and ascribe too much to Baptisme , making it to take away originall sinne , ex opere operato : So in other things they rob Gods people of the comfortable use of it , because they say that when once we commit actuall sinnes we make shipwracke of Baptism , and then Penance must be secunda tabula post naufragium , a Cockbot after our shipwrack ; but this blessed Sacrament seekes for a more durable and comfortable use , even to be an Arke , as my Text cals it , to carry to heaven . Know then that whensoever thou findest thy selfe at a losse , sensible of thy undone condition , findest thy guilt , and filth , and bondage , through sinne , and flyest unto Christ , and thy conscience witnesseth with thee , that thou wouldest walke for time to come , according to the rule of the Covenant , in uprightnesse , to make God in Christ thy portion , and his word thy guide ; So often I say as thou doest this , maiest thou fly to thy Baptisme , and plead it for thy comfort , as we may plead the Rainbow in foule weather against the worlds destruction by water . I have often heard a story of a great Queen , who gave a Ring to a Nobleman , while he was her Favourite , and willed him to send it to her when he should stand in greatest need of her favour ; who afterward falling into her displeasure , sent the Ring , which through the treachery of the bearer was not delivered till it was too late : But it shall never happen so to thee , doe thou in all thy extremity , shew or send by the hand of faith thy Seale , which God hath given thee , plead it confidently , and to thy dying day , it may be an Arke unto thy soule in all cases of relapse , desertion , temptation , or whatever else may betide thee , upon the renewing of thy repentance and faith in Christ Jesus . Secondly , This great love of God in taking us thus neare into his own Family , as his own Children , should make many of us blush , to remember our unworthy conversation , in times past ; yea , it might make our very hearts to bleed , and make us not only wish we had been unbaptized , but even unborn , rather then to pollute the holy Covenant , and the seale of it , as we have done with our unhallowed lives : Can it seem a light thing in our eyes , that when God hath left the greatest part of the world , as strangers from his Family and Kingdom , to be under Satans kingdom , and taken us ( no better by nature than they are ) to be his peculiar ones into Covenant with him , that he should sweare unto us , to be our God , and hitherto to train us up under such heavenly Ordinances , and we to walk in the meane time as rebels and enemies unto him , like the unbaptized world ? can we think our condemnation not to be greater then theirs ? Let me a little reason the case with you , Doe you know into what a Covenant the Lord hath taken you ? what he hath done for you , and expects from you ? have not your Ministers and Parents instructed you in it ? Now tell me what is the reason of your unanswerable conversation , is it because you renounce the Covenant , as being made when you understood it not ? if so , that you do indeed renounce it , Take your course , serve the God you have chosen , yet tell me ( I beseech you ) what iniquity is in the Lords Covenant ? what hurt is there in it ? what disadvantage have you met withall ? or where and how do you hope to find better things , then God to be your Father , Christ Jesus to bee your Saviour , the Spirit to bee your Comforter ? to have your sins pardoned and healed , to be adopted , justifyed , sanctifyed , and every way comfortably provided for here , and saved for ever ? Doe the Gods you have chosen to serve , provide better things then these , that you renounce Christ for their sakes ? If you say , God forbid you should renounce Christ ; No , you hope to bee saved by Christ , as well as any other : Then tell me in good sadnesse , doe you expect that Christ should stand bound to perform his part of the Covenant , and you left at liberty for your part ? that he should love you , and you hate him ? that he should bee your God , and you remain the Devils servant ? that he should provide Heaven for you , and you walk in the way which leads to Hell ? O how much are you deceived ! I tell you he hath sworn the contrary , he hath heaped up tribulation and wrath for every soule which doth evill , for the Jew first , for the baptized first ; and you will one day find , that it had been better you had never lived in his house , nor been trained up under his Covenant , then thus to profane it , and make the blood of it as an unholy thing . This great priviledge should ingage us all for time to come , to make our Baptism a continual motive to an answerable conversation , to live as men who are dead unto sinne , and alive unto God ; to account that it ought to bee as strange , to see a baptized man walke in a sinfull course as to see a Spectrum a walking Ghost : Wee are buried with Christ in Baptisme ; and how can wee who are dead to sinne live any longer therein ? We are planted into his family , made his Children , have his Spirit dwelling in us ; yea , thereby made one with Christ : All this , we lay claim to , by our Baptism , shall not this inforce us to live answerably ? Luther tels a Story of a gracious Virgin , who used to get the victory over Satan when he tempted her to any sinne , Satan I may not doe it , Baptizata sum , I am Baptized , and must walk accordingly : So should we argue , Let base persons live basely , noble and generous men must live nobly ; let Turkes and Pagans live wickedly , the holy seed must live holily and righteously : keepe it daily in thy thoughts , what thy Baptism ingageth thee unto , and that if thou walk otherwise , it will rise up extreamly to aggravate thy condemnation in the last day . It was a custome in the latter end of the Primitive times , That such as were baptized , did weare a white Stole ( a humane Ceremony , to signifie their purity of life which the baptized was to lead , Fulgentes animas vestis quoque candida signat . ) Now there was one Elpidophorus , who after his baptism turned a persecutor ; Muritta the Minister who baptized him , brought forth in publick the white Stole which Elpidophorus had worn at his Baptism , and cryed unto him ; O Elpidophorus ! this Stole doe I keep against thy comming to Judgement , to testifie thy Apostasie from Christ ; doe thou in like manner assure thy selfe the very Font wherein thou wast baptized , the Register wherein thy Name is recorded , will rise up against thee , if thou lead not a holy life : The Covenant is holy , the Seale is holy , let these provoke thee to study to be holy , yea to draw holinesse from them . Consider what I say , And the Lord give you understanding in all things . FJNIS . ERRATA . P. 22. l. 1. for legitimate , r. illegitimate , p. 39. l. 4. r. had he intended . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52051e-370 The Question stated . The Infants of Beleevers ought to bee Baptized . The Primitive Church owned it . When the Sect of the Anabaptists began . Niceph. 12.35 Niceph. 12.30 And the danger of their opinions . First Argument they are under the Covenant of grace , and therefore must have the seale of the Covenant . This Argument made good by five Conclusions . 1. Conclusion . The Covenant of grace alwaies the same for substance . Wherein lies the substance of the Covenant . Gen. 17.1 &c. Gal. 3.15 . Rom. 4.3 . Iohn 8.56 . Gal. 3.6 . Gen. 17.1 . Gen. 18.19 . Gal 3.17.19 . Though not the same for manner of administration . 2 King. 17.18 . Heb. 3.11.4 , 5 , 8. Heb. 3.17 , 18 , 19. with 4.2 . Lev. 20.2 &c. 26.36 . Deut. 10.12.13 . with 11.1.8 , 9 , 22. &c. 1 Cor. 10.5 , 6 , 7. The Identis of the Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles , proved . Jerem. 31.33 . Esa. 59.21 Joel 2.32 . Luke 1 54. &c. Luke 2.31 . Mat. 21.41.43 . Rom. 11. Gal. 3.8.14 , 15 , 16. Ephe. 2.13 &c. Rom. 10.3 . Gal. 4.29 . 2 Conclusion . Infants taken into Covenant with their Parents . Hosea 2.2 Exod. 12 48 , 49. Act. 2.38 , 39. opened and cleared . Luke 19. Object . Answ. Object . Answ. 3. Rom. 11.16 opened . 1 Cor. 7.14 . opened and vindicated . Ezra . 10.4 . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Nehem. 13.24 . &c. Mal. 2.15 . 1. Argument . Because uncleannesse and holinesse no where taken for civilly lawfull . 1 Tim. 4.5 . Object . Answ. Acts 10. 2. Argument . The Apostles answer had not contained a truth . 3. Argument . Nor had the Apostles argument had any reason in it , if interpreted as they would have it . 4. Argument . Nor could have satisfied their doubt . Deut. 23.2 . Esa. 56.3 , 4. Acts 8.27 . Object . Answer . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Greek preposition signifying to as well as in . as Gal. 1.16 . 2 Pet. 1.5 . Act. 4.12 1 Cor. 7.15 . 2. Object . Answ. Reason why God will have such Infants accounted his . Eccles. 2 ▪ 7. 3. Conclusion . Col. 2.11 , 12. opened . Gal. 5.3 . 4 Conclusiun . Gen. 17. Exod. 12.48 . Object . Gen. 17.18 , 19 , 20 , 21. Answ. Rom ▪ 4.11 . Deut. 32.8 . Lev. 25.13 . &c. 5 Conclusion . Heb. 8.6 . 2 Cor. 3.10 . Gal. 4.1 . &c. Object . Answ. Object . Wee want a command and example . Answer . Though there be no expresse command or example . Which is not necessary . Yet by good consequence we have command for it . Both in the command given to Abraham which reacheth us . And in Mat. 28 19. opened and explained . Fumb. 14.31 Nehem ▪ 10.28 . Object . Answ. Math 10 42. Mark 9 41. Matth. 18.5 . Act 2.38 , 39. 2. Argument . Act. 10.47 . & 11.17 . Mark . 10. 1 Cor. 7.14 . Mark . 10.14 . Luk. 18 17. Matth 3. 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 3.27 . Tit. 3.5 . Mark . 1.3 . Object . 1. Answ. Object . 2. Answer . Mark . 16.16 . Object . 3. Answ. Object . 4. 1 Pet. 3.21 . Answ. Heb. 7.22 . Object . 6. Answ. Exod. 12.3 , 4 ▪ 26 , 27. 1 Cor. 11. Application . First , for reproof of the Anabaptists . 1 Sam 1. Mat. 2 16. Ephe. 2 1● . Psal. 131.8 , 9. 2. Vse . To Parents . First for their comfort . 2 Sam. 7. Esa. 16. Ezek. 16.5 . 2. For their duty to provoke thē to be ashamed ▪ for their carelesnesse , &c. in time past . Ezek. 16.20 . Psal. 106.37 . Exod. 2.19 . And to nurse them up for Christ in time to come . Praying for them . Ioel 2.16 . 2 Tim. 1 , 5.3.15 . Prov. 4.2 , 3. To all baptitized ones , for comfort when they beleeve and repent . To humble such as walke unworthy of this priviledge . Col. 2.12 . To provoke to a holy life for time to come . 
A52970	----	New propositions propounded at the Kings royall court at Holmby, betwixt the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, and Mr. Marshall and Mr. Caryll concerning the presbyteriall government, the Booke of Common-Prayer, and the directory : also His Majesties severall reasons, concerning episcopacy, and Mr. Marshalls reply for the cleering His Majesties objections : together with divers remarkable passages of the Commissioners of the kingdome of Scotland, propounded to His Majesty for his royall assent to the propositions, and signing the Covenant : with another message from His Majesty at Holmby, to both Houses of Parliament. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A52970 of text R19889 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing N730). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 8 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A52970 Wing N730 ESTC R19889 12353853 ocm 12353853 60058 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52970) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 60058) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 643:22) New propositions propounded at the Kings royall court at Holmby, betwixt the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, and Mr. Marshall and Mr. Caryll concerning the presbyteriall government, the Booke of Common-Prayer, and the directory : also His Majesties severall reasons, concerning episcopacy, and Mr. Marshalls reply for the cleering His Majesties objections : together with divers remarkable passages of the Commissioners of the kingdome of Scotland, propounded to His Majesty for his royall assent to the propositions, and signing the Covenant : with another message from His Majesty at Holmby, to both Houses of Parliament. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Caryll, John, 1625-1711. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I) Scotland. Parliament. [2], 6 p. Printed for F.F., London : Feb. 26, 1647. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. eng Charles -- I, -- King of England, 1600-1649. Church of England. -- Book of common prayer. Church and state -- Scotland. A52970 R19889 (Wing N730). civilwar no Nevv propositions propounded at the Kings royall court at Holmby, betwixt the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, and Mr. Marshall and Mr. Caryll. [no entry] 1647 1194 2 0 0 0 0 0 17 C The rate of 17 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-08 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2003-08 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion NEVV PROPOSITIONS PROPOUNDED At the Kings Royall Court at Holmby , Betwixt the Kings most Excellent Majesty , and Mr. Marshall and Mr. Caryll . CONCERNING The Presbyteriall Government , the Booke of Common-Prayer , and the Directory . ALSO , His Majesties severall Reasons , concerning Episcopacy , and Mr. Marshalls Reply for the cleering his Majesties Objections . Together with divers remarkable passages of the Commissioners of the Kingdome of Scotland , propounded to His Majesty for his Royall assent to the Propositions , and signing the Covenant . WITH Another Message from His Majesty at Holmby , to both Houses of Parliament . Published by order of Parliament . London , Printed for F. F. Feb. 26. 1647. NEW PROPOSITIONS , PROPOUNDED At the Kings Royall Court at Holmby , betwixt the Kings most Excellent Majesty , and Mr. Marshall , and Mr. Caryll . THe Parliament of Scotland have sate very close , about the disposall of His Majesties Royall Person , and his future Reigne and Government of himselfe and his Royall Posterity , which indeed is a thing of high concernment and very much desired , by his Majesties Subjects within the Kingdome of England : their hearts relenting , untill the time of expitation , of the great businesse now in dispence , betweene the Soveraigne and the Subject ; their eyes being fully fixed upon this State-Object , longing to see that happy day of the joyfull returne of their Gracious Soveraigne , to his Tribunall Throne at London . For , the accomplishing of these their long-wished desires , His Majesties loyall Subjects , ( the Parliaments of both Kingdomes ) doe likewise endeavour to bring to a speedy period , and instant of time ; if so be , his gracious Majesty would be pleased , to hearken to the faithfull advice of His two great Councels , by signing the Propositions , and taking the Covenant , that so the distractions of the Church of England , may be fully composed , and the purity of Religion firmely established , within His Majesties Realmes and Dominions . And to this end , the Estates of Scotland , do freely and unanimously concurre with the Parliament of England , for the humble advising of his Majesty to condiscend to these their Propositions , viz. 1. That his Majesty would be pleased ( no longer to continue in this adverse way ) but to unite himselfe with them , and to give his Royall assent for the signing of the Propositions ; that so , all differences may be composed within his Majesties Realmes of England and Scotland . 2. That his Majestie would be graciously pleased to unite his Royall heart with his Subjects of both Kingdomes , by taking that blessed Covenant , first drawn up , by the divine will and pleasure of the great Iehovah , in the highest Throne , and here confirmed upon Earth , ( by his omnipotent power ) for the finishing of his great Worke ; that so the purity and light of his Gospell , might spring and grow up , both in the hearts of Prince and People , and shine in all lustre , throughout the Realmes of England and Scotland . 3. That his Majesty would be pleased to embrace these their humble and loyall Desires , by signing the Propositions and taking the Covenant , His Subjects of Scotland do declare , that his gracious Majesty and his Royall Posterity , should not suffer in the least , &c. And for the further effecting of this gallant worke , no meanes and waies is unsought by the Commissioners of both Kingdomes for the retarding of it , but doth daily use their utmost endeavours for the attaining of the same , which God grant may be speedily b●ought to a period . For , how would his Majesties Loyall Subjects rejoyce , to heare that tryumphant sound , and melodious Eccho , of his Majesties concurrence with his great Councells , by setting his Royall hand to signe the Propositions , and bending his gracious heart to receive this faithfull Covenant . A Message from his Majesty to both Houses of Parliament . Carolus Rex . SIne I have never dissembled , nor hid my Conscience : And that I am not yet satisfied with the alteration in Religion , to which ye desire my consent . I will not loose time in giving reasons ( which are too obvious to every body ) why it is fit for me to be attended by some of my Chaplaines , whose opinions , as Clergy-men , I esteeme and reverence . Not onely for the exercise of my Conscience , but also for the cleering of my judgement , concerning the present differences in Religion ; as I have at full declared to Mr. Marshall , and his Fellow-Minister : having shewed them that is the best and likeliest means of giving me satisfaction ( which without it I cannot have ) in these things , whereby the distractions of the Church may be the better se●led . Wherefore I desire , that at least two of these reverend Divines , whose names I have here set downe , may have free liberty to wait upon mee , for the discharging of their nuties to mee , according to their Fuection . From Holmby this present Moneth of February , 1646. For the Speaker of the House of Peers , pro tempore , to bee communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster assembled . Charles Rex . The Bishop of London . The Bishop of Salisbury . The Bishop of Peterborough . Dr. Shelden , Cler of my Closet . Dr. May , Deane of Yorke . Dr. Sanderson . Dr. Bayley . D. Heywood . Dr. Beale . Dr. Fuller . Dr. Hammond . Dr. Tayler . The Kings Majesty is verb desirous to come neere London , but yet expresseth himselfe very gallantly at Holmby , and is very familiar with the Commissioners of both Kingdomes , and hath had severall Conferences with the English Divines , about Religion and the Government of the Church of England , having propounded severall Reasons unto them , why he will not give his Royall assent for the confirming of the Presbyteriall way , and setling of the Directory : Desiring likewise to have a Conference with twelve Learned Divines of the Episcopall Government , that so he may be cleered of some points , which as yet seemeth very strange unto him . But as Mr. Marshall and M. Caroll doth use their utmost endeavours for the convincing of his Majesty , and to cleer some scruples about the Directory , which his Majesty objects against : But within few dayes wee hope to heare of the happy tydings of his Majesties Royall assent , to the desire and humble supplication of his great Councell the Parliaments of both Kingdomes . FINIS . 
A65191	----	Two speeches spoken at a common hall Octob. 27. 1643 1. by Sir Henry Vane, 2. by Master Marshall; wherein is shew'd the readynesse of the Scots to assist the kingdome and Parliament of England to the vtmost of their power. Vane, Henry, Sir, 1612?-1662. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A65191 of text R8959 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing V78). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 22 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A65191 Wing V78 ESTC R8959 12090511 ocm 12090511 53861 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A65191) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53861) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 240:E74, no 7) Two speeches spoken at a common hall Octob. 27. 1643 1. by Sir Henry Vane, 2. by Master Marshall; wherein is shew'd the readynesse of the Scots to assist the kingdome and Parliament of England to the vtmost of their power. Vane, Henry, Sir, 1612?-1662. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 14 p. Printed for Peter Cole ..., London : 1643. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Scotland -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649. Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649. A65191 R8959 (Wing V78). civilwar no Two speeches spoken at a common hall Octob. 27. 1643. 1. By Sir Henry Vane. 2. By Master Marshall. Wherein is shew'd the readynesse of the S Vane, Henry, Sir 1643 4153 10 0 0 0 0 0 24 C The rate of 24 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion TWO SPEECHES SPOKEN AT A COMMON HALL Octob. 27. 1643. 1. By Sir Henry Vane . 2. By Master Marshall . Wherein is shew'd the readynesse of the Scots to assist the Kingdome and Parliament of England to the vtmost of their power . LONDON Printed for Peter Cole , and are to be sould at his shop near the Royall Exchang . Anno 1643. Sir Henry Vane his Speech . MY Lord Major , and worthy Aldermen , and the rest of the Gentlemen of the Citie , In obedience to the Commands of both Houses , we that are lately come out of Scotland , and have been eye witnesses ( from the first time of our going over thither ) of the affection of that Nation to this cause and of the deep sence they have of the present state of Affaires here in this Kingdome , are willing at this time to make the same report , and give the same accompt to you of it , as hath been done to the Parliament , that you may take a right measure of the trueth of those things , and not be caried away with misapprehensions , and misinformations from those that disaffect the cause , and would willingly abuse your thoughts , and beleife herein ; and therefore as shortly as I am able , I shall be willing to give you the accompt of those things which I know , and which I have seen there , and which this other Gentleman , a rever●nd Minister , of your owne acquaintance , and of knowne integritie , hath been privie to , that I doe not doubt , what he likewise shall deliver in this businesse you will very readily give credit too , it being nothing but what will be found to be the trueth . For the affection of that Nation , we have had many experiences of it , and of their readie and cheerefull compliance with the desires of this Kingdome , even when they were in their greatest distresses and calamities : When we first came over there , the affaires then of this Nation , were in a much lower condition , then now ( by the blessing of God ) we find them to be ; yet notwithstanding though that Nation had many invitations from those , who as they were forward to promise , so were they able to have bestowed great matters vpon them , and though there were many secret practises among themselves to make them set loose from the cause of this Kingdome , yet so sensible they were , of the danger of Religion here of the near relation that they had to their breethren of England , and of that common calamitie threatned to overrun both Kingdomes , that they were readie to breake through all difficulties , and to expose themselves to all dangers , to take us by the hand , and to joyne cordially with us in the maintaining of this cause ; they did not only expresse this in their words , and outward professions , but we have seen since from time to time , and by severall steps , how they have put it into Action : As soone as ever the the Covenant which was taken here , and solemnly sworne by the Parliament , was come to their knowledge , and sent over unto them , the Committee of Estates there , and the Commissioners of the Genreall Assembly resolved presently for to take that Covenant ▪ with an vnanimous and chearefull consent , as a meanes which under God , they thought would vnite both Nations , in this common cause , and make them a bulwarke against the Common Enemie : They did not only resolve to take it themselves , but enjoyned it throughout the whole Kinghome , and by this time we doe beleive , that it hath been vniversally taken by the whole Nation . They did enjoyne it in such a manner , as that the greatest and powerfullest Enemies of it amongst them durst not shew their heads to oppose it , that is , they enjoyned it upon the penalties , that those that should not take it , or should deferre it , should be esteemed Enemies to Religion , to his Majesties honour , and to the good of the two Kingdomes , that they should have all their Rents and profits confiscate , that they should brooke , nor enjoy any Office , or benefit in that Kingdome , that they should be cited to the next Parliament , to answer the not taking of it , and to be proceeded with there as enemies to the Estate , and to Relegion , and to receive such further punishement , as by the King and Parliament ●●●uld be put upon them , by which meanes they have so vnited the affection of that whole Kingdome ▪ that as one man they are readie to come forth to defend the Religion , the Liberties of both Nations , and to dye in this Common Cause . They have not only proceeded thus farre , which is a happy Foundation to so great an enterprize as is now in hand , but they have formed their Armie , all their Officers from first to last they have setled , they have likewise prepared their Artillerie , and have it in readinesse , at the Rendevouze at Leith : They likewise have all the men that are to be of the Armie designed out throughout the whole Shires , the persons are knowne , and at 48. houres , they are ready for to march , they are as sensible as your selves of the great burthens and extremities that this Nation doth at this time groan under : They know as well too , what vast expenses you have been at to maintaine your owne Armies , and yet they are not ashamed , that you should know also that their Nation hath not been without troubles , as you have been , and that they are not yet without great wants and difficulties , for this storme did begin with them : They have not been without great charges and burthens that hath layen vpon them and particularly even for the advantage of the affaires of this Kingdome , of late they have been at very vast expenses for the maintenance of their Scotch Armie in Ireland , which was set out by them for the service of this Kingdom at the request and desire of the Parliament , by which meanes they are very much disinabled to doe that , which otherwise they would be very willing to doe for our present assistance . They have made it apparent by severall particulars , that before this Armie intended for the present service wil be brought to the Rendevouze upon English ground , one way or other , it will stand them in very neare a hundred thousand pound , which must be at their owne charge and expence , over and above what they desire from us : They likewise have let us know , that they desire not to presse vs beyond our strength in matter of monies , but only so much as may render the service in them feasible which we expect from them : They know very well if they have not monies at the beginning , to encourage and strenghen the hand of the Souldier , in the businesse they undertake , it wil be very disadvantagious to our affaires , therefore they expect we should send them a considerable summe of monie , to make their Armie march , which they have in readinesse for that purpose , as soone as we shall send it to them , and doubt not in a very short time to advance very farre in those Northern parts even this winter , it is that therefore which is expected from us , and that which will ( through Gods mercy ) be a Foundation of releife and recoverie of this Kingdome , from the oppression and tyranny with which it is ready to be overwhelmed , that we should apply our selves to send them some considerable summe of mony , for a speedy marching of this Armie . Upon our comming hither , we find there hath beene a great deale of paines taken in it . And we likewise discerne that much is to be atributed to the cheerefull affections of this famous City , which under God hath been the meanes that hath not only supplied our affaires at home , but hath likewise contributed to those that are abroad ; not-with-standing that which hath hither-to come in , is not as yet so much as will fully doe this worke ; if we could within some few daies be able but to Compasse one twenty Thousand Pound more ? we doe not doubt but we should be able ( with what we have already ) to put the affaires of Scotland in such a Posture , as you shall not only quickly heare a very good account of them , but see the fruit of them , to your greate Comfort and Encouragement . And therfore it is that , that now is recommended to you , that you would be pleased from the knowledge that things are in this readinesse that they are , and that Nation so willing in themselves to come to our assistance ( as this I might have added ) that if any thing lay in their power , either by the morgaging of their owne private Estates , or if there were Money sufficient in Scotland that they could render themselves Masters of , they would be willng to contribute any thing of their owne for the necessities of this Kingdome , so much they are affected with this cause : Therfore seeing they are so sensible themselves of our Condition , it becomes us to be so too , and to put to our helping hand that since so small a summe as this ( for the present ) is that that will be able ( through Gods blessing ) to carry on this worke , that we may with cheerefulnes apply our selves to the compassing of the same : Those that have been willing hitherto , we are to acknowledg thankes to them , and the Houses have thought of an Ordinacce that the burthen shall not lie upon them , but those that are unwilling and disaffected , are by that Ordinance compell'd to that which others out of their good affections are ready to doe ; so as it is recommended to you , that since the Houses have thought fit by an Ordinance to compell others to doe it , that those that are willing would take an incouragement from thence , and goe on readily in their contributions to this worke , that if it were possible we might be masters of this summe within few dayes ; it is that which upon this occasion is thought fit to be offered to you : And because there is an other Gentleman to speake , Mr. Marshall who what ever I have omitted wil be able to make vp , whose words I doubt not , but will take farre deeper impression with you , and all of greater weight then any thing I can say , and I shall give place to him to impart unto you what he shall thinke fit and esteeme worthy of your farther knowledge . FINIS . Master Marshals Speech , spoken at Guild-hall , London , on Friday Octob. 27. 1643. MY Lord Major , and worthy Aldermen , and Gentlemen of this City , God has shewed me that mercy to bee an eye witnesse , and an eare witnesse of all the maine carriages of the Nation of the Scots , in relation to our afflicted condition , since it pleased the two Houses to send me thither , to bee assistant to their Honourable Commissioners ; and I am most willing ( being as I am now called thereunto ) to give you an accompt of what I have observ'd . But this Noble Gentleman hath already declared it so fully , that there is not much left for mee to relate , though I were fitter to speake then I am at this present . Onely this I beseech you believe , that I am able ( as in the presence of God ; to attest the truth of ( I thinke ) every particular hee hath delivered to you , concerning the good affections of that Nation , their tendring our Cause , their willingnesse and readinesse to live and die with us in it ; And since the Lord made mee able to judge of any thing ; I never beheld so much unanimity and consent in so much deepe sense of the Afflictions of Brethren and Neighbours , as I have beheld there , both in the Generall Assembly , and Convention of Estates , and in Multitudes of other well-affected Persons , ●aying our miseries to heart , I believe , as much , if not more , then wee our-selves have done . You have heard the substance of all from Sir Henry Vane ; you may please from me to receive a few things in way of confirmation of what hath beene already delivered unto you : Hee told you , what they have d●ne to help to sustaine the Army of Scots in Ireland , who have beene imployed there seventeene or eighteene Moneths in our service , since they received any pay ( our distresses at home , having hindered us from doing what else we would and ought to have done ) how that they have laid out a very great summe . I adde , they have made it apparant to us , that they have expended in Meale , Clothes , and other Necessaries , no lesse then foure score Thousand pounds this last yeere , toward the subsistance of that Army , which else had perish't before this time ▪ Yea , that in that part of Scotland where we were , about Lowthian ▪ that there was scarce any on Nobleman or Gentleman of any considerable estate , but hee was this last yeere out of Purse one full yeeres Revenue , as if hee were worth 100 , 200 , or 300. pound , Sterl. per Annum , hee hath disburst so much for the Irish Army . And as to that which Sir Henry declared as a demonstration of their willingnesse to Assist us , that they have already charged themselves to the value of 100000. pound . I adde , they have beene so ingenuous and cleere in it , that they have given us a particular to bring with us , which is in the hand of this Noble Gentleman : So that any Man who desires to be satisfied ▪ may see the particulars of the charge which they are put to , but to bring their Army upon English Ground ; and indeed , they so cleerely see the bleeding condition of Religion and Libertie in both Kingdomes , and are so sensible of our great exhaustions , that I have heard many of their worthy Nobles and others , whom God hath stirr'd up to bee Active and Excellent Instruments in this time of Common danger and Calamitie , solemnly to protest ; That were they able to come in , and carry on the worke without putting us to any charge at all , they would do it most gladly ; yea , I am able yet further to say , and have leave to speake it freely , that if money can be found in Christendome , to carry on this work , they are ready not onely to engage the Publike Faith of their Kingdome with ours , ( as you have already received ) But that if either the Bonds or the Mortgages of the Lands of any of the well-affected Nobility or Gentry throughout that Kingdome , will bee taken for security , they are ready to give it ; yea further yet , so deepely are they affected , that they are willing ( I had allmost said ) to Plunder their owne Kingdome to save ours ; being ready , if necessity require it , to call throughout all the Kingdome , each Man to declare upon his Oath , what Money , or Victuall he hath ; that they may therby know what proportion to set out for the maintenance of this Cause . And lest any suspitions , or Malignant Men should surmise , that all this forwardnesse is but to get themselves into some strength in a Countrey , better then their owne , I beseech you know , that the Honourable Commissioners , my self , and others , who have beene attending this Service with them , have received that abundant satisfaction of their integrity and Justice , that what Articles are , or shall be agreed upon betweene them , and the two Houses of Parliament , wee verily believe they will not breake one Article of the Agreement , to gain the Kingdom of England : Their affections to this Cause are as your hearts could wish : it is onely necessity compels them to desire your assistance towards the maintenance of their Army when they are come in ; For should they come in , and Monies faile them , so that for want of Provision ( for you will easily conceive that the Northerne Countries may bee much wasted by the Enemie when they are readie to come ) they should be compelled to disband , or turne to plunder the Countries for want of subsistance , how scandalous , yea how destructive it might prove to both the Kingdomes you your selves are able to judge . They are ready and prepared to come , and I hope it will not bee long before you heare that they are advanced , willing to live and dye with you in this cause of God , and will endevour ( by Gods assistance ) speedily to settle our peace ; and as willingly ( according to their agreement ) to returne home into their owne Scotland , knowing well , that to enjoy peace with God in their owne poore countrey , will be better , then under colour of helping us to usurpe upon ours , though far the richer . Sir Henry Vane related further unto you , what care they have taken , and how roundly they goe to work in putting on the COVENANT , give me leave to adde , that ( beside what the Commissioners of the Convention of Estates have done , in injoyning it under paine of being esteemed and punished as enemies to Religion , his Majesties honour , and peace of the Kingdomes , and to have their Goods confiscate for the use of the publike , &c. ) the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly , according to the power given unto them by the said Assembly , have ordained , That particular account shall be taken by the severall Presbyteries , of all who shall refuse , or shift to sweare and subscribe , and that they bee proceeded against with the censures of the Church , as enemies to the preservation and propagation of Religion . Beside , what this noble Gentleman hath further related concerning their temptations or allurements to desist from this worke , and the other difficulties they are like to meet with in carrying it on , I have nothing to adde , unlesse I should tell you how deeply they are affected with the Cessation in Ireland , and the great danger threatned to both Nations from it ; and the utter ruine of the remainder of our poore Brethren yet preserved from slaughter in that miserable Kingdome : For by this Cessation , they , and all others see , that these bloody Rebells , who have shed so much innocent blood , who boast that they have slaughtered 100000 Protestants , and that they will not leave one Protestant alive in that and this , Kingdome , and who have committed the most out ragious and most barbarous cruelties that have ever beene heard of in Christendome , are now ( notwithstanding all this ) without any either repentance or submission , acknowledged to be his Majesties subjects , and have leave to keepe and hold what they have ; to enjoy free passage , intercourse , commerce , and trafficke , with all other his Majesties good subjects by sea and land , and no interruption to be made to any ships which shall furnish them with Armes , Ammunition , or any thing whatsoever ; their prisoners released , and such as are indicted for any capitall offence to be set at liberty upon baile ; they may send to his Majesty such Agents as they please ; yea they have authority to prosecute all in that Kingdom who shall stand in opposition to this agreement , and all this to last for a whole yeare : in which time , our Brethren in Scotland easily discerne how these inhumane and bloody wretches , may from all other Popish Kingdomes be furnisht , both to root out the remainder of our distressed Brethren of that Nation , and enabled to come over and exercise the like butcheries upon our selves and them . In a word , they looke upon it as the most cleare stating of the Question and intention of these warres , to be betwixt Papists and Protestants : And againe , I say they apprehend extreme danger from this cessation to both these Nations , unlesse some speedy supply be sent over to enable the Scottish army there to give checke to their proceedings , upon whom they will be ready to fall as a Torrent ; and when once they have devoured them ( which God forbid ) we may be sure they will endeavour the like against our selves . In all these our troubles hitherto , our greatest supplies have been drawne , or rather flowed willingly from this Honourable City , and it troubles mee to thinke that I should bee force to use any Rhetorick ( if I had it ) to draw more disbursements of money from you , who to the admiration of all this part of the Christian world have ( under God ) upheld this great cause ▪ and ( I know ) are resolved to live and dye with it : I onely beseech you to consider , that if timely supplies may be found , this crop that hath beene swept off from us , will grow againe with greater abundance , and wee may yet sit every one under our owne Vine , and under our owne Fig-tree ; and , which is much sweeter , enjoy the fruit and benefit of the Gospel of Iesus Christ , which now we contend for , and which these wicked instruments would deprive us of . But if God for our sins should deliver us into the hands of those that have thus desperately plotted our ruine , I thinke none of you would desire to swim when this cause should sinke ; or be vvilling to have either gold , silver , or plate , or any thing found in your houses , vvhen they should come to be possest by these men , vvhose tender mercies would bee more bitter then bloudy cruelties . I beseech you therefore consider of these motions vvhich have been made unto you , and accept of this unfained Relation , which we are able to call God to vvitnesse is nothing but the truth . And for my owne part , I did see more , and doe beleeve more , and my heart hath much more satisfaction concerning the integrity of that Nation , their fellow-feeling of our miseries , and their willingnesse to helpe us , then my tongue is able to utter . This is the sum of vvhat I had to say , the Lord direct you in vvhat you are to doe . FINIS . 
A70654	----	Threnodia, the churches lamentation for the good man his losse delivered in a sermon to the Right Honourable the two Houses of Parliament and the reverend Assembly of Divines at the funerall of that excellent man John Pym, Esquire, late a Member of the Honourable House of Commons : preached in the Abbey-Church of Westminster / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A70654 of text R17869 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing M794). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 86 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A70654 Wing M794 ESTC R17869 12109956 ocm 12109956 54184 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A70654) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 54184) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 241:E80, no 1 or 720:10) Threnodia, the churches lamentation for the good man his losse delivered in a sermon to the Right Honourable the two Houses of Parliament and the reverend Assembly of Divines at the funerall of that excellent man John Pym, Esquire, late a Member of the Honourable House of Commons : preached in the Abbey-Church of Westminster / by Stephen Marshall ... Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [5], 42 p. Printed for Stephen Bowtell ..., London : 1644. "Threnodia" in title transliterated from Greek. M793 and M794 appear to differ only in the order of binding of the preliminary pages, neither of which follows the signature count. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library and Huntington Library. eng Pym, John, 1584-1643. Bible. -- O.T. -- Micah VII, 7 -- Sermons. Funeral sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A70654 R17869 (Wing M794). civilwar no Threnodia. The churches lamentation for the good man his losse: delivered in a sermon to the Right honourable the two Houses of Parliament, Marshall, Stephen 1644 15970 31 10 0 0 0 0 26 C The rate of 26 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Rachel Losh Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Rachel Losh Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion ΘΡΗΝΩΔΙΑ . THE CHURCHES LAMENTATION FOR THE Good Man his losse : Delivered in a Sermon To the Right honourable the two Houses of Parliament , and the Reverend Assembly of Divines , at the Funerall of that Excellent Man JOHN PYM , Esquire , late a Member of the Honourable House of Commons . Preached in the Abbey-Church of Westminster , by Stephen Marshall , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in Essex . Published by Order of the House of Commons . Esa. 57. 1. The righteous perisheth , & no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away , none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come . London , Printed for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes head Alley . 1644. To the Right honourable THE Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament : Right Honourable , THis plaine piece , which ( were it worthy ) should bee sacred to this excellent Man , memory , comes now also devoted to your service : It should have been his picture , but becomes your possession ; and let it be inter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and that by your fourfold interest . 1. In himselfe , whilest he lived , every one of you deservedly esteeming him as a Friend , a Brother , if not a Father . 2. In his losse , ●or rather yours of him ) which because I cannot describe , 〈…〉 vaile over with silence . 3. In the worke wherein hee lived , and by which he dyed ; which was not so much his as yours ; or , yours , as your Countries , your Gods : in which he laboured so much , that he died the sooner , that you might have his better helpe toward the finishing of it , who ( through the mercy of God ) live longer . 4. In this meane Sermon , which by your command comes to publike view , and therfore craves patronage in your favourable acceptance : The Lord make it yours by a greater right ; even by making the commands delivered in it to be so ingrafted in your hearts , that you may all not onely with him be cast into the same mold , but that his Spirit may be so doubled upon you all , that you chearfully and without fainting may beare whatever remaining heat and burden of the day ; and at last come to the same blessed evenings-reckoning , rest , and reward in everlasting life . So prayeth daily Your most unworthy Servant , in , and for Christ Iesus , Stephen Marshall . Die Veneris , 15 Decembr . 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament , That Master Sollicitor doe returne thankes to Master Marshall , for the great paines he tooke in his Sermon preached at the Funerall of Master Pym , a worthy Member of the House of Commons ; and to desire him to print his Sermon . And it is Ordered , that no man presume to print this Sermon , but whom the said Master Marshall shall authorise under his hand-writing . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I doe authorise Stephen Bowtell to print this Sermon . Stephen Marshall A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Right Honourable , the LORDS and COMMONS , and the Reverend Assembly of Divines at the Funerall of JOHN PYM ESQUIRE . RIght Honourable and beloved , Should a stranger behold the face of this Assembly , and see the Honourable Houses of Parliament , and the Reverend Assembly of Divines , and such a great confluence of persons of all ranks and qualities , in this mournefull posture , they would say as the Inhabitants of Canaan did , when they saw the mourning for old Jacob in the floare of Arad , This is a grievous mourning to England ; and would certainly enquire , What Prince ? what great man is this day fallenin our Israell ? But you , who knew the worth of this excellent person , whose shadow lies here before you , doe rather wonder that all faces are not covered with blacknesse , and all bodies with sackcloth , and come hither so fully prepared to mourne , that you even long till something bee spoken of him , that you may ease your hearts a little , though it bee with weeping . But stay a while ( I beseech you ) till I first deliver an errand from God , the ground whereof you shall find , Micah the seventh , the first and second verses . MICAH . 7. 1 , 2. Wo is me , for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits , as the grape gleanings of the vintage . There is no clusterto eat : my soule desireth the first ripe fruit . The good man is perished out of the Earth . THis Text , and two or three verses following , containes a sad complaint of the Prophet in the Churches name , of the small number of the good , and the great multitude of evill men in the dayes wherein he lived . The paucity of goodmen is set downe in an elegant comparison : they are as the scatterings after the In-gatherings of the summer fruit , as the grape gleanings after the Vintage , here and there a berry in the top of a bough , not an whole cluster anywhere left to eat . She needed full clusters ; the worke she had to doe required many able hands , and gratious hearts . There were clusters enough of vile ones , whole boughes , whole trees , whole hedge rowes of such were to be found every where . Every Family , every street , Town , and City abounded with them . There were Princes that were oppressours , Iudges who received bribes , great men uttering their mischievous desires , a world of people who lay in wait for bloud , who could hunt every man his brother with a net , that could doe evill with both hands earnestly , the best of them as a briar , the most upright sharper then a thorne hedge ; but such a thin scattering of men willing and fit for the service of God and his Church , that if one searched as diligently as Diogenes did in Athens at noon day for an honest man , hee was hardly to be found . But how comes the Church to be thus empty ? had she never any better store ? O yes ! she had precious Sonnes , comparable to fine Gold ; She had Nazarites , purer then Snow , whiter then Milke : At the first she had her Iudges , that were upright and wise ; her Prophets , that taught them the feare of the Lord ; her Priests and Levites pure , who bore the Vessells of the Sanctuarie : she had her mighty men , and the men of warre ; the honourable man and the Counsellor , the cunning Artificer , and the eloquent Oratour : She had every place furnished with men of renown , the Throne , the Campe , the Senate , the Colledge , the City , but in her greatest need they were well nigh all gone . How gone ? Were they apostatised ? had they voluntarily left her ? No neither ; but even perished , cut off before their time , and for these things she weeps , her eyes run downe with teares , and she cries out , Woe is mee , because the comforters which should refresh her soul are removed farre from her . O England , England , I see thy woefull face in this Glasse : this Text holds out a type of thy sad condition . But I proceed to the words , Woe is me , the good man is perished out of the earth . Wherein observe these two things . First , The state and condition of the Church in this Prophets daies , The good man is perished out of the earth . Secondly , The Churches sensiblenesse of her present condition , Woe is me for it . The words need no great explication , only let us enquire what is meant by the good man : Secondly , what by the good mans perishing . By a good man in the largest sense is meant a godly man , a holy man , a righteous man , but more strictly , here a good man is an usefull man , such are instruments of good to others , such as are good Magistrates , the pillars of a State , who execute judgement and justice in the gate : a Mordecai , who seeks the wealth of his people , and procures peace to all his seed . Or good Ministers , such an one as Jehojada , who did good in Israell ; such an one as Barnabas , a good man and full of the holy Ghost , by whose Ministrie much people were added unto the Lord . A good Father in a Family ; as Abraham , who teaches all his children the feare of the Lord : Thus some interpret that place , Rom. 5. 7. Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye , yet per adventure for a good man some would even dare to die : that though they would hardly die to excuse an ordinary man though godly , yet some eminent usefull man , they would not onely with the Galathians pluck out their eyes , but lay downe their lives for them . Secondly , what by perishing ; how the good man may be said to perish . You know to perish in the common acceptation is taken in the worst sense , to be cut off from the Land of the living by the hand of God in wrath and fury , and their soules cast for ever into the pit of Hell ; but thus the good man perisheth not ; though the wicked be driven away to Hell in his wickednesse , yet the righteous hath hope in his death . But here to perish , and elsewhere is to dye immaturely , unseasonably , to bee cut off from the place where they were usefull , and could ill be spared . Many excellent lessons doe these words hold forth unto us : As first The Prophet makes the Churches condition his own , with Aaron bearing them on his shoulders , on his brest-plate , yea in his very heart . If it be ill with the Church , you may discerne it in his countenance , heare it by his speech . If well , by the cheerefullnesse of his spirit . If they be afflicted , he mournes ; if they rejoyce , he is cheerefull with them . Secondly , the Prophet observes all his people , whose faces stand towards heaven , who looke another way ; who are Saints , who are Children of Belial ; is diligent to know the state of his flock . Thirdly , that it is no new thing to find in the Church of God , many evill , and few good ; in Gods field , many tares , little good Corne ; in his Barne floar , much chaffe , and little Wheat ; in his great house , many Vessels of dishonour , and few of honour ; many stones , few precious stones ; in his drag . Net abundance of weeds , many bad Fishes , and few good ones ; in his Vineyard , many wilde grapes , and few right Grapes . Fourthly , And this also ; that even those few Godly men , which are the Churches Treasure , are subject to Death , even immature and untimely death , as well as others . But , I passe over all these , with a bare mention of them ; and confine my selfe to these two Observations , as most cleerly held forth in the Text , and suitable to this sad meeting . First , that the most excellent and usefull men , are often taken away , when the Church could ill spare them . The Church at this time did abound ( as wee also now doe ) with Sons of Belial , compassed about with many Enemies , and therefore needed the first ripe fruits , many choise Instruments , and yet those very few Shee had were now taken away ; the good man is perished out of the Earth . Secondly , that when God doth this , it is a matter of sad lamentation ; Woe is mee , the good Man is perished , &c. The first of these , that God often takes away choisest men , Men more precious then Gold , then the fine Gold of Ophir , When the Church hath greatest need of them , hath , ( alasse ) abundance of sad evidence ; A whole Cloud of Witnesses might easily be brought in : A large Catalogue of Examples . Abel , the first Flower that ever grew in the Lords Garden , cropt off as soone as blowne , and in him all the seed of the Woman devoured by the seed of the Serpent ; slain by the eldest sonne of reprobation ; So Moses and Aaron , when the Israelites were to take possession of the Land of Canaan , to root out thirtie Kingdomes , to set up both Church and Common-wealth , these long experienced and able Leaders , Prince and Priest , taken off in the very beginning of the work , and all seem to be left to raw heads and hands , that know not how to manage it : so Elisha the man of God fell sick and died , when in the judgement even of a wicked King , he was all the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel , all the strength they had left : So Iosiah , that rare and excellent Prince , who seemed to be created as a new Star , purposely to shine in those darksome times , cut off in the midst of his work , for whose death Jeremiah composed the whole book of the Lamentations : And in the Christian Church , in the beginning of it , when all the World was to be subdued to the faith of Christ , The Harvest very great and the Labourers but few , Iohn the Baptist , a greater Prophet then whom was never borne of a woman , comming in the spirit and power of Elias , to turn the heart of the fathers to the children ; and the heart of the children to the fathers , and the disobedient to the instruction of the wise , taken away violently , after but two or three years work , whiles he was making ready a people for the Lord : James the brother of Iohn , one of the Pillars , one of the chief Apostles , cut off by the sword ; and Stephen a rare man , full of the Holy Ghost , whose wisdom and spirit the enemie was not able to resist , exceedingly fitted to convince the Iewes , and to prove that Iesus was the very Christ , suddenly taken off , and knocked on the head in a popular tumult and commotion : And now of late , our Edward the sixth , another Iosiah , when this Land had been long in bondage unto Antichrist , overwhelmed with the darknesse of Idolatry and Superstition , and seemed to be purposely raised up to bring light and salvation to this desolate Land , while he was preparing this wildernes to be the Lords fruitfull Vineyard , planting it with the choisest Vines , and setting up a Wine Presse in the midst of it , walling it , and fencing it about , after five or sixe years labours , suddenly snatched away . So the incomparable King of Sweden , brought over the Baltick Sea by the hand of God to restore the ruines of Germanie , travelling in the greatnesse of his strength , and working little lesse then wonders for two or three yeares together , and drawing the eyes of all men towards him , as the man that should undoubtfully have delivered that woefull Countrey ; in a moment this bright Sun set , soon after his rising : Yea , since this very Parliament , when there was never more work nor fewer hands ; Religion to be reformed , Liberties to be recovered , great offendors to be punished , and all the Gates of Hell opened to hinder us , to devoure us , yet of those few how many of our choisest Nobles , Parliament men , souldiers and Ministers , hath the hand of God deprived us of ? But what need we seek for more examples , when our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ was himself cut off from out of the Land of the living , when he had not attained the one half of the age of man . This is one of the Lords strangest works , a woke wherein his enemies often rejoice , and his people mourne , the reason therefore should diligently bee sought out ; in which enquiry wee shall find , that he , whose works are all done with unsearchable wisdome and for excellent ends , doth hereby first provide for his owne glory , and that manie waies . As first , he often takes away instruments , that it may be known that his Church and Cause is not supported by them , but by himself alone ; that the Pillars of the Church are not borne up by any created strength , but by him , Who measureth the water in the hollow of his hand , and weighs the Mountaines in the Scales , and the Hills in a Ballance ; that men may know , when the youths faint and be wearie , and the young men utterly fall , the most active and able Instruments brought to nothing , yet the Church is carried in his bosome , and by him alone shall renew its strength , and mount up with wings as an Eagle , run and not be wearie , walke and not be faint . Secondly , to set out his wisdome and the aboundance of spirit , in providing varietie of instruments : he purposely takes some away to make way for others , as in the frame of the world the varietie of the creatures indued with their severall abilities doe all serve for the beauty and good of the Vniverse : and thereby set forth the wisdome as well as the power of the Creator : so here Moses shall have one part , Ioshuah another ; And Ioshuah shal do as excellently in Canaan as Moses in the Wildernesse , he shall honour God as much in the Military part , as the other in the legall : Elihu a youngmen shall convince Iob , and compell him to give glory to God , when other wise and gracious men , much older then his father , had long wrangled with him to little purpose : Elisha , who powred waterupon Elijahs hands , shall work more miracles then his Master did : yea , Christs Apostles shall doe greater works then he himself did , that the world may know that he hath aboundance of the spirit . Other Kings and Princes are compelled to preserve their chief Instruments , because when they are gone they know not where to find a supplie , but God ( as he needs none so ) when he pleaseth to use any , can raise up stones to be children , and children to doe the worke of men , and yet all these empty Pipes , further then he fills them , bubbles , easily broken , further then he supports them . And that is the first reason . Secondly , As for his own glorie , so herein hee also provides for the good of his owne people , his owne I say , both them that are thus cut off , and them that remaine behind . First , of them who dye , for they are henceforth freed from their labours , from the body of sin , from the cohabitation of it , the molestation of it , & the too often prevailing power of it , from the fierie darts of Sathans temptations , from the conversation of the wicked , from their oppositions , persecutions ; from the worlds allurements on the right hand , and afflictions on the left hand , from all these they are delivered , with which hitherto they had bin vexed ; yea and oft times taken away from greater evills to come , and they also enter into rest , receiving the full recompence of all their labours , not onely what they have actually done , but even what they were resolved and prepared to doe if God had been pleased to employ them any longer in his service . Secondly , for the good of them that live , ( though this seem most unlikely ) who shall lose nothing by cutting the pipes whereby mercies are conveyed , as long as the fountaine of power and goodnesse remaines i●tire in God himselfe , who can and will issue it out by other waies and meanes , to as great advantage of his people : yea , I say , he makes them gainers by it , and that severall waies . First , He hereby cures them of one of the most dangerous evills which his people are or can be guilty of , and that is , setting up the instruments of their good to be Idols in their hearts , which they are extream prone to doe ; and for this very cause doth the Lord often break these bubbles with the touch of his finger , that his people may thinke of them no otherwise then they are , and for this very reason some thinke the Lord buried the body of Moses , and would never let the people know where his grave was , because he foresaw that they would be ready to worship his dead body . Secondly , hereby the Lord doth humble his people , and awe them with the feare of his wrath , making them sensible of it , in these heavie stroakes , and quicken them more up to prayer , and serious seeking after himself , as this Church doth in this place ; Woe is me , the good man is perished , the Princes , the Judges , the Nobles &c. are all naught , none to be trusted , neither Wife , nor Father , nor brother , ver. 7. then followes , therefore will I looke to the Lord , I will wait for the God of my salvation , my God will heare me . And this lesson the Lord taught his people by Josiahs death , Lament . 5. ver. 16. &c. The Crown is fallen from our heads , good King Josiah is dead . Woe unto us that wee have sinned , for this our heart is faint , for these things our eyes àre dim , but thou ( O Lord ) remainest for ever , thy throne from generation to generation . VVherefore dost thou forget us for ever , and forsake us so long time . Turne thou us , O Lord , unto thee , and we shall be turned . Now this is one of the greatest blessings in the world , to be put into such an humble , penitent , praying , seeking temper as this is , his death which can procure this is like to be more advantageous then any mans life . Thirdly , Hereby the Lord makes his Church more sensible of his power , goodnesse , and faithfullnesse , when they shall find all these constantly continued , even when the instruments are taken away . Thus Moses the man of God taught the people upon the meditation of all the Sons of men returning to dust , to stay themselves wholly upon God , who was their dwelling place in all generations , from everlasting to everlasting , a God all-sufficient . Thirdly , though he doth this for the good of his owne glory , and the good of his owne Saints , both the living and the dead , yet hereby he makes way for his wrath upon others , who injoied th●m , and either opposed them , or under-valued them , or improved them not as they might have done , this God threatens , Isa. 57. The righteous perisheth , mercifull men are taken away , none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to com● : by their removal the Lord opens the Sluces to his judgments , as men pluck away the props or Pillars of an house when they are willing it should fall downe , as in Noahs time , as soon as God had housed him in the Arke , he presently sent in the flood upon the World of the ungodly : and in Lots time , as soon as the righteous man , vexed with the unclean conversation of Sodome , was removed from them , presently God rained fire and Brimstone from Heaven , and destroied those five Cities : thus was it in Iosiahs time , as soon as he slept with his fathers , all that fierce wrath of God wherewith his anger was kindled against Iudah and Ierusalem , which was kept in all the while Josiah lived , brake out to the removing of Judah and Jerusalem out of his sight . Give me leave now to make a brief application of this : First , Is this so , doth God often times take away the most usefull men , when his Church hath most need of them ; then let all the Church learn never to rest on men , how excellent so ever . I begin with this first , because it is our great and generall sinne , that we either vilifie or deifie all Gods instruments , either respecting them lesse or more then God will have us : if God give us any precious jewels , we deal as the Israelites did in the wildernesse , turne our golden Eare-Rings into an Idol , and thereby change our glory into our shame and misery , offering infinite injury unto God , who gives us these meanes to use , but not to depend upon ; to bring us neerer to him , not as we sinfully make them occasions to draw us further from him ; this is a very great sinne , whereby we lose the taste of Gods goodnesse , while wee choose to respect the stream rather then the Fountain , and even take our heart off from God , and stay too much upon the creature , making our comfort to ebbe and flow according as these weak props doe break or hold , and even compell God to deprive us of them , as Ezekiah uused the Brazen Serpent , reserving it in an honourable shrine so long as it was but looked upon , as a monument of Gods deliverance ; But when once they went a Whoring after it , he brake it in pieces ; and that they might know , it was but Ne●ushian , a piece of Brasse : thus doe we break our staves in leaning too hard upon them . It is confidently reported that the King of Sweden a little before his death told some in ward friends , that he verily feared God would not use him long , because the people attributed more to him then was due to a mortall man ; and I feare this sinne costs us deare at this day , we have over-valued our Parliaments , our Armies , our Treasures , our interests in the hearts of the people , leaned too much upon them , looked too little unto God , who hath therefore brought us low in most of these . To my owne knowledge , some good men have said of some choise Instruments , whose hearts were right with God , and zealous in his cause , These are the men who must do the deed ; God will certainly deliver us by their hands : Who when they have heard of the sudden and unseasonable cutting off of those men , have bin forced to lay their hand upon their mouth , and to say , What fooles are we to expect any great things from Man , whose breath is in his Nostrils . God hath sadly broke all our carnall confidence , some excellent men he hath took away by death ; some , whom we over-highly valued , have beene permitted to discover the falsnesse of their own hearts ; others , little lesse then blasted by peoples mistake , although their hearts remaine upright to God and his cause . And I verily fear , left our relying too much upon the assistance of our brethren from Scotland by their Armies , may more prejudice theirs and our successe , then the strength of the Enemies can do . Let us therfore be perswaded in the feare of God , to use men , as Gods instruments , but build nothing upon them , lest our expectation prove that of Cesar Borgia , who built infinite projects upon his interest in the Pope , and when newes was brought him of the Popes sudden death , cried out , This I never thought upon , now my designes are all lost ! Certainly , whoever lookes for much from men , how excellent soever , will prove like men who go to lotteries , with their head full of hopes , and returne with their hearts full of blankes . Let therefore every one whom God hath fitted for any service , doe what their hand findes to doe with all their power : this is Solomons counsel , Eccles. 9. and upon this verie ground , whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe , doe it with all thy might , for there is neither worke , nor device , nor knowledge , nor wisdome in the Grave , whither thou goest ; as if he should have said , thou knowest not how long God will use thee , lay not up thy Talent in a Napkin , thy Master may suddenly call thee to an account for it . This made our blessed Lord take so much paines , Iohn 12. & 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , & 17 , Chapters , delivering all that excellent matter in one evening ; because hee was to leave them the next Day ; This made Paul continue his Preaching at Troas untill mid-night , because hee was the next Morning to bee gone from thence : this very Argument was thought upon and applied by our blessed Saviour unto himself , Iohn II. who when his Disciples would have perswaded him not to hazard himselfe among the Iews , who lately sought to stone him , answered , Are there not twelve houres in the day , must I not doe the worke of him who sent me , while it is called to day , when night comes no man can work : God hath fitted thee with many Excellent Talents , with Wisdome and Vnderstanding ; with place of Office and Authority ; with interest in Friends ; with strength of Body , and courage of Spirit , and by all these put some beames of his owne excellency upon thee , which is the greatest favour in the World : To be a usefull man , is at least equall with being a saved man ; ply this work diligently , doe as it is recorded of a famous Minister , who wrote upon his Study doore , Minister verbies , hoc age ; Thou art a Minister of the Word , attend to this worke ; and thinke often how uncomfortable it would be to thee , if GOD should take thee off in the midst of thy race , when thou hast burnt out much of thy Candle in play , wherein thou shouldest have done much of thy Masters worke . And Secondly , let the thought of this keep thee from being high minded , thinke not too much depends upon thee , it may bee thou imaginest what great need the Church or State , the City , Parish , or Family , hath of thee , or thy parts and abilities . Suppose they have , are these things thy owne , are they not thy Masters Talents , for which thou must be countable , and for which thou wilt be condemned as a Thiefe , for withholding that which was their due and none of thine ; but I tell thee , God hath no need of thee , thou art obliged to him for using thee , he is not obliged to thee ; he can do his work without thee , and raise up them whom thou thinkest meanly of , to doe greater things then thou-canst imagine : therefore whatever hee pleases to imploy thee in , bee faithfull in it , follow his businesse , and do it diligently , and with an humble heart . Thirdly , doth God often take away the choisest Instruments of our good after this manner , then let all learne to make use of them , and improve them to the best advantage while we have them : this our Lord teacheth upon the same ground , Iohn 12. 35. when his hearers had propounded a needlesse question , how he could say Messiah should be lifted up , that is , crucified , whereas the Scripture saith , that Christ abides for ever , instead of giving a solution to this doubt , he replies , Yet a little while the light is with you , walke while you have the light , lest darknes come upon you : as if he should say , you frivelously lose your time in making no better use of the light which shines among you , which is given you for another end , even to guide you to doe that work which alone is necessary ; to get sound evidence of your being children of the light ; to enable you to lead Gospel lives , under Gospel light ; you spend your time in needlesse questions , and neglect this which most concernes you , as if it were in your power to doe it at your leasure : but be not deceived , this Market will not long last , after a little while the Gospel will be taken from your Nation , and whoever then is to seek in this great work , will miserably wander in the darke , and lye down in sorrow . Let me therefore perswade you to give all diligence while this light shines , to get your calling and election made sure . Thus Christ there presseth it upon his hearers , and let us urge it upon our own souls , neglect no opportunity of drawing out from good and usefull men , what God hath put into them for our good , because we know not how long they shall abide with us : If any of us have any choice or excellent book which is our owne , we commonly read it at leasure , now and then a leaf or two , but if it be borrowed , and we know not how soon the owner may call for it , we sit up night and day , till we have gathered all the flowers out of it ; thus did Elisha the servant of Elias , when he once knew that his Master was shortly to be taken from him , he would not part a moment from his presence , but endeavoured earnestly to get as much of his spirit as was possible : O , if this wisdome were in us ! that considering the Prophets , and other servants of God , doe not live with us for ever , we might use them as Iacob did the Angel , not let them depart till we have got our blessing from them . Fourthly , but above all , because the most useful men are often taken away in an ill time from us , let us make sure of God , whose yeares , power , goodnesse , faithfullnesse , and truth , never faile , but are alwaies present and everlasting helps in time of trouble : this use the Lord teacheth his people upon the same ground , Psal. 146. 2. Put not your trust in Princes , nor in any sonne of man , in whom there is no help ; his breath goeth forth , he returnes to the earth , his thoughts perish : but happy is he which hath the God of Iacob for his God ; whose hope is in the Lord his God , which made heaven and earth , the Sea and all that is therein ; which keepeth truth for ever : the Lord shall raigne for evermore , even thy God , O Sion , unto all generations : This use the afflicted Church made of it , Isaiah . 63. 18. When they had considered the daies of old , and how all instruments and means of mercie had but their time , and how the Lord was alwaies the same , they sit down with this meditation , Doubtlesse , O Lord , thou art our father : though Abraham be ignorant of us , and Israel acknowledge us not , wee are past receiving any benefit from them , thou O Lord art our Father , our Redeemer , thy name is from everlasting : This use did Asaph also make of it , Psal. 73. when he had considered not onely the worlds vanity , and worldly mens vanity , but the vanity of whatever earthly thing was most like for to comfort him ; his flesh failed , and his heart failed : and how that the Lord alone was the strength of his heart , and his portion for ever , he concludes all with this , ver. 28. It is good for mee to draw nigh to God , and put my trust in the Lord God . And verily , so long as we are strangers to this , wee shall be as Saint Iames his double-minded man , unstable in all our waies ; as the weeds , which are driven every way where the ebbing and flowing Sea doth carrie them ; and as the topps of Trees , which are driven with every wind , this way and that way : but if once we had learned to make the most high our stay and strength , to trust in the Lord Jehovah , we might possesse our souls in perfect peace ; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength : We might bee as a Rock in the midst of the Sea , not moved with any tempest ; as Mount Sion , which cannot be removed , but standeth fast for ever . Now what argument could be a greater spurre to this , then to know the brevitie vanity , instability , of all other helps ; look upon whatever is deare , and thought to be advantagious to thee , without which thou knowest not what to doe , thy father , husband , Pastour , friend , estate , life , &c. of all these thou must acknowledge , they are but grasse , the glory of them is but like a flower in the field : but in God thou maiest find all the same things sufficiently , eminently , everlastingly ; an everlasting Father , an everlasting Husband , an everlasting Friend , an everlasting Sheepheard , an everlasting Portion , an everlasting Life . Let thy soule therefore waite upon the Lord , make him thy onely helpe and shield ; let thy heart rejoice in him , and trust in his holy name alone , and let thy mercy O Lord be upon us all , who desire to feare thy name , and to hope in thee alone . And thus much of the first observation , That God often deprives his Church of most usefull men , when they could ill bee spared . The second followes , which is , That when God doth take away such usefull instruments , it is a matter of sad lamentation : for proofe hereof wee have first God himself requiring of it ; 2. Examples of the Saints practising , thirdly , strong Scripture-reason inforcing it . First , you have God himself so far calling for it , that in Esaiah 57. hee charges it upon them as a great sinne , and the fore-runner of a great judgement , that the righteous dye , and mercifull men are taken away , and no man considers it . Secondly , we have plenty of examples , the whole Church crying out , Psal. 12. helpe Lord , for the Godly man ceaseth : for the faithfull faile from amongst the children of men . You all know the great lamentation made at the death and buriall of old Jacob ; at the death of Moses , of Samuel , of David ; especially at the untimely death of good King Josiah , how all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him ; how Jeremie the Prophet lamented for him , and all the Singing Men , and Singing Women , spake of Iosiah in their lamentations to this day : and made them an ordinance in Israel , & behold their lamentations are written in the book of the Lamentations : insomuch that the greatest mourning that ever should be in the world , is by the Lord compared to the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon , which was the bitter lamentation of the Church at Josiah his death : so in the 24. of Esaiah , you shall find , that among the songs that were heard from the uttermost parts of the Earth ; even glory to the righteous , rejoycing in that remainder of Godly men , who were found amongst them , the Church cryeth out , My leannesse , my leannesse , Woe unto me , because the good men were but as the shaking of an Olive-tree , and as the gleaning Grapes when the Vintage is done : And when the Martyr Stephen was so barbarously murthered , when devout men carryed him to his Buriall , they made great lamentation over him . The time would faile to name particular instances : I will adde but one more , of a King , and hee none of of the best ; Ioash the King of Israel , who when Elisha was fallen sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed , came downe unto him , and wept over his face and said , O my Father , my Father , the Chariot of Israel , and the horsmen thereof . Thirdly , wee have also strong reason out of Scripture to enforce it . First , in regard of God , there is required sorrow , fear and trembling , at such evident manifestation of his wrath in these remarkable judgements . When Nadab and Abihu fell untimely by fire , which issued out from the Lord , and devoured them , though they dyed in and for their sinne , yet being the Lords Priests , from whom better things might have been expected , God commanded that the Whole house of Israel should bewaile the burning which the Lord had kindled : Assuredly if God would have the death of these men lamented ( in whose fall his displeasure was manifested , not against his people , but against themselves onely ) much more doth he expect it when he taketh away our jewells , our comforts , our meanes and instruments of good ; not in wrath to them who die , but in sore displeasure to us who remaine alive : when our heavenly Father thus spitteth in our faces , should we not be humbled and ashamed before him ? Secondly , From the hon●ur due to them who are thus taken away . God threateneth in his word , that the name of the wicked shall rot , but the memoriall of the just shall bee blessed : the righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance : now it is one great degree of rottennesse to the name of the wicked , as to live undesired , so to die unlamented : which was Iehojakim his portion , concerning whom thus saith the Lord , they shall not lament for him , saying , Ah my brother ! or , ah my sister ! They shal not lament for him saying , Ah Lord ! or , ah his glory ! He shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse , drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem . But now this is a great glory and honour which God putteth upon his servants , to have their death honoured with the sighs of his mournefull people , and embalmed in their teares . Was it not a great honour to the Patriarch Jacob , to have all the Princes and Nobles of Egypt , and all the Elders of Israel , lament his death threescore and ten dayes together ? Was it not a great honour to Abner , to have David and all his people following the Beere , lifting up their voices and weeping over him , & saying , dyed Abner as a fool dieth ? &c. Was it not a great honour to Elisha the Prophet , to have the King of Israel to acknowledg that the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel all fell in his death ? The like may be said of all mentioned before , and of Dorcas , about whom the Widdows stood weeping , mournfully shewing her Coats upon their Backs . I have read of Lewes the eleventh , King of France , that he counterfeited himselfe to die , to try whether his death should be honoured with the tears of his Court : and somewhat to this purpose , of Paulus Aemilius , whose Son died just when he was himself to triumph ; that hee more joyed to see their mourning for his Sonne , then in all the other glory of his Triumph : nature in these men did draw them to breath after that , which free Grace casts-in to them even in this World , who do worthily in the service of God , besides their eternall reward in heaven : that as they are desired in life , so they shall be lamented at their death . Thirdly , in regard of our selves , there is then great cause of mourning in divers respects : First , because we are hereby deprived of so many means of our good , of their counsell and direction ; the lips of the righteous feed many , and disperseth wisdome and knowledge : their examples are as a tree of life ; they are the lights of the world , their very presence every where a blessing : they are a blessing in the midst of the land , where-ever they goe God is with them ; God will give Kingdomes for their ransome ; hee 'll rebuke the devourer for their sake : they may stand in the breach , to turne away Gods wrath , when it 's ready to breakein to devoure people : they may run with their Censers , and stand between the dead and the living , and make an attonement for a whole Congregation when wrath is gone out from the Lord against them : the innocent men may deliver the Iland , and it is delivered by the purenesse of their hands : they are the very chariots and horsemen of the places where they live ; their Prayers are exceeding powerfull , which can open and shut heaven it selfe . What is it that the God of mercy will deny to their prayers , who saith , Aske me of things to come , concerning my sonnes , and concerning the worke of my hands command ye me ? In a word , they are very store-houses and granaries of good to the places where they live ; fruitfull trees , affording both food and shelter , the only excellent men of the world , they are wholly medicinable : and should not such a losse as this be felt and lamented ? Secondly , And as their death deprives us of much good , so it often presages and pregnosticateth wrath to come upon those they leave behind , Esa. 57. The righteous perisheth , and no man layes it to heart ; mercifull men are taken away , none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come . So it proved in this place , The good man is perished , the vile are left behind ; then followeth , vers. 4. The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation commeth , now shall be their perplexity : It 's true , as I said before , to them who are godly , the Fountaine remaines when the Pipes are cut ; and there is ten thousand times more cause of joy in their God who lives , then of sorrow for their friends who die ; but to others it 's a sad prediction , that when God makes up his Jewels , and carries them away , he hath a day comming that shall burne as an Oven , and all the wicked shall be as stubble , that it shall leave them neither root nor branch . And indeed they are the very {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the onely meanes to keep off wrath and judgement from the places where they live : Every mercie saith to such a people , as Elisha to Jehoram , Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat , I would not looke toward thee , nor see thee : and the devouring judgements say to these godly ones , as the Angel said to Lot , We are come to destr●y this place , up get thee out , hast thee , escape hence , for we can doe nothing till thou art gone . When the Husband-man thus p 〈…〉 s up the fence , and gathers in his crop , it is a signe that shortly you 'll have wild beasts in the field : This , Jeroboam and his whole family found to be true , who had Abijah , one child in his family , in whom some good thing was found toward the Lord , and as soone as he was taken away , the judgements of God broke in upon his house , and cut off him that pist against the wall , and him that was shut up and left in Israel ; and took away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam , as a man takes away dung , till it be allgone . This the old world found true in Noah ; and Sodome , with the rest of the Cities , in Lot : this the Iews found true , when the Christians ( admonished from heaven ) left Ierusalem & fled to Pella ; soon after their departure the enemies made a trench about them , and laid their City even with the ground , and their children with them , not leaving one stone upon another : Thus fared it with the City of Hippo in Africa , where Saint Augustine was Bishop , which , as soone as ever he was dead , was taken and sackt by the Goths and Vandals : Luther was no sooner translated to a better life , but the Smalchaldick war begun in Germany , wherein all the Protestants were almost wholly wasted : No sooner was old Paraeus taken away from Heidelberg , but Spinola entred the Towne . These , and many other instances of Gods wrath breaking in upon the departure of godly men , abundantly manifest , that we have cause to weep and lament ( not for them who thus dye , but ) for our selves , and our children , because of the miseries which we may then justly feare are comming upon us . Take a briefe Application of this Lesson , and I have done my Sermon . First , Would God have his people thus to mourne , when usefull men decay and faile , how sadly then doth this reprove our generall stupidity : the Lord hath made many great and lamentable breaches amongst us in this kinde , he hath broken all our carnall confidences ; our Parliament is weakned , our Armies wasted , our treasure is exhausted , our enemies increased ; and of those few able hearts , heads , and hands , who abode faithfull to this great cause and worke in hand , it might even stab us to the very heart to thinke how many of them the Lord hath even snatcht away , in the middest of their worke , and our greatest need ! That excellent spirited Lord , the Lord Brooke ; that rare man , Master Iohn Hampden ; that true-hearted Nathaniel , Master Arthur Goodwin , ( pardon me , I beseech you , though I mention them amongst these friends , who cannot thinke of them without bitterness● ) How are these mighty men fallen in the midst of the ba●tell , ana the weapons of warre perished ! the beauty of our Israel is slaine in the high places : Whose heart wou 〈…〉 not b●eed , and cry out , as David at Ionathan his death , Tell it not in Gath , publish it not in the streets of ●skelon , lest the daughters of the Philistins reioyce , lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph ! But now which of us laies these things to heart ? who considereth the bitter things which God writes against us ? No , we are rather like that wretched people , who when the righteous perished , and mercifull men were taken away ( though it were from the evil to come ) were so farre from laying it to heart aright , that they banished all serious thoughts from them , every one looking to their owne way ; some to their gaine , others to their pleasure : Come ye , say they , I will fetch wine , and we will fill our selves with strong drinke , and to morrow shall be as this day , and much more abundant ; and this even when the righteous perished . Verily this is our carriage ; the Lord deprives us of these excellent men , and we ( it may be for a moment ) bewaile their losse in some passionate expression , saying , There is a brave man lost ! I am sorry such a man is dead ! &c. and then every one goeth on againe in his owne way : As I have seen a Hen ( pardon an homely similitude ) goe clocking and scraping in the midst of her Chickens ; then comes the Kite , and snatcheth away first one , then another , then a third , till all are gone ; and the Hen brustles and flutters a little when any is snatched away , but returns instantly to her scraping and picking , as if she had lost nothing : Even so doe wee , presently forgetting our great losses , but no man sitting alone by himselfe , to enquire What God hath done ? and what He meanes to doe with us ? or , what we have done to provoke him thus far against us ? thrusting such thoughts far away from us , passing by on the other side of the way , as the Priest and Levite did by the wounded man , as if it nothing concerned us : O , Beloved , this wofull security and regardlesnesse of ours , is one of the saddest tokens of Gods purpose still to bring us lower ; It was the Prophet Hósea his complaint against Israel , a little before their utter ruine , Strangers have devoured his strength , and he knew it not ; gray haires were here and there upon him , and he regarded it not : The losse of good men was one of his gray hairs , which argued his declining ; and his not-regarding it was the saddest evidence of his incurablenesse ; the Lord in mercy make us sensible of these heavie strokes before it be too late , lest we prove like them of the old world , who did eat and drink , marry and give in marriage , and would know nothing , untill the flood came , and swept them all away . Secondly , but how exceedingly doth this discover the wickednesse , the divellishnesse of the spirits of a generation of men amongst us , who are so far from bemoaning and lamenting the losse of good men , that they have no greater joy or content , then to heare of their fall ; who , with the Edomites , rejoice over the Church in the day of their destruction , and speake proudly in the day of their distresse ; who say with Tyrus , Aha , now I shall be replenished , since they are brought low ; who , with the inhabitants of the earth , Rev. 11. reioiced when the two Witnesses were killed , and sent gifts one to another , because those Witnesses tormented them with their prophesying whilest they lived . But stay , profane and wicked man , ( if any such be here ) and let me a little reason with thee : What such cause is there of thy rejoicing ? art thou a gainer by their deaths ? dost thou imagine to rest more safely , because the pillars of the house which covers thee are taken away ? hast thou any surer footing , because the bough is cut whereupon thou treadest ; because the thread is cutting asunder , whereby the sword hangs which is over thy head , art thou therefore further from danger ? or dost thou conceive that God hath taken them away to gratifie thee ? is it possible for thee to thinke that they who are thus precious in his eyes , who are to him as the apple of his owne eye , are by him removed for any advantage to thee , whom his soule ●ateth ? I tell thee nay ; I tell thee , if thou weighest things seriously , thou shalt finde their life was thy gaine , and their death thy losse ; because it assures thee , first , chat thou art now deprived of them , who put up many a prayer for thee ; who stood in the gap , to turne away wrath from thee ; for whose sake thou faredst the better every day , God delighting to doe good to the place where his children lived . And secondly , their death assures thee , that thou also must dye : If the greene tree be cut downe , the dry must not long escape ; & not only die , but after thy death thou must come to judgment , and their soules whom thou thus hated'st will give most terrible evidence against thee , of all the ungodly deeds which thou hast ungodly committed ; and of all the hatred , spite , and hard speeches , which thou hast thus long exercised and spoken against them : the very sight of whom at that day will be more dreadfull to thee , then the most terrible Lyon , at terrible as Death , or hell it selfe . Thirdly , and lastly , would God have the death of his Saints thus to be lamented ; then ( Right Honourable and Beloved ) learne the right and onely way to attain that which ( I know ) all your Soules desire , even to be desired whilst you live , and lamented when you dye : a thing so naturally engraven in the heart of every man , that nothing can be more ; to have an Eternall and Honourable Memoriall ; Ego si bonam famam servavero sat ero felix , said the heathen man . You have read of Herod , that Monster of men , who perceiving the approaching of his death , caused the flower of all the Jewes to be apprehended , imprisoned , and to be murthered at the instant of his death , that he might have lamentation to accompany his death and Funerals : nor was there , amongst the Heathens , any thing esteemed a greater plague , then to dye unlamented , and their Memoriall to be buried in obscurity , or remain in infamy : And I believe there is not a man in this great Assembly , who would not esteeme himselfe extremely miserable , to be , with Jehojakim , buried with the Buriall of an Asse ; to live undesired , and to dye unlamented : Now know for certain th'only way to prevent this , and to bee truely honour'd in life , and bewail'd in death , is to bee good men , to serve God and his Church faithfully in your generation . It may be some of you as yet doe not think so , being accustomed onely to bee flatter'd and daubed up , and made to believe that you are as great in other mens eyes , as you are in your owne ; that because ( with Dives ) you swim in pleasure , we are soft Raiment , fare delitiously every day , & enjoy the worldly accomplishments of health , wit , honour , friends , &c. though in the meane time you be strangers from God , and it may be , enemies to him , his wayes , his servants , and his ordinances : but could you know how meanly you are now esteemed by them who are best able to judge of things that differ , even by God , his Angels , and Saints : and couldst thou guesse the discourses will bee of thee when thou art dead , thou wouldst certainly think otherwise . Do but listen abroad in the world , and thou maist discerne what is spoken of them , who in their life time blest themselves as much as thou canst doe : Is such a Noble Man dead ? blessed be God , who hath rid his Church of a great enemy : Is such a rich Mandead ? the world is well rid of a griping Usurer , a cruell Oppressor , a Mammonist , who had his portion in this World : Is such a great Schollar dead ? God bee praised for it , his learning and parts were imployed onely for the hurt of the Church of Christ : Is such an one gone ? then ther 's a cursed blasphemer , a profane swearer , an uncleane adulterer , a swinish Drunkard , a dangerous stumbling blocke , out of the way of the Saints happily removed : This or the like talke will be of thee when thou art gone , if thy life bee such a one : and , which is worst of all , thine immortall soule for ever sunke into a lake , burning with fire and brimstone , where is nothing but weeping , wayling , and gnashing of teeth for evermore : but couldst thou with a single heart , give up thy selfe to bee good , and doe good , every one who hath interest in Heaven would beg thy Life ; and when thy worke is done , and thou gathered to thy Fathers , every godly Mans eye would lament thee , every one of their tongues would praise thee ; thy memoriall should be Crowned by them all : Yea , God himselfe would make thy Funerall Oration , rather then thy work should not praise thee in the Gates ; and , which is best of all , thy soule shall enjoy the fruit of all in Everlasting life and glory . ANd now the more particular Application of all this , brings me directly to the sad occasion of this present meeting ; even to lament the fall of this choice and excellent man , in whose death the Almighty testifies against us , and even fills us with gall and wormwood . I know you come hither to mourn , so fully prepared for it , that although I am but a dull Oratour to move passion , I may serve well enough to draw out those tears , wherewith your hearts and eyes are so big and full : there is no need to call for the mourning women , that they may come ; and for cunning women , that they may take up a wailing , to helpe your eyes to run downe with teares , and your eye-lids to gush out with waters : the very looking downe upon this Beere , and the naming of the man whose corps are here placed , and a very little speech of his worth , and our miserable losse , is enough to make this Assembly ( like Rachel ) not only to lift up a voice of mourning , but even to refuse to be comforted . I know , large encomiasticall praises of the dead , unlesse their lives were eminent in goodnesse , and free from any notable blot , are much condemned by the most judicious and godly Divines , as a thing of very evill consequence : first , to the Minister himself , who hereby is evill spoken of , as a man who for a reward , or some other base respect ( like unworthy Heralds ) will give greatest badges of honour to any ignoble person . Secondly , to the deceased , whilest it occasions some others , who haply knew them better , to rake into their lives , and lay open their former faults , which otherwise had been buried in oblivion . Thirdly , but the worst of all is , that wicked men make this a fearfull stumbling-blocke ; who when they heare such men highly commended , in whom peradventure they knew such and such enormities , doe hereupon conclude , that our preaching for abandoning of all evill is of no great necessity , even in the Preachers own judgement ; who sends men to heaven in his Funerall Orations , who yet lived , and ( for ought they know ) dyed in the practice of such things as the Minister useth to declaime against . But I am called to speake of a man so eminent and excellent , so wise and gracious , so good and usefull , whose works so praise him in every gate , that if I should altogether hold my tongue , the children and babes ( I had almost said , the stones ) would speak : upon whose Herse could I scatter the sweetest flowers , the highest expressions of Rhetoricke and eloquence , you would thinke I fell short of his worth ; you would say , this very name , JOHN PYM , expresseth more then all my words could doe , should I say of him , as they of Titus , that he was Amor & deliciaegeneris humani : should I say of his death , as once the Sicilians upon the Grecians departure , Totum ver periit ex anno Siciliano : should I say , he was not onely as one of Davids thirtie Worthies , but one of the three , one of the first three , even the first and chiefe of them , the Tachmonite who sate in the seat : should I say , our whole land groaneth at his death , as the earth at the fall of a great mountaine , I might doe it without envie in this Assembly : Yea , should I write a whole booke in his commendation , and publish it , many of you would say as a Philosopher once did , who falling on a booke entituled Encomium Herculis , said with indignation , Et quis Lacedaemoniorum eum vituperat ? he thought it time ill spent , to praise him whom none could blame : and I beleeve your selves are resolved to make some such monument of your high esteeme of him , that after-ages , as well as the present , shall know you valued him above my words . But I am well pleased to be impar huic negotio : Est hoc maximum laudis genus , quum orationis copiam virtus exuperet & magnitudo laudati ; sicque vinci nobis est multo gloriosius quam saepe vicisse . And for that I am able to say , I am presently at a losse , having in my serious thoughts viewed him in his naturals , in his moralls , in his graces , in his relations , in his publicke and private behaviour , inopem me copia fecit . I know I could not speake long , but you would be weary of such a speaker ; and I remember Salusts speech , when he was to speake of Carthage , Praestat tacere quam pauca dicere , then I wisht seriously that it had fallen to the lot of some such able tongue , to have so characterized and deciphered him before you , that you who now mourne for his losse , and knew his worth , might say , This is the very image of the Man ; and might once at least be refreshed to see His lively picture represented to your eyes , by such a tongue as was suitable to His worth , and this present Auditory ; that that might have been your refreshing , which was once Cyprians Auditors , to heare the Martyrs praised by such an Oratour as Cyprian was . I spare to English what was spoken of the holy Martyr his Eloquence , because to doe the like , is above my Sphere , I want such a tongue , and therefore must study to be short , and shall confine my self to that rule which Basil ( worthily called the great ) observed in the praise of Gordius the Martyr . It s the custome of the World ( said he ) when they would praise a man , to speake of his Family , to derive his Pedigree through many discents , to open to the full his education , parts , and learning , and such other accomplishments : Sed Ecclesia haec tanquam supervacua dimittit : The Church lookes onely at those things which may glorifie Christ in his Saints , and thereby do good to them who remaine alive . According to this rule , I shall forbeare to speake any thing of his Family , Education , naturall endowments , His cleare understanding , quick apprehension , singular dexteritie in dispatch of busines : His other moralleminences , in His justice , patience , temperance , sobriety , chastity , liberality , hospitality : His extreme humanity , affability , curtesie , cheerfulnesse of spirit in every condition ; and ( as a just reward and just fruit of all these ) the high and deare esteeme and respect which hee had purchased in the hearts of all men of every ranke , who were acquainted with him ; such onely excepted , of whom to bee loved and well reported , is scarce compatible with true vertue : All men who knew him , either lov'd or hated him in extremity : such as were good , extremely delighted in him , as taken in a sweet captivity with his matchlesse worth ; the bad as much hated Him , out of their antipathy against it . But , all these things ( though most desirable and excellent in their place ) I passe over , and shall insist only upon two things , which alone are desirable in any man , which indeed make a man more precious then Gold , then the fine gold of Ophir : First , he was a true Christian man , a faithfull servant of Iesus Christ , one who long since was borne againe of Water and the Holy Ghost , engratted into Christ , adopted to be the Childe of God justified freely by his grace , renewed in the spirit of his mind , sanctified throughout , in spirit , soule and body : one who had made God his portion , and Gods word his guide : who in his whole course had left off to fashion himselfe according to the World , but in all things studied to know ( as his rule ) what was the good and perfect will of God : in a word , He was a true Nathaniel , in whom there was no guile . Secondly , Hee was a man of a publike spirit , a most usefull man ; He was the good Man of this Text , wholly laid out for the publike good : the publike safety was written in His heart , as men report , Queen Mary said , that Callis was in hers : it was His meat and drinke , His worke , His exercise , His recreation , His pleasure , His ambition , His all : What 〈◊〉 was , was onely to promote the publike good : in and for this Heliv'd , in and by this He died . And this excellent usefull spirit of His , was accompanied with three admirable properties , wherein he excelled all that ever I knew , and most that ever I read of : First , such singlenesse of heart , that no by respect could any whit sway him ; no respect of any Friend : He regarded them in their due place , but knew neither Brother , Kinsman , not Friend , Superior nor Inferior , when they stood in the way to hinder his pursuit of the publike good : Magis amica Respublica : And he used to say , Such a one is my entire friend , to whom I am much obliged , but I must not pay my private debts out of the publike stock . Yea , no self-respect , no private ends of His owne or family , were in any degree regarded , but Himself and His were wholly swallowed up in the care of the publike safety ; insomuch that when friends have often put Him in mind of his family and Posterity , and prest him , that although he regarded not himself , yet he ought to provide that it might be well with his Family ; ( a thing which they thought he might easily procure ; ) his ordinary answer was , If it went well with the publike , his family was well enough . Secondly , such constancy and resolution , that no feare of danger , or hope of reward , could at any time so much as unsettle him . How often was his life in danger ? vvhat a World of threats and menaces have bin sent Him from time to time ? Yet I challenge the Man that ever saw Him shaken by any of them , or thereby diverted from , or retarded in His right way of advancing the publike good : nor could the offers of the greatest promotions ( vvhich England could afford ) in any measure be a block in His way : in that He was as another Moses ( th'only man whom God went about to bribe ) who desired that Hee and his might never swim , if the cause of God and his people did ever sinke : His spirit was not so lovv , as to let the whole World prevaile with Him so far as to hinder his vvork , much lesse to be his Wages . Thirdly , such Vnweariablenesse , that from three of the Clock in the morning to the evening , and from evening to midnight , this vvas his constant employment , ( except only the time of his drawing nigh to God ) to be some wayor other helpfull towards the publike good ; burning out his Candle to give light to others . Who knows not all this to bee true , who knevv this Mans conversation ? not onely since the time of this Parliament , but for many yeers together hath He beene a great pillar to uphold our sinking frame ; a Master workman , labouring to repaire our ruinous house ; and under the weight of this worke hath the Lord permitted this rare Workman to be overthrown : and that 's all I meane to say of His Life . And as His life , such was His Death , enjoying all the time of his sicknes the same evennesse of spirit which he had in the time of his health , with an addition of a more cleare evidence of Gods love in Jesus Christ , and most ready subjection to Gods will , to live or dye at Gods choice ; professing to my self , that it was to Him a most indifferent thing to live or dye : if Hee liv'd , Hee would doe vvhat service He could ; if Hee dyed , Hee should goe to that God whom He had serv'd , and who would carry on his worke by some others : And to others He said , that if his Life and Death were put into a paire of ballances , He would not willingly cast in one dram to turne the ballance either way . This was his temper all the time of his sicknesse ; but as He drevv nigher to his end , the swifter His motion was to God-wards ; enjoying more abundant comfort in His spirit , more frequently pouring out His heart in prayer : and whereas formerly his Soliloquies and private devotions were only betwixt God and his own Soule , now , out of the abundance of his heart , his mouth was compel'd to speake , and that so audibly , that such of his Family or Friends , who endeavoured to bee neere Him ( lest he should faint away in his weaknesse ) have over-heard Him importunatly pray for the Kings Majesty , and his Posterity , for the Parliament , and the Publike Cause ; for Himselfe begging nothing , but that if His worke were done , He might bee received into his Masters joy : And a little before His end , being recovered out of a swound , seeing his friends weeping about Him , he cheerfully told them , hee had look't death in the face , and knew , and therfore fear'd not the worst it could doe ; assuring them , his heart was filled with more comfort and joy , which hee found and felt from God , then His tongue was able to utter ; and soon after ( whilsta Reverend and godly Minister was at prayer with Him ) He quietly slept in the Lord . It may bee some of you expect I should confute the Calumnies and Reproaches which that generation of Men who envied his Life , doe already begin to spread and set up in Libels concerning his Death ' ; as that hee dyed Raving , crying out against that Cause wherein he had beene so great an instrument : Charging him to die of that loathsome Disease , which that accursed Balsack , in his Booke of slanders against Mr Calvin , charged him to dye of . But I forbeare to spend time needlesly , to wipe off those reproaches , which I know none of you believe . And this will satisfie the World against such slanders ; that no lesse then eight Doctors of Physick , of unsuspected integrity , and some of them Strangers to him , ( if not of different Religion from him ) purposely requested to be present at the opening of his Body ; and well neere a thousand people , first and last , who came many of them out of curiosity , and were freely permitted to see his Corps , can , and doe abundantly testifie the falshood and foulnesse of this Report ; the Disease whereof he dyed , being no other then an Imposthume in his Bowels . But now ( to leave this ) tell me all you that passe by the way , have we not great cause of Mourning , in the fall of such a Man ! May I not say , as David to the People , Rent your Clothes , and gird you with Sackcloth , and mourne before Abner ? Verily , when I consider how God hath followed us with breach upon breach , taken away all those Worthy Men I before mentioned , and all the other things wherein the Lord hath brought us low ; and now this great blow , to follow all the rest , I am ready to call for such a Mourning , as that of Hadadrimon in the valley of Megiddon . But mistake me not ; I do not meane that you should mourne for Him , You his deare children ; You , Right Honourable Lords and Commons , who esteeme him little lesse then a Father ; I mean not that you should mourne for Him , his worke is done , his warfare is accomplished ; He is delivered from sin and sorrow , and from all the evils which wee may feare are comming upon our selves : Hee hath received at the Lords hand a plentifull reward for all his Labours . I beseech you , let not any of you have one sad thought touching him . Nor secondly , would I have you mourne out of any such apprehension as the Enemies have , and for which they rejoice ; as if our Cause vvere not good , or wee should lose it for want of hands and heads to carry it on : No , no , beloved , this Cause must prosper ; and although we were all dead , our Armies overthrown , and even our Parliaments dissolved , this Cause must prevail ; out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings , will God ordeine strength to quell all the Enemies of it ; even the great Enemy , and the Avenger . Nor should we much mourne , because the Enemies rejoyce : I confesse it is as a Sword in our Bowels , to heare their blasphemies ; but as in relation of the Cause , their blasphemies need not trouble us ; Let my enemy ( said Job ) be as the wicked ; and he that riseth up against me , as the ungodly ; Let them fill up the measure of their wickednesse , God will the sooner take a course with them , and the more eminently and speedily plead our Cause : but let us mourne that we have thus farre provoked the Lord God to displeasure , and to manifest it by such heavy stroakes , that wee are deprived of such an Excellent Godly man , such a Patriot , such a Light , such an Example , such a Store-house of good , such a Jewell snatch't out of our bosome , as we all knew him to be , and that we have such a sad prediction in his death of the increase and prolongation of our Calam●ties . But especially ( right Honourable Lords and Gentlemen ) let me prevaile with you to make such use of him , that with Abel , though he be dead , he may still speak unto you ; that , as a graine of corne , he may prove more fruitfull when buried under the ground , then while he lived with us upon earth . And certainly , if God sends us to the Pismire , to consider her waies , and thereby to learne wisdome ; it can be no disparagement to any of you to consider his worth , and thereby to grow better ; I shall therefore make bold to propound him , as Bishop Mountacu●e did Master Perkins in his Funerall Sermon , To be the Man that taught England to serve God , and Ministers to preach Jesus Christ ; so Master John Pym to be the Man , whose example may teach all our Nobles and Gentlemen , to be good Christians , good Patriots , good Parliament-men . You all knew him well , and knew That he was not a man , who when he was called to the publike service of his countrey , lay here to satisfie his lusts , spending his time in riot and wantonnesse , in gaming , drinking , whoring , &c. Take heed none of you be such . He was not a man who prov'd a Traitour to God and his countrey , and the cause of Religion , which he had solemnly protested to maintaine . Take heed none of you be such . Hee was not a man , who ( though hee appeared often in the Parliament house , yet ) neither promoted good causes himselfe , nor willingly permitted others to do it . Take heed there be none such among you . He was not a man who own'd the good cause so long as it was like to thrive , and then tackt-about when it seemed to decline ; resolved to secure himselfe , what ever became of the publike . Beware none of you be such . He was not a man who would feed himselfe , or feather his owne nest , or provide for his family or friends out of the publike Stocke or treasure of the Kingdome . Take heed none of you be such . He was not a man who would favour the cause of his friend , or presse too heavily against his enemy ; he was no respecter of persons in any cause or judgement . Take heed none of you doe so . He was not a man who would consider how far any publike service would stand with his owne private designes , and promote the one no further then the other could be driven on ●ith it . Beware this be none of your condition . He was not a man who for maintaining or propagating any private opinion , or way of his owne , would hazzard the publique safety . Take heed none of you be such . He was not a man who feared to promote the Reformation of Religion , lest himselfe should be brought under the yoke of it . Take heed that none of you doe so . Not a man living ( I beleeve ) could justly taxe him for any of these ; God grant none of you may be found guilty of any one of them in the day of your account . If you be such , or should prove such , let me tell you , it 's most probable you do but dance in a net ; All good men are not Fooles , some of them will discover you : however , though we may possibly suffer a while by your wickednesse , yet soone enough to your owne ruine your sinnes will finde you out . But in stead of these things , he was the holy man , the good man , adorned with that integrity , constancy , and unweariablenesse in doing good , which I before told you of : Goe , and doe likewise : Get such an upright heart to God ; Lay out your selves wholly in the publike cause ; Put both your hands to this worke , and the smaller your number is , be the more diligent , and fall the closer to it ; Set selfe , and selfe-respects , aside ; Drive 〈◊〉 designes of your owne ; Count it reward enough , t● spend , and be spent in this cause ; Esteeme the work● more worth then all your lives ; ●mitate him in thei● things : So might you make him , as another Sampson more advantagious to the cause of God in his Death then ever he was in his whole Life . You have done well thus to follow his Corps with honour to his Bed of rest : you have done well to appoint a Committee to consider his debts , and how hee hath wasted his estate as well as spent his life in the publike service , that so his Family may finde he did not all this to an ungratefull State ; The Lord reward this faithfulnesse into your bosomes : But would you endevour to be like him , to set him up for your Patterne , and not to rest till a double portion of his spirit might be found in you , This were the greatest honour you could possibly doe unto him : So should we all blesse God for his example , and your imitation ; so should you be Repairers of our breaches ; so should you be even Saviours unto us ; so should you doe worthily in Ephrata , and be famous in Bethlem . Consider what I say , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A70654e-580 Introduction . Gen. 50. 11. The Text explained . Vers. 2. Hest. 10. 3. 2 Chron. 24. Act. 11. 24. Gen 8. 19. Prov. 14. 32. Doct. 1. God oft takes away usefull Instruments ; and proved 1. by Examples . 2 King. 13. Mal 4. ult. Esa. 53. 8. By Reason . Hereby hepro vides for his owne Glory . His Power . Esa. 40. 2. Wisdome . I●h. 14. 12. 2 E●r the good of his own , of them who dye . sa . 53. 2. Of them who live . Deut. 34. 6. 3. For judgment and 〈◊〉 upon others . 2 King. 23. Vses . Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Esa. 26. Psal. 125. Doct. 2. 1. God requires it . 2. The Saints practising it . Gen. 50. Deu●. 34. 2 Chron. 35. 24 , 25. Zechar. 12. Isa. 24. 13. 16 Act. 8. 2. 2 Ki● . 13. 14 3. Scripture-reason infor●eth it . Because God is then displeased . 〈◊〉 . 10 8 2. Because the dead are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Psalme 122. Ier. 22 18. Gen. 50. 2 Samuel 3. Acts 9. 39 3. Because we our selves are hereby endammaged . Pro. 10 21 Pro. 15. 7 Mal. 3 Psal. 106 Num. 16. 46 Iob 22. Iam. 5. 17 , 18 Esa. 45 11 Mal. 3. 17 2 Kings 3 Gen. 19. 13. 22 2 Kings 14 Luke 19 Vse 1. For reproofe . 2 S●m . 1. 1● . &c. Esa. 56. ult. Esa. 52. 1. Hos. 7. 9 〈◊〉 . Obad. 2. Ezech. 26. 2 Rev. 11. 10 〈◊〉 3. Ier. 9. 1● Chrys. hom de laudib. . Paul . Percepimus gaudia , magna solatia , magna fomenta , maximè quòd et gloriosas Martyrum , non dicam mortes , sed immortalitates gloriosis et condig●is laudibus prosequutus es ; Tales enim excessus talibus vocibus personandi sunt , ut quae referebantur sic dicerentur qualiter facta sunt , Cypri . Ep. 26. Exod. 32. 10. Num. 14. 12. 1 Sam : 3. 31. Zach. 12. 11. Iob. 27. 7. Mat. 23. 32. Heb. 11. 4. Iohn 12. 24. Prov. 6. 6. Esa. 58. 12. Obad. 21. Ruth 4. 11. 
A75036	----	A brief apologie for the sequestred clergie. VVherein (among other things) this case of conscience is judiciously handled: whether any minister of the Church of England may (to avoid sequestration) omit the publike use of the liturgie, and submit to the directory. In a letter from a sequestred divine, to Mr. Stephen Marshall. Allington, John, d. 1682. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A75036 of text R204340 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E537_11). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 67 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A75036 Wing A1206 Thomason E537_11 ESTC R204340 99863901 99863901 116117 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A75036) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116117) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 83:E537[11]) A brief apologie for the sequestred clergie. VVherein (among other things) this case of conscience is judiciously handled: whether any minister of the Church of England may (to avoid sequestration) omit the publike use of the liturgie, and submit to the directory. In a letter from a sequestred divine, to Mr. Stephen Marshall. Allington, John, d. 1682. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 22 p. s.n.], [London : Printed in the yeere 1649. Signed at end: J.A., i.e. John Allington. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Jan: 5th 1648". The 9 in 1649 has been crossed out. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Place of publication from Wing. eng Church of England -- Clergy -- Early works to 1800. Church of England -- Liturgy -- Early works to 1800. Church of England -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. Directory for the publique worship of God throughout the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland -- Early works to 1800. A75036 R204340 (Thomason E537_11). civilwar no A brief apologie for the sequestred clergie.: VVherein (among other things) this case of conscience is judiciously handled: whether any min Allington, John 1649 12044 15 5 0 0 0 0 17 C The rate of 17 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A BRIEF APOLOGIE FOR THE Sequestred Clergie . VVherein ( among other things ) this Case of Conscience is judiciously handled : Whether any Minister of the Church of England may ( to avoid Sequestration ) omit the publike use of the Liturgie , and submit to the Directory . In a Letter from a sequestred Divine , to Mr. Stephen Marshall . Printed in the Yeere 1649. In Nomine Crucifixi , secundum illud primae ad Corinth . cap. secundo , vers. secundo . Reverend Sir , THis addresse may seem very strange ; and yet if you shall consider the occasion , it will appeare that I could not prudently do other ; for you being accompted a light in that very House in which I stand eclips'd , I could not imagine by any other mean then your splendor , how to obtain the dissipation of this Cloud . Sir , so it is , that that Worshipfull and worthy Knight Sir John Trevor is one to whom I owe very much , for it was his Letter and his influence that first guided and planted me to , and in the Schoole of the Prophets ; It was respect to him that gained me a tutor , and it is now my respect to him , which gaines you this trouble . For , when about the beginning of Michaelmas Terme I was at London , meeting him in the Palace yard , I thanked him for a late courtesie ; his reply was , I had disabled my selfe from the capacity of a Courtesie ; I took leave to answer , it was my conscience and the tendernesse thereof that hath thus streightned me ; He told me againe in words ( as I conceive ) to these aequivalent , that I was more byassed by conceit , then conscience ; and guided rather by will then Judgement . I have so little left , that I can demonstrate to the world I have not made gaine my godlynesse ; and I shall now desire to make it as evident unto you , that 't is not fancy , but scruple , and scruple onely , for which my selfe , and in me a wife and five children very deeply suffer ; so that I here , with all respect implore your assistance , either to satisfie my weaknesse and set me right , or ( which perchance may be the shorter work ) be pleased to satisfie him whom I do so highly honor , that you conceive my grounds and reasons are such as may conclude me a Rational and conscientious , though weak Brother . The Misdemeanors ( for so they are called ) for which my conviction ( bearing date May 5. 1646. ) testifieth , I am sequestred , they are these ; 1. Adoration or worshiping God by Bowing of my body Eastward , or towards the Holy Table . 2. For the exterior acknowledgement of the Diety of my Saviour , when summon'd to it by his blessed name Jesus . 3. For deserting my cure two whole yeares . 4. For officiating by the Common Prayer Book , with refusall of the Directory : To which is added a generall surmise of Malignancy against the Parliament . First as of least concernment , I shall give you this briefe account of the third charge , to which I negatively answer : I never at all did desert my Cure . For , being , as Justinian , derelictum dicitur quod Dominus eâ mente abjecit , ut id in numero rerum suarum esse nolit , that only is deserted which is throwne off with a mind to be no more possest : I cannot possibly be said to have deserted my Cure , when by Petition upon Petition , by Letter upon Letter , and all the waies I could imagine , I implor'd my quiet at home , or to have leave to know why ; and our Committee never would , or did give way to either ; so that what is here called desertion , is no more then what those words of Scripture will well warrant , when you are persecuted in one City , fly unto another . Secondly , Every absenting more then two years , in these daies of triall , hath not been accounted sequestrable , and therefore under favor I suppose , though this by way of cumulation is put in , this is not the gravamen ; for there is not in the conviction any charge for flying to , or being in any forbidden Quarters . Lastly , I was so far from deserting my Cure , that I kept at my proper cost ( though sequestred ) a Curate , all my absence ; one who kept my people freer from distractions and aversions from the waies of the Church of England , then since they have been . But haec obiter . That which my conviction declares me to suffer for , it is a pretence of superstition , exprest by bowing to the East , to the Altar , and at the Name of Jesus . 2. For not laying aside and relinquishing the Liturgy . Now I beseech you with patience peruse this my defence , in which I shall endeavour to cleare first my acts of commission from being superstitious , and then 2. give my reasons why I take it to be a sin of omission to renounce the Liturgy . First bowing to the East , and to the Altar , are not onely false accusations , but false in such a degree , that ( without my confession ) are impossible to be proved ; for being the intention onely can specificate the terme , it is not in the power of any man living , to say to what I bow , or to what I kneele ; for I am confident your selfe bends your knees toward many a thing , to which you abhor to do it . Bow at his Footstoole ; that is , at the Ark and Mercy-seat , for there he hath made a promise of his presence , the words say not Bow to the Ark but to God at the Ark . Thus Mr. Perkins . And thus and no otherwise did your Christian Brother bow either toward the East or toward the Holy Table . Now as the Jewes ( in Mr. Perkins charitable Divinity ) did not bow to the Ark , but to God at the Ark : Even so , when occasionally your Christian Brother bowed at the Holy Table , it was not to the Table , or to the Altar , but to his God he made his Adoration , and that for the same reason which M. Perkins useth ; For there he hath made a promise of his presence . There hath he enabled us ( vi promissi ) to say , This is my Body , this is my Blood . Now that it is an act of superstition to worship God by bowing of the Body , is a scruple in which I cannot be satisfied : for as Mr. Perkins , so think I — The worship of the Body is called Aderation , which stands in bowing of the knee , bending or prostrating of the body , the lifting up of the hands or eys — A duty which the same reverend author proveth to be , as himselfe speaketh , altogether necessary , and that for three irrefragable reasons . 1. Because Love must not be conceived in the mind onely , but also testified in the actions of the body . 2. Christ redeemed both , and therefore must be glorified with both . And lastly Christ being an Head to the whose man , for this cause not onely soule but body also must stand in subjection to Christ . Many others might be added , but it seemes to me vain to add a beam unto the sun . Now if to worship by bowing of the knee , prostrating the body , and lifting up of hands or eyes by a duty lawfull , yea altogether necessary , no matter which way soever it be done , still it is as Mr. Perkins fully , an act not of Superstition , but Adoration . For as it was no superstition in the Jew to worship God by bowing before the Ark or Westward , so superstition it is not , to worship God by bowing before his Holy Table , that is in the phrase of antiquity , Eastward . As for bowing to the East or to the Altar , I am able to produce a Letter writ by me 5. or 6. yeares ago , ex Diametro against it , and am still ready to ratifie that Doctrine . The second act of superstition , it is bowing at the Name of Jesus : and to cleare that I shall thus argue . No act directly tending , and intended , for the Advance of the glory of Jesus , can be superstitious , but to bow at the Name of Jesus in the sence of the Church of England , is an act both tending and intended for the advance of his glory , and therefore cannot be superstitious . For the proofe of the minor Proposition , I appeale to the 18. Canon of the Church of England where the end and intention of that gesture is clearly thus . When in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned , due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present , as it hath been accnstomed , testifying by these outward Ceremonies and gestures [ observe what ] their inward humility , Christian resolution and due acknowledgement , that the Lord Jesus Christ , the true and Eternall Son of God , is the onely Saviour of the world . Now upon this ground I thus argue ; for as much as both words and gestures have their individuation and specification meerly by use Law or custome , what this gesture of bowing at the Name of Jesus is to signifie and import in the Church of England ; this the Representative part thereof having clearly manifested , we are to take it in that sence and in that signification , in which and for which it cometh from them proposed and commended to us . For as in Languages we receive and use words , in and according to that power and meaning which the first authors and contrivers delivered them unto posterity ; even so that I might ever avoid the being contentious , look what spirituall and internall duties my Mother the Church of England professed to expresse and signifie by such and such exterior gestures , such I conceived they did import , and in such sence and signification I did use and communicate them unto others . Whereas then ( as the Canon clearly ) the due and lowly Reverence exacted at the Name of Jesus is only to testifie our inward humility , Christian resolution , and due acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true and Eternall Son of God . This being the knowne and declared end and meaning of this gesture ; Bowing at the Name of Jesus can no more in my weak apprehension be accounted Superstition , then is inward humility , Christian resolution , or the due acknowledgement of the Lord Jesus Christ to be the true and Eternall Son of God ; for being Actus exterior & interior candem constituunt virtutem ; being the outward expression and the inward meaning do make but one compleat act ; if the inward be vertuous the outward cannot be vicious ; if the inward be religious the outward cannot be superstitious ; so that since bowing at the Name of Jesus is by the Church and use of England determined to signifie an expression of inward humility , Christian resolution , and a due acknowledgement of the Deity of the Son of God ; I cannot yet imagine how , to him who so understandeth and so useth it , bowing at the Name of Jesus can be counted superstitious . Nor doth only the Canon of the Church of England , but even the Canon of holy Scripture warrant mee sufficiently that superstitious it cannot be ; for Dato sed non concesso , suppose it no duty of that knowne Text , yet there is congruity enough to avoid the Superstition of it ; for if by those knees the Apostle meaneth the spirituall and inward knees of the heart , then , as he , without thought of Superstition expressed that inward duty by bodily incurvation ; why may not I or any other ( by his example ) expresse my inward profession of the Deity , as he , by a corporall'expression , by bowing at his Name ? But my intention is not to write a volume , or indeed to say ought more then may conclude my design mentioned , to prove that I have not been , nor yet am scrupulous without cause , nor a sufferer without reason . Now my first scruple is , whether a Minister may with a good conscience renounce or leave off any act , Rite , or gesture , under the brand and notion of superstitious , which he believes is not so ? I dare not do it for these reasons : 1. I should bely mine owne soule , in calling good evill , and evill good . 2. I should confirme a scandall laid upon many godly Orthodox Divines , that they in thus doing have been superstitious . 3. I should do an irreparable violation to those holy gestures which I do verily believe are advancers of Gods glory . 4. I dare not omit that as superstitious which I believe not to be so , for fear in so doing , to this undetermined notion , I might add such latitude , that under the colour of Superstition , even Religion it self may be violated . In a word for my particular , whether I look upon adoration in abstracto , as the meer expression of that subjection and distance which dust and ashes oweth to his maker , or whether I looke upon it in concreto , as joyned with some other duty , as saying our prayers , receiving the Sacrament or profession of our Saviours Deity ; in neither respect ( it seemeth to me ) more guilty of Superstition or troubling the waters , then was the Lamb in the fable when the Wolf charged him : so that if by some greater light , or latitude of understanding , your clearer judgement shall discern otherwise , I shall with all respect and thanks yeeld up my soule to further illumination , which till it shall please God to give me , I dare not in coole blood call an honest woman whore ; or what I conceive religious superstitious , for more then yet I am , or hope for to be worth . And this may suffice for the first scruple , viz. That my judgement concluding otherwise , I dare not acknowledge or relinquish Adoration under the notion of superstitious innovation . The second thing I have to do , is to give my reasons , wherefore I conceived it a sin of omission to lay aside , much more to renounce the Liturgie , and that I may do it methodically , First , I shall give my reasons why I dare not countenance the worshipping of God without a form ; secondly , why I dare not in specie omit this form . First , I dare not countenance the worshipping of God without a form ; for being the Scripture chargeth not onely to hold the faith , but to hold fast the very form of sound words , I conceive set forme of prayer a necessary expedient to this end ; for being experience both ancient and modern hath taught us this sad truth , that Errors , Heresies , and Innovations in Doctrine are instilled and infused by the conceived prayers of such who are either Authors or abettors of such opinions , therefore ( and especially in these times ) I dare not but endeavour a set forme . A set form seeming now as necessary as an antidote in time of pestilence . Secondly , to worship without a prepared and set forme ( it seemes to me ) to serve the living God with lesse care then Pagans did their Idolls . For witnesse Plato , a Law there was whatever Prayers or Hymnes the Poets composed to the gods , they should first shew them their Priests . And Alexander ab Alexandro testifieth the Gentiles read their prayers out of a book before their sacrifice , and that for this reason , Ne quid preposterè dicatur , &c. Or for feare some thing rashly or preposterously might passe the lips , as if stollen from that of Solomon , be not rash with thy mouth , and let not thine heart be hasty , an argument to me , that even an heart may be over hasty , and therefore my weaknesse desires a set forme . Thirdly , the serving and worshipping God by a set forme seems to be approved by God in all ages , before the Law , under the Law , under the Gospell . Before the Law we read thus , Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord , Eo tempore ritus certos colendi Deum institutos fuisse quos observarent filii Dei . From that time forward say Expositors , certain rites or set forms were taken up for the publike worship of God , yea forsitan propter idblatriam insurgentem , perchance for the prevention of incroaching of Idolatry , saith a learned Neoterick : therefore was Enoch sedulous to prescribe and deliver a set forme . But whether Enoch were or no , sure we are , God Almighty under under the Law , to prevent Idolatry had his set Rites ; and in particular to the point in hand , a prescribed and set form of prayer , — on this wise shall ye blesse the children of Israel , saying , ( as it followeth ) The Lord blesse thee and keep thee , &c. Under the Gospell both S. John the fore-runner , and our blessed Lord and Master , for substance , both we know taught to pray ; and it is strange teaching without a forme ; as the corner and first stone in the building the Lord left us a prayer , and this prayer proved the basis and fundamentall of all future Liturgies : This through the devotion and piety of the Church increased and grew into a forme , and in this I suppose M. Beza may be my advocate , who tells me , and all the world , Quae ad ordinem spectant ut precum formulae disposuit Apostolus , those things which appertain to order as do forms of prayer , the Apostle himselfe appointed and disposed , so that set forms in the judgement of M. Beza are Apostolicall , the English Translation reads it thus , such things as appertaine to order , and forme of prayers , and other such like the Apostle took order for , in the congregation according to the consideration of times , places , persons , 1 Cor 11. 39. Fourthly , the want of set form prevents that which I am bound for to indeavour , the conversion and communion of the adverse party ; for either I must perswade them to worship God according to my discretion , and relie-upon the implicit faith of my prudence , or else I must produce a forme in which I desire their communion , and to which I must indeavour their conversion . Now I believe all those who renounoe an implicite faith in the whole Church , or in the Representative of it , all such ( I say ) at least will abhor so far to resigne themselves unto a private Minister , as to worship God all daies of their lives , according to his mutable dictate . I am sure the Papists will say this is worse then what we call Popish servitude , for they are bound onely to believe and serve God as the Church orders : but where all is left to the will of the Minister , people are bound to worship and serve God as his private spirit leads them , and I wish I could not feelingly say ( even from follies vented in my owne Pulpit ) what an Ignis fatuus that is . Lastly , to avoid prolixity , for my owne particular , should I renounce a set forme , I must needs professe my self guilty either of Superstitious Innovation , or ( which in materia Religionis is bad enough ) popular insinuation . First , that to worship God without a forme is Innovation , this the whole Christian world will attest unto me , the Easterne and Westerne Churches , Wittinberg where Luther , Geneva where Calvin , Scotland where Knox flourished ; and to innovate and act against a Catholike Custome of Christendome , of the whole Christian world , may breed a scruple in a wise , much more in a weak Christian . Secondly , as Innovation , so it would seem to me unavoidable superstition , and that whether superstition be positively or negatively considered ? for superstition being positively considered , being the issue of misgrounded zeale , this superstition is active in the production of superstitious performances , whereof this is one , to conceive that God will be pleased with no prayer from me , unlesse of my own conception , nor no devotion unlesse it be of our owne invention ; this I say is the superstitious issue of a misguided zeale . Againe , as misguided zeale is the mother of superstitious performances , even so ignorant feare is the motive and cause of superstitious forbearances , as when one vainly feares , and in that feare refrains such an act , as displeasing , which indeed is rather pleasing to Almighty God , touch not , tast not , handle not , these are negative superstitions , issues of ignorant fear : And so far as I can conceive , scrupulously to reject or lay aside set forms , as superstitious , is out of ignorant feare really and actually to commit ( pardon the phrase ) a negative superstition . 3. Again , should I not superstitiously ( which as drawing nigher Religion is more honest of the two ) say aside a set forme , I cannot imagine any other principle but popular insinuation to move me to it , and to make that a motive in Religion scarce appeares to me religious . Omnia ponenda post Religionem nostra Civitas duxit . If the Pagan had so much Divinity , as to say , it was a Law in their City , that all things whatsoever must give way unto Religion , certainely it behoves me , who am a Christian in matter and point of Religion , to look upon nothing through a carnall or secular perspective . Now to me ( and with me runs the whole current of Antiquity ) set forms of Prayer and Worship , they are the most religious and assured meanes either to preserve or advance Religion . The scruple then is , whether any of my judgement and perswasion may for any popular or secular end in the world ( and for that end meerly ) lay aside a better , and assume in Gods Worship a worse way ? whether this be not having a male in my flocke , to offer unto God a female , judge you . That blessed speech of Sir Benj. Ruddierd to M. Pym , he that thinks to save any thing by his Religion but his soul , will be a terrible loser in the end ; it is worthy to be written in letters of gold , yea worthy to be ingraven in the heart of every Parliament-man that sits ; it is indeed a saying that hath so farre prevailed on me , that I begin extremely to question the truth of that vulgar opinion , that the Worship and Government of the Church of Christ are so left as to be accommodated to the proportionable exigences of States and Kingdomes : For my particular I conceive the glory of God attended , municipall Lawes ought rather to stoop then they to strain ; for Religion is so tender a Virgin , that she may not admit the least prostitution , and I am sure a conscientious breast feareth to pumple her very ornaments . Whereas then to worship God without a set forme seemes to me destructive of the form of sound words , which charily must be preserved , a Worship more carelesse then what Pagans used , an Innovation which takes away the very ground and basis of conversion and communion with an adverse party ; whereas it would be in me either superstition or popularity to desert a set forme ; I must crave leave to follow these Dictates , till I have better premises given me , from which I may conclude otherwise . And so I shall desire your patience to accompany me to my last endeavour , which is to shew , that I cannot with a good conscience renounce , or as yet lay aside this our individuall Liturgie , and that for these reasons : 1. It maketh our Religion to be ill spoken of by the greatest part of Christendome , and so preventeth the conversion of Papists , who accuse us of unsetlednesse and changes ; yea , it furnisheth them , with an unanswerable exception , viz. That we have these many yeares convicted , punished , and imprisoned them for what our selves now so far distast , that at Sessions we give a charge against it , traduce it under the brand of the old Mumpsimus , and indite it , and punish one another for it ; this I professe my weaknesse cannot satisfie . 2. If better it were a Milstone were hanged about my neck , then that I should be a scandall to my weak brother , the omission of the Liturgie , being at this time a scandall not only to the weak , but to the strong , being the cries and tears of both require it , how should I dare to look my God in the face when I shall wilfully become scandalous both to the learned and unlearned , both to the strong and to the weak Christian ? yea , of this sad experience hath made me very confident , such a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , such a stumbling block as is this , the suppression of the Liturgie was never since Queen Maries daies amongst us ; for the want of this hath hindred thousands from their accustomed piety and devotion , the weak , because they have no other ; the strong , because they have no better way , and whatever prevents piety cannot but be rather scandalum datum , then acceptum , a reall and true scandall , so that till a better form be actually established in lieu of this , my conscience tells me I may not leave it . 3. What by oath and subscription I am bound unto , that without relaxation from the same authority to whom I sware , and before whom I subscribed , I may not relinquish . But I have sworne to my Dioecesan , and subscribed to maintain the service of God , not only in genere , but in specie , according to the particular forme and way of the Church of England . And therefore to say no more , as an honest man I am bound to make that good which I have sworn , subscribed , and negatively promised to maintain . 4. It is against my Oath of Supremacy to acknowledge a power Ecclesiasticall Independent upon the only Supreme , and this cannot ( in my apprehension ) be avoided , if the King forbidding I receive the Directory , and the King commanding to use it , I reject the Liturgie . 5. Beneficium supponit Officium . The duty which every parochiall Minister is bound unto , is a daily recitall of his Office ; for being Parishes are of humane institution , founded and endowed by the piety and liberality of devout Patrons , look what they conditioned for , ( so far as just and pious ) that I conceive I am bound unto . Forasmuch then as in the Church of England , prayer , daily prayer , yea ( and ever since the Reformation ) this very form of prayer is the condition of our admittance , though preaching be multiplied , I cannot conscionably omit that , without which , yea , and for which I had institution and induction to my living ; so that in my weake judgement it is a very considerable scruple , — whether what is given for a publike and daily duty , may conscionably be taken by him who doth it but once a week , much lesse by him who doth it not at all ? Lastly , it is very considerable to me , whether those words in my Protestation ( The true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England , against all Popery and Popish Innovations ) do not bind me , so far as lawfully I may with life , power , and estate , to maintaine either this , or some other setforme , and that for these reasons : First , This word or Notion , Religion , necessarily includes all the actuall muniments therof , be it what religion it may be , for if as Austin out of Cicero , Religio est virtus quae superioris cujusdam naturae , quam divinā vocant , cul●ū ceremoniámque adfert , Religion be a vertue which obligeth , as well to Ceremony , as to worship . And if as M. Calvin , in professione religionis homines non posse ceremoniis carere , Men cannot professe Religion without Ceremony , be it what Religion it may be : Then ( so far as my capacity reacheth ) I cannot vow , promise and professe , to maintain and defend a Religion , but under this Notion and terme Religion , I binde my self to defend and maintain what ever congruously is requisite in the defence , and support of it : for as he that is bound to maintain a house , must preserve the thatch as well as the grunsell : and as he who is bound to maintain a close , must have a care of the hedg ( though it be but a dead one ) as well as the crop ; even so , when I did promise , vow , and protest to defend and maintaine the true Religion , in which I was baptized and bred , I know not how I could hope to make good this , unlesse the necessary muniments , whereof the Liturgie is a maine one , were preserved in it : And that in this I was not singular , I may appeale unto a Vote afterward annexed to the Protestation , in which it is declared , that severall persons had raised the same doubt , an argument that the deduction was very obvious , and very naturall . Now forasmuch as I had vowed before I saw the limitation , after the Vow I durst not inquire ; a Vow and an Oath ( as I conceive ) in this dissenting , an Oath it must be taken in the sence of the giver ; a Vow because voluntary , in the sence of the taker onely : so I took it , and the obligation is still upon me . Secondly , whereas Religion in the Protestation hath this restrictive difference , Reformed ; and not onely so , but so Reformed , as in the Church of England against all Popary , and Popish Innovations ; I cannot see how I could protest to maintaine a Religion so reformed , but that I must necessarily imply that service which the first Reformers , and all succeeding Parliaments have made the Characteristicall note , and formall difference betwixt us and them ; and this ( we all know ) hath been the Liturgie ; for from his denying Communion in this , the Papist was called Recusant , and by his joyning with us in this , he was said and held as reconciled to our Church . Thirdly , in case the Protestation had run thus ; I promise , vow , and protest to maintain the true Religion established in the Church of Rome against ( as they call them ) hereticall innovations ; would any man believe the Missall were here excluded , which is the very formality of their professions ? Or in case it had run thus , I promise , vow , and protest to maintaine that Reformed Religion , whose character and distinctive formality is the Directory , would any doubt I vowed to maintain the Directory ? and can I hope to perform my Vow , can I hope to maintaine the Religion of the Church of England , and lay aside that which is the practicall character of my profession ? Fourthly , if this notion Reformed Religion in the Church of England includes not Liturgie , then they are not sufferers for the true reformed Religion of England , who suffer meerly for the Liturgie , but they who so suffer , cannot imagine else what they suffer for . Fifthly , it is very probable to me , the compilers and chiefe mannagers of this Protestation , by Religion mainly meant the forme of Gods Worship , for in the first 19. humble Propositions , the eighth runs thus : That your Majesty will be pleased to consent that such a Reformation be made of the Church-Government and Liturgie , as both Houses of Parliament shall advise . — To the people in the same yeare the Lords and Commons declare thus , April 9. 1642. they intend a due and necessary Reformation of the Government and Liturgie of the Church . A plaine and evident demonstration to my capacity , that both Lords and Commons did then declare , this notion or terme Religion , it includes both Church-Government , and Liturgie , otherwise what ever is of late attempted or done concerning these , cannot be said to be a religious , but a politike Reformation . Lastly , how could I promise , vow , and protest to defend and maintaine a Religion which is said to be true , and actually reformed , unlesse there be some forme actually in being , which my judgment and my conscience must looke upon ; for to swear the maintenance of a Religion , or Worship , or Discipline not fixed , and digested into a forme , seems to me like that formidable et caetera , to sweare and vow to maintain I know not what ; and upon this ground thousands there are who have stumbled at the very threshold of the Covenant , not daring to sweare to defend a Reformation where they cannot come to see the form . Whereas then beside Statute-subscription , and those many obligations contracted under Episcopacy , I conceive even by the Protestation , and from the very sense of the House that made it , Liturgie is a very considerable ingredient in the compound of Religion , and this present Liturgie in this the reformed Religion of the Church of England : As then in Musick , though there are many rare and exquisite voluntaries , yet solemne and set Musick is not therefore to be rejected , even so though there are , and may be in the Church of England such who can expresse as readily as conceive , and conceive as devoutly as can be imagined , yet for all that , this is no Supersedeas or bar against studyed , penn'd , and set formes of prayer ; and more then this , as I read , was heard , and ordered to be printed by the honorable House of Commons in a Sermon called , Babilons downfall , in these words , — Cursed shall he be that removeth the ancient Land-marke , &c. what is the ancient Land-mark of England , but our Lawes and Religion ? ( which containes as well facienda as credenda , and hath as well the Liturgie as the Articles and Homilies for her Boundaries ) and therefore if any man shall remove this Land-marke , cursed shall he be of the Lord , and let all the people say , Amen . Certainely they who said Amen to this imprecation , and those who ordered there should be an impression of it , they were then no visible enemies to Liturgie , no not this Liturgie . All then that I shall now trouble you withall , shall be a slight proposall of this one Scruple . Whether a Minister is not as much bound to suffer in defence of the spirituall Muniments of Religion , as any Subject for the temporall Muniments and Priviledges of State or Kingdome ? For Christian Religion , or the Muniments thereof , I am apt to think with Tertullian , the Sword is no good advocate , Lex nova non se vindicat ultore gladio , the foolishnesse of preaching , not the arme of flesh , must and did establish these : And therefore I propose the scruple only in point of suffering ; for if we looke unto the author and finisher of our faith , I conceive with S. Peter , that by his example we are called upon to suffer , and in this case to suffer only . Now in these times of losse and suffering , I have oft considered with my selfe for what , either as Subject , or as Christian , especially as a Christian Minister I stand bound to suffer . Now whilest I look upon my self as a subject having nothing at all before me but some secular or temporall advantage : my next consideration is , what secular or temporall commodity is dearest to me ; for I suppose no man will lose gold to save chaffe , nor expose his darling to preserve his vassall . Now forasmuch as all temporall or secular goods are reducible to these three heads , jucundum , utile , honestum , either pleasant , profitable or honest ; that which of these three is dearest , that which of these is absolutely the best , that ( I conceive , though I suffer the losse of the other two ) I am bound to preserve . Job 2. Skin for skin , and all that a man hath will he give for his life : though the Devill spake it , both God and man approve it . Skin for skin , whatever is pleasant , or whatever is profitable , a man will rather suffer in , then in his life ; for of all things , pleasant or profitable , life is the dearest . Now albeit among things pleasant or profitable , life is the jewel ; yet bonum honestum , that good which doth consist in honor or honesty , this , it is oft even dearer then life it self : so that for defence of reputation & a good name , for the advance & benefit of posterity , for the vindication of a friend , for the preservation of a trust ; for these and such like , there is many an one who will dare to die : but meerly for what is pleasant , or what is profitable , I think no man living : So that indeed 't is onely bonum bonestum , it is onely for what is honest , or what is honorable , a man as a man , a man as rationall , is bound to suffer . Now if it be so , that honor and honesty hath so strong an influence upon a reasonable soule , that Reason will perswade even the naturall man to prefer honor and honesty before life ; if property , liberty , and the Lawes of the Land are so deare to Subjects , that even ▪ for them , thousands have laid down their lives ; my great and grand scruple is , whether bonum religiosum , whether a religious good , whether that which I verily believe tends to the good of Religion , ought not to me , a Christian , and a Minister , to be full as deare as any bonum honestum , as any honest or mere secular good to me , or any subject in the world : And ( I professe to you upon the faith of a Christian ) be it sound , or be it weak , this is the principall ground and motive of all my losses , and to support me I have these reasons . 1. Corinth . 9. If we have sowen unto you spirituall things , is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnall things ? Between spirituall and carnall things the Apostle seems to make so despicable a difference , that the one is not to be compared with the other : carnall things , secular and worldly interests they are not considerable , if compared with things spirituall . A cleare argument to me , that no spirituall , or religious performance ought to give way to any carnall end . And such I conceive are all the muniments of Christian Religion , such in particular a blamelesse Liturgie . Secondly , it is a rule amongst Casuists , that man that suffers either for doing this , or for bearing that in relation unto Christ and his glory , that person is a sufferer in the cause of Christ ; as he that will not lie upon this ground , because dishonourable to the Christian profession ; if he should be persecuted , because he will not lie ; such an one though not in materia fidei , yet because his restraint is for Christ and his glory , he were persecuted for Christ his sake . Whereas then in my poore judgement I am convinced there is no means generally more expedient for the advance of the glory of Christ and the preservation of the faith , then a well composed and set form of Liturgie ; what ever I shall suffer for not rejecting this , I shall confidently lay upon the score of my Saviour : for as much as I therefore onely by suffering endeavour the defence of of this , because I do verily beleeve , Liturgy is the advance of his glory : So that if a temporall good ( whose reward and encouragement cannot be but temporall ) can move a man to suffer ; much more a spirituall , whose reward ( through the mercy of a gracious accepter ) may prove eternall . For he who will not see a cup of cold water given for his sake lost : neither will he forget the least of sufferings which relate to his glory . Thirdly , In suffering for spirituall muniments , and for that only which relates to Christ onely , and his glory , there is no interest but God Almighties considered or concern'd ; But in suffering for temporall , though publique good , we have private ends and personall advantages of our owne ; so that it must be much more acceptable to God Almighty to suffer for spirituall , that is his interest , then for secular , that is our own . Fourthly , If that Citizen be held an unworthy Member , who will not spend his purse and paines for the priviledge of his Corporation : and if that Country-clowne be held no good Townesman , who will not stiffly maintain the Modus Decimandi , The custome of h●s Towne ; certainly then that Minister hath a very low and poore estimate of that Liturgy which he subscrib'd unto , a very unworthy esteem of the Catholique custome of the reformed Church of Christ , that will without suffering betray his trust ; making lesse account of what Martyrs sealed with their blood , then will a Citizen or a Countryman of a trifling priviledge or custome . Fifthly , Considering and inquiring after the elder times , when such was the purity of intention , that nothing but Christs glory was attended ; I cannot find that any thing in Religion was moulded unto State ends . Si ecclesiasticum negotium sit , nullam Communionem habento civiles Magistratus cum câ disceptatione , sed Religiosissimi Episcopi secundum sacros Canones negotio fine imponuntom , in Authentica Con. 123. Not to the civill Magistrate , but to the Religious Bishops , Justinian ( no lesse then an Emperour ) attributes and decrees the decision and determination of Ecclesiasticall affaires ; and certainly if there be any Ecclesiasticall Government , as the Law speakes — Cui jurisdictio data est , ea quoque concessa esse intelliguntur sine quibus jurisdictio expleri non potuit . — To whom jurisdiction is committed all that must be granted without which he cannot exercise jurisdiction ; and that must needs be a directive and a coactive power . Now impossible ( it seemes to me ) that those who have , ( be they Prelates , be they Presbyters , or be they of what name or title soever , our next new light shall call them ) I say it seems to me impossible , that those who have this spirituall power should ever discharge their trust , unlesse they resolve to suffer , and to suffer precisely , for the muniments and defence of the Church of Christ , and the power of him committed to them ; for the impartiall and thorough executing of this charge , cannot but displease great ones : and flesh and blood is a bitter adversary ; so that indeed it will evidently appeare , the decay of Discipline , Liturgy and all the muniments of the Church , they have therfore suffered because those who should have suffered for them , would not . And I beseech God this sin be not laid to our charge ; for my own particular , I beseech God give me grace to say heartily as did some of the Martyrs , though I cannot dispute , I can suffer for him . Sixthly , For me to omit any act , gesture or forme of worship , which I beleeve or feel to be an advance to piety , meerly from secular or private interest , this in my judgement is to prefer a carnall thing before a spirituall , & to endeavour rather to please man then my God . And indeed I could here with a great deale of truth and sadnesse relate unto you , the serious and sharp complaints of such Ministers , who professe their souls long after the Liturgy , grieved at heart , and ( as they pretend ) troubled at soule , because they dare not use what they conceive much the better way . A lamentable condition is the Church in , when Ministers worship God with reluctancie , and onely to save their stakes , comply and do as the State would have them . Lastly , Forasmuch as the muniments of Religion are preservers of the dearest thing imaginable , Gods glory , and our soules welfare , I do not know what I should suffer in defence of , if not of these . I lately reading ( as it fell proper to the day ) the fifth of Esay , when I came to those dreadfull words — I will take away thy hedge , and it shall be eaten up , break downe the wall , and it shall be trodden downe , it made my heart even ake , to think how applicable this methodicall destruction is to our ungratefull vineyard . I will take away the hedge , I will break downe the wall . Take the hedge and the wall away cut up the fence , and the Vinyard will soon be wast ; The Government , the Discipline , the Liturgy which as a hedge or a wall ever since our reformation preserved the Vineyard ; since I see it hath pleased God to suffer this hedge and the wall to be trodden downe , I can but feare confusion and desolation to be the sequest . For since the worldly wiseman verily believes , where the fence is wanting , spoile and wast inevitably followeth ; and therefore his maine care is to tend it : Even so where the muniments of any prosession or Religion are slighted and taken away ; where Liturgy ( this 13. hundred years without controversie , held the hedge and mound of faith , and Gods worship in Natiohall Church ) where ( I say ) this is pull'd downe and taken away , there is iminent and evident feare ; a gap is opened to let in what ever will come . Be it the beast of the field , be it the little foxes be it the wild bore of the forrest , come what will there is no muniment , no provision , no fence against it ; so that in my poor conceptions the hedge , the fence , the muniment of the Church they are matters of such necessary consequence , that Ministers I conceive , had better lay themselves , and all their fortunes in the gap , then for want of fence to suffer the destroyer to come in . Indeed I have been told by some who wish very well unto me , that humane inventions and things meerly circumstantiall ought not to be thus stood upon : I thank them heartily for their affection , and blesse them for their good will , but our judgments yet must differ . For if no suffering for humane invention , if life it selfe may not be exposed to hazzard in defence of humane constitutions , certainly then no fighting for the Lawes of Land , nor no taking up arms for Priviledge of Parliament , for these sure are humane and politicall institutions ; and as these are necessary for the preservation of a State , even some such are also necessary for the preservation of a Church , and of such Church-men cannot be too chary . Againe , whereas Liturgie in genere , or ours in specie is counted but a circumstantiall businesse , I believe I may find out such circumstantialls in a Christian Church , as will hazard the whole if they perish . In the tenth persecution under the Tyranny of Dioclesian , a Decree past , ut Templa & libri delerentur , that Christians should deliver up their books and destroy ( or at least permit the destruction of ) their Churches . Books and Churches I conceive are but circumstantialls to Religion ; for the world was more then 2400. yeers old before there was any Scripture in it ; yea , the Christian Church it was from the birth of Christ more then 90. years before the Canon of the New Testament was compleated , yea after the death and Resurrection of our Saviour there is ( supposing his passion at 31. ) ten years numbred before any Gospell at all was committed unto writing , twice ten before the second , thrice ten before the third , and more then three twenti●s before the last ; a plaine argument that bookes and writings are but circumstantiall to Religion ; for one may live and die a very good Christian , and know never a letter on the booke . Suppose now the Pope and Popery should so far prevaile , as to have under the notion of books hereticall ( for so they will sticke to call our Bibles ) to call in , and under paine of death to deliver up our Bibles even to the fire , could any conscientious Protestant satisfie his soule with this poore evasion , alas the Bible is but circumstantiall , the Doctrine and Religion of it I can preserve though the Bible be gone ? without all peradventure it is most true , a learned and well grounded Christian , he may preserve the faith , he may deliver and hold fast the forme of sound words ▪ though among Turks , where a Bible is not to be looked upon : and yet for my particular I should scarce looke upon that man as Christian , who to save his purse , yea his body should deliver up his Bible to the fire . In the Roman Martyrologie there is a commemoration made of many holy Martyrs , who despising the sacrilegious Edict of Dioclesian 7. quo tradi Sacros codices jubebantur , potiùs corpora carnificibus quàm sanctadare canibus maluerunt ] chose rather to deliver their bodies to the executioner then holy things to dogs , or holy books unto the fire . And truly I should rather honour these as Martyrs , then those for good Christians , who under pretence of things circumstantiall , should deliver those to save themselves ; so highly ( I conceive ) God would be dishonoured in the betraying of so great a preserver , and muniment of his Honour . Again , as Books , even so ( to some much more clearly ) Churches , Oratories , Temples , they are meer circumstantialls . Now suppose the Independent and Congregationall Brother-hood should so far over-power , as to command the demolition ( as they call them ) of our Steeple-houses , the destruction and levelling of our Churches , I would very fain know whether in point of conscience I were not rather bound to suffer , then in any measure to appeare willing to so high a sacriledge ? I who am flesh and blood as well as other men , could find pretty evasions and glosses to foole my soule withall ; I could say ( as I hear ) is not a Sermon as well in a Parlour as in a Church . Did not Christ preach in a Ship , Paul pray upon the sands , and shall I suffer in defence of so unnecessary a trifle as an heap of stones , a Popish Relique , a sorry meeting house ? For my particular , I am afraid many things are daily called circumstantiall , not with consideration whether so or no , but because these are the things in question , these the points which I must either dissemble , desert or suffer for . I pray let me as a close to this present you with the example of one , who though a Bishop , was ever reverenced as a Saint , & a good man ; I mean that great Doctor S. Ambrose , who being once tempted and provoked even in this very point , and that by no lesse then the Emperour , to deliver up his Church , though it pleased the Emperour in a faire way to send Earles and Tribunes to him , — ut Basilicae fieret matura traditio , that there might be a seasonable del●verance of that Royall Pallace ( for so his piety termes the Church ) yet you shall find this reverend Bastor so far from deeming this a circumstantiall trifle , that he offers his goods , his body , his life in lieu of it . Ea quae Divina Imperatoriae potestatinon subjecta . The things of God are not subject to imperiall power , was the peremptory position of this Bishop ; and then proceeds . — Si patrimonium petitur , invadite ; si corpus , occurram : vultis in vincula rapere , vultis in mortem ? voluptatiest mihi . — If you who are sent , demand my patrimony , invade it , take it ! if my body , here it is ; if to bonds or death you desire to carry me , it shall be a pleasure to me ; — pro altaribus gratiùs immolabor , — I will gladly be a sacrifice to preserve my Altar . He would rather dye the death then suffer an Arrian Minister to officiate in his Church ; yea as it is in the same Epistle — cum propositum esset ut ecclesiae vasa jam traderemus — when the Emperors Officers demanded a present delivery of the Church Vessells , the conscientious Bishop was so far from holding these such circumstantialls , as not to be stood upon , that he plainly tells the Emperor , it was neither lawfull for him to deliver , or the Emperor to demand them . Trade basilicam ; deliver the Church , is as much as to say ( as the same Father to his Flock ) speak a word against God , and dye ; nay not only so , Nec solum dic ad versus Deum etians fac ad versus Deum , It is not only to speak but to do against God , which in his judgement deserved no lesse then death ; Thus zealous of a circumstantiall , and of exterior muniments , was that holy Bishop to betray a Church , yea a Vessell of a Church , it was in his divinity a sin against the Deity ; an act against him for whose glory and service they were preserved . In these sad times of triall , I conceive one main end of Gods judgements ( especially upon his Clergy ) is to discern who those are who have hitherto meerly related to him for their bellies ; and who for his glory mainly ? who have been spirituall , and who carnall professors of the Ministry ? For those who served him chiefly ? for their bellies , and carnall ends , to them the invasion of nothing is considerable , in which their interest and their ends are not involved ; but such who with purity of intention have mainly studied and sought the advance of Gods service , to them as to S. Ambrose , the muniments of Religion , the abridgement or abatement of any thing that was adjuvant to this end , is more considerable then all their secular interest , or personall advantages of this world ; insomuch as I can knowingly say it for some : Threescore pound a yeare , and our old way , will be prefer'd before 300. in a worse Moddell . It is to me a consideration not unworthy my pen , to see how the judgement of God hath followed such who have measured and stuck to his interests , meerly as they moved with their owne . In the 21 , year of Henry the 8th . in a Parliament which began the 3. of Novemb. the Commons sent up to the House of Lords a Bill against the exaction of unconscionable Mortuaries ; To which Bill it is observed the spirituall Lords made a faire face and were well content a reasonable Order should passe against them ; But this was ( saith my author ) Because it touched them little for when within two daies after a Bill concerning probates of Testaments ( in which there had been incrediale extortion ) was sent up to the Lords , then the Bishops in generall ( saith the Historian ) frown'd and grunted , for that touched their profit ; then said the Bishop of Rochester , now with the Commons is nothing but downe with the Church . When the Bishops personall profits were toucht upon , then ( as if the very Church were falling , Fisher crieth out , the Commons lack faith , the Commons think of nothing but down with the Church . Yea in the progresse of this reformation are not Bishops found conniving and abetting the demolishing of religious houses ; and was not this probably with an eye to the preservation of their own ; as if they said , let Monasteries go , so long as Bishopricks bee preserv'd : well , they are dead and gone ; But hath not vengeance followed upon Episcopacy ? Are there not now amongst us who cry , downe with Bishops , sell their Lands , and think this no sacriledge , provided that Parsonages may be augmented , and Tythes supported ? well , Bishops are preach't down and their honors laid in the dust ; But doth not vengeance hasten after the promoters of it ? Do not the Presbyters find that there are who conceive they have lesse right to Tythes then Bishops to their Lands ? Are there not who are as industrious to deprive them , as they have been ( for their own ends ) to deprive their God ? An evident argument , that just and righteous art thou O God in all shy waies . An argument that makes me verily believe , those who for private interest , and meerly either for praise or profit throw off the Liturgy , forbeare their duties , and betray the muniments of Religion and the Church of Christ ; God will in his due time reward such into their owne bosomes , blasting that private interest for which they have betrayed his . Whereas then I must professe before God , and the world , I can apprehend no motive or inducement so prevalent as to perswade me , that the Liturgie of the Church of England is any way a hinderer of Gods holy Worship , or an obstacle to the solid and sufficient Ministration of the Word agreeable to Orthodox Antiquity , and an approved promoter of Gods glory in the Church I live in : being ( I say ) to consent to the abolition of Liturgie , I find in my soule no moving motive , but either the hope of more , or the holding of what I have ; I dare not , ( finding within me nothing but carnall interest ) put a specious shew of Religion upon it , and tell the world that I lay aside the truly Divine Service of the Church , because Prelates overvalued it , the ignorant doted of it , the Papists nos'd with it , and an idle and unedifying Ministery maintained by it . These I professe , to me are neither true nor weighty considerations ; for if I should now ( as I am ) forbear or lay it aside , it is not any , or all these , but only in mine own defence , only for mine own ends I should do it : Now whether any man may salvâ conscientiâ prefer what he conceives in Gods service a worse way , meerly for the boot of private interest , I leave it to your prudent consideration ; concluding with that of Chrystost . — Qui hominem timet ab co ipso quem timet deridebitur , sin vero Deum , hominibus quoque venerabilis crit . He who in Gods cause prefers man , he shall be scorn'd of him he fears ; but he who fearing God despiseth man , shall be had in reverence even of those men : The patient abiding of the meek shall not alway be forgotten . And here I had thought to have put a period both to your trouble , and my owne ; but I must needs crave-leave , that you would thus far be an advocate both for me , and all in my condition , as to procure a beliefe that such who are constant to their faith , and principles , according to the established and old way of England , may be held if weak , yet conscientious Christians ; for it 's none of the lest pressures of the Crosse upon us , that we of all men are thought to have no foundation ; whereas we in our judgements believe verily , if what we hold and suffer for be not that very Religion which the Divines of England unanimously subscribed , and professed to ratifie ; there is not any in England that is above seven yeares old , and to innovate in Religion hath ( I am sure ) By the sages of this present : Parliament been so severely looked upon , that I should be very loath to be such a capitall offendor . All that my soule longeth after , is but to obtaine the same liberty which all different parties ( but such as hold to their rule and conformity ) daily have ; a free exercise of my conscience in that way of Worship , in which both Church & State visibly held , and profest communion till very lately ; a way of worship in the daies of Q. Mary justified against the Papist ; a way of Worship in the daies of Q. Elizabeth so highly protested against by the Puritan , that Stow in his Chronicle hath recorded at Bury Sizes , 1583. Hacke● and Coppinger were hang'd for spreading certain books seditiously penn'd by one Robert Browne against the Common-Prayer Book . Now reverend Sir , till some better judgment shall unfold the mystery , it must be my wonder , tha 〈…〉 very form which this very Parliament past under the notion of Divine Service ; should on a sudden become such an abomination , that any way of Worship , but it , is permitted ; my body of professors conscientious , but such as use this ; all other wayes being held if not religious , yet tolerable : This I can assure you is no meane scandall and riddle to such as are very intelligent , and very conscientious Christians . Indeed a Declaration past , and by the House of Commons was ordered , not only to be p●inted , but by speciall order to be published by the care of Knights and Burgesses , against all such persons as should take upon them to preach or expound , not being ordained here , or in some reformed Church . But whereas in October last a Petition against this Declaration was exhibited , and with thanks received by both Houses ; whereas notwithstanding that Declaration , such as have no act of Ministeriall Ordination past upon them , do daily uncheck'd , preach and expound in Churches , and publike places ; I humbly desire you so to qualifie my conscientious constancy to the most Christian form of the Church of England , that to persevere in it , be no more held contumacy against Ordinance , then was that Petition against the Declaration ; so shall I be bound to give you more thanks then were the Houses to give them . In a word , I beseech you ( good Sir ) by that conscientious subscription in which we both visibly agreed ; by that canonicall obedience which we both deliberately sware ; by that Doctrine which at cur Inductions in the face of our Congregations , and the presence of Almighty God , we did professe to ratisie ; by that solemne Protestation which since this Parliament began we both took ; by these , and by all those duties , in which ( I suppose without scruple ) we did both within seven years last past practise and communicate ; Be pleased to looke with some charitable respect upon one who now only is what generally all the Divines of England very lately professed , at least pretended for to be ; one I am who fear to change , least ( as a defloured Virgin that having lost the chast vaile of her strict modesty , then lyeth opan to al proff●●s ) I should find my self tractable to all changes : and how various they may yet prov● God knowes . Blessed be God for Religion , whether in Doctrine , Discipline , Government , or form of Worship , I am very well ; might I enjoy my peace within this pale I should blesse God , and the contrivers of it ; or might there be a Reformation , and not abolition , I should yet hope to live in a Ministeriall way : but however let me live ( I beseech you ) in your esteem either as a conscientious brother , or as your convert ; arguments may pierce deeper then afflictions , the one ( blessed be God ) I have born with a tolerable patience , & the other I am ready to receive with a proportionable meeknes . Sir , the totall of my desire and indeavour is , that either as Divine you would satisfie my Scruples , or as a Christian satisfie my friend , and for either of these I shall subscribe my self , Your thankfull Brother in the Lord , J. A. Decemb. 22. 1647. Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A75036e-120 Reformed Catholike 707. pag. 855. ibid. lib. 7. de leg. lib. 4. c. 17. 5. Eccles. 4. Gen. 26. Ioan. Dr●sius in difficilioribus Geneseôs . Barradius , Tom. 4. l. 10. c. 12. 6. Numb. 23. In 1 Cor. 11 ver. ultim . Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. de Religio . Printed 1628. lib. 83. quaest. 31. I●stit . l 4. c. 14. p. 19. As Grotius cites him de Iure belli . Chron. Chario . Diocles . Mat. 41. Luk. 5. ● . Mark 61 Joh 98. Ian. 2 Epist. 33. In Sermone ad plebem intra basilicam , Ep. 33. p. 118. in Bridewell . Hom. 84. in Mat. th● . See the Supplication of the men of Norfolk and Sust . in the Booke of Mart. 1728 Abridg. pag. 413. 31. Decem 1646. 
A78955	----	His Maiesties paper containing severall questions propounded to the commissioners Divines touching Episcopacy. With an humble answer returned to his Majesty by Mr. Marshall, Mr. Vines, Mr. Carill, and Mr. Seaman 4. October 1648. Published by authority. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I) This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A78955 of text R205221 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E466_6). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 24 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A78955 Wing C2533 Thomason E466_6 ESTC R205221 99864650 99864650 116882 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A78955) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116882) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 74:E466[6]) His Maiesties paper containing severall questions propounded to the commissioners Divines touching Episcopacy. With an humble answer returned to his Majesty by Mr. Marshall, Mr. Vines, Mr. Carill, and Mr. Seaman 4. October 1648. Published by authority. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I) Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Vines, Richard, 1600?-1656. Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675. Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673. Westminster Assembly (1643-1652) [2], 10 p. printed by Moses Bell, London : 9 Octob. 1648. Another edition of: His Majesties reason why he cannot in conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall government. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Episcopacy -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. A78955 R205221 (Thomason E466_6). civilwar no His Majesties paper containing severall questions propounded to the commissioners divines touching episcopacy. With an humble answer returne England and Wales. Sovereign 1648 4199 4 0 0 0 0 0 10 C The rate of 10 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-04 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2008-04 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion His Majesties PAPER Containing severall Questions propounded to the Commissioners Divines Touching Episcopacy . With an humble Answer returned to his Majesty by Mr. Marshall , Mr. Vines , Mr. Carill , and Mr. Seaman 4. October 1648. DIEV ET MON DROIT London printed by Moses Bell , 9 Octob. 1648. SIR : I Have received your Letter of the 28. of September , for which I give you many thankes , and to satisfie you that the Treaty goeth on ; I have sent you what hath passed here of late , which is as followeth : Upon occasion of debate upon the Proposition of the Church , in which his Majesty makes divers scruples of Conscience , there was a concession that our Ministers , ( that is , Mr. Marshall , Mr. Vines , Mr. Carill , and Mr. Seaman ) should attend his Majesty , to remove such objections as he should please to make , and accordingly on Munday morning they waited on his Majesty , to whom the King delivered these inclosed Questions ; whereunto they have returned this Answer now also sent . These Propositions of the Church are still under debate , and will take up this weeke or more in the consideration of them : which being once granted ( as some are of opinion they will be ) we may thereby hope for a very speedy consent to all the rest . Commend me to all my friends , whose names I purposely omit , and rest Newport in the Isle of Wight , 4. of October , 1648. Yours to Command : W. M. Charles R. I Conceive that Episcopall Government is most consonant to the Word of God , and of an Apostolicall institution , as it appeares by the Scripture , to have been practised by Apostles themselves , and by them committed , and derived to particular persons as their Substitutes or Successors therein ( as for ordaining Presbyters and Deacons , giving rules concerning Christian Discipline , and exercising Censures over Presbyters and others ) and hath ever since to these last times been exercised by Bishops in all the Churches of Christ , and therefore I cannot in Conscience consent to abolish the said Government ; notwithstanding this my perswasion I shall be glad to be informed , if our Saviour and the Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty as they might totally alter or change the Church Government at their pleasure : which if you can make appeare to me , then I will confesse that one of my great Scruples is cleane taken away : And then there only remaines ; That being by my Coronation Oath obliged to maintaine Episcopall Government , as I found it setled to my hands : whither I may consent to the abolishing thereof untill the same shall be evidenced to me to be contrary to the Word of God . Newport , 2. Octob. 1648. An humble Answer returned to your Majesties Paper delivered to us , Octob. 2. 1648. May it please Your Majesty : WE do fully agree without haesitation , That thes Scriptures cited in the margent of your Paper , Acts 14. 23. Acts 6. 6. 1 Cor. 16. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 5. 3. 3 John 9. 10. do prove , That the Apostles did ordaine Presbyters and Deacons , give rules concerning Christian Discipline , and had power of exercising censures over Presbyters and others ; and that these places of Scripture , 1 Tim. 5. 22. Titus 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Titus 3. 10. do prove , That Timothy and Titus had power to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons , and to exercise Censures over others ; and that the second and third Chapters of the Revelations do prove , That the Angels of the Churches had power of governing of the Churches , and exercising Censures : But that either the Apostles , or Timothy and Titus , or the Angels of the Churches were Bishops , as Bishops are distinct from Presbyters , exercising Episcopall Government in that sense ; or that the Apostles did commit and derive to any particular persons as their Substitutes and Successors , any such Episcopall Government ; or that this is proved in the least measure by the Scriptures alleadged , we do as fully deny ; And therefore do humbly deny also , That Episcopall Government is therefore most consonant to the Word of God , and of Apostolicall institution , or proved so to be by these Scriptures . None of these were Bishops , or practised Episcopall Government , as Bishops are distinct from Presbytery ; neither is such an Officer of the Church as a Bishop distinct from a Presbyter , to be found in the new Testament ( by which we humbly conceive , That our faith and conscience touching this point ought to be concluded : The Name , Office , and worke of Bishop and Presbyter being one and the same in all things , and never in the least distinguisht , as is cleerely evident , Tit. 1. 5 , 7. For this cause left I thee in Creete , that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting , and ordaine Presbyters in every City , as I had appointed thee , for a Bishop must be blamelesse . In which place the Apostles reasoning were altogether invalid and inconsequent , if Presbyter and Bishop were not the same Office , as well as they have the same name . The same is manifest , Acts 20 17 , 28. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus , and called the Presbyters of the Church , to whom he gave this charge , vers. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves , and to all the flocks over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops ; to feed and governe the Church of God : Where we observe , That the Apostle being to leave these Presbyters , and never to see their faces more , vers. 38. doth charge them with the feeding and governing of the Church , as being Bishops of the Holy Ghosts making : But that the Holy Ghost did make any superiour or higher kinde of Bishops than these common Presbyters , is not to be found in that , or any other Text . And that under the mouth of two or three witnesses this assertion of ours may stand ; we adde to what we have already said , That in the first of Peter 5. 1 , 2. The Presbyters which are among you , I exhort , who am also a Presbyter , feed the flock of God which is among you ; Performing the Office of Bishops . Where it appeares plaine to us , That under the words used in this place , is exprest whatsoever worke the Presbyters do , more for the Government or good of the Church , otherwise than is there expresly enjoyned unto Presbyters . By all which that hath been said , The point is rendered most cleare to the judgement of most men , both ancient and of latter times , That there is no such Officer to be found in the Scriptures of the new Testament , as a Bishop distinct from a Presbyter : Neither doth the Scripture afford us the least notice of any qualification required in a Bishop , that is not required in a Presbyter ; nor any Ordination to the Office of a Bishop , distinct from a Presbyter ; nor any worke or duty charged upon a Bishop , which Presbyters are not enjoyned to do ; nor any greater honour or dignity put upon them . For that double honour which the Apostles speake of , 1 Tim. 5. 17. As due to Presbyters that rule well , is with a note of especially affixed to that act or worke of labouring in the Word of Doctrine ; which is not that act wherein Bishops have challenged a singularity or peculiar eminency above the Presbyter . To that which your Majesty doth conceive , That Episcopall Government was practised by Apostles themselves ; We humbly answer , That the Apostles , as they were the highest officers of the Church of Christ , so they were Extraordinarie in respect of their Commission and gifts , and office , and distinguished form all other officers , 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set some in the Church ; First Apostles , Secondly Prophets , Thirdly Teachers Ephefians . 4. 1. 1. Christ gave some Apostle , and some Prophets , and some Evangelists , and some Pasters , and some Teachers ; Whereby the Apostles are distinguisht from Pastors , and Teachers who are the ordinary Officers of the Church for Preaching the word , and Government : that they had power and authority to ordaine Church-Officers , and to excercise censures in all Churches we affirme , and withall , that no other Persons or Officers of the Church may challenge or assume to themselves such power in that respect alone , because the Apostles practised it , except such power belong unto them in common , as well as to the Apostles , by warrant of the Scripture , for that Government which they practised was Apostolicall , according to that peculiar Commission and Authority which they had , and no otherwise to be called Episcopall ; then , as their Office was so comprehensive as they had power to doe the worke of any , or all other Church-Officers ; In which respect they call themselves Presbyteri , Deaconi , ( but never Episcopi in distinct sence ) and therefore we humbly crave leave to say , That to argue the Apostles to have practised Episcopall Government , because they ordained other Officers , and exercised censures , is , as if we should argue a Justice of Peace to be a Constable , because he doth that which a Constable doth in some particulars . It s manifest that the Office of Bishops and Presbyters were not distinct in the Apostles , they did not Act as Bishops in some Acts , and as Presbyters in other Acts ; The distinction of Presbyters and Bishops being made by men in after times . And whereas your Majesty doth conceive , That the Episcopall Government , was by the Apostles committed and delivered to particular persons , as their Substitutes or Successors therein ( as for ordaining Presbyters and Deacons , giving rules concerning Christian Discipline , and exercising censures over Presbyters and others ) seeming by the alleadged places of Scriptures to instance in Timothy and Titus , and the Angels of the Churches . We humbly answer ▪ 1 And first to that of Timothy and Titus , we grant , That Timothy and Titus had authority and power of ordaining Presbyters and Deacons , and of exercising censures over Presbyters and others , though we cannot say they had this power as the Apostles Substitutes or Successors in Episcopall Government , nor that they exercised the power they had , as being Bishops in the sence of your Majestie , but as extraordinary Officers or Evangelists , which Evangelists were an Office in the Church , distinct from Pastors and Teachers , Ephesians 4. 11. And that they were Evangelists , it appeares by their being sent up and downe by the Apostles , or taken along with them in company to severall Churches , as the necessity and occasion of the Church did require ; the one of them being expresly called an Evangelist , 2 Tim. 4. 5. And neither of them being anywhere in Scriptures called Bishop , neither were they fixed to Ephesus and Creet , as Bishops in the Churches committed to them , but removed from thence to other places , and never , for ought appeares in Scriptures , returned to them againe : And it seemes cleare to us , that neither their abode at Ephesus and Creet was for any long time , nor so intended by the Apostle , for he imployes them there upon occasionall businesse , and expresseth himselfe in such manner , ( I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus , when I went into Macedonia , that thou mightest charge some , that they teach no other Doctrine , 1 Timothy 13. For this cause left I thee in Creet , Titus 1. 5. As doth not carry the fixing or constituting of a Bishop in a place as a perpetuall Governour : And it is as manifest , that they were both of them called away from these places , 2 Tim. 4. 9 Do thy diligence to come to me shortly , Titus , 3. 12. Be diligent to come to me to Nicapolis ; so that they may as well be called Bishops of other Citie , or Church where they had any considerable abode , as they are pretended to have beene of Ephesus and Creet , as they are called by the Postscripts of these Apostles , the credit of which Postscripts we cannot build upon in this point . 2 Secondly , to that of the Angels of the Churches , the Ministers of the Churches are called Stars and Angels , which Denominations are Metaphoricall and a Misterie , Rev. el 1. 20. The Mistery of the seaven Starres , Angells in respect of their mission or sending ; St●●●… in respect of their station and shining . And it seemes strange to us , that so many expresse testimonies of Scriptures , and allegoricall denominations or mysteries should be opposed ; These Angels being no where called Bishops in vulgar acceptation ▪ nor the word Bishop vsed in any of Johns writings , who cals himself Presbiter , nor any mention of superiority of one Presbiter to another , but in Diotrophes effecting it . And as to that which may be said that Epistles are directed to one ; We answer that an number of persons are in the mysterious and Prophetique writings exprest in singulars . And we humbly conceive that being written in an Epistolary stile ( for they are as Letters or Epistles to the Churches ) these writings are directed as Letters to collective or representative bodies use to be ; that is to one , but are intended and meant to the body in meeting assembled ▪ which that they were so intended , is cleare to us , both because there were in Ephesus Bishops , and Presbiters one and the same , to whom the Apostle at his farewell commended the Government of the Church , and by divers expressions in these Epistles , as Revel. 2. 24. To you and to the rest in Thyatira , by which distinction of you and the rest , we conceive the Church-governments ( which were more then one ) and the people to be signified , and so cannot consent that any singular person had majority over the rest , or sole power of exercising Church censures and Government spoken of in these Chapters . Having thus ( as we humbly conceive ) proved by pregnant places of Scripture compared together , that the Apostles themselves did not institute or practise Episcopall Government , nor commit and derive it to particular persons as their substitutes or successors therein . We shall in further discharge of our duty to , and for , the more cleere and full satisfaction of your Majesty in this point , briefely declare into what Officers hands , the ordinary and standing offices of the Church were transmitted and derived by , and from the Apostles . The Apostles had no Successors in eundem gradum : The Apostolicall office was not derived by succession , being instituted by Christ , by extraordinary and speciall commission ; but for the ordinary and standing use and service of the Church , there were ordained only two orders of offices , viz. Bishops and Deacons , which the Apostle expresseth , Phil. 1. 1. To all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Phillipi , with the Bishops and Deacons ; And only of them doth the Apostle give the due characters of Officers : I Tim. 3. 2. 8 : From both which places of Scripture we conclude with ancient Expositors both Greeke and Latine , that Bishops are the same with Presbiters , and besides Presbiters , there is no mention of any other Order , but that of Deacons ; of both which Orders there were in the Apostles times , in one City more then one , as in Philippi and Ephesus . And we humbly offer to your Majesty as observable ; That though one order might be superiour to another order , yet in the same order of Officers , there was not any one superiour to others of the same order ; No Apostle was above an Apostle , no Evangelist above an Evangelist , no Presbiter above a Presbiter , no Deacon above a Deacon : And so we conclude this part , that since Church Officers are instituted and set in the Church by God , or Christ Jesus ; And that Ordination by or in which the Office is conveyed is of no other Officers but of Presbyters and Deacons ; therefore there are no other orders of ordinary and standing Officers in the Churches of Christ . As for the ages immediately succeeding the Apostles , we answer , First , Our faith reacheth no further then the holy Scriptures ; no humane testimony can beget any more then an humane faith . Secondly , We answer , that it is agreed upon by learned men , as well such as contend for Episcopacy as others ; that the times immediately succeeding the Apostles , are very darke in respect of the History of the Church . Thirdly , That the most unquestionable record of those times , gives cleare testimony to our assertion , viz. The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians , who reciting the Order of Church Officers , expresly limits them to two Bishops , and Deacons ; And they whom in one place he call'd Bishops , he alwaies afterwards nameth Presbyters . The Epistles of Ignatius pretend indeed to the next Antiquity , but are by some suspected as wholly spurious , and proved by Videlius to be so mixed , that it is hard if not impossible to know what parts of them are genuine . Besides Bishop Vsher in his last observations on them . Cap 18. Page , 238. confesseth that of the twelve of his epistles , six are counterfeit , the other fix mixt , and none of them in every respect accompted sincere and genuine . Fourthly , We grant that not long after the Apostles times , Bishops in some superiority to Presbiters , are by the writers of those times reported to be in the Church , but they were set up not as a Divine Institution , but as an Ecclesiasticall , ( as afterwards both Arch-Bishops and Patriarkes were , ) which is cleare by Doctor Reynolds his Epistle to Sir Francis Knowles , wherein he shewes out of Bishop Jewell , that Ambrose , Chrysostome , Jerome , Augustine , and many more holy Fathers , together with the Apostle Paul , agree that by the word of God there is no difference between a Presbyter and a Bishop ; And that Medina in the Councell of Trent affirmes not only the same Fathers but also another Jerome ; Theodoret , Primatius , Sedulius , and Theophilact , to be of the same judgement : and that with them agreed Occuminius , Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canturbury , and another Anselme ; Gregory and Gratian , and after them many others ; that it was inrol'd in the Canon Law for sound and catholique doctrine , and publiquely taught by learned men , and adds , that all who have laboured in the reformation of the Church for these five hundred yeeres , have taught that all Pastors , be they instituted Bishops or Priests , have equall authority and power by Gods word . The same way goes Lumbard Master of the sentences , and Father of the Schoole-men , who speaking of Presbyters and Deacons , saith the Primitive Churches had those Orders only ; and that we have the Apostles precept for them alone ; with him agree many of the most eminent of that kinde , and generally all the Cannonists ; to these we may adde Sextus Senensis , who testifies for himselfe and many others , and Cassander who was called by one of the Germane Emperours , as one of singular ability and integrity , to informe him and resolve his conscience in questions of that nature , who saits it is agreed among all in the Apostles times , there was no difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbiter . For a conclusion we adde , that the doctrine which we have here in propounded to your Majesty concerning the identity of the Order of Bishops and Presbiters , is no other then the Doctrine published by King Henry the eight , 1543. For all his Subjects to receive , seen and allowed by the Lords both Spirituall and Temporall , with the nether House of Parliament : of these two Orders only ( so saith his Booke ) that is to say , Priests and Deacons , the Scripture maketh expresse mention , and how they were confer'd of by the Apostles by prayer , and imposition of their hands ; by all which it seems evident that the order of Episcopacie , as distinct from Presbiters , is but an Ecclesiasticall Institution , and therefore not unalterable . Lastly we answer , that that Episcopall Government which at first obtained in the Church did really and substantially differ from Episcopall Government , which the Honourable Houses of Parliament desire the abolition of . The Bishop of these times was one presiding in , and joyning with the Presbytry of his Church ruling with them , and not without them , either created and made by the Presbiters chusing out one among themselves , as in Rome and Alexandria , or chosen by the Church , and confirmed by three or more of his neighbours of like dignity within the same precinct . Lesser Townes and Villages had and might have had Bishops in them as well as populous and eminent Cities , untill the Councell of Sardis decreed that Villages and small Cities should have no Bishops , least the name and authority of a Bishop might thereby come into contempt ; but of one claiming as his due and right to himselfe alone , as a Superiour order or degree , all power about Ordination of Presbiters and Deacons , and all jurisdictions either to exercise himselfe , or deligate to whom he will of the Laity or Clergy , as they distinguish according to the judgement and practice of these in our times ; we reade not till the latter and corrupter ages of the Church . By all which it appeares , that the present Hierarchy , ( the abolition whereof is desired by the Honourable Houses may accordingly be abolished ; ) and yet possibly the Bishops of these Primitive times might be , they are so far differing one from another . In answer to that part of your Majesties Paper , wherein you inquire whether our Saviour and his Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty , as they might totally alter or change the Church-government at their pleasure ; we humbly conceive , that there are substantials belonging to Church-government , such are appointed by Christ and his Apostles , which are not in the Churches liberty to alter at pleasure : But as for Arch-Bishops &c. we hope it will appeare unto your Majesties conscience , that they are none of the Church Governours appointed by our Saviour and his Apostles ; we beseech your Majesty , rather to looke to the originall of them then Succession . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A78955e-290 Act. 14. 23 Acts 6. 6 1 Cor. 16. 1 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor 5. 3 3 Joh. 9. 10 1 Tim. 5. 22. Titus 1. 5 Rev. 2. 3 Chap. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Tit. 3. 10 
A79056	----	His Maiesties reason vvhy he cannot in conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall government. Delivered by him in writing to the Divines that attend the Honorable Commissioners of Parliament at the Treaty at Newport Octob. 2. 1648. With the answer of the said Divines delivered to His Majestie in writing. October 3. 1648. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I) This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A79056 of text R205219 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E466_5). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 24 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A79056 Wing C2738 Thomason E466_5 ESTC R205219 99864649 99864649 116881 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A79056) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116881) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 74:E466[5]) His Maiesties reason vvhy he cannot in conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall government. Delivered by him in writing to the Divines that attend the Honorable Commissioners of Parliament at the Treaty at Newport Octob. 2. 1648. With the answer of the said Divines delivered to His Majestie in writing. October 3. 1648. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I) Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Vines, Richard, 1600?-1656. Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675. Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673. Westminster Assembly (1643-1652) [2], 14 p. Printed by William Wilson, London : 1648. The Divines are Stephen Marshall, Richard Vines, Joseph Caryl and Lazarus Seaman. Cf. Thomason Catalogue. Annotation on Thomason copy: "8ber [i.e. October] ye 9th". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Episcopacy -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. A79056 R205219 (Thomason E466_5). civilwar no His Maiesties reason vvhy he cannot in conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall government. Delivered by him in writing to the Divines t England and Wales. Sovereign 1648 4117 1 20 0 0 0 0 51 D The rate of 51 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion HIS MAIESTIES REASON VVhy He cannot in Conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall Government . Delivered by Him in writing to the Divines that attend the Honorable Commissioners of Parliament at the Treaty at Newport Octob. 2. 1648. With the Answer of the said Divines delivered to His Majestie in writing . October 3. 1648. LONDON Printed by William Wilson , 1648. His Majesties Reason why He cannot in conscience consent to abolish the Episcopall Government . Charles R. I Conceive that Episcopall Government is most consonant to the word of God , and of an Apostolicall institution , as it appears by the Scripture to have bin practised by Apostles themselves , And by them committed , and derived , to perticular Persons , as their Substitutes , or Successors therein ( as for ordeyning Presbyters , & Deacons , giving rules concerning Christian Discipline , and exercising censurs over Presbyters and others ) And hath ever since till these last times been exercised by Bishops in all the Churches of Christ ; And therefore I cannot in conscience consent to abolish the sayd Government . Notwithstanding this my perswasion , I shall be glad to be informed , if our Saviour , and the Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty , as they might totally alter or change the Church Government at their pleasure , which if you can make appeare to me , then I will confesse that one of my great scruples is cleane taken away , and then there only remaines ; That being by my Coronation Oath obleiged to maintaine Episcopall Government , as I found it setled to my hands , whether I may consent to the abolishing thereof , untill the same shall be evidenced to Me to be contrary to the Word of God . Newport 2. Octob. 1648. The Answer of the Divines to His Majesties Reason , why He cannot in Conscience consenr to the abolishment of Episcopall Government . May it please Your Majesty , WE do fully agree without hesitation , that these Scriptures cited in the margin of your paper , Act. 14. 23. Acts 6. 6. 1 Cor. 16. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 5. 3. 3 Iohn 9 & 10 do prove that the Apostles did ordeine Presbyters and Deacons , give rules concerning Christian Discipline , and had power of exercising censures over Presbyters , and others . And that these places of Scripture , 1 Tim. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Titus 3. 10. do prove that Timothy and Titus had power to ordeine Presbyters and Deacons , and to exercise censures over Presbyters and others . And that the second , and third Chapters of the Revelation do prove ; That the Angels of the Churches had power of governing of the Churches , and exercising censures . But that either the Apostles , or Timothy and Titus , or the Angels of the Churches were Bishops , as Bishops are distinct from Presbyters , exercising Episcopall Government in that sense . Or that the Apostles did commit and derive to any particular persons as their substitutes , and successors , any such Episcopall Government : or that this is proved in the least measure by the Scriptures alleaged , we do as fully deny . And therefore do humbly deny also , That Episcopall Government is therefore most consonant to the word of God , and of Apostolicall institution , or proved so to be by these Scriptures . None of these were Bishops , or practised Episcopall Government , as Bishops are distinct from Presbyters . Neither is such an Officer of the Church as a Bishop distinct from a Presbyter to be found in the New Testament ( by which wee humbly conceive , that our Faith , and Conscience touching this poynt ought to be concluded . ) The name Office , and Worke of Bishop and Presbyter being one and the same in all things , and never in the least distinguisht , as is clearly evident , Titus 1. 5. 7. For this cause left I thee in Creete , that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting , and ordaine Presbyters in every City ; as I had appointed thee . For a Bishop must be blamelesse , In which place the Apostle his reasoning were altogether invalid , and inconsequent ; if Presbyter and Bishop were not the same Office , as well as they have the same Name . The same is manifest , Acts 20 17. 28. And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus , and called the Presbyters of the Church , to whom hee gave this charge , verse 28. Take heede therefore unto your selves , and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , to feede and governe the Church of God . Where wee observe , That the Apostle being to leave these Presbyters , and never to see their faces more verse 28. doth charge them with the feeding and governing of the Church ; as being Bishops of the Holy Ghosts making . But that the Holy Ghost did make any superiour , or higher kinde of Bishops , than these common Presbyters is not to bee found in that , or any other Text . And that under the mouth of two or three witnesses this assertion of ours may stand ; we adde to what we have already said , that in the 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. The Presbyters which are among you , I exhort , who am also a Presbyter . Feed the flock of God Which is among you , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} performing the office of Bishops , where it appears plaine to us , that under the words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} & {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} used in this place , is expressed whatsoever work the Presbyters are to do . Neither can Bishops , so called , as above Presbyters , do more for the government and good of the Church otherwise , then is there expressely injoyned unto Presbyters . By all which that hath been said the point is rendered to be most cleare to the judgement of most men , both ancient , and of later times . That there is no such Officer to be found in the Scriptures of the New Testament , as a Bishop distinct from a Presbyter : neither doth the Scripture afford us the least notice of any qualification required in a Bishop , that is not required in a Presbyter , nor any Ordination to the Office of a Bishop , distinct from a Presbyter : nor any work or duty charged upon a Bishop , which Presbyters are not enjoyned to do : nor any greater honour or dignity put upon them . For that double honour which the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 5. 17. as due to Presbyters that rule well , is with a note of ( especially ) affixed to that Act or work of labouring in the word and doctrine , which is not that Act wherein Bishops have challenged a singularity , or peculiar eminency above the Presbyters . To that which Your Majesty doth conceive , That Episcopall government was practised by Apostles themselves . We humbly answer , That the Apostles as they were the highest Officers of the Church of Christ : so they were extraordinary in respect of their commission , gifts , and office , and distinguisht from all other Officers , 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set some in the Church , first Apostles , secondarily Prophets , thirdly , Teachers , Ephes. 4. 11. Christ gave some Apostles , and some Prophets , and some Evangelists , and some Pastors and Teachers . Where the Apostles are distinguished from Pastors and Teachers , who are the ordinary Officers of the Church for preaching the word , and government . That they had power and authority to ordaine Church Officers , and to exercise censures in all Churches , we affirm , and withall , that no other Persons , or Officers of the Church may challenge or assume to themselves such power in that respect alone , because the Apostles practised it . Except such power belong unto them in common , as well as to the Apostles , by warrant of the Scripture . For that government which they practised was Apostolicall , according to the peculiar commission , and authority which they had , and no otherwise to be called Episcopal , than as their Office was so comprehensive , as they had power to do the work of any , or all other Church Officers , in which respect they call themselves Presbyteri , Diaconi , ( but never Episcopi in distinct sense ) and therefore we humbly crave leave to say , that to argue the Apostles to have practised Episcopall Government , because they ordeined other Officers , and exercised censures , is , as if we should argue a Justice of Peace to be a Constable , because he doth that which a Constable doth in some particulars . It s manifest that the Office of Bishops and Presbyters were not distinct in the Apostles . They did not act as Bishops in some Acts , and as Presbyters in other Acts. The distinction of Presbyters and Bishops being made by men in after times . And whereas your Majesty doth conceive that the Episcopall Government was by the Apostles committed and derived to particular persons , as their Substitutes , or Successors therein , as for ordeining Presbyters and Deacons , giving rules concerning Christian discipline , and exercising censures over Presbyters and others . Seeming by the alledged places of Scripture , to instance in Timothy , and Titus , and the Angels of the Churches . We humbly answer , and first , to that of Timothy and Titus . We grant that Timothy and Titus had Authority , and power of ordaining Presbyters and Deacons , and of exercising censures over Presbyters , and others : though we cannot say they had this power as the Apostles Substitutes , or Successors in Episcopal Government ; nor that they exercised the power they had , as being Bishops in the sense of your Majesty , but as extraordinary Officers , or Evangelists , which Evangelists were an office in the Church distinct from Pastors , and Teachers , Eph. 4. 11. and that they were Evangelists , it appears by their being sent up and downe by the Apostles , or taken along with them in company to severall Churches , as the necessity , and occasion of the Churches did require ; The One of them being expressely called an Evangelist , 2 Tim. 4. 5. And neither of them being anywhere in Scripture called Bishop . Neither were they fixed to Ephesus , and Creet , as Bishops in the Churches committed to them : but removed from thence to other places , and never , for ought appears in Scripture , returned to them againe . And it seems cleare to us , that neither their abode at Ephesus and Creet , was for any long time , nor so intended by the Apostle . For he imploys them there upon occasionall businesse , and expresses himselfe in such manner , ( I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia , that thou mightst charge some , that they teach no other doctrine , 1 Tim. 1. 3. For this cause left I thee in Greete , Tit. 1. 5. ) as doth not carry the fixing , or constituting of a Bishop in a place as a perpetuall Governour . And it is as manifest , that they were both of them called away from these places , 2 Tim. 4. 9. Do thy diligence to come to me shortly , Tit. 3. 12. Be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis . So that they may as well be called Bishops of other Cities , or Churches , where they had any considerable abode , as they are pretended to have beene of Ephesus and Greete . As they are called by the Poscripts of those Epistles , the credit of which Postscripts we cannot build upon in this point . Secondly , To that of the Angels of the Churches . The ministers of the Churches are called Starres , and Angels , which denominations are metaphoricall , and in a mystery , Rev. 1. 20. the mystery of the seven Starres , Angels , in respect of their mission , or sending . Starres in respect of their Station , and shining . And it seems strange to us , that to so many expresse Testimonyes of Scripture , an Allegoricall denomination , or mystery should be opposed . These Angels being no where called Bishops in vulgar acceptation , nor the word Bishop used in any of Johns writings , who cals himselfe Presbyter . Nor any mention of superiority of one Presbyter to another , but in Diotrephes affecting it . And as to that which may be said , that the Epistles are directed to one , we answer , that a number of persons , are in the mysterious , and Prophetick writings expressed in singulars , and we humbly conceive , that being written in an Apostolary Style , ( for they are as letters or Epistles to the Churches , ) these writings are directed as letters to collective Representative bodies use to be . That is , to one , but intended & meant to that body in meeting assembled ; which that they were so intended is cleare to us , both because there were in Ephesus Bishops and Presbyters , one and the same , to whom the Apostle at his farewell commendeth the Government of the Church : And by divers expressions in these Epistles , as Rev. 2. 24. To you and to the rest in Thyatyra ▪ by which distinction of you and the rest , we conceive the particular Governours , ( which were more then one ) and the people to be signified . And so cannot consent that any singular person had majority over the rest , or sole power of exercising Church Censures , and Government spoken of in these Chapters . Having thus ( as we humbly conceive ) proved by pregnant places of Scripture compared together , that the Apostles themselves did not institute , or practise Episcopall Government , nor commit and derive it to particular persons , as their substitutes , or successors therein . Wee shall in farther discharge of our duty to , and for the more cleare , and full satisfaction of your Majesty in this point , briefely declare into what Officers hands the ordinary and standing Offices of the Church were transmitted , and derived by & from the Apostles . The Apostles had no successors in eundem gradum : the Apostolicall Office was not derived by succession , being instituted by Christ by extraordinary & special Commission . But for the ordinary and standing use and service of the Church , there were ordained only two Orders of Officers , viz. Bishops and Deacons , which the Apostle expresseth , Phil. 1. 1. To all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi , with the Bishops and Deacons ; And onely of them doth the Apostle give the due Characters of Officers , 1 Tim. 3. 2. 8. From both which places of Scripture we conclude with ancient Expositors both Greek and Latin , that Bishops are the same with Presbyters , and besides Presbyters , there is no mention of any other order but that of Deacons . Of both which Orders in the Apostles times , there were in one City more then one , as in Philippi and Ephesus . And we humbly offer to your Majesty as observable ; That though one Order might be superiour to another Order , yet in the same Order of Officers , there was not any one superiour to others of the same Order : No Apostle was above an Apostle ; No Evangelist above an Evangelist ; No Presbyter above a Presbyter ; No Deacon above a Deacon . And so we conclude this part , That since Church Officers are instituted , and set in the Church by God , or Christ Jesus , and that Ordination by , or in which the Office is conveyed , is of no other Officers , but of Presbyters and Deacons . Therefore there are no other Orders of ordinary and standing Officers in the Churches of Christ . As for the ages immediatly succeeding the Apostles , we answer . First , Our Faith reaches no farther than the holy Scriptures . No humane testimony can beget any more than a humane faith . Secondly , we answer , That it is agreed upon by learned men , as well such as contend for Episcopacy , as others , that the times immediately succeeding the Apostles are very dark in respect of the Hystory of the Church . Thirdly , That the most unquestionable Record of those times gives cleare testimony to our assertion , viz. The Epistle of Clements to the Corinthians , who reciting the Orders of Church Officers , expresely limits them to two , Bishops and Deacons , and them , whom in one place he calls Bishops ; he alwayes afterwards nameth Presbyters . The Epistles of Ignatius pretend to the next antiquity , but are by some suspected as wholly spurious , and proved by Vedelius to be so mixed , that it is hard , it not impossible , to know what part of them are genuine : Besides , Bishop Vsher in his late observations on them Chap. 18. page 138. confesses , that of the twelve of his Epistles , six are counterfeit , the other sixe mixt , and none of them in every respect to be accounted sincere and genuine . Fourthly , We grant , That not long after the Apostles times , Bishops in some superiority to Presbyters are by the writers of those times reported to be in the Church ; But they were set up not as a Divine Institution , but as an Ecclefiasticall , as afterwards both Arch Bishops , and Patriarchs were ; which is cleare by Doctor Reinolds his Epistle to Sir Francis Knowles , wherein he shewes out of Bishop Jewel , That Ambrose , Chrysostome , Jerome , Augustine , and many more holy Fathers , together with the Apostle Paul agree , that by the word of God there is no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter . And that Medina in the Councell of Trent affirmes not onely the same Fathers , but also another Jerome , Theodoret , Primasius , Sedulius , and Theophytact , to be of the same judgement . And that with them agree Oecumenius ; Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury , and another Anselme , Gregory and Gratian , and after them many others ; That it was inrolled in the Canon-Law for sound and Catholick Doctrine ; and publikely taught by learned men . And addes , that all who have laboured in the Reformation of the Church for these 500. years have taught that all Pastors , be they entituled Bishops , or Priests , have equal authority and power by Gods word . The same way goes Lumbard Master of the Sentences , and Father of the Schoolmen , who speaking of Presbyters , and Deacons , saith , The Primitive Church had those Orders onely , and that we have the Apostles precept for them alone . With him agree many of the most eminent in that kind , and generally all the Canonists . To these we may adde Sextus Senensis , who testifies for himself , and many others . And Cassander , who was called by one of the Germame Emperours as one of singular ability , and integrity , to inform him , and resolve his conscience in questions of that nature ; who said , It is agreed among all , that in the Apostles times , there was no difference betweene a Bishop , and a Presbyter . For a conclusion , we adde , that the Doctrine which we have herein propounded to your Majesty concerning the Identity of the Order of Bishops and Presbyters , is no other then the Doctrine published by King Henry the 8. 1543. for all his subjects to receive , seen and allowed by the Lords both spiritual and temporal , with the nether House of Parl. Of these two Orders onely ( so saith the Book ) That is to say , Preists and Deacons , Scripture maketh expresse mention , and how they were conferred of the Apostles by Prayer , and Imposition of hands . By all which it seems evident , that the Order of Episcopacie , as distinct from Presbytery , is but an Ecclesiasticall Institution , and therefore not unalterable . Lastly ; we answer . That Episcopall Government which at first obteined in the Church , did really and substancially differ from the Episcopall Government , which the Honorable Houses of Parliament , desire the abolition of . The Bishop of those times was one presiding , & joyning with the Presbytery of his Church , ruling with them , and not without them . Either created , and made by the Presbyters choosing out one amongst themselves , as in Rome & Alexandria , or chosen by the Church , and confirmed by three , or more of his neighbours of like dignity within the same precinct ; lesser towns , and villages had , and might have Bishops in them , as well as populous and eminent Cities , untill the Councel of Sardis decreed , that villages , and small Cities should have no Bishops , least the name , and authority of a Bishop might thereby come into contempt . But of one claming as his due , and right to himselfe alone , as a superior order , or degree , all power about ordination of Presbyters , and Deacons , and all jurisdiction , either to exercise himselfe , or delegate to whom he will of the Laity or Clergy , ( as they distinguish ) according to the Judgement and Practice of those in our times , wee read not till in the latter and corrupter ages of the Church . By all which it appears , that the present Hierarchy , the abolition whereof is desired by the Honourable Houses , may accordingly be abolished , and yet possibly the Bishop of those Primitive times be . They are so farre differing one from another . In answer to that part of your Majesties Paper , wherein you require whether our Saviour and his Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty , as they might totally alter or change the Church Government at their pleasure . We humbly conceive that there are substantials belonging to Church Government , such as are appointed by Christ and his Apostles , which are not in the Churches liberty to alter at pleasure . But as for Arch-bishops , &c. We hope it will appear unto your Majesties conscience , that they are none of the Church Governours appointed by our Saviour and his Apostles . And we beseech your Majesty to look rather to the Originall of them , then Succession . Octob , 3. 1648. Imprimatur , JA: CRANFORD . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A79056e-130 Acts 14. 23. Acts 6. 6. 1 Cor. 16. 1. 1 Cor 14. 1 Cor. 5. 3. 3 John 9. 10. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Titus 1. 5. Revel. 2. 3. c. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Titus 3. 10. 
A89562	----	A copy of a letter written by Mr. Stephen Marshall to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindication of himself and his ministry, against that altogether groundlesse, most unjust, and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certaine malignants in the city, and lately printed at Oxford, in their Mendacium Aulicum, otherwise called Mercurius Aulicus, and sent abroad into other nations to his perpetuall infamy. In which letter the accusation is fully answered. And together with that, the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up defensive arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated, texts of Scripture cleared, all objections to the contrary answered, to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great controversie. Plea for defensive arms. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89562 of text R21572 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E102_10). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 83 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89562 Wing M750 Thomason E102_10 ESTC R21572 99871453 99871453 123864 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89562) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 123864) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 18:E102[10]) A copy of a letter written by Mr. Stephen Marshall to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindication of himself and his ministry, against that altogether groundlesse, most unjust, and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certaine malignants in the city, and lately printed at Oxford, in their Mendacium Aulicum, otherwise called Mercurius Aulicus, and sent abroad into other nations to his perpetuall infamy. In which letter the accusation is fully answered. And together with that, the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up defensive arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated, texts of Scripture cleared, all objections to the contrary answered, to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great controversie. Plea for defensive arms. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 30 p. Printed for John Rothwell, at the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1643. Originally published in 1642 as: A plea for defensive arms. Annotation on Thomason copy: "May 18th". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Great Britain -- History -- Puritan Revolution, 1642-1660 -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. A89562 R21572 (Thomason E102_10). civilwar no A copy of a letter written by Mr. Stephen Marshall: to a friend of his in the city, for the necessary vindication of himself and his minist Marshall, Stephen 1643 14474 42 20 0 0 0 0 43 D The rate of 43 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-07 Simon Charles Sampled and proofread 2007-07 Simon Charles Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Copy of A LETTER Written by Mr Stephen Marshall To a friend of his in the City , for the necessary vindication of himself and his Ministry , against that altogether groundlesse , most unjust , and ungodly aspersion cast upon him by certaine Malignants in the City , and lately printed at Oxford , in their Mendacium Aulicum , otherwise called Mercurius Aulicus , and sent abroad into other Nations to his perpetuall infamy . In which Letter the Accusation is fully answered . And together with that , the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments taking up Defensive Arms is briefly and learnedly asserted and demonstrated , Texts of Scripture cleared , all Objections to the contrary answered , to the full satisfaction of all those that desire to have their consciences informed in this great controversie . HOSEA 4. 1 , 2 , 3. 1. Heare the word of the Lord , ye Children of Israel , for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land , because there is no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of God in the Land . 2. By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and whoring , they break out and blood toucheth blood . 3. Therefore shall the Land mourne , &c. LONDON Printed for JOHN ROTHWELL , at the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard , 1643. SIR , YOur letters brought not the first tidings of the continuance and encrease of those strange reports concerning me , they filled the City even while I was there , and I perceive pursue me into the Countrey : it is a lying spirit which God hath permitted to haunt me for my triall , as it hath done others of his servants before me . You know what a book Bolsec wrote of the life and death of Mr. Calvin : Beza lived to write a confutation of a book written of his renouncing his religion and turning Papist . And concerning Luther , the Priests had long reported , that he had his call from the devill , and to confirm it , filled Italy with a rumour of his death , and that at his death hee was carried away by the devil soul and body : which they ( good souls ) divulged not to discredit the man , but in gloriam Iesu Christi , to the glory of Christ , and comfort of the godly . The like usage my self have lately met with in some degree , for being afflicted with a deep cold and distillation from my head upon my lungs , and some feverish distempers , my learned , loving and carefull Physitian , finding that the too importune visits of my many loving friends , occasioned too much speech , and thereby too much expence of spirits , advised me to remove to the house of my Noble Lord of Warwick , where I should have more ayre , and lesse company : hereupon a report was immediately spread about the City that I was distracted , and in my rage constantly cried out , I was damned for appearing in , and adhering to the Parliament and Kingdom in this defensive warre : which when I first heard , I looked upon as a calumny invented by some simple adversary ( though malicious enough to my person and ministry ) who finding it the readiest way to reproach me betook himself to this . But afterwards observing how studiously it was maintained , how laboriously propagated , how handed from Court to City , from City to Countrey , from England to forraign parts , Mercurius Aulicus printed it , and a great Officer of State having sent it into other Kingdoms with his letters , assuring the truth of it , and that not nine dayes , no not a month did allay it , I then perceived the plot was not so much to disgrace me , ( for alas who am I that they should trouble themselves so much about me ) but through me to wound the cause , in which my poore labours have been engaged . This rumour it seemes yet lives , and ( as your letter confirmes ) encreases ; from my going down into the Countrey they have taken occasion not only to report me distracted , but dead , yea that I died crying our of my appearing in this cause ; and this is so confidently reported by some , that it is almost as confidently beleeved by others ; even thousands , you say , which makes you earnestly to presse me to write unto you , whether I have not ( at least ) changed my former judgement about our defensive armes , and this not ( as you professed ) to satisfie your selfe , but that you might have something under my owne hand to shew for the satisfaction of others . Sir , your ancient love to me , and present desires to vindicate me from these aspersions , but especially your care that the publike cause might not suffer , doe all command me to be your servant in this thing . I know it will satisfie you , that I solemnly protest unto you , that in all these fourteen weeks keeping in , I never had an houres sicknesse , nor lost a nights sleep , nor had any distemper in my head , nor saw any cause of sorrow for my adhering to the Parliaments cause but esteem it a great honour and mercy from God , that he should move his Excellency my Lord , to require my service in this great expedition ; and that I have even therefore exactly followed the Doctors prescriptions , out of an earnest desire to be sitted for my work , that I might returne to my most Honoured Lord , being fully resolved , if God say Amen to it , never to give it over , untill either there be an end of that work , or an end of my dayes . This I think will satisfie you , and it is possibly as much as you desire for the satisfaction of others , to have this under my hand . Take this concerning the cause , and concerning the report spread of me , what Luther said ( of those above mentioned ) concerning himselfe ; fateor & testor hâc meâ manu , &c. I professe and testifie under my hand that I entertained this fiction of my distraction and death , laetaque mente & hilari vul●●… ; very chearfully . But since your love hath compelled me to put pen to paper , I shall compell you to read the largest letter that ever I wrote , being resolved to give you a full account both of my ground and warrant of entring upon my office , and how farre I am from changing my judgement upon the present view of things . When his Excellency vouchsafed to require my service ( for , God knows , I offered not my selfe in this great work ) there were but two questions ( beside my care to walk aright in my ministry ) for my conscience to be resolved in . First , whether upon supposall of the truth of the Parliament votes . viz. That his Majesty seduced by wicked Councell , did levie warre against the Parliament ; the Scripture did warrant them to take up defensive armes . Secondly , Whether the Parliament was not misinformed about such his Majesties purpose , and practice . The first is a mear question in Divinity . viz. Whether a people , especially the representative body of a State , may ( after all humble Remonstrances ) defend themselves against the unlawfull violence of the Supream Magistrate , or his Instruments , Endeavouring ( and that in matters of great moment ) to deprive them of their lawfull liberties . The Second is a question mearly of matter of fact . For the first , Before the beginning of these unhappy differences , I had both learned , and taught to this purpose . First , that it is agreeable to Gods will , that in all Countreys ( especially when and where the people are numerous ) Magistracie be set up , with a sufficiencie of power and authority to rule for the publike good ; and that , even among them who are under the scepter of Christ , against the Anabaptisis . Secondly , that among the divers kinds of lawfull governments , Monarchy , Aristocracy , and Democracy , no one of them is so appointed of God , as to exclude the other from being a lawfull government . Thirdly , That the bounds and limits of the Magistrates lawfull power of commanding , and the subjects necessary obeying , must be sound , and taken out of the severall Lawes , Customs , and Constitutions of those severall States , and Commonwealths : There are scarce two formes ( especially of Regall government , in the world ) but they differ one from the other , and that in matters of moment . Now I say , what the power of Magistrates in one Countrey differs from the power of Magistrates in another Countrey , and how the duty of Subjects differs in each , must be found only in the lawes of the respective places : that no mans right must be detained from him , that Caesar should have rendred to him the things that are Caesars , and all people the things that are their own , the Scripture , and lawes of all Nations doe determine . But whether ( for instance in England ) Shipmoney be the Kings right , and so to be yeelded , or denyed ; whether this house or inheritance be this or the other pretenders to it , must not be determined by any law , but by the law of England ; goe therefore to the Lawes , and learned Lawyers , and from them alone you shall learn what is the Prerogative of the Prince , and both the Duty , and Liberty of the Subject . But then fourthly comes in Religion or the command of God , and binds the consciences of Magistrates to rule , and of Subjects to obey , according to those Lawes . And fifthly , ( in particular ) of Subjects it requires these four things . First , to render to their Governours , next under God the greatest fear , and honour , as being Gods vicegerents , as having the greatest beames of his authority put upon them , and therefore called Gods , and all of them the children of the most High . Secondly , Loyalty to their persons , and office , that is , obedience according to law , and patient subjection , when we cannot actively obey , willingly for conscience sake to submit to the penalty of the laws , when for conscience sake we cannot observe the lawes themselves . Thirdly , maintenance with payment of all lawfull Customs , Tributes , and impositions . Fourthly , all manner of supplications , prayers , Intercessions , and giving of thanks , their usefullnesse being great , their temptations many , their fall ( like that of great Cedars ) the crushing of many , and the shaking of the earth round about them , and all this we owe , not only to the King as Supream , but in proportion to all inferior Governors , who are sent by God also for the punishment of evill doers , and for the praise of them that doe well , they being all the ministers of God for our good , and this is the first Commandement with promise . But sixthly , if our Governours ( whether supream , or inferior ) leave to rule according to law , and set up their own will contrary to law ; there is no word of God acquitting them from sin in Gods sight , but severely threatening them for abusing his name , which they bear ; nor any word binding the consciences of their subjects therein to yeeld them any active obedience . Thus farre we have all sides agreeing in all the particulars , except only a few Court flatterers , who ( and that especially of late ) have endeavoured to cry up Monarchy , as the only ordinance of God , for the Government of States ; as if the other forms of Aristocracy , and Democracy were not approved by him : Yea , and have cryed up the power and authority of Princes to be such , as that they are absolved from all lawes ; and that whatsoever the Subjects enjoy under them , is only by the Princes favour , which if they please to recall , how justly or unjustly soever , the Subjects are bound to yeeld all unto them , and have no plea against their Prince , only in the Court of Heaven ; no law , no judg , no Court here below , having any authority to say unto him , What dost thou : This Divinity hath of late been preached ; and , as sweet enchanting musike , often chanted in the eares of our Princes : and no doubt was one great occasion of these heavy yoaks we have of late groaned under . But these absurdities need no refutation . Egiptian Pharaoh claimed not the wealth of his people , till he had bought it . And Ahab himselfe , who durst not lay claim to Naboths vineyard , without purchase , or colour of confiscation , proclaims their ignorance sufficiently to the world . And among our selves , the constant proceedings of our Princes , even in their most heavy illegall exactions , borrowing allwayes a colour of law , and the known laws of the land , enabling the meanest subject to maintain his Propriety , even in a two-peny matter , against his Soveraign ; And the innumerable verdicts in all Courts , passing for the Subject , against the King ; assure me that unlesse God for our sins should give up our Parliament and S●ate to the vassallage which this Popish Army would bring it to , we shall heare no more of this Divinity . The only Question now is about passive obedience ; they who cry down our defensive Arms , confesse that the Magistrate cannot require any thing but by Law , and that the subject need not yeeld up his right but by Law ; to tie lies upon the conscience of Naboth to let Ahab have his vineyard : but if a Saul will by force take away our sonnes to ea●e his ground , and our daughters to be his Confectioners , Cookes , and Bakers ; if he will by force take our fields , even the best of them , and give them their servants , we have no help in that day , but preces & lachrymae , to cry unto our God : but no liberty to defend our selves by Armes against such tyranni ; if we do ( Say they ) we resist the ordinance of God , and must receive to our selves damnation . But if this opinion be weighed in the ballance of Reason , how much lighter than vanity will it be found ; how absurd a thing is it , that these men will allow me , if the King pretend Law in any thing I may try it out with him , and not when he or his Instruments come with open violence : If the King will sue mee , and by pretence of Law seek to take away my coat , my house , my land , I may defend these from him with all the strength of Law I can , but if he come with armed violence to take away my liberty , life , religion , I must yeeld up these without making any resistance : I may secure that which I have nothing but lex terrae to plead my propriety in , viz. my money , which I may give away , and in the mean time my liberty , life , religion , which are mine by the lawes of God and man , I may not secure with a good conscience . True it is , if in case it do ( upon circumstances duly weighed ) appeare that our receding from our right , and not resisting wrong , will tend to the promoving of a greater and a more generall good , or the preventing of a greater and more generall evill , it is agreeable to right reason , and our Saviours rule , Mat. 5. 39. that we should both remit of our right , and submit to wrong , whether sued or unsued , whether to superiours or inferiours , or equals . But that men should give a liberty of defence in Law , and yet absolutely condemn defence against unlawfull violence , is such an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , such an absurdity as you shall seldom meet with . But give me leave to weigh it a little further ; if the Subjects defending themselves by Armes against the violence of oppressing Governours and their instruments be unlawfull , either it must be because their Prince hath by conquest spoyled them of that liberty which God and nature gave them at the first . Or secondly , because they or their Ancestors having submitted by covenant and consent to him to be their supream Ruler according to Law , they must therefore bee interpreted to have yeelded up all their liberty so farre as to bee now unable with a good conscience to defend themselves against his violence though contrary to Law . Or thirdly , because God hath lifted up Princes so far above all mortall men , that all hands are by him bound from daring to resist them . The first I finde not many pleading , that peoples being conquerd , makes it unlawfull for them to defend themselves against the unjust violences of their conqueror or his successors : Most of them grant , that the peoples right is to designe the person of their Prince . And indeed it is the most absurd reasoning in the world , that because a strong robber hath over powerd mee in my house , in conscience I am tyed to be his servant or slave for ever . Because Eglon hath mightily oppressed Israel for eighteen yeares , it is unlawfull for them to shake off his yoak when they are able to resist him : Certainly , whatever of mine another takes by violence from me , let him keep it never so long , it is but Continuata injuria , a continued wrong , till I consent to his holding it ; And all reason allowes me to recover it again as soon as I can . And I fear not to say , that had William Sirnamed the Conquerour taken and held this Crowne only by his sword , and ruled over the Nation only by force , and all his successors to this day had no other claim to it , all the reason in the world would allow us to redeem our selves from that yoak , if we were able . But though the sword begin the Conquest , yet many times the Consent of the people comes in , and makes their Conquerour their lawfull King ; and then so farre as by Covenant or Lawes , they agree to be under him for the publike safety and good , they are bound up from any resistance . But that their parting with some of their liberty for the publike good should ( upon the usurpation of him whom they have trusted ) deprive them of that liberty which they never parted with , is most abhorring to reason . Suppose a free man indents with another to be his servant in some ingenious employment , as , suppose to attend upon his person ; and expresly indents that his master shall not have power to command him to rub his horse heels , or fill his dung-cart , or the like ; If now this master shall usurp , and command him to such sordid employment , and by force seek to compell him to them , some shew of reason ( at least ) there would be for the servant to plead that his master had forfeited all his power over him , and that he was free from his service , and might goe seek another master ; but no colour of reason that the servant hath now forfeited that immunity from sordid and drudgery works that he first covenanted , and must thenceforth lie at his masters feet , as wholly prostitute to all his Imperious humours . Secondly , can it be imagined , by reason that a people submitting to a lawfull government , should thereby be necessitated to that which may overthrow the end of all government , that is , inability to provide for their common safety . That whereas when they were free and under no government at all , they might by the law of nature defend themselves against injury : now having submitted , though upon good conditions , they are utterly disabled to defend themselves if he that should be their Protector , would prove their Murtherer : If he who both in himselfe and instruments should be only for the punishment of evill and the praise of them that doe well , will goe , or send , or suffer a company of theeves or murtherers to goe in his name , and spoile and destroy them that do well : can their being subjects ( in reason ) deprive them of their defence allowed them by the law of nature ? yea were they not guilty of selfe-murther in suffering such a thing ? For instance , some of our Historians relate of King Iohn , that he was transported with so deep a hatred against his Nobles and Commons , that he sent an Ambassadour to Miramumalin , entituled the great King of Africa , Morocco , and Spaine , wherein he offered to render unto him his Kingdome , and to hold the same from him by tribute as his Soveraigne Lord , to forgoe the Christian faith ( which he held vaine ) and receive that of Mahomet ; like enough some Court-Chaplaine ( may be the Clerk that went on the errand ) might warrantize the Kings conscience , and tell him , that it was the more shame for them who profest the Christian Religion , to compell him to it . But whether the King did lawfully or not , is not our question , but whether the subjects might lawfully have resisted that attempt of his , and have stood for their Religion , Lives , and Liberty . Thirdly , is it not quite contrary to reason , that whereas Kings and Rulers nothing differing by nature from their meanest subjects , were at first constituted , and are still continued for the protection , welfare , benefit , yea and service of the people ; and who therefore should value their prerogatives , scepters , and lives no further then they may advance the publike good , yet if they degenerate , and will be destroyers , the people should suffer all to be spoyled , as if Kingdoms and people had been created by God for the will , pleasure , profit , yea and lusts of Princes . As if a Pilot purposely appointed for the safe wafting over of passengers , who instead thereof will dash the ship against the rocks : Or a Generall purposely chosen ( and to whom the souldiers have therefore sworne ) for the safety of the whole Army , should yet turne the Cannon mouth upon his own souldiers , or deliver them all up into the hands of the enemy : the passengers and souldiers , yea the officers in the ship , and Councell of warre in the Army , should be morally disabled from doing any thing to prevent their own apparant destruction . By this reason the Bishop of Burgeu in the Councell of Basil proved the Councell to be above the Pope , and a Kingdom above the King , and said they were but flatterers who taught otherwise . And fourthly , doth not right reason as much abhorre this , that whereas Princes are the publike fathers , and the people owe them the duty of children , that these children should be prohibited from keeping their publike fathers from the greatest evils : If our naturall father through ignorance or distemper should go into a pest-house , his children might by force fetch him out ; or if in a raging passion go about to kill himself , wife , children , or any others , their children may disarme them , yea we are tied not to suffer friend or foe to incurre the guilt of rapine or blood , if it lie in our power to hinder it ; and ( speak to my reason ) what evill have Princes deserved , that if they go about to murder themselves , subjects , and children , not any of their people , no not the whole body politick should have power to restrain them . And if reason will allow this liberty of resistance to private persons ( as even Barclay and Grotius the two great propugners of the sacred and inviolable power of Kings , grant ) how much more cleare , honourable , and safe must such a defence needs be , when done by the representative body of a State , who are Gods ordinance as well as Kings , the ministers of God sent by him to be a terrour to evill , and a praise to them that do well . And in England are the highest Court of Judicature , and in whom his Majesty confesses there is legally placed sufficient power to prevent Tyranny . Upon such reasons as these , not only Heathens have resisted their Princes , when bent to subvert their laws and liberties ; but even most of the States of Christendome , Papists and Protestants when they have been put to it , have borne defensive Armes against the unlawfull violences of their misled Princes . But now if notwithstanding all this faire shew of reason Gods word hath determined the contrary , we must lay our hands upon our mouths and shall no longer deserve to be accounted the servants and subjects of Christ , then while we turne our reason ( how specious soever ) out of doores , when once it offers to oppose the least Iota of his revealed will . But where is this Scripture to be found ? Certainly the good Subjects in the Old Testament knew it not . Sauls Subjects who swore that Saul should not kill Ionathan , nor pluck an haire from his head , though Saul had sworne by God he should die , knew no such Scripture and I believe that if the same men had been about him when he protested the Priests of the Lord should die , they would not only have with-held their own , but Doegs hands from doing execution . David knew no such Scripture ; nor the 600 men with him , that would have fortified Keilah against Saul . Nor those many choice men of the severall Tribes of Israel , among whom were some of Sauls brethren and kindred and chief officers , that fell to David ( though Saul had proclaimed him traitor ) from day to day to help him , till it was a great host like the host of God : And all this while David was ( though an innocent yet ) but a private man . And I think if Elias had took himselfe bound in conscience to render himselfe prisoner to the Captains which Ahaziah sent for him , he would not have killed them with fire from heaven : Neither would Elisha have taken such a rough course with the messengers sent to take his head . Nor would the eighty valiant Priests have thrust Vzziah by force out of the Temple , who was a King still , though a Leper . Neither can these examples be eluded with saying these were extraordinary persons ; for first they were not all so , not the people that resisted Saul , nor the people that fell to David , nor the eighty Priests , unlesse in the extraordinarinesse and valiancy of their spirits : And for the extraordinary persons themselves , I know nothing why their examples may not be pleaded , for our Defensive Armes , as well as Davids eating the shewbread was pleaded by our Saviour , for his Disciples rubbing the ears of corn , unlesse they can first shew , that their practice was against a known law , I mean , unlesse there were some known law that Innocents might not defend themselves , and one another against the unjust violence of their Princes . Indeed we often read in the Old Testament of Fearing the King , Honouring the King , Obeying the King , which their practice shewes they understood to bind them to yeeld Honour , Loyalty , Obedience , and Subjection to their Magistrates according to law ; but not that they were bound to let them doe what mischeife they pleased . Neither is there any more in the new Testament ; there indeed are full and frequent exhortations to submit our selves to Magistrates , to be subject to the higher Powers which are ordained of God , and not to resist the Ordinance of God ; but not one word that we may not resist the Tyrannie of men , no colour for it , unlesse any will say that Tyrannie is Gods Ordinance , that Tyrants beare the sword for the punishment of evill doers , are the Ministers of God , &c. full proof there is that we must be under the authoritie of Rulers , that is , under their Legall Commands ; not one word of being at the dispose of their illegall wills : The word used there is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , derived ab {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , licet , to shew as one observes , that the Text bindes subjects to obey Superiours not ablibitum , but ablicitum , not to obey their lawlesse lusts and wills , but their lawfull authority , without resisting . And surely it were strange , that if God had laid this yoke of subjection to the illegall will of Rulers , that neither the Jewes under their Kings , nor under Antiochus , nor the Churches of Christ , nor the primitive Churches after once their religion and liberties were established by Laws , nor any of the Reformed Churches have took themselves , concluded under it : which of all the Reformed Churches have not by their practice manifested , that religion bindes them not to give their throats to be cut , or their liberties and states to be spoiled at the meer will of their Princes and their Instruments , contrary to their own Laws and Edicts ? Were not the Lutheran Churches put to it , and defended themselves against the Emperour Charles the fifth , when the Smalchaldian confederacie was entring ? Did not both the Divines and Lawyers being consulted with , agree , that the inferiour Magistrates might at some time resist the Superiour ? Have not the States and Churches of the Netherlands done the like constantly against the King of Spain ? the Protestants in France against their Kings ? How often and how lately have our brethren in Scotland done the same ? And although since the Reformation England was never put to it , untill these unhappy differences , yet how constantly have our most learned Divines , Bishops as well as others , defended by their Pens , and our Princes and States by their ayds of men and money , their distressed and oppressed Brethren and Neighbours in the like case ; and now in our own sight both the King and States have acquitted the Scots , as having done nothing in their late defence , but what became good Subjects . And what the judgement of this Nation was in the time of Popery is plain enough by their practice , in their usuall taking of Armes , and not leaving till they had compelled their Princes to ratifie their Priviledges and Charters , which through ill Counsellors they had infringed And observeable it is , that because the Bishops and Clergie of those times saw the Princes go about to take down their pride , they were ever the most forward to justifie the proceeding of the State ; and I suspect , in case the Tables were turned , and we had a King endeavouring to take downe the Bishops , to take away Pluralities , Non-Residents , &c. and a Parliament seeking to maintain them , the world would hear another Divinity from many of them , who now crie out , that all our defence is damnable . But lest I might be thought not to have weighed the Scripture and reasons of both sides equally , I will give you a further account what my thoughts were and are concerning the Scriptures usually pleaded against this resistance , and the reasons deduced from them . The strongest hold they pretend to , is built upon Romans 13. 1. &c. 1 Peter 2. 13 , 14. where we are enjoyned subjection to the Higher Powers , especially to the King as Supreme , and all know that Nero the then supreme Governour , was no better then a Tyrant . Answ. First , it is observable that this objection and almost all the rest taken out of the Scripture make the case of all Subjects in all Kingdoms to be alike ; that although ( as I touched before ) there are hardly two Kingdoms in the world but do differ in Laws Customs and Constitutions bounding the Kings authority and the Subjects obedience , yet if any of these would change the the bounds of his authority ( for instance , If the King of Denmarke , or Sweden or Polonia would invade the liberty of his Subjects , and make himselfe as absolute , ( not onely as the King of England , but ) as the King of France , or Spaine , or the Great Turk ) this argument tyes all their Subjects from resisting ; let any man shew an outgate for the Subjects of the one , which will not let out others , and for my part I will yeeld the cause : If they say these Kings tooke their Crowns upon those termes , and the Subjects indented to have libertie of resistance in such cases , then they grant that where the Laws of the Kingdom allow a liberty of resistance , resistance may be used notwithstanding these texts , which is as much as we plead for : If any people have covenanted in no case to resist let them seek another answer , in the mean time these Texts tie not those from resisting ( by their own answer who have not tyed themselves . Secondly , I appeal to their own judgements , whether these Texts forbid all forcible resistance ; Suppose a Prince in his rage should go about to kill himselfe , or runne some innocent man thorow with his sword , might no man take the sword out of his hand ? and if it be lawfull for a private man to dis-arme him of the weapons wherewith he would kill one , may not the State take such weapons out of his or the hands of his Instruments , wherewith they goe about to destroy all . Thirdly , both Texts lay the same charge for subjection to inferiour Magistrates , who likewise have their authoritie from God , though under the Superiour : As our Saviour said to Pilate , who was but a Deputy , thou couldst have no {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , no power at all against me , if it were not given thee from above . And may no resistance be made against the unjust violence of inferiour Officers ; if there may , it is sufficient ; sure I am , the Texts have not one word to allow the one and prohibite the other . Fourthly , what one syllable in either of these Texts so much as looks towards the forbidding of a people to resist Tyrannie , but onely that we resist not the Magistrates in the rightfull exercise of their authority given them by God : the Texts speak not of their persons , but of their power ; not of their dictates , but of their legall commands ; no more of Kings than of an higher Power in an Aristocracie or Democracie , binding all persons to subject themselves to that Power and Authoritie which in the severall places where they live is the Highest or Supreme power . Object . But Nero was a Tyrant . Answ. Not in his five first years , nor secondly , was he a Tyrant in all things ; he had authoritie to rule according to Law , that was not his Tyrannie ; his Tyrannie was , what he usurped contrary to the Law : nor thirdly , were all his under-Officers Tyrants , many of them could say with Festus , Acts 25. It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver any man to die , before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face , and have leave to answer for himselfe ; and would accordingly dismisse them , if they had done nothing worthy of death , or of bonds . Object . 2. But doth not the thirteenth Chapter of the Romans plainely binde mens hands from resisting the Supreme Power . Answ. By the Supreme power must be meant , that power , which by the originall and fundamentall Constitution of any People and Nation , hath authoritie to make Lawes which shall binde the whole Nation , to dispose of the estates and lives of any person or persons for the good of the Nation to judge every person and persons in the Nation determinatively and conclusively , so as from that judgement there is no appealing , that power it self being subject to the judgement and authoritie of none but God : and Aristotle makes three distinct Branches of this power . 1. The power of making and repealing Lawes , a Legislative power . 2. The power of making Warre and Peace , of imposing Customes and Tributes . 3. The power of judging Causes and Crimes ultimately and decisively : where these three meet , and make their residence , whether in one person , as in absolute Monarchs ; or in many , as in mixed Monarchies or Aristocracies ; or in the body of the people , as in the ancient Roman Government , there is the highest power which every soule is forbidden to resist : But now what ever be the higher power in England , most certain it is , that the Kings absolute or illegall will , is not the highest power , that hath neither power to make Laws , nor repeale Laws ; that hath not power to acquit or condemne ; nor may men appeal from the Kings lawfull judgement Seate to the Kings absolute will ; but his legall will in the highest Court , or the King and Parliament may make Lawes or repeal Lawes , may engage the whole Nation in a Warre , and command both the Bodies and Purses of men unto the service , is the highest Court of Iudicature , to which all may appeal , and from which none may appeal , and consequently against which there is no resistance . So that if men would read this Text of the thirteenth to the Romans , in plaine English , it amounts directly to thus much , Let everie soul in England be subject to King and Parliament , for they are the higher powers ordained unto you of God , whosoever therefore resisteth King and Parliament , resisteth the Ordinance of God , and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation . I would desire no other Text but this to confound the great Chaplains and Champions of the Antiparliamentary cause , or to strike terrour into their Loynes , if their long conversing with God-dammee's , hath not drawn such a Kawl over their hearts , that to them damnation is ridiculous . Object . 3. But doth not Saint Peter say expresly , the King is Supreme , 1 Pet. 2. 12. Answ . 1. It may as well be translated Superiour , as Supreme , the same word in the 13 of the Romans is translated Superiour , higher , not highest . 2. It is plain , the Apostle is not there constituting Governments , but giving direction to people to obey the Government they lived under ; and the Text hath as much strength to enforce subjection to Aristocracie , as to Monarchy : If the people of Pontus , Asia , Cappadocia , Bithynia , were under an absolute Monarchy , as sometimes they were , being petty Kingdoms crumbled out of the great Monarchy of Alexander ; and it may be did retain yet the same forme of Government , if not of their own , yet as lately received from the Romans ; all that can be enforced from thence is , That the Apostle names the Kings of those particular Countries to be such as they were , and commands subjection to them , but no wayes tyes other Kingdoms to be like unto them . Object . 4. But we in England by our oaths , do acknowledge the King to be Supreme . Answ . 1. We willingly grant Him to be Supreme , to judge all persons in all causes according to His Laws , and the established Orders of the Kingdom ; but not at or by His absolute will or pleasure . 2. Whoever considers the title , scope , and words , both of the Oath and the Act of Parliament that enjoynes it , will easily see that both the Act and Oath were intended in opposition to that Supremacie which the Pope sometimes challenged and usurped in this Kingdom of England , and no more : And this to be the true intent and meaning of it , appears more fully by that explication or limitation of the Oath , made the next Parliament , 5. Eliz. Wherein it is declared , That that Oath made , 1. Eliz. shall be taken and expounded in such form , as it is set forth in an admonition added to the Queens Injunctions published , Anno 1. of Her Raign , viz. To confesse or acknowledge in Her , Her Heirs and Successors , no other Authority then that which was challenged and lately used by King Henry the eighth , and Edward the sixth . And by this time you may see how little offensive these two ( so much boasted ) Texts are to our defensive Arms . Other places of Scriptures the adversaries seem not much to confide in , therefore I will passe them over the more briefly ; yet let us a little consider of them , Matth. 26. 52. They that take the sword shall perish with the sword . Where Christ seems to rebuke Peter for using defensive Arms against the Officers that came with a pretext of authority to apprehend Christ . Answ . 1. This is not a reproof of the sword taken for just defence , but of the sword taken for unjust oppression , and a comfort to those that ●…re oppressed by it ; for Origen , Theophylact , Titus , Euthimius , interp●●● the meaning to be , That Christ doth not rebuke Peter for using defensive Arms , but to let Peter know that he need not snatch Gods Work out of his hand ; for God would in due time punish those with the sword , that came thus with the sword against him ; and that these words are a Prophesie of the punishment which the Roman sword should enact of the bloudy Jewish Nation ; according with the like expression , Revel. 13. 10. He that kills with the sword , must be killed with the sword , here is the patience , and faith of the Saints , that is , This may comfort the Saints in their persecutions , that God will take vengeance for them . But Secondly , Suppose it was a reproof of Peters using the sword ; then the plain meaning is to condemn Peters rashnesse , who drew his sword , and never staid to know his Masters minde , whether he should strike or not ; and so reproves those who rashly , unlawfully , or doubtingly use the sword : Adde this , That now was the hour come of Christs suffering , and not of his Apostles fighting , wherein Christ would not be rescued , no , not by twelve Legions of Angels , much lesse then by the sword of man ; Therefore he saith to Peter , put up thy sword , &c. But intended not that it should alwayes be unlawfull for his people to use the sword in their just defence , against unjust violence ; for then he would never have commanded them , but a little before , that he that hath two Coats , let him sell one and buy a sword . Eccles. 8. 2. &c. I counsell thee to keep the Kings Commandment , &c. He doth whatever he pleaseth , &c. Where the word of a King is , there is power , and who may say to him what dost thou ? Answ . 1. No man can understand it literally in all things , as if every Commandment of the King must be kept , as if no actions of the King might be scanned , nor reproved by any man , as the Canonists say of the Pope , That if he lead thousands to hell , none may say , why dost thou so ? Surely , if Saul command to murder the Lords Priests , that commandment need not be kept ? If David lie with his neighbors wife , Nathan may say , why dost thou so ? If Ahab murder Naboth , and swallow his Inheritance , worship Baal , persecute and kill the Prophets of the Lord , Elijah may reprove him ; notwithstanding this Text , Who can say unto him what dost thou . Secondly , The Text plainly enough interprets it self , Keep the Kings Commandment , according to the Oath of God , stand not in an evill thing against him , he hath power to do what ever he will . Siscelus patraveris effugere non poteris , If you commit evill , you cannot escape punishment , where the word of a King is , there is power . viz. To punish them that do evill , and none to call him to account for doing it , and who can say unto him , what dost thou . Another Text is , Prov. 8. 15. By me Kings raign , &c. Whence they plead , That because Kings and Princes receive their authority only from God , and the people at the utmost only designe the Person , but give him none of his power ; therefore they may in no case , take away his power from him . Answ . 1. It saith no more of Kings , then of Nobles , Senators , and all other Judges of the earth ; for it follows , By me Princes rule , and Nobles , even all the Judges of the Earth . Secondly , Although no such thing is in the Text , That the people give no power to the Magistrate , yet we will suppose it to be true , what then will follow more then this , That although they may not take from the Magistrate that power which God hath given him ; yet they may defend themselves against such unjust violences , as God never gave the Magistrate power to commit . A woman hath power to designe the person of her husband to her self , but the authority of a husband is from God ; now though the wife may not take away the husbands just authority , she may defend her self against oppression and injury . Some alleadge Gods judgement upon the two hundred and fifty Princes , Numb. 16. Answ. They were Rebells against their lawfull Governours , ruling exactly , according to the expresse will of God , and may all those perish with them who will plead for such as they are . Others alleadge , 1 Sam. 8. 11. Where the people are let to understand how they shall be oppressed by their Kings ; yet for all that , have no just cause of resistance ; for they shall have no other remedy left them , but preces & lachrimae , crying to the Lord , Vers . 8. Answ. But saith the Text so ? Let us read the words a little , and you shall cry out in that day , because of the King , which you have chosen , and the Lord shall not hear in that day . Is this to say , they have no just cause of resistance , nor no remedy left , but complaining ; indeed , if the Holy Ghost had said , you shall not resist , nor fight for your liberties , &c. There had been some shew of reason for such a deduction , as some would extort from them ; but yet , even then , why might not the words have been a prediction of the curse of God upon the people , giving them up to such a base degenerate ignoble spirit , that they shall have no heart to stand up in the defence of their liberties and lives , rather then a prohibition of such resistance . The Lord foretells the people , Ezek. 24. 21. Of calamitous times , in which he tells them , Vers . 24 , That they should not mourn or weep ; Will any man interpret this , as if God made it unlawfull for them to mourn , or to weep , or was it not rather a prediction of their stupidity of spirit , when they should pine away under these calamities , so Jere. 27. God said they should put their necks under the yoke of the Kings of Babylon ; Will any man thence gather , That other People are bound to put their necks under the yoke of a forraign enemy invading them . In one word , the plain meaning is , That this people should dearly rue it for casting off the form of Government which God had chosen for them ; and when they should mourn under their own choice , God would not take the yoke from off their necks ; and so it is a threatning of a judgement , not an imposition of a dutie . But David durst not lift up his hand against the Lords Anointed , though he did tyrannically persecute him ; yea , though it were sometimes in his power to have killed him . Answ. No man pleads that any David should kill the Lords Anointed ; yet he may defend himself against his unjust violence , as David here did . Object . But if they may not kill him , who can be secured , That in a battle ( as at Keynton field ) his bullet may not hit the Lords Anointed . Answ. Is this their fault , who have so often Petitioned His Majesty to withdraw Himself from such dangerous wayes , as both the Parliament and his Excellencie hath done ; if their Petitions would have been received , or rather theirs ? Who ( the worse subjects they , and the more accursed they ) have led Him into these unnaturall Warres , and do in a manner inforce His presence in them ; did they bear that affection to His Majestie as they pretend , They would with Davids men , Swear , thou shalt no more go out with us to battle , least thou quench the light of Israel , 2 Sam. 21. 17. We have heard much of the Cavaliers swearing , but I never yet heard that one of them had the honesty to swear this ; nay they are wronged in reports , if some of them have not sworn the contrary . Object . But David would not fight against him . Answ. Indeed he never did fight against him , because his numbers never were considerable till towards the last , but he would have fortified the City of Keilah against him , and it had been a strange madnesse to have had 600 men with him , if his conscience would have suffered him to have done nothing but flee , sure one might more easily be hid then 600. But there is a plain Text assuring us that David and his men would have done more then run up and down , if occasion had served , 1 Chron. 12. 16. and so forward . When divers of the children of Judah and Benjamin came to joyn with him , David went out to meet them , and said , If ye be come to help me , &c. But if ye come to betray me to my enemies , I being innocent , the God of our fathers look upon it , and rebuke it . Now mark their answer , the spirit came upon Amasa the chief Captain , and he said , Thine are we David , and of thy side , peace be to thee , and peace to thy helpers , then David received them , and made them Captains of the band : Can any man imagine their meaning was to run up and down the Countries with him , if they were able to cope with any number that Saul should bring , or send against them , especially adding this to it , That they fell to him from the severall Tribes day by day , till his host was like an host of God . Now by these mens arguiment , if Davids host had been fourty thousand , and Saul come against him but with five or six hundred they must all have fled from him , and not have put it to a battell . Credat Judaeus Appella , non ego . Object . But the Fathers of the Primitive times knew no defence but preces & lachrymae in all their unjust sufferings . Answ . 1. It follows not , because they knew it not , therefore we cannot know it : there might be speciall reasons of Gods dispensations towards them . 2. Their Liberties and Religion were not established by Law , and this was the cause saith Abbot Bishop of Salisbury why the Christians in the Primitive times before their Religion was established by Law , caedebantur non caedebant , would rather be killed then kill : But after the times of Constantine , when Religion was established , they shook off the yoke of persecution from the Church , & caedebant non caedebantur , they did kill rather then be killed . 3. Where did any of the Fathers ever oppose this opinion , and condemn this practise , that is , declaring it unlawfull especially for a representative body to defend themselves against the unjust violence of their misled Princes : I beleeve if any such testimonies were to be found , the Parliament should have heard of them before this time . 4. We want not examples of such defence in the Primitive times , when once Religion was establisht by Edict of the Romane Empire , and Licinius the Emperour of the East ( legum violator maximus , contrary to Law and his Covenant ) would persecute the Christians , they defended themselves by Arms , and Constantine the great joyned with them ; And as Eusebius saith , held it his dutie , infinitum hominum genus , paucis nefariis hominibus , tanquam quibusdam corruptelis è medio sublatis , in columes servare . To deliver an infinite multitude of men , by cutting off a few wicked ones , as the pests and plagues of the time . The Christians living under the Persian King , and wronged by him , sought for help from the Romane Emperour Theodosius , and were assisted by him , and when the King of Persia complained that Theodosius should meddle in a●fairs of his Kingdom , Theodosius answered , that he did not onely protect them because they were suppliants , but was ready to defend them , and no way to see them suffer for Religion , it being the same with their own . It seems they thought it as lawfull to help an innocent people against the oppressions of their own Prince , as for one neighbour to succour another against theeves and robbers . The Macedonians obtained of the Emperour Constantius , four thousand armed men to help them drive out the Novatians from Paphlagonia , the Orthodox assisted the Novatians against the unjust violence , and were armed falcibus , clavis , & securibus , with sithes , clubs and hatchets , and cut off almost all the Souldiers , and many of the Paphlagonians . At Constantinople the Orthodox defended Paulus his Election against Macedonius and his abettors , though assisted with the Militarie Forces , and the Historian blames them onely for killing the Commander Hermogenes . Justina Valentinianus mother , infected with Arianisme , commanded to banish Ambrose , but the people resisted , and for a while defeated the plot of them who would have sent Ambrose into banishment . The inhabitants of Armenia the greater professing the Christian Faith , were abused by the Persians ( among whom they lived ) especially for their Religion , they entred into a league with the Romanes for their safetie . You see here are some examples where the ancient Christians used defensive Arms , and I doubt not but such as are well read in the stories of those times might produce many more . But there is one Doctour who goes about to prove by reason , that oppressed Subjects should not defend themselves against their Princes , though bent to subvert Religion , Laws , and Liberties , because ( forsooth ) such resistance tends to the dissolution of Order and Government , that is , to disable Princes from subverting Religion , Law , and Liberty ( which is the very dissolution of all Order and Government ) tends to the dissolution of all Order and Government ; as if hindring a man from pulling down his house , were the pulling down the house : As if the hindring the Pilot from dashing the Ship against the rock , tended to dash the Ship against the rock ; If any man else see any colour of reason in this reason , I desire them to make it appear , for for my part I can see none . And indeed the case is so cleer , that most of them who cry down defensive Arms , though they use such Scriptures and Arguments to work upon the consciences of people , yet when they come to dispute it , will hardly endure to have the Question rightly stated , ( as being unwilling to dash against the rock of most learned Divines , whether Protestants or Papists , and I think of almost all Politicians ) but fall to discusse matters of fact , charging the Parliament with invading the Kings just Prerogative , usurping an exorbitant power and authority , &c. yea His Majestie in all his Declarations insists onely upon this , never suggesting that in Conscience they are prohibited to defend themselves , in case he should violently invade their Liberties , yea , expresly grants that there is power sufficient legally placed in the Parliament to prevent Tyrannie . And therefore now I leave the case of Divinitie , and shall more briefly give you an account what satisfied me in the second , I mean matter of fact , that His Majestie being seduced by wicked councell did leavie war against the Parliament : My great evidence was , the Parliament judged so ; the judgement of a Parliament of England was never questioned till now by a people of England : all Patents , Charters , Commissions , Grants , Proclamations , and Writs of the Kings of England , receive their judgement , and are often repealed and made null by a Parliament : all controversies betwixt the King and Subject receive their finall determination in the Parliament ; the judgements of all other Courts are ratified or nullified by a Parliament . I have heard some wise men say , that a Parliament in England ( like Pauls spirituall man ) judgeth all , and it self is judged of none , and therefore if I should give you no other account of my entring upon my Office in the Armie ( which was not to fight , nor meddle in the Councell of War , but onely to teach them how to behave themselves according to the Word , that God might be with them ) should I ( I say ) give no other account but the determination of that wise assembly , I should be acquitted by indifferent men . But although I had learned that no dishonourable thing should be imagined of that Honourable Assembly , yet I held it my dutie not to yeeld blinde obedience , or go by an implicite Faith , but search whether the things were so , and the rather because both sides have appealed to heaven to that God , who no doubt in due time will clear the righteous cause : And upon my search these things were quickly apparent . It was very cleare that the persons too much prevailing with His Majesty had long before this Parliament a designe for overthrowing our Lawes , enslaving our Liberties , and altering our Religion , and it had so far prevailed that we were tantùm non swallowed up , and when through the good Providence of God , this Parliament was called , and many hopes conceived that now his Majesty seeing the mischiefe of adhering to such ill Counsellors , would for the time to come be wholly guided by the great Councell of his Kingdome , alas it soone appeared that the same kinde of Counsellors were still most prevayling , insomuch that ( soone after the pacification with Scotland ) the Northerne Army should have beene brought up to London , as appeares by the very Oaths of some who should have acted it , a thing then thought so pernicious , that not onely the chiefe actors fled beyond the Seas , but many reall Courtiers earnestly solicited their friends in both Houses , that this our in excusable error might be passed over , and now to begin upon a new score . But that which made me the more suspect their prevailing with his Majesty was , that the horrid Rebellion broken out in Ireland , the Rebels pretending His Majesties and the Queens Commission for their warrant , it was at least three moneths after , before they were proclaimed Traytors , and when it was done no Copies of the Proclamations to be got for love or money ; whereas when the Scots were proclaimed Rebels and Traytors , it must speedily be published in all the Churches of England . I must acknowledge this made me to think that the Parliament had just cause to be jealous of great danger . But when His Majesty returned from Scotland , discharged the guard which the Parliament had set for their owne safety , & an other denied except under the charge of the Queenes Chamber-lain , and His Majesty himselfe entertained divers Captaines as a supernumerary guard at Whitehall , went to the House of Commons after that manner to demand the five members to be delivered unto Him ; The Earle of Newcastle ( now Generall of the Armie of Papists in the North ) sent to Hull , attempting to seize it and the Magazine there , His Majesty according to the Lord Digbies Letters retiring from the Parliament to a place of strength , and the Queene going beyond Sea to rayse a party there ; I must have shut my eyes if I had not seene danger , and thousands of thousands would have thought he Parliament altogether sencelesse if they had not importuned His Majesty ( as they did ) to settle the Militia , all former settlings of it by Commissions of Lievtenancy being confessedly voyd : His Majesty refusing this in that manner as they thought necessary for security , they Voted the putting of it into the hands of persons whom they thought the State might confide in ( though alas many of them since have discovered to us how vaine is our hope in man , ) And secured the Town of Hull and the Magazine there : soone after this His Majesty in the North seised New-Castle and under the name of a guard begun to raise an Army ; all this was done before the Parliament Voted that His Majesty seduced by wicked councell , &c. And when His Majesties Army was more encreased , hee then declared that hee was resolved by strength to recover Hull and the magazine and to suppresse the Militia : After this indeed the Parliament began to make vigorous preparations by their propositions for Plate , Money , Horse , &c. This being the true progresse and state of the busines , I saw cleerly all along , the Kingdome and Parliament were in danger , that it was therefore necessary to have the Militia and Navy in safe hands , which His Majesty also acknowledged ; That he refused to settle it for a time in the way they conceived necessary , and that by the judgement of both Houses when they were full , they had power by the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome to settle it especially for a time upon His Majesties refusall ; That His Majesty raysed force , and declared it was to suppresse the Militia , and recover Hull and the magazine is as cleare , and made pregnant preparations both at home and beyond the Seas : And the civill Lawyers say that pregnant preparations are the beginning of a War . The onely Question remaining was , whether the Parliament did justly in ordering the Militia , and securing the Magazine and Navy , in a confessed time of danger upon such His Majesties refusall . What the Kings power and prerogative , and what the Parliaments power was for securing the Militia in time of danger according to the Lawes of England was out of my profession , and in great part above my skill ; But certainly unlesse I was bound rather to believe the Votes of the Papists and other Delinquents about his Majesty , who hitherto had prevailed to bring upon us all the miseries that wee have laine under , then the Votes and Judgements of the highest Court of Judicature in England , ( which so far as I have heard was never by Common Law or Statute Law presumed to be guilty of , or charged with the overthrow of the Kings prerogative , or the Lawes and Liberties of the Subjects untill now , and who have given us so much evidence of their wisdome , watchfulnesse and faithfulnesse ) I was bound to be concluded under their Testimony , and so consequently that His Majesty was seduced , &c. And surely if men who serve upon Justice betweene Prince and People , party and party , in matters of life or State , may rest in the resolution of the learned Iudges that this , or that is Law when themselves know it not : well might I rest in the judgement and resolution of that Court , which is the Iudge of all the Iudicatures in the Land . And in case I were unsatisfied to whom should I appeale in whose judgement I might more safely rest , especially when I saw their Vote agreeable to that which is the supreame Law of all Nations , namely , that Publique safety is the highest and deepest Law , and that it is requisite that every State have a power in time of danger to preserve it selfe from ruine ? and no Law of England more known , then that the Parliament is the highest Court from whence there is no appeale . This satisfaction I had then , and since by the Declarations and Remonstrances of the Parliament concerning these Military matters , and by other Bookes lately published , it is most apparent that they have not usurped upon His Majesties Prerogative , but what they have done is agreeable to the practise of former Parliaments , In putting the Militia , Forts and Navy into safe hands in these times of danger ; And that it was therefore lawfull for them , yea , necessary to take up these defensive Armes , and consequently to call in for supply from all such who should share with them in the benefit of preservation , and to disable such from hurting them who were contrary minded : I spend no time to answer the Objections that some make , that His Majesty could not tarry at LONDON with safety of His Person , that the Lords and Commons that are with Him , were driven away by popular Tumults , and could not enjoy freedome of their Votes , &c. Because I thinke these things are now believed by none , but such as would believe no good of the Parliament though one should rise from the dead againe . Thus Sir you have a just account of the grounds that first induced mee to owne this Cause ; you desire to know whether I see not yet reason to repent of what I have done , I confesse I never undertooke any thing but I saw cause to repent of my miscariage through the corruption which cleaves to mee , and great cause I have to bewaile my many failings in this great Worke , but for the Worke it selfe , I as solemnely professe , I never saw cause to repent of my appearing in it ; the Cause is a right Cause , the Cause of God , my call to it , a cleare call , and though the Worke prove harder and longer then at first it was thought , yet the Cause is farre clearer then at the first , The Worke indeed is harder then I expected , for whoever could have believed he should have seen in England so many Lords and Commons even after their solemne Protestation , to defend the Priviledge of Parliament , And their own Vote ; that His Majesty seduced by wicked councell intended War against the Parliament , so shamefully to betray the trust committed to them ? so many of the Protestant Profession joyning with an Army of Papists ( under pretence of mantaining the Protestant Religion against a Protestant Parliament ) to fight themselves into popery ? so many unworthy Gentlemen fight to destroy a Parliament , and thereby fight themselves and posterity into slavery ? so many Papists in Armes contrary to so many knowne Lawer , and armed with Commission , to disarme Protestants contrary to their knowne Liberties , and the Protestants who exceed their number an hundred fold not to rise as one man to subdue them ? And who would have believed that he should have seen after all this an Army raysed by the Parliament in such an extremity , for such an end , ( having hazzarded their lives , undergon all these hardships , performed all these services , and whose untimely disbanding may prove our irrecoverable ruine ) strai●…ed for want of pay while England is worth a groate . Behold , regard , and wonder marvelously , I relate a thing which many will not believe though it be told unto them . Hab. 1. 5. But though the Worke be harder , the case is still clearer , both in regard of the intentions of the Parliament and also of their adversaries . For the Parliament , multitudes would not believe , but that they had further aimes then their own and the publique safety , that they intended it not to depose His Majesty , yet by force of Armes to compell him to that which is not fit for a King to yeild to ; But now by their frequent petitioning of His Majesty especially by the reasonablenesse of their late Propositions and Instructions , wherein they desire a present disbanding of all Armes , even before any other bills were past , and were willing to have the Ports , Forts and Sh●●s , &c Of the Kingdome resigned up into His Majesties hands , provided onely that in these times of danger they might , Pro bac vice , be put into the hands of such as the State might confide in ; The sincerity of their intentions are now so plaine , that I think Malignity it self cannot but be convinced of them . And the intentions of the contrary councells are as plaine , their mask now falling off , and their designe more then ever discovered to be the overthrow of Parliament , liberty , Lawes and Religion . For at first we had Declarations to preserve all the just priviledges of Parliament , but now we see men proclaimed Traytors for executing the Commands of the two Houses , and the two Houses themselves , if not in direct , yet in equivalent tearmes proclaimed Traytors , yea denyed to be a Parliament , because His Majesty withdrawes himselfe , and after multitudes of Petitions refuses to returne , and because many of their Members have deserted them , and are protected by His Majesty from the Houses who have sent for them . Yea , they are required to recall their Votes as illegall , and that such as they have fined and imprisoned may bring their Habeas Corpus to be tried in an inferiour Court . Yea , people provoked to scorne them , and thereupon multitudes not fearing to trample upon , and cast as vile scorne and contemptunjustly upon that thrice-honorable Court , as ever was cast justly upon the Commissaries Courts . We have heretofore been assured that the knowne Lawes of the Land should be the onely rule of government : but ( to name no other instances ) now we see the Commission of Array to be justified to be Law , which the Parliament hath not only declared , but demonstrated , and the Countries ( where ever it hath prevailed ) found , to be the utter destruction of all the Lawes made for the Subjects liberty . Heretofore Proclamations were put out that no Papists should be entertained into His Majesties Army , because the resolution was to maintaine the Protestant Religion ; But now we see them armed , and armed with Commission , and Protestant Doctors in their writings justifying it , and being armed dare professe their Religion publiquely , set up their masse in the second City of the Kingdome , cutting 〈◊〉 pieces , and burning Bibles , and as multitudes of reports come from beyond the Seas , ( and the supplies that come from thence confirme it ) all the Papists in Christendome contributing to this War as to the Catholique cause . Heretofore the Liberty of the Subject seemed to be stood for , yea defended against the Parliament , ( as if it were possible the representative body should enslave it selfe ) and in the meane time while these things are promised , hundreds , yea thousands of his Majesties Subjects plundred with His Majesties Proclamations against plundering , in the hands of diverse of the plunderers . And their persons led away in Ropes and Chaines like Turkish Gallyslaves , and many cast into Prisons and Dungeons only for detending themselves against robbers and murderers abusing His Majesties Name : where their Jaylours use them worse then the Turkes doe their Christian slaves , or one that hath any thing of man in him could use a dog . And when all these things are now done , the Parliament not only sitting , but having so much strength in the Field , what can we expect when these men have prevailed , when at the putting on of their harnesse their usuall language is nothing but blasphemy against God , ( not to be mentioned , ) and against His people calling all that adhere to his and the Kingdoms Cause , Parliament dogs , and Parliament rogues ? what language will you expect to heare if once they come triumphantly to put it off ? If while the event is uncertaine they cut us out such kinde of Lawes , Liberties , and Parliament-priviledges as these are , if God for our sinnes sell us into their hands , thinke if you can , what Lawes , Liberties , and Parliament-priviledges our posteritie shall finde Recorded in our bloud ; for our selves alas , who shall live when God doth this , nay who would desire to live ? I would rather with holy Austin make it my humble suite to that God whose are the issues of life and death , that he would rather take mee from the Earth , then let mee live to see His deare Church , and my native Countrey delivered into the hands of such Blasphemous , and barbarous Men . So that in stead of repenting and withdrawing from the Worke , I could wish that my voyce were able to reach into every corner of the Kingdome , and that I could awaken all people to see the danger and misery that is flowing in upon them . That every soule might be quickened up to make his owne , and helpe to make Englands , bleeding , dying Englands peace with God , and every one who hath any interest in Heaven to cry mightily unto that God in whose hand the hearts of Kings are , and who rules in the Kingdomes of men , that the power of our God might be great towards us , in turning away these imminent calamities , and turning the heart of our King towards His great and faithfull Councell , and rescuing Him out of the hands of this Generation of men who delight in blood . Our God hath nor yet sayd , pray not for this people , but if the Lord say he hath no delight in us , Righteous art thou O Lord , and just are all thy judgements : onely let us not be accessary to our own destruction , and the destruction of so flourishing a Kingdome ; let us not through our covetousnesse or cowardize , selfe-love or sloth , betray our Lawes , Liberties , Lives , Religion into the hands of men from whose hands , we befoole our selves if we expect more mercy , or lesse misery , then the poore Christians of Constantinople found with the Turkes , when thankes to their owne niggardlinesse ( O let it never be so with England ) they fell into their hands . Oh let us labour to prevent their Swords thrusting into our bodies , and their Swords into our Soules , let our God doe with us what he will , let us doe what we should , and while we have any money in our purses , any blood in our veines , or any spirits in us , devote all to the maintenance of this rightfull cause , and if we perish , we perish . Nor doe I feare to be for this condemned by any right discerning man as an incendiary to a Civill War , I know the miseries of a Civill War : Warre is the severest of all Gods judgements , and Civill War the cruellest of all Warres , where is the greatest hatred , the deepest treachery , the most unnaturall butcheries , where the father murders the sonne , the sonne the Father , the brother embrues his hands in his brothers blood , and whoever gaines , all are loosers : Quis suror O cives , quae tanta licentia belli ? Oh the madnesse of our age and Countrey , if England have such a lust to War can we find no forraigne Enemies , but we must Warre against ou● selves , and at this time too , Cumque superba foret Babylon Spoliand● trophaeis . When the proud Turrets of the whore of Babylon are to be levelled with the Earth : when Germany , when Jreland are to b● rescued out of her bloudy pawes ? Can we finde no fitter Obj●●● for the fury of the Cannon , then our Townes , Houses , Bodies ? Bu● alas ! The Generation with whom we have to deale had rather ● thousand times see the glory of England in the dust , then the pride o●Rome : And though a civill War be miserable , yet no such misery as the peace which they would beteeme us , a Sicilian vespers or a Parisian massacre , from which good Lord deliver us , Save Lord let the King heare us when we call . Thus Sir , you have my thoughts at large , you may either lay this Letter by you , or communicate it for the satisfaction of others at your own pleasure , I blesse God I am gathering strength , and hope ere long by my returne to my Lord and the Army ( if God please not to smile upon us with a safe Accomodation in the meane time ) to give a reall proofe that my judgement is the same that formerly it hath been , and I hope you believe my affection is the same still to you , and therefore without further trouble , I subscribe my Selfe . Your loving friend , Stephen Marshall . FJNJS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89562e-220 Luther tom . 8. 〈◊〉 pag. 206. Iudg. 3. Acts and Monum● vol. 1. p 8 Barcl . lib contra ●…narchom . Grotius iure bel●… l. 1. c. 4. ●… Answer 〈◊〉 the 19 p●●position ●Chron . 〈…〉 to 22. ●● Chry●… Matthias po●●… lib. 3. Sect 3. Sleid. hist l●b. 18. Abbot 〈◊〉 Laliso . d●mon stra●… Antichr●… 6. 7. Bils●… differ . between Christia●… Bed●…s letter to Wadsworth Rom. 13. 1. ● Pet. 2. 12. Object● Answ. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Ob. 3. Answ. Ob. 4. Answ. Object . Matth. 26. 52. Answ. Object . Eccle. 8. ● &c. Answ. Mercer . ad Locum Object . Prov. 8. 15. Answ. Num. 16 Object . 1 Sam. 8. 11. Answ. ●bject . Ob Ans. 〈◊〉 Go●●●●… A●●●●… 〈◊〉 Demon stra●●● Antichr . c. 7. Euseb. 10. c. 8. 9 Niceph. Niceph. 9. 42 Socrates 2. c. 10. Socrates l. 5. c. 11. Zo●omen . 7. 13. Evagri . l. 5. c. 7. Object . 
A89572	----	A most true and succinct relation of the late battell neere Kineton in VVarwick-shire expressed in a letter from that godly and reverend divine Master Stephen Marshall, to his friend a worthy Member of the Honourable House of Commons. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89572 of text R212527 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason 669.f.6[85]). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 4 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89572 Wing M765 Thomason 669.f.6[85] ESTC R212527 99871137 99871137 160946 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89572) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 160946) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 245:669f6[85]) A most true and succinct relation of the late battell neere Kineton in VVarwick-shire expressed in a letter from that godly and reverend divine Master Stephen Marshall, to his friend a worthy Member of the Honourable House of Commons. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 1 sheet ([1] p.) Printed for H.S., London : Novemb. 3. 1642. Dated at end: Warwick Octob. 25. 1642. Annotation on Thomason copy: "The latter part of ye second volume:/."; the rest is illegible. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Warwickshire (England) -- History -- Early works to 1800. A89572 R212527 (Thomason 669.f.6[85]). civilwar no A most true and succinct relation of the late battell neere Kineton in VVarwick-shire, expressed in a letter from that godly and reverend di Marshall, Stephen 1642 643 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-06 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2007-06 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A most true and succinct Relation of the late Battell neere KINETON in VVARWICK-SHIRE , Expressed in a Letter from that Godly and Reverend Divine Master STEPHEN MARSHALL , to his Friend a worthy Member of the Honourable House of Commons . Noble Sir , MY Lord Generall not having time , give me leave to present you with a short Relation of Gods late merciful dispensation towards our Army : On Saturday night we came to Kineton with twelve Regiments of Foot , and about fourty Troops of Horse , some of our Horse and Foot were behinde to bring on our Traine and Ammunition from VVorcester : On the Lords day morning we had certaine intelligence that the Kings Forces were making towards us ; whereupon order was given to draw forth our Forces with as much speed as we could : The Kings Forces came down Edgworth Hill about five thousand Horse and thirteen thousand Foot , as the Lord VVilloughby , who is prisoner , saith ; they got advantage of Hill and wind ; we had not in the Field above thirty Troops of Horse , the rest being quartered further off came not in ; About twelve of the clock the Cannon began to play on both sides , and about an hour after horse and foot fell to it in earnest : our left wing upon the second firing fled basely , and the right wing of horse led by Prince Robert chased them , and it seemes thinking the day their own , fell presently to plunder our Waggons , and killing the servants , even unto women and children which attended them , but our foot and the rest of the horse followed it so close , that they wholly cut off the flower of their foot , the Kings red Regiment , and two or three other Regiments , besides many of their horse ; took many of their Colours , the Kings Standard , some Peeces of their Ordnance , drave them to retire up the Hill , slew the Lord Jo. Steward , Sir Edmund Varney , one of the Lunsfords , and other Commanders , Took Prisoners the Earl of Lindsey their Generall , who since is dead , his Sonne the Lord VVilloughby , Sir Edward Stradling , Colonell Vavasour , and Colonell Lunsford , with other Officers . My Lord kept the Field till about three of the clock in the morning , and then retreated to the Towne ; Next morning the Kings Army appeared upon the Hill , and we took the Field again , but it seemes they had no minde to receive a Dinner from us , who gave them so bad a Supper : we cannot say that we lost above a hundred of our foot , and a few horse , except the Waggoners and those that attended them ; I know not how many of the Kings are slain : Colonell Lunsford confessed unto me , that three Regiments were wholly cut off : Sure I am , God hath given us a great Victory , and such a one ( to use my Lord Generall his own expression ) that in as much as ever in any , there appeared little of man and much of God . For a day or two we are refreshing our Army hereabouts , and then , God-willing , we shall be fit for further service . VVhat order you shall receive from my Lord will come from a better hand , and I will trouble you no further , but recommend you to God , and write my selfe Your loving friend and servant , STEPHEN MARSHALL . Warwick Octob. 25. 1642. LONDON . Printed for H. S. Novemb. 3. 1642. 
A89565	----	Emmanuel: a thanksgiving-sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons upon their solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained by the Parliaments forces in Southvvales. In the church of Margarets Westminster, May 17. 1648. / By Stephen Marshall B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89565 of text R204197 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E443_3). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 77 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89565 Wing M753 Thomason E443_3 ESTC R204197 99863868 99863868 161703 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89565) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 161703) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 70:E443[3]) Emmanuel: a thanksgiving-sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons upon their solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained by the Parliaments forces in Southvvales. In the church of Margarets Westminster, May 17. 1648. / By Stephen Marshall B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 36 p. Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London : 1648. Order and appointment to print on first leaf. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Isaiah VIII, 9-10 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. St. Fagans (Wales), Battle of, 1648 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. A89565 R204197 (Thomason E443_3). civilwar no Emmanuel:: a thanksgiving-sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons upon their solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained Marshall, Stephen 1648 14265 9 0 0 0 0 0 6 B The rate of 6 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Emmanuel : A THANKSGIVING-SERMON PREACHED To the Honourable House OF COMMONS Upon their Solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained by the Parliaments Forces in SOUTHVVALES . In the Church of Margarets Westminster , May 17. 1648. By STEPHEN MARSHALL B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . MICAH 4. 11 , 12 , 13. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say , Let her be defiled , and let our eye look upon Zion . But they know not the thoughts of the Lord , neither understand they his counsell ; for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor . Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion . Rom. 8. 31. If God be with us , who can be against us ? London , Printed by R. C●tes for Stephen Bowtell at the sign of the Bihle in Popes-head Alley , 1648. Die Mercurii , 17 Maii , 1648. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament , That Sir John Trevour doe from this House give Thanks to Mr. Marshall , for the great pains he took in his Sermon he preached this day at Margarets Westminster before the House of Commons , ( it being a day of publick Thanksgiving for the Victory obtained by the Parliaments Forces in Southwales : ) And that he be desired to Print his Sermon , wherein he is to have the usuall priviledge in Printing thereof . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I doe appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon . STEPHEN MARSHALL . To the Honourable THE House of Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT . IN obedience to your commands , I here humbly present to publique view , what you were pleased with ready affections lately to attend unto . In it is cleared how vain the attempts of all men are against the people and Cause of God ; and these seasonable Mercies and Deliverances may help to confirm us in waiting for the full accomplishment of all these promises . I confesse for our unworthy walking , and little improving many like Mercies , we continue still in a low condition , and lye under many heavie pressures ; our times are like that day in Zach. 14. Neither clear nor dark , not day nor night , we are cast down , but not forsaken of our God , no not though our land be filled with sin against the holy One of Israel , God sill appears in the mount of our difficulties : Methinks this his gracious dealing shews how willing he is yet to heal our backslidings , to take away our iniquities , to doe us good , and to preserve and establish us a people to himself . O! that God would now in the end teach this Nation to leave struggling one against another for a curse , and all to joyn together to wrastle with him for a blessing , and seek him in his own Gospel-way . O! that God would perswade such of this Nation who are engaged against the cause of God , to leave plotting and contriving of Designes , which shall not prosper , and in stead thereof joyn hands with those who desire to see the prosperity of Zion . And that all who are engaged in this Cause of God , would labour to manage it in Gods own way ; That they would remember their Covenant , what they have sworn and promised ; and by his grace study to make it good , how abundantly should we finde the fruits of his loving kindnesses showred down upon us ! That this may be the study and endeavour of you all who represent the whole Commonalty of this Nation ; is the humble and earnest prayer of Your humble Servant in Christ , STEPH●N MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of Commons at their Publick Thanksgiving , May 17. 1648. Isaiah 8. 9 , 10. Associate your selves , O ye people , and ye shall be broken in pieces , and give eare all ye of far Countries , gird yourselves , and ye shall be broken in pieces , gird your selves , and ye shall be broken in pieces , take counsell together , and it shall come to nought , speak the word , and it shall not stand , for God is with us . THis Chapter doth containe a threatning of two judgements ; One against the Kingdomes of Syria , and the Kingdome of Israel , or the ten Tribes , that is in the foure first Verses , and the summe of it is this , The Prophet had a young son , the Lord bids him , at the Circumcision of his son , name him , Maher-shalal-hash-baz , which signifies , Make haste to the spoil , make haste to the prey ; and the Lord gives the reason of it , because before that child should bee able to call , my Father , my Mother , before hee should bee able to say Dad or Mam , The riches of Damascus , and the spoile of Samaria shall bee taken away before the King of Assyria : and it came to passe accordingly , for this Prophesie was about the third yeer of King Ahaz , and in the fourth yeer , which was the yeer after , a great part of Israel was plunder'd and spoiled , and the Kingdome of Syria was wholly broken . The second part of the chapter , begins at the fifth verse , and that containes a threatning of judgment , against the Kingdome of Iudah ; and in it there are foure things remarkable : First , Here is the cause of this terrible judgement , that God would bring upon the Kingdome of Iudah ; Secondly , Here is laid down , the judgement it self , what it should be ; Thirdly , Here is contained the deliverance of Gods people from the judgement ; and , Fourthly , Here is laid down the uses , that God would have made of all this . The cause of the judgement you have laid down , in the sixt verse ; Forasmuch ( saith hee ) as this people refuseth ( or slights ) the waters of Shiloah , which run slowly , and rejoyce in Rezin , and Remaliahs son , because of this , that is in one word , because of their infidelity , because they did not rest upon the Gospell promises made them in Immanuel , that salvation which hee had promised to come from the house of David , but slighted it because the house of David was now low , and their neighbour Kingdomes of Syria and Israel were more pompous and stately , then Davids throne , therefore they regarded not the promises made to it , but would bee glad to bee like those Kingdomes , who overtopt them ; and to this end they made a confederacy with the King of Assyria , that they might bee the better able to cope with Rezin the King of Syria , and Pekah son of Remaliah the King of Israel : this the Prophet signifies in the words of refusing the waters of Shiloah that run softly , and rejoycing in Rezin and Remaliahs son . Shiloah was a little River which arose at the foot of Mount Sion , whence ran slowly , and in a crooked channell , which some thinkes it 's called the Dragons Well , Nehem. 2. 13. and this smooth stream was conveyed in some subterranean channells into that pool mentioned , Iohn 9. 7. and was thence by pipes conveyed into the Kings Gardens and Orchards , and was of use to the whole City , yea and Temple of Ierusalem : The same River of Shiloah is that which the Prophet mentions , Psalm . 46. There is a River , the streames whereof make glad the City of God , the holy place of the Tabernacle of the most High . By this River the Lord shadowes out the Kingdome of Sion and the house of David , which now was in a mean and low estate , and therefore despised by those unbeleeving Jews ; and it is usuall with the Prophets , by Rivers to signify the adjacent Provinces , Egypt by Nilus , Babylon by Euphrates , &c. Now for this sinne of their unbeleif , and relying upon an arme of flesh the King of Assyria , was this judgment to come upon them . Then , Secondly , Here is the judgment which therefore shall come upon them ; because that little River of Shiloah , would not in their esteem doe them good , would not comfort them , the Lord would bring them waters , broad enough , foraine waters , such as they desired but little for their good , he would bring the Assyrian upon them , hee who they trusted in to be their deliverer , should come in , and be their spoil ; Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth upon them the waters of the rivers strong and many , even the King of Assyria and all his glory ; and he shall come up over all his channels , and goe over all his banks , and he shall passe through Judah , he shall overflow and goe over ; he shall reach even to the neck , and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land Oh Emmanuel . This terrible judgement is laid downe in two comparisons : one of a great river , or the sea , that had broke over all his banks , a floud should spread over all their land , and reach up to the very neck ; the other comparison is of an Eagle or fowl of prey , he should come and spread his wings over the breadth of the whole land ; the whole land of Iudea should at one time be overspread by the mighty Army that Senacherib ( whom they expected to be their Saviour ) should bring upon them with a purpose to destroy them ; and in the close of this threatning , there is an elegant Apostrophe , he turns his speech to Christ , he shal spread his wings over the breadth of thy land , O Immanuel ; though it be thy land and thy people , O Emmanuel , yet because of their unbelief all this shall come upon them . This turning of his speech to Christ seems to be an indignity to Christ , that his land , under the notion of his land should be wasted by such a wicked King , but this appears to be added for two ends , one to signifie the certainty of the judgement , all that could possibly be pleaded , why there should be any hope of keeping off the judgement was Emmanuels title to this land , but it shall come though it be Emmanuels land ; secondly , this is added as a secret ground of comfort of deliverance , because it was the land of Emmanuel , the land and people where Emmanuel was to be borne , and where he was to reign , where he had and would have his fire and furnace , his seat ●nd habitation , therefore their faith may expect deliverance : these are the two first parts of the Chapter ; now my Text containes the third , which is the deliverance which the Lord would give them notwithstanding their great unworthinesse ; but before I come to that , let me name this one lesson , from the other two parts , namely , That it is ordinary with God , when his people doe forsake his promises , and trust to an arme of flesh , he makes that arme of flesh to bee their scourge , which they expected to be their helper ; they had nothing that they would trust to against these two neighbouring Kingdomes , but the power of the King of Assyria , and this King of Assyria shoud be their scourge to beat and almost to breake them in pieces : which is notably expressed 2 Chron. 28. 20 , 21. Ahaz sent all the treasure he could rap and rend , thereby to ingage the King of Assyria . And Tilgath-Pilneser the King of Assyria came to him , and distressed him , but strengthned him not , he helped him not : therefore Let us learne , that when we do trust either to any nation , to any Army , or to any Councell , and relie upon them , with with-drawing our selves from the gratious promises of God , we take the ready way to bring ruine and destruction upon our selves . The third part of the Chapter , is that which I intend by the Lords assistance to treat upon ; and that is , the deliverance which the Lord was pleased to promise this unworthy people in this 9 , and 10. verses : for the understanding whereof I would open two things ; First , The matter contained in these two verses : Secondly , The manner , how the Lord is pleased to lay this down , and expresse it : The matter of the two verses , containes these three Heads : First , Here is a great conspiracie against the Church of God : Secondly , Here is an eminent deliverance of the Church from this conspiracy : Thirdly , Here is both the author of the deliverance , and the cause , why they should be delivered . The conspiracie against them , is laid downe in these branches ; First , Here is the multitude of people , that were engaged in it , called , ye people , and ye of far Countries ; a great many of them : Secondly , Here is their association , their meeting about their businesse ; gather your selves together , associate your selves ye people , come and meet : Thirdly , Here is the Association of their Councell ; take counsell together ; contribute every one what you are able toward this designe : Fourthly , Here is their agreement in the Conclusion ; Speake the word , set it positively downe , nemine contradicente , this is the businesse we will doe , and carry it on as one man : then Here is the preparation likewise of their Armes ; Gird your selves , doe not only meet , and talke and agree , but arme , and march , and goe on with your businesse ; all this is the preparation to the plot : Secondly , Here is the defeat of this plot , and that is very notable , even the dissipating of their counsells , the ruine of all their enterprizes ; Associate your selves , but ye shall be broken ; gird your selves , but ye shall be broken ; take counsell , but it shall come to nought ; speak the word , set downe your conclusion , that you 'l never part from , yet all shall not stand , all shall be a vain thing , it shall not onely not take effect , but returne upon your owne heads , to your owne ruine , ye shall be broken in pieces : Thirdly , Here is the Authour of it , and in the Author the cause ; for God is with us : the Hebrew is , for Emmanuel ; gather your selves , gird your selves , take counsell , speak the word , all shall come to nought , for Emanuel ; that is , for it is Emmanuels cause that you oppose , it is Emmanuels people , that you fight against ; it is Emmanuel who is the Leader , the Generall of that Army , one that will out-wit you , and out-plot you , and out-fight you , one for whom you are too few , and he alone will be too many for you , it is against Christ , and you doe but kick against the prickes ; this is the matter of these two verses : then , Secondly , Note likewise the manner , how the Lord is pleased to lay this downe ; which is done by severall rhetoricall , and figurative expressions : as First , Here is an Apostophe ; though the speech bee intended to his people , yet the Lord turnes himselfe to the Assyrians , who were comming against them ; Associate your selves , ye people , harken all ye of far Countries : Secondly , It is laid down in the way of an Irony , and of a Sarcasme , a bitter scoffe , the Prophet sets down this whole businesse by way of contempt of these enemies , that were ingaged in the businesse ; as if hee should have said thus , I know your devices , you have concluded what you 'l doe against Ierusalem , ingage you will , well be doing , goe on with your businesse , point your rendezvouz , carry your Troopes and Regiments compleat with you , take an Oath of them all , resolve what you 'l doe , try your skill , doe your utmost , but it won't hold , it won't doe , you are too weak , you 'l bee broken , you 'l bee dashed ; Thus in a way of scorn the Lord is pleased to lay down this whole businesse , and hee chuses this manner of expressing of it , partly , that hee might thereby upbraid the confidence of the Enemy , who thought their businesse was so sure , that no check , much lesse checkmate should ever bee given them ; you thinke you are very sure of your businesse , you make no question of carrying the day : and partly , in it hee would expresse likewise , the holy confidence of the Prophet , and with the Prophet of all the people of God , when they have got a promise from God , that they can under the Lords protection , securely looke upon all the preparations that their enemies make against them ; for as it is the speach of God , so it is the speech of the Church , Immanuel , God is with us , therefore doe your worst against us , wee feare you not : this I take to be the summe and the meaning of the words ; Now out of the words many excellent instructions might bee learned : I intend but one , though I shall point at severall others : as First , From the conspiracy that was in all these people , thus associating their persons , their counsels , their treasure , their armes , all for the ruine of the Church , and people of God ; wee may observe the wonderfull consent that is found in the enemies of Zion , to ruin and destroy it : learn I say , That there is a Concord , Harmony , and Vnity of Spirits , and endeavors in the enemies of the Church , to bring ruine and destruction upon it . This is a truth that I shall not need to prove , all the ages of the World have given sufficient proof of it ; Satan and his instruments have appear'd in many shapes , sometime in the shape of a Lion , sometimes of a great red Dragon , sometimes of a subtle Fox , sometimes in the shape of an innocent Lambe ; but what ever their shape bee , their purpose and worke hath ever been to make warre against the woman and her seed , to endeavour by all means possible , the ruine of the people of God , pursuing it with deadly fury , and powring out flouds of malice and rage against it . I know it could not be burthensome , if I should a little open the severall wayes , that they have taken ; some more spirituall , some more carnall . Some more spirituall , one while indeavoring to corrupt their lives , by drawing them to wickednesse : sometimes to corrupt their faith , by drawing them to blasphemies or heresies : sometimes to corrupt their worship , by tainting it with idolatry and superstition : sometimes to break their union , by interrupting them with schismes and divisions : at other times to interrupt and breake their spirituall liberty , by putting bonds and yokes upon them , contrary to the Word ; and at other times by outward means , by persecutions and open hostilities , by all the terrors , and threats , whatsoever the hand , and tongue , and interest , and power of the Devill , and all his instruments could ever bring to passe , they never have ceased to endeavour by all possible meanes to destroy Immanuels people ; this is a knowne truth . The true ground is onely that inbred enmity and opposition that is in the heart of all the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the woman , though no good reason at all , can be given why it should be so , yet non amote , nec possum dicere quare ; they doe not love them , they hate them , they must endevour to destroy them ; there is an enmity against them : but yet because no hatred found amongst rationall creatures , is without ( at least ) some pretence of Reason , know yee that the Reason of their hatred , is grounded upon such things as these ; the one is , That the Church of Christ , is a terrible plague and vexation to all the rest of the World ; I say , there is not such a plague to all the people of the world , as the Church of Christ is , and as Gods people are , because the lawes and rules by which they walke , doe threaten nothing but ruine and destruction , to all those that walke in other wayes ; other people in the severall wayes they walke in , if you let them alone in their wayes , they will allow you to promise your selfe what you will in your wayes , their religions , and courses are good fellowes one to another , they can beare with them in their principles ; but the people of God doe hold out that , which must bee the onely rule , and they tell all the world , that if they walke not according to their rule onely , they will be damned , and destroyed eternally , and so they vex them ; and therefore one notes well , that when Tiberius the Emperour of Rome , having heard of the miracles of Christ , did propound to the Senate of Rome , that Christ might bee worshipped as a God , as well as their other Gods were , the Senate upon serious consultation rejected it , because ( they said ) if they entertain'd him , they must cast out all the rest , hee would suffer none to bee God but himself ; and therefore in stead of owning him to bee one of theirs , they persecuted him , and owned all the rest : So it is , the two witnesses you read of , Revel. 11. vexed all the men that lived upon the earth , by their Prophesies , all the servants of God by their rules , their faith , their lives , their worship , &c. Throw fire and brimstone in the faces of others , and therefore no wonder though they bee so bitterly hated and opposed Againe , another ground is , That which Jesus Christ expresses , hee hath chosen his people out of the World , as out of a base , vile , and uncleane company , and upon his thus choosing , and calling , they in their whole conversation and garbe , doe leave the rest of the world , as unclean , vile and base ; and there can be nothing so odious to a people as to bee so left : If there were some amongst our selves whose whole worke and endeavour should bee to leave England , and carry away all that they have out of it , as from a base people , and unworthy to bee loved or dwels withall , and should seek their welfare in another Country , it were enough to turne the heart of all the Nation against them : this is the way of all Gods people , they cry down the glory of the world ; the pleasures of the world , the riches of the world , the honour and pompe of the world , they cry all down as a base thing , and they profesle , to lay up all their treasure elsewhere , and therefore the world cannot beare it : then add in the last place , That all that is excellent in the Church , is invisible and undiscernible by a carn all eye ; they have in them many things that will challenge respect and reverence , but they are not seen ; all the outside is poore , and base , and mean , and contemptible , unattended , unhonoured ; and for such a poore low sort of people to take so much upon them , who have no worth in them , that others can discern , is intolerable , no marvaile that the world bee against them ; this made the two Witnesses so hated , Revel. 11. that though they were but two , and they also cloathed in sackcloth , yet they durst undertake to throw fire in the faces of all men , who lived upon earth . Upon such grounds as these , there ever hath been in the hearts of all the enemies of the Church , an incessant indeavour , and an unanimous confederacy , to ruin them , and destroy them ; I note this but for these two ends briefly ; First , That it may teach all the servants of Christ , all the people of God , what they must look for in this world , while their lot is to live amongst worldly men ; they must looke for no other , but plots , and conspiracies , and confederacies for their ruine ; and let it not bee hard , It was so with the Lord himself , Quod erat Christus erimus Christiani ; What Christ was , we Christians must bee ; and it is enough , to be like our Master , while hee hee lived upon earth , although hee never did hurt any , walked unblamably , pitied all , helped all that came to him , yet hee was not beleeved in his word , he was reproached in his life , hated in his person , grieved in his Spirit , the whole way of the world went against him ; and it must and will bee so with his servants , while there is a devill and a devillish spirit in the world , the gates of hell will bee working , in one kind or other , Non semper saeviunt Nerones , sed nunquam cessat diabolus , there are not alwayes raging Neroes , but there are alwayes devils and devillish men , every Abel shall be sure of a Cain , and the Congregation of Christs people must bee opposed by the association of Malignant enemies . But Secondly , That which I would faine leave with you is this , even a use of wisdome ; which all the servants of God should learn , since there is such a confederacy and an harmony in the spirits and endeavours of all the enemies of Gods people for their ruine ; how should this provoke al the servants of Christ to associate and unite themselves together , for their mutuall safetie ? certainly when Gebal , and Ammon , and Amalek , and the Philistines , and they that dwell at Tyre , Asher , and the children of Lot , are all confederate against Gods people , it were a starke madnesse for Ephraim then to bite Manasses , and Manasses to bite Ephraim , and both these to devoure Iudah ; O how uncomely , and unseasonable a thing is it , to find the people of God divided one from another , and helping by their jealousies , and divisions , the hurt and raine one of another , at that time when there is one soul and spirit , possesses all their adversaries to destroy them ; how sad is it , that we cannot learne that wisedome of our adversaries ? looke over all the world , and you shall find , that the generality of the world , are all children of Babel , children of confusion , have severall interests one from another , can undermine one another , can fight one against another , yet they all can and doe convenire in hoc tertio , they all agree in this , that when there is a businesse against the Church of God , they will all be one against it : Shall not the servants of God joyn together for their safety ? this duty of loving one another our Saviour presseth upon us by many arguments , we have one God , one Lord , one Faith , one Baptisme , &c. it was one of his last injunctions , Love one another , it 's the band of perfection , &c. yet all will not do it , our great enemy knowes how open we lye to him , when a spirit of division is got in ; they that have read the stories of the Church , are able to prove it , that next to Apostasie from God , the divisions that have been found amongst Gods people , have been the greatest means of their hurt and mischief ; God in mercy teach us now to learne our duty ; sure I am , this exhortation was never more needfull , and usefull , then it is at this day , and unto this nation , where there are found a people , a godly people , for whom the Lord hath done admirable things , greater then which he hath not done since he brought Israel out of Egypt , and now after God hath done all this for us , wee are tantum non swallowed up , and should it prove so , it must lie upon this , our divisions have undone us , when the Lord hath prevented our enemies , wee have undermined one another , and been jealous one of another , and hated one another , and that so bitterly that I have often with sorrow thought , that in England this day , it is not much better , then it is in Turkie , in this respect ; they who write of the state of the Christians among the Turks , say this of them , that their divisions are such one against another , and their hatred so implacable , that they love the Turke better then they love one another , and that the Turke makes use of them as his instruments , and informers to ruine one another , and that if there were an Army of the one side able to cope with an Army of the Turkes , he that shall expect to have but one good wish from the rest of the Christians to accompany them , would be utterly deceived ; which ( saith a learned observer ) makes their bondage irrecoverable ; Alas that we should be so neer if in England , that the divisions that are got in amongst the servants of God , should make us like the Hieroglyphique of the Dragon and the Lion , fighting one against another , when the Griffin hangs over them to devoure them both when they have weakened & wounded one another . This is our present sad condition , God in mercy amend it ; I have much adoe to keep off from further enlarging my complaint upon this wofull theam , because our divisions ( beside all other mischiefes which attend them , ) hinder us from prising and esteeming deliverances and the mercies which God bestowes upon us , as in such a deliverance and mercy as we meet to praise God for this day ; many , yea many honest and good men hardly know how to praise for it , when the instruments of it are men from whom we are divided in our affections , lest possibly some such respect should be offered them as we like not : and thus God is deprived of his glory and we of our comfort . O the wofull fruits of our discord ! Christ will not bear these things at our hands , he wil either make us one or none ; I am perswaded he will either make us lay down these oru divisions , or he will give us up into their hands , who will make us agree in eating the bread of affliction , and drinking the water of affliction , make us agree in one common calamity with a witnesse . Pardon this digression ( if it be one ) which the exigence of the times and our dangers , put me upon ; I urge these things to stir up your frequent prayers that God would be merciful unto us , that we might not thus pul down our houses with our owne hands . Thus from the first part , the confederacy against the Church ; the other I principally aime at , and that is , The deliverance from it : where you have considerable two things : First , The deliverance it selfe ; the breaking of all the counsells of their enemies , and the turning of all upon their own heads : and Secondly , The cause of it ; and that is Immanuel , he is the worker of it . Now though there be but one main lesson , that I purpose to handle , yet there are three or foure particulars , that I would hint and but little more then name ; one is , that although the Lord had brought these Assyrians upon his people , and delivered his people into their hands , yet their rage , and cruelty , and fury against his Church did move God to turn his hand upon them , though he had imployed them to afflict , and chastise his people : That the more rage and fury is in the enemies of the Church , the sooner doth the Lord compassionate the miseries of his Church ; there are very many examples of it , in the 32. Deuter. I said I would scatter them , speaking of the rebellions of his people , which had anger'd him ; I said ( saith he ) I would even scatter them into corners , I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men , were it not that I feare the furie of their enemy , that he would exalt himselfe too much against them : Senacherib is a famous instance of this , Esay 10. God had stirred him up to goe against his people , to take the spoil of them , and to tread them downe as the mire in the streets : but Senacheribs rage grew higher , he would destroy and utterly cut them off , he would do to Hierusalem as he had done to Samaria , but even therefore did God compassionate his people , and ruine this proud adversary : so likewise , Zach. 1. 14 , 15 , 16. &c. God was a little angry and displeased with his people , and the enemies helped forward the affliction , but therefore was God sore displeased with their enemies , and even therefore did he returne to Hierusalem with mercyes . Thus you see God compassionates the misery of his people , the more the rage and furie of the adversary is kindlled against them : And therefore ( to apply this in a word or two ) that which is to many in these dayes , is a wonderfull discouragement of heart , I thinke rather should to be a ground of hope to us ; I mean the extream rage and fury which appears in the spirits of most wicked men against such as fear God ; I believe there was never so much bloud , nor wrath , rage , nor fury , in the hearts of the enemies of Gods people as is this day to be found ; they feare not to speake it out , that not a man of them shall live in the Kingdome , when once power comes into their hands ; they hope the day is comming , and they make account to doe , as Pharaoh said he would do , when he followed the Israelites into the Red sea , I will now overtake them , my wrath shall be now satisfied to the full upon them ; now who knowes but the Lord will doe his people the more good for this ; as David said of Shimei , when he cursed him , and they would have had him take off his head , No ( saith he ) let him curse , it may be God will doe me good for his cursing of me ; the more pride , and wrath there is in the hearts of those , that thinke to tread his people down , the more will God lay their insolency to his heart . Again , you may observe here , with what scorne and contempt the Lord doth speake of all the preparations of man against his people ; here was a mighty Army listed and rallied , gathered together , met at their rendezvouz , yea , come into the Kingdome , and made account to carry all before them , but how disdainfully the Lord speakes of all their preparations ; Associate your selves , goe your wayes on , you thinke to doe a great act , you make account to carry all , but it will not doe , it will not stand ; poore peoplel you reckon without your host ; thus the Lord ( as the prophet saith ) sits in heaven , and laughs at them ; he scorns all their preparations , that they make against his servants : and truly the naming of it , should teach us to make the same use of it , that Luther did , Surely ( saith he ) if Jesus Christ sit in heaven and laugh at them , we should be foolish on earth , to sit and cry for feare of them ; for Christ well enough knowes what they can doe , and what they shall doe , let us never tremble at that which Iesus Christ laughes at . Observe further , That when the Lord doth think upon deliverance for his afflicted people , it is nothing of their worth , but only the interest of Immanuel , which prevailes with God ; here the Lord had stirred up an enemy to come against them , and they came , and when they thought to doe great matters , the Lord would not let them , but would turne all upon their owne heads ; and why ? for Immanuel , Immanuel is interessed in it , not the worthinesse of Gods people , as he often saith it ; be it knowne to you , I doe nothing of all this for your sakes , be you ashamed and confounded , it is for my own names sake which I work for ; I regard the glory of my Son , Christs interest will bring deliverance , when the unworthines of the Church would rather call for vengeance . 'T is true , God dearly loves his people , they are to him as the apple of his eye , Kingdomes and nations are nothing to him in comparison of his people , but 't is no worth in them , nothing of their owne , which commends them to him , they often lye in their blood which yet is a time of love to him , and should he forbeare healing and helping till their worthinesse cal'd for deliverance it would , never come , 't is that love wherewith he hath loved them in Immanuel , which brings all ; therefore though we should be humbled and even tremble at the thought of our present unworthines , yet should Gods people comfortably hope and wait , that for Christs interest in our present cause and worke , deliverance will come . Before I come to the chiefe lesson , point at one more , That when the greatest inundations of miseries doe flow in upon the Church , yet the Lord sets bounds to them , that they cannot go so far as the enemy would : here the waters should come up to the chin , but yet not over head and eares ; the Lord often afflicts his people , but he will not give them up to a totall spoile , and desolation ; all these things deserve to be handled more fully , but the time will not allow it ; I come now therefore to that onely lesson , that I intend more full to insist upon ; and that is this , Immanuel , our blessed Saviour , doth turne all the plots and conspiracies , that are against his Church , upon the heads of the contrivers , and makes them for the salvation , and deliverance of his people : that is the lesson , That all the associations , and plots that are against Gods people , Jesus Christ doth so order the matter , that in the result and event , they shall be all turned upon the heads of the adversaries ; and for the welfare of those that are his servants : there is no one argument in the whole booke of God more frequently repeated in various instances , then this doctrin which I have propounded : that of Aegypt , of Sisera , of Senacherib , of Haman , of the conspiracie against Christ ; and a hundred others more , some relating to the Church in generall , some relating to particular godly men , in all of them the Lord hath ever made it good , that the mischief intended against his people , turns upon the heads of the contrivers . But to make it a little clear to you , I pray you note these four or five conclusions , which all lie in my Text : First , That all the plots and conspiracies , that wicked men have against the Church and people of God , Jesus Christ hath a hand in the contriving of them : here was Senacherib , he and his people had confederated and associated in this plot : but God sent him , verse 7. Now therefore the Lord bringeth upon them the King of Assyria : the Lord had determined how far he should goe , how hee should spread over all the land , and his waters should reach up to the neck : in the next Chapter but one , in the 10 Isa. God saith of him , I sent him against them , though he did not thinke so : So also in the 4. of Micah , Many nations are gathered together against thee , &c. but it followes presently , I gather them as sheaves ; so in the famous case of the death of Christ , Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ , but it was to do what Gods hand and counsell had before determined to be done . Secondly , In this contrivement , Jesus Christ intendeth one thing , and the enemies intend another thing , each of them working according to their owne principles ; that you have plain here , the Assyrian comes in , his intent is to swallow up all , the Lords intent is , that he himself and all his company shal be broken to pieces ; thus Iosephs brethren thought evill against him , but God meant good to him ; thus Pharaoh intended the extirpation of Israel , by that which God intended their propagation ; thus Haman intended the ruine of Mordecai and all the Iewes , when God intended light and gladnesse and a good day to them ; thus the nations Micah 4. intended to tread down Zion , when God intended they themselves should be threshed out : and a hundred examples more might be given , but I can only point at these things . Thirdly , That Jesus Christ doth very frequently let the designs of the adversaries of his Church goe on , with a great deale of successe and prosperity , untill they think themselves cock-sure of the whole businesse : this you may see in the Text here , they came with such a mighty Army , that they made no question of carrying all before them , made account all was their own ; thus Pharaoh went on till he was confident his wrath should be satisfied upon them , Exod. 15. So Haman had got his decrees signed by the Kings letters , which by the law of Persia was irrevocable ; thus was Peter kept in prison untill the very night before he should be executed : and so in abundance of other designs against the Church you may see the like , though it is very true that sometimes the Lord crushes them in the egge , and will not let them break out into Serpents ; yet very often ( as we say in the Gunpowder-treason ) there wanted nothing , but to put the match to the powder , and the blow had been given ; so God lets the plots and contrivements of the enemies of his Church , go on , untill they make account that there be no way in the world to stop them , or to prevent them ; so that if Gods people be delivered , their soules must escape as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler . The next conclusion is , That when the enemies make account all is sure , that they question not , but the day is their owne , then doth the Lord in some unexpected way , dash all their plots , bring them to nothing ; thus God defeated Pharaoh , Exod. 15. thus was Haman defeated , thus was the conspiracy against Paul defeated , Acts. 26. a hundred instances might be given , but I shall only open one similitude which God use to set down the manner of the destruction of Nineveh , Nahum 1. 10. Nineveh was then the head of this Assyrian Empire , and God expresseth the ruine of Nineveh thus , when they are folden together , like thornes , and when they are drunken like drunkards , then shall they be devoured as stubble fully dryed ; that is , when their plots are curiously weaved , and set so , that no man shall dare to touch them , no more then he would touch a wreath of thornes ; they have so contrived the businesse that they would faine see the man that durst appeare against them ; They are folded together as thornes , and when they are drunken like drunkards , that is , they are drunken with pride and confidence of their successe , they can hardly speak or goe , they are so drunken with confidence , when they are come thus to the top , then shall they be devoured like dry stuble , some way or other fire will be put to the thatch of the house , and set it a burning , and in a moment all is gone off . Thus when the enemy is come in like a floud , the spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him . Thus God delights to take his time , when they are at the highest , and feare the least , then God breaks their design ; the last conclusion is , That when God breaks their designes , hee delights to break themselves , not onely to frustrate their designes , but to ruine them too , and deliver his people ; so it is here , Associate your selves , gather your selves , gird your selves , take counsell , but still you shall be broken to pieces , ye shall be broken to pieces , ye shall be broken to pieces , three times it is in one verse ; all breaking to pieces , ruin and destruction to them , and salvation , and deliverance to Gods people : Thus was it to Pharoah and his hoast , thus was it to Sisera and his army , thus was it to Oreb and Zeeb , who perished at Endor , and became like dung upon the face of the earth , thus with Senacharib and his great Army , thus with all the Nations who were gathered together to defile Zion , and thus shall it be with all the enemies of the Church , so let all thine enemies perish O Lord . Could the time permit me , I would a little further instruct you , out of the word , in the severall wayes , how Jesus Christ uses to affect this , which are all unexpected wayes unto his enemies ; they are such as these , Sometimes the Lord doth make some diversion for them ; calls them off that they cannot goe on though they fully purpos'd it : 2 Kings 19. 7 , 8. Sometimes the Lord doth infatuate their counsels , that they goe a simple way to worke in a businesse , that else might bee carried easily , Esay 19. 20 , 12. Sometimes the Lord doth breed divisions amongst themselves , that they who thought to destroy Gods people , help to destroy one another ; 2. Chron. 20. Sometimes the Lord strikes into them a spirit of terror , and amazement , that they doe not know whence it is , nor why it is , and yet their courage is wholly gone , and so God threatned it should be both to Niniveh and Babylon , Esay 13. Sometimes the Lord stirres up other creatures to doe it ; the Wind , the Sun , the Stars , nay it may be the very insecta animalia , Exod. 8. 9 , 10. the Rats and Mice , and Frogs , and such poore creatures , and so delivers his people , as he did Ieremiah out of a dungeon by rotten rags . Sometimes the Lord Jesus doth it , by his own immediate hand , as in my Text here ; the hand of the Lord doth it as with devouring fire ; So hee did against Senacharib ; the Angel of God sent a plague , that in one night kil'd a matter of ninescore thousand : Esay 9. 6. and Esay 1. 3. 7. Sometimes the Lord doth it by giving mighty strength unto a handfull of his own people , to bee able to tread downe , and to breake through huge hostes of them who made account to lick them up , as the Oxe should lick up a little fodder , Iudges 1. Kings 20. there are plentifull examples of all these ; such wayes as these doth Jesus Christ delight to turn the plots of all the enemies of the Church upon their owne hands , and for his peoples deliverance ; the ground of it in one word , is this , It all comes from that infinite love that Jesus Christ beares to his people ; my Text hath it , you must be broken to pieces , for Immanuel ; it is Immanuels land , it is Immanuels cause , it is Immanuels people : the tender love that Christ beares to his people , is the cause of all this , though they are altogether unworthy of it ; With an everlasting love have I loved thee , in Ier. 31. 3. therefore with loving kindnesse will I thus draw thee ; and in the 43. of Isaiah , Since thou wast pretious in mine eyes , ( saith God ) that is , since I set my heart upon thee , I will give men for thee , and people for thy life : the Lord cares not to give a mighty Army of enemies for the ransome of them that are pretious in his eyes : and in another place , I 'le make them of the Synagogue of Satan , fall at thy feet , and they shall know that I have loved thee ; for their sakes is hee Immanuel , for their sakes is al power in heaven and earth committed to him , the Father judgeth no man , that is , the execution of all the Soveraigne authority of God ; is now put into the hands of Jesus Christ , for this very end , God hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church , they are all to be subordinate for the good of the Church , his onely work and design is the welfare of his Church , upon the Church hee hath set his heart , the Church he carries in his bosome , his Church he hath writ upon the palmes of his hands , and the tablet of his breast , and hee being furnished with all the power of God , and all the wisdome of God , and all the righteousnesse of God , it can bee no otherwise but that all designes and plots that are against the Church must bee dashed and come to nought , according to that promise in the latter end of the 54. of Isaiah , No weapon that is formed against thee can prosper , but every tongue that riseth up against thee in judgement thou sholt condemn , this is the heritage of all Gods people , saith the Lord : these things I know you are not unacquainted with , I shall now wind it up with an Application in two or three uses , and they are all of them such uses which the Lord teaches his people to make of it , in this very Chapter ; the first is , A word of Caution , because all plots and conspiracies against the Church must come to nothing , therefore say you not , a confedracy with them that say a confederacy ; this use of Prophet makes of it in the 12. verse , assoon as the Lord had made this promise , He presently with a strong hand instructs him not to walk in the way of that people , saying , say not a confederacy with them , that say a confederacy , that is , when others doe either out of ill will against Gods people , or from base feare , or any other principle whatever , associate themselves with the churches enemies do not you joyn in that confederacy with them the same caution I give you , let it bee a watch-word to all of you , to beware how you have your hand in any designe that is against the cause and people of God , for certainly in it you can contrive nothing but your owne ruine ; Ahitophel was a wise man and hee would joyne with Absalon , possibly onely out of policy , because hee saw Absalon was the rising star , and the people were discontented with Davids government , and factions were spread , and this man was like to carry it , and what became of this wise man ? God turned his counsell into foolishinesse , hee twisted a halter to hang himself , and that was all ; Thou maist by such plots kindle a fire to burn thy owne house , thou maist furbish a sword to run into thy owne bosome , but all thy contrivements and joynings with them , how wise or cunning so ever they are , must turn upon thy own head to thy ruin , if thou have any thing to doe with them ; therefore as Pilates wife sent to him , have thou nothing to doe against that just man , so say I to you , have you nothing to do against Gods Servants , it is a dangerous and a wretched thing to be ingaged against them , it 's a wretched thing to carry the devill in ones brain , to be plotting mischief , but to be unsuccessefull in attempts , yea to advance and doe good to them whom men would destroy , and themselves to perish for their labour , this is miserable , many a man with Sampson would bee content to perish upon condition , that they whom they oppose might perish with them , but that cannot be here , no plot will take , therefore let them alone , meddle not against those men for whose sake God will be ingaged against thee : this is one use , The second is , A use of comfort ; because Immanuel was with his people , therefore saith he , Feare not their feare , be not dismayed , sanctifie you the Lord of hosts in your heart , he will be a sanctuary to you , trust in him though he hide his face from the house of Israel ; In many words the Prophet here doth animate and incourage the servants of God , in their greatest confusions which can possibly lie upon them , not to let their faith in Immanuel goe , but beare themselves upon him in the midst of all difficulties ; This also would I a little presse upon you , because the Lord is thus engaged , and will order all things for the ruine of his enemies , and the good of his servants , therefore in the mid'st of all our darknesses and difficulties , hold your faith strong in Immanuels promises , which are many , hold you to them , and feare not any feare of man ; I confesse , when in my weaknesse , I look upon the condition of these three Kingdomes of England , Scotland , and Ireland , there is not in reference to the people of God , a sadder spectacle upon earth , presented to my eye ; Clouds of confusion hang over all our heads , wee may say of our troubles , as Leah said , when shee had a son born , shee called him Gad , Behold ( said shee ) a troope cometh ; Troopes of misery break out against us , and threaten the people of God in all these three Kingdomes ; the adversaries of the cause that we have beene engaged in , were never more , never so full of fury , never so diligent , they are like unto the Frogs , that came out of the mouth of the Dragon , and the false Prophet , and the Beast , that were to gather all the Kings of the earth to battaile against the Lambe , setting their confederacies , and sending their Emissaries into every corner ; into every corner of France , of Holland , of England , and Scotland , and Ireland , where ever any confederacy may bee raised ; and wee at home are a most pitifull , divided , disjoynted people , even we who have owned and joined in Gods cause , as if wee were the children of Cadmus , making it our worke to thrust our swords into one anothers bowels ; or like the brethren of Ishmael , every mans sword is against us , and our sword against them ; so that when I look upon the difficulties , and dangers that doe inviron us , seriously I see no more probability of our withstanding the invading ruine , then it is for a levell of sand to withstand a Torrent of water , that comes running upon it , I say thus it appeares to mee when I look upon these things , with carnall eyes : I can then see no way , but the wofullest confusion breaking in upon us , which a Kingdom can be plunged in , especially that the godly party are even like to be given up for a spoile , and a prey ; all our foundations are out of joynt , and our whole house seemes falling ; but what then ? Must we therefore sit downe , and despaire ? No , for Immanuel , because of Immanuel wee may beare up our hearts still ; and to encourage you , I pray you carry home , these foure or five meditations : First , Know you for certain , that there is not one of all these businesses , not any of these designes and plots that are in hand against us , but the best friend wee have in heaven and earth , hath stirred them all ; no man could offer at you , so much as a drawne Dagger , if Jesus Christ did not draw it , and put it into his hand : and truly Gods people need not feare any great hurt from any designe that Jesus Christ hath his hand in ; the clouds which Jesus Christ raiseth will all drop fatnesse , that is one , Christ hath contrived them all , and you may therefore look for good from them ; Secondly , Know for certaine that in the greatest rage and fury that ever is found amongst wicked men , Immanuel hath a negative voice ; hee is not onely privy to all the counsels that are , but he hath a negative voice in them too : If hee say nay , all their yeas are : not worth a farthing , to advance their businesse ; wee use to say to the Papists , that if a generall councel could be called in Christrendome , no good could bee expected from it , if the Pope bee allowed to have a negative voyce , for certainly hee will never passe any thing that shall be against the Church of Rome : Jesus Christ hath this negative voice ; you may demand over whom hath Christ a negative voice ? I tel you , Over the Sun ; hee saith to the Sun , doe not shine ; though the Sun be prepared as a Gyant to run his race , if Christ doe but say , doe not shine , the Sun puts his head in a cloud . He hath a negative voice over the Seas ; if he say to the Seas , goe not there , the raging waves of the Sea cannot stir ; it is an observation that Basil hath upon Egypt , that the land of Egypt lies lower then the red Sea , that the red Sea , is higher then the land of Egypt , so that there is no reason can be given why the red Sea doth not drown all Egypt and swallow it up , every day , but onely the Lord doth not give his voyce to it ; he hath said to the waves of it , Hitherto ye shall come , and here yee shall turne back up on a levell ground ; yea runne away from a lower ground , and when the waves roare , he but saith , peace , bee still , and husheth them as a child . Christ hath a negative voice over the Devill ; If the Devill would but goe into a hog , and Christ say , no , you shall not goe , he cannot enter into a Swine . Hee hath a negative voyce over all mortall men ; in all their plots and conspiracies ; If hee say , it shall not stand , it is to no purpose : certainly Beloved , wee may beare up our hearts comfortably upon such grounds as these ; yea , Thirdly , as Christ contrives all , and hath a negative voice in all ; so , All these doe but work his work : hee is not onely one of them , but they are all his Agents too ; hee hath some worke to doe , whatever it bee wherein hee imploys them , and though hee let them worke according to their principles , yet they all worke the work of the Lord , the devills in hell worke the worke of Christ , as well as the Angels in heaven ; the Pope of Rome works the worke of Christ , as well as a faithfull Minister in a Pulpit doth ; I mean not that they doe it from right principles , or doe it according to rule , but de facto , they doe nothing but what Christ will have done , as the Iews and Romans did in crucifying Christ , when they hung him upon the crosse , they did nothing , but what the Lords counsell had determined to bee done before the foundations of the World were laid ; Nay I adde in the last place , to strengthen you , that as they work all of them the Lords work ; So The Lords work & design is , the good of his Church , the calling , the purging , the preserving , the building , and nourishing , and growth of the Church , is all the work that Jesus Christ hath to doe , when that is done , the world ends , and he resignes up the Kingdome into his Fathers hand ; now certainly if we can beleeve all these things , may not our hearts rest quiet ? May not wee ( if wee be ingaged in a good cause , may not wee I say ) with comfort and confidence , put it into the Lords hand , and let him doe what hee will ? I am perswaded the ground of all the diffidence and discouragement that is found amongst the people of God this day , arises from their ignorance of the interest of Jesus Christ in these publick affaires , and I know also that to those men that are but Politicians , and carry carnall and worldly designes of their own , such a lesson as this can be of no use , nor stay to them , for Jesus Christ is against them ; but for those that have a spirituall eye , and would bee glad to have some prop to lean upon , this may stay and quiet their hearts ; they may comfortably set down this conclusion , their Adversary may have great power and strength , but the Church hath Immanuel ; they have the wealth of the World , the Church hath the wealth of Immanuel , the wisdome , care and goodnesse of Immanuel ; they have the whole world to joyn with them , but we have Jesus Christ with us , and that 's more ; non est consilium contra Dominum ; there is no counsell , nor strength against the Lord : therefore stay , and quiet your hearts with these things , especially this might stay us against our feares of having this tender plant of Reformation blasted and spoiled by the many enemies who oppose it , it hath been Christs ordinary way to let his enemies set against his worke , when it s but a tender plant , when in all likelihood it may bee most easily spoil'd , and he orders it so purposely to make men see and know that when they have vented their utmost rage , and done their worst , hee will carry it on in despight of them . I conclude this use in the Prophets words in this place , Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts , fear not mens feare , looke to Christ , even though hee hide his face , one word spoken by him , can and will in due time quiet all these stormy waves : and then Thirdly , with which I will end , This lesson is applyed here by the Prophet likewise , For duty , therefore saith hee , Bind up the testimonie , and seale up my Law amongst my Schollers , and when any say to you , seek to Witches , or Wizzards , or they that have familiar Spirits , goe not after them ; but hold to Immanuels testimony , the plain meaning of it : is this , that because the salvation and deliverance of the Church from all dangers , comes onely from Immanuel , therefore wee should bee carefull to ingage Immanuel to us , hold close to his rules , bind up Immanuels testimonies , seale them up , that is , ratifie and confirme them , let them onely be of authority among his schollers , goe no 〈…〉 ayes of humane policies , use not any devillish arts , look not succour in any unlawfull way , but hold you close to the rules of Christ , that Immanuel may own you , and you are well enough ; this is the last use I shall make of it , because the Lord Jesus doth thus order all things for the welfare and good of his Church and people , therefore if we would bee safe , let us engage Jesus Christ closely , let us hold him with us , and wee are well enough ; and herein Honorable and beloved , I more especially direct my speech to you that are called to be the great Councell of the Kingdome , according to my poore understanding , you never stood in more need of help , then you doe at this day , your enemies are very many , and full of rage and fury ; and your friends truely , they are but few , and they divided amongst themselves , they are jealous one of another , and many of them jealous of you , and what advice , to give you , so to steere your counsels and courses , to give that satisfaction , which ( I think ) you would bee glad to doe to honest men , dissenting one from another ; the Lord knowes I cannot imagine , what it should be , it is a hard thing to say in these difficulties , what you should doe , in the wayes of humane wisdome , to satisfie the people , and to settle and save the Kingdome ; but I am sure my Text doth furnish mee with somewhat upon which I can pawn what ever is pretious to mee , and venture my everlasting comfort upon it , if the Lord direct you to take that course , you may yet save your selves , and this Kingdome , that is , hold Immanuel to you , bind up Immanuels lawes and testimonies , let Jesus Christ but be ingaged with you , and he hath wayes to fetch all about again , beyond what the heart of man can think of ; Truly the mercy which this day wee praise God for , is a great pledge and 〈◊〉 to us , how easily the Lord could doe it , when with asmall handfull such a thing was done , and at such a season able time , when ( I am confident ) the Malignant enemies throughout the Kingdom , had set and appointed to have had risings in every corner of the land , ( which I conceive is the reason ; why they so cry it down as an untruth , that they might hold up the spirits of them , who run in the same way ) a little check to our Forces there , would probably have made evill affected men in forty places of the Kingdome to have appear'd suddenly ; Now the Lord comming in thus unexpectedly , and dashing them thus easily , le ts us see how soone hee can turn the stream ; That you may therefore ingage Immanuel to own you , I beseech you receive this humble advice , which I give you in his Name , doe you obey his will in it , I dare promise you , he will yet be with you , and doe all your work for you . Humble your selves deeply under that hand of God , which is gone out against you , God hath now layed you very low ; it 's true , there was never Parliament of England , upon which God hath powred so many favours , so many deliverances and victories , and it 's as true that there was never Parliament upon which God hath powred so much scorne ; the glory and honour of Parliamentary Authority , seems now utterly lost , and like the lost innocent state of man , never more to be repaired , but by an Immanuel , none but Jesus Christ is able to repaire this dishonour , and reproach , scorn , and hatred , which is east upon the Parliament , now if you expect any reparation from him , you must put your mouth into the dust , humble your souls , acknowledg the Lord to be righteous in all the contempt that he hath powred upon you , and that you have deserved far worse at his hands then hee hath done unto you . Look into your own hearts & lives , enquire whether you walk as a people whom Immanuel may bee the head and leader of ; whether you be a company that Jesus Christ may take any pleasure in or delight to regard and prosper you in your wayes : Inquire whether there be not found amongst you many who never knew Jesus Christ , nor any saving work of his upon your own hearts , whether there be not adulterers among you , men that keep harlots , whether there be no haters of goodnesse , unjust men , and oppressors , Blasphemers , and Drunkards ; pardon this plaine language , you know other people talke these things , I doe not charge you with them , but I professe , if you intend Immanuel should look towards you , you must look into your hearts to see whether these things be not so , if they be , labour by his strength to cast them out ; by unfained repentance for the Lord delights not , ( though he knowes how to make use of all ) to blesse men that will walke in wayes so contrary to him ; and In your Parliamentary wayes if you would have Immanuel be with you , look that all your proceedings bee according to the rules of righteousnesse ▪ you cannot be ignorant of the reports of many , it may be some of them ill affected men , it may be some others of them through mistake have suffer'd and so are prejudiced against you , but you cannot but know that there are reports overall the Kingdom , how that in some of the Committees there is as great oppression and injustice as was ever found in the High Commission , and Star-chamber , those Courts that God hath defiled like Tophet ; Make an inquiry after these things ; for beleeve it , if such things be found amongst you , and that through sinfull negligence or carelesnesse , they bee not looked into , and amended , the Lord will not regard you , and you and wee are a lost people , if Immanuel own you not : And lastly , Looke ( I beseech you ) to Immanuels cause above all things else , if you would have him ; own your cause , bee you faithfull in his cause , and to this end looke back into the Vowes and Covenants you have made , into the solemn oaths you have sworn , in the time of your distresse , with hands lifted up to the most High God ; remember how many promises you have made concerning Religion , in matters of Faith , Worship and Government , whether the Oaths of God which are upon you are performed , and ●ake into your thoughts , as neere as you can remember , the counsell that hath been given you either by the Assembly of Divines you have called to attend that service , or by any other Ministers of God , whom you have called to Preach upon these solemne dayes , and know ye that what counsell from Immanuel hath been given must bee obeyed , you must not square his counsels to serve your owne designes , but all your design must bee to advance his cause and Kingdome , hee will not have any Agitators in his Army , that shall give check and lawes to him , but he will be Lord of all , or he will break all ; therefore for the Lords sake , make Christs cause the cause of Religion , the cause of Worship , the cause of Justice , the cause of righteousnesse , make it yours , and promote it seriously & unanimously , and if there have been got in amongst you , any factions or divisions , any driving of parties , or siding with this or the other , because you would have your part goe well , throw them all in the dust , lay them aside , know not the meaning of being of such a party , or such a party , but with a single heart do that which Christ would have you doe , and hold to it , Vote not one thing this day to please one party , and then another thing , another time , to please another party , but let your Rule bee the same , and your heart be right , and alwayes the same . Honored and Beloved , if you take this course , Immanuel will owne you , but if you try other wayes , hee knowes how to break and dash all your designes , all your hope is onely in him : I conclude with that speech of the Prophet Azariah , 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you , while ye be him , and if yee seek him , hee will bee found of you , but if ye forsake him , he will forsake you , and if the Lord forsake you , ye are lost : Consider what I have said , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89565e-440 Zach. 14. 6 , 7. Jer. 51. 5. Notes for div A89565e-550 The Introduction , shewing the parts and scope of this whole chapter . 2 Kings 16. 2 Chron 28 1. 2. 3. 4. Lapid. in locum . 2. Observ. Vse . The Text opened . 2. 3. 4. 5. 2. 3. 2. 1. 2. Obser. 1. There is a content and unitie in the enemies of the Church in their opposition against it . The severall wayes how they attempt it . Reason . From their enmity against it . Gen. 3. 15. Which preceeds from three causes . 1. 2. Iohn 15. 19. Iohn 17. 14. 3. Vse 1. Therefore the the people of God , must look for no quiet in this world . Vse 2. Therefore they should unite for their own safety . Ephes. 1. 4. Iohn 13. Col. 3. Second and third part of the Text , the Churches deliverance and the cause of it . Observ. 3. The rage and fury of the Churches enemies hasten the Churches deliverance . Deut. 32. Application . Exod. 15. 9. Observ. 2. With what scorn and contempt , God looks upon the preparations and forces of his Churches eenemies . Ps. 22. Application . Observ. 3. Application . Observ. 5. The main observation from the deliverance and the author of it . Iesus Christ turns the most desperate designes of his Churches enemies upon their own heads , &c. This cleared by five conclusions gathered out of the text . 1. God and our Lord Iesus Christ hath a hand in contriving all the designes that are against his people . Conclusion . 1. Christ hath a hand in contriving every plot that is against the Church . Acts 4 26 , 27 , 28. 2. Christ intends one thing , the enemy another thing . Gen. 50. 20. Exod. 1. 12. Hester 3. 1. Micah 4. 12 , 13. 3. Christ often lets them goe on till they think to attain their end . Exod. 15. 9. Hester . 10. 8 , 9. Acts 12. 7. 4. Christ defeats them when they thinke themselves most sure . Acts 20. 12 &c. Esa ●9 . 19. 5. When Christ breaks his enemies plots , he often breaks themselves also . Exod. 1. 4. Iudges 15. Iudges 8. Psal. 3. 11. Iudg. 5 ult. The severall wayes how Christ delivers his Church and ruines their enemies . 1. 2 Kings 19 7 , 8. 2. Esa 19 20 , 12. 3. 2 Chron 20. 4. Esay 13. 8. 5. Exod 8 ▪ 9 , 10. 6. Esay 9. 6. Esay 3. 7. 7. R●ason . From the tender love and regard Iesus Christ bears to his people . Ier. 31. 3. Esay 43. 4. Revel. 3. 9. Ioh 5. 22. Ephes. 1. 21 , Esay 54. 17. Vse 1. Therefore let all men feare to have any hand against Gods people . Verse 12. Vse 3. Vers . 12 , 13 , 14. 17. Therefore let Gods people stay upon Christ in all dark & difficult times . 1. 2. 1. Iob 7. 2. 3. 4. 3. Acts 4. 28. 4. Vse 3. Exhortation : Therefore keep Christ with us and we are well enough . V. 16. 19 , 20. 1. 3. 4. 
A89564	----	A divine project to save a kingdome: Opened in a sermon to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen, of the citie of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easter Munday, Apr. 22. 1644. at Christ-Church. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Gods word at Finchingfield in Essex. Imprimatur, Charles Herle. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89564 of text R20669 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E47_31). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 103 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 25 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89564 Wing M752 Thomason E47_31 ESTC R20669 99865805 99865805 118056 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89564) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 118056) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 8:E47[31]) A divine project to save a kingdome: Opened in a sermon to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen, of the citie of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easter Munday, Apr. 22. 1644. at Christ-Church. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Gods word at Finchingfield in Essex. Imprimatur, Charles Herle. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 40 [i.e. 44] p. Printed by Richard Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley, London : 1644. Page 44 is misnumbered 40. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Numbers XXV, 10-11 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89564 R20669 (Thomason E47_31). civilwar no A divine project to save a kingdome:: Opened in a sermon to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen, of the citie of Londo Marshall, Stephen 1644 19808 15 5 0 0 0 0 10 C The rate of 10 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A DIVINE PROIECT TO SAVE A KINGDOME : Opened In a Sermon to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen , of the Citie of London , at their Anniversary meeting on Easter Munday , Apr. 22. 1644. at Christ-Church . By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . JER. 5. 1. Run you to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem , and see now and know , and seeke in the broad places thereof , if yee can find a man , if there bee any that executeth judgement , that seeketh the truth , and I will pardon it . REV. 3. 19. Bee zealous therefore , and repent . Imprimatur , Charles Herle . London Printed by Richard Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley , 1644. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE The Lord Maior , & Court of Aldermen , of the famous Citie of London . LUke-warme Laodicea by some hath beene made Englands Embleme , and sutably enough , not so much to the cold climate , and this coole evening of the world we live in , as to the tepid spring of our reformation at first , especially to the decaying Autumne , which of late yeares wee were come to . But as cold oft breeds an inflammation , so this hath inkindled Gods wrath , and it these sad combustions , which we are already well-nigh consumed with : what remaines now therefore but that fire should take out fire , the kindly warmth of holy zeale , the wofull heate of this devouring fire , that it may not come to everlasting burnings ? Great is the honour that God in this kind hath conferred upon you , and great the blessings which hee hath to this whole land conveyed by you : Your Engines not more admirable to quench fire in your Citie , then your care , cost , and blood freely usefull to the extinguishing of the generall scare-fire of this whole kingdome : your zeale herein hath saved many , provoked more , hath under God beene as a wall of fire about us , and will bee for ever a more sparkling Diamond in your Crowne , then those stones of fire in the King of Tyres Diadem . The Ministers Lungs some make the Prophets Bellowes to blow up a dying fire , I desired that mine in preaching this Sermon might helpe to blow up yours to a yet brighter flame ; and if this further publishing of it ( at your request ) may any whit serve to keep still alive this holy fire on the Altar of your hearts , whilst Incendiaries set on fire from hell , are every where shooting fiery bullets to set all into a further combustion , I am but subservient to my great Master in his present work , who is now purging the blood of our Jerusalem out of the midst of it , by the spirit of judgement and burning ; Fervet opus , and then I know you will not coole . It s reformation , worke , and the examples of Phinehas , Elias , John Baptist , Luther , Knox , and those other great reformers tell us it requires zeale . Baruch was a great repairer of Jerusalems walls , but it is said of him , that flagrante animo instauravit , hee repaired fast , but it was when hee was hot upon it . It is Gods worke , and they must be fervent in spirit that would serve the Lord , who had rather wee should let his worke alone , then see us freeze at it , it is his zeale that must now doe all for us , and therefore hee expects that our zeale should doe what wee can for him . It is Christs worke and cause , who is willing to redeeme us , but that wee might bee a people zealous of good workes ; hee did not sweat that wee should freeze , nor shed his blood out of his owne veines , that it might congeale in ours . It is finally a great worke , and the oppositions against it are greater , but as they said to Joshua , Onely be couragious , so I to you , Onely bee zealous , and then bee not discouraged ; Hannibal by fire made his way over the Alpes , and you by zeale may make yours over greatest mountaines of opposition , which without running up with full strength and speed will not bee gotten up to ; Palmes are the Embleme of victory , but they love to grow in a hot soyle ; be warme , and promise your selves the Palme ; nay God promiseth it , and that not onely to Smyrna ( whose name smells sweet of warme incense ) that if shee will be faithfull to the death , he will give her a Crowne of life ; but even to our cooler Laodicea , that her , whom hee was ready to spew out of his mouth whilst she was lukewarme , hee will be ready to come into and sup with , when she shall once be zealous and repent : which is the humble and hearty prayer of your Servant for Christ , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A DIVINE PROIECT TO SAVE A KINGDOME . Numb. 25. 10 , 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses , saying , Phinehas the Sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest , hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel , while hee was zealous for my sake among them , that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie . IF you view this Portion of Scripture seriously , you will find ( Right Honorable and Beloved ) that the businesse contained in it , doth very nigh concern our selves . In a few words , The condition of the Israelites ( at the present time which this Text speaketh of ) was this . They had indured a long peregrination in the wildernesse , for forty yeares together , God had visited former rebellions upon them , and now their wandrings were well-nigh accomplished , they were come almost to the skirt of the Land of Canaan ; God had begun to deliver the promised inheritance unto them , by overthrowing , and rooting out Sihon King of the Amorites , and Og the King of Bashan , and had given their Country into the hand of Israel , and had told them hee would goe on , and root out all the rest of the Canaanites before them , that there should not a man be able to stand in their way , As the Lord your God hath done unto these two Kings , so shall hee do unto the other Kingdoms , whither they passed , they need not feare them , the Lord their God would fight for them : and would very shortly place them in that land which hee had long before promised to their fore-fathers ; And now when they were just upon entring into the Land , they had like to have made ship wrack in the very Harbour , and had brought down such a new Plague upon them , that if there had not been a timely remedy put in , they had perished every Mothers childe of them , without any forain enemy striking a stroake at them . And thus it was when Balaam could not obtaine leave from God to curse the Israelites , hee taught Balak the King of Moab a trick , how hee might make God himselfe curse them , viz. If hee could by any wayes draw them to rebell against God . Hee had told him plainly , that while they kept close to God , all the world would bee too weak for them , but could hee but devise any way to make them fall out with God , God would take a course with them himselfe , hee would destroy them to Balak his hand . Balak according to this counsell , goeth and maketh all the Courtship that hee could to the Israelites , sendeth them all kind of provision , sendeth them the handsomest women , and whatsoever might allure them unto wantonnesse , and thereby draweth them first to commit fornication , and uncleannesse , and then ( as one sin draweth on another ) they got them to feast in their Idoll Temples , and so to eate the sacrifices that were offered to Baal Peor , And the Israelites did eate , and bowed down unto their Gods ; and God knowes how many thousands of the Israelites on a suddain were taken in the strength of this lust : which so extreamly provoked God , that without any more adoe , he sendeth the Plague among them , such a plague which in the space of foure and twenty houres , destroyed twenty foure thousand men , many of the prime of their strength , and it was grown so hot , that a few twenty foure houres more , were like to have made an end of all this great company : Now they seeing the anger of God so hot , fall down on their knees , and lament their sinnes and cast about to see which way they might procure their peace . While they were about it , there commeth one Zimri , one of the chiefe Princes of one of their Tribes , and before the face of all the people , leadeth a Lady who was Daughter to one of the chiefe Noblemen of Moab , leads her into his Tent , and there goeth and committeth the same villany with her that had thus provoked God to send this plague among them , Phinehas the Sonne of Eleazar the High Priest , seeing this high and audacious boldnesse of this wretched Nobleman , was so filled by the Spirit of God with holy indignation , That hee taketh his Javelin , followeth them into their Tent , taketh them , probably , in the very act of their filthinesse , striketh the man through the body , and the woman through the belly , and nayled them both to the ground , and out he went againe : And God took this part of Phinchas so kindly , to see him so inflamed with the zeale of justice , that he presently commanded the Angell to put up his Sword , and not to kill a man more , Zimri and Cosbi were the two last that dyed , at that time not one more perished . And that all the world might know , what had stopped the Plague so suddainly , he telleth Moses in the words that I have read . Phineas the Son of Eleazar the Priest hath pacified my wrath , while hee was zealous for my sake among them . And so I have now brought you to the Text , which you shall heare ( God willing ) to bee a divine project , how one , or a few men , may save a whole People , a whole Nation , when they seeme to bee sinking under utter ruine . Wherein observe two things . First , What their disease was . Secondly , What the cure was . Their disease was this , They were under the guilt of their own sin , and under the heat of Gods wrath , which broke out in such a plague , that they were all like to have perished suddenly : that was their disease . The cure of this disease you have in the words I have read , and upon which I shall spend the houre ( God willing ; ) onely observe a few things from their disease , both their sin , which was bodily uncleannesse , and spirituall uncleannesse , Fornication , and Idolatry ; And their punishment the anger of God , hot kindled against them , and poured out in a devouring Pestilence , and such a one as was like suddenly to devour them all . This fearefull sin and Plague betyding them immediately after such great deliverances , mercies , victories , teacheth us , 1. That such is the power of corruption , remaining even in Gods own people , that no mercies are able to keep them from present running into most foule rebellions , if but left unto themselves : as appeares by innumerable examples of Gods people in Covenant with him , David , Hezekiah , the Apostle Peter , &c. whose suddain and fearefull fals , even after greatest mercies , assure us , that no tinder or gun-powder is more prone to take fire , no unbridled horse more prone to run , no Eagle more ready to fly unto the prey , then we are to run into the foulest evils , even presently after the greatest , most precious favours received , if God but take off the bridle of his restraining grace . Which may teach us , 1. as to be tender to others in their fals , 2. so to consider our selves , and to walke with humilitie and godly feare , and thirdly , to intreate the Lord daily , not to lead us into temptation , not to permit us to bee solicited by Satans temptations , or outward objects , or our owne concupiscence ; or if it bee his good pleasure to permit us to bee tryed , that by his owne grace hee would preserve us , that hee would not suffer us to bee foiled or overcome , who else shall infallibly yeeld to any temptation , whether on the right hand or the left . 2. That the nearer God takes a people to himself & the greater mercies he bestowes upon them , the more severe and fierce are his judgements against them ; hee had but newly delivered up Sihon King of Heshbon and Og the King of Bashan , and given their land for an inheritance unto them , and compelled Balaam to preach that no sorcerie or inchantment , no force or fraud could prevaile against them , and they rebelling against him , hee presently turnes upon them in extremity of wrath and fury . And this is according to his word , that if they who are owned by him as his people walke contrary to him , hee will walke contrary to them , and plague them seven times and seven times , and yet seven times , and seven times , with sicknesses , famine , pestilence , sword , captivitie , yea more severely then to the heathen . Heare yet this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel , against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt , you onely have I known of all the families of the earth , therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities . And this is also according to his practise ; after hee had brought them out of Egypt hee bare with their murmurings untill hee had taken them into a Covenant with himselfe at Horeb , and after that every new sinne had a new plague : No murmurings punished like Israels murmurings , Idolatries plagued like Iudahs Idolatries , the like wrath and fury not powred out anywhere in the world , as was powred out upon Ierusalem . And this manner of his dealing is most agreeable to reason and equitie , because these kind of sinnes are committed against more knowledge , and so deserve the more and smarter stripes : There is also more ingratitude and unkindnesse in them ; when Jesurun is growne fat with mercies , with the kidnies of wheat and the pure blood of the grape , then to kicke with the heel , to bee unmindfull of his rock , this exceedingly provokes the Lord to anger : Yea , God is more dishonoured by their sins then by any others , as a husband by the filthy conversation of his Wife , or a Father of his Children . Behold , thou art called a Jew , instructed in the Law , makest thy boast of God , &c. Dost thou commit Sacriledge ? Dost thou steale ? Dost thou commit aduitery ? What then ? The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles , because of you , as it is written . This serves first to acquit God in these his severe judgements against us in England ; he hath called an assembly of violent men against us , he hath given us to drink the cup of astonishment , a cup of deadly Wine , but in truth when we consider things sadly and seriously , we may wonder we remain a Nation , that we are not utterly consumed ; God hath made us the wonder of the World for mercy , hath done mighty things for this Nation , hath heaped deliverance upon deliverance ; no Nation like us for mercy , but alas , I must also say , no Nation like us for unkindnesse , and Rebellion against him ; we who should have made all his Mercies , motives and incentives to further obedience , service , and thankfulnesse , have , not only sinned under them and against them , but with them , fought against him with his own weapons , and been worse and worse , the more he hath done , for us ; the more his Sun hath shined upon us , the more like a filthy dunghill , have we putrifyed and stunke in his nostrils . Let us therefore humbly acquit him , and say with Daniel , The Lord our God is righteous in all his judgements , for we obeyed not his voyce : And with Ezra , What shall we say after this , O our God ? for we have forsaken thy Commandements . Secondly , Yea let us tremble and be deeply abased before him for our great rebellions , lest he proceed and make us drink the very dregges of his cup of indignations . He was pleased publickly in calling his people out from spirituall Babylon , to take Germany , the first of all the Nations , and now in his day of visitation he hath first begun with them , and these six and twenty yeares he hath most heavily afflicted them , and still his hand is stretched out against them : long time hath he spared us , and seemed to say of us as once he did of Judah , and Jerusalem , I have cut off other Nations , and destroyed their Cities , I said surely , England will receive instruction , that their dwelling should not bee cut off , but they rose early and corrupted all their doings : And now the cup is come over unto us , we are last taken in hand ; Oh let us timely meet him , lest he proceed to make our plagues proportionable to his former mercies , and our wickednesse . Thirdly , And for time to come let us beware that with Jesurun we kick not at him , when he hath fatted us : the usuall course of the world is this , the more mercies God gives them , the more liberty they take to sin against him ; the more learned , the more honored , the more rich men are , the more bold they make with Gods Law , to break it and cast it out ; and the more spirituall helps we have , and furtherances many injoy , the more secure , proud , and wanton they are before him , but know for certain , he keeps a Register of all his Mercies , and thy account must be answerable , he remembers how long thou hast lived upon him , how neare he hath taken thee unto himselfe , how oft he hath spared thee , how accommodated thee with wealth , yokefellow , children , credit , friends , but above all , how long thou hast sate under his heavenly droppings , what variety of Ministers , &c. Hee furnisheth thee with all ▪ let thy care be to bethink thy self how thou mayest lift up thy head , when he will come to reckon for all thy Talents , and when at any time the flesh begins to take liberty , because he inlargeth thee , check it thus , and say , Many a mercy hath the Lord given me , for which of them do I thus abuse him ? Shall I thus requite the Lord , O foolish creature and unwise ? is not hee thy Father , that brought thee ; &c. Thirdly , that this betided them just when God was giving them possession of the promised Land , when hee was marching in the greatnesse of his strength to destroy all their enemies , that not a man might bee able to resist them , yet then hee himselfe with his owne hands for their sinnes turneth upon them , ready to destroy them all : Learne this lesson from it . That when the Lord is bestowing the greatest mercy , working the greatest deliverance , destroying the potentest enemies , carrying himselfe , so that all the world shall not bee able to hinder a people from receiving the greatest and most desirable mercy , yet their owne wickednesse breaking out , may deprive them of all , and utterly undoe them when they are nearest the injoying of their happinesse : Now the 40. yeares were ended , and Og and Sihon both kild , and God ingaged by Covenant that no enemie should stand before them , had renewed his Covenant againe with them , put them into a way that there needeth no more but meerely to enter in the Land ; a new rebellion breaketh out on their part , which bringeth in a Plague that kild more of them then they had lost in all the warres that ever they had had . This is just like that which the Lord spake by the Prophet Jeremie : That at what time hee speaketh concerning a nation , to build it and to plant it , if that nation doe evill in his sight , hee will repent him of all the good that hee promised , and hee will roote them up and breake them downe : not that God changeth his mind , but that these wickednesses did change the state and condition of this people , and put them out of a capacitie of receiving what God else would bee willing to conferre upon them . Beloved I dare not stay you on this , neither durst I passe it over without mentioning , and I mention it to this end , that wee may not bee too forward to promise our selves too much of our present prosperous condition which we seeme to bee in . I confesse the Lord hath not onely by a mightie hand upheld us in the midst of all our tryalls these two or three last yeares , but hath of late since wee have owned him in a Covenant and sworne for reformation of Religion , and the Councells of such as seeke our ruine have more apparently owned Idolatry by joyning with the bloody Rebels of Ireland that are setting up popery , and rooting out our Religion in Ireland , and indeavouring the like against us , since that day I say the Lord hath most admirably gone on and owned us , and beene with our Armies , and hardly ( unlesse it were once ) given us any check , but all hath gone on very prosperously and through the goodnesse of God , to mans eye wee are in a better posture now then ever wee were since the beginning of our publike troubles . But for all that doe not promise your selves too much out of the present condition of things , they may bee all well to mans eye , but I tell you brethren , there are such things found in every corner of the Land ; that impenitencie for our old villanies , both of Idolatry and whoredome , and blood , the blood of Prophets , and the blood of just men , and the unprofitablenesse under great meanes , that unthankfulnesse for late mercies , that breaking out into new rebellion , such terrible divisions in Church matters , in State-matters , in Parliament , in Citie , every where , as if we were divided in minutula frustula , into the least bits that we could be cut into , so many new crying sinnes found in every corner of the Land , that if a man could with a spirituall eye looke upon them , hee would with Ezra sit him downe astonished , and with renting his heart as well as his haire cry , Lord , though thou hast wrought all sorts of deliverances for us , wee deale so with thee , that wee feare thy wrath will breake out so hot that there will bee no recovery : for Gods sake , bee not too confident , that you may the better with feare and reverence attend to the helpes that I shall give you afterward . Hee that would have said three yeares agoe to England , that before two yeares at an end , they shall see England in the miserablest condition that ever had beene in these 100. yeares , hardly a man could have imagined whence the plague should come , our land in peace , flourishing with wealth , a Parliament called , oppressors broken , all our neighbouring kingdomes either our friends , or else themselves plunged in warre and blood ; whence should the enemy come that should bee able to mischiefe us ? yet you see that from above God hath sent a fire downe , and kindled it in our owne bowells , which hath eaten and devoured into every corner of the Kingdome : and beloved God hath new Magazines , new treasuries of judgements still , that if hee please to take us in hand , and deale severely with us , when wee are taking possession of all the mercie that our soules could desire , our owne wickednesse may find us out and ruine us : you see had it not beene prevented , it had beene the condition of this people at this time . These things I onely name , it is the remedy of this evill which I desire to spend an houre in , and there are three things in it . First , who the Physitian was that cured them , and that you have in these words , Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar , the sonne of Aaron the Priest , hee was the man that did it . Secondly , what the cure was that he wrought for them , that you have in these words : Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest hath pacified my wrath ; that was the cure hee wrought , hee did pacifie Gods wrath . Thirdly , the meanes whereby hee did it , and that you have in these words : While hee was zealous among them for my sake sake : Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath pacified my wrath while hee was zealous for my sake . I will begin with the first of them , and that I will onely name , because there are but two lessons that chiefly I intend to insist upon . 1. Who it was ? It was Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest , this man did it , God telleth all the world , hee was the onely man that did it , here were a million of people or more who seemed to bee condemned to destruction , and some 24. thousand of them executed in one day , and the rest going on as fast as might bee , one man doth one excellent act , that saveth all the rest of them from ruine : the lesson that I commend to your thoughts from it is this . That as it is possible for one man to destroy a great deale of good ; As Salomon saith , one sinner destroyeth much good . One Jonah may helpe to sinke a whole Ship , one Achan indanger a whole Army ; So one man may save a whole Kingdome , one man , one Phinehas is the onely visible meanes which God owneth to pacifie his wrath , so as to save a whole kingdome frome ruine , a million of people had died without it ; and you have a great many of examples of the like in the Scripture what one man hath beene able to doe in that kind : how often did Moses save them all , that when the Lord had even seemed to sweare that hee would destroy them , Moses hath come and tried it out hand to hand , body to body with God , and turned him backe againe that hee could not destroy them , as you have it in the 106. Psalme , v. 23. so hee said , hee would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the gap , and turned away his wrath , driven it back againe . And one innocent man may deliver a whole Iland ; a whole Iland as big as England may bee delivered by one man : and the Lord himselfe professeth in the fifth of Jeremiah when hee came downe with a purpose to destroy them , Runne ( saith hee ) through the Land and find mee one man , there hee describeth him , and I shall describe him afterwards what kind of man hee shall bee , but finde me out such a man , and I will spare all the Citie for him . And in the 22. of Ezekiel toward the latter end , when the Lord said that hee wondred that the people were so set on ruine : I sought for a man that might have stood in the breach : if hee could have found but one hedg-stake left , the Lords wrath would have kept out still . This I onely name , and I name it to this end , that it might bee an incouragement to every one who hath a good heart to the cause of God and to the safetie of England , that hee would prepare himselfe to receive the instructions that shall bee given him , and resolve , ( the grace of God assisting him ) that hee will follow it : for I am confident , if the Lord helpe mee to open what I have prepared for you , when the Sermon is done you will bee ready to say , could all England bee such as you speake of , or could you find a great number of such men , then indeed wee should certainly bee saved , and God would not destroy us ; In the meane time doe thou learne for one , for thou canst not tell what one man or woman may doe , one Paul saved all the ship , and though thou shouldest bee alone , as Elias thought hee was alone , or as one time Moses was alone , thou canst not tell how farre the Lord may looke upon many hundred of thousands for thy sake ; the Lord himselfe hath given you an evidence of it here , and told all the world it was one man rescued them ; much more when thou art not alone , but many thousands joyne with thee , there may bee hope : if ten men might have rescued Sodome and the rest of those abominable Cities of the plaine , why shouldest thou not hope that the land may bee spared for your sakes ? however if the worst come , thou shalt deliver thy owne soule . But this I dare not handle , I onely named it . Secondly , what was the cure that he wrought ? Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath pacified my wrath , hath pacified my wrath ; Indeed the Plague ceased , there was not a man died of the Pestilence after Phinehas had done that excellent act , but God taketh no notice of that , but the thing hee plainly layd downe was this , that Phinehas had pacified his wrath , hee had quenched and cooled his revenged justice which was kindled against them . That was the cure ; And from this the lesson that I observe is this , v●z . That the pacifying of Gods wrath is the removing of the Plague , whatsoever the Plague bee , bee it the Sword bee it the pestilence , be it famine , be it wild beasts , bee it what ever any people had experience of , pacifying of Gods wrath is the removing of the plague ; the Lord himselfe saith that hee had pacified his wrath , and thereby yeelds the case as granted on their side , no further evill was to bee done against them , now Gods wrath was pacified . And I desire you that you would first see how plaine it is in the Scripture , and then I hope it will bee a profitable lesson for this great Assembly ; That the pacifying of Gods wrath is the removall of every plague . I need give you no other evidence then this , That the people of God under all their judgements which at any time they have laine , have never made any other suite to God but one , that hee would turne his wrath away from them : I might give you 40. severall examples of it ; when they have sometimes laine in captivitie , sometimes under the Sword of an enemy , pestilence hath raged , &c. their onely suite to God was this , that hee would but turne away his wrath from them : Psal. 80. 3. 7. & 85. 4 , 5. Dan. 9. 16 , 17. &c. Their onely suite was to this effect , when they lay under most heavy plagues and judgements , Lord cause thine anger to cease towards us ; wilt thou be angry for ever , wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations ? let thine anger and thy fury bee turned away from thy Citie Jerusalem , cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate , cause thy face to shine upon us and wee are safe ; still begging at Gods hands this one onely mercy , that hee would but meerely pacifie his wrath , and there is all the cure they desired . You shall likewise find that in Scripture all kind of judgments are called by the name of Gods wrath , and his indignation , and severall plagues are called the arrones of his indignation , the weapons of his indignation , and the end of a plague is called the end of the indignation . In the 8. Dan. v. 19. I will make thee know what shall bee in the last end of indignation , hee meant the end of the plague of Antiochus , but hee nameth nothing but Gods indignation ; end the one and you end all : and this you may clearely understand , if you please but to weigh these two things with me . First , that the wrath and indignation of God is not onely the greatest plague of all other to Gods people , as indeed it is , but it is the onely cause of all other plagues ; sinne indeed is the meritorious cause , but the wrath of God is the onely efficient cause , the onely worker , there is nothing that is imaginable to bee a plague upon Gods people , that can come out of any other spring or storehouse , from any other hand , but onely from the wrath of God . I say there is nothing that is worthy the name of a plague , or that is a plague which can come from any other fountaine or storehouse , but onely from Gods wrath : from God it must come , that is without all question : Affliction doth not rise out of the dust , nor originally from any creature , all the devils in hell are not able to inflict one plague without God , not kill a poore hog , &c. This no man who is not an Atheist doubteth of ; now if they come from God they must either come from his favour or from his wrath , there are but these two Well-heads , they are indeed acts of his power and providence , but are done according to the counsels of his will , either his good pleasure or his displeasure ; If they come from Gods displeasure , there is wrath ; if not from that , they all come from his love : Now this I propound to your serious thoughts ; that whatsoever betideth any man in the world , those self-same things that are unsufferable , intolerable hard things , when they come not in Gods displeasure , they are all good things , things to bee rested in , to bee satisfied in , if they come but from the good will of God . As for example , take m● a man to be hanged upon a Gallowes , hee is a cursed man , Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree . Yet take that man that shall die the death of the crosse , and let it bee out of Gods love and good will , the crosse is the greatest blessing to him . The Lord never loved his owne Sonne better then when he hanged upon the Crosse . Therefore doth my Father love me , because I will hang on the Crosse for my people . And though it were a curse in the eye of the world , it was the greatest mercie that ever God shewed to the Church , to take his Son and hang him on the Crosse . Take a Lions Den , let but Daniel bee put into a Lyons Den , let there nor wrath goe with it , the Lyons Dens is a blessing . Take Paul in all his whippings , his povertie , his banishments , his shipwracks , his buffetings , and all that ever betided him , let there be no wrath in it , set him in the stocks , doe what you will , let there be no wrath , and there is no plague in any of them . All Jobs afflictions , let the fire come downe from heaven and burne up his cattell , let the wind come from heaven and strike the house at the foure corners , and knock out the braines of ten children all at a time , let there be no wrath in it , and there is no plague in it . There is no plague where there is no wrath . I could give you a hundred evidences of this ; beleeve it , the selfe same thing which to others are plagues , though they may remaine , yet ( as one calleth them wittily and truely ) they are silken afflictions ; plundering , povertie , plague sores , undoing of outward estates , they are all silken afflictions , as they come from love , and there is no hurt in them . There is an imagination of some men ( but the world shall never see the truth of it ) of a certaine stone they call the Philosophers stone , which will , as these men fancy , turne Iron into Gold : Gods love doth it ; That will turne Iron into gold , all crosses into blessings , Iron chaines into gold chaines , it will turne death , plagues , povertie , imprisonments , banishments , it will turne any of these , all of them into invalluable mercies ; let them but onely come from Gods love , and well enough ; let but God say to the man whose house hee burneth , I burne thy house but I love thee , let him say to him whose child hee kocketh in the head , I take thy child away in my love , there is no plague then . In a word , the thing I would have you beleeve from this first branch of my proofe is this . That as things that are seeming mercies , are in truth reall plagues when they come from wrath : So things that are seeming plagues , are reall mercies when they doe not come from wrath . I say , seeming mercies are plagues , if they come from wrath . Let God spread a table in the Wildernesse to a people , and feed them with Quailes , and Manna from heaven , let it bee in wrath , let the Israelites come and beg a King , and let him give them the properest man in all the land , and give him in wrath ; hee doth undoe them in giving them a King . But on the other side , let it seeme never such a crosse , if there bee no wrath in it , there is no plague in it ; therefore whatsoever plague any lie under , doe but pacifie Gods wrath , and you end the plague . And that is the first ground that I gave you of it . The second is that all plagues , the things themselves that are plagues , all of them come and goe at the commandement and word of God onely . That as they can come from none but him , so with the infinitest ease that can bee imagined , doth God , as send , so remove any of them , how heavy or strange soever it bee . Therefore pacifie but his Spirit and you end the plague immediatly . As for example ; Suppose a Citie brought to that passe by famine , and povertie , that they are faine to eate one another , that there is nothing to keepe them one day longer from starving , and that to all humane imagination , it must bee a long time before ever the Citie can recover the blow againe ; God with speaking one word in an houre or two maketh it all up : as you shall have one example of it in Samaria , when they were brought to that passe that over night an Asses head , that hath but little meat on it at the best , and poore meat it is , an Asses head shall bee a Kings dish , that hee shall give fourescore peeces of silver for it , and a Kab of Doves dung shall bee worth a sufficient quantitie of money , to bee eaten ; if God speake but the Word , the next day a Bushell of fine flowre shall bee sold for a shekell , though no man could imagine how yet , God made it good , you know the storie . Let a plague come to bee so hot that in a matter of two dayes or little more , three or fourescore thousand men are cut off with it , if God speake but one word , the Angell puts up his Sword , and there is not a man dieth more . I will restore to you , saith God , all the yeares that the Caterpillers have taken from you , all the Caterpillers that have beene devouring England thus long , and all that they have plundred and spoiled ; ( attend to this any of you that are here , who are daily plundered in many parts of the kingdome , in your lands , in your wares and in your states ; ) If God speak but the word , it is all made up in the twinckling of an eye . If you will therefore pacifie God , you end the plague . Beloved , this is not the maine lesson I would stay upon , yet give me leave to make some application of it , and it shall bee but one onely use . And that is a direction from Heaven of the readiest way , the shortest cut , to obtain an establishment for this poore distressed Land at this day . I dare say all you who are Publique-spirited men , are very thoughtfull to thinke how , and which way it might be brought about ; that , if God see it fit , this Summer at the furthest might end these bloody warres , these uncomfortable divisions that are amongst us ; And he that could suddainlyest procure it , would be one of the blessed'st men that ever trod on English ground . Now shall I from Almighty God give you a little information about it : Know then for certaine , That there is never any sword drawn on earth , till it bee first drawn in heaven . You shall read , Esay 34. 5. My sword shall bee bathed in Heaven , it shall come downe upon Idumea , and upon the people of my curse to judgement . A sword was to come upon Idumea , to drinke their blood , to be made fat with their flesh , but first this sword was bathed in heaven . Never doth warre come in any Country , till God bathes his sword in Heaven , draweth it out and brandisheth it in heaven , and then saith , Sword , Goe into such a Land : And if once God hath given the Sword a Commission , all the world can never quiet it againe , till God speake to it ; Oh thou Sword of the Lord , saith the Prophet in the 47 Chapter of the Prophesie of Jeremiah , at the 6 Verse . when wilt thou bee quiet ? put up thy selse againe into thy scabbard , rest and bee still . But there is an Answer made . How can it bee quiet , when God hath given it a charge ; against Ashkelon , and against the Sea shore , there hath he appointed it . Can all the world quiet that , that God giveth a charge to ? It is God who strengtheneth one part and weakneth the other part , and seemeth to make one victorious , and then when he hath a mind to bring it down againe ; he will down with that part , and strengthen the other part , and till the Lord please to say , Sword be thou quiet , all the world cannot pacifie it . And therefore Brethren , were we never so successefull , as through Gods mercy we seeme now to be in a prosperous way ; But had we all the Lord Hoptons Army in the West wholly broken , the Earle of Newcastles in the North , though all the Cavaliers about Oxford , were they all of them broke all in pieces , had you a blanke paper for Propositions sent you ; A blank paper , that the Parliament and City , write what they would have , let his Majesty signe all , let him sweare to all , let him and the rest cordially intend to performe all ; if the God of Heaven say , My quarrell with England is not ended , all the world shall not make peace for you . Consider what the Prophet told them , when they saw the King of Babylon was risen from the siege of Hierusalem upon Pharaohs comming to help them , they were jocund : But the Prophet commeth , tels them a sad story to this effect ; flatter not your selves with it , Had you destroyed all the Armies of the Chaldeans , that there were none left but a few wounded men , those few wounded men shall return and burn your City : when God will have the City burnt , it shall be burnt . Therefore till God be pacified , England shall never be quiet : but tranquillus Deut tranquillat omnia , pacifie God and you end all : Oh! could this enter into your hearts , ( Right Honourable and beloved ) could you all beleeve this really , and could wee bring it about that the Lord might once be pacified , there were an end of our troubles , and never till then . There is a case in Isay 22. 5. &c. very like to ours , Jerusalem saw ae day of trouble , and perplexity , their enemies brake in upon them , their choycest vallies were full of enemies , full of chariots and horsemen , which set themselves in array at their very gates , now what course tooke they for their safety ? why , They locked to the armour of the House of the Forest , they repaired the breaches of the Citie of David , gathered the waters of the lower poole , they made a ditch between the two walls , they pulled down some houses to fortifie the wall , made all warlike preparation , and this God chid them for , what was their errour I pray you ? why , they begun at the wrong end , their maine worke lay with God against whom they had sinned , and hee expected weeping and mourning before him to regaine his favour , and that they neglected , and for that hee was more incensed against them ; and truely thus deale many of us , our worke lieth with God , and we looke to men , wee looke to Armies and associations , and in the meane time let the wrath of God kindled by our sinnes grow more hot against us ; but Oh that wee could now set upon this which is our most needfull and safest worke , to pacifie his indignation and prevaile with him to cause his face to shine upon us , and wee should soone bee safe : But you will say , How shall wee doe that ? The third lesson I chiefely reserve for that , to shew you what Phinehas did : But in the meane time let mee mention but three things to you , and so I will passe on to the next . The one is this , there is a great deale of evidence in the Scripture , That when God once findeth his people mournfully lying downe under his hand , accepting the punishments of their sinnes , taking shame to themselves , and acquiting him , and accounting him righteous in all his severitie , this hath a marvellous influence upon the cooling and quenching of Gods wrath . The Lord hath promised that if hee had scattered them into the severall parts of the world , yet if their uncircumcised hearts bee but humbled , and if they doe but accept of the punishment of their sinnes , If they shall in the land of their captivitie confesse their sinnes , and the iniquitie of their fathers , with their trespasse which they have committed against me , and that also they have walked contrary to me , and that I also have walked contrary to them , and have brought them into their enemies land , if then their uncircumcised heart bee humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their sinnes , then ( saith hee ) will I turne my favour toward them , hee saith it expressely ; so then , would you all helpe to pacifie God , I beseech you often study how righteous the Lord is in al his severitie toward England , that wee may stand amazed and say , Lord in stead of quarrelling with thee , and saying , why is it thus severe ? why is thy indignation thus hot ? wee confesse thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities have deserved , it is thy mercy wee are not utterly consumed , This is a marvellous meanes to pacifie God . Secondly , another is , the Lord loveth to have his people seeke him by prayer in the midst of all his wrath and indignation against them , hee loveth to heare their mournefull Prayers : as hee would have their humble acknowledgements of his justice , so hee loveth their mournefull suites for his compassion . Thus Solomon ingaged God , and this God promised him to grant , That if they were smitten with pestilence , famine , sword of the enemy , carried into captivitie , in what kind soever his anger were kindled against them , when they should mourne and pray unto him , that hee would forgive their sinnes and give them compassion : Thus Daniel sought God in captivitie , O Lord I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury bee turned away from thy City Ierusalem , &c. and such prayers have prevailed with him . There are no such Orators in all the world , next to the blood of Christ , in heaven or earth , there is not the like of a mournefull heart wrestling with God by prayers and teares . And goe on with it ( you beloved in the Lord that use frequently to lie in the dust before God , and to bee humbled before him ) goe on , and let him fill his bottle , if hee will fill one vessell with our bloods , let him fill a great many bottles with our teares ; let us incessantly strive with him , and intreat him to bee propitious and gratious , his promise is then when you call upon mee I will answer you , when you seeke mee with your whole heart , you shall finde me . But thirdly , ( and that will indeed make way for the next part . ) The great means of all , that which one saith truly hath the key of all the bowels of mercy and that can let out all the floodgates of Gods mercie , to quench the heate of his wrath is unfeigned repentance . That I say hath the key of all the bowels of God , and nothing but repentance will doe it ; All acknowledgements of Gods justice , all our mournefull callings upon him for compassion , if it bee accompanied with a stubborne going on in a wicked way ; the Lord may preserve them from one judgement , but hee will reserve them to another , there will never bee a pacifying of Gods wrath to the purpose , unlesse there bee a laying downe the armes of Rebellion that are taken up against him . And therefore brethren let me commend this to you . Labour every soule of you , first for your owne parts , to inquire what the sinnes are that you are guiltie of , and find out what the sinnes are that England is guiltie of , I meane especially in relation to this judgement that lieth upon us : what the sword-procuring sinnes are ; what the sinnes are for which God doth use to send a sword to avenge his quarrell ; labour to find them out , to reforme them , labour that repentance may doe his worke on them , and then the Lords wrath will cease quickly . But unlesse wee obtaine grace to doe this , although all other things were granted to us , the end of all would prove nothing but ruine and misery : The blood , the Idolatry , the whoredome , the contemning of the Gospell , the prophaning of the Sabboth , the scorning of Gods Ministers , the hating of Gods children ; these are all of them sinnes that God useth to visit with the Sword ; And untill the land bee humbled for these sinnes and doe repent of them , there is no expectation that it can long bee free from one devouring plague or another ; strike in with all your might , and not onely to doe it your selves , but every one in your places , labour to expiate that in others , roote them out , punish them , weed them out , pluck them up by the rootes , what ever lieth in your power : And how that shall be done , and the way of it will best of all appeare in the example , and instance that you have in the Text ; Hee did it while hee was zealous among them for the Lords sake : And so I passe unto the third and last part of my Text . You have heard who was the Physitian , Phinehas ; secondly you have heard what was the cure , hee pacisied Gods wrath ; now wee are to inquire what was the balme which recovered their hurt , the medicine which cured their sicknesse , it was Zeale , hee was zealous among them for the Lords sake , wherein ( although time will allow me to handle but onel lesson ) I shall briefly inquire into two things . First , what the thing was that Phinehas did as a meanes to pacific Gods wrath . Secondly , the manner how hee did it . The thing that hee did , was the execution of justice and judgement , taking away some grand delinquents , whom God would not have to live : so the Psalmist saith , whereas God saith here , Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar pacifieth his wrath , the Psalmist saith , then stood up Phinehas and executed judgement , and that stayed the plague , hee did an act of justice , in cutting off some notorious Delinquents . 2. And the manner how hee did it , zealously , hee did it fervently ; And both these together doe afford this lesson , viz. That zeale for God against sinne , is the greatest meanes to pacific Gods anger against sinners ; I say our zeale for God against sinne is the greatest meanes to pacific the fire of Gods wrath against sinners ; as one fire will draw out another , so the fire of our zeale may extinguish the fire of Gods wrath . And for the clearing of it , I shall indeavour these three things . First , I will shew you plainely out of the Scripture , that so it is , That zeale against sinne will extinguish Gods wrath against sinners . Secondly , I will indeavour to open what I meane by this ; What this zeale against sinne is , and how it will appeare . Thirdly , I will shew you whence it commeth , or what reason there is , that mans zeale should have such an influence upon the extinguishing of Gods wrath : And then make some application of it . For the first , The Lord saith it here in expresse words ; Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath pacified my wrath ; how ? while he was zealous for my sake among them . Phinehas being zealous in this act of his , God protesteth it pacifyed his wrath . I will name you but three or foure examples more at the utmost , Moses for one you shall find . In the 32. of Exodus you shall there find three fires successively kindled , three sorts of fire , all of them very hot . There you first have the people inflamed with their lusts , with the lust of Idolatry , so on fire , that Aaron saith , they were mad upon it , they would have a golden calfe , They gathered themselves together unto Aaron , and said unto him , Up , make us Gods which may go before us : and all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their eares , and brought them to Aaron , to make a Calfe ; And when it was made , They rose up early on the morning and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings , and rose up to play , and they were set upon this mischiefe , there the people were on fire inflamed with their lust . And in the next place you have God all on a flame too , hee saith to Moses , Let mee alone , I will destroy every man of them ; and spake it very bitterly against them ; They have corrupted themselves , they have made them a golden Calfe , it is a stiff-necked people , let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them , and that I may consume them ; there is the second fire . And thirdly , you have Moses on a fire too , and hee commeth downe , and there hee sheweth his zeale in two things . First , in being Gods Champion against sinne : for when he saw the Golden Calfe , hee stampeth it to powder , made the Israelites drinke of it , calleth the Tribe of Levi to him , biddeth every one goe and sheath his Sword in the bowels of his nearest kinsman , that had a hand in this sin , as if hee had beene distracted : and when hee had plaid Gods Champion against these their sins , and the ring-leaders of the sinners , hee then playeth their advocate to God , and prayeth him to blot his name out of the booke of life , rather then to destroy them . And this heate cooled both the other heates , this heate brought them to repentance , and pacified the Lords wrath , that hee would not cut them off as hee did otherwise protest hee would have done . There you see zeale for God against sinne will pacifie God against sinners , though hee bee never so angry . The like you find in Eliah , though it did not take so well , because they were past cure , Eliah hee riseth in an Apostaticall time , when the people had desperately forsaken God , and hee doth all that hee could , and was like a man on fire , when hee came to God hee saith , I have beene very zealous for thy sake ; and so hee had , for hee had slaine I know not how many hundreds of Baals Prophets , and had pulled downe Baals house , and had made the people in a manner enter into Covenant with God : O Lord ! saith hee , I have beene very zealous for thy sake , though I have beene left all alone , as if hee had said , Lord I have done what I could to save them , I confesse my great Sheat Anchor is come home , I now despaire of it , but my zeale , if it could have had any effect at all , would have done it ; yea the Lord professeth it so . Bee pleased also to note these two places I told you of in the beginning , in the fift of Jeremiah , Runne , saith the Lord , through the streets of Jerusalem , and see now , and know , and seeke in the broad place thereof , if you can find a man , &c. What meaneth hee by a man ? First , hee meaneth a good man ; that no man doubteth of . But every good man would not serve the turne , find mee a man that executeth judgement and justice : In a word hee describeth a Phinehas ; find mee but that man , and I will spare all the Citie for his sake . So in the 22. of Ezekiel at the latter end , when the Lord had spoke of all the villany that the people had lived in , their blood , their Idolatry , uncleannesse , a conspiracie of the Prophets , Priests , and Princes in all kind of ungodlinesse , so that the fire of his wrath was kindled against them , then saith hee , I doe looke for a man , what man ? A man that might have stood in the gap to have made it up , ( alluding to Moses ) another Moses ; If I could have found but a Moses or a Samuel , I would have spared them all . Thus you see God professeth , when hee can but finde zealous men , that shall burne against sinne , it shall quench Gods wrath , that it shall no longer burne against the sinners . But beloved , I must in the second place a little come and discover to you , what this grace is . It is a thing of mighty consequence , that I have undertooke to make good ; That this grace of zeale may save a Kingdome , that it may reach to heaven and extinguish the fire that is kindled in Gods brest ; wee had need therefore know what it is , and have it rightly discovered : To this end consider this description ; Some describe it to bee an intense degree of love ; some a compound of love , anger and indignation , others call it imensus gradus purae affectionis . But a little more largely take it thus . Zeale it is a spirituall heat kindled by the Spirit of God , whereby all the affections are drawne out to the utmost for God , this is zeale . First , I call it a worke of the Spirit , the holy Ghost is the author of it , it is named among the fruits of the Spirit , Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunken with wine , wherein is excesse , an excesse of heat is wrought by wine , avoyd that , but be yee filled with the Spirit , and such are said to bee baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire , Matth. 3. 11. Act. 2. 34. Secondly , I adde it is a spirituall heat ; The word in the originall , is to burne , or hisse as burning coales when water falls on them ; and zealous men are said , Rom. 12. 11. to bee fervent in spirit . And zealous Apollos was said to bee fervent in spirit , Act. 18. 25. Moreover the sinnes opposed to zeale , luke-warmenesse and key-coldnesse , Revel. 3. Thou art lukewarme , I would thou wert either hot or cold , doe sufficiently shew that the nature of zeale is a spirituall heate . Thirdly , the seate or subject of this grace you have in these words , all the affections ; the affections are the motions of the will , the outgoings of the soule : a mans soule moves little or nothing in prosecuting of good , or avoyding of evill , but as the affections stirre : now all the affections are the proper seate and subject of zeale , See all of them in David whom the zeale of Gods house had eaten up ; his love , Oh how I love thy Law ! more then hony , more then thousands of gold and silver ; his hatred , Doe not I hate them that hate thee ? yea I hate them sore , I count them my enemies , it made him flie in their faces ; his joy , My soule is satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse ; his desire , My soule is ravished with desire ; his griefe , Rivers of waters run downe my eyes ; his hope , My eyes are dim with waiting ; his feare , I tremble at thy judgements , &c. Fourthly , I adde that which is indeed the formalis ratio , the very soule of zeale , it drawes out all the affections to the uttermost , sets them on worke to the uttermost , and therefore they are said to doe it with all their soule , all their strength , all their might ; The twelve Tribes with intention of spirit served God night and day , Acts 26. 7. What Hezekiah did for God , hee did it with all his might . 2 Chron. 31. 21. So did Josiah , 2 King. 23. 25. he did it with all his heart , and with all his soule , and with all his might . In a word , looke what pitch of affection a worldling bestowes upon Mammon , an ambitious man upon honour , a voluptuous man upon pleasure , that doth zeale draw out for God . Yea , looke what an edge is to a Razor , look what wine is to a mans spirit , what the soule is to the body , wings to a bird , winde to sayles , what mettle is to a horse , looke what vivacity and vigour is to any creature ; that is zeale to a Christian . It is that that acts his soule , the vigour , activity , the fervency of his affections ; that is zeale . Then I adde , that all this must be for God , as they are drawne out to the utmost , so they are drawne out for God , that is , for some thing or other that belongeth to God , in order , in relation to God , and Gods Glory , Gods Sabbaths , Gods Sacraments , Gods Worship , Gods Children , or against Gods Enemies , those that rise up against him , things that God hateth , his owne word . If you will carry it all away in a short Sentence : A zealous man is a man of mettle for God : As we say of a man that is all spirit , he is a man of mettle ; so that man that is a zealous man , is a man of mettle and spirit for God . But because I have not yet satisfied my selfe , in making it so cleere as I would , before I come to any application , or to make you understand why it should have that influence upon Gods wrath to pacifie it , give me leave to open five remarkeable properties and effects that doe evermore accompany this grace of holy zeale . The first is this , I pray know that zeale is not the substance of a Christian , it 's onely the edge ; And therefore if you know rightly where zeale is to be found , you must enquire what the mettle is upon which this edge is most to be set . As for example , bring me an Instrument that hath never so delicate an edge , that will cut an haire off the back of a mans hand , if the mettle be Lead or Iron , if it bee not Steele , the edge is not worth any thing ; enquire we therefore what the mettle is upon which the edge is set ; Know then that the mettle of the heart , that is , for God , is sincerity ; sincerity and uprightnesse is the substance and ground-worke of a servant of God , and zeale is but the edge of his sincerity ; Now then here I lay downe my first conclusion , That no man can ever be zealous for God , that is not sincere unto God ; This sincerity is the applying of a mans heart to God for Gods end : zeale is the doing of this fervently , with strength of affection : & take but away sincerity , that the heart be not upright to God , what zeale soever you find in any of them , it will either prove blind zeale , like mettle in a blind horse , that will never doe any good ; or you will finde it corrupt zeale , counterfeit zeale , that a man may come and appeare mightily as if for God ; but this is but a vizard ; and in the meane while his owne gaine , his owne preferment , his owne ease , or some other carnall thing is that which he aimeth at : Like Demetrius and his company , Acts 19. 22. who pretended great zeale for Diana , went up and downe crying , Great is Diana of the Ephesians , but this was but a vizard , the true cause of all their heat was nothing but this , Sirs , you know that by this craft we have our living , and now this craft is like to be set at naught . Such a zealot was Jehu , who was fierce against Baal , and pretended much for Jehuvah , Come see my zeale for the Lord , but the bottome of all was the setling the Crowne upon himselfe . Further then that hee tooke no heed to walke in the wayes of God , 2 King. 10. And such another was Judas , John 12. 56. who pretended zeale for the poore , Quorsum haec perditio ? This oyntment might have beene sold for much money , and given to the poore : But it was the satisfaction of his covetousnesse he aimed at . Thus Doeg would be detained a whole day before the Lord , with a mischievous intent against David and the Priests . This zeale which thus maskes it selfe , and makes Gods honour but a stale and lure , is so farre from pacifying Gods wrath , that it is the most devillish villany , and double iniquity : With Jesabel to proclaime a Fast to get a Vineyard , to strike in zealously with the right side , that wee might crush some enemy of ours , which appeares on the other side , is a zeale which the Lord abhorreth . But if it be be true zeale for God , that zeale whereof the Lord saith , He was zealous for my sake , the heart must be upright toward him . There must be sincerity within , the coale of sincerity must glow within , before ever the flame of it will shine abroad in zeale . That is the first thing . That true zeale is alway the edge of a gracious spirit of a man who is upright to God , in the truth and sincerity of whose heart , the Lord and his wayes are set us as their greatest good . Another thing which you shall alwaies find in true zeale is this , it 's prodigall of doing good , for any cause of God , it 's I say , a prodigall grace , it spares for no cost , to their strength , and above their strength , any thing shall goe , every thing shal go , if God , Christ Jesus , or his cause have need of it . You never knew a zealous man a good husband in all your life time . Jesabel in her zeale for Baal will maintaine 400. of his Prophets at her Table . I mean that whatsoever a mans heart is zealous for , hee ever doth his utmost in the prosecution of it : never commeth to say , I hope here is enough done for my share , if he can doe any more . Let a voluptuous man have his heart set on his pleasure ; let an earthly man have his heart set upon Mammon ; Let an ambitious man have his heart set upon preferment , or honor , he never saith I have done enough for it , if he can doe any more . If David have 1300. Cart load of silver & gold , he can joyfully part with every penny of it toward the building of Gods house , and blesseth God that hee had it to give , if Gods Tabernacle be to be built ; The women bring their Jewels , their Lawnes and Looking-glasses , and all other materials so willingly , that Moses was faine to make a Proclamation that they should bring no more , Exod. 36. 6. 38. 8. And in the Primitive Church when the exigents of Gods people required it , they who had houses , lands , or other possessions , sold them all , and put them in the common Treasury . This is a second property of zeale , it is liberall , bountifull , for God . You all know that if a man have the vanity of his heart let out about any thing ; Take a Gentleman , that is otherwise a good husband , and a provident man , ( I meane penurious ) if his heart be set on the building of an house , if he resolve upon two thousand pound , it is ten to one if he grutch the laying out three or foure or five thousand pound to make it fit to his minde ; or if a mans heart be set upon his garden and flowers , it is little question but hee will bee wastfull upon it ; the like may be said of Hawkes and Dogs ; and so is the zealous man for God , whatsoever cost it puts him to he doth not sticke at . Thirdly , Zeale , where ever it is true for God , it appeareth most of all in greatest dissiculties ; It cannot be taken off , with , There is a Lyon in the way , and I shall be kil'd , if I goe out into the streets ; goe you first , and I will see how safely you speed , and I shall come in my due time after you ; neither doe you heare a zealous man talke so , alwayes Cravens and Cowards hang backe , but the best horse ever leads the way . You shall have a very Samaritan , if there be no danger in it , if Authority be on their side , he will be a Jew , and be a kin to him , and come and build with him ; but if there be danger in it , Jew stand on your legs for all the Samaritan ; Just so now in the cause of God , if there be ease and profit by it , if it goeth well , and no displeasure incurred , many well appear as forward , and frolike for a good cause as the forwardest ; but if any danger appeare , a base heart presently tackes about , or draws backe , I promise you I have a great charge , I have somewhat to lose , I shall incurre such a great mans displeasure , I know not in what blacke booke I may be written ; but a zealous man disdains difficulties , & answers with Nehemiah , when they would have him flie into the Temple , Shall such a man as I flie into the Temple ? no not I , I professe , if I might save my life by it ; So when they would have Luther goe , Thinke any thing of Luther , said he , but running from Gods cause , or recanting , but never imagin , if they were all devils , as many devils as Tyles on the house , I will refuse to goe , when God bids me goe , That is a third , difficulty and danger and opposition taketh not off the spirit of a man that is zealous for God . Fourthly , another companion of true zeale is this , Zeale for God alwayes maketh a man coole for himselfe , a zealous man cannot trade in both Indies to any purpose , he doth not trade for God & himselfe too , because there can be but one chiefe , one that is most highly regarded , in his bed , in his closet , in his family , in all his relation , in his office , where ever hee hath any thing to doe hee hath but one , that is his chiefe , and that is God , and because the whole of his heart is given to God , hee must by consequence be a man that doth not greatly prosecute his owne businesse : You shall find this old observation to bee a very true one , that in all the world there cannot bee found a man that is eager , truely eager in Gods cause , and in his owne cause too ; indeed cholerick and hot spirited men whatsoever they doe velle , they doe valde velle , they are very eager upon it from the temper of their nature : But if it be a gracious frame , where the grace of God hath the predominancie , it layeth out all the strength and mettle so for God , that there is little left for themselves : thus Moses that is starke mad almost in Gods cause , is the mildest man in his owne cause : Nehemiah hee that can teare the haire of his head , and professeth he will lay hands on any man that will prophane the Sabbath , hee can be contented , any man shall jeere and scorne him if it be his owne cause . I would have you remember that Gods fire doth rost , or boyle , or bake a sacrifice , but never doth hee allow it to rost our meate in our owne Kitchin , no that cannot bee : find me the man that drives any self end in any high degree of his owne , and I will shew you the man that hath no true zeale for God . It is an observation that one hath of Solomon , That Solomon built an house for God , the stateliest house that ever was thought to bee in the world , the Temple ; and hee was seven yeares building of it : and hee built a house for himselfe , that was not in the tenth degree comparable to the Temple , and was 14. yeares building of it , and why ? hee did Gods house with all his heart and with all his might , and set fourescore thousand men on worke , to have Gods house up , but as for his owne house did it at leasure ; hee had Gods businesse to follow , and that hee followed to the purpose , and lets his owne house goe up by degrees as it would , 14. yeares about that which is but a Cottage in comparison of Gods . So is every man whose heart is truely zealous , who in truth stands out for God , hee resolves for himselfe or things that concernes himselfe to bee very moderate , let the Lord dispose of him and his how he will . 5. Last of all , the last propertie of true zeale ( which indeed is conceived by many to be the very formalis ratio of zeale , to be the very quintessence of it ) is this ; That it alwayes carries vindictive spirits against sinne and sinfull men , because they are against God ; it is a grace that is full of vengeance , and therefore some define zeale to bee affectus ad dei injuriam vindicandam , affectus ad extermina dos Dei inimi cos , vel zelotypia persequens sponsarum Christi adulteria , vel eorum signa & occasiones , an affection that will take vengeance of injuries that are offered to God , a temper of spirit , that would extirpate or exterminate all Gods enemies : and ordinarily in the Scripture where any mans zeale is taken notice of , it is in exacting vengeance against sinne and sinners ; and some Criticks observe that the originall word though it signifie heat , yet it is such a heat as shewes it selfe in opposition to its enemy , as when hot Iron hisseth when you spit upon it , or such a heat as makes water play and boyle in the pot ; such a heat zeale sheweth it selfe , when it commeth to opposition , and therefore Phinehas zeale made him stab this noble man , strike him through with his Javelin ; Moses when hee was zealous hangs them up , cuts off the heads , maketh the Levites runne their kindred through : So every where zealous men , so farre as their authority reacheth , so farre doe they flie in the face of their sinnes without any exception of persons : Asa , if his owne mother be the Queene Regent and have an Idoll , hee puts her downe from her regencie , shee shall have no regencie in his kingdome if shee will have an Idol : Levi in the day of his zeale , if his brother have a golden Calfe , runnes his Sword through him , he is no brother of his , if he have an Idol ; and every where the nearer they are in the flesh , the more abominable in the heart of a zealous man is their sinne against God ; He begins first with them if it be true zeale , and what their authoritie reacheth not to extirpate , that doth a zealous heart mourne for ; As Nehemiah when he had done all hee could , teares the haire of their heads and taketh on against them , and when hee hath done all he can , he prayes the Lord to remember them who defiled the Priesthood ; And so David professeth hee would not leave a wicked man about his court , or Jerusalem , when he was King , and yet when he had done all he could he sits him downe and weeps , Rivers of teares runne downe my cheekes , because men kept not thy Law , hee had a heart full of sorrow for what his authoritie did not reach to extirpate . Here you have as in a glasse set before you the man that is worth his weight in gold , the man that may save a kingdome , such a people , a considerable number whereof will rescue a land wherein they live , such a people are zealous for God , whose hearts are sincere , that doe to the utmost passe all difficulties , without selfe respects , doe all that they can for the rooting out of that which provoketh the Lord to wrath and indignation , and so I have done with the first thing to shew you what this grace is , and how it may be knowne . The second thing considerable is , whence it comes that this grace of zeale should bee able to pacifie the wrath of God ? whence it is ? I answer you in a word , zeale doth not pacifie or quench Gods wrath meritoriously , by any vertue that it hath , that it may plead with God to doe it , as if it had deserved it , as if it could give him any propitiation ; No , no , It doth it onely by way of instrument , the Lord blessing it , and crowning it , it is Gods free grace doth it , onely you must know that the Lord is so delighted with his owne workes , in the hearts of his people , that hee loveth to set some crowne or other on the head of his grace , as if the grace did doe that , which hee himselfe worketh alone ; Thus hee crowneth the grace of faith , that that shall justifie the sinner when it onely receiveth the pardon , thus hee crowneth Humilitie , that it shall bee a Temple where God will dwell , whereas alas it is but a poore stie , if God did not beautifie it ; And thus God crowneth the grace of zeale , accepting of it , gives this publike testimony of his delight in it , that hee will put the glory of his owne worke on zeale , as if it had done that , which indeed God onely doth of his owne free grace , zeale shall have the glory among men , that people might learne to bee in love with it . If you aske but why zeale hath this glory put upon it : I answer , zeale doth so much honour God , therefore hee honours it , and that it doth in three particulars ; First , it is most like to himselfe , most agreeable to his owne nature , who is a Spirit , a pure act , all life ; to a man of spirit a sloathfull messenger is as Vineger to the Teeth , hatefull and troublesome ; much more to God is a dull , slothfull , luke-warme , cold servant , which hee hath shewed by refusing to have the firstling of an Asse devoted to him , hee abhorrs to have such a dull creature consecrated to his service , hee had rather have the necke of it broken ; but on the contrary hee delights in active , lively , quicke and zealous instruments , such shall stand about him , his Angels are spirits and his ministers flames of fire . 2. This grace of zeale is not onely sutable to his nature , but it sets him up in his owne place : for what ever wee lay out all the strength of our affections , to that doe wee ( in so doing ) ascribe the height of all excellency : wee know God deserves to have not onely some revolets , or streames , but the whole Ocean of our thoughts , affections , indeavours , &c. Now zeale thus carrying the soule , doth evidently declare that hee alone ( as hee ought to bee ) is greatest in our hearts ; and in truth God can bee no more acknowledged in his owne place without zeale , then a man can bee without reason , but give him this and you exalt him . 3. And beside it doth the worke that Gods vengeance should doe , I say , zeale in its place and for its part doth that which Gods vengeance came to doe ; What need God come in vengeance to cut off sinners ? Zeale is doing it to his hand , Phinehas is slaying of them , Moses is thrusting them through , zealous men are endeavouring to exterminate all things that are evill , and when the Lord seeth some pleading his cause , and doing his worke , hee will gratifie them to spare the rest for their sake ; As when David thought all of Nabals family against him , hee would cut them all off , and not a man of them should live , but when hee findeth there was an Abigail that was of his side , and pleaded his cause , this cooleth Davids heate ; So is it with the Lord , Jer. 4. 5. Run , saith he , finde out a man who executeth justice , and judgement , and I will spare it , finde mee a man who is doing the worke my justice and vengeance comes to doe , and I will forbeare doing it my selfe : and else-where , I looked for a man to have stood in the breach , to have saved mee a labour , and when I could finde none , I did it my selfe , I then poured out my wrath upon them . Give mee leave to make two or three uses of this lesson , and I shall dismisse you . First then , if this bee so , what wonderfull cause have wee to mourne and tremble before God , to thinke how few are to bee found in any place , or any ranke or societie of men , who are to bee numbred among them whom God will make saviours unto a people , who else are like to bee destroyed ? Verily it is a sad thing to thinke how few can anywhere bee found in whose hearts there is this grace of zeale kindled , of whom the Lord may , Say such and such are zealous for my sake . In your owne thoughts survey almost all publike places , or orders of men , and think among the Nobles , or the Commons , in the Citie among the Aldermen , among the Common Councell men , among the severall Wards , goe into the Ministrie , the severall degrees of men , and doe but thinke how few there are whose hearts are truely zealous for the Lord , if this bee zeale that I have opened unto you ; truely if I should enter or put my finger into this Ulcer , I might make your hearts sad and tremble ; have wee not abundance that live this day in London and about London , if not in the Parliament , not onely those that are at Oxford , that turne Cavaliers , who pretend to bee our friends , who have a zeale against zeale , who are with all the heat that can be kindled in them set on fire against zealous men , casting all the opprobrious nicknames on them that can be ; branding zeale for God with madnesse , with turbulencie , with indiscretion , with haire-braindnesse ; who with Festus , thinke men beside themselves , Act. 26. 24. who with Ahab count every zealous Eliah a troubler of Israel , and esteeme of them as they did of the Apostles , Act. 17. 6. to bee men who turn the world upside downward , who brand them to bee Puritans , Precisians , factious , any thing which a vile heart can thinke and foule mouth utter . Yea how many are sad to see men lay out their strength and state for a good cause , and with Tobia and Sanballat are grieved to thinke , that any goe about to build up the walls of Gods house , or any Moses or Elijah take vengeance on Gods enemies ? A sad thing there should bee any such among us , but more sad that any among us should bee like Catiline , who was all fire , perdere rempublicam , to undoe the Commonwealth where hee lived , drive designes , make factions , doe any thing in the earth that Religion might not thrive . These are miserable and accursed men , these men are factors for hell , Satans Boutefeus , and as the true zealots are set on fire from heaven , so these mens fire is kindled from hell , whither also it carries them . What abundance are there that are wholly lukewarm , if not key-cold , that have no mettle , no heate in the world for God ? Ah deare friends , how many others are there that are ingaged in Gods cause , who make Religion a and the publike cause a meere vizard to serve their owne ends , who lay out the heat of their zeale all their strength to feather their owne nests , by getting some imployment in an Army , in a Navie , in a Commitree , in such a place in the Citie ; And the thing they drive at is to advance themselves or their friends , to provide for this child , to stop such a gap . &c. And so out of the publike pressure of Gods people , draw out that which may inrich themselves , and further then that , let become of Gods cause what will ; how little such mens zeale is like to helpe us , yea how abominable they and their zeale is to God you heard before ; And how many are there among our selves , that protest they owne this great cause that is now in hand , will vow , and take the Covenant , and sweare too , ( if you will give it them ) an hundred times over , that they will adhere to this cause with all their might , and yet doe no more for it then honest men may doe with a good conscience , who live under the enemies quarters , that is , let their goods bee taken from them ▪ because it is in vaine for them to make an head , if an officer come hee must have it , &c. part with what is laid upon them , and there 's an end : But to bee willing to say , Let me go , let my child goe ; here is my money , my spirit , my life ; let all goe rather then this cause sinke ; you had as good wring water out of a Pumice stone , you may as soone wring water out of a Flint stone , as bring men to that : as if they were yet to seek where the truth lay , or which the true cause were that God would own . God knoweth there are abundance of such that with the Samaritanes , if the cause thrive well on the Parliaments side , they are cordiall for them ; but if it goe on the other side , then they are casting about how they may save themselves , especially if they could but settle their owne estates , whether Religion should be setled , whether Idolatry shall bee extirpated , whether there should be any reliques of them left , whether any of them should bee punished , whom if wee punish not , God will punish us for them , and our life shall go for theirs , whether justice should be executed upon any Achans , or Zimries , or any such should be made examples ; these are things they never trouble their thoughts about , all matters wherin the glory of God is concerned , are to them as indifferent , as that Controversie , Acts 18. whether Pauls Doctrine , or the Jewes blasphemy prevailed , whether the Greeks beat Sosthenes , or Sosthenes beat the Greeks , whether , as the Proverbe is , the Dog catch the Hare , or the Hare the Dog , he was indifferent , Gallio cared for none of these things ; and so verily is it with most men ; so their owne houses bee furnished , it matters not what becomes of Gods house ; So that Reuben may heare his owne flocks bleat , and Asher keepe his owne Coasts safe , let Deborah and Barack shift for themselves , private interests , and selfe-respects , care of themselves and family , have the whole of their soules , and in these things they are in good earnest , but no heart , no spirit appeares in them for any cause of God ; they are like David in his old age , no cloathes can warme them , no motives worke upon them , they drive , like Jehu , furiously in their owne businesse , but in Gods , like the Egyptians in the red Sea , when their Chariot Wheeles were broken : Ah beloved , search and enquire whether there be not such among your selves , such lukewarme Laodiceans , such cold professors , and if any of you be such , give mee leave to tell you , that your condition is wofull , you not onely will be no Saviours to us in our distresses , but for you , and such as you are , doth the Lord thus bitterly contend against us ; and be you assured , that ( what ever he meane to doe with this sinfull Nation ) without speedy awaking and warming your hearts , he will spue you out of his mouth , Rev. 3. 15. The other use ( and so I will have done ) is for exhortation , where I would provoke this City , this Honourable City of London , the Lord Maior , Court of Aldermen , Common Councell , & the residue , that are here gathered together , by your zeale for God , to quench Gods wrath against us . I confesse we have great cause to praise God for your zeale , ( though I thinke you and others have had cause to bemoane the want of it , ) for surely your zeale hath provoked many in the Kingdome , and you have in great measure saved the Kingdome hitherto , and it shall be a glory and a Crowne to you while this world standeth ; That in all this deplorable and forlorne condition we have beene in , the zeale of the City of London , for the more considerable part of it , hath held up when others hearts have fallen , and have stood for the Lord and his cause , and we humbly blesse the Lord for it ; Let God have the glory ; It is Honour enough for you , that God will accept any service frō you , or kindle anything good in your hearts : but I beseech you that you would abound more and more : you who have done thus much already , I hope are willing to save us if it lye in your power . Now you heare what may save the Kingdome , what may extinguish the fire of Gods wrath : Zeale will doe it , the laying out and drawing out the heart and affections to the uttermost for God , will doe it . O then lay out all your hearts and strength and affections for the Lord , goe on with all your might , with all your estates , with all your treasure , with what ever you have , let God have it all , in his cause if he need it , and be you sorry that you have no more to part with , doe it to the utmost , shew your selves zealous in it , and extend your zeale more against evill , so farre as you can reach . And you ( my Lord , and Honourable Court , and Gentlemen of the Common Councell ) may reach a great way this day ; your prayers , your Counsels , your Petitions and your purses , may under God have any good thing done that you will put your hands to , I say any thing that is good . And therefore put to all your strength , that Achans may be removed , that all Idolatry may be rooted out , that those delinquents upon whom God would have justice executed , may be proceeded against , doe you it upon such as are under your owne jurisdiction . And by your humble Petitions , if need be , intreat justice may be done wherever God will have it done . I am a Minister of Gods mercy , and take no pleasure in pressing to such a worke as judgement and severity , were it not that I am assured that if we should not doe justice where God requireth it to be done , he will doe it without us , and he will doe it upon us : when Saul executed not Gods fierce wrath upon the Amalekltes , 1 Sam. 15. he brought Gods fierce wrath upon himself : when the King of Israel let goe a man whom God had appointed to dye , his life went for the others life , 1 King. 20. 42. And certainly the Idolatry , and blood and other crying abominations that some are guilty of in this Land , I meane some of the chief Ringleaders in these evills , who have made these wofull breaches be tween our Soveraigne and his people , and thus violently promoted Idolatry and spoyle , the Lord will have them reckoned with : and let your zeale be laid out that way : Doe it cordially , and so as God may see it . And to stirre you in all these things to be zealous for the Lord , take these few Motives . Bee you so against their sinnes , I pray you , though not against their persons . First , let me tell you , That it is for a God that hath been very zealous for you : So zealous , that when he had but one onely sonne , hee did not spare him , but sent him , purposely to be hanged upon a Crosse to save you : it is for a Saviour who zealously redeemed you , how zealously he prayed , preached , lived , died for you , to purchase you to be a people for himselfe zealous of good workes ? and his zeale hath preserved you , and all yours all this while , and all the good you have , or hope for , the zeale of God hath holpen you to it . Secondly , the cause you contend for is such a cause , that lose this cause , and you shall never have such another as long as you live , lose your estate lose your wives , lose your children , lose your lives , God can give you as good and better , but lose this cause , and never shall you bee tryed in such a cause againe while this world standeth . Thirdly , let me assure you your enemies want no zeale against you , they have followed it , what all the Popish party in Christendome could do against you , hath bin done to destroy you , and they want no ill wil at this day ; and I beleeve should the Lord for our sins but deliver London up to their hands , since England was a Kingdome , never was so sad a day knowne , as they would make London to know , such is their zeale against you . Fourthly , Consider ( as this doctrine makes it plaine ) this is the most certaine way to save this famous City , this will preserve London , this will keepe it as a Citie of God , yea a few zealous men may doe it , Oh that you could all be as Phinehas zealous for the Lord , but if all should not , the zeale of a few may doe it , some Aldermen if all will not , some Common Councell men if all will not , a considerable number will prevaile with God , yea who knowes , how far the zeale of one man may prevaile , therefore goe on in it to the utmost , without any self-seeking ; Let offices goe , let wife and children goe , let estate goe , be wholly for the Lord and say , What may I doe ? wherein may I be imployed and laid out ? what is there in my head or heart , in my soule or body , in my treasury , shop or house , which may be of any use for the Lord ? most gladly will I spend and be spent , for such a God , in such a cause ; for such an end ; verily such a frame of heart is invaluable , verily such a man to the State is more worth then his weight in Gold . Quest . But how shall we get it ? what Prometheus may wee send to heaven to fetch downe this sacred fire ? Answ. 1. It is true , that from heaven , and from heaven alone it must be fetched , and thence wee may fetch it as Eliah did his fire , by prayer . When Solomon prayed , the Temple was filled with smoake : and the Apostles men of like infirmities to us , while they were praying were baptized with this fire ; so let us pray for this holy heate , and that God who breathed our soules into our bodies will breath this grace into our soule , prayer and zeale mutually produce one another , as water and Ice doe : God hath promised to give his Spirit ( whose onely worke this is ) to them who aske it , the meditation of the former motives will provoke to pray , and the earnest and humble prayers of faith will obtaine it . 2. When this fire is come from heaven , wee must bee carefull to preserve it ; the fire of the Tabernacle was first sent from heaven , but was nourished and maintained by fewell on earth ; so must wee doe , This coale must bee fetched onely from Gods Altar , but we must preserve it with fewell , such as are , reading , hearing , and meditating on Gods Word ; Gods Word is both fire and fewell , let it dwell in our hearts , lay it in our bosomes and it will warme and inflame us . 3. Sermons also are bellowes for this purpose , and are of great power to stirre up these coales ; experience shewes us that zealous preaching makes zealous people , Peter and Paul who are compared to men of fire walking among straw made the people fervent in spirit who lived under their Ministry : Despise not prophesying , and Quench not the Spirit , are joyned together , 1 Thes. 5. 20. flie therefore like Doves to the windowes of Gods house , waite at Wisedomes gate , and the sparkes of grace will be blowne up into a flame . 4. Communion with such as are zealous . Iron sharpens Iron , so doth the conversation of active zealous men , their zeale will provoke others ; company hath a strange influence , even a dull Jade will run for company , a companion of fooles will learne folly , and such as walke with the wise and godly will ere they be aware quickned up , and their spirits fired and hearts glow , as the two Disciples when they walked with Christ , though they knew him not , or as Moses face , which shined when hee had beene with God , though he were not aware of it . Lastly , beware of such things as extinguish zeale , such as are sulstracting the fewell which should feed it , neglecting attendance upon publicke ordinances , omitting of family and closet duties , or letting out our hearts after such things as are meere quench-coles , as the study of such things as tend not to edification in truth and obedience , or letting out the affections after worldly things , this outward heat cooles our inward , choakes zeale for God , so doth the nourishing of any secret lust , pride , malice , uncleannesse , &c. these wast , consume , make shipwrack of zeale , are as a theefe in the Candle , or a continuall dropping into a little fire , grieves & quenches the spirit ; Thus , zeale and an unmortified lust , a known sin chosen to be lived in , though never so secret , can no more dwell together in a heart , then Christ and Belial , Dagon and the Arke . And bad company is as dangerous a quench-coale as any thing in the world ; they say he that lives with a Criple will learne to halt , where iniquitie abounds , mens zeale for God is in danger to grow cold ; Peter may warme his hands in the high Priests Hall , but hee will coole his heart . The time being more then spent , I can onely point at these things , Consider what I say , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89564e-230 Ezek 24. 14 : Jer 6. 29. Isa 4 4. Nehem 3 20. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 12. 11. Hab. 97. 37. 32 Tit. 2. 14. Josh. 1. 7. Revel. 2. 10. Revel. 3. 16. with 19. 20. Notes for div A89564e-550 Introduction to the Text . Deut. 3. 21. 22. Numb 31. 16. Numb. 25. 2. And Parts of it . Observ. 1. Application . Obs. 2. I evit 26. 4. to 41. Amos 3. 1 , 2. Amos 3. 12. Ezek. 16. Dan. 9. 12. Zeph. 3. 7. Vse 1. Deut 9. 14. 3. Rom. 2. 17 , 18. 3. Deut. 32. 6. Obser. 3. Ier. 18. 10. Ier. 18. 10. Application . 2. Part of the Text . Whence , first observe . Doct. One man may save a whole kingdome . Eccles. 9. 18. Ioshua 7. Iob 22. 30. Ier. 5. Application . Doct. 2. Pacifying Gods wra●h removes any Plague . Exod ●5 . ● . Namb. 16. 46. Ioshua 9. 20 2 Chron. 24. 18 28 11. 32. 16. Esa. 13. 5. Dan. 8. 12. Which is demon●trated . 1. Dan. 6. Psal. 78. 23. 27. 31. 2. 2 Kings ● . 2 Sam. 24. Ioel 2. 25. Application . Therefore our greatest busines is to pacifie Gods wrath . Esa. 13. 41. 54. ult. Ezek. 30. 24. Ier. 37. 56. 7. &c. Wayes how it may bee done . 1. Levit. 26. 40. 2. 1 King. 8. 33. 35. 47. ●4 ●6 . Dan 9 16. 3. Psal. 106. 30. The maine doctrine . Zeale against sinne pacifyeth Gods wrath against sinners . VVhich is proved by severall examples . Read vers. 1. 2 , 3. 6. 2● . Vers . 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. Vers . 20. 27 , 28 , &c. And severall promises . Which is further explained shewing what zeale is . And the properties and e●fects of it . 1. 4. Numb. 25. 4. Exod 32. Nehem. 13. ●nd why reale able to doe Application . First to lament the want of it . Exhortation to it . Motives to zeale . See Matth. 19 29. Meanes to attaine it . 1 King 8. Act. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 16. 20. Prov. 22. 24. 25 , &c. Luk. 24. 32. Exod. 34. 29. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Tim. 6. 4. 14. 7. 2 Tim. 2. 14. Titus . 3. 9. Luk. ● . 14. Ephes. 4. 29 , 30. 1 Cor. 5. 6. 2 Cor. 6. Matth. 24. 12. 
A77856	----	The first sermon, preached to the Honourable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament at their publique fast. Novemb. 17. 1640. / By Cornelius Burges Doctor of Divinitie. Published by order of that House. Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A77856 of text R19018 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E204_8). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 178 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 45 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A77856 Wing B5671 Thomason E204_8 ESTC R19018 99860541 99860541 112663 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A77856) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 112663) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 36:E204[8]) The first sermon, preached to the Honourable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament at their publique fast. Novemb. 17. 1640. / By Cornelius Burges Doctor of Divinitie. Published by order of that House. Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [8], 80 p. Printed by I.L. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, at the signe of the Golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1641. The epistle dedicatory signed: Cornelius Burges. Stephen Marshall. P. 80 is in at least 3 settings: 1). Without colophon and errata on p. 80; 2). With errata on p. 80; 3). With colophon and errata on p. 80. Cf. Jeffs. English Revolution, v.1, p.3. Variant: lacking comma after "sermon" on title page. Thomason copy imperfect: significant show-through. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Jeremiah L, 5 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Covenant theology -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A77856 R19018 (Thomason E204_8). civilwar no The first sermon,: preached to the Honourable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament at their publique fast. Novemb. 17. 1640. / By C Burges, Cornelius 1641 32504 183 105 0 0 0 0 89 D The rate of 89 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-09 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2007-09 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE First Sermon , PREACHED TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now assembled in Parliament at their Publique Fast . Novemb. 17. 1640. BY CORNELIUS BURGES Doctor of Divinitie . Published by Order of that House . LONDON , Printed by I. L. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith , at the signe of the Golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard . 1641. TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now Assembled in PARLIAMENT . WHen first it pleased You to require our service in Preaching at Your late Publike Fast , we resolved to close our eyes against all Clouds of discouragement arising from our owne unworthinesse and insufficiency , and to set our selves wholly to seek what the Lord would command us to deliver in his Name , at such a time , to such an Honourable and awfull Assembly , with a totall deniall of our selves . And albeit we should have beene glad to have beene spared this exposing of our selves to the publike view ; yet , You appointing other wise , we hold it equall that the joynt entreaty of the Representative Body of the whole Communalty of the kingdome should be regarded , and have chosen rather that others should censure us of weakenesse , than You should charge us with Disobedience : Your Request being no lesse than a command ; and Your acceptance sufficient to give value to things of themselves both meane and worthlesse . Wherefore , according to our Duty , so willingly as the consciousnesse of our slender performances would permit , we obey Your Order , and doe now , although somewhat late , humbly offer these two plaine Sermons ( for , who expects other in a Fast ? ) at the footstoole of Your Tribunall , as a lasting Monument of Our Gratitude for Your encouraging Approbation of , and solemne Thankes for our weake endeavours in the preaching of them . If in some places we have taken that just liberty which all others have done before us , we trust it shall not be imputed ; so long as in the most materiall passages we have kept to the very words which at first wee used , so farre as was necessary ; and have not wittingly swerved an haires bredth from the sense and substance in the residue . Wee have indeed pared off some Repetitions , which in speaking had their use , the more to inculcate , and the better to set on the matter , but would not have been so gratefull in Writing , because Readers account every thing too long that hath any thing too much . We have likewise contracted some expressions , which in discourses of so much length , could hardly be so concise as wee desired , Memory being not alwayes at hand to give birth to every Conception of our minds in such formes as wee intended . And some few things we have added , where straites of time , or defect of memory made some balkes in the first delivery . What ever our performances be , we humbly leave them in Your hands , and under Your Honourable Protection , which we are bold to expect , because they are by Your owne Act drawne from us , and that in a time so queasie and distempered as can hardly beare that food , or Physik which is needfull for it . Seldome doth a wise Reproofe , a necessary Exhortation , or wholsome Doctrine meet with an obedient Eare . The God of Heaven steere all Your weighty consultations by his own Counsell , to his owne Glory ; cover You still under his own Wing , and make You the most accomplisht , best united , & most successefull & glorious house of Commons that ever sate in that High Court ; but chiefly in the effectuall endeavouring of a further Sanction of , and stronger Guard about our true Palladium , the true Religion , already established among us ; in the perfecting of the Reformation of it ; in the erecting , maintaining , protecting , and incouraging of anable , godly , faithfull , zealous , profitable , Preaching Ministery , in every Parish Church and Chappell throughout England and Wales ; and in the interceding to the Kings sacred Majesty for the setting up of a Faithfull , Iudicious , and Zealous Magistracy , where yet the same is wanting , to bee ever at hand to back such a Ministery : without either of which , not only the power of Godlinesse will soone degenerate into formality , and zeale into Lukewarmenesse ; but , Popery , Arminianisme , Socinianisme , Prophanenesse , Apostacy , and Atheisme it selfe will more and more croud in upon us , and prevaile against us , doe You all You can by all other meanes . And now , commending You to God and to the Word of his grace , which is able to build You up further , and to give You an inheritance among all them which bee sanctified ; and these our Labours to his further blessing , whereby all may speedily be brought under the line of his Covenant , which is our safety ; that hee may continue with us , which is our Glory ; and wee with him , which is our happinesse : we rest , Yours , most devoted to the service of Your Faith in all Dutie , Cornelius Burges . Stephen Marshall . The Preface used in Preaching , before the Text was read . THat great Apostle Saint Paul , when he had to doe with wise men , held it a point of wisdome to passe by some things which he would not have wayved among meaner capacities . His practise shall be now my president . This honourable Assembly having designed me to beare so great a share in this weightie Worke , I hold it my dutie to consider , that , how weake and unworthy so ever I my selfe be , yet I am now to speake to Wise Men , who need not so much to be Catechised touching the Nature , as to be incited and quickned to the principall Use of a Religious Fast , which consisteth not solely in such drawing neere to God by extraordinary Prayer and Humiliation as may produce a totall divorce from our deerest Lusts , but also ( and that more principally ) in a particular , formall , solemne , entire engaging and binding of our selves , by an indissoluble Covenant , to that God whose face and favour we seeke , and implore . And this I apprehend to be a subject more necessary , by how much this dutie appeares to be lesse heeded and regarded by the greater number of the choycest Christians . For , as it too often falls out , even among the best , in participating that sacred and dreadfull Ordinance of the Lords Supper , ( whereof also we are shortly to communicate ) that moe labour more to discerne , and feed upon his blessed Body and Bloud , spiritually by faith , to make Christ their owne , ( which must be done too ) than actually , totally , and absolutely ( then ) to devote , resigne , and yeeld up themselves unto him , in the act of receiving , to be his servants : So it doth not seldome happen in the exercise of holy Fasting , that not a few of that small handfull which desire to approach the presence of God in trueth , are more conversant in searching , confessing , bewailing of sinne , and in craving of mercy , ( all of which are necessary duties ) than in working up their hearts to that indispensable pitch of heavenly resolution , sincerely to strike through a religious and inviolable Covenant with their God . Whereas , without this , all their labour will be utterly lost , their expectations frustrate , they take the glorious Name of God in vaine , provoke the eyes of his Glory more against them , causing him infinitely to loath and abominate both their persons , and service ; nor shall they ever , by all their crying , and sighing , no not by whole rivers of teares , be able to draw down an arme of Mercy from Heaven to come and save them . The more effectually therefore to provoke both my selfe and you at this time , to the due performance of this most neglected ( but most necessary ) dutie , I have thought fit , in a very plaine and familiar way sutable to the nature of this exercise ( which ought to be as serious , as solemne ) to worke and chafe into all our hearts the strength and spirit of that good Word of God , which you shall finde written for our instruction in Jer. 50. 5. They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying , Come , and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . WHich words are part of a Prophecie ( terrible to Babylon , but comfortable to the Church ) uttered , and penned by the Prophet Ieremy , about the fourth yeere both of the Babylonish captivitie , and of the tributary reigne of Zedekiah . The occasion , this . The Prophet having laboured about thirtie yeers , to humble Judah by continually ringing in her eares the dolefull tydings of a sore captivitie approaching , could not be beleeved . But , when once the quick and sad sense of their bondage under the Chaldean yoke had forced from them an acknowledgement of the truth of his prophecies , he found it as hard a taske to worke their hearts to any hope of deliverance . For , as it is a worke even insuperable , to possesse a people ripe for destruction , that any evill is neere them , till the wrath of God breake in upon them and overwhelme them ; so is it a businesse of little lesse difficultie to hold up the spirits even of Gods owne people , once cast under any great extreamitie , with any hope of rescue . This was Iudah's case . Before the Babylonian had laid this yoke on their necks , God had plainly revealed , and often inculcated that it should lye upon them just 70. yeeres and no longer , after which they should have libertie of returne to their owne Land againe . Howbeit , the weight of their misery , the absence of God , ( who had cast them out of his sight ) together with the insolence and crueltie of their proud oppressors , had throwne them downe so low in a disconsolate condition , that nothing which God could either now say or doe , was sufficient to raise up their hearts to any assurance of returne . The same strength which Lust hath to draw men from obedience , it will surely have afterwards to drive men from beleeving , in their greatest necessities of living by faith . The maine beame which stucke in their eyes to hinder ther sight of deliverance promised , was , the greatnesse and invincible potency of the Chaldean Monarchy ( then in her pride ) and more especially the strength of Babylon the Queene and Mistresse of that puissant Empire . How could they hope to be delivered , when she that commanded the world detained them ? Shall the prey be taken from the Mightie , or the lawfull captive delivered ? To cure them therefore of this desperate desponsion of minde , the Lord stirred up this Prophet to foretell the totall and finall subversion and ruine of Babylon and of that whole Monarchy ; and further , to declare from God that the desolation thereof , should be the dissolution of the captivitie of Iudah in it . The better to assure them of all this , Ieremiah wrote the whole Prophecy against Babylon ( contained in this Chapter and the next following ) in a Book by it self , which he sent to Babylon by the hand of Scraiah ( Lord Chamberlaine to Zedekiah , and now going in an Embassie from his Master to Great Nebuchadnezzar ) with Command from the Prophet that , after the reading thereof to the captives , he should binde a stone unto it , and cast it into the midst of Euphrates , with this saying pronounced over it , Thus shall Babylon sinke , and shall not rise , &c. But , to hasten to my Text , In the five first verses of this Chapter , the Prophet summarily compriseth the substance of his whole Prophecy against Babylon , declaring , 1. her destruction , 2. the Meanes , 3. the consequent thereof to the people of God . And first , he makes Proclamation , and an Olyes ! as it were , to all the world , to come and behold the Great Worke he was to doe against Babylon the chiefe Citie of the Empire , against Bell the chiefe Idol of that Citie , and against Merodach the glory both of that Citie and Empire ; yea , though the King then reigning when God meant to destroy it , should prove as potent as that great King , the first of that name , who for restoring the declining Empire to her ancient Splendor , and for translating the Imperiall Seat from Nineve to Babylon , was by posteritie worshipped as a God , and transferred his name to all his successors , as the name of Pharaoh to the Egyptian Kings , of Benhadad to the Syrian Monarchs , and of Augustus to the Romane Emperours . Although all these should be joyned together to withstand the downfall of that Monarchy , yet desolation should be brought over them all , they should all be confounded and removed for ever , Vers . 1 , 2. and all to make way for the deliverance of the Church . But what should be the meanes of such an unexpected destruction ? This was to be done by an Army from the North , that is , by the Medes and Persians , both of which , but more especially the Medes , were situated towards the North from Babylon , and therefore ominous . That these were the men , appeares more fully by their description in the residue of this , and of the 51. Chapter . This Northern Army should be the confusion of Babylon , the confusion of Babylon should prove the restoring of the Church ( vers. 3. ) And the restoring of the Church should produce a Covenant with God . For , behold , the issue and consequent of the ruine of Babylon was , the return of the captive Jews , from thence to Jerusalem , and a renewing Covenant with him that had shewed such mercy on them , vers. 4 , 5. For , in those dayes , and in that time , saith the Lord , the children of Israel shall come , they and the children of Iudah together , going and weeping , they shall goe and seek the Lord their God . They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying , Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . This began to be fulfilled at the end of 70. yeeres determined , when the Empire was first over-run and subdued by Cyrus the Persian . For he made Proclamation of libertie to returne , in the first yeere of his reigne . And when they returned , this was their deportment ; they went weeping ; and , to seeke the Lord their God . They goe , not so much to repossesse their ancient patrimony and inheritance , and to grow rich in the world , as to seeke and finde the Lord their God , and that with a resolution to enter into Covenant with Him , and such a Covenant as should never be forgotten , but daily remembred and carefully performed . You now see the Context . Should I now divide the Text , I might shew you here First , an Act , expressed by their industry , in setting upon a long and tedious journey to Zion . They shall aske the way to Zion . Secondly , the manner how they manage this journey , it is 1. With all intention of spirit , they aske the way to Zion , with their faces thitherward . 2. With fervent charitie towards , and mutuall zeale for each other , to quicken and inflame one another to the same work , saying , Come . Thirdly , the end of their journey which , ( with so much intention of spirit and inflamed charitie , calling and crying to one another in such a manner , ) they set upon ; all was for this : Let us joyne our selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . I might easily also cast out these generals of the Text into many lesser branches : but it is not now a time to trifle , or to play with a Text . Yea , I shall not distinctly prosecute all the parts already laid out , but ( as the dutie of this day requireth ) insist rather upon that which is the maine , and bring in the other as subordinate thereunto , by occasion afterwards , in explication of the principall point . For we see troopes in the Text bound for Zion ; and , so hasty thitherward , that they salute not any man by the way , nor so much as looke aside any way : they goe with their faces thitherward : all the stay they make , is but to call others along with them , and amongst these , us , saying , Come . And , what is the businesse ; the end of all this hast ? Nothing but this , Let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant , &c. This , however it were last in execution , yet was it first in their intention , in the undertaking of this journey , and therefore now must be principally insisted upon . You see here a people loosed from the Babylonish captivitie , and returning to Zion : and , in their returne to have this in their hearts , in their mouthes , and in their endeavours , namely , upon the receipt of this mercy , to make speed to their God , to enter into a new Contract and solemne Covenant with him . So that now the chiefe , and only point of instruction which I shall recommend to , and presse upon you , and mine own heart with you , is plainly this , that When God vouchsafes any deliverance to his Church , especially from Babylon , then is it most seasonable and most necessary to close with God by a more solemne , strict , and invi●lable Covenant to be his , and only his for ever . In prosecuting this point ( wherein I resolve to be plaine , and in earnest ) I shall first shew you the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of it , that it is so . Next , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , if you will , how and in what manner this must be done . Thirdly , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the grounds and reasons of it : and so proceed to the Application . For the first , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that it is so , this will appeare , 1. More generally , upon receipt of any deliverance . 2. More specially , upon any deliverance from Babylon above all other . 1. In generall , that this use must be made of any deliverance , appeares both by precept , and example in holy Scripture . We shall carry them along together . In Deut. 29. you shall finde Moses requiring the people to enter into a speciall Covenant with God , beside the solemne Covenant which he made with them ( and they with him ) in H●reb . To induce them thereunto , Moses tefresheth their memory with the repetition or representation of the many deliverances God had given unto them , out of Egypt , and in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres , together with the wonders and miracles which he daily wrought for them . And in the seventh ver. he tels them , that when ye came into this place ( that is , into the Land of Moab ) Sihon the King of Heshbon , and Og the King of Bashan , came out against us unto battell , and we smote them , &c. What then ? Here is deliverance upon deliverance , and the inference is , Keep therefore the words of this Covenant , and d●e them , vers. 9. But , that is the Covenant on Gods part , you will say ? True , but that is not all . He therefore presseth them to an actuall personall Covenant on their parts , and that upon consideration of so many deliverances . This was his maine businesse with them at the Lords own command . Therefore in vers . 10. he thus be speaks them , Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God , your Captaines of your tribes , your Elders , and your Officers , with all the men of Israel , your little ones , your wives , and thy stranger that is in thy Campe , from the hewer of thy wood to the drawer of thy water , That thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God , and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day . And in vers. 14. he addeth , Neither with you only doe I make this Covenant , and this oath , but with him that standeth here with ●● this day before the Lord our God , and also with him that is not here with us this day . Thus you see a Covenant required , strick●n , and ratified by solemne Oath of God and his people mutually to one another : they binde themselves by solemne Oath to him , as he by Oath had bound himselfe to them . Thus then it was in the time of Moses , No eminent deliverance went before , but a solemne Covenant followed after * . And , To sweare a Covenant , is no new device , no humane invention , nor arbitrary Action . I will give you but one instance more ( among many ) of this kinde , and it is that of Asa , that good and religious King of Iudah . When Zerah the Ethiopian infested his kingdome with an huge army , even 1000000 , and 300 Chariots , a Chron. 14. Asa falls to praying , God heard him ; they joyned battell , Asa obtained the victory , and carryed away very much sp●●le . What was the issue ? Another Covenant . For , in Chap. 15. you shall finde that , presently upon this , God addresseth a Prophet to Asa , ( Azariab the sonne of Oded ) to tell him and the people , The Lord is with you while ye be with him , And , to encourage them to close with God , he addes , in vers. 7. Be ye strong therefore , and let not your hands be weake : for your worke shall be rewarded . They must not only worke for God , but be strong to his worke , and that they might be so , there was no way like to that of entring into a Covenant with him . For , so Asa understood it , as appeares by the next words , where it is said , Asa , when he heard these words , tooke courage ; and , although he had before done much in purging the Cities of Judah of Idolatry , and Idols , of high places , Images , and groves , yet now he goes on to a more thorough reformation , and put away the remainder of abominable Idols ●ut of all the Land of Iudah and B●●jamin and out of the Cities which he had taken from 〈◊〉 Ephraim , and ren●wed the Altar of the Lord ; for ever where Idols goe up , Gods Altars goe downe , therefore he pulleth downe the one , and setteth up the other . And not this alone , but he offered ●nto the Lords great sacrifes , and both himselfe and his people 〈◊〉 into a Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers , with all their heart , and with all their soule , that whosoever would not seeke the Lord God of Israel , should be put to death , whether small or great , whether man or woman ; and they firme unto the Lord with a loud voyce , and with shouting , and with trumpets , and with Corn●ts . And all this , immediately upon the deliverance and victory which he had obtained : for , in vers. 11. it is said expressely , that they offered unto the Lord , the same time ( or , in that very day ) of the spoil● which they had brought , 700. Oxan , and 1000. Sh●●p● , meaning of those ▪ which they had carryed away from the Ethiopians that came out to battaile against them . So that now you see another solemne 〈◊〉 entred into , not by Asa alone , but by all the people of God , ●● Covenant solemnized in publique by Sacrifi●● , by O●th and under the highest penaltie of death it selfe to all that should not observe it . In pursuit of which Covenant , see what he presently did . He spared not his owne Mother that regarded it not . For , when he perceived that , notwithstanding thi● Covenant , the Queene his Mother , 〈◊〉 , would needs retaine her puppet Gods still , and ( amongst the rest ) one abominable Idol , in a grove , so obscone as it is not fit to be named ▪ ( 〈◊〉 a obse●●●th that it was Pri●p●● , and conjectureth thenc● , that sh● was not only a grosse Idolatrosse but an abominable stump●● ▪ b for , ordinarily ▪ Idolatry and adultery , spirituall and bodily fornication goe together c ) It is said , that ●● removed her from being 〈◊〉 , because she had made ●● Idol 〈◊〉 grove , and Asa cut down her Idol , and stamp● i● , and 〈◊〉 is at the brooke 〈◊〉 , vers. 16. Which pass●g● i●●● prest with an emphasis , i● 1 King. 15. 11. Als● 〈◊〉 his Mother , eve● Her , ●● removed from being 〈◊〉 . Although a Queene , although a Mother * , yet ever her he deposed from her dignitie . This he did , and this he must doe , not only by reason of that voluntary Covenant into which he had entred , but by vertue of the speciall Command of God himselfe , in what ever relation she had stood unto him . Yea , in Deut. 13. 6. the Law was more strict , for though she had been neerer than a Mother , even the wife of his b●some , yet if she were an Idolater , and should entise him secretly , saying , Let us goe and serve other Gods , she must have been put to death , and his own hand must have been first upon her , vers. 9. You now see the point proved in the generall , that thus it is with Gods people ; upon any notable deliverance * , they enter anew into solemne and strict Covenant with God . 2. But more especially ought this to be the care of the Church , when God gives her deliverance out of Babylon , out of that servitude and bondage which of all other was most heavy , and lay longest on her . See this in some instances , both on Gods part ayming at this in giving deliverance , and on his peoples part performing this after deliverance from Babylon . On Gods part , first . This was foreshewed under the similitude of the basket of good figs , Jer. 24. 5. There it is said by the Lord , the God of Israel , Like these good figs , so will I acknowledge them that are carryed away Captive of Iudah , whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good : for I will set mine eyes upon them for good , and I will bring them againe to this Land , &c. And , in the seventh verse it followeth , I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord , and I will be their God : for they shall returne unto me with their whole heart . He will give them an heart to know him , to returne , and become his people , which cannot be without a Covenant . Againe That this is that which Gods heart is exceedingly set upon , and full of , namely , that he never meant to bring his people backe from Babylon , but upon this very condition ( albeit it was a great while ere it was done , and therefore they thrived accordingly , as we shall shew anon ) will yet further appeare by many other passages of the Prophecy of Ieremy , to passe by sundry other Prophecies uttered by Isaiah , Micah , and others . In Ier. 30. 18. we shall finde a Prophecy , that this should be done , ( and I shall shew , by and by , that it was afterwards performed ) Behold , saith the Lord , I will bring againe the captivitie of Iacobs tents , and have mercy on his dwelling places , &c. and , in vers . 21. I will cause him to draw neere , and he shall approach unto me ; and then , as one assured of it , and admiring at it , he presently adds ; for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me , saith the Lord ? That is , both Governour and people , all of them should binde and engage themselves , ( not their outward man alone , but even their very heart and soule also ) by solemne Covenant to be the Lords . That this was the meaning , is cleare by the next verse . Ye shall be my people , and I will be your God . For it was such an engaging of their hearts , a● that out should say , I am the Lords ; and another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob : and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord , and sirname himselfe by the name of Israel , Isa. 44. 5. So againe , in Ier. 31. the Lord having first promised to bring back the captivitie , he subjoynes ; Behold , the dayes come , saith the Lord , that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel , and with the house of Iudah : nor according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers , in the day that I tooke him out of the Land of Egypt , which my Covenant they brake , although I was an husband unto them , saith the Lord . But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ; After those dayes , faith the Lord , I will put my Law in their inw●rd parts , and write it in their hearts , and will be their God , and they shall be my people . Here is a Covenant , God begins the 〈◊〉 , but his people follow . They imbrace the Covenant , and joyne themselves by mutuall Covenant to him . He puts his Law into their hearts , for this very purpose . Once more , In Ier. ●2 . ●7 , there is a promise that God would gather his people out of all countries whither ther he had e●st them in his wrath , and that he would bring them back to their own place , and ca●se them to dwell safely . He presently addes this as the product of that mercy ; they shall be my people , and I will be their God , and I will give them one heart , and one ●ay that they may feare me for ever , &c. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them , that I will not turne away from them to doth 〈◊〉 good , but I will put my feare in their heart ▪ that they shall no● depart from me ▪ Which words go no lesse than a solemn Covenant mutually made and strucken betweene God and his people . Thus then you see , many plaine and pregnant places of Scripture shew , that the maine thing God on his part aymed at , and expected from his people in delivering them from Babylon , was , the firme and solemne tying and engaging of themselves by a formall and effectuall Covenant to him , and the remembring and keeping of it better than formerly they had done . But , secondly , all these were but prophecies shewing what God foreshewed should be . Will you therefore see the thing acted , and all these promises fulfilled ? True it is indeed that the people did not on their parts performe this , they entred not into such a solemne Covenant , so soone as deliverance was by Cyrus proclaimed ; and they sped accordingly . 〈◊〉 went indeed before , in the first yeere of Cyrus , and laid the foundation of the Lords House : but we read of no Covenant then made . Therefore , the work was stayed , and the building not finished in an 100 yeeres after , say the b●st Chronologers . Then comes Ezra , and makes some reformation of manners ; and not only so , but some Covenant he and the people entred into , Ezra 10. But that was but in a particular case ( and it would be thought a strange one , to this age especially , should it now ●e pressed , ) these were many that had trespassed against their God by taking strange wives of the people of the Land ( that worshipped not the same God . ) Such therefore , as now were duely touched with the sense of this sinne , desire Ezra that a solemne Covenant might now be made with God , to put away all such wives , and such as were b●rne of them , Vers . 3. Now , in the fifth verse , we shall finde this executed . For , Ezra arose , and made the chiefe Priests , the Levites , and all Israel to sw●ar● that they should do according to this word , and they sware . This was somewhat , but not enough : a partiall Covenant , and such as came short of that intended in my Text . You shall see it more throughly performed afterwards , in Nohemiah● time . For , after Ezra , cam●Nohemiah , and he makes a more thorough Reformation ; not of men● manners only , but even of Religion also . He set up the Ordinances of God in their put it is , and tooke ca●● in particular for the preaching of the Word . After all this , he and all the people 〈…〉 a solemne Covenant , and that at the time of a publique Fast ? And this brings it home to the businesse we are now about . For , as they entred into Covenant upon receipt of such a deliverance , so they did it at the time of a solemne Fast . This will appeare throughout the whole ninth Chapter of Nehemiah , where it is first said , that the Children of Israel were assembled with fasting , and with sack-cloath , and with earth upon them : they separated themselves from strangers , they stood and confessed their sinnes , and the iniquities of their fathers . They justified God in all his proceedings against them , and in all the evils he had brought upon them . They acknowledged that neither they , their Princes , people , or fathers had kept the Law ; they had not served God in that Kingdome he had bestowed upon them . Behold , say they , vers. 36. We are servants this day , and for the Land that thou gavest unto our fathers , to eate the fruit thereof , and the good thereof , behold we are servants in it , And it yeeldeth much encrease unto the Kings whom thou best set over us , because of our sinnes : also they have dominion over our bodies , and over our cattell at their pleasure , and we are in great distresse . And because of all this , we make a sure Covenant , in the last verse ) and write it , and our Princes , Levites , and Priests seale unto it . Now here is the full accomplishment of that you have in my Text . What in the Text is set down by way of Prophecy , you here see acted in the History . In Nehemiahs time , they come home unto it . And if you look into the tenth Chapter , you shall see who sealed this Covenant : first , the Princes , the Officers , the Magiftrates of the Kingdome , the Parliament men , if you will so call them , and then the rest of the people . And what is the substance of their Covenant ? They entred into a curse , and into an Oath , to walke in Gods Law , which was given by Moses the servant of God , and to observe and do all the Commandements of the Lord their God , and his Iudgements , and Statutes , vers. 29. Here then is their Covenant : you see also with what solemnitie it was made and ratified ; by subscribing of hands , and setting to of their Seales , by an Oath , and by a curse ; binding themselves by all the most solemne and strongest bonds that possibly they could ; and all this in Publique , and at a Publique Fast . So that now the point is cleare , That it is so , and that the practise of Gods people hath ever been , upon any great deliverance , especially from Babylon , to enter into solemne Covenant with the Lord . Come we to the second branch propounded , which is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , shewing , in what manner this Covenant must be made , and how men are to joyne themselves to the Lord in this action . This I shall demonstrate out of the bowels of the Text it self : for therein may you see somewhat required , 1. By way of disposition or preparation to it . 2. In respect of the substance of it . 3. In regard of the properties belonging to it . These being opened , I shall give you a full view of this Text , and performe my promise before made unto you . The first thing to be unfolded is , the disposition or preparation to the Covenant ; and this appeares in two things , 1. In seeking seriously the face of God , They shall aske the way to Zion . 2. In the manner of their addresse unto him , with their faces thitherward , saying , Come . 1. The first thing requisite to dispose , qualifie , and prepare men to strike a Covenant with God , is a serious and humble seeking of the face of God . They shall aske the way to Zion . And there first a word of the place toward which they were bound ; secondly , of their contending and repaire to it , under that expression of asking the way thither . The place , was Zion , where first ( though it be but a Criticisme , it is yet not unnecessary to be taken notice of , because the word is often pronounced , and written amisse , which may cause ambiguity touching the place ) you must put a difference between Sihon or Sion , and Zion : ( for these were two different places , and are written in the originall with two different Letters , the former with ש the other with צ ) you must not here understand this , of the former , namely , of Mount Sihon , which is all one with Hermon , situate in the utmost confines of Israel North-East-ward , neere unto Jordan , ( Deut. 4. 48. ) but conceive it to be meant of 〈◊〉 or Zion in Hierusalem , which was once the strong hold of the Jebusites , and held out longer unsubdued than any Peece belonging to that people . For , when Israel under the Conduct of Ioshua had conquered Iebus , after called Hierusalem , yet could they not winne Zion in it . Zion was a strong Castle or Fort , erected upon a rocky mount , toward the South-west part of the Citie , over-looking all the rest ; and that the Jebusites , having aboundantly fortified and victualled it , still held , all the dayes of Ioshua , and long after , albeit the Israelites possessed the rest of the Citie , Iosh. 15. 63. But afterwards when David came against it , even that strong hold ( which the Jebusites thought to be so invincible , that , in scorne of him and his siege , they set up only a few blind & lame people on the walles to defend it ) he conquered and called it the Citie of David , because after he had wonne it , himself dwelt in it , 2 Sam. 5. 7. This , for the Topography . Then , you must know further , that , by Zion is sometimes meant the whole city of Hierusalem , by a Syn●chdoche ; sometimes it was taken for the place of Gods Worship in the holy city , or rather with reference to his Worship and presence there : for that City being the Capitall City of the Kingdome , where Thrones were set for Iudgement , was also the speciall place which God chose to place his name in : there , were the Altars placed for Gods worship , and thither the Tribes went up to worship , because there God pleased to manifest his more speciall presence , and to command the blessing for evermore . Thither therefore these returning Captives repaired ; even unto Zion , the Watch Towre , as St Hierome interprets it , whence God inspeciall manner watched over his people for Good : there they seek his face , and enquire of him , before they presume to enter Covenant with him . Now , their addresse to this place , is set forth in this Text , by asking the way to Zion . The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * though it sometimes import the demanding of a thing which is a point of Justice or equity to give , ( as Gen. 34. 14. ) yet is it usually applyed to note the seeking of some thing by humble prayers and intreaties : so as it is not seldome put for prayer it selfe , 2 Chro : 20. 4. and , sometimes for an earnest & humble enquiry after some thing we know not , ( Num : 27● 21. Deut : 13. 14. ) that we may be directed aright , and pursue the direction with effect : So here , They aske the way to Zion , and that of God , not onely to seek of him a right way for them by fasting and prayer , Ezra 8. 21. but , as resolving that somewhat should be done , that they would walke in it , and appeare before God in Zion : for , so much is intended here as is expressed more fully elsewhere , viz. in Isay 2. verse 2 , 3. Mic. 4. 1 , 2. where they not onely call on each other to undertake , but they also performe the journey , going up to the mountaine of the Lord . So the Prophet Zachary , the inhabitants of one City shall goe to another , saying , Let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord , and to seeke the Lord of Hosts , I will goe also : yea , many people and strange nations shall come to seeke the Lord of Hosts in Hierusalem , and to pray before the Lord . Zach. 8. 21. 22. And how goe they ? not sleightly , carelessely , proudly , but in all humility , yea ( as in the verse before my Text ) even with weeping , they shall seeke the Lord their God with deepe humiliation and godly sorrow for all those sinnes whereby they had formerly broken his Covenant , and for which he had entred upon the forfeiture , and laid those heavy afflictions upon their Loines . Going , and weeping , they shall goe to seeke their God in Zion . The very same thing was foretold before ( to shew the necessity of the duty ) touching Israel . Ier. 31. 9. They shall come with weeping , and with suplications will I lead them . So then , this is the first thing in this worke to dispose and prepare men for the Covenant ; namely , to aske the way to Zion , by a serious , humble , affectionate inquiring and seeking after God in his Ordinances , even with many prayers and teares , that he would be pleased to accept them . Secondly , the manner of their addresse is as necessary as the former . It is not every manner that will serve the turne . It must be done with all intention of spirit in regard of themselves , and with fervent Charity towards others . For , they must aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , saying Come . Their intention and fervency of spirit wherewith they set upon this worke , is set forth under that Hebraisme of asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward . This phrase is usually an expression of the greatest intention , fervency , and contention of mind that can be , in the pursuit of any businesse on foote , or of any way wherein a man is going . Such a phrase you have in Luke 9. 51. where it is said of Christ , that he stedfastly set his face to go● to Hierusalem , or , as if he would goe to Hierusalem : for which cause the Samaritanes would not receive him , ver. 53. that is , they would not entertayne him with any respect , because , that stedfast setting of his face towards Hierusalem * manifested , by his very countenance and aspect , that , where ever his body was , his heart was at Hierusalem ( which the Samaritanes could not brooke ) and that nothing in the world could take him off from that journey , or , so farre prevaile with him , as to make him linger , or loyter upon the way ; no entreaties , feare , shame , nor any thing could stay him , but , obstinataet imperterritamente locum petiit , as it is exprest by Bede . He was no way afraid , or ashamed to be seene and knowne whither he was bound , and what he was going about . When therefore it is here said , they shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward , the thing meant thereby , is , that they shall set upon this work with their whole heart , with their whole man , without any feare , or being ashamed , or unwilling to owne the businesse : but , they shall doe it thoroughly and affectionately without wavering , lingring , halting : they shall doe it boldly , presently , openly , indefatigably and continually . In a word , whatsoever can be sayd , or thought upon , to set forth the utmost intention of a mans Spirit in any worke that his heart is most set upon , and that he would lay out his life and all he hath upon , for the accomplishment of it ; that was the resolution , & care of these people , & must be ours : this is to aske the way to Zion with our faces thitherward . And without this , no entring into Covenant with God . This is , for substance no other ( though otherwise expressed ) than that of the people in Asa his time , when they sware the Covenant before mentioned , 2 Chron. 15. where it is said , they did it with all their heart , and with all their soule , and exprest it by the loudnesse of their voyces , and with shoutings , &c : rejoycing at the Oath , because they had sworne with all their hearts , and sought him with their whole desire , vers. 15. Men that will stand disputing , consulting with flesh and bloud , and casting about how the entring into such a Covenant may consist with their profits , honours , lusts , designes , relations , &c. are no fit Covenanters for God . His people shall be willing , Psal. 110. 3. their heart , minde , spirit , body , countenance , all , shall professe , and proclaime this to the whole world , that they are for God , for a Covenant , for putting themselves into the strongest bonds that can possibly be thought on to bind them hand and foot , soule and body to the Lord for ever . 2. Nor is this all . For , the men in my Text , content not themselves to be thus earnestly addicted to the worke in their own particulars ; but , ( as one stick kindles another ) they desire to kindle the same flame of affection in others also , and mutually to blow up the coales in one another , saying , Come . This notes the fervency of their Charitie towards others also . For , 't is not here brought in as a formalitie , or complement , but as the evidence of a strong desire to draw as many others as they can to the same journey , and ( if it be possible ) to keep the same pace with them , as being most unwilling to leave any behind them . This indeed is true Love , unfained Charitie , to draw all we can along with us unto God . True Converts , when once they returne themselves , they cause others t●●eturns also . And this was often prophecyed as a thing which should certainly be : Witnesse all those places in Isay 2. Mic. 4. and Zach. 8. before quoted . So then all these things are requisite , and previous to the Act of Covenanting with God . There must be a seeking to God with true humiliation , a seeking of him with all intention of spirit , and with all manifestations of a resolution not to be terrified from , daunted at , or ashamed of the worke : yea , with fervent Charitie to draw others into the same Covenant also . Thus much for the disposition previous to the Covenant . 2. The next thing considerable in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is , the Substance of the Covenant it self . Let us joyne our selves to the Lord , in a Covenant . Two things here must be opened ; the matter , and the forme of this solemne action . 1. The matter of this Act is set forth under this expression , Let us joyne our selves to the Lord . The original word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ( from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ) is very emphatical ; so as that word , being explained , will sufficiently set out before you the nature of the Covenant here intended . Some Translators render it , Let us glue our selves unto the Lord ; which imports a conjunction so neere , as nothing can come between , and so firme , as nothing can dissolve . But more particularly , the verb here used is in Scripture applyed to a double sense , or to denote two things : both of which being set together , will fully discover what it is to be joyned to the Lord in Covenant . First , it signifyeth the binding of a mans self to the Usurer , of whom he hath borrowed money , to pay backe both principall and interest . So it is used in Nehem. 5. 4. where the people complaine , We have borrowed money , for the Kings tribute , and that upon our Lands and Vineyards . That is , they had engaged both Lands and Vineyards for securitie of the money borrowed , that the Usurer should enter upon all , in case they failed of payment at the day . So that , as men , to make sure , will have a Statute Staple , or recognisance in the nature of a Statute Staple , acknowledged , whereby a mans person , goods , lands , and all , are bound for the securitie of the Creditor , that he shall have both principall and interest at the day agreed upon ( and here that of Solomon proves too true , The borrower is servant to the lender : for , he hath nothing left to his own dispose ; if he would sell any Land , settle any joyncture , there is a Statute upon it , he can dispose of nothing till that be taken off ; ) so it is in the case of any man joyning himself to the Lord by Covenant , he must even bind himself to God as firmely , as fully , as the poore borrower , who for his necessitie takes up money , binds himself to the Usurer . If Godlend him any mercy , any blessing , he binds himself to restore not only the principall ( the blessing it self ) when God shall call for it ; but even the interest too ; I meane , all possible homage , service , and honour which becomes those who have received so great a benefit . This is more than implyed in that parable of our Saviour touching the talents dispensed , Matth. 25. 27. for even to him who had received but one talent , was it said , Thou oughtest to have put my money to the Exchangers , that at my coming I might have received mine own with usury . God will have his returne , some interest , for every mercy ; and expects a Statute Staple , that is , a Covenant , for his better securitie . God will have him bound , soul , body , estate , life and all ; so as all he is , and hath , shall be forfeited , if he do not keep touch , and make payment according to agreement and Covenant made between them . This is the first use of the word , nilvn . Secondly , there is yet more in it . For , though it be true that the obligation of a borrower to the usurer be as strong as bonds and Statutes can make it ; yet , there is not such an entire , neere , firme , and lasting tye of the borrower to the Lender , nor such a thorough interest in the whole estate of the Usurer , as there is of him that is in Covenant with God . The Usurer , though he bind the poor borrower fast to him , yet he keeps him at distance , not giving him interest in , or use of any other part of his estate , but only of the summe borrowed . But now this joyning of our selves to the Lord , is such , as is made by marriage ; and gives interest in all that the Lord is , and hath , and admits us to the participation of all the most intimate , neerest , choysest expressions of the deerest Love of God , which is or can be found between the husband and the wife , who are joyned together by the bond of marriage , and made one flesh . So the word is used , Gen. 29. 34 where Leah , being delivered of her third sonne , Levi , thus saith to the women about her , Now this time will my husband be joyned * unto me , because I have born him three sonnes . That is , now shall my husband be more arctly united to me in all love , and in all demonstrations of it , and that in the most free , full , and intimate way of expression that possibly can passe between those who are coupled together in so neere a relation . So then , lay both these together , and you have a cleare view of this joyning of our selves to the Lord by Covenant . He that enters into Covenant with God , doth not only bind himself , as the needy borrower to the Covetous Vsurer , for a time ; but , as the wife to the husband , to be wholly his for ever , without any reservation , limitation , or termination , till death dissolve the bond . As the wife hath interest in the goods , estate , and person of the husband ; and all that he hath is hers : so by this joyning of our selves to the Lord , He becomes ours , as well as we become his , and both are mutually conjoyned to each other by an indissoluble bond for ever . All the power , wisdome , goodnesse , mercy , grace , glory , that the Great God hath to communicate to the creature , is now assured and made over to every soule that thus engageth himself unto him . And on the other side , all the wit , strength , industry , wealth , honour , friends , life , and all that this man hath , he makes over , and resignes up actually , totally , absolutely , and for ever unto the Lord , to serve and honour him withall ; and that with all his heart , and with his whole desire ; to have nothing , to do nothing , to be nothing but for the Lord , though all the world be against him for it . This I take to be the full latitude of the Covenant , for the Matter of it . 2. Touching the forme of this Act of joyning our selves to the Lord , it is expressed in the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Covenant . A Covenant is nothing else but an agreement or bargaine between two or moe persons , and ratified ( ordinarily ) by some externall solemnitie , or rites that may testifie and declare the agreement , and ratifie it , whereby it becomes unalterable . Therefore it is , that among the varietie of ratifications of Covenants mentioned in Scripture , still there is somewhat of outward solemnitie reported to have been used at the making of them , to strike the bargaine thorough . Sometimes they were made by Sacrifice , Psal. 50. 5. sometimes by Oath , Deut. 29. sometimes by an Oath , and a curse , Neh. 10. 29. sometimes by subscription of their hands , sometimes by sealing it with their seales also : Sometimes by all these , and by what ever else might most firmely & inviolable knit men unto God . And as it was then , so must it be still . To strike a Covenant , is not , in a private or publique prayer only , to goe to God and say , Lord I will be thine , I here enter into a Covenant with thee , be thou a witnesse of it , &c. but it is , to stand and make it publiquely before the Lord , by some speciall solemnitie that may witnesse it to all the world , as Iosiah * , Asa , and all the Godly ever did ; ( even as in ●n entring into bonds , or as in solemnizing of matrimony , men use to doe ) Whether by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , by fasting , or by ought else , whereby they may become so firmely and arctly joyned to the Lord , that they may not only be no longer sui jurls , to depart away from the Living God ; but , not so much as to sit loose from God , or to stand in any terme● of indifferency , which might leave them at libertie to serve , or not to serve God in any dutie , how difficult , or dangerous soever . And thus have you the Substance of the Covenant opened . 3. Take we now a short view of the properties of this Covenant , and they are two ; perpetuitie and heedfulnesse . 1. It must be an everlasting Covenant , in regard of continuance . In the Originall it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a Covenant of Ages . And the 72 Interpreters render it to the same purpose , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , that is , such a Covenant as no time shall terminate , till they who make it cease to be . Some understand this of engaging themselves to stick close to him in the due celebration of his Legal worship , so long as he should continue it in his Church , ( which was till , Shiloh came ) without those mixtures , wherein formerly they had been too bold , and for which God had spewed them out of his Church , and hurled them as farre as Babylon . Others conceive it to be meant of the Covenant of Grace that God had sealed to them in the bloud of his Sonne . But , neither of these are ful . For , it is clearly meant of an Act of theirs towards God , whereby they bind themselves to him , and that not for a definite time only , but for ever . It is such a binding , as that of the borrower to the Usurer , whom nothing can satisfie but full payment . Or rather , such a closing with God , as is that of the wife to the husband , called , in particular reference to the nuptiall knot , the Covenant of her God , Prov. 2. 17. She must be his for ever ; that is , so long as she liveth , Rom. 7. So that , for men to bind themselves by an everlasting Covenant to the Lord , is to bind themselves never to step out from him to Idols , to their base lusts , to any creature , in any strait , upon any occasion , or tentation whatsoever ; nor , with the dog , to returne any more to their vomit of any kind . They are in Covenant as the wife to the husband ; for they are marryed unto the Lord for ever , Hos. 2. 2. It must be heeded and minded ; else , it will be to small purpose to be so lasting . It must be a Covenant that shall not be forgotten . A Covenant , quod non tradetur oblivioni ; as Tremelius well : that is , that shall not be cast behind their backs . It is but a plaine mockery for men so to enter Covenant with God , as young Gallants enter into bonds to the Usurer , never thinking more of them , till the day of payment be past , and the Sergeant ready to attach them . Vnto the wicked saith God , what hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth , seeing thou castest my words behind thee ? Psal. 50. Only they rightly performe this dutie , who so joyne themselves to the Lord , as to remember , and minde the obligation they have sealed . As a poore man that meanes honestly , if he be necessitated to take up money upon his bond , he can hardly eate , walke , sleep , do any thing , be in any company , but that still his minde runs upon the obligation and day of payment : he complaines he is in debt , he hath given bond for so much money , and all his care is how to pay his debts , or to get longer time ; so it is with a Godly man that hath entred Covenant with the Lord , he hath sealed a bond , and he knows it must be satisfied , or it will be put in suit . Therefore he beares it in minde , he is alwayes casting about how he may performe , and keep touch with God . I will never forget thy precepts , saith David , I have inclined mine heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes , even unto the end , Psal. 119. 112. This is one expression . Againe , It is a Covenant to be remembred , as that of the wife , whereby she stands bound to her husband : she must ever remember it . It is the note of an harlot to forget the Covenant of her God . The chaste wife will so remember the marriage bond , that if she be solicited to unfaithfulnesse , to uncleannesse , &c. she ever hath this in her thoughts , that she hath given her self wholly away to an husband , and is bound to keep her only unto him during life ; & this makes her to be even an impregnable wall against all assaults that might otherwise draw her to folly . So must it be in the case in hand : The Covenant must still be in the heart , and in the memory . In every action of a mans life , in every passage and turning of his estate and condition , in every designe or engagement , this must not be forgotten ; viz. I have entred into Covenant with God , as a wife with her husband ; will that I am now doing , or going about , stand with my Covenant ? Is this to performe Covenant with God ? &c. If he be solicited to uncleannesse , to fraud , oppression , any evill whatsoever , this still runs in his minde , There is a Covenant between me and the Lord , I am bound from such courses by the strongest bonds ; How then can I commit this great wickednesse , and sinne against God ? What was it for which Iudah , and Israel became Captives , , but the breach of the Covenant ? They kept not the Covenant of God , saith the Psalmist . And , how so ? Because they did not remember it . As they soone forgot his workes , so it was not long ere they forgot God their Saviour himselfe too ; and then no marvaile , if , at the next bo●t , they forgot his Covenant also , Psal. 106. He then , that would not breake Covenant , must not forget it ; but mind , and performe it . Otherwise , it is like vowing unto God , and not paying , which is worse than not to vow at all . Thus have I dispatcht the Second generall , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and shewed you how and in what manner this Covenant must be striken : first , in regard of the disposition and preparation of the Soule unto it , it must be with serious seeking the face of God & humbling the soule before hand ; it must be with all intention & earnestnes , with fervent Love and charity to draw others the same way . Next , in regard of the Covenant it self , it must be an act & firm joyning and binding our selves the Lord , as of the borrower to the Lender ; of the wife to the husband ; and that by some solemne Act , which may testifie it to all the world , and be a witnesse against us , if we keep it not . And all this , thirdly for properties , must be of everlasting continuance , and had in continuall remembrance , so as it may be continually performed of all that make it . 3. I proceed to the third and last branch , the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Grounds and reasons why , upon receit of any deliverance , but more especially from Babylon , people should enter into such a covenant with God . And these respect deliverances either in generall , or from Babylon in speciall . 1. The reasons why this must be done , upon any deliverance in generall , are these . 1. Because God , at no time so much as when he bestowes upon his people some notable deliverance , gives such cleere hints and demonstrations of his willingnesse to strike an everlasting Covenant with them . No sooner had the Lord delivered Israel out of Egypt , but within 3. Moneths after , he commanded Moses to tell the people from him ; Ye have seene what I did unto the Egyptians , and how I bare you on Eagles wings , and brought you out unto my selfe . Now therefore if ye will obey my voyce and keep my Covenant , then yee shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people . Exod. 19. 1. and verse 4 , 5. God himselfe , you see , was now earnest for a Covenant . It is the nature of God , where he bestowes one benefit , to adde moe , and still to rise in his blessings . Where he once opens his hand to take a people into his protection , he opens his heart to take them into his bosome . Where he puts forth his power to rescue a people , he puts out his heart to make them his owne , if then they have eyes to discerne the opportunity . See this most excellently demonstrated Ier. 32. from ver. 37. to the 42. His gathering them from their Captivity , first warmes , then melts , and after inflames his heart towards them , making it even then to glow as it were upon them , & to become restlesse till he have bestowed himselfe wholly on them by solemne Covenant to be their God for ever . Now then , shall God , at such a time , be so willing and desirous to enter Covenant with men , and shall they think it too much for them to be in Covenant with him ? Shall he be fast bound to them , and they left free to sit loose from him ? Indeed , this is that which our corrupt nature would willingly have : People would faine be their owne men ; which yet in truth , is , to be the greatest slaves . Necessary therefore it is for men , upon receit of any deliverance , to renew Covenant with God who is pleased to honour them so farre , as to be in Covenant with them . For , these two are relatives , and ever goe together , I will be their God , and they shall be my people . God is not the God of any people but of his owne Covenant-Servants . The rest , he stiles , Lo-ammi . Hos. 1. 9. for yee are not my people , saith he , and I will not be your God . They will not enter into Covenant with me , and I will make no Covenant with them . That is the first reason . 2. As God is pleased to enter into Covenant with his people , so is he first in the Covenant . God requires no man to bind himself by Covenant to Him , till the Lord first strike a Covenant with his Soule . As we love him , because he loved us first ; so we enter into Covenant with him , because he first entreth into Covenant with us . I will be their God , he is first bound , and seales first ; and then , and not till then , it followes ; they shall be my people . This is the constant tenor of the Covenant . And shall he begin , and we think much to follow ? Can there be a marriage consummated where onely the man is first married to the woman , and the woman will not after , for her part , be married to the man ? Now , God no way so much declares his willingnesse to be in Covenant , and to be first in it , as by deliverances ( as we shall see more in the next reason : ) great reason therefore , men should then second him by mutuall stipulation . It is an hard case , when men will not follow , where God leades . 3. In deliverances God more especially manifesteth his fidelity in keeping Covenant with his people , even when they have broken Covenant with him , and forfeited all into his hands . When God delivers a people out of any straite , doth not that usually suppose some folly of theirs going before , & provoking him to cast them into that affliction ; whence , upon their cry , he is pleased to deliver them ? And when they have so farre and so long broken the Lawes , and contemned the Counsel of the most high , and dealt unfaithfully in his Covenant , as that he hath bin even compelled to throw them into darknesse and the shadow of death : yet if then , upon their humiliation , he be pleased to deliver them out of all their distresses ; this is to give them fresh experience of his infinite love in Keeping Covenant and mercy with them , that kept no Covenant with him . This is called a remembring of his Covenant with his people , after that their uncircumcised hearts be humbled , and that they accept of the punishment of their iniquity , when God should have cast them out of their land , among their enemies , as afterward he did . So that , in a deliverance , that which is most predominant in God , and should be most sweet and pretious to his people and most eyed by them , is his fidelity , mercy , and unchangeable Love in bringing out that Covenant he once made with them , and spreading it before himselfe , and making of it good , even when they could not exspect it , nor durst to plead it . Hence that passionate speech of God to rebellious Ephraim . Is Ephraim my deare sonne ? is he a pleasant child ? As if he should have said , surely he cannot conclude so ; yet , my love , by vertue of the ancient Covenant betwen us , makes me still so to account him : witnesse that which followes ; for since I spake against him , ( that is , as resolving to cast him off for ever ) I remember him still , ( I remember I am in Covenant with him , ) therefore my bowels are troubled for him , I wil surely have mercy upon him , saith the Lord . Thus , deliverance is a thread drawne out of the bowells of his Covenant . Great reason therefore that , in this case , his people should think of renewing their league and Covenant with the Lord on their parts , when they have so shamefully broken it , and yet he goes on in so much mercy to manifest his fidelity in remembring and keeping the Couenant on his part , by giving them deliverance . Againe , fourthly and lastly , All our hopes of a full deliverance , of complete happinesse , will be delayed , if not frustrate ; and , the next deliverance will stick in the birth , and want strength to bring forth , if we come not up to a Covenant for deliverances already received . If God have delivered us once , he will do it no more : or , if he do somewhat , to hold us up by the chin that we sink not , yet will he hold us down from the throne , that we reigne not , till we come up actually and fully in this point of Covenanting with him . It is only to those that take hold of his Covenant , that he gives an everlasting name which shalt not be cut off , Isay 56. 4 , 5. He that hath obtained most and greatest deliverances , will , ere long , stand in need of more . Now , one thing is necessary to draw down more , and to moue God to command ( further ) deliverances for Iacob ; yea , to powre out his whole bosome into the laps of his people , and to crowne all deliverances and blessings receiued , with this assurance , that he that hath delivered , will yet again deliver ; and that is to enter into a solemn● Covenant with the Lord , upon consideration of what he hath done already , how ever he should please to deale with us for the future , or for removing any present pressures that lye upon us . Although God begin to deliver , yet he will never perfect the deliverance , till this be done . The people which returned from Babylon , found God to keep touch with them , to a day . So soone as the 70. yeeres determined , their captivitie was dissolved , and somewhat was done , the foundation of the Lords house was laid , but the building went slowly up , the reformation of Church and State went heavily on ; and , they were never in a thriving condition , till Nehemiah , by the good hand of God , lighted upon this course . Some Fasts they had kept before , yea very many ; but they never thrived , till he added to their publique and solemne Fasting , the fastening of them to God by a solem●● Covenant . Then , the worke of Reformation , and establishment , went on merrily , then they prospered . Thus farre the Reasons concluding for a Covenant , upon receit of deliverances in generall . 2. The Reasons inducing us thereunto , upon deliverance from Babylon in particular , are these . 1. Because Babylon ( after once the Church was put under her power ) had alwayes been the most insolent , heavy , bitter , bloudy enemy that ever the Church f●lt . The violence of Babylon was unsupportable , her insolency intolerable , her bloud-thirstinesse insatiable . Hence the Church is bold to challenge all the world to match her misery under the yoke of Babylon ; Behold , and see , if there be any sorrow like ●nto my sorrow , wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me , ( that is , by the heavy hand of Babylon ) in the day of his fi●rce wrath , Lam. 1. ●● . This was sosore , that it hath been by some Fathers , and others , conceived to be the fullest and most lively typicall expression of that matchlesse agony and extremitie which our Lord himselfe ( hanging upon the Crosse ) sustained , when he bare all our sinnes , and the wrath of God due to us for them , so farre as to make a full satisfaction to the Justice of his Father , in behalfe of all his people . And , as it was with old Babylon , so it is , and ever will be with the new , ( I meane , mysticall Babylon ) to the end of the world ; might she so long continue . Even she also delights in no other drink but the bloud of the Saints , as you shall finde in Rev. 17. 5. where the very name written upon her forehead sufficiently sets out her nature : Mystery , Babylon the Great , the Mother of harl●ts and abominations of the earth . And , what of her ? I saw , saith Saint Iohn , the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints , and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus : and when I saw her , I wondred with great admiration , vers. 6. And well he might . A woman , and drunk ! And , if drunk , would no liquor suffice , but bloud ▪ no bloud , but that of Saints and Martyrs ! She is never in her element , but when she is swimming in bloud . So insatiable is she , that like the horse-leeches daughter , she never saith , it is enough . Therefore , when God gives any deliverance from thence , there is more than ordinary cause to close with the Lord , in a more solemne and extraordinary manner , giving him the praise and glory of so great a mercy . But then more especially , when God works out the full deliverance of his Church , by the totall , and finall ruine of Babylon . Oh then , then is the time when all the people in heaven must sing Hallelujah ; ascribing , salvation , and honour , and power unto the Lord our God , Revel. 19. 1. And againe , Hallelujah , vers. 3. as if they could never sufficiently expresse themselves to God for such a deliverance , such a mercy , such a vengeance . 2. Againe . When God delivereth from Babylon , there is more than ordinary cause of entring into solemne Covenant with him , because the very subjecting of the Godly under that iron yoke , argues more than ordinary breach of Covenant with the Lord in time past , which stirred him up to deale so sharply with them as to put them under the power of Babylon . The Provocation was exceeding great , too much to be endured even by infinite Patience it selfe : else , the People of God had never been cast into such a furnace . It was for such a fault as dissolved the very marriage knot between God and his people : it was for going a whoring from him . For this it was , that God first put away Israel , giving her a Bill of divorce , Ier. 3. 8. And for this it was , that he afterwards cast Iudah also out of his sight , 2 King. 17. 19 , 20. And as it was in former times , so in later Ages of the world . What was the reason that so many millions of soules have been exposed to the butchery of Antichrist in Mysticall Babylon , and to be so hood-winckt and blinded by strong delusions , as to beleeve nothing but lyes ; even that Great , Great soul-killing Lye , that they might be damned ? Saint Paul tells us , it was this ; They received not the love of the trueth that they might be saved , but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse , 2 Thess. 2. What unrighteousnesse ? Is it meant of every unrighteousnesse ( that is in the nature of it damnable ) which is to be found in the world ? Surely no : but ( signanter ) of that unrighteousnesse whereby men turned the truth of God into a lye , Rom. 1. that is , by corrupting the true worship of the true God , and afterwards falling off to down-right Idolatry , even within the pales of the Church it self . Most of you are well seene in the History of the Church , and can soone point with your finger to the times wherein Babylon began to besiege Hierusalem , and Antichrist began to pull of his vizzard , in the Churches of Christ : even then , when Pictures and Images began first to be set up in Churches , for remembrance ; then , for ornament ; then , for instruction too ; and at last , for adoration and worship . Then , God suffered her to be over-run , and over-spred by Babylon , as by an hideous opacum or thick darknesse , and to be exposed and prostituted to all manner of whoredomes and filthinesse : so as the slavery of the Jewish Church in old Babylon , was scarce a flea-biting , in comparison of the miseries of the Church Christian under the New , which makes havock and merchandise not of the bodies only , but even of the soules of men , Revel. 18. 13. Now then , when God pleaseth to deliver a people from such bondage , and to awaken them effectually to look up , and to reflect even with astomishment upon those great and gastly sins of theirs , which had cut asunder the cords of the Covenant between God and their Soules , and provoked God to subject them to so much bondage ; and , that they must either renew Covenant , or be obnoxious to more wrath , and be laid open to more and greater temptations and sins ; this cannot but exceedingly work upon their souls , causing their hearts to melt , and their very bowels to yearne after the Lord , to enter into a new , an everlasting Covenant that shall never be forgotten . This is that which God by his servant Ezekiel , spake touching the deportment of the remnant of Israel , which should escape the sword among the nations and countries whither they had been carryed captives , Ezek. 6. 9. They should , upon such a deliverance , remember God , not only with griefe , but resolution also to joyne themselves to him more firmely in a perpetuall Covenant . For , of them , he saith there ; they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations , because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me , and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their idols , and they shall loth themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations . And of the same people he saith , afterwards , * that , upon their returne home , They shall take away all the detestable things , and all the abominations thereof from thence . And I will give them one heart , and put a new spirit within them , I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh , and give them an heart of flesh , that they they may walke in my Statutes , and keep mine ordinances , and doe them : and they shall be my people , and I will be their God . So that here is a full Covenant striken , and that upon this ground : viz. the Consideration of those great sinnes they formerly committed , whereby they had broken their first Covenant and departed from their God . So farre the Reasons , and Grounds of the point ; I shall now as breifly as I can , endeavour to bring home , and set on all by some Application , which I shall reduce to 3. heads , namely to matter of Reproofe , Information and Exhortation . For , if , When God vouchsafeth any deliverance to his people , especially from Babylon , it be most seasonable and necessary to close with him , by a more solemne , firme , and inviolable Covenant , to be onely his forever : Then , 1. How may this reprove , and condemne of great ingratitude and folly , many sorts of men among us , that are farre from making any such use of the deliverances which God hath wrought for them . O beloved ! Should I but give yóu a Catalogue of the many , great , stupendious , and even miraculous deliverances which God hath given us ; the personall deliverances he hath often given to each of us apart ; the publique , eminent , glorious deliverances he hath given to us together with the whole State ; that , in 88. and that of 1605. I meane from the horrid hellish Gun-powder-Treason ; but especially , and above all the rest , our happy deliverance out of Babylon by the blessed Reformation of Religion begun amongst us , some good number of yeeres by past ; the time would faile me . But alas ! What use have we made of them ? Hath this use ever been so much as thought of by us ? Nay verily . For , 1. Some thinke it bootlesse , thus to close in with God , after an evill is over . When Gods hand is heavy upon them , sense of smart compels them to thinke it then a fit season to do somewhat , to confesse their sins ; to humble themselves , and to seek God . In their affliction they will seek me early , saith the Lord . But so soone as he takes his hand off from them , they cast all care away , as if now ( according to that homely proverb ) the devill were dead , and no further use of any feare , or diligence were to be once thought upon , till ( with Pharaoh ) they come under a worse plague than before ; and , as if God had delivered them to no other end , but to live as they list , to cast more dung into his face , and to dishonour and provoke him yet more than ever before . I appeale to the consciences of many who heare me this day , and I require them from the Lord , to witnesse truly , whether it be not even thus with them . If the plague knock at their doore , if death get in at the window , and begin to shake them by the hand ; there is then some apprehension of wrath and judgement ; some humbling , some hankering after God . Then , Oh what would not these men do , what would not they promise , on condition to be delivered from their present anguish , and feares ! But once deliver them , and God shall heare no more of them , till they be in the same , or worse case again . They turne Covenanters ? Nay , leave that to the Puritans . For their parts , they think more of a Covenant with death and hell : for , God is not in all their thoughts . Had there been , upon the discovery of the Powder-Treason , ( which this Honourable Assembly hath cause above all others to preserve eternally in fresh remembrance , and to think more seriously what God looks for at all your hands upon such a deliverance ) h●d there been , I say , no possibilitie of escaping that Blow , what would not men have then done ! Oh what prayers , what fasting , what humiliation should we have seene ▪ But , when the snare was once broken , what followed ? A Covenant with God ? Nothing lesse ; for , so soone as ever the danger , the feare , the amazement at such an hellish project , and the neere approach to the execution of it , was a little over ; the Traitors themselves fell not deeper into the pit of destruction which themselves had digged , than generally all sorts of men did into the gulfe of their old sins , as if they owed more to Hell , than to Heaven , for so great a deliverance . And , is it better now ? Where is the Covenant ( such a Covenant ) with God , that so wonderfull a deliverance deserveth , and requireth ? These men may please themselves , and feed sweetly upon a vain dreame , that there is no harme in all this ; but the Apostle brings them in a sad reckoning , after a sharp chiding for it , Rom. 2. 4 , 5. What ? saith he ; Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance , and long suffering , not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance ? The end of all Gods goodnesse in forbearing , advancing , and giving thee prosperitie ; and of his long suffering , in sparing thee when thou hast abused prosperitie ; and of all his mercy , in delivering thee out of adversitie ; is , to lead thee to repentance , to draw thee neerer to Himself , even in an everlasting Covenant . And if it have not this effect on thee , the Apostle hath said it , and the God of Heaven will make it good , that thou despisest the riches of his goodnesse , &c. Thou tramplest all mercies under thine impure feet , when they do not raise and scrue thee up so neere to thy God , as to enter a solemne Covenant with them . And , what then ? Thou wilt not stay there , but fall into more sinne , and under greater judgement ; and , after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart , treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath ( that is , more and more wrath ) against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God . This is the end of all who make not the Goodnesse of God , a prevailing motive thus to joyne themselves to the Lord ; they fall into moe , and greater sinnes , and abominations ; and so adde daily to that great heape , and to those Sea 's of divine wrath that hang over their heads , to overwhelme and confound them for ever . 2. Others , if , after some time of lying under the weight of many pressures of the Church and State , they arrive at some hopes and opportunities of easing themselves of those burdens , and of freeing the Land of the great Instruments of all their evils ; they conceit strongly , that , if this be done , all is done . If but some of the Nimrods who have invaded their Laws , and Liberties , be pulled down , ( Which is an act of Justice ) how do the M●ny ( who do nothing towards any Reformation of themselves ) rejoyce , and promise to themselves great matters ! Now ( think they ) there will be an end of all our miseries , and we shall see golden dayes ; Iudgement shall run down like waters , and righteousnesse like a mightie streame . Oh Brethren ! deceive not your selves . If this be all you look at ; if , upon opening this doore of hope , this be all you ayme at , to make use of the time to secure your selves against oppressors , and never thinke of closing with God ; or , but thinke of it ; you may perhaps go● farre in pursuit of your owne designes , in providing against the evils you sigh under ; and , this Parliament may do great things this way : But let me tell you from God , that this will never do the deed , till the Covenant we have been all this while speaking of , be resolved on , and solemnly entred into by all those that expect any blessing from that High Assembly . Nor this , nor all the Parliaments in the world shall ever be able to make in happy in such a degree at least as we expect , till the Lord hath even glewed , and marryed us all unto himself by mutuall Covenant . It is not only the making of good Lawes to remove our present griovances ; no , nor the cutting down of all the evil Instruments in our State or Church at one blow , that can secure us against the like ; yea , worse evils for the future ; but rather , as one wave follows another , so one mischiefe will still tread on the heeles of another , and greater plagues will ever crowd in after the former , till we close with God by such a solemne Covenant . The people of Palestine , or Philistia , made themselves marvellous merry , when any of the Governours or Kings of Israel , or Iudah ( such as Sampson , David , Vzziah , &c. ) that had sorely yoked and hampered them , were removed by death , and others come in the roome that could do but little against them . When such an one as Ahaz who never wonne battaile of them , but still went by the worse , swayed the Scepter ; oh how joyfull were the Philistines ! But make what a damp God cast in among them in the midst of all their mirth ; Rejoyce not thou whole Palestina , because the rod of him that smote thee is broken ; ( that Vzziah , and other Potent and successefull Kings are taken away , and weake unhappy Ahaz come in the roome ) for out of the Serpents root shall come forth a Cockatrice , and his fruit shall be a siery flying serpent . Ahaz shall leave an Hezekiah behind him , that shall pay all his Fathers debts upon the Philistines , and plague them yet more than all that went before him . And have not we seen this verified also neerer home ? Have not some , in former times , been taken away , who have been great Oppressors , and Instruments of many sore pressures ? And , how have men rejoyced at their falls ? Nor know I , why they should not , if Justice in a just way have cut them off . But alas ! what Good , in the issue , hath followed , or can be yet hoped for so long as men continue Philistines , enemies to God & his Church , Anti-Covenanters ( even with Hell ) rather than true Covenanters with God ? Whether is our Condition any what better now than heretofore , when those Leviathans were alive , and in their height ? I appeale to your selves . And the reason of all is this , that men mistake the meanes of Cure , or at least fall short of it . The cutting off of evill Doers ( how necessary soever it be ) is not all , nor the maine requisite to make a people happy ; unlesse also there be a thorough joyning of themselves to God by Covenant . If you therefore that be now convened in Parliament , should si so long as you desire , even these 7 yeares , ( if your businesse should require it ) and think , you would make such Examples of men that have violated the Lawes , and invaded your Liberties , and enact so many wholesome Lawes to prevent the like presumptions for the future , as should put us into a new world , causing men to admire the happy state and frame of Government which you would set up : yet all this would never produce the expected effect , but prove as a meer dreame of an hungry man , who in his dreame eateth aboundantly , but when he awakes , is empty ; unlesse you also , not onely resolve upon , but execute this maine duty of entring Covenant with your God . Againe , thirdly , others can roare like beares , and mourn sore like doves , when they find themselves disappointed of their hopes : when Parliaments have been broken up in discontent , when they have looked for Iudgment , and there is none , for salvation , but it hath bin farre from them : then , they have howled like dragons , not onely for afflictions , but perhaps for sinnes also , especially if deliverance upon deliverance hath been snatcht from them , even when it hath seemed so neer that they had begun to take possession of it : yet , ( silly men that they are ! ) their evills haunt them still , and prevaile more and more , after all their fastings , humblings , and strong cryes to God their Redeemer . For alas ! what will all this doe without a Covenant , without taking hold of God , and joyning themselves to him to be his for ever ? you may see such a State of the Church as this described by Isaiah : & good were it for us to take warning by it : We all doe fade as a leafe , and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away . And why all this ? The next words will tell you ; there is none that calleth upon thy name , that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee , say they to the Lord who had hid his face from them , and consumed them for their sinnes . Not that they did not at all call upon God , but , because they did not so call upon him as to stirre up themselves to take hold of him by Covenant ; therefore is it accounted no better than a not calling upon him at all . Thus men lose not onely their opportunities of deliverances offered , but their duties also by which they desire to further it against another time . 4. Some , it may be , goe yet further . Vpon the hearing of such a duty ( so much pressed and inculcated ) they begin to be a little stirred ; they are convinced that it is is indeed true , such a Covenant is fit to be made : but here ( like Ephraim an unwise sonne ) they stand still at the breaking forth of the Children of the Covenant . They faine would , but loth they be to go thorough with the bargaine . They begin to come on , and then fall back againe . They are so long a cheapning , treating , complementing , disputing how safe it may be for them , how well it may stand with their profits , projects , ends , interests , relations ; that they coole againe , & never come up to a full resolution . Oh , sayes one , this is a good course , and sit to be taken : but , my engagements , callings , Alliance , company , service will not consist with it . Another sweares , he could find in his heart to make triall of it , but that he should be jeered , scorned , and perhaps lose his place , or hopes , for it : another , he is for it , but at present he cannot enter upon it . Thus one thing or other still keepes this duty without doores , and holds most men off from the worke for ever . But beloved , take heed of this dallying . What ever you think , it is no better than a departing away from the living God , that springs from an evill heart of unbeleife ; when , being fully convinced of the weight , necessity , and commodity of the duty , you will yet , while it is called to day , adventure so farre to harden your hearts , as not to set upon the work instantly , and to go thorough with it . Heb. 3. Woe unto all such dodging Christians ; they shall find to their cost that God will write them Lo-ammi , Hos. 1. 9. and pronounce of them , They are not my people , and I am not their God . If any think , what adoe is here ? what meanes this man to be so earnest ? would he have us all turne Covenanters ? yes , with God . Why , what if I doe not ? Then never looke for good from him , how faire soever thy hopes be . No ? sayes another ; I le try that , sure . I have seene many a good day in my time , and hope to see more , though I never swallow this doctrine : therefore he resolves to goe hence , as he came hither ; as he lived yesterday , so he will to morrow , though this day he doe as his neighbours doe , keeping some order , ( much against the will of his base lusts that ring him but an harsh peale in his eare for this little abstinence ) yet tomorrow he will be for his swearing , drinking , whoring , any excesse , and riot , as much as ever ; and yet , by grace of God he hopes to prove all these words to be but wind , and to doe as well as the best of them all when he comes to die . But woe worth the day that ever such a man was born that when he heares God calling him with so much importunity to stand even this very day before the Lord , to enter into Covenant with the Lord his God , and into his Oath , shall so harden his neck , and harbour such a roote of gall and worme wood within his heart , as when he heares the words of the Curse upon all those that will not enter into Covenant ; or , entring into it shall not keep it , he shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying , I shall have peace , though I walke in the imagination of mine heart , and adde drunkennes to thirst : See , and tremble at what God hath resolved to doe with that man , Deut. 29. 20 , 21. The Lord will not spare him , but the anger of the Lord , and his jealousy shall smoake against that man ; and all the Curses that are written in ( Gods ) Booke shall ly upon him , and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven . Here is nothing but fury powred out , upon such a wretch ; not a blessing shall descend upon him , not a curse shall escape and go by him ; not onely himselfe , and posterity , but his very name ( so farre as it is an honour ) shall all be cast out of the world , as out of the midst of a sling . If he please himselfe with this , Yet I shall live as long as some others ; if they have any happinesse , I resolve to share with them ; he will find that God will not leave him so , but the Lord will separate him unto evill out of all the the Tribes of Israel , so as , though all others be safe ; yet , as a strucken Deere is unhearded from all the rest , and followed by the dogs till he be pull'd downe and kill'd ; so shall it be with this man , according to all the curses of the the Covenant , that are written in the Booke of the Law . Although the whole Kingdome be safe , and all others in it be in peace , yet he and his house shall perish ; the line of Confusion shall be stretched out over him , hell and damnation shall be his portion , how high soever he now beares his head , and how much so ever he suffer his heart to swell against the truth , supposing all that he likes not , to be nothing but a spice of indiscretion , yea of faction , and ( it may be ) of Sedition ; when yet nothing is offered , but what is ( I trust ) pregnantly proved out of Holy Scripture . So farre the first Vse . 2. This may informe us touching the true cause ( which most neerely concernes our selves ) of the slow proceedings of Reformation of things amisse among us , both in the Church and Common-wealth : Why God hath not yet given us so full a deliverance from Babylon ; why there have been so many ebbings and flowings in matters of Religion , yea , more ebbings than flowings ; Why generall grievances swell to such an height , and that all the opportunities of cure have vanished , so soon● as appeared : how it comes to passe that albeit God hath moved the heart of the King to call Parliament after Parliament , yet by and by , one spirit of division or another , sometimes from one quarter , sometimes from another , ( like the evill spirit which God sent between Abimelech , and the men of Shechem , to the ruine of both ) still comes between , & blasteth all our hopes , leaving us in worse case than we were in before ; & whence it is ( in regard of our selves ) that in stead of setting up the Kingdome and Ordinances of Christ in more purity , there is such a contrary mixture , and such a corrupting of all things , in Doctrine , in worship , in every thing ; Arminianisme , Socinianisme and Popish Idolatry breaking in againe over all the Kingdome like a floud . What is a chiefe cause of all this ? Have we not prayed ? have we not fasted ? Have we not had more Fasts at Parliaments of late , than in many yeares before ? Yea , hath not there been , generally among Gods people , more frequent humiliations , more frequent seeking of God , notwithstanding the malice and rage of some men to discountenance and suppresse it , than in former times ? Why then is Deliverance , and Reformation so slow in comming ? Surely , Beloved , we have all this while mistaken the maine businesse , and neglected the principall part of a Religious Fast . You come , Fast after Fast , to seek God in his House ; You forbeare your victuals , afflict your soules , endure it out a long time ; you pray , heare , confesse your sins , and freely acknowledge that all is just that God hath brought upon us , and that we suffer lesse than we deserve . All this is well . But here is the error , and the true Cause of the continuance of all our evils , and of their growing greater , namely , that all this while we have never , in any Fast , or at any other time , entred into such a solemne and publique Covenant with God , as his people of old have often done upon like occasions and exigents . That I may yet more effectually bring home this to all our hearts , give me leave briefly to parallel the slow pace of our deliverance out of Mysticall Babylon with that of Iudah , and some of the remna●t of Israel out of old Babylon , which for a long time had held them Captives . And here first , be pleased to call to minde , that , as touching the Captive Iewes , God failed not ( on his part ) of his promise . At the end of 70 yeeres , libertie of returne from Babylon to Hierusalem was proclaimed , in the first yeere of Cyrus the Persian Monarch : whereupon , many did returne , under the conduct of Z●robbabel . Being come home to Hierusalem , we may not conceive that they were not at all touched with sense of their deliverance , or of the sinnes which had formerly provoked the Lord to cast them into that great bondage out of which they were delivered . Well , on they go ; first , to offer sacrifices in the right place , Although the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was not yet laid . In the second yeere of their coming Z●robbabel began to set forward the work of the house of the Lord , and the foundation was laid . But the adversaries of Iudah ( the Great Officers of the Kingdome under the King of Persia ) apprehending , or rather pretending , the going on of this building to be matter of prejudice and danger to that Monarchy , they procure a stay of it , upon reason of State ; so as it was well nigh an hundred yeers ere they got libertie to go on again , and it was above an 100 yeeres before the Temple could be finished . For , as many exact Chronologers observe , the Temple was not perfected in the reigne of Darius Hystaspis , as some have thought ; but in the sixth yeere of Darius Nothus , between whom and the former Darius , both Xerxes ( the husband of Esther , and called in Scripture Ahashuerus ) and Artaxerxes Longimanus successively swayed the Persian Scepter . In all which time , many things were amisse ; Crueltie , Oppression , Adultery , Mixture with strange wives , and other great deformations remained . Then comes Ezra , after the Temple was finished , and somewhat he did , to set forward the work of Reformation , in the seventh yeere of Artaxerxes Mnemon , successor to Darius Nothus . And yet , there was much more to do . After him therefore , comes Nehemiah , in the twentieth yeere of the same Artaxerxes Mnemon ; and , after all the former endeavours , he findes the Church still weltring in her bloud , and even wallowing in her owne gore ; I meane , in most of her old and long continued sins ; ( although cured of Idolatry ) so that still there was great corruption in doctrine , in worship , and in manners . Whereupon he now resolves , and sets upon a more thorough Reformation of all these ; but could never effect it , till beside the proclaiming , and holding of a publique Fast , he and all the people lighted upon this course , namely , of entring into a publique and solemne Covenant with the Lord , subscribed , sealed , and sworne unto , as before you have heard : and so , from that time forward , the worke prospered , and the Church was purged of many abominations , wherewith till that time she was defiled . Behold here , Quantae molis erat dilectam condere Gentem , how great a work , how long a businesse to perfect a Reformation even of Gods deerest people . Their captivitie in Babylon lasted not halfe so long time , as was spent after their returne thence , ere their Reformation could be brought to any to lerable perfection . And why so ? Did they omit prayer , and fasting , and seeking early after God ? surely no . For , in Zach. 8. 19. we read of foure severall publique Fasts , ( * The fast of the fourth moneth , the fast of the fifth moneth , the fast of the seventh , and the fast of the tenth moneth ) which they held , not only by all the time of the 70 yeeres captivitie in Babylon , but many yeeres after their return thence , Zach. 7. 3. and vers. 5. But all this labour was in great part lost , for want of this addition to all their humiliation , and prayer ; namely , The joyning of themselves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant not to be forgotten . And when God once directed Nehemiah to this course , see , how all things began to thrive and come on a maine . Now , not only the Temple , but even the walls of Hierusalem were built up , ( and that within one twelve yeeres after this Covenant was smitten ) which before lay wast many scores of yeeres . Let us now reflect upon our selves , and the State of Religion , and progresse of Reformation in our owne Church , that we may make up the Parallel . Some beginnings of our deliverance from Babylon , we received by King Henry the eighth . For , he threw out the Pope . His sonne King Edward the sixth came after , and cast out Popery , in the body and bulke of it . A great work , and a large step , for the short time of his infant reigne . And indeed , he had many excellent helps that way , ( beside the zeale of his own pious heart ) an Excellent Archbishop , a Prudent and vigilant Protector , beside others , else he could never have done so much . Notwithstanding , the potency and secret under-minings of those mightie Factions then prevailing , hindred the work not a little , so that it exceeded not an inlant-Reformation , yea , through the immature death of that Iosiah , it soone prov'd abortive . The Princesse that came after , quickly turn'd the Tide , before it was half high water : and she set all the Gates wide open againe both for Pope , and Popery to re-enter with triumph , and to drink drunk of the bloud of our Ancestors , till God discharged her , and released his people from her crueltie . So that when Queene Elizabeth ( that glorious Deb●rah ) mo●uted the Throne , although her heart was upright and loathed the Idolatry of the former Reigne , yet found she worke enough to restore any thing at all , and to make any beginnings of a Reformation . She soone felt , when she would have throughly pluckt up Popery both root and branch , ( superfluous Ceremonies , and all remaining raggs of superstition , as well as grosse Idolatry ) that she had to do with an Hydra , having such a strong partie of stout Popelings to grapple with at home , and such potent and dangerous abetters of them , to cope withall abroad . I need not name them . I might adde hereunto , some difficulties arising from the interests and engagements of not a few of those ( though good , and holy men ) that underwent voluntary exile in the heat of the Marian persecution ; who , while they were abroad , had a large share in the troubles at Franckford ; ( too eagerly , perhaps , pursuing the English Formes of Worship , and Discipline ) and so , when upon their returne , they were advanced to places of Dignitie , and Government in this Church , they were the more apt and forward to maintaine and hold up that Cause wherein they had so farre appeared , and for which ( some of them ) with more heat than Charitie had so openly declared themselves , in forreine parts . And so , what by one impediment , and what by another , we see it hath been a long time ere our Reformation can be thoroughly polished and perfected as were to be wished and desired ; for there is nothing so perfect , here , but is capable of more perfection . Nay , so farre are we become now from going forward with the work , notwithstanding the pietie and care of our Princes since the last Restitution of Religion in this Kingdome , that ( as it was in Iosiahs time , though his own heart were for God , yet there was a pack of rotten men , both Priests and People , very great pretenders to Devotion , but indeed mad upon Images , and Idols ) we begin to fall quite back again ; and , not only to coast anew upon the brinks of Babylon , from whence we were happily delivered , but even to launch ●ut into her deepest Lakes of superstition and Idolatr● , under pretence of some extraordinary pietie of the times , and of some good work in hand . What is the reason of all this , but that ( not so much as once ) since the first beginning of Reformation of Religion in this Island , we never ( for ought I know ) entred into such a solemn , publique , universall Covenant to be the Lords , as he requireth for those beginnings already given us ; but have sate loose from God , and so have not joyned together as one man , zealously to propugne his trueth and Ordinances , and to stand by him and his Cause , as becomes the people of God , in all just and warrantable wayes , against all opposers and gain-sayers . So long as we please our selves in this libertie of our holding off from a Covenant with God , we may feed our selves with vaine hopes of redresse of things amisse , but shall speed no better than those libertines and back-sliders in Ier. 14. who lookt for great matters from God , but came short of all , and then seemed to wonder at the reason . For , thus they bespeake him , ver. 8. O the hope of Israel , the Saviour thereof in time of trouble , why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land , and as a wayfaring man , that turneth aside to tarry ( onely ) for a night ▪ Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied , as a mighty man that cannot save ? yet thou O Lord , art in the midst of us , and we are called by thy name . See here how they are put to it . They acknowledge his Power , Goodnesse , Presence , yet they are not saved . He seemes to be like Sampson , with his Locks cut off , as if he were not able to save , or would not do it : and this they wonder and stand amazed at , as a thing incredible , and impossible . But , God makes them a short and sharp answer , ( which may also serve us ) vers. 10. Thus , saith the Lord , have they loved to ●ander , they have not refrained their feet ; therefore the Lord doth not accept them . If God be as a wayfaring man ; sometimes with a people , more often gone from them ; sometimes blessing , sometimes crossing them , and suffering them to fall under heavy pressures , and never keeps an even and setled station or course of proceeding with them , it is but that he hath learnt from themselves ( as I may so speake : ) they will be their own men ; they will not be tyed to him so strictly ; they will have some libertie for their lusts , for the world , for the devill , for any thing : and loe here is the fruit of it , God will not be bound to , nor walke with them ; he will not draw out that strength , that goodnesse , that compassion which might deliver them from the evils they howle under ; He will neither heare them , nor any body else for them ; not Ieremy himself , vers. 11. not Noah , Daniel , and Iob , Ezek. 14. Nothing therefore , but a more solemne and strict Covenant with God , will put us into a posture and condition capable of perfect redresse of our grievances , how faire so ever either now , or hereafter , we may seeme to be for it . This is the second use . Thirdly , suffer , I beseech you , a few words of Exhortation . The returning Iewes ( you see ) call upon all their Nation to enter into Covenant . Give me leave then , to call upon You the Representative Body of this whole Kingdome who stand here before the Lord this day to humble your soules , and let me also prevaile with you all , to joyne your selves , even this day , to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . Make this day , a day in deed , a day of Covenanting with God , and God shall Covenant with you , and make it the beginning of more happines than ever you yet enjoyed . Beloved , mistake me not , my meaning extends not to engage you in any Civill Covenant and Bond for defence of your Municipall Lawes and Liberties . No doubt you will be able to find meanes enow ( by the blessing of God ) to setle those things , in a legall way ; especially if you be carefull to Covenant with God ▪ Much lesse is it my purpose to draw you into that late Ecclesiasticall Oath and Covenant ( enjoyned by the late Canon ) which in my apprehension is little , lesse than a Combination and Conspiracy against both King and State . My businesse is , meerly to perswade you into a Religious Covenant with God , as himselfe hath prescribed and commanded ; and , his people , in the best times of Reformation ▪ have readily admitted : namely , every man to stirre up himself & to lift up his Soule to take hold of God , to be glued and united to him , in all faithfulnesse , sincerity , care , and diligence , to be onely his for ever . This if we doe , we need not care much for other Covenants : God will provide for that , and make a league for us even with the beasts of the field , and with the stones of the street ; he will make our Exactors peace , and our Officers righteousnesse ▪ violence shall no more be heard in the Land , nor wasting , nor destruction within our borders ; our very walls shall be salvation , and our Gates praise . He will be a God of Covenants , and take care for our estates , Lawes , liberties , lives , children and all that belong to us , when once this is done . Therefore I beseech you , yea , I require you in the name of the God of heaven , whose you are , whom you serve , before whom you stand , and from whom you expect , salvation in the midst of the Earth , as well as in heaven , that you forthwith enter into this bond . Expect no assistance , no successe in any of your Consultations , in any Lawes that you agree upon , till you have fully brought your hearts to this point , to follow the Lord fully ▪ to be no more for your selves than you would have the dearest wife of your bosome to be for any other man in the world ; but to be wholly for the Lord , to imploy and improve all your wit , abilities , industry , Counsells , actions , estate , honour , and lives to promote his service and honour , what ever become of your selves and yours for doing of it . Say not as some Jeerers ( of whom it is hard to judge whether their malice or ignorance be the greater ) doe , that there needes no more Covenants than what we made in Baptisme , and that all other Covenants savour strongly of f●ction and the Puritan Leaven . For , so Gods people of old made a Covenant , by Circumcision , and after by Sacrifice , that is , in every sacrifice which they offered , they did renew their Covenant begun in Circumcision . Neverthelesse , God thought it necessary often to call them out to strike another solemn Covenant with him besides the former . You have already heard that so soone as the Israelites were gone out of Egypt , & entred a little way in the wildernesse , he put them upon a Covenant . When he brought them neer to Canaan , he required another solemne Covenant of them . And when Ioshuah had brought them into Canaan , and divided to each of them the lot of his inheritance , he drew them into another solemne Covenant . Iosh. 24. So that here was Covenant upon Covenant , and yet can no man ( without blasphemy ) charge it with any Puritan humour , faction , or any thing superfluous or uncomely for the Greatest on earth to submit unto . That I may a little more enforce this duty , and quicken you to the imbracing of it , give me leave to present you with some Motives further to presse you to it , and with some few Directions to guide you in it . 1. For , Motives . Consider . 1. how many , great , admirable , and even miraculous deliverances God hath given us ; What great things he hath done for us . No Nation under heaven can say more to his praise , in this kind , than we have cause to do . Our Great deliverances out of Babylon , from the Spanish Invasion , from the Gun-powder Treason , and from many other evils and feares , do all call upon you for a Covenant . Yea , even the present Mercy and Opportunitie of opening that Ancient , Regular and Approved Way of cure of those publique evils that threaten confusion and desolation to all , pleades hard for the same dutie . But , among all these , I desire You of that Great and honourable Body of the Parliament , to reflect sadly upon that Stupendious Deliverance from the Gun-powder Treason , which more especially and immediately was bent against You. For , albeit the ruine of the whole Kingdome was in their Eye who were the Cursed instruments of Antichrist , and of the Devill his Father , in that hellish Designe ; yet , no blow could have come at us , but through Your sides . And , albeit some of You that have the honour to be members of this present Parliament , were then unborn ; yet , had that Plot taken effect , scarce any of You had been this day ●● being , to have sate there now , but had long since been covered and buryed under the ashes of confusion . Thinke now , whether such a preservation deserve lesse at Your hands , than to give Your selves to your Great Deliverer , for so Great a Deliverance , whereby three Nations destinated at once to Death , received no lesse than a joyfull resurrection from the Dead , and were again born at once . Therefore , let not this Great mercy seeme small in Your eyes . And , remember too , that you may have as much need of God another time : nay , you knew not what need you may have of him this present Parliament . You cannot be ignorant of the many 〈◊〉 and more than whisperings of some desperate and devilish conception suspected to be now in the womb of the Jesuiticall faction : And , how neere it may be to the birth , or how prodigious it may prove being born , I take not upon me to divine : but this we are an sure of , that what ever it be which they are big withall , it shall not want the least graine of the utmost extremitie of malice and mischiefe that all the wit , power , and industry of Hell it self can contribute unto it ; and , that they labour , as a woman in travaile , to be speedily delivered of it . What dangers , and what cause of feare there may be at the present , I leave to your Wisdome to consider . But this be confident of , if Deliverances already received can prevaile with you for a Covenant , that Covenant will be your securitie ; for it will certainly engage all the power and wisdome of the Great and only wise God of heaven and earth to be on your side for ever . So that if God himself have power enough , wisdome enough ; and care enough , you cannot miscarry ; no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper , no plot , no gates of hell shall prevaile against you . And , if he have goodnesse enough , mercy enough , bowels enow in him , he will then also ; raine down aboundance of trueth , righteousnesse , justice , peace and plentie upon all Corners of the Land from whence , and on whose errand , You are now come together . Therefore it becomes you , above all others , to be first in a Covenant . 2. Consider that , till we do this , there cannot be such a full enjoying of God , as otherwise there might be . Indeed , the perfect fruition of God is not to be expected till we come to heaven , but yet we might have much more of God , even in this life , than now we have , could we be perswaded to such a Covenant with him . Whatsoever experience we have of him now in any deliverance bestowed , it would be doubled , if , upon the deliverance received , we would thus be joyned to him . Nor is this a notion or conceit only , but a reall trueth . For , marke what He saith to his people , Hos. 2. vers. 19 , 20. I will marry thee unto me for ever , I will betroath thee unto me in righteousnesse , and in Iudgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies , I will even marry thee unto me in faithfulnesse , and thou shalt , know the Lord . He that enters into Covenant with God , is betroathed , yea even married to him : And how married ? even to the partaking of all his goods , of all he hath , yea of himself , and of all that he is . As the wife may say , Vbitu Caius , ego Cai● ; and , as Laban sometimes , of Iacobs wives , children , and cattell , These daughters are my daughters , and these children are my children , and these cattell are my cattell , and all that thou seest are mine . So a man once married to the Lord by Covenant , may without arrogancy say , this righteousnesse is my righteousnesse , this judgement is my judgement , this loving kindnesse , these mercies ; this faithfulnesse which I see in thee and all that thou hast is mine , for my comfort , supply , support , direction , salvation , and what not ? And take notice of that phrase , Thou shalt know the Lord . Did they not know him before ? Yes , but never in such a manner , with such a Knowledge , at least in such a measure . They shall now know him in such neere familiar , sweet and ineffable expressions of his deerest , deepest , choycest conjugal love , as they never tasted , nor could taste of before . We know how it is with a wife married to a loving husband . They loved one another before marriage , and many expressions of a speciall love passed betweene them , but they never enjoyed one another fully till the marriage was solemnized . Then , there is not only a more intimate manifestation of fervent , intire , loyall , chaste love ; but a further enlarging and stretching out of mutuall affections to each other , than they could possibly have beleeved they should ever have reached unto , till now experience assure them of it . And even thus it is between us and God . Is he Good in deliverances ? have we tasted of his love already ? Oh how great would his goodnesse be , how full of grace , mercy , bountie ; and , how would he communicate even whole rivers of all these to that Soule that would once come up to him , and close with him in an everlasting Covenant ▪ All the wayes of the Lord are mercy and trueth , unto such as ( make , and ) keep Covenant with him , Psal. 25. 10. 3. Consider that what ever worke God calls You to , Yee will never buckle thoroughly to it , till you have entred into Covenant with him . An apprentise boy when he goes to a Master upon tryall onely , his minde is now on , then off againe ; sometimes he could like the trade , by and by his minde hangs after his Mother at home , or after some other course of life , and he never sets close to his businesse , till he be bound . When once the Indentures be sealed , and he enrolled , he knowes there is now no more time to deliberate , but he must fall to his busines , or else take what happens for his idlenesse and negligence . So is it with a wife ; if she be but onely promised , or betroathed to a man , she may come to his house , and cast an eye up and downe ; but it is rather to observe , than to act : she may perhaps cast out a word now and then somewhat freely ●lso ; but she never sets her selfe to guide the house , or to doe any thing to purpose , till she be married : then , she careth for the things of the world ; that is , with all possible diligence looking to , and managing of the businesse of the family committed to her , how she may please her husband ▪ all her thoughts , care , diligence run this way , she makes it her businesse that she must stick unto , and daily manage as a part of the marriage Covenant . And thus also it will be with you . You have much worke under your hands , and are likely to have more ; and I hope you desire to doe all in truth of heart , for God , and not for ends of your owne : but let me tell you , this will never be done throughly till once you be martyed to him by solemne Covenant . Then , will you care indeed for the things of the Lord , how you may please the Lord , in every cause , in every Answer to any Petition , and in every Vote of any Bill ▪ or sentence . You would then think , when you come to manage , debate , vote , any Question , I am the Lords , not mine owne , not my friends ; will this I doe , stand with my Covenant ? will it please God ? will it be profitable for the State ? is it agreeable to Justice and equitie ? Then , on with it , no man shall divert , or take me off . But , till then , one will entreate for his friend , another for his ; one will make you one way , another would draw you another way ; and they are both your friends , and you knowe not how to deny either : and thus are you even torne in peeces betweene them , in so much as you sometimes resolve to be absent , or to si● still and say nothing ; or , to gratifie him that hath most power with You , be the Cause what it will . But when once the Covenant is sealed , all this will be at an end ; You will quickly stop your eares against all perswasions that may hinder Justice and Reformation ; and , when this is known , men will soone forbeare also to trouble You with such solicitations . Againe fourthly ; Wicked men stick not at a Covenant with death and hell it self , so they may but satisfie their Lusts ; though they know the end thereof will be damnation . Oh then shall not we much more make a Covenant with our God to do his will , which will be beneficiall and comfortable both here and hereafter , and procure a full torrent of his mercies , bountie , grace , and eternall life , to flow in upon us ▪ 5. Consider that the Devill himself will have a Covenant from all his vassals that expect any extraordinary matters from him ; else , he will not be engaged to be at their Command . There is not a Witch that hath the Devill at her beck ▪ but she must seale a Covenant to him , sometimes with her bloud , sometimes by other rites and devices , and perhaps he must suck her too ( as in those hellish bargaines you know they use ; ) and then , he is for her , during the time agreed upon . And shall we think God will be so cheap ▪ as to be ( with revenence be it spoken ) at our Command , to help , direct , assist , deliver and save us , who will not do so much for him as Witches and Sorcerers will do for the Devill ? In the 45 of Isay , vers. 11. there is a st●●ng expression this way ; Thus saith the Lord , the Holy one of Israel , and his Maker , aske of mee things to come concerning my sonnes , and concerning the work of my hands Command ye mee . It is not to be thought that God complementeth with his people , but is free and heartie in the expression of what they shall really find him . But make ; it concernes his Sonnes ; that is , those that are truely in Covenant with him . This priviledge is for none else . So that the way to have God at Command , ( with humilitie be it used ) is to be his sonnes and daughters by Covenant . For , to whom it is said , I will be their God , and they shall be my people , to them is it spoken , I will be a father unto you , and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters , saith the Lord Almightie , 2 Cor. 6. 18. And to them he saith also , Command ye me . 6. Consider that it is the proper and chiefe businesse of a Fast , to enter into Covenant with God . You see it to be the practise of the Church in Nehemiah's time . And where this hath been omitted , the Fast hath been lost . God never accounted any of those foure annuall solemne Fasts before mentioned , that were so long in use among the Jews , to be fasts unto him ; but calles them fasts to themselves , Zach. 7. 5 , 6. Why , but because they looked no further in their Fasts , but to afflict their soules for a day , to bow down their heads as a bullrush , and to spread sack-cloth and ashes under them , and there an end . But they lost all their labour , getting nothing from God but a chiding , and contempt . And in trueth , when will we thus joyne our selves to the Lord , if not at a Fast ? Then , are our hearts in more than ordinary tune for such a work , when we are brought to set our sinnes before us , and humbly to confesse , bewaile and renounce them ; when we have taken some paines with our Soules to soften , and melt them before the Lord ; especially if then they be in any measure raised up towards Him with any apprehension of his love in the pardon of so many and great sinnes , even when the Soule is most cast down for them . Then , I say strike through the Covenant , or it will never be . If you let slip this opportunitie , you may perhaps never obtaine the like while you live ; but either your selves may be cut off , or your hearts shut up in desperate hardnesse , like unto Pharoah , whom every deliverance , and new experience of Gods favour in taking off new evils , hardened more , and made worse . 7. In the last place ( and let it not have the least force of perswasion ) remember and consider that this day , even this very day , the 17. of November , 82. yeeres sithence , began a new resurrection of this Kingdome from the dead , our second happy Reformation of Religion by the auspitious entrance of our late Royal Deborah ( worthy of eternall remembrance and honour ) into her blessed and glorious Reigne ; and that , from thenceforth Religion thrived , and prospered under her Government with admirable successe , against a whole world of oppositions from Popish factors at home and abroad : So as the very Gates of hell were never able to extinguish that Light , which God by her meanes hath set up amongst us . Consider I beseech you , that it is not without a speciall Providence that this your meeting was cast upon this very day ( for , I presume , little did you think of the 17 of November , when you first fixed on this day for your Fast ; ) that , even from thence , one hammer might be borrowed to drive home this nayle of Exhortation ; that the very memory of so blessed a work begun on this very day , might throughly inflame you with desire to enter into a Covenant ; and so , to go forward to perfect that happy Reformation , which yet in many parts lyes unpolished and unperfect . Oh suffer not that doore of hope by Her set open this day , to be again shut , for want of a Covenant . If you would indeed honour Her precious memory ; yea , honour God and your selves , and not only continue the possession of what she ( as a most glorious Conduit pipe ) hath transmitted to us , but perfect the work ; set upon this duty of joyning your selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall not be forgotten . And so have you the Motives . 2. I shall now shut up all with some few Directions to help us in it . And here , passing by what hath been al ready spoken touching the preparatives to it , the Substance of it , and the properties required in it , I shall only give you these sixe subsequent Directions . 1. Give a Bill of divorce to all your Lusts , or kill them out-right . This Covenant is a marriage-Covenant , and there is no marrying with God , so long as your former husband , your base corruptions , your swearing , riot , drunkennesse , uncleannesse , pride , oppression , and what ever else your soules know to be the plague of your own hearts , remaine alive and undivorced . For the woman which hath an husband , is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth : but , if he be once dead , she is free from that Law , Rom. 7. Therefore send these packing , in the first place . A wise man will never marry a strumpet , nor with any woman , that hath another husband : his wife that shall be only his own , none else shall have interest in her . Much lesse then , will the Holy and Jealous God admit of any Spouse that is wedded to any lust , and so continueth . Say then , what wilt thou now do ? wilt thou still keep thy darling lust ? Hast thou been a swearer , and so thou wilt be ? a drunkard , an uncleane person , an oppressour , a prophane Esau , and wilt be so still ? Know , that God will none of thee , but abhorres all such as thou art . He will admit none into Covenant but such as touch not the uncleane thing , but separate from it . To them only it is , that he promiseth , I will be their God , and they shall be my people . 2. More especially purge out and cast away ( as a Menstruous cloth ) all Idols and Idolatry in particular . All our Lusts are lothsome to his stomach , but nothing is so abominable to his Soule , as Idolatry . This is that spirituall whoredome which meritoriously dissolves the marriage bond where it is already knit , and lies as a barre in the way to a Covenant with God , where yet it is not made . This was it for which the Lord proceeded so severely , first against the ten Tribes , and then against the residue , as you all know . For this , the Land spewed them out . And where ever God promiseth to recall them , he usually premiseth this , ( which should first be done ) From all your Idols will I cleanse you , Ezek. 36. 25. Ephraim also shall say , What have I to do any more with Idols ? Hos. 14. 8. and all shall cast them away with detestation , saying , Get thee hence , Isay . 30. 22. Every Idol is that great Image of Iealousy , which the Lord can by no meanes endure , and which will certainly be the destruction of King and People , where ever it is entertained , especially if againe received in , after it hath been once ejected . A sad example whereof we have in Iudah , where , after Iosiah had taken away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to Israel , and made all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord onely , the Act of Resumption of Idols and Idolatry by the succeeding Kings ( although it is probable they did it onely secretly like those in 2 Kin. 17. 9. ) became the ruine of those Kings , and Kingdomes . Beloved , let me speake freely , for I speake for God , and for all your safeties . You cannot be ignorant of the grosse Idolatry daily encreasing among us , and committed not ( as adultery ) in Corners onely , but in the open light ; people going to , and coming from the Masse in great multitudes , and that as ordinarily ▪ openly , confidently as others go to and from our Churches . And I doubt not but some of you doe know the number of Masses to exceed that of Sermons . Whose heart bleeds not over this prodigious growth of Popery and over flowing of Popish Masses ? Who knowes not , that in the Masse is committed the most abominable Idolatry that ever the Sunne beheld in the Christian world ? Who remembers not with indignation and horror , how often that insatiable Idol hath bathed it selfe in the bloud of many of our Ancestors and Progenitors ? And can any be so silly as to beleeve , that it will rest satisfied till it swim againe in our bloud also ; unlesse we will joyne with Idolaters , and so perish in Hell ? For what ever some men talke of the possibility of the salvation of some persons in that Church , ( as they call it ) yet it is agreed on all hands , among us , that , for those of our owne Nation and once of our owne Church where the light hath so long shined in so much brightnesse , so as they have both received & professed it ; if they shall ( whether to gratifie a Parent , a wife , husband , friend , Master &c. ) put out their owne eyes , and returne backe to Babylon from whence they were once set free , their case is very desperate and dismall , and it had been better for them never to have knowne the way of righteousnesse , then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement once delivered unto them . Therefore I beseech you to take care of these above others . Nor speake I this , onely to prevent a publique toleration , ( which I hope , through the care of our Pious King , and your diligence , our eyes shall never see ) but to put on Authority to the utter rooting out of that abomination , although committed in secret ; and with connivence onely . If then you will not halt betweene Two opinions , if you will be thorough for God , and follow him fully , downe with all Idols and Idolatry through the Kingdome , so farre as the making of the Lawes yet more strict and full for that purpose , may effect it . Till then , you may , if you will , talke of a Covenant , and thinke to doe great matters : but that Great God who is so jealous of his glory in that , above all other things , will abhorre all Covenants with you . And if you , having now such opportunity and power , shall not throughly cleanse the Land of these spirituall whoredomes so boldly facing and even out-facing the glorious Gospell professed among us ; be sure , that , in stead of a blessing upon your Consultations and proceedings , you will draw downe a Curse that will cleave to you , and goe home with you , and scatter like poyson over all parts and Corners of the Kingdome , till all be consumed and become a desolation . You all I thinke , agree upon the necessity of a great Reformation . Where should you begin then , but where God ever begins ? Looke into the Stories of Asa , Iehosaphat , Hezekiah , Iosiah , and even of Manasseh himself , ( the grossest Idolater and most bloudy Tyrant that ever reigned in Iudah ) when once God had throughly humbled him ; and you shall ever finde that they began their grand Reformation at Idols , and Idolatry committed with them . I speake not this to backe or countenance any tumultuous or seditious spirits that have lately been stirred up to doe things without Commission ; but to You , whom God hath duely called to the worke , and indispensibly requires it at your hands . 3. Execute true Iudgement and Justice . Loose the band of wickednesse , undoe the heavy burdens , let the oppressed goe free , and break every yoke of the oppressor . This is a maine part of an acceptable Fast , and therefore must be performed of all that will enter into Covenant with God . And this was part of Gods Answer to the Jewes enquiring of the Prophet whether they should continue their solemne Fasts ? Zach. 7. Therefore herein deale impartially and throughly , for hereby the Throne it selfe is established . It is true , a difference must be put between those that are only led on in evill wayes by others , and those that are leaders of others : but it becomes not me to prescribe to you in this case , your own wisdome will teach you that . Only I am to pray you , that if you shall find any escapes to have been made in the Ordinary Courts of Justice , in the condigne punishment of Murder , and Idolatry , take notice of them , and there be sure to strike home , as Samuel did where Saul himselfe had been too indulgent . There is nothing makes you such faire Images of God ( in the relation you now stand ) as due execution of Justice and Judgement . Therefore , if you will indeed enter into a Covenant , let this be done . 4. Do your best to draw as many others as you can the same way . Parents and Masters are bound to take care that their children and families do feare , and serve God , as well as themselves . And You who now appeare before him in behalf of the kingdome , as you must enter into a Covenant for them as well as for your selves , so must you do your utmost that they also for themselves may passe under the same Covenant , with you . The representative Body of Israel that stood before the Lord to make a Covenant , in Deut. 29. 15. made it not only for themselves and such as were present , but for all that were absent also . And Iosiah when he entred into a Covenant himself , he not only caused all that were present of Iudah at the house of the Lord , to stand to it , 2 Chron. 34. 32. But he made all Israel to serve , even to serve the Lord their God , vers. 33. that is , to strike a Covenant with him . Therefore take care that all others , when you returne home , may make a Covenant before the Lord to walk after him in all his Commandements : that God may be set up more and more , and the hearts of all men may be lifted up in the wayes of the Lord to take hold of his Covenant also . If you do not this , you do nothing : formore is required at your hands , than of private persons , who yet are bound to call upon others ( as the men in my Text ) saying , Come and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in an everlasting Covenant . 5. Would you have this to be done , namely , that all should appeare before God in Zion , for this purpose ? Then set up Way-markes to direct them thither . Take speciall care that the Ordinances of God be set up , and held up , in more puritie , and plentie . Down at once with all inventions and fancies of men , which corrupt and adulterate the pure worship of God . Let none but He be worshipped , and let no worship be thrust upon him which himselfe hath not prescribed . Herein especially ( yet still within your bounds ) be zealous , and quit your selves like men . Above all , take better order for the more frequent , and better performance , and due countenancing of that now vilified ( but highly necessary ) Ordinance of Preaching , which , albeit it be Gods own arme and power unto salvation , is yet brought into so deep contempt ( and by none more than by those who should labour most to hold up the honour of it ) that it is made a matter of scorne , and become the odious Character of a Puritan , to be an assiduous Preacher . Yea , so farre have some men run mad this way , that it is held a crime deserving Censure in the highest Ecclesiasticall Court in this Kingdome , to tell but a few Clergy men out of a Pulpit , that it is an essentiall part of the Office of a Bishop , to Preach * . Some of you know that I belye them not . And is it not then high time to vindicate the honour of Preaching from those virulent and scurrilous tongues and pens , that have of late daies ( more then ever ) blasphem'd this Ordinance ; and , to take more pitie of the many darke and barren parts of this Kingdome , where many scarce have a Sermon in seven yeeres ; nay some ( as divers of worth do credibly report ) not in their whole lives ? Hath not God himselfe said plainly , a Where there is no vision the people perish ? Is it not his own complaint , b My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge ? And how so ? thus ; for a long season Israel had been without a teaching Priest , and without the Law , 2 Chro. 15. 3. And mark too , that while they had no teaching Priest they were without the true God also . For , there is no coming at the true God , in the ordinary way , but by a teaching Priest . c How shall they heare without a Preacher ? And d it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve : and e faith comes by hearing . Wherefore I dare pronounce , that while so many thousands within the Kings Dominions , especially in England , Wales , and Ireland , are still suffered to sit in such darknesse and in the shadow of death , and so to perish for ever for want of constant , sound , profitable Preaching , it is impossible that they should be capable of a Covenant with God ; or , that it may be truely said , that the maine body of these Kingdomes a●e in case to make a Covenant with him ; unlesse you , the Representative Body thereof , take more care than ever yet hath been taken in this behalfe . I know the many plea's of many idle droanes and mercilesse men to excuse and defend an unpreaching , or seld ●ne-preaching Ministry ; but all their fig-leaves are too short to cover their own shame , and the nakednesse of those poore perishing people whom such men make naked , to their own destruction also . To tell us , that preaching indeed is necessary for the planting of a Church , but not so afterwards : is nothing but to bewray their owne sottish ignorance . Is not the word preached , the milk and food whereby men are , and must be continually nourished to grow up in the body of Christ , as well as the Seed whereof they are first begotten unto Christ ? And can men that are born , and living , live safely , or at all , without continuall supply of food convenient for them ? What fearefull tristing is this in a businesse of such high Concernment ▪ Good Iehoshaphat , when his heart was once life up in the wayes of the Lord , tooke other order : for , he sent not only some of the prime Levites and Priests , who taught in Iudah and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them , and went about through all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people , 2 Chron. 17. 8 , 9. but with them , he sent divers of his Princes and chiefe Officers , Benhail , Obadiah , and sundry others , to see that this work should be effectually done , vers. 7. yea ( as ou● late Translation hath it ) he sent to them to teath in the Cities of Iudah : that is , that they should take as much care of the businesse , by putting on the Priests and Levites , as if they themselves in person were bound to do all the worke . And hence it was , that God gave this testimony of Iehoshaphat , that he walked in the first wayes of his father David , vers. 9. that he had riches and honour in abundānce , vers. 5. and that the feare of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdomes of the Land round about Iudah , so that they made no warre against Iehashaphat , vers. 10. So that , beside the spirituall benefit , a Preaching Ministry is one of the best advantages to secure a State ; it is ( you see ) not only an hedge , but walles and Bulwarks unto any Kingdome . And yet , as many of our blind guides and Idol Shepheards care not to erect Preaching where there is none , so doe they all they can to cheat and defraud those of it who doe or would enjoy it , sometimes by pulling it downe where it is set up , and ( to fill up the measure of their wickednesse ) glorying in it , when they have done ; sometimes by striking out the teeth of it , that if men will needes preach , yet it shall be to little purpose , onely a frigid , toothlesse , saplesse discourse , never piercing deeper than the care . If the Preacher come home to convince the Conscience of particulars that need reformation , ( which yet was the old course , and should be so still ) the Preacher is either derided as worthy of nothing but contempt , or else censured as indiscreet , 〈◊〉 , factious , and seditious . And least men should surfeit of preaching , how be all Sermons , in the afternoones of the Lord's dayes , cryed downe , as the markes of Iudaizing Puritanisme , and ●● a burden intolerable to the people ! Indeed , it is true , that when Authority first commanded the afternoones Sermon to be converted into Cat●chising , there was not onely no hurt done , but a wise and needfull course prescribed for the best edifying of popular Auditories . But as some have handled the matter , it is now become a great hindrance to edification . If a Minister would carefully and solidly open the severall heads of Catechisme , confirme them by Scripture , and bring them home by some short and familiar application most sutable to vulgar eares and Capacities ; I hold it simply the most profitable exercise ( at least for one part of the day ) that can be set up for the increase of sound knowledge and Piety : and pity it is that this is so much neglected . But this , say our new Masters , is worse than preaching . Therefore they enjoyne all to keep onely to the bare Questions and Answers of the Chila's Catechisme . And if any presume to adde any exposition or instruction , he is by some hurried from post to pillar , and censured as a pernitious Malefactor . And as they have thus thrust all preaching ( be it but Catecheticall ) out of the Church in the afternoones of the Lords day , so have they shut divers able , godly , discreet Pastors out of their owne Pulpits on the weeke dayes , even in Populous Townes , where the Ministers were willing to bestow their paines , ( and so for many yeares with great fruit and comfort to the whole Country had done ) gratis , for the refreshing of many hungry Soules who had no preaching at home in their owne Parishes , and dare not stirre thence on the Lords day to seeke it abroad . Nay , some of your Cathedrall Men are come to that passe , that when any Sermon ( such as it is ) is preached in the Cathedrall or Collegiate Church , no Sermon must then be preached in the Parish Church or Churches adjoyning , meerely to uphold the pompe and State of the Greater Church , and for feare of lessening the Auditory , or diminishing the honour of the Preacher , ( who many times deserves little enough ) whereas not a fourth part of the Congregation ( by this meanes defrauded of Preaching in the Parish Church ) can possibly come within hearing , or ken of the Cathedrall Pulpitman . Oh Beloved are these , wayes to set forth Christ to the people for their salvation , to display God , in all his glorious Attributes and Perfections , and to bring them within view of the beauties and Excellencies of God in his Covenant and Communion with his people , so as to draw them to a Covenant ! Nay hence , hence it comes to passe that God is extremely dishonoured , his Name blasphemed , his day abominably prophaned , and his people run headlong ( like beasts to the Shambles ) by droves , to Popery , Anabaptisme , Familisme , Atheisme , and what not , that may cast , and lock them under the hatches of everlasting damnation . — Quis 〈◊〉 fande , Temperet a lachrym●● ? — I know that some of those Step-fathers , and hard-hearted Wretches , who be indeed the chiefe ( if not the onely ) cause of all this , blush not to attribute the daily falling off of multitudes from our Church , to over-much Preaching : but this is as rationall , as was his mad opinion touching Saint Paul , that much learning had made him mad . These are crying Abominations , that will cry as loud against you , as now they doe against the Authors of them , if you reforme them not . Wonder not at my length , and heate in this point . It is a matter of greatest Consequence , and of all other most proper for a Preacher to be zealous in . And give me leave to tell you , that this must be put in the head of the Catalogue of your weightiest Consultations at this time , if you desire ever to draw the people of this & the adjacent Dominions into any Covenant and Communion with God , or to setle any thing for the good of your selves and countryes . King Iames indeed took commiseration of the grosse ignorance of multitudes in the North parts of this Kingdome , and sent some Preachers at his owne charge among them . A Pious and a Noble worke ! But what through the unsetled wandrings , idlenesse , the superficiall and unprofitable performan●cs of some of these Preachers , and what through the supine negligence of some in Authoritie who should have looked better to those itinerary Ministers ; most of that labour and charge was little better than lost . For , some of you know , that in no parts of the Kingdome hath there been such an increase of Papists , as in those very Corners , where that sleight meanes was used to reduce men from Popery . I beseech you therefore by all the mercies of God , by all the Bowels of Christ in shedding of his deerest bloud for those precious Soules , who now , even by thousands and millions miserably perish in their ignorance and sins , that you would carefully reforme , or cast out all idle , unfound , unprofitable , and scandalous Ministers ; and provide a sound , godly , profitable and setled Preaching Ministry in every Congregation through the Land and the annexed Dominions ; and , to take no lesse care for their diligent and constant performance of their dutie both in life and Doctrine , as also for their liberall maintenance , ( that may be still capable of improvement , as the times grow harder , and commodities deerer ) that both themselves who preach the Gospel , and all theirs also , may cheerefully and comfortably live of the Gospel . And let us once see Zion built up , by your industry , in perfect beautie . Lastly , When you set upon this great businesse of a Covenant , see that you do it out of love to God , and with all your heart : else , it will come to nothing . If you would to Zion , your faces must be set , and setled thitherward . If you would make a Covenant , you must not be unwilling , afraid , ashamed to be accounted such Covenanters , but do it with a s●●ddy , op●n , ●●daunted countenance and resolution . You must love the name of your God to be his servants , Isay 56. 6. You have seen how Asa and all his Kingdome did it ; they both entred into Covenant , and they swore it , with all their heart , and sought him with their whole desire , and he was found of them , and gave them rest round about . Thus if you do , God shall be set up , Religion advanced , your grievances removed , you shall heare no more such complainings in our streets . All blessings shall follow , not your selves alone , but the whole Kingdome , in our King and his Government , in your Consultations and proceedings , in the publique , setled , and glorious Peace , and prosperitie of both Church and State . The blessings of the Earth , in the Citie , the field , your bodies , posteritie , in all your goings out and comings in ; The blessings of heaven in the meanes of Grace , the beginnings and growth in grace , the light of Gods countenance which is better than life ; and , after all , even the fulnesse of both grace and glory in the full , cleare , and eternall fruition of God himselfe in the highest heavens , shall all compasse , and Crow●● you for ever . Provided alwayes , that when once this Covenant is made , you take care that it never be forgotten , but h●●d●d , minded , and performed ; that as you close with God ▪ so you may alwayes continue with him . Th●● 〈◊〉 this whole nation and the children which are yet unborne praise and blesse the Lord for ever for this Parliament , and your endeavours in it . But I feele my self spent , and therefore must desist , yet with this hope , that my R●verend fellow-labourer designed for the other part of this worke , will begin whene I leave , and set on with more strength what my weakness is not able to performe . FINIS . Errata . Pag. 30. lin. 28. read arct . pag. 45. lin. 2. r. sit . errors in the pointing , correct , or pardon . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A77856e-160 Psalm . 82. This was our joynt & earnest suit to You , in Preaching ; and we now again beseech You to set your hearts and hands to this work , as Benhail , Obadiah and other Princes in Iudah did . 2 Chr. 17. 7 , 8 , 9. Acts 20. 32. The Summe of both Sermons . Notes for div A77856e-970 The Preface , shewing the reason of the choice of this Subject . The Preface . Notes for div A77856e-1210 The Introduction to the maine Discourse . Introduction . Ier. 25. 11. 29. 10. Isay 49. 24. Introduction . Jer. 51. 59. 1. Introduction . Omne malum ab Aqutlane . 3. 2 Chron. 36. 22. Introduction . Actus . Modus . Finis . The maine Observation or Doctrine . 1. ●On . quod sit . That it is so . Proved . 1. More generally . Exod. 19. 5. &c. 1. That it is so , in the generall . The first solemne Covenant which they passed into , was after their deliverance out of Egypt . Vers . 1. A second Covenant , about fortie yeeres after the first , when they came neere to Canaan and shortly after were to enter into it . 1. That it is so , in the generall . * As Moses drew the people into a Covenant before their entrance into Canaan ; so did Ioshua also , after they were possessed of it , Iosh. 24. 25 , 26. So did I●hoiada , upon the deliverance of Iudah from the tyranny of that bloudy monster At●aliah , 2 King. 11. 17. 2 Ch●o● . 14. 1. That it is so , in the generall . Rom. 1 , 21 , 2● 23 , 24 , &c. Wisd. ●4 . ●3 , &c. ●o vers. 28. Minut. Foelix in oct●vi● Athan . orat . cont. Idol . Terfull . in Apolog. cap. 15. B. Hall Cont●mpl . in Asa. L●●inus in Le●●● 18. p. 536. ●dem in Num. 16. pag. 572. Al●●que complures . a In ● 〈◊〉 15. ●● , 11. The Vulga● hath it in the Text , 〈…〉 Princips in Sacri● 〈◊〉 . b L●a 〈…〉 this , 〈◊〉 . c 〈…〉 pe●il o● 〈◊〉 p●● 3. * Some suppose her to have been his Grand-mother , others say she was his own Mother , of the same name with his Grandmother , which is more probable , because Scripture stiles her so . 1. That it is so . * Yea , sometimes upon consideration of Gods Judgements felt , or feared . 2 Chro. 29. 10. 2 Chro. 34. 31 , 32. 2. In speciall . 1. That it is so , in speciall . Vers . 31 , &c. 1. That it is so , in speciall . 1. That it is so , in speciall . 1. That it is so , in speciall . 2. How it is so . 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , Quo● . od● sit . How this is to be done . In a three-fold respect . 1. Of the disposition requisite to strike a Covenant with God . Where unto is requited 1. The as king the way to zion . 2. How this is to be done . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. How this is to be done . * From {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to beseech or pray . 2. How this is to be done . 2. In regard of the manner . That is , 1. With intention of Spirit . 2. How this is to be done . * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . He will no longer turne aside hither and thither , and goe about their villages and Cities . Tit. ●ost . in Luc. 9. 2. How this is to be done . 2. With charitie towards others . 2. How this is to be done . 2. The Substance of the Covenant . Both in respect , 1. Of the matter . 2. How this is to be done . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. How this is to be done . * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. How this is to be done . 2. In regard of the forme . 2. How this is to be done . Isay . 44. 5. N●h. 9. ult. * 2 Chr● . 34. 31. 3. The Properties of the Covenant , which are two . 1. It must be everlasting for continuance . 2. How this is to be done . 2. It must be heeded , and not forgotten . 2. How this is to be done . Prov. 1 17. 2. How this is to be done . Psal. 78. 1● . Eccles. 5. 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Cur sit . the Grounds , why it is so . These are of 2 sorts . viz. 1. Why , for any deliverance in g●nerall . 1 God at such times gives clearest evidence of his readinesse to enter Covenant with us . 3. Why it is so , in the generall . 2. God is content to be bound first . 3. Why it is so , in the generall . 3. In deliverances God more especially manifesteth his fidelity in the Grand Covenant . Psal. 107. Leuk . 26. 41 42. Ier. 31. 20. 3. Why it is so , in the generall . 4 No complete deliverance and happinesse , without a Covenant . 3. Why it is so ▪ See Iudges 10. from vers. 9. to vers. 17. 2 Why , for deliverance from Babylon , in speciall . 1. Babylon hath ever been the sorest enemy . 3. Why it is so , in speciall . 3. Why it is so , in speciall . 2. Such a deliverance implyes more than ordinary breach of Covenant on our parts , for which God formerly put us under such a yoke . 3. Why it is so , in speciall . 3. Why it is so , in speciall . * cap. 11. 18 , 19 , 20. Application Threesold 1. Vse , of ●●proose . 1. Vse . Reproofe Of foure sorts of men . viz. 1. Of such as think a Covenant needfull in trouble , but not after deliverance . Hosea 5. 15. 1. Vse . Reproofe . 1. Vse . Reproofe . 2. Of such as having means of deliverance think it enough to rid out of the way the instruments of their evils . 1. Vse . Reproofe . Ames 5. 24. 1. Vse . Reproofe . Isay . 14. 28. See 2. King. 18. 8. 1. Vse . Reproofe . 3. Of such as thinke extraordinary Fasting and Prayer sufficient , without a Covenant . Isa. 59. 11. Isa. 64. 6 , 7. 1. Vse . Reproofe . 4. Of such as are convinced of the necessity of a Covenant , yet come not up to it . Hos. 13. 14. 1. Vse . Reproofe . 1. Vse . Reproofe . 2. Vse . Information , touching the chiefe cause why Reformation and full redresse of ou● evills goes on so slowly . Judg. 9. 23 , 24. 2. Vse . Information E●●a 1. 1 , 2. Ezra . 2. Ezra . 3. 6. 2. Vse . Information . Vers . ● . Vers . 10. ●zra . 4. 1. Ezra 7 7. Neh. ● . 1. 2. Vse . Information . N●h. 9. ult. and 10. 29. * Q●arto mens● Vrbs fuit expugnata , quinto ●utem fuerat excisum Templum & consumptum incendio : septimo mens● int●rfectus tandem suit Godolias , qui ste●erat cum residua ple●● qui collecta fucrat ab ejus manu . Iejunium autem de●imi mensis putant fuists institutum post urbem obs●ssam . Ergo sejunium mensis decimi , tempore ali● pracessit , Calvin . in Loc. Non , quod haec omnia in codem acciderunt anno , sed diversis annorum intervallis . ● . Vse . Information . 2. Vse . Information . 2. Vse . Information . 3. Vse , of Exhortation . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Isa. 60. 17. 18. 3. Vse . Exhortation . 〈◊〉 . 17 10. Psal. 50. 5. Exod. 19. Deut. 29. Motives to a Covenant . 1. Our many Deliverances . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . 2. There can be no full enjoying of God , without a Covenant . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives : Gen. 31. 43. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives ▪ 3. No buckling to the worke God calls us unto , without a Covenant . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . 1 Cor. 7 ▪ 14. 4. Wicked men Covenant with Hell . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . Isay . ●8 . 5. The Devil himselfe will do no great matters for his vassals without a Covenant . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . 6. This is the proper worke of a Religious Fast . Nebem . 9. Isay 58. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Motives . 7. This very Day began the second Reformation of Religion . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes how to enter into Covenant . 1. Give a Bill of Divorce to all your Lusts . 2 Cor. 6. 2. More especially cast out all Idols and Idolatry . Psal. 5. 4. 3. Vse . Exhortation Meanes . Ier. 84. 4. 2 Kin. 17. 2 Chro. 34. 33. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 2. Pet. 2. 2 Kin. 17. ● . 3. Vse . Exhortation Meanes . 3. Execute true Iudgement . Isa. 58. 6. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 4. Draw others also . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 5. Set up Way-markes to 〈◊〉 . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . * But ab 〈◊〉 it was not so . The 〈◊〉 part of the Hom. against the p●r●ll of Idolatry , speaking of the Bishops of the Primitive times , saith , that They were then Preaching , Bish●ps , and more 〈◊〉 seene in Pulpits than in Primes Palaces , more often occupied in his Legacy , who said , Go ●ee into the whole world , and preach the Gospel to all men , than in Embassages and assa●res of Princes of this world , pa● . 59. edit 1623. a Prov 2● . 18. b Hos. 4. 6. c Rom. 10. 14. d 1 Cor. 1. 2. e Rom. 10. 17. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . ●Pet. 2. 2. Ephes. 4. I●m . 1. ●8 . 1 P●● . 1. 23. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 3. Vse . 5 Exhortation . Meanes . 6. When a Covenant is to be made , do it with all the heart ; and forget it not when it is made . 2 Chro. 15. 15. 3. Vse . Exhortation . Meanes . 
A89578	----	A sacred record to be made of Gods mercies to Zion: a thanksgiving sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, the Lord Major, Court of Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the city of London, at Christ-Church, June 19. 1645. Being the day of their publike thanksgiving to almighty God for the great and glorious victory obtained by the Parliaments army under the conduct of Sir Thomas Fairfax in Naseby-field. / Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89578 of text R200112 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E288_36). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 76 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89578 Wing M773 Thomason E288_36 ESTC R200112 99860916 99860916 158580 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89578) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 158580) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 47:E288[36]) A sacred record to be made of Gods mercies to Zion: a thanksgiving sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, the Lord Major, Court of Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the city of London, at Christ-Church, June 19. 1645. Being the day of their publike thanksgiving to almighty God for the great and glorious victory obtained by the Parliaments army under the conduct of Sir Thomas Fairfax in Naseby-field. / Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 63 [i.e. 36] p. Printed by Rich. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley., London, : [1645] Publication date from Wing. P. 36 misnumbered 63. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms CII, 18 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. A89578 R200112 (Thomason E288_36). civilwar no A sacred record to be made of Gods mercies to Zion:: a thanksgiving sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, the Lord Major, Court Marshall, Stephen 1645 14059 17 0 0 0 0 0 12 C The rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Robyn Anspach Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Robyn Anspach Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SACRED RECORD To be made of GODS MERCIES TO ZION : A Thankesgiving Sermon Preached to the two Houses of Parliament , the Lord Major , Court of Aldermen , and Common-Councell of the City of London , at Christ-Church , June 19. 1645. Being the Day of their Publike Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Great and Glorious Victory obtained by the Parliaments Army under the Conduct of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX in Naseby-field . By Stephen Marshall B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in ESSEX . Exod. 17. 14. And the Lord said unto Moses , Write this for a Memoriall in a Booke , and rehearse it in the Eares of Joshua . m Psal. 44. 1. Our Fathers have told us what Works thou didst in their dayes , in the times of Old. Psal. 78. 4. Wee will not hide them from their Children , shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord , and his strength , and his wonderfull Works that he hath done . London , Printed by Rich. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley . TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT . YOur time is so taken up with the important Worke of rescuing these bleeding Kingdomes , and the Church of Christ in and with them , that I am sure you are not at leisure to read long Epistles ; and were I able in a Dedication to write what might very much kindle your zeale , provoke your whole inward man , and thereby further your great Work ; I conceive it were onely to tell the world what counsell I thought might doe you good ; and therefore in stead of studying to present you with an Epistle , which few of you would read , I doe onely obey your Order , and at your Command publish to the view , and for the use of all , and present unto your selves this plaine Sermon , Preached unto you upon the day of your late Thanksgiving unto God for one of the greatest mercies ( the Victory , and what came with it duly considered ) that God hath bestowed upon our unworthy Nation these many yeares . What else I desire to have pressed upon your hearts , I chuse to doe it when I am called at any time to Preach unto you , or rather to beg it for you at the Throne of Grace ; where you , and your great Work are every day ( as by many thousand others ) humbly remembred by Your most obliged Servant STEPHEN MARSHALL . Die Veneris 20. Junii , 1645. IT is this Day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled , That Mr. Marshall one of the Assembly of Divines who Preached yesterday in Christ-Church , London , before the Members of both Houses of Parliament , and in the presence of the Lord Major , Aldermen , &c. of the City of London ; is hereby thanked for his great pains that he took in the said Sermon , it being a day of Publike Thanksgiving within the said City , and Lines of Communication , for the late prosperous successe of the Parliaments Forces under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefax . And that he is hereby desired to Print and Publish the said Sermon ; which none shall presume to Print or re-print , but by Authority under his own hand . Jo. Brown Cleric . Parliamentorum . Die Veneris , 20. Junii , 1645. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament , That Sir Peter Wentworth , and Sir William Masham doe returne the Thanks of this House to Mr. Vines , and Mr. Marshall , for the great paines they took , in the Sermons they yesterday Preached at the intreaty of both Houses , before the said Houses , the Lord Major , and Aldermen , at Christ-Church in London . And that they be dered to Print their Sermons : And it is Ordered that none shall presume to Print their Sermons , but such as shall bee authorized under their hands writing . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I doe appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon . Stephen Marshall . A THANKESGIVING SERMON PREACHED To the two Houses of Parliament , June 19. 1645. PSAL. 102. 18. This shall bee written for the Generation to come : and all the People which shall bee created , shall praise the Lord . Right Honourable and Beloved , I Have formerly in two Sermons opened the two Verses immediately going before this Text ; The first of them before the Right Honourable the House of Peeres ; The latter before the Honourable House of Commons ; and there shewed at large that these two Verses did containe two Circumstances which alwayes accompany the Lords Work of building up of his Church ; and they are rendered as two Arguments , why all the world should stand in admiration of it . The one is , because , when ever the Lord builds up Zion , Hee dotb appeare in his Glory ; hee appeares like himself , magnifying all his Attributes . The other , that he does then return a gracious answer unto the Prayers of his afflicted People . These two were handled in the valley of Baca , the valley of Teares , upon dayes of Humiliation ; that out of them you might receive some strength in your mourning after the Lord , to help you to wait upon him while you are at his Work , building the Street and Wall of Hierusalem in a troublesome time : But now the Lord having in great measure given a gracious experience , and fruit of those two , in this late great and unexpected Victory and Mercy , wherein God hath appeared in his Glory , and answered his Peoples Prayers , in our exceeding low condition ; his Providence having also called me by your choice , to meet you in the valley of Beracah , the valley of Blessing to praise God for this ; I could not thinke of a fitter Text then of the very next words to those that helped you in the dayes of your Mourning , which containes the use which the Church in all ages shall make of the Lords building up of Zion . And though my time for preparation hath been very short ; yet I am incouraged , because I have been taught of God , that a Peace-Offering to himself is easily found : And I have often found from you , that my poore endeavours , how weak soever ( being the best I have ) have never been rejected : And therefore without further Apology and Preface , let us consider of the words as they thus lie . This shall bee written for the Generation to come : And the People which shall bee created , shall praise the Lord . Here are you see , two Sentences : And for the Interpretation of them , some Expositors doe conceive , that the first Sentence containeth the use that the Generation who receive this Mercy shall make of it ; They shall Write it for the good of Posterity . The second ( they think ) containes the use that the future Generation shall make of former Mercies that are thus written ; and and transmitted to them , The People that shall bee created , shall praise the Lord ; the unborn Generation shall praise God for it . But others ( and I think more rightly ) doe conceive , that both sentences are meant of the same individuall People ; and that the one of them is but an Exegeticall interpretation of the other : or rather , the first of them is an expression of one way , how the redeemed of the Lord shall glorifie him ; by writing the Mercies they have received , and transmitting them to posterity : and the other is a comprehension of their whole Work , that they shall not rest in any one way of manifesting their care to glorifie God , but shall make it the sum of their whole life , they being created to no other end ; The People that shall bee created , shall praise the Lord . And I rather incline to this , because this expression , The People that shall bee created ; does ordinarily in the Scripture signifie a People brought from an extreame low , despicable condition , to a state of happinesse and blessednesse , fit to serve God . These are said , A people created for Gods praise . But Beloved , wee need not bee solicitous about it , chuse which of them you please , the difference will not be materiall in respect of the practicall Observations arising from them , both of them afford many and the same helps for a day of Thankesgiving : Some few whereof I shall endeavour ( by the Lords assistance ) in one houre , or a little more , to set before you . The first , and the maine , and that which ( indeed ) is the comprehension of the whole Verse , is this ; That when God appeares in his Glory to build his Church , and gratiously answers his Peoples Prayers ; their whole work should hee to praise him : That is the generall . They have then nothing else to doe , but to make it the work of their life , to give praise , and glory to him ; This paying of the Rent-penny of praise to our God , this worke of Thankesgiving , which is the end God aimes at in all his workes ; which is the end why Man at first was created ; why the Church was redeemed ; why the Saints are called : This , that is the onely heavenly work that can bee done upon earth ; this , which is the onely joyfull imployment , that shall last to all Eternity in another life : This work which should ever waite for God in Zion , Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion : This whereof the Church should bee the Magazine , the Store-house and Treasury , Unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus , throughout all ages , and the Church is therefore called his Glory , Israel my Glory : Not onely because hee glories in it ; but because it glorifies him : This Duty ( I say ) of Gods redeemed ones To praise him , can never be handled often enough , never pressed enough on Gods people . But truly , it hath been so frequently , and so fully in all the branches of it , delivered unto your selves , upon such joyfull dayes as these are , wherein you have had the whole institution of a thankfull people , and all their work ; that I know not what to adde to that which heretofore hath been delivered ; save onely , that what is said of our English laws ; That we have abundance of good Lawes , and need but one more , that is , to put all the rest in execution : the same I may say , that there are abundance of Sermons of Thankesgiving extant , and we need but one more , and that is , to have our hearts inflamed to practise them ; which I shall endeavour this day , by the Lords help , by handling some more particular Observations which this Verse affords , very suitable to the condition whereinto the Lord hath brought us at the present . And there are three things in the Text , from whence ( as from so many Well-heads ) may flow severall instructions , seasonable and usefull for our present businesse . First , somewhat I shall collect from the Persons who should perform this work ; The People that shall be created : that is their Epithet . Secondly , from the Work which these Persons shall imploy themselves in : that is , to endeavour , that God may have his Glory from themselves , and succeeding ages . Thirdly , and principally , and that which I shall most insist upon , from the way and meanes which this created people should take , that God might have his due glory from themselves and succeeding ages ; and that is this great Mercy of God in building his Church , and hearing his Peoples Prayers , should bee Recorded by them ; This shall bee written for the Generation to come . In the first of these , which I shall onely point at ; the Persons from whom God doth promise himselfe the performance of this great Duty , The People that shall bee created . Many excellent Collections might be made . One is , that which Mr. Calvin observes upon this Text : viz. Wee may here discerne what ( in the Judgement of Gods People ) is the state of the Church when they are deprived of Gods Worship and Ordinances , and scattered among the Heathen : and what their estate is , when God is pleased again to set up his Tabernacle amongst them . In the first of these conditions they were as if their Creation were annihilated ; as if they were resolved into their first principles . But when God was pleased from Heaven to looke upon them , with a restauration of his Temple and Worship , and bring them again into a Religious Common-wealth : then they looked upon themselves as a People that were new created , that had a new being bestowed upon them . Their outward condition was much alike in both , for the things of this life . Bond-men they were in Babylon , and Bond-men they were when they returned into Canaan , the same Emperours and Kings bore sway over them , and kept them under ; and for ought I can learne , they were richer in their captivity , then in their own Countrey ; but when they were brought back , to have liberty againe to serve God in the way of his Ordinances , then they looked upon themselves as people that had a new being . Thus they constantly judged of themselves ; when their Temple was burnt , and they scattered among the Heathen , then they judged of themselves , as dead and ary bones , as those whose bones lay scattered , as when one cutteth chips about the pits mouth ; but when they had againe got a naile in Gods Sanctuary , and might enjoy the liberty of his Sabbaths , Feasts , Sacrisices , &c. it was as the founding of a new Heaven and a new Earth unto them . This I onely mention . Another is , That when the Lord would engage his Servants to give him his praise and glory for their deliverance , hee chuses to call them by this Name , A people created : that is , reduced out of nothing , brought to a blessed state , from a low and meane condition , from a people whom God calls by this Name , hee promiseth himself his glory and praise ; whoever forget him , yet the people who shall thus bee Created will praise him : And that affords this Lesson : That the People whom God in Mercy brings from a low and meane condition , are the People from whom God promises to receive praise and glory . Indeed , such is the selfishnesse of our corrupt Nature , that if we are any thing , or doe any thing , we are prone to forget God , and sacrifice to our own nets , and burn Incense to our own yarne ; insomuch , that when ever God finds a people who shall either trust in him , or praise him , it must be an an afflicted and poor people , or a people brought from such an estate ; Free Grace is ever most valued by such people . And if you looke all the Scripture over , you will find , that all the praises , and Songs of deliverance that have been made to God , have proceeded from a people that have thus judged of themselves , as those that were brought to nothing ; but God in mercy had brought thē back again from the gates of death , and usually untill they had such apprehensions of themselves , they never gave unto God the glory due to his name . I could give you a cloud of witnesses to evidence the truth of it ; but I intended only to point at this . Onely give mee leave before I passe from it , to make a short Application of it to our selves in these two particulars : First , that hence wee may certainly learne one cause why our calamities doe continue thus long ; why still wee are brought lower and lower ; why though wee bee lifted up one day , or one moneth , wee are suddenly brought and cast back again into as forlorne a condition as ever we were in : God would bring us to such a judgment of our selves , that wee might praise him when we are delivered . I am perswaded God does intend to have a People here in England that shall bee for his praise , and wee doe not yet looke upon our selves as a people out of meere Mercy brought from nothing ; in the time of our calamities we seek him , and say , he onely is our rock and our salvation : But it is too evident that the pride of our Nation is not yet laid low ; still our Armes of flesh are prone to bee exalted . It is with us , just as it was with the Israelites , when God brought them out of Egypt , hee made account that hee had done enough to make them know their dependance upon him , that they were created as out of nothing , by such a miraculous breaking the yoke of their bondage , and bringing them through the red Sea into the Wildernesse , and in that howling Wildernesse giving them bread from Heaven , and water out of the Rocke ; but the people had not yet learned it , they were high and proud , they were too rough pieces to bee so easily hewed ; one yeares leading them in the VVildernesse would not teach them their dependance upon God : and therefore God continued to lead them in the wildernesse , and kept them out of Canaan till they had learned it . VVhat they would not learne in one yeare , God made them learne in forty yeeres . And so Moses told them , Deut. 8. 23. That the Lord led them forty yeeres in the Wildernesse , and tryed them , and suffered them to hunger , that hee might humble them , and make them know that they lived by every word that came out of his mouth : And till they had learned that lesson , God never made an end with them . And surely it is so with us ; were wee but once come to that passe ; that wee looked upon our selves as a forlorne Nation , as a people void of wealth , of Counsell , of Strength , of Ability to carry on our Work , and would lie at Gods feet , and acknowledge that it is hee that must doe it , or we are dissolved , and undone ; God would soone make an end with us , then hee would trust us to praise him ; a people who thus look upon themselves , will give him the praise and glory due to his Name . Another thing that I as briefly commend to your consideration from it is this , That because God Almighty doth expect that a people brought from nothing , a people new created will praise him ; therefore if such a people , for whom the Lord hath done such things , should faile him ; if they should prove ungratefull , it would aggravate their sin beyond all apprehensions , beyond all expressions . It is thus among men , we extreamly abhorre to see a Begger mounted on Horseback , and riding proudly : Solomon sayes , It is one of the things that the earth cannot bear , to see a Handmaid made heire to her Mistresse ; A Hagar laid in her Masters bosome , and then shee to prove insolent ; this amongst Men is intolerable : Beleeve it , it is much more with God , when God shall take a People , as from a dunghill , from a desperate and forlorn condition , and ( as it were ) create them for his glory , and they slight him , and undervalue him , and deale ungratefully with him : Thus Ezra judged , cap. 9. 13. When we have received such a deliverance as this , should wee againe breake thy Commandements and prove ungratefull ; wouldst thou not bee angry with us till thou hadst consumed us ? This was the ground of that unappeasable wrath that was kindled in God against the people of Israel , in the 1. of Esay , Heare O Heavens , and give eare O Earth ; I have nourished and brought up Children , and yet they rebell against mee . And especially in Ezekiel 16. Where hee told them , I found thee in thy mothers wombe , thy navel not cut , no eye pityed thee , as a bastard cast out in the time of her nativity ; and there I took thee from a dunghill , and bred thee , and trained thee up to be my wife , and thou playedst the whore against mee ; and in all thy abominations ( sayes hee ) thou never remembredst how I found thee desolate and naked . This made God judge her after the manner of harlots . And beleeve it , so will it prove with us , if the Lord should go on thus mercifully to deale with England , and create us again , to raise us out of these gulfes and quick-sands , and to establish us to bee a people , if we then should goe and sacrifice to our owne Net , or burne Incense to our owne yarne , prove ungratefull to him , kick with the heele against him ; the wrath of God would bee kindled against us so farre , that there would bee no remedy . God expects better things from us , hee looks , that a people so created , should be for his praise . But this first branch I intended onely to point at ; The Persons that should doe this work , The people that should bee created . The second follows , wherein I shall bee a little larger , and that is , What their work should bee ; This shall bee written for the generations to come , and this created people shall praise the Lord : The summe whereof is , That God having done thus much for them , they should wholly apply themselves , that in all generations , both the present , and those to come , his glory may bee given to him , both by themselves , and by all posterity ; whatsoever was possible for them to doe , should be faithfully endeavoured by this thankfull redeemed people , That glory might bee given unto God for this great Work throughout all ages , world without end . VVhence first observe briefly by the way , that which is sufficiently intimated in the Text , and noted by severall Expositors ; That in all ages God will have a people for his praise ; no generation past , or to come , but there shall bee a people for Christ to praise and glorifie him : it is not so with other Monarchies and Empires , one carries it a great while in the world , and then it is dissolved , and their people remaine not to them ; but are either destroyed or delivered over , and left to some other Governour ; but this Kingdome of Christ shall never leave its people to any other Conquerour : It is with other Kingdomes , as my Text a little after tells you , it is with the Earth , and Heavens , as a garment , they all wax old , as a Vesture they change , and rot , and come to nothing ; but the Kingdome of Christ like himself , hath never any end , and the Generation of his Servants shall ever continue in his sight . The Church is sometimes more , and sometimes lesse visible : The people that praise God are sometimes more in number , and sometimes fewer ; but they alwayes are , in all ages : God will have them that shall give him his glory , and sing him praises in the Churches . This I onely mention . Secondly , another which more concernes us , is , the works they should attend unto ; that the glory of this great deliverance might be alwayes rendred unto him . Which affords us this lesson , That a People who are truly thankfull for Gods building up of Zion , and hearing the prayers of his afflicted ones , will endeavour by all meanes possible , that all ages present and to come , may glorifie God for it . Or more briefly take it thus , The whole work of Gods redeemed people , is to provide that God may alwayes , and every where have the glory of it . Expositors observe upon this Text , that this redeemed Church take no thought concerning themselves , about their own ease , pleasure , wealth , gaine , or any thing else might accrew unto themselves by this deliverance , to make their own life easie or sweet ; but their thoughts and studies are wholly laid out , how the present and succeeding Generations should give all glory to God for it . And hee that runnes may read it in the practise of many others recorded in Scripture . The time would faile me to give you a catalogue of the Churches Kings , Prophets , Priests , and other holy men of God , who have been like minded : Their care was as Joabs at the taking of Rabbah of the Ammonites , that David might have the glory of it . Thus did Moses when they were brought out of the Egyptian bondage , Thus Deborah and Barak after the discomfiture of Jabin . Thus did Hannah , 1 Sam. 2. and innumerable others ; who in all the Lords administrations to them , whether inlargements or pressures , have been studious of nothing so much , as how in all things God might have his glory preserved and spread . David the man after Gods own heart exceeded all others in this thing , Quid retribuam ? what shall I render unto the Lord ? was his usuall study ; and hee never thought his own parts , his wit , fancy , thoughts , tongue , pen , &c. sufficient for it ; but when hee had stirred up all within him , Blesse the Lord , O my soule , and all that is within mee blesse his holy Name : Hee would also stirre up all without him , all the Church , Blesse the Lord yee house of Israel ; let Israel say , let all that feare God say , His mercy endureth for ever : All the Nations , make a joyfull sound unto God , all ye Lands : All the Angels , Blesse the Lord yee his Angels , all yee his Hosts : Yea , all Creatures , blesse the Lord all his workes , in all places of his Dominion , whether above or below , animate , or inanimate ; The Sun and Moon , the Starres of Light , the Dragons and deeps , fire and haile , Snow and vapours , Mountaines and hills , fruitfull trees and Cedars , Beasts and all cattle , creeping things , and flying Fowles , hee layes a tax upon them all , to come in , and contribute their utmost , that God might have the glory due to his Name , for exalting the horne of his people , even the children of Israel , the people neere unto him . And there are three speciall Reasons why this should bee the great worke of the Lords saved and rescued people : and why indeed they can doe no other then study thus to exalt him . One is , because they well know that the Lord hath reserved nothing to himselfe but onely his glory ; the benefits hee gives to them , all the sweetnesse and honey that can bee found in them , hee gives them leave to suck out ; but his glory and his praise is his owne , and that which hee hath wholly reserved , of that hee is jealous , lest it should either bee denyed , Eclipsed , diminished , or any the least violation offered to it in any kind : All Gods people know this of him , and therefore they cannot but indeavour to preserve it for him . Secondly , besides , they know , as God is jealous in that point , so it is all the work that hee hath appointed them to doe ; he hath therefore separated them to himself out of all the Nations of the world , to be his peculiar ones for this very end , that they might give him all the glory and praise of his mercy ; I have ( said God ) created him , formed , and made him for my glory , Esay 43. 7. This is the law of his new Creation , which is as powerfull in them , as the law of Nature , or the first creation is in the rest of his Works . And therefore with a holy and spirituall naturalnesse ( if I may so call it ) the hearts of all the Saints are carryed to give God the glory , as really , as the stones are carryed to the Center , or the fire to fly upwards ; this is fixed in their hearts , the work of grace hath moulded them to it , that they can doe no other but endeavour to exalt God , it being the very end why their spirituall life , and all their other priviledges are conferred upon them . Yea , thirdly , they know their owne Interests are much concerned in Gods glory , they never are losers by it : if in any work of God , he want his praise , they will want their comfort : but if God bee a gainer , they shall certainly bee no losers . Whatsoever is powred upon the head of Christ , what ointment soever of praise or glory , it will in a due proportion fall downe to the skirts of his garments ; nor is there any other way to have any sweetnesse , comfort , praise , or glory to bee derived unto themselves , but by giving all unto him , to whom alone it belongeth , and then , although hee will never give away his glory , the glory of being the fountaine , the first , supreame , originall giver of all good ; yet they shall have the glory of Instruments , and of fellow workers with him , which is a glory and praise sufficient . This is a lesson of singular use to all Gods redeemed ones in many particulars . But the onely thing I shall at the present insist upon , is to direct how we may best improve the mercy of this day ; and how we may do something worthy of this dayes meeting ; the Lord hath turned our heavinesse into rejoycing , hath took off from us the garment of mourning , and put upon us this day the garment of salvation . And I am perswaded this honourable Assembly hath not for a long time had a more reall rejoycing heart then you now feele , for the mercy which this day wee meet to celebrate and commemorate . Now would you know what you should doe , what you should render unto the Lord , what would bee the comeliest , and most excellent sacrifice in this day of your praise and rejoycing before God : Surely there is nothing comparable to this , That you provide that of all those great things which the Lord hath wrought for us ; all possible praise and glory may bee set upon the head of our Lord Jesus , and abide unto succeeding Generations . Some such work as might preserve his honour in the present and succeeding ages , were worthy such a great assembly , worthy of the name of a day of their Thankesgiving . I am perswaded your hearts are so warmed with the unexpected Victory , that you would readily swear with David , to take no rest untill you were doing that very Work ; if once you knew what it were , I shall tel you , Even in doing that where in his glory is most concerned in all ages ; and that is the setting up of his Kingdome , the purgation & reformation of Religion , setting up his Ordinances in purity , providing that his Church may bee governed and ruled by his own laws according to his owne Word . This would indeed bee a lasting Monument of your thankfulnesse . This wee should all study , and to this every thankfull heart may contribute something , but none so much as you , Right Honourable Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament , by whose appointment , and for whole furtherance in this work I stand here this day . God hath put into your hands the greatest opportunity , and meanes of providing for all the glory that he expects from England while the world stands , that he did put ever into the hands of any . The measuring line , and plummet of his house is put into your hands as once it was in the hand of Zerubbabel . From you he seems to expect what portion himselfe shall have in England for time to come , what kind of Subjects hee shall have , what Worship shall bee offered to him , what kind of Guests shall sit with him at his Table ; by what lawes his house and people shall be governed ; hee seems now to put into your hands , what unto the end of the world hee may expect from the Kingdome of England , in the way of his Ordinances ; not onely the managing of a Kingdome of men , but of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus , seemes now to bee in the hands of the two honourable Houses of Parliament . Now , when such opportunities as these are in your hands , to doe such great things for God , how silent should all slesh be , till this worke be done ? how hush't and laid aside should all your other businesses bee ; your own estates and priviledges , and private interests , or any thing that concernes your selves , names , or families ; how should they all be waved and set aside , till all that bee done , from which Jesus Christ shall receive glory in all ages . If then ( Right Honourable and Beloved ) any of you should after all the mercy God hath bestowed upon you , make it your worke to feather your own nests , build your owne Houses , and let the House of God lie waste , or hinder the setting up of this Work in purity and perfection ; if you should make a slight businesse of the Worke of Religion ; and cause the authority of the Gospel , and Kingdome , and Ordinances of Christ , to vaile bonnet to the lusts and liberties of poore sinfull Men , and decline the setting up of the authority of his Scepter ; lest the corruptions of Men should be brought under the yoake more then they are willing , you will provide ill for Christs honour , ill for the Church , worst of all for your owne souls , in betraying the cause of Religion , and spoyling the most glorious opportunity of advancing the honour of Christ , that ever men were betrusted with , these thousand yeares . But if you shall resolve so to goe through with it , that there shall not need a reformation to come the second time , I meane in stablishing the rule for Faith , VVorship , and Government as neere as can be found out by the VVord ( all carnall considerations set aside ) should you but doe this , that it may bee set up in the Kingdome , and transmitted to posterity : God will then acknowledge you really thankfull , and that you have done as much for his honour as hee expects from any mortall men , and posterity shall confesse that as you are the most remarkable Parliament for Gods owning you , protecting and saving you , so God received more glory from you , then from any former Parliament ; Josiahs praise should be verified of you , ●ever the like went before you , or followed after you . I therefore humbly beseech you , Right Honourable Lords , and noble Gentlemen , whilst now your hearts are warm with this mercy , & all of you are ready to say with David , what shall I tender to the Lord ? what shall I give the Lord for all his mercies towards us ? take this cup of salvation , resolve to pay your vowes , the vow you made , that you would endeavour the reformation of Religion , according to the word of God ; and to the nearest conformity with the best reformed Churches . Goe on zealously and impartially with it ; let the successe bee what it will , work belongs to us , successe belongs to God ; therein shall you in truth give unto God , and our Lord Jesus Christ , that glory and prase which a Parliament should give him ; other people must come short ; though wee all are interessed in this Mercy , and are equally bound to provide for his honour , yet our meanes are shorter , wee move in a narrower spheare . Some of our endeavours must bee in our own Families , to make them better : Others in a Pulpit to make our Congregations better ; few of us , though raised to our highest , are able to do any great things for his glory ; but if the Lord enlarge your hearts to doe your worke aright , the whole Christian world in her severall ages shall be able to give glory unto him , by your improvement of these mercies which our God hath given us . And a little further to provoke you unto it , consider seriously of these three things . First , in all our great conflicts , these huge shakings of the Nations , and combustions , the Lord hath no designe in any of them , but onely the building up of his Church , and answering his peoples prayers , his heart is set upon nothing else : You indeed contend for Liberties and Laws , and justly you may doe so ; and the rather , because the liberty of your Religion stands and falls with your laws ; but God can looke upon England as well if it were in slavery , as in freedome , he regards neither of them further then slavery and freedome hath relation to his Church , and the welfare of it ; if all other his works were buryed ( as one day they shall resolve into the Chaos out of which they were taken ) God cares not one whit , sobeit that bee done his heart is set upon , record his work of building of Zion , and let what else so ever be forgotren , it matters not ; ought yee not to be like minded unto our Lord ? Secondly , let me assure you , there is nothing else will ever appease our troubles , but the vigorous carrying on of this work : A great many are afraid lest the quick establishing of Religion ( through the multitude of mens divided thoughts , and ungodlinesse of many mens minds ) should make our troubles and conflicts , more then they have been ; but be ye assured , the Lords Kingdome being provided for in the right way , God will prepare salvation for walls and bulwarks ; hee will be the safety of that Kingdome , which advanceth his Kingdome ; the Kingdome of Christ , it is a Kingdome of Peace , ( as himselfe is a Prince of Peace : ) It will never make tumults , it will appease tumults in a Kingdome where Christs Scepter prevailes : whare hee strikes the Earth with the rod of his mouth , Cockatrices will be charmed , and all enemies shall bee hush't and quiet . It will I say make no tumults where it is received : but let mee tell you , Christs heart is so set upon the advancement of his Kingdome , that where it is not received , himselfe will breed tumults enow for them that oppose him : and the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands , will dash asunder all men , and all things , all Kingdoms , & all States that shal not give way to him . I adde further concerning your selves , that there is nothing will bring so great and everlasting glory to you , as to have been instruments in your generation , to further the work wherein Christs honour is so much concerned ; you have read Books , and know the world ; I beseech you tell me out of all the ages of the world that are past , cull out the choisest among men in their generations , and say , who among them was really an eminent Man , if it were not for being an instrument in helping forward the Church of Christ : multitudes have made stately buildings , Fish-ponds , Gardens , Palaces : Some have erected Kingdomes , what is become of them all ? Jam seges est ubi Troja fuit is the doome of all of them , they are all turned into vanity , and so are the Makers of them . Consider the greatest , wisest , richest , learned'st of all who have lived ; if they were not for Christ and his Church , what glory doth now remaine to any of them ? how much so ever they magnified themselves , or were flattered by others , who now wil honour them ? who now extols Pharaoh for a wise King , Absalon for a compleat Courtier , Achitophel for a politique States-man ? who now would have the lot of any of them ? do they not all lye buried ingloriously ? hath not the Lord made the moth & corruption to rot them al ? But now look into Gods Book , and read all Chronicles , and you shall find , that all they who have set their hearts to this work , all Rulers , Counsellers , Parliaments , who have been for the Lord , and his Church and Kingdome , their memoriall is honourable and blessed in all ages , they are still eminent and glorious , and shall bee so to the worlds end , and in Heaven to all Eternity . Set therefore your hearts to this great work , shew a reall defire to glorifie him who hath these great things for us . This , Right Honourable Lords and Patriots , I had to say unto you ; and as for you the rest of this Honoured and Reverend Assembly ; very many things might bee suggested unto you , as means to exalt the glory of this our God and Saviour ; but the onely thing I shall at the present commend unto you , is , to be often with God in the Mount , follow him with your prayers and supplications ; give him no rest till hee hath carryed on this great and Honourable Assembly to doe this work , that they may raise the foundations for many Generations . This from the second part of the Text ; The work that they should doe , not to seek themselves , but how the glory of God may be preserved in the present , and future Generations . The third and last followes , which concernes the way they shall take to perpetuate Gods glory for building his Church , and answering his peoples prayers ; what way shall they take for it ? This shall be written , [ in perpetuam reimemoriam , ] for an eternall monument of it . The onely Lesson which I shall hence observe , is this , That one great way of giving God his deserved glory for his building of his Church , and answering his peoples prayers , is by causing these wonderfull workes of God to be written for the generations to come . For the truth of it , it is one of Gods Ordinances . You shall finde it in the 78 Psal. vers. 5. where the Prophet had exhorted them to give eare , and learne what God had done for them , that they might teach it to their children . This ( said he ) hee ordained for a Law , and a Statute for Israel : what was this Ordinance ? that they should write it , and teach their posterity to come , the wonderfull things which God hath done for his people : he commanded not onely themselves to know him , and his works , and to talk of them ; but to provide that the generations to come might know what God had done . So in the 17. of Exod. 14. vers. When God had begun to appeare for his people in a Warre against Amalck ; write it ( said he , ) in a Booke , a Book of the Warres of God for his Church , and against his enemies , must bee written and kept as a record from age to age . So also Moses commanded them in the 31 of Deut. 19. vers. Now therefore write ye this Song for you , and teach it the Children of Israel . A song must be written and learned to expresse what God had done for a people who were most unworthy of the Mercies bestowed upon them : So likewise Ester , Est . 9. 32. The great work of Gods defeating the conspiracy of Haman , and deliverance of his Church , was recorded , not onely by an anniversary feast , but it must bee written in a Booke . Thus you see , the Lord hath often enjoyned his people to record and transmit to posterity the great things which hee hath done for them . And as he hath commanded it , so his Spirit hath ordered and brought to passe , that it hath been so . Moses and Samuel , and the rest of the Prophets have done it ; what should I trouble you with a discourse of particular instances , since the whole Book of God is nothing but a Chronicle Book of Acts and Monuments of the Lords wonderfull works in gathering , and building protecting , and saving , and doing good to his Church , and destroying their Enemies ? And they did it many wayes ; sometime they made Eucharisticall Songs , which they taught their children ; sometime they wrote them upon their Childrens names ; sometime by giving names to the places where the mercies were received ; sometime erecting stones and pillars ; sometime by appointing yearly Feasts of remembrance . Many of which wayes were presented unto you the last solemn meeting you had in this place upon a like blessed occasion . And the grounds or reasons why this ought to bee done , why these things should bee recorded , are necessary , First , in relation to God . Secondly , in relation to the Generation who receive these mercies . Thirdly , in relation to the posterity that are to come after . First , in relation to God and his glory . As the works of God are all worthy to be registred and remembred , so the work of building the Church , and answering his peoples prayers , is the most worthy , the most excellent : because these are his master-pieces ; in all these works , God appeares in his glory ; all his excellent perfections shine forth in their beauty : and therefore none so worthy to be written . And as this work is most worthy , so there is no way or meanes so excellent and effectuall for the perpetuating of the honour and glory due to him , as the faithfull recording of it , and delivering it from hand to hand in all generations ; which else will soone bee forgotten and lost , as loose pearles and pretious stones : But when they are recorded , they are like pretious and excellent pearles put upon a golden thred , and thereby easily kept together and preserved , and his glory thereby made everlasting . His Works are all Eternall , à parte ante , in his decree ; this writing and registring of them , will make them so : à parte post , in the eternall commemoration of them . Thus shall be fulfilled to his glory that which Solomon says , I know whatsoever God does , it shal be for ever ; it shall last for ever to his glory . Secondly , in relation to them who receive these mercies , the present age that enjoyes them , may also bee great gainers by it , for it makes the favour and mercy deeplier written in their owne hearts in indeleble characters : and the frequent reading of them would keep the mercy alwayes fresh and green , alwayes of the same efficacy and vertue unto them who have received it . And besides , those excellent Instruments whom God hath employed to helpe in the great worke of building the Church , shall thereby enjoy the honour and praise which God is willing to have conferred upon them : ( for hee would have the righteous in everlasting remembrance ) when in all ages it shall be known , not onely what the Lord hath done for his people ; but also who they are whom God hath been pleased to employ in this great Work : wee know the old saying , Multi ante Agamemnona fuere fortes , &c. there were many valiant Commanders and Souldiers before Achilles , or Ulysses , but none of them are famous to posterity , because they wanted a Homer , their worthy deeds are not recorded : but by such a faithfull register the Lords worthy instruments are in all ages made partakers of a glory which is next the glory of Heaven . But chiefly my Text leads to the third ; in relation to posterity . These things shall be written for the Generations to come , and for their sakes they ought to be written . 1. Because they are their due , and the present generation cannot without injustice deprive posterity of a faithfull record of Gods mercies , for in all these things he speaks to all the ages to come , as well as the present . You have it in Hosea 12. 3. where Jacobs wrestling with God and meeting with him in Bethel , are mentioned : There ( sayes the Church ) hee spoke with us ; what he spoke to Jacob , hee spoke to Israel , that lived in Hosea's time , above a thousand years after it ; and what Paul spake , 1 Cor. 10. 11. concerning Gods Judgment , All these things happened unto them for ensamples , and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come ; is as true of all his works of mercy ; they hapned unto them for oursakes , as well as for their owne ; and the Prophets knew this , unto whom it was revealed , that not unto themselves , but unto us they did admin●ster the things which are now reported . Now look as it is with Parents who though themselves know they cannot live long , and peradventure some of them are but termers in their states and Honours ; yet their Evidences of their Lordships or Mannors , which belong to their children , they dare not but transmit the Copies of them to those who shall inherit their Lands after them . Since then the records of these things are their due , wee cannot deny them to posterity , unlesse we would rob them of that which God will have them receive from us . Nay , secondly , it is their gaine as well as their due , yea , it may prove an infinite and invaluable gain to posterity ; for by the recording of these great and excellent Works , posteritie may learne to know God , to trust him , to feare and serve him ; they may out of these learne their duty , and read their destiny . This was the very end why God made that law , Psal. 78. 5. That the Parents should transmit unto their children , the wonderfull works which hee had done , That they might set their hope in God , and keep his Commandements , and might not bee as their fathers , a generation whose spirit was not stedfast with God . The like causes of writing these things , you shall find , Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Look as it is with them that travaile at Sea ( take for instance Columbus , or Drake , or any of those famous Sea-men , that have discovered unknown tracts in the deep waters ) when they themselves had past them , if they had come home again without making a Sea-mans Chard , who had been the better for all their voyages ? whereas now , ordinary Sailers by help of their Chard , can compasse the world round about ; because they know where the safe chanels , and where the rocks and dangers lye . So in the faithfull Stories of the works which God showes to his people in one generation , the generations to come shall before their eyes be able to read the right way , by the fall of others they shall know where lies the rocks and stumbling blocks ; by the deliverance of others they shall know where out-gates are to be found . The reading of a record of Mordecays good service , was a meanes to save all the Church of the Jews at one time , Est . 6. 1 , 2. The remembring of Micah his prophecy , saved the life of the Prophet Jeremy , at another time , Jer. 26. 19. the remembrance of the causes why Israel was carryed captive out of their owne Land , was a meanes to bring them to repentance at another time . The records of Gods dealing with Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob have succoured Gods people in their distresses ten thousand times ; the particular wayes how the Church hath profited by them , are not to bee numbred ; inexpressible is the gaine which may be gotten by them : therefore the Lord would have them written for the generations to come . For Application of this : First , if the Lord will have his great Workes recorded to posterity , that they may give him his glory ; surely , then the present age should observe them , and glorifie him ; if our present mercies shall bee the wonderment of the world in after ages , how ill would it become us who receive them , to passe them over unregarded , or put them into oblivion ? what a catalogue should every one of us have , how full should all our memories and records bee , who receive them thus by heapes upon heapes ? how excellent and comely a thing were it , if every one wee meet with in the streets , and fields , could bee able to tell us the Story of Gods dealing for England these three , or foure , or five yeeres ; beleeve it , it is our shame that wee are not able to doe it . What a shame and unworthy thing is it to lay up in our memories trash and vanities ; write downe in our Books , our passions , toyes , and fooleries , and have no records of these glorious VVorks of God ? how shall wee lift up our heads before God , when he shall reckon with us for this ingratitude ? O that every one of us could endeavour to have our records of these mercies , as perfect as Gods are ; he observes and keeps account of all , let us doe so likewise , let our books and memories , be treasuries of these works and wayes of God ; let our tongues talk of them , let us be all good Historians , at least of these latter yeares , since the beginning of this Parliament , be able to count all our journeys and pitching places , our deliverances and Victories from Kynton unto this day : yea , and when wee think or speake of them , let it bee with admiration , which is the individuus comes , the inseparable companion of praising God : wee never can duly tender his praises for these mercies , unlesse our understanding see it selfe conquered by that which it contemplates ; and be compelled with David , againe and againe to cry out , O Lord our God , how excellent is thy Name , how wonderfull are thy workes ! Doe these things daily , but doe them this day more carefully : this day is separated for his praise and glory , but in a more peculiar manner let him have the glory of this la●e great , and unexpected Victory ; and let us consider seriously what kind of mercy it is , which wee this day come to blesse the Lord for . I shall not goe about by ostentation of words , and hyperbolicall expressions to elevate it above its height , had I Rhetorick and words to doe it , this Assembly would not be taken with such kind of language ; but simply and plainly bee pleased to behold this great work of God , both for the substance and circumstances of it ; for the thing it self , for the substance of it ; Granted it is , to bee one of the greatest Victories that ever the Lord bestowed upon us since the beginning of our troubles ; wherein all the enemies Foot , all their Carriages , all their Ammunition , so many of their Horse were taken in the field . But there are foure Circumstances accompany it , which maks this mercy most wonderfull . First , the Time when this mercy was bestowed upon us . Secondly , the Place where it was bestowed upon us . Thirdly , the Persons by whom it was wrought for us . And , Fourthly , the Manner how God did it for us . First , the Time when it was done ; truly , when we were very low , exceeding low in our Spirits , low in our Counsels , low in our Treasures , low in our Arms , low through our mutual Divisions & jealousies ; wondrous low ( I think ) as we have been almost at any time since the beginning of our troubles : at a time when the Enemy was extream high , high in their Spirits , high in their confidence , high in their scorn , high in their resolutions , so high , as if they had already swallowed all , boasting that our Armies were crumbled to nothing , and wondering we were so foolish , as not to resign up all . Yea , done in a time when we had newly prayed and sought God , when the Honourable Houses had called the City and the Assembly of Divines to lie in tears and dust before God , to wrestle with him : this was the time when the Lord remembred us , agreeing with that of the Psalmist , Who remembred us in our low estate , for his mercy endureth for ever . I may adde one more concerning the time , it was in the rising of the yeare , almost in the Spring , when yet we have foure or five moneths before there be any necessity of winter Quarters ; in which time , if God give us wisedome to follow it , and himself please to goe on with us , who knows what a blessed period our troubles may have ? Secondly , and the place where is remarkable . Where was it done ? truly , in that part of the Land where the Enemy had lately wrought outragious villanies . I speake not of taking a Town in a hostile way , but of murdering of women , of ravishing wives and maidens ; where the Commanders could boast what liberty they had given to their Souldiers , though not to murder the women , yet to ravish as many of them as they could : where the Country groaned under the blasphemies , and outrages that they wrought ; that the Lord should have it so ordered that where they had plundred and spoiled , themselves should be plundred and spoiled , that thither they should ●●y with shame , hardly daring to look in where all these cruelties and insolencies had been wrought by them . Thirdly , and take in the Persons by whom . Of whom I will say two things , which you will all grant to bee true . They were an Army despised by our Enemies , and little lesse then despaired of by our Friends , as men from whom little was to bee looked for ; Gods glory is the more conspicuous ; this is according to his own manner of working , Who delights by weak things to confound the mighty , and by things which are despised , and things which are not , to bring to nought things that are , that no flesh might glory in his presence : This is the Lords doing , let it be wonderfull in our eyes . Fourthly , and the manner how is very remarkable , how God did it ; truly so , that the men should doe what men can doe , that they might have the praise of Instruments , giving them valour , courage , wisdome and faithfulnesse : and yet withall letting them be so overborn , one wing in a manner broken , and many of the Foot routed , and all in danger to be lost ; that it might appeare ( as hath been in the rest of our Victories ) that the thing was wrought by God : Now can you looke upon all these things together , & not with admiration cry out , This is the Lords doing , this is wonderfull in our eyes : Non nobis Domine , non nobis , Not unto us Lord , but unto thy Name give the praise and glory ? Overmuch to extoll men , God would not have you , they would not have you doe it , you would wrong them and your selves and your God , if you should looke upon them otherwise then as instruments . But O that you could admire this mercy , that God hath given in , that you could see all the mercies that are in the wombe of this mercy ! how many have already sprung from it , Leicester taken in againe , and other tydings are come out of other parts of the Kingdome , some mercies about Taunton , others about Chester , hath our God cast them in , that this day might be as a day of Jubilee to us . Shall not God have glory for all this ? shall not our hearts bee lifted up to give him praise ? Would God have a Chronicle written , that the ages to come may stand amazed at it ; and shall we that see these things , and enjoy them thus unexpectedly , confine and pen up our praises to one day of Thanksgiving , and not have our whole heart , and our whole life filled with studies and endeavours to exalt him ? let this be our first Use , if we should write them in a Book to provoke others , then surely we should write them in our hearts to provoke our selves to praise him . The other Use I would make of it is this : That seeing the Lord would have his wonderfull Works written for the Generations to come ; Let the Honourable Houses of Parliament looke upon it as a duty they owe unto God , and to the present and future age , to provide that these glorious and admirable works which God hath done for England and Scotland , since the beginning of our troubles , may faithfully bee transmitted to posterity ; you hear God hath appointed it for a law and an Ordinance , that the generations to come should know his wonderfull Workes , and it 's both due and expected by one age from another ; it hath been the received Opinion of wise men , that the World is more beholding to them who write Histories , then to any men living , except onely those that did the excellent Works which the others writ . Tully tells you , that History is the witnesse of time , the light of truth , the life of memory , the school-Mistris of ourlife , &c. When yet , alasse , all their Histories were written with ignorance , vanity , passion , partiality , and gave very little help to our main businesse , to teach us the administrations of God , and the way hee hath taken in carrying on his Church , which is the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ . But now by the true and faithfull setting forth to the World what the Lord hath done for us ; you should honour God and advantage his Church as much as in any thing that you can possibly doe , unlesse it be the building of the Church it self . Never could more excellent things tending to advance the goodnesse , wisdome , power , and mercy of God bee manifested to the world , then this story of our times would afford . The Jews have a saying , That when God destroyed all the World , there was a Copy of all kept in the Arke with Noah ; and after the Floud was gone , this Copy was re-printed and spread over all the world . The meaning was , that the Creatures that were kept there , did fill all the world with Creatures of the same nature that the World had before . Truly , I have often thought , that were all the Copies in the world lost , of Gods admirable dealing with an unworthy people ( except only those mentioned in the Scripture , there might be a re-impression of them out of the admirable things that God hath done for us since these publike caelamities came upon us ; and all the world might learn sufficient out of our Story , what a God our God is , and learn to know , and trust , and fear him forever ; give me leave onely to name some Capita rerum , some heads of things , which is fit the World should read and know : They should read of a Parliament called together by a strange providence ; and when they were called , God dealt with them , as hee commanded Ezekiel to deale with his own haire , Ezekiel 5. one third part of it to be thrown away into the wind , another to be burnt in the City , and another to be againe purged and refined , and kept in the skirt of his garment . They should read of 4 or 500 Commons , and multitude of Peeres , some of them passing through the fire , some scattered into all the corners of the land , seeking to destroy the Nation that had entrusted them ; and a remnant left behind , fined and refined , and humbled again and again , and kept to do wonderfull things for the Lords glory , and his peoples good . They should likewise read of Army after Army , and fight after fight , which wee have had with our Enemies ; of every one whereof they should be able to say , what my Noble Lord said immediately after Kynton fight , That there was never any thing wherein there was lesse of man , and more of God . They should acknowledge in all wee have done , there was little of man , and much of God . There they should likewise read , how this famous City , and all the Countries where the Gospel had prevailed , have faithfully stood to God and his cause even to their owne exhausting , in the midst of infinite discouragements ; and how the rest that were nursed up under Popery and superstition , both Lords and Commons , and Gentlemen , and whole Counties did endeavour to fight themselves into slavery , and labour to destroy the Parliament , that is , themselves , and all that is theirs . There they should read how God broke all our crutches we leaned upon , our Counsels , our Treasuries , our Armies ; and never prospered us really , till he had deeply humbled , and made us to look to himself onely for help ; how he brought the two Nations into a Covenant with him , and set them upon a work of Reformation of Religion , and carryed on that work in a troublesome time , in a time of Warre , better then ( in likelihood ) it would have been in a time of Peace . There they should read the fruits and effects of Prayer ; how he suffered his Almighty hand to be , as it were , directed by it . They should see what strange Plots were discovered , prevented , detected ; how God made some of our strong Holds to be easily delivered , and others of no strength little lesse then miraculously preserved against all the Force of the enemy ; how usually God made our losses to bee our gaine , and did us most good by undoing us ; compelling us often to say , Perissemus nisi perissemus , wee had been undone if we had not been undone ; and how our enemies , that rose against us , evermore found their gaine to prove their losse ; and that which raised them up highest , instantly laid them lowest . What shall I say ? they shall in a thousand particulars read in this Story our folly and Gods wisdome , our weaknes and Gods strength , our divisions and confusions , and Gods ordering them all to serve his holy ends . They should read such things as ( I am confident no History in the world ) is able to hold out the like . Now I beseech you , is it not pity that these things should be lost ? shall we deprive the world & posterity of these things ; Serimus arbores , we plant Trees which may beare fruit to after ages , and shall we not doe this , which like Nebuchadnezzars tree would beare fruit to all the world ; or shall wee hazard them to bee written by a lying or unskilfull hand ? written they will be without all question , Scribimus indocti doctique , Diurnalls , and Weekly Intelligencers undertake to set them all down ; but shall posterity bee left to make their computatiō , & draw their estimate of the Lords dealing by such Books as these ? should not we rob God , our selves , his Cause , & his Church in al ages , if we should leave it to such Historians as these . God forbid , rather let some of the choicest men in the Land be set about it : It was said of Claudian , that he wanted matter to write of suitable to his wit ; but what wit is suitable to this matter . Who is sufficient for these things ? who can tell the loving kindnesse of the Lord ? who can shew forth all his goodnesse ? My humble suit therefore to the Right Honourable Houses , is ( a thing which I am assured God expects from you ) even that you would provide that some worthy , faithfull heart , and heads , and pens bee set on work , who may undertake this Work , and have leave ( as Mr. Fox had in Queen Elizabeths dayes ) to search all the Registries ; and be enabled to hold forth all the light that may bee , that the Generations to come may see a true picture , a faithfull Story of these three or foure last years : And let him doe it faithfully , let him not be discouraged with the Politicians fear , That it is dangerous to write truth in the present age , not safe to come too neere the heels of truth , lest it kicke out his teeth : But as the Penmen of the Scripture , wrote mans folly , and Gods goodnesse ; so let him bee encouraged to let the world know great things God hath done for us , and how little we have done for our selves : no gratious man shall have the lesse glory in Heaven , by letting God have his glory by us on earth , though it be in publishing our weaknesses and follies . I once again humbly beseech you the thing may bee done . And yet further to provoke you , consider that in all ages the eminentest men have been employed in this kind of Work . Moses wrote the dealings of God for 2500 years from the Creation to their entring into Canaan ; and afterward it was carryed on by other chiefe Instruments ; above half the Old Testament is a Chronicle of the things done by the Lord in War and Peace for his people . In the New Testament four Evangelists wrote the story of Christ ; Luke writing the Acts of the Apostles , and how ill could the world have wanted one of these ? How miserable had we been , if we had been deprived of them ? And since that time I appeale to all Scholars , whether the choicest men in learning have not been imployed in this service ; and let all English men speake , whether they think any book written in our Mother tongue , hath brought more glory to God , and stirred up more zeale for Christ , and encouraged people more to a holy life , and to own Gods Cause couragiously , then Mr. Foxes books of Martyrs , the Acts and Monuments of the Church . In all this , I plead not for the honour of any man , or men , let them all be laid in the dust , so God may be glorified , they who doe worthily shall have glory enough with God in Heaven ; yet God would have them also had in everlasting remembrance : but it is for God and his honour that I plead ; there are such things of God , of his Wisdome , Power , Goodnesse , Compassion , Mercy to be set forth ; that should the Lord move your hearts to resolve upon it this day , it were a testimony of your thankfulnesse , next to the going on vigorously in the Reformation and setling of the Church ; and you can pitch upon nothing that shall bring more eternall glory to the Lord , that hath done these great things for us , thn to cause these things to be written for the Generations to come , that the people not yet created may praise the Lord . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89578e-720 Introduction . Shewing the fitnesse and scope of the Text . Dan. 9. 25. The meaning of the words . Esa. 43. 1 , 2. Jer. 31. 22. Ephes. 2. 10. The first most generall Observation . The great work of Gods redeemed People is to praise him . Psal. 65. 1. Ephes. 3. ult. Esa● 46. ult. More particular Observations . First , from the persons who shall doe it . Thence I observe the condition of God . people whē deprived of Gods Ordinances . And when they injoy the libertie of them . Ezek. 37. 2. Observat. A people redeemed from low condition most fit to praise God . Zeph. 3. 11 , 12 , 13. Psal. 22. 24 , 25 , 26. 1. I came one great cause why our miseries continue : We are not yet brought low in our eyes . How great the sinne of such people is , when they forget this duty . Prov. 30. 21 , 22 Esay 1. 2. Ezek. 16. 4 , 5 , 6 , 22. 2. Part. The work it selfe ; That God might in all ages have the glory of this great work . Observat. 1. Ephes. 3. 21. In all ages God will have a people to praise him . Dan. 2 44. Psal. 102 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28. Observat. 2. The whole work of Gods redeemed people , is , to provide that God may have his glory in all ages . Proved by example of the Saints . 2 Sam ●2 . 27. Exod. 1● . Judg. 5. 1 Sam. 4. 13 , 17 18. Jos. 7. 6 , 7 , 10. Psal. 116. 10 Psal. 103. 1 , 2. Psal. 118. 23. Psal. 100. 1. Ps. 103. 20 , 21. Psal. 48. per to●um . Vers . 14. And by reason . Esa. 43. 7. Application . Exhortation . 1. To the Parliament to doe this . How they may doe it . Motives thereunto . First Motives . ● . God chiefly minds this . 1 Cor. 7. ●● . 2. This onely will end our troubles . Esa. 26. 1. Esa. 11. 3. Dan. 2. 3. This will be the everlasting honour of them who do it . Part. 3. The meanes whereby they should seek to perpetuate Gods glory . Observat. One great meanes to preserve and render unto God his due glory , is to record his mercies . Proved by Scripture . Exod. 15. Judg. 5 Gen. 41 51. Gen. 22. 13 : 1 Sam. 7. 12. Hester 9. M. Arrows●nih ▪ Ebenezert . And by reason ▪ 1. Gods glory is hereby preserved and spread abroad , Psal. 111. 4. Eccles. 3. 14. Thus people who receive them are hereby bettered . And the instruments imployed by God , are had in due remembrance and honour . 3. The generations to come have their due , these works concern them . And may many wayes be gainers by them . Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. E●ra 9. 10. ● ▪ Vse 1. If posterity , then much more they who receive these deliverances should praise God for them . Exhortation to all to doe it . Especially for mercy . The greatnes of this Victory . Both in the substance And circumstances which greatly magnifie Gods mercy in it . ● . The 〈◊〉 when it was done . Psal. 125. 33. 2. The place . 8. The persons by whom . 1 Cor. 1. 27 , 28 29. 4. The manner how . Vse 2. Exhortation to record these Mercies for the Generation to come . Dan 4. Psal. 10. 
A89582	----	A sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, at their solemn meeting to praise God for his infinite mercy in the restoring of the said Houses of Parliament to their honor and freedome with so little effusion of blood: at the Abbey-Church in Westminster, Aug. 12. 1647. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89582 of text R201798 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E401_29). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 59 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89582 Wing M779 Thomason E401_29 ESTC R201798 99862292 99862292 114446 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89582) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114446) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 63:E401[29]) A sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, at their solemn meeting to praise God for his infinite mercy in the restoring of the said Houses of Parliament to their honor and freedome with so little effusion of blood: at the Abbey-Church in Westminster, Aug. 12. 1647. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 24, 27-30 p. Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, at the Bible in Popeshead-Alley, London, : 1647. Order to print on verso of title page. Text is continuous despite pagination. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Joshua XXII, 33 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89582 R201798 (Thomason E401_29). civilwar no A sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament,: at their solemn meeting to praise God for his infinite mercy in the restoring of the sa Marshall, Stephen 1647 10916 7 0 0 0 0 0 6 B The rate of 6 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2007-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON PREACHED TO THE TWO HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT , At their solemn Meeting to Praise God for his infinite Mercy in the restoring of the said Houses of PARLIAMENT to their Honor and Freedome with so little effusion of Blood : At the Abbey-Church in Westminster , Aug. 12. 1647. By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B.D. Minister of Finchingfield in Essex . And David said to Abigail , Blessed be the Lord God of Israel , which sent thee this day to meet me . And blessed be thy advice , and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed blood , 1 Sam. 25 , 32 , 33. Scatter thou the people that delight in Warre , Psal. 68. 30. London , Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell , at the Bible in Popeshead-Alley , 1647. Die Veneris , 13 Augusti , 1647. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament , That thanks be given to Mr. Marshall , for the great pains he took in the Sermon he preached yesterday before the Lords and Commons the day of publique Thanksgiving : And that hee bee desired to print his Sermon with the usuall priviledge . Sir William Massam is appointed to give him the Thanks of this House ; and to desire him to print his Sermon accordingly . H. Elsynge , Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon : Stephen Marshall . TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT . My Lords and Gentlemen , I Am not ignorant of the truth and weight of that speech of Pliny , Aliud est scribere uni , aliud omnibus : the same holds of Preaching , it 's one thing to Preach a Sermon to a Congregation , another thing to Preach it to all the world in Print ; especially upon such an occasion as this , and such a season as this , when the spirit of jealousie and mis-understanding is let loose , and mens hearts as tinder ready to catch and kindle at every sparke ; yet since you are pleased to conceive that this plaine Sermon may bee usefull to others , and thereupon to order my publication of it , I humbly obey your Order , desiring the Lords blessing to accompany it so farre as to make men wisely consider the wonderfull works of God , and returne to him the glory due unto his name ; The same Lord watch over you , sanctifie you and guide all your consultations , that you may bee his blessed instrustruments to make this Land a quiet habitation for his people , and a place which himselfe may delight in : This is the daily prayer Of your humble servant in the Lords work S. M. A THANKSGIVING-SERMON PREACHED To the Two Houses of Parliament , August 12. 1647. JOSHVA 22. part of the 33 Verse . And the Children of Israel blessed God , and did not intend to go up against them in battail , to destroy the Land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt . WEE are this day assembled to blesse and praise the name of God for his infinite Mercy , in restoring the two Houses of PARLIAMENT to their Honor and Freedome , with so little effusion of Blood ; and for keeping the great CITY and ARMY from dashing one against another . And I ( being called to this Service ) did endeavour to finde out a Text suitable to this Mercy , because a word spoken in season , is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver ; A Sermon suited to the occasion of Time , and Place , and Persons , is not onely more acceptable , but profitable : But I confesse , that in all the Book of God I could not finde one instance where his own People were so neare imbruing their hands in each others blood , and God so wonderfully appearing to prevent it , as in this our case ; this that I have read comes the nearest to it of any other ; for here were Brethren of the same Countrey , and of the same Religion , who had for a long time been engaged in one common Warre against Enemies which God had subdued before them ; and there remained nothing , but for them quietly to settle themselves in the fruition of all the good that God had wrought for them ; and now in the very close of all , they were ready to destroy themselves , and devour one another upon mistakes and jealousies , when no other Enemy could do it ; and we have here also a most blessed end of it by a Treaty , wherein God did so remove all stumbling-blocks , that their hearts were firmly united , and they joyned together to blesse God , and resolved not to goe to Warre . Which , that it may be the more profitable to you , I pray take a very brief view of the Story : When the Warres were ended in the Land of Canaan , the two Tribes and half , the Tribes ( I mean ) of Reuben and Gad , and half the Tribe of Manasseh , whose habitation and possession lay on the other side of Jordan , were now to returne home , and their brethren had dismissed them with a blessing ; but before they got out of the countrey there fell out an occasion of a quarrell and discord between them and their brethren , which begins about the tenth verse of this Chapter , and all the rest of the Chapter is a discourse about that discord and jarre that grew between the nine Tribes and halfe , and the two Tribes and halfe ; wherein there are these two things , First , the Originall of the quarrell , or the causa procreans , what the difference was betwixt them ; Secondly , causa corrumpens , the composure of it , the making an end of it : The originall of the quarrell , briefly was this , the two Tribes and halfe when they came upon the bankes of the River Jordan , did there build an Altar every way like to the Altar of God , which by Gods appointment was to stand before the Arke , and the Tabernacle , upon which onely the Israelites were to offer their Sacrifices ; This newes was presently carried to the rest of the Tribes , and they looked upon it , as if their brethren had built an Altar to offer Sacrifice to God , which had beene Crimen apostasiae , an Apostasie from then true Religion , and they resolved presently in this quarrell to engage their lives , and appoint a generall Rendezvouz at Shiloh where the Arke of the Covenant was , here they all met as one man togoe up to war against them ; here was their Quarrell ; the rest of the Chapter is the taking up of this quarrell , and that was done by a Treatie , the summe whereof in a few words , is this , the Tribes did send ten men , one for every Tribe , and with them they sent Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest , they goe as Commissioners to their Brethren , and when they come to them they first expostulate the greatnesse of the sinne , which they thought they were committing , they shew them the mischiefe that would come of it , not onely destruction upon themselves , but upon all the whole Congregation , unles they in the name of God should revenge it : this they prove by the example of the iniquity of Peor , from which they were not yet clensed , and by the instance of Achans sacriledge , which brought wrath upon all the Congregation of Israel , but withall they request them , that if they thought their land was unclean , because they had not among them those pledges of Gods presence , the Arke and Testimony , which their brethren had , that they would leave that Countrey where they should be exposed to such temptations , and with all their hearts , they would part with a portion of their owne inheritance , that they might live together as brethren . To this the Tribes and halfe make answer ; First , they doe solemnely call God to witnesse , that they were farre from being guilty of that which was laid to their charge , it never came into their thoughts to build an Altar to offer Sacrifice , they pleaded not guiltie . Secondly , they tell them the true reason of that fact of theirs , namely they were afraid lest the Generations to come , might occasion their posteritie to fall off from the true worship of God , when the rest of the Tribes should tell them that Jordan was the bounds of Gods peoples inheritance , and so they bee cast off as people that were not within the Communion of Saints : hereupon they resolved to build this Altar , that it might be a pledge , and that the generations to come might plead it , that this was set up at the time , when the warres ended , to remaine as an evidence that they and their brethren were all one , both in Nation and Religion . Which as soon as the Commissioners heard , they rejoyced , they concluded God was amongst them , and they returne home and acquaint their brethren with it , who when they heard it were all well pleased ; The thing pleased the children of Israel , and they blessed God , and resolved they would have no warre with their brethren . Here is the Summe of the Story , and in this story there are very many excellent things for our instruction : This Altar built on the bankes of Jordan , is much debated of in the dispute of humane significant ceremonies in the worship of God or for religious use . Whether such ceremonies may be justified by this example , is very disputable , but without any dispute , here are many notable examples of Piety ; it was a great example of Piety in the two Tribes and halfe , that they were so desirous to provide that their posteritie might not bee deprived of the Communion of Gods people in his Ordinances . And a great example of Piety there is in this , that they were so ready by ( not onely Protestations , but ) Oathes to cleare themselves from any thought of corrupting the worship of God . Wee have also a great example of Piety in the other Tribes , that in such a cause , as the case of Apostasie from Gods truth , they would not have spared the lives of their owne brethren . And a great example of Piety was in them , that they were so desirous by all Arguments , to take them off from any such sinfull way , yea to have parted with their owne inheritance to them , rather then they should bee exposed to temptations to Apostasie . Here are notable examples likewise of justice amongst them ; justice in the Tribes , that before they would beleeve any informations , or apprehensions of their brethren , they would send Commissioners to know the bottome of it , to see whether the things were so ; and justice in the Commissioners , that they did so faithfully relate backe to the Tribes the true state of the case , and so to hinder as much as in them lay the effusion of blood . Here are likewise some examples of humane frailtie , that are not to bee excused ; it 's not to bee excused in the two Tribes and halfe , that they would goe upon such a dangerous businesse , which is disputable to this very day , whether such a thing was lawfull to bee done , to set up such a way of instruction or remembrance , that they would goe about such a thing which might prove a stumbling block , and not first acquaint their brethren with their intentions . And as great or greater weakenesse was that in the nine Tribes and halfe , that they would almost resolve upon a warre , and make preparations for it , upon a rash and wrong interpretation , before they did so much as know , whether there were cause or no . But the greatest document of all the rest in the whole story , is that which they made the ground of their warre , which you 'le finde about the 23. Verse , That if their brethren had played the Apostates from God in matters of his worship , the wrath of God would presently fall upon the whole Nation , unlesse they had joyned together to vindicate the glory of God . All these & severall other Lessons are worth the handling , but I resolve to make a short Sermon , and therefore wave them all , and confine my selfe to that , which is the result , and event of the Treatie , which was a solemne Thanksgiving to God ; They blessed God , and they resolved , not to go to warre against their brethren ; the words are cleare , and I think need no interpretation ; they blessed God , that their brethren had not committed the sinne that they were afraid they had done ; and that therefore the wrath of God was not like to bee kindled against them ; and as the close of both these , that God had mercifully prevented that which they feared , that they should have beene compelled to embrew their hands in one anothers blood , they blessed God that there was no cause of fighting . And from this I shall ( by the Lords assistance ) handle this , and this onely lesson . That it is a Mercy worthy of abundance of praises to God , when God doth seasonably appear to prevent his peoples ingaging in one anothers blood , when they are neare to doe it . This lesson lyeth cleare in the words , 1 In the 31. Vers . as soon as Phinehas had heard their Apology hee tells them , This day wee perceive the Lord is among us , now you have delivered the Children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord . And all this Congregation here in my Text blesse God and intend not to fight , they rejoyced because the ground of a warre was prevented ; and for further proofe of it , looke into a few plaine Texts of Scripture , you shall finde one in the 1. of Samuel 26. about the 32. Vers . It is an example of David , who upon an unworthy usage of a Gentleman in the Countrey , a great man , one Nabal , that had extreamely provoked him , and abused him , had sworne that hee would cut off his Family , and not leave a man of them ; and in his heate was going to avenge himselfe , but as hee was in the middest of his march , Abigail Nabals wife meets him , tells him the story , infinuates into him by her excellent Counsell , endevours to stop his hand from his enterprize ; now marke how David rejoyceth in it , though the warre would have beene but against one Family , where hee was to meete with no resistance ; Blessed be thou of the Lord , and blessed be God that sent thee to mee , and blessed bee thy Counsell that hath with-held my hand from shedding blood ; hee looked upon it as a wonderfull mercy , that when hee was ready to engage , God had offered such a faire meanes to take him off from it . There is another in the second of Samuel , of a great Souldier and Generall , Joab by name , when hee was in the pursuit of one Sheba , that had played the Rebell and Traytor against his King , Joab had pursued him far , and now had chac'd him into a Citie called Abell , there besieged him and the Citie for his sake , with a purpose to batter the Walls downe , and to destroy all that were in the Citie , as guilty of protecting this villaine ; very seasonably a wise woman over the wall calls to Joab , and would know of him , why hee would come to destroy a Citie of Israel , and so to swallow up a part of the inheritance of the Lord ; now marke Joabs answer , The Lord forbid , saith he ) God forbid , it is farre from mee , that ever I should take any pleasure to devoure , or swallow up ; there is no such matter ; there is one Sheba a Traytor against his King , I pursue him onely , deliver him up , I am gone , not a man dies amongst you . You see a Souldier , a man enur'd to blood , abominates the thoughts of it , further then necessitie compells , to have his hand in the blood of any of Gods people . This will yet bee clearer , if you consider , that the Lord himselfe lookes upon it , as the saddest judgement , that ever hee gives his people up to , when hee suffers them to imbrew their hands in one anothers blood . Take but one or two instances , that in the 9. of Isaiah at the 19. verse ; Through the wrath of the Lord ( saith the Text ) the Land is darkned , the wrath of God was like a furnace , and the smoake of it filled all the Land , and the people shall bee as fewell to this fire ; This was a terrible judgement which is expressed in such dreadfull tearmes , darkenesse and devouring fire are horrid things , nothing more intolerable then these two ; But what was this judgement , or by what meanes should this fierce wrath of God bee executed ? marke the next words , no man shall spare his brother , they shall snatch on their right hand and bee hangry , and snatch on their left hand and not bee satisfied , they shall every man eate the flesh of his owne arme , Ephraim against Manasseh , and Manasseh against Ephraim , and both of them together helpe to devoure Judah ; No man ever hated his owne flesh , faith the Apostle , but this people should bee so blinded , and so given up to a reprobate sense , that they should devoure and destroy their nearest friends , and eate as it were the flesh of their owne armes . If ever God give up a people to this , that brethren thus come to engage in one anothers blood , it is a token that the wrath of God burnes the hottest that it can burne against a Land . Take one expression more , it is in Jer. 13. 14. I will dash them one against another , even the fathers and the sonnes together , saith the Lord , I will not pitty nor spare , nor have mercy , but destroy them ; a strange expression from a God of mercy , whose delight is in mercy , I will not pity , shew no mercy ! kill , kill , kill ; but how shall this be executed ? why , I will dash them one against another , without any enemy from abroad , there shall be no need to send for strangers , the father shall destroy the children and children their fathers , and a mans murderers shall be his neighbours or the men of his owne houshold ; You may by these plainly discerne that God accounts it the terriblest of all judgements to give his people up to destroy each other , and therefore it must be acknowledged a great mercy to have it prevented . To this I might adde , that in Gods book , those men that are the occasions of peoples ruining one another are accounted the most ahominable ; and they that endeavour to prevent it , are counted the blessedest men that live ; this is one of the things that Gods soule hates , Even that man that sowes dissention amongst brethren , boutifews and kindle-fires are an abhomination to him , and he will scatter the people who delight in warre , he will destroy the Blood-thirsty man : the Peace-makers that labour to compose and comprize differences , to keep people from it , are blessed ; Blessed are these Peace-makers , they shall truly he called the children of God . But to open this truth more fully , give me leave to cleare these three things . First , That Blood-shed warre is a terrible judgement , wherever it is , fall it out among whom it will . Secondly , That it is yet a greater judgement , when Brethren come to devoure and destroy one another , brethren of one Nation ; Civill warres is a greater judgment then war with Strangers . Thirdly , and above all . The greatest of all judgements is , when Gods people who are brethren in the profession of his true Religion , come to imbrew their hands one in anothers blood : these things opened it will certainly be concluded , that Gods mercy in preventing this , is most worthy to be acknowledged . For the first , That to have a people given up to warre , and blood , and spoile , is a great plague . You all know in the Scripture it is counted one of Gods sorest judgements , Ezek. 14. 21. When I send my foure sore judgements upon Jerusalem , the Sword , and the Famine , and the noy some Beast , and the Pestilence to cut off man and beast , the Sword is the first and chiefe of Gods sore judgements : It is granted that sometimes war is lawfull , and necessary ; and indeed never lawful but when necessary ; when as the saying is , Pax populi , patriaeque salus & gloria regni , when publique Safetie , Libertie and Religion have no other way to preserve them under heaven but the Sword , the Sword is then lawfull and then necessary : but however war may sometimes be lawfull , it is alwaies a great judgment , at least to the one part , if not to both ; It is the Idea of all miseries that can befall a Countrey ; nothing thrives where this Woolfe sets his foot ; and hee that would have a Land-skip of it , that would have a representation of war , let him but conceive the burning of houses , confused noise , garments rowled in blood , ravishing of women and virgins , and dashing of Infants against the stones , destroy of trade , spoyle of wealth , blood , and wrath , and fury marching every where , a Countrey like the land of Eden before the face of man , and nothing but a desolate Wildernesse when once it have walked over it ; a Land sowne with the seed of man and beast , fruitfull and flourishing , suddenly made an Aceldama , a Golgatha , a Field of blood , or a place of Sculs , this is warre : in a word , if a man would in one short sentence describe a Country to bee most miserable , hee need say no more , but hic fuit hostilitas , Warre hath raged and raigned in this place ; our selves , alas , for these yeeres past , have had so much experience of it , that our women and children are able now to bee Rhetoricians in setting forth the miseries of warre ; and is it not a mercy when God will prevent this ? But secondly , Looke upon civill wars , and you will judge them a greater judgement , when brethrens Swords come to bee drawne against their brethren ; when a mans deadly enemies must prove those that were his old companions , when Cities are divided among themselves , and Countries among themselves , and all the miseries of Warre come to bee inflicted by them that have beene acquaintance and deare to us , when safety and shelter may as soon be expected among enemies as old friends ; let all men that have understanding say whether this doth not double , or treble the miseries of warre ; had it been an enemy that had done mee this displeasure , I could have borne it , but tu Brute , thou my friend and companion , that these things should come from thy hand ! all men know how deepe this sinkes ; this teares the heart of man in peeces ; Solomon saith , that a brother offended is harder to bee wonne then a strong City , and they are like the barres of a strong Castle ; it 's hard breaking of them , but when once they are divided they are more hardly joyned : as wee say of a strong Cord made up of a great many threds , it is hard to bee broken , but when it is broken , you 'le hard ever sew it againe to make it strong ; by how many arguments any did perswade their hearts , that they should not receive plunder , or spoile , or mischiefe from such a man , or family , from so many arguments ariseth a difficulty , if not impossibility to be reconciled ; and hence arise lasting grounds of animositie , enmitie and hatred scarce ever to bee worne out , when upon every meeting this thought is suggested , This is the man who as an enemy entred my habitation and spoyled my wealth , it may bee murdered my children or parents , ravished my wife or daughter ; adde further , that frequently in these civill broyles the victory ends not the occasion or ground of the quarrell , nor takes away but increaseth the former misery , the conqueror commonly proving insolent , inhumane , cruell , and more grievous to the Common-wealth , then the thing or persons were against whom men have fought , that I may boldly set downe for a certaine the conclusion of a wise man , that civill warres are not onely a Malady , but a fiery sicknesse , even a Frenzie to a State ; and how ever God sometimes brings good out of them , ( as sometimes men have better health after a deadly sicknesse ) yet for the most part , States are never made better , but very often ruin'd by them ; and when once the seed of it hath tooke deep root in a Land , if God from heaven doe not miraculously appeare , that fire burnes till all is consumed ; And is it not then a mercy from God seasonably to prevent brethren , when they are falling into civill warres , thereby to devoure and destroy one another ? But thirdly , which is nearest to my Text , and indeed nearest to the occasion of our meeting ; The greatest misery of all miseries in the world is , When Brethren of the same Religion , when Gods people and servants come to bee so farre prejudiced against one another , or mistaken , that they come to imbrew their hands in one anothers blood ; this I say is the heaviest judgement that ever God powres upon his Church and people . There is nothing so contrary to Christianitie ; the Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace , his holy Spirit is a Spirit of peace , his children are all called the children of peace , and by their Covenant and duty bound to live in peace , if it bee possible they must live in peace with all men , but among one another they must keepe the unity of this Spirit in the bond of peace , there must nothing hurt or destroy in the Lords holy mountaine wch is his Church : now when these that are one body have one spirit , have one Father , one Lord , one hope , one Baptisme , one hope of their calling , one everlasting inheritance prepared for them , that these should so farre deny their Christianitie , as to imbrew their hands in one anothers blood , and not bee content to let one another live and breath on earth , with whom yet they hope to live eternally and triumphantly in heaven , O qu●a dementia ! Quisialia fando , temperet à lacrymis ! who is able to thinke of it without horrour ? what upon earth brings forth so cursed fruits , as warre amongst the people of God ? Infinite dishonour to Gods name , when his redeemed , covenant servants walke so contrary to his rule : Religion becomes a stumbling blocke , a thing even therefore abominated by the enemies of it , when the professors of it shall bee looked upon as factious , seditious , turbulent , bloody , hatefull and hating one another , it overthrowes all power of godlinesse in their owne hearts , when once the grace of Love which nourishes all good in the hearts of Gods people is overthrowne , and the Spirit of God thus quenched in them , grace decayes , and the wofull fruites of Satan and sinne prevaile over them , and now they grow corrupt in their mindes and conversation , loose from their God , bitter against their brethren , companions with wicked men , with whom they joyne against their brethren , and so leave their Religion , profession and name , as a curse behind them . Now to have all these prevented , not onely warre and civill warre prevented , but brethren in Religion , who are the Lords people , hindred from destroying one another , when God seasonably apppeares to prevent all this , Is it not a mercy worthy the acknowledgment ? To all this I might adde the excellency of the blessing of peace , which is hereby preserved , that blessing which is the Jewell of the world ; yea the unitie , peace and love of the Church and people of God preserved by such a seasonable prevention , which is such a mercy as no tongue or pen is able to expresse . Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ; This is like Aarons garment , this is like the dew upon the mountaines of Sion , which makes every seed and every plant of Gods planting to prosper ; where this is , the Lord commands his blessing , even life for evermore . A large Volume would not contain what might be said of this precious Jewell , which is hereby preserved : But all this further cleares it , that it is a mercy worth abundance of praise , when God seasonably appeares to prevent his peoples engaging in Warre one against another . I come now to the Application of it ; and there are but three Uses that I shall make of this Lesson . First , This Lesson doth speak very sadly against severall sorts of People : If it be so great a Mercy , when God will prevent his peoples destroying one of another ; then certain it is a great curse for any to bee guilty of making Gods people destroy one another , that is clear ; Therefore al such are guilty , as are the Moral causes of the destruction of Gods people in blood and war ; I mean , who live in such sinnes , as for which God in his righteous judgement , gives the Sword a commission to come and devour flesh , and to drink blood ; such as are the fins of Idolatry and superstition , Judg. 5. 8. Contempt of the Word , and Ordinances , and Ministery , Mat. 21. 35. neglecting the day of Grace , Luk. 19. 42. unprofitablenesse under the meanes of grace and Salvation , Esa. 5. 4. living in sins of blood , Ezek. 35. 6. Carnall security , laying nothing to heart , Jer. 5. 12. abuse of Peace and Plenty , Deut. 28. 47. trusting in an Arm of flesh , 2 Chron. 16. 9. Sabbath breaking , 2 Chron. 36. 21. Pride in apparell , Esay 3. 16 , 25. want of Compassion to them who live and lye under the misery of war , Amos 6. 67. For these sins , and such as these are , God hath threatened to send a Sword , to avenge himself upon the doers of these things , and upon the Nations where these live unpunished : and therefore let all such who dare walke in any of these wayes , know , that however they may goe for good Patriots amongst men , when they happen to take the right side in these Publick quarrels , yet before God they will one day bee found guilty of the rapine , and blood , and spoile , and plunder , and all the miseries that War hath brought upon us , and if they repent not of it , let them be assur'd , it will one day lye at their door , and they must answer for it . Secondly , It speakes more terribly against those that are the Physicall causes of it , that directly and properly doe endeavour to widen differences , to divide between King and Parliament , between Parliament and City , between City and Army , that they may by all meanes keep our wounds open ; and all this for their owne private ends and interests . These indeed are cursed men ; whereas good men would be willing to die for their Countrey , a generation of men are found amongst us , that are willing their Countrey should perish for them , or perish with them ; who are willing to have the lives and blood of poore Innocents sacrificed to their lusts ; as if the people for whom Jesus Christ thought not his owne blood too precious for their redemption , were no more worth , then to perish like brut Beasts for their cursed and carnall ends ; who , like the Priests of Mars , scatter curses and firebrands betwixt Army and Army , to provoke and raise their fury ; who to their utmost labour that animofities and divisions , blood and contests bee kept on foot : These Politicians use to take in the differences of Religion which are found among Gods people , and weave them into their own designes , and pretend to stand for Religion , and joyne with this and that party for Religion-sake , and thereby ingage the consciences of such as feare God , when in the meane time Religion is no part of their care , but onely seek to make use of godly men for their own ends and interests . God will finde them out , and reckon with them in his own time . I 'll say no more to them now , but as old Jacob said of his two sons , Cursed bee their rage ; the instruments of cruelty are in their hands : my glory be not thou associated with them ; into their lot let my soule never come : And let us al pray , that when God comes to cal all men to an accompt , none of us be ever found among the people that delight in War . And as these are cursed , so truly there is a third sort are not to bee excused this day : I meane , Whoever they are , who in stead of rejoycing and enlarging their hearts to blesse God for this his late mercy shewed in preventing the misery and ruine that was comming upon us , have their hearts even grieved , and cannot looke upon the worke of this day as that which deserveth praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God : I would not willingly passe a rash sentence upon any , I know jealousies and misapprehensions have been many on both sides , and Gods administrations have been so dark , that the Consciences of many godly men have not been clearly satisfied in the carriage of things ; but however , methinks any man that could look upon the Lords dealing with a single eye , must needs say , it was an infinite mercy , That God should thus unexpectedly turn away that torrent of Blood that was comming in upon us : For I beseech you , for what end should it have been ? what good could ever have come of it ? to say nothing of the misery of them that would have had the worst of it , I am certain who ever had been the Conquerors , must have taken up the lamentation of the ten Tribes , when they had almost destroyed the Tribe of Benjamin , in the 21. of Judges : And in stead of keeping a day of Thanksgiving must have kept a day of mourning , and said Alas , alas ! O Lord God of Israel , why is it come to passe this day that there should bee one Tribe lacking in Israel ? Alas Lord ! why is it come to passe that either the Parliament is destroyed , or alas Lord ! why is it come to passe that the goodly Citie is destroyed , or alas Lord ! why is it come to passe , that the Army that hath done so worthily is destroyed ? certainly who ever had had the best , lamentation and woe would have been written upon every honest heart ; and therefore why all our soules should not bee enlarged to praise God for it , joyne with those who have their hearts inlarged , I know not : Nulla salus bello , our fighting could have produced nothing but ruine . The second and maine use I intended , is , To helpe you this day to give that glory and praise to God , which the mercy of this day calls for at all our hands , God hath in all our publique troubles watched over us , and appeared in the mount of all our difficulties , and hath hitherto alwayes found out wayes , when we could find none , and alwayes come in with seasonable deliverances , blessed bee his name for it , but to my poore thoughts , never did the Lord give a more seasonable deliverance , and appeare more mercifully to keep us from utter ruine , then in that mercy , which wee meet this day to celebrate , and I thinke you will judge so , if with me you consider these foure things that meet in it : First , The sad occasion of our danger . Secondly , The persons ( some of them through mis-information ) who were ingaged in the preparation to this new warre . Thirdly , The propinquitie , the neare approach of utterruine by it : And fourthly . The consequents of it . First , The occasion of it : the Originall was , that most horred and abominable rape and violence offered unto the two Houses of Parliament , wherein the most loath some filth and durt was throwne in the faces of our Nobles , and our Senators , that I thinke was ever found in any Nation ; confident I am , the like was never done in England ; so great a blot and stain cast upon the Parliament , as I may truely say , is tantum non irreparable , when a rude multitude shall by violence compell the honorable Houses of Parliament to passe what they pleased , shall reproach them , revile them , shall thereaten their lives , shall enter the House , and order what the Speaker must propound to the question , what the Glerke must write , and after eight houres keeping them prisoners and using them at their pleasure ; when night was comming on the Members hardly to escape with their lives ; such an indignitie it was , that I am perswaded , if rightly understood , many hundred thousands in this Kingdome of England would not count their dearest blood too great a price to vindicate or expiate ; and as if this were not enough , against the next Friday , Printed Bills set up , to call all the company together againe , and hereby the Speakers , and many of the Noble Lords and Gentlemen compelled to flie , so that they could not with safetie of their lives attend the publique serieve ; this you know was the Originall . Secondly , Consider the persons that were ingaged in preparation for a new warre . First , the Honorable Houses tooke both conscience and honour engaged to have this vindicated , and their safety provided for . The Generall and Officers of the Army hearing of the violence that was offered to the Parliament , resolved to enable the Parliament to call it to an accompt , or they would perish in it ; and thereupon the Army that was scattered almost 200. Miles , within the space of one weeke , was brought together to a Randezvouz , which was within a few houres march of the Citie of London . The Citie of London ( not to patronize or protect the insolencie offered against the Parliament for multitudes of them professe and protest an abhorrencie of it ; but ) apprehending that the Army would come , and either plunder them , or give Lawes to them , are presently upon their preparation for defence ; the Army on the other side looking upon the Cities preparation , judge that the Citie was resolved to protect this Insolency , and Villany that was committed , thus both make all possible preparations . Thirdly , take in the propinquitie of it , how neere this was to execution , so neere that I am perswaded most men that looked upon it , did ( as to the judgement of man ) conclude it unavoydable ; wee must now dash one upon another ; so neere , that the very night before the day , wherein we might have been embrewitg our hands in one anothers blood , there appeared no probability of right understanding between the two differing parties : so neer , that I thinke there was never any destructive worke so neere the execution , unlesse it were the Gun-pouder plot . And lo , now in this nicke of time , the Lord appeares in the Mount , the cloud breakes , the Citie will trust the Army , they will open their works , & their gates to them , the Army will trust the Citie , they will march in peace quite thorough it , from end to end , no word , or act of hostilitie betweene them both ; The Speakers and the Honorable Lords and Gentlemen who were driven away returne backe , the Parliament fits in peace and safety , and all this preparation for war and destruction ends in a calme ; all this hath God done , but this will yet appeare more wonderfull , if you take in the fourth consideration , and that is , The Consequents of it . First , What would have beene , and must have been if God had not appeared . And Secondly , The Consequents that are , and I hope shall bee upon this his mercifull appearing for us . The Consequents that would have beene , my tongue cannot expresse , my heart cannot conceive how sad our condition would have beene if the Lord had suffered this neare engagement to have been brought to execution , if he had permitted this child of blood to have been borne , certainly either the Parliament , that hath so dilligently and constantly consulted the good of the Kingdome , Citie , and Army , must have been destroyed , or the Army that hath fought so faithfully , resolutely and successefully , for Parliament , for Kingdome and Citie , must have been destroyed , or the Citie which in the worst of our times hath so cordially with their state and blood adhered to Parliament and Army , must have been destroyed , and in the destruction of any one of these , I am able to apprehend nothing , but the ruine and destruction of them all , wee should have seene a sad Catastrophy , an end of all the expected hopes , even the giving up the ghost of what wee have fought and contended for hitherto ; wee had seene the Embryo of Reformation strangled , and made an end of , we had seene all delivered up into the hands of that partie , that was full with the expectation of such a day , and now doubted not but all must be in their hands , who hoped soone to give Lawes both to Parliament and Army , Citie , and Ministers , to all godly people , by what names or titles soever they bee called , each should bee carved out , what they would have alotted unto them . In a word , actum esset , there had been an end of England for any good dayes that we should have hoped for ; but the Lord appearing hath prevented this , and given us hopes of better things , for already wee have that wch Phinehas took as a blessed fruit of his Embassage here in my Text , We perceive this day that God is with us ; This day have we a further pledge that God is not wearie of the Parliament of England , not weary of the Citie of London , not weary of the Army , but his interposing thus seasonably to take weapons out of their hands , shews us new evidence of his watchfull eye , of his carefull heart , to doe good to us all , gives us a further proof that he hath waies of deliverance when wee have none ; and is not that a blessed consequence ? and this likewise we see already , that the Parliament not only sits in peace and safety , but hath an opportunity put into their hands to send some timely succors to Ireland , that our Brethren there may have cause to blesse God with us , and for us , and to settle and make a comfortable close of the long calamities of England , and the King and Parliament , City and Army come to a better understanding each of other : there may be such consequences and fruit of it , if God please to blesse and guide the Parliament , to improve it , that the generations to come shall have great cause to praise God for appearing upon that day , when he kept his people from imbruing in one anothers blood . Now , Honourable and Beloved , is not this a mercy worthy of acknowledgments have we not cause to say this day , Loe , This is our God , and we have waited for him , and he will save us ; this is our God , we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation : hath not the Lord done very mercifully , when as beyond our expectation hee hath put this song of Praise into our mouths ? whereas this day we might have all been flying into caves or deserts , or seeing our dearest friends blood pouring out , and our selves given up for a spoil : O if you understand these things aright , give glory to God who hath vouchsafed this Mercy to us . Since the Lord hath appeared thus mercifully , given us such a pledge as he hath done , let us all endeavour to improve this mercy : What shall I render to the Lord , is the constant question of a thankfull heart ; so is this also , How shall I use this mercy aright . We must study therfore how to improve this great deliverance : For our help herein , I humbly commend two Directions , one in generall , which concerns all of us ; the other more particular , which properly concerns you the Honourable Lords and Gentlemen of the two Houses of Parliament . For all of us : Besides all those Uses which should be made of every deliverance , which are , to teach us , to turn to God , to beleeve in him , to trust him for time to come , to tell abroad his wonderfull works which he hath done : Besides all these , methinks this mercy doth hint to all Gods people , that God is very willing they should study to bee reconciled one to another ; for truly ( Brethren ) if we had gone to War now , whatever might have been the pretended cause , the reall truth had bin , Gods people had gone to destroy one another ; They that have fought together against their common Enemies , who have pray'd together , mourn'd together , lov'd one another , liv'd as brethren , contributed , borne burthens , done all with one heart and one spirit , now under the pretence of I know not what , must have sheathed their swords in one anothers bowells : And when they were so neare it , and their Father would not permit them , Is it not a voice from heaven ; Children you must be reconciled ? Doth it not speak to them , as Moses to the two Israelites , Sirs , you are brethren , doe not fall out one with another : Do not wrong one another ? Had God for our sins left us under this judgement , to help to destroy each other , and then the remainder of us given up into the hands of other adversaries , they would have taught us to be at peace one with another ; wee should have agreed in prisons , or in banishment , or in the shadow of death . O that the Lord would fix it upon the hearts of all that feare him , to make this collection from this great Mercy , that the people of God must study to be reconciled and united together , and to bear one with another , every one to indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace : More especially ( my Lords and Gentlemen ) this dealing of God toward you , seems to call for some notable duties at your hands : Let me freely speak a few things unto you . 1 That God hath oftentimes cast reproach upon you , and humbled you heretofore ; but in this last abasement , the Lord hath set such a stigma , such a mark of scorne , suffering you to bee spit in the face , after that manner , suffering the young to beare themselves insolently against the Ancient , and the base against the Honorable ; that I cannot but say , there was some high displeasure of God , either to your persons , or to the Kingdome whom you represent , or both : I doe therefore most humbly pray you , that you would search your own hearts , and enquire whether there be not some cause why our gracious God did thus abase you ; certainly a Father uses not to spit in the face of his Childe , if there bee not some speciall cause for it : And I cannot think that the Lord would ever have let such an ignominious act , that carryes so much abomination in the face of it , to bee offer'd to a Parliament , if he would not thereby put them to search for somewhat , for which they ought to lay themselves low in secret before him : When Shimei did curse and revile David , David presently reflected upon himself , So-let him curse , since God bids him curse David ; hee presently remembred how hee had dishonored God in the matter of Uriah , and therefore looked at this reproach as righteously inflicted by the hand of God , how culpable-soever Shimei was in it . I commend it to your serious thoughts , whether as men , or Parliament-men , or whether as Houses of Parliament , the honour and glory of God have not been slighted by you ; and therefore the Lord hath suffered this slight and scorn to bee cast upon you ; enquire whether there bee not as much cause , why the God of heaven let this reproach bee cast upon you , as you have to appoint a Committee to enquire who they were that have done it ; I blame not your care in that , but I humbly pray that you would be carefull of this . As I would fain have you learn somewhat from the disgrace which God cast upon you : So , Principally I desire you to improve the deliverance that now God hath afforded ; he hath now vouchsafed in his mercy to bring you to sit in Parliament in safety , that you may consult the welfare of this Kingdome , my most humble suit unto your Lordships , and you Noble Gentlemen , is , consider more seriously then ever heretofore , what a task lies upon you , you have a very sick Patient of the Kingdome of England to cure , it is almost ready to give up the ghost at your doore , and in your hand ; now for the Lords sake , if ever any of you have before-time thought of any private interest of your own , lay it a side , and now attend wholly to the publick , now God hath given you one opportunity more , try whether possibly you can save the Kingdome , or no , and in your endeavours I commend onely these two Heads to your serious consideration . First , Know for certain , you can never save this Land without God ; If the Lord will not work with you , you can work nothing ; Except the Lord build the House , they labour but in vaine who build it . But if you will work for Gods interest , the Lord will work with you , and carry on your own interests , so far as yours is good : Now the Lords interest in the Kingdome is Religion , his Worship , his Truth , his Saints , his People ; let them have the deepest part of your care ; you will but set up a wall without morter , Arena sine calse , Sand without lime , if you do not take God along with you ; preserve Gods Truth in the first place ; buy not Peace with the selling of the Truth of God . 2 Look to Gods Worship , let that be set up and preserved in purity , and take all rubbish and filth from it . 3 Let the Ministers be encouraged with countenance , maintenance , provide that every Flock may have a Shepheard ; and that they may be helped forward , look to Universities , those Schools of the Prophets , out of which may be sent laborers into the Lords vineyard ; you have begun many good things in this kind , but you have bin hindred by many intervening accidents , and the work still hangs , the Reformation still sticks in the birth : now make it your great work , be faithful in building Gods house , & God wil build your house ▪ but if you shall be slight in it , know for certain , you shal never be able to settle the Kingdom in Civill peace and Libertie : when Jehu cut God short in matter of Reformation , God cut the Civill State short , in matter of authoritie , libertie and wealth , and gave them up to be like the Summers threshing . 4. As you should regard his truth , worship , Ministry , so you must love , countenance , and incourage his people , let your eyes bee upon the godly in the land , consider their sad condition at this time , they are not onely hated by wicked men , but extremely divided among themselves , bee you pleased to reach forth a healing hand try whether God will honour you so far as to helpe to reconcile the divisions that are between Gods people ; that those things that rund and divide their hearts and affections one from another , may be taken away ; make it your care , and God will administer not onely occasions , but will help you to do it ; Begin it first in your houses , set an example to others to follow you ; Oh that God would perswade you to beleeve that God hath shewed you the mercy of this day for this very end , that you are as Joshua the High Priest , Zach. 3. 2. so many brands shatcht out of the fire , that you might keepe his charge and build his house , I am sure Gods portion in the land hath been your safety hitherto , and if you be faithfull in this work , it will bee your security for time to come ; Religion is Gods glory , it will bee your glory , and the Lands glory , yea , the Lands security : The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion , and upon her assemblyes a cloud and smoak by day , and the shining of a flaming fire by night ; for upon all the glory shall bee a defence : let this then bee your first and greatest care to look to Gods interest in the Kingdome . 2 For setling the Kingdom in matters of civill liberty and Peace , that you would remember , it is unity of hearts , and not power of Arms that must settle England ; and had you an Army ten times as good and great as it is , unlesse you carry your affaires so , as to satisfie the hearts of honest men , of men that will be satisfied with Reason , though you may carry things on , while your force compels men , yet things so set up , will not long continue , the kingdom will be divided , and you divided with them , and we shal be in danger to be ruined all together ; therfore I beseech you , let the interest of men who will bee satisfied with honesty , truth , justice &c. be consider'd in their due place , carry things so , that no moderate men may wish they had power in their hands to dissolve or cut in pieces that peace and establishment which you shall make , yea , I could wish that even such as are lyable to just exceptions might be gratified with favors , so far as there is hope that they may be won , Desperatio fasit audaces , ac fortes : he was a wise Statesman who said , Saevitia victoris sape facit magnas seditiones ex parvis , Severity of Conquerors oftentimes makes great seditions to arise out of small ones . But these things I onely mention , you are wise , and know what is best in things of this nature : This I am sure of , stand you for God , and he will guide and honor you ; study to settle Truth , Peace , and Unity in the Kingdom , and that God who hath now given you such a deliverance beyond your expectation , doth well know how to repair your Honor , to take away your reproach out of the land in one day , to make you the most honorable and renowned Parliament that ever was ; and can make all these things that have been your discouragements and abasements , to prove so many scales , or degrees to raise you higher in the thoughts of God and man . Consider what I say , and the Lord give you understanding in all things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89582e-480 Introduction . Shewing the suitablenesse of the Text to the occasion ▪ The sum of this Chapter from verse ●0 ▪ to the end . A discord between the two Tribes and half and the other Tribes . Wherein two things . 1 The originall of this quarrel . 2 The making up of this breach or quarrell . Some generall observations our of this story . Doct. It 's a great mercy when God seasonably appeares to prevent his peoples ingaging in war one against another . 1 Sam. 26. 32. 2 Sam. 20. Esay 9. 19 , 20. 21. Ier. 13. 14. Prov. 6. 19. Matth. 5. 9. This Doctrine further cleared by shewing three things . 1 2 3 1 Warre is a sore judgement . 2 Civill warre a greater judgement . Prov. 18 9. 3 Warre of Gods people one against another the greatest of all judgements . Rom. 12. 18. Ephes. 4. 3. Esay 11. 9. Psal. 133. per torum . Application . 1 For Reproof of three sorts . 1. Of such as live in such sins as bring down judgements . 2. Of such as are Physicall causes , who endevor to engage Gods people in War one against another . Gen. 49. 56. 3 ▪ Nor are they to be excused who praise not God for the mercy of this day . Iudg. 21. 3. Vse 2. To provoke to blesse God for the mercy of this day . 1. 2. The greatnesse of this deliverance appeares by considering foure things . 3 4 1 The sad occasion of it . 2 The persons ingaged in the preparation of a new war . 2 3 3 The nearenesse of our danger . 4. The consequents of it . 1. 2. 1. Vse 3. 3 Exhort . to improve this deliverance to right ends . 1 To all who fear God , to study peace and reconciliation , since our Father is so unwilling we should fight 1 More especially it concerns the Parliament to impr●ve it . 1 To search why God thus abased them . Esay 35. 2 To attend their great worke now he hath thus restored them . In making Religion their greatest care . 2 King. 10. 30. Zach. 3. 2. Esay 4. 5. 
A89567	----	Gods master-piece. A sermon tending to manifest Gods glorious appearing in the building up of Zion: preached to the Right Honourable the House of Peers, in the Abbey Church of Westminster, March 26. 1645. Being the day of the monthly publike fast, / by Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word, at Finching-field in Essex. Published by order of the House of Peeres. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89567 of text R200025 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E279_2). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 111 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 29 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89567 Wing M756 Thomason E279_2 ESTC R200025 99860827 99860827 112952 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89567) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 112952) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 46:E279[2]) Gods master-piece. A sermon tending to manifest Gods glorious appearing in the building up of Zion: preached to the Right Honourable the House of Peers, in the Abbey Church of Westminster, March 26. 1645. Being the day of the monthly publike fast, / by Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word, at Finching-field in Essex. Published by order of the House of Peeres. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 34 [i.e. 50] p. Printed by Richard Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London, : 1645. P. 50 is misnumbered 34. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms CII, 16-17 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89567 R200025 (Thomason E279_2). civilwar no Gods master-piece.: A sermon tending to manifest Gods glorious appearing in the building up of Zion: preached to the Right Honourable the H Marshall, Stephen 1645 21032 12 0 0 0 0 0 6 B The rate of 6 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2008-05 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion GODS MASTER-PIECE . A SERMON Tending to manifest Gods glorious appearing in the building up of Zion : PREACHED To the Right Honourable the House of Peers , in the Abbey Church of Westminster , March 26. 1645. Being the day of the Monthly publike Fast , BY Stephen Marshall , B. D. Minister of Gods Word , at Finching-field in Essex . Published by Order of the House of Peeres . Esa. 60. 14. They shall call thee the City of the Lord , the Zion of the Holy One of Israel . Psal. 68. 24. They have seen thy goings , O God ; the goings of my God , my King , in the Sanctuary . LONDON , Printed by Richard Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1645. To the Right HONOVRABLE THE House of Peeres Assembled in PARLIAMENT . Right Honourable , THis plain Sermon , when preached , was entertained by Your Lordships with singular attention ; and now comes to publike view by Your command . I shall not presume now to make another tryall of Your patience , by a long Epistle , as I did then in a long Sermon : I onely present it unto You , and ( since You please to have it so ) to the eye of the World , humbly beseeching the Lord to accompany it with his blessing , that all who read it , ( especially Your Lordships ) may in it behold , as in a Glasse , the Glorie of the Lord , and be changed into the same Image by the Spirit of the Lord ; thatso they may account it their greatest Honour to promote this Worke ; to beautifie the place of Gods Sanctuary , and to make the place of his feet glorious . So prayeth Your unworthy Servant , Stephen Marshall . A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the House of LORDS at the Monethly Fast , March 26. 1645. PSALM . 102. 16 , 17. When the Lord shall build up Zion , hee shall appeare in his glory hee will regard the Prayer of the destitute , and not despise their prayer . I Have chosen a Text ( Right Honourable and Beloved ) which is neither difficult in it self , nor ( which is the lot of many plain Texts ) made to seem obscure by the variety of glosses and interpretations put upon it : There is a generall agreement concerning the scope and meaning of the Spirit of God in this Psalm ; some little difference is found amongst Interpreters concerning the time , and the Pen-man of it : Some conceiving it was about the time when the Jews were stopt and interrupted in the works of building the Temple by their ill neighbours ; but most doe agree that the time was about the end of the seventy years captivity , when God had raised up the spirits of the Prophets to encourage the people to expect this mercy , according to that of Esay 40. Comfort yee , comfort ye my people , saith the Lord , speak ye comfortably to Hierusalem , and cry unto her , that her warfare is accomplished : and also stirred up the spirits of the people to pray to the Lord , to accomplish his good word for their returne , according to that of Jer. 29. Then shall yee call upon mee , and I will hearken unto you . And as for the Penman of it , who ever it was , ( for that is altogether unknown ) most certain it is , that hee neither penn'd nor spake these things in his own name , or of his own condition , but in the name of the whole Church of God , like another Jeremy writing a book of Lamentations , for the desolations of Zion ; bemoaning them before the Lord , and most earnestly begging mercy and deliverance . In the 11 first Verses you may behold the afflicted Church of God sitting alone like a desolate widow , with her tears on her cheeks , her belly cleaving to the dust , her heart smitten and withered like grasse , eating ashes for bread , mingling her drink with weeping ; as a Pelican in the wildernesse , as an Owl in the desart ; her enemies many and raging against her , shee looking round about , and all her Lovers and friends departed from her ; enquiring after succour and comfort , and it is farre removed : Behold to what a sad condition the sinnes of Gods own people doe oft times bring them ! and that is the first part of the Psalme . But in this dark and tempestuous night of calamity and desolation , this afflicted soul , with Jonah in the whales belly with weeds-wrapped about his head , looks up to God , begins to remember those everlasting mercies that may bee found in the Lord Jehovah ; and presently there darts in a beam ( as from a new created Statre ) of light and comfort in the 12 , and 13 Verse , which shines into the soule , and inables this poore desolate creature to conclude very comfortably , that that God who had broken her would yet again heal her , that his wrath should not alwayes continue , but he would return and revive , and quicken them , after all the days wherin he had afflicted them , and so suddenly begins to renew its strength , and mount up with wings of comfort , as an Eagle : And from the 12 Verse to the end of the Psalme , after all this sad lamentation , there is a comfortable propheticall story of all the good that God did mean to doe fot this afflicted Church , which now lay in the dust and rubble : wherein there are three remarkable things , The first is , A strong confident propheticall conclusion , that the deliverance of Gods Church was nigh at hand , in these words , Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion , for the time to deliver her ; yea , the set time is come : that 's her conclusion , that it must of necessity be , the Lord was resolved speedily to raise them out of their low condition . Secondly , you have the Argument which satisfied this afflicted desolate soul , that the time of Zions deliverance was at hand ; because all Gods servants took pleasure in the dust of it , and pityed the very stones , and the rubbish of it ; their hearts were deeply humbled for Zions miseries ; they had set themselves earnestly to pray to the Lord ; to give him no rest night nor day till hee had set it up ; and this spirit of prayer powred out upon the Church , was to her as sure a token of approaching deliverance , as the day star is a token of an approaching morning : That is the second . The third part of this prophecy is , the use or fruit , which he doth foretell should be made of this great work of Gods raising and building up of Zion , which is very excellent ; partly the use that the rest of the Nations of the world should make of it , all the heathen should stand and wonder at it , and praise Gods name for it ; yea , their Kings , even all the Kings should behold the glory of the Lord , and come in and worship , and honour him who had wrought such a great work , as the raising Zion out of the dust : and then for the Church , the people that are created on purpose to bee for Gods glory , it should bee written for them from generation to generation , that they and all their posterities should perpetually love and serve the Lord , who did thus remember his people in their low condition . Now lest some body might wonder why the Prophet should make such a stupendious businesse of it , and demand a reason why all the world must thus take such notice of the building of Zion : what is Zion ? and what is the work ? as he said of Abana and Parphar , were they not better rivers then all the rivers of Samaria ? Are there not other Empires and States , more pompous , and powerfull , and glorious , and excellent then Zion ? what is Zion to Nineveh or Babylon , that all must so stand amazed at the reparation of it ? To satisfie all the world about it , that the work of building up of Zion , is indeed admirable and wonderfull , and deserves all the praises that the hearts and tongues of men can utter , the Prophet in the 2 Verses which I have read , doth setdown two remarkable Circumstances which perpetually accompany this work , which if they but interpreted , and rightly understood , will satisfie all the World , that this alone is the work deserving admiration , and these they are . The first is , It is such a work , that when ever the Lord goes about it , Hee doth appeare in his glory ; when the Lord shall build up Zion , he shall appear in his glory . The second is , when the Lord doth build up Zion , He doth then return an answer to all the prayers of his afflicted people : Whatsoever they had been begging from year to year , from generation to generation , now was the Jubilee , now comes the return of all into their bosomes , full measure , thrust together , shaken , and running over : When the Lord doth build up Zion , he doth then regard the prayer of the afflicted , and however before hee might seem to despise ehem , now he doth no longer despise their cry : The first of these is that , which by the Lords assistance I shall this day clear unto you ; this remarkable circumstance which accompanies the building and reparation of Zion : When the Lord shall build up Zion hee shall appear in his glory ; and in it observe & handle these two lessons . That the building of Zion is the Lords work , and the Lords onely . When the Lord shall build up Zion ; the second and main ( the which I shall insist upon ) is : That when ever the Lord goes about this work , hee doth appear in his glory . The first I shall onely touch , and that but to make way for the second . That the building of Zion is the Lords own work ; There is nothing difficult , Zion you know is in the Scripture taken sometimes in a literall , but ordinarily in a mysticall and a spirituall sense : Zion in a literall sense was that strong part of the City of Jerusalem , which David did take from the Jebusites , & fortified it , and beautified it with excellent buildings , and called it the City of David , the most beautifull part of Jerusalem ; this is Zion literall : And this Zion may besaid to be built , when it is furnished with stately houses , with strong walls , and replenished with people , accomplished with Magistrates , and good Civil laws : But this Zion I have nothing at the present to doe with ; the Zion which my text means is spirituall Zion , mysticall Zion , the Zion , whereof this City of David was a type ( as David himself was a type of Christ ) and that is , the Church of God , which in a hundred places at least in the Old and New Testament is called by the name of Zion , he reason why Zion this part of Ierusalem , was such a celebrated type , is , because all Davids time , and untill Solomons Temple was built upon mount Moriah , the Ark of God was placed in Zion , where hee is therefore said to dwell : this is the Zion that we are to speak of ; and this Zion , this Church of God is then built , when the doctrine of Jesus Christ is made known , the new and living way to life by him is opened ; when Ministers and Ordinances are given , the elect called in , Churches gathered , and established , the worship and government of Christ set up , for the perfecting of the Saints , for the work of the Ministery , for the edifying of the body of Christ , till all the Saints come in the unity of the Faith , and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ : when the Curtains of the Church are thus enlarged , and the Tents of it made firm ; when God doth thus prosper and blesse the Church of Christ , then doth hee build up Zion : This I say is , first , Gods own work : and secondly , a work which when ever hee goes about , hee doth appear in his glory . That the building up of the Church is a work peculiar to God onely , I might easily prove out of many Scriptures : aedificabo Ecclesiam , I will build my Church , is a speech to be uttered by none , but by Jehovah himself ; and I know you will grant the truth of it , by that time I have cleared unto you these two things . First , that the building of Zion is such a peace of work as no other workmen have any skill to do . And , secondly , as they have no skill , so they have no will to doe it ; and if no other have either power nor heart , neither skill nor will , it must needs bee done by God , if ever it be done at all . First , I say , no other workmen have any skill to build Zion but God alone ; there is not one piece of Timber belongs unto it , not one Cord , not one pin , not one nail , not any one thing from the foundation to the Cap-stone , but it is beyond the understanding , the value , skill or artifice of any created Nature ; that what God said in the 49. Psalme concerning the keeping of a man from death , is most true of this work : great men can build houses , and purchase Lands , but there is not one of them can redeem his brothers soul from death , no , he must let that alone for ever , that is too hard a task for him , to keep a man that hee should not goe down to the grave : Men may build Houses , make Kingdoms , erect Common-wealths , Corporations , &c. But as for the building of the Church of God , all mortall men must let that alone for ever . In this work our help is onely from the Lord which made Heaven and Earth . I looked , said , Christ but there was no help , there was none to uphold ; therefore my own arm brought salvation , neither could they , were all their perfections joynd into one , when man is dead in sins and trespasses , sticks fast in the miry clay of ignorance and iniquity , not able to think a good thought , or speak a good word , a voluntary bondslave of Satan , under the power of Hell , and the curse of God ; what men , what Angels have any gifts or strength , to help him out of this condition ? It is true indeed , that in the building of it , God doth make use of mortall men , and other creatures , visible and invisible , hee calls Ministers , Apostles , Prophets , Pastors , and Teachers , to bee the Guides , the Leaders , the Instructors , and the Shepheards of his people , and hee calls Kings and Princes , and Nobles , to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to it ; he gives Paul to plant & Apollo to water , but it s neither for his need , nor their aptnesse for this employment ; no , no , when all is done , hee that plants is nothing , and hee that waters is nothing ; Clay and spittle did as much to the opening of the blind mans eyes , Peters shadow did as much to the healing of Diseases , Abana and Parphar , did as much to the curing and cleansing of the Leper , as all instruments whatsoever are able to doe towards the building of the Church of God ; all their very being , and motions , and operations , and the successe of their whole endeavours depend wholly upon the Lord alone . Secondly , As all other builders have no skill , so neither have any of them any will to the building of Zion , if Zion once lie in the dust , the common vote of them all is , This is an outcast , this is Zion whom no man cares for , there it lies , and there let it lie , Aha , aha ! our eye hath seen it , so would we have it : This stone how pretious soever is refused of all builders : Indeed their will is so farre from building it , that it 's ever bent to the utmost to ruine it ; the gates of hell doe alwayes oppose it , and all the Princes and great men of the earth set themselves against it , with all their strength and cunning ; There is an everlasting enmity in them all against it , not onely , because their principles , laws and manners differ one from the other , but also because Zions rearing is their spoyling , their glory and beauty is blasted and withered before the beauty of this ; yea , this stone cut out of the mountain without hands , must one day ( and Satan who rules in them all knows it well enough ) break in pieces and consume them all , and make them like the chaffe of the Summer threshing floores , and the wind shall cary them away , that no place shall bee found for them ; they will therefore doe all they can , with the Samaritans , to hinder the building of this City so prejudiciall to them ; if ever they shew themselves forward , it is but with such a minde as they had , when they offer'd to build with them purposely to betray and hinder them : So then because none else have any power , or will to doe it , whenever this work is to be done , it must bee the work of God alone ; Paul expresses it excellently to the Hebrews , when he speaks of the building of the Church , other houses are built by men , every house must have a Carpenter , but he that builds the Church , is he that built all things , no other hand can do it , but onely he who laid the Foundation of the Heavens and the Earth , that is , Almighty God alone . For Application of this , It may serve for singular consolation unto all those who wish well unto Zion , and may fortifie their Faith against that which to our carnall heart is the greatest stumbling-block , and greatest discouragement that ever we meet with , and that is when outward helps and means do fail , for the carrying on of this work , when the enemies are strong and many , the Friends few and weak , the instruments imployed in it fail , some by death , some possibly prove treacherous , turning against it , seeking to betray it , then presently are wee ready to conclude , all will come to nothing , the work will faile , it will never be carried on : but ( Beloved ) remember this one Rule , in all other things that are done in the world , you may lawfully make such kinde of Prognostications , as to foretell by the Instruments that are imployed , and by the Preparations which are made , what the fruit and the event of the worke is like to be . If you see a poore man gather together a few Willow-sticks , and set a bungerly Carpenter out of them to reare up a house , you may conclude it must be nothing but a poore shed or cottage : If you see poore men enterprize a warfare without counsell , without any money , against a wise Prince that is too mighty for them , you may conclude , that they must either be overthrowne , or make shamefull conditions of peace ; and you judge aright when you judge so , because in all these things God seldome puts out his power , otherwise then according to the virtue and power which he hath given to second causes , and according to them he works , ( though somtime to shew his soveraignty he disappoints them , and causeth the race not to be alwayes to the swift , nor the battell to the strong : ) Sow a bad piece of ground , God doth not use to give a strong crop there ; but it 's quite otherwise in the building of the Church , whatsoever the tooles or instruments are , it skills not one whit : Great instruments doe not further it , weak instruments cannot retard it : If he will fight , it 's indifferent whether his weapon be a sword , or the jaw-bone of an Asse : If he meane to take a City , it 's all one whether the battering engines be great Guns , or Trumpets made of Rams-horns ; any thing will serve the turne in the hand of this Work-man ; if he intend to thrash mountaines small , and beat the hills to dusty chaffe , a worme will serve to doe it , as well as a great sharp threshing instrument having teeth : And therefore because God hath begun this work of Reformation , and manifested that he intends to bring out a new Edition of his Church , and to set it out in a fairer Letter then ever it hath yet been seen among us , and declared by wonderfull signes and tokens , that his heart is set upon this work , resolve you upon it , that this work must proceed : and when you heare any of our enemies despise it , because it is a day of small things , remember it 's God who works all for us , and answer their scoffes as he did them , who wondred that Saul the son of Kish should be found among the Prophets ; it seemes they had knowne him to have been a young Roister , and when they saw him prophesie , they cryed out , it may be not without a scoffe , What is befallen to the Son of Kish ? Is Saul amongst the Prophets ? But saith one , Who is the Father of the Prophets ? remember but who undertakes to be the Master and Father of the Prophets , and you need not wonder who is the Scholar ; so you may all conclude of this work , never be afraid of the carrying on this worke , feare not the instruments how weake soever ; resolve , whatsoever God meanes to doe , he will never want tooles or instruments , who with the speaking of a word can lay the foundations of a new heaven and earth ; who needs no more , then to say to Zion , Be thou inhabited ; to Hierusalem , Thou shalt be built ; and to the Temple , Thy foundation shall be laid , and it 's done ; who with one word speaking can create his Church a rejoicing , and her people a joy . But all this will be more cleare in the second Doctrine , to which I now proceed , and to which this is onely a Porch or Preface : That when the Lord doth build up Zion , he doth appeare in glory . They are the words of the Text , and therefore need no other proofe : In handling whereof I shall endevour these two things ; First , to make a full and cleare demonstration of the truth of it , that God doth appeare in his glory when he comes to build his Church . Secondly , I shall make application of it . And for the clearing the truth of it there are foure things to be opened . First , what it is to appeare in glory . Secondly , To prove the truth of it out of the Scripture . Thirdly , and which is that that I most aime at , How God doth appeare in his glory when he comes to build up Zion . And fourthly , why he is pleased thus to appeare in his glory , when he undertakes this work . For the first . First , what it is to appeare in Glory . Glory and Excellency doe thus differ one from another : Excellency is the intrinsecall worth or value of any thing ; Glory is the manifestation of this Excellency : Glory is nothing but the irradiation or shining out of Excellency . Take a true Diamond stone when it is first found , and lookes but like a common stone , there is even then all the excellency of a Diamond in it ; but when it is filed , and the curious Artist hath done his part to set it off in its lustre , then appeares the glory of the Diamond : or amongst men , it may be a man hath admirable abilities of wisedome , learning , power , strength , activity , or whatsoever else might argue him to be eminent , so long as all these are hidden , this man is really an excellent man , but when by some worke worthy of all these inward excellencies the world comes to know him to be such a one as indeed he is , then doth the man appeare in his glory : So that to appeare in glory , is nothing but to appeare to be as excellent as indeed one is . Therefore for God to appeare in glory , is his manifesting himselfe to be such a God as he is , when all those eminent , excellent attributes and perfections which are in him , come to irradiate , shine forth , that others must necessarily acknowledge God to be that which he is ; when he appears like himself , then doth God appeare in his glory . Now secondly , it 's cleare in the Scripture that God doth so , that he doth manifest himselfe to be such a God as he is , when he undertakes the work of building his Church ; many glorious things are spoken of this City of God , and of God in his building of this City , it 's ordinarily called his glory , his throne of glory , his glorious work , his glorious rest : Consider seriously these few Texts . The whole 93 Psalme ; it 's a short Psalme , yet a large proofe and full interpretation of my Text : Interpretors doe generally agree , that it is a Prophesie of Christs kingdome , his ruling and building up the Church ; and marke how the expressions run , The Lord reignes , he is cloathed with Majesty , the Lord is cloathed with strength , he hath girded himselfe , his throne is established , the Lord is mightier then the mighty waves of the sea : all these glorious expressions set forth the Lords manifestation of himself in his edifying and building his Church , as may appeare in the last verse , Holinesse becommeth thine house O Lord for ever : this holy house of God , is that Throne which is thus established , upon which he sits in this glory and majesty , where he girds himselfe , as being ever in a readinesse to goe on with his worke ; and this is such glory or manifestation of his excellency , that it causeth not onely his Church and People to acknowledge it , but you shall finde verse 3 , that the flouds , the flouds lift up their voice , the flouds lift up their waves : What is that ? Sometimes flouds and waves signifie the tumultuous people , that make a noise of sedition , mutiny , trouble , and violence ; but here , the flouds which signifie People and Nations , lift up their voice of wonderment and acknowledgment of that which was set downe before , viz. that God was cloathed with Majesty and glory , when hee comes to establish his Throne , and adorne his house with holinesse ; there is one evidence . Another you shall see in the 68. Psalme ; The whole Psalme is a most stately straine of divine Rhetorique , the beginning of it is very high and lofty : Let God arise , let him shew himselfe , let his enemies be scattered , them that hate him , fly before him ; as smoake is driven away , as wax melteth before the fire , so must wicked men perish at this presence of God : and every where throughout the Psalme , you may observe such a glorious presence of God , as made the earth shake , the heavens drop , the hills leap , the mountains moved , the Saints rejoyce and sing , Armies to bee routed , Kings and Princes to flee : all this is nothing but a description of Gods manner of appearing , when he builds up Zion , when hee redeems his Church out of bondage , and subdues people unto him by the Scepter of Christ , the Preaching of the word , which is the rod of his power , as is most manifest by one place in the midst of the Psalme , which is as a key to open all . Thou hast ascended up on high , thou hast led captivity captive , thou hast received gifts for men , even for the rebellious also , that the Lord God might dwell among them . This is meant of Christs ascending to the right hand of God , to take possession of the rule and government of the Church ; when he thus ascended up on high , hee led captivity captive , led all the enemies of the Church , as captives at his Chariot wheeles , and gave gifts to men , such gifts as should build his Church ; which Paul interprets in the fourth of the Ephesians , to be the offices and gifts which the Lord Christ gave , when he ascended up to heaven , for the gathering , and building up of the Church ; hee then gave some Apostles , and some Evangelists , some Prophets , some Pastors and Teachers , for the perfecting of the Saints , for the work of the Ministery , for the edifying of the body of Christ . Another notable passage is in the 63 of Isaiah , Marke how rhetorically and elegantly the Spirit of God sets it down ; The Prophet stands amazed at the sight of one that drew nigh unto him ; Who is this ( saith hee ) that comes from Edom , with dyed Garments from Bozrah ? that is thus glorious in his apparell : travelling in the greatnesse of his strength ? who is this ? what is hee that appeares in thus much glory ? the answer is made , in the name and person of Christ , It is I the Lord , mighty to save . And what was the work that hee did there ? what was the glory ? why truely , Jesus Christ then came to rescue his Church from thraldome , from Egypt , Babylon , from Idumea and other evill Neighbours , in the type , and literall sense , but especially from Satan , death , and Hell , in the spirituall sense , to pardon them , call them in , and build them upon himselfe , the rock against which the gates of hell should never prevaile ; This was the work which occasioned him thus to put on his glorious apparell . Many other Scriptures speak the same ; Exodus 15. 1. When God did deliver his Church out of Egypt , hee triumphed gloriously . But I forbeare , because the third branch will cleare it all more fully , and that is , Thirdly , to discover How , and wherein the Lord doth appeare in glory , when hee builds up his Church : and for this I shall lay down this one conclusion , and indevour to make it good to you in the following Discourse ; That although all the workes of God are great and glorious , and worthy to bee sought into by all his people , there is not the least atome , the least Ant , but proves this , quaelibet herba , every little herbe , but shews it to bee Gods workmanship , Psalm . 19. 12. The heavens declare his glory , and the firmament shewes his handy work . Yet this work of gathering and building of the Church of Christ , is a work , which is carryed in a quite differing straine , and way , from all other workes , which ever the Lord puts his own hand to . Look upon all his other workes , and you shall seldome finde that the work goes beyond what the matter and the instruments may promise , and within the compasse and fadome of second causes , may you finde the summe of all that doth appeare in any other work of Gods hands ; so that although every thing that is done , may truely bee said to bee the Lords , and to bee wrought ( if I may speak with reverence ) in his shop ; yet because God carries them on by a concatenation and subordination of second causes , every one working according to their nature , ( though secretly carryed by his own hand ) these workes of God may truely bee said , to bee wrought by Gods servants , by his apprentises and inferiour servants ; but the whole carriage of the businesse of the Church of God is reserved for Gods owne hand , as his Master peece ; carryed in such a way as none may lay any claime to have any thing to do in it , unlesse he can challenge to have the perfections of Jehovah in him ; and this I am certaine you 'l acknowledge , if you please to lend me your reverent attention , while I cleare these foure things unto you : First , the Materials out of which the Lord uses to build his Church . Secondly , the Instruments by which hee uses to build it . Thirdly , the Time when hee doth it . And Fourthly , and chiefly , the Manner how hee doth it . For the first . 1. For the Materialls , out of which this stately peece is to bee erected ; you know that in all other buildings , if the work bee to bee a glorious work , the materials are the excellentest that can be found ; and Mercury must not be made of common wood : When Solomon meanes to build a Temple , it must be with Cedar Trees over-layed with Gold : If Noah be to build an Arke , it shall be of Gophir wood , firme and strong substantiall Timber : No man would imagine that a stately fabrick should be erected out of rotten Willowes , and broken stickes , and refuse chips &c. But now the materials out of which God builds the Church , are the very refuse , out of as arrant refuse stuff as is in all the world , is this goodly building erected : Satans kingdome , the damned in Hell , that cursed state of darknesse , is not built out of worser stuffe then the Kingdome of Christ is , take the materials as they are when he first findes them . When God tooke the Nation of the Jewes to be his people , some people say , they were the ill-favouredst people in all the world , a loathsome people to looke upon ; but it is certaine , they were as crosse and perverse in their spirits as any living ; the Lord told them often , that they were the unworthiest of all Nations when he chose them , bids them never thinke that they were chose out to be his before the rest of the world , for any thing that was in them , for he protested there was nothing to allure him : And for the Church which Christ now ownes and builds , the same things are manifest . In the 11 of Isaiah , you have a Prophesie of Christs Church , what they are by nature , till his grace change them ; Lions , and Tigers , and Bears , and Wolves , and Cockatrices , and Aspes , and such kinde of Vermine , are the creatures out of which Christ Jesus chooses and makes up his Flock of Sheep : Read Pauls Epistles , and you will finde that all the Saints ( the excellentest of the earth , whom Christ thought not himselfe and all his glory too good for ) were Mancipia Satanae , Bond-flaves , and Hell-hounds , going on in their wicked wayes : A description you have in the 16 of Ezekiel that fits every one of them , where the Lord tells the Church , what kinde of people they were when he fell in love with them ; their Navell not cut , cast out in the day of their birth , lying in their mothers bloud , no eye to pitty her , nor no hand to doe her any friendly office ; and when he past by her in that pickle , then did he fall in love with her , and spread the skirt of his garment over her : And if you take another place of Scripture , to see what kinde of Spouse he had ; Aholah and Aholibah , two Whores , were the Spouses that he did chuse ; plainly shewing to us , that this glorious work , that which all eternity shall give honour to him for , that the materials out of which it is built , are as bad as any are who goe to Hell and destruction . And this is one great part of a demonstration , to let you see , that when God doth such a work as this is , he doth appeare in his glory : It must needs be an excellent Work-man , who can raise so glorious a peece out of such base stuffe . Secondly , and by what Instruments doe you thinke the Lord doth build it ? and what are their Tooles ? who are his Work-men ? you 'll wonder by that time I have told you a little about them . God hath sometimes strong Cities of his enemies to overthrow , from which he meanes to rescue his people , and then the Armies which he brings to doe it , are Rams hornes , Wormes , and Lice , and Mice , and Frogs , and Locusts , and Caterpillars , &c. by such as these doth the Lord sometimes overthrow whole Kingdomes ; when he pleaseth to breake all their Iron barres asunder , to fetch his poore captived people from amongst them ; and when in a spirituall way he sends his Instruments to subdue people unto him , he goes not to the Schooles , to finde out the learned and excellent parted men , but a few Fisher-men ( poore despicable men , brought up in no Arts or Learning ) shall be the Champions , who shall goe and subdue the great , and the wise men of the world , unto the Throne of Christ : and ordinarily , the men whom he doth chuse to work the greatest matters by , are men of a meane presence , of weake parts , and contemptible gifts , ( though God will have some that are eminent , to let you see , that his grace can make use of any , but yet ) the greatest services that have beene done in the Church of Christ , have been most-what done by instruments from whom mans wisdome would promise very little : so that in them is usually fulfilled that of the Prophet , A woman doth compasse a man , the weake prevaile over the strong , and the simple over the wise : and that of the Apostle Paul , God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise , weake things ●o confound the things which are mighty , and things which are not to bring to nought things that are : And that also of the 8 Psalme , Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength , to quell the enemy and the avenger . And truely their Tooles wherewith they work are no more promising then the Work-men ; The great Engine whereby Satan must be fetched from his strong hold , and made to fall like lightning downe from heaven , whereby captived souls shall be delivered from his power and snares , whereby the dead in sinne shall be raised , the prison doores opened , the blind made to see , the deafe to heare , the food whereby the Saints shall be nourished , the Rod whereby they shall be guided and ordered ; what are all these ? even the Foolishnesse of preaching shall doe all this , and washing with water , in name of the Father , Sonne , and holy Ghost ; Eating of Bread and drinking Wine in a Sacrament ; Praying to God : such kind of Tooles as these are , are the instruments wherewith these unlikely Work-men are furnished ; far more ludibrious things in reference to this work , then a Shepheards boy with his sling and his bag were to the Philistian Giant . Thirdly , take likewise the Time , for that is as remarkable as any of the rest : The time when the Lord useth to build his Church , heare in this 102 Psalme , it was when the Church professed her bones were burnt up like a hearth , her belly cleaved to the dust , she was like an Owle , like a Pelican , like a Swallow , fed on ashes ; and my Text in the next words saith , God would regard the prayer of this poore destitute Church : The Hebrew word here translated destitute , signifies either the shrub of a broken Tree , or the Heath that growes in the barren Wildernesse ; such were Gods people at this time : Now here is the time which God chuses , when the enemies of the Church have them in the greatest bondage , when his Church and people are in most utter incapacity of doing any thing towards their deliverance , or expecting any thing to be done for them ; that time he ordinarily chuses for the rescuing of his people . When hee fetched them first out of Egypt , when they were worne out there with making brickes , and the tale of their brickes was do●bled , then did God send a Shepheard to fetch them out : When in the 70 yeares captivity they complained that their bones lay scattered , as one should hew chips on the face of the earth ; and in another place compared to dry bones ; that was the time he chose to raise them up a glorious Army , and to bring them out for himselfe : And so it is observed by Historians , that when the Lord came to deliver his Church from the terrible persecutions under Nero and the rest of the persecuting Romane Emperours ; and now lately from Antichrist , when Cardinall Cajetan said , that the Germans were so devoted to the Pope , that they were ready to eat grasse and hay , more pecudum , like brute beasts , at the Popes command , for the redemption of their soules ; and all the rest of the Christian world stood in the same condition , the Kings having given their Crownes to the Whore , and laid their heads in her lap , and their glory at her feet , and all the people Vassals and Slaves wondering after that inchanted Beast ; then by a few Monks and Shavelings did the Lord break the power of this great enemy in pieces , and began the rearing up of that great work , which he is carrying on at this day : And such like times doth he chuse in planting grace , and building of his kingdome in the conversion of particular men , plucking them out of Satans clawes , when they are most desperately wicked : when Manasseh wallowes in bloud of Innocents ; when Mary Magdalene is prostituting her selfe ; when Paul is mad against the Church ; when Matthew sits at the receipt of Custome , every one of them wallowing in their bloud , carried headlongly to destruction , fulfilling the lusts of the flesh with greedinesse , loving their bondage , not suspecting or understanding their danger , not so much as desiring a better condition : this is the time the Lord chuses . Now to doe it by such instruments , out of such stuffe , at such a time , this addes much to his glory . I remember it is spoke of one of Davids Worthies , in the 2 of Samuel 23. it was Benajah the sonne of Jehojada , that among all his valiant acts this was one , that he slew a Lion ; but that which magnifies it is , the Time when he slew it , it was a Lion that was got into a pit , in the time of a great snow : a Lion in a pit is most desperate , most rampant , because there is no flying away , especially in a snow , the cold of the weather making all the heat of the beast gather about his heart , and so encreases his courage and strength ; and in the time of a snow , when a man hath hardly any footing to stand where he must fight ; this magnified , the time when Benajah slew the Lion : So for the Lord to doe it by such instruments , and out of such stuffe , and at such a time , if I had no other thing to say , I know you would by this acknowledge that the Lord appeares in his glory . But the fourth is the maine proofe of all , and that is The manner how the Lord doth it , which my Text most aimes at ; it is in such a manner as shews him abundantly to be that which he is : those excellent and eminent perfections of All-sufficiency , which are in God , do marvellously irradiate and shine out , when God builds the Church . Among many others , which may be observed , permit me to speak a little of these 5 excellent Attributes , which do in their eminency shine out , when he undertakes the building of the Church : First , his unsearchable wisdome . Secondly , his almighty power . Thirdly , his excellent holinesse . Fourthly , his his infinite grace and bounty . And fifthly , his admirable justice . These five Attributes doth the Lord ordinarily magnifie in the highest degree , when he is pleased to arise to build up Zion . First , I say , his unsearchable Wisdome : The Prophet speaks aright of all Gods works , O Lord how manifola are thy works ! in wisdome hast thou made them all ; the whole world is full of Gods wisdome , but never doth the wisdome of God so shine out , as in the admirable contrivances that he hath for the building up , for the repairing and restoring of his Church . It is said , that the spirit of wisdome doth rest upon Christ , when he is given to be the Ruler of his Church , carrying it in a way beyond all humane comprehension his way being in the sea , his path in the great waters , and his footsteps not knowne , when yet he leads his people as a flock : Conceive a little of it by this . The Lord doth so contrive it , that all the crosse and excentricall motions of all creatures doe all concurre to further this work , though they work according to their severall principles , and for their owne severall ends , most of them intending mischiefe and ruine to the Church , yet he orders them all to be as directly subservient , to carry on the work of building the Church , as if they all studied it , and intended it with their whole might : The plots of the enemies , their strength , their cunning , their cruelty , persecutions , and the weaknesses , faults , corruptions , and even divisions of his servants , all contribute toward the building up of the Church , though they seem all contrary to it : God seemes to me to lay a taxe not onely upon Heaven , but upon Hell it selfe , and all the powers of darknesse , and all their servants , that every one of them should bring in their utmost power to carry on this work . You have an excellent instance in the 60 chapter of Esay , where God orders it , that the Islands and Kingdomes , the Princes and Nobles , the Beasts and Birds , the Forests and Rivers , the Gold , Silver , Brasse , and Iron , all kind of creatures and things , shall contribute their uttermost to raise up and beautifie this building ; yea , though they intend it not , though they intend the contrary , to ruine and spoile it , as is clearly expressed . Many Nations gathered together against Zion , that say , let her be defiled , and let our eye looke upon Zion , when in the meane time the wisdome of God hath contrived it , that they come but to be threshed out , and to be made a crop for Zion to feed upon . Never doth the Lord so magnifie his wisdome , as in his excellent contrivances about the Churches welfare , suiting all providences and occurrences of things , and endevours of all people , though they have a thousand severall ends , yet every one to contribute their best , as if one soule dwelt in them all : which made Paul , when he considered of this point , to be even swallowed up with admiration , O the depth of the riches , both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his wayes past finding out ! who hath knowne the minde of the Lord , or who hath beene his Counsellour ? Another is , his almighty power , which is so eminently seen in this work , that it is Gods ordinary expression , to call it the creating of a new heaven and a new earth ; Behold , I create a new heaven and a new earth ; he creates it : And in the 59 of Isaiah , where God speaks of the Church , I create the fruit of the lips , peace , peace : the fruit of the lips , is the preaching of the Word , but it is done in a way of creation ; he creates Ministers , creates Ordinances , creates meanes and helps , creates deliverances , creates graces , comforts , all done in an almighty way of creation . Now creation , you know , first , fit irresistibiliter , there is no power able to stand against a Creation : So it is here , when God pleases to build the Church , the Mountaines flow downe ; thus you have it Esay 64. 1 , 2 , 3. Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens , that thou wouldest come downe , that the mountaines might flew downe at thy presence , as when the melting fire burneth , to cause the waters to boile , when thou didst terrible things , which we looked not for . And the like hath the Prophet Zachary , What art thou , O great mountain ? before my servant Zerubbabel , thou shalt become a plaine : that is , all oppositions , all Kingdomes , all Empires , all the gates of Hell , and whosoever stand against it , they are all broke in peeces , when once God is pleased to undertake the building of the Church ; I le build my Church , and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it : What are these gates of hell ? Christ speaks according to the manner of those Countries , the gates of a City were the place where there was both the wisdome and the strength of a City : In their gates sate their noble and wise Consellours ; there were their Courts kept , in their gates lay their Ammunition , out of their gates went all their Commanders : All the wisdome and power of Hell , that is , of Satans kingdome , must all be broken , if God please to build his Church : he speakes the word and it is done , done irresistibly . Secondly , Creation sit ex nihilo , it rises out of nothing ; though there be no preparative , though you cannot imagine what shall be the materia ex qua , the thing out of which the work should arise , yet if Creation comes , it doth it out of nothing : Thus the Lord brings in the Church at one time , wondering at her owne encrease , when she had sate long as a desolate widow , a captive without children , forsaken of her husband , and an innumerable multitude of children suddenly saying in her eares , The place is too narrow for us , where shall we have room to dwell ? Who hath hegotten me these ? who hath brought up these ? these , where have they been ? Unthought of means and mercies usually appear in this work , to magnifie the power of God . Thirdly , Creatio fit in instanti ; as it is done out of nothing , so it is done in a trice , in the twinckling of an eye : Who hath heard such a thing as this ? who hath seen such things ? ( saith the Prophet in the 66 of Isaiah : ) What is that ? of a Nation that was borne in a day : Shall the earth be made to bring forth in a day ? must there not be a space between seed-time and harvest ? or shall a child be begotten and born in a day ? yet Zion doth so , brings forth before she travailes , delivered of a man-child in an instant , yea of a Nation , and that before her paine came : and elsewhere the sudden encrease of the Church is compared to whole flights of Doves , and to the clouds flying swiftly and in abundance through the aire ; Who are these that flye like the clouds , and as Doves to their windowes ? But most fully this is promised in the 110 Psalme , where the Churches encrease is compared to the dew which in innumerable drops comes suddenly out of the womb of the morning : there 's another glorious Attribute of God shining out , his almighty power . Then thirdly , His Holinesse : Never doth the Lord appeare so holy a God , as he doth in this work of building the Church . Holinesse is not onely a glorious Attribute , but in truth it is glory it selfe , it is the very face of God ; and therefore holy men are said to beare the image of God , because they are like his very face , when , Holy , Holy , Holy , is the Lord of Hosts , may be sung unto him , the whole earth is full of his glory , with that work which causeth his holinesse to appeare , then like the Sun he shewes his glorious face , when he appears in his holinesse . Now this excellent Attribute is celebrated to the height in the Churches building : This is cleare in that solemne and glorious representation of Christ , ruling in , and beautifying of his Church Revel. 4. the foure Beasts representing the Catholike Church in the foure quarters of the world , when night and day they give glory to Christ , the head and King , the Builder and Ruler of his Church ; their Song is onely this , Holy , Holy , Holy , Lord God Almighty : and that triumphant Song of the Church , recorded Revel. 15. for the victory obtained over the Beast , wherein they celebrate his greatnesse , truth , and justice , the Church sets this as the rise of all , For thou onely art holy : and in truth , the usuall name he takes to himselfe , and by which his people call him in reference to this work , is , The Holy One of Israel ; and it is fit it should be so , for then he shewes how little he can endure iniquity , then he purges away the sin of his people , then he makes them a peculiar people , zealous of good workes , then he separates their drosse and their rubbish from them , then he makes them like unto himselfe : never doth God beautifie his holinesse so , as he doth when he builds the Church . That is the third . Fourthly , and that which is one of the sweetest , the Lord never magnifies nor glorifies his free grace and his love so as he doth in this work of building the Church ; all the treasures of love and favour , which before lay hid in his breast , do gloriously shine out ; then he marries her , or keeps his Wedding-feast , and makes all the world to know how deare she is unto him ; there and then , and no where else , doth he bestow his choice favours . When he gives Kingdomes and Empires , he gives nothing but a peece of clay , what he cares not for ; but when he builds the Church , there he layes out his Treasure . The time would faile me to number the gifts which he then gives : Great Princes ordinarily have their Almoners with them wheresoever they goe , and they give this or that peece of silver or gold to ordinary Petitioners ; but when they will appeare in their glory , and give such gifts as shall magnifie them , then it may be they create Earles , and Lords , and great Officers of State , which are peculiar and discriminating pledges of their love : So doth God , when he builds up other Nations with outward mercies , with fruitfull seasons , health , wealth , and pompe , &c. he esteemes them as nothing , he cares not a shoo-latchet for these common gifts , they are his common almes ; but when he builds his Church , then he gives his Ordinances , then he gives his Ministers , then he gives them the Graces of his Spirit , these are his Chrysolites , his Emeralds , his Pearles , and Diamonds , then he makes all the world stand amazed , ( as my Text saith ) and all the Kings to wonder , at the love and beauty which he shewes to his people in the day he builds up Zion : then they who despised her shall wonder at her , Who is this that comes out of the wildernesse leaning upon her beloved ? and bow downe at her feet and confesse , that she is now to be called Heph-zibab and Beulah , because her God delighteth in her . And lastly , The Lord useth more then at any other time , to glorifie that excellent Attribute of his Justice , because then he takes vengeance upon his Churches enemies : You shall finde in the Scripture , that these two things ever goe together , the Lambes marrying , and the Whores burning ; Zions building , and Babels ruine ; his Servants exalting , his enemies falling ; his People raised up , his adversaries spoiled ; then doth the Lord call them to account , and pay them , eye for eye , tooth for tooth , breach for breach : the day of Zions deliverance , and redemption , and fury and recompence to her adversaries , ever goe together : Behold ( saith the Lord ) in that day I will undoe all that afflict thee , and will save and gather thee : in one and the same day the spoiled Church shall be rescued , and they who oppressed her shall be fed with their own flesh , and made drunk with their own bloud : The Church militant and malignant are as a pair of ballances , or Buckets at a Well , when the one goeth up the other still goeth down . And by this time I hope you see how the Lord appeares in his glory when he builds up Zion ; I have but the fourth question to answer , and this will be fit for Application ; and that is , Why the Lord appeares thus glorious in this work , rather then in any other ? There are these two reasons of it : First , because it is a worke that infinitely pleaseth him : Men chuse to appeare in their cloaths and behaviour suitable to the work that they are to be employed in : the woman of Tekoah must feigne her selfe to be a mourner , when she goes on a mournfull message ; and David , when he goes on a dolefull journey , covers his face , and puts on mourning apparell ; but when Solomon is to be crowned , he goes in all his royalty ; and a Bride adorns her self gloriously when she is to be married : Verily so doth the Lord : when he goes about a worke he takes no pleasure in , he puts on his mourning apparell , he covers himself with a cloud , and the heavens with blacknesse ; when he is to doe his strange work of judgment , then he mournes , How shall I give thee up Ephraim ? how shall I make thee as Sodom ? my bowels rowled within me , my compassions are turned : but the building of Zion doth infinitely please him , because Zion is as the apple of his eye to him ; he bought Zion at a dear rate , with his owne bloud ; he layes Zion in his bosome , he is ravished with Zion , Zion is his Love , his Dove , his faire one ; he hath chosen Zion , and loves the gates of it , better then all the Palaces of Jacob ; and being so pleasing to him , no marvell if he put on all his glorious apparell , when he is to adorn and build up Zion . And se●ondly , it is Because all the glory that he looks for to eternity , must arise out of this one work of building Zion ; this one work shall be the onely monument of his glory to eternity : this goodly world , this heaven and earth , that you see and enjoy the use of , is set up onely as a shop , as a Work-shop to stand onely for a week , for six or 7000 years , ( a thousand yeeres is with the Lord but as a day ) and when his worke is done he will throw this peece of clay downe againe ; and out of this he looks for no other glory then from a Cabul , a land of dirt , or a shepheards cottage , or a goard which springs up in a night and withers in a day : but this peece he sets up for a higher end , to be the eternall mansion of his holinesse and honour ; this is his Metropolis , his Temple , his house where his fire and furnace is , his Court , his glorious high Throne , and therefore his glory is much concerned in this work : when Nebuchadnezzar would have a City for the honour of his kingdome , and the glory of his Majesty , he will make it a stately peece ; Solomon made all his Kingdome very rich and glorious , but he made his Court , and especially his Throne , another manner of thing , so stately , that the like was not to be seen in any other kingdome : and therefore no wonder though he appeare in his glory in building up of that , which we may boldly say must one day be made as glorious as his wisdome can contrive , and his power bring to passe . Having thus plainly opened and proved this excellent Doctrine , give me leave in the Application to present you with some matter , first , of Joy and consolation ; secondly , of Reproof and Terrour ; thirdly , of Exhortation and Duty . Here is a further excellent encouragement and strengthening of our comfort , in that which I touched before , viz. an assurance that this work must goe on ; doe all the world what they can , they can never hinder the building up of Gods Church , because God hath so set his heart upon it , that for the doing thereof he hath cloathed himselfe with his glory , and girded himselfe with strength ; and will he be hindred in it , though all the Nations of the world should rise up against him to hinder it ? It is true , the gates of Hell doe alwayes appeare with all their wisdome and strength against it , but what of that ? it is his glory to build it , and can we imagine that any shall be able to spoil him of his glory , that any can pull downe what he will build , or root up his pleasant plant ; when he hath called it his house of glory , which he will glorifie , that poore wormes shall be able to defile or deface it ? No , no , this work must be carried on , feare it not . He hath evidently begun it among our selves , and we are often discouraged in it ; there is yet much to be done , much rubbish still remaines to be carried out , and we are very low , our estates wasted , the builders discouraged , their hands weakned : but not by might , or an Army , but by my Spirit ( saith the Lord ) must this work proceed , and then what art thou , O great mountain , thou great mountain of Popery , Prelacy , superstition , oppression , division , heresie , schism ? what art thou before my servants the builders ? thou shalt flow down , thou shalt be made a plaine : Be strong therefore , ye Nobles and servants of God , whose hearts are set upon this work , you shall notwithstanding all opposition see the cap-stone set upon the head of it , and cry Grace , Grace , unto it . The Lord useth an excellent similitude in Esay 31. 4. when he came downe to rescue his people , and they were discouraged ( just as we are now ) with a multitude of oppositions , he compares himselfe to a Lion , or a young Lion , that hath caught his prey , when the multitude of shepheards are called out against him , he scornes to mend his pace , or be afraid of their voice ; So will the Lord of Hosts doe in building of Zion , let all the world rise up against this work , and he scornes to draw back from them , or be afraid of the shepheards or their dogges , he can worry them and all their dogs to peeces : And therefore I beseech you , who are engaged in this great worke of God , when any discouragements fall out before you , remember the errand that God bids Hezekiah send to Senacharib , who came with some two or 300000 fighting men , and sent him a very proud , scornfull , and threatning message ; tell him ( said God ) the daughter of Zion sits and laughes at him , shakes her head , and scornes him , bids him doe his worst , and well she might , for these proud mountaines soone flowed downe , for in in one night one of God servants killed 180000 , e●en all his Captaines and great men were all killed ; so say thou , when great difficulties rise up , and thou beginnest to think , Lord , by whom shall Jacob arise ? for he is small , our money failes us , our Trade is gone , yea , in many places Ordinances faile us , mens hearts are discouraged ; what shall we doe ? say , the Lord hath put on his glorious apparell , and he must and will carry on this work , he will never undergoe that reproach , This man began to build , and was not able to make an end . But why doth he then so delay it ? alas , it is worse with us then it was two or three yeares agoe , the summer is past ▪ the harvest is come , and yet we are not delivered ; much bloud is shed , the enemy is yet strong and potent , our hearts faile , our instruments decay , and yet the worke hangs ; if God did appeare in his glory , why would it come on thus heavily ? I answere , the Lord is a God of judgment , he is a wise God , he knowes the fittest time : That he doth delay is neither because he is weary of the work , or because he is not able to doe it , or because the enemy is strong ; No , no , the Holy One of Israel never fainted , neither is he weary , but it is onely because his best time is not yet come ; he will ( it may be ) more fit the enemies for destruction , and us for deliverance ; it may be he will hunt us yet more from all our self-confidence , and lay us low ; but in the fittest and best time of all , this work must proceed , no weapon can prosper that is forged against it , the Lord will carry it on and finish it : whether we live to see it , it 's no matter , if we dye and goe to heaven we are well enough , let us serve God in our generation , in this work which himselfe will owne in all generations . Is it the Lords glory to build up Zion , then miserable , and wretched , and cursed are all they that are the enemies of Zion , who would pull Zion downe ; who with the children of Edom , who cry , Downe with it , downe with it , even to the very foundation ; who with Sanballat and Tobiah , doe strive all they can to keep it low , to hinder the Work-men that they may not carry it on ; what doe you think will become of these ? I le tell you how you shall guesse ; you shall finde in the sixth of Ezra , when a great Emperour of Persia came to understand a decree of Cyrus , wherein it appeared he was stirred up of God to build his house at Hierusalem , he wrote a Letter to Tatnai and Shethar-boznai , and many others who were enemies to the Jewes , and had writ to the Emperour to know , whether they should hinder these men from the work , the Emperour writes back to this purpose ; You Tatnai and Shethar-boznai keep far from them , meddle not with them , I make a decree , that whosoever he be that offers to hinder this work , his house be pulled downe , and timber be taken downe and set up for a gallowes , and himself hanged thereon ; and the Goa that hath caused his name to dwell there , root out from the face of the earth all Kings and Princes that offer to alter this work , or destroy this house . Here was a brave speech of a Heathen , of a Pagan Emperour : the like must be said to these men , whoever offers to hinder the building of Gods house , the reformation of the Church , the decree of the great King will reach them , it is ratified in heaven , the God that hath caused his name to dwell in the Church , will cut off all Kings and Princes , Lords and Ladies , rich and poore , and whosoever dare offer to hinder the building of it . But who is he , or where is he , that in his heart dare think such a thing ? I tell you , their number is numberlesse ; God grant there be none such present : I le name some of them , not onely the Antichristian , Prelaticall , Malignant party , who are in armes against us , and endevour with all their power and cunning to destroy us , and so cause this work to cease , but even all who secretly affect and assist them , or stand as Neuters , and hang off , when this work of God is in hand , and like the Nobles of Tekoah refuse to put their shoulders to the work , are all enemies to it , and doe dash against this rock : and all whose wicked lives are contrary to it , all whose ill examples discourage , and lye like stumbling-blocks in the way , who refuse to be hewen , and framed , and laid like living stones into the building of God , who are unwilling to beare Christs yoke ; who by counsels , by power , or otherwise , hinder the spreading of the Gospel , ( which is the rod of his power , and the great engine whereby he reares the Church , and subdues his enemies ) or that have ill will to the preaching of it ; all that spread corrupt Doctrines , licentious opinions , who seek to rend and divide the people of God , all you and your works are enemies to it , whatsoever you think of your selves , and whosoever you are , whether great or small , you all kick against pricks ; and beleeve it , you must all come under the curse of it : you are all wretched and miserable creatures , to oppose that work which must prosper , and to stumble at that stone , which will fall upon you , and grind you to powder : you must all perish who have ill will at Zion ; not onely your weapons must be unprosperous , which are forged against it , but this is the plague wherewith the Lord will smite you , your flesh must consume away , your eyes rot in their holes , your tongues consume away in your mouths , and to conclude your misery , you must all be slaine before his face , and cast into a Lake burning with fire and brimstone : Repent therefore of this not onely your folly , but madnesse , which now is your shame , and is like to prove your confusion . Doth the Lord appeare in his glory when he builds up Zion ? then I beseech you all give God the glory of his worke : you can never grieve a man more , then to neglect him in that which he makes his glory ; to sleight or throw aside a Work-mans master-peece , as if it were a toy , is taken very heinously among men ; now I tell you , that although every work of God is excellent , and his praise may be found in it , the works of the Lord are all great , and worthy to be had in remembrance , yet this work of building the Church is his Master-peece , every pin , every stone , from the foundation to the cap-stone , is so enameld , and checkerd , with Rubies , Saphires , Emeralds , Chrysolites , Carbuncles , with all manner of precious stones , such admirable , curious workman-ship , that Ahabs Ivory Palace , and Solomons Cedar house , the Pyramids of Egypt , all humane Artifices , yea all the rarities and secrets of nature , have no glory , when compared with the glory of this one work , of Christs gathering , building , protecting , and beautifying of Zion ; this you would soon acknowledge , if you could look upon it with spirituall discerning eyes : get therefore your Bibles , and the Stories of the Church , and read them , and in reading labour to the utmost to understand this peece of Gods work ; consider , how ever since he hath had a Church upon earth , what a strange way he hath took to governe it , from what small beginnings he hath multiplied it , from what dead low ebbes he hath brought it , by what unlikely instruments he hath built it , what potent enemies he hath subdued before it , with what rare priviledges he hath enriched it , by what unthought of wayes and providences he hath done good it ; ponder these things , and you can hardly read one Paragraph of the Story of Gods Church , but you must with admiration cry out , This is the Lords doing , and it is wonderfull in my eyes ; O that there were in us such a heart , that could be thus raised up , thus inlightned , as to see nothing excellent , but onely Gods going in the Sanctuary ! they have seen the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary : such an heart would be according to Gods own heart , a spirit which the Lord would delight in : more especially study and behold the glory of this last peece of his work , this new edition of the Church which he is now about to set forth , wherein I hope he will vouchsafe to make his Churches , even amongst us , a praise in the earth . O read over the admirable dealings of God towards us , in these foure or five last yeares , I am assured it will be the wonderment of succeeding generations , God will have it written by one hand or other , and when these things shall be told they will be wondred at indeed : when it shall be written what a low ebbe we were at , how we were tantum non swallowed with Popery , Prelacy , Superstition , Arminianisme , Tyranny , Oppression all things concurring to undoe us , and then the Lord broke those Iron yokes , and hath called this Parliament , which after he hath sitted , and tried , and humbled , he hath put upon the repairing of his Church , and building the walls of his City , in a troublesome time , when they build with the Trowell in one hand , and the Sword in another , when huge potent Enemies are risen up to destroy them , and yet he carries on this work , exercising and manifesting such rare wisdome in the midst of our folly , such admirable power in the midst of our weaknesse , such holinesse in the midst of our corruptions , such love in the midst of our unworthinesse , such justice to our enemies in the midst of their pride , carries it on after such a manner , that they who read these things must stand amazed , and cry out , O how wonderfull are thy doings O Lord toward thy poore unworthy flock in the kingdome of England ! Now could we get our hearts raised thus to give God the glory due to his name , it would please him better then a bullock that hath hornes and hoofes ; never could we live to better purpose , it were an excellent work to have these wayes and goings of our God and King written for the generations to come , that the people who shall be created may praise the Lord : I have often begged of him , to put it into the heart of some wise observer of his dealings , to collect and digest them , and I hope it will be done ; in the meane time let us that live forget none of his doings , but keep them all in thankfull mind and memory , and praise the Lord on the Harp , and sing praise to him every day , for the wonders that he hath wrought , since he arose to build up our Zion . This is the first Exhortation , to praise God for his glorious worke : another followes , with which I will end , and that is To you ( right Honourable ) for whose sakes this meeting is in this place ; that seeing it is the Lords glory to build up the Church , you would make it your glory , that you would be like unto God , that you would esteem your selves never so truely in your glory , as when you come out with all that you have , or are , to help forward this work : I humbly pray you look upon our desolations , look upon the enemies of the Church , how infinitely industrious they are to ruine it , how few of them drive any private designe , but joyne in this common work and designe , to ruine the work of Reformation ; how they lay out all their wit , power , and interest , which they have in Court , in Countrey , in City , by Letters , by Travels , by Bloud , by any thing , that they might ( with Sanballat and Tobiah ) cause this work of God to cease ; you know this . Consider also how poore desolate Zion doth even stretch out her hands unto you , and pray you , that in this sad time of her calamity , if there be any love in your hearts and bosomes toward her , you would come out , and give her some help , to reare her out of the dust and the rubble : I beseech your Lordships set this work to heart , and up and be doing , do your best to carry this work on . To this end there are two things I shall humbly offer unto you : First , to tell you what you may doe , and what God expects you should doe : Secondly , to give you some quickening Motives to warme and enflame your hearts , with a purpose and resolution to doe what God would have you doe . First , you may possibly demand , what may or can we doe , or what can any creature doe , seeing you were taught that the building of Zion is Gods work alone ? I answer , it is very true , the work is Gods , and Gods alone , and you may truely say of Zion , when ever it is built , it is not by might , nor by an Army , but by Christ and his Spirit ; yet were not great men , Princes , and Nobles , to be very great instruments in this work , God would never have promised it , as one of the great priviledges of the Church , that Kings and Princes should be her nursing Fathers , and that she should suck the breasts of Kings : And truly it is much you may doe by your examples , and by causing your great families to serve the Lord ; I and my Family ( said Joshua ) will serve the Lord : and all the great men we read of in the Scripture to have been converted , presently their families were converted with them : The Ruler of the Synagogue and his family , the Centurion and his family , Onesiphorus and his family , Crispus and his family , Lydia and her family , and many others : Thus in a spirituall and morall way you may help to build the Church ; but that 's not all , your authority and power may doe very much in this work : It is very true , that your power ( who are Nobles , Magistrates , & Rulers of States ) in the Common-wealth , in the building of a Civill State , and the building of the Church , doe extremely differ one from another : In building the Civill State , you doe it ad modum imperii , by way of rule and command ; therein you have authority ; Meum and Tuum , the things of this life , are by the Lord committed into the hands of a State , and the light of Nature and humane Prudence are sufficient to direct you in them , and in these things you have power and authority , according to your owne reason and will , to make Lawes about them ; you may erect new Lawes , and new Offices , and new Officers , and you may impose new burdens , and people may lawfully submit to your discretion , without seeking any further for a particular warrant out of the Word , in the things that concerne this present life : but ( my Lords ) it is not so in the building of Zion , matters of Religion are spirituall and heavenly things , which pertaine onely to God , the soules and consciences of men , and the communion of Saints , their end is Gods glory , mens conversion , edification , and eternall salvation ; these are things which cannot be carried along by naturall reason , or civill prudence , but onely by the light of that spirituall and heavenly Rule , the Word of God ; and therefore in these things you have no Lordly rule ; Unum Dominum habemus qui animas nostras gubernat ; all your power in these things must be ad modum ministerii , not imperii ; you must carry your selves , not as the Churches Masters , but as Christs servants , yea and as servants to the Church for Christs sake , not as Lords , to dispose of the affaires of it at your owne pleasure , but at the direction of his Word onely : This then must you set down for a Rule , That you are limited to the Word , and men under your authority must , before they obey your Orders , examine them by the Word , and find them to be both lawfull in their nature , and expedient in their use , for edification , peace , order , &c. But ( my Lords ) though you have not such an imperium here , as in humane things , yet the power and authority that Gods Word hath given you for the carrying on of this work , is exceeding great , and it may be reduced to these two heads : First , the Lord would have you his instruments for the purgation and reformation ; secondly , for the preservation of the Church , when you have brought it into a state of reformation . First , for the purgation and reformation of it ; all the rubbish , all the drosse , the Antichristian pelfe and garbidge that the house of God is defiled with , you are to throw it all out , with Josiah , into the brook Kidron ; to sweep it all out , and to bring back the people , who have been misled into Arminianisme , to Popery , to Superstition , to any of these abominable wayes , you are to remove all these stumbling-blocks , and to bring them back againe unto the knowledge of the Lord their God : this God requires at the hands of Princes ; thus did Jehoshaphat , thus did Hezekiah , thus did Josiah , thus did Ezra and Nehemiah , all the good Kings of old , they all made it their care to command the people , to make them enter into an Oath , and a Curse ; and none might live under their priviledge and protection , who would not returne to the God of their Fathers : I confesse , I think it is not in the power of Magistrates to compell a people ( unto whom God can lay no claime by Covenant ) to alter from a heathenish Religion to be the Lords people , yet they should be carefull to send Ministers to preach unto them , and try if by any meanes they may be brought to receive the truth in love ; yea and to punish them severely , if they blaspheme , or seek to draw away Gods people to Idolatry , &c. When the Jewes , David , or Solomon , or any of their Kings , conquered the Nations round about them , they never compelled any of them to forsake their false Gods , and to turne Proselytes , because those people never had chosen God to be their God ; but a people who once had in Covenant made themselves the Lords , and so the Lord by virtue of the Covenant could lay claim to them and their posterity , his Princes and servants have ever ( according to his will ) compelled these to stand to their Covenant , or else they should not enjoy their protection ; and therefore Josiah , and those good Kings put them all to death who followed Baal , and returned not unto the Lord their God . For our selves , our Plantations ought never to endevour to convert Infidels by violence , Christs people must be a willing people , we leave such conversions to the Spaniards , who worried the Indians to death with dogges , and drove them into the river like cattell , and compelled them to be baptized : but for a people who have received Christianity , and have been seduced to Anti-christianity , to whom still the Lord continues his claime , by the same right that Jehu destroyed Baal , and other good Kings Jeroboams Calves , and the rest of their Idols , and compelled them to stand to the Lords Covenant and Oath , by the same warrant and rule may you root out Popery and Heresie , and proceed against incorrigible Papists , Hereticks , Blasphemers , and such as have apostatized from the Lord , and refuse to returne : This power the Lord hath given you for the purgation of Religion , to remove and cast out the things that are abominable . You have power also , and it is your duty , to set up all Gods Ordinances ; Ordinances for Worship , Ordinances for Government ; thus did all the good Kings you shall read of : You are also to finde out fit Ministers for the house of God , to see that they be regularly called , tried , and ordained , and sent forth , in the way of the Gospel ; all this the Lord hath put into your hands . This for the Reformation ; and when you have set the house of God in a good state , the Lord calls you further to take care for the preservation of it , by providing Seminaries of learning and piety , that the Sons of the Prophets may be bred , that there may never want a seed to furnish the house of God ; with able , faithfull , and skilfull Work-men , and to provide and continue sufficient maintenance to them : And so likewise to convocate Synods , Assemblies , and to encourage Ministers , with putting them upon their duties , quickning them up to it , &c. providing that the mouth of the Oxe be not muzled , that treads out the Corne ; that the Levites be not compelled to leave their Cities : All these things for the preservation of Religion hath the Lord put into your hands , and these things God requires at your hands : yea ( I say further ) the Lord would have you look to it , that as none shall rob Gods people of the liberties Christ hath given them , nor take away any of their priviledges from them ; yea , and that the weak , both in knowledge , faith , and practice , be born with , so far as the Apostles Canons doe require : so on the other side to provide that Hereticks and false Teachers , who would withdraw the people from their God , who would steale them away from the knowledge , and worship , and service of God , to licenciousnesse , to profanesse , to ungodlinesse , to idolatry , to blasphemy , and to such things as overthrow Religion ; the Lord requires it at your hands , not to permit such Wolves to live amongst them ; surely such are no more to be born with , who thus murther soules , then they who murther mens bodies . Now ( my Lords ) these are admirable duties and dignities , these are such things to be employed in , that there is not an Angel in heaven , not an Apostle now with God , nor a Minister on earth , but would as willingly be employed in this work , as to be in the glory of heaven it selfe ; and seeing God himselfe appears in his glory when he builds up Zion , my humble suit is , that your Lordships would count it your glory , and think with David you never are so gallant and glorious , as when you are dancing before the Ark of God . And to stirre you up to it , I shall use two sorts of Motives ; one taken from your selves , from your owne present standing and condition : the other , from the consequence and benefit of the work it self . First , your owne standing and condition affords you many notable arguments , such as might even compell you to make it your glory to help forward this great building of the Church of God . You are great men , lifted up above your Brethren : God hath done that for you , which he hath denied to millions in the Kingdome ; you know your states , bloud , birth , dignities , priviledges , so well , that I need not reckon them : Now God having made you greater then others , he expects , and certainly it would be a very comely thing , that you should be the forwardest of all to help forward this work , that God is so well pleased with . And secondly , God hath also put into your hands more talents and abilities , and opportunities to doe this work , then into the hands of others : many willing men , who would lay downe all , would doe all , and give all they have to further it , yet are not able to doe so much as one Vote of yours may doe ; one I , or one No , given by you , may more forward the building of this work , then the lives and states of many thousands : Now when such an opportunity is in your hands , when you are so furnished and enabled to doe it , how sad a thing would it prove if you should not improve it ? Nay thirdly , ( my Lords ) you are Noble-men , and therefore you cannot out of true Nobility but desire to have your hands in noble and honourable imploiments ; sure I am , since you were borne , or since this generation begun , never was it in the hand or opportunity of men , to be laid out more honourably , then you may in cordially helping forward this great work : never can you be so glorious in the eyes of God and his Angels , no such glorie or Nobilitie as to be emploied in this work ; had you all Acts of Parliament , to entaile all your Lands , Honours , Names and Fortunes , all that you are , and all else that you wish for , would never make you so honourable , as to be numbred amongst these that built up the Church of God ; that when the Lord shall reckon up the people , who were by him emploied in the work , as he saith once of Zion , This and that man was borne there ; so for God to say , for the Registers of his acts and worthy deeds to say , Such a Noble-man , such an Earle , such a Lord , stood out in my cause and worke , when the Nobles of Tekoah would not put their hands to it : When some of the Nobles of Judah kept intelligence with Sanballat and Tobiah , when some others discouraged the well-affected ; such a man , like another Nehemiah , wrought for me night and day , and never put off his cloaths except it were to wash them ; never could such an honour be put upon you ; look not while you live in this world , though you might live an hundred yeares , ever to have the like opportunitie . O that it might sink deep into your hearts ! that you did understand what an honour it is to be a helper of God , in laying the foundation of a new heaven and earth ! Nay ( my Lords ) consider in the fourth place , God hath called you to it , as expresly as he did call Bezaleel and Aholiab , as he called Hiram , when Solomon sent for him , to help him build the Temple : he could have cast your lot to be meane men , or in his providence have left you among them who have deserted him and his cause , ( who shall therfore one day be cloathed in confusion ) but he hath kept you here , while these great matters of Religion are in hand , things which I hope will prove the foundations of many gnerations : This work he hath called you unto , and hath said to you , as once he said to Cyrus , Build my house ; and when God calls , you may be bold to follow him , rely upon him for wisdome , counsell , strength , successe , &c. according to that promise Esa. 45. 2. I will go before thee , I will break in peeces gates of brasse , and barres of iron , I am the Lord who calls thee , and will blesse thee . Yea , fifthly , the Lord hath already blessed you in it : Remember ( I beseech you ) at what a miserable low ebbe we were , when your Lordships , and the Honourable House of Commons , entred into an Oath and Covenant with God Almighty , and sware unto him with your hands lifted up to heaven , that you would endevour the reformation of Religion ; what our state was then , and how this work was derided and scorned , yet ever since , though you have been building in a very troublesome time , and have for our sinnes met with many a stop , many a Perez-Vzzah in bringing-in the Ark of God , a blessed alteration hath God made in our affaires ; since we have owned his cause , how hath he owned us ? what deep conspiracies hath he detected ? what victories hath he bestowed ? how many waies hath he blessed us , and carried the work on , notwithstanding our weaknesses , our follies , our not taking advantage of the opportunities , yet the Lord hath carried it on , because he doth owne it . Nay , give me leave to adde , your forwardnesse and hearty affection to it , may make the work easie to all others ; if you as so many Gedeons goe before them , and say to the people , Doe what you see us doe , Look on us and doe likewise ; in this cause of God you are like the first sheet of an Impression , when that is printed , it is a patterne for thousands to be wrought off afterwards with ease . Nay lastly , know it for certaine , that in this point of the purgation and reformation of Religion , all the well-affected of England will live and die with you : what David said to Solomon , My Son , up and build , all the Nobles , and Princes , and the courses of the Priests , will be at thy command , I may boldly apply to you , Go on in this work , and you shall find England will never desert you , the State of England , the well-affected , the Gentry , the People , the Ministers will live and die with you , while you will live and die cordiall to Gods cause . It is an old observation , when Princes and great men leave God , they lose their Names , Friends , Glorie : while Joash was for Religion , they all stuck to him ; when he listened to the Princes who drew him off from God , he lost his life and glorie all at once : even famous Solomon himselfe , who built the Temple , when he forsook God , he lost ten of his twelve Tribes : and it 's as true here at home , among them whose hearts remaine faithfull to God and his cause , either in the house of Lords or Commons , although some clouds doe sometimes rise over them , some jealousies and surmises , ( which soon blow over againe ) few of them are forsaken ; but let any tacke about , and forsake God , and they are blasted presently , they are irrecoverably lost . My Lords , consider of these things seriously , and let these arguments , taken from your owne condition and standing , provoke you to goe on resolutely in this glorious work . There is one Motive more , and that is taken from The fruit and the gaine that will come of this great work of your building up the Church of God : Take it in two branches , in two things , both which ( I am assured ) are very deare to you ; the one concernes your selves , the other the State . For your selves , your Honours , and Families , and Posterities , are certainly very deare to you ; men of great bloud , and birth , and estate , make the preservation and establishing of their Familie , ordinarily next to the salvation of their soules : Now ( my Lords ) you may take this for a certaine Rule , Build you Gods house , God will build yours ; Jehu , though not sound at heart , entailed the Crowne of Israel to the fourth generation upon his posteritie , for sticking to God in the cause of Baal , in rooting Baal out of Israel ; and God promised concerning Solomon , he shall build my house , and I will establish his Throne ; mark it , those two go together , he shall build my house , and I will establish his Throne ; and God said to David in the same chapter , because he had but a purpose to build a house for the Lord , because it was in thy heart to doe it , I will build thy house for ever ; and even the very Midwives in Egypt , who loved Gods people , God built them houses . So that if ever you would eternize your names , and bring Gods blessing upon your families , know certainly this is the onely way , other projects will not doe it , he can cut off families and houses in their greatest glory : Shebna thought by pride , and pomp , and state , to carry it out , but shalt thou reigne ( saith God ) because thou hast built thee a brave house ? I le kick thee like a ball in strange countries : It is no thinking to continue greatnesse in despight of God , who at his pleasure puls down and raiseth up . But in this work you have him ingaged , build you Gods house , and hee will build yours , give his blessing to your posterity , or in case they faile , give you a name that is better then of Sons and Daughters . But I 'l tell you that which is better for you , better to your soules , when you have served him herein this glorious work , when the day of account and reward comes , they who faithfully work most in this building , shall have the best wages , they shall sit upon thrones there , and shine even as the Sun in the firmament , for ever . Secondly , The benefit of this work for the publique State . The publique State ( my Lords ) is that , that you have sweat and toyl'd for hitherto , and you would rejoyce to see it well setled , to see poore England , buoide out of these quick-sands , into which it is falne : What a blessed man would he be , that could but put us into the way , how to pacify Gods wrath kindled against the Nation , and secure it for the time to come ; Now ( my Lords ) this will doe both , this will pacify the wrath of God . No such way under Heaven , to remove it , as to goe on faithfully in Reforming the House of God , in setling Religion according to the Word : That Heathen King Artaxerxes , sent a letter by Ezra , to all the Governours , and bids them , that they should let Ezra have all that he would desire for the House of God , so much Gold and Silver , and Wheat , and Oyle , and Salt , as much as he would , and bids him goe on , and set all in order ; and what was the great Motive ? For ( saith he ) Why should there be wrath upon the Realme of the King , and his Sons ? marke it , if all was not done that was requisite for the House of God , there would be wrath ; and let it be done , and there would be no wrath ; so I say to you , that God who hath cast us into these combustions , can easily quiet them : how often when we have been ready to strike saile in the harbour , hath some Euroclydon cast us out into the sea againe ? and on the other side , when ready to sinke , how unexpectedly hath he raised our hopes ? Our work lies with him , and with him only , pacify God and all is done ; this black storm will bee blown over , if hee but speak all will bee quiet : you may see this clearly in the prophecy of Haggai , God was very much displeased with them , and blasted and cursed every thing they took in hand , but as soon as they cordially set upon this work , his spirit was pacifyed towards them . And then for time to come , ( with which I end ) The doing of this work wil be the readiest way to secure England against the like danger ; I am perswaded , you all think that the seeds of deadly and continuall feuds are now rooted between Family and Family , Neighbour and Neighbour , such are the plunders and havocks made out of cruell spight , and God knowes whether the childe but new born will ever live to see an end of them ; these I think are your feares , but carry you on this work , and this will secure the peace of the State for the time to come , I say againe , the doing of this shall secure all , so that no Enemy shall bee able to hurt you . It 's said of the Trojans Palladium , and the Romans Ancile , that they were the protection of those Cities , that while they were safe , no Enemy could hurt them ; when they were stolne and gone , the City was lost ; Certainely the establishing of this , will bee the Palladium and Ancile of England ; you have a promise in the fourth of Isaiah , the latter end of it , The Lord would create upon every dwelling of Mount Zion , a pillar of a cloud , and a pillar of fire , for Upon all the glory there shall bee a defence , mark , a defence upon all the glory ; Keligion is the glory , the ordering of Gods House , is his glory , and that is a defence even a wall of fire ; And you have had good experience of the fruit of Religion , in this huge conflict wee have had these three or foure yeeres together for our Religion , and Liberty ; mark , who are they that have left you , and who adheard unto you , whether the Counties that have forsaken you , have not generally been the dark places , the Cities , and corners of the Land , where nothing but superstition , Prelacy , Ignorance , and profanenesse have dwelt , and whether the City of London , and the Counties which have had the Gospel , where Christ hath been soundly preached , have not been the men , who to the exhausting of all , have adheared to you in your righteous defence ; and it 's hard to name one Town that hath been against you , where the people are subdued to the Gospel of Christ , and you find the generality of godly men thorow-out the Kingdom resolved to sink or swim with you , because Jesus Christ hath put it into your hearts , to reform and build up Zion . I will conclude with that promise , in the 58 of Isaiah , the latter end , where the Lord exhorts his people to build the old waste places , and repaire the Cities for the generations , &c. The great incouragement which the Lord there gives them is , The glory of the Lord shall bee their Rereward ; not their reward onely , but their rereward , their reserve ; that that shall back them ; the glory of the Lord is Religion , the Ark and Ordinances : Set up Religion , beautifie the place of his Sanctuary , make the place of his feet glorious , that will keep God among you , and keep the people faithfull to God and your selves , and establish you so , that the Enemy shall not bee able to rise up , or if he do , and come one way , he shall fly seven waies ; And this is the first Circumstance from which the Prophet so magnifies this work of building up Zion , because when the Lord doth build up Zion , hee appears in his glory : Consider what I have said , and the Lord give you understanding in al things . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89567e-220 Esa. 60. 13. Notes for div A89567e-330 The Introduction shewing the tenor , and occasion , and scope of this Psalme . Esa. 40. 1 , 2. Jer. 29. 12 , 13. Esa. 40. 31. And of these words . Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 1. The building up o●Zion is a work peculiar to God alone . 2 Sam. 5. 7. What is meant by Zion , and the building of it . 2 Sam. 6. 12. compared with 1 King. 8. 1. Ephes 4. 11 , 12. 13. Proved by Scriptures . 1. Mat. 16. 28. Psal. 32. 13 , 14 , &c. & 48. 12. & 51. 18. & 69. 35. & 126. 1 Esa. 14. 32. & 28. 16. Zach. 8. 3 , 4. Psal. 121. 1 , 2. And by reason , 1. because no other builders have any skill to doe it . 2. 1 Psal. 49. 1. 8. Though God use them as his instruments . Psal. 121. 12. Esa. 63. 5. Yet they contribute nothing to this work . 1 Cor. 3. 6 , 7. 2. Nor secondly have they any will to doe it . Jer. 30. 7. Psal. 35. 21. Psal. 118. 22. Ps. ● . Dan. 2. 35 , 42. Ezra 4 2. Heb. 3. 4. Application . Therefore wee may comfortably conclude that this work must go on ; though other helps do fail . Luk. 14. 28 , &c. Judg. 15. 15. Esa. 41. 14 , 15. Esa. 26. 12. 1 Sam. 10. Esa. 44. 28. 65. 18. Doct. 2. The maine Doctrine , God doth alwayes appeare in his glory when be builds up his Church . 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. What it is to appeare in glory . 2. That God doth thus appeare when he builds up Zion , proved . Psal. 87. 3. Esa 4. 5. & 60. 1 & 66. 18. & 59. 19. & 11. 10. Psal. 142. 8. Psal. 93. opened . Luk. 12. 35. Psal. 68. 1. 2. opened . Verse 18. compared with Ephes. 4. 8. Esa. 63. 1 , 2. &c. opened . Vers . 9. Chap. 64. 4. 3 How God appeares in , his glory when he builds his Church . This work carryed on in a way differing from all other his works . Manifested . 1. From the unfit materials out of which it is builded . Deut. 9 23 , 23. 3. 26. Esa. 11. Ezek. 16. 1 , &c. Ezek. 23. 2. From the weake instruments and tooles by which it is builded . Exod. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 chap. Josh. 6. Esa. 41. Jer. 31. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 27. Psal. 8. 3. At a most unlikely time . Psal. 141. 7. Ezek. 37. Rev. chap. 17 , 18 , & 19. 2 King. 21. Luk. 82. Matth. 9. 9. Ezek. 16. 23. Acts 9. Ephes. 2. 3 Col. 1. 21. 2 Sam. 23. 20. 4. The manner is most glorious wherein he useth to magnifie . 1. His unsearchable wisdome . Psal. 104. 24. Esa. 11. 2. &c. Psal. 77. 19. Acts 15. 39. Psal. 1. 12. Esa. 60. per totum . Micah 4. 11 , 12 , 13. Rom. 11. 33. 34. 2. His almighty power . Esa. 17. Esa. 59. 19. Esa. 4. 5. & 45. 7. Psal. 102. 18 Esa. 43. 1. Jer. 41. 21. Ephes. 2. 10. * 14 , 24. 1. Raising his Church irresistibly . Esa. 64. 1 , 2 , 3. Zach 4. 7. Matth. 16. 2. Out of nothing . Esa. 49. 2● . 3. Esa. 66. 7 , 8. Esa. 60. 8. Psal. 110. 3. His Holinesse . Esa. 6. 3. Rev. 4. Rev. 15. Psal. 89 , 18. & 99. 5. Esa. 17. 7. 1 Sam. 2. 2. 4. His free grace and love . Cant. 8. 2. Esa. 60. 14. & 62. ● . 5. His Justice . Esa. 59. 17 , 18. & 34. 8. Zeph. 3. 19. Esa. 49. 26. Joel 3. 4. Why he thus appeares in glory when he builds his Church . 1. Because he dearly loves his Church . Jer. 31. 34. Psal 132. 13. & 87. 2. 2. He expects most glory from this work . Psal. 87. per to●um . Esa. 31. 9. Psal. 132. Ier. 17. 12. Rev. 4. Esa. 6. 1. Dan. 4. 30. 1 King. 10. 18 , 27. Application . Vse 1. For consolation . Esa. 60. 7. Esa 31. 4. Esa. 37. Luke 14. Objection . Answ. Esa. 30. 18. Ier. 14. 8 , 9. Esa. 40. 28. Vse 2. Terrour to all who would hinder it . Ezra 6. 11 , 12. Quest . Answ . Nehem. 3. 5. Esa. 54. 17. Zach. 14. 12 Luke 19. 27. Rev. 19. ult. Vse 3. Exhortation in two branches . 1. Since be appears in his glory , to acknowledge his glory in it . Psal. 68. 24. Vse 2. Exhortation to the right Honourable Lords , to imitate Christ , to make this work their glory . Quest . Answ . What Magistrates and great men may do . Esa. 49. 23. & 60. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 26. Josh. 24. 15. Gen. 18. 19. & 35. 2. Matth. 8 5. 2 Tim. 4. 19. Acts 16. 15. Heb. 3. 1. Luther . 1. For the reformation of Religion . 2 Chron. 17. 2 Chron. 29. 2 Chron. 34. Ezra 10. Nehem 9. 10. Revel. 17. 16. And the preservation of it . Ezra 6. 11 , 12 , 1 King. 2. 26. Rom. 13. 4. Deut. 13. Rev. 2. 14 , 20. Vide Beza de Hereticis mor●e plectendis . Motives thereunto . Motive 1. 1. They are great men . 2. Have many opportunities . 3. 〈◊〉 a glorious worke , and will be their greatest honour . Isa. 60. 12 , 13. Psal. 87.6 . Nehem. 3. 5. Nehem. 6. 17. Nehem. 4. 23. 4. Isa. 58. Esa. 44. ult. Esa. 45. 2. 5. God hath already blessed them in this work . 6. Their example will encourage others . Judg. 7. 17. 7. And Gods ▪ servants will live and dye with them in this work and cause . 1 Chro. 28. 21. Motive 2. From the gain of this work . 1. To themselves . In this world God will build their houses . 2 King. 10. 30. 2 Sam. 7. 11 , 13 Exod. 1. 20. And in another world , a better house prepared 2. This would settle the State . Pacifie Gods wrath at present . Ezra 7. 23. Haggai , per totum . Esa. 4. 5. Esa. 58. 8. Esa 60 13. 
A89577	----	A sacred panegyrick, or A sermon of thanks-giving, preached to the two Houses of Parliament, His Excellency the Earl of Essex, the Lord Major, court of alderman, and common councell of the city of London, the reverend Assembly of Divines, and commissioners from the Church of Scotland. Vpon occasion of their solemn feasting, to testifie their thankfullnes to God, and union and concord one with another, after so many designes to divide them, and thereby ruine the Kingdome, Ianuary 18. 1643. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in Essex. Published by order of the Lords and Commons. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89577 of text R9118 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E30_2). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 97 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89577 Wing M772 Thomason E30_2 ESTC R9118 99873470 99873470 125946 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89577) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 125946) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 6:E30[2]) A sacred panegyrick, or A sermon of thanks-giving, preached to the two Houses of Parliament, His Excellency the Earl of Essex, the Lord Major, court of alderman, and common councell of the city of London, the reverend Assembly of Divines, and commissioners from the Church of Scotland. Vpon occasion of their solemn feasting, to testifie their thankfullnes to God, and union and concord one with another, after so many designes to divide them, and thereby ruine the Kingdome, Ianuary 18. 1643. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in Essex. Published by order of the Lords and Commons. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 34 p. Printed for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head-alley, London : 1644. Annotation on Thomason copy: "January. 24. 1643". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Chronicles, 1st, XII, 38-40 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Church and state -- Great Britain -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89577 R9118 (Thomason E30_2). civilwar no A sacred panegyrick, or A sermon of thanks-giving, preached to the two Houses of Parliament,: His Excellency the Earl of Essex, the Lord Ma Marshall, Stephen 1644 18090 66 0 0 0 0 0 36 D The rate of 36 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-02 John Pas Sampled and proofread 2008-02 John Pas Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Sacred Panegyrick , OR A SERMON OF THANKS-GIVING , Preached to the two Houses of Parliament , His Excellency the Earl of Essex , the Lord Major , Court of Aldermen , and Common Councell o● the City of LONDON , the Reverend Assembly of Divines , and Commissioners from the Church of Scotland . Vpon occasion of their Solemn Feasting , to testifie their thankfullnes to God , and union and concord one with another , after so many Designes to divide them , and thereby ruine the Kingdome , Ianuary 18. 1643. By Stephen Marshall , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in Essex . Published by Order of the Lords and Commons . PSALME 133. 1. Behold , how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity . Psalme 144. 15 , Happy is that People that is in such a case : Yea , happy is that People , whose God is the Lord . London , Printed for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head-alley . 1644. TO THE ●●IGHT HONOVRABLE he Lords and Commons Assembled ●n Parliament ; His Excellency the Earle of Essex , with the rest of the Noble and Worthy Commanders : The Right Honourable the Lord Major , the Court of Aldermen , and Common Councell of the City of London : The Reverend Assembly of Divines : The Honourable and Reverend Commissioners from the Church of SCOTLAND . THis worke was too high for me , but as it s now done by so weake an hand , is too low , for so many judicious eyes with any favourable respect to look down to : But 〈◊〉 own Children , though lesse beautifull , we can behold with ●●ve ; and even stoope to take them by the hand , that wee may hold and lead them , that cannot goe or stand by themselves : ●●ch a weakling is this , that is now before you , the defects ●●d weaknesses whereof , I acknowledge are mine , but the ●●rth is Gods , and yours ; to him I humbly present it , for 〈◊〉 blessing ; and to you , for your acceptance and helpe , that may better goe abroad ; whilst all shall know , that it is ●●rs more then mine , and therefore to bee disposed of rather by you , then by my selfe . By your Command , ( for so I interpret all your requests to me ) it was Preached , and is now Published ; and this with the more boldnesse , because with some confidence , that it will passe the better without others censure , because it hath already passed your scrutiny with allowance and acceptance . But whatever the lot of it in that kind shall be , it will be abundant satisfaction to me , if the main end be attained by it , which by you and me was intended in it ; viz : the help of our selves and all , the more to adore the infinite wisdome , and power , and goodnesse of our God , who can make light to shine out of darknesse ; discords intended by enemies , to make up our more harmonious consent , and divisions of tongues that scatter the builders of Babel , to help up the more compact building of his Church . Hee once turned the day of his peoples griefes and feares to the quite contrary , so that they had then joy and gladnesse , a Feast , and a good day , insomuch that many of the people of the Land became Jewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them . Now hee that hath wrought for us the like turne of things , be pleased in mercy to worke a greater turne in all our Enemies hearts , that so now and ever , our Lord Iesus may appeare to be the wonderfull Counsellor , the mighty God , the everlasting Father , whilst thus , the Prince of his Peoples Peace : So prayeth , His and Your most Unworthy Servant . STEPHEN MARSHALL . THE PREFACE to the Sermon . RIght Honourable and Beloved in the Lord , this day is a day purposely set apart for feasting ; and it is like one of the Lords feasts , where you have a feast and a holy Convocation : And you are first met here to feast your soules with the fat things of Gods house , with a feast of fat things full of marrow , and wine on the lees well refined : and afterward to feast your bodies , with the fat things of the land , and the sea , both plenty and dainty . But if you please you may first feast your eyes ; doe but behold the face of this Assembly , I dare say it will be one of the excellentest feasts that ever your eyes were refreshed with : Here in this Assembly you may first see the two Houses of Parliament , the Honourable Lords and Commons , after thus many yeares wrastling with extreme difficulties , in their endevouring to preserve an undone Kingdome , and to purge and reforme a back-sliding and a polluted Church , you may behold them still not only preserved from so many treacherous designes , secret treasons , and open violences , but as resolved as ever cheerfully to goe on with this great worke , which God hath put into their hands . Here you may also see his Excellency ( my most honoured Lord ) the Generall of all our forces by land ; and neare him that other noble Lord , the Commander of our forces by Sea ; and with them abundance of noble and resolute Commanders al of them with their faces like unto Lions , who after , so many terrible battells , and abundance of difficulties , and charging in the face of so many thousand deaths , are all of them still preserved , and not a haire of their heads fallen to the ground . Here also you may behold the Representative body of the City of London , the Lord Mayor , the Court of Aldermen , the Common Councell , the Militia , and in them the face and affection of this glorious City ; This City , which under God hath hitherto had the honour of being the greatest meanes of the salvation of the whole kingdome ; and after the expence of millions of treasure , and thousands of their lives , still as faithfull and resolute to live and die in the cause of God as ever heretofore . Here you may likewise see a Reverend Assembly of grave and learned Divines , who daily wait upon the Angel in the Mount , to receive from him the lively Oracles , and the patterne of Gods house , to present unto you . All these are of our owne Nation ; and with them you may see the Honourable , reverend , and learned Commissioners of the Church of Scotland ; and in them behold the wisdome and affection of their whole Church and Nation , willing to live and dye with us . All these you may behold in one view ; and which is more , you may behold them all of one heart , and one minde , after so many plots and conspiracies to divide them one from another , and thereby to ruine them all : And which is yet more , you may see them all met together this day on purpose , both to praise God for this union , and to rejoice in it , and to hold it out to all the world , and thereby to testifie , that as one man they will live and dye together in this common cause of God , of our Lord Iesus Christ his Church , and these three Kingdomes . O beloved ! how beautifull is the face of this Assembly ? Verily I may say of it , as it was said of Solomons throne , That the like was not to be seene in any other Nation ; I question where ever the like Assembly was seene this thousand yeeres upon the face of the earth : Me thinkes I may call this Assembly The hoste of God ; I could call this place Mahanaim ; and I beleeve there are many in the Assembly who could say as old Jacob did , when he had seene his son Josephs face , Let me now dye , because I have seene this Assembly , and that it is yet thus with our unworthy England : and for my owne part , I professe I am almost like the Queene of Sheba , when she had seen the Court of Solomon , that she had no spirit left in her , and could presently send you away , and command all of you not to weepe to day , nor to mourne , but to goe home , and eat the fat , and drinke the sweet , and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared ; I should in the joy of my heart say this presently , but that I have first some banqueting stuffe for your soules , such as God hath brought to my hand , to set before you for your inward refreshing ; the ground whereof you shall finde , if you please to turne to the first of the Chronicles the twelfth Chapt ▪ and the three last verses . 1 Chron. 12. 38 , 39 , 40. All these came with a perfect heart to Hebron , to make David King over all Israel ; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David King : And there they were with David three dayes , eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for them . Moreover , they that were nigh them , even unto Issachar , and Zebulun , and Naphtali , brought bread on asses , and on camels and on mules , and on oxen , and meat , meale , cakes of figges , and bunches of raisins , and wine , and oyle , and sheep abundantly ; for there was joyin Israel . I Laboured to finde out a Text , which might every way be suitable to the occasion of this our present meeting , because a word spoken in season is like apples of gold in pictures of silver ; a Sermon suited to the circumstance of time , place , persons , and occasion , is not onely more acceptable , but more usefull : And truly I thinke the Lord hath brought to hand one of the most paralell portions in the whole Bible ; for if you please but to looke into it , and into the whole Chapter upon which this depends , you shall finde , First , they were doing the same thing , that is , rejoicing abundantly : Secondly , expressing their joy the same way , in feasting , eating , and drinking : Thirdly , you shall finde the same manner of persons , that is , the heads of all their Tribes , the Nobles , the Commons , the Souldiery , the Ministry ; you shall find them , fourthly , met on the like occasion , because their hearts were united in one , and that in the way to obtaine a blessed peace to a kingdome , which had been long wasted with a Civill warre : Fifthly , you shall find also , that the persons who met here , were the same which had adhered to the right side , to the cause which God did own & blesse ; and sixtly , who the longer their wars continued grew stronger & stronger , & their enemies grew weaker and weaker ; you shall finde all these met upon the same occasion , upon a businesse of the highest consequence , all of them feasting ; and seventhly , at the charge of their brothren , in whose precincts their solemn meeting was . Looke but into the chapter , and you 'll see all these ; Looke but into this Assembly , and you may behold them all in this Church . But it may bee you will say , We want a David , to make the paralell full ; we want a David to bee with us , a King who might concurre with us , and we with him in the same busines ; I confesse indeed , that in the literall sense God hath not yet made us so blessed , the Sonnes of Belial have stollen away both his Majesties Person , and affection from us , but even that is the thing which we contend for , that we might recover him out of their hands ; the expence of all our treasure , and all our blood hath bin to that end that he might have the wicked removed from his throne , that as another David , hee might rule over us in the feare of God , that hee might be as the light of the morning when the Sun ariseth , even a morning without clouds : And as we have in our Covenant solemnly sworne ( so much as in us lies ) to preserve and maintain his person and authority , in the defence of Libertie and Religion , so if God have any delight in him , and to doe us good by him , hee will in the end incline his heart unto such Counsels , that hee shall come home , and make this paralell full , and even bee the light of our Israel , and the breath of our Nostrills : But in the meane time , wee doe not want a David to suit this David in the Text , we have here the true David , of whom that David was in this very thing a Type , that is , the Lord Jesus Christ , whom wee are endeavouring to set upon his throne , that hee might bee Lord and King in his Israel , over his Church , amongst us : And as Davids person , and Kingdome , were but types of our Lord Christ and his Kingdome ; so this great joy and unanimity of heart , which met in all these at Davids Coronation in Hebron , was but a type of that rejoycing and gladnesse of heart , which should be among the Nations , when there should bee the like concurrence of the Nobles , and Commons , and Princes , and Ministers , and Citizens , with one heart , to set up the Lord Christ , to be Lord and King over them : All Learned Men know this to be true , and therefore by this time I beleeve , you see that my Text is most suitable to our Meeting , and withall the scope of it so plaine before you , that I need not spend any more time in the clearing of it , but shall hasten to some matter of Instruction ; Because ( though I conceive your Feast for your bodies will bee long ) I would not willingly make the Sermon so long , as to have it tedious to you ; and before I come to the maine Lesson which I shall insist upon , I would intreat you to looke a little back into the whole Chapter , where you will find Davids case , and our present condition , in many things to be exceedingly alike , and in it find much to incourage and comfort you in your saddest exigence ; be pleased when you are at home to read over this Chapter seriously , & you will find such observations as these : First , That David when hee was persecuted by Saul unjustly , did not onely take up Armes for his owne defence , but many of the choisest men of the Tribes did joyne with him , and adventure their lives in his defence ; yea , and his Adherents increased , till his Army grew to be like an Host of God ; and all this while King Saul was alive , and David but a private man , and one that had sworne Allegiance to him : You will in this Chapter find also , that although David and his adherents in the defence of his innocent righteous Cause , were oftentimes brought very low , to a dead low ebbe , yet in the end , God brought all about againe ; and Davids party grew stronger and stronger , and their malignant Enemies grew weaker and weaker . You will find also in this Chapter , That such as did adhere to David in his low condition , ( when the Lord had tryed and humbled them all ) found to their comfort in the end , that they were no losers by it ; They afterwards being made his Worthies , his Counsellors , and Princes . And this , That in the end God open'd the eyes of many of those who were most malignant and opposite , not only to see the righteousnesse of Davids Cause , but their hearts came cordially to joyne with him . And this also , that among all the Nobles , & Princes , & Rulers , and Leaders ; the more godly , the more wise , the more cordiall any were to Davids Cause , the greater power they had , and the more their brethren were at their command . This also you will find , that no cost , danger pains or difficulties , were ever stuck at by them whose hearts were rightly affected to Davids Cause . And this also you may observe , That God gave to Davids helpers such courage and strength , that oftentimes ten of them could chase a thousand & an hundred put ten thousand to flight . These , & many more such things as these ( which would be very profitable for our meditation , in these our distressed times ) you may find in reading this Chapter ; but I am resolved to confine my selfe to two Observations ; the one shall be from that , which was the matter of their joy at this time ; the other from the manner of expressing their joy ; The matter of their joy , you have in these words , that they were of one heart , and one mind , to set David to be their King ; The manner of expressing their joy was this , they were eating , and drinking , and feasting , at the cost of all the Tribes in whose precincts their meeting was ; Those of Zebulon , and Napthali , and Issachar , did in abundance expend their Oxen , and Sheepe , and Wine , and Oile , and all the delicates , to refresh their Brethren ; for the Army was I thinke no lesse then two or three hundred thousand of them , who upon this occasion were come together : from these two , I shall endeavour to handle these two Lessons . The first is , That it is the greatest matter and cause of joy that can bee to any People , to find a concurrence of Nobles , and Commons , and Souldiers , and Citizens , and Divines , to set up David for their King ; such an union and concurrence is a matter of the greatest joy in all the World . Secondly , That this joy springing from such a concurrence to set up David to bee their King , may very lawfully , and comely be express'd in feasting , eating , and drinking . I begin with the first of these , That it is a matter of the greatest joy in all the World , that can bee to any people , to finde such a concurrence as there was in this Chapter , to set up David to be their King : Where first we must inquire , what is here intended by setting up David to bee their King : Know therfore ( beloved ) that David is to be considered two wayes , he stands in a two-fold relation , even in this his Coronation : The first is Typicall ; the second is Politicall ; Typicall , and so David is Christ : Politicall , and so David is intended by God to be the pattern of a good King , the patterne and the Copy that all true Kings should write after ; and both these are so plaine , I dare say I might give you twenty severall places of Scripture for proof of both the branches : First , David was a type of Christ ; Christ is ordinarily called David ; you will not find any one person ( who was a type of Christ ) by whose name Christ is expresly called in his kingly office , but only David ▪ I will give them David their King ; upon the throne of David he shall sit : so David in the typicall relation is Christ . Then in the politicall relation , the Lord in tended him the patterne of a good King , and therefore you shall finde that all the Kings that for foure or five hundred yeares did succeed in Israel and Judah , when the Lord came to give any one their testimony , who they were , how neare they came to the Standard , this is the rule by which hee judged of them ; Such an one walked in the way of David ; such an one did that which was right in Gods sight as David ; such an one did well ; but not with such a heart as David ; such an one walked not in the wayes of David ; such an ones heart was not like unto Davids : so that David was in all intended by God to be the patterne o● a good King Now this first Lesson thus opened . I must therefore divide into two branches : the first is , That there can be no greater matter of joy and rejoicing to any people in the world , then to finde a concurrence of heart in the Nobles , and Princes , and Souldiers , and Ministers , and the heads of their Tribes , to set up the Lord Jesus Christ to bee the King of the Church among them : that shall bee the first . The second is this , That there can be no greater ioy to a nation for aniething that concernes this present life , then to finde concurrence of hearts in these Nobles , and those that are named in the chapter to set up a David ; that it , to have the Prince that should rule over them like into David . In these two things God willing ) I shall spend the most of this time , the other part of the Text I shall only point at . For the first , That to finde such a concurrence to set up the Lord Christ to be King ; is a matter of the greatest joy and rejoicing in the world : You may see it first , in the 〈◊〉 : Secondly , in Gods promise : Thirdly , in the Church●s performance . First , you shall see it in the Type , in David bringing up the Arke 2 Sam. 6. 12 , first , he called all his Parliament together and the Convocation of the Ministers also , and there they consulted to goe and bring up the Arke of God from Kiriath-jearim ( which Arke of God was a Type of the Lord Jesus Christ ) they all agree to bring it up to set it in his owne place , in a better state then formerly it had been , for the glory of it , and the welfare of the Church : Now when they concurred in this action , you shall finde that David and all the house of Israel plaied before the Lord on all manner of instrument , on Harps and Psalteries , on Timbrels and on Cornets and on Cimbals , with shouting and sound of Trumpets , and the King himselfe being cloathed with a linne Ephod danced with all his might , and gloried in his dancing , though we know Michal his wife despiled him for it , as if he had played the foole ; and all this because they so well agreed in bringing the Arke , and setting it up in his place , in the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it , which was nothing in effect , but the setting up the Lord Iesus Christ , both God and man , to be acknowledged as Lord and King in the midst of the Church . So likewise when Solomon had builded the Temple , in 1 King. 8. when the Arke was to be set upon the Table in the holy of holiest , which was properly the type of setting the Lord Iesus Christ upon the throne of Maiestie on high , at the right hand of God , and so to be Lord and Ruler over the Church . when there was a concurrence of the Princes and Nobles , who joined with him to doe this , there was such a holy feast made , that Solomon for his share spent twenty thousand Oxen , and a matter of an hundred and twenty thousand sheep in sacrifices : and after all this holy feasting upon sacrifices , hee and all Israel with him held a feast , from the entring in of Hamath unto the river of Egipt before the Lord , seven daies , and seven daies , even fourteen daies ; and then all the people departed home to their houses , joifull and glad of heart for all this goodnesse of the Lord Iehovah , in giving them the Lord Iesus Christ to reigne over them . See this likewise promised that it should and ought to be so : and for this though I might name many Scriptures , I will satisfie my selfe with two : the one is in the ninth of Esay and the beginning of it , The Lord there spake of a very sad affliction which the church should lie under , very uncomfortable times they should live in , but yet hee saith that there should be joy , they should joy before him like the joy in harvest , and as men rejoyce who divide a spoile . You all know that Souldiers when they are sacking a rich Town , every one filling not onely their Knapsacks , but loading their horses and waggons with rich spoile : and countrey-men when they have gathered-in all their harvest , if ever they are merry it is then : Now the Lord promiseth such a joy to his afflicted Church , which should bee like the joy of harvest , and the dividing the the spoile , upon what occasion was that thinke you ? You shall find at the 6. verse ▪ or unto us a Child is borne , to us a Son is given , on whose shoulders the Government shall bee laid , who shall be set upon the Throne of David his Father , to order and rule it ; that is , the Lord Jesus Christ shall be exalted to be their King , and then shall the People joy before him , like the joy in harvest , so likewise in the 9. of Zachary ver. 9. rejoice greatly O Daughters of Zion , shout for joy O Daughter of Jerusalem ; what is the matter ? Behold thy King commeth to thee , and if you marke it , when Christ first came to them in that place , he came poore and meeke , riding upon an Asse , yea , to be hang'd upon the Crosse to be crucified ; but yet afterward it followes , that his Dominion should be from Sea to Sea , and from the River to the end of the Earth ; This entertaining of Christ their King , should make them reioyce greatly , and shout for joy . See also one or two evidences for the performance of it , what infinite joy there hath bin at the setting of Christ on his throne : In Act. 8 : when the City of Samaria ( which before had been besotted with superstition and Idolatry , and all kind of beastlines of that kind ) upon Philips preaching Jesus Christ among them , had submitted to him , and received him for Lord and King it is said , there was great joy throughout the City ; but especially out of the book of Revelation . I could give you many evidences , be pleased to turne to one only , Chapter 19. from the first verse to the eight , where you will find a Panegyrick celebrated with great joy , by a great multitude of people , a great voice from the throne calling upon them ; to praising and rejoicing ; and all this great multitude cryed Halelujah , Salvation , glory and honour unto the Lord our God , let us reioice and be glad ; and again they said Halelujah , and again & again Halelujah making it the foot of the Song ; what was the occasions wherby the Lamb was to be married , and his wife had made her selfe ready , the new Ierusalem was comming down from Heaven ; Jew and Gentile to be made one Church : Antichrist the Beast and fals-Prophet to be destroyed , and Christ Jesus to bee gladly received as Lord and King : For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth . But to make it yet more plaine , you know that joy is , acquiescentia voluntatis in bono sibi congruenti , a pleasure or delight from some good thing we possesse or certainly expect , which breeds satisfaction in the will and pleasure in the sensitive soule , upon the delating the heart in the breast , when the object and faculty-suits one another , as the Cup and Cover ; which while it is onely comtemplated or meditated upon ; is after a sort made perfect , and accordingly the soule united unto it ; or while expected upon strong and unerring grounds , the soule comtortably and cheerfully works for the accomplishment of our desire ; but when it s possessed the good really present and united to us , when we have it face to face , then is the heart satisfied indeed . Now I shall fhew you ( God willing that the setting up of Jesus Christ after their manner , is the most excellent , suitable , congruous good that which will and may most satisfie and dilate the heart of any thing else whatever . And to this I shall demonstrate these two things : First , that the setting up of Christ to bee King is the greatest , the most desirable good that ever can betide any Nation . Secondly , that the Concurrence of the Nobles and Commons , and Souldiers , and Ministers , and Citizens to this work , their concurrence I say in this worke , is the most glorious , the most aimiable , the most desirable means of attaining this great good that any soule can wish ; and if both these be manifested , that the one is the greatest , and the other the most desirable meanes to attain it ; where these two things meet there must needs bee matter of great joy . For proofe of the first , I desire you but to compare it with all those things which make any Nation happy in their Prince or Government , and I doubt not but you will see , that the sitting up of Christ to bee King doth infinitely goe beyond them all ; And in this comparison I will confine my selfe to foure things . The glory and honour that commeth to that Nation , where Christ is set up to be their Lord and King ; the glory that thereby by comes to a Nation , you know is the thing w●ich maketh a people rejoice in their King , when their King is an Ornament to them : The Kingdomes and Princes who liv'd round about Solomon ; accounted it no dishonour to them , to be Solomons Tributaries and Servants ; because he was such an accomplish't excellent man : Hyram the wealthy King of Tyrus wrote a Letter to him , wherein he calls himself his Servant and saith , because the Lord loved his People , he set up thee to bee King over them . To have a King who is such a glory to a Nation , that ( when any of the People shall bee named in any forraine place ) the strangers shall say ; O they are happy in their Prince . Or as the Queene of Sheba or 〈◊〉 and his People , Happy are thy men , happy are these thy Subiects and Servants , which 〈…〉 continually before thee because God loven Israel to establesh him for ever , therefore made he thee King over them ; this is a glory to a Nation . Now thinke I beseech you , whether there can bee any glory like to this to have the Sonne of God ; the second person in the Trinity made man , now exalted to the Throne of Majesties on high , to whom the Angels and Archangels , and all the most of Heaven doe stoope , and all the Creatures did bow the knee before him , whether ( I say ) can there be any glory to a people like unto this , to have this Lord Christ set up to bee their King ? 2. Consider the advantage that commeth to a State and people governed by him , the infinite gaine and happinesse of all his Subjects under him , David bid them all weepe for Saul , because hee cloathed them all in scariet ; with other delights and put Ornaments of gold upon them , they might grow rich under him . But let mee tell you , it is onely the Lord Jesus Christ and his Government that maketh a Nation or a People furnished with an all-sufficiency of all things , As First , in the things of this life ; Christ hath all things delivered into his hands , the Father hath given them all up unto him , and H●e giveth them to whom he pleaseth , and his Kingdom hath the promise of this life as well as that which is to come . So that if Gold , or Silver , or Wealth , or ease . or pleasure , or liberty , or any of these things bee good for them the Subjects of Christ must needs injoy it from their beloved King : but these are scarce worth the naming ; The Glory of Christs Government to his People stands in this , that the maketh their souls their best part , their Spirituall-part , their Eternall part ; he maketh their soules I say , infinitly happy in being a King over them , which no other Government reacheth to , no not in any degree , further then it is in subordination to Christ , and endeth in him ; but now where Christ is set up to be King , he giveth his Subjects such things as these : The pardon and forgivenesse of all their sinnes ; the blood of Jesus Christ their King , wherein they are all washed cleanseth them from all their sinnes , so that not a man of them shall ever be called to an account before God for any thing they have done against him , He maketh all of them righteous , the Lord saith to him , thy people shall be all righteous He doth adopt them all to be His children ; all His subjects are His children , yea coheires ; yea they are all His brethren , they may all enjoy communion with his Father , and with himselfe , and with his holy Spirit ; all his Kingdome is his Court , all his subjects his Courtiers , they may all as his Favourites stand before him , and see his face , they may all present their supplications to him for themselves and others , with assurance to be heard and answered in all things according to his will : in one word , he is such a King who maketh all his Subjects to be Kings ; there is not one of all those where he is set up to be Lord and King over ; but he maketh them all to be Kings and Priests to God his Father : It is in fiers , in beginning and degree here in this world , but afterwards shall to all eternity bee manifested and made good of them all in the highest heavens ; where when they have overcome , they shall fit down with him on his throne , as hee hath sat down upon his Fathers Throne . Now ( brethren ) so farre as the soule is more excellent then the body , so farre as heaven is above earth , as grace is above gold , and silver , or drosse , as eternity is above a moment , so much more excellent are the advantages that Christ Jesus giveth to his subjects , then any that can be received from any other Prince in the world : now the happinesse of the soule is so excellent , and so desirable to all men , that you know , that the very heathen by the light of nature did account this the greatest happinesse of all to any state , to have Religion on set up , which was for their soules happinesse as they conceived . It is observable , that you can hardly meet with one Philosopher , or any one Law-giver among all the Heathen , who did not make Religion ( which was for the worship of their gods , and the welfare of their souls ) to be the prime worke of all : yea , so sacred a thing it was among them , that cul●us deorum , the worship of their gods , was the principall care and charge of their Princes , who therefore were their chiefe Priests : and that so universally , as Tullie saith there is no Nation so barbarous but you will finde Religion chiefly regarded : and Plutarch writing to an Atheist , tells him that possibly he may finde some Cities without learning and some without wealth , and some without a well framed Government , but should never finde any without Temples , Altars , the worship of their gods , and consequently of the care of their soules welfare . True it is indeed , these poore blind wretches groped after the welfare of their soules to no purpose , because they knew not God : but worship't Devills instead of God : but yet thus much wee learne from it , that in their judgments which c●n procure the eternall happinesse of mans immortall soule , is the greatest gaine the greatest advantage of all other ; and therfore because the setting up of Jesus Christ to be Lord & King , is alsufficient for this ▪ what greater good can come to any people . A third priviledge of Christs being set up as King , is the safety of his people ; let a Prince be never so wise , so good & loving to his subjects ; let them be never so happy in him , yet if they want power to defend his Kingdome from violence of other States , both he and they may soon prove miserable ; as we see in all the flourishing Empires of the World in times past , another Prince hath violently come and spoiled all : But now where the Lord Christ is set up to bee a King : I need not in this Assembly tell you what strength they have , Salvation is prepared for walls and Bulwarks , he himselfe is a wall of fire round about , so that no enemies shall dare come nigh to them ; there enemies have none of them any power but what Christ himselfe hath given them . All power is his both in heaven and in the earth , if he speake but the word all his enemies are overthrown , let God arise ( speaking of Christ ) Psal. 68. let God arise , and his enemies shall be scattered , they fly as the dust before the wind , as the wax before the fire , as stubble before the flame , so doe his enemies fall if Christ will but appeare against them . In one word , by him were all things Created , by him they are upheld , and subject , and all things disposed of according to his pleasure ; and therefore under his shadow , under his protection they may quietly rest , and none can hurt them . And lastly adde one more , that this King lives for ever , and reignes for ever ; make him once a King over a people , and hee will ever bee a King ; They who are once his Subjects , will ever be his Subiects ; yea , and while they are under his government , his government shall grow more glorious , more vict●●ious ; of the increase of his Government and Peace , there shall be no end ; be shall sit upon the Throne of David his Father , to order it , and establish it ; the Lord hath spoken it , and it must be so . I hope this is now cleere , that the setting up of Christ to bee Lord and King , is the greatest happinesse that can beside any Nation . The second is , that such a concurrence to find Princes , Nobles , Captaines , &c. ( for all these are in my Text ▪ ) to find the heads of all the Tribes thus concurring to doe it , is the most glorious , amiable and desirable meanes for effecting this work , which to make plaine , I beseech you to consider it two wayes First , looke upon it , as it is signum , what this concurrence holdeth forth as its a signe . Secondly , as causa look upon in that which it worketh for the effecting of it . First , as it is a signe , and so it expresseth , first the greatest love and favour of God to that people ; never did the Lord from Heaven expresse to any Nation , a greater token of his owning that Nation and People , then when he maketh such a concurrence in their Princes , and Nobles . and Leaders , to set up the Lord Christ to be their King ; of God in the Prophesie of Ieremiah and Zephaniah , that he would them one heart and one way , all of them should agree in one to serve him & subiect to him with one consent . This made David so ravished in his spirit , when there was such a union and unanimity in his Princes and Nobles , to joine with in preparing for the Temple ; Who am I Lord ? and what i● my people that wee should be able to offer thus willingly after this sort ? now therfore O Lord , we thank and blesse thy glorious Name for it : and argues it there , as one of the greatest pledges of Gods accepting them , that there should bee such a concurrence in such a worke . Secondly , it 's also the greatest signe that can be of a peoples love to Christ , and of the greatest glory which they can possibly put upon him to be such a willing people to set him up upon his Throne . This was promised as the great glory of Christs Kingdom , that Kings and Princes should bring his Children upon their shoulders ; that they should bring their own glory , and lay it and then Scepters at his feet ; be nursing Fathers unto his Church ; that whole Nations should flow in unto him : and certainly its the greatest expression they can make , and the greatest glory which the Lord can receive from poore men to have the Heads of a people thus oind to set up Christ upon his Throne : It was much more glorious to David to be crowned after this manner , then to have conquerred them by his Sword , and for Salomon to have all the Kings about him to offer themselves , to be his Servants out of that inward reverence and love they bore unto him , then to have subdued them as Ioshua did the Kings of Canaan : and even so is it here , it 's a great exaltation of Christs glory to find whole States thus willing to submit unto him . Thus it doth it as signum . 2 Book upon it ut causa , as it works towards the effecting of it : Nothing which men can doe carryes such an energie as this joynt consent doth , and that 3. severall wayes . First such a publique concurrence of all these , is a marvellous engagement of that people to adhere to the Lord without sliding back . When David had sworne unto the Lord to find out a place for the Lord , an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob , he would give no sleepe to his eyes , nor slumber to his eye lids , untill hee had done what he could to effect it . So when they have sworne a Covenant , and their Princes and Rulers , and all of them joyne together with such an vnanimous consent , it averreth & holdeth out to the world their full and unchanged resolution to spend , and to be spent , and to do all that ever they are able for the promoting of this worke ; Now this ingageing of a Nation to the Lord is an infinite meanes of effecting it , and ingaeth the Lord to sware to them , as he did to David in the like case . Secondly , this concurrence in the Princes and Leaders of the people is a marvelous meanes to draw all the people on as one man without any opposition , when they that are their Leaders doe thus goe before them , there is a notable example in this Text of the Tirbe of Issachar . v. 32. of the rest of the tribes it 's said how many there came ; of some Tribes 10 thousand , of some 20. thousand , of some 40. thousand but of the Tribe of Issachar , it is not said how many came , but only 200. that were the Leaders and Lords of that Tribe with perfect heart , and the Text addeth , all their Bretheren were at their command , all the whole Tribe ; If the Tribe of Issachar were 40. 50. 100. thousand , set but the 200. Leaders right , and they cary all the rest right infallibly whether they will or no : And you all know by experience the infinite power Leaders have to cary the people to any thing , be it good or evill ; Jeroboam and his Princes may lead the people to worship golden calves , Joash and his Princes may draw the people to forsake God ; And againe Jehosaphat , Hezechiel , Iosiah , and their Princes and Rulers may draw the people of the Lord into a Covenant to serve the Lord . That is the second way to effect it , by leading the people to submit unto Christ also . Thirdly , this vnity and concurrence of heart and spirit , doth infinitely daunt and dampe the spirit of their Enemies who would hinder the worke , neither is any thing such a terrour to those that would destroy and hinder the setting up of Christ , as to see an vnity and concurrence of heart and hand of those that are the prime Leading men to carie on the worke : This is notably set forth in the Booke of Nehemiah , when Tobias and Sanballat , and the rest of them had tried all their wits to devide and scare them , and yet saw , they went on with the worke , that they would build , though they built with the sword in one hand and a Trewell in the other , and though they wrought both night and day , and that some slept whilst others waked , and on they would goe the Rulers and Heads being the forwardest of all , when the enemie saw that , the Text saith , they were extreamly cast downe , because they saw the worke was wrought by the hand of God : So that enemies faile in their spirits , when they see without changing the Nobles and Leaders are resoluedly set to carie on this worke , That Christ shall be set vp for Lord and King . And thus Beloved I have cleared the first Branch of this observation : That the greatest joy that can be to any people is to see such a concurrence of heart , to have the Lord Christ set vp for Lord & King . For the Application of it I shall insist only vpon two things . First , what infinite cause have all wee that are here gathered together , to blesse the Lord for this day , for this very day , and all these dayes wherein we now live : I confesse Beloved , I discerne there are very many with whom you shall never talke , but they are complaining of the miserablenesse of our dayes , oh the times are miserable ! what glorious times had we three or four yeares , or five or seaven yeares agoe , for then they had trading , plenty , and ease , and every one could sit vnder his owne vine , and his figge tree , no adversary nor evill occurrent , and now they heare of nothing but warres , and blood , and exhausting of treasure , and losse of their children and kinred , and plundering their goods every where , so that there is nothing but complaining amongst a world of people , as if our dayes were most miserable : Now Beloved , give me leave to speake my thoughts freely , I will set aside my Text , and the matter I am in hand with , and yet I will cofidently affirme , that our dayes now are better then they were seaven yeares agoe : Because it is better to see the Lord executing Judgment , then to see men working wickednesse , and to behold a people lye wallowing in their blood , rather then apostating from God , and embracing of Idolatry , and superstition , and banishing of the Lord Christ from amongst them : Set the worke of this Text aside , and the dayes are not so miserable now , as they were then , but take this in , which I am handling , and I will here ( in the wisest and greatest Auditory that any man in this Age hath preached unto ) not feare to say , that since England was England , since any Booke was written concerning England , never was their that cause of joy and rejoyceing as there is this very day in England : Was there ever a Parliament in England knowne , which laid the cause of Christ and Religion so to heart as this Parliament hath done ; Did ever any Parliament till now with David , sware as in the 132. Psalm , That they will never give rest to their eyes , nor slumber to their eye-lids , till they have found out a place to set the Ark of Christ upon , to set up Christ for their King , Did ever Parliament call such an Assembly of Divines and make them by solemne Vow , or Oath ingage themselves to present nothing to them , but what should be ( to their best understanding ) the very will of the Lord God ; was there ever Parliament and Nobilitie , and Ministers , and Citizens , and so many ten thousands of all sorts in England till now , who did joyne in such a Covenant , yea , the two Nations together , that they will to their uttermost , indeavour the Reformation of Religion , in the purity of it , and preservation of it according to Gods Word ; Did ever ( when heretofore England hath been engaged in warre and blood ) the City of London , the rest of the Tribes , the Godly Party throughout England , so willingly exhaust themselves , only that Christ might be set up , and willingly , saying every day to the Lord God , Lord take all , so Christ may be but King ; Did ever any of you reade it to be thus with England till now ? My heart is towards the Governours of England , which thus willingly offer themselves , and I cannot but tell you , that I think you should all doe as David and the Nobles did , when they fetched up the Ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim : And I the father instance in it , because their case and ours were very like , for there the Ark had been in Captivity amongst the Philistines , and when it was brought out of Captivity ▪ and placed at Kiriath-Jearim , ●it was but in Confinio Philisti●●●um , neere the border of the Philistines , whither when Gods people went to worship , they went in danger , they were sub●ect to the incursions of the Philistines , and therefore it is said , all Is●●el mourned after the Lord , that is , They could never goe to Worship , but they went in fear of some mischief , but now when David and the Nobles joyne together , to bring up the Ark of God , and to set it in a fit place for the glory of it , they all danced and skipped for joy , and King David the most joyfull Dauncer among them . Though Michal scoffed at him ; and if this be to be vile ( saith hee ) I will be more vile then thus : I will daunce againe before the Lord : Thus should we doe . When Jehoiada the high Priest on a suddaine brought out young King Joash , when the people thought they should have alwayes laine under the Tyranny of Athalyah , and never seen a Prince more of Davids race , when such an unexpected favour was bestowed upon them , how did they shout and joy ? Thus should our souls doe ; Honourable and Beloved , had you ever more cause of joy ? Verily , if there be any in this Assembly , that thinks not this a sufficient retribution and satisfaction for all his Twentieth Part , for all his Contributions , for all his Payments , and Hazards , if he think himself not well appayed to see the Lord doing all this , I say he is blinde , I say his heart is not right with God , hee hath no share in this present businesse : But to the rest of you , who know the glory and excellency of this worke which the Lord God is doing amongst us , I beseech you rejoyce in it , and goe your ways , and eat the fat , and drink the sweet , praise the Lord for all the good he is doing to this our Israel , and now that the walls are setting up , doe as they did in Nehemiahs dayes , when they had built them , they shouted and rejoyced , so that the noyse was heard , I know not how many miles off : so let all England Cry , that our blood , our Armies , our Poverty , our Millions wherein wee are ingaged , are all abundantly repayed in this , That there is such a Concurrence to set up the Lord Christ upon his Throne , to be Lord and King over this our Israel . And then Secondly , Let me exhort you all , to goe on in this Work , which you have set your hearts and hands unto ; And wherein the Lord hath mercifully Carried you on thus farre , and let me be bold first to speak to you , Right Honourable , the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of England , wee have infinite cause all of us , every day to blesse God for your unwearied labours , that thus you stick to it night and day , and are not discouraged ; But goe on still , I beseech you , make England a happy Nation , and though many have disserted you , be not dismayed , I tell you their names shall be written in the Dust , when yours shall be written in letters of Gold , and the Generations to come shall say , That these Glorious walls of Hierusalem were built in a troublesome time , these foundations of Gods house were laid , and the building reared up in times of Calamity , but blessed be God , for such Lords for such Commons , which would not be taken off ; Carry on the work still , leave not a ragge that belongs to Popery , lay not a bit of the Lords building with any thing that belongs to Antichrist , or Antichrists stuffe , but away with all of it , root and branch , head and tayle , throw it out of the Kingdome , and resolve not to leave , till you can say , Now Christ is set upon his Throne , and England is subdued to him , and the Good Lord carry you on to doe so . And you my Righ Honourable and Excellent Lord , and the rest of the Noble Commanders that are ingaged in this service , let me speak a word unto you , I acknowledge what cause England hath to blesse God ; I hope your hearts beleeve , how deere your labours are unto all that love God , and your unwearied paines , which you take , how they are presented at Gods throne every day , goe you on , Noble and Resolute Commanders , goe on and fight the Battells of the Lord Jesus Christ , for so I will not now fear to call them , for although indeed at the first , the enemy did so disguise their enterprises , that nothing cleerly appeared , but only that you were compelled to take up Armes for the defence of your Liberties , and to bring Rebells and Traytors to condigne punnishment , but now they have ingaged all the Antichristian world so farre , that all Christendome , except the Malignants in England , doe now see , that the question in England is , whether Christ or Antichrist shall be Lord or King , all in the world , I say again , except our Malignants see it ; the Protestants owning the one , and the Papists and Popish-affected the other , as their cause . Goe on therefore couragiously , never can you lay out your blood in such a quarrell , Christ shed all his blood to save you from hell , venture all yours to set vp him vpon his throne , that you may be made happy under him , that you may preserve your Liberties and Lawes , and preserve us out of the hands of them who would destroy all : And you likewise Reverend Fathers and Bretheren , you the Assembly of Divines , and the Reverend and honourable Commissioners of the Church of Scotland joyned with them for the effecting of this worke , goe you on I beseech you , wait upon God , humble your selues for former pollutions , endeavour to see the patterne of the Lords house , that you may hold out the true discription of the Lambs wife , that England may be in love with it , that you may have in due time the glory and praise of being Masierbuilders in this great worke of God : And thou Right Honourable and welbeloved City of London of whom I utterly want words when I would speake , goe on , and be a patterne to all the Cities in the world , as thou art this day in expending all for thy Glorious King the Lord Christ , whom thou hast thus farre owned , and whom thou lovest , the Lord hath given thee great weatlh and estate , grudge not still to lay it out in his cause , if he had tooke it an other way , thou wouldest have been contented , if fire had burnt it , if pestilence had wasted thy inhabitants , if famine or plunder , or any thing , thou wouldest have been contented ; but now though there goe pound after pound , and thousand after thousand , and Regiment after Regiment , when it is for the Lord Christ , and purity of Religion which the enemy would deprive thee of together with thy civill Liberties ▪ never could it goe so honourably , so nobly for his glory , and thy owne comfort : Goe on therefore I beseech you all , and cary on the worke , and for your incouragement remember and observe how the Lord your God goeth before you , observe him in all his goings , how he watcheth over you every day , no weapon can prosper , that is forged against you , no tongue ariseth up in Judgment against you , but the Lord condemnes it , every one that pleads against you the Lord pleads against him , & though you loose many of your Noblest and wisest men , the Lord supplies all to you , if you had all the Intelligence in the world , I know not how you should have things discovered to you , so as the Lord hath discovered them , so that if you have Raine one day , you have sun-shine another , and sometimes both of them mingled together , And although as yet this day of our visitation is like that day in Zacharie , Neither darke nor light , but between them both , in the evening you shall have light abundantly , attend therefore upon the worke , and resolve ( the Lord assisting you ) never to give over , till you have set up David ▪ to be your King , that is , Christ upon his Throne and for your helpe in it , I will commend to you certaine quallifications , which you shall finde in this very Chapter , amongst them that came thus to set up David to be King . I shall name you six or seaven of them , but I will insist only upon one of them . 1. Look into the Chapter , and you shall finde that they were many of them wisemen , that knew the times , and what belonged to every one of their dueties labour for that , you have a Promise , That God will grant wisedome to those that seek it . Secoondly , They were skillfull men every one of them , able to doe that which belonged to his place : Doe not you undertake any thing but what God hath fitted you for . Thirdly , They were Couragious men , their faces were like Lyons , they abhorred any danger , when it was in Davids cause ; labour for such a spirit ; say as Nehemiah did , should such a man as I flie , no not to save my life ; flie when I am ingaged for Christ . Fourthly , They had a Spirit of Love , infinite love to David , and his Cause , you shall finde , when some of those that David most suspected , came unto him when hee was at a very low ebbe , he asked them whether they came friendly and heartily , they answered presently , thine we are , David , Peace be unto thee , &c. So say , thine we are , Lord Christ , thine we are , peace be to thy Cause ; oh come with Love , that is the greatest means of all , it is the band of Perfection , and the only way to build up the Church of Christ : I will , saith Paul , shew you a more excellent way , and that is Love , a more excellent way then coming wth interpretation of Tongues a more excellent way then Prophecying , the most excellent of all others they came with infinite readinesse of spirit , so ready , that no man should need to call , goe ye , and goe ye , but let us goe , every one striving which should be first . Another ( which indeed was a great one ) was singlenesse of heart , sincerity , no man driving any work or designe of his own ; verily , the doing of that , the looking of self-ends hath been the way of them who have built up Anti-christs Kingdome , but an abhorred thing among them that build up Christs Kingdome , they desire no other reward , but only to see Christ on his throne ; set up that , and you give them Peace enough , Gold enough , Honour enough , you give them enough of all , so the worke may be done , for which they are imployed , all these are in that Chapter . But the greatest of all is that which I would more fully speak of , and commend unto you , even the Concord and unitie of heart , and unitie of minde , of Spirit , free from devisions and dissentions among themselves , so my Text saith , All these came with one heart , and one minde , and again , all of them with one perfect heart , to set up David to be their King : This I would commend to you , as the greatest means of all the rest , beloved , there is innumerable arguments for the perswading of you to it , it is the work of this day , you are this day met together to praise God for it , and therefore it will be very seasonable for me to commend it to you . 1. This vnity of heart , and concurrence of spirit to this worke , is the beautifullest thing in all the world ▪ behould how comely a thing it is for bretheren to dwell together in vnity , nothing more beautifull then vnity and concord in a good worke : All that write of beauty , say , that Symotry is the best part of it , to have a sweet joyning of spirits and hearts together to set vp Christs Kingdome is the loveliest thing in the world . 2ly , It is vtile aswell as jucundum , strong aswell as lovely , it is the greatest meanes of safety in all the World to have vnion and concord among them that are engaged in Christs cause , an Arch is the strongest building , and a circle the strongest Figure , because in both each part supports and strengthens one another in truth , it is the greatest meanes of safety to any weake people : It is well observed by one , that a few despised Jewes when they are but of one heart and one minde , resolved every man to stand close to other for their lives , they have strength enough against their enemies of 127 Provinces , that they dare not stir against them , yea it strikes terror into their enemies , when they see how resolutely and boldly they will stand out in it ; so when the Lords people , they that own Christs Cause are , as Solomon saith , the Church of Christ is terrible like an army with Banners , with their Banners displaied and well ordered ; there is no strength of enemies able to stand before them : and it is observed of France , that if it do not combat it self , all the world cannot conquer it : and Tacitus observed it long since , that the Romans had never conquered England , if their petty Princes had not been divided among themselves ; and some Historians shew , how that all the times , when England was conquered by the Romans , Saxons , Normans , it was alwayes caused by the divisions that were among themselves ; O therefore I beseech you , since this unity and concord is such a strength , labour to be all of one heart , and all of one mind in this Work . And there are three things before your eyes , which may extremely whet up your spirits to it : the one is the practice of your adversaries ; do but mark what combinations they make , The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmalites , of Moab and the Hagarens , Gebal and Ammon , and Amalech , the Philistims , and they that dwell at Tyre , Ashur joyned with them , and the children of Lot , all of them in one ; Look upon them in Ireland , in England , you shall see them bound by Oaths , by Covenants , you shall see them sending into France , offering offensive and defensive leagues to Antichristian people : so they will but joyne to come and help to ruine us ; shall there be this care among them to destroy us , and shall not we be united ? Secondly , you see , and this dayes work sets it before your eyes , what infinite indeavours they use to oppose all our union , if the City and Parliament be united , if the two Houses be united , if England and Scotland be united , what extreme indeavours are used , what stone is not rolled , what sort of men is not attempted , what Profession soever they be of , be they Jesuites , be they Friers , be they Priests , be they Professors , be they such as they call Puritanes , they try them all , to see if they can but divide the City from Parliament , the Houses one from another , the English from the Scots , what would they not buy it at ? Hoc Illiacus velit & magno mercentur Atridae , millions of gold would they give to effect it . Thirdly , consider their greatest hope , and our greatest danger is in our divisions : A Diamond ( they say ) is easily cut with its owne dust , and a House is then most like to fall , when all the joynts of it begin to part one from another : unity and concord among brethren , are well compared to the bars of a Castle , not easily broken , and while they remain firme , give safety and security , but when they are once broken , they will hardly be made whole : they are also fitly compared to a Cable roap , which will not easily break , but if once cut asunder , its hard to tye a knot upon it again . I beseech you therefore , you honourable Lords , and Nobles , and Commons , you Reverend Divines , you Valiant Souldiers , you worthy Citizens . I know you cannot in all things be all of one minde , but in what you can , be all of one heart , though you cannot in all things be of one minde ; let confusion and division belong to them that build Babel ; let there be no noise heard at the rearing of the Lords Temple . Next to the guilt of our sinnes , I feare nothing so much as our divisions , but could we first be reconciled to our God by faith , in the blood of Christ , and be firmely united together , and set all our shoulders as one man to this work , our enemies designes would all faile , and the work of God would prosper in our hands ; I will conclude this first Branch with that Councell of the Apostle , Phil. 2. 1. If there be therefore any Consolations in Christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the Spirit , if any bowels & mercies , fulfill my ioy ; that ye be like minded , having the same love , being of one accord , and of one mind . And with that 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren , by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ , that ye all speak the same thing , and that there be no division among you , but that you be perfectly ioyned together , in the same minde , and in the same iudgement , and whereto we have attained , let us walk by the same Rule , let us minde the same thing . And so much for the first Branch of the matter of their joy ; they met together to set up David to be King , that is , David as he was a Type of our Lord Iesus Christ , whom we are endeavouring to Exalt upon his Throne . The time commands me to be very short in the other Branch , and I may very well , for if the Lord should not prosper us in this , that we should not Ioyn togethee to set up Christ , in vaine shall we attempt the other ; and if the Lord blesse this work in our hands ; this will either in due time bring about the other , or infallibly supply the defect of it , and make us happie without it . Briefly , the Lesson from it is this : That such a concurrence ( as is aforementioned ) to set up a Prince in this Common-weal , like to David , is a matter of great ioy and reioycing . I shall according to promise be very brief in it : had not the time prevented , I would have produced & opened unto you divers examples out of the Scripture , of the great content & joy which hath bin , where there hath met a concurrence of the Nobles & Leaders of the people , to set up a good Magistrate over them ; viz. in David , in Solomon , in Ioash , in Nehemiahs , and divers others , where when good Governours and Governments have been set up , the people have infinitly rejoyced ; But you 'l understand it fully , by that time I have but a little shewed you the relation , betwixt a Prince and his people ; he is their Head , their Lord , their Father , they are his children , he is ( so the Scripture cals it ) to be the light of their eyes , the breath of their nostrils a kind of Fountaine to derive all good to them ; this he is ex Officio ; and therefore it follows , that the goodnesse , or ilnesse of Princes , is not to themselves alone , but all their people do share with them , either in blessednesse , or in misery , according as the Prince is in goodnesse , or in badnesse : Let the Prince be a good man , a David , he is then like unto Nebuchadnezzars tree , which he saw in his vision , that had meat for all , the fruit thereof much , and boughs for birds to make their nests in , and shelter for all beasts , that they might dwell under it ; that is , affording reliefe and comfort to all : Hee is the light of the eyes to his people , the breath of their nostrils , he is worth 10000. of them : And to such an one , the people do most joyfully ( as they ought to do ) yeeld reverence , ( even the greatest next unto God ) and allegiance to their person , and authority , subiection and obedience to their Laws , maintenance out of their own estates , and furnish them with counsell , and all manner of Prayer , cheerfully as they ought to do ; because under such a Prince , religion is preserved , if it be corrupt , it is purged , reformed , iustice is administred without partiality , good men are incouraged , Peace is procured , and preserved ; Trades are likewise enriched ; Learning , and all such like promoted , the Poor are relieved , all made happy : can you wonder then , that where there is a concurrence to have such an one set up , there is great Ioy : on the other side , let the Prince be either weak and foolish , or wicked , and ungodly , riotous and luxurious , let him be cruell and tyrannicall , O how miserable are that people under him ? how great is the darknesse , where the light is turned into darknesse ? how miserable is the body , where the very Organs of their breathing , the breath of their nostrils comes to be corrupted , or taken from them ? how miserable are they , when the very Fountain , that should afford them comfort is Poysoned ? such a Prince is like to Ieroboam , that compels the people to sin and misery ; like unto the Dragon who when he fell from heaven , drew the very Starres from heaven to the ground with him ; like to great Cedars which when they fall , break all the woods that are round about them ; thus by their Prince are a people made happy or miserable , and so Solomon expresses it in his Ecclesiastes , Happy art thou O Land , if they Prince be thus , Miserable art thou O Land , if thy Prince be thus ; must you not then count it a matter of great joy , to have a good King set up to rule over you ? I adde secondly , that this is a greater matter of joy , when the Nobles , the Parliament , the leading men of the Citie and Tribes concur to have such a one , both because that is the most likely meanes to obtaine it , God promising his blessings to such indeavours ; and they likewise having some beames of Gods authority put upon them , may by their Councell and Example , make the Prince to be good , and inable him to carry out the publike good ; or if that cannot be attained , ( through Gods mercy ) by their meanes , there may be a supply of what is wanting in him to make the people happie , though they faile of it in the other ; I shall make a brief application of this second Branch , and so passe over it . First , if to have a David to be our King , is such a blessednesse ? then how cursed , and ten thousand times cursed are they who endeavour for ever to rob us of that happinesse : who as they would rob us of Christ , the greatest happinesse for our souls , so they would for ever deprive us , of having any hope to be blessed under a Prince , that should be like unto David ; who have rent off the person , and the affection of our Soveraign from us ; who endeavour to instill principles of crueltie into his breast , against us , and foment them in him , who have provoked him to raise Armes to destroy his Nobles , and Commons , and Divines , and this most honoured City , and even all who have beene most faithfull , have put him into Armes to ruin us ; and when we but stand up for our own defence , represent us to him as Traytors , and Rebells , because we will not give up our Throates to be cut by them , at their pleasure , and our goods to be wholly possessed by them ; If I had all Rhetorick , it would yet be short of speaking of these men , what they do deserve . I can more fitly compare them to none , then to the Iewes long since in England , who ( before they were banished hence ) threw bags of poison into the fountains and wells , that the people were to drink of , and so indeavoured to poison them all . Accursed men there are who labour to make the breach so wide , that we should never hope to sit under the shadow of our Prince , with any hope and confidence ; who would rather have our streetes run with our blood , and venture their own too , then that we should have a Prince like unto David , that is , Iust , ruling in the feare of the Lord , to be like the morning light , and the morning without clouds when the sun ariseth : I suppose none of these men are here present , and I love not to speak much of absent men , but onely tell you , what cause we have ( as to curse them ) so to blesse , the Lord God , who hitherto hath delivered us out of their hands , and let the Lord , the righteous Lord , be iudge between us and them . The other use of it is , to you , Honourable , Reverend and beloved , who next unto the setting up of Christ , have hitherto indeavored by your Petitions , your Remonstrances , your Supplications , and by all means possible , so rescue our Soveraign out of their hands , that not only there might be a right understanding betwixt us and Him , but that He might in truth raign over us as David , and His Throne made like unto Davids ; I humbly pray you , go on in these indeavours , that if the Lord see it good , it may be so ; if He will have it otherwise , we shall have the more comfort , what ever betides us , in the unfeignednesse of our desires , and indeavours after it . If you demand what hope is there of it ; or what further means may we use for the attaining of it ? I shall speak only as a Divine , in commending these three things : The first is ; Be all of you humbled before God for your own sins , and for all the sins that England lies guilty of ; for though we are ready enough to impute it to such and such that are about Him ; or it may be to some Principles of His own , believe it ( Beloved ) what Salomon saies of the change of Princes ; For the iniquity of a Land , many are the Princes of it : so for the iniquity of the Land , it is thus with us this day ; and that is in truth the greatest cause of it ; the Lord could blow all this over presently , and certainly , would , if hee were but reconciled to England ; David did one Act , which cost a matter of three score and ten thousand mens lives in a few dayes , a vain-glorious act , in numbring the people ; but if you mark the Text , it saith , That Israel had provoked God to wrath , and then God let Satan loose upon David , to move him to that vile act , and the Lord did but take that as an occasion ; and so when the Lord had an intent to destroy the men of Shichem , who had set up Abimelech to be their King , is said , The Lord sent an evill spirit between Abimelech and them , that they might devoure and tear one another ; Why was it ? even for the wickednesse that the people as well as their King had been guilty of ; so then , if ever you would have your Prince restored as a David , to be a blessing to you , labour all to be humbled every one for the iniquity of his own heart and life , and for all the prodigious wickednesses that this Kingdome stands guiltie of . Secondly , Commend him to the Lords working upon his heart , by your daily prayers : The Kings heart ( saith Salomon ) is in the hand of the Lord , as the rivers of water , hee turns it which way he pleaseth ; meaning plainly , there is no way in the world to alter the spirit of a Prince , but only by the work of God , and God can do it in a moment : Esau came against his Brother with four hundred armed men , full of deadly rage , resolving to destroy him ; Iacob spent a night in prayer , on a sudden God turned Esau's heart , that hee fell upon his brothers neck , and kissed him , as if hee had been the dearest brother in the world to him ; And had the King forty thousand of the bravest souldiers under heaven , were all our Armies dissolved , were our Gates opened , were they marching in with a resolution to plunder our Cities , to ravish our wives , and make our City flow with blood , if the Lord did but speak the word , their hearts would be turned presently , therefore do as Nehemiah did , when hee was to deal with a King , that was of a nature rugged enough , when he was to goe to him , he first made his prayer to God , and the Lord turned the heart of the King toward him ; do as the good people did in the Psalme , beg of God that the King might heare : Save Lord , Let the King heare us when we call ; commend it to the Lord , and the Lord can bring it about easily . Thirdly , especially you that are in great place , that are the Lords and Commons , our Senators , if ever you would have it well , you must do your utmost to remove all the wicked from his Throne , and in stead of them , you must indeavour to have men of wisdome and godlinesse placed about him ; this must be done , if you will hope for a blessing in Gods way ; Take away ( saith Salomon ) the drosse from the silver , then there shall come forth a vessell for the refiner , a choyce vessel , fit for an honourable use ; but otherwise let him make up a vessell of drosse and silver together , who will regard it ? So ( saith he ) Take away the wicked from the King , and his Throne is established in righteousnesse ; And certainly , if wicked men be pests and plagues , in what part of the Land soever they are found , they are much more so , when they are found in the Courts of Princes ; Labour therefore to remove them , and to set others in their room : Salomon saith excellently in that place of the Proverbs , For the iniquity of the Land , many are the Princes of it ; then it followes , But by a man of understanding and knowledge , the State thereof shall be prolonged ; I think he means it not only of a wise Prince , but he means this ; that as the wicked men corrupts their Princes , drawes them to dissolutenesse , tyranny , &c. and so to ruine them and the Land : So grave and good Counsellors , prudent men about him , are great means to prolong the tranquillity of it : I could shew you by examples how , not only wise and good Princes , wise and good States-men , but even women ( as some of them have been the ruine of many Princes ; so by the seasonable advice of women ) Princes and Cities have been preserved : you know the wise advice of Abigail kept David from shedding innocent blood . And there was a poor woman in the City of Abel , who by speaking to Ioab , delivered all the City ; and Solomon tels you , in the ninth of Ecclesiastes , of a poor , wise , good man , who delivered a small City , when a great King came against it , with a great Army ; I beseech you therefore let it be in your indeavours , to get such about him ; I hope you imagine not that I would have such set about Him for their own preferments or gain , no , no , the man that aims at such things , will never be good for any thing ; hee who once sets up Mammon to be his God , is not fit to serve either God or his Prince , or Church or State ; but I speak of men of integrity and faithfulnesse , of goodnesse , who will trample all under their feet ; so that Christ might raign , and that a Kingdome might be made happy ; such men set about a Prince , may make a King like David , and preserve him such a one , if he be so ; and so ( right honourable ) have I done with the first part of my Text , The matter of their joy ; the concurrence of them , to set up David to be their King . I should now have come to the second , The manner of expressing their joy , which was by feasting ; you 'le have enough of that anon : All that I shall say shall be , to perswade you to take heede that you have not too much of it ; I have not time to handle it , otherwise I could have shewed you , How Gods people used on such occasions as these , to have feasting and rejoycing : But I must confesse our dayes are such in regard of the manifold distresses , that this Kingdom and poore Ireland are wrapped in , that were it not upon such an occasion as this feast is , I should say to all Feasters as Vriah said to David , when he would have him go home to his wife , The Arke ( said he ) and Israel , and my Lord Ioab , and all lye in the open field , and shall I go home to be merry with my wife , as the Lord liveth I will not doe it ? so I would say else to all Feasters , Is Ireland undon ? and so many Counties in the Kingdom in that distresse , are there so many hundreds , so many thousands that lived heretofore like Nobles , like Gentlemen , who now have hardly bread to put into their bellies , and canst thou finde money and cost in needlesse and Prodigall feasting ? this I should else have said ; But I confesse ( beloved ) to my poore observation , Never was there a feast upon a better occasion among us , nor for a better end , then the Feast of this day ; not upon a better occasion , that when the enemie did endeavour to ruin us , by our division , that this should be made an occasion of our feasting and rejoycing together ; and for such an end , that whereas they would faine blow it over all the Kingdom , over all the world , that we are rent and divided a sunder , the Lords from Commons , and both Houses from the Citie , &c. we purposely Feast to praise God , and tell all the world there is no such matter ; that we are all one , of one heart , and one minde ; that our eating and drinking should speake this out , that all the world should heare it ; It is a blessed opportunitie , and the Lord guided them who ever first perswaded to it ; I onely pray you ( Lords and Gentlemen ) in your Feasting , do onely what becomes a Feast , which followes a holy Convocation , a day of rejoycing in the Lord ; and therefore in it , observe these few Rules . Remember , ( first ) God must be regarded , banish not Christ out of your Company ; let there be no carriage at your Table which may grieve him , and make him say , This Roome I delight not to be in ; Remember all the Feasts of Gods people in the Old Testament , they were Sacrifices , or Feasts which were accompanied with Sacrifices , yea the very heathen counted them prophan men , who would offer to make a feast of that , that was not first offered to their gods , hereby to make it blessed to them ; So do you eate and drink as in the presence of the Lord , that you may praise the Name of the Lord , who hath shewed this mercy to you ; doe as the little birds , who take not one drop , but they lift up their heads to heaven , as if they would tell all the world , whence they received their food ; so do you acknowledge the Lord , give him his glory and his praise ; let there be no uncomely carriage among you ; I should justly be blamed if I should think you needed any perswasion to keepe you from drinking healths , from riot and excesse ; I know you abhor it , but I beg that none of your servants , nor attendants may do it , that nothing may be done which would grieve the Lord . Secondly , let the maine end of your feasting be Symbolum & vinculum charitatis , a pledge and bond to shew , and more , to make you all one , of one heart , and one minde ; that you may pledge one another in such a Cup , as may not only speak you all to be one , but may attaine the very end , for which this feast is made , more to ingage you in this Common cause . That this Feast , may be as a Feast , which ( I think ) Lucian speakes of it , where a poore wronged man made a Feast of an Oxe , and every one who tasted of his meate , did thereby engage himselfe to live and dye with that poore man to recover his right , in somewhat that he was wronged in ; and so let this engage your Spirits , that now you have eaten and drunk of their Cup , that Your and their Spirits , and Prayers , and Hearts , and Purses shall be all one ; O if this might be the carriage of it , this day would be a blessed day . There is one thing more , that must not be forgotten , you must in such feastings as these , Remember the poore , for whom nothing is provided ; alwayes did Gods people make at their feasts collections or contributions in Hester , in Nehemiah , &c. Go your wayes and eate and drinke , and remember them , for whom nothing is provided ; and the very heathens upon such occasions would send portions at their Festivall times to the poore and needy . And for that very end I confesse I was in hope that at such a great meeting as this is , there would have been some publike contribution and collection , that there being so many poore brethren in the Town , plundred , and undone , and distressed , our feasting might have given them a refreshing also ; but it did not appeare fit ( as I am informed ) to the wisdome of this Noble Citie , when they had invited the Honourable Houses of Parliament and others , to refresh the poore at the cost of their ghests , but what is to be done for the poore , they will do it at their own proper costs and charges , I know they will not forget them ; but I beseech you all not to omit this duty upon this Festivall day ; though there be no Basons at the door , before you sleep , finde some Bason or other , finde some poore , to whom you may do somewhat , that they may know that your hearts have remembred the afflicted in this day , wherein God hath refreshed you : and so much for this time . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89577e-240 2 Cor. 4. 6. Gen. 11. Acts 2. Ester 8. ult. 9. 1. Notes for div A89577e-520 Lev. 23. 2. Esa. 25. 6. Gen. 32. 2. Especially these la●t ●●o●●s . Sui●● 〈…〉 sse of the T●xt t● the occa●i●n . P●● . 25. 11. 2 Sam. 23. 3. 4. Some generall Observations out of this whole Chapter . Vers . 1. to 23. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , &c. Compare the first part of this Chapter , with 2 Sam. 23. 8. ad finem . Verse 29. Verse 32. Ver. 15. 20. &c. This Chapter compar'd with 2 Sam. 23. Obs. 1. The maine Doctrine . No greater mattter of joy to any people , then to find a concurrence of hearts , to set up David to bee their King . 2. Explained in two Branches . Ezek. 34. 23 : 37 : 24. Esay 9 67 : 55. 3 : Ier. 30 9 : Psal 8. 9 : 1 King 14 8 : 2 King. 14. 3 : 16 , 2 : 18 , 3 ; 22 , 2 : 15 , 3 , 11 : 2 Ch , 28 , 29. 2 : 34 2. First David is Christ , and hence , The greatest j●y to any Na●ion , to find such a concurrence to set up the Kingdome of C●●ist . Proved by the type . 2 Sam. 8 12 ad finem : 1 King 8 : 2 By Gods promise that it should be so . Esay 9. 3 : 6 7 , Zach , 9 , 9 : Math , 21 ; 5 : By experiences shewing it both being so ; Acts 8 , 8 , Rev , 4. per t●t : 7 , 9 , &c. 11 , 15 , 15 ▪ 3 : Ladovecns vives . ●●m 12 , 12 , Because Chris●s government is the greatest g●oa t● any Nations being The greatest hon●ur to a people : 2 Crom , 2 , 11 : 2 Chron , 9 , 7 , 8 ▪ 2 Bringing all advantages to his oubjects , 2 Sam ; ●● , 24 , 1 For this present life : 2 And above all for their soules here and for ever . Iohn 1 ▪ 7 ▪ Rev ▪ 1. 5 , Esa , 60 : 21 : Rom. 8 : 14 : 15 ▪ 16 : 17 : Heb. 2 : 12. 1 Iohn 1 , 3 Rev , 1 , 6 , 5 , 10 : Rev , 22. 5 : 1 Iohn , 5 : 14 : Re , 3. 21 , Socrates , Plato , Plutarch , Cicero . &c : Minor Zalincus Solon nu●●● &c. Cicero li : 1. quin Tuscul ; et de natura deorum lib : 1 , Plutarch adversus colorem : 3 Safety from enemies . Esay 26. Zach : 2 : 5 : Iohn 19 , 11 : Mat : 28. Psal , 68 , 1 : Col : 1 16 : 17 : 4 Perpe●●ity of all their happines : 2 Concurrence of the weal of a people to set up Christ , the most excellent and desirable means . 1 As such a concurrence is a signe of Gods leve to that people : Ier , 33. 35 : Zep . 3 9 : 1 Chron , 29 , 10 : 1 Their ▪ love to Christ , Esay 49. 7 , 60 , 3 , 10 11 , 55 5. 2 , 2 : 2 As a cause working it , Psa 17 2 27. Psal. 132. 11. 2 1 Kings 12. 28. 2 Chron. 23. 28. Nehemiah 6. Vse 1. Of thanksgiving : thus being our present condition . Nehem. 8. 20. 2. Exhortation to Proceed on in this work . To the Parl. To his Excellence , and the rest of the Commanders . To the Assembly of Divines . To the Citie of London . Encouragements thereunto . Esay 54. 17. Zach. 14. 6 , 7 : Helpes and means to effect this all : taken out of this Chap. 1 VVisdome . vers. 32. 2 Skill . vers. 2. 33. 35 , 36. 3 Courage . vers 8 , 21 : 4 Love . vers. 18. 1 Cor. 12 , ule . Reddinesse of minde . v. 24. Vers . 33. 38. 6. Singlenesse of Heart . 7. And above all , Vnity and Concord . Psal. 133. 1. The strongest and most effectuall means . Hester . 8. 11. Dum pugnent singuli vincuntur universi . Motives to unity and concord . 1. First from the example of the enemy . Psal. 83. 6. 7. 26. 2. From their indeavours to to divide us . Prov. 18. 19. 3. From the danger of divisions . Phil. 2. 1 , 2. 1 ▪ Cor. 1. 10. 2. Branch . A great happinesse in a good King . Proved by Scripture . 1 Cor. 29. 21. 1 King. 1. 4● . 2 King. 11. 17 &c. Nehem. 12. 4. 3 And from the relation between a King and his people . Iudg. 11. 87. 1 King 2. 43. Esay 49. 23. People happy in a good King . Iob 29. 16. Iudg. 5. 7 2 Sam. 21. 12. Lament. 4. 20. Eccles. 10. 16. Dan. 4. 21. ▪ 2 Sam. 18. 3. Prov. 24. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 16. 1 Chron. 12. 18. Tit. 3. 1. Act. 4. 19. Rom. 13. 1. 2 1 Kin. 21. 23. Ezra . 10. 1 Tim. 2. 12. 2 Chron. 15. 12. Lev. 19. 15. Rom. 13. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Iob 29. 16. Neh. 5. 1. &c. Miserable in a bad King . ● King. 26. 16 Revel. 12. 4. Eccles. 10. 16 , 17. 2. Such a concurrence a great meanes to effect it . 2 King 11. 4. &c. Or supply the want of it . Application . 1. They are therfore cursed who hinder this . 2. Exhortation to indeavour after this happinesse . Means how to effect it . Prov. 28. 2. 2 Sam. 24. 1. ●udg . 9. 23 , ●6 , 57. 2. P●o . 21. 1. Nehem. ● . Psal. 20. ult. Prov. 25. 4. Prov. 28. 2. 1 Sam. 25. 1. 2 Sam. 20. Eccles. 9. 13. 2. Obs. ●uch joy may be expressed by feasting . Rules for Feasting . 3. Hester 9. Nehem. 8. 
A52055	----	Smectymnuus redivivus Being an answer to a book, entituled, An humble remonstrance. In which, the original of liturgy episcopacy is discussed, and quæries propounded concerning both. The parity of bishops and presbyters in scripture demonstrated. The occasion of the imparity in antiquity discovered. The disparity of the ancient and our moderne bishops manifested. The antiquity of ruling elders in the church vindicated. The prelaticall church bounded. Smectymnuus. 1654 Approx. 248 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 44 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A52055 Wing M784 ESTC R223740 99834025 99834025 38504 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52055) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 38504) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1836:12) Smectymnuus redivivus Being an answer to a book, entituled, An humble remonstrance. In which, the original of liturgy episcopacy is discussed, and quæries propounded concerning both. The parity of bishops and presbyters in scripture demonstrated. The occasion of the imparity in antiquity discovered. The disparity of the ancient and our moderne bishops manifested. The antiquity of ruling elders in the church vindicated. The prelaticall church bounded. Smectymnuus. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666. Young, Thomas, 1587-1655. Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669. Spurstowe, William, 1605?-1666. [8], 78 p. , Printed by T. C. for John Rothwell, a the Fountaine and Beare in Goldsmiths-row in Cheapside, London : 1654. Errors in paging: pages misnumbered and bound out of order. Wing attributes authorship to Stephen Marshall, who, with Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcomen and William Spurstowe, written under the acronym, Smectymnuus. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. -- Humble remonstrance to the high court of Parliament. Church of England -- Controversial literature. Episcopacy -- Controversial literature. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-01 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2004-01 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion SMECTYMNUUS REDIVIVUS . BEING An Answer to a Book , entituled , AN HUMBLE REMONSTRANCE . In which , The Originall of LITURGY EPISCOPACY is discussed . And Quaeres propounded concerning both . The PARITY of Bishops and Presbyters in Scripture Demonstrated . The occasion of their IMPARITY in Antiquity discovered . The DISPARITY of the Ancient and our Moderne Bishops manifested . The ANTIQUITY of ruling Elders in the Church vindicated . The PRELATICALL Church Bounded . JEREMY 6.16 . Thus saith the Lord , stand in the wayes , and behold , and aske for the Old way , which is the way , and walk therein . Tertul. de praescr . adv . haeres . Id Dominicum & verum , quod prius traditum : id autem extraneum & falsum quod sit posterius . LONDON , Printed by T. C. for Iohn Rothwell , at the Fountaine and Beare in Goldsmiths-row in Cheapside . 1654. TO THE READER . Good Reader , SOlomon told us long since , that there is no end of many books , Eccles. 12.12 . Scripturiency ( it seemeth ) is no novell humour , but abounded then , even when the means of transmitting knowledge was more difficult ; if there were cause for the complaint then , there is much more now ; since the Presse hath helped the Penne , every one will be scribling , and so better bookes are neglected , and lie like a few grains of Corn under an heap of Chaffe and dust : usually books are received as fashions ; the newest , not the best and most profitable , are most in esteem ; in so much that really learned and sober men have been afraid to publish their labours , lest they should divert the world from reading the usefull works of others that wrote before them . * I remember Dr. Altingius a terse and neat spirit , stood out the battery of twenty years importunity , and would not yield to divulge any thing upon this fear . Certainly ( Reader ) 't is for thy profit sometimes to look back and consult with them that first laboured in the mines of knowledge , and not alwaies to take up with what commeth next to hand . In this controversie of Discipline many have written , but not all with a like judgement and strength , which I believe hath been no small rock of offence , and stone of stumbling to the adversaries , who are hardned with nothing so much as a weak defence of the truth , as * Austin complaineth , that when he was a Manichee he had had too too often the victory put into his hands by the defences of weak and unskilfull Christians . This work which the Stationer hath now revived ( that it may not be forgotten , and like a Jewel after once shewing shut up in the Cabinet of private studies only ) was penned by * severall worthy Divines of great note and fame in the Churches of Christ , under the borrowed and covert name of SMECTYMNUUS , which was some matter of scorn and exception to the adversaries , as the Papists objected to Calvin his printing his Institutions under the name of Alcuinus , and to Bucer his naming himself Aretius Felinus , though all this without ground and reason , the affixion of the name to any work being a thing indifferent ; for there we should not consider so much the Author , as the matter , and not who said it , but what ; and the assumption of another name not being infamous but where : it is done out of deceit , and to anothers prejudice , or out of shame because of guilt , or feare to own the truths which they should establish : I suppose the reverend Authours were willing to lie hid under this ONOMASTICK , partly that their work might not be received with prejudice , the faction against which they dealt , arrogating to themselves a Monopoly of Learning , and condemning all others as ignorants and novices not worthy to be heard ; and partly that they might not burden their Frontispiece with a voluminous nomenclature , it not being usuall to affix so many names at length to one Treatise . For the work it self , it speaketh its own praise , and is now once more subjected to thy censure and judgement : This second publication of it was occasioned by another book for vindication of the Ministery by the Provinciall Assembly of London , wherein there are frequent appeals to Smectymnuus ; though otherwise I should have judged the reprinting seasonable ; for the Lord hath now returned us to such a juncture of time , wherein there is greater freedom of debate without noyse and vulgar prejudice ; and certainly if the quarrell of Episcopacy were once cleared , and brought to an issue , we should not be so much in the dark in other parts of Discipline , the conviction of an errour by solid grounds being the best way to finde out the truth ; reformations carried on with popular tumult , rather then rationall conviction , seldom end well ; though the judgement of God be to be observed in powring contempt upon those which are partiall in his law , yet the improvident leapes which a people are wont to make upon such occasions , lay the foundation of a lasting mischiefe . I hope that by the review of these matters we shall come to know more of the Lords counsell for the ordering of his house , or at least that by weighing what may be said on all sides , we shall learn more to * truth it in love , which is the unfeined desire of him who is Thine in the Lord , THO. MANTON . Newington , June 23. 1653. Most Honourable Lords , And ye the Knights , Citizens , and Burgesses of the Honourable House of COMMONS . ALthough we doubt not , but that book which was lately directed to your Honours , bearing the name of an Humble Remonstrance , hath had accesse unto your presence : and is in the first approaches of it , discovered by your discerning spirits , to be neither Humble , nor a Remonstrance ; but a heap of confident and ungrounded assertions ; so that to your Honours a Reply may seem superfluous : Yet left the Authour should glory in our silence , as a granting of the cause ; we humbly crave your Honours leave to present , not so much to your selves , as to the world by your hands , a view of this Remonstrance ; in which the Authour after too large a Preface , undertakes the support of two things , which seem to him to be threatned with danger of a present precipice , the Liturgie , and the Hierarchy . It was a constitution of those admired sons of Justice the Areopagi ; that such as pleaded before them should plead without prefacing and without passion : had your Honours made such a constitution , this Remonstrance must have been banished from the face of your Assembly ; for the Preface fils almost a fourth part of the book , and the rest swels with so many passionate Rhetorications , as it is harder for us in the multitude of his words to finde what his argument is that we have to answer , then to answer it when it is found . We would not trace him in his words , but close immediately with his arguments , did we not finde in him a sad exemplification of that divine Axiome , in Multitudine verb●rum non deest peccatum , in the multitude of words , there wants not sin : for though the Author is bold to call upon your Honours to heare the words of truth and confidence , yet how little truth there is in his great confidence , the ensuing discourse shall discover . His very words are confident enough , and yet as false as confident ; wherein he Impropriates all honesty unto these his Papers , and brands all others with the name of Libellers , and yet himselfe sinnes deeply against the rule of honesty , and lies naked to the scourge of his own censure . First , in setting a brand upon all writings that have lately issued from the presse , as if they had forgotten to speak any other language then Libellous : it seems himselfe had forgotten that some things had issued by authority of the King and Parliament . Secondly , in taxing ( implicitely ) all such as wil not own this Remonstrance for theirs , as none of the peaceable and wel-affected Sons of the Church of England . Thirdly , in censuring the way of petitioning your Honours , the ancient and ordinary free way of seeking redresse of our evils , for a Tumultuary under-hand way . Fourthly , in condemning all such as are not fautors of this Episcopal Cause , as none of his Majesties good Subjects , engrossing that praise onely to his own party , saying , The eyes of us the good Subjects of this whole Realme are fixed upon your Successe , &c. Fifthly , in Impropriating to the same party the praise of Orthodox , pag. 6. as if to speak a word , or think a thought against Episcopacy , were no lesse Heresie , then it was in former time to speak against the Popes supremacy , or the monkes fat belly ; whereas whether the Episcopall part be the Orthodox , peaceable , wel-affected part , and his Majesties only good Subjects , we leave to your Honours to Judge , upon the numerous informations that flow in unto you from the several parts of this Kingdome . Nor can they decline your Judgement , seeing now you are ( through Gods blessing ) happily met in a much longed for Parliament : but whither so much longed for by him and his accomplices , as by those against whom he whets his Style , the prayers that have obtained this happy meeting , and the praises that doe attend it , will decide in that great day . The Helena , whose Champion this Remonstrant chiefely is , is that Government which he calls Sacred , viz. that Government by Arch-Bishops , Bishops , Deanes , Archdeacons , &c. which , saith he , through the sides of some misliked persons some have endeavoured to wound . Misliked Persons ? and why not offending persons ? why not guilty persons ? when this Honourable house hath found just cause to charge some of them with crimes of the highest nature , Our zeale for your Honours makes us feare , lest your assembly should suffer in this word ; as if your proceedings against such persons should be grounded upon compliance with such as doe mislike them , rather then upon their own demerits or the Justice of this Court. But whatever those Persons be , the Government it self is Sacred ; which by the joynt confession of all reformed Divines , derives it self from the times of the blessed Apostles , without any interruption , without contradiction of any one congregation in the world unto this present age . This is but an Episcopall Bravado ; therefore we let it passe , till we come to close and contend with him in the point ; where we shall demonstrate , that in the compasse of three lines he hath packt up as many untruths , as could be smoothly couched in so few words , as any man of common understanding , that lookes upon the face of the Government of almost all reformed Churches in the Christian world may at first view discover . But before we come to this , there are yet two things in this Preface which we count not unworthy observation . The First is , the comparison which he makes between the two Governments , the Civil which with us is Monarchy : and the sacred which with him is Episcopaey . Of the first he saith , if Antiquity may be the Rule ( as he pleades it for Episcopacy ) or if Scripture ( as he interprets Scripture ) it is VARIABLE , and ARBITRARY : but the other DIVINE and VNALTERABLE : so that had men petitioned for the altering of Monarchicall Government , they had ( in his Judgement ) been lesse culpable , both by Scripture and Antiquity , then in petitioning the alteration of the Hierarchicall : Had he found but any such passage in any of his Lewd Libellers ( as his modesty is alwayes pleased to terme them ) certainly if we may borrow his own phrase , the eares of the three Interessed Kingdomes , yea all the neigbbour Churches , and if we may say , the whole Christian world , and no small part beyond it , had run with the loud cryes of no lesse then Treason , Treason . Truth is , in his Antiquity we finde that this his uninterrupted sacred Government hath so farre invaded the Civil , and so yoked Monarchy , even in this Kingdome , as Malmesbury reports : That William Rufus oppressed by Bishops , perswaded the Jewes to confute them ; promising thereupon to turne England to their Religion , that he might be free of Bishops . And this is so natural an effect of unalterable Episcopacy , that Pius the fourth to the Spanish Embassador , importuning him to permit Bishops to be declared by the Councel of Trent to be Iure Divino , gave this answer : That his King knew not what he did desire ; for if Bishops should be so declared , they would be all exempted from his Power , and as independent as the Pope himself . The second thing observable is the comparison he makes between the late Alterations attempted in our Neighbour Church by his Episcopal faction , and that Alteration that is now justly desired by the humble Petitioners to this Honourable House . The one being attempted by strangers , endeavoring violently to obtrude Innovations upon a setled Church and State , The other humbly petitioned to the Heads and Princes of our State by Multitudes therein almost ruined by an Innovating Faction : yet doth not this Remonstrant blush to say ; if these be branded , ( so he calls the just censures of this Honourable House ) for Incendiaries , how shall these Boutefeux escape , &c. thus cunningly indeavouring either to justifie the former by the practise of the latter , or to render the latter more odious then the former . The attempts of these men whom he would thus render odious , he craves leave to present to your Honours in two things , which are the subjects of this quarrel : The Liturgy and Episcopacy ; and we humbly crave your Honours leave in both to answer . SECT . II. FIrst , the Liturgy of the Church of England ( saith he ) hath been hitherto esteemed sacred , reverently used by holy Martyrs , daily frequented by devout Protestants , as that which more then once hath been confirmed by the Edicts of religious Princes , and your own Parliamentary Acts , &c. And hath it so ? whence then proceed these many Additions and Alterations ? that have so changed the face and fabrick of the Liturgy , that as Dr. Hall spake once of the pride of England : if our fore-fathers should revive and see their daughters walking in Cheapside with their fannes and farthingales , &c. they would wonder what kinde of creatures they were ; and say Nature had forgot her self and brought forth a monster : so if these holy Martyrs that once so reverently used the Liturgy should revive and look for their Letany stampt by Authority of Parliament , they would be amazed , and wondering say ; England had forgotten her self and brought forth , &c. Martyrs ? what doe we speak of Martyrs , when we know Sir , that one of your own a Bishops said it in the hearing of many not so long since , but you may well remember it , That the Service of the Church of England was now so drest , that if the Pope should come and see it , he would claime it as his own , but that it is in English ? It is little then to the advantage of your cause , that you tell us , it is translated into other languages ; and as little service have they done to the Church of England , who have taught our Prayers to speak Latine again : For if it be their Language chiefly that overthrows the Popes claime , take away that , and what hinders then , but the Pope may say , these are mine ? As for other Translations and the great applause it hath obtained from forraigne Divines , which are the fumes this Remonstrant venditates ; what late dayes have produced we know not ; but the great lights of Former ages have been farre from this applauding : we are sure judicious Calvin saith , that in the Liturgy there are sundry Tolerabiles Ineptiae , which we think is no very great applause . To vindicate this Liturgy from scorne ( as he calls it ) at home or by your Honours aide to reinforce it upon the Nation , is the work of his Remonstrance , for the effecting whereof he falls into an unparallell'd discourse about the Antiquity of Liturgies ; we call it unparalleld , because no man that we have seen ever drew the line of Liturgy so high as he hath done . Concerning which , if by Liturgy this Remonstrant understand an Order observed in Church assemblies of Praying , reading , and expounding the Scriptures , Administring Sacraments , &c : Such a Liturgy we know and doe acknowledge both Iews and Christians have used . But if by Liturgy he understand prescribed and stinted formes of Administration Composed by some particular men in the Church , and imposed upon all the rest ( as this he must understand , or else all he saith is nothing ) we desire and expect that those formes , which he saith are yet extant , and ready to be produced , might once appeare . Liturgy of this former sort we finde in Iustine Martyr and Tertullian . But that there were not such stinted Liturgies as this Remonstrant disputes for , appeares by Tertullian , in his Apol. Cap. 30. where he saith the Christians of those times did in their publike assemblies pray sin● monitore quia de pectore , without any Prompter but their own hearts . And that so it should be , the same Father proves in his Treatise de Oratione : Sunt quae petantar , &c. There are some things to be asked according to the occasions of every man : the lawfull and ordinary prayer ( that is the Lords prayer ) being laid as a foundation ; It is lawfull to build upon that foundation other prayers according to every ones occasions . And to the same purpose St. Austin in his 121. Ep. liberum est ; &c. it is free to aske the same things that are desired in the Lords Prayer , aliis atque aliis verbis , sometimes one way and sometimes another : And before this , in that famous place of Iust. Mar. Apo. 2. He , who instructed the peeple , prayed according to his ability . Nor was this liberty in prayer taken away , and set and imposed formes introduced , untill the time that the Arian and Pelagian Heresies did invade the Church , and then because those Hereticks did convey and spread their poyson in their formes of Prayer and Hymnes , the Church thought it convenient to restraine the liberty of making and using publique forms : And first it ordained that none should pray pro Arbitrio , sed semper eaedem preces , that none should use liberty to vary in prayer , but use alwaies the same forme , Conc. Laod. Can. 18. yet this was a forme of his own composing , as appears by another Canon , wherein it was ordered thus : None should use any forme , unlesse he had first conferred Cum fratribus instructioribus : with the more learned of his brethren . Conc. Carth. 3● Can. 23. and lastly that none should use set prayers , but such as were approved of in a Synode , which was not determined till the yeare 416. Conc. Milev . 2. Can. 12. And had there been any Liturgies of Times of the first and most venerable antiquity producible , the great admirers of them , and enquirers after them would have presented them to the world ere this . We know that Bishop Andrewes in his zeale for Liturgies pursued the enquiry after the Iewish Liturgy so far , that he thought he had found it ; and one there was which he sent to Cambridge to be translated : but there it was soon discovered to have been made long after the Jewes ceased to be the Church of God ; and so himself supprest it , that it never saw the light under a translation . We wonder therefore what this Remonstrant meant to affirm so confidently , that part of the forme of prayer which was composed by our blessed Saviour , was borrowed from the formes of prayer formerly used by Gods people . An opinion we never met before ; indeed , we have read that the Rabbines since the dayes of our Saviour have borrowed some expressions from that Prayer , and from other Evangelical passages : But we never read till now , that the Lord Christ the wisdome of the Father borrowed from the Wisdome of the Rabines expressions to use in Prayer . And as much we wonder by what Revelation or Tradition ( Scripture being silent in the thing ) he knew , that Peter and Iohn , when they went up to the Temple to pray , their Prayer was not of a sudden and extemporary conception , but of a Regular prescription . Sure we are , some as well read in Iewish antiquity , as this Remonstrant shewes himself to be , have told us that the houre of Prayer was the time when the Priest burnt Incense ; and the people were at their private prayers without , as appeares Luke 1.9 . where we read , that while Zachary the Priest went in to offer Incense , all the people stood with out praying in the time of the Oblation . Which Prayers were so far from being Prescript Formes or Liturgies that they were not vocal but mental Prayers , as Master Meade tells us in his exposition upon the eighth of the Revelations . And whatever Peter and Iohn did , this we know , that when the Publican and the Pharisee went up to the Temple to pray ( as the Apostle did at the houre of prayer ) their prayer was not of Regular prescription , but of a present Conception . But if this Remonstrant be in the right , concerning the Jewish Liturgies , then the Evangelical Church might better have improved her peace and happinesse , then in composing Models of Invocation and Thanksgiving , when there is one extant and ready to be produced , that was constantly used by Gods people ever since Moses dayes , and put over to the times of the Gospel , and confirmed by Apostolical practise : or else great is our losse , who are so unhappily deprived of the best improvement , the Church made of her peace and happinesse in the first 300. years : for rejecting those Liturgies that are confessed by the Learned to bee Spurious : we challenge this Remonstrant to produce any one Liturgie that was the issue of those times . And blessed Constantine was herein as unhappy as wee , who needed not have composed forms of prayer for his Guard to use upon the Lords day , but might and would have taken them out of former Liturgies , if there had been any ; And can ye with patience think that any ingenuous Christian should be so transported , as upon such weak and unproved premises to build such a Confident conclusi●n , as this Remonstrant doth ? and in that Conclusion forget the state of the controversie , sliding from the question of a prescribed and imposed Liturgy to an arbitrary book of prayer . In his Rhetorical Encomium of conceived prayer we shall more willingly bear a part with him , then they whose cause he pleads ; for had that been in their hearts , which is in this book : to hate , to be guilty of powring water upon the Spirit , and gladly to adde oyle rather : so many learned , able , Conscientious Preachers had not been molested and suspended , for letting the constant flames of their fixed conceptions mount up from the altar of their zealous heart unto the throne of grace : nor had there been so many advantages watched from some stops and seeming soloecismes in some mens prayers , to blaspheme the spirit of Prayer , which though now confest to be so far from being offensive , that they are as pleasing Musick in the eares of the Almighty : yet time hath been , when they have sounded as meer Battologies ; nay no better then meer Blasphemies in the eares of some Bishops . And if this conceived prayer be not to be opposed in another , by any man that hath found the true operation of this grace in himself : with that spirit then are those possest , that have not onely thus raged with their tongues against this way of prayer , but by sealing up the mouthes of Ministers for praying thus in publike , and imposing penances upon private Christians for praying thus in their families : and compelling them to abjure this practise , have endeavoured with raging violence to banish this divine ordinance from our Churches and dwellings , and profest in open Court , it was fitter for Amsterdam then for our Churches . But howsoever this applause of conceived prayer may seem to be Cordial , yet he makes it but a vantage ground to lift up publike formes of sacred Church Liturgy ( as he calls it ) the higher , that they may have the greater honour , that by the power of your authority they be reinforced , which work there would have been no need to call your Honours to , had not Episcopal zeal broke forth into such flames of indignation against conceived prayers , that we have more just cause to implore the propitious aide of the same Authority to re-establish the Liberty of this , then they to re-inforce the necessity of that . Yet there are two specious Arguments which this Remonstrant brings to perswade this desired re-inforcement , the Original and Confirmation of our Liturgy . For the first , he tels your Honours , it was selected out of ancient . Models not Roman but Christian , contrived by the holy Martyrs and Confessors of the blessed reformation of Religion ; where we beseech your Honours to consider how we may trust these men , who sometimes speaking and writing of the Roman Church , proclaime it a true Church of Christ , and yet here Roman and Christian stand in opposition : sometimes they tell men , their Liturgy is wholly taken out of the Romane Missal , onely with some little alteration : and here they would perswade your Honours there is nothing Romane in it . But it is wholly selected out of pure Ancient Models , as the Quintessence of them all . Whereas alas the original of it , is published to the world , in that Proclamation of Edward the sixt . And though here they please to stile the Composers of it , holy Martyrs and contrivers of the blessed Reformation : yet there are of the Tribe for whom he pleads , not a few that have called them Traitors rather then Martyrs , and Deformers rather then Reformers of our Religion . His other Argument for the Liturgy is taken from that supply of strength it hath received from the recommendation of foure most Religious Princes , and your own Parliamentary establishments : and more especially from the Proclamation of King James of famous memory : the validity of which plea , your Honours are best able to judge , and therefore we leave it at your Bar ; yet these two things we know : first , that this forme was never established to be so punctually observed , so rigorously pressed , to the casting out of all that scruple it , or any thing in it ( as many of his Majesties Subjects now doe ) to the ( almost ) justling out of the preaching of the Word and Conceived Prayer altogether . And secondly , as sure we are , that your Honours think neither your own Lawes , nor the Proclamation of that most famous and ever admired Prince , to be as unalterable as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians . And now having briefly shewed , that Liturgies are not of that antiquity that this Remonstrant pretends , but that conceived prayer was in use in the Church of God before Liturgies , and is justified from their own mouthes , and not to be found fault with by any but a gracelesse man : and having likewise shewed that our Liturgy was taken out of Models , not onely Christian but Romane , and had since the first compiling of it suffered alteration to the worse ; and though established by Law , and confirmed by Proclamation , was never intended to the justling out , either of preaching or conceived prayer ; these things declared , we humbly crave your Honours leave to propound these two Queries . QUERE . I. Whether it be not fit to consider of the alteration of the present Liturgy . First , because it symbolizeth so much with the Popish Masse , as that the Pope himself was willing to have it used , if he might but confirme it . It was made and composed into this frame , on purpose to bring the Papists to our Churches , which we finde to be with so little successe , as that it hath rather brought many of us to them , then any of them to us , and hath lost many of ours from us . Because many things therein contained are stumbling blocks before the feet of many : such as these , the clogging it with Ceremonies , and the often and impertinent reiterating of the Lords Prayer , the ill translation of the Psalmes , and other Scriptures , the many phrases in the very prayers , which are liable to just exception . And whereas the Minister by the Scripture is the peoples mouth to God , this book prescribes Responsories to be said by the people , some of which are unsutable to what the Minister pronounceth , some of them seem to savour of Tautology , some are made to be so essential to the prayer , as that all which the Minister saith , is no prayer without them ; as in the Letany . Because it is so much Idolized , as that it is accounted the only worship of God in England , and is now made the upholder of a non-preaching Ministry , and is cryed up to that height , as that some are not ashamed to say ; that the wit of men and Angels cannot mend it : and that it is a sufficient discharge of the Ministers duty to read this Book . There are such multitudes of people , that distaste this book , that unlesse it be altered , there is no hope of any mutual agreement between Gods Ministers and their people . There is such a vast difference between it , and the Liturgies of all other reformed Churches , as that it keepes them at a distance from us , and us from full Communion with them . QUERE II. Whether the first reformers of Religion did ever intend the use of a Liturgy further , then to be an help , in the want , or to the weaknesse of a Minister . All other reformed Churches , though they use Liturgies , yet doe no binde their Ministers to the use of them . A Rubrick in King Edwards book left it unto the discretion of the Minister , what and how much to read , when there was a Sermon . The Homilies which are appointed to be read , are left free either to be read or not , by preaching Ministers ; and why not then theLiturgy ? especially considering that the ability to offer up the peoples wants to God in prayer is part of the Ministerial office , as well as preaching . And if it can be thought no lesse then sacriledge to rob the people of the Ministers gift in preaching , and to tye them to Homilies , it can be no lesse , to deprive them of their gift in prayer . The ground of the first binding of it upon all to use , was not to tye godly men from exercising their gift in prayer ; but the old Popish Priests , that by a seeming returne to our Religion did through indulgence retaine their places , from returning to the old Masse . That which makes many refuse to be present at our Church service , is not onely the Liturgy it self , but the imposing of it upon Ministers . And we finde no way to recover our people to a stinted prayer , but by leaving it free to use or not to use . If it be objected , that this will breed divisions and disturbances in Churches , unlesse there be a uniformity , and that there are many unable . It hath not bred any disturbance in other reformed Churches . Why should the free liberty of using or not using a Liturgy , breed more confusion then the free liberty of reading or not reading Homilies ? especially when Ministers shall teach people , not to condemne one another in things indifferent . If there be a care taken in those that have the power to make Ministers , to choose men gifted as well for prayer as preaching , there cannot be conceived how any inconvenience should follow . Or if afterwards it should appeare , that any Minister should prove insufficient to discharge the duty of prayer in a conceived way , it may be imposed on him as a punishment , to use set forms and no other . But why any Minister that hath the gift of prayer , in an abundant measure , as well as of preaching , should be hindered from exercising his gift well , because another useth it ill , is a new Divinity never heard of in Gods Church , till Bishop Wrens dayes , who forbad all use of conceived prayer in the Church . SECT . III. WE come now with your Honours favour , to the second point disputed in this Remonstrance , Episcopacy it selfe , against which , whatsoever hath been either spoken or written by any , either learned Divines , or well-reformed Churches ( as his conscience knows , there are of both that have writ against it ) is Taxed by him as no other then the unjust Clamors either of weak or factious persons . Sure the man thinkes he hath obtained a Monopoly of learning , and all Knowledge is lockt up in his bosome ; and not onely Knowledge but piety and peaceablenesse too ; for all that are not of his opinion , must suffer either as weak or factious , if he may be their Judge . We know not what this Arrogancy might attempt to fasten upon your Honours , should the bowels of your compassion be enlarged , to weigh in the Ballance of your wisedomes , the multitude of Humble petitions , presented to you from several parts of this Kingdome , that hath long groaned under the Iron and Insupportable yoake of this Episcopal Government , which yet we doubt not , but your Honours will please to take into your prudent and pious consideration : Especially knowing it is their continual practise to loade with the odious names of Faction all that justly complaine of their unjust oppression . In his addresse to his defence of Episcopacy , he makes an unhappy confession that he is confounded in himselfe . Your Honours may in this believe him ; for he that reades this remonstrance , may easily observe so many falsities and contradictions , ( though presented to publike view , with a face of confident boldnesse , ) as could not fall from the Pen of any , but self-confounded man ▪ which though we doubt not but your Honours have descryed ; yet because they are hid from an errant and unobserving eye , under the Embroyderies of a silken Language , we Humbly crave your Honours leave to put them one by one upon the file , that the world may see what credit is to be given to the bold assertions of this confident Remonstrant . First , in his second page , he dubs his book * the faithful messenger of all a the peaceable and right affected sons of the Church of England : which words ( besides that unchristian Theta , which as we already observed , they set upon all that are not of his party , ) carry in the bowels of them a notorious falsity and contradiction to the phrase of the book ; for how could this book be the m●ss●nger of all his own party in England , when it is not to be imagined , that all could know of the coming forth of this book before it was published ? and how can that book crave admittance in all their names , that speakes in the singular number , and as in the person of one man almost tht whole book thorow . But it may be some will say , this is but a small slip ; well be it so : but in the seventh page he layes it on in four lines , asserting these four things : First , that Episcopall Government , ( that very same Episcopal Government , which some he saith seeke to wound , that is Government by Diocesan Bishops ) derives it self from the Apostles times ; which though we shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more fully confute anon , yet we cannot here but rank it among his notorious — : for how could there be such Government of a Diocesse by a Bishop derived from the Apostles times , when in the Apostles times there were no Bishops distinct from Presbyters , as we shall shew ? and if there had been Bishops , yet they were no Diocesans ; for it was a hundred yeares after Christ , or as most agree 260. before Parishes were distinguished , and there must be a distinction of Parishes before there could be an union of them into Diocesses . Secondly , it is by the joynt confession of all reformed Divines granted , that this sacred Government is derived from the Apostles : What all reformed Divines ? was Calvin , Beza , Iunius , &c. of that minde ? Are the reformed Churches of France , Scotland , Netherlands , of that Judgement ? we shall shew anon that there is no more truth in this Assertion then if he had said with Anaxagoras , snow is black , or with Copernicus , tho Earth moves , and the Heavens stand stil. Thirdly , he saith this Government hath continued without any interruption : What doth he meane , at Rome ? for we reade in some places of the world this Government was never known for many yeares together : as in Scotland , we read that in Ancient times the Scots were instructed in the Christian faith by Priests and Monkes , and were without Bishops 290. yeares : yea to come to England , we would desire to know of this Remonstrant whether God had a Church in England in Q. Maries dayes or no ? and if so , who were then the Bishops of this Church , for some there must be , if it be true that this man saith , this Government hath continued without any interruption unto this day , and Bishops then we know not where to finde but in the line of Popish succession . Fourthly , he saith it hath thus continued without the contradiction of any one Congregation in the Christian world . It seemes he hath forgotten , what their own darling Heylin hath written of the people of Biscay in Spaine , that they admit of no Bishops to come among them ; for when Ferdinand the Catholike came in progresse accompanied among others with the Bishop of Pampelone , the people rose up in Armes , drove back the Bishop , and gathering up all the dust which they thought he had trode on , flung it into the Sea. Which story had it been recorded onely by him , would have been of lighter Credit . But we reade the same in the Spanish Chronicle , who saith more then the Doctor : for he tels us that the People threw that dust that the Bishop or his Mule had trode on , into the Sea with Curses and Imprecations : which certainly saith he was not done without some Mystery , those people not being voide of Religion , but superstitiously devout as the rest of the Spaniards are : so that there is one Congregation in the Christian world in which this Government hath met with contradiction . And are not the French , Scottish , and Belgick Churches worthy to be counted Christian Congregations ? and who knowes not that amongst these this Government hath met not onely with verbal but reall contradiction ? Yet he cannot leave his — : But within two pages is at it againe ; and tels us of an unquestionable clearenesse wherein it hath been from the Apostles derived to us : how unquestionable ? when the many volumes written about it , witnesse to the world , and to his conscience , it hath been as much questioned as any point ( almost ) in our Religion . And that assertion of his that tels us that the people of God had a forme of prayer as ancient as Moses , which was constantly practised to the Apostles dayes , and by the Apostles , &c. though we have shewed how bold and false this assertion is , yet we mention it here as deserving to be put into the Catalogue . And that he may not seem Contra mentem ire , but to be of the same minde still , p. 18. he saith , Episcopal Government hath continued in this Island ever since the first plantation of the Gospel without contradiction . Had he taken a lesse space of time , and said but since the resuscitation of the Gospel : we can prove it to him and shall , that since the reformation , Episcopacy hath been more contradicted , then ever the Papacy was before the extirpation of it . Yet still the man runs on , thinking to get credit to his untruths by their multiplications ; for pag. 21. he saith ; Certainly , except all Histories , all Authors faile us , nothing can be more certaine then this truth : Os Durum ! Nothing more certaine ! what is it not more certain that there is a God ? is it not more certain that Christ is God and man ? is it not more certain that Christ is the only Saviour of the world ? Nothing more certain ! must this th●n be an Article of our Creed , the corner stone of our Religion ? must this be of necessity to Salvation ? Nothing more certain ! O that men should not onely forget themselves , but God also : and in their zeale for their own Honour utter words bordering upon Blasphemy . Indignation will not suffer us to prosecute these falsities of his any further ; we will leave this displeasing service , onely retorting the words of this Remonstrant upon himself , Surely could he look with our eyes ( or any eyes that were not partial ) he would see cause to be throughly ashamed of these his grosse injurious miscarriages , and should be forced to confesse , that never good cause ( if cause be good ) had more reason to complaine of a sinful prosecution . SECT . IV. WE will now come with your Honours patience , to weigh whether there be any more strength in his arguments , then there is truth in his assertions . His Plea for Episcopacy consists of two parts . In the first he brings arguments for the supporting of it . In the second he undertakes to answer the objections that may be made against it . His first argument for it , is couched in these words ; Were this Ordinance meerly Humane or Ecclesiastical , if there c●uld no more be said for it , but that it is exceeding Ancient , of more then 15. hundred years , &c. The strength of which argument lies in this , that they have been in peaceable possession of this government fifteen hundered years and upwards ; and in this Island ever since the Gospel , without contradiction . In which words he speaks two things which deserve just c●nsure . First , that the Hierarchical Government hath continued for fifteen hundred years ; therefore should not now be altered ; which may well be called , as Hierom in another Case , Argumentum Galeatum , an Argument calculated for the Meridian of Episcopacy , and may indifferently serve for all Religions in the World : For thus the Jews might have pleaded against Christ the Antiquity of more then so many hundred years ; and thus the Heathens did plead against the Christian Religion , which Iustin Martyr in his Apology answers . And by this Argument the Pope sits as fast rivetted in his chayre at Rome , as ours in theirs : whose Plea for Antiquity runs parallel with theirs . It is a good observation of Cyprian , that Christ said , Ego sum via , veritas & vita ; not Ego sum consuetudo ; and * that Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas erroris , Christ is Truth , and not Custome ; and Custome withou Truth , is a mouldy error : and as Sir Francis Bacon saith , Antiquity without Truth , is a Cypher without a Figure . Yet had this b Remonstrant been as well versed in Antiquity , as he would bear the world in hand he hath , he might have found Learned Ancients affirming , there was a Time when the Church was not governed by Bishops , but by Presbyters . And when by Bishops , he might further have seen more affinity between our Bishops and the Pope of Rome , then between the Primitive Bishops and them . And that as King Iames of famous memory , said of the Religion of England , that it differed no more from Rome , then Rome did from what it was at first ; may as truly be said of Bishops , that we differ no more from them then they do from what Bishops were , when first they were raised unto this eminency : which difference we shall shew in our ensuing Discourse , to be so great , that as he said of Rome , he did Roman in Roma quaerere , he sought Rome in Rome ; so wee Episcopatum in Episcopatu , may go seek for a Bishop among all our Bishops . And whereas in his application of this Argument to the Bishops of this Nation , he saith , It hath continued in this Island ever since the first plantation of the Gospel , without contradiction ; which is his Second in this Argument : How false this is , we have declared already ; and we all know , and himselfe cannot but know , that there is no one thing since the r●formation , that hath met with so much Contradiction as Episcopacy hath done ; witness the several Books written in the Reigns of our several Princes , and the many Petitions exhibited to our several Parliaments , and the many speeches made therein againg Episcopal Government : many of which are yet extant . As for that supply of Accessory strength , which he begs to this Argument , from the light of nature , and the rules of just policy , which ( saith he ) teacheth us not easily to give way to the change of those things which long use and many * Laws have firmly established , as Necessary and Beneficial ; it is evident , that those things which to former Ages have seemed Necessary and Beneficial , may to succeeding Generations , prove not Necessary but Noxious , not Beneficial , but Burthensome ; And then the same light of nature , and the same just policy , that did at the first command the establishment of them , may and will perswade their Abolishment ; if not , either our Parliaments must never Repeale any of their former Acts ( which yet they have justly and wisely done ) or else in so doing must run Counter to the light of nature , and the Rules of just policy ; which to think were an impiety to be punished by the Judge . SECT . V. THe Second Argument for the defence of Episcopal Government , is from the Pedigree of this holy Calling , which he derives from no less then an Apostolical , and in that right divine institution ; and assayes to prove it from the practice of the Apostles and as he saith , the clear practice of their Successors , continued i' Christs Church to this very day : And to this Argument he so much confides , that he concludes it with this Triumphant Epiphonema , What scruple can remain in any ingenuous heart ? And determins , if any continue yet unsatisfied , it is in despight of reason , and all evidence of History , and because he wilfully shuts his eyes with a purpose not to see the light . Bona verba . By your favour Sir , we will tell you notwithstanding the supposed strength of your argumentation , there is one scruple yet remaining ; and if you would know upon what ground , it is this ; because we find in Scripture ( which by your own confession is O●iginal Authority ) that Bishops and Presbyters were Originally the same , though afterwards they came to be distinguished : and in process of time , Episcopacy did swallow up all the honor and power of the Presbytery , as Pharaoh's lean Kine did the fat . Their Identity is discernable : first , from the same names given unto both : secondly , from the same office designed unto both in Scripture . As for the names , are not the same names given unto both in Sacred Writ ? Let the fifth , sixth , and seventh verses of the first Chapter to Titus testifie : in the fifth verse , the Apostle shews that he left Titus in Creet to ordain Elders in every City ; in the sixth verse , he gives a delineation of the persons that are capable of such Ordination : and in the seventh , the Reason , why the person to be ordained , must be so qualified : for a Bishop , &c. Now if the Bishop and Elder be not here the same , but names of distinct office and order , the Apostles reason rendred in the seventh verse of his direction in the fifth and sixth verses , is ( with reverence be it spoken ) inconsequential , and his demand unjust . If a Chancellor in one of the Universities should give order to his Vice-Chancellor to admit none to the degree of Batchelour in Arts , but such as were able to preach , or keep a Divinity Act : For Batchelours in Divinity must be so : what reason or equity were in this ? So if Paul leaving Titus as his Lecum tenens , as it were in Creet for a season , should give order to him not to admit any to be an Elder but one thus and thus qualified , because a Bishop must be so : had a Bishop been an Order or Calling distinct from , or superior to a Presbyte● , and not the same , this had been no more rational or equal then the former : therefore under the name of Bishop in the seventh verse the Apostle intends the Elder mentioned in the fifth verse . Consonant to this is the Language of the same Apostle , Acts. 20. v. 17.18 . where such as in 17. verse he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Elders , in the 18. he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in ordinary English , Bishops , though our Translation there , ( we know not for what reason ) reads it Overseers : not so rendring the word in any other Text. And though this Remonstrant undertakes to shew a clear and received distinction of Bishops , Presbyters , & Deacons , as three distinct subordinate Callings in Gods Church , with an evident specification of the duty & charge belonging to each of them , or else let this claimed Hierarchy be for ever hooted out of the Church : Yet let us tell him , that we never find in Scripture these three Orders , Bishops , Presbyters , and Deacons , mentioned together : but onely Bishops and Deacons , as Phil. 1. and 1. Tim. Nor do we find in Scripture any Ordination to the office of a Bishop , differing from the Ordination of an Elder : Nor do we find in Scripture , the specification of any Duty charged upon a Bishop , that Elders are secluded from : Nor any qualification required in a Bishop , that is not requisite in every Presbyter ; some of wh●ch , if not all , would be found , were they not the same . But if this Remonstrant think to help himselfe by taking Sanctuary in Antiquity ( though we would gladly rest in Scripture , the Sanctuary of the Lord ) yet we will follow him thither , and there shew him that Hierome from the Scriptures proves more then once , Presbyters and Bishops to be the same . And Chrysostome in Philip. 1. Homil. 2. with his admirer Theophilact in Philip. 1. affirms that while the Apostles lived , the names of Bishops and Presbyters were not distinguished : and not onely while the Apostles lived , but in after ages . Doth not Irenaeus use the name of Bishops and Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a promiscuous sense ? Are not Anicetus , Pius , Hyginus , Telesphorus , Sixtus , whom the Papists call Bishops , and the Popes predecessors , termed by Eusebius Presbyters ? Nor was it strange in the Primitive times to hear Bishops called Presbyters , when Presbyters writing to their Bishop have called him Frater . So Cyprian ( Epist. 26. in the beginning ) is stiled by his Presbyters , Deacons and Confessors ; nor was that holy Martyr offended with that title , nor they condemned of insolency that used it . But what should we burthen your patience with more testimonies , when the evidence of this truth hath shined with so strong a beam that even our Adversaries have stooped to it , and confessed that their Names were the same in the Apostles time ? But yet say they , the Offices were distinct . Now here we would gladly know , what these men make the distinct Office of a Bishop . Is it to edifie the Church by Word and Sacrament ? is it to ordain others to that work ? is it to rule , to govern , by admonition and other censures ? if any of these , if all these make up the proper worke of a Bishop ; we can prove from Scripture that all these belong unto the Presbytery , a which is no more then was granted by a Councel . For the first , Edifying of the Church by word and Sacraments , though we feare they will some of them at least scarce own this as their proper worke ( for some have been cited into the High Commissision for saying , it belongs to them ) yet Sir we are sure , Scripture makes it a part , a chiefe of the Episcopal office ; for so in the 1 Pet. 5.2 . they are said to doe the work of a Bishop , when they do feed the flock of God. And this is such a work as we hope their Lordships will give the poor Presbyters leave to share with them in : or if not , we will tell them that the Apostle Peter in that forecited place , and the Apostle Paul , Acts. 20. binds this work upon our hands , and Woe unto us if we preach not the Gospel . But this branch of Episcopal and Presbyterial office we passe with brevity , because in this there lies not so much controversie as in the next , which they doe more wholly Impropriate to themselves : the power of Ordination . Which power , that it was in former times in the hands of Presbyters , appeares 1 Tim. 4.14 . Neglect not the gift which was given thee by Prophesie , and by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery . The gift here spoken of is the Ministerial gift , the exercise whereof , the Apostle exhorts Timothy not to neglect , which saith he , he had received , not by the laying on of the hands of one single man , whether Apostle , or Bishop , or Presbyter , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbytery , that is , the whole company of Presbyters , for in that sense onely we finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken in Scripture , as in Luke 22. vers . 66. Act. 22. vers . 5. which the Christian Church called the Ecclesiastical Senate as Ierom in Isay 3. Nos habemus in Ecclesia Senatum nostrum , Coetum Presbyterorum , & an Apostolical Senate : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius Epis . ad Magnes . and some times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil . Ancyr . Can. 18. And though the Apostle in his second Epistle to Tim. 1.6 . makes mention of the laying on of his hands : yet to maintaine the Harmony of Scripture , it must not be denied but there was imposition of hands by the Presbytery as wel as by himself , and so it was a joynt act ; So that in this there is no more difference then in the former . And if there be no difference between Presbyters in feeding or ordaining , let us see if there be any in the third part of their office of Ruling , which though our Bishops assume wholly to themselves , yet we shall discover , that it hath been committed to and exercised by Presbyteriall hands . For who are they of whom the Scripture speakes , Heb. 13.17 . Obey them that have the Rule over you ? for they watch for your soules , as they that must give an account , &c. Here all such as watch over the souls of Gods people , are intituled to rule over them . So that unlesse Bishops will say , that they on●ly watch over the souls of Gods people , and are only to give an account for them , they cannot challenge to themselves the sole rule over them . And if the Bishop● can give us good security , that they will acquit us from giving up our account to God for the souls of his people , we will quit our plea , and resigne to them the sole rule over th●m . So againe in the 1 Thessa. 5.12 . Know them which labour amongst you , and are over you in the Lord , and admonish you . In which words are contained these truthes ; First that in one Church ( for the Thessalonions were but one Church , 1 , Ca. ) there was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; not one chiefe Bishop or President , but the Presidency was in many . Secondly , that this Presidency was of such as laboured in the word and Doctrine . Thirdly , that the Censures of the Church were managed not by one , but by them all in Communi . Them that admonish you . Fourthly , that there was among them a Parity : for the Apostle bids know them in an indifferency , not discriminating one from another : yea such was the rule that Elders had , that S. Peter thought it needful to make an exhortation to them to use their power with Moderation , not Lording it over Gods Heritage , 1 Pet. 5.3 . By this time we have sufficiently proved from Scripture , that Bishops and Presbyters are the same in name , in Office , in Edifying the Church , in power of Ordination and Jurisdiction : we sum up all that hath been spoken in one argument : They which have the same Name , the same Ordination to their Office , the same qualification for their Office , the same worke to feed the flock of God , to ordaine pastors and Elders , to Rule and Governe ; they are one and the same Office : but such are Bishops and Presbyters : Ergo. SECT . VI. BUt the dint of all this Scripture , the Remonstrant would elude , by obtruding upon his reader a commentary ( as he calls it ) of the Apostles own practise ( which he would force to contradict their own rules ) to which he superadds the unquestionable glosse of the cleare practise of their immediate successors in this administration . For the Apostles practice , we have already discovered it , from the Apostles own writings ; and for his Glosse he superadds , if it corrupts not the Text , we shall admit it ; but if it doe , we must answer with Tertullian ; Id verum quodcunque primum : id adulterum quod posterius , whatsoever is first is true ; but that which is latter is adulterous . In the examination of this Glosse , to avoyd needlesse Controversie , First , we take for granted by both sides , that the first and best Antiquity , used the names of Bishops and Presbyters promiscuously . Secondly , that in processe of time , some one was honoured with the name of Bishop , and the rest were called Presbyters or Cleri . Thirdly , that this was not Nomen inane , but there was some kinde of Imparity between him and the rest of the Presbyters . Yet in this we differ ; that they say , this Impropriation of name , and Imparity of place , is of Divine Right and Apostolical Institution : we affirme both to be occasional , and of humane Invention ; and undertake to shew out of Antiquity , both the occasion upon which , and ●he Persons by whom this Imparity was brought into the Church . On our parts stands Ierome and Ambrose , and others , whom we doubt not but our Remonstrant will grant a place among his Glossators : Saint Ierome tells us in 1 Tit. Idem est ergo Presbyt●r qui Episcopus : & antequam Diaboli instinctu , studia in Religione fierent , & diceretur in populis , eco sum Pauli , ego Apollo , ego Cephae , Communi Presbyterorū Consilio ecclesiae gubernabantur . Postquam vero unusquisque eos quos bap●izaverat suos putabat esse , non Christi ; in toto Orbe decretum est , ut unus de Presbyteris electus superponeretur caeteris , ad quem omnis Ecclesiae Cura pertineret , & schismatum semina tollerentur . Putat aliquis non Scripturarum , sed nostram esse sententiam , Episcopum & Presbyterum unum esse , & aliud aetatis , aliud esse nomen of●ic●i , relegat Apostoli ad Philippenses verba , dicentis , Paulus & Timothaeus servi Iesu Christi qui sunt Philippis , cum Episcopis & Diaconis , &c. Philippi una est urbs Macedoniae , & certè in una Civitate non poterant plures esse ( ut nuncupantur ) Episcopi , &c. sicut ergo Presbyteri sciant se ex Ecclesiae consuetudine ei qui sibi praepositus fuerit esse subjectos ; Ita Episcopi noverint se magis consuetudine , quam dispositionis Dominicae veritate Presbyteris esse majores , & in Communi debere Ecclesiam regere . A Presbyter and a Bishop is the same : and before there were through the Devils instinct , divisions in Religion , and the people began to say , I am of Paul , and I of Apollo , and I o● Cephas , the Churches were governed by the Common-councell of the Presbyters . But after that each man began to account those whom he had baptized his own , and not Christs ; it was decreed thorow the whole world , that one of the Presbyters should be set over the rest ; to whom the care of all the Church should belong , that the seeds of schisme might be taken away . Thinks any , that this is my opinion , and not the opinion of the Scripture , that a Bishop and an Elder is the same ? let him read the words of the Apostle to the Philippians , saying , Paul and Timothy , the servants of Jesus Christ , to them that are at Philippi , with the Bishops and Deacons , Philippi is one city of Macedonia , and certainly in one city there could not be many Bishops ( as they are now called &c. ) and after the allegations of many other Scriptures , he concludes thus ; as the Elders therefore may know , that they are to be subject to him that is set over them by the custome of the Church ; so let the Bishops know , that it is more from custome , then from any true dispensation from the Lord , that they are above the Presbyters , & that they ought to rule the Church in common . In which words of Ierome , these five things present themselves to the Readers view ; First , that Bishops and Presbyters are originally the same ; Idem . ergo est Presbyter qui Episcopus . Secondly , that that Imparity that was in his time between Bishops and Elders , was grounded upon Ecclesiastical custome , and not upon devine Institution ; Episcopi noverint , &c. Thirdly , that this was not his private judgement , but the judgement of Scripture ; Putat aliquis , &c. Fourthly , that before this Priority was upon this occasion started , the Church was governed Communi Presbyterorum Consilio , by the Counsel of the Presbyters in common , and that even after this imparity , it ought to be so governed ; Sciant Episcopi se Ecclesiam debere in communi regere . Fifthly , that the occasion of this Imparity and Superiority of Bishops above Elders , was the divisions which through the Devils instinct fell among the Churches ; Postquam verò Diaboli instinctu . Saravia would take advantage of this place , to deduce this Imparity as high as from the Apostles times , because even then they began to say , I am of Paul , and I of Apollos : but sure S. Ierome was not so weake as this man would make him , to speak Inconsistencies ; and when he propounds it to himself , to prove that Bishops and Presbyters are in Scripture the same , to let fall words that should confute his own proposition : whereas therefore S. Ierome saith , that after men began to say , I am of Paul , and I of Apollos , &c. it was decreed that one of the Presbyters should be set over the rest , &c. This is spoken indeed in the Apostles phrase , but not of the Apostles times , else to what purpose , is that coacervation of texts that followes ? But suppose it should be granted to be of Apostolical antiquity ( which yet we grant not , having proved the contrary ) yet it appeares , it was not of Apostolical intention , but of Diabolical occasion : And though the Devil by kindling Divisions in the Church , did minister Occasion to the invention of the primacy or prelacy or one for the suppressing of Schisme ; yet there is just cause to think , that the Spirit of God in his Apostles was never the author of this invention . First , because we read in the Apostles dayes there were Divisions , Rom. 16.7 . and Schismes , 1 Cor. 3.3 . and 11.18 . yet the Apostle was not directed by the holy Ghost to ordaine Bishops for the taking away of those Divisions . Neither in the rules he prescribes for the healing of those breaches , doth he mention Bishops for that end : Nor in the Directions given to Timothy and Titus for the Ordination of Bishops or Elders , doth he mention this as one end of their Ordination , or one peculiar duty of their office . And though the Apostle saith , Oportet haereses inter vos esse , ut qui probati sunt manifesti fiant inter vos ; yet the Apostle no where saith , Oportet Episcopos esse , ut tollantur haereses , quae manifestae fiunt . Secondly , because as Doctor Whitaker saith , the remedy devised hath proved worse then the disease , which doth never happen to that remedy whereof the holy Ghost is the author . Thirdly , because the holy Ghost , who could foresee what would ensue thereupon , would never ordaine that for a remedy , which would not onely be ineffectual to the cutting off of evil , but become a stirrup for Antichrist to get into his saddle . For if there be a necessity of setting up one Bishop over many Presbyters for preventing schismes , there is as great a necessity of setting up one Archbishop over many Bishops , and one Patriarch over many Archbishops , and one Pope over all , unlesse men will imagine , that there is a danger of schisme onely among Presbyters , and not among Bishops and Archbishops , which is contrary to reason , truth , History , and our own Experience . And lest our adversaries should appeale from Hierome as an incompetent Judge in this case , because a Presbyter , and so a party , we will therefore subjoyne the judgments of other ancient Fathers who were themselves Bishops . The Commentaries that go under the name of Saint Ambrose upon Ephes. 4. mention another occasion of this Discrimination or priority ; and that was * the increase and dilatation of the Church upon occasion whereof they did ordaine Rectors or Governours , and other officers in the Church ; yet this he grants , that this did differ from the former orders of the Church , and from apostolical Writ . And this Rectorship or Priority was devolved at first from one Elder to another by Succession , when he who was in the place was removed , the next in order among the Elders Succeeded . But this was afterwards changed , and that unworthy men might not be preferred , it was made a matter of Election , and not a matter of Succession . Thus much we finde concerning the occasion of this imparity , enough to shew , it is not of Divine Authority . For the second thing , the persons who brought in this Imparity : the same Authors tells us , the Presbyters themselves brought it in ; witnesse Hierome ad Evag. Alexandriae Presbyteri unum ex se electum in Excelsiori gradu collacatum , Episcopum nominabant , quomodo si exercitus Imperatorem faceret , aut Diaconi de se Archidiaconum . The Presbyters of Alexandria did call him their Bishop , whom they had chosen from among themselves , & placed in a higher degree ; as if an army should make an Emperour , or the Deacons an Archdeacon . Ambrose upon the fourth of the Ephesians tells us , it was done by a Councell , and although he neither name the time nor place of the Councel , yet ascribing it to a Councell he grants it not to be Apostolical : this gave occasion to others to sixe it upon Custome as Hieronym , in Tit. and August . Epist. 19. secundùm honorum vocabula quae Ecclesiae usus obtinuit Episcopatus Presbyterio major est , And had that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prelacy had the Seal and confirmation of Divine or Apostolical Authority , Gregory Nazianzene would never in such a Pathetick manner have wished the Abolition of it , as he doth in his 28. Oration . And now where is that acknowledgement , and conveyance of Imparity and Iurisdiction which saith this Remonstrant was derived from the Apostles hands , and deduced in an uninterupted l●ne , unto this day : where is it ? we finde no such Imparity delivered from Apostolical hands , nor acknowledged in Apostolical writings ; yet had there been such an acknowledgement and conveyance of imparity : how this should have been deduced to us in an uninterrupted Line , we know not , unlesse our Bishops will draw the Line of their Pedigree through the ●oynes of Antichrist , and joyne issue , and mingle blood with Rome : which it seemes they will rather doe then lose this plea for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their tyrannical prerogative , as Nazianzen calls it , Suffer us therefore humbly to appeale to your Honours , whether this Remonstrant hath not given sentence against himself , who is so confident of the Evidence of his cause , that he doth not feare to say , if there can be better Evidence under Heaven for any matter of fact then there is for his Episcopacy : Let EPISCOPACY BE FOR EVER ABANDONED OUT OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. SECT . VII . YEt it seems himselfe in the height of his confidence was not without Jelousies , of some thing might be spoken against his cause , therefore he seems to heare , what is spoken against it . That the Apostles Bishops and ours are two : there was no other then a Parochial Pastor , a Preaching Presbyter without inequallity , without any Rule over his brethren . Ours claime an eminent Superiority , and a power of Ordination and Iurisdiction unknowne to the Primitive times . That this which he supposeth he heares us say is Scripture Truth we have shewed already , &c. that there was a parity between Presbyters and Bishops : and that eminent superiority and power of Ordination and Iurisdiction which our Bishops claime , was unknown to Scripture : and are now prepared by Gods assistance to prove , it was unknown to primitive times . But how doth this Remonstrant meete with this Reply : ALAS , ALAS , HOW GOOD PEOPLE may be abused by misinformation ! It seemes the man Judged this Reply so poor as in his thoughts it was more worthy of his pitty , then of his paines to answer , or rather knew there was more in this Reply , then he knew how to answer , and therefore waves it with his Rhetoricke . And this we rather think , because he knowes but little in Antiquity , that knowes not , that there is so vast a difference between our Bishops , and those that were not onely in the Apostles dayes ( whom we have proved to be undistinguished from Presbyters ) But those Bishops that were in the Church 400. yeares after , when there began to be some discrimination , that Episcopacy may well be likened to the Ship Argo , that was so often repaired , as there was nothing left of the First Materials ; yet still it challenged the first Name . Which difference we spread before your Honours in three particulars : first in point of Election to their office ; secondly , in point of Execution of their office ; thirdly , in point of State-Imployment . First ( having discovered already upon what occasion this priority began to have existence in the Church , and from whom it first received its being , not from God but from Consent and Custome of the Churches , according to Ambrose , Ierome , Augustine , &c. ) We come now to Declare what was the manner of Election unto this Priority in these times , and to shew first , how therein these Bishops did differ from ours : for all their Elections were ordered by the privity , consent , and approbation of the people , where the Bishops was to serve . Were there no other Authors to make this good , Cyprian alone would doe it , among other places let his 68. Epistle witn●sse , where he saith * plebs Maxime habet potestatem , &c. The people specially have power either of chusing worthy Priests , or rejecting the unworthy : for this is derived from Divine Authority , that the Priests should be chosen in the presence of the people , before all their eyes and approved as fit and worthy by their publike vote and Testimony . This he proves by the Testimony of Sacred writ both Old and New. Where we observe first , that the special power of Judging of the worthinesse or unworthinesse of a man for the Prelacy was in the breast of the Peogle . Secondly , the special power of choosing or rejecting eo his place according as they Judged him worthy or unworthy resided in the People , Plebs maximè Habet potestatem , &c. Thirdly , that this power did descend upon the People De Divina Authoritate . Nor was this the Judgement of one Sole man , but of an Affrican Synod consulted by the Spanish Churches in point of Election , as the inscription of the Epistle shewes . a The Obtrusion of a Bishop upon the Church of Alexandria without the Presence , desire and vote of the Clergy or People is condemned by Athanasius not onely as a breach of Canon , but as a Transgression of Apostolical prescript , and that it did compel or necessitate the heathen to blaspheme . Nor did onely Christian Bishops , but Christian Princes acknowledge the Right and power of Election of Bishops to be in the People , so that admired Constantine the great Promover and Patron of the peace of the Christian Church writing to the Church of Nicomedia against Eusebius , and Theognius , tells them the ready way to lay asleep the Tumults that did then disturbe the Church about the Election of a Bishop was , si modo Episcopum fidelem & integrum nacti fuerint , quod quidem in praesentia in vestrâ situm est potestate , quodque etiam dudùm penes vestrum Iudicium fuerat , nisi Eusebius de quo dixi pravo corum , qui cum juverunt Consilio hac praeceps ruisset & rectum Eligendi Ordinem impudenter conturbasset . Gelas in Act , Concil . Nicen. part . 3. if they would get a faithful and upright Bishop which saith he , is in your power presently to doe ; and was long agoe , if Eusebius with the aide of his faction , had not rushed in upon you , and impudently disturbed the right Order of Election . That which this sacred Emperour calls the right order of Election , what is it but the Election by the people ? in whose power , he saith it then was and long had been to choose a Bishop ; and by whose power the next Bishop was chosen . So the same Author tells us , that after Eusebius and Theognius were cast out of their several seats for Arianisme , by the Councel of Nice , others were appointed in their roomes by the Clergy and people of each Diocesse . To this Election in Nicomedia , we could ( if it were needful in so cleare a Truth ) adde many the like Presidents of popular Elections ; which for brevities sake , we passe over . Not questioning , but that which hath been spoken , is sufficient to informe the intelligent Reader , that our Bishops and the Bishops of former times , are TWO in point of Election . SECT . VIII . A Second thing wherein we have undertaken to shew , that our Bishops and the Bishops of former times are TWO , is in the Execution of their Office : and here there are three things , wherein he that will not wilfully shut his eyes against all light , may see a Latitude of difference between ours and former Bishops . First , in that Sole Iurisdiction which our Bishops assume to themselves . Secondly , in the Delagation they make of the power of exercising this Jurisdiction unto others . Thirdly , in the way of the exercise of that power . For the first of these , Their sole Iurisdiction ; That our Bishops assume this to themselves , it is known and felt , and that this Sole Iurisdiction was a stranger , a Monster to former times , we shall now prove , and make cleare ; that the power of Ordination , Admonition , Excommunication , Absolution , was not in the hands of any sole man. First , for Ordination , Cyprian in his exile writing to his Charge , certifies them , that Aurelius was ordained by him and his Colleagues , who were present with him ; ( who were these Colleagues , but his Presbyters ; as he himself expounds it , writing to Lucius in his own name , and the name of his Clergy and people , Ego & Collegae & fraternitas omnis , &c. I and my Colleagues and my whole people send these Letters to you , &c. So that it is cleare in Cyprians time , Presbyters had a hand in Ordination , and Bishops did not Ordaine alone . Firmilianus saith of them that rule in the Church , Quod baptizandi , MANVM IMPONENDI ET ORDINANDI , poffident potestatem . And who those he , he expresseth a little before , SENIORES & Prapositi : by whom the Presbyters as well as the Bishops are understood . And as these places prove , that Bishops in the Primitive time , could not ordain alone without the Presbyters ; so there are that give us light to understand , that the Presbyters might ordain without the Bishop . The Author of the Comment upon the Ephesians , that goes under the name of of Ambrose , saith , Apud Egyptum Presbyteri consignant , si praesens non sit Episcopus , In Egypt the Presbyters ordain , if the Bishop be not present ; so saith Augustine in the same words ; and the Corepiscopus , who was but a Presbyter , had power to impose hands , and to ordaine within his precincts , with the Bishops Licence . Now Licences confer not a power to him that hath it not , but onely a faculty to exercise that power he hath . The iniquity of our times hath been such , that a Minister may not Preach to his own flock , without a Licence : doth this Licence make a man a Minister , and give him power to preach , or only a faculty and liberty to exercise that power ? Should a Bishop give a Laike a Licence to preach , or to ordain , doth that Licence make him a Minister , or a Bishop ? Sure all will say , no : why ? because in the Laike there is not Actus primus , the root and principle of that power , which Licence onely opens a way to the exercise of ; and therefore that must be concluded to be in those Chorepiscopi ; or Presbyters , by vertue of their place and calling , and not by vertue of a Licence . So that the power of Ordination was so farre from residing in the Bishop alone , as that the Presbyters and Corepiscopi had power to ordain as well as he . Neither was this onely a matter of Ecclesiastical custome , but of Ecclesiastical constitution , which bids the Bishop ; First , in all his Ordinations to consult with his Clergy ; Vt Episcopus sine Concilio Clericorum suorum Clericos non ordinet : That the Bishop shall not ordain a Clergy man without the counsel of the Clergy : this was Cyprians practice , Epist. 33. Secondly , in his Ordinations to take the ●oncurrent assistance of his Presbyters ; Cum ordinatur Presbyter , Episcopo eum benedicente , & manum super caput ejus tenente , etiam omnes Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt , manus suas juxta manum Episcopi sut er caput illius teneant . When a Presbyter is ordained , the Bishop blessing him , and holding his hand upon his head , all the Presbyters that are present , shall likewise lay their hands upon his head , with the hands of the Bishop . In which Canon , we have the unanimous vote of two hundred and fourteen Bishops , declaring that the power of Ordination is in the hands of Presbyters as well as Bishops . And whereas it may be objected , that Hierome and Chrysostome , affirming Bishops to differ from Presbyters in the power of Ordination , seem to imply , that that power is soly theirs : Here wee desire it may be observed . First , that these Fathers put all the difference that lies betweene Bishops and Presbyters , to be in point of Ordination . Quid facit Episcopus , quod non facit Presbyter exceptá Ordinatione . And therefore Chrysostome himselfe confesseth , that in his days there was litle or no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter . Inter Episcopum & presbyterum interest fermè nihil , &c. Secondly , That this difference is not so to he understood , as if these Fathers did hold it to be by divine right ( as Bellarmin and our Episcopal men would make us beleeve ) but by a humane constitution . And therefore they do not speak De jure but de facto , Quid facit , &c. not quid debet facere . And this Hierom confesseth . So Leo prim . ep . 88. upon complaints of unlawful Ordinations , writing to the Germane and French Bishops , reckons up what things are reserved to the Bishops , among which he set down Presbyterorum & Diaconorum consecratio , and then addes , Quae omnia solis deberi summis Pontificibus Authoritate Canonam praecipitur : So that for this power of Ordination , they are more beholden to the Canon of the Church , then to the Canon of Gods Word . Thirdly , we answer that this very humane difference was not in the Primitive Antiquity . It was not so in Cyprians time , as we even now shewed . And when it did prevaile , it was but a particular custome ( and sometimes usurpation ) of some Churches . For it was otherwise appointed in the Councel of Carthage , and in Egypt , and other places , as is declared in the former part of this Section ; and even in Chrysostomes time , it was so little approved of , that it was one great accusation against Chrysostome himselfe , That he made Ordinations without the Presbytery , and without the consent of his Clergy , this is quoted by Bishop Downam , lib. 1. cap. 8. pag. 176. SECT . IX . NO● had the Bishops of former times more right to the power of sole Iurisdiction , then of sole Ordination : And here we have Confitentem reum , our very Adversaries confess the Votes of Antiquity are with us . Cyprian professeth , that he would do nothing without the Clergy ; nay , he could do nothing without them ; nay , he durst not take upon him alone to determine that which of right did belong to all ; and had he or any other done so , the fourth Councel of Carthage condemns the Sentence of the Bishop , as Irritanisi Clericorum sententiâ confirmetur . Would ye know the particulars , wherein the Bishops had no power of Judicature without their Presbyters . First , in judging and censuring Presbyters themselves , and their Doctrine ; For this the Canon Law in Gratian is full and cleare : Episcopus non potest Iudicare Presbyterum vel Diaconum sine Synodo & Senioribus : Thus Basill counselled and practised , epist. 75. So Ambr. lib. 10. epist. 80. Cyril in epist. ad Iohannem Antiochen . Thus Gregory ad Iohan. Panor mitan . lib. 11. epist. 49. Secondly , in judging of the conversation or crimes of any of the members of the Church : Penes Presbyteros est Disciplina quae facit homines meliores ; That Discipline that workes emendation in men , is in the power of the Elders . And therefore when any was questioned in point of conversation , he was brought , saith Tertullian , into the Congregation where were Exhortations , Castigations , and Divine censures : And who had the chiefe stroke in these Censures , he tells us after : President probati quique seniores : All the approved Elders sit as Presidents . And those censures that passed by the whole Presbytery were more approved by the Church in ancient times , then such as were passed by one man ; for we finde that when Syagrius and Ambrose passed Sentence in the same case , the Church was unsatisfied in the Sentence of Syagrius , because he past it sine alicujus fratris consilio , without the counsel or consent of any of his Brethren . But were pacified with the sentence of Saint Ambrose : because , saith he , Hoc Iudicium Nostrum cum fratribus & consacerdotibus participatum processerit . Nor was there any kinde of censures that the Bishops did administer alone : Admonitions were given by the Elders ; Augustine tells us the Elders did admonish such as were offenders ▪ to the same purpose speakes . Origen . contra Celsum . Lib. 3. * So excommunication , though that being the dreadfullest thunder of the Church , and as Tertullian calls it , sumntum praejudicium futuri Iudicij , the great fore-runner of the Judgement of God , was never vibrated but by the hand of those that laboured in the Word and Doctrine : yet was no one man in the Church invested with this power more then another . Therefore saith b Hierom ; Presbytero si peccavero licet me tradere satanae in interitum carnis . If I sinne , a Presbyter ( not a Bishop only ) may deliver me to Satan , to the destruction , &c. where the Reader may please to take notice that Saint Hierom speakes not of one particular Presbyter , but of the Order of Presbyters . The same S. Hierom saith againe , Sunt quos Ecclesia reprehendit , quos interdum abijcit , in quos non nunquam Episcoporum & Clericorum censura desaevit . There be some whom the Church reproves , and some which she casts out ; against whom the censures of Bishops and Presbyters sharply proceed ; where we see , the Censures whereby wicked men were cast out of the Church , were not in the sole hands of the Bishops , but likewise in the hands of Presbyters . Syricius Bishop of Rome signifies to the Church of Millaine , that Iovinianus , Auxentius , &c. were cast out of the Church for ever , and he sets down how they did it , Omnium Nostrum tam Presbyterorum quam Diacon●rum , quam totius etiam cleri sciscitata fuit sententia . There was a concurrence of all Presbyters , Deacons , and the whole Clergy in that sentence of Excommunication . The truth herein may be further evidenced by this , because the whole Clergy as well as the Bishops imposed hands upon such , as repenting were absolved : Nec ad communicationem ( saith Cyprian ) venire quis possit , nisi prius ab Episcopo & Clero Manus illi fuerit imposita : No man that hath been excommunicated might returne to Church-Communion , before hands had been laid upon him by the Bishop and Clergy . Also writing to his Clergy concerning lapsed Christians , he tells them , Exomologesi facta & manu eis à vobis in poenitentiam impositâ , &c. that after confession and the laying on their hands , they might be commended unto God : so when certaine returning from their heresie were to be received into the Church at Rome in the time of Cornelius , they came before the Presbytery , and therefore confessed their sinnes , and so were admitted . But though the sentence of Excommunication was managed onely by the hand of those that laboured in the Word and Doctrine , yet we will not conceale from you , that neither Excommunication not absolution did passe without the knowledge and approbation of the body of the Church , to which the Delinquent did belong . So we have learned out of Tertullian , that their censures were ordered in their publike assemblies ; and good reason , because the people were to forbeare communion with such . 2 Thes. 3.6 , 14 , 15. and publike censures of the Church were inflict●d not onely for the Emendation of delinquents , but for the admonition of others , and therefore ought to be admistr●d in publike that others might feare , 1 Tim. 5.20 . Origen speaking of the Duty and Power of the Church in cutting off a scandalous Person though a Presbyter , making the case his own , he saith thus : In uno consensu Ecclesia universa conspirans excidat me d●xtram suam & projiciat a se , He would have the consent of the whole Church in that Act. And when the lapsed Christians were received againe into the Church , the Peoples consent was required therein ; else why should Cyprian say , Vix plebi per suadeo imò extorqueo ut tales patiantur admitti : I can scarce perswade the people to suffer such to be admitted : and in another Epistle written to his people in his Banishment , he promiseth to examine all things , they being present and judging . Examinabuntur singula praesentibus & judicantibus vobis . But of this power of the People we shall have a further occasion to speak afterwards , when we come to discourse of Governing Elders . Onely may it please your Honours from hence to take notice , how unjustly our Bishops have invaded this right and power of Presbyters and people in Church censures , and devesting both of it , have girt it wholly upon themselves , and how herein they and the Bishops of former times are TWO . SECT . X. ANd as our Bishops , and the Bishops of former times are TWO in point of Sole Iurisdiction , so also in the Delegation of this power of Iurisdiction unto others : to their Chancellours , Commissaries , Officers , &c. Was ever such a thing as this heard of in the best primitive Times ? that men that never received imposition of hands , should not only be received into assistance , but be wholly intrusted with the power of Spiritual Iurisdiction : Even then when it is to be exercised over such persons as have had hands laid upon them . We may observe in Cyprian , whilst persecution separated him from his Church , when questions did arise among his people , he doth not send them to his Chancellour or Commissary ; No , he was so far from substituting any man ( much lesse a lay man ) to determene or give Judgement in such cases , that he would not assume that power wholly to himself , but suspends his Judgement , till the hand of God should restore him to his Church againe , that with the advice and Counsel of the Presbyters , he might give sentence : as may appeare to any that shall peruse his Epistles . Sure if God had ever led his Church to such a way of deputation , it would have been in such a case of Necessity as this was : or had any footsteps of such a course as this been visible by this holy Martyr in the goings of former ages , he needed not have deferred the determination of the question about the receiving of some penitent lapsed ones into the bosome of the Church again , till his returne and the returne of his Clergy , as he doth . We will instance in his 28 Epistle , wherein giving direction for the excommunicating of such as would rashly communicate with lapsed Christians , he gives this charge not to his Chancellor or Commissary , or any other man upon whom he had devolved his power , and set him as his Deputy or Viccar generall in his absence , but ad clerum , to the whole Presbytery . This Truth is so cleare , that Bishop Downam the great Advocate of Episcopacy confesseth , that in Ambrose his time , and a good while after ( which was about 400 years ) till the Presbyters were in a manner 〈…〉 SECT . XI . A Third branch wherein the difference between our Bishops , and the Bishops of former times , in point of Exercising their Jurisdiction , is visible , is the way or manner of exercising that power . For brevities sake we will onely instance in their proceedings in causes criminal ; where let them tell us , whether any good Antiquity can yeild them one President for THEIR OATH EX OFFICIO , which hath been to their COURTS , as Purgatory fire to the Popes Kitchin : they have forgotten that old Maxime in the Civil Law , Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum , which as it is grounded upon natural equity , so it is confirmed by a Law enacted by Dioclesian and Maximilian , Nimis grave est quod petitis , &c. It is too grievous that the adverse part should be required to the exhibition of such things as should create trouble to themselves . Vnderstand therefore that you ought to bring proofes of your intentions , and not to extort them from your adversaries against themselves . Shall the Lamp of Nature in the night of Ethnicisme enable Heathen Princes , ( yea Persecutors ) to see and enact thus much , and shall not the glorious Sunne of the Gospel convince these of their iniquities in transgressing this Law , that call themselves the Fathers of the Church ? If neither the light of Nature , nor Gospel light can , yet the custome of the Church , to which they so oft appeal , may both convince them of this iniquity , and discov●r to all the world the contrariety of their proceedings , to the proceedings of former times , in this particular . For of Old , both the Plantiffe and Defendant were brought face to face , before the parties , in whose power it was to judge : which way of proceeding , Athanasius affirmes to be according to Scripture , the Law of God. And because those that condemned Macarius , did not thus proceed , he condemnes their Sentence as malicious and unjust . Of old , no Sentence passed against any man , but upon the Testimony of other witnesses besides the Accusers : after complaint exhibited , the first thing they applyed themselves to , was to consider the person and quality of the Accuser , Concil . prim . Constant. Can. 6 Then they heard the witnesses , who were two at least , Can. Apost . Can. 75. And these witnesses must be such , as might not be imagined to be partiall , nor to beare enmity nor malice against the party accused . Ambros. Epist. 64. so Gratian , Caus. 3. quae . 5. cap. Quod suspecti . Of old , None might be party , witnesse , and Iudge , which Gratian proves at large . Caus. 4. qu. 4. cap. Nullus unquam praesumat accusator simul esse , & Iudex & testis , We grant indeed the Canon Law permits in some cases Tryal without witnesses ; Si crimen ita publicum est , ut meritò debeat appellari notorium ; If the crime be so publike , that it may deservedly be called Notorious . Which Law further determines what is notorious , saying , Offensam illam nos intelligimus manifestam , quae vel per confessionem vel probationem legitime nota fuerit , aut evidentiâ Rei , quae nulla possit tergiversatione celari ; We count that offence manifest , which eith●r by confession , or by lawful proofe comes to be known , or by evidence of fact , so as it can be hid by no tergiversations . So that all was done in former times with mature deliberation , upon examination and evidence produced , and proved by such witnesses , as against whom the Defendant could lay in no just exception . And not as now an Accusation whispered against a man , he knowes not by whom , to which he must take his oath to answer , before he knows what his Accusation is . Which Oath , if he takes , without further witnesse , he is censured upon the witnesse of his own Oath . If he takes it not , he is sent presently to prison , there to lye without Bayle or Mainprize , till the insupportable miseries of his long durance , compel him to take on Oath against Nature , Scripture , Conscience , and the just Defence of his own innocency . That our Bishops therefore and former Bishops are Two , in the point of executing their Judicatory power , we need spend no more time to prove . But come to the third thing , in which the difference betweene ours and former Bishops is to be evidenced . SECT . XII . ANd that is State Imployment , or attendance upon Civil and Secular affaires , &c. which both Christ and Saint Paul prohibits , which prohibition reacheth every Bishop ( to speake in Chrysostomes words ) as well as Timothy , to whom it is directed ; Nullus ergo Episcopatu praeditus haec audire detrectet , sed agere ea omnia detrectet , Let no man that is a Bishop , refuse to hear what the Apostle saith , but to doe what the Apostle forbids . We deny not but that Bishops were in the Primitive times often incumbred with secular business : but these were put upon them , sometimes by Emperors , who sought the ruine of the Church , as Iulian , of whom Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 13. doth report , that in Clerum coaptatos Senatorum munere & ministerio perverse fungi jussit . Sometimes the gracious disposition of Princes toward Christian Religion , made them thus to honour Bishops , thinking thereby to advance Religion : as Constantine the Great enacted , that such as were to be tryed before Civil Magistrates , might have leave to appeale ad Iudicium Episcoporum , atque eorum sententiam ratam esse tanquam ab ipso Imperatore prolatum , And this the Historian reckoneth as one argument of his reverend respect to Religion . Sometimes the excellency of their singular parts cast civil dignities upon them . Tiberius granted a Questors dignity unto a Bishop for his eloquence : Chrysostome for his notable stoutness and freedome of speech , was sent as the fittest man to Gainas , with the Emperors command . Sometimes the people observing the Bishops to be much honoured by the Emperour , would sollicit them to present their greivances to the Emperour . And sometimes the aspiring humour of the Bishops raised them to such places , as appears by Cyrill , who was the first Bishop in Alexandria , who had civil dignities conferred upon him , as Socrates relates it , from whom civil authority did descend upon succeeding Bishops . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : of whom Nicephorus therefore recorded , Episcopatum majoricum fastu , prophanorum Magistratuum more , quam praedecessores ejus Episcopi , ingressus est , unde adeo initium sumptum est in Ecclesia Alexandrina ut Episcopi etiam , profana negotia curarent : He entred upon his Episcopacy with more pomp then his predecessors , with a pomp conformable to the Heathen Magistrates . Both these Historians relate the sad consequence that followed upon this , that Orestes the Roman Governour seeing his power much weakened by the Bishops interposing in secular affairs , hated the Bishop : and this ( as the Historian calls it ) his usurped power . This president of the Alexandrian Bishop , the Bishop of Rome did soon follow ; Et Romanus Episcopatus non aliter quam Alexandrinus , quasi EXTRA SACERDOTII FINES egressus ad secularem principatum erat jam delapsus ; The Bishop of Rome as well as the Bishop of Alexandria breaking the limits of the Priestly function , did degenerate into a secular Principality : which purchased no lesse envie to him then that to the other . And though these two Bishops went at first abreast in this point , yet in a short time the Roman had out stripped the Alexandrian in that power , till the Church degenerating more and more , that Roman Priest advanced his power not onely above all the Bishops , but all the Monarchs in the Christian Orbe . Yet notwithstanding , he that shall look into the Ancients , shall finde ; first , that the best of them held , that they were not to be molested with the handling of worldly affaires , Cyprian Epist. 66.1 . Singuli divino Sacerdotio honorati non nisi altari & sacrificiis deservire & precibus atque orationibus vacare debent , Molestiis secularibus non sunt obligandi , qui divinis rebus & spiritualibus occupantur . Secondly , that they complained of them as of heavy burthens , Aug. calls it Angaria , yea Austin himselfe in his 81. Epistle complaines , that worldly business hindered his praying and so pressed him , that vix respirare potuit : and Gregory the great , non sine dolore in secularibus versabatur , praefat . in Dial. Thirdly , Cyprian construed it as one great cause of persecutions raised against the Church , de lapsis , Sect. 4. Fourthly , it was much cryed down as unlawful by the holy Fathers , many Canons forbidding it , and that under pain of being removed from their places . Can. Apost . Can. 6. Can. 81. hee that did presume to administer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a Roman command or Administration of Military affaires or civil place ( as Zonaras there ) he should be desposed , Can. Apo. Can. 83. hiring of ground , medling with worldly affaires is to be laid aside by them . Otherwise they are threatned to be liable to Ecclesiastical censures , Conc. Cal. Can. 3. Conc. Carth. Can. 16. We will adde this for a conclusion in this point , it is observed by Athanasius , Sulpitius , Severus , and other Ecclesiastical Historians , that the Arians were very expedite in worldly affaires , which experience they gained by their constant following and attendance upon the Emperours Court ; and what troubles they occasioned to the Church thereby , is notoriously known to any that have seen the Histories of their times . And in this our Bishops have approved themselves more like to the Arian Bishops then the purer Bishops of purer times : but how ever cleare it is , that our Bishops and the Bishops of former times are Two ▪ Two in election to their office ; Two in the discharge of their office ; Two in their Ordination , Iurisdiction , Processes , Censures , Administrations ; and the difference between our Bishops and those of former times , is greater then between the great Bishop of Rome and them . SECT . XIII . But it seemes our Remonstrant soared above these times even as high as the Apostles dayes , for so he saith , If our Bishops challenge any other spiritual power , then was by Apostolike Authority delegated to , and required of Timothy and Titus , and the Angels of the seven Asian Churches , let them be DISCLAIMED as VSVRPERS . And the truth is , so they deserve to be , if they doe but challenge the same power that the Apostle did delegate to Timothy and Titus ; for Timothy and Titus were Evangelists , and so moved in a Sphere above Bishops or Presbyters . For Timothy , it is cleare from the letter of the Text , 2 Tim. 4.5 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : Doe the work of an Evangelist : if Timothy had been but a Presbyter or Bishop , Paul had here put him upon imployment , Vltra Sphaeram Activitatis . And to any man , that will but understand and consider what the Office of an a Evangelist was ; and wherein it differed from the Office of a Presbyter or Bishop , it will be manifest that Timothy and Titus were Evangelists , and no Bishops : for the title of Evangelist is taken but two wayes ; either for such as wrote the Gospel , and so we doe not affirme Timothy and Titus , to be Evangelists : or else for such as taught the Gospel ; and those were of two sorts , either such as had ordinary places and ordinary gifts , or such whose places and gifts were extraordinary ; and such Evangelists were Timothy and Titus , and not Bishops , as will appeare if we consider , what was the Difference between the Evangelists and Bishops . Bishops or Presbyters were tyed to the particular care and tuition of that flock over which God had made them Overseers , Acts 20.28 . But Evangelists were not tyed to reside in one particular place , but did attend upon the Apostles by whose appointment they are sent from place to place , as the necessity of the Churches did require . As appeares first in Timothy whom Saint Paul besought to abide at Ephesus , 1. Tim. 1.3 . which had beene needlesse importunity , if Timothy had the Episcopall ( that is the Pastorall ) charge of Ephesus committed to him by the Apostles , for then he might have laid as dreadful a Charge upon him to abide at Ephesus , as he doth to . Preach the Gospel . But so far was Paul from setling Timothy in Cathedrâ in Ephesus , that he rather continually sends him up and down upon all Church-services , for we finde Acts. 17.14 . that when Paul fled from the tumults of Berea to Athens , he left Silas and Timothy behinde him , who afterwards comming to Paul to Athens , Paul sends Timothy from Athens to Thessalonica , to confirm the Thessalonians in the faith , as appears 1 Thes. 3.1.2 . from whence returning to Paul to Athens again , the Apostle Paul before he left Athens and went to Corinth , sent him and Silas into Macedonia , who returned to him again to Corinth , Act. 18.5 . afterwards they travelled to Ephesus , from whence we read Paul sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia , Act. 19.22 . wither Paul went after them , and from whence they and divers other Breathren journied into Asia , Acts 20.4 . All which Breathren Paul calls , as it is probable , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the messengers of the Churches , 2. Cor. 8.23 . And being thus accompanied with Timothy , and the rest of the Bretheren he comes to Miletum , and calls the Elders of the Church of Ephesus thither to him , of which Church had Timothy been Bishop , the Apostle in stead of giving the Elders a charge to feed the flock of Christ , would have given that charge to Timothy , and not to them . And secondly , the Apostle would not so have forgotten himself , as to call the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , before their Bishops face . Thirdly , It is to be conceived , the Apostles would have given them some directions , how to carry themselves towards their Bishop ; but not a word of this though Timothy were then in Pauls presence , and in the presence of the Elders . The cleare evidence of which Text demonstrates , that Paul did not leave Timothy at this time as Bishop of Ephesus . But it is rather evident that he took him along with him in his journey to Hierusalem , and so to Rome ; for we find that those Epistles Paul wrote while he a prisoner , bear either in their inscription or some other passage of them , the name of Timothy as Pauls companion , viz. The Epistle to the Philippians , C●lossians , Hebrewes , Philemon , which Epistles he wrote in bonds as the contexture , which those two learned professors ; the one at Heydelburg , the other at Saulmur , make of Saint Pauls Epistles , doth declare . So that it appears that Timothy was no Bishop , but a Minister , an Evangelist , a fellow labourer of the Apostles , 1 Thes. 3.1 . an Apostle , a Messenger of the Church , 2 Cor. 8.3 . a Minister of God , 1 Thes. 3.2 . these titles the Holy Ghost gives him , but never the title of a Bishop . The like we finde in Scripture concerning Titus , whom Paul as it is conceived by learned men , did first assume into the fellowship of his Labors in the place of Iohn , and made him his companion in his journy through Antioch a to Hierusalem , b so we find Gal. 2.1 . from thence returning to Antioch againe ; from thence he passed through Syria and Cilicia , confirming the Churches ; and from Cilicia , he passed to Creet , where having Preached the Gospel , and plainted Churches , he left Titus * there for a while , to set in order things that remaine , Yet it was but for a while he left him there , for in his Epistle which he wrote to him not many yeares after , he injoynes him to come to him to Nicopolis * where he did intend to winter , but changing that purpose sends for him to Ephesus , where it seemes his Hyemal station was , and from thence sends him before him to Corinth , to enquire the state of the Corinthians * . His returne from thence Paul expects at Troas * , and because comming thither he found not his expectation there , he was so grieved in his spirit , 2 Cor. 2.12 . that he passed presently from thence into Macedonia , where Titus met him ; and in the midst of his afflictions joyed his spirits with the glad tydings of the powerful and gracious effects , his first Epistle had among the Corinthians , 2 Cor. 7 , 5 , 6 , 7. Paul having there collected the Liberalities of the Saints , sends Titus againe to the * Corinthians , to prepare them for the same service of Ministring to the necessities of the Saints , 2 Cor. 8.6 . And makes him with some others the Conveyers of that second Epistle to the Corinthians . All these journey es to and fro did Titus make at the designment of the Apostle , even after he was left in Creet . Nor doe we finde , that after his first removal from Creet * ; he did ever returne thither . We read indeed , 2 Tim. 4.10 . he was with Paul at Rome , and from thence returned not to Creet , but into Dalmatia . All which doth more then probably shew , it never was the Intendment of the Apostle to fix Titus in Creet as a Bishop , but onely to leave him there for a season for the good of that Church , and to call him from thence , and send him abroad to other Churches for their good , as their necessities might require . Now who that will acknowledge a Distinction between the Offices of Bishops and Evangelists , and knows wherein that Distinction lyes , will not upon these premisses conclude that Timothy and Titus were Evangelists and NOT Bishops . I but some of the Fathers have called Timothy and Titus Bishops . We grant it true ; and it is as true , that some of the Fathers have called them Archbishops and Patriarks ; yet it doth not follow , they were so . We adde , secondly , that when the Fathers did call them so , it was not in a proper but in an improper sense ; which we expresse in the words of our Learned Orthodox Raynolds ; You may learne by the Fathers themselves , saith he , that when they termed any Apostle a Bishop of this or that City ( as namely S. Peter of Antioch or Rome ) they meant it in a general sort and signification , because they did attend that Church for a time , and supply that roome in preaching the Gospel , which Bishops did after ; but as the name of Bishop is commonly taken for the Overseer of a particular Church , and Pastor of a several flock ; so Peter was not Bishop of any one place ; therefore not of Rome . And this is true by Analogy of all extraordinary Bishops , and the same may be said of Timothy and Titus , that he saith of Peter . But were it true that Timothy and Titus were Bishops : will this Remonstrant undertake , that all his party shall stand to his Conditions ▪ If our Bishops challenge any other power then was by Apostolick Authority delegated to , and required of Timothy and Titus , and the Angels of the seaven Asian Churches , let them be disclaimed as usurpers . Will our Bishops indeed stand to this ? then actum est . Did ever Apostolick Authority delegate power to Timothy or Titus , to ordain alone ? to governe alone ? and do not our Bishops challenge that power ? Did ever Apostolique Authority delegate power to Timothy and Titus , to rebuke an Elder ? no ; but to entreat him as a Father : and do not our Bishops challenge themselves and permit to their Chancellors , Commissaries , and Officials power not only to Rebuke an Elder ▪ but to rayle upon an Elder ? to reproach him with the most opprobrious termes of foole , knave , jack-sauce , &c. which our paper blushes to present to your Honors view ? Did ever Apostolick Authority delegate to Timothy and Titus power to receive an accusation against an Elder , but before two or three witnesses ? and do not our Bishops challenge power to proceed Ex Officio , and make Elders their own Accusers ? Did ever Apostolick Authority delegate power to Timothy or Titus , to reject any after twice admonition , but an Heretick ? and do not our Bishops challenge power to reject and eject the most sound and Orthodox of our Ministers , for refusing the use of a Ceremony ? as if Non-conformity were Heresie . So that either our Bishops must disclaime this Remonstrance , or else themselves must be disclaimed as usurpers . But if Timothy and Titus were no Bishops , or had not this power , it may be the Angels of the seven Asian Churches had ; and our Remonstrant is so subtile as to twist these two together , that if one faile , the other may hold . To which we answer ; first , that Angel in those Epistles is put Collectively , not Individually ; as appears by the Epistle to Thyatira , cap. 2. vers . 25. where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. But I say unto you ( in the plural number , not unto thee in the singular ) and unto the rest in Thyatira , &c. Here is a plain distinction between the members of that Church . By you , is signified those to whom he spake under the name of the Angel. By the rest , the residue of the people . The people governed , and the Governours in the plural number . What can be more evident to prove , that by Angel is meant not one singular person , but the whole company of Presbyters that were in Thyatira . This also further appears , because it is usual with the holy Ghost , not only in other Books of the Scripture , but also in this very Book of the Revelation , to express a company under one singular person . Thus the Civil State of Rome , as opposite to Christ , is called A beast with ten horns : and the Ecclesiastical State Antichristian is called the whore of Babylon , and , the false Prophet ; and the Devil and all his family is called An old red Dragon . Thus also the seven Angels that blew the seven trumpets , Revel . 8.2 . and the seven Angels that poured out the seven Vials , are not literally to be taken , but Synecdochically , as all know . And why not then the seven Angels in those Epistles ? Mr. Mede in his Commentaries upon the Revelation , pag. 265 , hath these words ; Denique ( ut jam femel iterumquemonuimus ) quoniam Deus adhibet angelos providentiae suae in rerū humanarū motibus & conversionibus ciendis , gubernandisque administris : idcirco , quae multorum manibus peraguntur , Angelo tamen tanquam rei gerendae praesidi & Duci pro communi loquendi modo tribuuntur . Adde , thirdly , that the very name Angel is sufficient to prove , that it is not meant of one person alone , because the word Angel doth not import any peculiar jurisdiction or preheminence , but is a common name to all Ministers , and is so used in Scripture . For all Ministers are Gods Messengers and Embassadours , sent for the good of the Elect. And therefore the name being common to all Ministers , why should wee think that there should be any thing spoken to one Minister , that doth not belong to all ? The like argument we draw from the word Stars used Revel , 1.20 . The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches . Now it is evident , that all faithful Ministers are called Stars in Scripture , whose duty is to shine as lights unto the Churches , in all purity of doctrine and holiness of conversation . And in this sense , the word is used , when it is said , that the third part of the stars were darkned , Revel . 8.12 . and that the Dragons taile drew the third part of the stars of Heaven , and cast them to the Earth , Revel . 12.4 . Which is meant not only of Bishops , but of other Ministers , unlesse the Bishops will appropriate all corruption and Apostacy unto themselves . Adde , fourthly , out of the Text it selfe , it is very observable , that our Saviour in opening the mystery of the Vision , Revel . 1.20 . saith ; The seven Candlesticks which thou sawest , are the seven Churches , but he doth not say , The seven Stars are the seven Angels of the same Churches , But the Angels of the seven Churches ; wherein not without some mystery the number of the Angels is omitted , least we should understand by Angel , one Minister alone , and not a company . And yet the Septenary number of Churches is twice set down . Lastly , though but one Angel be mentioned in the fore-front , yet it is evident , that the Epistles themselves are dedicated to all the Angels and Ministers in every Church , and to the Churches themselves : And if to the whole Church , much more to the Presbyters of that Church . This is proved Revel . 1.11 . What thou seest , write in a Book , and send it to the seven Churches which are in Asia . And also by the Epiphonema of every Epistle ; He that hath an care to hear , let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches . Upon which words , Ambrosius Ausbertus in his second book upon the Revelation , saith thus ; Vnâ eademque locutione & Angelos & Ecclesias unum esse designat . Nam cum in principio locutionum quae ad septem fiunt Angelos dicat , & Angelo illius Ecclesiae scribe ; in fine tamen earundem non dicit , Qui habet aurem audiat quod spiritus dicat Angelo , sed quid Ecclesiae dicat . By one and the same phrase of speech he sheweth , the Angels and the Churches to be one and the same . For whereas in the beginning of his speech , which he makes to the seven Churches , he saith , And write to the Angel of the Churches ; yet in the close of the same , he doth not say , He that hath an Eare , let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Angel , but what he saith to the Church . And this is further proved by the whole argument of those Epistles , wherein the admonitions , threatnings , commendations , and reproofes , are directed to all the Ministers of all the Churches . Revel . 2.10 . The Devil shall cast some of you into prison , &c. Revel . 2.16 . I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth , Revel . 2.24 . I will put upon you no other burthen , &c. I say unto you and the rest of Thyatira , as many as have not this Doctrine , and which have not known the depths of Satan , &c. And when it is said in the singular Number ( as it is often ) I know thy works and labour , &c. vers . 2. and vers . 4. Repent and do thy first works ; and vers . 13. Thou hast not denyed my Faith , &c. and cap. 3.26 . Because thou art neither hot nor cold , &c. All these and the like places , are not to be understood as meant of one individual person , but of the whole company of Ministers , and also of the whole Church , because that the punishment threatned , is to the whole Church ; Revel . 2.5 . Repent and do thy first works , or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place ; Rev. 2.16 . Repent , or else I will come unto thee quickly , and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth ; Revel . 2.24 . I will not put upon you any other burthen . Now we have no warrant in the Word to think that Christ would remove his Gospel from a Church for the sin of one Bishop , when all the other Ministers , and the Churches themselves are free from those sins . And if God should take this course , in what woeful & miserable condition should the Church of England be , which groaneth under so many corrupt Prelates ? By all this it appears , that the word Angel , is not to be taken , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; not properly , but figuratively . And this is the judgment of Master Perkins upon the second Chapter of the Revelation : and of Master Brightman : and of Doctor Fulke , who in answer to the Rhemists in Apoc. 1.20 . hath these words : S. Iohn by the Angels of the Churches meaneth not all that should wear on their heads Myters , and hold crosier staves in their hands , like dead Idols , but them that are the faithful messengers of Gods word , and utter and declare the same . Again , they are called the Angels of the Churches , because they be Gods messengers . Master Fox likewise in his Meditation upon the Revelation ( pag. 7.9.17 . ) is of this opinion , and hath gathered to our hands the opinions of all Interpreters he could meet , and saith that they all consent in this that under the person of an Angel , the Pastors & Ministers of the Churches were understood . S. Austin in his 132. Epistle , saith thus , Sic enim in Apocalypsi legitur Angelus , &c. Quod si de Angelo superiorum colorum , & non de Praepositis Ecclesiarum vellet intelligi , non consequenter diceret , Habeo adversum te , &c. And so in his second Homily upon the Revelation ( if that book be his ) Quod autem dicit Angelo Thyatirae . Habeo adversum te panca , dicit Praepositis Ecclesiarum , &c , This also Gregory the Great , lib. 34. Moral . in Iob. cap. 4. Saepe sacram scripturam praedicatores Ecclesiae pro eo quod patris gloriam annunciant , angelorum nomine solere designare : & hinc esse , quod Iohannes in Apocalypsi septem Ecclesiis scribens , angelis Ecclesiarum loquitur , id est , Praedicatoribus populorum . Master Box citeth Primasius , Haymo , Beda , Richard , Thomas , and others , to whom we refer you . If it be here demanded ( as it is much by the Hierarchical side ) that if by Angel be meant the whole company of Presbyters , why Christ did not say , to the Angels in the plural number , but to the Angel in the singular ? We answer , that though this question may savor of a litle too much curiosity , yet we will make bold to subjoyn three conjectural reasons of this phrase of speech . First , it is so used in this place , because it is the common language of other Scriptures in types and visions to set down a certain number for an uncertain , & the singular number for the plural . Thus the Ram , Dan. 8.3 . is interpred vers . 20. to be the Kings of Media , and Persia. And the enemies of Gods Church are set out by four horns . And the deliverers by four Carpenters , Zach. 1.18.20 . And the wise and foolish Virgins are said to be five wise and five foolish . And many such like . And therefore as we answer the Papists , when they demand why Christ if he meant figuratively when he saith , this is my body , did not speak in plain language , this is the sign of my body ? We say , that this phrase of speech is proper to all Sacraments : So we also answer here , this phrase of speech , Angel for Angels , is common to all types and visions . Secondly Angel is put , though more be meant , that so it may hold proportion with the vision which Iohn saw , Chap. 1.12.20 . He saw seven golden Candlesticks , and seven Stars . And therefore to hold proportion , the Epistles are directed to seven Angels , and to seven Churches . And this is called a mystery , Revel . 1.20 . The Mystery of the seven Stars . &c. Now a mystery is a secret which comprehends more th●n is expressed ; and therefore though but one Angel be expressed , yet the mystery implyes all the Angels of that Church . Thirdly , to signifie their unity in the Ministerial function , and joynt commission to attend upon the feeding and governing of one Church , with one common care , as it were with one hand and heart . And this i● more fitly declared by the name of one Angel , then of many . We often finde the name of ( one ) Prophet or Priest to be put for the general body of the Ministery , or whole multitude or Prophets or Priests , in the Church of Israel or Iudah , when the Spirit of God intendeth to reprove , threaten , or admonish them . Thus it is Iere. 6.13.18.19 . Isa. 3.2 . Hos. 9.8 . Ezek. 7.26 . Hos. 4 , 6. Mal. 2.7 . Neither should it seem strange , that a multitude or company of Ministers should be understood under the name of one Angel , seeing a multitude of Heavenly Angels ( imployed in one service for the good of Gods Saints ) is sometimes in the Scripture shut up under one Angel in the singular number , as may be gathered from Gen. 14.7 . 2 Kings 19.35 . Psal 34.7 . compared with Psal. 91.11 . Gen. 32.1 . 2. Kings 6.16 , 17. And also a multitude of Devils or evil Angels , jointly labouring in any one work , is set forth under the name of one evil or unclean spirit , 1 Kings 22.21 , 22. Mark 1.23 , 24. Mark 5.2.9 . Luke 4.33.34 . Luk. 8.27.30 . 1 Pet. 5.8 . Heb. 2.14 . Ephes. 6.11.12 . But now let us suppose ( which yet notwithstanding we will not grant ) that the word Angel is taken individually for one particular person , as Doctor Reynolds seems to interpret it , together with Master Beza , yet nevertheless● , there will nothing follow out of this acception ▪ that will any ways make for the upholding of a Diocesan Bishop , with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction , as a distinct Superior to Presbyters . And this appears , First , because it never was yet proved nor ever will ( as we conceive ) that these Angels were Diocesan Bishops , considering that Parishes were not divided into Diocesses in S. Iohns days . And the seven Stars are said to be fixed in their seven Candlesticks or Churches , not one Star over divers Candlesticks . Neither can those Churches be thought to be Diocesan , when not onely Tindal and the old translation , calls them seven Congregations , but we read also Acts 20. that at Ephesus which was one of those Candlesticks , there was but one flock . And secondly , we further finde that in Ephesus one of those seven Churches , there were many Presbyters , which are all called Bishops , Acts 20.28 . and we finde no colour of any superintendency or superiority of one Bishop over another . To them in general the Church is committed to be fed by them without any respect had to Timothy , who stood at his Elbow , and had been with him in Macedonia , and was now waiting upon him to Jerusalem . This is also confirmed by Epiphanius who writing of the Heresies of the Miletians , saith , that in ancient times this was peculiar to Alexandria , that it had but one Bishop , whereas other Cities had two . And he being Bishop of Cypres , might well be acquainted with the condition of the Churches of Asia , which were so nigh unto him . Thirdly , there is nothing said in the seven Epistles that implyeth any superiority or majority of rule or power that these Angels had over the other Angels that were joyned with them in their Churches . It is written indeed , in commendation of the Angel of the Church of Ephesus , that he could not beare them that were evil , and that he had tryed them which say they were Apostles and are not , and had found them lyers . And it is spoken in dispraise of the Angel of Pergamus , that he suffered them which h●ld the Doctrine of Balaam , &c. But these things are common duties requirable at the hands of all Ministers , who have the charge of souls . But suppose that there were some superiority and prehemenency insinuated by this individual Angel , yet who knoweth not that there are diverse kinds of superiority ? to wit , of Order , of Dignity , of Gifts and Parts , or in degree of Ministery , or in charge of power and jurisdiction . And how will it be proved that this Angel if he had a superiority , had any more then a superiority of Order , or of Gifts and Parts ? Where it is said , that this Angel was a superior degree or order of Ministery above Presbyters ? In which Epistle is it said that this Angel had sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction ? And therefore as our learned Protestants prove against the Papists , that where Christ directed his speech to Peter in particular and said , I will give unto thee the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven ; &c. That this particularization of Peter did not import any singular preheminence or majority of power to Peter more then to the other Apostles ; But that though the promise was made to Peter , yet it was made to him in the name of all the rest , and given to all as well as one . And that therefore it was spoken to one person , and not to all ; that so Christ might fore-signifie the unity of his Church , as Cyprian , Austin , Hierome , Optatus , and others say . So when Christ directs an Epistle to one Angel , it doth not imply a superior power over his fellow-Angels , but at most only a presidency for order sake . And that which is written to him , is written to the rest as well as to him . And therefore written to one , not to exclude the rest , but to denote the unity that ought to be between the Ministers of the same Church in their common care and diligence to their flock . And this is all that Doctor Reynolds saith , as you may read in his conference with Hart , cap. 4. divis . 3. ad finem . For it is evident that Doctor Reynolds was an utter enemy to the Ius Divinum of the Episcopal preheminency over Presbyters , by his Letter to Sir Francis Knolls . And learned Master Beza also saith something to the same purpose in his Annotations upon Revel . 2.1 . Angelo . i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quem nimirum oporuit imprimis de his rebus admoneri , ac per eum caeteros collegas totamque adeo Ecclesiam . Sed hinc statui Episcopalis ille gradus postea humanitus in Ecclesiam Dei invectus certe nec potest nec debet , imo ne perpetuum quidem istud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munus esse necessario oportuisse , sicut exorta inde Tyrannis Oligarchica ( cujus apex est Antichristiana bestia ) certissima cum totius non Ecclesiae modo , sed etiam orbis pernicie , nunc tandem declarat . If therefore our Remonstrant can produce no better evidence for his Hierarchy then Timothy and Titus , and the Angels of the Asian Churches , Let not this Remonstrant and his party , cry out of wrong , if this claimed Hierarchy be for ever booted out of the church , seeing it is his owne Option . And yet we cannot conceale one refuge more out of Scripture , to which the Hierarchy betake themselves for shelter . And that is the two Postscripts in the end of Pauls second Epistle to Timothy , and of that to Titus ; where in the one , Timothy is said to be the first Bishop of Ephesus , and in the other , Titus is said to be the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians : to both which places wee answer . That these two Postscrips ( and so all the rest ) are no part of Canonical Scripture . And therefore our former and ancienter English translations , though they have these Postscripts , yet they are put in a small character different from that of the Text. Although our Episcopal men of late in newer impressions have inlarged their Phylacteries , in putting those Postscripts in the same full character with that of the Text , that the simple might beleeve they are Canonical Scripture . The Papists themselves ( Baronius , Serrarius , and the Rhemists ) confesse that there is much falsity in them . The first Epistle to Timothy , is thus subscribed : the first to Timothy was written from Laodicea , whoch is the chiefest City of Phrygia Pacatiana . Here wee demand , whether Paul when hee writ the first Epistle to Timothy , was assured he should live to write a second , which was written long after ? And if not ; How comes it to bee subscribed , the first to Timothy , which hath relation to a second ? Besides , the Epistle is said to bee writ from Laodicea , whereas Beza in his Annotations proves apparently , that it was written from Macedonia ; to which Opinion Baronius and Serrarius subscribe . It is added , Which is the chiefest City of Phrygia Pacatiana . But this Epithet is nowhere read in the Writers of those ages , saith Beza , Sed apud recentiores illo● , qui Romani imperii jam inclinantis provincias descripserunt . So that by this place it is evident , that the subscription was added a long while after the writing of the Epistles by some men , for the most part vel indoctis , saith Beza , vel certe non satis attentis , Either by a Learned , or negligent man. The second Epistle is thus subscribed ; The second Epistle unto Timothy , ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians , was written from Rome , when Paul was brought before Nero the second time . Now these words Ordained the first Bishop , is wanting , saith Beza , in quibusdam vetustis codicibus , in veteri vulgatâ editione , & apud Syrum interpre●●m . If Saint Paul had written this Postscript , he would not have said , To Timothy the first Bishop , &c. whereas it was not yet certain whether ever there should bee a second . Neither would it bee said when Paul was brought , &c. But when I was the second time brought before Nero. The Syriack Interpreter reads it , Here ends the second Epistle to Timothy written from Rome . The Epistle to Titus is thus subscribed : Written to Titus , Ordained first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians , from Nicopolis of Macedonia . Here it is said that this Epistle was written from Nicopolis , whereas it is cleare that Paul was not at Nicopolis when he wrote it . Tit. 3.12 . Be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis , for I have determined there to winter . Hee doth not say , Here to winter , but There ; Where note , for the present he was not there . And besides it is said , that Titus was Ordained the first Bishop , &c. And who was the second ? or was there ever a second ? And also He is said to be Bishop , not onely of a Diocess , but of all Creet . Was there ever such a second Bishop ? Adde , lastly , that it is said , Bishop of the Church of the Cretians ; Whereas it would bee said of the Churches of the Cretians . For the Christian Churches of any Nation are called Churches by Luke and Paul , not Church . Therefore Codex Claremontanus subscribes ; Here ends the Epistle to Titus , and no more . So the Syriack ; Finitur Epistola ad Titum quae scripta fuit è Nicopoli . The old Vulgar Edition hath nothing of the Episcopacy of Titus . By all this it appears , that if the Bishops had no more authority to urge us to subscribe to their Ceremonies , then they have authority for their Episcopal Dignity by these Subscriptions , there would be no more subscription to Ceremonies in the Churches of England . But some will say , that there is one objection out of Scripture yet unanswered , and that is from the inequality that was betweene the twelve Apostles , and the seventy Disciples . To which we answer ; First , that it cannot be proved that the twelve Apostles had any superiority over the seventy , either of Ordination , or Jurisdiction , or that there was any subordination of the seventy unto the twelve : but suppose it was , yet we answer Secondly , that a superiority and inferiority betweene Officers of different kindes , will not prove that there should be a superiority and inferiority between Officers of the same kinde . No man will deny but that in Christs time , there were Apostles , Evangelists , Prophets , Pastors , and Teachers , and that the Apostles were superior to Evangelists and Pastors But it cannot be proved , that one Apostle had any superiority over another Apostle , or one Evangelist over an other . And why then should one Presbyter be over another ? Hence it followeth , that though we should grant a superiority between the twelve and the seventy , yet this will not prove the question in hand . Because the question is concerning Officers of the same kind , and the instance is of Officers of different kinds , amongst whom no man will deny but there may be a superiority and inferiority , as there is amongst us between Presbyters and Deacons . And now let your Honours judge ( considering the premisses ) how far this Episcopal government is from any Divine right , or Apostolical Institution : And how true that speech of Hierome is , that a Bishop as it is a superiour Order to a Presbyter , is an Humane presumption , not a Divine Ordinance . But though Scripture fails them , yet the indulgence and Munificence of Religious Princes may support them , and to this the Remonstrant makes his next recourse , yet so as he acknowledgeth here , Ingagements to Princes onely for their accessory dignities , titles , and Maintenance ; not at all for their stations and functions , ( wherein yet the author plainly acknowledgeth a difference between our Bishops and the Bishops of old by such accessions . ) For our parts , we are so farre from envying the gracious Munificence of pious Princes , in collating honourable maintenance upon the Ministers of Christ , that we beleeve , that even by Gods own Ordinance , double Honour is due unto them . And that by how much the Ministery of the Gospell is more honourable then that of the Law , by so much the more ought all that embrace the Gospell , to be carefull to provide , that the Ministers of the Gospell might not onely live , but maintain Hospitalitie , according to the Rule of the Gospell . And that worthy Gentleman spake as an Oracle , that said , That scandalous Maintenance is a great caues of a scandelous Ministery . Yet we are not ignorant , that when the Ministery came to have Agros , d●mos , lecationes , vehicula ●ques , la●if●ndia , as Chrysost . Hom. 86 in Matth. That then Religio peperit divitias , & filia devoravit Matrem , Religion brought forth riches , and the Daughter devoured the Mother ; and then there was a voice of Angels heard from Heaven ; Hodie venenum in Ecclesiam Christi cecidit . This day is poison shed into the Church of Christ. And then it was that Ierom complained , Christi Ecclesia post quam ad Christianos principes venit , potentiâ quidem & divitiis major , sed virtutibus minor facta est . Then also was that Conjunction found true ; That when they had wooden Chalices , they had golden Priests ; but when their Chalices were golden , their Priests were wooden . And though we do not think , there is any such incompossibility , but that large Revenues may be happily managed with an humble sociablnesse , yet is very rare to finde History tells us , that the superfluous revenues of the Bishops not onely made them neglect their Ministery , but further ushered in their stately and pompous attendance ; which did so elevate their spirits , that they insulted over their brethren , both Clergy and People , and gave occasion to others to hate and abhorre the Christian Faith , Which Eusebius sets forth fully in the pride of Paulus Samosatenus , vvho notwithstanding the meannesse and obscurity of his birth , aftervvards grew to that height of insolency and pride in all his carriage , especially in that numerous traine that attended him in the streets , and in his stately throne raised after the manner of Kings and Princes , that Fides nostra invidiae , & odio , propter fastam & superbiam cordis illius , facta fuerit obnoxia ; The Christian Faith vvas exposed to envy and hatred through his pride . And as their ambition ( fed vvith the largenesse of their revenues ) discovered it self in great attendance , stately dvvellings , and all Lordly pomp , so Hierom complaines of their pride in their stately seates , qui velut in aliqua sublimi specula constituti , vix dignantur videre mortales & alloqui conservos su●s : who fitting aloft as it were in a vvatch-tovver , vvill scarce deigne to looke upon poore mortalls , or speake to their fellovv-servants . Here vve might be large in multipying several testimonies against the pride of Ecclesiasticall persons , that the largenesse of their revenues raysed them to : but we will conclude with that grave complaint of Sulpitius Severus . Ille qui antè p●dibus aut as●lloire consueverat , spumante equ● superbus inv●hitur ; parvâ priùs ac vili cellula contentus habitare , erigit celsa Laquearia , construit multa conclavia , sculpit p●stes , pingit a●maria , vestem respuit g●ossiorem , indumentum molle desiderat , &c. Which because the practice of our times hath already turned into English , we spare the labour to translate . Onely suffer us ( being now to give a Vale to our Remonstrants arguments ) to recollect some few things . First , whereas this Remonstrant saith ; If we do not shew out of the true & genuine writings of those holy men , that lived in the Apostles dayes a clear & received distinction of Bishops , Presbyters , and Deacons , as three distinct subordinate callings , with an evident specification of the duty belonging to each of them : Let this claimed Hierarchy be for ever routed out of the Church : We beseech you , let it be remembred how we have proved out of the genuine and undeniable writings of the Apostles themselves , that these are not three distinct callings : Bishops are Presbyters , being with them all one , Name and Office , and that the distinction of Bishops and Presbyters was not of Divine Institution , but Humane : and that these Bishops , in their first Institution did not differ so much from Presbyters , as our present Bishops differ from them . Secondly , Whereas this Remonstant saith , If our Bishops challenge any other power then was by Apostolike authority delegated to , and required of Timothy and Titus , and the Ang●ls of the Asian Churches : L●t them be disclaimed as usurpers . Wee desire it may be remembred , how we have proved first ; that Timothy and Titus and the Angels who are Diocesan Bishops ; and secondly , that our Bishops challenge ( if not in their Polemickes , yet in their Practicks ) a power that Timothy and Titus , and those Angels never did . Thirdly , Whereas this Remonstrant saith , If there can be better evidence under Heaven for any matter of fact , let Episcopacy be for ever abandoned out of Gods Church : We beseech you remember how weake we have discovered his Evidence to be ; and then the Inference upon all these we humbly leave to your Honours Wisdom and Iustice. SECT . XIV . HAving thus considered the validity of those arguments , whereby this Remonstrant would suffult Episc●pacy , we descend now to inquire , what satisfaction he gives to those objections , which himself frames as the main , if not the ●ole arguments , that Episcopacy is assaultable by , and they are two ▪ First , that pleading the Divine right of Episcopacy is to the prejudi●e of Sovereignty . Secondly , that it casts a dangerous imputation upon all those Reformed Churches that want this Government . To the first , the prejudice of Sovereignty ; he answers there is a compatibleness in this case of Gods Act , and the Kings : it is God that makes the Bishop , the King that gives the Bishoprick . But we have proved already , that God never made a Bishop , as he stands in his Superiority over al other Presbyters , he never had Gods Fiat : and if they disclaim the influence of sovereignty unto their creation to a Priority , and assert that the King doth not make them Bishops , they must have no being at all . Sure we are , the Laws of the Land proclaim , that not only Bishopricks , but Bish●ps and all the Iurisdiction they have , is from the King : whereas the Remonstrant acknowledgeth no more , but the bare * place and excercise to be from Regall donation , which cannot be affirmed without apparent prejudice of that Sovereigntie which the Lawes of the Land have invested our Princes with . And for his unworthy comparison of Kings in order to Bishops , and Patrons in order to their Clerkes , when he shall prove that the Patron gives ministerial power to his Clerke , as the King according to our Laws gives Episcopall power to the Bishop , it may be of some conducement to his cause ; but till then , we leave the unfitnesse of this comparison , and the unthankfulnesse of those men to the indulgence of their Sovereigne , to their deserved recompence . His learned answer to such men as borrowing Saint Ieroms phrase , speake Saint Pauls truth , is in summe this : That he knowes not how to prescribe to mens thoughts , but for all his Rhetoricke , they will think what they list ; but if they will grant him the question , they shall soon be at an end of the quarrell : which one answer if satisfactory , would silence all controversies to as good purpose as he did Bellarmine , who said , Bellarmine saith it is thus , and I say it is not , and where is Bellarmine now ? To the second objection , that Episcopacie thus asserted casts an imputation upon all the reformed Churches , that want that Government , he saith , that the objection is intended to raise envie against them , who ( if they may be beleeved ) love and honour those sister-Churches , and 〈◊〉 God for them . But do they out pluck all this envie upon themselves , who in their Conferences , Writings Pulpits , Vniversities , Disputes , High Commissi●n , Declamations , have disclaimed them as no Churches , that 〈◊〉 disclaimed the Prelates and have honoured the most glorious Lights of those Reformed Churches , Calvin , Beza , and others with no better titles then of Rascals , Blasphemers ? &c. But the pith of his answer after a few good words is this , that no such consequent can be drawn from their opinion ; for their Ius divinum pleads only for a Iustifiablenesse of this holy calling : not for an absolute necessity of it , warranting it where it is , and requiring it where it may be had ; but not fixing upon the Church that wants it , the defect of any thing of the Essence of a Church , but only of the glory and perfection of it ; neither is it their sin , but their misery . And is it so , doth not this Ius divinum argue a Necessitie , but only a Iustifiablenesse of this calling ? nor is the want of it a want of any thing of Essence , but onely of perfection ? we had thought , that page the 20th , where this Remonstrant strives to fetch the pedegree of Episcopacie from no lesse than Apostolicall , and in that right Divine institution he had reckoned it among those things , which the Apostles ordained for the succeeding administration of the Church in essentiall matters : but here it seemes he is willing to retract what there fell from him : there it was to his advantage to say , this Government was a thing essentiall to the Church , and here it is no lesse advantage to say , it is not essentiall . But if it be not Essentiall , then what is the reason that when a Priest who hath received Orders at Rome , turnes to us , they urge not him to receive ordination among us again : but when some of our brethren , who flying in Queene Maries dayes , had received Imposition of hands in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas , returned again in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth , they were urged to receive Imposition of hands againe from our Bishops , and some did receiv● it . If those Churches that want Bishops , want nothing essentiall to a Church ; then what Essentiall want was there in the Ordination of those Ministers that received Imposition of hands in those Churches , that might deserve a Re-ordination , more than if they had first received their Ordination at Rome ? And what is the reason that Bishop Mountague so confidently affirmes , that Ordination by Episcopall hands is so necessary , as that the Church is no true Church without it , and the Ministery no true Ministery , and ordinarily no salvation to be obtain●d without it ? And if this Remonstrant should leave Bishop Mountague to answer for himself , yet notwithstanding he stands bound to give us satisfaction to these two questions , which arise from his own Book . First , whether that Office , which by divine right hath the sole power of Ordaining , and Ruling all other Officers in the Church , ( as he saith Episcopacie hath ) belong not to the being , but onely to the glory and perfection of a Church ? Secondly , there being ( in this mans thoughts ) the same Ius divinum for Bishops , that there is for Pastors and Elders , whether if those Reformed Churches wanted Pastors and Elders too , they should want nothing of the Essence of a Church , but of the perfection and glory of it ? But this Remonstrant seemes to know so much of the minde of those Churches , that if they might have their option , they would most gladly embrace Episcopall Government , as little differing from their own Moderatorship , save onely in the perpetuitie of it , and the new Invention ( as he odiously calls it ) of lay-Elders . But no question those learned Worthies that were intrusted by the Churches to compile their Confessions , did comprise their Iudgements better than the Composer of this Remonstrance . And to his presumtion , we oppose their Confession . We will begin with the French Church , who in their Confession speake thus : Credimus veram Ecclesiam gubernari debere eâ politiâ , quam Dominus noster Iesus Christus sancivit , ità videlicet , ut fint in ea Pastores , Presbyteri , sive Seniores , & Diaconi , ut doctrinae puritas retineatur , &c. Art. 29. Credimus omnes Pastores ubicunque collocati sunt , eâdem & aequali potestate inter se esse praeditos sub uno illo capite summóque & solo universali Episcopo Iesu Christo. Art. 30. Gallicae Confessionis Credimus veram hanc Ecclesiam aebere regi , ac gubernari , spirituali illâ politiâ , quàm nos Deus ipse in verbo suo edocuit ; ità ut sint in ea Pastores ac Ministri , qui purè & concionentur , & Sacramenta administrent ; sint quoque Seniores & Diaconi , qui Ecclesiae Senatum constituant , ut his veluti mediis vera Religio conservari , Hominésque vitiis dediti spiritualiter corripi & emendari possint . Tunc enim ritè & ordinatè omniae fiunt in Ecclesiâ , cùm viri fideles , & pii ad ejus gubernationem deliguntur juxta Divi Pauli praescriptum , 1 Tim. 3. Confes. Belgic . Art. 30. Caeterùm ubicuuque locorum sunt verbi Dei Ministri , candem atque aequalem Omnes habent tum Potestatem tum Authoritatem , ut qui sunt aequè Omnes Christi unici illius universalis Episcopi & capit is Ecclesiae Ministri . We believe that the true Church ought to be governed by that policy which Christ Jesus our Lord established , viz. that there be Pastors , Presbyters , or Elders , and Deacons . And again , We believe that all true Pastors whereever they be , are endued with equal and the same power , under one chief Head and Bishop Christ Jesus . Consonant to this the Dutch Churches : We believe ( say they ) the true Church ought to be ruled with that spiritual policy which God hath taught us in his Word , to wit , that there be in it Pastors to preach the Word purely , Elders and Deacons to constitute the Ecclesiastical Senate , that by these means Religion may be preserved , and manners corrected . And so again , We believe where-ever the Ministers of God are placed , they All have the same equal Power and Authority , as being All equally the Ministers of Christ. In which Harmony of these Confessions , see how both Churches agree in these five points : First , That there is in the Word of God , an exact form of Government set down ; Deus in verbo suo edocuit . Secondly , That this form of Government Christ established in his Church ; Iesus Christus in Ecclesiâ sancivit . Thirdly , That this form of Government is by Pastors , Elders , and Deacons . Fourthly , That the true Church of Christ ought to be thus governed ; Veram Ecclesiam debere regi . Fifthly , That all true Ministers of the Gospel are of equal power and authority . For the reason he assigns , why those Churches should make this Option , we cannot enough admire that such a passage should fall from his pen , as to say , There is little difference between their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and our Episcopacy , save onely in perpetuity and lay-Elders ; for who knows not that between these two there is a vast a difference as between the Duke of Venice and an absolute Monarch . For , 1 , the Moderator in Geneva is not of a superiour order to his Brethren ; nor 2 , hath an Ordination differing from them ; nor 3 , assumes power of sole Ordination or Jurisdiction ; nor hath he 4 , maintenance for that Office above his Brethren ; nor 5 , a Negative voice in what is agreed by the rest ; nor 6 , any further power then any of his Brethren . So that the difference between our Bishops and their Moderators is more then Little : But if it be so little as this Remonstrant here pretends ; then the Alteration and Abrogation of Episcopacy will be with the lesse difficulty , and occasion the less disturbance . SECT . XV. BUt there is another thing , wherein our Episcopacy differs from the Geneva Moderatorship , besides the perpetuity ; and that is the exclusion of the Lay-Presbytery , which ( if we may believe this Remonstrant ) never till this age had footing in the Christian Church . In which assertion , this Remonstrant concludes so fully , with Bishop Halls Irrefragable Propositions , and his other Book of Episcopacie by Divine right , as if he had conspired to swear to what the Bishop had said . Now , though we will not enter the Lists with a man of that learning and fame , that Bishop Hall is , yet we dare tell this Remonstrant , that this his assertion hath no more truth in it , then the rest that we have already noted . We will ( to avoid prolixity ) not urge those * three known Texts of Scripture , produced by some for the establishing of Governing Elders in the Church , not yet vindicated by the Adversaries , Nor will we urge that famous Text of * Ambrose in 1 Tim. 5. But if there were no Lay-Elders in the Church till this present age , we would be glad to learn , who they were of whom Origen speaks , when he tells us , it was the Custome of Christian Teachers , first to examine such as desired to heare them , of whom there were two orders ; the first were Catechumeni , or beginners ; the other was of such as were more perfect : among whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. Nonnulli praepositi sunt qui in vitam & mores eorum qui admittuntur inquirant , ut qui turpia committant eos communi Caetu interdicant qui verò ab istis abhorrent , ex anima complexi , meliores quotidie reddant : There are some ordained to inquire into the life and manners of such as are admitted into the Church , that they may banish such from the publique Assembly , that perpetrate scandalous Acts ; which place tells us plainly : First , that there were some in the higher forme of hearers ( not Teachers ) who were Censores morum over the rest . Secondly , that they were designed or constituted to this work , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Thirdly , that they had such Authority intrusted into their hands , as that they might interdict such as were scandalous from the publique Assemblies . We would gladly know , whether these were not , as it were , Lay-Eelders ? That there were such in the Church ( distinguished from others that were called to teach ) appeares . Augustine writing to his Charge , directs his Epistle , Dilectissimis fratribus , Clero , Senioribus , & universae Plebi Ecclesiae Hipponensis : where first there is the general compellation , Fratribus , Brethren ; Then there is a distribution of these Brethren into the Clergie , the Elders , and the whole People ; so that there were in that Church Elders distinguished both from the Clergie , and the rest of the People . So again , Contra Cresconium Grammaticum : Omnes vos Episcopi , Presbyteri , Diaconi , and Seniores scitis ; All you Bishops , Elders , Deacons , and Elders do know . What were those two sorts of Elders there mentioned in one comma , and ibidem cap. 56. Peregrinus Presbyter & Seniores Ecclesiae Musticanae Regionis tale desiderium prosequuntur ; where again we read of Elder and Elders , Presbyter , and Seniors in one Church . Both those passages are upon record in the publick acts , which are more fully set down by Baronius , Anno 303. Num. 15 , 16 , 17. As also by Albaspineus , in his Edition of Optatus : in which Acts the Seniors are often mentioned . In that famous relation of the purging of Caecilianus and Felix , there is a copie of a Letter ; Fratribus & filiis : Clero & Senioribus , Fratribus in Domino aeternam salutem : Another Letter is mentioned a little before , Clericis & Senioribus Cirthensium in Domino aeternam Salutem . These Seniors were interessed in affaires concerning the Church as being the men , by whose advice they were managed . The Letter of Purpurius to Silvanus saith , Adhibete conclericos , & seniores plebis , Ecclesiasticos Viros , & inquirant quae sint iste Dissensiones : ut ea quae sunt secundum fid●i Praecepta fiant , Where we see the joynt power of these Seniors , with the Clergie in ordering Ecclesiasticall affairs ; that by their wisdom and care peace might be setled in the Church ; for which cause , these Seniors are called Ecclesiastical men ; and yet they are distinguished from Clergie men . They are mentioned again afterwards by Maximus , saying , Loquor nomine SENIORUM Populi Christiani . Greg. Mag. distinguisheth them also from the Clergie : Tabellarium cum consensu SENIORUM & Cleri memineris Ordinandum . These Seniors had power to reprove offenders , otherwise why should Augustine say , Cùm ob errorem aliquem à Senioribus arguuntur , & imputatur alicui cur aebrius fuerit , cur res alienas pervaserit , &c. when they were by the Elders reproved for their errours , and drunkenness is laid to a mans charge , &c. So that it was proper to the Seniors to have the cognizance of Delinqents , and to reprove them . The same Augustine in Psal. 36. Necesse nos fuerat Primiani causam , quem , &c. Seniorum literis ejusdem Ecclesiae po●tulantibus audire . Being requested by Letters from the Seniors of that Church , it was needful for me to hear the cause of Primian , &c. So again , Optatus , who mentioning a persecution that did for a while scatter the Church , saith , Erant Ecclesiae ex auro & argento quàm plurima Ornamenta , quae nec defodere terrae , nec secum portare poterat , quare fidelibus Senioribus commendavit Albaspineus , that learned Antiquary , on that place acknowledges , that Besides the Clergie there were certain of the Elders of the people , men of approved life , that did tend the affairs of the Church , of whom this place is to be understood . By all these testimonies it is apparent ; first , that in the ancient Church there were some called Seniors , Secondly , that these Seniors were not Clergie men . Thirdly , that they had a stroke in governing the Church , and managing the affairs thereof Fourthly , that Seniors were distinguished from the rest of the people . Neither would we desire to chuse any other Iudges in this whole controversie ; then whom himself constituted ; Forreign Divines , taking the general Suffrage and practice of the Churches , and not of particular men . As for the learned Spanhemius whom he produceth , though we give him the deserved honour of a worthy man : yet we think it too much to speak of him , as if the judgment of the whole Church ●f Geneva were incorporated into him , as this Remonstrant doth . And for Spanhemius himselfe , we may truly say , in the place cited , he dilivered a complement , rather then his judgement , which in Dedicatorie Epistles is not unusuall . We know that reverend Calvins and learned Beza have said as much upon occasion in their Epistles , and yet the Christian world knowes their Judgement was to the contrary Little reason therefore hath this Remonstrant , to declaime against all such as speake against this Government as unlawfull , with the termes of Ignorance and spitefull Sectaries , because they call the Government unlawfull : had they proceeded further to call it Antichristian , ( which he charges upon them ) they had said no more , then what our eares have heard some of their principall Agents , their L●gat● à Latere speake publikely in their visitations : That howeve● th● Chu●ch of ●ngland be as sound , and Orthodox in her Doctrine as any Church in the World yet in our Discipline and Government we are the same with the Church of Rome , which amounts to as much as to say the Government is Antichristian , unless they will say , the Government of Rome is not so , nor the Pope Antichrist . SECT . XVI . NOw our Remonstrant begins to leave his dispute for the Office , and flowes into the large praises of the Persons , and what is wanting in his Arguments for the Place , thinks to make up in his Encomiasticks of the Persons , that have possest that place in the Church of God : and tells us , that the Religious Bishops of all times are and have been they that have strongly upheld the truth of God against Satan and his Antichrist . It is well he sets this crown only upon the heads of Religious Bishops , as knowing that there are and have been some Irreligious ones , that have as strongly uph●ld Satan and his Antichrist against the truth of God. But the Religious Bishops are they that have all times upheld the truth . What ? they ? and onely they ? did never any uphold the truth , but a Religious Bishop ? did never any Religious Minister or Professour preach , or write , or die , to uphold the truth , but a Religious Bishop ? if so , then there is some perswasive strength in that he saith ; and a credulous man might be induced to think , If Bishops go down , truth will go down to● : But if we can produce for one Bishop many others that have been valiant for the truth , this Rhethoricall insinuation will contribute no great help to their establishment . Nor indeed any at all ; unlesse he were able to make this good of our times , as well as of all others , which he assaies ; for saith he , Even amongst our own how many of the reverend & learned Fathers of the Church now living , have spent their spirits , & worne out their lives in the powerfull opposition of that man of sin ? how many ? I Sir , we would fain know how many : that there are some that have stood up to beare witnesse against that Man of sin , we acknowledge with all due respect , to the Learning and worth of their Persons . But that their Episcopall dignity hath added either any flame to their zeal , or any Nerves to their ability , we cannot believe , nor can we think they would have done lesse in that cause , though they had beene no Bishops . But what if this be true of some Bishops in the Kingdome , is it true of all ? are there not some that have spent their spirits in the opposition of Christ , as others have in the opposition of Antichrist ? and are there none bu Zealous , Religious Prelates in the Kingdom ? are there none upon whom the guilt of that may meritoriously be charged , which others have convincingly and meritoriously opposed ? And are there not some Bishops in the Kingdome , that are so far from opposing the Man of sin , that even this Remonstrant is in danger of suffering under the name of Puritan for daring to call him by that name ? we doubt not but this Remonstrant knowes there are . But if he will against the light of his own Conscience , beare up a known errour out of private respects , ( we will not say these papers ) but his own Conscience , shall one day be an evidence against him before the dreadfull Tribunall of the Almighty . But there is yet a second thing that should endeare Episcopacie , and that is the careful , peaceable , painfull , conscionable mannaging of their Charges ; to the great glory of God , and the comfort of his faithfull people . Which ( in not seeming to urge ) he urgeth to the full and beyond . This care , conscience , paines of our Bishops , is exercised and evidenced , either in their Preaching , or in their Ruling ; for their Preaching , it is true , some few there are that Labour in the Word and Doctrine ; whose persons in that respect we Honour : but the most are so far from Preaching , that they rather discountenance , discourage , oppose , blaspheme Preaching . It was a Non-preaching Bishop , that said of a Preaching Bishop , He was a Preaching Coxcomb . As for the discharge of their office of ruling , their entrusting their Chancellors , and other Officers with their visitations , and Courts ( as ordinarily they do , whiles themselves attend the Court ) doth abundantly witnesse their care in it . The many and loud cries of the intolerable oppressions and tyrannies of their Court-proceedings ; witnesse their peaceablenesse , their unjust fees , exactions , commutations ; witnesse their conscionablenesse in managing their Charges , to the great glory of God , and the comfort of his faithfull people . And hence it is that so many at this day hear ill ; ( how deservedly , saith this Remonstrant , God knows ; ) and do not your Honours know , and doth not this Remonstrant know ? and doth not all the Nation ( that will know any thing ) know how deservedly Some , nay , Most , nay , All the Bishops of this Nation hear ill , were it but onely for the late Canons and Oath ? But why should the faults of some , diffuse the blame to all ? Why ? by your owne argument , that would extend the deserts of some , to the patronage of All ; and if it be a fault in the impetuous and undistinguishing Vulgar , so to involve all , as to make Innocency it self a sin ; what is it in a Man able to distinguish , by the same implication , to shrowd sinne under Innocencie , the sin of many under the Innocency of a few ? But have our Bishops indeed beene so carefull , painfull , conscionable , in managing their Charges ? how is it then that there are such manifold scandalls of the inferiour Clergy presented to your Honours view , which he cannot mention without a bleeding heart ; and yet could finde in his heart ( if he knew how ) to excuse them ? and though he confesse them to be the shame and misery of our Church , yet is he not ashamed to plead their cause at your Honours BARRE , Onuphrius-like , that was the Advocate of every bad cause ; and to excite you by Constantines example ( in a differ●nt Cause alledged ) if not to suffer those Crimes , which himselfe calls hatefull , to passe unpunished , yet not to bring them to tha● open and publique punishment they have deserved . But what , if pious Constantine ( in his tender care to prevent the Divisions that the emulation of the Bishops of that age , enraged with a spirit of envie and faction , were kindling in the Church , le●t by that meanes the Christian Faith should be derided among the Heathens ) did suppresse their mutuall accusations , many of whi●h might be but upon surmises ; and that ●ot in a Court of Iustice , b●t in an Ecclesiasticall Synode ; shall this be urged before the highest Court of Iustice upon earth , to the patronizing of N●toriou● scandall● , and hatefull en●rmities , that are already proved by evidence of cle●●e witnesse ? But ●o forbid it to tell it in Ga●h , &c. What the sin ▪ ●as , that is done already ; Do we not know , the drukennesse , profanenesse superstition , Popishnesse of the English Clergie rings at Rome already ? yes undoubtedly ; and there is no way to vindicate the Honour of our Nation , Ministery , Parliaments , Sovereigne , Religion , God ; but by causing the punishment to ring as farre as the sin hath done ; that our adversaries that have triumphed in their sin , may be confounded at their punishments . Do not your Honours know , that the plaistring or palliating of these rotten members , will be a greater dishonour to the Nation and Church , then their cutting off ; and that the personall acts of these sonnes of Belial , being connived at , become Nationall sins ? But for this one fact of Constantine , we humbly crave your Honours leave to present to your wisdome three Texts of Scripture , Ezek 44.12.13 . Because they ministred unto them before their ●dol● , and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity , therefore have I lift up my hand unto them , saith the Lord , and they shall beare their iniquity . And they shall not come neere unto me , to do the Office of a Priest unto me , nor to come neere unto any of mine holy things in the most holy place , &c. The second is Ier●m . 48.10 . Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently : and the third is , Iudges 6.31 . He that will plead for Baal , let him be put to death while it is yet morning . We have no more to say in this ; whether it be best to walk after the President of Man , or the Prescript of God , your Hunours can easily judge . SECT . XVII . BUt stay , saith this Remonstrant ; and indeed he might well have stayed and spared the labour of his ensuing discourse , about the Church of England , the Prelaticall and the Antiprelaticall Church : but these Episcopall Men deale as the Papists that dazle the eyes , and astonish the senses of poor people , with the glorious name of the Church , the Church ; The holy Mother the Church . This is the Gorgons head , as Doctor * White saith , that hath inchanted them , & held them in bondage to the●r Errors : All their speech is of the Church , the Church ; no mention of the Scriptures , of God the Father ; but all of the Mother the Church . Much like as they write of certain Aethiopians , that by reason they use no marriage , but promiscuously company together , the children only follow the Mother ; the Father and his name is in no request , but the mother hath all the reputation . So is it with the Author of this Remonstrance , he stiles himself , a Dutifull son of the Church . And it hath beene a Custome of late times to cry up the holy Mother the Church of England , to call for absolute obedience to holy Church ; full conformity to the orders of holy Church ; Neglecting in the meane time God the Father , and the holy Scripture . But if we should now demand of them , what they meane by the Church of England ? this Author seemes to be thunder-stricken at this Question ; and calls the very Question , a new Divinity ; where he deales like such as holding great revenues by unjust Titles , will not suffer their Titles to be called in Question . For it is apparent , Ac si solaribus radiis descriptum esset ( to use Tertullians phrase ) that the word Church is an Equivocall word , and hath as many severall acceptions as letters ; and that Dolus latet in universalibus . And that by the Church of England ; first by some of these men is meant onely the Bishops ; or rather the two Archbishops ; or more properly the Archbishop of Canterbury : Just as the Iesuited Papists resolve the Church and all the glorious Titles of it into the Pope ; so do these into the Archbishop , or at fullest , they understand it of the Bishops and their party met in Convocation ; as the more ingenuous of the Papists make the Pope and his Cardinals to be their Church : thus excluding all the Christian people and Presbyters of the Kingdome ; as not worthy to be reckoned in the number of the Church . And which is more strange , this Author in his Simplicity ( as he truly saith ) never heard , nor thought of any more Churches of England then one ; and what then shall become of his Diocesan Churches , and Diocesan Bishops ? And what shall we think of England , when it was an Heptarchy ? had it not then seven Churches , when seven Kings ? Or if the Bounds of a Kingdome must constitute the Limits and Bounds of a Church , why are not ●ngland , Scotland , and Ireland , all one Church ? when they are happily united under one gracious Monarch , into one Kingdom ? We read in Scripture , of the Churches of Iudea , and the Churches of Galatia : and why not the Churches of England ? not that we denie the Cons●ciati●n or Combination of Churches into a Provinciall or Nationall Synod for the right ordering of them . But that there should be no Church in England , but a Nationall Church : this is that which th●s ●mb●r ●o his simplicity affirmes , of which the very rehearsall is a 〈◊〉 SECT . XVIII . THere are yet two things with which this Remonstrance shuts up it self , which must not be past without our Obelisks . First , he scoffs at the Antiprelatical Church , and the Antiprelatical Divisions ; for our parts , we acknowledge no Antiprelatical Church . But there are a company of men in the Kingdom , of no mean rank or quality , for Piety , Nobility , Learning , that stand up to bear witness against the Hierarchie ( as it now stands : ) their usurpations over Gods Church and Ministers , their cruel using of Gods people by their tyrannical government : this we acknowledge ; and if he call these the Antiprelatical Church , we doubt not but your Honours will consider , that there are many thousands in this Kingdom , and those pious and worthy persons , that thus do , and upon most just cause . It was a speech of Erasmus of Luther , Vt quisque vir est optimus , it is illius Scriptis minimè offendi ; The better any man was , the less offence he took at Luthers Writings : but we may say the contrary of the Prelates , Ut quisque vir est optimus , it à illorum factis magis offendi ; The better any man is , the more he is offended at their dealings . And all that can be objected against this party , will be like that in Tertullian . Bonus vir Cajus Sejus , sed malus tantùm , quia Antiprelaticus . But he upbraids us with our Divisions & Subdivisions , so do the Papists upbraid the Protestants with their Lutheranisme , Calvinisme , and Zuinglianisme . And this is that the Heathens objected to the Christians , their Fractures were so many , they knew not which Religion to chuse if they should turn Christians : And can it be expected that the Church in any age should be free from Divisions , when the times of the Apostles were not free ? and the Apostle tells us , It must needs be that there be divisions : in Greg. Naz. dayes there were 600 Errours in the Church ; do these any wayes derogate from the truth and worth of Christian Religion ? But as for the Divisions of the Antiprelatical party , so odiously exaggerated by this Remonstrant : Let us assure your Honours , they have been much fomented by the Prelates , whose practice hath been according to that rule of Machiavil : Divide & Impera , and they have made these divisions , & afterwards complain'd of that which their Tyranny and Policy hath made . It is no wonder , considering the paths our Prelates have trod , that there are Divisions in the Nation . The wonder is our divisions are no more , no greater ; and we doubt not but if they were of that gracious ▪ spirit , and so intirely affected to the peace of the Church as Greg , Naz. was , they would say as he did in the tumults of the people , Mitte nos in mare , & non erit tempest as ; rather then they would hinder that sweet Concordance , and conspiration of minde unto a Government that shall be every way agreeable to the rule of Gods Word , and profitable for the edification and flourishing of the Church , A second thing we cannot but take notice of , is the pains this Author takes to advance his Prelaticall Church : and forgetting what he had said in the beginning : that this party was so numerous , it could not be summed ; tells us now , these severall thousands are punctually calculated . But we doubt not but your Honours will consider that there may be multi homines , & pauci viri ; and that there are more against them then for them . And whereas they pretend , that they differ from us onely in a Ceremony or an Organ-pipe , ( which however is no contemptible difference ) yet it will appeare that our differences are in point of a superiour Alloy . Though this Remonstrant braves it in his multiplied Queries What are the bounds of this Church ? what the distinction of the prefessours and Religion ? what grounds of faith ? what new Creed do they hold differenc from their Neighbours ? what Scriptures ? what Baptisme ? what meanes of Salvation other then the rest ? yet if he pleased he might have silenced his owne Queries : but if he will needs put us to the answer , we will resolve them one by one . First , if he ask what are the bounds of this Church ? we answer him out of the sixt of their late founded Canons : where we finde the limits of this Prelatical Church extend as farre as from the high & lofty Promontory of Archbishops , to the ●erra incognita of an , &c. If what Distinction of professors and Religion ; we answer , their worshipping towards the East , and bowing towards the Altar prostrating themselves in their approches into Churches , placing all Religion in outward formalities , are visible differences of these professours and their Religion If what new Creed they have , or what grounds of Faith differing from their Neighbours ? we answer , Episcopacy by divine right is the first Article of their Creed , Absolute and blinde obedience to all the Commandements of the Church ( that is , the Bishop and his Emissaries ) election upon faith foreseen , the influence of works into Iustification , ●alling from grace , &c. If what Scripture ? we answer , the Apocrypha and unwritten Traditions . If what Baptism ? a Baptism of absolute Necessity unto salvation ; and yet unsufficient unto salvation : as not sealing grace to the taking away of sinne after Baptisme . If what ●u●harist ? an Eucharist that must be administred upon an Altar or a Table set Altar-wise , railed in an Eucharist , in which there is such a presence of ●hrist , ( though Modum nesciunt ) as makes the place of its Administration the throne of God , the place of the Residence ●f the Almighty ; and impresseth such a holinesse upon it as makes it not only capable , but worthy of Adoration . If what Christ ? a Christ who hath given the same power of absolution to a Priest that himselfe hath . If what Heaven ? a Heaven that hath a broad way leading thither , and is receptive of Drunkards , Swearers , Adulterers , &c. such a heaven as we may say of it , as the Indians said of the heaven of the Spaniards : Unto that heaven which some of the Prelaticall Church living and dying in their scandalous sinnes , and hatefull enormities go to , let our soules never enter . If what meanes of Salvation ? we answer , confession of sinnes to a Priest , as the most absolute , undoubted , necessary , infallible meanes of Salvation . Farre be it from us to say with this Remonstrant , We do fully agree in all these and all other Doctrinall , and practicall points of Religion , and preach one and the same saving truths . Nay , we must rather say as that holy Martyr did , We thank God we are none of you . Nor do we because of this dissension feare the censure of uncharitableness from any but uncharitable men . But it is no unusuall thing with the Prelates and their party , to charge such as protest against their corrupt opinions and wayes , with uncharitablenesse and Schisme , as the Papists do the Protestants : and as the protestants do justly recriminate , and charge that Schisme upon the Papists , which they object to us ; So may we upon the Prelates : And if Austin may be judge , the Prelates are more Schismaticks then we . Quicunque ( saith he ) invident bonis , ut quaerant occasiones excludendi eos , aut degradandi , vel crimina sua sic defendere parati sunt ( si objecta vel prodita fuerint ) ut etiam conventiculorum congregationes vel Ecclesiae perturbationes cogitent excitare , jam schismatici sunt . Whosoever envie those that are good , and seeke occasions to exclude and degrade them , and are so ready to defend their faults , that rather then they will leave them , they will devise how to raise up troubles in the Church , and drive men into conventicles and corners , they are the Schismaticks . And that all the world may take notice what just cause we have to complain of Episcopacie , as it now stands , we humbly crave leave to propound these Queries . Queries about Episcopacie , WHether it be tolerable in a Christian Church , that Lord Bishops should be held to be Iure Divino ; And yet the Lords day by the some men to be but Iure Humano ? And that the same persons should cry up Altars in stead of Communion-Tables , and Priests in stead of Ministers , and yet not Iudaize , when they will not suffer the Lords Day to be called the Sabbath-day , for feare of Iudaizing ? Whereas the word Sabbath is a generall word , signifying a day of rest , which is common as well to the Christian Sabbath , as to the Jewish Sabbath , and was also used by the Ancients , Ruffinus in Psal. 47. Orig●n . Hom. 23. in Num. Gregory Nazian . Whether that assertion , No Bishop , No King ; and no Ceremonie , no Bishop ; be not very prejudiciall to Kingly Authority ? For it seemes to imply , that the Civill power depends upon the Spiritual , and is supported by Ceremonies and Bishops . Whether seeing it hath been proved , that Bishops ( as they are novv asserted ) are a meere humane Ordinance , it may not by the same Authority be abrogated , by vvhich it vvas first established ; especially , considering the long experience of the hurt they have done to Church and State ? Whether the advancing of Episcopacie into Ius Divinum , doth not make it a thing simply unlavvfull to submit to that Government ? Because that many consciencious men that have hitherto conformed to Ceremonies and Episcopacy , have done it upon this ground , as supposing that Authority did not make them matters of vvorship , but of Order and Decencie , &c. And thus they satisfied their consciences in ansvvering those Texts , Colos. 2.20 , 21 , 22. Matth. 15.9 . But novv since Episcopacy comes to be challenged as a Divine Ordinance , hovv shall vve be responsible to those Texts ? And is it not , as it is novv asserted , become an Idoll , and like the Brazen Serpent to be ground to povvder ? Whether there be any difference in the point of Episcopacy betweene Ius Divinum and Ius Apostolicum ? Because we finde some claiming their standing by Ius Divinum ; others by Ius Apostolicum . But we conceive that Ius Apostolicum properly taken , is all one with Ius Divinum . For Ius Apostolicum is such a Ius , which is founded upon the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles , written by them so as to be a perpetuall Rule for the succeeding Administration of the Church , as this Author saith , Pag. 20. And this Ius is Ius Divinum , as well as Apostolicum . But if by Ius Apostolicum they mean improperly ( as some do ) such things which are not recorded in the Writings of the Apostles , but introduced , the Apostles being living , 〈…〉 be rightly said to be Iure Apostolico , nor such things which the Apostles did intend the Churches should be bound unto . Neither is Episcopacie as it imports a superioritie of power over a Pre●byter , no not in this sense Iure Apostolico , as hath beene already proved , and might further be manifested by divers Testimonies , if need did require . We will only instance in Cassander a man famous for his immoderate moderation in controverted Points of Religion , who in his Consultat . Articul . 14. hath this saying , An Epis●opatus inter ordines Ecclesiastic●s ponendus sit , inter Theologos & Canonistas non convenit ? Convenit autem inter omnes , Apostolorum aetate inter Presbyterum & Episcopum nullum discrimen fuisse , &c. Wether the distinction of Beza , between Episcopus Divinus Hum●nu● , & Diabolicus , be not worthy your Honours consideration ? By the Divine Bishop , he meanes the Bishop as he is taken in Scripture , which is one and the same with a Presbyter . By the humane Bishop he meanes the Bishop chosen by the Presbyters to be President over them , and to rule with them by fixed Lawes and Canons . By the Diabolical Bishop , he means a Bishop with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction , Lording it over Gods heritage , and governing by his owne will and authority . Which puts us in minde of the Painter that Limned two pictures to the same proportion and figure ; The one he reserved in secret , the other he exposed to common view . And as the phansie of beholders led them to censure any line or proportion , as not done to the life , he mends it after direction : If any fault be found with the eye , hand , foot , &c. He corrects it , till at last the addition of every mans fancy had defaced the first figure , and made that which was the Picture of a man , swell into a monster : Then bringing forth this and his other Picture which hee had reserved , he presented both to the people . And they abhorring the former , and applauding the latter , he cried , Hunc populus fecit : This deformed one the People made : This lovely one I made . As the Painter of his Painting , so ( in Beza's sense ) it may be said of Bishops , God at first instituted Bishops , such as are all one with Presbyters ; and such are amiable , honourable in all the Churches of God. But when men would be adding to Gods institution , what power , preheminence , Jurisdiction , Lordliness their phansie suggested unto them , this divine Bishop lost his Original beauty , and became to be Humanus . And in conclusion ( by these and other aditions swelling into a Pope ) Diabolicus . Whether the Ancient Fathers , when they call Peter Marke , Iames , Timothy , and Titus Bishops , did not speak according to the Language of the times wherein they lived , rather then according to the true acception of the word Bishop ? and whether it be not true which is here said i● this Book , that they are called Bishops of Alexand●iae , Ephes●s , Hierus●lem , &c in a very improper sense , because they abode at those p●ac●s a longer time then at other places ? For su●e it is , if 〈…〉 and and I●mes Apostles ( which are Bishops ; over the whol● 〈◊〉 ) and the Apostles made Mark● , ●imothy and Titus 〈…〉 , &c. it seemes to us that it would have been a great sin in them to limit themselves to one particular Diocesse , and to ●eave that calling in which Christ had placed them . Whether Presbyters in Scripture are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that it is an office , required at their hands , to rule and to govern , as hath bin proved in this Book ; The Bishops can without sin arrogate the exercise of this power to themselves alone , and why they may not with the same lawfulness , impropriate to themselves alone the Key of Doctrine ( which yet notwithstanding al would condemn ) as well as the Key of Discipline , seeing that the whole power of the Keys is given to Presbyters in Scripture as well as to Bishops ; as appears , Mat. 16.19 . where the power of the Keys is promised to Peter , in the name of the rest of the Apostles , and their successors ; & given to all the Apostles , and their successors , Mat. 18.19 . Iohn . 20.23 . And that Presbyters succeed the Apostles , appears not onely , Mat. 28.20 . but also , Acts. 20.28 . where the Apostle ready to leave the Church of Ephesus commends the care of ruling and feeding it to the Elders of that Church ▪ To this Irenaeus witnesseth , lib 4 cap. 43.44 . This Bishop Iewell against Harding , Artic. 4. Sect. 5 , 6. saith , that all Pastors have equall power of binding and loosing with ●eter . Whether since that Bishops assume to themselves power temporall ( to be Barons , and to sit in Parliament , as Judges , and in Court of Star-Chamber , High Commission , and other Courts of Justice ) and also power spirituall over Ministers and People , to ordain , silence , suspend , deprive , excommunicate , &c. their spiritual power be not as dangerous ( though both be dangerous ) and as much to be opposed as their temporal ? 1 Because the spiritual is over our consciences , the temporal , but over our purses . 2 Because the spiritual have more influence into Gods Ordinances to defile them , then the temporal . 3 Because spiritual judgements and evils are greater than other . 4 Because the Pope was Antichrist , before he did assume any temporal power . 5 Because the Spiritual is more inward and lesse discerned : and therefore it concerns all those that have Spiritual eyes , and desire to worsh●y God in spirit and truth , to consider , and endeavour to 〈…〉 Spiritual usurpations as well as their Temporal . Whether A●rius be justly branded by Epiphanius and Austin for a Here●●cke ( as some report ) sor affirming Bishops , and Presbyters to be of an equal power ? Wee say , as some report , for the truth is , he is charged with heresie meerly and onely because he was an Arrian . As for his opinian of the parity of a Presbyter with a Bishop ; this indeed is called by Austin , proprium dogma Aerii , the proper opinion of Aerius . And by Epiphanius it is called Dogma suriosum & stolidum , a mad and foolish opinion , but not an heresie neither by the one nor the other . But let us suppose ( as is commonly thought ) that he was accounted an Heretick for this opinion : yet notwithstanding , that this was but the private opinion of Epiphanius , and borrowed out of him by Austin and an opinion not to be allowed , appeares : First , because the same Authors condemne Aerius , as much for reprehending and censuring the mentioning of the dead in the publ●que prayers , and the performing of good works for the benefit of the dead . And also for the reprehending stata jejunia , and the keeping of the week before Easter as a solemne Fast , which if worthy of condemnation , would bring in most of the reformed Churches into the censure of Heresie . Secondly , because not onely Saint Hierome , but Austin himself , Sedulius , Primasius , Chrysostome , Theodoret , O●cumenius , Theophilact ▪ were of the same opinion with Aerius ( as Michael Medina observes in the Council of Trent , and hath writen , Lib. 1. de sacr . hom . origine . ) and yet none of these deserving the name of Fools , much lesse to be branded for Hereticks . Thirdly , because no Councell did ever condemne this for Heresie ; but on the contrary , Concilium Aquisgranens . sub Ludovico ●io Imp. 1. anno 816. hath approved it for true Divinity out of the Scriture , That Bishops and Presbyters are equal , bringing the same texts that Aerius doth , and which Epiphanius indeed undertakes to answer ; but how slightly let any indifferent Reader judge . Whether the great Apostasie of the Church of Rome hath not been , in swerving from the Discipline of Christ , as well as from the doctrine ? For so it seems by that text , 2. Thess. 2.4 . And also , Revel . 18.7 and divers others . And if so , then it much concernes all those that desire the purity of the Church , to consider , how neere the Discipline of the Church of England borders upon Antichrist ; lest , while they endeavour to keep out Antichrist from entring by the door of doctrine , they should suffer him secretly to creep in by the door of Discipline , especially considering , what is here said in this Booke , That by their own confession the Discipline of the Church of England is the same with the Church of Rome . Whether Episcopacie be not made a place of Dignity , rather then Duty , and desired onely for the great revenues of the place ? And whether , if the largenesse of their revenues were taken away , Bishops would not decline the great burthen and charge of soules necessarily annexed to their places , as much as the ancient Bishops did , who hid themselves , that they might not be made Bishops and cut off their cares , rather then they would be made Bishops : whereas now Bishops cut off the eares of those that speak against their Bishopricks ? How it comes to pass , that in England there is such increase of Popery , Superstition , Arminianism , and prophaneness , more then in other Reformed Churches ? Doth not the root of these Disorders proceed from the Bishops and their adherents , being forced to hold correspondencie with Rome , to uphold their greatness , and their Courts and Canons , wherein they symbolize with Rome ? And whether it be not to be feared , that they will rather consent to the bringing in of Popery , for the upholding of their dignities , then part with their dignities for the upholding of Religion ? Why should England that is one of the chiefest Kingdomes in Europe , that separates from Antichrist , maintain and defend a Discipline different from all other Reformed Churches , which stand in the like Separation ? And whether the continuance in this Discipline will not at last bring us to communion with Rome , from which we are separated , and to separation from the other Reformed Churches , unto which we are united ? Whether it be fit that the name Bishop , which in Scripture is common to the Presbyters with the Bishops ( and not only in Scripture , but also in Antiquity for some hundreds of yeers ) should still be appropriated to Bishops , and ingrossed by them , and not rather to be made common to all Presbyters ; and the rather because ? First , we finde by woful experience , that the great Equivocatithat lieth in the name Bishop , hath been , and is at this day a great prop and pillar to uphold Lordly Prelacy ; for this is the great Goliah , the master-piece , and indeed the onely argument with which they think to silence all opposers ; to wit , the Antiquity of Episcopacie , that it hath continued in the Church of Christ for 1500 yeers , &c. which argument is cited by this Remonstrant ad nauseam usque & usque . Now it is evident tha● this ●r●ument is a Paralogism , depending upon the Equivocation of the 〈◊〉 ●●shop . For Bishops in the Apostles time were the s●me with Pre●byters in name and office , and so for a good wh●le after . An● when afterwards they came to be disting●●shed , the ●i●hops of th●●rimitive times differed as much from o●●s now , as Rome anci●nt ●rom Rome at this day , as hath been su●fi●ie●●ly decl●●ed in this Book . And the best way to confute this ●rgumen● i●●y h●nging in a Community of the name Bishop to a Presby●er a● w●ll 〈…〉 a ●●shop . Secondly , becau●● we ●in●e 〈…〉 late Innovators which have so much disturbed 〈…〉 p●r●ty of our Church , did first begin w●●h the al●●ratio● 〈…〉 ; and by changing the word Table into the word Altar , and the word Minister into the word Priest , and the wo●d Sacr●ment into the word ●acrifice , have endeavoured to bring in the Popish Mass. And the Apost●e exhorts us , 2 Tim. 1.13 . T● hold fast the form of sound words : and 1 Tim. 6.20 . To avoid the prophane novelties of words . Upon which text we will only mention what the Rhemists have commented , which we conceive to be worthy consideration . ( Nam instruunt nos non solùm docentes , s●d eti●m errantes . ) The Church of God hath alwayes been as diligent to resist novelties of words , as her adversaries are busie to invent them , for which cause she will not have us communicate with them ▪ no● follow their fashions and phrase newl● invented , though in the nature of the words ●ometimes there be no harm . Le● us keep our forefathers words , and we shall easily keep our old and true saith , that we had of the first Christians ; let them say , Amendment , A●sti●ence , the Lords Supper , the Communion-Table , Elders , Ministers , ●uper-inten●●nt , Congregation , So be it , Praise ye the Lord , Morning Prayer , Evening Prayer , and the rest as they will ; Let us avoid those novelties of words , according to the Apostles prescript , and keep the old terms , ●enance , ●ast , Priests , Church , ●ishop , Mas● , Ma●●in , ●ven-Song , the B. Sacrament , Altar , Oblation , Host , Sacifice . Hal●elujah , Amen ; Lent , Palm-●unday , Christmass , and the words will br●ng us to the faith of our first ●postles , and condemn th●●● new Apostates , new faith and phrase . Whether having proved that God never set such a Government in hi● Church as our Episcopal Government is , we may law●ul●● any l●●ger be subject unto it , be present at their Courts , obe● th●ir Inju●ctio●s , and especia●ly be instruments in publishing , and ex●c●ting their Excommunications and Abs●ustions ? ●nd ●hus we have given ( as we hope ) a sufficient answ●r , an● brief as the matter world permit , to t●e Remon●●rant . With 〈◊〉 though we agree not in opinion touching Episcopacie and Liturgie ; yet we fully consent with him , to pray unto Almighty God , Who is great in power , and infinite in wisdom , to poure down upon the whole Honourable Assembly , the spirit of wisdom , and understanding , the spirit of Counsel & might , the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord : That you may be able to discern betwixt things that differ , seperate between the precious and the vile , purely purge away our dross , and take away all our tin , root out every plant that is not of our heavenly Fathers planting : That so you may raise up the foundations of many generations , and be called the Repairers of breaches , and Restorers of paths to dwell in . Even so , Amen . A POSCRIPT . THough we might have added much light and beauty to our Discourse , by inserting variety of Histories upon several occasions given us in the Remonstrance , the answer whereof we have undertaken ; especially where it speaks of the bounty and gracious Munificence of Religious Princes toward the Bishops , yet unwilling to break the threed of our discourse , and its connexion with the Remonstrance by so large a digression , as the whole series of Historie producible to our purpose , would extend unto : We have chosen rather to subjoyn by way of Appendix , an historical Narration of those bitter fruits , Pride , Rebellion , Treason , Unthankfulness , &c. which have issued from Episcopacy , while it hath stood under the continued influences of Sovereigne goodness . Which Narration would fill a Volume , but we will bound our selves unto the Stories of this Kingdom , and that revolution of time which hath passed over us since the erection of the See of Canterbury . And because in most things the beginning is observed to be a presage of that which follows , let their Founder Austin the Monk come first to be considered . Whom we may justly account to have been such to the English , as the Arrian Bishops were of old to the Goths , and the Jesuits now among the Indians , who of Pagans have made but Arrians and Papists . His ignorance in the Gospel which he preached is seen in his idle & Judaical consultations with the Pope , about things clean and unclean ; his proud demeanour toward the British Clergy , appears in his Council called about no solid point of faith , but celebration of Easter , where having troubled and threatened the Churches of Wales , and afterwards of Scotland , about Romish Ceremonies , he is said in fine to have been the stirrer up of Ethelbers , by means of the Northumbrian King , to the slaughter of twelve hundred of those poor laborious Monks of Bangor . His Successors busied in nothing but urging and instituting Ceremonies , and maintaining Precedency we pass over . Till Dunst●n , the Sa●nted Prelate , who of a frantick Necromaacer , and suspected fornicatour , was shorn a Monk , and afterwards made a Bishop . His worthy deeds are noted by Speed , to have been the cheating King Eldred of the treasure committed to his keeping ; the prohibiting of marriage , to the increasing of all filthiness in the Clergy o● those times ; as the long Oration of King Edgar in Stow well testifies . In Edward the Confessors dayes , Robert the Norman no sooner Archbishop of Canterbury , but setting the King and Earl Godwine at variance for private revenge , broach't a Civil War , till the Archbishop was banisht . Now William the Conquerour had set up Lankefrank Bishop of Canterbury , who to requite him , spent his faithful service to the Pope Gregory , in perswading the King to subject himself and his State to the Papacy , as himself writes to the Pope , Suasi , sed non persuasi . The treason of Anselm to Rufus was notorious , who not content to withstand the King , obstinately in money-matters , made suit to fetch his Pall or Investiture of Archiepiscopacy from Rome , which the King denying as flat against his Regal Sovereignty , he went without his leave , and for his Romish good service received great honour from the Pope , by being seated at his right foot in a Synod , with these words , Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam . Whence perhaps it is that the See of Canterbury hath affected a Patriarchy in our dayes . This Anselm also condemned the married Clergy . Henry the First reigning , the same Anselm deprived those Prelates that had been Invested by the King , and all the Kingdom is vext with one Prelate , who the second time betakes himself to his old fortress at Rome , till the King was fain to yield . Which done , and the Archbishop returned , spends the rest of his dayes in a long contention and unchristian jangling with York about Primacie . Which ended not so , but grew hot between York and London , as Dean to Canterbury , striving for the upper seat at Dinner , till the King seeing their odious pride , put them both out of doors . To speak of Ralph and Thurstan , the next Archbishops , pursuing the same quarrel , were tedious , as it was no small molestation to the King and Kingdom , Thurstan refusing to stand to the Kings doom , and wins the day , or else the King must be accurs'd by the Pope ; which further animates him to try the mastery with William next Archbishop of Canterbury , and no man can end it but their Father the Pope , for which they travel to Rome . In the mean vvhile , marriage is sharply decreed against , Speed 448. and the Legate Cremonensis , the Declamour against Matrimony taken with a Strumpet the same night . In King Stephens Reign , the haughty Bishops of Canterbury and Winchester bandy about Precedency ; and to Rome to end the Duel . Theobald goes to Rome against the Kings will ; interdicts the Realm , and the King forc't to suffer it ; till refusing to Crown Eustace , the Kings Son , because the Pope had so commanded , he flies again . Becket's pride and out-ragious treasons are too manifest ; resigning the Kings gift of his Archbishoprick to receive it of the Pope ; requiring the Custody of Rochester-castle , and the Tower of London , as belonging to his Seignorie . Protects murthering Priests from Temporal Sword ; standing stifly for the Liberties and Dignities of Clerks , but little to chastise their vices , vvhich besides other erying sins , vvere above a hundred murthers since Henry the Seconds crowning , till that time : to maintain vvhich , most of the Bishops conspire , till the terrour of the King made them shrink ; but Becket obdures , denies that the King of Englands Courts have authority to judge him ▪ And thus was this noble King disquieted by an insolent Traitour , in habit of a Bishop , a great part of his Reigne ; the Land in uproar ; many Excommunicate , and accursed ; France and England set to War , and the King himself curbed , and controlled ; and lastly , disciplin'd by the Bishops and Monks : first , vvith a bare-foot penance , that drevv blood from his feet , and lastly , with fourscore lashes on his anointed body vvith Rods. In the same Kings time it vvas that the Archbishop of York striving to sit above Canterbury , squats him down on his lap , vvhence vvith many a cuff he vvas throvvn dovvn . Next the pride of W. Longchamp , Bishop of Elie , was notorious , vvho vvould ride vvith a thousand horse ; and of a Governour in the Kings absence , became a Tyrant ; for vvhich flying in Womans apparel he vvas taken . To this succeeds contention betvveen Canterbury and York , about carriage of their Crosses , and Rome appeal'd to : the Bishop of Durham buyes an Earldom . No sooner another King , but Hubert another Archbishop to vex him , and lest that were not enough , made Chancellour of England . And besides him , Ieffery of York , who refusing to pay a Subsidy within his Precincts , and therefore all his temporalities seaz'd ; excommunicates the Sheriff , beats the Kings Officers , and interdicts his whole Province . Hubert outbraves the King in Christmass hous-keeping : hinders King Iohn by his Legantine power from recovering Normandy After him Stephen Langton , set up by the Pope in spite of the King , who opposing such an affront , falls under an interdict , with his whole Land ; and at the suit of his Archbishop to the Pope , is depos'd by Papal Sentence ; his Kingdom given to Philip the French King , Langtons friend ; and lastly , resignes and enfeuds his Crown to the Pope . After this tragical Stephen , the fray which Boniface the next Archbishop but one had with the Canons of Saint Bartholmews , is as pleasant ; the tearing of Hoods and Cowles , the miring of Copes , the flying about of Wax Candles , and Censors in the scuffle , cannot be imagined without mirth ; as his oathswere loud in this bickering , so his curses were as vehement in the contention with the Bishop of Winchester for a slight occasion . But now the Bishops had turned their contesting into base and servile flatteries , to advance themselves on the ruine of the subjects . For Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester persvvading the King to displace English Officers , and substitute Poictivines , and telling the Lords to their faces , that there vvere no Peeres in England , as in France , but that the King might do what he would , and by whom he would , became a firebrand to the civill wars that followed . In this time Peckam Archbishop of Can. in a Synod was tampering vvith the Kings liberties , but being threatened desisted . But his successor Winchelsey on occasion of Subsidies demanded of the Clergie , made ansvver , That having tvvo Lords , one Spirituall , the other Temporall , he ought rather to obey the Spirituall governour the Pope , but that he vvould send to the Pope to knovv his pleasure , and so persisted even to beggerie . The Bishop of Durham also cited by the King flies to Rome . In the deposing of this King vvho more forvvard , then the Bishop of Hereford ? vvitnesse his Sermon at Oxford , My head , my head aketh , concluding that an aking and sick head of a King vvas to be taken off vvithout further Physick . Iohn the Archbishop of Canterbury , suspected to hinder the Kings glorious victories in Flanders , and France , by stopping the conveyance of monies committed to his charge , conspiring therein vvith vvish ●he Pope . But not long after vvas constituted that fatall praemunire , vvhich vvas the first nipping of their courage , to seek aide at Rome . And next to that , the wide wounds that Wickleffe made in their sides . From which time they have been falling , and thenceforth all the smoak that they could vomit , was turned against the rising light of pure doctrine . Yet could not their Pride misse occasion to set other mischief on foot . For the Citizens of London rising to apprehend a riotous fervant of the Bishop of Salisbury then Lord Treasurer , who with his fellowes stood on his guard in the Bishops house , were by the Bishop who maintained the riot of his servant , so complained of , that the King therewith seized on their liberties , and set a Governour over the Citie . And who knowes not , that Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury was a chief instrument and agent in deposing King Richard , as his actions and Sermon well declares . The like intended the Abbot of Westminster to Henry the fourth , who for no other reason , but because he suspected that the King did not favour the wealth of the Church , drew into a most horrible conspiracie the Earles of Kent , Rutland , and Salisbury , to kill the King in a turnament at Oxford , who yet notwithstanding was a man that professed to leave the Church in better state then he found it . For all this , soone after is Richard Scroop Archbishop of York in the field against him , the chiefe attractor of the rebellious party . In these times Thomas Arundell a great persecutor of the Gospel preached ▪ by Wikclefs followers , dies a fearfull death , his tongue so swelling vvithin his mouth , that he must of necessity starve . His successor Chickeley nothing milder diverts the King , that vvas looking too neerly into the superfluous revenues of the Church , to a bloody warre . All the famous conquests vvhich Henry the fifth had made in France , vvere lost by a civil dissension in England , vvhich sprung first from the haughty pride of Beaufort Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester , and the Archbishop of York against the Protector , Speed 674. In the civill warres the Archbishop sides with the Earle of Warwick , and March in Kent , Speed 682. Edward the Fourth , Mountacute Archbishop of York , one of the chiefe conspirators with Warwick against Edward the fourth , and afterwards his Jaylor , being by Warwicks treason committed to this Bishop . In Edward the Fifths time , the Archbishop of York was , though perhaps unwittingly ( yet by a certain fate of Prelacie ) the unhappy instrument of pulling the young Duke of York out of Sanctuary , into his cruel Uncles hands . Things being setled in such a peace , as after the bloody brawls was to the afflicted Realm howsoever acceptable , though not such as might be wished : Morton Bishop of Ely , enticing the Duke of Buckingham to take the Crown , which ruin'd him , opened the veins of the poor subjects to bleed afresh . The intolerable pride , extortion , bribery , luxury of Wolsey Archbishop of York who can be ignorant of ? selling Dispensatitions by his power Legantine for all offences , insulting over the Dukes and Peers , of whom some he brought to destruction by bloody policie , playing with State-affairs according to his humour , or benefit : causing Tournay , got with the blood of many a good Souldier , to be rendred at the French Kings secret request to him , not without bribes ; with whom one while siding , another while with the Emperour , he sold the honour and peace of England , at what rates he pleased ; and other crimes to be seen in the Articles against him , Holinshed . 912. and against all the Bishops in general , 911 , which when the Parliament sought to remedie , being most exc●ssive extortion in the Ecclesiastical Courts , the Bishops cry out ; Sacriledge , the Church goes to ruine , as it did in Bohemia , with the Schisme of the Hussites , Ibid. After this , though the Bishops ceased to be Papists ; for they preached against the Popes Supremacie , to please the King , yet they ceased not to oppugne the Gospel , causing Tindals Translation to be burnt , yea , they agreed to the suppressing of Monasteries , leaving their revenues to the King , to make vvay for the six bloudy Articles , which proceedings with all cruelty of inquisition are set down , Holinsh. pag. 946. till they were repealed the second of Edward the Sixth , stopping in the mean while the cause of Reformation well begun by the Lord Cromwel . And this mischief was wrought by Steven Gardiner , Bishop of Winchester . The six Articles are set down in Speed , pag. 792. The Archbishop of Saint Andrews , his hindring of England , and Scotlands Union , for fear of Reformation , Speed 794. As for the dayes of King Edward the Sixth , we cannot but acknowledge to the glory of the rich mercy of God , that there was a great Reformation of Religion made even to admiration . And yet notwithstanding we do much dislike the humour of those , that cry up those dayes as a compleat pattern of Reformation , and that endevour to reduce our Religion to the first times of King Edward , which we conceive were comparatively very imperfect , there being foure impediments which did much hinder that blessed work . The three Rebellions . One in Henry the Eighths time , by the Priests of Lincoln and Yorkeshire , for that Reformation which Cromwel had made . The other two in King Edwards dayes . One in Cornwal , the other in York●shire . The strife that arose suddenly amongst the Peers , emulating one anothers honour , Speed , pag. 837. The violent opposition of the Popish Bishops , which made Martin Bucer write to King Edward in his Book de Regno Christi , lib. 2 cap. 1. and say , Your Majesty doth see , that this restoring again the Kingdom of Christ , which we require , yea , which the salvation of us all requireth , may in no wise be expected to come from the Bishops , seeing there be so few among them which do understand the power and proper Offices of this Kingdom ; and very many of them by all means ( which possibly they can and dare ) either oppose themselves against it , or defer and hinder . The deficiency of zeal and courage even in those Bishops who afterwards proved Martyrs , witness the sharp contention of Ridley against Hooper for the ceremonies . And the importunate suit of Cranmer and Ridley for toleration of the Mass for the Kings sister , which was rejected by the Kings not only reasons , but tears ; whereby the young King shewed more zeal then his best Bishops , 839. The inhumane butcheries , blood-sheddings , and cruelties of Gardiner , Bonner , and the rest of the Bishops in Queen Maries dayes , are so fresh in every mans memory , as that we conceive it a thing altogether unnecessary to make mention of them . On●ly we fear lest the guilt of the blood then shed , should yet remain to be required at the hands of this Nation , because it hath not publickly endeavoured to appease the wrath of God by a general and solemn humiliation for it . What the pract●ces of the Prelates have been ever since , from the begininning of Queene Elizabeth to this present day , would fill a volume ( like Ezekiels Roll ) with lamentation , mourning , and wo to record . For it hath been their great designe to hinder all further Reformation ; to bring in doctrines of Popery , Arminianisme , and Libertinisme , to maintain , propagate and much encrease the burden of h●mane ceremonies : to keep out , and beat down the Preaching of the Word , to silence the faithfull Preachers of it , to oppose and persecute the most zealous professours , and to turn all Relig●on into a pompous out-side ; and to tread down the power of godliness . Insomuch as it is come to an ordinary Proverb , tha● when any thing is spoiled , we use to say , The Bishop's foot hath been in it . And in this ( and much more which might be said ) fulfilling Bishop 〈◊〉 Prophecie , who when he saw that in King Edwards reformation , there was a reservation of Ceremonies and Hierarchy , is credibly reported to have used these words : Since they have begun to taste of our Broath , it will not be long ere they will eat of our Beef . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52055-e240 * Videbat enin● passim laborari mole & copiâ variorum in hoc genere commen●●tiorum ; novis editionibus ancipitem reddi corum delectū ; sed meliores etiam , id est veteres illos et probatos Authores è studiosorum manibus excuti &c ▪ Praefat. Scriptorum Theolog. Henric . Alting . * Quaedam noxia victoria paenè mihi semper in disputationibus proveniebat cum Christianis imperitis : August . contra Manich. cap. 19. * Mr. Stephen Marshall . Mr. Edm. Calamy . Dr. Th. Young. Mr. Matthew Newcomen . Dr. William Spurstowe . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Eph. 4.15 . Notes for div A52055-e1000 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Pag. 23. Pag. ● Pag. 2. Pag. 3. Pag. 6. Pag. 2. Pag. 7. Untruths . Remon . pag. 8. Malmsbury lib. 4. Hist. Concil . Trid. Pag. 9. Liturgie . Pag. 10. a Ad hoc ma●orum devoluta est Ecclesia Dei & sponsa Christi , ut haereticorum exempla Sectentur , & ad celebranda Sacramenta coelestia , disciplinam , Lux mutuetur de tenebris , & id faciant christiani quod Antichristi faciunt . Cypr. Ep. 74. Pag. 13. Just. Mar. Apost . 2. Tert. Ap. ad . Gen. c. 39. Just. Mar. Apost . 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Concil . Laod. Can. 18. Conc. Carth. 3. Can. 23. Anno 397. Conc. Milev . 2. Can. 12. An. 416. Pag. 10. Pag. 11. Pag. 18. Pag. 11. Euseb. de vit . Con. li. 4. Cap. 18. Pag. 11. Pag. 12. Pag. 12. Pag. 13. D. Corbet . M. Nevel . Pag. 13. Pag. 13. Abbot against Church-forsakers . Ob● Ans. Pag. 17. Pag. 17. Pag. 17. * Pag. 2. a One of these Sonnes of the Church of England whose messenger this Remonstrant is , was he who swore by the Eternal God , he would be the death of those that did appeare to move against the grievances of Episcopacy ; and if the rest of these Millions mentioned pag , 2. whose thousands are so punctually calculated p. 41. be of his spirit , they are an army of very peaceable & right-affected men . Pag. 7. Evaristus . 100. Dionysius . 260. Some say 267. as P●l . Virg. Pag. 13 , 14. Iohn Maior l. 2. Hist. de gest : Scot. Cap. 2. Heylins Geog. p. 55. Gener. Hist. of Spain l. 22 Pag. 9. Pag. 18. Pag. 18. * Frustra co●saetudinem nobis opponunt , quasi consuetudo major sit veritate , aut nonid sit in spiritualibus sequendum , quod in melius fuerit à Spiritu Sancto Revelation : Cy●r ▪ Ep. 73. b It is wel observed by Gerhard , that a Bishop Phrasi Apostolicâ , that is , the Bishop that is the same with a Presbyter , is of fifteen hundred years standing ; but a Bishop Phrasi Pontificiâ , that is , a distinct order superiour to a Presbyter , invested with sole power of Ordination and Iurisdiction , is but a Novell Invention . Pag. 19. Pag. 19. * What the establishment of Episcopacy by the Lawes is , and upon what grounded , the learned Sir Edward 〈◊〉 informes us , who reports , That in an Act of Parliament holden at C●●●ile in the 25. year of Edw. 1. it is declared that the holy Church of England was founded in the state of Prelacy within the Realm of England , by the King and his Pregenitors , &c. for them to inform the people in the Law of God , and to keep hospitality , and give almes , and do other works of charity . And the said Kings in times past were wo●t to have their advice and counsel for the safe-guard of the Realme , when they had need of such Prelates and Clerks so advanced . Cook de jure Regis Ecclesiastico . But whether Bishops have observed the Orders of their first foundation , &c. Pag. 19.20 . Pag. 21. Pag. 8. Hierony . Ep. ad Evag. & ad Ocea . Iren. a●ver . ●aer . l. 4. c●p . 43.44 . Hist. Lib. 5. Cap. 23. Bellarm. de Cleric . Lib. 1. cap. 15. a Presbyterie sicut Episcopis , Dispensatio Mysteriorum Dei commissa est : Praesunt enim Ecclesiae Christi : in Consecratione Dominici corporis & sanguinis ▪ consortes sunt cum Episcopis : & similiter in Doctrina Populorum & in officio praedicandi : ac solum propter auteritatem , summo Sacerdoti Clericorum Ordinatio reservata est : Concil . Aquisgran . primum , Can. 8. Euangelium tribuit his qui praesunt Ecclesiae Mandatum docendi Evangeli , remittendi peccata , administrandi Sacramenta : praeterea jurisdictionem ; videlicet Mandatum Excommunicandi eos quorum notae sunt crimina , & Resipiscentes rursum absolvendi : Ac Omnium Consessione , etiam adversariorum liquet , hanc potestatem Jure Divino communem esse Omnibus qui praesunt Ecclesiae , sive Pastores vocentur , sive Presbyteri , Sive Episcopi . Scriptum Philip. Melanch . in conventu Smalcald . Anno. 1540. a praecipuis illarum Ecclesiarum Doctoribus communi Consensu comprobatū de potestate & jurisdictione Episcoporum , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Ierom. Isa. 3. Igna. Epis. ad Magnes . Conc. Ancyr . Can. 18. Pag. 20. Tertul. * At ubi omnia Loca Circumplexa est Ecclesia , Conventicula constituta sunt : & caeperunt Rectores : & Caetera Officia in Ecclesiis sunt ordinata . Caepit ali●t ordine & Providentia gubernari Ecclesia . Ideo non per omnia conveniunt Scripta Apostoli ordinationi quae nune in Ecclesia est , quia haec inter ipsa primordia scripta sunt . Nam & Timotheum à se Presbytorium Creatum Episcopum vocat , &c. Sed quia experuli● sequentes Presbyteri indigni inveniri ad primatus tenendos , immutata est ratis , &c. Hierom ad Evag. Ambros , ubi prius . Grego , Naz. Orat. 28. Pag. 21 , 22. Greg. Nazi . ubi priu● . Pag. 22. Pag. 23. Pag. 23. * Plebs ipsa Maximè babet potesiatem vel Eligend● . Dignos Sacerdotes , vel indignos vecusandi , qu●d & ipsum Videmus de Divina Authoritate de scendere : ut sacerdos plebe praesente sub omnium oculis deligatu● , & dignus atque Idoneus publico Iudicio ac testimonio comprobetur . By Priests the Authour here understands Bishops , as the whole Series of the Epistle shews . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Athanas. Epist. ad Orthodoxos . Idem ubi supra . Cyprian , Cornelius , Athanasius and others . Cypr. Epist. 33. Epist. 58. Apud Cypr. Epist. 75. Cum jure Divino non sint diversi gradus Episcopi & Pastores : Manifestum est ordinationem in suâ Ecclesiâ factam IVRE DIVINO RATAM esse . Itaque cum Episcopi ordinarii fiant hostes Ecclesiae aut nolunt ordinationem impertire , Ecclesia retinet jus suum . Melanch . ubi supra , pag. Concil . Antios . Can. 10. & Aneyr. Can. 13. Concil . 4. Cathag . Can. 22. Ibid. Can. 3. Hieronym . in Epist. ad Evag. Chrysost. Hom. II. in I. ad Tim. Chrysost. upon the 1. Tim , Libro de septem Ordinibus . Concil . Aquisgra . 1. Can. 8. Solum propter authoritatem Clericorum ordinatio & consecratio reservata est summo Sacerdoti ▪ Bilson . Spalat . Franc. à Sancta Clara. Cyp. Epist. 6. & 28. Concil . 4. Carth●g . Can. 23. Vid Ruff. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 9. Sozo . l. 2. c. 23. Possiden . de vita . Aug. c. 4. Orig. Ham. 11. in Exo. pag. 97. Decret . part . 2. Can. 15. quae . 7. Per totum & partes Dist. 93. cap. 5 , 6. Clem. Alex. Stromat . lib. 7. Tertul. Apol. advers . Gent. Ambros. Epist. ad Syagrium . Aug. de verb. Apost . Ser. 19. * Constat . Iurisdictionem illam excommunicandi reos manifestorum criminum pertinere ad onnes Pastores , hanc ad se solos tyrannicè transtulerunt , & ad questum contulerunt Episcopi , Melanc . ubi sup . b Hieron . Epist. ad Heliodor . Ep. ad Demet. Ambros. lib. 10. Epist. 80. Cypr. Epist. 12. And this was the custome , saith Cyprian in minoribus delictis . Cypr. Epist. 46. vide etiam Cypr Epist. 6. Tertul. Apol . adver . Gent. cap. 59. Origen . Ham. 7. in Iosh. Cypr. Epist. 55. Cypr. Epist 11. ad plebem . Indecorū est Laicum vicarium esse Episcopi , & seculares in Ecclesiâ judicare : in uno enim eodemque opere non decetdispar professio quod etiam in lege Divina probibetur dicente Mose , Non arabis in bove & asino simul , Concil . Hispal . 2. Cypr. Epist 28. Downham in the defence of his Son Cod. li. 4. Tit. 20. l. 7. Athan. Apol. 2. Apud ●naram . Greg. Deceet . lib. 3. Tit. 2. cap. 8. quâ vos . Decret . Greg. lib. 5 Tit. 4. cap. 24. Chrysost : Hom. 40. in . 8 ▪ Tim Recording ▪ this among those things that he did Dolo modo ducere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Sozo . 1.9 . Nicep . 18. ●1 Socra . 7.7 . Lib. 14. c. 14 , Soc. l. 7. c. 19. Niceph. l. Possidou● in vini August . a Let the Reader please to consult Euseb. Hist lib. 3 : cap. 33. according to some , after others cap. 37. and view the description , he there makes of an Evangelist , and then judg of what we speak ▪ Anno , Aerae . Christi receptae , 47. Anno 48 Anno 51 Anno 53 Anno 53 Paraeus . Capellus . Heb. 13.23 . We finde not onely that Timothy was with Paul at Rome , but a prisoner with him there . a Anno 43 b Anno 45 * Anno 46 * Anno 51 * Anno 51 * Anno 52 * Anno 53 * Anno 64 Raynolds contra Ha●t ●a : 6 : Hoc erant tique & eteri Astoli quod erat Peus , pari usortio editi & noris & estatis , exordiab unie profi●itur , ut clesia umontur . Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 29. Pag. 22. Pag. 23. Pag. 2● . 37. H●n . S. cap. 1● . * The Remonstrant here acknowledges the same of the K●ng , that Frier Simon a Floren●ine did of the Pope , who affirmed the degree of a Bishop was de jure divino , but every particular Bishop de jure Pontificio . Hist. con Trid. Pag. 28 , 29. Pag. 29. ●spara● * 1 Tim. 5.17 . 1 Cor. 12.28 . Rom. 12.8 . * Vnde & Synagoga , & pastea Ecclesia seniores habuit , quorum sine Consilio nihit agebatur in Ecclesiâ . Quod quâ negligentiâ obso●verit nescio , nisi forte Doctorum desidi● , aut magis superbia , dum soli ●olunt aliquid videri . Origen . Lib. 3. contra Celsum . Epist. 137. Lib. 3. cap. 1. Aug. Serm. 19. de Verb. Dom. August . in Psal 38. Conc. 2. Pag. 32. Pag. 33 Pag. 33 Doct. Duck. Pag. 34 Pag. 35. We may rather think that they would have done more . Remembring what Martinus was wont to say to his friend Sulpitius , Nequaquam sibi in Episcopatu eam virtutum Gratiam suppetisse , quàm priùs se habuisse mominisset . Sulpitius Severus Dial. 2. Pag. 35. Pag. 35. Pag. 35. Pag. 36. Pag. 36. Pag. ●7 . Pag. ●● Pag. 39. * In his Preface to his Book called , The way to the True Church . S●linus . Pag. 39. Tertull. advers . Gent. Pag. 2. Pag. 4● . Pag. 41 Pag. 41. Pag. 42. H●nc populus ●ecit . E●i●han●●s saith he did , 〈…〉 sa●th in 〈…〉 accus●d 〈◊〉 , ●ecause he s●id tha● 〈…〉 d●d n●● 〈…〉 . And Aust●n accused Arrius , because he said , Non licet orare , vel offc●re pro mortu●s oblationem . Whitaker . Respons . ad Campian . rat . 10. hath these words : Aerium Epiphanius & Augu●tinus in haereticis numerant , & praeter cos antiqui panci . E● si Presbyterum E●iscapo aequare sit haereticum , nihil Catholicum esse pot●st . Cun. AErio Hicronymus de Pres●y●● is 〈◊〉 sensit Illos enim jure divino Episcopis aequales esse statuit . Sozomen . hist. lib. 6. cap. 10. Qu●st● 6. Notes for div A52055-e29010 Beda . Holins● . Speed. Helinsh . out of Capgrave-Osborn , Hig●en . Edw Cons. Holsh . 191. Will. Conq. Speed p. 442. Will. Ruf. Hen. 1. Holshim . 37. Holinsh. 38. Holinsh. 42 , 43. K. Stephen . Holinsh. 57 , 58 , 59. Henry 3. Speed 462. out of Nubrigens . Yet this mans life is lately Printed in English , as a thing to be imitated . Holinsh. 70. Speed 469. Holinsh 98. Richard 1. Page 129 , 130 , 132. 144. King Iohn . Speed 503. Speed 509. Hen. 3. Stow 188. Hol. 247. Speed 529.530 . Edward 1. Holsh 280. Holsh . 301 , Holsh . 315 , Edward 2. Speed 574. Edward 3. Speed 586. Holsh . 409 Richardpunc ; Holsh , 478. Page 506. Henry 4. Page 514. Speed 631. Holsh . 529. Henry 5. Speed 638. Henry 6. Holsh . 596. Page 620. Edward 4. Speed ●99 . Edward 5. Richard 3. Henry 8. Hol. 845.462 . Speed 784. Hol. 992 , Speed 792. Speed. Statut. Hen. 8. Anno 35. cap. 5. Edward 6. 
A89580	----	A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, now assembled in Parliament, at their publike fast, November 17. 1640. Upon 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you, while yee bee with him: and if yee seek him, he will be found of you: but if yee forsake him, he will forsake you. / By Stephen Marshall, Batchelour in Divinity, minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of the said House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89580 of text R212613 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E204_9). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 99 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89580 Wing M776 Thomason E204_9 ESTC R212613 99871217 99871217 157694 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89580) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 157694) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 36:E204[9]) A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, now assembled in Parliament, at their publike fast, November 17. 1640. Upon 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you, while yee bee with him: and if yee seek him, he will be found of you: but if yee forsake him, he will forsake you. / By Stephen Marshall, Batchelour in Divinity, minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of the said House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 50 p. Printed by J. Okes, for Samuel Man, dwelling in St. Pauls Church-yard, at the signe of the Swan, London : 1641. Incorrectly listed under M776A in Wing. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Chronicles, 2nd, XV, 2 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89580 R212613 (Thomason E204_9). civilwar no A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons,: now assembled in Parliament, at their publike fast, November 17. 1640. Upon 2 Ch Marshall, Stephen 1641 18067 4 5 0 0 0 0 5 B The rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-07 Simon Charles Sampled and proofread 2007-07 Simon Charles Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON Preached before the Honourable House of Commons , now assembled in PARLIAMENT , At their publike Fast , November 17. 1640. Upon 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you , while yee bee with him : and if yee seek him , he will be found of you : but if yee forsake him , he will forsake you . By STEPHEN MARSHALL , Batchelour in Divinity , Minister of Finchingfield in ESSEX . Published by Order of the said House . LONDON : Printed by J. Okes , for SAMUEL MAN , dwelling in St. Pauls Church-yard , at the signe of the Swan . 1641. A Sermon Preached before the Honourable house of Commons , at their publick Fast . 2 CHRON. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while yee bee with him , and if yee seeke him he will be found of you : but if yee forsake him , he will forsake you . THis portion of Scripture , is a part of a Sermon preached to the whole body of the Kingdome of Judah ; and a fitter I do not know in all the Bible to be preached upon to the Representative body of a Christian State ; especially on a day when they are drawing nigh to God . The more inexcusable should I be in adventuring to shew my weaknesse at this time , in this place , were I not able to call the most High to witnesse , that nothing but conscience of my duty kept me ( with Jonah ) from running away from the Lords worke . But Amos the herdsman must prophesie at the Kings Chappell when God commands him . The speciall end of your meeting this day , is to afflict your soules before God , that so with Ezra , you might seeke a right way for your selves , and the weighty affaires of his Majesty , and the whole State : and the speciall errand I have to deliver from the Lord , is to assure you of the same truth , although in other words , which Ezra told the Persian Emperour , that the hand of God is upon them for good that seek him ; but his power and wrath against all them that forsake him , viz. That God will be with you , while you be with him . Which Text that you may the better understand , give me leave to carry you a little back , and give you a plain view of the state of the Church of Iudah at that time . In the dayes of Rehoboam there had beene an horrible apostasie from the purity of Gods worship : Religion was very much corrupted , and the forces of the Kingdome were exceedingly weakned . And in Abijahs time things grew worse and worse . But now when Asa ( being a godly man ) came to the Crowne , he begins at the right end , and makes it his first work to set upon reformation of Religion , taking away the Altars of the strange Gods and the high places , brake down the Images , cut downe the Groves , commanded Judah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers , and to doe the Law and the Commandements , casting out whatsoever was a stench in the Lords nostrills , and he prospered in whatsoever he put his hand unto . This done , hee then calls all his Nobles and Princes , and Elders together , and tells them that they had sought the Lord in matters of Religion , and God had beene found of them , and that now they should goe and fortifie the Kingdome ; and so they did in all the Cities and prospered . But in the midst of this worke comes out Zerah the Cushite , the Ethiopian ( or rather the Arabian , Ethiopia lying beyond Egypt ) with an Army of a thousand thousand , and three hundred Chariots , ( it may be the greatest Army that ever you read of in any story ) with these he breakes in suddenly upon Asa . But he humbles himselfe before God , betakes himselfe to prayer , tells the Lord that it was all one with him to helpe by many or few . And in the Lords name hee went out to encounter with that huge Army ; over which the Lord gave him a glorious victory , and the spoyle of the enemies Country to boote . Now as they were comming backe to Hierusalem , the Lord calls out Azariah the sonne of Oded , to make the gratulatory Oration for their safe returne and conquest , in these words that I have read , and so forward to verse the eighth ; and so I am come to my Text . In which ( that I may make as briefe a way as I can possibly to the matter that I shall insist upon ) two things are to be unfolded . First , the scope and intent of the Prophet , and that is laid downe in the latter end of his speech , Bee strong therefore , and let not your hands be weake : that is , goe on with the good worke of Reformation of Religion , wherewith you were in hand before the enemy interrupted you . Secondly , the arguments whereby this is pressed , and they are two . The first is taken from their owne present happinesse who were in Gods wayes : The Lord is with you while yee are with him , and if yee seeke him hee will be found of you : but if yee forsake him he will forsake you . The second is taken from the misery of the ten Tribes , who were out of Gods way , concerning whom he speaks to this effect , That for a long time Israel ( that is the ten Tribes ) had bin without God , & without a teaching Priest , and without law : and as they had cast off God , so God had cast off them : howbeit , if they would have sought to God , and turned to him , God would have bin found of them : but they going on in the way of desperate apostasie , the Lord vexed them every where , in the City , in the Country , in the Family ; every where God was too strong for them , ( as certainly God will make every one to know that he hath a hard match to encounter with , that dares to beare Armes against the Lord . ) And so from their misery hee presseth Asa and his people to go on in the right course , to prevent the like for comming upon themselves . This second Argument of the misery of the ten Tribes belongs not to my worke . I betake my selfe therefore to the other , wherein I shall spend the allotted time for this exercise , namely , The present happinesse of the Church of the Iewes , that were in Gods way : in which observe these two things . First , what the happinesse was that they enjoyed , in these words , The Lord is with you . Secondly , the Condition upon which they enjoyed this happinesse , or the termes upon which they held it ; and that is First , more generally propounded , The Lord is with you , while you are with him . Secondly , more particularly and exegetically expounded in the next words , If yee seeke him , hee will be found of you ; but if yee forsake him he will forsake you . I begin with the first of them , The present happinesse of the Church of the Iewes , Iehovah is with you . Where there is but one question to bee answered for the cleering of the Doctrine , that I shall a while insist upon , and that is , what presence of God is here intended by the Prophet ? Iehovah is every where ; Whither shall I goe from thy presence ? Nay , he is not onely present every where , but he manifests his presence every where , every herbe shewes it , all the Creatures speake God in them . Nor onely so , but oft-times the manifestation of Gods presence is the torture and misery of the people to whom he is present . In Isai. 33. 14. when God sends them word that he would come among them , presently it follows , The sinners in Zion are afraid , fearefulnes hath surprized the Hypocrite , who among us shall dwell with devouring fire ? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? And in Jer. 4. 23. the Prophet beheld the earth , and loe it was without forme , and voyd ; the mountaines , and loe they trembled ; the nations , and they were wasted to nothing : what was the reason ? because of the presence of the Lord . What presence then is here intended ? For that , through Gods providence , the mornings worke hath saved me part of my labour . For in effect the presence intended in this Text is Gods presence in the Covenant of Grace , in which he is so joyned with a people , that they also are joyned unto him . God to be joyned with a people , and to be in Covenant with them in the Scripture phrase is all one . So that the lesson which it affords is this . The presence of God in his Covenant of Grace with any people , is the greatest glory , and happinesse that they can enjoy . The Prophet here encouraging them to goe on and to feare nothing , useth onely this sentence , that God will be with them : As if he had said , you shall have all the happinesse that you can wish , God will be with you . In prosecuting this poynt I shall endeavour two things . First , to demonstrate the truth of it out of the Scripture . Secondly , to make a briefe application of it . For the first , see how cleere it is in the Scriptures , in Deut. 4. 7 , 8. Moses speakes of the Israelites after this manner : What Nation ( in all the world ) is so great as thou art ? All their neighbours should say , surely this is a great people , a wise , a happy people : I pray you what was their condition when Moses thus magnified them ? there were 600000 men of them in a desolate , barren , howling wildernesse : There was not one house for a man to hide his head ; but onely floting Tents , some covered with cloathes , some with boughes : No land that they could either sow , or plough , or reape : No trading ; hardly a man that had two suits to his back , ( but as some think ) as their bodies grew , their cloaths grew ; as their feete grew , their shooes grew : wherein then was their happinesse ? Mark what Moses saith verse 7. What Nation is there so great , who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things , & c ? There was their happinesse , that Iehovah was nigh them , and marched up and downe before them . So you shall see in Exod. 33. the Lord was offended with the people for making of the golden Calfe , In the beginning of that Chap. he speaks after this manner to Moyses . Take this people and carry them to the Land that I have promised to give them : It is a Land flowing with Milke and Hony . I will send my Angell before you , He shall drive out all the Nations , and plant you in that goodly Country : onely J my selfe will not goe with them , for I shall be so farre provoked by their sinnes , that I shall fall upon them suddenly , and consume them . But my Angell shall not leave them till they be setled in that good Land . One would have thought that this had beene an excellent offer , thousands would have esteemed it a glorious thing to have an Angell of God to goe and plant them in the goodliest Country that was under the cope of Heaven . But marke how Moyses takes it . O Lord rather kill us all in the Wildernesse , let us never stir a foote if Thy presence goe not with us . I pray thee , if I have found favour with Thee , goe with us thy Selfe : well , sayth God , my presence shall goe . Moyses presseth againe , let it be that or nothing : for wherein else shall it be knowne to the World , that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight ? Is it not in that thou goest with us ? So shall we be separated , I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the Earth . This is the summe of that Chapter . Againe you shall finde in Psalme 46. and Psalme 48. David strangely magnifies Hierusalem above all the Cities in the World : Excellent are the straines of Rhetoricke flowing from the Spirit of God in setting forth the glory of that City , which in a word was such as All the Kings of the Earth should come and looke on , and stand amazed at it . Without question Babylon , or Niniveh excelled Hierusalem in Davids time for outward glory , as farre as the City of London doth one of our meane Country Townes . What was the glory of Hierusalem then ? You shall read in those Psalmes God was with them . God is in the midst of her : God is knowne in her Palaces . And every where this is the thing he cries up : it was a glorious place , because Iehovah was there . And in Psalme 144. The Pen-man of it so farre extols even the common mercies that God oft times bestowes upon a people , that they then become Blessed , When their Sonnes grow up as plants , and their Daughters as the corners of the Temple , polished after the manner of a Palace ; their Garners affording all store , their Oxen strong to labour ; that there is no breaking in , and carrying into Captivity . Blessed , sayth he , are the people that are in such case . But marke how hee gives a dash to all he had said , in comparison of that he had to say of the blessednesse of Gods people , Yea rather happy are the people whose God is the Lord . You shall see also in the latter end of Ezechiel , Chapter 40. and in Revelation 21. such an Hyperbolicall description of a most glorious City the new Hierusalem , as never had parallell . And what is the Glory of that City ? Read but the last words in the Prophesie of Ezechiel , The name of that City from that Day shal be THE LORD IS THERE . As if he had said , would you have an abridgement of all the excellencies of this City and Temple ? This it is , Jehovah is there . And in Revelation 21. The Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are there . On the other side you shall see it as plaine , when the Lord threatneth the greatest plague and curse that can betide a Nation , he never mentions other , above this , that He will depart from them : As if hee had meant to strike them dead at a blow , by saying , He will leave them . That place in Hosea Chapter 9. 11. is very remarkable : As for Ephraim ( that is , the Children of Israel , the ten Tribes ) his glory shall flee away as a Bird ; that is , suddainly , swiftly , irrecoverably , he shall be utterly undone . What is the matter ? The next Verse tels you , Woe unto them when J depart from them . If God goe , woe comes ; all goes , if God goe . It is a knowne story in the 1. Samuel 4. that when the Arke ( that was called the glory of God ) the visible token of Gods presence in the Covenant of Grace , was taken Captive by the Philistines ; Phineas his wife bowed her selfe and travailed , and though they after told her that a Man-child was borne , shee regarded it not , but called his name Ichabod , saying , The glory is gone ; because then Gods presence departed from them . What need I say any more ? The worke of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God , and the Redemption of the VVorld by him , was such , that one maine end of making this goodly frame of Heaven and Earth was , that it might be the stage upon which that Worke should be acted . A worke wherein not onely all mans happinesse lyes , and whence it flowes ; but wherein all Gods Attributes are glorified to the highest ; and for which the Church Triumphant shall thinke Eternity short enough to prayse God . Of this Worke ( I say ) the summe is given in one word , Immanuel , God is with us . And plaine Reason may demonstrate that it must needes be so . What is glory , but the shining out of excellency ? VVhat is happinesse but the fruition of the greatest good ? Now there is no Excellency that shines out in any thing , like to that which beames out from God in the Covenant of grace to his people . There is no good that any people can enjoy like the fruition of God in that Covenant . It is true , God manifests himselfe to all the Nations in the World ( in him they live , and move , and have their being : ) yet it is as in a darke Cloud , they grope after him , and cannot feele him , but in the covenant of grace men behold him with open face , like the Sunne shining in his strength , as through a Mirrour : Such a Mirrour as the Prince of Orange had , that would shew the Sunne in his full bignesse and beauty . Thus God shines in the Covenant of grace . The Prince is virtually present in all places of his Kingdome , but his Court is his Glory : So where God is in his Covenant , there Heaven is ; therefore this is usually in the Scripture phrase called the Kingdome of Heaven . But if yet more particularly you enquire , what Gods presence in his Covenant implyes : As he , who being askt what God was , required first a day , then two , then three , alledging , that the more he studyed it , the lesse able hee found himselfe to answer it . So the more I thinke of this , the more unable I see my selfe to make a satisfactory answer : what I can , take thus ; To the Nation of the Iewes it implyed something which concernes not us , but mystically or analogically : As to have the Arke , Vrim and Thummim : to have God to reveale himselfe in Visions and Dreames : To answer by Thunder , &c. which my haste allowes me not leisure to explaine . But to them , and to all other people Gods presence in the Covenant of Grace implyes these three things . First , the owning and acknowledging of them to be his owne separated people , knit to him in a league of love : he is their God , they are his people ; they have a propriety in God , and God hath a propriety in them , so that they may say of Him , This God is our God ; and God of them , This people is my people . Now this is the greatest happinesse , nothing can exceed it : It hath bin often questioned , what was the greatest favour that ever Almighty God did for man ? Some preferre Creation wherein man received his being , and excellent endowments : some Redemption , wherein man is recovered to a better and surer estate than hee injoyed in Creation : but out of question to be a Iedediah , beloved of God , to be neare to God as his Children , as his Spouse , is the comprehension of all that can be said or thought of the happinesse of a people . And if you looke into the Scriptures , you shall see that Gods love to his peculiar people , is such a love as carryes with it all relations : It is the love of a Father to his Children ; I will be your Father and you shall bee my Sonnes and Daughters , saith the Lord Almighty . It is the love that a man beares to the wife of his bosome : I will marry thee to mee in righteousnes , and truth , and mercy . It is the love of a friend : I have called you my friends : And Abraham the Father of all that are in Covenant , he was stiled , The friend of God . And from this interest in God flow innumerable priviledges , for being thus beloved of God , and precious to him , it followes that they are accepted in their services , that all their sinnes are pardoned , and that they have liberty to aske any thing that is good for them . When Solomon was beloved of God , 2 Kings 3. 5. God bids him , Aske what I shall doe for thee : It is but aske and have . And this is the confidence that wee have in him , that if wee aske any thing according to his will , he heareth us . They have friendship with all his friends : In Zach. 8. 23. Ten men shall lay hold upon the skirt of one that is a Iew , of whom they be able to say , Wee have heard that God is with you . Indeed , to have God thus making himselfe over to a people , to bee their portion , to love them , and to owne them , is not onely an heaven upon earth , but the very heaven of heaven . Secondly , Gods presence with a people in his Covenant , implyes Gods assisting them , and prospering all the workes they put their hands unto . This is the ordinary expression of the Scripture : Every thing prospers , where God is . It is said of David , whithersoever ( Saul ) sent him , he prospered : for God was with him . Every house where Ioseph came prospered , for God was with him . In all undertakings , in all Counsels for wars , for peace , for trade , &c. Gods aid and assistance comes in . If they decree a thing , God will establish it . If they commit their worke to him , the very thoughts of their hearts shall be established ; Whatsoever they doe , God will make it to prosper . Thou O Lord , workest all our workes for us . Whereas now if God be absent , all mens endeavours are to no purpose in any kind . Except the Lord build the house , they labour but in vaine that build it . It is to no purpose to plough that field that God will have lye fallow . Ye earne much saith God , but it comes to nothing , ye sow much and bring in little , ye eate and have not enough , yee drinke and are not filled ; he that earneth wages , puts it into a bottomlesse purse . What was the reason ? the Lord blasted all . And it must needs be so , all the second causes worke onely by vertue of the first , the great wheele carries on all the other . A notable example of this , that Gods presence is mans prosperity , wee have in Hag. 2. where when God had told them that the reason of all their ill successe in their enterprizes came from Gods withdrawing from them , for their unfaithfull walking with him in the matter of rebuilding his house , and that thereupon the people were stirred up to consider their wayes , and to build Gods Temple , the Lord tells them , vers. 18. that though their seed was not yet in their Barnes , nor any of their trees had brought forth their burthen ; and so for ought they could see , they were like to have as hard a year as before : yet now , saith the Lord , from this day I wil blesse you . Now you shall have a crop , that there shal not be roome enough to receive it : for if they would build his Temple , he would come and dwell with them . Thirdly , Gods presence in his Covenant implyes his protection , and defence of that people against all enemies . It is said of Joseph , he went into Aegypt , he was sold for a slave : but saith the Text , God was with him , and delivered him out of all his afflictions : None could hurt him , while God was with him . Aboundance of excellent Scriptures speake this truth . Observe two or three comparisons which the Holy Ghost frequently useth , in Isai. 4. the later end , the Lord speaks thus of the Churches of the Gentiles , that he would create upon all the assemblies ( upon all the places where the people should assemble to serve him ) a pillar of a Cloud , and a fire to keepe them safe day and night : for upon all the glory shall be a defence . Marke , Gods presence in his Ordinances , is their Glory , and upon all the Glory GOD would create a Defence . Hee compareth Himselfe to a Shield , I am thy Shield . Now the nature of a Shield is to take all the blo vs , that the body cannot be hurt , till the shield be pierced through . In Zach. 2. 5. God saith he will bee a wall of fire round about them : alluding to the custome of Travellers in waste wildernesses , who used to make fires round about them in the night , and then none of the wilde beasts durst come neare them ; such a defence is God to his people : And he often saith , he beares them upon Eagles wings . Some observe , that other birds carry their young ones in their clawes , ( and then the young one may bee killed , and the old one not hurt ) but the Eagle carries her young upon her back , upon her wings , and so they cannot be hurt till she be shot through . Excellent is that expression in Isaiah the 46. where God comparing himselfe with the Idols of the Heathens , speakes to this purpose , Their Idolls must be borne : but God beares his people : They must be set in their place , and bee kept least they be stolne or broken ; they must defend their gods : but Iehovah defends his people : In many places God calls himselfe the Watch-man of his people , the Leader of them , the Defender of them : all signifying thus much , that the safety and defence of his people rests upon his presence with them . Some where I have read a Dialogue betwixt a Iew and a Heathen : After the Iewes returne from the Captivity , all the Nations round about them ( being enemies to them ) a Pagan asked a Iew how they could have any hope of safety : because ( faith hee ) every one of them is as one silly sheep compassed about with fifty wolves ? I , but saith the Iew , wee are kept by a shepheard that can kill these fifty Wolves when hee pleaceth . This God , where ever he comes is the protector of his people ; who , if he but speake the word , all the enemies of his people are consumed and brought to nothing . And this is the summe of all Balaams answer to Balaak , Numb. 23. and 24. that neither force nor fraud could hurt the people of Israel while God was with them . On the other side , if God leave a people , all their strength is gone , as Sampsons was when his Locks were cut of . A notable instance of this you shall find in Ier. 37. God was then withdrawing from his people , tooke away the signes of his presence , and told them they should be delivered up into the hands of the Chaldeans : they thought yet to hold it out . But saith the Prophet , If yee had smitten all the army of the Chaldeans , and none of them had beene left but a few wounded men , they should come and burne your City . Amaziah's case also is most famous ; hee had warre with a great company of malicious neighbour Princes that hated him , and he hires 100000 valiant men of Israel , and joynes them with his owne forces : But there comes a Prophet , and bids him send these 100000 people backe ; why ? for God is not with the Armies of Israel ; As if he had said , Amaziah , it were all one for thee to carry 100000 wisps of straw , or a hundred thousand dead Carkasses into the Field to fight , as a hundred thousand valiant men , if God bee not with them . While God was with Sampson , he could carry the gates of a City upon his shoulders ; when God left him , when his Locks were cut ( which were a pledge of Gods presence ) then they took him and made a foole of him at their pleasure . If you be not yet satisfied , that all these three things are implyed in Gods presence : observe further that not onely of Jehovah , but even of all the Idoll gods of the Nations , the like things are spoken . As first , they are said to be fathers and friends of the people that worshipped them . Thus the people of Moab who worshipped Chemosh , are stiled the people of Chemosh . When Iudah joyned himselfe in marriage with Idolaters , God saith of him , He hath taken the daughter of a strange god : And elsewhere when God chargeth his people with Idolatry , the Indictment runnes thus : They say to a stocke , thou art my Father ; that is , thou art my God , as neare unto mee as a Father to his Children . Secondly , all their prosperity was said to come from their gods supposedly present among them , and propitious to them . Wilt thou not possesse that which Chemosh thy god gives thee to possesse ? said Iepthah to the King of Ammon , who tooke Chemosh for his God . Thirdly , their safety , their victories are ever attributed to their gods whom they tooke to be among them ; Our God hath delivered into our hands ( Sampson ) our enemy . And the attempts against the Heathen , are said to be made against their gods : as in Isaiah 46. 2. where there is a prophesie of the taking of Babylon by Cyrus , it is thus expressed , Bell boweth downe , Nebo stoopeth , &c. Their gods are gone into captivity . So in 2. King. 18. 34. Rabshakeh vants that , in his Masters name , Where are the gods of Hamath , and of Arpad , &c. And it is observed as an ordinary practice of the Romans , that when they came to besiege any City , they would first intreat the gods of that City to leave the protection of it , and come over to them : as who should say , leave you off their protection , and then let us alone with them : So then , the summe of all this put together , amounts to thus much , that Gods presence in his Covenant with any people implyes that they are dearly beloved of him , that hee workes all their workes for them , and shields and defends them against all their enemies . I come now to the Application of it , wherein ( because I chiefely intend the next poynt , the Condition of Gods presence ) I will briefely make two or three Collections onely , which I conceive may be most seasonable and sutable to your office , and to the occasion of your meeting here this day . First , is it so , that the glory and happinesse of a nation stands in the presence of God in his Covenant : Then , I humbly pray you all to take notice , what are the greatest Evills , and who are the most desperate Traytors , against the King , Church , and State of England at this day . I doubt not but you have a multitude of complaints of Grievances presented to the Parliament house : all ( at least pretended to be ) contrary to the welfare of the State : give mee leave to put up one Great One ; and to informe you who bee the Authors of the greatest Grievances , and Evills that can possibly betide the Kingdome of England , even they that would rob us of our God . Solomon saith , A man that wasts his Father , and chaseth away his mother , is a miserable wretch . And I know , if evidence should he brought into this Honourable assembly against any one that had deprived the King of a Subject , you would think him worthy of severe punishment . But higher , if you should light upon one , that should endeavour to deprive the King and Kingdome of a wise Counsellour , and States man , in the multitude whereof is the safety of the Kingdome . But higher yet , if any should be found that had lift up his hand against his Majesty , the Lords anoynted , who is the breath of our nostrills ; if any such should be discovered , would you not say of them as she said to David , Let the soule of my Lord bee bound up in the bundle of life , and let the Lord sting the soules of his enemies as out of the middle of a sting ? yea would not every true hearted subject in the Kingdome say thus also ? O but ( Honourable and beloved ) they that would rob us of the glory of our King , and Kingdome , that would take away all our happinesse , and protection , and prosperity , that would leave us naked to our shame , that wee should become a scorne and spoyle , are not they worse than any of the former ? You will say , Who is he ? and where is he that dares presume in his heart to doe so ? ( I pray stay for a full answer till the next poynt touching the Condition of enjoying God be unfolded : in the meane time ) take this in part : I pray God there bee none such met this day to fast and pray before the Lord . Every sonne of Belial , every one that is a Rebell against God , every one that workes wickednesse , is that wicked Haman , that sells Hester , and all her people to destruction . If there be any such here , you will give me leave ( being Gods Minister , and your Servant ) to discharge my Office faithfully . Should there bee but one such , I say , among you that are called together to bee the Repairers of the breaches , to such a one let me thus speak ; If thou be found to bee the Achan , that keepes God from going out with our armies ; the Jonas , that art ready to cast away the ship , so that there is no hope of our safety till thou be cast out ; if thy conscience accuse thee that thou art a child of Belial , an Idolater , a superstitious person , a prophane Esau : lay this close to thy heart , how miserable and wretched a man thou art , that not onely adventurest thine own soule to most certaine ruine in opposing the Lord ; but , as another Sylla , thou pluckest out thy fathers purple haire , and deprivest the Kingdome of the glory of it : so that it may be written upon thy Grave-stone , This man was the ruine of his King and Countrie . And for the Lords sake ( Honourable and beloved ) take it to heart , and lay it up with you , that if Gods presence be our glory , then those that would robus of it are our greatest enemies . Think of them all , as he ( upon lesse ground ) said of the Children of Dan. You have taken away my God , and what have I more ? And secondly , let me beseech you all in this your great Nationall Councell , and Assembly , to take seriously into your thoughts what may be the best way of lengthening out our tranquillity . Beloved , all the Nations in Christendome have beene in grievous perplexities many yeares round about us : wee have beene hitherto kept as another Land of Goshen , where light hath still shined , when all others have beene in darknesse . And I know the hearts of some of you have sadly expected when God should come and erect his Iustice seat among us , or give the sword a Commission against us : now you are met for this very thing , to provide for our welfare : for the Lords sake take care to keepe him with us : if he goe , all goes : wee can never light our Candle , if this Sunne bee set : wee shall never fill our Buckets , if this Fountaine bee shut up . All your counsells and advising will be nothing , if God say , I will stay no longer in England : Wee shall then bee a spoyle to any enemy ; a few unarmed men will bee too hard for us all . It is recorded of the Palladium in Troy , that while that Image remained there , the City was impregnable , and that till the Greeks lighted on that stratagem to steale that Idoll away , they could never winne the City . What ever fancy there was in that , you know how much it concernes us to keepe our GOD with us ; let your maine care bee to fixe and settle him therefore among us , and then wee are safe : if you let him goe , we are an undone people . Thirdly , if Gods presence in his Covenant bee the glory and safety of a people ; then may all of you , undertaking any service for GOD , and his Glory , most comfortably and securely rest on God to defend and protect you against all dangers . It is no question but your enemies are mighty , malicious , and cunning ; and it may bee they are digging as deepe as Hell for Counsell to doe you mischiefe in this great way and work that you are in . But while you are with God , God will bee with you . Are not five Sparrowes sold for a Farthing , saith our Saviour ? Are not you more worth than all the Sparrowes in the World ? are you not in Gods Worke ? As Caleb said , The Lord is with us , feare not them , They shall all be bread for us . Goe on boldly , use what providence you can to prevent dangers , but comfortably remember , that the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower , the righteous runne to it , and are safe . I will conclude this with a story of Luther , which he tells of a Bishop of Magdenburg . A Duke of Saxony prepared warre against him : the Bishop hearing of it , falls to praying , reforming of his Church , and amending what was amisse . One of the Dukes spies then in that City , when he saw him make no preparation for defence , came and asked him , if he did not heare what the Duke was preparing against him ? Yes , saith he , I doe ; but Ego curabo Ecclesiam meam , & Deus pro me pugnabit . I must looke to my worke , and the defence of me belongs to God ; which when the Duke heard , he disbanded his forces , and acknowledged that hee should prove too weak to deale with that man that ingaged God in the quarrell against him . So follow you on the work , be yee for the Lord , and comfortably rest your selves under Gods wing , to prosper and protect you . So much for their present happinesse . The Lord is with you . I proceed now to the second part , the condition upon which this happines is to be enjoyed : For God is with you , while you are with him . This Adverb while implyes : First , the duration of time , how long God will be with you , so long as you are with God ; so long , and no longer : for so it is used in the very next words of the Text , If yee seek him , he will be found of you : but if yee forsake him , he wil forsake you . So David saith to Solomon , Know thou the God of thy Fathers , and serve him with a perfect heart , and with a willing mind : if thou seeke him , hee will bee found of thee ; but if thou forsake him , he will cast thee off for ever . Secondly , While signifieth likewise the Degree and measure of Gods presence . This is , the beame by which GOD weighes out his presence , the Standard whereby he measures it ; that is in what degree people are with God , in that degree he is with them . If they bee with God in outward formalities only , God will be with them in outward blessings only : If they be with God in all things as Amaziah was , but not with a perfect heart , God will be so with them : if they be with God absolutely & intirely as Iosiah , and David , and Hezekiah , &c. were with God , God will bee so with them , fulfilling that in Isai. 26. that the most upright God ballanceth out the wayes of the just : hee weighes out their way , and gives them a just proportion ; according to that in the eighteenth Psalme , With the pure God will shew himselfe pure , and with the froward hee will shew himselfe froward : that is , hee will deale with men as they deale with him . This is fully laid downe in Levit. 26. where God saith , if they walke humbly with him , hee will walke graciously to them : if they walke frowardly and stubbornly , and contrary to him , hee will walke contrary to them : If they vexe him seven times , hee will vexe them seven times . So in the seven Churches , when some of them had a few things for God , God would be with them in a few things . If they will have something contrary to God , hee will ever have something against them : and as their wayes are to him , so the most High God will measure out himselfe to them ; and that is the Doctrine that I am to handle , viz. God will bee with his people to bee their glory , their portion , prosperity , and protection , just as they are with him . Before I proceede further with this poynt , give mee leave by way of Caution to remove two or three stumbling blocks , which lye in the way of many men . First , when you heare , that God will bee with his people as they are with God , take heede you understand it not as some , who ( that they may set up the rotten Dagon of mans free will , above the Arke of Gods free grace ) doe use out of such conditionall Scriptures , to argue , that God hath an antecedent , undetermined , uncertaine , suspended purpose of doing good to a people , which is moved , changed , or determined , according to the ebbings and flowings of their carriage towards him . A few words may serve in this assembly : these conditions shew not the moving cause of Gods presence , but describe the Subject or People with whom he is present : the hand of the Diall makes not the Clocke to goe , but shewes how it doth goe . These Conditions quicken us to our duty , and tell us upon what termes wee must look for God to bee with us , but he himselfe is not thereby limitted , but still at liberty to worke in us the Condition which himselfe requireth of us : Gods love of Friendship ( which is his manifesting himselfe in his Covenant ) we cannot expect , except we be with him ; but no Law is hereby laid upon his beneplacitum , his free favour , whereby hee workes both the will and the deed , and causeth his people to walke in his wayes . God gives conditions to us , but takes none from us . Secondly , much lesse neede wee sticke at the glosse of the Papists , who out of such conditionall Scriptures use to argue our performance of the condition , formally to merit Gods gracious presence , and so they will have it to bee rendred by him , not as a mercifull giver , but as a just Iudge . The Scripture is plaine to the contrary ; our merit is nothing but Gods mercy : Wee grant indeed Gods presence to his people is a reward of their obedience ; but it is a reward not of justice , but of mercy . So saith the Prophet David , Thou O Lord art mercifull , for thou rewardest men according to their works . * Thirdly , nor yet must wee thinke , that when this Condition is required of a Nation , that it is so limited , that unlesse the universality of the people shall performe it , the rest cannot expect Gods presence with them : for that was never done , no not in Davids , nor in Solomons time . But it is chiefely meant of the Princes , Rulers , Ministers , and the face of the people ; whose wayes ( whether good or bad in regard of Gods nationall proceeding with them ) are ever interpreted to bee the wayes of the whole body . These blocks removed , I returne to the Lessou , viz. That God is with his people while they are with him , in the sense before given . For the making this more profitable , I shall endeavour , First , to shew you what in the Scripture language the being of a people with God doth implie . Secondly , to make application of it to our selves . First , what is it for a people to be with God . I must shew first Negatively , what it is not . Secondly Positively , what it is . First , Negatively , it is not barely to beare Gods Name , and to bee called his people ; It is not meerely to draw neare to him in the externall performance of certaine duties : It is not to hang down the head like a Bulrush for a day , though in fasting and prayer : It is not to bring thousands of Rammes , and ten thousand rivers of Oyle before God . You know many , and many people have done all these things , yet God hath protested , they were not with him , nor hee with them . Secondly , positively and affirmatively what it is . It implyes these three things . First , to bee a holy people a Ieshurun , a righteous Nation , to be those that undertake the counter-part of the Covenant , that as God makes himselfe over to be their God , and their portion , so they deliver themselves up to him as a people renewed and sanctified , to become his portion . That is a chiefe thing which the Scripture alwayes meaneth , when it speaks a people to be with God , that they must be a holy people , separated from all iniquity unto God , as was cleerely and largely opened in the morning . Read over all the booke of God , and you shall never finde that a people are said to come home to God , but when they put away all their abhominations , threw away all their lusts and Idolls to the Moles and to the Bats , loathing and detesting themselves for them , being as the Doves in the valley , every one mourning for their owne iniquities , fully determining and resolving never to returne to them any more . And indeed if this be not done , it is impossible for a people to be with God , or to endure God to be with them : For God is a devouring fire to wicked men ; and all wicked men to him are as Straw , Hay , Stubble , and Waxe , which the nearer they are brought to the fire , the sooner they are devoured . Therefore you shall read that the nearer wicked men have at any time beene brought to God , the greater their misery . And for my owne part , I question not but if an ungodly man should bee lifted up into Heaven , where God most manifesteth himselfe in glory , he would there be most miserable . Clemens Alexandrinus speaks of a Temple , upon which was written , No unholy thing must come neare this place . This is Gods very inscription . Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evill , and canst not look on iniquity . Look over all the Epistles in the new Testament , and you shall finde , that however the externall profession of Christianitie admits men to the external priviledges of Gods presence , yet unlesse they be inwardly renewed and sanctified , there is no being nigh to GOD , Iames 4. 8. Draw nigh to God , and hee will draw nigh to you : Cleanse your hands yee sinners , and purge your hearts , &c. This is most cleare in that great worke of mans Redemption by Iesus Christ : when God had created man holy and righteous , God delighted to bee nigh unto him : but so soone as iniquity was found in him , there was a wall of separation built , and a gulfe made , that never could bee filled up , till the Lord Iesus Christ by his infinite sufferings did it : And when that worke is done by Christ , the Lord will not communicate his Christ to any soule in the world , but upon these absolute termes , ( and God hath sworn that it shall be so ) that so soone as he hath delivered them , and brought them neare to himselfe , in calling them to participate that Redemption , they should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life . This is the first thing , they must bee a holy people . Secondly , to be with God , is to be true worshippers of him , maintaining the purity of his Ordinances from Idolatry and Svperstition . This is abundantly proved Hos. 11. 12. Ephraim ( saith the Lord ) compasseth me . One would have thought that Ephraim was neare to God , when he compassed him : but saith God , Hee compasseth me with lies . What is that ? with Idolatry , for it is usually expressed in the Old Testament , that Idols are lies , and lies are put for Idols : as in Isa. 49. 20. Is there not a lie in my right hand ? Thus Ephraim ( that is the ten Tribes ) compasseth me , saith the Lord , but Iudah remaines faithfull with God , therefore hee ruleth with the Saints . What was Iudahs faithfulnes ? it was her keeping of the marriage Covenant with more care ; when in Hezekiahs time ( to which the Prophet referreth ) Religion was reformed and advanced , then Iudah was faithfull with God . For the more full understanding of this second branch , let me commend one observation to you concerning all the Kings of Israel and Iudah after Solomons time ; the Scripture sets downe a character of every one of them , that all the world might know what judgment God had of them . You shall finde that of all the Kings of Israel ( though there were some very brave men , yet ) there is not one of them that God acknowledged to have walked with him , because they were all Ieroboamites , worshippers of the golden Calves . And when hee speakes of any King of Iudah , hee ever singles out one thing as the chiefe matter of his commendation ; and that is , how he stood affected in poynt of Religion : Such a man was upright with God : the meaning is , all his dayes he maintained Gods worship . And yet let mee tell you some of their moralities were no better than they should be . Asa in the Text was a cholericke passionate man , and covetous in his old age , and many other weaknesses were found in him ; yet because hee went through-stitch in the reformation of Religion , Asa's heart was said to bee upright with God all his dayes . With this God useth to cover all their infirmities as with a veile . But if any of the good Kings did but halt in this poynt , God hath left it upon record , as a blot upon their honours , therefore are they blamed , if ( through their default ) the high places were not taken away , though the Idolls set up in those places were removed . And in the new Testament , throughout all the time of Antichrists apostasie , the true Church of Christ , that walked with him aright , are described by this Character , that they are a virgin company , not defiled with women ; that is , they were never guilry of the spirituall pollutions of that Apostaticall Church of Rome . This was to be with the Lamb , and to follow him wheresoever he goeth . That is the second , to keepe close to God in his worship . Thirdly , to be with God , is to be on Gods side ; to be engaged in Gods cause , to appeare in those things wherein God looks that all his friends should stand for him . When the Levites would know neither Father nor mother , but slay every man his brother , or companion , or neighbour , that they might avenge Gods quarrell ; this was to be on Gods side . When Elias was zealous for God , at a time wherein all the Kingdome ( as he thought ) played the Apostates : when Phinehas goes with his Javelin , and executes vengeance on Zimri and Cosbi , when men stand in the gap ; when ( in a word ) a people are for God and his cause , as Iehoshaphat said hee was for Ahab , I am as thou art , and my people as thy people : My horses as thy horses , and my Chariots as thy Chariots , this is to bee with God . And indeed , if this be wanting , people cannot be interpreted to bee with God , because God is not acknowledged in his due place , unlesse they bee for him with all their hearts , and with all their soule , and all their strength , when he hath most neede of them . If a woman will doe many things for her husband , yet if her heart goe more after her Puppets , her cloaths , her servants , than after him , especially in times of his necessity , her heart cannot beeinterpreted to be with her husband , because he is not acknowledged in the due place of an husband . So if there be any thing , any cause , any person , that we rather ingage our selves for , than for God and his cause , wee cannot be said to be with God . So now you have the meaning of the Condition of enjoying God , while yee are with him : It is , 1 To be reconciled to God , and to walk with him as an holy people . 2 To continue with him in the purity of his worship . 3 To stand by him in every cause , which doth concerne his glory . The deductions which might flow from this Doctrine for our use are many ; I shall confine my selfe to these two , as being most sutable and seasonable to the time , and your worke . First , matter of Humiliation , and mourning before God for time past . Secondly , matter of Duty , for time to come . For the first , Honourable and beloved , you stand this day before the Lord to afflict your soules , and ( though you bee the chosen men of your Tribes , lifted up above your brethren ) yet you are now called , not onely to bemoane your owne iniquities , but to beare the iniquity of the whole Kingdome . And ( me thinkes ) I looke upon you , as upon the Prophet Ezekiel , when he was to beare the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah , hee was to lye upon his side , and to eate his bread made of Wheate , and Barley , and Beanes , Lentiles , and Fitches , miserable coarse bread , and baked with the dung of man , and to drinke a little water for many dayes together . How sad and heavy the Prophets spirit must needs be when he was thus to beare such a burthen , is easie to judge . Such a temper of spirit would this day well become you . And now could I but speak to you from the Lord how sad things there are against England , in this point of not being with God , could you with patience and grace heare me ; and would the Lord affect my heart and yours in handling and hearing of them , we should make this place a Bochim , a place of weepers , the stoutest heart would be as Queene Huzzab , and her Ladies , when they went into Captivity , tabering on their breasts , and mourning as Doves , yea howling after the manner of Dragons . Could I , as in a mirrour , set before your eyes , how infinitely farre off the body of this Kingdome is from being with the Lord , we should wonder that the Lord hath not wholly forsaken us long agone ; and that instead of injoying this liberty of pleading with God for our lives , for our Prince and Countrey , and for whatsoever is precious to us , we are not left like unto Sodom , and made like unto Gomorrah . Take a view of all the three particulars mentioned in the point . First , are we an holy people ? ( I am now pleading Gods cause , and though a poore unworthy man , I stand betwixt God and a Kingdome ) I aske again , are we an holy people ? Are our Princes , our Rulers , our Magistrates , our Ministers , and the body of the people holy ? Doe wee walke according to the rules of Christianity , the summe whereof for the practicall part is laid downe in the ten Commandements , and those expositions that our Lord gives of them ? Doe we walke thus ? I know there is no man here so ignorant as to imagine that we doe . Alas ! the Prophets speech too well befits us : Ah! sinfull Nation , a people laden with iniquity , a seed of evill doers , Children that are corrupters : The whole head is sicke , the whole heart is faint : from the sole of the foote , even to the head , there is no soundnesse in it , but wounds , and bruises , and putrifiedsores . Aegypt was never more bespread with Locusts and Frogges , than our Kingdome is with horrible prophanenesse , uncleannesse , oppression , deceit , and whatsoever is a stench in the Lords nostrills . The generality of people wearing indeed the Lords Livery , ( being Christned ) and doing the Devills work all the yeare long . Nay , is there any thing this day so hated , as holinesse ? have we not gotten termes to scoffe down all goodnesse ? is not almost every man who will not sweare and be drunke , and be deboyst as a Turke , or worse , cryed downe with the odious name of a Puritan ? That as Ambrose said of Paulinus , a yong noble man of Rome , at whom when he was converted to Christ , and left the worlds glory , to carry Christs Crosse , there was more wondring than if a Mule had cast a Foale . And as Bede said of the ancient Britaines , immediately before their destruction by the Saxons , that they were come to that height of wickednesse , as to cast Odium in Religion is professores tanquam in adversarios . God knowes many thousands are guilty of the same in this Land , this day : the measure of our iniquity seemes to be more than full . O that our hearts could this day bleed for it ! Secondly , see what wonderfull cause wee have to bee abased for all the injury the Land stands guilty of , in abusing God in the poynt of his Worship , which is the defiling of the marriage bed betwixt God and his people . God hath visited all the Reformed Churches , brought most of them almost to nothing : yet , passe over and see , whether ever any of them have provoked the Lord in this kinde so much as wee have done . Let mee name foure or five things , too much practised , and too little lamented : God in mercy affect our hearts with them this day . First , the Articles of our faith , the depositum , the good thing committed to us , which we received from our fore Fathers ; and should transmit entire to our posterity : oh the miserable defection that wee have made from God , adulterating thereof ! Tell mee , beloved , what one poynt , what one Article of Faith controverted betwixt us and the Church of Rome is there , that our Pulpits , and Presses , and University Acts have not beene bold withall ? as if we were weary of the Truth which God hath committed to us : as if indeed , for our not receiving the truth in love , God were giving the Nation up to believe lies . Secondly , let me instance in the Lords Day ; a day which is a signe betwixt God and his people , that He is their God that sanctifieth them . That as Idoll-worshippers are knowne by keeping holidayes to their Gods : So Gods people are knowne to bee his people , by observing of his Holy day . It is most true , that our ancient Doctrine established is purer in this poynt than can be found in most of the Churches , and excellent Lawes we have for the backing of it : but I believe there hath not beene in all the Christian World such high affronts offered to the Lords day , as of late hath beene in England , and ( I am confident ) they all lie in the Deck charged , as the sin of the Nation , till by some publicke Act , the fourth Commandement bee restored to its due place and honour . Thirdly , goe to another branch , the poynt of preaching the Word . The preaching of the Word is the Scepter of Christs Kingdome , the glory of a Nation , the Chariot upon which life and salvation comes riding : such a treasure as that any wise Merchant would sell all to buy the field wherein this Treasure lies . O that God would humble England for the great abuse of this invaluable mercy ! What little care hath the State in general taken to provide that Christ might ride in Triumph upon his white horse ? that the Word of God might spread into every corner of the Land ? But , oh the cruelty that hath beene offered to many poore Congregations , in taking away the bread of Life from their mouthes , without any pitty ! as if the starving and murthering of soules , for which Iesus Christ shed his blood , were a matter of no moment . And oh , the spoyle , and havocke that hath beene made among many faithfull and painfull Ministers , for such trifles as will not endure tryall in the day of the Lords appearing ? Could wee as in a mirrour , behold the great guilt wee lye under for these things , and apprehend what great wrath is kindled against the Kingdome for them , how would our hearts tremble before God this day ? Fourthly , but above all , the extreame daring , bold audaciousnesse of a generation of men , that have adventured as much as in them lies , to corrupt Gods worship , that not onely rejoyce to see the Idolatrie , and superstition of Rome practised by others , but have dared to set their thresholds by Gods threshold , and to dresse out all Gods worship , according to their owne fancies , things too apparent to need any further proofe . It may be some may think , this is no great matter , and much complaint need not be made against it : a few distinctions will salve all that is done to quit it from Idolatry , and superstition . But as Lodovicus Vives saith of the Papists in his dayes , that for ought he saw , they ( in effect ) gave the same reverence to their Saints , which the Pagans did to their gods : So I may truely say of these men , ( that notwithstanding all their distinctions ) little difference is to bee found betwixt their practise , and the superstitions and Idolatries of the Church of Rome . Will some say , let it be granted that men have been too blame , ( as doubtlesse multitudes have been too bold ) in this kind , yet God forbid , that we should judge so farre , as to make them as odious to God , as if they were the bringers of Gods wrath upon the Nation , as if they were as bad as whoremongers , or blasphemers ; or that we should offer to compare them with the grosse Idolaters of the Church of Rome : God forbid such a staine should bee cast upon them . Thus some men draw a fine veile over these foule enormities . Good Lord , that the glorious light of the Gospell in eighty two yeares , should not take away this filme from the eyes of men ! Judge you the case , you that are husbands , you that have a spirit of jelousie , bee yee Arbitrators betweene the Lord and this Generation ; and say , if a wanton looke in your owne wife , if a whorish dresse , if the giving , or receiving of love tokens , if the least degrees of dalliance would not render your owne wife more abhominable to you , than the knowne fornication , or adultery of any other woman whatsoever ? Doe you not know that the Church of Christ is his Spouse ? Do you not know that God is more easily provoked by a people among whom hee walkes , than by any other people whatsoever ? I beseech you lay these things to heart . And let the remembrance of this day , helpe you in it . This day eighty two yeares agone , the Lord set up the Gospell among us , and tooke us to be a nation in Covenant with him . Oh the progresse that some nations would have made ! The thankfulnesse and fruitfulnesse that some people would have attained to in so long a time ! but that wee should grow worse and worse in poynt of Gods worship , that we should hanker after Idolatry , and Superstition , and fall away worse than any of our neighbours , that God hath visited so severely : what shall wee say , when God comes to reckon with us for these things ? Fiftly , adde the horrible prophanation of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper , the promiscuous multitude every where , not onely allowed , but even compelled to the receiving of it : Multitudes of whom , know not whether Christ were a man or a woman , nor how many Gods there be , multitudes wallowing in all prophanenesse and licentiousnesse ; yet if they professe that they be no Papists , almost every where they are admitted to the polluting of these reverend Mysteries , as if we would compell the Lord to depart away from us . And then , if we should take in the third branch of ingaging ourselves in Gods cause , how little zeale is there for God ? The wrongs and cruelties that are done to many , the teares of the afflicted , and oppressed ; and so few that will open their mouths , or appeare to plead any cause which GOD will owne , abundantly proclaimeth this . Verily , beloved , were you all as innocent as Ezra was of the fact among the Iewes , of the wretchednesse of the people of Israel : If you did know what God looks for at your hands this day , you would rent the very Caule of your hearts before the Lord , and sit downe with him astonished , and refuse to be comforted , and wonder that GOD hath not wholly left us , and delivered up our glory as a spoile , and severely revenged the quarrell of his Covenant . But to come nearer yet , and bring it home into your owne bosomes ; what if you your selves bee guilty of these things ? You that are the flower of your Tribes , the chiefe of the Thousands of England ; You that are lifted up above your Brethren , whom GOD hath made the Head , and not the Taile of the places where you live , when GOD might have left you to be hewers of Wood , and drawers of Water . And hee hath made some of you Noblemen , some Knights , and Gentlemen , and now called you to bee the Repairers of our breach , to heale and prevent our ruine . What if you your selves have a chiefe hand in these transgressions ? What if among you be found swearers , cursers , adulterers , drunkards , haters of Gods waies , scorners of his Children , and his Ordinances , men who goe on in your sinfull wayes , and resolve to doe so : and because you are great , will therefore bee children of Belial , refusing to carry Gods yoake : what if any such should be here ? The Lord of heaven forbid . But if there should be any such , I beseech you thinke what a Magor-mizzabib , what a terrour round about you there will be , when God comes to find you , and to reckon with you ! Are you come to Fast , and Pray before the Lord ? Doe you come to stand betwixt God , and the Nation , when you wallow in such wayes as GODS soule abhorres ? Doe you such things as are rebellion against God , and pull downe his vengeance on us ? Doe you call this an acceptable Day ? Doe you thinke the LORD will accept of any service at your hands ? Be ashamed , and confounded , and never rise up till GOD have broken your hearts , and spoken peace to you in the bloud of CHRIST . Let deepe humbling thoughts for these things , bee now to your soules as those bitter Hearbes wherewith the Israelites of old did eate the Passeover . But if you make nothing of all this , but will goe on carelessely , and walke contrary to God , God will walke contrary to you , the Lord will not be with you . This is the first use for Humiliation . Secondly , I adde but another of Exhortation , and I have done : ( I beseech you pardon the Liberty , which your call gives mee , I were unworthy ever to speake more , if I should not now speake freely ) You stand all this day before the LORD , and have beene exercised in the Duties of Fasting , and Prayer : I beseech you tell mee in Gods presence ( or rather answer GOD in your owne hearts ) what was the thing you propounded to your selves ? was it to keepe a day for Formality ? because it is now a received thing in England , in the beginning of a Parliament to keepe a Fast ? Or was it , that by hanging the head as a Bulrush for a day , you might expiate your sinnes with God , and take a new Ticket to sinne againe ? As it was said of Lewis the eleventh , that hee would kisse his Crucifix when he had done evill , and then God and hee were friends , and he might goe on in his old way againe . If it bee so , expect a sad reckoning for this dayes worke : you deale with a God that will not be mocked by the greatest of you . You shall reade in Ezek. 14. divers of the Elders came to the Prophet to inquire of God . These men , saith God , have set up their Idolls in their hearts , and they come to enquire of mee : Tell them I will answer them with a witnesse , I will set my face against them , and make them a signe , and a Proverb . So I say , from God to the greatest of you , who brought your sins in the morning , and purpose to returne to them in the evening , and keepe such a solemne day onely for a formality , and there an end , God will reckon with you for it . But if you desire indeed to meete God , and to bee with God , that God may be with you , then weigh what I shall say from the Lord ; and if it appeare to bee his will , then ( as you were taught in the morning ) draw it up into a Covenant ; Covenant betwixt God and your soules , come , and receive the Sacrament upon it , and lye at Gods feet to obtain grace for performance . My exhortation shall be answerable to the three branches of the Doctrine . First , resolve every one of you for his owne part to turne to God , to cast out all your abhominations , never to turne to any of your wicked wayes from this day forward . It may bee this motion seemes harsh , and will not easily downe : ( because in our wretched dayes , as the Turks use to account all fooles to bee Saints ; so men with us account all Saints to be fooles . ) But this must be done ; necessary things fall not under deliberation . To live in hell you would not ; to live with God you cannot : hard it will bee to be damned ; impossible it will bee to bee saved , unlesse with full purpose of heart you turne to God , and become new creatures . I must say to you as the Prince of Orange said to his souldiers at the battaile of Newport , when they had the Sea on the one side , and the Spaniards on the other : If ( saith he ) you will live , you must either eate up these Spaniards , or drinke up this Sea ; So must you , either conquer your lusts , eate up the Spaniards , or drink up the Sea , the devouring Gulfe of Gods wrath : and none of you know how soone this time may come , that will yee , nill yee , yee must be be brought neare to God , who is a devouring fire , utterly to consume you , if you be Straw and Stubble , or to glorifie you if you be Gold . The Pagan King of Niniveh saw this , that without turning every man from the wickednesse that was in his owne hands , there could bee no hope of escaping the wrath of God . And therefore you who are Christians cannot expect that God should be with you in any thing that you take in hand : till this bee done , God will not onely loath you , but the works of your hands also . Secondly , this done , bee with God in matter of * Religion : my meaning plainly is this , be First , such as cleave to the purity of his worship in your owne practise . And then in your great Counsaile , bee yee purgers and preservers of our Religion . Looke throughly what is amisse , and pluck up every plant that God hath not planted ; throw to the Moales , and to the Bats , every ragge that hath not Gods stampe and name upon it . That it may be said of this Parliament in matter of Religion , as it is said of Josiah , There was never any like him before him , nor any after him . So there was never any Parliament before this , nor never any after it , that followed the Lord with all their heart , and all their soule , and all their might , according to all the will of God . And to provoke you , give mee leave to give you a briefe view of the hedge that God hath made about the second Commandement . The intent of that Commandement is , that Gods people should worship him with his owne worship , and his owne ordinances , and never dare to tender to him the devises , and traditions of men for a homage . Now the Lord knowing the itch , and pronenesse in men to be tampering in the worship of God , to set their thresholds by his threshold , hath set such a hedge about it , that if a man did consider it seriously , hee could not but admire that ever mortall man should dare in the matter of Gods worship , to meddle any jot further than the Lord himselfe hath commanded : it standing like the Cherubims , and the flaming Sword , which turned every way to keepe the way of the Tree of Life . First , he is a jelous God , as if hee should say , the matter of my worship is to mee as the marriage bed ; and I am a Husband easily provoked to jelousie , which is * the rage of a man , and will accept no ransome . Secondly , all such are said to hate God , I will visit the sinnes of them that hate mee . They all pretend that they are lovers of him . They that made men kisse the Calves , yet would have them sweare Iehovah liveth . Jeroboam pretended nothing but respect to God , and to Gods people , when he set up his Calves : so these men pretend reverence and veneration to Gods Ordinances : but God protests that they all hate him , which may appeare by the odious names hee gives to their sinne , calling it sometimes Rebellion , as being a denying his Soveraignty , Iosh. 22. 16. 22. Sometimes Apostasie , Ier. 2. 13. Sometimes Adultery , the most unpardonable sinne betwixt man and wife , Ezek. 16. And sometimes Blasphemy . Isai. 65. 7. Thirdly , it is a sinne that hath vengeance , and punishment intailed upon it to the Third and fourth generation . The Iews say to this day , that there was never any calamity betided their Nation , since their comming out of Aegypt , but there was an ounce of the Golden Calfe in it . It is a sinne that GOD failes not to visit upon Children , to the third and fourth Generation . But now on the other side , God will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him , and keepe his Commandements . How is that ? The Lord interprets them to love him that purely worship him . As a man who finds his wife faithfull in the marriage bed , judgeeth that shee loves him , and that her heart is one with his , what ever other infirmities shee may have . Yea , they are interpreted to keepe all his Commandements . God will trust them for all his Commandements , whom he finds faithfull in his worship : Yea , to a thousand Generations , hee will remember them , which is longer than this wicked world shall stand . The kindnesse and faithfulnesse of them that maintaine and preserve the pure Religion and worship of God , shall ever bee in the sight of God for them and their posterity . Oh! let mee helpe your reckoning in the day of the LORD , intreating you for the Childrens sake of your owne body , to lay what I have said to heart , that you may provide that the Ordinances of God bee neither taken away , nor defiled , that GOD may be purely worshipped in his owne way for time to come . And that by a Generation of men , who seeke onely to glory in our flesh , wee bee not jugled our of our Religion , nor mis-led in such a way of service , as that Gods soule should take no pleasure in us . Thirdly , and lastly , ( which is the comprehension of all the rest ) bee on Gods side , ingage your selves in every cause which is Gods : Owne what God ownes . As Christ said , You shall not have me alway ; that is , in my person , but the poore you shall have alway , and when you will you may doe good to them . So I say , you have not Christ with you in his person : but you alwayes have his Cause , his Truth , his Ordinances , his Day , his Ministers , his Children , the Teares of the afflicted ; all causes of Instice and Righteousnesse , these are Gods causes . God would have all his friends zealous for him , and appeare for him , his Church , and his Cause . And to inflame your hearts to this , be pleased to consider these few incouragements . First , God hath deserved it at your hands , that you should appeare for Him , Hee hath appeared for you when none could : His Sonne Iesus Christ gave his owne soule a ransome for your sinnes , or else you had perished in Hell for ever . Hee hath made you the Head , rather than the Tayle : Hee hath heaped upon you Honour , Wealth , and Friends ; and you can give no other reason why you are not more miserable than the poorest Vagrant , that wants both house and home , but onely this , that GOD hath beene on your side . Doth not hee then deserve to bee owned ? They say , Love is loves Loadstone , and loves Whetstone . Secondly , Gods Cause , his Church , and Children , have few friends , and many enemies , and those enemies no Babies , but Principalities and Powers , Cruell , Cunning , Malicious , and unweariable : And more now than ever . Satan knowes his time is short , hee stirres up all his instruments , as if one spirit possest them all . And is it not a shame , that the Lords friends should bee more backward in his cause than the vassalls of Satan are in their Masters ? I adde thirdly , the Lord to punish the Pride , Sloath , Hypocrisie , and Formality of his people , hath of late suffered the enemies of the Church to prevaile exceeding farre . The face of Christendome this day so miserably rent with Warres , Sedition , Heresies , and Schismes is a most ruthfull spectacle . Who can looke upon poore Germany , and not even bee compelled to weepe over the Booke of the Lamentations againe ? And GOD knowes whose Lot is next : Little quiet I feare is to bee expected in Christendome , till the Beast his Kingdome be ruined . Now wee know that the Lord accounts that the most seasonable time for his friends to owne his cause , when the enemies are most violent against it : then God saith , Who is on my side , who ? When the pressures of the Church are greatest ; the opportunities of appearing for the LORD are most seasonable , and great are their Rewards who then sticke to him . Every one would gladly embrace a glorified CHRIST : but when the whole Councell shall reject him ; then , with Nicodemus to plead for him , this is honourable . When hanging upon the Crosse , his Disciples runne away from him , then with Ioseph of Arimathea boldly before Pilate to shew love to him , this is acceptable . When the Jewes had an exalted Mordecay , then the people of the Land would turne Iewes . The Samaritanes would helpe to build the Temple , when the Persian Emperour is a friend to the Church : But our Lord saith , let mee have the man that will not bee ashamed of me before a froward and adulterous Generation . Marke , he doth not say in a gracious Generation ( then no man will bee ashamed of him ) but in an adulterous , and froward Generation . Fourthly , when you strike in on the LORDS side , on his Churches side , on his Causes side ; you shall not onely strike in with the best side , with the best Cause , but with the most prevailing ; with that side which must and shall have the victory at the long runne . It would make a man never to be afraid to be ingaged in a quarrell where hee is sure of the Victory . The Barke wherein Christ , his Church , and Cause are , may bee tossed , but can never bee drowned . Populus Romanus saepe praelio victus , nunquam bello . The Romans lost many Battailes , but they were never overcome in a set Warre ; at the long runne they crushed all their enemies . So all the enemies that seeme too hard for Christs cause , and his Church , must perish . Hee must rule , till all his enemies be made his footstoole . In Zacharie the 12. there are foure or five admirable expressions . The Church is compared to a Hearth of Fire in the midst of a Wood . Like a Torch of Fire in the middest of a Sheafe . Whether the Wood , or the Fire , the Torch , or the Sheafe will have the victory judge yee . In verse the second shee is compared to a cup of Poyson , that will end them who thinke to devoure it . To an heavy Stone , that will returne upon those to their ruine , who endeavour to carry it away . So shall it bee with all Nations that fight against the Church and cause of Christ . And if any man should happen to lose his life in the Lords quarrell ; as the Angell said to Daniel , Hee shall stand up in his lot : Hee shall rise up , and follow CHRIST , cloathed with glory . Revelations the nineteenth , the Armies in Heaven , that followed Christs triumphant Chariot , were such as were holy , and faithfull , and loved not their lives to the death . Would not this move any man to bee on Gods side ? Lastly , ( Honoured , and beloved in the Lord ) let the consideration of your great place , and office that God Almighty hath called you to raise up your spirits to endeavour great things for the LORD . For my part , I am too weak to fathome in my thoughts , what the great worke is to which you are called together by God . You are met to seeke the good of the Land , the good of the Church , a greater charge than the salvation of your owne soules , is put into your hands . It may bee not onely our welfare , and peace , and Religion : but even the welfare of all Christendome , under God depends upon your meeting . That God that might have left you ( as I said ) to bee hewers of Wood , and drawers of Water , hath called you to bee Repairers of all our breaches , and the Prayers , and blessings of all GODS people are upon you . The eyes of all the Nation next under GOD , and our gracious Soveraigne , are fixed upon you . Oh what a mighty tye doth this put upon the soule of every one of you , to lay aside all businesse , and pleasures , and lusts , and ends of his owne , and solely to study how to advance CHRISTS cause , and appeare where Christ would have him appeare . Your work is great , our evills are many : but be not discouraged ; onely rememember , that God is with you , while you are with him . As it is in Zech. 4. Who art thou , O great Mountaine ? before my servant Zorobabel thou shalt become a plaine . If God be with Zorobabel , Mountaines shall become Plaines before him . God can make those things , that you apprehending as Hydra's , and Monsters would tremble to thinke of , to fall before you as the leaves of a tree . There is a notable storie of Luther , when hee first came out against the Pope , Albertus Cranzius ( a Bishop that liked well his project , but thought it impossible to bring it to passe ) wrote to Luther , Frater , Frater abi in cellam , & dic , miserere mei Deus , Frier , Frier , goe to thy Cloyster , and say , Lord have mercy upon mee , this worke is too hard for thee ; yet Luther wrought wonders . One Luther will doe great things , if GOD bee with him . One Parliament may doe great things , if God bee with them . Resolve upon it this day to bee for God , make this another blessed seventeenth of November . But if through feare , treachery , cowardise , pride , or sloth , you withdraw your selves from Gods work ; Deliverance shall come to Gods people another way ; and you for your part shall not onely lose your share in the comfort : but you shall bring all the guilt , and sinnes that the Nation groanes under , to stand upon your owne score before God . Yea , ( you will think it is a great word ; but I speake it not rashly ) it may bee more guilty , than the very Authors of our mischiefes , who have beene firme to their owne principles , in the bringing of them in : and you contrarie to your light , and office doe further them , if you not withstand them . As hee who solicited an Emperour for a pardon for one that had killed two men , and received a denyall upon that very reason , that the delinquent had twice imbrued his hands in bloud ; replyed to the Emperour : Nay , you killed the second ; for if hee had beene cut off for the first , hee had never killed the other . So , abundance of evills committed by private men , are not the sinnes of the Rulers and Princes at the first , but may afterwards through their connivence or want of zeale , be truely reckoned and accounted theirs . God forbid that you should bring so great a burthen upon your own soules and consciences . Vp and be doing , and the Lord be with you in his cause . Now although your wisedomes best know what is to be done ; and it may seeme unfit to prescribe such a Colledge of Physitians a way of a Cure : Yet give mee leave onely to propound one thing ( even the same which was prest in the forenoone ) which I suppose would prove a Catholike remedy for all our evills , and the greatest meanes for the lengthning out of our tranquillity , and the healing of all our distempers : that is , the promoting , establishing , and maintaining a faithfull , learned , painfull , preaching Ministery : that every Candlesticke may have a Candle , that every Flocke may have a faithfull Shepheard to guide them . This is the thing I would propound to you . This was the course Iehoshaphat tooke , who sent Princes and Levites , who taught in Judah , and went about through all the Cities , and taught the people . Blessed be God for the light that shines among us . Yet I must tell you that of nine or ten thousand parishes , which they say are in England , I believe there are many thousands , which these eighty yeares have not had the blessing to enjoy ( at the least any long time ) a setled , faithfull , preaching Ministery . So that I believe , ( and I speak somewhat from experience ) that many thousands , if not thousands of thousands , know not the right hand from the left , in the very principles of the Doctrine of Christ . What ever bee the cause , whether it bee that our Lawes and Constitutions are defective : whether the negligence or corruption of our Governours ; whether the want of a preaching maintenance , or whether all these bee the fault : Certaine it is , there hath beene hitherto a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , somewhat which hath hindred the spreading of it . And it is worth your most diligent enquirie , whether the neglect of this hath not beene one maine cause of the ill successe of so many former Parliaments . Could you provide mercifully for people in this , you would make all safe , and England would thanke you as long as it is England . To incite you , be pleased to consider but these two things . First , we deserve no further the name of a Christian Nation than this is done , nor any further than this is advanced . This is the Scepter whereby Christ rules : The dwelling of his Word with a people , is the greatest proof of their owning him for their Prince , and his acknowledging them for his owne Subjects . Is any Country esteemed a part of a Princes Dominion , that is not ruled by his Lawes ? Neither can any Land be accounted Chists Kingdome , where the preaching of the word , which is the Rod of his power is not established . And the Lord hath ever esteemed the hinderers of his Word , to bee the men that would not have Christ rule over them . Secondly , if all the good Lawes in the world were made , without this , they would come to nothing ; order what you can , leave this undone , you will never doe the thing you aime at . Magistrates and Ministers of Justice will not execute them , and people will not obey them . The darke places of the Land are ever full of the habitations of wickednesse . But if Christ smite the earth with the rod of his mouth , the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe , and the Leopard shall lye downe with the Kid , the Calfe , and the yong Lion , and the fatling together , and a little Child shall lead them . There shall nothing hurt nor destroy , where Christs Scepter rules : Your Lawes cannot give men new hearts , nor new strength ; that is the priviledge of the Lawes of Christ . The Poets speake of excellent Musitians , who by the power of their Musicke made stones leap into Walls , beasts to bee tame , &c. This will doe more , this will take the stone out of mens hearts , this will give them a new heart ; this will make all the Commandements easie ; there is a kinde of omnipotencie in it . Ibeseech you amongst all your excellent purposes for our good , let this bee the first , and chiefest : If this will not doe , nothing will : If they heare not Moses and the Prophets , they will not believe though one rise from the dead . FINIS . LONDON : Printed by J. O. for SAMUEL MAN , dwelling in St. Pauls Church-yard , at the signe of the Swan . 1641. Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89580e-240 Introduction , setting forth 1 The fitnesse of the Text . Amos 7. 14 , 15. Ezr. 8. 21. Verse 22. 2 The state of the Iewish Church , which occasioned the Text . Chap. 14 , 2 , 3 , 4. Verse 7. 3 The coherence and Analysis . Verse 7. 4 The division . Notes for div A89580e-1040 The first part , viz. The happinesse of the Church Psal. 139 , 7 , &c. Jer 50. 5. Isai. 56. 3 , 6. Doct. 1. The happinesse of the Church proved , 1 By Scriptures . Deut. 29. 5. 2 By Reason . 2 Cor. 3. 18. The Churches happinesse further explaned , to consist , 1 Of Gods owning them . 2 Cor. 6. Hos. 2. John 14 1 Joh. 5. 14. 2 Of Gods assisting and prospering of them 1 Chr. 11. 9. Gen 39. Job 22. 28 Pro. 16 3. Psal. ●● Isa. 26. 12 Psal. 127 Hag. 1. 6. 9 3 Of Gods protecting and defending of them . Acts 7. 9. Gen 7. Vers . 10. 2 Chr. 25. Jer 48. 46 Mal. 2. 11. Ier 2. 27. Iudg. 11. 24. Iudg. 16. 24. Use 1. for discouery of the greatest Traitors . 1 Sam. 25. 29 Hest. 7. 5. Iudg. 18. 24. 2 Use of the Churches happinesse , direction how to lengthen out our happines . Ier. 37. ●● 3 Use of the Churches happinesse . A ground of protection in any undertaking for God . Num. 14. 9. Prov. 18. 10. Expos. in Esai 30. v. 15. Notes for div A89580e-4820 The second part viz. The Condition of enjoying that happines . 1 Chron. 28 9. 2 Chron. 28. 2. Vers . 7. Vers . 26. 2 Doct. 1 Cleered of Cavils , by a three fold Caution . * Psal. 62. 12. 2 Further explicat●d by the resolving of a question . Quest . What it is to bee with God . Answ. 1. Negatively Isai. 58. Micah 6. 2 Affirmatively it imports 3 things . 1 To be an holy people . Deu. 32 9 Isai. 2. Hos. 14. Eze. 7. 16 Luke 1. 2 To bee true worsh●ppers of God , in purity . Rev. 14. 4 3 To be on Gods side in all Causes . Exod 32. 26. 2 King. 19 Num. 25. Ezek. 22. 30. 2 Chron. 18. 2. Use 1. Of the second poynt , which is , a Vse of deephumiliation . Ezek 4. Nahum . 2 Because we are 1 Not an holy people . Isai 1. 2 Not with God in the matter of hisworship Exo. 33. 5 Ezek 8. 3 Not with God as in gaged in His Cause . Ezra 9. 2 Vse . Of the escond poynt . Exhortation consisting of 3 branches . 1 To turn unto God as an holy people . 2 Be with God in matters of Religion * Hag. 2. 11 , 12 , &c Motives thereunto from the second Commandement . Gen. 3. 24 1. * Prov. 6. 34 2. 3. 4. Job . 19. 17. Gal. 6. 13 3 Be with God , in every cause of God . Motives hereunto . 1 GOD hath deserved it at your hands . 2 Gods cause hath many enemies , and few friends . 3 GOD hath , for punishment to his Church permitted the enemy to prevail very far . 4 Gods Cause is the best , and his side will prove at last the prevailing party . Florus . Psal. 110. Dan 12 13 5 The consideration of the office and calling of this house of Parliament should provoke them hereunto above others . 2 Chron. 17. 7. Psalm . 74. 20. Isaiah 11. 4 , &c. 
A89583	----	A sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament: at their late solemne fast, Januar. 26. 1647. at Margarets Westminster. / By Steven Marshall, B.D. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89583 of text R204300 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E423_27). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 91 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89583 Wing M780 Thomason E423_27 ESTC R204300 99863895 99863895 116111 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89583) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116111) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 67:E423[27]) A sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament: at their late solemne fast, Januar. 26. 1647. at Margarets Westminster. / By Steven Marshall, B.D. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [8], 40 p. Printed by Richard Cotes, for Steven Bowtell, at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London : 1647 [i.e. 1648] With a preliminary order to print. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- N.T. -- Matthew XI, 12 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Religious aspects -- Sermons. A89583 R204300 (Thomason E423_27). civilwar no A sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament:: at their late solemne fast, Januar. 26. 1647. at Margarets We Marshall, Stephen 1648 16695 13 0 0 0 0 0 8 B The rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Robyn Anspach Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Robyn Anspach Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Die Mercurii , 26. Januar. 1647. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament , That Sir William Massam doe from this House give Thanks unto Mr. Marshall , for the great paines he tooke in his Sermon , Preached on this day at Margarets Westminster , before the House of Commons ( it being a day of Publick Humiliation ) and that hee be desired to Print his Sermon , wherein hee is to have the like priviledge in Printing of it , as others in the like kind usually have had . H. Elsynge , Cler. Parl. D. Com. A SERMON PREACHED TO THE HONORABLE HOVSE OF Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT : At their late solemne Fast , Januar. 26. 1647. At Margarets WESTMINSTER . By Steven Marshall , B. D. London Printed by Richard Cotes , for Steven Bowtell , at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley . 1647. TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT . THE Lord hath cast us into times , in which the foure Windes strive upon the great Sea ; a great part of the World hath little leasure for any thing , but storming of Townes and strong holds , and taking in of Kingdomes and Countryes ; in our Land of Peace , we also of late have cryed out of VVar and Violence ; and although those winds have ( through Gods goodnesse ) in a great measure ceased blustring , yet the Sea hath not left rowling ; Animosities yet remaine too great , Paroxysmes very sharpe , and pursuits of worldly interests , extreame eager : here like Jehu , wee drive furiously , magno conatu nugas , we throw feathers with the whole strength of our arme : vaine men ! that lean too hard on a weak reed ; unwise builders ! who lay too great a weight upon a slight foundation ; make such trifles our Master-peeces , that when we come to review our work , wee must be inforced to say , Materiamsuperavit opus , that wee have overdone it , laboured too hard for that which satisfieth not , and caused our eyes to fly upon that which is not , and therefore that wee had been more wise , if wee had been lesse earnest , and more happy , if wee had not effusissimis habenis , let out the strength of our desires and endeavours after those things , which prove vanity and bitternesse in the latter end . Odit Deus nimis vehementes impetus , odere cives , gratior est moderatio . Because Morall vertue is circa res medias , therefore the Philosopher rightly placed it in a Mediocrity : sure I am , the Grace of Christ perswades to a moderation , a weanednesse , a remissnesse in suth things as these , in which wee have not so much need of the spur as of the Bridle . But if the metled horse bee so upon his speed , that hee cannot be held in , it would bee a peece of our best skill to guide him in a safe way , and to turn the violent stream that cannot bee stopt , into a right channell ; This was the design of my weake endeavours in this short Sermon , to stay the man that runnes so violently down the hill earth-ward and hell-ward , and ( if it might be , ) to turn his face and heart , that if he cannot with so much speed , yet with more contention and earnestnesse , he may get u pthe hill heaven-ward . In which endeavor omne valde tuum , al thy might is too weak , al speed tooslow , and greatest earnestnesse too faint . Against sin , all that carefulnesse , indignation , fear , vehementest desire , and hottest zeal , yea and revenge that the Apostle speaks of , are not over much , but onely malo nodo malus cuneus , a sharper wedge for a knotty peece , which will require our best strength to drive it in so as to pierce an hard heart . For Gods truth , an earnest contending is not too impetuous . For the Church of God , & the rearing up of Ierusalems wals , a Satagentia is not enough ; a Nehemiahs intense earnestnes is deservedly imitable . For Heaven , if by striving to enter in at the strait gate , & by giving al diligence , at last we come to have an abundant entrance , our labour will not exceed our reward . In this work of the Lord , if you abound , your labour wil not be in vain in the Lord : and may my poore paines any whit herein quicken your endeavours , to get to heaven your selves , and by your helpe to have others goe along with you ; to enter your selves into that Kingdome , and by your authority with a sweet violence to compell others to come in , as it is the prayer , so it will be the rejoycing of Your humble Servant STEVEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED To the Honorable the House of Commons at the Monethly Fast , Januar. 27. 1647. MATTH. 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now , the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force . THat you may the more cleerly understand the scope of our blessed Saviour in these words , be pleased to observe that in the beginning of this Chapter , Iohn the Baptist had sent two of his Disciples upon a message to Christ ; not for his own information , but for the confirmation of his Disciples , who were too much addicted to himself , that they might be satisfied in receiving Christ to be ( as he was ) the promised Messiah , by seeing and hearing what he did and taught ; as soon as these Disciples of Iohn were gone , Christ turnes to the multitude , that were about him , and from the 7. verse of this Chapter , to the 16. verse , doth make a notable discourse wholly concerning Iohn the Baptist ; and there are two parts of Christs speech concerning Iohn ; First , A blaming of the levity , and inconstancie of the people , in their respect towards Iohn , for they had magnified him so ( not long before ) that they were ready to have received him as their Messiah ; but now Iohn was grown no body with them ; this our Saviour doth bitterly taxe . And the argument whereby he reproves them lies in such a distribution as this is , Either you were very foolish in magnifying Iohn , when there was no such worth in him , or you are extreame vaine and light in withdrawing your hearts from him , that was so worthy at first to be received : the first is not to be granted , therefore the second must needs be true ; what went you out into the Wildernesse to see ? was it a Reed shaken with the wind ? did you goe as children doe , to see rattles and toyes ? no , but wee went to see and heare Iohn the Baptist ; and what in him ? a man cloathed in white raiment , alas , Iohn was no Courtier ; no , we went to him as to a Prophet ; I , so he was ( saith Christ ) and more then a Prophet , the greatest Prophet that ever the world saw , and the greater is your fault in slighting of him . In this as in a glasse you may see the levity and inconstancy of people who contemne him to day whom they admired yesterday , and that doctrine which this day they esteeme as a treasure they by and by abominate , because indeed Athenian-like they imbrace it not because true , but because new : thus it hath been of old , and thus it is to this day , he who to day is lifted up is to morrow trodden down , who is now accounted cloquent is presently esteem'd a babe , rude or barbarous , and all from their ficklenesse , the Word and Ministers are the same , but the people are changed , like sick peoples palate , who long for that meat one day which they nauseate the next day , or as children who delight in those toyes one day which the next they throw out of the doores . The second part of Christs discourse concerning Iohn is , A high commendation of Iohn , and of his Ministery , from three notable arguments : First , That Iohn was the Prophet , that was foretold long before by two emminent Prophets , Isaiah , & Malachi , both of them shewing that the Lord would send his messenger before his face , and ( saith Christ ) if you 'l beleeve it , this is he . The second is taken from the eminencie of Iohns worke , hee did immediatly goe before Jesus Christ , as a Noble man that should lead the Prince by the hand , and shew him to every one , This is he ; he did not as the other Prophets hold him out in types and shadows , and spake of a Messiah that was to come a long time after , but as another Christopher did carry Christ upon his shoulders , and held him out in his armes , that every one that came neer Iohn might see him pointed out to the Lambe of God , that took away the sinnes of the world ; and the clearer any Ministery is in the discovery of Christ , the more excellent it is ; but yet that Christ might set the true bounds to the honour of Iohns Ministery , he adds that though of all the Prophets that ever were before him , there was none like him , yet the least Minister after Christ should have done his worke , the meanest Minister of the Gospel had a more excellent Ministery then Iohn the Baptist , because the excellencie of a Ministery is in the light that it carries : Now Iohns light did farre goe beyond all that went before him ; but the least Minister of the Kingdome of Heaven , after Christs work was done on earth , should be able so cleerly to shew forth the life , death , passion , resurrection , ascension , intercession of Christ , sending of the holy Ghost , and all those glorious mysteries , that children might bee able to understand them ; and this goes far beyond the Ministery of Iohn the Baptist : This is the second Argument whereby Christ magnifies the Ministery of Iohn ; the third is , that that I have chosen for my Text . That from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence , and the violent take it by force : the summe whereof is , that from Iohns time there was raised up in all who truely embrac'd the Gospel , a servent spirit to pursue and advance the Kingdome of Heaven with all eagernesse ; no Souldiers are more violent in assaulting and taking astrong hold then Iohns Disciples were in prosecuting the Kingdome of Heaven with all their might , when once it was discover'd to them . Now all these arguments whereby Christ doth extoll the Ministery of Iohn , are intended not onely as so many testimonies of honour to Iohn , but are also so many Arguments to prove Jesus Christ to be the true Messiah ; for whatever proves Iohn to be the Elias , that should make his way ready for him , the same proves Jesus Christ to be the Saviour that should come unto Gods people ; and this of my Text as strong and cleare as any other , because it was foretold of him that the people should be willing in the day of his power , should come in as plentifully as the dew out of the wombe of the morning , should flie after him as the Doves to their windowes . This is the commendation of Iohn ; if you would know the fruit of all this , what this high encomium of Iohn did work upon the hearers , you may read in the 7. of Luke , where Vers . 29. 30. this same story is recorded , and the effect of it is there added , which our Evangelist doth omit , viz. that when Christ had said these things of Iohn , the Publicans and the rest of the people , who had before been baptized by Iohn Baptist , glorified God , were awaken'd , and brought to sorrow for their neglect of Iohn , and so encouraged to imbrace Jesus Christ , whom Iohn pointed out ; but the Scribes and Pharisees , the learned Doctors , and others , that had despised the Ministery of Iohn , did no whit regard the honour that Christ did give to Iohns Ministery , and so neither accepted Iohn the forerunner , nor Christ the Saviour , but rejected the counsell of God against themselves ; This is the sum of the whole context , Our generall observation from this commendation which our Saviour gives to Iohn , is , that the Lord Iesus is most ready to honour them who abase themselves for his sake . Iohn had exceedingly abased himself , declaring himself to be but the voyce of a cryer , unworthy to unloose the latchet of Christs shooe , making himself a footstoole to exalt Christ , willing to decrease that Christ might increase , and now Christ heaps honour upon Iohn abundantly , so that wee may see that such as honour Christ shall be honoured of him ; and that although honour flie from them who vainely seek it , yet it followes them who flie from it . But I come to my Text , which as you have heard is one branch of that honorable testimony which our Saviour gave to Iohn the Baptist , which I shall desire you with me to look upon under a twofold consideration . First , As they are intended to bee a Crown and an honour to Iohn the Baptist ; From the dayes of Iohn the Baptist untill now , the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence ; Secondly , and principally , Wee will consider these words , as they doe containe a description of men , who are rightly affected with the kingdome of heaven ; The Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence , and the violent take it by force . Of the first of these , very briefly ; the meaning I take to bee this , This eagernesse and fervency of Spirit in the people is to bee looked upon , partly as a fruit of that cleere light , which Iohn Baptists Ministery did hold out ; never any discovered the kingdome of heaven so cleerly as Iohn did , and therefore never was there such zeal to presse into the Kingdome of heaven , as was in Iohns time . Secondly , and partly as a conformity to Iohns Spirit ; Iohn came in the power and Spirit of Elias , a man of mettle and zeal , that did the work of the Lord with all his might , and therefore the people whom his Ministery wrought upon , were moulded into Iohns Spirit , they were made like unto their Teacher , and both these are by our Lord intended as a Crowne to Iohn ; From the dayes of Iohn the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence . A word or two of each of these ; Take the zeal and eagernesse of the people after heaven , as a fruit of that clear discovery of the Kingdome of heaven by Iohns Ministery , and it affords us this excellent lesson , That the clearer light any people doe receive from Heaven , the more will their zeal bee enflamed towards heaven ; never any preached heaven so clearly as Iohn , never any so violent in the pursuit of it , as those that received Iohns Ministery ; it was prophesied of Iohn in the 1 of Luke Ver. 15 , 16 , 17. that he should be filled with the Holy Ghost , and should goe before the Lord to prepare his way , and ( saith the Text ) he shall thereby turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children , the hearts of the children to their Fathers , and the disobedient to the wisdome of the wise : the meaning is this , Iohns Ministery should effect this , that if Parents heretofore were ignorant of the wayes of God , and so slighted their children , for their childrens godlinesse sake , now the Parents should turn to the wisdome of their children ; If children heretofore had slighted their Parents , for their wisdome and godlinesse , now the children should turn to the wisdome of their Parents ; the disobedient should turn to the wisdome of the wise , whether this wisdome were found in the Fathers , or in the children , in whomsoever wisdome should bee found , the disobedient would turn to them when Jesus Christ should bee clearly discover'd to them ; the Apostle in the 2 of Cor. 3. 13. layes this downe most clearly and fully , when hee speaks how gloriously Jesus Christ is revealed in the Ministery of the Gospell , he expresses the fruit of it thus ; We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord , are changed into the same Image from glory to glory ; whoever doth clearly see the glory of Christ in the Gospell , according to the measure of his light , so is the measure of the transforming of his heart into the image of the Gospell ; And the reason is , because this light doth not onely discover a supereminent excellency in Christ and his wayes , but also heales the will and affections , and satisfies the whole soul with such a sutable goodnesse , that it can doe no other but fly to it as the Eagle to the carkasse . This Lesson which is of singular use for many things , I note it onely to bee a direction to us , how wee may try both our own and the pretended light of others , concerning the Kingdome of heaven in our dayes , especially in these late yeares , wee have more discourse then ever of New Lights , and new Gospel discoveries , and all our old Preachers and professors are by a great many accounted to be legall men , Morall men , who doe not see into the mysteries of heaven , and Jesus Christ , as some of late , thinke themselves have attained unto , this you know is spoke of very much amongst many people : Now I doe willingly acknowledge , that day unto day utters knowledge , and night unto night discovers wisedome , every new day , and every new year , the nearer wee come to Christs last appearing , will certainly discover Gospell Truths more clearly then they have been understood before ; yea , and I as willingly and readily acknowledge every one to have received more light then formerly , or more light then his brethren , when I see any mans heart enflamed with more zeale , transformed into more holinesse , and humility , and gratiousnesse of spirit , then others doe attaine to ; this is cleare in my Text ; A cleare light did kindle a great deale of zeale : but when you meet with any that speak of discoveries , of glimpses of glory , and new light , and in the meane time , with all their light and knowledge doe walke licenciously , and reject the ordinances of God , and walke in wayes that are contrary to the cleare dispensation , and counsell of the Gospel , I will never feare to say , that that light what ever it be , proceeds from the Prince of darknesse , from which the Lord deliver all his people . Secondly , as this violence of their spirit was conformity to Iohns spirit , who walked in the power and spirit of Elias , a man of zeale , we may learn , That the Image of the spirit of Teachers frequently appeares in their Disciples . If you search the Scriptures , you 'l finde nothing more usuall then the people moulded into the spirit of their Teachers & Rulers : It 's worth your observation that all the Epistles written to the seven Churches , wherein some of them are condemned to be dead , and some to bee cold , and some for loosing their first love , and some commended for their puritie and sincerity , and watchfulnesse , &c. all this is spoke to the Angel , that is , to the Colledge of Ministers to them that were their leaders ; yet therein the holy Ghost intends that Character of the whole Church , although hee names onely the Angel , because of old it hath been a Proverbe , as is the Priest , so are the people ; like Minister , like people ; like Magistrate , like flock ; and although no man can communicate his own spirit unto his Schollers , but onely our Lord Iesus , who can powr out his spirit at his pleasure ; yet all experience shews us , that the frame of spirit that is in superiours , whether Magistrates or Ministers , hath a wonderfull influence upon the molding of those that are under them ; Magistrates and Ministers in this sense may be truely said to be set for the rising and fall of others , their vertues and vices are imitated by them who are under them , if they fall they draw many down with them , as the Dragon drew the third part of the stars , and great Cedars crush many lower Trees and make them fall with them ; if Peter temporise with the Jewes , his example compels others to doe the like ; so also is their zeale for God a great provocation to their Schollers and others who are under them ; but I intended onely to point at these two things . The third which I chiefly ayme at in this first consideration of the words , is , That this excellent spirit that was found in the people , is here set upon the head of Iohn the Baptist as his Crown , this is made Iohns glory , that the Epoche of a new world , or a newface of a Church did take the date from the Ministery of Iohn ; From the dayes of Iohn the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence ; and the Lesson that I observe from it is , That the greatest glory that ever the Lord sets upon any whom he useth is , that the Kingdom of Heaven is advanced by their Ministery or service . This I think you see plain in the Text , & this I shall indeavour a little to open and apply unto you : it is true , that when the servants of God are faithfull , they are accepted with God , and shall be glorious with him , though there bee no successe of their labours ; the Prophet Isaiah saith , though Israel be not converted , and Iudah not gathered , yet I shall be glorious with my God ; and Paul saith , Wee ( that is , wee faithfull Ministers ) are a sweet savour unto God , in them that perish , as well as in them that are saved : the servants of God lose not their labour with God , when they are unprofitable towards man ; but if the Lord doe please to use any as means to advance the Kingdome of Heaven , hee never conferres a greater glory upon any of his creatures : Daniel faith in the 12. of Daniel , whether they bee Magistrates or Ministers , or private men , They that turne many to righteousnesse , shall shine like the Stars ; you know the Stars are the brightest part of the whole Creation ; they that are meanes to win people to righteousnesse , shall shine like Stars . Observe also what an honorable name the Lord gives to such in the 58. of the Prophesie of Isaiah : Thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach , the restorer of paths to walk in , the raiser up of the foundations for many Generations : intimating that a greater name of glory cannot bee given them . There is an excellent story in the sixth Chapter of the Prophesie of Zechariah , the Lord appointed that Ioshua the high Priest , ( who was a type of Christ , and was then building the Temple , and setting up the worship of God ) should have crownes of Gold and Silver set upon his head , typifying thereby the glory that shall bee set upon the head of the Lord Jesus , that is the great builder of his Church : but in the same Chapter the Lord commanded the Prophet to take of them that are of the captivitic , and names Helem , and Tobijah , and Hen , and some others , who ( as some Interpreters ) think were Ambassadors sent by the rest of the scattered Jewes to bring their oblations ; active men that came to helpe forward the work of God : others thinke they came as private men enflamed with zeale to set a good example unto others , and brought their Silver and Gold that they might further the work that was in hand ; implying thus much , that these excellent men to whom God had given a spirit to helpe forward that work , and had brought their Silver and Gold , and other gifts , the Lord would have their gifts turn'd into Crowns , and have their names written upon their Crownes , and these should be hung up in the Temple of God , as an everlasting memoriall of the glory that God put upon these forward men . Truly thus doth the Lord deale with all his servants , if he give the talents of authority , of Magistracy , of Ministery , of wisedome , of wealth , or whatever may be usefull , to any , and they obtaine a heart to employ these to advance the Kingdome of Christ , the Lord turnes their talents into crownes , and engraves their names upon their crownes , and hangs them up as a memoriall before the Lord : and this I could shew you out of 100. examples in the Scripture , especially of those two sorts of great instruments , Magistrates and Ministers , that it hath been the greatest glory that ever God put upon any of them , that they have bent themselves to advance the Kingdome of Heaven ; What is the great glory of Moses ? but that he brought Israel out of bondage , and brought them into a covenant with God , and gave them statutes , and oracles , and ordinances ; What is the glory of Ioshua ? but that hee did plant Israel in their owne possession , and brought them into a covenant , and there set them into a way that they served God all his dayes : What was the glory of David ? but that being raised ( from being a Shepheards boy ) to bee a King , hee did doe good unto Gods people , and provided beyond all measure , whatsoever might build a Temple for God , and set the orders to the Priests , and enabled the servants of God to serve him with liberty and cheerfulnesse : And what was Solomons , but the building Gods house , & c ? And so I might go on with Asa , and Iehosaphat , and Iosiah , and Ezrah , and Nehemiah , all these great Worthies , their glory hath been that the Kingdome of God was advanced by them : the like of Ministers , Iehojada the Priest , buried among the Kings , because hee had done good to Israel , and honored God and his house , hee had helped Religion wonderfully forward ; and Iohn the Bap ist here in my Text , it was prophesied of him by the Angel , He shall be great in the sight of God , Iohn shall be a very great man ; Alas , what was Iohns greatnesse ? hee was a Priests sonne , lived in a kind of Hermits life , and went in a leather girdle , and eate countrey fare , and went in course apparell : wherein was his greatnesse ? It was this , many of the hearts of the childen of Israel shall hee turne unto the Lord his God ; and so Samaria it is Philips crowne , and all the countries and cities that Paul wonne to Jesus Christ are so many crownes to him : and you shall reade of the Church , the woman in the twelfth of the Revelations when she was cloathed with the Sunne , that is , Christ Jesus her Lord , his rightcousnesse was her glorious rayment , yet shee had a crowne of 12. Stars upon her head , that is , the 12. Apostles of Christ , that had laboured to bring her to that light and grace : these were set upon the Churches head , and shee wore them as a crowne : Many more instances might bee given , but to cleare it a little further , consider but these two grounds for it : First , Who ever are instrumentall in advancing , and building up , and furthering the Kingdome of Heaven , the Lord gives them to partake with himself , in that which is his own greatest glory , and the greatest glory of his Son , the Lord Jesus Christ , when Satan had ruin'd mankind , and himself become the God upon earth , and drawn all men off from God to worship Devils , the great designe of God was to set up another Kingdome , that should bee called the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of his Christ , the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus , the Kingdome of Heaven ; and for the erecting of this , Christ did all his work , came from Heaven , became a man , died , rose again , sent out his Spirit , it is the great designe of Heaven , that this Kingdome should bee erected and advanced ; Now when any are found to help forward this , they are associated with the Lord Jesus , in this great Work ; and therefore you shall read in the Prophesie of Obadiah , the last verse of it , where the Lord speakes of winning both the Jews and other Nations home to Christ , Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion , Saviours shall be there ; Who are they ? the Jewish Interpreters say , that the Saviours there meant are , Rex Messias , & ejus socii ; these Saviours are , King Messiah and his Companions that should work with him ; and most interpreters do agree , that the Saviours are the Apostles , and the Apostolicall men , and others , that should bring the people homeagain to God , and help to convert the Nations , the Lord calls them by the name of Saviours , and many are said to be fellow-workers with Christ , and the Apostle saith of Timothy , See that Timoty bee without any molestation with you , ( in the ● . of the Cor. 16 ) for he works the Worke of God , as I doe ; and of Epaphroditus , it is said of him , that for the Work of Iesus Christ , hee was sick unto death ; the work then that they are imployed in , to build up the Kingdome of Heaven , is the same work that God and the Lord Iesus Christ work : and can there be a greater glory communicated unto any creature , then to bee tooke into association with God , in a service that is for his highest glory ? Secondly , as they are associated with God , so They make the people to whom they are instrumentall , beholding to them , for the greatest benefits that people are capable of receiving ; Seneca saith , Nihil in rebus humanis praeclarius quam de republica bene mereri , There is nothing in all the affaires of mankinde more honorable then to deserve well of the Common-wealth , to be instrumentall of good to others , it is the glory of man in all humane societies ; and you shall find that Tubal-Cain , and others that did invent instruments of Brasse , and Musick , are numbred among those that have done good to the world : and Hezekiah hath a Crowne of praise , that hee did build a poole , and brought water to the Citie of Ierusalem : But for a man to be instrumentall to helpe forward the Kingdome of Heaven , to advance it , to draw people out of the snares of Satan unto God , to help them with the pardon of sin , and right to everlasting life , these are mercies with a witnesse , no wonder though the Galatians could have pull'd out their eyes , and have given them to Paul , when he had been a means to help them to the knowledge of Christ , and so to Heaven : so that whether you regard the glory of being associated with God , or the good that they convey unto others , there can be no such honour , as to be instrumentall in helping forward the Kingdome of Heaven . This Lesson is of excellent use , especially to two sorts of men , that are or may be publikely instrumentall in it , I mean Magistrates and Ministers , I am called at the present to speak onely to the first , therefore I 'le say nothing of the latter , but for you Honourable and beloved , that are the Patriots of the Kingdome , is it not in your heart , to do all the good that is possible to poor England ? I dare say you are deeply affected with the distresses of it , and would not count your lives deare , so you might but promote the good of it ; shall I tell you what that thing is , which above all things in the world , will be advantagious to England , and glorious to your selves , lay the cause of the Kingdome of Heaven to your hearts , more then ever you have done , endeavour to be instrumentall to make Religion thrive and prosper , that the Kingdome of Heaven may suffer violence under your service ; so shall your names bee ingraven with the name of God , and numbred among the Saviours of this Land : Let me speak freely to you , you have contended long and vehemently for rescuing the Kingdome of England from the bondage and pressures that it lay under , and that England might be a free people , herein you have wrought in the fire , and because the cure hath been hard & costly woe and alas ( I must speak it ) the Patients are weary of it , and could rather wish to bee under their old Soares , then under such Physitians , and are ready to say with the murmuring Israelites , Let us make us a Captain and return againe unto Egypt , would be againe at their flesh pots and onyons though under bondage : your selves doe know how much ingratitude is shewed , and all because there is not that event and successe that hath been hoped for , but would the Lord make you instrumentall to advance the Kingdome of Heaven really , there should never bee found one among those that should partake the benefit of it , that would be weary of you , but would for ever blesse the Lord for you . If the generations to come , and future Chronicles may but be able to say , From the dayes of such a Parliament , the hearts of the people of England were turned to God , from the dayes of such a Parliament the Ministery was reformed , setled , encouraged , with countenance , with maintenance ; Vniversities were reformed , heresies , blasphemies , every thing contrary to Christs truth , was discountenanced , suppressed , beaten down , and the glory of the Lord Christ was laid to heart ; might but this bee said of you , after all your toyle and blood , and after all your being cast down ; and laden with reproach and scorne , your names should revive , your glory should be eternall , this and the everlasting world would number you among the repairers of the breaches of Gods people , and you shall bee called Saviours of the Kingdome of England , if the Lord doe but direct you to doe this worke ; but in the meane time , should the Lord leave you that it should bee otherwise , that the affaires of Christ should prove retroomnia , that the Kingdome being overspread with blasphemies and heresies , and the poysoning of the soules of people , &c. should bee concurrent with your worke , and you not endevour to administer the best helping hand you can to it , it would bee said of you , as Ecclesiasticall writers do of one age since Christ that was overspread with heresies , and destitute of worthy men to oppose them , it was called Infoelix seculum , an unhappy age : so would you be accounted Infoelix Parliamentum , an unhappy Parliament : if this should happen under you , and you not indevour to the utmost to redresse it . I pray the Lord , and it is my prayer when ever I can pray , that God would give that glory to you , and set that crowne upon your heads , that with Ioshua and Zerubbabel , and and the rest of those whom God hath counted fit to bee numbred among his Worthies , you might make this the great designe , that from the dayes of this Parliament , the Kingdome Heaven might bee set up , and flourish in England : and so I have done with the words in the first consideration of them , as they are a crowne set upon the head of Iohn the Baptist : From the dayes of Iohn the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence . I now proceed to the words as they containe a description of a people really converted and brought home to Christ , The Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence , and the violent take it by force ; take but the Rhetorick off from these words , they signifie no more then that which is said in the 1 of Luke 16. Many of the children of Israel he shall turne to the Lord their God : many shall bee converted by him , but the holy Ghost expresses it in these Metaphoricall termes , because they doe fully set out the true Genius of every soule who is aright instructed of the Kingdome of Heaven . In the words there are two things : First , what the frame of spirit is , which possessed the people under Iohns Ministery , in these words , the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence . Secondly , The successe of this frame of spirit , the violent take it by force . For the first , the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence , wherein there are two things to bee interpreted . First , What is meant by the Kingdome of Heaven . Secondly , What by the Kingdome of Heavens suffering violence . By the Kingdome of Heaven , in one word , both here and at least in 100. other places of the New Testament , is meant the administration of the Covenant of grace , after Jesus Christ was exhibited in the flesh ; the last & best administration of the covenant of Grace ; The Kingdome of Heaven is come to you ; The Kingdome of Heaven is like a Merchant man ; The Kingdome of Heaven shall be taken from you , &c. all these expressions are nothing but the administration of the Covenant of Grace under Messiah ; and this is called the Kingdome of Heaven , not onely in opposition to the kingdomes of the world , other politique Commonwealths , but principally ( I thinke ) in opposition to the spirituall kingdome of the Devill , which is the kingdome of darknesse , and leads people to destruction , and this administration is called the Kingdome of Heaven , partly , because the Prince and Soveraigne Lord of it , is the Lord from Heaven , and hath his throne in Heaven , and partly because all the subjects of it , are made Heavenly in their conversations ; partly , because all the good things communicated to them doe come from Heaven ; and principally , because the Kingdome of glory , that is to be injoyed in Heaven , and the administration of the Covenant of Grace here upon earth , are all but one and the same thing , onely that is the upper Region , this the inferior , there is the Metropoliticall Citie , and these are ( as it were ) the Suburbs , and the Countrey Villages , but all is one Kingdome ; there is nothing there , but what is enjoy'd here , only with these two differences , that here the Kingdome of Heaven is mix'd and imperfect ; mix'd with corruption , mix'd with affliction , and the graces of it not perfectly communicated ; and there it is simple , and pure , and entire , without any defect or mixture ; and here it is administred in ordinances , and received by faith , there it is administred immediatly , and enjoyed by sight ; but otherwise I know no difference , Heaven there , and Heaven here to the Saints is all but one Kingdome ; therefore it is called the Kingdome of Heaven . Secondly , and what is meant by the Kingdome of heaven suffering violence ; I confesse some Interpreters say that Heaven suffers violence , that is , suffers persecution ; adversaries doe rush upon it : but so it cannot be said , that the violent take it , for these violent men doe not take but lose the Kingdome of Heaven , who persecute it : but my Text speakes of such violent men as take and enjoy it . The Arminans say , that by the suffering violence is meant , the persecuting of it to the taking of it away , not the taking of it to themselves , but the taking of it away from others , and will not let people lay hold upon it : nor enter into it , but our Lord himself interprets the meaning in the 16. of Luke 16. where that of this story is related : There Christ saith , and from the dayes of Iohn the Kingdome of God is preached , and every one presseth into it : So that the suffering of violence here , is , that the Kingdome of Heaven is assaulted by violence of those that will have it , what ever it cost them : all who are rightly informed and instructed in the Kingdome of Heaven , doe with contention and earnestnesse of spirit , break through all difficulties , use all diligence , that they may enjoy the Kingdome of Heaven as their portion , what ever it cost them . In a word , what Paul saith of his own practice , Philip . 3. is a cleere interpretation of this Text , I do count all drosse and dung , that I might gaine Christ , I make shipwrack of all , I looke at nothing that I have already got , but I still looke for that which is before me , I presse forward , if by any meanes I may attaine to the resurrection of the dead . Now you have the meaning , since Iohn hath cleerly discover'd the Kingdome of Heaven , the spirits of men are so fired , that there is no taking of them off , but with all the violence possible they all labour and endeavour to advance it , and to get into it ; and from this there are two excellent lessons to be handled , I 'le onely name one of them , and handle the other . The first is , That the administration of the Covenant of grace in the Gospel of Christ , is no other thing then the very Kingdome of Heaven : nothing lesse then the very Kingdome of Heaven : let the men of the world slight it , esteeme it a bondage , a drudgery , yet it 's no lesse then a Kingdome , yea a Kingdome of Heaven , which doth transcend all the Kingdomes of this world as far as Heaven is above the earth : that is one ; I dare say nothing of that , lest I bee prevented : the other is , That all who are rightly affected to the Kingdome of Heaven , offer violence to it . Violence it is a motion above the meane , beyond mediocrity , it is a motion with greatest intention and indeavour , this is the lesson I would Preach to you , that whoever are rightly affected to the Kingdome of Heaven doe use their utmost endeavour , and offer violence to it : let mee first make it cleer to you that it is so : and then I 'le hasten to the Application ; That it is so , if you please but to weigh these three or foure things , it will bee beyond all question . That every where in the Booke of God , where the endeavours of men are described who look after Heaven ; these endeavours ( I say ) are expressed , by all the indefatigable paines that are laid out about any thing in the world , the most laborious trade of a Husbandman , of a Traveller , of a Warfaring man , of a Merchant are usually brought to expresse the labours of men that look after heaven , yea such exercises which are too violent for any to make a trade or ordinary practise of , are used to set out the violence of their labour who strive for the Kingdome of heaven as running a race , striving for masteries or victories in the Olympick games , 1 Cor. 9. 24. &c. Know yee not that they who run in a race ran all , but one receiveth the Garland : so run that yee may obtain , &c. The affections with which they are carried to it , are ordinarily so expressed , that all the love they beare to any thing else is hatred , if compar'd with the love they beare to this : Christ saith in the 14. of Luke ; If any man will bee my disciple , and hate not father , and mother , and wife , and children , and life , and all that he hath , and himselfe also , hee cannot be my Disciple . Now certainly the Lord doth not meane positively , the Gospel doth not teach any man to hate his father or his mother , or his wife or children , it is against nature , and against the Gospel ; but the Lord meanes comparatively , that take all the love that they bear to their own lives , or to what ever is deare to them , as Iacobs love to Leah was hatred , when compar'd with his affection to Rachel , so all their love to these things is hatred if compared with the love that they beare to the Kingdome of Heaven ; and this Chrysostome expresses very elegantly when he saith , in his pursuit of banishment or martyrdome for Christ , if his father should meet him and stand in his way , he would throw his father upon the ground ; if his mother lay in his way , he would tread upon his mothers belly : meaning whatever it was , that should be an obstacle to him , they should be all scorn'd and hated by him , if their interest in him should offer to stand in competition with the affection hee bore to the Kingdome of Heaven . It is ordinary with Christ to expresse it thus , that whoever mindes the Kingdome of Heaven , and embraces it aright , will forsake all for it , they sell all for it ; in the 13. of Matthew , the man that found the Treasure , sold all with joy , the man that found the pearle of great price , sold all , and the Disciples were able to speak it , Master we have forsaken all to follow thee : How is that ? how doe they sell all ? the meaning is , they forsake all , First , In their judgments , and estimation of all other things , they are nothing in their thoughts , when compared with this : I account all losse and dung for Christ . Secondly , fell and forsake all . In their affections , that they care not for them , they doe not love them , nor delight in them , when compar'd with this . Thirdly , sell all , In their resolution and purpose of their spirit ; they being prepar'd to part with all , either by degrees ; or all at a clap , according as their interest in the Kingdome of Heaven doth call for any of them : And as the Scripture is plain , that it must be so , so if you look but into the examples of all that have imbrac'd it , you shall see de facto that it hath been so ; look upon the examples , read those Holy men of God , of old , that saw not the Kingdome of Heaven so cleerly , as now it is discover'd : Abraham assoon as ever this City and Kingdome was discover'd to him , left Mesopotamia , left his Father , his kindred , the Land of his Nativity , his estate , went hee knew not whither , onely to follow a word that directed him to this Kingdome : Moses whose practice is epitomized in the 11. of the Heb. 24. that he did count the honour of being Pharaohs daughters Son , hee counted the pleasures of the Court of Egypt , hee esteemed the wealth of Egypt , the treasures of it , he counted them all as nothing in comparison of this ; there is the Worlds Trinity , honour , pleasure , wealth , troden under foot , by a man , that had but set his heart to the Kingdom of Heaven . The time would fail me to relate unto you what all the Worthies have done : But look a little into Christs time , that wch my Text doth more immediately intimate , what violence they used , how the people trod one upon another , to attend upon the Ordinances : how they would tarry sometimes 3. dayes together , without eating a bit of bread or drinking any thing but a cup of water , only that they might get some acquaintance with Christ , and the way to life ; how his Disciples forsook their Callings and Nets to follow Christ , and doe what hee would have them doe ; how Paul made shipwracke of whatsoever was dear unto him , and pressed forward , onely that this might bee made good to their soules , that Heaven was theirs ; how the Virgin company who follow Christs loved not their lives to the death : huge clouds of witnesses there are whose examples prove clearly that who ever are rightly affected to the Kingdome of Heaven , will doe what ever they can in this worke , with all their hearts , and all their might , and all their strength . Furthermore this violence and eagernesse of affection towards the Kingdome of Heaven , in all into whose hearts the knowledg of the Kingdom of Heaven doth come , Expresses it self in two things : First , In labouring by all meanes possible to make it sure to their own soules , to work out their salvation with seare and with trembling , to make their interest in the Kingdome of God , the unum necessarium , the one thing that is necessary , to part with all other things , that this may be their absolute portion ; that is one , and the other , Wherein they are equally set , with eagernesse of spirit , in endeavouring within their power and calling , is , that all Mountains may be made plain , al obstacles removed , al furtherances added , which may advance the Kingdome of Heaven , that other Flesh as well as their selves , may see the Salvation of God . Read your Bibles , I affirme it confidently , you shall finde that all that have been eager for themselves , so far as it hath lien in their lot and way , have express'd at least the same eagernesse to advance it , and set it up for others ; Abraham that all his children might know the Lord : Moses though hee minded his own interest in Heaven far beyond all the world , ( as I shew'd you ) yet preferd the salvation of Israel before it : Lord rather rase me out of the Book thou hast written then for sake thy people ; hee was more for Israel then for himself . And so all those other Worthies , David never did that for himself , nor for all his children , in providing for them , as hee did for advancing Religion , the zeal of Gods house eat him up : and so did Asa , Iehosophat , Hezekiah , Iosiah , Ezra , Nehemiah , and many others of the old ; and those of the New Testament , with what violence did the Disciples of Iesus Christ , all of them goe up and downe , that they might gaine others to the Lord Christ to winne them to him ? how did they goe about preaching , and doing good every where : being contented to be thought vile , to be in their wits , or out of their wits , to bee made a gazing stock to men and Angels , to be made the refuse and offscowring of the world , to bee anything , so they might promote and advance the Kingdome of Heaven ? I know you are able to prove these things yourselves , and therefore I doe not insist upon them , the ground of all this , is , Because the Kingdome of Heaven , to all who are rightly informed in it , doth appeare not onely to bee a matter of absolute necessity , but so absolute good , such superlative excellency in such ravishing sweetnesse , such in expressible consolation that the soule that hath but once discover'd it , cannot forbeare , but fly upon it , as the Eagle flyes to the prey ; and if with Sampson they find this Hony combe , they must eate themselves , and give to their Father , or their Mother , or their children , and all that are about them . If you would know what they are , truely a little time will not so much as name them ; but they are such as these , to bee delivered out of the power of darknesse , and dominion of the Devill , to be reconciled to God , to have the pardon of their sinnes , and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse , to bee made Gods adopted sonnes and daughters , to have peace with God , and peace with our conscience , and peace with the creatures , and joy in the holy Ghost , to have all things in this world turn'd to their good , and in the end to be delivered from death and hell , and to reigne with God and our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven for evermore ; such things as these , the Kingdome of Heaven doth bring with it ; now would you wonder that any man should be sick of love , ( as the Church said shee was ) that doth but see this face ? wee use to say that for the summum bonum , for the chief good , excesse of affection , can have no excesse , the highest affection that any living man can expresse , cannot bee supposed to have an excesse in it , when it is for that is the superlative good of all others ; I have but one Question or two briefly to cleare , and then my way is plaine to the Application . It may be demanded , First , What use is there of a violent spirit in the pursuit of the Kingdome of Heaven ? Can wee by searching finde out the Almighty ? is this Race to the swift ? or this Battle to the strong ? doth any mans eagernesse and violence of spirit purchase this at Gods hand ? is it in our power , by our labour to carry it ? is not all in this work of Gods free Grace , who shewes mercy to whom hee will shew mercy ? and to what purpose then is that violence of the spirit ? To that I answer , it is certainly true , that no wisedome of man can search the Kingdome of heaven out ; the Vultures eye never saw it , it is a path that the Lion never walked in , and the wayes of it are hid from all flesh ; it is as high as heaven ; wee can doe nothing , the search of it is deeper then the Center of the earth , wee cannot know it , Man knoweth not the price of it , neither is it found in the land of the living ; the depth saith , It is not in me , and the Sea saith , It is not in me , it cannot be gotten for gold , neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it , it is hid from the eyes of all living ; God onely understandeth the wayes thereof , and giveth it to whom hee pleaseth , and if any man should thinke that his eagernesse , or violence of spirit could purchase it , he and his labours must perish together : this is certaine ; but though this bee true , yet the Lord who is the free giver of it , hath order'd that it shall bee sought after this manner partly as a signe and token , that wee esteeme it in its due place , and partly as the meanes that he pleaseth to blesse , and his promise is , that they who seeke it as silver and search for it as for hid treasure , shall find understanding and the fear of the Lord ; and besides all this , there is that reason in nature for it , that whatever the heart doth once place the greatest felicitie in , it can doe no other , but it must follow it with all its might . But it may be once again demanded . Doth not the Scripture say , it is easie ? and if it bee so , quors●m haec ? to what purpose should violence be ufed , to take a Fort , that will be taken without violence ? Christ saith , my yoke is easie and my burthen light , a slight labour may serve for an easie yoak , a weak shoulder is enough for a light burthen : To which I answer . Never did yet any man read in Gods book , that the obtaining of the Kingdome of Heaven was an easie matter ; Christ-saith , it is hard to be saved , that straight is the way , and narrow is the gate , and wee must labour at it , and many will cry , Lord , Lord , that shall not finde it ; many shall seek but not enter , because they strive not to enter ; but neverisaith it is easie . Indeed when once the soule hath learned to conforme to Christ , when they have learned of him to bee humble and meek , then Christs yoak is easie , and so it is in other things , if a man have given his heart to doe the Devills drudgery , it is an easie thing for him to sweare , and whore , and drinke , and drab , and dice , and commit villanies , this abominable drudgery is easie to a mans spirit , that delights in it ; and to travell from countrey to countrey , to fight , and be wounded , and all these things are easie to spirits that suit them ; it was easie for Iacob 14. yeers together to watch and toyle , when it was for his beloved Rachel . In all things finis dat is amabilitatem & facilitatem , the pleasing end propounded and aimed at makes the meanes sweet and easie , though difficult and hard in themselves : So when the love of heaven is got into the heart of man , then it is easie with him , it is pleasing to his nature , suitable to his spirit , to spend , and be spent , to be any thing , to doe any thing , that he might get it : but otherwise the things themselves are hard to be got : I have nothing behind , but the Application of it , and that shall bee in these two Uses . First , This Lesson doth afford us very much matter of humiliation and mourning upon this day of our soule affliction ; and secondly , it is a Lesson that affords us excellent direction for discharge of our necessary dutie for time to come . First , for mourning : Doe all that are rightly affected with the Kingdome of Heaven , offer violence to it , in this way that I have discover'd to you ? how sad then is the condition of most in England this day ? wee all professe our selves to bee the children of the Kingdome , wee are by a certaine generall profession of Christianitie , numbred among them that call our selves the servants and followers of this Kingdome , but are wee true borne , or are wee Bastards ? This lesson will determine it . First , How many are there to bee found in England , who in stead of offering violence to get the Kingdome of heaven , doe offer violence against the Kingdome of heaven , and doe all they can to rush upon the kingdom of heaven , to destroy it , and beat it down ; who do not only with the Gadarens intreat Christ to be gone from them , but with those disobedient subjects , send him word he shall not paign over them , & with them of Nazareth , seek to tumble him downe the brow of the hill , upon which their Citie was built : willing to use all labours , and travell , yea all violence , that the Gospel and Ordinances , wherein this Kingdome is administred , might bee disgraced , crushed , banished , beaten downe ? Of these men I can say no more , but this , their damnation sleepeth not , they may in words professe Christ , but certainly in their workes they absolutely deny him , and ruine will be their end ; Secondly , . How sadly doth this speak against the generality of people ? yea I fear against the greatest part of our selves , who are here before the Lord this day , & God in mercy open al our eyes to see it , and powre so much grace into our hearts , that wee may aright apprehend and be sensible what our estate is ; you heare that all who are rightly affected to Heaven , doe offer violence to it in all the wayes I have open'd ; Brethren , doe you so ? say every one for your owne soules , doth your conscience witnesse , that you offer violence to the Kingdome of Heaven ? Compare a little what violence you use for other things , and what you use to obtaine a part in the Kingdom of Heaven : Can you not watch , and work , and toyle , and spend and be spent for some earthly thing or other ? For your wealth , or your pleasure , or your honour ? Doe you not drive like Iehu , furiously , as if you would break your Chariot wheeles into peeces ? doe you not thus for the world ? And doe you thus also for your immortast soules ? Are you not like David in his old age , when no cloths could make him warm ? are you not like the Egyptians when their Chariet wheeles were taken off , when they drove slowly and heavily ? are you not like Snailes in the pursuit of the things of Gods Kingdom ? my heart could bleed in the serious thoughts of these things , O wretched creatures that wee are , that we should thus deceive our selves ! There is a notable story of a poore wretched woman , whose house was on a fire , and shee seeing her house would bee burn'd down , bestir'd herselfe , to the utmost , to save what shee could , gets out her linnen , gets out her pewter , and what ever else shee was able , and all this while this poore creature had a Babe lying in a Cradle , which shee never thought of , ( indeed some others did see it , and carry it out , ) but when all was consumed , it came into the womans mind , O Lord ( saith shee ) I have forgot my child , I have saved my brasse , and my pewter , and my child is burnt , and fell mad immediately , at the apprehension of her desperate neglect of her Babe ; O beloved , we are ( the Lord knowes ) no lesse mad , here is a poore Tabernacle of ours , it is of a light fire , here is a World on a fire , and a Kingdom on a fire , and we have somewhat that wee would all save , and one man saith , I must have this Money , and the other , I must save so much Land ; and another , I must save such an Office ; and saith another , I must get such a preferment , and in the mean time there is a poore immortall Soule , like a Babe in a Cradle , and a Kingdome of Heaven , that is onely a suitable portion to it , this we wholly neglect , we doe nothing for it ; it may be , come to Church , and hear Sermons , and joyne in Prayer , and attend upon Duties , but with such dull spirits , that if a man would aske his soul the question , his Conscience would say , this is not to strive as for masterie , this is not to run in a race , this is not to strive as if a man would obtain : Miserable that we are , the Kingdomes of the Earth suffer violence , our Farmes suffer violence , our Trade suffers violence , but Heaven suffers no violence ; the Lord forgive us , and help us to lay these things to our hearts , and to be humbled for them this day : and Thirdly , yet one thing more , What great cause have wee to be humbled , when wee look upon that other branch of it , the little vigor ánd fervency of Spirit , that men have to advance the Kingdome of Heaven , in reference to the good of others ? in other things , every good Common-wealths-man is diligent , some would advance Trade to the utmost , and others would advance Liberty to the utmost ; indeed all other things men seek to improve them to the utmost , but O the little care is found among men to advance the Kingdome of the Lord Iesus Christ , to the utmost : Many opposing it as a dangerous thing , they say of it as Haman , of the Jewes , It is not for the Kings profit to suffer it ; and others as Herod , seek to strangle it in the Cradle ; others who will not appeare enemies to it , yet O how little will they now doe for it ? Is it nothing to them that passe by the way to see godliness trod under foot , to see Ministers trod down , to see Heresies and Blasphemies spread , to see all goe backward in the things of Heaven ? it takes not the hearts of a great many ; God grant that many of your selves , who are our Reformers , have not great cause to put your mouths in the dust for these things this day , when you are before the Lord our God ; you know how zealous you have been in your own work , if you have had the like affections in advancing the Kingdome of Christ , lift up your heads and take the comfort of it this day : but if you like that cold Worshipper of Baal , Gideons Father , who had an Altar for Baal , yet when one had it broken down , and hee perswaded to punish him that had done that deed , answered , Let Baal plead for himselfe , let him revenge his own quarrell : so if you deal for the Kingdom of Christ , let it shift for it self . If any of you have such a cold heart for Religion , and let it goe at six and sevens , bee permitted to lie in the dust , and be deeply humbled ; if not , I must tel you from the Lord , that lie will not onely not delight to use you , but hee will spew you out of his mouth , for hee had as willingly have a dead Asse offer'd in a Sacrifice to him , as a dull Spirit to set upon his work : for these things let our soules be humbled this day ; and that is the first use ; the second is a use of exhortation in two branches : Is the Kingdome of Heaven a businesse of that nature , that all who are rightly informed about it , will seek it violently , eagerly , with all their strength ? O that the Lord would leave that impression upon every one of our soules this day , I desire that for the time to come we might make it our onely worke for our selves , to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling ; Would I knew what to say , to inflame your hearts about it , would the Lord did please to open your eyes , and shew you how little the World is worth , and how little good is to be found in it , and how far below your soules , and how much your immorall soules are worth , and how excellent a thing the Kingdome of Heaven is , that you might be contented with Paul for time to come , to make it your work to pursue after it , to account all losse to win Iesus Christ , doe any thing , or be any thing , so it bee in the pursuit of the Kingdome of Heaven ; Much I might say , to stir you up , but I am afraid I should be burthensome to you , and would not be straightned in the last branch of all ; and therefore I come to An exhortation to this honorable Assembly , by whom I am called to be helpefull to this day , that in that part of their work which concernes the Kingdome of Heaven , they would doe it with all their might , labouring to advance it , as all those Worthies have done whom God hath thought fit to register in his Book , as men accepted with him : Beloved , if you please to open your eyes , and look abroad into the Kingdome , into every corner of it , you 'l see lamentable objects every where , afflicted creatures of all kindes , crying to you , that you would reach out a helping and healing hand to them , but in nothing so much is the Kingdome desolate this day , as in the things that doe properly belong to the Kingdome of Heaven , the Faith of Gods people , I mean the doctrinall part , is woefully overthrowne , in many places by blasphemous and hereticall doctrines which are got in , and sown through the cunning craftinesse of them that have lien in wait to beguil unstable s●●les the Worship of God is woefully neglected and troden under foot ; Fast Dayes , and Sabbath Dayes , in most places not one whit regarded , the Ministery not more contemned , nor so much under reproach in the hottest persecutions that they have lien under heretofore , the Glory of the Lord marvellously abused in point of Religion : England is this day an amazement to the Nations round about it , to the insulting and rejoycing of all the enemies of it , and the mourning and sadding of heart unto all that love it . Could you but ( as in a glasse ) behold the unsetled case of the Kingdome of Heaven in this Land , you would quickly grant there is a great deal of work to be done , by those that have any vigorous spirits , any bowels in them to rowle towards the helping forward of this great work . Now that you may administer a healing hand , I shall endeavor to say somewhat that may quicken you up , and I beseech you give me leave to lay before you , these following considerations : eight things I would have you all seriously to think upon , to provoke you to be vigorous , and violent in advancing the Kingdome of Christ : First , Certainly there is not onely such a thing as zeal for God , but it is a grace of absolute necessity in all the services of God , and so lovely , that it is the lustre , and the varnish , the glosle , and beauty of all performances unto God , that which sets them off with glory in the eyes of God & man . Gods work requires it ; every cause which concernes the Kingdome of Heaven , must either be done with zeal , or meddle not at al with it , a lukewarme spirit in the service of God , is worse to God , then a spirit that will doe nothing , hee will spue it out of his Mouth , as abominable meate ; Now then , because Religion is a work for God , the proper cause of God , the cause wherein his glory is most interessed , associated with God , you must needs doe it with zeale , with all vigor , and best intention of your spirit ; Secondly , Consider further , you all have lifted up your hands to the most high God , and that in the day of your distresle , you have bound your selves by an Oath of God , and you have brought the Kingdome into an Oath of God with you , you have sworne that you will willingly , cheerfully , constantly , to the utmost of your power , within your callings , beat down what is contrary to Religion , that you will study the advancement of Reformation , according to the Word of God , and the pattern of the best reformed Churches : this in the day of your distresse , you have sworn : you have since told the Kingdome you forget it not , you have order'd the Ministers oftentimes to read it upon the Fast dayes , that it might be in the eyes of all ▪ Now I beseech you know , that the keeping Covenant with God is a matter of a high concernment ; and the breaking of your Covenant with man , uses not to goe unrevenged , but the breaking Covenant with God , is a thing will never escape the wrath of God . Thirdly , Consider that this work of advancing the Kingdome of Heaven , is a work that belongs to you ; I told you before , you have sworn to doe it , within the compasse of your calling , now it is a work within the compasse of your calling , it belongs to you ; the Lord hath not trusted you onely with Civill liberties , and to beat down oppression and injustice , and outward wickednesse against the second Table , ( in which the Lord make you more zealous ) but besides this , the things of Gods Kingdome are committed to you . You shall read , if you look into Gods Book , all the Worrhies whom God hath taken notice of , their Crown & glory hath been , that they did beat downe Idolatry , opposed and suppressed what ever was contrary to Religion , built up Gods house , set up his Ordinances , encouraged his Ministers , and for the doing of these things , they were approved , commended , rewarded , and such as neglected them were by God blamed , branded , punished : so many examples are extant in the Scripture of the Old Testament , that I need not name them , and the same is prophesied to be done by Magistrates under the New Testament , Kings shall be Nursing Fathers to it , and Queenes shall be Nursing Mothers to the Church ; they shall give it bread & milk , and provide for it , and nourish it : and for punishing the oppressors of it , there is a Gospell Prophesie , in the 13. of Zechariah , When any shall prophesie falsly , his Father and Mother that begat him , shall thrust him through , and say , Thou shalt not live , for thou speakest lies in the name of God ; Now then since this belongs to your place , and work , I beseech you for the Lords sake , be zealous in it : and Fourthly , consider , As it is for Christ , and for his Kingdome , so Iesus Christ hath very well deserved at your hands , to have you vigorous in his cause , hee hath earned it ; hee is before hand with every soule of you ; look upon the zeal hee shewed , when hee came to doe your work for you , how did he bow the heavens and come downe upon the earth ? and from the throne of glory came , and lay first in the wombe of a Virgin , and then in swadling bands in a Manger , and afterwards lived a poore life , and then pray'd , and preached , and wrought Miracles , with indefatigable paines , with burning zeal , yea , gave his life a ransome , he gave his soule to the death , that hee might be a ransome for you , and thereby purchase you to be a people to himself , zealous of good warkes , hath he not deserved it ? I , and he hath deserved it at your hands in this great work hee hath set you about , in this great concussion and earth quake of the Kingdome , wherein you have been so farre imployed ; What mischiefs hath he discover'd , which have been contrived against you ? What seasonable Mercies hath he sent you ? What unexpected victories hath he given you ? How hath the Lord made Mountains plain before you , and brought you into the condition wherein you are , and made you enjoy that , which many times ( I dare say ) you were past all hope of seeing ? the Lord then deserves his cause should be thought upon by you . Fifthly , consider , That the setting up of the Kingdome of Heaven , the advancing of it , is a matter of the greatest concernment unto the whole Kingdome , of any thing that ever you can be employed in ; when you have thought all that lies within your compasse , there is nothing of that concernment to the Kingdome , as the Kingdome of Heaven is ; for why ? you know the greatest part of our well being here upon earth , lies in the things of Gods Kingdome , and the whole sum of our everlasting well being in Heaven to eternity , is wholly to be taken from the Kingdome of Heaven , not from any outward things that you can helpe us with ; and as the things concerne us for our well being , so these are the things will bring other things with them ; set up the Kingdome of Heaven throughly in the Kingdom of England , and you shall say of it , as Nabals servants said of Davids men , when they lay with them , all the while the men were with us , they were a wall about us , that we lost nothing , none could hurt us , nay it wil be a wal of fire to England ; Salvation will God provide for wals and Bulwarks to you ; I fear not to speak it to wise men , that the four Seas of England , and if to them were added wals of brasse of 20. cubits high & thick about England , and all your Souldiers as the sons of Anak , they could not give that security to the Land which the Kingdome of Jesus Christ would be to it : Let the Gospell flourish , let Religion prosper , let that goe on , and salva omnia , that will secure all other things to you ; the very Heathens saw this by the light of nature , you cannot read of one Lawgiver amongst them , but ever counted the matters of the worship of their Gods , and of Religion to be of greatest advantage to their states , and therefore counted Religionso sacred a thing , that they made their Kings & Princes alwaies their chief Priests , that the care of the Gods might not be neglected : it is true , these poore blind wretches knew not God , and worshipped Devils , and therefore miscarried , but yet thus much we may learn from them , that even in their judgments , nothing so secures a Nation as Religion ; Now when wee have the cleer light of the Gospel , and so many examples before us , and so many promises from Heaven , can we expect the like succor and help from any thing else , as from the advancement of that : Sixthly , Know ye for certain , you never shall bee able to breake through your difficulties , and to settle this poor Land in Peace , unlesse your whole heart be sincerely set to advance the Kingdome of Heaven ; you shall not prosper in other work ; I know it grieves your hearts , and it grieves those that love England , to see how you labour in the fire , and what pains you take , and still the end of one trouble , is the beginning of another , our clouds return after the rain , and when wee think we are going to moore our ship , wee are instantly ready to dash against new rocks , up and down we are , and England appeares to our eyes , as a dying fading plant ; certainly the Lords anger is not yet turn'd away from England , there is somewhat provokes him , God grant that we may search whether it be not somewhat like that in the 1. of Haggai , that the house of God was not regarded , as it should be : I doe acknowledge here before you , my heart is overwhelmed with grief oftentimes , when I look upon our unsetled condition , but could I once see , and might it appear , that the Lord had let it so really into the hearts of our Parliament , that they could with all their might , buckle to the work of God sincerely and faithfully , to enquire what God would have them doe in the cause of Religion , and doe it to the utmost , I think all my feares would vanish ; I should say we went forward , when wee seemed to goe backward ; wee prospered , when we seemed to be overthrown ; I could say to my own melancholy spirit , as Luther said to Melancthon , Ego miserrimas istas curas quibus te consumi scribis vehementer odi , &c. I doe extreemly hate ( saith he ) those cares that thou sayest doe consume and tear thee ; it is not the greatnesse of our danger , but the greatnesse of thy infidelity , that is the cause of it , it is the cause of God that we are ingaged in , So mee thinks , I could resolve that the enemies of England & of the Church of God , would quickly bee where they should bee , that is , made the Lords footstoole , and we should triumph over them , & break through all , if the Lord would but incline the hearts of those hee hath called to it , to goe through-stitch with the things of the Kingdome of Heaven ; and therefore I most humbly beseech you fall to it , and in it doe as Baruch did , of whom you may read in the 3. of Nehem. 20. that he did build the wal earnestly , and Tremelius reades it , accendit se he sets himself a fire to it , he stirred up himself , he did not stay till others stirr'd him up , but hee provok'd himselself to it ; doe it with all your might , and doe it throughly too , do not make a patch'd businesse of it ; the Lord made that once a curse to the Ministers of Israel , that they healed the wounds of the people slightly ; therefore that I may speak plain English , search Gods Word , and find , not what may be agreeable to humane policy , but search what God would have you own , and set up , what he would have you oppose , and what hee would have you beat down , what hee would have you indulge , how far hee would have you indulge it , by what rules it should be done , get a clear light in these things , for the Scripture is able to make every man of God perfect in all his workes , get this , and fall to it throughly , and God Almighty will be with you ; the Lord will yet blow over the clouds you are afraid of , and will prosper your work in your hand , but truly , if you doe neglect it , and shall not bee faithfull to the Lord in it , beleeve it , though our misery and ruine may be protracted and beaten off , and kept off for a time , it wil return upon us , and come in like the huge breaking in of waters , and like a great breach in a high wall , whose mine comes suddenly ; therefore because you cannot do the rest of your work without it , let this be the main . Seventhly , I 'le but name the two other , and lay this to heart likewise , That a great part of those miseries that the Kingdom of Heaven lies under at this day in England , have broke out since the cure of it was committed to your hands : I doe not say through your fault , the root of these humors was in the sick bodie before ; and in such confused times , ( as hath appear'd in Germany and other places ) abundance of disorders doe come in , especially in times of War ; but because God hath blessed you , and inabled you to afford a healing hand in many things , to take off the bridle of bondage , which lay upon our necks , and to pull down huge Mountains , and that Gods people injoy a great deal of liberty in many things , more then they did heretofore , be provoked to help in this also : A mercifull good Physitian , who hath begun a cure , if any new disease break out , while the Patient is under his cure , he would be very loth any thing should fall out to be the Patients ruine , while under his hand , and therefore let this also provoke you earnestly to carry this work on : and Lastly , Know that if the Husbandman will sleep , the envious man sleeps not ; Gebal and Ammon , and the children of Lot , and Ashur , and Tyre , and all that are enemies to the Kingdom of Christ , bestir themselves against it : Cataline watches , ut perdat rempubliam , omits no endeavour to destroy Religion , Sanballat and Tobiah , doe all that ever they can to hinder the building of the wall ; shall not Nehemiah , shall not Ezra , shall not the rest of Gods people , put to their hand too ? Vt jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones , If theeves watch by night to kill men , shall not honest men watch to preserve their own lives ? When there is such a marvellous endeavor to corrrupt our Faith , to take away Government , to take away Worship , to take out the power of godlinesse , to discourage all that fear God , to doe any thing against them , shall not they that are the servants of the Lord doe the utmost that they can to encourage them ? For the Lords sake , consider of these things , and God Almighty give you a right understanding in them ; this is the first thing , what they did , they offered violence to the Kingdome of Heaven , the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence . The second part you have in the next words , the successe of their violence , they take it by force , Rapiunt ; It is a Metaphor taken from a Castle taken by storm , by the violence of those that will it take or loose their blood , so the violent doe take the Kingdome of Heaven ; and these words are both Restrictive , and they are Promissive ; they are restrictive , they are the violent men and no other , that get it ; if of any work in the world it be true , that the sluggard is cloathed with rags , it 's true here ; hee that onely cries , Lord , Lord , shall never come into the Kingdome of Heaven ; this is a peculiar mercy in store for these violent spirits , that the violent , and no other shall get into Heaven : and then as it is restrictive , so it is promissive , though carelesse endeavours and slight labours may prove abortive , vigorous prosecution of it shall not miscarry ; they that seek shall find , to them that knock it shall be open'd , to them that aske it shall be granted , they that seek wisdome , as men seek Silver and Gold , the Lord will give it them ; he hath laid it up in store , let them that have violent hearts , offer violence to it , and the Lord hath promised they shall not misse of it : but this ( the time being gone ) I dare not handle . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89583e-290 Dan 7. 2. Hab. 1. 2. 2 Kings 9. 20 Isa 55. 2. Prov 23. 5. Phil. 4. 5. Psal. 131. 2. Deut 6. 5. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Iude 3. Nehem 4. 21 , 22 , 23. Luke 13 24. 2 Pet. 1. 5. 10 , 10. 1 Cor 15. 58. Luke 14 23 Notes for div A89583e-790 The context opened . Verse 10. 14. Verse 11. Psal. 110. Esay 60. 8. Luke 27. 30. The parts and meaning of the Text . Consider this violence of the people toward the Kingdome of Heaven , First , as an honour to Iohn . Secondly , as a description of true Converts . As an honor to Iohn , as being , First , a fruit of the clear light , his Ministery held out . Whence learn , Doctrine . The clearer light any people have from Heaven , the more violent they will be after Heaven . Application . Hereby we may learn how to judge of pretended light . Secondly , a conformitie to his spirit . I earn here , that the Teachers oft-times appear in their Disciples . Hosea 4. 9. Gal. 2. 14. Thirdly , in both these as a crown of glory to Iohn . Learne hence , The greatest glory which God puts upon any man is to make them instrumentall in building the Kingdome of Heaven . Doct. Esav . 49. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 15. Dan. 12. 3. Esay 58. 12. 〈◊〉 . ● . 10. 14 opened . R. 1. R. D. Kim● . 2 Cor. 6. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 6. Philip . 2. 30. Reas. 2. Gen. 4. ● Kings 20. appli. . To the Parliament to intend this work above all other . ● Consider the ●ext as a desciption of true Converts . What is meant by Kingdome of Heaven . Phil. 3. 2● . 2. What is meant by the Kingdome of heaven suffering violence . Luke 16. 16. Phil. 3. 8 , &c. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 9. 24. Luke 14 17. Luke 14 33. Matth. 13. ●4 . 45. Matth. 19. 29. Phil 38. Heb. 11. 24. Rev. 12. 11. Reason . From the necessity and excellency and benefit of the Kingdome of Heaven . Quest . 1. Reason . Iob 11. 7 , 8 : Iob 28. pertorum . Prov. 245. Qu. 2. Reas. Matth. ●● , 29. 30. Vse 1. For humiliation . 1. How many use violence against the Kingdome of Heaven . 2. How many are flight & luke-warm in seeking it for their own soul . 3. How little zeal is found for the advancing of the Kingdome of Heaven for the good of others . Vse 2. Exhortation in two branches . 1. Each to contend violently to get it . Motives to provoke to this work . Esa. 19. 29. zach. 13. 3. Titus 2. 14. 1 Sam 24. 16. Zach 2. 5. Esa. 26. ● . Nehem. 3. 20. Icr. 6. 14. Prov. 2. 34. 
A89585	----	The sinne of hardnesse of heart: the nature, danger, and remedy of it. Opened in a sermon, preached to the Honorable House of Commons, July 28. 1648. being the day of their solemne monethly fast. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of that House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89585 of text R204198 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E455_3). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 88 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 23 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89585 Wing M783 Thomason E455_3 ESTC R204198 99863869 99863869 116085 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89585) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116085) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 72:E455[3]) The sinne of hardnesse of heart: the nature, danger, and remedy of it. Opened in a sermon, preached to the Honorable House of Commons, July 28. 1648. being the day of their solemne monethly fast. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of that House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 40 p. Printed by R. Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London : 1648. Running title reads: A sermon preached before the Honorable House of Commons upon their solemne monethly fast. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Sermons, English -- 17th century. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. A89585 R204198 (Thomason E455_3). civilwar no The sinne of hardnesse of heart:: the nature, danger, and remedy of it. Opened in a sermon, preached to the Honorable House of Commons, Jul Marshall, Stephen 1648 16595 9 0 0 0 0 0 5 B The rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE SINNE OF Hardnesse of Heart : THE Nature , Danger , and Remedy of it . Opened in a SERMON , PREACHED TO The Honorable House of Commons , July 2● . 1648. being the day of their Solemne Monethly Fast . By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . Published by order of that House . Psalme 95. 7 , 8. To day if you will heare his voyce , harden not your hearts , &c. Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardneth his neck , shall suddenly bee destroyed , and that without remedy . London Printed by R. Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , at the Signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1648. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL The Lady Trevor , Wife to my most worthy and approved Friend , Sir Iohn Trevor . Madam , YOu have been long taught of God , and therefore are not ignorant that spirituall sicknesses differ many wayes from bodily , this one is notable , The more any spirituall disease increaseth , the lesse it 's felt , and the more any soule is sensible of it , the lesse power it hath over him ; This is found most true of the greatest of spirituall plagues , the sinne of hardnesse of heart , none more confident of the goodnesse of their heart , then the most obstinate and rebellious sinner , where as the most tender-hearted Christian complaines most of hardnesse , the spirit that is most flexible to God , most laments its obstinacy ; Madam , I may apply this to your selfe , all such servants of God who know and converse with you can discerne that God hath in great measure taken out of you the heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh , upon the ta●les whereof he hath written his holy Law , and that it is your delight to walke with him , to live to him and please him in all things ; yet did I never heare you bestow one good word upon your heart , but rather upon every occasion you are declaming against it , and complaining of its hardnesse and obstinacy . But Madam to feele hardness of heart is softness of heart , and did you but cleerly understand how much the Lord delights in such a frame of spirit as hee hath given you , you would cease to bee so suspitious as you are of your owne spirituall condition , and would spend the rest of your dayes rejoycing in your portion and serving him without feare : I hope this plaine Sermon may through Gods blessing bee some helpe to make you judge more rightly of that grace which God hath so plentifully bestowed on you , and to blesse his Name who hath in great measure delivered you from this destroyer , even this plague of a hard heart ; I humbly present it unto you , as a pledge of my thankefulnesse , for all the many and great refreshings I have found in your family , where I have constantly found your respect and tendernesse towards mee more like that of a mother then a stranger : The good Lord pardon my unfruitfulnesse among you , and requite you and your good husbands love toward me a thousand fold into your bosomes , and multiply his favours upon your whole family , and continue to guide you by his counsell till you come to his glory . Your La. most obliged , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED TO THE HONORABLE House of COMMONS upon their solemne Monethly Fast . BEloved in the Lord , some mistake concerning one of the Preachers that should have supplied the worke of this day , is the occasion of my standing here at this time , at shorter warning , then is fit for such a service , but I have learned to receive encouragement from a call ; and therefore without any further Apologie , I beseech you attend to the Word of God , which you shall find written in the 7. of ZACHARIAH Vers . 12. Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone , lest they should heare the Law , and the words which the Lord of host hath sent in his spirit , by the former Prophets , therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts . MY Text is part of an answer to a case of conscience , propounded in the beginning of this Chapter , from the fourth Vers . of this Chapter to the end of the next Chapter is contained the full answer to that case of conscience ; the case of conscience was this ; They sent unto the house of God , Sherezer , and Regem-melech , and their men , to speak to the Priest , and to know of him , and of the Prophets whether they should weep in the fifth moneth , as they had done these 70. yeers ; this was the case propounded ; now because my subject matter this day must very much relate unto this case , give me leave a little to open it to you ; The Jewes after it had pleased God to bring upon them the Babylonian captivitie , did set apart foure dayes every yeer , which they kept as solemne dayes of humiliation , one of them was in the fifth moneth , another was in the seventh moneth , another was in the tenth moneth , and another was in the fourth moneth , upon these occasions : In the tenth moneth did Nebuchadnezzars Army , first beleaguer Ierusalem , as you 'l finde it in the 25. Chapter of the second book of the Kings , that day that Nebuchadnezzars Army first sat downe before the Citie , did they keep a fasting day all those 70. yeers : In the fourth moneth of the yeere following , they broke into the Citie and took it , the day that the Citie was taken , did they keep as a solemn fasting day ; In the fifth moneth Nebuzaradan came and burnt the Temple ; the day that the Temple was burnt , did they also keep as a fasting day ; In the seventh moneth Gedaliah , the sonne of Ahikam , was kill'd , murder'd by Ishmael , and all the rest that were left , were scatter'd into Egypt , and that day likewise did they keep as a fasting day ; and these foure dayes they kept threescore and ten yeers ; Now the Temple being built againe , at least in a good forwardnesse , they send to know whether the fast of the fifth moneth should continue ; concerning the other fasts they make no mention of them , probably conceiving that the occasion of those fasts did continue still ; but they would know whether the Lord would not have them lay aside the fast of the fifth moneth , which was kept in reference to the Temple , because the Temple was now built , or in a great forwardnesse ; this case of conscience was sent , some think , by the Jewes that remain'd still in Babylon , that they sent Sherezer and Regem-melech , and the rest of them , as their Embassadors ; others thinke they were sent from all the Jewes , that were return'd from their Captivity , but by whom soever the message was sent , this was the case that I have read to you ; Now the Prophet comes to answer this case , and in the answer hee takes notice of all the foure dayes of fasting , though they mention but one of them , because they all hung upon one hinge , and the answer of the Prophet to this case , so much of it as is contained in this Chapter is a meere slighting of the case propounded ; and there are two things wherein the Prophet expresses the Lords contempt of their Embassage , one , That the Lord tooke no notice of any such thing ; Did you fast to me ? ( saith he ) you speake of dayes of fasting , that you have kept 70. yeers , did you fast to mee ? Did I either appoint them ? or doe I accept them ? or have you carried them as you should doe ? the meaning is , you play the hypocrites with mee , you would make a great deale adoe about a solemne Embassage , to have a case of conscience determin'd , which is first , but a ceremony at the best , and besides it is a ceremony of your own inventing , and in it you have howled and mourned for your afflictions , but never tooke notice of your sinnes , that have caused those judgements to come upon you ; you fasted sometimes , and feasted sometimes , but when you have fasted , you fasted not to me , & when you did eate and drink , you did eate and drinke to your selves , and not to mee ; that is the first , a slighting of it , as a keeping a coile about a trifle , when there were greater matters concerned them which they regarded not . The second branch of the Prophets answer containes the true reason why all this fasting of theirs was thus slighted by God that is laid downe , First , More generally in the 6. Verse , wherein the Prophet gives them a sound and a sharpe reproof , you have wept and mourned , but should not you rather have took notice of the words , which the Lord did send by the Prophets ? should ye not heare the words that the Prophets cried in former times , when Ierusalem was inhabited , and the Cities thereof round about her ? there you might have learned the true way , but that you have no whit regarded ; you cry for your afflictions , but you are not one whit sensible of those sinnes that have caused these judgements upon you : That is the generall , then secondly , Hee proceeds more particularly to open this Ulcer of their hypocrisie , and three things there are which he remembers them of , First , The Lord remembers them of the counsell that had been given them and their Fathers , how to remove the plagues that lay upon them , ( saith hee ) Thus speaks the Lord of hosts ( in the 9. Verse ) execute true judgement , and justice , shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother , oppresse not the widow , the fatherlesse , nor the stranger , let none of you imagine evill against his brother in his heart : this was the counsell which of old was given , how the ruine of Ierusalem might have been prevented ; the exercise of justice , and the exercise of mercy ; indeed the Prophet there instances onely in two Table duties , but I thinke the reason is , because the Jewes were alwayes very exact in matters of Gods worship , save onely when they fell into Idolatry , and they bore themselves much upon the duties of the first Table ; and it is Gods ordinary practise when hee would discover the hypocrisie of men , that are much in holy duties , to fall upon the duties of the second Table , wherein they ordinarily are carelesse , so the Prophet tells them , that had they walked after this manner , this wrath had never come upon them ; but now , which is the second , See what disobedience they shewed to this , and this disobedience is laid downe in the 11. & 12. Verses : and aggravated from the worst qualitie that disobedience can be accompanied with , that is , wilfulnesse and obstinacy ; and this wilfull and obstinate disobedience of theirs , is laid down in foure Metaphors , but all of them signifying one and the same thing , onely the three first doe most immediatly signifie the outward expressions of their disobedience ; and the fourth which is the root of all , discovers the very fountaine whence all their disobedience did spring ; First saith he , They refused to hearken , they were like to a man , that when you would doe an errand to him , flings away from you , and saith plainly , hee will not heare what you say ; Secondly , They pull away their shoulder , alluding unto a Beast , a Bullock , that when you would put the yoke upon it , it snatches the shoulder away , and refuses to bee yok'd by you , nay , saith he , They stopped their eares ; alluding to Adder , that ( they say of it , it ) laies one eare against the ground , and stops the other eare with the taile , that it may not be charmed , or like unto those , that when they would plainly let you see , how much they slight what you say to them , put their finger in their eares , that all may take notice , they will not regard you ; But then fourthly , ( which is the theame that I purpose to handle by the Lords assistance ; ) Here is the cause of all , that is , they made their hearts like an Adamant stone , yea ( saith hee ) they made their hearts like an Adamant stone , that they might not heare the Word that God hath spoken ; then followes the third branch , the fruit of their disobedience , therefore all this wrath is come upon them . In these words , here are two things to bee handled ; First , The sinne that this people were guilty of ; in these words , they made their hearts like an Adamant stone , that they might not heare the word : Secondly , The judgement that this sinne brought upon them : Therefore saith the Lord , it is come to passe , that as they would not heare me , I would not heare them ; but a great wrath is come upon them , and I have scatter'd them among all the Nations , and laid their land desolate . In their sinne , ( which is the onely theame I shall insist upon ) you have two things : First , What their sinne was , what the wicked frame of their heart was , their heart was like an Adamant stone ; Secondly , How it came to be so : they made their heart so themselves ; they made their heart as an Adamant stone : next open the meaning of this , what is here meant by an Adamant stone ? the Hebrew word is variously interpreted , some doe render it a flint , some a stone that will not waste , many with our new translation render it an Adamant , but generally , Criticks doe agree , that it is a stone of the hardest nature , that will not by any toole bee graven or fashioned to any desirable mould : so to make their heart as an Adamant stone , doth plainly meane , they did extreamly harden their heart , that is the English of it , they would not heare , they stopped their eare , they pull'd away their shoulder , yea , they did extreamely harden their hearts : Here are two things further to be interpreted : First , What is meant by the heart that is here hardned ? And secondly , What this hardning the heart signifies . By heart you know is naturally meant that piece of flesh that is in the body , which they say , it is primum vivens , and ultimum moriens : but morally and spiritually by the heart is meant the soule , and usually , the will and the affections are ordinarily in Scripture meant by the heart ; so it is here . What by hardnesse , or hardning ; Hardning in the naturall signification of it , is nothing but the withdrawing of moysture form any substance , whereby the parts come to bee condensed and made stiffe , so as not to yeeld to the touch ; Durum est quod non cedit tactui , that that will not receive any impression that is hard : this in a naturall sense ; but in a morall and spirituall sense , to harden the heart is nothing but to have the will resolutely and unchangeably set upon any purpose , not to be taken off from their enterprise by any meanes that can bee used to change them , that is to harden the heart ; and in the Scripture it is sometimes taken in a good sense , a mans heart may be harden'd in a very gratious manner , so Ezekiels was , when the Lord told him , the house of Israel will not hearken to thee , for they are impudent and hard hearted , but ( saith God ) I have made thy face strong against their faces , and thy forehead strong against their foreheads , thou shalt bee as impudent as they , as an Adamant , harder then flint , &c. thou shalt bee as much hardned in good as they in evill , I have given thee that grace ; that shall make thee resolute as they : Paul was , when they came , and wept , and prayed him hee would not goe to Ierusalem , ( saith he ) you weep in vaine I 'le goe though I die for it ; his heart was hardned : and so Luther ; when his friends would have perswaded him not to have gone to Wormes ; to the disputation there , If all the tiles of the houses in Wormes were Devils , I would goe ; that is to have a heart harden'd in a good cause ; but ordinarily in the Scripture , to harden the heart , or to have hardnesse of heart , is ordinarily meant in an evill sense ; hardening in sin , hardning against God : and so my Text hath it plainely , they made their heart as an Adamant stone , that they might not heare the word that God had sent to them : their heart was resolutely , and unchangeably bent to goe on in their wayes , say or doe what God would , or could to the contrary ; that is the sin that is here mentioned ; now from hence I shall take up this Lesson ; and it is the onely Lesson , which I shall by the Lords assistance handle this day ; and in it take in both the sinne , and the judgement together . That the sinne of hardning the heart against God , is a certain forerunner of utter destruction ; They made their heart as hard as an Adament stone , therefore came there a great wrath from God ; and therefore as I called , and they would not answer , when they cryed I would not answer , but I have scatter'd them : so the Lesson is plaine ; but before I come to prove it , that it may bee rightly stated , I shall premise five distinctions about this sinne of hardnesse of heart ; whereby you will more plainly understand the Doctrine that I am to make good out of the Scripture ; First , That there is a naturall hardnesse of heart , which is the case of all men in the world ; Secondly , there is an acquired hardnesse of heart , or a hardnesse that man brings upon himself ; There is a naturall hardnesse of heart , the Scripture is plain in it , that all men in the world , the originall frame of their hearts ; is in the Scripture set downe by the expression of a heart of stone , in Ezek. 11. when God promises conversion , ( saith hee ) . I will take away the heart of stone , that is in them , and give them a heart of flesh ; every man and woman in the world , brings the stone of the heart into the world with them ; but then Secondly , There is an acquired hardnesse of heart , or a hardnesse that men bring upon themselves ; so my Text saith , they made their hearts hard , and so it is said of Zedekiah , in the 36. of the 2 Chron. hee hardned his heart against God : that is one ; Secondly , Know that there is a graduall or partiall hardnesse of heart ; when the heart is harden'd but in some measure , there is some hardnesse in them , and some softnesse in them , and there is a totall hardening of the heart when the whole fram● of the heart is given up to hardnesse . That there is a graduall , and partiall hardness of heart , you may see it in Christs own Disciples , who being new Creatures had a heart of flesh in them , and yet it is said of them , in Mark . 6. 52. They considered not the miracle of the loaves , because their heart was hardned : and in Mark . 8. Christ saith to them , Have ye your hearts yet harden'd ? Christs own Disciples had some degrees of hardnesse of heart , but then There is a hardnesse , that is a Totall hardnesse ; of which the Scripture saith , they are all brasse and iron ; Thirdly , There is a hardnesse of heart , that is felt ; felt by them that are under it ; and there is a hardnesse of heart that is unfelt . There is a hardnesse that is felt : so the Church saith in Isaiah 63. ver. 1. Ah Lord , why hast thou harden'd our hearts from thy feare ? But There is likewise a hardnesse of heart , that though it lye upon the soule , yet they feele it not ; that they are as dead men under it , like Nabals heart , that was like a stone , and he tooke no notice of it : and this unfelt hardnesse of heart , it proceeds sometimes from ignorance , and sometimes from malice ; Fourthly , Know that there is a hardnesse of heart , that is unwilling , bemoaned , lamented , groaned under , look'd upon as a judgment , as a misery ; and there is a hardnesse of heart that is willing , a willing hardnesse , a pleasing hardnesse , a raigning hardnesse , a hardnesse chosen and delighted in . That there is an unwilling , bemoaned hardnesse , is plain , in Ephraims case in Ier. 31. who makes this his sorrowfull complaint before God , that his heart was like a Heyfer , like a Bullocke that would not carry Gods yoke , it made him weepe bitterly for it ; and so the Church in the forementioned place , of Isaiah 63. O Lord , why are our hearts harden'd from thy fear ? shee look'd upon it as a marvailous great evill , that lay upon them . But then , There is likewise a hardnesse , that is a pleasing hardnesse ; a hardnesse delighted in , a hardnesse raigning , a hardnesse gloried in ; that is the hardnesse that my Text mentions : Lastly , Know that there is a hardnesse of heart , that is Mans worke , and there is a hardnesse of heart that is Gods worke ; The hardnesse of heart that is Mans worke , are all those severall hardnesses , that I have spoke of hitherto , whether naturall , graduall , felt or unfelt , bemoaned , or gloried in , they are all our owne hardnesses ; But then There is also a hardnesse which is Gods worke ; which is a Judiciary hardnesse , a judgement inflicted by God righteously upon men ; who when they will harden themselves , God consents that they shall bee harden'd , and concurs to their hardening ; so hee is frequently said in Scripture , to harden Pharaohs heart , and to harden whom hee will : but this same Judiciary hardnesse of heart which is Gods worke , you must know it is not by Gods infusing obstinacy and and malice into them , that God doth to none : but it stands in these three things , sometimes , By taking away from them , or denying them those meanes that might make their heart plyable to God : or Secondly , In case they doe injoy the meanes , yet God withholding his blessing from the meanes : and Thirdly , Permitting them , or so far withdrawing the bridle of his restraining grace from them , as to permit them to abuse the meanes that they doe injoy , to their own ruine and further hardening ; and thus was Pharaoh and his people harden'd by the Ministery of Moses and Aaron ; and thus were the Israelites harden'd by Isaiahs Ministery , as you 'le find it in Isaiah 6. the Lord said to him , Goe to this people , and make their hearts hard ; how was that ? Hee should preach to them , but they should bee given up to a fat heart , that is , a senslesse , and a heavy eare , that is , a heedlesse eare ; God would give them up to a senslesnesse , and heedlesnesse , that the more means they enjoy'd , the more desperate and vile their hearts should grow : now then to draw up all this to my purpose , the Doctrine that I am to handle , wherein I am to shew you , that hardening the heart against God , is a certain forerunner of destruction ; I doe not mean it of that naturall hardnesse , that wee all bring into the world , nor of that acquired hardnesse , that is found in every man , who hath but lived a while upon earth , nor of that partiall or graduall hardnesse , that is in the best of Gods people , much lesse of that felt , bewailed , bemoaned hardnesse , that is look'd upon as a heavy judgement , by them that lye under it ; though all these are sinnes , yet these are not the sinnes of my Text ; but my Text meanes it of the chosen , voluntary , elected hardnesse , the Totall hardnesse , the Raigning hardnesse , when men doe obstinately , and willingly strengthen , and make firme their hearts in their sinfull wayes against God , and then God in his righteous judgement concurres , and saith bee it so : when men doe thus harden their hearts against God , be it a Family , be it a Kingdome , be it one , or be they many , this hardening the heart against God , is a certaine forerunner of utter destruction ; Now you understand what the Lesson is , that I am to handle , and First , I shall make it good , and plainly demonstrate the truth of it , out of the Scripture ; and for the proofe turn to three or foure Texts , the one is that knowne signall Text in Prov. 29. 1. read it carefully ; Hee that being often admonished , or reproved , hardens his neck ; there is my very Doctrine , that after admonitions hardens his neck ; what of him ? Shall suddainly bee destroyed , and that without remedy ; weigh all those words ; First , What it is that is threatned against him , hee that being often reproved , hardens his neck , what of him ? He doth not say , he shall smart for it , he shall be afflicted , but he shall be destroyed ; destruction is prepared for him ; Secondly , Hee doth not say hee is in danger of it , but hee shall bee destroyed ; it is decreed in heaven , it is set down for him , hee shall perish ; and , Thirdly , That suddenly , hee shall suddenly bee destroyed ; the Vision of his destruction is not for a long time to come , but his damnation sleepeth not , he shall suddenly be destroyed : Yea and that with out remedy ; no power shall rescue him , no mercy shall pardon him , no Mediator shall intercede for him , there is no remedy , all the world cannot helpe it , the man that after many reproofes hardens his heart , shall bee destroyed without any remedy ; there is a place like it in the 28. of Proverbs , the very Chapter before it , and the 14. verse ; He is a blessed man that feares alwayes , that is the beginning of the Verse , he is a blessed man , hee lives in a blessed state , whose heart suspects it self ; O I shall sinne , I shall offend God , I shall yeeld to my Corruption ; hee is a blessed man that feares alwayes , but hee that hardens his heart , hee that dares venture upon ungodly enterprizes , what of him ? Hee shall fall into mischief ; some render it in malum inprovisum , into unthought of mischief ; hazardous men , hard hearted men , are suddainly before ever they thinke of it , caught : and in 2 Rom. 2. 5. the Apostle there speakes to such a hard hearted wretch as my Text meanes : Thou ( saith hee ) after thy hardness of heart that cannot repent , treasurest up unto thy self , wrath against the day of wrath ; marke yee , the hard heart it is Satans treasury for sin , but it is Gods treasury for wrath ; Satan doth not lay up more wickedness in a hard heart , then God layes up vengeance in the Cellars of it , treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath : & were it needfull I could give you abundance of examples out of Gods Word ; Pharaoh and the Egyptians are a famous one ; 600000. Israelites in the Wilderness are another famous example of hardning hearts to ruin , when the hardness of their hearts made them all fall in the Wilderness ; as you have it Epitomized in Psalm . 95. and the latter end of it : and so many more in the Old and New Testament , that the time will not allow mee to mention , Iob hath a passage may serve for all , in Iob 9. 4. saith he , Who over harden'd himself against God , and prosper'd ? As if he should have said , I challenge all the World to bring an example of any one man that ever harden'd his heart against God , and was not ruin'd by it ; that expression , and prospered , is but an Affirmative for a Negative ; bring me an example of one that carryed away the victory , that was not lost in the War ; but to make it yet more plain to you , bee pleased to observe there are two things meet in this sin of hardness of heart , besides many other that might be said ; but I say there are two things that will demonstrate to all the world , that it is a sin that must bring forth certain judgment : The one is , In the Nature of it , it is rebellion against God , it is the trying of it out with God , whose will shall stand ; for God saith plainly to the harden'd sinner , I will have such a thing done , no ( saith the t'other ) I will have such a thing done ; but saith God , if I bee God , I 'le have it done ; saith the t'other , I am resolved it shall bee thus , and hee tries it out : The sin of hardness of heart is made up of Rebellion and not yeelding , he takes up the bucklers against God here , I will try , and when hee hath done refuses to lay them down upon a Summons , but will stand it out to the utmost ; Now ( Brethren ) it is not imaginable , that any thing but ruine should attend such an one ; Gamaliels speech in Acts 5. Beware ( saith hee ) left yee bee fighters against God ; The harden'd sinner enters into the lists to contend with God , and then saith God , if it be come to that it shall be tried , whose word shall stand , mine or theirs ; God speakes to the very case of some harden'd sinners , that said to the Prophet Ieremiah they would do what is good in their eyes : well saith God , you have spoken the word , and we will try it out , whether you or I shall carry it ; if poor wormes dare enter the lifts and bid defiance to God and refuse to submit , they must perish : Secondly , there is this in this sinne of hardnesse of heart , that , In the nature of it , it frustrates all the meanes that should possibly serve to save the soule from ruine ; I say the sin of hardness of heart , in the nature of it , frustrates all those means which should tend to save the soul from ruine ; and therefore you 'l find it ordinarily ; If you 'l heare Gods voice harden not your heart , in the 95. Psalme ; so in Hebrewes 3. 15. To day if you will heare my voyce , harden not your heart , as they did in the Wildernesse ; and my Text hath it againe , they made their heart like an Adamant stone , that they might not heare the words that God had said to them ; so that this is a sinne that prevents all those Ordinances and meanes , which the Lord hath sanctified and appointed for reducing a soule from the wayes of death ; and this is noted of the Israelites in the Wildernesse , that though they had innumerable miracles and administrations of all sorts , they ate miracles , and dranke miracles , and wore miracles , they had whatsoever might possibly doe a people good , all these were lost to that people , how ? onely because of the hardnesse of their hearts ; and so the Prophet Isaiah expresseth it , in the sixth of Isaiah , the Lord doth by the Prophet , ( saith he ) harden their heart that they may never turne and be healed : Christ saith the same in Iohn 12. 40. that this was the reason , why all the miracles that he had wrought among them , and all the Sermons that he had preached among them , did them no good , because their hearts were harden'd : it is like a peece of stone , put into a bottles mouth , though you put it into the bottome of a well , no water gets into it , the stopple keeps all out ; the sinne of hardnesse of heart keeps the soule from receiving any good , it is like unto the harlot that Solomon speakes of , or rather like them that goe in to the harlot , that none of them ever turne to take hold of the wayes of life ; so that because it is a sinne , that is open Rebellion against God , and it is a sinne that in the nature of it , rejecteth all the meanes that might make reconciliation with God , what can bee expected ; but the heart that goes on to harden it selfe must needs run into utter ruine . I have one thing more before I come to the Application , and that is to discover how this sinne of hardnesse of heart may be known , the properties of it , that every soule may bee able , when it comes to the Application , to give a right judgement of its owne condition ; and here I beseech you remember , that I doe not come to enquire after hardnesse of heart in generall , there is no living man upon earth , but his heart is harden'd ; there is no child of God living , but his heart is harden'd , all the sinfull motions and inclinations that are found in us , they are all the fruits of hardnesse of heart ; all that rebellion that Paul speakes of in the seventh to the Romans , a law in the members rebelling against the law of the mind , and leading of him captive , it is all the fruit of hardnesse of heart but all hardnesse is not the hardnesse of my Text ; all hardnesse of heart is not destructive hardnesse , is not ruining hardnesse ; hardnesse felt , hardnesse bemoaned , hardnesse lamented and striven against is softnesse in Gods esteeme ; and is so farre from being a forerunner of ruine , that it is an evidence of salvation ; but it is this destroying damning hardnesse of heart , that I would enquire the properties of , and set them before you out of the word of God : and there are six things that I have thought upon , whereby this destroying damning hardnesse of heart doth manifest it selfe , First , Take that which is most usuall in the Scripture , the Lord ordinarily expresses this devillish hardness of heart , by the comparison of an untamed heifer , of a bullock that refuses to carry the yoke , to draw , or to plow ; very often in the booke of God doth the Lord describe this hardned sinner by the comparison of an untamed heifer , in reference to the yoke : Now in an untamed heifer , there are these two things remarkable to my purpose : the one is , That if it be possible , it will throw off the yoke that you would put upon it , turning away the neck , rinching the shoulder , using its strength , and all that it hath , to keepe the yoke that it may not come upon the neck of it : or secondly , If you doe get the yoke over the neck , and compell it to be under the yoke , then it pines away , frets and fumes , and bellows , and takes on , but worke it will not ; just thus is this harden'd heart , God hath two yokes ; The one is , The yoke of his Commandements , which hee commands every soule to take upon its selfe , this yoke , this hardned wretch throwes away with indignation , that you may say of a harden'd heart in reference to the yoke of obedience , as Iob speaks of the Vnicorne , in the 39. of Iob , Canst thou intreat him to carry thy yoke and to plow thy ground ? can thy faire words perswade him to doe it ? ( saith hee ) so doe you thinke any allurements for God , shall make this wretched man carry the yoke of Gods Commandements ? no , hee throwes them off , what God would have him doe he will not doe , but then God hath another yoke , that this creature cannot keep off : and that is , The yoke of correction , the yoke of judgement , and when the Lord puts that yoke upon him , then hee pines away , frets , swelters himselfe , and as the Prophet Ezekiel expresses it , in the 24. of Ezekiel , You shall not weep , that is , you shall not weep with any godly sorrow , but ye shall pine away in your iniquities : and the Lord expresses it in the 51. of Isaiah : Thy sonnes do faint ( in the 20. verse ) they are like a Bull caught in a net , full of the fury of the Lord , there thy sonnes are fallen , I have yoked them , they would not carry my yoke of obedience , but I have yok'd them with judgement ; and how are they under it ? there they lie like a Bull in a net , full of the fury of the Lord , yelling and roaring : thus the harden'd heart is like an untamed heifer , the yoke of Gods commandements it will not carry , and the yoke of judgements though it must carry , yet it doth not profit by them , but onely pines away by discontent under them ; This first note of a harden'd heart I give onely for your memories sake , because the matter of it will come in the things that follow . And secondly , another property of this harden'd heart that my Text speaks of , is , That it is an insensible heart ; Nabals heart is said to be like a stone , sensible of nothing , though all belonging to him was like to come to ruine ; Nabals heart had no sense of any thing , so is this wretch , this wretched creature I am speaking of , let Gods wrath bee threatned to him , though hee lie under it , hee feeles it not ; let his owne unkindness be open'd , he is not sensible of it , let heaven shake over him , let the earth shake under him , let his estate shake , let his house quake , nothing moves him , let death bee ready to shake him , hell ready to devoure him , hee apprehends nothing , hee is like the drunkard that Solomon speakes of in the 23. of Proverbs , that lies asleep upon the top of a mast , they have beaten mee , ( saith he ) but I did not feele it , they have wounded me , but I did not know it ; nothing that the Lord doth to them , or that his word saith to them , makes them sensible of any thing , a harden'd heart is an insensible heart ; that is another property of it : Thirdly , this harden'd heart of my Text , Is an impenitent heart indeed , the hardness of heart is but an aggravation of impenitence , but he is resolutely an impenitent person , hee is one that goes on in the wayes of sinne , and will not bee tooke off from the wayes of sinne ; A harden'd heart , you may truely say of it , it is a Rock to God , but it is wax to the Devill ; it is inexorable to the requests of God , but it is most yeelding to the allurements of the Devill ; Gods seed will not grow in this rock , but the Devils seed growes best of all there ; they obey not the truth but willingly obey unrighteousness , they are stones to God , but wax to the Devill ; indeed to harden the heart , and to goe on resolutely in a way of sinning against God , is al one , take it as the Apostle expresses it in the second of the Romans , thus , ( saith hee ) after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent : a resolute hearted man is like a Blackmore , that cannot change his skin ; like a Leopard that cannot change her spots : it is set and bent to goe on in the wayes of sinne ; that is another property : Fourthly , This harden'd heart doth not onely go● on in the wayes of sinne , but goes on in them against all admonition , and all helpes against , and meanes to the contrary , whatsoever dispensation there is from heaven appearing to take him off from his sinnes , the harden'd heart hath a non abstante , though preached against , though threatned , though allured by promises , though terrified by judgements , the harden'd heart is Sermon-proof , is judgement-proofe ; Elies sonnes they were not only wicked , but they hearkned not to the voyce of their Father when hee made them a good Sermon from God , yet because God meant to destroy them , hee had given them up to hardnesse of heart , the counsell of their Father wrought not one whit upon them ; so Solomon saith of him in Proverbs 29. hee that having been often reproved , hardens his heart ; Ieremy compares him to a wild Asse , Ier. 2. all that seek to catch him labour in vaine , Israel had loved strangers , and after them hee would goe , if God in his Word mourne to them they will not weep , if the Word pipe to them they will not dance , if he offer to draw them with cords of love , they will not follow , if by his judgements hee stand in their way , as the Angel did against Balaam with a drawne Sword , yet on they will , like the Smiths Dog , they can sleepe when the sparkes fly about their eares ; hee is like a man in iron , an armed man , strike him with a staffe , cut him with a Sword , all is one , hee hath armour of proof , keeps out both , men who thus goe on are harden'd to destruction : Fiftly , Another property of this hardned wretch is , that they make but a mocke and scorne either of the sinnes that they walke in , or of any judgements , or plagues that may betide them for their sinnes ; as it is said of Lots sonnes in law , their father told them of their sinnes , and told them of the judgement , but ( saith the Text ) hee seemed to his sonnes in law as one that mock'd : they jeered him , and they thought hee jeered them , they are like the Swine that our Saviour speakes of , throw a pearle before them , they will tread it under their feet ; they make a scorne of them , tell them of their offences against God , and of the ruine of their soules , they are like Leviathan that the spirit of God speakes of , in the 41. of Iob come upon him with speares and swords , they are but as stubble to him , and strawes , hee laughs at them , he saies , Aha , like the horse in the middle of the battle , neighes and laughs at the danger ; so when a heart goes on in a hardened way it makes a jest , and a scorne of all the evils you can threaten against him , hee saith , Tush , I shall have peace though I adde drunkennesse to thirst , these threatnings are nothing , this wind shakes not my corne ; and I 'le adde but one more , and that is , When the heart goes on in this destructive way , it doth oppose and set against all those as enemies who would stop them in their way ; and when once the soule is come to that passe , then in truth is Satan set upon his throne , then they are the Devils cushion , or his pillow ; and this the harden'd heart ordinarily doth , you may see it in Pharaoh ; when Moses still followed him from God , and hee could not be rid of him , then he gave him this answer , come no more to mee , I 'le hang you the next time you come , see my face no more , if ever thou commest to mee againe with these messages , thou shalt die for it ; and so likewise Amaziah , you may read of him in 2 Chron. 25. when he was fallen into the sinne of Idolatry , God sent a Prophet to him to admonish him ; Forbeare ( saith the King to him ) who made you of the Kings Councell ? hold your tongue , else you 'l be smitten , then saith the Prophet , by this I know that God meanes to destroy thee ; when they are like unto them our Lord speakes of , in the seventh of Matthew , not onely as swine , that trample the pearle under their feet , but like Dogs worry them that offer to bestow the pretious things upon them : in one word , David describes them excellently in the 23. Chap. of the second of Samuel about the sixth and seventh verses : The sonnes of Belial , that is the hard hearted men of my Text , for a child of Belial is a child without a yoke , that will not carry Gods yoke , marke how hee describes them , the sonnes of Belial are like thornes ; thornes that may not bee taken with hands , but the man that touches them , must be fenced with iron , and the staffe of a speare , there is no comming neer them ; when men are set upon their wayes , that they hate him that reproves in the gate , and declare themselves opposite unto all those that would bring them in to God ; there is the hard heart that my Text mentions , to this passe was Israel and Iudah come , 2 Chron. 36. 15. They transgressed greatly , and the Lord sent to them by his messengers rising early , because hee had compassion on them . But they mocked his messengers , despised his words , and misused his Prophets , then the wrath of God broke out against them and there was no remedy : so that in a word , when men are come to bee stiffe-necked against God , senselesse , and remorselesse , boldly going on in sinne against all mercies and meanes , and make a scorne of sinne and judgement , and declare themselves enemies to those that would reduce them into a better condition , these are the men that my text meanes , and that fall under this Character , their damnation sleepeth not ; I come now to the Application of it ; and there are many excellent uses that wee might make of it , three or foure I shall by the Lords helpe communicate at this time ; First , I earnestly intreat you to examine your owne soules , whether none of you fall under this Character ; I am assured , there is not a soule in this Assembly , but hath hardnesse of heart in him ; I shall bee farre from threatning destruction to every soule that is hardhearted , but I desire you to examine whether you are not one of these harden'd sinners my text speakes of , the Lord helpe you to looke inwardly and say , Lord , is not this my case ? say once againe , Art not thou resolved to goe on in thy way , what ever come of it ? hath not God enlightned thy conscience , that the wayes that thou walkest in , are the wayes that lead to death ? art not thou set notwithstanding to goe on in that way , though God sometimes follow thee with judgements ? dost thou not cast the judgements off , if it bee possible , or lie and vex under them , and yet goe on ? hath not God oftentimes in the ministery of his word met with thee , in thy wicked wayes , and shew'd thee the evill and the danger of them , and thou resolutely goest on , that thou hast made thy heart like a peece of the nether Milstone , as God saith of Leviathan's ? art thou come to this passe ? heare a word or two from God , thou miserable wretched man , knowest thou what thou hast undertaken ? doest thou understand that thou hast sent a challenge to God ? doest thou understand that thou art in defiance with heaven ? dost thou understand ( I say ) that the Lord God almighty is entred the lists against thee ? or wilt thou not understand it ? or now when thou hearest it , do not thy joynts tremble ? art thou able to hold u● the weapons , when hee comes to strike ? know thou for certaine , that it is the interest of God , to destroy all those that will trie it out with him , hee would even hereby bee knowne to bee Iehovah , in the 40. of Iob , If thou beest God ( faith hee ) shew thy selfe ; how ? pluck downe every proud man , abase them , lay them low , batter them ; bee assured of it , thou art a lost man , thou art an unequall match for him , the greatest Kings and Monarchs , the stoutest Champions , the strongest Giants have met with their matches , but the Lord whom thou defyest never met with his match , and I tell thee hee is preparing for thee ; God it may be hath not struck yet , but hee is turning his grindstone , hee is sharpening his tooles , hee is preparing his arrowes , he hath them ready at the very face of thee , and thou wretched man wilt bee found to bee but as stubble before Gods devouring fire , thou art an undone man , who ever thou art , that hast dared thus to exalt thy selfe against the Lord , and if any of you that heare this Sermon doe know any who are thus resolutely set to goe on in their wicked wayes , any such insolent worme which dares thus lift up it selfe against its Creator , I 'le give you that counsell that Moses did give to the Israelites concerning Korah , Dathan , and Abiram , who were in the like rebellion , that these men are in , Get you all of you up from the tents of these men , lest you perish with them , get you up from them , have nothing to doe with them ; it is the terriblest thing in the world to bee found to fight against God : O that you would all examine your owne hearts upon it : Then secondly , This lesson doth to my apprehension speake wonderfull sadly concerning our poore distressed England at this day ; truely the dangers that this kingdome of England is in at this day , are not to be express'd ; It pleases God that wee are compass'd round about with mischiefes , and one depth calls to another , and almost every day brings up a new cloud , and for ought mortall man can see , the issue of blood , which wee hoped had been stanched , is like to bee opened again in as dreadfull a manner as ever , yet it was Ships revolted on one side , others contrary to Leagues and Covenants invading on the other side , tumults in every corner of the Kingdome , that we are all at our wits ends , but ( in Gods presence I speak it ) I feare the threatning of this doctrine more , then I doe all the revolted Ships , then I doe Duke Hamiltons army , or all others who by Sea or Land are indeavoring to hurt us . The kingdome , the body of the kingdome of England is brasse and iron ; let us all , especially you that are the representative body of the kingdome , if wee have any bowels in us , let us joyne and bemoane it now wee speak of it , God hath steeped England in the oyle of mercies , wee are not melted one whit , hee hath ground us under terrible judgements , wee are as hard as ever rock was ; wee are broken like a flint stone into 100. peeces , and every piece as hard as the whole stone was ; goe from one end of the Kingdome to the other ( pardon me if I use the received expressions ) let men bee Cavaliers or Roundheads , Royalists or Parliamentiers , give them what stile you wil , all are brasse and iron ; the generality of the Kingdome resolutely goes on rebelling against the Lord God ; but goe into any towne , goe into the places of publique resort , view the Citie , view the Countries , see whether men bee not every where set upon mischiefe and madnesse , the Ministery of the word overborne , bulrushes as able to stop a current as all the endeavours of that handfull of men that stand for God , are able to stop the inundation of peoples sinnes , lying , swearing , debawchednesse , blasphemy , heresie , prophanenesse of every kind , almost all in rebellion against God , and no man almost layes it to heart : indeed wee have our monethly Fasts kept up , but alas , they are brought to a meere formality ; but so did these Jewes in the Text , threescore yeers and ten together , Fast after Fast , but God loathed them , because they tended the ceremony , and neglected the substance , piety and justice , and turning from wicked wayes , and even so doe wee in the meane time like the Anvile grow harder for all the strokes are upon us ; surely Gods wrath is great against us , Pharaohs hard heart was a worse plague then all his other plagues put together , and the obstinacy and hardnesse of heart throughout the land is the greatest plague wee can lie under , and will prove , if infinite mercy prevent it not , the sluce or floodgate to let in destruction , let us sadly lay these things to heart , and mourne before him because of them , and rather wonder at Gods patience then at our plagues ; and certainely , if God go on to lay our pleasant land desolate , and to scatter us as with a whirlewind , though now we can lay the cause of our calamities at one anothers doores , God will make us all know that it was our obstinacy of heart against him that hath brought ruine upon us ; the Lord teach us to Iay it to heart upon this day of our humiliation ; Secondly , Is the sinne of hardnesse of heart so destroying a sinne ? what cause then have they to blesse the Lord to whom God hath given a tender , soft heart , a heart of flesh , such an heart as Ioshua had , 2 Chron. 34. thy heart was tender , and thou didst humble thy selfe ; who can say with Iob , God hath made my heart soft ; if any soule in this Assembly hath obtain'd a soften'd heart , let him know that in that one gift God hath given him the quintessence of all the grace of the new Covenant ; God made all the new Covenant good in that one promise , I will give you a heart of flesh , to have the heart of stone taken away , and to have a fleshy heart in the roome of it , is an unvaluable mercy , God delights to dwell in a house thus broken , where the floore is soft , where the raine comes in , and you have infinite cause to praise God for it : but because I would not bee mistaken , I pray you know , that all tendernesse and brokennesse is not that heart of flesh that I meane ; There is a naturall tendernesse that some men have , a compassionating spirit , so that they can hardly see another in misery , but will weepe with him , and yet it may bee their hearts are as hard against God , as Leviathans is against a Speare ; and there is another tendernesse , that is a legall brokennesse , when God it may bee seizes upon the heart with a spirit of trembling , that they are stabbed with the apprehensions of wrath , and so are like unto Cain , that wheresoever he goes , hee was in the land of Nod , that is , in the land of trembling ; this trembling heart is a curse threatned , the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart , I will send a faintnesse into their hearts in the land of their enemies , and the sound of a shaking leafe shall chase them ; I meane neither of these , but that Evangelicall broken heart , that is contrary to the sinne of my Text , is nothing but an heart willing to lay downe the bucklers before God , that saith with Iob , Lord I have done foolishly , I will doe so no more ; the heart that yeelds to God : and that will appeare by these foure things , one is , that To such a heart , the reliques of the hardnesse of their hearts is a most uncomfortable burden , the stone in their bladder , or the stone in their kidneys , though it afflict their sense more , yet doth not afflict their inward man , their heart , so much as the obstinacy , and obduratenesse , and wretchednesse , that they finde in their owne soule against God ; O Lord , why hast thou caused us to erre from thy wayes ? and harden'd our hearts from thy feare ? so also Ephraim mourned , I have been chastised , but I am like an untamed heifer that will not carry Gods yoke ; a heart that mournes under his hardnesse is a tender heart ; to feele and complaine of hardnesse is softnesse , it 's an evident signe that there is underneath a living and quick part upon which this hardnesse presses , else there would be no complaining of it : Secondly , It is a heart that the meditation of Gods kindnesse and its owne unkindnesse maketh relent ; the thought that God should spare them , pity them , doth most affect them : thus the harden'd Jewes in Zachary , those that had been most hard against God , yet when they look'd upon Christ whom they had pierced , who came to save them , they wept like a child ; this Lord we have pierced , we have crucified the Lord of life : If any arguments worke at all upon hardned sinners , they are such as these , Tophet is prepared for you , you are going to a place of blacknesse and darknesse , to a lake burning with fire and brimstone , where you will waile and gnash your teeth , but arguments taken from Gods love and bowels of mercy doe most melt a tender heart , when the Lord had turned and softned that harlots heart ; Ezek. 16. this most affected her that hee was reconciled to her whom she had broken with her whorish heart , this Evangelicall , fleshly heart relents , and bleeds at the thoughts of Gods kindnesse and its owne unkindnesse ; and then thirdly , it appeares in this , A Gospel-softned heart is afraid of sinne , a very coward to any evill , this heart hath not courage enough to try the power of Gods displeasure , How can I , how dare I doe this wickednesse and sinne against God ? hard hearted men dare venture upon such bloody things , but a softned heart saith with Iob , destruction from the Almighty is a terrour to me , and by reason of his highnesse , I cannot indure ; David whose heart was as a Lion , feared not to incounter with Lions , Beares , Giants , yet his flesh trembled at any thing which might offend his God ; this signe of a gratious tender heart you find , Prov. 28. 14. in the opposition betweene a fearefull heart and a hard heart ; Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes , but hee that hardneth his heart shall fall into evill ; the heart which feareth alwayes is the heart which out of the love of God would not sinne , yet out of the consideration of its owne pronenesse to evill suspects it selfe , and feares it shall bee surprized , this frame of spirit is thus opposed to a hard heart . This same fleshly heart , is a heart upon which Gods seale leaves a print , Gods counsell I meane , his Word , threatnings , exhortations , or whatsoever comes from him , leaves a stampe upon him ; It is a heart that is wax to God , willing to bee moulded , resignes up it selfe to bee to God what God would have it to bee , as well as it can ; if this heart be at any time drawne into sinne when God appeares displeased , it saith , I have done foolishly , I will do so no more , it layes downe the Buckler and yeelds to God , Gods argument prevailes with it , and therefore is ordinarily expressed by having Gods Law written upon the fleshly Tables of their heart , easily moulded to Gods will as much as its frailtie can attaine unto ; it saith , Lord I am full of Rebellion , full of distempers , but I would not beare up armes against my God , I would yeeld to him , I would follow him ; if it bee thus with thee , thou hast got the grace of the new Covenant , most opposite to the most damnable sinne that can bee found amongst men ; oh forget not to blesse God daily for it : The last and prinpall use I intend is , For exhortation ; because this sinne of a hard heart is such a destroying sinne , such a ruining sinne , therefore I shall desire to give you some helpes how this great evill may bee prevented , if wee be not yet come up to it ; how it may be cured , if any of us lie under it ; And If the Lord have cured it , how wee may bee preserved , that wee doe not returne to it : But first take a few motives to provoke you to labour and strive against this cursed evill of a hard heart : I pray you consider in the first place ; Wee are all hard by nature , not onely a Pharaoh , a Senacherib or Iulian are hard hearted , but we are all so naturally ; and that man that hath the stone by nature , if hee bee not wonderfull carefull , it will grow upon him ; our whole family are liable to the Stone saies one , therefore I must bee wary , I must looke to it ; and the rather looke to it , because it is not an easie thing to get hardnesse out of a rock ; thy heart is a rock , and if thou dost not look to it , thou wilt not get hardnesse out of it , it will grow upon thee , and thou knowest not whither it may come in time ; Consider secondly , That while thou art under the plague of a hard heart , thou art under all the curses of God , God hardens his against thee , while thou hardnest thy heart against him , none of all thy services are accepted , thy person is rejected ; every thing is accursed , all goes crosse to the soule that is harden'd before God : Consider thirdly , ( for I 'le but point at things . ) All that God aimes at , by all his dealings towards thee , is but to bring thee upon thy knees , that thou mayst not harden thy selfe against him ; why dost thou thinke hee brings thee to Church to heare ? why doth hee give thee leave to speake to him in prayer ? why doth hee visit thee with afflictions ? why doth hee powre upon thee so many mercies ? what doth every stroke thinke thou speake ? what doth every dispensation speake ? nothing but this , remember the battle , doe so no more , rebell not against thy God , stand not up against him , when all that God aimes at is , to give thee quarter , termes , articles of safetie , and honour to thee , doe not stand out to thy ruine ; Againe , consider this , If thou stand out , it will certainly end ill ; I confesse the greatest Monarchs upon earth have sometimes met with their match , but the Lord God never yet met with his match ; never any body that stood out against him , that ever made him raise his siege , if he hath once pitched downe before them , it is in vaine ; some besieged have first eaten Horse flesh , and afterwards eate Dogs and Cats before they would yeeld , and sometime succour hath come , but when all is done , a breach will bee made on thee , and thou wilt bee taken ; Gideon told the Princes of Succoth who refused his request ; when hee came backe , hee would teare them with Briars and Thornes of the Wildernesse , and he made his word good ; beleeve it , God will teare thee with Briars and Thorns , if thou yeeld not to him ; yet know for certaine ; If thou lay downe thy weapons and refuse standing out obstinately against God , hee will bee cordially reconciled , all quarrels will bee ended if once thou give over hardning thy heart against him , his heart will be tender toward thee , the Lord expresses it excellently in the 27. Chap. of Isaiah ; who would set Briars and Thornes in battle against mee ? what man would be so mad , to set Briars and Thornes to fight with devouring fire ? well , if they will doe it , if they make that choice , I shall goe thorough them , and burne them up , but ( saith hee ) rather let him lay hold upon my strength , that hee may make peace , and hee shall make peace with me , fury is not in me ; though thou hast hitherto harden'd thy selfe against him , hee is yet to bee wonne , mercy may yet be found , lay hold upon his strength , say unto him , Lord , here I lay downe my weapons , I have been a wretch , a rebell , I have sinned , I am guilty , but I come with my halter about my neck , hee will make peace , hee will grant thee very honorable quarter ; Elihu sets forth this notably in Iob 33. after God hath battered the strong holds of a sinner by preaching , by visions , by dreames , by corrections and judgements to withdraw man from his sinfull purposes , yet if when hee is ready to perish , when his soule drawes nigh to destruction , hee will but yeeld and call for an interpreter , one of a thousand to shew him righteousnesse , Then will God bee gratious to him and deliver him from going downe to the pit . To prevent this killing sinne , if as yet thou bee not under the dominion of it : First , Beware lest yee be harden'd through the deceitfulnesse of sinne ; marke yee , there is a deceitfulnesse in sinne , that will harden men before they are aware ; many a man thinkes thus , shall I heare armes against God ? God forbid , I had rather bee struck dead from heaven with a thunderbolt , then ever harden my heart against God ; this is his thought , but sinne cozens him into it , hee is cheated into it , as in our civill troubles , many a man is wrapped into an engagement , that if hee saw the bottome of it , he would die before ever hee would yeeld to it ; but when hee is once in , hee knowes not how to get out ; so is it here , but beware that sinne doe not cozen and harden you through its deceitfulnesse ; though wee are all hard , yet this killing hardnesse comes on by degrees , and the first thing that lets it in , is the pleasure that sinne brings to the soule , the bewitching pleasure of it , and then a mans thoughts are onely to give himselfe content , but meanes no hurt against God , little thinkes that hee begins to fight against God , but the pleasure of his sinne hath bewitched him , and then that pleasure brings him to repeat it againe and againe , and so to come to a custome of it , and afterwards to defend it , and then in the end to come to a direct opposition of what ever would take him off from it , thus men are intangled by the deceitfulnesse of it ; watch therefore against all the alluring baites of that sinfull flesh that dwells in thee : This in generall ; but More particularly there are three sinnes , that you must take marvelous heed of , if you would not be harden'd ; the one is , The sinne of unbeleefe , that which brought all the Israelites to their hardnesse in the Wildernesse , you have it in the third of the Hebrewes , If yee will heare my voyce harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the Wildernesse , but how came they to be hardned ? the holy Ghost tells you the spring of it in the 16. and 18. Verses , for some when they had heard the word provoked him , even they that beleeved not , they would not beleeve God , and so they grew harden'd ; therefore the Apostle exhorts in the same place to take heed that there be not an evill heart of unbeleefe ; when the Israelites were in the Wildernesse , God had made them many promises , but they did not see them accomplished , hee had made many threatnings and they did not alwayes presently light upon them , and because they saw not Gods word presently fulfilled , therefore they beleeved not , and because they did not beleeve and rest upon Gods word , therefore their hearts grew hard , senselesse , carelesse and bold in sinne , and then , Pride and high thoughts of our selves , are wonderfull hardning evills ; nothing upon earth makes a man so desperate in the wayes of sinne as self-conceitednesse ; and therefore in the Scripture very often , the Bullocks stiffe neck , and a proud heart signifie one and the same thing , Lift not up your hornes on high , speak not with a stiffe neck : you have a notable example in the 43. of Ieremiah of men who obstinately would go into Egypt against the expresse word of God , and in the 44. Chapter they said they would do that which was good in their own eyes ; but who were they ? the Prophet tells us , they were all the proud men : And thirdly , Hypoctiticall and formall attending upon ordinances without attaining the inward power , is one of the greatest hardners in the world ; you see it in these of my Text , what was it harden'd them all these threescore and ten yeeres ? nothing more then their monethly Fasts , their frequent Fasts , and their daily prayings to God . The stubborne , hardned and impudent harlot you read of Prov. 7. what was it made her so bold in her filthinesse that shee will take her fill of love till the morning ? why , this secured her , I have had my peace-offerings this day , and paid my vowes , I have had a day of Fast , or a day of thanksgiving , attended upon ordinances ; so when men doe performe ordinary holy duties , and rest in the shell of them , they lick themselves whole with them ; though I live in such a sinne , yet I pray , I reade so many Chapters every day , I keepe the Fast as constantly as any man , I goe to Church , this hardens the heart in a way of sinne ; this is the first direction , beware that you bee not couzened into hardnesse by the deceit of sinne ; secondly , another meanes to prevent hardnesse , is , To beware of the abuse of Gods patience & bounty : The wretched heart of man being prone to be bold in sinne by nature , is made more bold , when it observes God lets men alone to take liberty to sin against him ; Solomon expresses this cleerly in the eighth of Ecclesiastes , Vers . 11. Because ( saith hee ) sentence against an evill one is not presently executed , God spares him , what then ? Therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill ; resolutely set to goe on in a way of sinne , because they see that others scape well enough , as the Souldier when hee first goes into the battle , while he is a fresh water Souldier hee feares and trembles , and dares not be where he heares the bullets whizze about , but hee comes off safe , and it may bee of 1000. men not 100. kill'd , then hee growes bold the next time , and in time dare goe upon the Canons mouth ; and so Mariners at Sea , at first quake , but when they come off storme after storme , they thinke they shall come off still ; so the wretched heart of man , observing Gods patience and indulgence towards sinfull men , takes libertie to goe on and concludes with that wretched man , Deut. 29. who blesseth himselfe and saith , I shall have peace though I walk after the lusts of my owne heart , adding drunkennesse to thirst , hee blesseth himselfe when God curseth him , but for the Lords sake , watch you against it , for that is a wofull hardning , when that that should bring a man to repentance , hardens his heart , and of such God protests hee will not spare them , but the anger and jealousie of God shall smoak against him , & all the curses written in the booke of God shall light upon him : And thirdly , Beware of the examples of others , the common multitude going on in any way of sinne , especially when they that doe it are great men , and it may bee some of them good men , this imboldens men in their evill wayes ; it is a wonderfull meanes to make them harden'd in sin , when they see the sin which they commit is common ; & we are prone to thinke there is no danger in that which many men , great men , good men practise ; the abominable sinne of Sodome , the sinne for which God destroyed Sodome , they say there is no man almost in the Easterne Countries makes any conscience of it , because it is a common sinne , yet they make conscience of murder , theft , drunkennesse , &c. but because this is a common sinne they regard it not ; these things I commend unto you to prevent this sinne of hardning your hearts : But suppose the soule be under it , what is then to be done ? If thou beest under the sinne of hardnesse of heart , I meane if hardnesse reigne in thee , if thou bee come up to the heighth of it , I have little hope to doe thee good , yet many have very resolutely gone on , and through Gods mercy have beene cured ; and there are two wayes to cure the stone in the heart as well as the stone in the bladder ; the one is , To breake it ; the other is , To dissolve it . I shall onely point at them , they cannot bee sufficiently handled in a little peece of a Sermon . If thou would'st have the stone of thy heart broken , then attend upon these three things ; the one is , Study to bee convinced that this is thy condition , search throughly and rest not untill thou say feelingly , I , here lies a stone indeed , I am this harden'd wretch , when the Leper was so farre convinced , that he covers his lips , and goes out and cries , I am uncleane , I am uncleane , he was in the way to a cure , so doe thou , study to bee convinced , Lord I am like an untamed heifer , I am a hard hearted wretch , my heart is set in me to mischiefe ; till the Lord convince thee of it , there is no hope that any meanes will ever doe thee good : Secondly , The ordinances of God , especially the preaching of his word , and in it the denunciations and threatnings of wrath and vengeance , they are as a hammer to breake this Rock ; Is not my word a hammer ? ( saith God ) doe not I breake the rockes ? would'st thou have the stone in thy heart broken ? bring it under the bout-hammer of Gods Word , sit thee under a plaine and faithfull Ministery , and apply to ●hy soule the denunciations of wrath and judgement due to thy sinne , and pray God to set it home to thy soule ; leave not till thy heart sink under the stroke of the Word , as the Butcher followes the hard head of the Bullock with blow after blow untill it lie along upon the floore ; follow thy heart thus with blow upon blow , read over thy wayes , and thy doings that have not been good , and say not this will bee a very hard taske , thou hadst better doe this then perish , better turne then burne ; and besides the Word , Take the judgements or corrections of God , that are upon thee to breake thee ; a good shower and a plough together helpes notably to breake the clods in the fields ; Blessed is the man whom God chastiseth , and teacheth ; when God followes thee with corrections , consider of them , say thus , God visits mee , my family , my wife , my state , my soule , my children , &c. I am never from under the rod , what is the matter ? Lord what is it ? Shew mee why thou contendest with mee ; Surely ; for my iniquity I am smitten , all this is come upon me for my rebellion , O my soule I shall finde it hard striving against the Lord , I doe but kick against prickes in the time of adversity : consider , these are meanes to breake the stone ; but Above all I commend the sweet way of cure , by the dissolving of it ; and that is onely by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ , lay hold upon Christ by faith : I know not how true it is , but some say , the blood of a Goat will in time dissolve an adamant , but certainly there is a slaine Goate , the Lord Jesus Christ , whose blood is able to dissolve the heart that is like an Adamant ; Christs blood will turne a heart of stone into a heart of flesh ; you see it in the Jewes , those hard hearted wretches , that when they were put in choice , whether they would have Christ , or Barabbas , spared Barabbas and crucified Jesus ; yet these hard hearted sinners when they come to heare from Peter , that they had crucified the Lord of life who yet was willing to save them , they cry out , Men and brethren , what shall we doe ? crucified the Lord of life ! Lord are we guilty of such a thing against a Saviour , and in the 12. of Zachariah , which place intends the conversion of the whole nation , They shall looke upon him , whom they have pierced , and shall weepe , as one weepeth for the losse of an onely child ; if then thou would'st have thy obdurate heart , thy harden'd heart , if thou woul'dst have it in truth yeeld to God , goe and sit thee with Mary neer Christs Crosse , and heare him say behold thy Saviour , as he spake to Mary , behold thy Sonne , and to Iohn , behold thy Mother ; so sit thou and thinke that thou diddest heare Jesus Christ calling to thee , Behold thy Saviour , see the Sonne of God dying , shedding his blood , that thou maist not die , and be damned ; though thy sinnes have nail'd mee here , this blood that flowes from me shall wash thee , and shall keepe thee that thou shalt not perish , looke thus upon him , this will doe the deed , this will melt thy heart , this will dissolve it , so that thou canst not chuse but goe alone and say , Ah unkind wretch , that ever I shall beare armes against such a God! This is the way to dissolve the stone , to melt thy heart ; I have one thing more ; when God hath cur'd it , Beware that hardnesse grow not upon thee againe ; though thou drive it away once it will turn againe : Know all ye people of God , that though a converted man cannot become a rock againe , yet he may become very hard , he may bee frozen as hard as ice ; though good ground will never bee a rock , yet good ground may bee very hard for want of plowing , and lose many a season , and it must be torne , and torne againe before ever it will bee fit for seed againe , thou maist bee so farre harden'd , as to have cause to cry out with the Church , Lord , why is my heart harden'd from thy feare ? therefore when God hath made thy heart tender , and softned thee , labour to keep it so , watch over thy selfe , that thou doe not depart from it , and to helpe you , remember these few briefe directions ; Observe thy heart very diligently when it growes lazie as the Church did , who when her beloved came , and would have come to her , she had put off her coat , and shee was loth to foule her feet ; when I say , thou findest thy heart grow lazie , thou beginnest to harden . When thou findest thy appetite gone , that thou dost not relish the Ordinances of God , and communion with him , when thou canst turne thy back upon those fellowships , and communions with God , that heretofore have been more pretious to thee then thy life ; or When thou findest thy heart growne selfe-conceited , that thou art some body in thy owne eyes . When thou growest pettish , and wayward to them that admonish thee , that thou growest cholerick , and art impatient to be plainly dealt with , then is thy heart hardned , and looke to thy selfe betimes , let it not grow upon thee ; doe as men will doe in other diseases , I finde the stone growing upon me , I shall have another terrible fit of it , if I prevent it not , I must take a little timely physick , use the meanes before prescribed both to breake it and dissolve it , yea before these things grow upon thee , use these former prescriptions for preventing it , and be very much in prayer to thy tender hearted Saviour , to keepe thy heart tender , he onely can doe it , and he will doe it , if thou seeke to him , and rely strongly upon him to doe it , according to his Covenant of Grace , wherein he hath bound himself to take away the heart of stone , and to give his people a heart of flesh , use ( I say again ) these meanes carefully , otherwise if thou harden thy heart against God , God will harden his heart against thee , and he will make thy heart ake , and thy bones quake before thy peace shall be made , the Lord give you to consider of these things . There is another Use of this Lesson to the whole kingdom how to prevent our threatned desolation : O how glad would we all be to find some expedient to save the kingdom ! why , certainly this would doe it , could we think of a way how this Brasse and Iron , this rock of England might relent before God , and lay down the Bucklers , that would save England , and nothing else will doe it ; What might be of use to England over and above what is already spoken , cannot now be delivered , the time being more then spent , nor can my voyce reach England , but our prayers may reach Heaven where our tender Lord is ; let us therefore turne what might be spoken in a Sermon to England into a prayer for England . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89585e-370 The Text opened , the occasion , coherence and parts of it . 2 Kings 25. 1. 2 Kings 25. 3. Vers . 8. Vers . 25. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. Ezekiel 3. 8. Doct. Hardening the heart , a certain forerunner of destruction . Five distinctions about hardnesse of heart , premised forth : clearing of this Doctrine . 1. There is a naturall hardnesse of heart , and there is an acquired hardnesse . Ezek. 11. 19. 2. There is a graduall or partial hardness , and there is a to as hardness . Mark 6. 52. Mark . 8. 17. Jer. 5. 3. Jer. 6. 28. 3. There is a hardness felt and a hardness unfelt . Isa 63. 17. 4. There is an unwilling hardnesse a hardness bemoaned for and striven against ; & there is a willing hardnes , a hardness raigning and delighted in . Ier. 31. 18. Isai. 63. 5. There is a hardness which is mans work , and there is a judiciary hardness which is Gods work . 1. 2. 3. Isai. 6. 8 , 9. The Doctrine proved . Prov. 29. 1. Prov. 28. 14. Rom. 2. 5. Two things meet in this sin , which evidently prove that ruine attends it . 1. It is made up of rebellion and not yeelding ▪ Act 5. 39. Jer. 44 28. It frustrates all meanes of salvation . Psal. 95. 7 , 8. Heb. 3. 8. John 12. 40. Acts 19. 9. Prov. 2. 19. How this destructive hardnesse may be found . 1. Such an hardned heart is frequently compared to an untamed Bullock . Deut. 9. 19. 32. 15. Jer. 31. 18. 2 Chron. 36. 13. Nehem. 9. 29. Psal. 75. 5. Jer. 7. 26. 17. 23. Exod. 32. 9. 33. 35. Which comparison affords two evidences . If it can possible it will not be yoked . 2 If by force the yoke bee put upon it , it will fret and pine away but not worke . Ezek. 24. 23. 2. A hard heart is an unsensible heart . Prov. 23. 34 , 35. 3. A hard heart is an impenitent heart . Rom. 2. 5. 4. A hard heart goes on , notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary . Ier. 2. 24. 5. A hard heart slights and scornes counsells or threatnings . Gen. 19. 14. Matth. 7. 4. Job 41. 24. 27. Deut. 29. 19. 6. A hard heart : opposeth and sets against them as enemies who would stop them in their wicked wayes ▪ Exod. 10. 28. 2 Chron. 25. 16. Matth. 7. 4 , 5. 2 Sam. 23. 6. 2 Chron. 36. 15 , 16. Vse 1. Terrour to all who harden themselves against God . Iob 40. 11. Numb. 16. 26. 2. Lament the sad condition of England , our obstinacy against God a sadder token of ruine then all other judgments which lie upon us . Vse 2. Therefore a heart of flesh is an excellent grace ▪ 2 Chron. 34. 27. Iob. 23. 16. Ezck. 11. 19. Deut. 28. 65. Levit. 26. How such a heart may be known . 1. It 's a heart complaining of its hardnes . 2. It 's a heart wrought upon by arguments of love , by Gospel arguments . 3. A soft heart is afraid to sinne . Iob. 31. 23. Prov. 28. 14. Vse 3. Exhortation and direction against this great sinne . Motives to strive against it . 1. We are all hard hearted by nature . 2. While wee are under it our condition is miserable . 3. All Gods strokes tend to soften thee . 4. Thou wilt bee ruined if thou stand out . 5. If thou yeeld the quarrell is ended , and thou wilt bee spared . Esay 27. 4. Meanes how to prevent this sinne of hardnesse of heart . 1. Take heed of the deceitfulnesse of sinne . Heb. 3 12. More particularly beware 1 Of unbeleef . Psal. 9. 5. Heb. 2. 12. 15. 16. 2 Of pride . Psal. 75. 5. Ier. 43. 2. 3. Of hypocriticall and formall performances of Religious duties . Prov. 7. 11 , &c. 2. Abuse of Gods patience of mercy . Eccless . 8. 11. Deut. 29. 19. 3. Examples of others . 2. How to cure this sinne of hardnesse of heart . 1. How to break it . 1. 2. Jer. 23. 29. 3. How to dissolve it . Acts 2. Zach. 12 10. 3. How to keep the softned heart from growing hard againe . Watch against hardning , which steales upon us when 1. We grow lazy . 2. Our appetite fails . 3. Become selfe-conceited . 4. Or unwilling to be admonished . 
A89588	----	A thanksgiving sermon: preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior, aldermen, and Common Councell of the Citie of London, upon occasion of the many late and signall victories, and deliverances vouchsafed to the Parliaments forces, in Pauls Church London, July 28. 1648. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89588 of text R205009 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E455_2). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 68 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89588 Wing M791 Thomason E455_2 ESTC R205009 99864455 99864455 116684 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89588) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116684) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 72:E455[2]) A thanksgiving sermon: preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior, aldermen, and Common Councell of the Citie of London, upon occasion of the many late and signall victories, and deliverances vouchsafed to the Parliaments forces, in Pauls Church London, July 28. 1648. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 32 p. Printed by R. Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London : 1648. Running title reads: A thanksgiving sermon, preached to the Lord Major, aldermen, and Common-Councell of the City of London. Annotation on Thomason copy: the '7' in 'July 27. 1648' in title altered to "8" then crossed out and restored to "27"; "Sept 9" written by imprint, yet item bound with other items from late July. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng City of London (England). -- Common Council -- Early works to 1800. England and Wales. -- Parliament -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17th century. London (England) -- History -- 17th century -- Early works to 1800. A89588 R205009 (Thomason E455_2). civilwar no A thanksgiving sermon:: preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior, aldermen, and Common Councell of the Citie of London, upon occasion Marshall, Stephen 1648 12928 7 0 0 0 0 0 5 B The rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Angela Berkley Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Angela Berkley Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A THANKS GIVING SERMON : PREACHED To the Right Honorable the Lord Maior , Aldermen , and Common Councell of the Citie of London , Upon occasion of the many late and signall Victories , and Deliverances vouchsafed to the Parliaments Forces , In Pauls Church London , July 27. 1648. By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . Psalme 66. 11 , 12 , 13. Thou broughtest us into the net , thou laydest affliction upon our loynes . Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads , we went through fire and water ; but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place . I will goe into thy house with burnt offerings , I will pay thee my vowes . LONDON , Printed by R. Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , at the Signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1648. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE John Warner Lord Major of the Citie of LONDON . My Lord , THis plaine Sermon was preached in obedience to the call I received from you , it is published according to your request , and that it may be ( though in never so weak a measure ) a strengthning of your hands in your great work , it is humbly presented unto you as a pledge of the unfeigned respect and service of Your Lordships much obliged STEPHEN MARSHALL . A THANKSGIVING SERMON : PREACHED To the Right Honorable the Lord Maior , Aldermen , and Common-Councell of the Citie of London . ISAIAH 9. 4 , 5. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden , and the staffe of his shoulder , the rod of his oppressour , as in the day of Midian ; For every battell of the Warriour is with confused noise , and garments rolled in blood , but this shall bee with burning and fuell of fire . THE first word of my Text For , ( For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden ) doth tell us this hath dependence upon what is laid down before ; If you please to looke into it , you 'l find it to be thus : The Lord in the former Chapter had threatned the terriblest calamitie that ever came upon the Jewish nation , a wofull darke night of affliction of severall hundreds of yeers was now beginning , and such calamities were threatned , as the Lord professed that many men amongst them , when they look'd up to heaven , and saw nothing but darknesse there , nothing but confusion upon earth , they should rave and be mad , they should curse their God that would not helpe them , curse their King that could not helpe them , should bee driven into utter darknesse ; but yet notwithstanding in the beginning of this Chapter the Lord saith , that unto those that feared him , to his own people , the darknesse and uncomfortablenesse of it , should not bee so great , as they had formerly met with in some lesser afflictions ; for God did ( as i● were ) create a new Star , that should shine unto his people , all that long and darke night , that is , a most glorious promise of Jesus Christ , and salvation by him , which is laid downe in the seven first verses of this Chapter , and there are severall degrees , or breakings out of the light of this comfort , I 'le but name them so farre as may leade me to the Text . First , The Lord tells them whence this comfort should come , there should a glorious light shine to them , in the second verse ; the people that walked in darknesse should see a great light , they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death , upon them hath the light shined , which is the promise of Jesus Christ setting up his Gospel amongst them , as it is expresly interpreted in the fourth of Matthem . This Text seemes to bee a propheticall description of Capernaum , where Christ first set up his Ministery some hundreds of yeers before it was built , which stood in the land of Galile by the Sea side in the way leading to the Gentiles . Secondly , The next degree is , what the comfort is , that they should have from this light , in the third verse , they should have great joy by it , the Lord had formerly more multiplied their nation , but never gave them more joy then now they should have , though they should bee in a very afflicted condition , yet they should have as much joy in the Gospel of Christ , as ever that nation injoyed in the dayes of David or Solomon ; though now they should live after a precarious manner , and should be tributaries to all the foure great Monarchies of the world in their succession , first to the Assyrian , then to the Persian , then to the Grecian , and then to the Roman , and all this time , a space of some 700. yeers , they should bee a despised , contemned people , yet from the Lord Christ and the promise of the Gospel , should they have as much joy as ever they had when their Nation was most enlarged , yea such joy that it should bee like the joy of harvest , or the joy that Souldiers have when they divide the spoile , that is the second degree ; now my text is the third degree or breaking out of this glorious comfort , and that tels you , What the mercy shall bee that shall bee the cause of so much joy ; what it is that should fill them with so much joy , why hee would breake every yoke of their burden , every staffe that lay upon their shoulders , every rod of their oppressors , that whipped them , hee would break all as hee did once doe it in the day of Midian , he will burn up their enemies with fewell of fire , hee would free them from them all , and tread them under their feet ; then the last branch of all , and the height of their comfort is , That Christ will not only break other yokes , but would put the yoke of his own sweet and easie government upon them , himselfe will bee their King ; To us a Son is given , to us a child is borne , upon whose shoulder the government shall bee , his name is Wonderfull , Counsellor , the mighty God , the everlasting Father , the Prince of peace ; and in these things should the hearts of Gods people rejoyce in their most afflicted times . Thus stands the dependence of my Text , so that these two verses that I have read , containe the cause of all the joy that the people of God should finde in Christ in their afflicted times ; and there are two branches of the Text to bee handled . First , Here is the blessing that should bee conferred upon them , in these words , thou hast broken the yoke of his burden , the staffe of his shoulder , the rod of his oppressors : that is the mercy they should receive . Secondly , Here is the manner how this should bee done ; and that is laid downe , First , It should bee as in the day of Midian ; that is , as in the day when in Gideons time with 300. men with lamps and pitchers the Lord destroyed an innumerable multitude of Midianites ; so would the Lord Christ now worke this great deliverance , that he promises to his people . Then , Secondly , The manner of it is yet more clearely and fully laid downe in the 5. verse , by shewing that the way of Gods working of this , shall bee diverse from the manner of other deliverances : Every battell of the Warriour is with confused noise , and garments rolled in blood , but this shall bee with burning and fewell of fire ; the meaning whereof in a few words is this , This victory that God would give his people , should not bee in the way of humane helpe to doe it , as Nations get victories one over another by bringing one a greater Army then the other , or better disciplined or trained men then the other , or with pollicy and valour , with shouting and making the others lie wallowing in their blood , and so mans Arme to bee the instrument of it ; no , this should bee with fewell or burning of fire , that is , it should be done by Gods own hand ; for what the Lord doth immediatly himselfe , that is ordinarily said to bee done by fire , or fewell of fire , it hath been the ordinary way of Gods manifesting himself by devouring fire , when he threatens to shew himselfe hee will come in devouring fire , seldome hath hee appeared , but it hath been either in smoak or fire ; so then this expression signifies it should not bee done by mans helpe , but the Lord alone would come and doe it by his owne immediate hand . Let us now first inquire into the matter , what it is that they should injoy ; the Lord would break the yoke of their burden , the staffe of their shoulder , the rod of their oppressor : And here we must consider , First , What this signifies , what doth God intend in this ? For the Grammaticall meaning the yoke of his burden , this is an Hebrewisme , and signifies his burdensome yoke , hee will breake his burdensome yoke , that is , the heavy yoke that was put upon his shoulders , by those that had enslaved him ; the staffe of his shoulder , that is , the staffe wherewith his shoulders used to be beaten ; the rod of his oppressor , that is , either the Scepter of those Tyrants that kept them under often expressed by a rod ; or otherwise the rod of correction , wherewith the enemies that kept them under did use to discipline them : and by all this congeries of words , these severall expressions of yokes , and burdensome yokes , and rods and staves , the Lord doth signifie the greatnesse of that misery and bondage , that his people should lie under at that time , when Jesus Christ should come to deliver them . What are those yokes , and staves , and rods that are here meant ? I answer , that it will appeare cleer unto every one that markes the Text , that here are two things intended . Breaking of the temporall yokes , the yokes that they should lie under from the Assyrians , the Babylonians , and so the successive Kingdomes and Empires , that should keepe them under subjection and bondage ; but principally here is meant , The spirituall yokes of sinne , and death , and wrath , and curse ; and that both these are meant is cleare in the Text ; that the outward yokes are literally meant is obvious to every ones eye that doth but compare this with the two former chapters , and all the chapters that follow , for five or six of them together : in the eighth chapter the Lord threatned hee would bring the Empire of Assyria upon them , and the Assyrians should carry them into captivitie , and fill their land with waters up to the necke ; and for a great many chapters together from the seventh chapter , I thinke there is not one but there is somewhat of the Assyrian Empire that should lie heavie upon the backe of Gods people ; that is the literall , but another thing intended is , the mysticall , the spirituall Babylonish yoke , the devill and sinne , and death and hell ; Jesus Christ will breake all these yokes from off the neck of his people . And that the spirituall is intended as well and more then the temporall , is cleer both by what goes before , the preaching of the Gospel should doe it , and by all that followes , for unto a us Child is borne , to us a Sonne is given : both these sorts of yokes would Christ beake by his owne hand ; if you would have it yet a little more cleer , I conceive the deliverance most immediatly intended in the letter was the destruction of that great Army of Senacherib that came in Hezekiahs time , which came to swallow them up , and was destroyed with Gods hand immediatly from heaven , which ( as all the rest of the Jewes deliverances ) was intended as a Type , to shew how God will breake all other the yokes of those that lie heavie upon his inheritance . This then for the meaning of it , That whatsoever enemies should rise up against the Church or people of God , however they may keepe them under for a while , Christ hath a purpose , and will in his owne due time break them , and their yokes in peeces , and he will doe it in a strange way , by his own hand , in a way that shall bee very easie to him to worke , but very hard for them ; either to resist or to beare . This is the plaine scope of the Text ; Now I proceed to some matter of instructions ; and first , if you looke upon these words , as they stand in their connexion or dependence with the former verse , they joy before thee as the joy in harvest , and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoile , for thou hast broken every yoke , the yoke of his burden , the rod of his oppressor ; because God destroyed his enemies that would have destroyed him , therefore they shall joy like the joy in harvest ; learn one lesson from it , very sutable to the occasion of our meeting ; namely , That the Lord doth expect that his people should greatly rejoyce when he doth break the yoke of their enemies , and the staffe and rod wherewith they whip Gods people when God uses to defeat the plots , and enterprises of wicked men against his servants , hee expects that the hearts of his people should bee fill'd with joy , and their tongues overrun with his praises . There is abundance of evidence for this in the Scripture , in the 126. Psalme you shall finde the Church exulting , her mouth was fill'd with laughter , and her tongue with joy ; every one that look'd in the face of Gods people saw them have a merry countenance ; why ? because God had broken the captivitie of Babylon , hee had brought back the captivity of his people , and broken in peeces the enemies that kept them under , so likewise did Moses and all the Israelites , when they saw the Egyptians sinke like a stone into the depth of the Sea , in the 15. of Exodus , and Pharoah and all his Chariots drown'd in the red Sea , they all lift up their voyce , and sung to God praise and thanksgiving in the highest , I will sing unto the Lord , for hee hath triumphed gloriously , the horse and his rider hath hee throwne into the Sea : So did Deborah , and Barak in the fifth of Iudges , when Sisera and his host was broken before the servants of God , they rejoyced , and prayed God it might ever bee so , that all Gods enemies might so perish , and all his people might so rejoyce ; thus you shall finde it prophesied in the New Testament , in the 19. of Revelations , you shall reade in the latter end of the 18. chapter of the destruction of the Babylonian party , mystically Babylon , the Popish party , the Antichristian partie , the Malignant Church that is risen up against the Church of Christ , there I say you shall reade the ruine of it , and the meanes of it , the Saints helpe to doe it , and you shall there see all the Kings of the earth weeping and howling , and all that were friends to the harlot were condoling one with another for that great losse ; but in the 19. chap. in heaven , that is , in the Church of Christ , there was nothing but Hallelujah , praise yee the Lord , for the Lord hath avenged himselfe , and when her smoke arose up for evermore , againe they say Hallelujah to see Rome burning , and the instruments that would have oppressed Gods people destroyed , and troden under foot ; it was Hallelujah to the hearts of all that feare God : This I doe but touch , but , It may bee a notable tryall of your spirits , for certainly , it is a signe of a gracious spirit to refuse to bee comforted in Zions ruines , and to refuse to be sadded in Babylons ruines ; to finde a soule , or a people that will hang their harpes upon the willowes , and will mourn and lament , and rather wish that their right hand forget their cunning , then to sing one cheerfull song while Gods people are in Babylon , and yet to find them full of joy and rejoycing , when God is breaking the yokes of oppressors , and treading them under feet , that rise up against them ; this I say , is an argument of a heart that joynes with Jesus Christ , when they fulfill that of the 66. of Isaiah , Rejoyce with Ierusalem all yee that mourne for her ; And that of Psal. 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance : and on the other side , it is an argument of a base spirit , of a spirit malignant against Christ and his cause , that is either rejoycing when Gods people are troden under foot , or malignes those that are the meanes or instruments of delivering of Gods people , that with Sanballat and Tobiah , are vexed and grieved at the heart when they see God raised up any that may be for salvation to his people ; but it is a token withal that as their hearts are not with Jesus Christ , but against him , so they shall perish in the ruine of his enemies : This I doe but point at from the connexion , they shall joy like the joy in harvest , for Christ hath broken the yoke of their oppressors , broken the yoke of the enemy and the enemies themselves , and the enemies themselves together ; but I come to the words , which I shall handle onely as they respect their temporall and outward deliverances ; and under that consideration there are these two lessons that I intend by the Lords assistance to handle : The first is , That the Lord doth sometimes leave his owne people to lie under heavy yokes , to have the staves and rods of oppressors lie upon their backs and shoulders : Secondly , and principally , That Jesus Christ will in his due time breake in sunder all the yokes that lie upon his peoples neck , all the staves that beate their shoulders , all the rods that whip their backes , Christ hath a time wherein he will break them all , both yokes and oppressors together , and set his people free from them ; this second I most intend ; a word or two of the first . That the Lord doth sometimes leave his owne people to bee under the tyranny of them that hate them : I say his own people ( for this was Emanuels land , you 'l read it called by the very name of Emmanuel in the eighth chapter ) the Assyrian shall come and fill the breadth of thy land O Emmanuel ; they were Emmanuels people that should have these terrible yokes put upon them : to understand this lesson , bee pleased to premise thus much ; That it is of all judgements one of the most terrible and uncomfortable that ever a people can be exposed to , to have those that hate them to tyrannize over them , that was Davids prayer , I have done justice and judgement , give me not up to mine oppressors : O Lord deliver mee from that judgement , that I bee not left to wicked men , to put yokes upon my neck , to beate my shoulders ; and God used to threaten it as one of the severest plagues that ever should come upon his people , when hee was angry with them , that hee would give them up , that they that hated them should beare rule over them : and truely it will easily appeare to bee one of the terriblest judgements of all , because it is a misery that is opposite and contrary to the greatest mercy that can bee enjoyed upon earth ; which is to have rulers and governors , such as are over a people , to bee as a Sun or a Shield , as a Shepheard , as a Protector , as a Father , for these are names whereby the Spirit of God deseribes good Magistrates & rulers , to give such to a people as may defend every one in his own right , protect the fatherlesse and widow , and see that every one have justice and judgement , that there may be no complaining in the streets of a people ; but that they may live and serve God in godlinesse and honesty , in peace , to bee preserved in security and tranquillity , O happy are the people that are in such a case , faith the Spirit of God in the 144. Psalme ; now if this bee the greatest earthly mercy , then for God to give up a people , or to let them be given up to the judgement that is contrary to it , that their shepheards should bee like them in the 34. of Ezekiel , who should kill the fat , and tread under feet the leane , that should pluck off the wooll , and teare off the skinne ; that should bee as they are described in the 7. of Micah , as briars and thornes that should rend and teare the people that are under them , when the Lord shall give men up to such a condition , that those that should defend them , should enter into the field of the fatherlesse , and undoe a man and his neighbour , without mercy and compassion , this of all judgements in the world is one of the cruellest , and the heaviest that a people can bee given up to : now I tell you that God sometimes leaves his owne people to this condition , there are abundance of examples , and I should spend the time needlesly to receite them to you , because you cannot bee ignorant of them ; so they were in Egypt , when their lives were made burdensome to themselves , by reason of the heavy yoke of bondage that lay upon them ; so they were in the times of the Iudges , oftentimes an enemy comes in , carries away the harvest that they are ready to reape , sometimes carries away the corne they had gather'd into their barnes , mightily oppressed them , put heavy yokes upon them ; so was it in Babylon , if you reade but the fifth of Lamentations , it will make you weep to consider the sad complaint that the Church makes there , Our inheritance is turned to strangers , our houses to aliants , wee have drunke our water for money , our wood is sold unto us , our necks are under persecution , we labour and have no rest , servants rule over us ; wee eate our bread with the perill of our lives , Princes are hanged up by the hand , young men are taken to grinde , and the children fell under the wood , &c. such abundance of examples there are that I shall not need to prove it , onely let me a little discover to you out of the Word , for what causes the Lord uses to leave his owne people to this terrible judgement : I finde three cleer causes why God oftentimes hath left his own people to be given up to oppressors , to Tyrants , to put such heavy yokes upon their necks , their states , their consciences , their liberties , and the first & greatest & most frequent is when God himself offer'd to be the King and ruler of his people , to put the yoke of his government upon their necks , a yoke that should be sweet and easie , honorable & profitable , and his people cast off Gods yoke , would not be under that , then hath the Lord frequently let them fall under the yoke of some others , that they might know the difference betwixt being Gods servants , and the servants of other men ; take but two instances of this , one in the 2 Chronicles 12. it was in Rehoboams time , when Shishak the King of Egypt came against them , though Egypt and Iudah had been in a league , articles of peace betwixt them , Shishak comes against them , and brings a mighty Army , and Rehoboams subjects knew not what to doe , they cryed to God , they prayed the Lord to deliver them , no ( saith God ) I will not give you wholly up to a spoile , but you shall bee the servants of the Kings of Egypt ; why ? because they shall know the difference of my service , and the service of the other Nations ; they shall see whether they had not been better to have let mee bee their King , then to bring those to rule over them , who I am now resolved shall bee over them for a while ; There is another terrible instance in the 11. of Zachariah ; you shall see the purpose of that Chapter is to signifie these two things : First , that Jesus Christ would come to bee a Prince and a Ruler over his people , as a faithfull and good shepheard , they would none of him , they sold him for 30. peeces of Silver , which as it is noted , was but the price that a slave used to bee sold at ; Christ the Lord himselfe came from heaven , offer'd himselfe to them to bee their shepheard , and they sold him for 30. peeces of Silver ; A gooly price that I was sold at , saith the Lord ! Well , but what becomes of this ? the rest of that chapter tells you , that hee will give them other shepheards that shall teare them to purpose ; in the 6. verse , I will give them up every man into the hand of his neighbour , I will give them up into the hand of their King ; who was that ? it is plaine that the Roman was their King at that time , because Christ came at that time when the Roman was over them , now when Jesus Christ would have been their King , and they say nay , we have no King but Caesar , God therefore gives them up into the Romans hands , and then they shall have Shepheards that shall teare them to purpose ; because they would have none of the Lord Christ , the Lord would give them up into such hands as should discipline them after another manner ; that is one cause , when God offers himselfe to bee their ruler , and they will not have him to bee their ruler , then God puts other yokes upon them . Againe secondly , another cause I finde is this , When the Lord hath raised up to a people good Rulers , and Magistrates , that under them ( though possibly with many humane frailties ) they might bee ruled in godlinesse and honesty according to Gods wayes , and the people have been ungratefull for them ; the Lord then gives them up to the hands of others , that they shall not bee able to shake off , when they will ; so you find it in the example of Gideon ; when Gideon had delivered the Israelites , they came to him , and say be our King ; not I ( saith hee ) God must bee your King , ( which by the way , let me interpret it to you , he meant , he would not change that forme of government , that God had set up in that Commonwealth , which was this , that every Tribe had their owne Aristocraticall government , that is , the chief men of their Tribe did rule all , as it might be the Maior , Aldermen , Common-Councell men in every Tribe , and when a time of speciall danger came , that an enemy invaded them , God from heaven used extraordinarily to raise up some Judge , & that danger being over the government of the Commonwealth went in the old channell ) they would have had Gideon to be their King , No ( saith hee ) not I , nor my sonnes , but you shall have God to bee over you ; well , but when Gideon died they forgot Gideon and they would have a King , and tooke Abimelech , who proved a cruell tyrant to them , whereupon Iotham in the 9. of Iudges , ( when all the people were together ) tells them a tale ; The trees ( saith he ) would have a King , and they went to the Olive , and the Vine , and the fruitful trees to rule over them ; No ( say they ) we must keep every one our own ranke , I cannot leave my fatnesse nor my sweetnesse , &c. But a King the trees will have , and their King proves a Bramble , so ( as his speech intimates ) will it prove unto you for your ingratitude to God for Gideon and unto Gideons family , it will come to passe that this bramble your King shall first rend and teare you , and afterwards you and your King consume one another , and this curse or prophesie came upon them , and for that very cause . Another like instance wee have 1 Sam. 8. God had raised up Samuel in a time of much trouble , to be a Judge and Saviour to the Jewes , they took occasion upon some miscariages of Samuels sonnes to cast him off , and they would have a King after the manner of the Nations round about them , and therefore God in his wrath gave them Saul , who proved a Tyrant : Ingratitude for good governours is one cause why God gives people up to such oppressors . And then thirdly , I finde , When people use to teare and devoure one another in their petty precincts , when as any one gets a little power in his hand , hee loves to put a yoke upon the neck of his brother , for this doth the Lord send them those that shall put yokes upon them all ; so you find it in this very chapter , in the latter end of it , Manasses bites Ephraim , and Ephraim Manasses , and these two confederate together to bite Iudah , and for this the Lord gives them up to Senacherib , and he bites & devours them all ; Thus was it also , Ieremy 6. 6. when the people were given wholly to oppresse one another , the City was wholly oppression in the midst of it , violence and spoile , griefe and wounds were every where found , then was Ierusalem a Citie to bee visited by them who should gleane them as a vine , who should be cruell to them and shew no mercy . Thus you see the Lord sometimes leaves his people under heavy yokes , yokes put upon their lives , estates , consciences , liberties , when they will not bee under Gods government , when they are not thankfull for good governours , when they according to their own power will be tyrannicall and oppressive one to another . I shall not stay upon the Application of this , I onely say of it , as Christ of the Cup he was to drink , Father , if it bee possible let this cup passe from me ; Lord let this Cup passe from us , let not our God give us up to spoyle , to confusion , to oppression ; for I am too well assured that in all these things I have spoken , wee have deserved to drinke this cup , and our sinnes cry loud in the eares of God for it ; and whatsoever you may say of the two latter , I am confident you 'l all beare mee witnesse wee have highly deserved it in the first of these ; the Lord hath offer'd to England the government of his own Scepter , the government of his Gospel , & he is shewing us the way how he will rule us in Ecclesiasticall things , but alas , there is not a thing under heaven more abominable to the people of this Land , then to think that they should have such a yoke put upon them , though the aime and end of it bee onely to make them holy ; but we will have none of it , the thing we will have , is , to live as we list , wee will not have this man rule over us ; the Lord grant wee bee not broken with other yokes ; And as for ingratitude for our other Magistrates and Rulers , and for our biting and devouring one another , the Lord knowes it is to bee found in every corner of the Land ; I onely mention these things that in this day of rejoycing for mercies received , you may all joyne in prayer that the Lord bring not this evill upon us . Thus briefly for the first ; the second lesson which I mainely aime at is , That howsoever the Lord sometimes lets his people lie under heavy and terrible yokes , yokes upon their lives , names , estates , liberties , consciences , ( call them by what names you will ) yet Jesus Christ hath a time , when hee will break them all ; Thou hast broken , it was not broken yet , but God uses to speak of his mercies intended for the Church , in the preterperfect tense , as things already done , because they were so sure ; the Lord Christ will breake the yoke of their burden , the staffe of their shoulder , the rod of their oppressor ; when the Lord doth at any time leave his people in this sad condition which I have spoken of , hee never puts them out of his own hand , though hee may deliver them into the hands of others , hee alwayes keeps the line in his owne hand , that the adversary cannot doe what they list , they are bounded by him , and it is not for want of love or of power , that the Lord lets any such yoke ever come upon the neck of his people , but onely from his owne will , and from his own wisedome , the Lord orders it so , that the heaviest thing that betides them , shall never hurt a haire of their heads , as Christ hath it in Luke ; though some of them be put to death , not a haire of their heads shall perish , hee never gives them so into the hand of wicked men , as to put them out of his owne hand , or to cease his owne care ; but this doctrine holds out a further mercy , that though the Lord sometimes puts them into the hands of wicked men , and lets them be his rod to scourge them , beate them , pinch them , thresh them , yet in his due time hee will breake all those yokes , and the yokers together , all such as put them upon his peoples necks , they & their yokes shall all perish , for both of them are equally intended , as it is in the next words , as in the day of Midian , not onely the people of Israel were saved from Midian , but the Midianites destroyed also ; and so in Senacheribs time , not onely the people delivered , but the enemies destroyed ; now that the Lord will doe it , blessed be his name , there are 1000. promises that it shall bee so , and as great a cloud of instances , to prove it hath been so ; Egypts yoke was broken , the Philistims broken , Ashur and Babylon broken , yea the ruine of all the kingdomes of the earth who have successively laine heavy upon his Church and people doe all beare witnesse to this truth , that the rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest upon the back of his people . I shall not inlarge my discourse upon this , because I thinke it is a knowne theame , every one that hath read the Scriptures can give proofes of it , I shall onely present to your consideration two or three Texts , one is that of Isa. 49. 24. The Lord promised in the former Verses a great inlargement , increase & prosperitie , so that their Land should be too narrow for them , & Kings and Queens should bow unto them , now he knowing how hard it would bee for his people to beleeve this , because of the great bondage they lay under , and the utter improbability of getting out of that state , brings them in in this 24. verse , objecting thus , Alas , our miseries plead prescription over us , our hope is gone , shall the prey be taken out of the hand of the mighty , or the lawfull captive delivered ? now our adversaries say , we are a lawfull prey , we are prisoners of warre , and they can plead right as well as might to bring us under , and now shall wee ever bee delivered ? yes saith the answer of God , even the captive of the mighty shall bee delivered , and the prey of the terrible shall bee taken out of his hand , for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee , and I will save thy children , and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour : and in the 51. of Esay after hee had promised to consume their enemies as a moth eates a garment , and that his people should returne with the voyce of singing unto Sion , hee then chides their feare and unbeleefe , Why fearest thou a worme that shall die , why fearest thou because of the fury of the oppressor , as if hee were ready to destroy ? and where is the fury of the oppressour ? alas it 's gone as a puffe of wind : then followes , the captive exile hastneth that hee may bee loosened , that hee may not die in the pit , nor that his bread should faile , hee feares lest he should starve or die in his bondage , and therefore makes hast out of it ; but Gods people shall not need to make such hast , their seasonable deliverance is sure enough ; many other Scriptures speak this truth as plainely ; But that which I chiefly aime at for cleering this doctrine , is , the discussing of two questions , the one is , 1. When the Lord uses to doe this ; 2. How hee doth it . For the first , that hee will deliver his people from all their oppressors , is not to be doubted , but when the Lord will doe it , that is the time that every sad soule cries after , How long Lord , holy and true , doest thou not avenge us ? or when Lord shall it bee ? I answer , Though it bee not for us to search curiously into the times and seasons that the Father keeps in his owne bosome , as you have it in Acts 1. 7. yet the Lord hath left very comfortable prognosticks in his Word , whereby wee may guesse when the time of the deliverance of Gods people from their bondage is even at hand ; certainly it will come in the best time , in the fittest time , but when that time doth appropinquate , drawes nigh , you shall find it cleer in the Word by these three things ; the one is , The Lord ordinarily makes that the time of his breaking the power of the enemies of his Church , when they are fill'd most with rage and fury against the Church , when they breath out nothing but slaughter , and threatnings against them , blaspheme not onely them , but their God , and their profession , and their way , when they are risen up to that height that their sinnes are full against God , and their rage against Gods people , that is the time when the Lord suddenly uses to break out and crush his enemies ; I might give you many examples of this in the book of God , take that expression in Ieremiah 30. 17. for one , the Lord would speedily come to deliver his people , but why ? even because they said , This is Zion , whom no man cries for ; Zion was then a scorned company , I will therefore ( saith hee ) restore healing to them ; therefore would hee come , because the enemy said , this is Zion that no body cares for , every one can tread it under foot ; So likewise , Ezek. 25. 3. because the Ammonites said Aha against his Sanctuary , against the Land of Israel and against the house of Iudah , when they went into captivitie , Behold I will therefore deliver them , &c. and Ezek. 28. 67. because the King of Tyrus had set his heart as the heart of God , therefore God would bring enemies upon him . What need I multiply examples ? you shall find it was thus to all the people that ever had Gods people under them , goe from Egypt , to those of Syria , Palestina , to the Assyrians , the Babylonians , the Grecians , the Romans , you shall find in them all , that when their rage was most furious against Gods people , then was the time neer that God used to breake them , and deliver his people from them . Secondly , another time is , When the Lord by the threshings of their enemies hath purged the chaffe out of his people ; when the Lord hath by delivering his people up into the hands of wicked men wrought in their hearts a spirit of repentance , a spirit of humiliation , a spirit of Prayer , a spirit of looking unto God , the Lord never stayes long before he doth deliver them ; I beseech you search the Scriptures , and you will find that the morning starre is not a more infallible argument of the day , of the Sunnes approach or rising , then a spirit of humiliation and prayer powered upon Gods people , is an argument of their deliverance at hand : The burden of Hadrach , and Damasous , Tyre and Sidon , ruine to them is prophesied of in the 9. of Zachariah , but when should it bee ? When the eyes of the Tribes are towards the Lord , when God puts it into the hearts of his people to looke to God , to humble themselves and seek his favour , the Lord is then at hand , to ruine their enemies and deliver them : So also in the 102. Psalme , Vers . 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion , marke the phrase , Thou shalt arise , it is somewhat akin to that place of Isaiah , where the Lord saith , Aske me of things to come , and concerning my sonnes and daughters command yee mee ; so the people of God come in , Thou shalt arise and have mercy , why ? what makes them so confident ? the set time is come , the time of deliverance of Zion is come , even the set time is come ; how can they tell that ? thy servants mourne over the dust of it , thy servants are compassionate , they pitie , they poure out their soules , and mourne to God , and out of this ; the Church could set downe the conclusion , the set time is come for it , when the Lord hath prepared his people , and humbled them : And then thirdly , When hee hath broke all other meanes of deliverance , so that they see no hope or meanes of helpe in any other , the heart of man cannot thinke how prone even Gods servants are to relie upon other Crutches besides God , and to catch as sinking men at every twig , and every Bulrush , but when the Lord hath broke all their probabilities , and expectations elsewhere , that there is none shut up , nor none left , then doth the Lord use to come himself & rescue his people , and break those that thought to swallow them up ; of this you may please to take two notable instances ; the one is a Prophesie in Deuteronomy 32. 36. the Lord had said how hee would scatter his people , but ( saith hee ) when hee saw , that their strength was all gone , that there was none shut up , nor none left , that is , none to bee a helpe , there were enow of Gods people left , but not any one that could worke any deliverance for them , what then ? then did the Lord repent concerning his servants , and his owne Arme delivered them ; you have it yet rather more cleerly in Isaiah 59. 16. the words are these , The Lord looked , and there was no man , and wondred that there was no intercessor , the Lord could finde none that could speake for them , none that could act for them , when God saw that , then his owne arme will doe it , hee then put on his mercy and goodnesse , and arrayed himselfe with his zeale like a robe , and his owne Arme did it ; that they might feare the name of God from the rising of the Sunne to the setting of it : and that is the reason why the Lord uses to come in at such a time , because hee hath the more glory . This for the time , when God uses to break the yokes of his people that lie upon them , when the enemies are at highest , when he hath humbled and prepared his people , and when all other helpes doe faile them , then the Lord doth it : But then in the next place , How doth he doe it ? after what manner doth he use to deliver them ? I answer first in generall : Which way soever the Lord doth it , all wayes are alike easie to him ; alike easie for him to contrive ; alike easie for him to use his infinite wisdome , and his infinite power knows no degrees of ease or strength in any way , all are alike to him ; It is all one to him to save by many or to save by few . Secondly , I answer , That when the Lord comes to deliver his people , he seldome doth it that way that his people expect , seldome walks in the paths that we have causeyed for him , or by the line that we have chalked out for his direction ; seldome or never doth God take that way : We are prone to deal with God as Naaman did , when the Prophet had sent for him to cure , that he and his master might know there was a God in Israel who knew how to cure him of his Leprosie ; Naaman believed it , but he had fancied by the way how it should be done : Now ( saith he ) I shall finde a Cure ; and he will surely come out to me , and strike his hand over the place , and stand and call on the name of God , and so I shall see a miraculous work wrought upon me ; the Prophet went clean another way ; and because the Prophet did not come out , and take that way he thought of , he went away in a rage , and thought there was no cure for him : So verily most people deal with God ; we think this is the way how our deliverance must come , by such a Parliament , by such an Army , by such a designe , by such an association , by such and the other way , here it must come , if this way fail , we think all is lost , and God seldome goes the way we have chalked out ; study you the Scriptures and you will finde it : But yet if positively you 'll know what way he doth it ; I answer more particularly : Very frequently by his own immediate hand , without the help of any other ; he alone trode out the winepress of the wrath of God , and there was none of the people with him to help him , but doth all himself , so my Text saith in the next verse , The battail of the Warriours , &c. if other Nations conquer , they doe it by garments rolled in blood , and by confused noise , but this shall be by burning and by fuell of fire by Gods own hand ; Or which is all one , He ordinarily doth it by most unlikely and contemptible meanes , he will not alwayes work Miracles , that is to doe a thing without any meanes at all ; but in the deliverance of his Church , he alwayes works miranda , marvailous things , by doing it by such meanes as are altogether improbable and unsuitable to the great things that are to be done by him . This instance of my Text is a most notable proof , He will break every yoke of the oppressor , as in the day of Midian ; how was that ? you may read the Story in the 17 of Iudges : the way was this , there was such a numerous and mighty Army of the Midianites , that the text saith , they lay like grashoppers , and cover'd over all the Countrey ; the Lord meant to destroy them and Gideon must goe with 300 men , and these 300 men must every one carry a pitcher , and a lamp therein in one hand , and a trumpet in another hand , and compass in this mighty Company , every one at his post , and blow with the trumpet , and not strike a stroke , but cry , The sword of the Lord and Gideon ; and this routs and destroys an invincible Army . As in the day of Midian , saith the Lord , so will Jesus Christ , that is , by some unlikely meanes : And give me leave to say confidently , That whosoever reads the book of God from one end to the other , will finde that most of all the deliverances which the Lord hath given his Church , have been by people that have been most unlike to doe their businesse ; A shepheard shall bring Israel out of Egypt ; Rams hornes shall blow down the Walls of Iericho : A Shepheards boy with a sling and a stone in it , shall overthrow Goliah ; the Israelites like two little flocks of Kids shall overthrow the Assyrians , that fill all the Countrey , thus hath the Lord used to doe it : If you 'l know the reason of this manner of proceeding as well as of the time when he doth it , it is , Because then hee appeares like himselfe ; the truth is , let God doe it by never such probable meanes , it is God that workes all ; God did no more when hee destroyed the Midianites by Gideons 300. then hee did when he destroyed the Army of the Israelites , with 400000. of the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin , God did no more in the one then in the other , for it is God who workes all in all , but God doth not so much appeare , for wee that are thick sighted can see what the creature doth , but wee cannot see that this creature is in Gods hand , and that it is God that doth all ; but now when the Lord uses meanes which are altogether unlike to attaine it , and are wholly unfit for the worke then to doe it , all say this was digitus Dei , this was the Lords doing ; now the Lord saith , when there was none to speak , then his owne arme did it , that Gods name might have the praise from the rising of the Sunne to the setting of it : these things I might have prosecuted further ; give me leave to wind it all up with an Application , and I shall dismisse you ; and there are but two Vses , which I intend of this Lesson , the one is , First , A word or two of admonition to enemies , if there should be any such here , that are ill-willers to the Church and people of God that love not Christs cause in the hands of his servants , who wish ill to it , who are glad when power and strength comes into the hands of those that would , or are likely to oppresse Gods people , and as farr as they can are contributing their power towards such designes ; let mee tell thee who ever thou art , Thou wilt wholly be frustrate of thy expectation , flatter not your selves , O yee malignant spirits , if any such heare mee this day , I say againe flatter not your selves with any thought that you shall bee able to doe any great matters against the servants of Christ , your plots will all come to nothing ; I will tell you a story , you shall finde it in 2 Chron. 28. the Church malignant , I meane the Church of the ten Tribes , ( who had made apostasie under Ieroboam ) had rallied a mighty Army together , and went against the true Church of Christ , against Iudah , and they got the day , and carried away 200000. of their brethren , whom they made account to keepe or sell for slaves , and so keep them in bondage , and now they thought all was their owne , there comes a Prophet and meets them , who tells them from God , With a rage that reacheth unto heaven , you have slaine many of your brethren , and now you think to keep the people of Iudah under , it will not bee ( saith hee ) there are sinnes amongst you , great is the wrath of God that is kindled against you , let them goe home againe , meddle not with them : and truely though the people were naught , they tooke the Prophets counsell , they saw it would be in vaine for them to kick against the prick ; so I say , it may bee there may bee some such here , for I can heare of strange insultings and threatnings in the mouths and tongues of many against those whom they thinke shortly to have under their feet , but doe not flatter your selves , the people of God are too heavy a stone for you to carry farre ; I will make ( saith the Lord in the 12. of Zachariah ) Ierusalem a burdensome stone , for all people that burthen themselves with it shall bee broken in peeces , though all the nations of the earth should bee gathered together against it , the people of God will bee too heavy a weight for them : in the same place hee speakes to them that thought to drinke their blood , I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about ; you cannot hurt them , you may bee Gods flaile to thresh out their Chaffe , bee a meanes to purge and winnow them ( which they will have cause to thank God for , ) but for you to thinke to oppresse them long , that the rod of the wicked shall remaine or rest upon the neck of them that feare God , it cannot bee , you 'l ruine your selves in the designe ; bee wise therefore and leave it off ; but I forbeare , for such ordinarily are more fill'd with fury and rage against that that is spoken in this kind , then willing to profit by it , and therefore my next Vse is , To them that will profit by it , and whom I hope the Lord will teach to profit by it , to all those that have sincerely owned Christ and his cause amongst us , I would speake somewhat to them , the Lord grant I may speake effectually , I am sure it is a word in season , you who are the Lords people , that are in Covenant with him , who desire to know & feare him , and to see the welfare and prosperity of Zion , the thing I would leave with you is this , lay not to heart overmuch the dangers you seeme to be in for the present , from the hands of those who would destroy you , lay it not ( I say ) so far to heart as to be dismayed : I confesse it is as Arrowes in the hearts , and Swords in the bowels of many , to heare the extream threatnings and scornes wch in many places are cast upon those that desire to feare God , they are often told , You are not farre from hanging , you must shortly looke for it , England will bee too hot for you , your doores are mark'd , you are known well enough , the day is comming , you 'l be caught ere long , what of all that ? which if these things bee belched out ? I confesse if our lives were in the hands of men , if the Lord would deliver us up to them to doe what they would , and put us out of his hand , I beleeve there would not bee a godly man left before to morrow night , so much rage and fury is throughout the Land against them , if Satan might have the ruling of the rost , and the determination of businesses ; but truely the servants of God are never nearer to deliverance , then when such threats lie upon them , and the Lord Jesus Christ being the same yesterday , to day , and for ever , knowes his own best time , and his own best way , and we should fix our eyes upon him , when all other things goe crosse , and studie onely to walke so as wee may bee under the power of this doctrine , that wee may bee under the reach , and cover and wings of it , and when wee have done that , wee have done all wee should doe ; and therefore to this end , give me leave in this close of the Sermon , to give a threefold advice to Gods people , what they should now do in regard of the present straights and dangers that wee are cast in , that so wee may the more comfortably expect deliverance from Christ : the one is , Let us all ( in the first place ) take the counsell of the Prophet in Ieremiah 8. 14. when the Lord was giving up his people to most wofull spoiles , the Prophet speakes to them after this manner , Why doe you sit still ? assemble your selves , and let us enter into the defenced Cities , and let us be silent there , for the Lord our God hath put us to silence and given you the water of gall and wormeword to drinke ; for wee have sinned against God ; so I would say to all , O that the voyce of God in this could reach his servants in the Parliament , in the Court of Aldermen , in the Common-Councell , in the Citie , and throughout England , that it might prevaile with all that have been unfainedly devoted to this work , to get into their closets , to lay their hand upon their mouth , and weep before God , and say , This cup of gall and bitternesse is given us to drinke because wee have sinn'd against God , my meaning plainly is this , I thinke the servants of God in England , since the Gospel came into England , have never miscarried , nor dishonoured the Gospel so , as we have done since God hath wrought these enlargements for us ; surely wee walked 100. times better in the dayes of persecution , then wee have in the middest of our inlargement ; O to what abundance of loosenesse even good people are come , what pride in many of their hearts , what scandalous walking in the eyes of those that are enemies to Religion , what bitter divisions one against another , undermining one another , opposing one another , when one side gets power striving to beate downe the other , if the other get the ball , they kick as unmercifully against the other , even to the scorne of Religion : truely wee have even lost our selves ; our foolish walking hath took off the awe that the profession of Religion laid upon the hearts of wicked men , who heretofore though they did not love goodnesse , yet they saw such a conversation in those that were good , that it laid a bridle upon them , but now they see that many godly , or who at least pretend to bee godly , appeare so selfish , so bitter , so worldly , not onely to bee of differing minds , but of differing affections , falling into horrible rents , and abominable opinions , this I say , hath tooke off the awe that lay upon mens consciences , and therefore is there so much rage let out against us ; I desire therefore that we all that professe our selves to bee Christs servants may get our selves into our Closets , and bee silent , lay our hands upon our mouths , and say , It is most just with God wee should bee given up , wee had a little power and wee have abused it , wee have dishonor'd the Gospel , and now the Lord hath given us the water of Gall and Wormewood to drinke , because our finnes have called for it . Beloved , our adversaries can speak of these things , and it is good for you to heare of it from the Ministers mouth , for when wee lye low and submit , and say , God hath walked contrary to us , because wee have walked contrary to him , then the Lord will quickly turne things about , and bee gratious to us : that is one ; let the servants of God wherein they have miscarried bee sensible of it , humbled and abased for it in Gods sight ; And secondly , Let our conversation for the time to come , bee according to the principles and wayes that wee walked in the beginning of this worke , when wee were first ingaged in it ; In the beginning of our work , what were our principles ? what were the things wee aimed at then ? Did we not then aime at the reformation of Religion , execution of justice , enjoyment of libertie , &c. were not these the hinges that carried us ? and the wayes wherein we walked then , what were they ? Were they not the wayes of Prayer , and the wayes of Christian love , and a spirit of zeale ? Was there not a spirit of prayer mightily poured out in every corner of the Land , so that you could come no where , where there were any that feared God , but frequently in publique and private there was knocking at heaven gate , and wrestling with God ? and was there not a spirit of Love amongst Gods people then ? Wee know not the divisions and animosities that are come in since , every one helped together ; and was there not also a spirit of Activity ? Were they not all vigorous and active laying out all their strength and all their talents , when the enemy was not so active as now ? which diligence many have given over , and the enemy hath taken up ; now let us indeavour that the same spirit may be revived amongst Gods people for the time to come , let us remember our engagements , and what the things were wee vowed , when wee lifted up our hands to the most high God , and doe our first workes ; O that wee could see a restoring of these things , O that wee could see a restoring of the Spirit of prayer againe among the godly people of England , and a Spirit of love to unite one with another , ( I am sure wee see all our enemies unite against us ) O that they would now unite one with another , though they cannot bee all of one minde , yet of one heart , bearing one anothers infirmities , indeavoring to heale all that is sinfull in each other ; O that the spirit of zeale to promote the cause wee are ingaged in , might once more bee found amongst us , that wee might with Abishai and Ioab play the men and bestirre our selves , and let God doe what is good in his own eyes : let that be our second care , remember our first principles , and our first wayes ; And then thirdly , and lastly , With lamenting and bemoaning our failings , and with our recovering our first love , and our first wayes , let us quietly leave it to God , to doe what hee will ; O that God would once bring his servants to this passe , never to look for any great good from man , nor never to feare any great evill from man , neither good from the best of men , nor evill from the worst of men , but to resolve that the Lord can and will himselfe doe his own worke , and were there not left in London , in England , in all three Kingdomes any one of power to stand for the cause of God , were all swallowed up , yet let us conclude the fire of God will burne up all the briars and thornes that are risen up against the Lords vineyard ; were our Armies all lost , were our friends all gone ( as indeed wee are come to a very low ebbe ) yet is our deliverance never the further off , therefore hold up your confidence ; indeed if wee were engaged in an ill cause wee ought to give it over to repent of it openly , and take shame to our selves ; if wee have done ill , to stand for reformation , contend for our liberties , to contend to bee a free people , if this were sinfull let us bee humbled , and tell all the world of it , but if it be right , it 's not the falling away of this man or that man , or the revolting of this or t'other Ship , or Castle , or this partie or that partie , all this is nothing , if God turne but his face against them they are all gone ; Brethren , let me speak truly of it , it is thus in Scotland at this day , the godly party , they that are for the Covenant and Religion ; though they are overborne with an Army , a degenerate party risen up against them , who threaten to swallow up all , and have plundred and wasted the estates and goods of them who will not joyne with them in this sinfull and wicked ingagement , yet they hold one and cleave to their old rules and principles , and confidently expect deliverance ; the Lord teach us to doe the like , that as wee meet this day to praise God for his mercies and deliverances lately received , a whole catalogue whereof were now read unto you , so to resolve it for the time to come to seeke him in his own way , wee to doe what wee can , and with faith leave him to doe what he will . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89588e-290 Introduction shewing the coherence . 1. Matth ▪ 4. 15 , 16. 2. 3. 4. Scope and parts of the Text . 1 Which are A great deliverance of the Church . 2 The manner how i● must be wrought . 1. Judges 7. 2. Interpretation of the Text . 1. 1. 1. 1. 2. 2 Chron. 32. 2 Kings 18. 19. Esay 36. 37. Obs. From the connexion of these words with the former , Gods people should rejoyce when God breakes their enemies & their yokes in sunder , Psal. 126. Exod. 15. Judges 5. Vers . 19. Vse . A notable tryall of our hearts whether they be right to Christ and his Church . Esay 66. 10. Two doctrines from the deliverance promised in the Text . 1 Doct. Christ sometimes leaves his own people under grievous yokes . Esay 8. 8. Psal. 119 , 121. Esay 3. 12. Deut. 28. 29. 33. Psal. 106. 41. 42. Hos. 5. 11. Psal. 144. 12 , 13. Ezek. 34. Micah 7. 34. Lamentar . 5. per totum . For what sins God useth to give up his people into the hands of tyrants and oppressors . For refusing to be under his government he gives them up to be under cruell governers . 2 Chron. 12. 8. Zach. 11. opened . 2. When his people are unthankfull for good governours , hee gives them up into the hands of oppressors . Judges 9 , 7 , &c. 1 Sam. 8. Ho●ea 13. 11. 3. When people are tyrants and oppressors one over another , God useth to give : him into the hands of oppressors . Esay 9. 21. Jer. 66. 7. 23. Application . 2 Doct. Christ will in due time break all the yokes which lie upon his peoples necks . Luke 21. 1● . Psal. 125. 3. Esay 49 , 24 , 25 , 26. Esa. 51. 13 , 14. Quest . 1. When Christ useth to deliver his people . Answer to the first . He alwayes doth it in the best time . And that time may be known to approach . When the rage of his and their enemies is highest . Jer. 30. 17. 2. When Gods people are humbled and seek his face and favour . zath. . 9. 1. &c. Psal. 102. 13. 3. And when all hope of deliverance by any other meanes is cut off . Deut. 32. 35. Esay 59. 16. Quest . 2. How , and after what manner doth God use to deliver his people . Resp. 1. All wayes are alike easie to him . Resp. 2. He seldome delivers in that way his people expect it . Resp. 3. Esay 63. 4 He usually delivers his Church without any humane help . Resp. 4. Or which is all one , by unlikely meanes and instruments , Reason . Because in this way of working God appeares most like himselfe . 2 Chron. 13. 13. Vse . Admonition to them who have ill will at Zion . 2 Chron. 28. Zach. 12. 3. Vse 2. Exhortation Gods people not to be dishartned by the threatnings of ●●em●es . And to walke so as to be under the shelter of this doctrine Directions how this may bee done . 1. First , bee humbled and ashamed for our unworthy walking in the middest of so many wonderfull administrations towards us . Jen. 8 ▪ 14. 2. To walke according to our first good principles and wayes . 3. With confidence expect a good issue from God . 
A89586	----	The song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lambe: opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, at their late solemne day of thanksgiving, Iune 15. 1643. for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate, and bloudy designe, tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament, and of the famous city of London. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. and Pastor of Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of that House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89586 of text R16053 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E56_5). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 100 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89586 Wing M789 Thomason E56_5 ESTC R16053 99859959 99859959 112063 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89586) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 112063) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 10:E56[5]) The song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lambe: opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, at their late solemne day of thanksgiving, Iune 15. 1643. for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate, and bloudy designe, tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament, and of the famous city of London. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. and Pastor of Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of that House. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [4], 48 p. Printed for Sam: Man and Sam: Gellibrand in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1643. Running title reads: A sermon preached at the late Thanksgiving before the honorable House of Commons. Annotation on Thomason copy: "June 29th". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- N.T. -- Revelation XV, 2-4 -- Sermons. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1642-1649 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. A89586 R16053 (Thomason E56_5). civilwar no The song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lambe:: opened in a sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, at their l Marshall, Stephen 1643 17708 6 10 0 0 0 0 9 B The rate of 9 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE SONG OF MOSES THE SERVANT OF GOD , AND THE SONG OF THE LAMBE : Opened In a Sermon preached to the Honorable House of COMMONS , At their late solemne day of Thanksgiving , Iune 15. 1643. for the discovery of a dangerous , desperate , and bloudy Designe , tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament , and of the famous City of London . By STEPHEN MARSHALL , B. D. and Pastor of Finchingfield in Essex . Published by order of that House . REVEL. 17. 4. Come hither , and I will shew thee the judgment of the great whore . LONDON , Printed for SAM: MAN and SAM: GELLIBRAND in Pauls Church-yard . 1643. TO THE HONORABLE House of COMMONS , now assembled in PARLIAMENT . Honorable , and Beloved , THe holy King and Prophet David , required that the prayses of God should be sung upon well tuned Instruments ; and some Psalmes which himself composed to that purpose , he styled Michtam , golden Psalms ; as being full of precious and choise treasure . Such could I have wished might the Instrument have been , and such the Song of Praise and Thanksgiving , to have celebrated the goodnesse of God , for this late wonderfull preservation of your Honorable Assembly , and the famous , and worthy City ; both whose ruine was plotted and designed by wicked and unreasonable men . But you were pleased , not onely to designe to this service , a weak and untuned Instrument , ( though not Crackt , as Malice , and Slander hath bruted it abroad ) but also to injoyn the publishing of this song of Thanksgiving , which is full of weak and imperfect Notes . And to this latter task , I was ( I confesse ) farre more unwilling then to the former ; as being conscious unto my self , how few conceptions could be brought by me to any such maturity , as might render them meet to become the standing Monument of so great a Mercy , and so happy a Day , which is worthy to be ingraven on Marble , rather then to be written on Paper , and with letters of gold , rather then with ink : But in the pursuance of your Commands I have done it , and added some few things , which time nor strength would permit me to deliver in publike ; Being resolved to deny my self , and to do nothing that may hinder me from being what I am , and shall always desire to remain , Yours wholly in the service of Christ and his Church , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE the Honorable House of COMMONS , on the 15. of Iune 1643. being the day of their publique THANKS GIVING . HOnorable and Beloved , were the strength of my body , and my furniture of wisdome , learning , and grace , in any degree answerable to the service of this Day , I could not but exceedingly rejoyce , in being called to this work , in this place , at this time . For having been lately restored from the gates of death , what greater mercy could I wish , then to praise God in the great Congregation ? and having been reported over the whole Kingdom , to have altered my former judgement , concerning this just cause of the Parliaments Defensive Arms : yea that the horrour of my guilt , in adhering to this Cause , had distracted me , and made me mad , can I look upon it otherwise then as a great and publike taking off this reproach , by being called to exercise my poor talent , in that Assembly which is the whole Kingdom by Representation , and at this time , to be a furtherer of your joy and thankfulnesse , for Almightie Gods watchfull eye and powerfull hand thus wonderfully manifested against the desperate and bloody Designes of those that would destroy you ? But I fear , lest this which is so many wayes a favour to me , should prove your losse through my weaknesse , which would not permit me to study much in private , and I fear will disable me in the publike delivering that little which God hath brought to my hand ; yet this doth encourage me , I have abundant experience of your Candor , and I know that both with God and man , where there is first a willing mind , ( especially in a day & service of Thanksgiving ) it is accepted according to what a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . Yea , I have one encouragement more , that Gods providence hath directed me to such a Text , which is not onely sutable to our meeting , and service , but so really intended by the Spirit of God , for your time and work , that the very reading of it , ( though an hour together ) might exceedingly affect you , if once you have the true meaning of it ; which Text you shall finde written in REVEL. 15. 3 , 4. read also ver. 2. Verse 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire , and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast , and over his Image , and over his Mark , and over the number of his Name , stand on the sea of glasse , having the harps of God . 3. And they sung the song of Moses , the servant of God , and the song of the Lambe , saying , Great and marvellous are thy works , Lord God Almighty : just and true are thy wayes , thou King of Saints . 4. Who shall not fear thee , O Lord , and glorifie thy Name ? for thou onely art holy , for all Nations shall come and worship before thee , for thy judgements are made manifest . THis Text , though it be a part of the Apocalyps , the darkest , and most mysticall Book in all the Scriptures , and therefore thought generally hard to be understood , yet time ( one of the best Interpreters of Prophecies ) hath produced the events answering the types so full and clear , that we have the whole Army of Protestant Interpreters agreeing in the generall scope and meaning of it , which in a few words be pleased to take thus : A great part of this Book , is a setting out the conflicting state of the Church ( under the great Apostasie ) with the Antichrist , the heaviest and forest enemy which ever the Church had ; and this Antichristian power and dominion is set forth ( as other Kingdoms elsewhere are ) by a systeme of the world , wherein are earth , water , air , sunne , moon , starres , a King , a Metropoliticall City , Provinces , People , &c. an Antichristian Empire , an Antichristian World ; and this great Monarchy of Antichrist hath the time of its rising , its triumphant reigning , its declining , and ruine , and the state of the Church of Christ under all these , clearly foretold in this Book . And ( to say nothing of his rising , and reigne ) his ruine is described in this fifteenth , and sixteenth Chapter , under the Type of seven Angels , pouring out seven vials full of the wrath of God : the seven vialls being so many degrees of the Beasts , or Antichrists ruine : which story of the vialls , the Holy Ghost sets down two wayes , first generally , in the fifteenth Chapter , secondly more particularly , in the sixteenth Chapter . In the generall description of them in this fifteenth Chapter , we have first the circumstance of the place , where this Vision was seen , whence these Angels came , that is , heaven : I saw another signe in heaven , verse 1. that is , the true Church , whereof Christ is King , opposed to the world , wherein Antichrist reigns , as beyond all doubt , may be cleared out of the fourth Chapter of this Book , which is the Stage of all the Apocalypticall visions . Secondly , we have the things themselves , or the marvellous signes which were seen in this place , and they are three . First , The behaviour of the true Church of Christ , during this time of the pouring out of the vialls , ver. 2 , 3 , 4. Secondly , The description of the seven Angels , the instruments who were to pour out these vialls , their apparatus , qualifications , and furniture , they come out of the temple , clothed in pure and white linnen , and having their breasts girded with golden girdles ; Habitu & cluctu sacerdotali ornati , like the Priests of God , Ezek. 44. 17 , 18. pure worshippers . Thirdly , A description of the Church , in reference to Christs presence with it , his owning , and protecting it , though after a more dark manner , vers. 8. The Temple was filled with smoak , from the glory of God , and from his power , &c. alluding to Gods taking possession of the Tabernacle ; Exod. 40. 34. and of Solomons Temple , 1 King. 8. 10 , 11. The first of these I am to deal with at this time , viz. The behaviour of the Church during the time of the pouring out the vialls . Wherein observe two things , first , their state , verse 2. secondly , their work , verse 3 , 4. Their state ; I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire , and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast , &c. stand on the sea of glasse , having the harps of God . This sea of glasse , or crystall , is described Chap. 4. 6. placed before the Throne , alluding to the great Laver , or Sea in Solomons Temple , wherein the Priests were to wash themselves from their uncleannesses , whenever they approached nigh to the Altar of God to offer sacrifice ; onely that was made of brasse , this of a more pure and transparent metall : In this Laver the Reformed Churches had lately been washed from the foulnesse , and pollutions of Antichristianity , out of which they had newly escaped , having gotten the victory over the Beast , and over his Image , and over his Mark , and over the number of his Name ; and being cleansed in this Laver , ( though mingled with fire , whether of contention , or other affliction , I dispute not ) they stand up on the brim of it , with the harps of God in their hands , with instruments of praise , as the Israelites did upon the banks of the Red-sea , ( thorow which they had lately passed , and in it been baptized unto God ) singing a song of praise for their great deliverance from Pharaoh and his Hoast , who perished in the pursuing of them ; This was their condition , and their posture , a delivered , cleansed condition , a praisefull posture . Secondly , their work , during the time of the pouring out the vialls , they sang an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a triumphant song , Canticum gratulatorium & eucharisticum , a song of praise and thanksgiving : wherein observe two things ; first , the Title of the Song , The Song of Moses , the servant of God , and the song of the Lamb : Secondly , the subject matter of the Song , Great and marvellous are thy works , Lord God Almighty , &c. The title : First , the song of Moses the servant of God , i. e. such a Song , and upon such an occasion as Moses and Miriam and the rest of the Israelites sang unto God when they had passed through the Red sea : 2ly . and the song of the Lamb : we have many songs of the Lamb recorded in this Booke ; cap. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory , and honour , and power , &c. is the constant song of the whole Church of Christ ; cap. 5. 9. the same quire sings a new song to the Lamb when hee had taken the booke to unloose the Seales thereof ; cap. 11. 17. the same Church sings another song of prayse upon the resurrection of the two witnesses , and the fall of the tenth part of the great City , We give thee thankes O Lord God Almighty , &c. cap. 12. 10. upon Michaels victorie over the dragon , there is another Song of praise , Now is come salvation , and the Kingdome of our God , and the power of his Christ , &c. cap. 14. 3. there's a New Song sung before the throne which no man could learne , but the hundred forty and foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth : Now whether this Song of the Lamb be the Song which those harpers sang , or whether , and how farre it is composed out of the rest of the songs recorded in this Book , is needlesse ( as some Interpreters doe ) to enquire , because we have the matter of the Song layed downe in so many words ; it is sufficient that it 's therefore called the Song of the Lamb , because it was indited by the Spirit of the Lamb , and tends to advance the glory of the Lamb their Saviour and Deliverer . 2. The matter of the Song : which divides in selfe into two parts . 1. The Churches confession of the nature of those workes which Christ doth in the pouring out the seven vialls , ver. 3. viz. Great and marvellous are thy workes , Lord God Almighty , just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints , i. e. They are great and wonderfull , fit onely to bee done by him who is the Lord God Almghty , just and true , well becomming him who is the King of Saints . 2. The use which the Church makes of these works , which is threefold . 1. They record , celebrate , and publish them . 2. They engage and binde themselves faster and closer to him , in his worship and service , Who shall not feare thee O Lord , and glorify thy Name ? for thou onely art holy . 3. They prophetically foretell the use which shall be made of these workes by such as yet were strangers , viz. As Christ proceedes to manifest these wonderfull and righteous plagues and judgments upon the Antichristian world , the people of Italy , Germany , France , England , Scotland , Denmarke , Sweden , Polonia , Hungaria , and the rest of the elect shall shake off the Yoke of Antichrist , and submit to the Scepter of Iesus Christ ; for all Nations shall come and worship before thee , for thy judgments are made manifest . Thus you have a plaine view of the Text together with the interpretation , out of which many excellent and usefull truths might be observed . As first , that all which is done in the pouring out of the seven vialls , is the wrath of God upon the Antichristian faction ; so that however in the pouring out of every viall there is something which is grievous to the reformed Churches , to humble , purge , and quicken them , yet there is no wrath upon anywhere ever it is poured , but onely as there is something of Antichrist among them , which Christ will search for , find , and destroy , where-ever he finds it : Consider the whole work of the vialls , and you shall finde noysome and grievous sores upon them onely that have the mark of the Beast , the drinking of bloud , the scorching with heat , the gnawing of their tongues for paine , the being destroyed with hailstones , &c. All these light onely upon the followers of the Beast , the worshipers of the Beast , the kingdome of the Beast , & therefore let none feare any hurt frōthese judgments which Christ is now inflicting , but such as either secretly or openly harbour any of Antichrists acursed stuff which must be destroyed ; & let it be I beseech you , your speedy care to cast out of this Nation and Church all those reliques , which are the oyl and fuel that feed the flame which burnes amongst us : God calls you now to this work , and will be with you while you set your hearts and hands to doe it ; and doe it speedily , it may be it is one Cause , why so many breaches are made upon you , because you have no more vigorously attempted it in the first place ; and fear not that ye should therby lose a party , or strengthen a party against you , beleeve it , that party that hath drunk of the whores cup , and is in love with her abominations , will never be assistant , nor wil Christ suffer them to overthrow the worke committed to your hands ; they may and shall destroy themselves , bringing the curses written in this book upon themselves , and their posteritie , as Achan did by hiding the Babylonish garment and wedg of gold in his tent , but the Lord will be with you , therefore go on and prosper . 2. Observe : That how ever in the pouring out of these vialls , in the destroying of the Antichristian faction , Christ useth the ministery of Angels , of instrumēts comming out of the Temple and fitted for that work , yet the work is ascribed to Christ alone , Great and marvellous are thy workes , just and true are thy wayes , thy judgments are made manifest : Many worthy and excellent instruments hath Christ stirred up and employed in this Service , many famous and learned Divines , many excellent Nobles , many illustrious Kings , Queenes , and Princes , many grave Senates , and Parliaments , ( amongst whom I doubt not Yourselves will one day be recorded ) have put their hands to this worke , to make this harlot desolate , and naked , to eat her flesh and burne her with fire ; for God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will : but they conferre nothing of their own to the work , they are but his instruments , his bow and his battle-axe , meer dead tooles , who receive all their efficacy and operation from his hand who useth them ; their presence addes no strength to him , their absence makes the work no more difficult to him . And therefore let not our faith & comfort ebbe and flow with the increase & wane of humane helps . Let us not therefore thinke the work will sooner be done , because strong is our hand and arme of flesh , nor that we are therefore like to lose the cause , because our helpes prove either weake or treacherous ; the viall now pouring out is the Lords work , and he will see it done , doubt ye not . 3. observ. That all the time of Christs pouring out the vialls of his wrath upon Antichrist , should be a joyful time to the Church of Christ , al those daies should be days of Purim , days of thāksgiving ; though they stand upon a sea mingled with fire , they should have the harpes of God in their hands , and Hallelujahs in their mouths , because Christ is judging the great whore , and avenging the bloud of his servants at her hand . Although it be so disposed by Christ , that during the time of the vialls , his Churches have much bitternesse , and the hayle of every storme in some degree lights upon them , yet must they overlook their own sufferings , and be filled with joy for the judgments executed upon Christ's , and their enemies ; and not deferre their prayses till their deliverances be compleat , but upon every new deliverance to them , and upon every new judgment upon the enemies , have their mouths filled with new and renewed songs of prayse and thanksgivings to God , as we doe this day . These & many such like general observations from the words are obvious to every eye , & very seasonable and suitable to the mercies celebrated this day , I desire that they may not lightly be passed over in your thoughts , though I shall say no more of thē , purposing to confine my speech to one only observation , which indeed is the very {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the Text , the burden of the song , and to apply it for the same ends and uses for which it is here recorded by the Holy Ghost : viz. The workes of Christ in the pouring out the vialls of his wrath , in taking vengeance of the Antichrist and his followers , are great and wonderfull , fit to be wrought by him onely who is the Lord God Almighty , just and true , well becoming the King of Saints . First , they are [ great ] works , whether of Mercy , or Judgment ; or are great , when they are the effects either of great wisedome in their contrivance , or of great power in their production . Secondly , [ marvellous , or wonderfull ; ] and that in a threefold respect : First , such as are rare and unusuall , which seldome happen ; these draw mens eyes after them , and make men wonder at them . Secondly , such as are unexpected , which come praeter spem , things which no body would think to come to passe . Thirdly and chiefly , things are wonderfull , which are beyond our comprehension , whereof we cannot see the causes , whose height and depth cannot be measured , such as nothing but the power of an infinite and Almighty God can bring to passe . Thirdly , [ Iust : ] Wayes are just , when they are according to a right rule ; and wayes of judgement , ( of which my Text ) are then just , when they are according to the nature , kinde , and degree of the sinnes against which they are executed . Thou art righteous , O Lord , because thou hast judged thus ; for they have shed the bloud of thy Saints , and Prophets , and thou hast given them bloud to drink , for they are worthy : Even so Lord God Almighty , true and righteous are thy judgements . Fourthly , [ True : ] Wayes are then true , when according to Covenant , when done according to what was foretold ; and these wayes become a King of Saints : other Kings often deal unjustly , bearing the sword , to execute wrath upon them that do well , strengthening the hands of them that do evill , condemning the righteous , and acquitting the wicked , and often untruly breaking their Oaths , falsifying their Covenants ; but this King of Saints doth so manifest his righteous judgements , that his people shall be able to say , According to their deeds , and according to his Word , hath he repayed fury to his adversaries , recompense to his enemies ; and his enemies ( though with gnashing of teeth ) shall acknowledge with Adonibezek , As we have done , so hath God done unto us . Now that Christs judgements , hitherto manifested in the pouring out the vialls of his wrath , in thus farre destroying this great Antichristian enemy , are thus great , and wonderfull , thus just and true , may easily appear to every carefull Observer of the Church-story in these parts of Christendome , this last Century of years , since this work hath been in hand : The particular instances are too many to be related in a Sermon , I shall mention onely some few things , which as so many continued threads , have run through this whole peece of his workmanship ; first , in the greatnesse , and wonderfulnesse ; secondly , in the truth , and righteousnesse of them . First , these works have been great and wonderfull for the kinde : When the Antichristian Empire which at first was contrived with that wisedome , and underpropped with that strength , ruling even the souls and consciences of men , and had prevailed so farre , that all the Kings and States of the World were so drunken with the Whores Cup , that they not onely kissed her well-favoured face , but as so many brute beasts lay at her foot-stooll , prostituting all their power and strength unto the Beast , and under her command , making warre even against the Lamb himself , and helping to drink the bloud of his Saints , none daring to question the truth , or rather divinity of her Commands , so that she could glorifie her self , and say in her heart , I sit as a Queen , and shall see no sorrow ; now that suddenly , it should be put into the hearts of most of the Europaean States , to hate this Whore , to endeavour to make her desolate and naked , to eat her flesh , and burn her with fire , how great and marvellous doth this speak the work for the kinde of it ? Who but the Lord God Almighty could do this ? It is certainly the Lords doing , and must be marvellous in our eyes . Secondly , if we consider the time , which our Lord Christ was pleased to make choyce of , for the effecting these great works , they will appear yet more wonderfull ; even when his Church was at the lowest , when he saw that their power was gone , and there was none shut up or left , when the enemy was come in like a flood , and no man to lift up a standard against him , when he saw that there was no helper , even then put he on righteousnesse as a breast-plate , and an helmet of salvation upon his head , and the garments of vengeance for his cloathing . Who can be ignorant of these things ? who knows not the low condition of Germany , when Luther first appeared , though onely against the notorious abuse of the Popes Indulgences , and other luxuriant branches of his Tyrannicall usurpation ? insomuch that a Bishop wishing him well , yet despairing of successe , counselled him ( as the Story reports ) after this manner ; Frater , frater , abi in Cellam & dic , Miserere mei Deus . To thy beads Frier , thou wilt do no good in this work : For the people of Germany were at that time so bewitched with the sorceries of the Whore , and so enthralled to her power , that ( as that proud Cardinall too confidently boasted ) they were ready at the Popes command , for the redemption of their souls , to have eaten grasse and hay , more pecudum , after the manner of brute Beasts . And was not the Church in other Countries as low ? namely , at the first appearing of Zuinglins , and Oecolampadius , in Helvetia ; of Calvin , Viret , and Farell , in France ; Cranmer , Latimer , Ridley , ( especially ) Bilney , and Tyndall , in England ; Hamilton , Wischart , Knox , and others , in Scotland ? at that time , when in a word , the whole Church might have taken up that complaint , Ezek. 37. 11. Our bones are dried , our hope is lost , we are cut off for our parts , then did our Lord Christ open their graves , and cause them to come up out of their graves , and made them live , and stand up upon their feet , an exceeding great army ; this also must needs be acknowledged , to be the work of the Lord God Almighty , who is wonderfull in counsell , and excellent in working . And as the kinde , and time , so thirdly , the consideration of the meanes , and instruments , renders them yet more wonderfull ; to effect great things by weak meanes , is an argument of great power and strength ; That the walls of Iericho should fall at the blast of trumpets of rams horns ; that a Cake of barley bread , tumbling into the hoast of Midian , should come unto a tent , and smite it , and overturn it , that the tent should lie along ; that Gideon and three hundred men , with lamps and empty pitchers , should overthrow the whole hoast of Midian , who came as grashoppers for multitude , they and their Camels being without number ; that a woman should compasse a man , a weak woman subdue a mighty man ; these are New things , as the phrase there is : Behold , the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth , a woman shall compasse a man , &c. And yet this you shall see , was no new , but Gods usuall , and constant course , which he takes in this work , pouring out these Vialls of his wrath , upon this potent enemy , by the ministery of most weak , and contemptible instruments , pulling his Church out of the dungeon of Superstition , by old cast clouts , and rotten rags , as once Ebedmelech the Ethiopian did the Prophet Ieremie . Was not Luther a poor Monk , and other priests , and shavelins , newly crept out of their superstitious Cells , the first Engineers that battered the walls of this great Babylon ? who were they but the poorer , & meaner sort of people , that at the first joyned with the Ministers , to raise the building of Reformation ? few of the Princes , and Nobles , putting their necks to the work of the Lord ; or if any did , yet the Divine Providence so ordered it , that either they were suddenly taken off , as the Duke of Saxony , and Landgrave of Hessen , by imprisonment ; or immaturely taken away , as Edward the sixth , by death ; or more miraculously preserved , as Queen Elizabeth , a woman , in England , and King Iames , a childe , in the beginning of Reformation in Scotland ; and although in the progresse of the work , many Kings and Princes have stood up as nursing Fathers , yet still we may observe , that the greatest things have been done by them , from whom least could be expected ; as ( not to trouble you with more instances ) the almost incredible , and strange proceedings of the late victorious King of Sweden will abundantly testifie , who as a contemptible Prince , crossing the Baltick-sea , entred Germany , with not above five , or six thousand men , and a very small sum of Mony , and yet in as little time , had before his death , almost brought to nothing that mighty House of Austria , thought by many , to be the Sun giving light and influence to the Antichristian world , upon which the fourth Viall was to be poured out . I might , I say , give you many other instances , this may suffice : God will ( you may be confident ) in time make all the world know , that this great Image , this great Antichristian Oppressour , shall be broken in pieces , by a Stone cut out of the Mountains without hands , without humane help . Fourthly , and lastly , and above all , the manner of his working proves them most wonderfull : For if we observe but the goings of this King of Saints , if we trace him in his footsteps , in this great work of execution upon his enemies , marching before his people , travelling in the greatnesse of his strength , we finde him leading them in uncouth wayes , which they knew not , and wayes which to them seemed unpassable . His way hath been in the sea , and his pathes in the great waters , and his footsteps were not known , yet still leading his people like a flock ; sometimes removing mountains our of their way , making them flow down at his presence ; sometimes skipping over them ; sometimes his way hath been in the whirl-winde , and in the great storm , yet always working in such wayes , and in such a manner , as that first , his own people have thought he could intend nothing but their ruin , as Ionah did , when cast into the Sea , and swallowed up by the Whale , ( an unlikely way of deliverance ; ) and in such wayes , secondly , as to the enemy have ever seemed most advantagious to their own purposes , and destructive to the Church ; God suffering them to lay the Plot for their own ruin , to dig a pit for their own destruction , and making the ways by them intended for the Churches ruin , to be the greatest meanes of their deliverance , as fully and clearly , as Hamans Plot proved the exaltation of the Iews , and Mordecai , and the ruine and destruction of himself and family ; a Volume might be filled with instances of this kinde : The device of Charles the fifth , to disinherit the Duke of Saxony , & to keep the Landgrave of Hessen in perpetuall imprisonment , thereby intending utter ruine to the Protestant party in Germany , was the very occasion of the confederacy of Smalcald , which almost drove Charles out of Germany , and established the Protestant party in the liberty of their religion . The Massacre in France , in which were destroyed within the space of thirty dayes , ( as the Historian reports it ) above seventy thousand Protestant souls , proved ( ye know ) a means , within a short space , to double and treble , if not quadruple their numbers in that Kingdom ; and procured them publike Edicts , and Cautionary Towns , for the liberty , and security of their Religion , which before they had not : The cruelty and tyranny of the Spaniards in the Netherlands , ( one of whose Deputies , Duke D'Alva , boasted that he put to death , six and thirty thousand Hugenots , and Protestants ) hath been the greatest meanes to prevent the swelling of his intended Monarchy , and increase the freedom and strength of the Protestant party , not onely in the five United Provinces , but in all these parts of Europe . Who that hath read the Scottish Story , is ignorant that the Archbishop of St. Andrews cruell burning of Mr. George Wischart , conferred much to the Reformation of that whole Kingdom ? The time would fail me , to tell you of the desperate Conspiracies of the Priests , and Jesuits in England , all the time of Queen Elizabeth , of the Powder-treason , and their unwearied Machinations in other States and Churches , and how constantly the Lord hath turned them all to the advantage of his Church , and to bring ruine and destruction upon the contrivers of them . And if any of you have not had time , or means , to observe these things in Story , your eyes cannot but see them all fulfilled in Christs late , and present dealings with our selves , and our brethren of Scotland . For them , what great things hath the Lord lately done , and by what very weak means ? hardly the fifth part of the Nobility , ( as I have heard ) appearing for them , the greater part openly opposing them , scarse one fourth part of the Kingdom owning the Cause , how often were they at their wits end , when some unexpected door was opened to them ? And were not all their works wrought for them , by the rage , cruelty , and cunning of their enemies ? Were not the book of Service , and the book of Canons , sent , and obtruded upon them from England , the occasion of their late mercies ? was not the tyrannie of a few of their Prelats , a means to unburden them of their whole Prelacy ? and when they were as much shut up in straits , as the Israelites at the Red-sea , and knew not over-night , what would become of them the next morning , then constantly some absurd , desperate Plot or other , of their enemies , brake out , which gave them an out-gate to escape : And even so hath God dealt with England , his work amongst us is of the very same warp , and woof . The great mercies which we enjoy , the great deliverances we have lately received , from what a high hand have they come ? to what a very dead low ebbe were we brought ? Our liberty almost swallowed up , and turned into slavery ; our Religion into Popery , and Arminianisme ? and even then God remembred us in our low estate : and by what instruments , becommeth me not to speak much in your own presence ; Your selves know how sinfull , and all the Kingdom how mean and contemptible in the eyes of your adversaries ; they looking upon you as Sanballat and his company did upon Nehemiah and his builders , and with like scorn uttering the same reproaches ; What do these feeble Iews , will they fortifie themselves , will they make an end in a day , will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish ? even that which they build , if a fox go up , he shall even break down their stone wall . And well may you take up the builders complaint ; Hear O our God , for we are despised ; and yet by such despised broken vessells hath the Lord hitherto delivered us : And which is still more wonderfull , ( to the glory of God be it spoken ) our greatest deliverances have been more promoted by the cunning , treachery , and violence of the enemy , then by the foresight , vigilancy , and strength of our best friends : The Prelates late Canons and Oath , purposely contrived for the perpetuating of their Hierarchy , and their other treacherous and malicious endeavours against the State , joyning with the Papists , and with them labouring to turn all into confusion , rather then suffering the least abatement of their former pride and tyranny , have helped thus farre towards the taking them away both root and branch ; The multitudes of calumnies , and reproaches , cast upon the Parliaments just proceedings , slighting their Authority , slandering their intentions , misinterpreting their actions , have they not ( through the goodnesse of Him who preserveth them from the strife of tongi ) been an occasion of making their Authority , Priviledges , intentions , actions , clear as the Sun at noon day ? And to instance no further , this late bloudy , and mischievous Design , in which this Honorable Senate , this famous Citie , and with them our lives , religion , laws , and liberties , had undoubtedly been made a prey to their mercilesse rage , and fury , the Lord hath not onely brought to light , without any foresight , or watchfulnesse of yours , but made those that were the contrivers , to be the discoverers , their own evidence , and confession being the thread which lets you into the depths , and labyrinths of those counsels , which they had digged deep to hide , if possible , even from the eyes of God himself , and thereby giving you a great opportunity ( the Lord in mercy teach you to improve it ) to advance the glory of his Name , ( for the present , putting a new song of praise into your mouthes ) A prop for your faith to stay upon , for time to come , ( the Lord hath delivered , and will deliver ) A further advantage , to break the power of the malicious , and ungodlymen ; and a warning to you , to beware of neuters , and secret false friends , who though they take sweet counsell together with you , and speak you fair , beleeve them not , for there are seven abominations in their hearts . And by all this ye are ( I suppose ) fully satisfied that these works of our Lord God Almighty are as marvellous for their manner , as before you have heard they were for their time , kinde , and instruments , working light out of darknesse , causing even the experience of the Church , in these later ages , clearly to interpret Sampsons riddle , Out of the eater came forth meat , and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse ; and making all the bloudy and cruell entendments of the Antichristian enemie , in the effect no more hurtfull and dangerous to the Church , then his was to Phereus Iason , when he run at him with his sword , and in stead of killing him , opened an incurable imposthume , and saved his life . Secondly , as they are great and wonderfull , so as evident is it , that they are just , and true : the [ justice ] of them is celebrated , chap. 16. 5. Thou art righteous , O Lord , because thou hast judged thus : and chap. 18. 6. we finde the Angel calling upon the Church , Reward her as she hath rewarded you , double unto her double , according unto her work ; in the cup which she hath filled , fill to her double : how much she hath glorified her self , and lived deliciously , so much torment , and sorrow give her . O in what exact ballances hath Christ proportioned , and weighed out , gall and wormwood , reproach and shame , bloud and ruin to these enemies , making them to drink of the same cup which they had before reached to his servants ! They had grievously afflicted the bodies of the Saints of Christ , and now behold upon them , noysome and grievous sores : They had drunk the bloud of the Saints and Prophets , and now behold rivers and fountains of bloud given them to drink . They had their Edicts , to kill heretikes and Lollards , ( as they called them ) and now in England , and among the Netherlands , it 's made capitall for the Iesuits and other Incendiaries , and Factors for the Whore , to be found amongst them . They had burnt the worshippers of Christ , and now behold , themselves scorched with fire and great heat . They had before deprived the Saints of the light of the Scriptures , and now behold , the Beasts Kingdom overspread with darknesse , so that they gnaw their tongues for pain . Thus you see the King of Saints , rendring according to that rule of justice ; Eye for eye , breach for breach , tooth for tooth ; full measure , shaken together and running over . Ecclesiasticall historie is full of instances , which speak home to our purpose in this particular of Emperours , Kings , Nobles , Popes , Bishops , Priests , men , women , of all ranks and degrees , upon whom these righteous judgements of God have been made manifest ; you have a whole Catalogue of them digested to your hands , in Mr. Foxes book of Acts and Monuments . I shall let passe this particular , onely with this one observation ; That whereas this great enemy , this Abaddon , this Apollyon , is made up of all the hatefull qualities of all those Kingdoms , which heretofore have oppressed the Church of God , and is therefore called , Aegypt , Sodom , Babylon ; so the wrath of these vialls poured out upon him , is the mixture and quintessence of those plagues and judgements , whereby all those Kingdoms formerly were destroyed : for here you have noysome and grievous sores , waters turned into bloud , palpable darknesse , thunder and lightning , and great hailestones , the plagues of Aegypt ; here you have the drying up of the river Euphrates , the means of the destruction of Babylon ; fire and brimstone , the judgement of Sodom . Even so Lord God Almighty , true and righteous are all thy judgements . And they are as clearly celebrated for their truth : Even so Lord God Almighty , [ True ] are all thy judgements , was the voyce of the Angel out of the Altar , at the pouring out the viall upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters , turning them into bloud : and after they were all poured out , Iohn heard the voyce of much people in heaven , saying , Hallelujah , salvation , and glory , and honour , and power , unto the Lord our God , for [ True ] and righteous are his judgements , for he hath judged the great whore ; which to understand , you must know , that these vialls were put up long ago by Christ , and laid up in store with him , and sealed up among his treasures , and written in a book ; and not onely so , but the Counterpart of this book was sent , and signified by his Angel , unto his servant Iohn , and the epoche , or time of their beginning , and the whole series of their accomplishment , for time , and place , matter , manner , and measure , exactly represented to him , whereof many things are already come to our knowledge , being fulfilled just ad amussim apocalypseôs , according to the standard of the Revelation ; and although some things concerning the interpretation of these plagues , and curses , remain yet dark unto us , being not fully accomplished , yet when all these vialls shall once be poured out , the whole Church shall be able to say of them , as Ioshuah did , in another case , of the blessings : You know that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you , all are come to passe , and not one thing hath failed ; So not one drop of all these vialls hath fallen to the ground in vain , not a plague failed , but all have accomplished the things for which they were sent ; write them down , These are the true sayings of God . If you would know some reason , why Christ delights to proceed after this manner , in the destruction of this enemy , I answer , First , because this enemy is the master-piece of all the Devils workmanship , the Dragons darling , to whom he hath delivered over his power and his State , his throne and dignity ; whatever Beelzebub , prince of the Devils , and the whole Conclave of hell could invent , all hath been infused into this grand Adversary ; there was never yet State framed in the world by the wit and art of man , more wisely contrived , and plotted , more powerfull , and forcible , to subdue the whole world unto it self , by claiming a Ius divinum , laying a foundation for firm obedience in mens consciences , and having in it sufficient to nourish all mens affections , and to fit every mans humour , that each fancie may be satisfied , and each appetite finde what to feed on ; yea what ever may prevail with any man , is there to be found ; wealth for the covetous , honour for the ambitious , learning for the studious , great employment for metald spirits , multitudes of ceremonies for the superstitious , gorgeousnesse of shows for the vulgar and simple , miracles for the credulous , prayers for the devout , works of piety for the charitable , voluptuousnesse for the dissolute , pardons for the faulty , dispensing with all rules for men of lawlesse conditions , with what ever else might allure the Nations to drink of the Whores intoxicating cup . Neither hath the Devils cunning , and power more appeared in the first contriving of it , then after , in the upholding of it , in all ages stirring up men of excellent and rare perfections , constantly and diligently to put in execution all his counsels , and devices , to hold in those who are already caught in their snares , to allure others , and to weaken and undermine all opposers , how great and potent soever ; It is therefore well becomming the wisedom and power of this King of Saints , to grapple with this Beast , after this manner , that in the things whereof he is most proud , He might shew himself to be above him . Secondly , this enemy hath been the sorest and heaviest Adversary that ever the Church of Christ had in the world : Nebuchadnezzar of old , and the rest of the Assyrian Monarchs did break their bones like a Lyon , the Aegyptian Pharaoh like a Dragon devoured them , Antiochus Epiphanes cast down the Saints , and stamped upon them , and did weare them out ; the Romane Ethnick Emperours the three first hundred yeares wasted them in ten severall Persecutions : but these and all these were as nothing in comparison of this Destroyer , all their loines lay not so heavy upon the Churches back as the little finger of Antichrist . Whether we respect the cruelty exercised upon the body , or tyranny over their soules and consciences , or the extent and length of time in both ; I say , in respect of cruelty , first , upon the body , I beleeve that upon a due survey , there would be found upon his score more blood of Saints and Martyrs then was shed from the blood of righteous Abel to the beginning of his reigne : A hundred thousand within the limits of one Kingdome put to death in a few weeks , thirty or fourty thousand boasted to have fallen by the hands of one of his emissaries in the space of a few yeers ; and if so , what hath been done in the rest of the Nations , where all who once tasting of the whores cup delight to drink and to be drunken with the blood of Saints ? In her is found the blood of Prophets , and of Saints , and of all that were slaine upon the earth . Secondly , in respect of tyranny upon the soule , we read not that Pharaoh , or seldome any of the rest , ( though they all oppressed the people of God in their outward liberties ) did much endeavour to force their consciences , or if they did ( as sometimes Nebuchadnezzar and Antiochus ) the case was so cleare that they needed not take time to answer about it ; but this tyrant causeth all , both small and great , rich and poore , free and bond , to receive the marke of their spirituall slavery , in their right hand and in their foreheads , so that none must buy or sell save he that hath the mark or name of the beast , and that with such deceivablenesse of unrighteousness , with such power & signs , and lying wonders , that he deceives those that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he hath power to do : So that even many of the Lambs own followers have in part been deceived by him , and if it were possible they would finally deceive the very elect of God . Or if thirdly , we respect the continuance and length of his bloody reigne , in this also he exceeds the rest . In Aegypt they were evil intreated about two hundred yeers ; The Babylonish yoke oppressed them threescore and ten years ; Antiochus sorely wasted them , but it was but for a very little season ; The Heathen Empire of Rome proved more cruell and bloudy then any of the rest , for the space of three or four hundred yeers ▪ but this Antichrist makes incessant , desperate , and bloudy war upon them , no lesse then twelve hundred and threescore years together . And if you put all this together , you shall finde just cause why the King of Saints should proceed thus severely and strangely , in ruining this great enemy of Himselfe and people , making him as wonderfull in his terrible fall , as he had been in his bloudy reigne . Thus you have the truth of the doctrine , fully and clearely demonstrated , it remains now that I make some application of it to You , wherein I shall confine my selfe to those three uses which we finde the Church makes of these workes in this place . First , they wonder at these wonderfull workes , they observe them , they have them digested into a song , and sing this song of Moses and of the Lamb , having as well their hearts filled with admiration of them , as their mouths with praise . And this ( Honourable and beloved ) let me commend to your practice in the first place : Come and see the works of the Lord , even the great and marvellous works of the Lord God Almighty , how terrible he is in his doings towards the children of men : All his works are great , his works of Creation , even of the least atomes , the works of common providence governing even the wayes of the pismire are great and worthy to be sought out of all them that take pleasure in them ; but the works of the Lord towards his Church , the goings of our Lord and King in his Sanctuary , ruling his Saints in the middest of their enemies , and after this manner breaking in peeces the Powers which doe oppose them , is now the wonder of Angels , and shall be the wonder of Saints to eternity ; and fit therfore that now it should be ours . Mans disposition is naturally taken with thoughts and discourses of things great and wonderfull , and is not satisfied but in something that raises the mind to a high pitch of admiration ; here you may behold an object fit , ( if any ) to beget wonderment , and indeed our spirits never are right till we stand at gaze here , for this discovers a plaine difference between the spirits of godly and carnall men , these latter are more taken with vaine and empty things . A Poet or a well-penn'd Romancy how it takes some , wasting upon it dayes , weeks , and moneths , admiring the wit , invention , style or elegancy ; others wonder at the raising of this or that poore man to a great estate of wealth , at another out of the dust advanced to the height of honour : these things fill their hearts with thoughts when alone , their mouthes with discourse when in company , yet in the mean time the wonders of Christ are not taken notice of : Christ's person , offices , administrations are too base things for them to busie their thoughts about , they can see nothing but triviall matters , and not worth their notice in them all , yea they wonder at them who can spend their time in the Study of the Scriptures , and the meditation of these works of Christ . But these men ( whatever they think of themselves ) are sottish beasts , carnall and brutish persons , and I may say of the things they are so takē with , as Christ to the Disciples who were so affected with the stones & goodly building of the Temple , Are these the things ye wonder at ? I tell you , there shall not be left here one stone upon another : So these riches , these buildings , this power and authority , this great man in his countrey , these things I say , by too much regarding whereof many lose their soules , what shall they all be ere long ? Heaven and earth shall be on fire , and what shall these things be then ? and I may further say of the men who admire these things , that they are greater vanities then the things they wonder at ; Who having immortall soules , fit to be partakers of the divine nature , understandings capable of the knowledge of God , meditations worthy only of God , should yet thus basely prostitute and abase themselves , to advance a thing of nothing , whereas on the contrary a holy heart is so taken with Christ and his wayes , that all other things appear to them to be but toyes and folly , as men got up on high neer the Heavens , behold the earth but as a little spot . Augustine observed this difference in himselfe , that so long as he was a stranger from the wayes of holinesse , he thought the study of the Scriptures to be a dull businesse , infinitely preferring Tully before the Bible ; but after his conversion he took no pleasure in that Author where he found not the Name of Iesus . Oh therefore that you would poure out your hearts in the study of these things , that the wonderfull way of Christ's governing in his Church might take up not the least part of your thoughts . How he hath kept this bush burning , and yet not consumed ; how strange it was that a few Fishermen should by preaching and suffering , like some conquering Alexander , subdue the Nations ; Think of his strange course , permitting an Antichrist to Lord it above a thousand years , in the world , so as to subdue the world wholly to his yoake , suffering the Kings to give up their Crowns & Scepters to him , prostituting their power at his feet ; and when Satan thought himselfe so strong as to continue the Church in this condition for ever , that then a silly Monke should set himself against the world , and in a short time rescue a great part of it frō under his yoak . Another time , come neerer into England , & think what he did by King Edward , a Child , by Queen Elizabeth , a Woman ; the great deliverances , from the Spanish Armado , from the hellish Powder-treason ; come neerer yet , and behold the wonders of these two or three last years , in England and Scotland ; ponder them seriously , they are the Lords doings , and ought to be wonderfull in your eyes : Think yet further , how wonderfull he will be , when he comes to be admired in his Saints at the last day ; feed your hearts and raise them sometimes with some of these thoughts , sometimes with others , untill they burne within you . Oh but we cannot meditate ! we love indeed to reade these things , and delight to heare them , but we cannot meditate on them ! Say not so lest you prove your selves persons without grace ; Psalme 78. it is made the note of a wretch , and of one whose dayes God will consume in sorrow , to forget the works of God ; and of a brutish person , Psal. 92. not to consider them : and if you cannot finde a heart to wonder at Him , and his wayes , as an occasion of praise , take heed he shew not himselfe wonderfull in your confusion . Wherfore have we our reason and tongues , but to observe , and speak of these things ? think we to live with the Saints , and glorify Christ in Heaven , and not have dispositions fram'd to give him all the glory we can , while we live here on earth ? which we cannot doe , if we observe not these things . I know that there is a dulnesse and auknesse in the spirits of the best , yet godly hearts will endeavour to overcome it : He that is wise , will ponder these things , will fet his heart to taske in these studies ; and that not as to an unpleasing drudgery , but as to an employment , Divine and Angelicall , most pleasing and delightfull : My meditation of Him shall be sweet . And for your better quickning to this duty , consider ; First , that this is the only way to make us Heavenly and spirituall , by feeding on such matters of wonderment ; The object about which we are conversant , gives a tincture to our spirit , naturally such as our spirits are , such are our studies , pueri crepundia gestant , children play with rattles , and morally our spirits are moulded into the studies we are accustomed to . Secondly , this will make us ever fit for Gods service : This our Lord will be served with reverence and feare , and what begets that , but a knowledge of out distance ; upon the consideration of His greatnesse , from his wonderfull workes ? all base and low conceits will then vanish : all society and communion among men is maintain'd by a knowledge of inequality , when we see more eminency in men for their gifts , and graces and places , it strikes a reverence , and strengthens the bands of love and respect , much more strongly doth the serious and deep beholding of the unparallel'd perfections and excellencies of God , shining in his wonderfull works , captivate the soule and lay it low before him : but of this more in the second use . Thirdly , this is the way to make us profit and grow up in grace ; when God sees us humble admirers of his greatnesse , and diligent searchers into his goodnesse , he will reveale himselfe yet more and more to us , as Christ said to Nathaniel , Because I said this unto thee , beleevest thou ? thou shalt see greater things then these : or the Lord to the Prophet , I will shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not . Fourthly , as a further motive and help , be thoroughly acquainted with thine own condition , really sensible of thine own vilenesse , wants , and basenesse of all kindes ; take the dimensions of thy corruptions , the height , length , and depth of them , consider that thou art in thy self a vassall of Satan , a vessel of wrath , dead in nature and disposition to good , dead in Sin , posting to eternall destruction , and then every thing of Christ thy Saviour will be wonderful unto thee . Fifthly , and lastly , consider thy relations to Christ , He is thy head , thy King , thy Lord , thy Husband , thy brother , & withall thy interest in all his works , they are all done for thee , thou hast a part in every deliverance , ( they are thy enemies that fall , upon the pouring out of every viall ) a share in every mercy ; and our interest in any thing , sets it off the better to our affections , & makes us with unwearied diligence to search out , whatsoever is scibile in it ; much more should it here , where the more we shall study , the more we shall wonder , and the more we wonder , the more shall we honour God , and better our selves ; the more we chew these cordialls , the more sweetness shall we draw from them . O therefore , that Christ would open our eyes , that we might see his wonders in their just dimensions , in the wisdome , power , faithfulnesse , greatnesse , justice , and truth , shining in them , that those things might be glorious , and excellent in our eyes , which are mean and common in the eyes of others , that wee might be able to answer such as see no such thing in them , ( with the Painter , who being much taken with a piece , though seeming plain , yet of excellent workmanship , to one ignorantly asking him , what worth he saw in that poor peece ) O friend , couldst thou see with my eyes , thou wouldst be ravished with it . And that our mouths might be filled with praises all the day long , especially upon this day , purposely set apart by us , thankfully to record the great and wonderfull works , the true and righteous judgements , of our King of Saints ; In delivering us from the hurtfull sword , in being on our side , when men rose up against us , in causing our soul to escape , as a bird out of the snare of the fowler , making their mischief to return upon their own head , causing them to sink down in the pit which they made ; in the net which they hid , is their own foot taken . And so much for the first Use , the Use of Admiration . The second use the Church makes here of the works of Christ , is to provoke and quicken themselves up to fear him , and glorifie him ; Who would not fear thee , and glorifie thy Name ? for thou onely art holy : Lord , who can understand these works of thine , thus great and marvellous , thus just and true , and not acknowledge thee to be the onely holy One ? Let me presse it , by way of exhortation , to provoke you to the same duty : Where first , I must open what is meant by fearing , and glorifying his Name , and that which is made the ground of this fear , and glory , because thou onely art holy ; and first , of his holinesse . Holinesse , whatever it is predicated of , is nothing but a separation of the thing from common uses ; and to sanctifie , is to respect it according to such separation , or as becomes its holinesse : and holinesse in God , is nothing but the incommunicable Eminency of the Divine Majesty , exalted above all other eminences whatsoever . So that to be holy alone , or to be the holy one , ( in Scripture signification ) and to be God , is all one ; Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting , my Lord , my God , my holy One ? Isai. 17. 7. At that day , a man shall look to his Maker , and his eye shall have respect to the holy One of Israel , that is unto God . Psal. 89. 18. The holy One of Israel is our King , that is , Iehovah is our King . Amos 4. 2. The Lord hath sworn by his holinesse , that is , the Lord hath sworn by himself . So then , for thou onely art holy , is as much as to say , Thou onely art God ; these works of thine , thus great and marvellous , thus just and true , sufficiently speak , or prove thee , O King of Saints , to be the Lord God Almighty . Secondly , [ fear : ] who would not fear thee ? To fear in this sense , and in this place , is to give that awfull respect unto Christ , as becommeth his Excellency ; to serve him with a singular , separate , incommunicable service , and is so commonly in the Scripture taken for the whole duty , which we owe unto him ; thus to fear God , and to take him for our God alone , is all one , Gen. 31. 53. Iacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac , that is , by the God of his father Isaac . Isai. 8. 12 , 13. Neither fear ye their fear , that is , serve not their gods , sanctifie the Lord of Hoasts , and let him be your fear , that is , let him be your God alone . [ And glorifie thy Name , ] thy Name , that is , thy self , thy Divine Majesty ; and to glorifie this holy One , is not meant by making him glorious , or by adding lustre , or excellency to him , which before he had not , for who ever hath given unto him ? But to glorifie him is , to acknowledge his excellency , and glory , to do unto him , what may become his glorie , to set up and exalt his glory . To fear him ( then ) and glorifie his Name , as the holy One , is to acknowledge his Divinity , to own him as their onely Lord and King , and ( renouncing all other false Christs , and Mediatours ) to devote themselves to serve him alone , and worship him with a singular , separate , incommunicated worship , ( his jealousie admitting no Corrivall , there is none holy as the Lord , neither shall any partake with him in his glory ) absolutely , eminently , to do to him themselves , and to provoke others to do , as becommeth his Excellency . This is the duty which the Church here engageth her self unto , and is in truth , the whole of Christianity , the summe of that everlasting Gospel , which the Angel flying thorow the midst of heaven , was to preach to them that dwell on the earth , and to every nation , and kindred , and tongue , and people , saying with a loud voyce , Fear God , and give glory to him , and worship him that made heaven and earth , that is , Iesus Christ alone , by whom all things were created , and by whom all things consist . And this is the duty ( Honoured and Beloved ) which I desire to presse upon your selves , even that you would be good Christians in your hearts , and in your lives , in your private places , and in your publike standings , to engage your selves with all your might , with all your authority , to advance the glory of Christ , as the redeemed of the Lord , as true Subjects to this King of Saints , to offer up as a living sacrifice what ever you have , or are , to his service , in advancing his Cause , his Worship , his Church , doing it your selves , and promoting it in others : To this end , I shall , first , give you a few quickning Motives , to stir you up , to make you ready and willing to your duty ; and secondly , tell you what the Lord expects at your hands . First , consider what great and wonderfull things Our Lord hath already done for you , and how little you have feared , and glorified his Name to this day : Who of you can count the great and righteous dealings of the Lord towards you , not onely as you are men , great , or rich , learned , or noble ; nor onely as you are Christians , redeemed , called , justified , sanctified , by this King of Saints , though all , and every of these mercies , call loud upon you for this duty ; but I mean , as you are a Parliament , what great things he hath done for you , in reference to this service , wherein he hath lately employed you . Hath he not carryed you in his bosome ? hath he not kept you as the apple of his eye ? as an Eagle fluttereth over her young , spreadeth abroad her wings , taketh them , beareth them on her wings , so the Lord alone hath preserved you . How constantly hath he discovered , and hitherto frustrated , all the attempts of your enemies , suffering no weapon of war to prosper , that hath been forged against you , condemning every tongue that hath risen up against you in judgement ? I need not name the particulars , I am perswaded , your selves beleeve , that no former Parliament can parallell Gods dealing towards you , and all this while ( let me speak freely ) how little have you done for his honour , and glory ? I know your distractions have unavoidably hindered much of what might ( and I hope else would ) have been done . But say ( in this day of your thanksgiving ) if you be not infinitely behinde hand with this Lord God Almighty , with this King of Saints ; if you have not ordinarily forgot his mercies , as fast as he hath wrought them : Hath he not often filled your hearts with joy , and your purses with money , and you like unthrifty children , have played away all at a cast ? Have you not checked his providences , not improved his deliverances , and the advantages which God hath put into your hands ? or if your hearts , at any time , have been raised a little , have they not presently been at a dead low ebb again ? have you not gone about to kill his goodnesse with your unkindnesses , by provoking him at the sea , even at the red sea ? even when , and where he hath delivered you ? Especially , have not many of you dishonoured his Name , and grieved his Spirit by your sinfull lives , by breaking out into things extreamly scandalous , doing the devills work , while you professe your selves to be the Lords servants ? Let me tell you , the Lord will not alwayes strive in one way , in the way of mercy and deliverance : when he hath many a time delivered a people , and they goe on to provoke him with their counsells , he knowes how to say I w 〈◊〉 ll deliver them no more , he knowes how to bring them low for their iniquity , and to give them up into the hands of their enemy : he that for a long time hath seemed unweariable in watching over an unthankfull people , will prove weary of repenting , and in stead of saying , I have seene their wayes , and will heale them , will in the end sweare , I will overturn them , overturn them , overturn them , as a man wipeth a platter turning it upside down . Secondly , consider your own place , and standing , the calling , office , and work , wherewith God and his people have trusted you at this time , doe with a wide and loud voyce call upon you to feare the Lord , and glorifie his Name : More then the salvation of your own soules depends upon you ; the glory of Christ ; the establishment of this Church and Kingdome ; yea the welfare of all Christendome , in great measure , are all imbarked in that vessell , the steering whereof , is in great part committed unto you . You are in part , one of the Angels , who are to poure out the viall of the wrath of God , who should therefore come out of the temple cloathed in pure and white linnen , having your breasts girded with golden girdles , adorned like the Priests of God , holy and pure . Be you cleane , yee that beare the vessels of the Lord . Honourable and beloved , how a bominable a thing were it , to see the Angels of God live like the instruments of Satan ? how uncomfortable a thing would it be to the people of God , who have chosen you to this worke , and beare you in their hearts , and present you every day at the throne of grace , who are willing to sinke and swimme with you , to live and dye with you , that they should hear that such and such a Parliament man will be drunke ? that such an one dare blaspheme , and swear , and abuse Religion ? that Reformers of Religion , should hate religion ? that such as are called to save the Kingdome , should betray the Kingdome ? that in the grief of their spirits , they should be compelled to say , O Lord ! can these men save us ? tell it not in Gath , publish it not in the streets of Askelon . How dishonourable would it be , not only to you , but to the King of Saints , who useth you , that they who hate the worke you are about , should hate it the more , in regard of your wicked lives , who are intrusted with it ? That they should have occasion to say of you , as Amurath the great Turke said of the Christians , who brake their league and Covenant with him , ( and therefore sped accordingly ) O Iesus ! are these thy Christians ? if thou beest a God , as they professe thee to be , revenge this impiety upon them : So when Papists and Atheists , and such as hate religion and reformation , when they shall see the deformity of your lives , shall say , O Iesus ! are these thy Reformers ? are these the Angels that must pour out the vials of thy wrath ? Oh beloved ! do not with Elies sonnes , occasion men to abhorre the work of the Lord ; far be it from you : But let the office you are called unto , the place you are set in , the worke , and the dignity of the work , ingage you to glorifie the name of Christ , that both his work may prosper in your hands , and your selves be established before the Lord for ever . But if you will not hearken to me , let me sadly speak it to you , you are as a City set upon an hill , you and your wayes are looked upon by all men ; and if you hinder the worke by your lives , which your office calls you to further , it were better you had never been born into the world . Them that honour Christ , he will honour , and them that despise him , shall be lightly esteemed ; yea he knowes how to make use of you , and your gifts , to promote his cause , and to destroy you for the iniquity of your lives , as many of those who forwarded the building of the arke , yet perished in the waters . Thirdly , consider how loud this dayes deliverance cries in your eares to ingage your selves to feare him , and glorifie his name , who hath wrought this great salvation for you . It were a wastefull expence of time to insist upō the particulars of this late bloudy design in this Assembly ; ( though in others usefull ) All the light we have about it , comes from you . The many great and high hands which were ingaged in it , the subtilty of the contrivance , the neernesse of the execution , the woefull consequences , and the bloudy fruits which must needs have issued from it ; The good hand of God in crushing this cockatrices egge , before it brake out to be a fiery flying serpent , are fit things to be published and to be spread abroad in other Congregations ; But to you I shall only be a remembrancer of thus much : That you knew not your neer approaching danger , and that had this treacherous and bloudy contrivance took effect , many of you had been at your long home , ere this time , and the rest of this Honourable Assembly , hitherto the great preservers of our liberty , had beene made as a Parliament of Paris , the greatest instruments of the Kingdomes slavery and vassallage for time to come . But the Lord was awake when we slept , and hath took the enemies in the pit which they digged , and hath filled your hearts with joy , and given you another day to praise him . Can you upon this day of thanksgiving doe lesse then enquire , What shall we render unto the Lord ? I will tell you what he calls for , and expects from you , and I beseech you by these mercies of God that you render it unto him : That you present your bodies and your soules a living sacrifice , holy , acceptable unto God , which is your reasonable service , that you feare him and glorifie his name , for he only is holy . Fourthly , and principally , consider the late sacred Covenant and vow which you have all entred into ; you have not only entred into it your own selves , but intend to draw the whole Kingdome with you , into the Oath of God ; let me minde you what you have done ; you saw we were designed to destruction , and that Gods meer mercy hath hitherto prevented it ; You see there are still destructive and trayterous designes in hand , in severall parts of the Kingdome ; you acknowledge your own sins with others , have deserved all these judgements which either lye upon us , or are threatned against us , and as a means to prevent our utter ruine , you think it necessary to enter into this Covenant with almighty God , and you have done it , wherein you acknowledge the desert of your own sins , and you confess your hearty sorrow for them , and your reall intentions to amend your own lives , and what you will further doe to save and preserve Religion ; and all this you have done in Humility and reverence to the Divine Majesty , calling the God of Heaven , the searcher of all hearts to witnesse your integrity , as you will answer it at that Day , when the secrets of all hearts shal be disclosed . Think now how deeply you are engaged , and brought under the curse of God , if you perform not this solemn Covenant ; Think how horrid a thing it will prove , for any of you to stand as perjured men before God , in marters of such Consequence ; Shall he break his Oath ( said God of a King ) and be delivered ? Shall he escape that doth these things ? O Beloved , It is a fearfull thing ( in such cases especially ) to fall into the hands of the living God , to whom you have appealed , and whose vengeance , if you wilfully fail , you have invocated upon your own heads . Lay therefore your hands upon your heart , and think what your purposes and Resolutions are in these few things , which I shall mention to you . First , for what is past ; what reall sorrow have ye in your hearts , for those sins which you call God to witnesse you are thus sorry for ? How grievous is the remembrance of them , how intolerable do you feel the burthen of them ? or do you take Gods Name in vain , calling him to witnesse of the sorrow for those things which he knows you take pleasure in ? Think what answer you will make to this . Secondly ? What are your Resolutions for time to come . You know what blasphemies , what prophanenesses , what uncleannesses , you have hitherto lived in ; what irreligion and libertinisme your selves and families , have hitherto been guilty of , else you would never have acknowledged , your sins to have deserved these judgements ; Now I demand , what you resolve to do for time to come : Do you purpose to go on in your old ways ; He that was unjust , to be unjust still ; he that was filthy , to be filthy still , and had no other purpose , but to lead the Kingdom a dance , to go before them in the formality of a service , without changing your Leopards spots , or your Blackmoors skins ; or in truth , be you resolved , being changed by the renewing of your minde , to become new creatures , to serve Christ in newnesse of spirit , that Christ alone may reign as Lord and King hereafter , both in your hearts , and lives , and families , as Ioshuah did , when he bid the Israelites choose whom they would serve ; for himself , he was resolved , though he went all alone , He and his family would serve the Lord . Thirdly , as you are Parliament men , what are your purposes concerning your faithfulnesse to Christ , and the Cause of Christ , and his Church committed to your hands ? If you should altogether fail , deliverance will come another way , the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against the Church of Christ ; But are ye really resolved , to save the Church and Kingdom , though your selves should perish in the attempt ? or do you intend under pretence of being factors for Christ , to drive a trade for Satan and Antichrist , to betray Religion and Liberty ? or to trade in both the Indies , to have a stock going on both sides , that you may save your own stake , which side soever win or lose , to save your own skin , whatever become of the Kingdom ? Like a certain Despot of Servia , ( of whom I have read in the Turkish History ) who lived among the Christians , and kept correspondence with the Turk ; who was a publike worshipper of Christ , but a secret circumcised Turk , that that Turkish mark might save him , if need were : Have any of you such cunning devices , to procure externall safety with the certain ruin of your souls ? Honoured , and Beloved , I hope better things of you all , though I thus speak , I hope you purpose according to your Covenant , and what God requires and expects at your hands , to stick close to Christ and his Cause , to sink and swim with the Church , and Cause of Christ , with singlenesse of heart , and unwearied resolutions , to carry on the work of God , to value your selves onely as his Instruments , and let him do by you , and with you , what is good in his own eyes . And for your Encouragement , let me speak a little of the third Use , which the Church here makes of these great and marvellous , these just , and true wayes , and judgements of this King of Saints , which is a Propheticall Prognostication , and foretelling of what shall further happen upon the pouring out of every viall ; and that is , more and more people , and nations shall come in , and submit to Jesus Christ ; the Nations shall come and worship before thee , for thy judgements are made manifest : And this inables me for your comfort , to help you to an answer of the most difficult question , and most perplexing thought , that I am perswaded is in the heart of most men living at this day , viz. God hath cast our Lot in very perplexed times , all the banks are broken down , all Gods judgments seem to invade us at once , and Gods administration to the Kingdom is such , that the wisest man cannot guesse , by Gods dealing to day , what he intends to do with us to morrow ; Sometimes the Lord enables a handfull of ours , to chase thousands of the enemies ; Sometimes multitudes of ours flee , as at the shaking of a leaf , when none pursues them ; Sometimes we have rare Instruments unexpectedly raised up ; by and by very usefull men are taken off , and hopefull men prove treacherous ; Sometimes the Lord seems to intimate ( as in a Cock-pit ) that one fight shall end the businesse , one way or other ; otherwhiles , all things are set as if there would be a lengthening out of these unnaturall wars , untill the Cities and Countries are utterly spoiled , and the Land wasted without inhabitant : Now in these calamitous times , every mans thoughts run , as Nebuchadnezzars , with desire to know what should come to passe hereafter , and to demand with that Saint , How long it shall be to the end of these troubles , and all complain , that there is no Prophet to tell us how long ; neither can I blame them as curious , who are modestly solicitous to know what will be the event of these things , for even the Prophets and holy men of God heretofore , searched diligently to know what , and what manner of times the Holy Ghost intended , when he spake of the sufferings of Christ , whether in his Person , or in his members . Now my Text gives ( I say ) a satisfactory answer , to this difficult Question , and I undertake ( without fear of being censured , to be wise above what is written ) to tell you what will be the issue and event of all these troubles . All Protestant Writers do agree , that we are under the pouring out of some one or more of these seven vialls ; Some think the fourth viall is now powring out upon the Sun of the Antichristian world ; Others the fifth , upon the throne of the Beast ; there are , that think we are come as farre as the sixt viall , and the river Euphrates is drying up ; I will not determine which of them it is , it is sufficient , ( which of them soever it be ) my Text assures me the event shall be this , which is the event of every viall , Antichrists part shall be weakned , and the Church of Christ shall be strengthened ; Something in every viall may afflict the Church , but incurably wounds the Beast . As the seven Trumpets were so many degrees of the destruction of the Heathen Empire , so the seven vialls are so many degrees of the destruction and ruin of the Antichristian Empire ; and it is worth your observing , that all the time , the whole twelve hundred and threescore years of Antichrists reign , Christ always had an army of Saints , to warre against the Beast , a competent number of witnesses , who loved not their lives unto the death ; But all the while of Antichrists rising , and triumphant reigning , the event of every conflict , or scuffle was , that the Beast grew higher , and the Church fell lower , the Papacy prevailed over all that rose up against it , so that the Church in the end was hardly to be found visible upon the face of the earth ; But it is far otherwise in his declining time , the time when the vials are pouring out , every one of thē plucks part of his fleece ; one of them strips him of this Kingdom , another of that ; one of them weakens his Temporall , another his Spirituall Jurisdiction ; He is under the vials , as Haman before Mordecai , having once begun to fall , he can never more prevail against them , untill in the end ( the seventh viall being poured out upon the whole power of darknesse ) the whole Church triumphantly shouts with a loud voice , It is done , there is an utter end of this enemy . So that I dare speak it as confidently as I beleeve the Revelation to be divine Scripture , and the meaning of it thus farre made known to the Churches , that what viall soever is now powring out , the issue will be , That Antichrist shall lose , and Christ shall gain : And there is but one objection against it , which I confesse to be a great one , and that which troubles many , viz. Whether the two witnesses be yet slain : their story ye shall read in the eleventh of the Revelation . These two witnesses , are the small , yet competent number of pure worshippers , who follow the Lamb , and conflict against the Beast all the time of his reign ; now it is there said , that during this whole space of time , they prophecy in sackcloth and ashes , in a low and mournfull condition , and the Beast makes warre against them , and prevails against them ; but quando finituri sunt testimonium , a little before the end of their mournfull prophesie , which is a little before the Beasts finall destruction ; the Beast shall not onely keep them low , in sackcloth and ashes , and prevail by degrees against them as heretofore , but shall kill them , and their dead bodies shall lie unburied in the streets of that great City , that is , in all the Territories of spirituall Babylon , and the Beast and his followers shall be more jolly , and glorious , then ever they have been : Now many learned Divines suspect this killing of the Witnesses is not yet past , and if it be not , the Church must go lower then ever it hath been , and how then is the Antichristian State weakned by every viall ? To all this I answer , that although I am not able to say , This bitter Cup is yet past , ( Father , if it be possible , let this Cup passe away ) yet I can say , this is true I have delivered , that every viall shall weaken the Beast , and strengthen the Church , and whether they be killed , or not killed , when ever their killing comes , it lasts but three propheticall dayes and a half , that is , but three years and a half , and then presently come in the glorious times , which Christ hath promised , and the Church long lookt for ; so that what that Father said of the Arian persecution , Nubecula est , cito transibit , it is but a short , though terrible storm , and will quickly have an end , and that end will be comfortable to the witnesses , who shall after three dayes and a half , arise from their death , and ascend up to heaven in a cloud , their enemies beholding it , and the great City immediately destroyed with a terrible earthquake : And is not this comfortable ? You see , I go not about to determine what the event of these troubles will be to England , as England is a Civill , or Politicall State , or Common-wealth ; Christ breaks and moulds Common-wealths at his pleasure ; He hath not spoke much in his word , how long they shall last , or what he intends to do with them ; onely this , that all Kings and Kingdoms , that make warre against the Church , shall be broken a pieces , and that in the end , all the Kingdoms of the World shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord , and his Saints , and they shall reign over them : But it is the cause of the Church , the blessed event of these things to the Church of Christ , which I speak of , the welfare and good successe of Religion , in which Cause you are properly engaged and interessed , and which I hope is dearer to you , then ten thousand Englands . Therefore Beloved , Be ye stedfast and unmoveable , alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord ; fear not your enemies , because they are blasphemous and wicked , because they are set on fire , with the rage , cruelty , and treachery of Hell , fear them the lesse for that ; Let my enemy be as the wicked , and he that riseth up against me , be as the ungodly : Their wickednesse is your advantage , it is their weaknesse , and makes you strong ; Let not the huge stature of the Anakims , and Zamzummims terrifie you ; Our state for the present is low , it may be we shall be lower , but lower we cannot be then Iob was upon the dunghill , from whence God raised him up ; not lower then Ionah , in the Whales belly , from whence the Lord delivered him ; not lower then the Israelites at the Red-sea , thorow which the Lord made a way for them : Go on with your work , and fear nothing , this King of Saints hath depths answerable to all our depths ; depths of mercy , answerable to our depths of misery ; depths of power , answerable to our depths of weaknesse ; He can give a comfortable Outgate out of all our straits , and my Text sayes , he will do it , and with my Text I conclude , Great and wonderfull are the works of our God : And he delights to work wonders , both in ruining his adversaries , to uphold , comfort , and deliver his people engaged in his Cause , and to bring others in subjection to him , who yet are strangers from him . The Nations shall come and worship before thee , because thy judgments are made manifest . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89586e-210 Some few instances , clearing the main Doctrin , and some in largement of the first Use . Notes for div A89586e-500 2 Cor 8. 12. The Text . 1. 2. 3. Exod. 15. Josh. 7. The main Doctrine of the Text Explained . Revel. 16. 5 ▪ 6. Isaiah 59. 18. Judg. 1. 7. 〈◊〉 Doctr. 〈…〉 instances . Deut. 32. 36. Isa. 59. 16 , &c. Albertus Crancius . Cajetanus Cardinalis . Judg. 7. 13 , 14. Jer. 31. 22. Jer. 38. 11. Neh 3. 5. Revel. 16. 8. Psal. 77 9. Isai. 64. 1. Cant. 2 8. Nahum 1. 3. Sleidan . Veramundus de suroribus Gallicis . Knox Hist. of Scot . Thuanus . Psal. 136. 23. Nehem. 4. 3. Prov. 26. 25. Judg. 14. 14. Revel. 16. 2. Ver. 5. Ver. 9. Ver. 10. Levit. 24. 10. Luke 6. 38. Vol 3. 954. &c Vol. 2. 185. 187. Revel. 17. 5. Chap. 11 8 , 9. Chap. 16. 2. 3. 10. 21. Chap. 16. 12. Chap. 19. 20. Revel. 16. 7. Chap. 19. 1 , 2. Deut. 32. 34. Revel. 1. 1. Revel. 19. 9. Reason 1. Revel. 13. 2. Sands West . relig. fect . 13. Exod. 18. 11. Dan. Revel. 18. 24. Dan. 3. 16. Rev. 13. 16 , 17. 2 Thess. 2. 9. 10. Revel. 13. 14. Revel. 18. 4. Matth. 24. 24. Revel. 11. 2 3. Application . 1. For admiration . Mat. 24 2. Psal. 107. 43. Psal. 104. ult Motives . 1. 2. 3. John 1. 50. Jer. 33. 3. 4. 5. 2. Vse of Exhortation . Revel. 14. 6. Col. 1. 16 , 17. Motives . 1. 〈…〉 . 10 , 11. Psal. ●●6 . 71. Psal 106. Esay 57. 16. Ezek. 2 Kings 2. Revel. 15 ● . Isay 1 Sam. 2. 30. Ezck. 17. 15. 1. 2. 3. 3. Vse of Encouragement . Dan. 2. 29. Dan. 8. 13. Psal. 74. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 10 , 11. Ester 6. 13. Dan. 2. 24. Dan. 7. 22. Revel. 11. 15. 
A89591	----	A tvvo-edged svvord out of the mouth of babes, to execute vengeance upon the enemy and avenger. Presented in a sermon to the Right Honourable the House of Lords assembled in Parliament, in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, Octob. 28. 1646. the solemn day of their monthly fast. / By Stephen Marshall B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89591 of text R201165 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E359_3). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 89 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89591 Wing M797 Thomason E359_3 ESTC R201165 99861713 99861713 113855 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89591) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 113855) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 58:E359[3]) A tvvo-edged svvord out of the mouth of babes, to execute vengeance upon the enemy and avenger. Presented in a sermon to the Right Honourable the House of Lords assembled in Parliament, in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, Octob. 28. 1646. the solemn day of their monthly fast. / By Stephen Marshall B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [6], 34 p. Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, at the Bible in Popes-head-alley, London, : 1646. With an order to print on verso of first leaf. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms VIII, 2 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Fast-day sermons -- 17th century. A89591 R201165 (Thomason E359_3). civilwar no A tvvo-edged svvord out of the mouth of babes, to execute vengeance upon the enemy and avenger.: Presented in a sermon to the Right Honoura Marshall, Stephen 1646 16546 3 5 0 0 0 0 5 B The rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Simon Charles Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Simon Charles Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Die Jovis 29 Octob. 1646. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled , That Mr. Marshall , one of the Assembly of Divines , is hereby Thanked for his great paines taken in his Sermon the last Fast , Preached before the Lords of Parliament , in the Abbey Church Westminster : And he is hereby desired to Print and Publish the same ; which is to bee Printed onely by Authority under his own Hand . Joh. Browne Cler. Parliamentorum . I doe hereby appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon . Stephen Marshall . A Tvvo-edged Svvord OUT OF THE MOVTH OF BABES , TO Execute vengeance upon the Enemy and Avenger . Presented in a Sermon to the Right Honourable the House of Lords assembled in Parliament , in the Abbey-Church at Westminster , Octob. 28. 1646. the solemn day of their Monthly FAST . By STEPHEN MARSHALL B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex . Esa ; 41. 14 , 15. Feare not thou Worme Jacob , thou shalt thresh the Mountaines , and beat them to dust . Jer 31. 22. The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth , a Woman shall compasse a Man . Revel. 11. 5. If any man will hurt them , fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies . London , Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell , at the Bible in Popes-head-alley , 1646. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORDS Assembled in Parliament . Right Honorable , THis Sermon published by your Order , holds out an instance of what St. Paul preached 1 Cor. 1. 27 , 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty ; and base things of the world , and things which are despised hath God chosen ; yea , and things which are not , to bring to nought things that are . What Creature so simple , weake , or base as a Worme , a creature which no man values , loves , or feares ? yet here 's a worme beats great Mountaines to dust , and makes the hills as chaffe . What so shiftlesse and unable to defend it selfe , or offend an Enemy , as a Babe or Suckling ? yet behold here are Babes and Sucklings quelling and destroying the strongest enemies , even the Enemy and Avenger . Your eares have not onely heard these things preached , but your eyes do see them fulfilled in this our day : O that these things might perswade your hearts of these Two things ; 1 That it is better , more excellent and honourable to be one of Christs Babes , one of his weake , simple , and despised ones , then to bee one of the Zanzummims , the Nimrods , or men of renowne of the world . 2 That the greatest support and strength to Families , Cities , or Kingdomes , proceeds out of the mouth of these Babes , that their hearts and tongues can doe more then an host of Men . The first would make you with Theodosius , rejoyce more in being the meanest Christian , then in being the greatest earthly Potentate . The latter would provoke you both to plant the Kingdome with faithful Ministers , who are Fathers to beget these Babes unto Christ ; and to encourage and cherish the godly party of this Kingdom , who with Mordecai will seek the wealth of the Kingdom , and as so many shields under God , defend this Nation against all its enemies , These Innocents will deliver the Iland , and it shal be delivered by the pureness of their hands ; Yea it would provoke you to get such about you , and with David , make your eyes set upon the faithfull of the Land , that they may dwel with you , and serve you , and conclude that you and your Family shall be blessed in them . My Lords , I beseech you let this bee your choice , it is the earnest prayer of Your Honours most obliged Servant , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED Before the Right Honourable House of Lords at their Monethly FAST , October 28. 1646. PSALME 8. 2. Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thau ordained strength , because of thine enemies , that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger . THe 4th . Verse of this Psalme , is the key of the whole Psalme , What is man that thou art mindfull of him ? or the son of man , that thou visitest him ? And it fully manifests , that the whole scope of this Psalme is to glorifie God for the singular dignity that God hath put upon Man above all other Creatures ; and this dignity or glory of man is exemplified in Two particulars . First , That God hath chosen out this creature Man , whose originall is from being a Babe and a Suckling to bee his Champion , whereby he will quell and destroy all his enemies ; that is in this second Verse . The other Branch is , That God hath chosen this creature Man to be his Viceroy , his Deputy , to rule and govern all the workes of his hands : God hath trusted him so farre , as to put all that hee hath made under Mans feet ; and having done these two things for him , made him his Champion to conquer his enemies , and the Master of his house for the governing of his friends ; what remaines more to bee done for him , this is to bee a little inferiour to God himselfe ; Lord , what is man , that thou art thus mindfull of him ? or the sonne of man , that thou shouldest thus visit him ? The first of these two , Mans being chosen to bee Gods Champion , to still or quiet Gods enemies ; I have chosen to speake of this day : and in it there are these two things to bee handled . First , Who it is upon whom this great honour is conferred , described in these words , Babes and Sucklings . Secondly , The dignity or honour that is put upon them in the other words , Out of the mouth of these Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength , because of thine enemies , to still the Enemy and the Avenger : And this second Branch hath two remarkable particulars . First , The dignity it selfe which is put upon him , or what the savour is , that hee hath received , and that is strength , and such strength as shall quell all Gods enemies , the enemy and the avenger . The way and manner how this strength is exercised , that is , by the mouth ; Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength . For the interpretation of the words , all doe agree that Man is the subject here meant , but of what Man , is a great question . I finde the greatest part of Interpreters to agree , that it is meant of the first Adam , Adam in his Creation , who was lifted up above all the rest of the creatures , as Lord and King over them ; and so it is nothing , ( as they conceive ) but the praising of God for the excellency that Man was endued with in the day wherein God created him , or formed him out of the dust of the earth : but whosoever will seriously consult the New Testament , where this Psalme is three severall times quoted , shall evidently finde , that this is meant , not of Man in his creation , but of Man in his renovation , not of the first Adam , but of the second Adam , of the Lord Christ , primarily I say ; who grew up as a tender plant , and as a root out of a dry ground , a poore despicable beginning , made like the sonnes of Men , partaker of their nature ; and secondarily , of his brethren and seed with him , who though they have their originall from being Babes and Sucklings , as all other men have , yet they are the prime and the choice of all the sonnes of Men , and upon them hath the Lord bestowed this great honour , as to ordaine strength out of their mouth , to quell all his and their enemies . And that this is the meaning , I shall first demonstrate to you out of the Scripture ; Consider the 21 of Matthew , verse 15 , 16. there you will finde that when our Saviour Christ rode upon an Asse into Jerusalem , which was but a little before his passion , God did then inspire the multitude of all Christs Disciples to owne him for their Messiah ; and accordingly both by the way as hee came into the City , and in the Temple , after hee was come into the City , all the Disciples , yea , the very young ones , who had but newly learned to know him , did all sing , Hosanna to the sonne of David , which was an acclamation taken out of the 118 Psalme , verse 25 , 26. the words there are , Save now I beseech thee O Lord , O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity ; blessed is bee that commeth in the Name of the Lord . This the Scribes and Pharisees did take to bee such an intolerable blasphemy , that they should ascribe unto Christ that Divine acclamation which was peculiar to God , that they come to Christ , and aske him , Hearest thou what these say ? canst thou being but a man endure this , that Hosanna should bee sung unto thee , that the praises and glory due to God , should bee attributed to thee who art a man ? Yes , ( saith Christ ) I doe heare it ; but have not you read , That out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained praise , &c. which I confesse some Interpreters doe conceive to bee meant onely thus , that now was fulfilled that of the Psalme , that Babes should acknowledge him , when Rulers rejected him ; but that cannot bee all the meaning , for it is cleare that the Scribes and Pharisees did intimate , that Christ ought not to permit them them thus to blaspheme ; it was blasphemy to ascribe that to him that was peculiar onely to God ; and Christ alledges this Text as an apology for himselfe , why he did receive that acclamation , which hee might not have done , if the Psalme had not acknowledged it to bee his due ; and had not this been a due acknowledgement of theirs , Christ could not thus have excused them , children may not be allowed to speak blasphemy : But the other Scriptures will yet make it plainer , Heb. 2. v. 6 , 7. this Psalme is brought to prove , that Jesus Christ as Man hath all things put under him . One in a certaine place testified , What is Man that thou art mindfull of him ? or the sonne of Man that thou visited'st him ? Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels , and crownedst him with honour , and didst set him over the workes of thy hands , thou hast put all things in subjection under him ; and then goes on , We see not all things yet put under Man , but wee see Jesus , who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death , crowned with honour and glory ; though this dignity of having all things put under his feet , is not made good to other men , we see it is made good of Christ . And as plaine you 'll finde this in 1 Cor. 15. ver. 25 , 27. there it is said of Jesus Christ , ver. 25. Hee must reigne untill bee hath put all his enemies under his feet , V. 26. Yea , the great enemy death it selfe , The last enemy which shall bee d●stroyed is death ; and the proofe of all this is in verse 27 , taken out of this Psalme , For hee hath put all things under his feet . And these two last Scriptures are so cleare , that I finde many Learned Interpreters agree that the latter part of this Psalme , from the 4 Verse to the end , is meant of Christ , and can bee meant of none but Christ ; but so must the whole Psalme also , for the Prophet speakes of the same Adam , or race of men , throughout the Psalme : besides , there is no word in all this Psalme , of subduing of enemies , but onely in this second verse . Now to this I might adde , that some other expressions in this Psalme doe further cleare it , as verse 5. Thou maedest him a little lower then the Angels , so wee translate it , but in the Hebrew it is , Thou madest him a little lower then God , the word is Elohim , which is parallel to that expression of the 2 of the Philippians , Though our Lord was in the forme of God , and thought it no robbery to bee equall with him , yet hee made himselfe of no reputation , and took upon him the form of a servant , & was made in the likenesse of men : And some Criticks conceive , ( though I build not upon it ) that there is a further proofe out of the very Title of the Psalme , it is a Psalme upon Gittith , the word from whence it is derived , signifies a Winepresse ; and they conceive that this Psalme , and the rest which beare this Title , were usually sung vindemiarum , or torcularium tempore , at the time of treading their Winepresses , which was about the feast of Tabernacles , the feast which typified the Incarnation of Jesus Christ . Yea , they note further , that the rest of the Psalmes upon Gittith , are Psalmes which relate to the Incarnation of our Saviour . This then I suppose wee may take as cleare , that by the Babes and Sucklings here meant , are our Lord Christ , and his seed ; the second Adam , the seed of the woman : The rest is easie , To these Babes and Sucklings the Lord hath ordained strength , that they shall quell Gods enemies , because of thine enemies , and the enemy and the avenger . If it bee demanded , who ? and what are these enemies ? the answer is ready , plainely , if by the Babes and Sucklings bee meant the seed of the Woman ; by enemies , and the enemy and the avenger , can bee understood none , but the seed of the Serpent ; the one is the Church militant , the other is the Church malignant , Satan and all his children , his . Instruments , and his followers , these are the opposite party ; and elsewhere is Satan called the enemy and the avenger , as Psalme 44. By reason of the enemy and the avenger all this is come upon us ; idest , through the malice and power of the Devill and his instruments . But that lie and his seed , are the known and onely enemies of God and his Christ , his Church , and his people , is so cleare , that it is altogether needlesse to adde any further proofe . To these babes and sucklings ( saith my Text ) the Lord hath given strength : Strength , what is that ? the Lxx. Interpreters render it , thou hast ordained praise , and so it is quoted in the 21 of Matthew , but the word plainly signifies strength ; and as the Learned doe observe , it is robur celebrandum , robur laude dignum , eminent strength , praise-worthy strength , glorious strength , such strength as shall still thy enemies ; still , that is the next word , That thou mightest still the enemy ; the word that is translated still , is sometimes render'd silentium imponere , to stop their mouthes , these Babes shall bee able in disputing , to stop the mouthes of the adversaries , that they shall cease to blaspheme ; but frequently it signifieth , removere , cessare facere , perdere , redigere in nihilum , to remove , destroy , wholly to take away , and because it is here used in reference to enemies , I conceive this latter here to bee intended , that these babes and sucklings have received strength to overcome , and wholly to destroy all Gods and their enemies . Lastly , for the meaning of this other word mouth , Out of the mouth of babes , &c. the cleare meaning is , as shall ( Godwilling ) sully appeare afterward , that all this strength whereby they thus overcome their enemies , proceeds out of their mouth . So then the summe of it all amounts to thus much , Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength , because of thy enemies , that thou mightest quell the Enemy and the Avenger ; that when Satan the Devill had cast Man from that excellency that God had given him at his Creation , even the Lordship and dominion over the creatures , and brought him into spirituall slavery and bondage , and had himself become the Lord of the world , ruling and domineering in the hearts of all : God having a purpose to quell & destroy the power of this adversary , chuses out a Champion , raises up a generation to undertake him , and in his choice did not pitch upon the seed of Angels , who might seeme equall matches for the Devill and all his followers , but chuses out the Creature , Man , ( whose original is from being a babe suckling , an unlikely Creature to cope with such an enemy ) and sends his owne Sonne to bee borne , and to become even a babe and suckling , and so in all , other things like unto men , except their sinne , and culls out a certaine number of sinfull men to joyne with , and under him , and these hath hee endued with such valour and strength , that ( how unlikely soever it appeare to flesh and blood ) they shall tread under feet all the power of Gods and their enemies ; and the peculiar way and manner of their fighting and overcomming , is by a force proceeding out of their mouth . The words thus interpreted , doe afford two excellent Instructions . That though it bee very unlikely to flesh and blood , to sense and reason ; yet Christ and his seed have sufficient strength wholly to rout and destroy all their enemies . The second is , That all that power and strength which Christ and his followers are endued with , proceeds out of their mouth : Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength to quell thy enemies . The first of these hath two Branches : That to sense and reason it is a most unlikely thing , that babes and sucklings should ever quell the enemy and the avenger ; that Christ and his followers should ever bee able to cope with the adversaries that are engaged against thems . That though it doe appeare most unlikely to sense and reason , yet so it is , they have sufficient strength to quell and subdue all their enemies ; That it is an unlikely thing to sense and reason , I ground it upon the expression which the holy Ghost hath chosen , Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings : Christ and his followers are here called babes and sucklings , not onely because their originall is from being babes , but principally because the Lord would shew the disproportion which to reason doth appeare between them and their enemies , they are babes , and the other are Gyants ; they are poore sucklings , the other are the enemies of God ; yea , the enemy , the great enemy and the avenger : so that little David with his sling did beare more proportion to the Gyant that was armed in brasse , then babes and sucklings can beare unto those whom God calls his professed enemies ; and you may observe in the Scripture , the Lord uses to set it out by the most unequall matches that can bee found ; First consider that expression , Jer. 31. 22. How long wilt thou goe about , thou backsliding daughter ; for the Lord bath created a new thing in the earth , a woman shall compasse a man . God had promised them deliverance , and now hee blames them for going about to seeke other helpes , and would not rest on his word , because they saw no hope or probability of its comming to passe ; hee tells them this should bee no barre to believing , for the Lord will create a new thing , a woman shall compasse a man , the church was a weake woman , destitute of armes , of strength , of skill , the enemy from whom they should be delivered , were as a man , yea , a strong man , ( so the word signifies ) and such was the Babylonian Empire at that time ; yet this woman shall compasse , i. e. besiege this man , so as to overcome and take him : Now how improbable this was to sense and reason , that a weake woman should bee able to doe this to an armed man , any man may judge . Consider also that comparison in the 41 of Isaiah , verse 14 , 15 , 16. when the Lord would set out the opposition betwixt the Church and the Enemies , the Church is called a worme , the enemy is called a mountaine , yea , mountaines , in the plurall number ; Fear not thou worme Jacob , I 'll make thee my threshing instrument to beate the mountaines to dust . Now what proportion is there betwixt a mountaine and a worme ? one bit of a mountaine would kill 10000 wormes ; but here is one worme to cope against a great many mountaines , a most unlikely thing ; Psal , 22. ver. 6. Christ compares himselfe and his people to a worm , I am a worme , and no man , a reproach of men , and despised of the people ; and his and their enemies hee compares to fat Bulls of Bashan , to ravening and roaring Lyons , to madde and fierce dogs : Thus also our Saviour told his Disciples , they were as sheepe among wolves , Behold I send you out as sheepe among wolves . A handfull of sheep goe to fight with a whole multitude of Wolves , is there any probability to sense or reason , that they should carry the victory ? But it will bee yet clearer in a few instances : First , take that of the Lord Christ himself , who is the head and Captain-generall of the Party , when hee came into the world to undertake this grand enemy , even the enemy , and the avenger ; marke how hee appear'd , the state of the world then stood thus , the Devill and his Angels in all places were worshipped as so many Gods , the Empires and Kingdomes of the world were all at the Devills dispose , hee was then the God of the world , and ruled in the hearts of all ; the Lords friends lived in one onely corner of the world , in the Land of Judea , and they were at that time brought into captivity to the great red Dragon , the Roman Empire , the professed enemy of the God of Heaven , and these were his vassalls ; Among them commeth Christ as a Champion to undertake this great adversary ; and thus he enters the Lists , borne in a stable , wrapped up in rags , bred a poor Carpenter , lives 30 yeares in the world almost untaken notice of , when hee did come to shew that hee was the Saviour who had undertaken the redemption of his people from their thraldome , they who should have owned him , and joyned with him , scorn'd him , rejected him ; none but a few women and children , and fishermen , would so much as acknowledge that hee was sent of God , yea , they never leave him till Jewes and Romans , ( following the counsell of the Devill ) had agreed together to destroy him , they tooke him , hung him upon a crosse , crucified him , and there let him remaine a shame and a reproach , and curse , and laughing-stock to all the world , and now was the time hee was to fight the field ; thus was hee accomplished for the warfare , and now was hell let loose upon him : who that should have looked upon Christ at that time , would ever have thought that deliverance should have come by him ? would not all have said of him , as some of the sonnes of Belial did of Saul , and with a great deale of more reason toe , How can this Man ever save us ? flesh and blood , I dare say , would have given up the Cause as lost . Secondly , take another instance in the first Champions whom Christ sends out in his Name , his Apostles , and the rest of his Disciples , taken out of Fisher-boates , and from other the like conditions , and hee sends them to reduce the world under his subjection : see what probability there was , that they should ever speed : they goe out a Company of weake men , without money in their purse , without a sword by their side , unto a prejudiced world , where all were engaged against them , and thus must they go to subdue the world , and how I pray ? by preaching such a Doctrine as was for the greatest part utterly above the capacity of man , ridiculous to mans reason , that they should beleeve in a crucified God , and appoint them a way of selfe-deniall , plucking out their right eye , and cutting off their right hand , and their right foot , and forsaking all , and taking up a crosse , and following a crucified God , and when they had done all , then they should looke for that which no man ever saw , a reward in a place where no man ever was that they had heard of , a reward of glory in another world , after they had undergone nothing but misery in this world , and with this Doctrine must they overcome the world . When Mabomet came out , hee had a Doctrine that suited Mans reason and his lusts . And when Antichrist came , hee had a way that would please whatsoever was in a carnall heart , but these must go out with that , against which every man hath as many principles as hee hath lusts in his heart . Would ever any man thinke , that all this project and undertaking would not have fallen presently into the dust ? I could goe on ( but that I have many things to handle ) and shew you that in all the Churches conflicts it hath been so . When God sent a shepheard to fetch 600000 men out of the land of Egypt , where they were in bondage , how ridiculous an attempt would it appeare to flesh and blood ? When they were to come out of the Captivity of Babylon ; when Athanasius was to undertake the Arrian world ; when Luther and a few company of Fryers and Monkes that came out of their Cells , undertooke to destroy the master-piece of policy that ever the Devill had , was there any likelyhood to flesh and reason they should carry it ? I adde further , every particular Saint who is brought home to Christ , is a sufficient proofe of this , when grace comes first into their heart , as a sparke of fire into a well of water , as a graine of mustardseed cast into a barren ground , a poore weake Creature , who hath onely learned to know the way to life , presently assaulted with all the power of the world and hell it selfe . No man that should looke upon it with the eyes of reason , but would conclude , it will never come to any thing . And there is this reason for it , because the principles of sense and reason can behold and view all the power that is against them , the temptations and allurements of the Devill , the world and the flesh , are all agreeable to our corrupt nature , and wee can discerne what strength is in them , the opposition which the wisdome , authority and power which all the Kingdomes and men of the world make against the Saints , appeare in its full strength , as clearly as the Army sent to take Elisha the Prophet , did unto his servant . But on the part of the Babes and Sucklings , sense and reason sees their weaknesse , but sees nothing , of their strength , that 's no more discerned then the fore mentioned servant saw the mountaines full of Chariots and Horses of fire , before the Lord opened his eyes , that is , a hidden , secret thing can be beheld and known only by the light of faith , and the revelation of God , which they have no understanding of ; there is the first . The second Branch is , How unlikely soever it appeare , yet so it is , they have a strength , whereby they shall and will quell all their enemies , even the enemy and the avenger , the victory is sure enough : For the proofe of this , nothing is more cleare in the Book of God . First , All the promises are for it , a thousand promises have declared it must bee so , The seed of the Woman must breake the Serpents head ; I will build my Church , the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it . No weapon that is formed against thee shall ever prosper ; Every tongue that rises up against thee , in judgement thou shalt condemne ; Feare not thou worme Jacob , thou shalt thresh the Mountaines , and beat them to dust : Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion , and I will make thy borne iron , and thy hoofes brasse , and thou fhalt breake in pieces many Nations : I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone , for all people that burden themselves with it , shall bee cut in pieces , though all the people of the earth bee gathered together against it : God will tread Satan under your feet shortly : All that is borne of God overcomes the world : I write unto you little children , because yee have overcome that wicked one : who hath not read abundance of such promises as these are ? And experience hath found it thus , see it in a few examples : First , our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe at that time , when hee appeared so unlikely , as you have heard , then did hee breake all his enemies , and led captivity captive ; and hath hitherto so farre prevailed , that all the Empires which have risen against him , the Assyrian , Persian , Greeian , Roman , whether the Roman bee considered as Pagan , or Arrian , or Antichristian , Christ hath got the victory over them all , he hath broke them all , no power of Devill or world hath not been able to stand against him ; this stone cut out of the mountaine without hands , hath smitten and broken the great image of Gold and Silver , Brasse and Iron , and he must reigne till all his enemies are made his footstoole . And not onely Christ , but the Fishermen and the rest of their companions that have been spoken of , serve for a second experiment ; I will bee bold to say it , that Alexander and all the Caesars never conquered so many , as those simple men subdued to Christ in a very little time . In one age their line went into all the corners of the world , the Sunne did hardly shine upon a place , where they did not set up Trophees of their Victories , as unlikely a thing as it was . Yea , all the Saints of God that have lived hitherto , have all found , that whatsoever Tongues or Spirits have risen up against them have been condemned , the woman hath compassed the man , the worme hath destroyed the Mountaine , and they have at the long runne been able with Paul to triumph , not onely over poverty , and hunger , and nakednes , and persecution , and such outward troubles , but over Principalities and Powers , and all spirituall wickednesses too , the Devil himself hath bin trod under all their feet . And as there hath been experience of it hitherto , so whosoever reads the Scripture will finde , that the older the world growes , the more experience there will bee of it continually , because now begin the times of Christ and the Churches manifest conquest : hitherto they have carryed it , but not so visibly alwayes before the eyes of men ; but we expect the dayes to bee at hand , wherein the Saints shall take the Kingdome , and all the Kingdomes of the world shall bee the Lord Christs , and hee shall reigne over them ; and that Kingdome that will not serve Christ , shall bee destroyed , and they shall with joy and comfort bring all their glory , and conferre it upon the head of Christ , and put it into the hands of these Babes : So that the Babes and Sucklings must carry it ; and if you 'll have a ground or reason for it , 100 might bee added . First , It is Gods onely designe , the onely great project that the Lord hath laid from eternity , that the Babes and Sucklings should carry the day against all their enemies ; it is the master-piece of his contrivement , wherein hee will not indure to bee disappointed . And then secondly , His heart is with them , his love is set upon them , they are his children , the apple of his eye , they are written upon the palmes of his hands , they are continually in his sight , he loves them as hee loves himself . Thirdly , and his power is with them , his Almighty power , that power which can as easily make a World , as it can uphold a straws all that power is engaged , that no man shall ever bee able to prevaile against them . These , and many more such reasons as these are , have been so frequently set before this Honourable Assembly , in the times of your greatest extremities , to uphold your hearts , that I shall not need to say any more , neither in truth doe I know what to adde to that which hath been spoken by other men . I come therefore to a short application of both the branches , and among many excellent Uses wee might make of the first , That it is an unlikely thing to sense and reason , that Christ and his Church should bee able to conquer their enemies , I shall observe onely this one , To teach you all not to wonder , why the wisest men , and greatest men of the world , the most politique and wary men of the world , in all ages have , and doe most of them reject the cause of Christ and his Church , seldome willing to venture themselves for it : ●ou know Paul observed it in his dayes , 1 Cor. 1. 26. Brethren , you see your calling , not many noble , not many wise men after the flesh , not many learned , and all ages have proved it so . And when multitudes followed Christ himselfe , the Pharisees demanded , Doe any of the Rulers , or of the Pharisees beleeve on him ? John 7. 48. And Hierome observed in his dayes , that when one Paulinus a brave young noble man imbraced Christian Religion , there was more wondering at it , than if a Mule had cast a foale : now this lesson may fully instruct you in the reason of it , so farre as any of their principles are able to make up a judgement , the cause of the Church is a lost cause , Christ and his Saints are but like David against Goliah , they are but wormes against a Mountaine , and what wise man would ever engage himselfe in such a foolish and unlikely businesse ? who that hath understanding would put his fortune into a Ship that hee thinkes will sinke in the Sea , which will dash against the next rocke , or bee split with the next wave ? Indeed when the Church is smiled upon , and countenanced by Kings and Princes , it 's no marvaile though wise , rich , and great men doe joyne with it ; but when warres and persecutions are raised against it , which hath most-what been the Churches lot hitherto , wonder not though wise men withdraw from it , when they can see nothing but ruine attend them who take with this side ; and this is the very reason of their withdrawing , and this also abundantly satisfies mee in our present trouble , wherein we have had so many Lords , so many Gentlemen , so many Learned men , so many great and rich men to have deserted the Cause that the Parliament was engaged in . I solemnly professe , I rather wonder that any wise man , if not sanctified , hath stayed , that any Man not guided by the Spirit of God , should venture himselfe in a Cause that appeared so desperate as this Cause of Christ hath done to the eyes of flesh and blood . I justly call it the Cause of Christ and his Church , because it 's apparent that the Parliaments engaging themselves for reformation of Religion , as well as preserving civill Liberties , hath provoked most of these enemies against them . Therefore let this satisfie you abundantly , when the multitude of the world generally goe against the Cause of Christ , they thinke it folly to owne it , because they looke upon it as a lost Cause . But the other Branch affords many excellent Uses : One is , This may hold up and content the heart and spirit of every one that hath given up his name to Christ and his Cause , entered his name into Christs Muster-booke , is enrolled amongst the souldiers of the Lambe ; I know flesh and blood , sense and reason , thinkes wee have the worser end of the staffe , but let such know , what dayes soever may come , hee shall never have cause to repent that hee engaged himselfe on this side , the victory is sure enough : some men in these conflicts of ours , have solemnely protested , that their plot was onely to bee on the safest side , that they might bee sure to stand , whosoever fall . In the name of God , I promise it to every one that hath undertooke with Christ , in the Cause of his Church , they shall succeed well . They used to say in Rome , in Germanieus his dayes , Salvus Germanicus , salva Roma , salva omnia , Germanicus is well , and the City is well , and all is well : I say it with better confidence , Christ is well , his Church is well , their Cause is good , a succeeding Cause , a prosperous Cause , and all shall bee well , the worme must beat the mountaine to dust , the Woman must compasse the man . It may for a while seeme to goe very hard with the Church , but the end will bee comfortable ; it was of old said of the Romans , they were sometimes praelio victo nunquam bello , they lost many a battell , but in the conclusion they conquered every Nation which warred against them : This most undoubtedly is the fate of the Church , & might hold us up in all our present difficulties : I know many of you are yet at your wits end , and wonder what will bee the end and event of these things ; the pillars of the Earth , the pillars of the Land , the pillars of Truth as well as of Peace , are shaken , ready to fall ; wee are wofully divided into minutula srustula , and the young childe of Reformation in danger to bee swallowed up , a Hydra , a Dragon watcheth for it , a malignant party on the one hand , Blasphemies , heresies , and divisions on the other hand ; but there is a Spirit working wil subdue all , the zeal of the Lord wil bring all well to passe , therefore hold up your Spirits and fear nothing , I cannot but commend unto you that excellent speech of Luther to Melancthon , when the Protestants were in a very low estate , when Melancthon was affraid , Come ( saith Luther ) to him , let the Pholips , let the Bishops , let the Turks , and the Devill himselfe doe his worst against us , nos filii regni sumus , wee are the children of the Kingdome , Dominus prope adest , the Lord is at hand , wee are engaged with Christ , whom they have crucified and spit upon , wee must carry the day from them : So I say to thee , Feare thou nothing , the Barque wherein thou art may be tost , it will never be split , troubles may come , the present may continue , new ones may come , but nothing shall come , but such as that Christ contrives purposely , that things may appeare difficult to us , that his glory may bee the more in his carrying us through them all , and in the name of Christ , I promise you the event shall bee successefull . And as this is comfortable in reference to the whole Church , so it is wonderfully comfortable to every particular soule that feares the Lord Christ , and may uphold them in all their temptations and afflictions , crosses and desertions . I am perswaded many a soule who heares mee this day , wonder how they shall subsist one weeke longer , their spirituall pressures , temptations , desertions , are so strong , another findes their outward afflictions so intolerable , and their pressures more and more breaking in , so that they are ready every moment to sinke under their burthen , and know not what will become of them ; ready every day to conclude as David did in his haste and feare , I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul , I shall never hold out , I shall never be able to stand against these impetuous assaults ; but cheare up thy heart , if there bee any thing of Christ in thee , though it bee but as smoking flax , it shall never bee quenched , though but as a bruised reed , it shall never bee broken , though it bee but a babe and suckling , thou shall quell all thy enemies . I tell thee , I know it , that all the power of hell is engaged against thee , because thou art for Christ , whether there bee any power of hell in thy heart , in thy lust , or in thy family , in thy father , in thy husband , in thy mother , in thy brethren , or about thee , all will bee against thee ; but as this power is against thee , so I assure thee , all the power in Heaven is engaged for thee , all the power that the God of Heaven hath , all his Attributes are for thee , and therefore doe thou conclude , though thou art a worme , a woman , &c. the worm shall thresh the mountaine , the woman shall compasse the man , the lambe shall overcome the wolfe , and what is said in the 17 of the Revelations , of all the Kings of the earth , that they should set against the Virgin Company , who follow the Lamb , but the Lambe should overcome them , for hee is King of Kings , and Lord of Lords , and those that are with him , who are called , and chosen , and faithfull , the like is true of every soule who is a follower of the Lord Christ , they must overcome , and by the helpe of the Lord tread all their enemies under their feet . Secondly , because how unlikely soever the thing bee , the Babes and Sucklings must queil all their enemies ; let me teach you all this point of wisdome , never have any thing to doe against the Lord Christ , or any of his children ; beware how thou have thy hand in any contrivement against any of those that are the Lambes followers : I cannot give it you better , then in an expression of Solomons , in Proverbes 24. 15 , 16. to a wicked man ; Lay not maite , O thou wiched man , against the babitation of the righteous , spoile not his resting place ; For the righteous falls seven times a day , riseth agains ; but the wicked fall into mischiese : I take the plaine meaning to bee this , Solomon tells wicked men , hee knows they cannot but bee like themselves , plotting and contriving mischiese against those that feare God , and possibly it is , that through their contrivements they may cause the people of God oftentimes to fall , to fall into afflictions , under many crosses , but let them fall never so often , they will bee like the corke , thrust it under the water , you cannot keep it under the water , it will rise againe , so shall it bee with godly men , they will get out of their troubles : but when the wicked falls , hee falls to the purpose , hee will fall into mischief , and never rise againe , God will deale with them as hee did with Moab , in the 16 of Isaiah , Wee have heard of the pride of Moab , ( he is very proud ) even of his haughtinesse and his pride , and his wrath , but his lyes shall not bee so ; therefore shall Moab howle for Moab . Moab thought to make my children mourn and howle , but I 'll make Moab howle for himselfe : So thou maist thinke to carry on a plot or designe against Religion , against the servants of God , either their Cause in generall , or some particular person of them , but forbeare it , as Gamaliel said to them , Forbeare these men , middle not with them , lest yee bee found fighters against God ; they may fall into trouble , but God will bring them out . I conclude this with that speech of David , Psal. 37. The wicked plotteth against the just , and gnasheth upon him with his teeth , the Lord shall laugh at him , for hee seeth that his day is comming . This is the first Lesson , now I proceed to the second . Which is the manner how these Babes and Sucklings doe exercise this their great strength , Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings ; You know that every creature which God hath endued with any strength , hath a peculiar way of bringing out its strength ' ; the Lions strength lies in his jawes , the Beare in his pawes , the Eagle in her talons , a Man by his armes , the Bull by his hornes , the Scorpions have their power in their tayle ' ; thus every creature that hath any notable strength , hath some eminent way to exercise it : Now would you know which way doe these Babes and Sucklings , exercise their strength , it is out of their Mouth , Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings . The Lesson I propound to handle from it , is this , That the peculiar way , whereby Christ and all his seed doe overcome their enemies , is by a power that comes out of their mouth : That 's the peculiar way of fighting , power comes out of their mouth : For the truth of it , see it , First , in Christ himselfe , when it was prophesied of him in the 11 of Isaiah , v. 4. how hee should reigne and rule over all Nations , the Spirit of God layes it downe thus , He shall smite the Earth with the rod of his mouth , and with the breath of his lips hee shall slay the wicked . It was a rod of his mouth , and the breath of his lips , that 's the staffe of his power , that which is called in the 110 Psalme , the rod of his strength , is in this 11 of Isaiah called the rod of his mouth , so also in the 19 of the Revelations , v. 15. where hee is brought on horseback , fighting his battaile in the field , and destroying all his enemies ; it is said , Out of his mouth came a two edged sword , that with it hee should smite the Nations ; and if you read his story while hee was upon earth , you may observe that all in a manner which he did , came out of his mouth ; sometimes by a word of command , thus his miracles were wrought , be healed , be opened , be cleansed , &c. sometimes by preaching , converting some , convincing others ; sometimes by prayer , that is one reason , as some thinke , why he is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , the Word of God ; because all that hee did was by a word . Secondly , See it likewise in his servants , all the servants of Christ ; these Babes and Sucklings that are his brethren and his seed , they all overcome by a power that comes out of their mouth ; And to cleare this , consider first some passages of Psalme 68. a Psalm , which I confesse deserves to be more fully cleared , then a short Sermon will allow , being so full to this purpose , the whole Psalme being a full declaration of the way and manner how Christ and his followers doe overcome all their enemies ; The first verse of the Psalme is , Let God arise , and his enemies bee scattered ; and the close of the Psalme is , God hath given strength to his people , blessed bee God , that is the drift of it , to give glory to God for the strength hee hath given to his Sonne , and the followers of his Sonne to subdue all their enemies , and how is this performed ? to say nothing of Christ himselfe , you may see the way of his Saints overcomming , notably described , ver. 18. Thou hast ascended on high , thou hast led captivity captive , thou hast received gifts for men ; even for the bellious also , that the Lord God may dwell amongst them : When Christ ascended , then hee gave such gifts to his children and servants , that by them they should bee so farre able to tame the most rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them , set up his throne and habitation in the midst of them ; what these gifts were , the Apostle tells you expresly in the 4 of the Ephesians ; When hee ascended up on high , hee gave some to be Apostles , some Prophets , some Evangelists , some Pastors , and Teachers , these were the gifts which were powred out upon the day of Pent●cost , all which were represented by the similitude of cloven Tongues , whereby the Lord would teach you , that all the gifts which Christ hath powred out upon his Church , there is nothing so lively a resemblance of them all as the Tongue : out of the mouth by the tongue , comes all the power that the Saints have ; you 'll finde it as plain , if you look into the 11 of the Revelations , ver. 5 , 6. where the two Witnesses of Christ their manner of overcomming is described . These two Witnesses are by the best Interpreters judged to be the small number of true believers , who followed Christ all the time of the Antichristian Apostasie , against these all the world fights , for the space of twelve hundred and sixty yeares , these two Witnesses ever cartyed the victory , and there are they compared to Moses and Aaron , to Elias and Elisha , to Joshna and Zerubbabel , so that looke what Moses and Aaron did in their time of Israels comming out of Egypt , what Elias and Elisha in the time of that Apostasie , and Joshua and Zerubbabel in the time of that Reformation , these two VVitnesses should doe the same ; but how ? even as Moses , Aaron , Elias , and the rest overcame all enemies and difficulties , by a power proceeding out of their mouth , as appeares in their stories ; so doe these , these can smite the earth with plagues , these can turn waters into blood , these can shut and open heaven , these can destroy their enemies , who would hurt them ; but all this proceeds out of their mouth out of their mouth comes fire that destroyes their enemies , all is done by their mouth ; and in the 12 of the Revelations , verse 11. you may there read a great battail described , that is fought between the Saints , Christ and his Saints , and the great red Dragon , but Michael and his Angels overcome the Dragon and his Angels ; at the 11 Verse it 's said , They ( that is , the Saints ) overcame the Dragon by the blood of the Lambe ; that was the meritorious cause , but the instrumentall cause was the word of their testimony ; They overcame him by the blood of the Lambe , and the word of their testimony ; but you will bee better satisfied after I have opened unto you , Wherein lyes the power which proceeds out of their mouth , what is it ? or what doth their mouth ? Possibly I shall not bee able to name every particular branch , but there are five things that are most cleare , which all are the fruit of the mouth , and by them in all ages , these babes and sucklings have overcome the enemy and the avenger . First , 1. Preaching . 2. Confessing , or professing the Name , Truth , and Cause of God and his Christ . 3. Praising , singing out praise , and Psalmes , and hymnes to God . 4. Praying . And , 5. Covenanting . You shall see how by all these the Saints from time to time have carryed the victory , First , Preaching ; when Christ sent his Apostles out to goe conquer the world , what was their apparatus ? what was their furniture ? their instruments of warre ? it was onely thus , It s , praedicate , Goe out into the world and Preach : And when hee sent out the Lxx Disciples , Luke 10. as lambes among wolves , without sword , or money , or scrip , this was the great weapon hee furnished them withall , Preach unto them ; and by that time they had been a little trying the power of this weapon , they had led captivity captive , and returne with great spoiles ; and tell their Master , Lord , ( say they ) the very Devils are subject to us . True ( saith Christ ) I saw Satan falling like lightening downe from heaven , by preaching they could shoot the Starres downe from heaven , and fetch the Devill out of his Throne : It were an endlesse task for mee to recount unto you , what preaching hath done ; what strong Castles have been demolished by preaching ; how many thousand enemies have been made friends by preaching ; how many Kingdomes have been subdued by preaching ; how many thousands , and ten thousand times ten thousand , have been taken out of the roaring Lyons denne by preaching ; how before Pauls death the preaching of the Word had gone into all the earth , and unto the ends of the world , and rent in pieces the Kingdome of the Devil . This , this is Christs Arms , this is the power of God to salvation , a thousand tongues are not able to set forth the excellency and efficacy of it ; this is the great Monster queller , which is able to batter down all the strong bolds of Satan , 2 Cor. 10. 4 , 5. which can cast downe every high thing which exalts it selfe against the knowledge of God , and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ : In a word , preaching is that whereby Christ destroyes the very Kingdome of Antichrist , though it is the Devills master-piece laid the deepest in policy , and founded not onely in States but in mens consciences , yet Christ destroys it by the Word of his mouth , that is , the preaching of the Gospel in the mouthes of his Ministers . Preaching is one , and Secondly , Confessing is another ; Preaching , though it belong to the whole Church , as a gift given to them for their good , yet it is to bee exercised but by the Officers of it , it 's given to all , not to bee exercised by all ; but all the rest of these wayes of overcomming are to bee exercised by all these babes , whether in office or not , whether men or women , old or young , learned or simple , and confessing or professing the truth is one of them , one of the things which proceed out of the mouth , whereby the Saints overcome their enemies , I 'll give you but one text for it , the Lord Christ tells his Disciples , Luke 21. 12. what usage they should finde in the world , That they should be carryed before Kings and Princes for his sake , this might be looked upon as a terrible thing to them who had been brought up among rude and common people , to be brought before Kings and High Courts , whose splendor and majesty would dash them out of countenance and amase them , so that they would not bee able to speake , and whose wisdome , understanding and subtilty was like to bee such , as would quickly put them to silence ; but feare not this , saith Christ , why ? I will give you a mouth , I will give you a mouth ( that is his promise , ) that none of your adversaries shall bee able to stand before it ; that mouth is nothing but a bold confession of the truth and cause of God : a notable instance hereof wee have Acts 4. 13. the Councell or Synedrion had called the Apostles before them , and demanded by what authority , or by what Name they had done this ? they presently made a bold Confession of the Lord Jesus , and saith the Text , When they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John , and perceived they were unlearned and ignorant men , they marvailed , yea , they could say nothing ; and whosoever hath but read the stories of the Church may find that the Confessions which the Saints , yea sometimes women and children have made , have repressed the enraged adversaries , have sometimes wonne , the hearts of them , yea , have converted thousands : that is a second weapon out of the mouth . Thirdly , Singing of Psalmes , though this you would thinke the unlikelyest of all , yet the Scripture is plaine for it ; in the 149 Psalme , there you have a promise , vers. 4. God will beautisie them with salvation , yea , such salvation , that they shall execute vengeance upon the heathen , bind their Kings in chaines , and their Nobles with fetters ; this glory have all Gods Saints . How shall this bee done ? Let ( saith the Prophet ) them sing aloud , let the high praises of God bee in their mouth , and a two edged sword in their hand : whatever bee meant by a two edged sword , plain it is , that the high praises of God in their mouth is one of their weapons : And in Psalm . 68. the place before mentioned , about vers. 22 , 23. &c. you have a description of Gods terrible march before his people , the very fight whereof was dreadfull to his enemies ; They have seene thy goings , O God , even the goings of my God , my King in the Sanctuary ; and how was it ? you have it verse 25. The singers went before , the players on instruments followed after , among them were the Damosels playing with timbrels , all singing Hallelujah , blesse yee the Lord in the Congregations , even the Lord from the fountaine of Israel . And you have an instance of it in 2 Chron. 20. when the children of Edom and Moab , and Mount Seir came against Jehoshaphat , when he & his people went against them , they went singing of Psalmes ; and it 's said , vers. 22. When they began to lift up their voice , and to sing praise to God on High ; the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon , Moab , and Mount Seir , which were come out against Jehoshaphat , and they were smitten , and they destroyed one another . Many other instances there are in the Ecclesiasticall story , of the strength which Gods people have found in singing of Psalmes ; there is one famous one , of the Protestants in Mountaban in France , who when they ( being besieged ) were compelled to fight in their owne defence , alwayes went out to fight singing of Psalmes , and grew so terrible to the besiegers , that in the end , as soone as they heard their singing voice lifted up within the Towne , before the Portcullis was drawne up , or the gates were opened , their hearts would faile them , and they used to cry out , They come , they come , and even fled away for feare , This is a third weapon out of the mouth ; but then there is a fourth which is super-excellent in many respects beyond all , like Goliahs sword , there is none to that , that is , Prayer : The wonders which the Prayers of Gods people have wrought , no time is sufficient to tell : Prayer uses to fetch in all things they need , it removes all evills which lye upon them ; Prayer is the key of Heaven , the conqueror of God himselfe , the scourge of Satan , the out-gate from all distresses ; you finde , Psalme 107. five sorts of men in misery : 1 Wanderers out of their way . 2 Troubled and brought low with sicknesse . 3 Prisoners . 4 Tossed at sea with tempests . 5 Oppressed by enemies : but Prayer is a medieamentum eatholicum , a remedy for all these ; then They cry unto the Lord in their trouble , & he delivers them out of their distresse ; This Solomon begg'd , 1 Kings 8. When thy people go to war , when they are opprest with their enemies , &c. if they humble themselves and pray , heare thou in Heaven and deliver them ; and God promised Chap. 9. 3. that it should bee so ; and this innumerable multitudes of Gods people in all ages have found to bee so ; when Moses hands are lift up in prayer , Amalek is routed ; when Samuel prayes , the Philistims are disconifited ; when David prayes , his enemies flee , When I pray , my enemies are turned backe ; this I know , ( said hee ) for God is with mee . The time forbids me to tell of the thundering Bands of Gods servants , and what their prayers have done : but in a word I am assured , that what the Apostle saith , Heb. 11. 32 , 33. of the power of faith , The time would faile me to tell of Gedeon , of Barak , Samson , Jephthah , &c. who through faith subdued Kingdomes , wrought righteousnesse , obtained promises , stopped mouths of Lyons , quenched the violence of fire , escaped the edge of the sword , out of weaknesse were made strong , waxed valiant in fight , turned to flight Armies of aliens , &c. hath all beene made good of Prayer : Prayer hath done as much as all this ; yea , it hath made the Sunne stand still , the Rivers runne back , what is it that Prayer hath not been able to do ? Never did these Babes and Sucklings in the time of their distresse , seek God by Prayer in vaine . This is a fourth weapon out of the mouth . Fifthly , Covenanting , is another , and for that you have abundance of evidence in all the ages of the Church , from the days of Moses goe on to Joshua , and the Judges , and Asa , and Jehoshaphat , and Hezekiah , and Josiah , and Ezra , and Nehemiah , all these in their great extremities , ( when nothing did prosper , but all went contrary to them ) used to renew their Covenants with God , entred into Oath and Covenant with him , and God ever prospered them after it . The stories of these things are so fully knowne , that I shall not need to insist upon them . If now you aske the reason of all this , why should this power of the Mouth , Praying , and Preaching , and Confessing , and Covenanting , and Singing bee thus mighty in operation , whence grow these Samsons locks . I answer , many excellent Reasons might be given for every one of them , but I will goe no surther then my Text , which I know will satisfie you : My Text saith , Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength , or thou hast founded strength , so the Hebrew word signifies , constituted , made , appointed ; and that word when it is applyed to God , ordinarily signified one of these two things ; sometimes his Counsell , or what his Decree hath appointed , but most commonly it signifies his making or creating a thing . The Lord by wisdome founded the Earth , Prov. 3. 10. the same word that is in my Text ; so also Psal. 102. 25. Thou Lord from the beginning hast founded the earth ; and Psal. 104. 5. Thou hast founded the earth , or , laid the foundation of the earth ; so that this is Gods appointment and his creation , God hath decreed it shall bee so , and the Lord hath created it , and therefore it is so ; and truly you must resolve all other things into the same reason , Why hath the Lyon that strength in his jaw ? God hath founded it there ; why hath the Bull that strength in his horne ? why hath Man such strength in his armes ? why the Serpent in his sting ? God hath founded it : Philosophers will carry you on from reason to reason , and shew how these arise out of their compositions and natures ; but when all is done , it must be resolved into this , God hath appointed it , and made it so and so , God hath founded this strength in them , and thus to bee exercised by them . And now I should think this Lesson were very fit for application , did I not know it necessary to remove one great stumbling block out of the way , which when I have done in a few words , I shall endeavour to set it home in 2 or 3 Uses . All this which I have said of the Armes of Christians , is by some retorted upon our selves against our present warre , as if we held not our selves within the bounds of Christianity for say they , If these be all the weapons and strength whereby the Saints doe overcome , why doe you use any other meanes to overcome your enemies ? why rest you not contented with this ? either these are not all , or you are not Christians , not true to your own Principles ; Indeed ( say they ) the time hath been when such a Sermon as this was owned as Divinity , in the time of the Fathers , when preces & lachrymae , prayers and teares , were all the weapons which the Church did use ; but now when you have spoke all these things of the power of Preaching , and Praying , and Confessing , and Covenanting , you are glad to betake your selves to Armes , to see what they will doe , to helpe these out , whence it 's apparent you dare not rest in these as sufficient helpes ; and so they throw this as a stumbling block in our way ; but this is easily removed . I answer therefore , First , that many of those who object this against us , doe it onely , that thereby they might the better spoile us , as Julian the Apostate , when he would expose Christians to all manner of injuries , and discourage them from seeking or using any lawfull way to right themselves against any spoile or wrong , hee endeavoured to tye their hands by their owne Principles of Religion ; and would scoffingly tell them , that Christianity taught them , If any man struck them on one eare , they must turn the other ; and that if any man did take their coat , they must let him have their cloake also . Howsoever , I know this answers not the Objection I therefore answer , Secondly , Wee acknowledge , that as we are Christians ( in that capacity ) wee use no other weapons then these I have told you of , these onely are proper and peculiar to us as wee are Christians ; but the weapons which wee enjoy as wee are Christians , doe not deprive us of those that wee enjoy in the capacity of Men ; looke whatsoever belongs to us in the capacity of Men , or in the capacity of Subjects , or of Freemen , Christianity doth not take them away , but super-addes these unto them . I say therefore , that wee have all the same meanes of defence against unjust violence , that are common to us with other men , as we are Men , and wee have the same meanes of defence , as wee are Freemen , which other Freemen have ; and wee challenge in this no more then wee might lawfully use , if wee were Papists or Turks , if we were Pagans , Jews , or Indians : we challenge not this to belong to christianity , as peculiar to it , we have learned that by the law of Nature and Nations , men may defend themselves against unjust violence ; if the Turkes should invade a Countrey of Christians , they will tell him , that as they are Christians , their Praying , and Professing , and Singing , and Covenanting , these spirituall weapons out of their Mouth will quell them ; but as they are Men , they have a liberty to defend themselves against him , & vim vi repellere ; or if a Christian man were travailing upon the highway , & a Thief should demand of him , how as he is a Christian , hee defends himselfe from his enemies ; he would tell him by Faith , by Prayer , by the Word of God , by weapons out of his Mouth ; but if the Thiefe assault him , to take his life or his purse , as hee is a man , hee will use his sword , and his Christianity will sanctifie this use of his sword to him . The like instances might bee given in other things which concerne Christianity . If any man demand , how live you as a Christian ? I would answer , by faith , by every word that comes out of Gods mouth ; but yet as wee are Men , wee must eate our bread by the sweat of our browes , and as wee are Christians our Christianity sanctifies these other meanes of life unto us , it takes them not away from us : So when unjust violence is offered to us , contrary to the laws of the Land , looke what defence is lawfull by our Lawes , Christianity deprives us not of that , it sanctifies that , and wee have all these which I have spoken to boot : And so is it in our present businesse , when the Parliament ( the highest Court of Judicature , the Court where all controversies between the King and his Subjects receive their finall judgement and determination ) were proceeding to reform abules , and call some grand Delinquents and Incendiaries to a legall tryall , a force was raised to protect these Offenders , and consequently to compell the Parliament to desist from their work : ( and let once the authority of Parliaments bee overthrowne , wee are an inslaved and conquered people ; ) thereupon the Parliament , the representative body of the Kingdome , takes Armes to defend themselves , and to bring in these evill doers to condigne punishment ; this ( say wee ) wee doe according to the Fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome , and were the Kingdome and Parliament Papists or Protestants , Christians or Heathens , the case is the same as to the matter of the warre , the Lawes of the Land warranting this just defence ; now our being Christians , and true beleevers , deprives us not of this defence which wee enjoy as Englishmen , but super-addes these five things which I have spoken of , to sanctifie our other lawfull meanes of defence , and to make them the more effectuall ; and blessed be the name of God , wee have found it by experience . Now I proceed to apply the Doctrine for our good . Is this the great power whereby Christians doe overcome their enemies , a power that comes out of their Mouth ? O how good is it for us to take notice , how God hath made all this good to us in our experience , in the great conflicts and deliverances which wee have lately had ? we must thankfully acknowledge , God hath raised us up Counsellors who have done their part , and Commanders and Souldiers that have done their part too ; the mouth of the Sword hath done its part , but ( I say ) the sword of the Mouth hath done more : Wee may say of the mouth of the Sword , as it is said of Saul , that hee had slaine his Thousands , but the sword of the Mouth hath slaine its ten Thousands . Wee in our extremities have sought God , Prayed to him , Covenanted with him , Humbled our selves before him , owned his Truth , and professed it ; and God hath carryed all our affaires so , that when oftentimes our wise Councellors have failed , and our Armies have failed , and all other helpes have come in , and have told us , that wee are like to bee ruin'd , the Babes and Sucklings never failed to carry it in the times of our extremities : And I have begged it from God , and said it in this place , and cannot but say it againe , I would thinke it a wonderfull glory to God , to have it truly Written and Recorded , how in all our extremities , the power that hath come out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings hath saved us from utter ruine : Our adversaries have laughed at these things , and esteemed all the weapons of our Mouth to bee but wind , but God hath made them such a wind as hath scattered them . And ( Right Honourable and Beloved ) it becomes us well to observe it , and to stand amazed , and say with the Psalmist here , Lord , what is Man , that thou shouldest be thus mindfull of him ? O Lord our God , how excellent is thy Name in all the world ? Secondly , because this is the great way of our conquering our enemies , I beseech you ( I principally speake to your Lordships , and to those that are interested in being the great Councell of the Kingdome ) take care that this Magazine of the Mouth , the powers that come out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings may bee preserved and recruited , and not any wayes disbanded ; It is now a great dispute among you that are wise Statesmen , what wee should doe with our Armies ? whether ( there being no visible enemy in the Field ) it would not bee fittest to disband our present Armies ? A dispute I have nothing to doe with ; but this I have to doe with , and make bold to tell you , whatsoever you doe with other Armies , you must not disband the Forces of the Babes and Sucklings , out of whose Mouth comes your strongest helpe . You are farre from having your worke done as yet , Ireland is in a sad condition , England is wofully unsetled , terrible divisions are found every where ; looke to it , that you have a force about you ; what other Forces are needfull , I leave to your wisdomes , but sure I am these Babes and Sucklings , are the Triarii , the Veterani , the old Souldiers , the Life-guard of England , disband them once and you are lost . Therefore for the Lords sake , see that this power that my Text drives at , may have all the encouragement that may bee : And to this end , your Lordships must be carefull of these Two things . First , To give all the assistance possible , that these Souldiers may bee encouraged and multiplyed in all parts of the Land , I meane , that the Gospel may spread , the Preaching of the Gospel , that Saints might bee wonne , and that the Church might bee inlarged , bee setled in peace , that there might be freedome to seek God , and to serve him according to his will ; and know you for certaine , that every soul which shall be wonne to Christ , be it the soule of a woman , or of an old man that stoops for age , or of a childe , yet every soule wonne to Christ , and so numbred among these Babes and Sucklings will bee as stout a souldier as ever you did employ , and will in your extremity doe more then all the experienced Captains that tread on English ground , because God is with these , and these must carry it ; the power of heaven is engaged with them , therefore for the Lords sake further Religion , the propagation and settling of it ; you are wise , and can think of the wayes which have been often set before you , God Almighty blesse you in it , and ever let these parties be deare in your eyes , who have such interest in Heaven , let them bee owned as the Souldiers who will never fail you , though others may and will . The other thing I humbly advise is this , That you would alwayes carry this in your wise thoughts , never to engage in any cause , wherin you should not be accompanyed with the power that comes out of the Mouthes of these Babes and Sucklings : you have found , ( though it may be carnall eyes see it not ) that the prayers and teares of Gods people , and their cleaving to God , and their interest in your Cause , hath been the greatest meanes under heaven to keepe your Lordships to be a Parliament House to this day ; and the Lord keep you , that whatsoever businesse you have , what contest or warre soever you may have , that your Cause bee such , that these Babes and Sucklings bee not constrained to withdraw from your assistance ; my meaning is , that the Cause bee ever good , and such a Cause as God will own , and as God cals you to ; hitherto your Cause hath been manifest , and your way hath been cleare ; the Lord keep you , that you and the Babes and Sucklings of my Text may live and dye together , and then wee are well enough ; but when ever you engage against them , or without them , you will be worsted . 2. To the rest ; who is there among you that belongs to this party who are of Christs number , I beseech you give us your help , come all of you and helpe the Lord against his enemies , helpe in the great worke that now is in hand ; doe not say you can contribute nothing , it may bee some of you have no Money or Lands , no wisdome or authority : I am sure thou hast that which Gods people may receive benefit by , Christ hath given thee a mouth , which is a quiver full of choice arrowes ; thou canst professe Christs truth , thou canst sing his praises , thou canst call him Abba father , thou canst be one of his remembrancers , thou canst pray for the peace of Zion , thou canst say , Our Father which art in heaven , let thy kingdome come ; and little doest thou know what great things thou maist doe , in thy Closet , in thy Chamber , in the Fields at thy work ; no tongue can utter what admirable helpe thou maist give ; thou maist reach Rome and Spaine , and Ireland , succour the one , and destroy the other : O for the Lords sake lay out your strength to the utmost ; come out ( I say ) and helpe the Lord all that are able ; Solomon saith , Hee that in a famine withholds Corne , the people will curse him ; what will thy condition be , if thou withholdest thy help in the needfull time of trouble ; you know Mordecai's speech to Hester , Who knowes but thou camest to the Kingdome for such a time as this ? I say to thee without any if or and , I know thou art indued with all this strength , for such a time as this , O therefore fill thy mouth with praises , with confessions , with prayers , and with whatever else may quell the Lords and thy enemies , even the enemy and the avenger . But take this in , thou must bee carefull so to use this power , that it may take and speed , thinke not that every one that pretends to pray , or pretends to Covenant , or professe Gods name can doe it : I could give you abundance of instances , where the Lord hath aborninated al these things , & they have bin curses to them who have used them , have you not often read of such speeches as these , What hast thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth ? when yee make many prayers , I will not heare you ; when they pray , I will destroy them with sword , famine , and pestilence ; and many other the like , know therefore it s not bare Preaching or Confessing , or Singing , or Praying , that will doe any thing , these must be used and done aright ; and there are excellent Rules for every one of these , to teach us how to use them , so as to make them effectuall , but a Sermon will not beare the handling of them , I shall at the present commend onely two directions which are common to them all : 1 See that that Mouth out of which all this strength must be exercised , bee a sanctified Mouth , a Mouth separated to , and engaged in Gods Cause onely ; let it not bee the Mouth that St. James speakes of , Out of the same Mouth comes cursing and blessing ; let it not be a Mouth that shall sing Hosanna to Christ in the Temple , and crucifie him in the Court ; that shall sing a Psalme to him in the Congregation , and a bawdy Catch in an Alehouse or Tavern ; that shall blesse his Name in the assembly of his people , and blespheme him in the company of prophane ones ; that shall talk of Heaven and holinesse in one company , and uncleannesse and luxury in another , this is a Mouth end a Mouth , a double Mouth , that the Lord takes no more pleasure in , then in a double heart : No , let the Mouth , that is such an excellent instrument as this , and the tongue in it , let it ( I say ) bee for the Lord , and for the Lord onely , let it bee a sanctified Mouth . And secondly , 2 That though all this power must be exercised out of the Mouth , yet it must come further then from the Mouth , the Mouth is the instrument , it is the gun if you will , or the sword , but the Mouth it is not the magazine , it is not the store-house ; though the tongue is the glory for execution , there must bee another thing that must be the fountaine : and therefore this sanctified Mouth must fetchall from another treasury , & there is a double store-house whence it must be furnished . 1 Christs merit , the meritorious cause of all the conquest , is the blood of the Limbe ; goe not thou out in the force of thy prayer , say not , I can pray , I can preach , I have a bold Spirit to confesse Christ , and I have taken the Covenant , and will stand to it : God forbid thou shouldest thinke this can contribute any thing because it is in thee ; no , but let the blood of the Lambe be the meritorious cause upon which thou relyest , faith in it will make the sling stones , able with David to kill these Goliahs ; take this away , and thou canst doe nothing . 2 See that all come out of the good Treasury within , from a sanctified heart ; when thy Mouth makes consession , see that it come out of a heart that beleeveth ; if thou sing to Gods glory with thy mouth and voice it must bee with grace in thy heart ; if thou wilt pray , see to it , that it be not lip-labour , or onely a company of words or sentences well composed , but let it bee the powring out of the heart , the crying with the heart , with an humble heart , with a beleeving heart ; and so let thy Covenanting bee , thou wilt sweare a Covenant , let thy heart stand to it , and hold it out , and maintaine it ; this is the way to use these Mouth-weapons aright . I should have inlarged my Discourse upon them , but I rather feare I have been burthen some already to your patience . Consider what I have said , and the Lord give you understanding in all things : And I shall end . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89591e-400 1 Cor. 1. 27 , 28. Job 22. 30. Psal. 101. 6. Notes for div A89591e-730 Introduction shewing the scope and parts of the Psalme . 2. Analysis of the Text . 1. 2. 1. 2. Interpretation of the Text , what is meant by Babes and Sucklings . Esay . 53. 3. Matth. 21. 9 15 , 16. opened and explained . Heb. 2 6 , 7 , 8. 1 Cor. 15. 25 , 26 , 27. Phil. 2. 6. 7. Psal. 81. Ps. 84. What is meant by enemies , and the enemy , and avenger . What is meant by strength . What by still or quell . What is meant by mouth Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Notes for div A89591e-1700 1 Doctrine in two branches . 2. 1 Branch . It 's an unlikely thing to sense and reason that Christ and his Church should be able to overcome their enemies . Jer. 31. 22 , 23. opened and explained : Proved by the comparison which sets out the unlikelihood of it . Psal. 22. 6. 13. 16. 202. Luke 10 3. Proved 2 by some instances The reason why it 's so unlikely to sense and reason . 2 Kings 6 15 2 Branch . Yet they have strength to doe it , and shall doe it . Proved first by many promises that it shall bee so . Gen. 3. 15. Matth. 16. 18. Esay 54. 17. Esay 41. 14. Micah 4. 13. Zach. 12. 3. Rom. 16. 10. 1 John 5 4 1 John 2. 13. 2 By experience it ever hath been so . Dan. 2. Psal. 110. Rom. 8. 35 , 38 And shal be so more & more . Dan. 7. 18. Revel. 11. 15. Reasons of it . 1. 2. 3. Vse of the first branch , not to wonder though so few wise men own the Churches cause . Uses of the second branch , Consolation to whom ; who joyne with the cause of Christ and his Church 2 Use of consolation to every particular Saint . 3 Vse , exhortation to all , to have nothing to doe against these Babes & Sucklings . Prov. 24. 15 , 16 Isay 16. 6 , 7. Act. 5. 38. Psal. 37. 12 , 13 Doct. 2. The strength whereby the Babes & Sucklings doe overcome their Enemies , proceeds out of their mouth . Thus Christ himselfe . Esay 11. 4. Psal. 110. 2. 2. Thus also all the Saints overcome . Psal. 68. 18. Ephes. 4. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. Acts 2. 3. Rev. 11. 5 6. explained . Rev. 12. 11. explained . Qu. Resp. 5 Things proceeding our of these mouths of Babes and Sucklings whereby they overcome . 1. By Preaching . Mat. 28. 19 , 20. Rom. 10 18. Psal. 19. 2 Cor. 10. 4 , 5. 2. By confessing and professing the Truth . Luke 21. 15. Acts 4 13. 3. Singing of Psalmes . Ps. 149. 4 , 5 , 6 , &c. Psal. 68. 23 , 24 , 25. 2 Chron. 20. 22 4. Prayer . Psal. 107. 6 , 13 , 19 , 28. 1 Kings 8. per totum . 1 Kings 9. 3. Exod. 17. 10. 1 Sam. 7. 9. Psal. 56. 9 , 11. Heb. 11. 33. 5. Covenanting . Reason of all this , when they are made so , mighty in working . Ob. All this by some is used as an argument against our defensive Armes . Resp. 1. 2. Vse 1. Exhortation to take notice of the comfortable experience wee have had of this , in our present troubles . Vse 2. Exhortation to maintaine those Forces for time to come . To this end be carefull of two things . 1. 2. 3. Exhortation to all these Babes and Sucklings to use their power against Christand their enemies . 2 Rules how to use this power of the mouth , so as to make it effectuall . 1. James 3. 9. 10. 2. A double store-house , whence the Mouth must be supplyed with strength . 1 Christs Merits . 2 From a sanctified heart . 
A89587	----	The strong helper or, The interest, and power of the prayers of the destitute, for the building up of Sion. Opened in a sermon before the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, upon the solemn day of their monethly fast, April 30. 1645. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word, at Finching-field in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89587 of text R200033 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E280_1). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 121 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 31 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A89587 Wing M790 Thomason E280_1 ESTC R200033 99860836 99860836 112961 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89587) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 112961) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 46:E280[1]) The strong helper or, The interest, and power of the prayers of the destitute, for the building up of Sion. Opened in a sermon before the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, upon the solemn day of their monethly fast, April 30. 1645. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word, at Finching-field in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [8], 55, [1] p. Printed by Richard Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, London, : 1645. With a preliminary order to print. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms CII, 17 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. A89587 R200033 (Thomason E280_1). civilwar no The strong helper or, The interest, and power of the prayers of the destitute, for the building up of Sion.: Opened in a sermon before the Marshall, Stephen 1645 22868 10 0 0 0 0 0 4 B The rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-05 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Die Mercurii April . 30. 1645. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament , that Sir William Massam , do from this House give thanks to Mr. Marshall for the great paines hee took in the Sermon hee Preached this day at the intreaty of this House , at St. Margarets Westminster ( it being the day of publique humiliation ) and to desire him to Print his Sermon . And it is Ordered , that none shall presume to Print his Sermon , not being authorized under his hand-writing . H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon , Stephen Marshall . THE STRONG HELPER OR , The interest , and power of the Prayers of the destitute , for the building up of Sion . Opened in A SERMON BEFORE The Honorable House of COMMONS Assembled in Parliament , upon the solemn day of their Monethly Fast , April 30. 1645. BY Stephen Marshall , B.D. Minister of Gods Word , at Finching-field in Essex . JER. 29. 12. Then shall yee call upon me , and yee shall goe and pray unto mee , and I will hearken unto you . PSAL. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble , thou wilt prepare their heart , thou wilt cause thy eare to hear . LONDON , Printed by Richard Cotes , for Stephen Bowtell , and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1645. TO THE HONORABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT . THE Lord that now makes it his great work to build up Zion , and settle his Arke there , in its place , hath made it your great honour , that hee hath taken you into a partnership in so blessed a work ; Hee make it your happinesse , that your Faithfull indevours being crowned with a blessed successe , both the present and after Ages may deservedly call you the Repairers of the breach , and restorers of paths to dwell in . It is pity such builders should want either fair weather , or a sure Scaffold to build on ; but you will not be discouraged , whilest you think how in great repaires , all use to lie on heaps , and remember , what the ablest of Gods Master-builders in this kind have met with , it is enough that Jerusalems Wall may be built in troubleous times . God can lay the beams of his Chambers in the water , and Faith can plant Sycamines in the Sea ; it was a confused Chaos , without form and void , full of darknesse , which this goodly Fabrick of Heaven and Earth was at first made out of , and there were Evenings as well as Mornings all along in the Work , however it went on , each day adding distinction and beauty , and the last , perfection , so that God beheld all and saw it to bee very good . It is the same creating God , that must order our present confusions , and raise up our ruines , in which your humble and faithfull Prayers , will be more usefull then your ablest Counsels . Moses , Elias , our Saviour , the great builders and repairers of the Church , are every one of them recorded to have fasted forty daies and nights , when they were upon that Worke , it much commends Prayer and Fasting to all who are at any time ingaged in a like service ; that was your businesse , when this Sermon was Preached , which , if either in the delivery it did any whit help your Spirits then in prayer , or in the publishing , it may now or hereafter , ingage you , when you most diligently look to your Work , more earnestly to look up to God in it , it will bee the joy , as it is the prayer of Your Servant in this great Work , STEPHEN MARSHALL . A SERMON PREACHED To the Honorable House of COMMONS at their Monethly Fast , Aprill 30. 1645. PSAL. 102. 17. Hee will regard the prayer of the destitute , and not despise their prayer . I Began the handling of this portion of Scripture the last publique solemn Fast , before the Honourable House of Peeres , and I then shewed , that these two Verses doe containe two such remarkable circumstances , which alwayes accompany the building up of Zion , as doe justly render it the most glorious and excellent work in all the world , most worthy of all mens observation and admiration , so that all the Kings and all the Nations might well stand amazed at it , and it deserves to bee writen , that all the Generations to come may praise God for it ; the first is , that when ever the Lord doth build up Zion , hee doth appeare in his glory , hee never shews himself more like himself , never more magnifies those excellent perfections of his Wisdom , and Power , and Mercy , and Holinesse , and Truth , then hee doth when hee builds up his Church ; This I handled before that Honourable House the last day , at large , and now this Honourable House having commanded my poore labours , to bee a furtherance of your humiliation , and prayer , that you may be the assistance of God be carryed on the better in your great work of helping the Lord in building the Church , while like so many Nehemiahs , you are building with the Trowell in one hand and the Sword in the other ; I could not think of any more fitter , more suitable , or seasonable Theame , then to goe on to open the second Circumstance , which accompanies the building up of Zion , which you have in these words , When the Lord doth build up Zion , hee will regard the prayer of the destitute , and not despise their prayer ; All the prayers that his forlorn and desolate people had been offering up many yeeres before , when ( it may bee ) they despaired of ever meeting with any comfortable return , they should now finde their Jubilee , they should now have a full crop , of all their seed gathered in with joy ; when the Lord doth build up Zion , hee regards his peoples Prayers : The summe of the Text is , A gratious promise of Gods hearing his peoples Prayers ; Hee will regard the prayers of the destitute , or hee will turn to them , or hee will looke upon them , hee will behold them ; the meaning plainly is , hee will grant them thus , that is , first positively laid down : secondly , it is also laid down negatively , Hee will not despise them ; and in this negative , there is another affirmation , rather stronger then the former ; for when God is said not to despise , the meaning is , hee doth highly value it ; with God , non spernere is magnifacere , as An humble and a broken heart , O God , thou wilt not despise , that is , thou dost highly esteem it ; so also here however these poore afflicted ones had imagined , because God had made them no return that hee did scorne them and their prayers , hee would now let them to their comfort know , that all their prayers lay before him , and were very highly regarded by him ; They had sown in tears , they must now reap in joy , now they should finde that their prayers were like so many Talents put into Gods bank , which they should receive into their bosome with advantage , hee would no longer cause their heart to faint with deferring their hope , hee would now regard the prayer of the destitute , and not despise their prayer . Which gracious promise of God , to regard the prayers of his people , hath in this place a threefold aspect ; First , Wee are to consider it in relation to the persons , whose prayers shall bee regarded , and that you have in this word , hee will regard the prayer of the destitute ; And Secondly , This regarding of prayer doth respect the Time , when hee will regard it ; When the Lord doth build up Zion , hee will regard the prayers of the destitute ; And Thirdly , This regarding of the prayers of his people , hath an aspect upon the matter , wherein hee will regard them ; when hee builds up Zion , hee will regard their prayer , that is , ( as God willing you shall heare anon ) that their prayers shall be the means of building Zion , he will build Zion , as that which their prayers have been the means of , and have drawn from him ; when the Lord shall build up Zion , hee will regard the prayers of the destitute ; I begin with the first of them : The persons , they are here called the destitute ; hee will regard the prayer of the destitute : the Hebrew word , which is here translated destitute , doth properly signifie Myrica , a low shrub , humilesque Myricae , low shrubs that grow in Wildernesses , some think they were Juniper shrubs , some a kinde of wilde Tamyris , but a base low shrub , that grew no where but in a desolate forlorn place ; and sometimes the word in the Text is used , to signifie the Deserts of Arabia , the sandy desert place of Arabia , which was a miserable wildernesse ; Now when this word is applyed to men , it always means , such as were forsaken men , despised men ; such men as are stripped of all that is comfortable to them , either they never had children , or else all their children are taken away from them , and all comforts banished , and themselves left utterly forlorne , like the barren heath in a desolate howling Wildernesse ; these are the people of whom my Text speaks , that the Lord will regard the prayer of the destitute : and this was now the state of the Church of God , when they offer'd up this prayer , and yet by faith did foretell that God would grant such a gratious answer . And this promise as relating to these persons , affords us two excellent lessons . First , Into what a miserable low and forlorn condition , God often lets his Church fall , before hee doe appear for their deliverante ; They are desolate and forsaken , left like the Deserts of Arabia , like the broken shrub of a tree , that no body regards : Such was their present condition ; you have it in all the former part of the Psalm , Like a Pelican , like an Owle , as a desolate Widow , they eate their meat with ashes , and mingle their drink with weeping : to this condition did God let his Church come , before hee did appear as a succourer , and a helper of her ; I confesse God doth not always so , sometimes hee doth keep the feet of his people from falling : sometimes assoon as ever they fall , hee snatches them up with his right hand ; sometimes hee lets heavinesse fall upon them for a night , and sends them joy and deliverance the next morning ; but frequently , yea , and ordinarily , before the greatest mercies , he lets them be brought into a most miserable condition , so that they shall have no humane hope ever to come out of it ; So they were in Egypt wasted out in an iron fornace ; so they were in Babylon , when their bones lay scattered upon the earth , as Chips in a timber-yard ; and it was ordinary for the Church to complain before her deliverance , that she was like a bird in the fowlers snare , as a Lamb falne into a Wolves , or Lions den ; and ordinary for God to acknowledge , that when hee comes to deliver them , he chuses them , and findes them in a furnace of affliction . And this is true not onely of the Church in generall , but you may read the same of abundance of Gods dearest Saints , who have been brought and reduced to extremity of misery , before ever he appeared for their succour : Thus it was with David and Daniel , and the three Children , and Paul , and multitudes of others . And this the Lord doth for these two causes : First , It usually thus betides Gods people through their own foolishnesse ; themselves are the causes why they come so low ; David in the name of the Church , confessed , I am brought into great heavinesse , I lie roaring all the night long , my wounds stink and are corrupt , because of my own foolishnesse ; for first they offend God , their gratious God , and when they have offended him , they continue impenitently in sin ; and when God appeares , and begins to correct them , they kick with the heele against him , and will not take notice of his hand , but goe on obstinately ; They impute it to any thing rather then Gods displeasure , will not confesse their sin , their uncircumsized heart is not humbled in them , when they lie as a wilde bull in a net , full of the fury of the Lord ; they kick and fling , fret and vex themselves , suffer and murmure , smart and repine , but will not renounce their own counsell , nor lay down their arms of rebellion ; and thus like foolish sons , they stay longer then they need , in the place of the breaking forth of children ; and this God will not beare from them , but now by long and tedious trials , and by being thus brought to great extremities , their hearts are softned and melted , the pride of their spirits broken ; they search and try their wayes , their foule stomachs are emptyed of that glut which lay upon them , they cast off their carnall confidence , and self-conceitednesse ; when they have been bound in fetters , and holden in cords of affliction , then they see their own works , then their ears are opened to Discipline , when with the Prodigall , they have eat husks with the Swine , and are ready to dye with hunger , then they think seriously of returning to their Fathers house , and so hereby are made the fitter for their deliverance . And Secondly , Hee likewise doth it for his own glory ; for the lower they are before hee appeare for their succour , the more honour doth he gain to himself in their deliverance : This reason Christ himself gave it , in the 11 of John , when they told him that Lazarus was sick , and Christ knew he was sick to death , yea , that hee was dead , but This sicknesse ( said Christ ) is not unto death , but that the Son of God might bee magnifyed ; as if he had said , Lazarus shall dye , and goe to the grave , and lie while he is ready to stink there , not that I delight to have Lazarus brought low , and looked upon as a dead man , but that my glory might the more appear in raising him up ; so when the Lord hath brought his people into such a low , forlorn condition , that all help and strength seems to be gone , then for him to come in and succour , this advances his glory many wayes , the glory of his wisdome , and of his love and of his power , &c. for such causes as these doth God let his Church come to be destitute , before he seems to regard their prayers . I note this onely to this end , that it might teach you all to be charitable Judges of the strange and various administrations of our God towards almost all the Churches in Christendome at this day : indeed if we look upon the state of almost all the Christian world , we cannot but say it is very low : Germany hath now for six or seven and twenty yeers been an Aceldama , a field of blood ; in Ireland the slain not to be numbred , their widows multiplyed like the sand of the Sea shore ; Scotland been shaken , and harrassed , miserably ; and England which hath been as a Garden of God , now is conflicting with the saddest of all judgements , and bleeds and melts away , and sinks deeper into the quick-sands of desolation every day then other ; All our Physitians have hitherto proved of no value : no balm yet found to cure our wound , no plaister will as yet cleave to our soare , the storm still increaseth , our Anchors all come home , and we are even at our wits end , and every where the displeasure of the Lord seems to bee on all the Churches , as if he would bring such a desolation upon them , that affliction should not rise up the second time . Now ( beloved ) in these deep and deplorable extremities , learn to judge wisely of the state of Christs Church and people , think it no more strange to see the Church of God tossed and afflicted , then it is to see the Sea tossed with waves , or the lower region to be full of storms , and tempests ; but when you do see these things , be you withall assured , that the Lord loves his Church , and all his Saints too dear , to be lavish of any one drop of their blood ; he prefers the meanest of his people before all the Kingdoms of the world , and will give them for ransomes for his redeemed ones , he thought it not too much to redeem them with the blood of his own Son ; be you therefore fully assured that it is not out of any slighting of them , that these troubles are upon them , but rather that in all these conflicts hee hath holy aimes , and ends , which it may be we cannot yet dive into ; and let us not look too much upon the dark side of the cloud of Gods providence , when we cannot see the bottome of his Counsels ; let us not hang down despairing hands ; Let us be contented that we are of his Court , though we be not admitted to be of his Privy Counsell ; and let us set this down for an assured conclusion , That how low soever the Lord brings his people , he will bring them back again from the depth of their miseries ; let us in the mean time , as the Prophet said , he would doe , Search and try our wayes , and be humbled before him , but let us also beleeve upon plain trust , and waite upon God , who at this day hides his face from the house of Jacob , and let us look for him untill hee please to return again . Secondly , As the Lord sometimes makes them destitute before hee regards them , so hee will regard the prayers of the destitute ; this sad title , that they are destitute , is set downe here as an argument that God would regard their prayers , which affords us this instruction . That the prayers of the most forlorne , and despised , and abased , of all Gods people , are in the highest regard with him : Whose petitions soever are laid aside , God will be sure to regard and read over the petitions offered up by the desolate , their prayers are most prevalent , and most acceptable with God . I might give you an hundred places , where God saith it expresly , he heares the poore , he regards the despised , he will save the afflicted , he will comfort the distressed , his eares are open to their cry . David , who well understood all the topicks of Prayer , all places from whence any argument might be drawne to prevaile with God in prayer , made this his usuall argument , Heare me Lord , for I am desolate ; attend to my cry , for I am brought very low ; heare me speedily , my spirit is overwhelmed ; as if he could lay such a claime to be regarded when he was destitute , that God must faile of his word , if he failed then to regard his prayers . And there is good reason why they above all others should have their prayers regarded by God . Because they pray in their prayers : Prayer is the powring out of the soule to God ; so saith the title of this Psalm , A prayer of the afflicted when he powres out his soule . Now even Gods owne people , when they have ease and liberty , and are in no straits , it 's too ordinary with them to powre out words , when they doe not powre out prayers , and to be in a bodily posture of prayer , when the inward man is little affected ; they often pray without a heart ; but the poore and destitute speak supplications before God , they poure out their soule and spirit , and that is prayer indeed . And secondly . The destitute and forsaken have no other to flye to but God onely , all other succour failes them , and he hath much engaged himselfe in his Word , never to desert the soule that betakes it selfe to him ; He shall deliver the needy when he cryeth , the poore also , and him that hath no helper : Now this forlorne and desolate wretch looks on his right hand , and none will know him , other refuge failes him , no other cares for his soule , he hath onely a melting heart , and a mourning eye , and these are fixt upon God alone ; and therefore no wonder though he be regarded . And then thirdly , The desolate , of all others , will value an answer of prayer ; let God doe any thing for a poore forsaken wretch , it 's highly prized : any almes to a Begger at the door , who is ready to starve , if it be but a crust fit for the dogges , yet ( I say ) to a starving Begger it 's a greatefull thing : When the poore and needy seek water , and there is none , when their tongue faileth for thirst , and the Lord pleaseth to open rivers to them in the wildernesse , O how acceptable and welcome is it ! And fourthly , God will regard the destitute , because in truth his fatherly bowels know that there is more need that he should succour them , then any other : he hath put those bowels into earthly parents , that if any of them have many children , the sickest , the weakest , the simplest , the most despicable of all the rest , hath the greatest care from the father , and from the tender-hearted mother ; among all the test of the children , there is not such an Orator to prevaile for themselves or others , as the sickest babe : And even so it is with our good God , he knowes the condition of the poor , how every one treads upon a worme , he well considers , that he who is so weak that he is ready to slip with his feet , is as a lamp despised in the thought of him who is at ease : he knowes that few will look to the destitute , unlesse it be to scorne , despise them , brow-beat them , and turne the back upon them ; and therefore he himself will regard them : he commands us to deale our bread to the hungry ; to bring the poore , who are cast out , to our house ; when we see the naked , that we cloath him ; that we draw out our soule to the hungry , and that we satisfie the afflicted soule ; yea , he commands his very enemies to regard his out-cast and afflicted ; let my out-cast dwell with thee Moab , be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler ; how much more will his owne tender bowels yerne towards them ? This also is a lesson of singular comfort to every afflicted soule , to assure them their prayers and supplications are tenderly regarded before God : I have often observed such poore forsaken ones , who in their owne eyes are brought very low , that of all other people they are most desirous to begge and obtaine the prayers of their friends , when they see any that hath gifts , and peace , and cheerfulnesse of spirit , and liberty , and abilities to performe duties , O how glad they are to get such a mans prayers ! I beseech you , will you pray for me , will you please to remember me at the throne of grace ? whereas in truth , if we could give a right judgment , all such would rather desire the poore , and the desolute , to be mediators for them ; for certainly , whomsoever God neglects , he will listen to the cry of those that are forsaken and destitute . And therefore , O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests , who thinkest thou art wholly rejected by the Lord , continue to poure out thy soule to him , thou hast a faithfull promise from him to be rewarded , he will regard the prayer of the destitute . Why then doe they so long goe without their answer ? why are they and their prayers destitute ? To this you will have a satisfying answer in the next branch of my Text , which is the aspect that this promise of Gods regarding prayer , hath unto the time , when he will doe it ; when the Lord doth build up Zion , he will then regard the prayer of the destitute . At another time it may be he seems not to regard them , while he lets Zion lie waste , he seemed to despise their prayers ; but when once the time is come , that the Lord will build up Zion , he will then regard the prayer of the destitute ; then it shall well appeare hee will not despise their cry any longer : There you will have a full answer to this doubt , and I conceive these words , not despise , are added purposely to prevent or answer this doubt ; poore afflicted ones are ready to suspect Gods good will , and to think they are despised , because they have not a speedy answer , but in that day , it shall appeare how farre God is from it . And this circumstance of the time , when God regards them , affords us two other notable lessons , which because they are exceeding seasonable , I shall ( the Lord assisting me ) enlarge my Discourse upon them ; whereof the first is this . That the prayers of Gods afflicted people , which may seem for a long time to bee slighted , and despised by the Lord , are yet highly regarded by him , and will bring a timely answer . This I think lies plain in the Text before you in the beginning of the Psalme ; There was crying for audience , and that his face might not continue hid , that he would incline his eare , but there was no audience to be obtained ; but now when the Lord builds up Zion , he will regard them , he will despise their prayers no longer , that is the first : And in this Lesson there are two branches to be cleared before I come to apply it . First , That the prayers of Gods own servants may for a long time seeme to bee despised . Secondly , However they may seem so to be , yet they are highly regarded , and will bring a timely answer . First , they may seem to be despised : despising , especially from God , is a very sad word , and sinks very deep , it implies three things , which all may betide the prayers of Gods own people . First , A silence in God , a sitting still , taking no notice of their prayers , to let them powre out their soules , and the Lord be as if their prayer never came to his eare ; that is one thing in despising , and the best of it so the Church complains , O my God , I cry in the day time , but thou hearest not ; and elsewhere , Keepe silence no longer , lest if thou be as one that heareth not , I become like unto him that goes down into the pit : very often shall you heare the people of God complaining , that they pray , and pray , and the Lord regarded not ; this is very sad , as if a childe should lie sick , mourn , and cry to the Mother , and she sit by it , and not so much as cast an eye towards it ; enough to break the childes heart ; But Secondly , In despising , there is more and worse , when their prayers are entertained with a distaste and displeasure , expressing a manifest dislike against them ; and even that sometimes betides the prayers of Gods people ; so Asaph complained in the name of the whole Church , How long Lord , wilt thou bee angry with the prayer of thy people ? And this the Lord sometimes shews , by bringing upon them the very thing which they pray against ; as if a Childe should beg pardon , and then the Mother take it up , and whip it ; when Retro omnia , when all things goe crosse to their prayers , when they ask bread and God gives them a stone ; Job found it so , the very thing that he feared and prayed against , came upon him ; Thus also it proved to Israel in Egypt , when they cryed to God , because of their burthens , their burthens were increased upon them : but in despising , there is a third thing which is sadder then all this . Thirdly , Not onely silence , or expressing some distast , but doing this with scorn and indignation ; as he did to Miriam , when he spit in her face ; so the Lord doth often seem at the prayers of his own people , not onely to be angry , but even with scorn to shut the doore against them ; This Heman felt , Psal. 88. who cryed day and night before God , when his Soule was full of trouble , and yet then God vexed him , and afflicted him with all his waves , and seemed to abhorre and cast him off ; As a man would take an unwelcome guest by the head and shoulders , and turn him out of doores , and bolt them after him ; and thus the whole Church of God complains , that she did cry to the Lord , and complained of her sin and sorrow , and the Lord then set her as a But to shoote his Arrows at ; and so also Job professed God did unto him , not onely bolt the doore against his prayer , but when he mourned and complained , the Lord did then take his Arrowes of indignation , and shoote at his very heart , and gnashed his teeth upon him ; and so did our Saviour Christ to the poore woman , when she came and prayed , Lord helpe mee ; thou Son of David helpe mee . At first he seemed not to regard her , would not answer , the next time he stayed , and when she had delivered her petition , he called her Dog , to her face ; enough to have cut the womans heart in peeces : This is wofull indeed , this cuts to the quick , and comes near to one of the saddest judgements threatned against his enemies : You shall call and I will not answer , but will laugh at your calamity , and mock when your fear cometh . So you see the prayers of Gods own people may for a long time seem despised : But then the second branch is : That even then are they highly regarded , and will bring a timely answer . That they are so , I might give you abundance of proofe ; David observed it in the 31 Psalme , one time he prayed , and God gave him such an answer , that he thought himself despised , I said , ( saith he ) I am cast out of the sight of Gods eyes , when he prayed , God turned him out of his presence , yet follows : Neverthelesse thou heardest the voyce of my prayer , when I called upon thee . And so in Egypt how long did Gods people mourn there ? and their burthens increasing , it is like they thought God had wholly rejected them , yet God told Moses , Exodus 3. I have heard the cry of my people in Egypt ; But this will abundantly clear it , that the prayers of the afflicted are said to be upon Gods file , before God , Let these my prayers bee nigh unto the Lord night and day , they lye leiger before God , they are called a memoriall , they are alwayes in his sight , and he is therefore called in the Scripture , The God hearing Prayer , God hearing Prayer is one of his attributes , hearing is a participle of the present tense , as if you cannot speak to him , under the notion of God , but you must conceive him hearing prayer ; hearing the prayers of his people at all times : he is said likewise to remember the prayers of his people , to carry them in his minde , to have them in his thoughts , and which makes all more clear , he hath promised not onely to heare , but in the best time to answer them , in an accepted time I have heard thee ; The Lord would thereby intimate that hearing is one thing , and answering is another thing , and there often is a distance between them , but all that distance of time , God is but consulting as it were of the fittest opportunity , and the best way to answer the prayers of his people . The examples are not to be numbred , of the timely answer of such prayers : David in the 22 Psalme in his owne name , in the person of Christ , in the name and person of the whole Church , begins with a sad complaint , O my God I cry in the day time , but thou hearest not ; but in the same Psalm concludes as comfortably , he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted , neither hath he hid his face from him , but when he cryed unto him he heard . Abraham had long prayed for a sonne before any answer came , yet when in all probability he had given over praying , he received a full answer : So did Zachary and Elizabeth , Luk. 1. so did Cornelius , Act. 10. and those slaughtered soules , Rev. 6. who cryed , How long Lord , holy and true , &c. at last received a full returne . The building of the Temple after the 70 yeares captivity , was a work long on the wheele , even the time of 7 Princes reigne , yet the prayers for the accomplishment and perfecting of it , were all answered and fulfilled in their season , and came ( as God promises the returne of prayer shall be ) like the former and the latter raine in due season . And you will grant that this is so , and must be so , that their prayers must be thus regarded , if you consider but these five things which meet in them . First , when the afflicted people of God doe powre out their prayers to the Lord , they doe that which he commands them to doe , they have his expresse commandement to doe it , Gall upon me in the day of trouble , now that which Gods people do in obedience to his command , cannot be despised by him : it would reflect upon his honour , if duties and performances of his owne will should not be regarded . Secondly , when the afflicted soule prayes , Gods owne Spirit prayes in them ; for they know not how to pray as they ought , but it is the Spirit of God in them that makes intercession ; and however the Lord might be thought to quench the spirit of his poore sinfull ones , he will never quench his owne spirit , he must needs regard that . And thirdly , when ever Gods people doe thus pray , Jesus Christ intercedes for them , as his Spirit makes intercession within them upon earth , so Christ makes intercession for them in heaven ; Hee is the Angel of Gods presence ; and the Lord cannot but regard that which is presented unto him , by the hand of one whom he alwayes loves . And fourthly , They themselves are very dear to God , they are infinitely beloved , even those despised ones ; he hath none in heaven or earth dearer to him , then his afflicted ones are : This argument Christ himself uses to assure them their Prayers will be regarded ; in the 16. of John , You shall ask in my name ( said he ) and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you , for the Father himself loveth you : when you come to pray to him , you come not as to an enemy ; and though I be your Mediator , it is between you and a friend , not between you and an enemy , My Father loves you dearly : we that are evill can give good things to our Children , because we love them ; how much more will our heavenly Father doe it ? This argument our Saviour also presseth most sweetly in the parable of the unrighteous Judge , who through importunity did right to a poore Widow , and shall not God much more do it for his Elect ones , his beloved ones ? And fifthly , He hath ingaged himself by innumerable promises , to the poor , the desolate , and the afflicted , that they shall be answered by him , Call upon me , and I will answer thee , in an accepted time I will answer thee ; many a time hath God engaged himselfe for it ; and he that commands his own servants , if they look for his favour , that they keep their promises , though it be to their hinderance , though it should be to an enemy ; certainly himself will never alter the thing , the word that is come out of his mouth , to them who are so dear to him , as his Saints are ; and therefore their prayers must needs be before him : But it may bee demanded , Why then do they seem to be despised ? and why doth the Lord defer to answer them ? I Answer , First , God doth not alwayes defer them ; sometimes before they call hee doth answer them , and while they are speaking hee doth heare ; and as Abrahams servant noted of himself , even while he was praying Rebekah came : so have many of Gods servants found ; so did Daniel , as soon as he had done praying , about the time of the Evening Sacrifice , the Angel Gabriel being caused to fly swiftly , brought him a gratious answer , and told him that in the beginning of his supplication he received his answer : sometimes the harvest overtakes the seed-time ; especially , when their prayers are offered up when Gods appointed time is come , or when their need is instant and extream , when the fluctus decumanus , when the tenth and terrible wave is ready to overwhelm them , he gives them leave to say , Heare me speedily , and he will not fail them : when Peter is ready to sink , he no sooner cryes Lord save me , but Christ presently gives him his helping and saving hand . But , secondly , it is not alwayes aske and have , after asking must be seeking and knocking , and seeking and knocking again ; and when it is so , God defers them for two excellent ends : The one is his own glory , the other is the good of his people . First , his own glory is exceedingly advanced by it ; for in dealing after this manner he doth assert ; First , his own Soveraignty in dispensing his mercies , so as it may appear that it belongs to him to dispose of things and times at his own pleasure . You know great Lords and Princes make it a great part of their Soveraignty , to have Suiters wait upon them ; and it is the great glory of the Lord Jehovah to have his people lie long before him , with their petitions in their hands : and withall it asserts his free-Grace , it manifests , that whenever he doth answer the prayers of his people , that it is free favour , were it their due ; his Justice would not let him keep the labourers hire an houre from him ; he commands us not to doe it , but that wee may know that all is free , he will have us wait his leisure ; And thirdly , Herein he likewise manifests his own wisdome , that he can and will make both the prayers of his people , and his answers to them , when they come together , each of them appear beautifull in their season , that as his wisdome is manifested in giving them an heart to pray in their season : so you shall see it manifested , in giving his answer in his best season . But besides , in the second place , Hereby he doth marvailous good unto his people who thus wait upon him . For , first , He doth hereby prepare them for their answer . And secondly , He thereby prepares the answer to be the better for them . First , he prepares them to be the fitter for an answer : hee traines them up in these three or foure excellent things , while he seems to despise their prayer . First , Hereby they grow marvailously dexterous in the art of prayer , he teaches them to pray by suspending his answer to prayer ; you shall find in the Scripture , that those men , who have been the greatest wrastlers with God , have been such , whom God hath longest put off , before he hath answered them ; Heman , and David , and Hannah , and I know not how many of them that have offered up most soule ravishing prayers , were such as have prayed till their throats have been dry , and their voyce hoarse , and complained from years end to years end ; God hereby makes them skilfull , and excellent Artists at it . And then , Secondly , Hereby doth the Lord train them up in humility ; there is nothing in the world humbles a Soule more , then to be long mourning before the Lord for a mercy , and the Lord not to relieve him in it ; nor is any Soule so fit for any thing , as an humble Soule ; David that had been long without his Kingdome , when he came to have it , could say , O Lord , my Soule is like a weaned childe , and very vile and base in his own eyes : by being long delayed , they come to be privy to the wickednesse of their own hearts ; even as a horse that hath any infirmity , he will shew it in a long journey ; a leg that hath any imperfection will discover it in a long walk , and so will the secret corruptions of our hearts discover themselves when God delayes us , hereby we shall discover the pride , murmuring , discontent , self-ishnesse , and what ever else is naught in our spirits , and thereby come to be made wondrous low in our own eyes : and Thirdly , Hereby the Lord likewise traines them up both in Faith and Hope : he hereby exerciseth ; and thereby increaseth both these excellent Graces in them . Thus was it with Abraham , Rom. 4. Thus with the poore woman , Mat. 15. Thus with Paul , 2 Cor. 1. brought even to despaire of life , brought under the sentence of death , that he might learn to trust and hope in God . Thus Esay , in the name of the whole Church , Esay 8. and innumerable others , have learned both to beleeve and waite , when God hath seemed to hide his face from them . And then , Secondly , By this long delaying of them , as he fits them the better for the answer ; so he fits his answer the better for them , for then is the mercy alwaies both the greater , and the sweeter : great ships that goe long voyages , before they come home , are usually most richly laden ; an Oak is long growing , but proves a great tree , and long-lived , whereas a Gourd which grows up in a night , in another night is smitten with a worm and dyeth ; a blessing that is long a comming , is ordinarily a great one when it doth come ; The Lord makes the mercy the sweeter when it comes . Isaac that hath been begging many a year , when he comes , he is an Isaac , a Son of laughter ; When Hannah had long wept for a Childe , when he comes , he is a Samuel , and he proves a very sweet childe to her ; Solomon was a childe of teares , a son of his Mothers vowes , but was a pleasant Childe indeed ; so was John Baptist , to his Parents , who were past children before he was born : much prayer , many tears laid out for a mercy before it comes , are all abundantly repaid in the greatnesse and sweetnesse of it , when it doth come , Hope deferred , maketh the heart sick , but when the desire commeth , it is a tree of life . But whether I have answered the case of Conscience fully , or no , sure I am , the Lesson is most plain , that though God may seem to despise his peoples prayers , they are all before him ; and will bring an answer in due time . This is a most comfortable Doctrine . And I shall onely make a comfortable use of it in two Branches . The one is to our selves , in respect of our present distresses . This present lesson may more refresh and establish our hearts , in assurance of a good issue in this great work wherein we are ingaged , then a million of Gold , or the assistance of a potent Army . We have a huge conflict , we grapple with enemies , that are strong , wise , vigilant , that are many , who have all the Antichristian , and Malignant part of the Christian world joyned with them ; and besides all this , I am perswaded , we now grapple with the revenging hand of God , for the sins which this Nation hath lien in , this hundred years ; God doth now remember them , and visits the Kingdome for them , the idolatry , the blood , the Apostasie , and innumerable other evils , and abominations , our troubles are very great , and the event may seem very difficult , and doubtfull ; but let me tell you , here is that , may counterpoise all , and support us against all discouragements , and make us comfortably conclude of a good issue ; We shall over-master all that are against us , we shall over-match them , because the spirit and power of prayer is on our side ; we have had ( these three or foure years especially ) the spirit of prayer powred out , ( I am perswaded ) in the greatest measure that hath been , since the Apostles of Christ lived upon earth ; and our prayers have not been in vain , though the full return be not yet made , we have had the first fruits , many a sweet in-come we have had already ; But know ( Honorable and beloved ) they are all filed up before God , there is not one of them lost ; they will bring another manner of return then yet they have done . And not our prayers only , but the prayers of all the Christian world are before God in our behalf , our cause is Gods , the work we are ingaged in is the building up of Zion , and therefore there is not a good man in the world , no not at Oxford , who prayes , Thy Kingdome come , but prayes for us , who are indevouring the raising up of Christs Kingdom ; now these prayers are all before God , and must bring a comfortable answer in due time ; Nay , this comfort reaches yet further , not onely wee that are now alive , and our prayers , but all the Worthies who are now with God , their Prayers pray for us ; Though we must say of them as the Church did of Abraham , they know us not ; they are ignorant of our condition , yet their prayers which they offered up while they were on earth , and longed to see this work proceed , are now really assistant to us ; Daniel and Jeremiah did as really build the Temple and City , as Zerubbabel , and Nehemiah , though they were dead long before ; That look as the blood of the Martyrs cryed for vengeance from Abel to Zacharias , and thereby reach a present persecuting generation ; so the prayers of those who loved Zion , do blesse and reach all the workmen now imployed in the rearing up of the Church , their prayers speak as Abels Faith did when he was dead , and rotten , insomuch that I may confidently conclude , that the two Houses of Parliament , and our Armies ( as unworthy as we are ) are daily carryed upon the wings of many millions of prayers , that have been offered up to God these many years , they are all before God night and day ; God is only waiting the fit time ; and therefore , I beseech you bear up your spirits against all other discouragements , the Lord will in the most accepted time let you know , that all that have ever said to him , Lord , remember England ; Lord , purge thy Church in England ; Lord , set it up there ; down with Prelacy ; stablish Liberty ; make way for Christ ; they are all before God , and must prevaile ; and therefore certainly our comfort may be greater , ten to one , then our discomfort need be , though all the Nations of the world were sworn against us : You shall , God willing , have more of this before I dismisse you , let this taste suffice at the present . And Secondly , It is also a most comfortable lesson to poore , afflicted , dejected spirits , who mourn and wrastle with God for their own distresses : There may be many such in this Assembly this day , who pray every day , it may be with David seven times in a day , ten times in a day , but the heart sinkes for want of an answer ; as wicked men think , they shall never be reckoned with for their sins , because divine vengeance seems to sleep , so do poore soules conceive that because God at present seems to slight them , he will never regard them . I have oft heard many a sad soule lament after this manner : Did but God heare my prayers , did he but accept me , I would with David , call upon him as long as I did live , might but my prayer come up before him , and be lookt upon ; but to be thus as a despised reed , a scorned poore creature , ( as I confesse I deserve to be ) this daunts my soule , that I dare not pray , I am even ready to give over ; O ( saith the sad heart ) I beg mercies , and I taste wrath , I beg grace , and I feel corruption , I beg ease , and I indure torment , I beg love , and I finde displeasure , all goes backwards ; God casts my prayer out , shuts it out from him , and this , this wounds the soule ; let me to such a sad soule speak a few comfortable words from the Lord ; I take this for granted , that the things thou dost beg , are according to Gods will ; thou darest not beg an unlawfull thing ; I take it also for granted , that thou that dost call upon God , dost indevour to depart from iniquity , that thou darest not call upon the name of God , and walk in sinfull waies , but thou wouldest be his servant ; and I likewise take it for granted , that thou dost not expect or desire audience for any ones sake , but for Christ Jesus thy Saviour , to whom thou lookest ; this I hope God witnesses with thee : Why , if so , then it seems the onely evill that oppresses thy spirit , is , God doth not answer thee , he doth not give thee such a return of thy prayer , as thou desirest : But know thou , Gods answering of thy prayer must not be measured by thy sad apprehensions , but by his own word , which word assures me that all thy prayers are before God night and day ; and for his present answering of thee , it is no token of his displeasure , that he does not give thee a sudden answer ; his forbearance is no deniall , the best of all his Saints have cryed and prayed , till their throate hath been dry , and God hath seemed not to answer : David had prayed long for an answer , Psal. 69. 3. when he complained , Hee was weary of his crying , his throate was dry , his eyes failed while hee did waite for his God . The whole Church long sought him whom her soule loved , and found him not ; and Paul thrice , that is , many times besought God to remove the messenger of Satan , which was sent to buffet him , and was fain to wait still , so that thou art not alone in being thus delayed : Nay , I tell thee further , God hath many wayes of regarding and answering Prayer ; Sometimes he may regard a prayer , which he absolutely denies , when the thing would not be good for him that begs it ; So he peremptorily denyed Moses his prayer to goe into the Land of Canaan ; But if the thing be good , and according to his will , deferring of it , is no denying of it ; if in the mean time , while before God answer thee , he vouchsafe to uphold thy heart by his Spirit , as he did Davids , Psal. 73. 22. I was as a beast before thee , neverthelesse thou upholdest mee by thy right hand . If he now and then dart in a beam of love , which is as the fire from Heaven to assure thee thou art accepted , if he stablish thee , nay , if he doe but draw thy heart out to continue to pray to him , if he make thy Soule more humble , and vile in thy own eyes , if he more wean thee from the creature , and train thee up to wait upon him , truely ( friend ) it is ten thousand times better , then all the time that thou spendest , thou hast a large recompence in Gods doing thus much for thee ; this is to be preferred before thousands of gold and silver : but I tell thee more , not one of thy suites will be lost , no they are all before God , he reads them over every day , and what thou hast been begging this seven years , this twenty years , he dayly remembers them , and in his heart answers them all ; Whatever thou hast sown in tears , thou shalt reap in joy ; be content , though at present thou seest nothing but darknesse , doe as Elia's servant did , who went seven times to look for rain , till the seventh time he saw nothing , and then but a very little , yet that little soon proved a great deale . It may be thou shalt not see the answer a great while ; possibly not till thy death come ; Old Simeon a good gratious man had many years begged of God , that he might see his Salvation , yet he never got Christ in his arms , till he was ready to depart the world , then he got his full answer ; so it may be when thou comest to die , thou shalt have hosts of answers stand round about thee , nay , peradventure the greatest returns of thy prayers shall be when thou art dead and rotten in thy grave ; what thou hast begged for Gods Church , thy prayers shall produce it , when thou art gone ; what thou hast begged for thy husband , wife and children , it may be God will give thee the greatest return of them when thou hast no being in this world ; and for thy self while thou livest , when it may be , thy heart is dull , and thou art unfit for prayer , and canst not pray ; the quickning prayers which thou didst offer up many years agoe , God is then remembring them , when peradventure thou fearest he is taking advantage of thy present dulnesse and distemper . Therefore goe thy wayes on , and waite upon him , treasure up thy suits , be it against corruption , against temptation , for thy Family , for the Church , waite Gods time , the vision is for an appointed time , it will come in the end , that is certain ; every tear , every sigh , every short ejaculation , is continually before him , he hath a bottle for thy tears , as well as a bag for wicked mens sins , a treasury for thy prayers , as well as for their blasphemies : let his present answer be what it will , beleeve any thing of him rather then a rejecting of the supplications of the poore who seek him in his Sonnes name , hee hath promised it , and is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe . Another thing I observe from this circumstance the time when , the time of regarding them , is , when he builds up Zion , and that affords us another lesson as seasonable for this present auditory , viz. That when the Lord doth build up his Church , hee doth then answer all his afflicted peoples prayers . Sometimes God will not be prayed to , or if he doe , his answer shall bee , waite a while ; but when he builds up Zion , then the Lord answers his peoples prayers , then he sits in his Court of Request to heare petitions , then he holds out his golden Scepter to every poore supplicant . There are three things that God is laid in the Scripture to remember when he builds the Church ; Hee then remembers his enemies , when the new Jerusalem comes downe from heaven , then great Babylon comes into mind before God , that she may be repaid : then secondly , God uses to remember his Covenant , hee remembred for them his Covenant ; and thirdly , then also doth God remember the prayers of his people , and this God willing I shall make good to you , for the truth of it , you shall finde it fully expressed in the 29. of Jeremiah 10. 11. speaking of the time when he would bring them back to build the Temple , then ( saith the Lord ) shall you call upon mee , and I will answer you ; then , it may be , now he would not , but then I 'le answer you ; then you shall seek mee with your whole heart , and you shall find me : so in the 25. of Isaiah , in the day that God builds up his Church for that is the great promise of that Chapter , the Prophet tells you that his people should then sing a song of praise , whereof this is one part , Loe , this is our God , we have waited for him , loe , this is our God , and he hath saved us ; wee have waited , that is , we have prayed , and attended his leisure , now wee have an answer of all . To make this lesson more cleare I shall indeavour to cleare these two things . First , when the Lord doth build up Zion , he doth then remember the particular wants , the particular requests , which his Saints have offered up to him ; the Lord casts it so , as to make Zions refreshing time , concurrent with the relieving of the wants of his particular people , that as in executing of vengeance , when he is to execute vengeance upon a nation , he will remember particular malefactors , what they have done in their persons ; so when he comes to build up his Church , hee remembers the particular fuites , that his holy ones have offered up to him ; and of this I could give you many testimonies ; In that day he will let every prisoner out of prison , he will binde up the wounds of every wounded soule ; he will make the blinde to see , the lame to walk , the deaf to hear ; In that day , in the 31 of Jeremiah , the Lord will satiate every weary soule , and replenish every sorrowfull soule , in that day when the Lord erects his new Jerusalem , there shall be a tree of life , the leaves of it shall heale the diseases of all the Nations ; In that day he gives strength to the needy in his distresse , a shadow from the storm , then he strengthens weak hands and confirmes feeble knees , then every wildernesse is filled with pooles of water , then Christ will powre out abundance of his Spirit , as David at his Coronation remembred all his friends , and dealt to all the people every one a bottle of Wine : So the Lord at that day delights to make their personall comforts joyn with the publick and Common weale of his Church and Kingdome . This is one way how this Doctrine is true , that then the Lord regards the prayers of his people , when he builds up Zion . But the second is the main . Secondly , The Lord doth then answer the prayers of his people , when he builds up Zion , because in truth the building up of Zion , is the all in all , of all his peoples prayers ; that is , as Solomon saith , Money answers all ; so whatsoever particular suites Gods people have offered up , the building up of Zion hath been such a request , that the answering of that , answers all others ; whatsoever he denies them , it skils not , they have enough , they are abundantly satisfyed , they will clear all books , and break all Tallies with God , they will give in all other bills whatsoever , if this be but done ; that this is so , observe I beseech you , wheresoever in the Scripture you read of the prayers of Gods people , ( as by the way , you shall hardly read of any godly man , but you shall read of his prayer ) you will finde that the strain and the stream of all their prayers runs for Zion , read Moses his prayers , Joshuahs prayers , goe on to David , to Solomon , to Ezra , to Nehemiah , and the severall Prophets ; read all their prayers , and you shall finde that Zion is the bulk of them all ; In thy good pleasure doe good to Zion ; and though there are many particular suites to themselves , yet what they beg to themselves , is only begged as a means , but when they beg for Zion , they beg it as an end : Thy Kingdome come , to Gods people , is next to Hallowed bee thy name ; It is more to them then all the rest of the Lords Prayer , Give us our dayly bread , Forgive us our trespasses , Leade us not into temptation , Deliver us from evill : They are all inferiour to Thy Kingdome come ; the building up of Gods Church , is that which hath swayed all with the Saints in all their prayers ; And it must be so , it can be no otherwise with true godly men , if you consider either the relation that the Church hath to God , or that which they have to the Church . First , that of the Church , to Christ , it is his Love , his Dove , his Fair one , his Spouse , his Jewell , that which he hath laid all his own glory upon ; one to whom he stands in all relations , which argues intimative dearnesse , and tendernesse , what-ever is done to them , is done to himself , Yee did it to them , therefore yee did it to mee . The Churches cause is his ; Her rising is his glory , her reproach is his dishonour : Arise , O Lord , plead thy own cause , remember how the foolish people reproach thee , forget not the voyce of thy enemies , when the Synagogues of the Church was pulled down , when the Church was wasted ; And to themselves likewise , it is their Mother , in whose womb they have laine , whose breasts they have sucked , it is the Magazine wherein all their treasure is laid up , a vessel wherein all their wealth sinkes and swims , if the Church be safe they are safe , and no thought of safety if it miscarry ; salva Ecclesia salva omnia , as they were wont to say of Rome , Salva Roma , salva patria , salva omnia ; so next unto God the Church is their all , and therefore the building up of Zion , the welfare of the Church of God , must needs be the answer to all their prayers . Give me leave to present you with a twofold Use of this Lesson , and then I hasten to that which I chiefly intended . First , this Lesson may serve to every of you for one of the greatest discoveries of your owne spirits that can be , whether in truth your hearts be right with God ? thinke how you could answer this one question , Would the Lords building up of the Church , the setling and establishing of Religion in purity and peace , would that be to thy soule the answer of all thy prayers ? art thou able to say it before God , Build but up Zion and I have enough ? No man under heaven can say it but a Saint , and there is not a Saint upon earth but may say it , I know it lies in the bottome of his soule . But how shall we know it ? I le give you but one way of tryall ; If the welfare of Zion , the building up of the Church be the summe of all thy prayers , then it is likewise the summe of all thy endevours , thy studies , thy time , thy wit , thy parts , thy interest , what ever may be called thine , are mainly laid out in promoving , in helping forward the welfare of Zion . This you shall finde cleare in the book of God , that as all the prayers of Gods people run upon Zions welfare , so now ( I say ) in the second place , all the endevours of all that prayed for Zion run to help it forward , Zion was the summe of all their prayers , and of all their joyes , and cares ; no joy to them , like the joy they had in the prosperity of Zion , when the Lord at any time turned back the captivity of his people , they were like men that dreamed , their mouth was filled with laughter , and their tongue withjoy ; and no sorrow like that which was caused by the affictions of Jacob , then they would even dye with griefe , then they would name their children Ichabod , then they would mourne and not be comforted ; and consequently all they had or could contribute was most readily afforded . The Prophets and Apostles cold preach as well as pray , and all their Sermons were for Zion ; Kings could plot , project , counsell , &c. as well as pray , all their plots and projects were to build up Zion ; Souldiers could fight as well as pray , all their warres were the warres of God ; Rich men could lay out money as well as pray , all their wealth was a Sacrum to God , a devoted thing to him , when the Church needed it , their penny went as willingly as their Pater noster : other learned men , if any man could write histories , if any Poet could make songs , all was laid our about the Church , about furthering the welfare of it ; or if any were found among them who would professe love to it , and joine in prayer for it , yet mind their own affaires , build their owne houses , and let Gods house lye wast , they are branded for degenerate , hypocriticall , ignoble spirits , These were the Potters , and those who dwelt among hedges , there they dwelt with the King for his work ; a base people , who would tarry in Babylon to get wealth , and not go up with their brethren to build the house of God ; and even thus may we judge of our selves . And therefore I say to you , Honourable Senators , that are Noble-men and Gentlemen engaged in this great work , the present service you are called to , if really you doe make the building of Zion to be the answer of your prayers , it is the great Parliament project this day , to settle the Church ; I know when Nehemiahs work was to build the walls of Hierusalem , one halfe of his servants were faine to carry the Arms while the other built , and many times those that built were faine to have a sword in one hand , as well as a trowoll in the other hand , but the swords and atmes were to defend the trowell , the work of the trowell was the great project : So will it be with you , you will with that Emperour , Ezra 6. 7 , 8. provide that all things shall be provided speedily and care fully for this house of God , that government be setled , Ministers provided , encouraged , maintained , the Sacraments and other Ordinances kept pure , and not be at quiet till the Cap-stone be sot upon the head of this building . I know Armies must be provided for , and Garrisons secured , yet they will be looked upon but as meaner ; Religion , the establishing of it , will be the end , yea your Liberties will be but as meanes , Religion will be the Cap-stone , the Creame , and Oile , which swims on the top of all , if your hearts be but right with God : Therefore ( I beseech you ) consider in secret what answer you could make , whether you can call in your soules to witnesse , that after all your combustions , labours , & losses , if God would but establish England a beautifull habitatien , the people made holy , that the Lord might own them , and the three Nations joyned in a Covenant might be one stick in the hand of the Lord , in a holy , plous , religious way , that the flocks might have every one their shepheard , and the glory of God the defence on every congregation ; if for these things you sweat , and toile , and care , it is an evident token your hearts are right with God . And if any of you , the rest of the Assembly , do make account that the building of Zion is the answers of all your prayers , then if it have your prayer it will have your penny , you 'll goe , ride , run , and travell , and nothing will stick with you , if this be your main suit : Indeed in the true notion and interpretation of prayer , it is nothing but the craving of Gods blessing upon our endevours in those things which he hath appointed us to do , toward the obtaining of any mercy , we little better then mock him , if we onely pray , and set not our shoulder to the wheele . And were this carried close to mens consciences , how sadly would it speak to many , who can abundantly satisfie themselves with joyning in a few dry prayers for the Church , and in the meane while they grudge the bestowing of any other cost ? they can find work enough to build their owne houses , and drive on their owne projects , let God ( if he please ) take care to build his house , and do his owne work himself ; let all such hypocrites know , that God will indeed doe his work without them , and their formall prayers will returne , not with comfort into their bosomes , but with vengeance upon their heads . But much more sadly doth it speak against those , whose lives and subtle machinations retard this work , who to their utmost hinder the work of reformation , and would not have it goe on , for feare their lusts should be yoaked , and yet set out Prayers , and themselves seeme to joyne with them , that God would build up Zion ; this is most abominable hypocrisie . I remember I have read of one of the Emperours of Germany , that had taken the Pope prisoner , who commanded throughout the Empire solemne prayers to be made to God for the Popes deliverance out of prison , and he himself kept him in prison at the same time : so these wretched men say , O pray for the peace of Zion , pray that God would build up Zion , and themselves waste it , some by their wicked lives , others by their pernicious counsels , some by their lusts , some for feare the Word of God and Ordinances should yoke them ; they pretend to build the wals of it , and yet endevour to undermine the foundations of it : God in mercy grant that no such be found among our selves ; but if in truth this be our great care , and study , and endevour , to see the work goe forward , that we count nothing of ours so well disposed of , as what is cast into this common treasury , it speaks the heart indeed to be right with God . Is it so , that when God builds up Zion he answers all his peoples prayers , even their private prayers , as well as this great one ? then ( I beseech you ) let this move every one of you to help forward this work , even out of holy self-love ; you doe not know what a water'd Garden God may make your soule and family , when he builds up his Church . Certainly , if a man were sure not to get any good to his owne soule , yet if he might see the prosperity of Zion and Jerusalem , he should think it a very blessed sight ; so thought he who pen'd the 106 Psalme , Remember me , O Lord , with the favour thou bearest unto thy people , that I may see the good of thy chosen , that I may rejoice with the gladnesse of thy Nation , that I may glory with thine inheritance : So thought John the Baptist , though he was sure he should decrease when Christ did increase , yet to him it was the fulfilling of his joy , to see the people flow in unto Christ , when ( as the Bridegrooms friend ) he could heare the Bride-groomes voice rejoicing with his Bride : But , which is more , thy peace shall be concurrent with Zions peace , the Lord will satiate every afflicted soule , in the day when he refreshes Zion ; let this therefore draw out all your hearts and bowels . Remember an argument God uses in the 29 of Jeremy , to them that were captives in Babylon , Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried captives , and pray unto the Lord for it , for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace ▪ What , must they pray for Babylons peace ? for Nebuchadnezzars peace ? that like a Dragon had swallowed them , and like a Lion had crushed their bones ? Yes , pray for the peace of that kingdome , because in the peace of that Kingdome you shall have peace . O how much more should every one help forward Zions peace , thy mothers peace , the Spouse of Christs peace , because thy soule shall never have so much grace , thou shalt never be so holy , thy children never so blessed , all about thee never made so happy , as when the Lord God shall build up Zion ; therefore O pray for the Peace of Zion , they shall all prosper who love her , as he said there , For my brethren and companions sake , I will now say , Peace be within thee : So say thou , for my owne sake , for my children and companions sake , I will seek to doe thee good : especially let it prevaile with you , Honourable and Beloved , you noble Patriots and Parliament men , further it with all your might , Go up into the mountain , cut downe wood , build the house , that God may take pleasure in it , and prove God , whether upon your selves and families he poure not out a blessing without measure : you little imagine what a blessing the Lord will give , when once this work is done ; it may shatter and hazzard some things , carnall friends and secret enemies may fall off from you , but your labour will be rewarded abundantly . I humbly commend this to your wisdoms and faithfulnesse , God hath called you to this work , it would be your great glory to have it done in your hands , and it would not be for your honour to have it done by other hands , but done it will be , I assure you , the Church will be reformed ; If you should altogether neglect it , sit still and hold your peace , or if you should make but a halfe worke of it , a patched reformation , help and deliverance will come from some other place : No stone great enough could be laid in the mouth of Christs sepulchre to keep him from rising , nor can any power prevent the building of Zion , when the appointed time is come , no not though all the Nations of the earth should be gathered together against it , The remnant of Jacob shall bee as a dew from the Lord , as the showers upon the grasse , that tarryeth not for man , nor waiteth for the Sons of men ; the work is upon the wheeles , and there is one engine at work that will effect it , if all others faile , and that is the spirit of Prayer ; which what efficacy it hath for the building of Zion , will appear in the last branch of my Text . And that is the matter wherein God will regard their prayer , When the Lord builds up Zion , he will regard the prayer of the destitute , that is , hereby it shall appear , that he regards their prayer , because at their prayer he will doe it ; it shall be done as the fruit and effect of his peoples prayers : which affords us this Doctrine . That the Lord will have the building of Zion , the reforming , and repairing of the Church , to bee the fruit of his peoples prayers ; this is the main scope , then God regarded their Prayers , when he makes all the world know that at their request , and for their prayers sake , he did now arise in glory to build up Zion ; the truth of this excellent lesson will appear , even to a demonstration , if you please but briefely to consider these three things : First , Gods Providences speak it so . Secondly , and so doe his Commands . And Thirdly , his Promises . First , His Providences speak it ; there are two Providences of God , use to appear at the building of Zion ; which alone were sufficient to shew that Prayer is the great builder on our part , that it is indeed all that we can doe ; God usually lets it come to such irrecoverable ruine , that nothing we can do , besides prayer , is able to doe any thing , that it may appear that on our part prayer doth all , Nil nisi vota supersunt . When all other Anchors are come home , when all other Cables are brok , when all other friends have forsaken , and all props snapped apeeces , that either prayer must doe it , or they have nothing ; that is the time he ordinarily chuses to build up Zion , as himself said Deut. 32. When hee saw their strength was gone , there was none shut up or left , who might be a helper , then hee himself would judge his people and repent h●m for his servants . So when they were as a woman with childe , near the time of delivery , the children come to the birth , and no strength to bring forth , not any in the earth to be a deliverer , then they cry unto the Lord , and he delivers them ; this is so plentifully to be found in the Scripture , that I may forbear ( especially in these straights of time ) to produce particular instances . Secondly , The other providence is this : That when God builds up Zion , he then uses to powre out the Spirit of Prayer upon his people , more then at any other times , he then fils them with his Spirit , which inclines their hearts to be vehement , and earnest with him for that very thing . Zephyrus vere flat , this gale never blows so sweetly as at such times , Jer. 29. Then you shall pray , and I will answer ; In that day he powres out the Spirit of supplication and mourning upon all his people ; Then he makes all his people say with them , Esa. 62. 1. For Zions sake I will not hold my peace , and for Hierusalems sake I will not rest , untill the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as brightnesse , and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth . And this is so sure a note of it , that Gods people durst make Propheticall conclusions out of the Spirit of Prayer powred out , as in this very Psalme , The time to deliver her , the set time is come ; How know you that ? Thy servants pity the dust of it , thy servants are weeping and mourning before thee ; therefore the time of Zions deliverance is come ; take all the times of building the Church , and you shall see that great builders have been great praying men ; Moses the great builder could fall down before God forty dayes and forty nights together ; David , Solomon , Elias , Ezra , Nehemiah , all their prayers built more then their hands did ; Luther a mighty man in it , and the Ministers who joyned with him , indefatigable and potent in prayer ; yea , the Spirit of Prayer uses to ebbe and flow in the Church , according as God purposes to retard , or hasten the work of the building of the Church ; insomuch as the Spirit of God , drawing out the hearts of his people , to doe that which he would have done , doth Prophesie or foretell what God means to doe . There uses to be such a concord and harmony between Gods secret purposes and his peoples Prayers , their prayers as such expressions of his sacred will , that they even seem to decree a thing by Prayer , and God establishes it in Heaven : the prayers of Gods people for the building of Zion , is as a John Baptist before Christ , only makes way for him , as the Morning star , which assures you the morning is at hand : Now these two Providences , Gods doing it at such a time , as they have nothing left but prayer , and this powring out the Spirit of prayer at that time , do sufficiently tell us , that God will have prayer to be the great Builder on our part . Secondly , His Commands speak it as plainly ; this is a good rule in Divinity ; Look whatsoever God Almighty commands us chiefely to doe in reference or relation to such a work , that would he have us look upon as the great instrument on our part , to effect it : as when God commands us to beleeve , for the forgivenesse of sins , you may thence conclude that Faith is the great instrument of our Justification ; So when God commands us to attend upon the word , for our Spirituall life , for our comfort , for our edification , you may boldly conclude , that the ministery of the Word , is to be the great instrument of all these things ; And therefore because God above all that we can doe , commands that his people should pray for the building of Zion , you may conclude that he will have prayer the great instrument on their part , for the building of it . And God hath abundantly injoyned his people that they call upon him for it ; You shall call upon mee , Jeremiah 29. Then you shall call upon mee , and I will doe it at your call ; and the 36 of Ezekiel ; All this will I do , ( saith God ) but for all this , you shall pray to mee , I will bee sought at your hands for them ; So again , Psal. 122. Oh pray for the peace of Hierusalem , and Jer. 51. 50. Let Hierusalem come into your minde , and Esa. 62. You that make mention of the Lord , give him no rest till hee establish , and till hee make Hierusalem a praise in the earth . And then ▪ Thirdly , His Promises are innumerable , he hath said directly , when they do pray for it , he will not faile to perform it to them ; then you shall call , and I will answer , and then , you shall seek mee , and I will bee found of you , saith the Lord , Pray for the peace of Jerusalem , They shall prosper . 1 King. 8. 46. If Gods people bee carryed away captive , &c. and in their bondage pray to him , hee will hear , hee will return them , His eyes shall bee open night and day , to their supplication , to hearken unto them in all that they call for . Insomuch that by vertue of these promises , which God hath made to prayer , for the building of Zion , wee may conclude a kinde of Omnipotency in prayer ; because it can rule that hand that is Omnipotent ; Prayer can wrastle with God , and by his own strength prevaile over him , and ( with reverence wee speak it ) hee cannot stand before the power of it , hee could not waste his Church unlesse Moses would give over praying , Let mee alone that I may destroy them , and when hee would not let him alone , hee yeelded to him . And therefore himself saith , if it concern my Sons and Daughters , command mee , ask mee any thing . The time would faile , and I might weary you with delight , to tell you what admirable effects prayer hath had in this kinde , what Armies it hath overthrown , what unexpected blessings it hath seasonably brought in , what dry bones it hath raised , what weak builders it hath helped , when they have been reforming the Church ; how it hath stayed the Sun , turned the Sea backward , chained Kings and their Nobles , with fetters of iron ; There is nothing that the hand of God can doe , but when the spirit stirs his people to pray , in relation to the Church , all shall bee done ; insomuch as it is noted of Luther , that when once in great danger , God powred upon him , and the rest of his company , a spirit to pray instantly and servently , when they had done praying , hee cryed out , Vicimus , wee have got the day ; for hee knew that God was ingaged ; so that if you lay these things together , the Providences of God ordering it so , that there uses to bee no other means left but prayer , and furnishing them with abundance of the spirit of prayer , and commanding them to use it , and ingaging himself to doe it , you may boldly conclude that the Lord will have prayer the great meanes of the Churches building . Now if you demand , Why , or wherefore is it that prayer should be able to doe so much ? I answer , The truth is , it is God alone doth all , and he takes none in to help him , propter indigentiam , but propter mun-ficentiam , it is not for his need , but for his glory , that he will have any helpers : Now besides all you heare before , concerning the prayers of the afflicted , that it is Gods Spirit prayes in them , and they are his Children , and Christ their Mediatour , and his promises are made to them , I say , besides all these , there are two other great Reasons , why God hath made over the building of the Church , unto Prayer ; so far as the Creature shall have any thing to doe with it . One is , because this way onely is suitable with his glory , he cannot take any to be partners with him in any work , with preservation of his own Majesty and glory , save only humble supplicants , any partner but prayer would lessen him ; But this well-becomes the Majesty and greatnesse of God to take in such helpers . For first , it magnifies his free grace wonderfully , that he will please to doe it , when his partners in the work shall not be able to plead any thing they have contributed , but tears and supplications ; And whereas some demand whether freegrace would not be more magnifyed , if God did it without prayer ? I Answer , Gods free grace is many wayes manifested , and magnifyed in his regarding of his peoples prayers , sometimes his free grace prevents our prayers , vouchsafing us what we never prayed for or thought of , Hee doth above what wee are able to ask or think , sometimes in exceeding our prayers , Hee asked life of thee , and thou gavest him length of dayes for ever and ever , Solomon asked wisdom , and God gave him wisdom , riches , and honour , sometimes he as much magnifies his free grace in crossing our prayers . So he did Moses in his suite to goe over Jordan , and Pauls in being delivered from the messenger of satan , it being best for them both to be denyed . But oftentimes God manifests and magnifies his free grace more , by doing it at the prayers of his people , then if he did it without them ; because he doth thereby shew his free grace as well to their requests , as to their need ; As if a friend should supply my need , it is a great favour , but if he will please to shew his love to my petition , as well as his compassion to my need , it is a double favour ; So God shews a double free grace , when he is pleased to let such a great work be done at the request of poore contemptible sinners , that are fit for nothing but death and destruction . With men ( it may be ) he who asks oft and long for such things as men can give , payes very dear for them , but it is not so betwixt God and man : the least favour which God can give ( though granted upon long suite ) must needs bee acknowledged a free favour to such ill-deserving creatures as we are , and to have his favours conveighed in a way of prayer , no wayes derogates from the freenesse of the mercy , especially because our prayers are so weak and poore , and the mercies of God ( especially this of building up of Zion ) so great , that I cannot say whether he be a more silly or proud foole , that will not confesse that God casts in the mercy gratis , though hee have cast in his prayers : yea , that the mercy is the greater , when it is done with any respect to his supplications . And then besides , God provides for his glory herein for time come ; for you shall finde , the Lord is wonderfull jealous of using any instruments , who will be prone to come to share with him in his glory ; he loves not to set such instruments a work , as will ingrave their own name into the work that shall be erected : and therefore when Gideon had an Army of two and thirty thousand , I will not use these , ( saith God ) they will be like enough to say , Our own hand hath saved us ; He will have such instruments of whom he will be sure they shall not offer to lay claime to his glory ; Now brethren ) God is wholly confident of Prayer , that it will never undermine him in his glory , he hath no jealousie of it ; but what he doth to the weeping eye , and the mourning heart , at their humble request , when they have got the thing , all the glory which they will desire is , to come back again , and cry , Grace , Grace , all was grace , all was favour . Thus praying David , when he had dedicated one thousand three hundred cart load of silver and gold , toward the building of Gods house , all the glory he took to himself , was but to admire Gods goodnesse in giving him a heart to offer it , and that God was pleased to accept it at his hands . who am I Lord , that I should have a heart to give any thing to thee ? of thy own have I given thee ; Thus will Prayer give God all the glory ; But when mercies are not fetched in by prayer , ordinarily God hath little praise for them , either they are imputed to chance or industry , friends , or wit , or one creature or other , these rather wears the glory then God , but mercies wone by prayer , are worne with thankfulnesse , it alwayes layes the creature low , and exalts free grace highly : This is one reason why prayer is so effectuall in this great work . Another is , Hereby hee doth greatly honour his people , hee puts a great deale of glory upon his Servants , when he is pleased as at their request , to lay the foundation of a new Heaven , and a new Earth : This is a great honour to them , to be thus owned by him to be such powerfull advocates ; When Job friends came to make their peace with God , and God would not accept them , untill Job prayed for them ; Goe to my Servant Job , and he shall pray for you , for him will I accept , else I shall deale with you according to your folly . Was not this a mighty honour put upon Job ? When God told Abimelech that he and his house were but dead men , unlesse Abraham prayed for them , did he not thereby highly honour his servant ? When Ahashuerosh takes Queen Esther to him , and bids her ask to the half of his Kingdome , and at her request grants her her life , and the lives of all her people , it was a great honour he put upon her ; So God hereby magnifies his love to his : that they may have his eare , and be able to doe such great things with him . And besides , as it is a glory to them , so it makes the building up of Zion , infinitely more comfortable and usefull to them ; any thing that a gracious heart hath obtained by prayer , it prizes so much the more , we will know how wee part with what wee came hardly by ; When Moses could tell the people , such a time I fell down before God for you , forty dayes and forty nights , and such a time I besought the Lord for you ; hee knew the worth of those mercies , and tasted the comfort of them ; When the Saints can say : this we begged at Gods hands , and this wee sought God for , it will infinitely ingage their spirits to value it , and walk worthy of it : And not onely so , but their sweetnesse and comfort in the use of it , will be the greater when they shall see the travaile of their soule , it is a great satisfaction to them ; Bathsheba much rejoyced in Solomon , and Hannah in Samuel , and Sarah in Isaac , because they were the Sons of their vows , of their prayers , as well as of their womb . Many excellent Uses may be made of this Doctrine , I shall indevour to presse two or three which are most seasonable , and then I have done . Is the building up of Zion the fruit of Gods peoples prayers ? Is prayer the great Master-builder on earth ? then I beseech you learn to whom and what under God , we may most of all attribute the severall mercies and deliverances which we have received . It is true , God only hath been our help , every stone which hath been laid into this building is an Eben-Ezer ; we may write upon every stone , Hitherto God hath helped us , but among all our friends on earth none to be compared with prayer . God hath poured out a Spirit of prayer upon his people , Old men , Maids , and Servants , as well as Ministers , and Gentle-men , and Noble-men , all that feare God , have been knocking at heaven gates with all intensenesse of Spirit , with all earnestnesse , that God would save poor England , and build up his Church amongst us ; and give me leave to say it , without derogating from any of your worth , under God we have been most beholding to prayer : Mistake me not , I know there are worthy ones amongst us , that have done excellently ; many of our Nobles have done worthily , many of this honourable Assembly have been excellent instruments , many of our Souldiers , Counsellors , Ministers , Citizens , and Commons , have willingly put all they have into this great Lottery , and when the Lord comes to reckon up his helpers , not one of them shall be forgotten , not a night they have watched , not a journey you have took , not a drop of blood they have spent , not an estate any of you have hazzarded , not any paines you have took , which the Lord God will forget , but he will remember all ; and your selves in heaven , and it may be your posterity on earth , shall know that God hath associated you with himself to help forward this great work ; but for all this , when all is done , let us say , Saul hath slaine his thousands , but David his ten thousands ; All these have done worthily , but among all prayer hath done the greatest of all the rest : How often hath prayer fetched God into our Armies , and rallied them againe after they were routed , and given us the day after we had lost it ? How often have Moses hands lift up upon the Mount , helped Joshua fighting in the valley , and covered his head in the day of battell ? How often hath prayer brought God amongst our Counsellours , when they have been at a losse , and directed them , and discovered some desperate plot , turned the counsels of Achitophel into foolishnesse ? How many in every place ( who have served the Lord in this great work ) hath prayer helped at a dead lift ? Prayer hath hitherto saved the kingdome . I remember a proud boast of our enemies , when we had lost Bristoll and the Vies , they then sent abroad even into other kingdoms , a triumphant paper , wherein they concluded all was now fubdued to them , and among many other confident expressions there was one to this purpose , Nil restat superare Regem , &c. which might be construed two wayes , either thus , There remaines nothing for the King to conquer , but onely the prayers of a few fanatick people ; or thus , There is nothing left to conquer the King , but the prayers of a few fanatick people , every thing else was lost , all was now their owne : And indeed we were then in a very low condition , our strong holds taken , our Armies melted away , our hearts generally failing us for feare , multitudes flying out of the Kingdome , and many deserting the cause as desperate , making their peace at Oxford , nothing almost left us but preces & lachrymae ; but blessed be God , prayer was not conquered , they have found it the hardest wall to climbe , the strongest Brigade to overthrow , it hath hitherto preserved us , it hath raised up unexpected helps , and brought many unhoped for successes and deliverances ; let us therefore under God let the Crowne upon the head of prayer , ye Nobles and Worthies , be ye all content to have it so , it will wrong none of you in your deserved praise , God and man will give you your due , Many of you have done worthily , but prayer surpasses you all : and this is no new thing , prayer hath alwayes had the preheminence in the building of Zion , God hath reserved severall works for severall men and severall ages , but in all ages , and among all men , prayer hath been the chiefest instrument , especially in the building up of Zion . Let me in the next place shew you what esteem you should all have of prayer , and praying men , who have liberty to have the Lords eare , who have the Spirit of prayer powred downe upon them ; while you live have them in high esteem : what David said of Goliahs sword , There is none to it , is true here , No helpe like the help of prayer . There are foure things wherein prayer is beyond all other helps whatsoever : The one is , It is the most absolute , the most universall medicine in the World , it is a Catholicon , it is good for every thing , it is offensive and defensive , it will do good in the Army , in the Parliament house , in the Assembly , in the City , every where : Solomon teacheth this 1 Kings 8. from the 33 to the latter end of it : whatsoever plague , whatsoever sicknesse , whatsoever other evill , of pestilence , war , famine , if they pray , help will come ; it is of such a large extent , there is no enemy but it will conquer , no sore but it will cure , no misery but it will heale , no danger but it will prevent or remove ; the healing tongue of prayer is like the Tree of Life , which healeth every disease : Others may be good for something , but Prayer for every thing . Nay , secondly , it is not onely a help in any evill , but in any extremity of evil : A man , a State , a Church , a People , can be in no such extremity , as to be past prayers help ; if prayer takes them in hand there is helpe for them : if God poure out the Spirit of prayer , if Esay can lift up a Prayer , when the child is come to the birth , and no strength to bring forth , prayer will doe it . I have read of a stone , I think they call it Dioscordis , that if it be put into the mouth of one newly dead , it will revive him again : I know not how true that is , but certainly there is no extremity so great but prayer may help , if any help may be found in heaven or earth . And then thirdly , It will help at any distance : They talk of some kind of Weapon-salve , that will cure at a great distance , but prayer will doe any thing at any distance . Look what is said of God in the 139 Psalme , If you goe into heaven , or hell , or the utmost parts of the sea , or any of the corners of the earth , Gods hand reaches there , and elsewhere ; he is a God afar off as well as a God at hand : the same may we say of praier , it wil passe through sea and land , relieve any distressed garrison , strengthen any of our Armies . They say Archimedes could sit in his Study , and with his Engins defend Syracusa both by sea and land ; this may a praying man do upon his knees in his Closet , he may bring helpe unto the uttermost parts of the world . And then It is speedy , it will help at an instant ; it is like Elias his cloud , which his man saw when he was at prayer for rain , a little cloud like a hand , which presently spread over all the heavens : the Angel Gabriel could not flye more swiftly , then prayer will flye to help at any extremity , at any distance . O that these things were studied and beleeved , how highly should we then esteeme it ! what encouragement then should we give to prayer and praying men ! how much would we then endevour to have our Armies furnished with praying Ministers and Souldiers ? all your Garrisons , Assemblies , Committees , well stocked and stored with praying Saints ? nothing would be too hard for them : you would , if you rightly consider this , be more carefull to keep them all in a posture of prayer , then in a posture of defence . Lastly , with which I shall end , because God will have prayer the great means of building up the Church , I most earnestly beseech you that this means may never be wanting in any of you , who have it to contribute : O , pray , pray , pray , do not with-draw from it , use it as the first , and last , and best remedy of all others , turne not your back upon it : O doe not as ( men say ) some great ones doe , make the dayes of prayer , and the times of prayer , the times they chuse for their owne pleasures , or businesse , and thereby plainly discover themselves to be of Machiavels religion , who counsels a Prince to set up a shew of Religion ad captandum populum , to awe their people , but themselves not to be under such rules : let us really attend it , and give God no rest night nor day , untill he establish our Jerusalem a praise in the earth ; and this every one of you who are godly may doe : Every one hath not money to contribute , nor strength , nor wisdome , but every gracious heart can pray ; there is not a Maid , not an Apprentice , not a Servant , not the meanest in the Congregation , that hath the Spirit of God in them , but is this thing , you may come in to be Master-builders ; you may do as much as any Parliament-man , or Assembly-man , or any whatsoever , if the Lord give you but a praying heart ; therefore I beseech you follow this work . Two Motives I propound to quicken you , the one is , We may justly say , our prayers hitherto have not had a miscarrying wombe , nor dry breasts , we may say with the Psalmist , Verily God hath heard us , he hath attended to the voice of our prayers : and with Johan , When our soule fainted within us we remembred God , and our prayer came in unto him . Never had an unworthy people more experience of the power of prayer then we have had : The Romans once in a great distresse , took the weapons out of the Temple of their God , and with them got a glorious victory over their enemies ; O how many victories have these Sanctuary-weapons obtained for us ! he is a blind man who seeth not visible returnes of prayer ; and God hath so ordered our affaires , that what the noble Generall said at the first victory we obtained at Edge-hill , That there was never any thing wherein there was lesse of man , and more of God : So in most of our businesses we may truely say , Man hath failed , and God hath helped , that is , prayer hath prevailed : you have a good handsell ; a good encouragement to goe on . Secondly , And truely our extremities and difficulties are such , which yet remaine to be conquered , as can be overcome by nothing but prayer : All your Learning , Counsell , Strength , your Wisdome , your Treasure , and what ever else you have to contribute , are not like to deliver us , unlesse prayer bring God in for our helper . You know the Kingdome is brought low , and though we have a considerable strength both in the Armie , the Citie , and the Navie , yet you know divided Kingdomes doe not stand , and God hath for our sins brought this great judgment upon us , that we are divided and subdivided into minutula frustula , into the least bits of all , in Church and State , every where there are heart-burnings , divisions among our selves , and a potent enemy very vigilant to take advantage , and many Malignants every where , ready to blow up and encrease our distractions ; many mens estates undone , and brought to poverty and beggery , and if these bloudy wars continue , ere long famine and desolation will come upon us , beside all the guilt of our former and later provocations : these all are visible before your eyes , and all your helps are not like to doe it suddenly , unlesse God come in , unlesse prayers fetch him downe : Therefore pray ( I beseech you Noble-men , Gentle-women , and all other ) pray , pray , follow the Lord , and remember this is the Strong helper , which must save , or we perish ; we have as much need of prayer as ever we had , therefore you who are the Lords remembrancers , and have his eare , ply the Throne of grace diligently , let not your heart grow sluggish , remember what the Prophet said unto the King , who smote with the arrows three times , and then stayed , Thou shouldest have smitten five or sixe times , and then thou shouldest utterly have smitten Syria , till thou hadst consumed it : Say thou so to thy owne heart , Thou shouldst in these dayes have prayed 10000 times more then thou hast done , go on now with it , humbly spread our sad condition before him , plead with him daily , thou canst not want arguments ; tell him it is his owne cause , we are engaged by him , and for him ; tell him how long , and how much his people have suffered under their oppressors , and how violently they rise up still to spoile all ; that there are abundance of his Saints engaged in this work , and they will never give him rest , till he have set up Jerusalem to be a praise upon the whole earth : and when the unworthinesse of the Kingdome comes in , and objects against us , that we are a sinfull wretched Kingdome , fit to be destroyed , you may still find answers and arguments enow in Gods grace and favour : He hath begun to build , and surely he will not be like the foolish builder , that begun and then gave over ; he himselfe blames them who goe about a work and not goe through with it ; tell him , we will give him all the glory of it , and serve him better if he will give us grace ; that if our enemies prevaile it will be worse with his people then ever , his name will be more dishonoured then ever . Thus follow him with a mourning heart , & a melting eye , & do it constantly , doe it daily ; I confesse these monethly Fasts are grown to a most wretched formality in many places , the Lord of heaven teach us how we may be more quickned in this great work of prayer ; and let every one who hath any interest in heaven , remember Bradfords usuall Motto and exhortation , Pray , pray , pray . But before I dismisse you , I must put in this caution ; You must not thinke every man , and every prayer will be thus effectuall ; Alas , no : here are ( it may be ) three or foure thousand people at Church , God onely knowes whether every fourth man hath a praying Spirit ; It is not every man who will pretend to pray , whom God will accept : When they fast ( saith God of the wicked Israelites , Jeremy chap. 4. ) I will not heare their cry ; when they offer an oblation I will not accept them , but I will consume them : Doe not ( I beseech you ) thinke that the prayers of Blasphemers , and Drunkards , and Whore-masters , and Scorners of God and Religion , of those that pretend to be for him and are against him , doe not ( I say ) imagine that God will regard such as these are , though they cry , Arise and save us ; I will not say to these men , Pray not , but I will say to them as Peter did to Simon Magus , Pray , if it may be possible , that the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee , for thou art in the gall of bitternesse ; but be you assured that these mens prayers will not come into the shot of those that shall build Gods Church , or deliver us ; No , no , the Philosopher could teach thus much , who when they were at Sea in a Tempest , and all went to their prayers , and among the rest a profligate wicked wretch amongst them went to his prayers , the Philosopher called to him , Hold thy peace , lest the Gods heare thee , and drown us all for thy sake . He who would be one of this number whose prayers shall come before God , must be acquainted with God ; Acquaint thy selfe with God , be at peace with him , then thou shalt make thy prayer to him , and he shall heare thee , but these men have no acquaintance with him , he will say to them as the evill Spirit said to the sonnes of Sceva , Paul I know , but who are ye ? so the Lord will say , Prayer I know , but what are ye ? Doe you whore , and drinke , and sweare , and lye , and abuse my Name and Ordinances , and think you of praying ? No , no ( beloved ) these are not the people , beleeve it they are not , they are the prayers of his Saints , and of his Saints onely , which he regards . And then secondly , as it is not every man , so it is not every prayer will doe it ; I know it may be a weak prayer , a prayer where there may be very weak utterance , weak gifts , and weak judgement and memory , yet it may be accepted , God knowes how to interpret the meaning of his owne Spirit in them ; but they must not be dead prayers , livelesse , formall , slight , perfunctory , customary prayers , not the saying over of prayer , as if a Lesson were onely read out of a book , without spirit , understanding , devotion ; but prayer must be prayer , it must be the pouring out the soule , it must be fervent prayer , it must be humble prayer , it must be from a pure heart , and faith unfained , it must be prayer offered up in the name of Christ , in the strength of the Covenant of grace ; these things must at least be aimed at and endevoured in prevailing prayers . These things deserve to be prosecuted more fully , but I feare I have already transgressed upon your patience by the length of my Sermon , I commend it to your thoughts , and let us by prayer commend it and our selves to God , that we may joyne with them , and be numbred among them whose prayers he will heare for the building up of Zion . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89587e-410 Esa. 58. 12. Dan. 9. 25. Psal. 104 3. Luk. 17. 6. Notes for div A89587e-660 Intreduction . Shewing the scope of the Text to bee a Circumstance which highly magnifies the work of Gods bullding up of Sion . And containes I a plomise of Gods regarding his peoples prayers . What it is for God to regard prayer , what not to despise . Psalm . 51. 17. 2 This promise respects , 1 The persons , who . 2 The time , when . 3 The matter , wherein their prayer shall bee regarded . The Persons , who : 1. The destitute who they are . Hence two lessons . Observat. 1. The Church often brought very low before deliverance . Psal , 102 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. Psal. 141. 7. Psal. 124. 7. Efa . 48. 10. Reason 1. From their own folly . Psal. 38 ▪ 5. Esa 51. 20. Job 36. 8 , 9 , 10 Luk. 15. 17. Reason 2. For Gods greater glory in their deliverance . Joh. 11. 34. Vse . To teach us to judgeour selves of our present distresses . Jer. 15. 8. Nahum 19. Esa. 43. 34. Psal. 68. 22. Lam. 3. 40. Obser. 2. The prayers of the destitute are highly regarded by God . Isa. 49. 13. Job 34. 28. Psal. 18. 4 , 5 , 6. Psal. 143. 1 , 2. Reason 1. They pray indeed . Psal. 101. title . Prov. 18. 22. Reason 2. They look for help from God onely . Psal. 142. 4. Reason 3. They will prize an answer . Esa 41. 17 , 18. Reason 4. They most stand in need of favour . Job . 12. 5. Isa. 18. 7 10. Vse 2. To encourage such to pray . Quest . Ans. 2 Consider this text in relation to the time , when God will regard his peoples prayers ▪ And thence , Observ. 1. That prayers which seem long despised , are yet highly regarded , and will bring a timely answer . Cleared in two branches . 1 The prayers of Gods people may seem to be despised . Psal 23. 2. Psal. 80. 4. Psal. 88. 17. 14. Lam. 3. 44. Mat●h . 15. 26. Prov. 1. 26 , 27. 2 Yet then they are highly regarded . Psal. 21. 23. 1 Kin. 8. 59. Acts 10. 4. Luk. 1. 13. Gen. 19. 29. 30 22. Psal. 20. 3. Psal. 65. 2. And will bring a timely answer Esa. 49. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Psal. 22. 2. with verse 24. Luk. 1. 14. Acts 10. 3 , 4. Rev. 6. 10 , 11. with Rev. 8. 3 , 4. Hosea 6. Joel 2. 2 , 3. Jer. 3. 3. Reasons of it . 1. They doe his commandements herein . Psal. 50. 15. 2. His Spirit prays in them . Rom. 8. 26. 3. Christ mediares for them . Rev 8. 3. 4. They are dearly belo●ed of God . Joh. 16. 26. Luke 18. 7. 5. He hath promised to heare them . Psal. 50. 15. Isa. 49. 1 King. 8. 33. ad finem . Psal. 15. 4. Psal. 89. 34. Quest . Why then doth he deferre and seem to despise them ? Answ. He doth not alwaies so . Iso . 65. 24. Gen. 24. 45. Dan. 9. 23. Jer. 29. 11. Psal. 143. 7. Mat. 14. 30. When he doth it 's for the glory of his Soveraignty . His Free-grace . Lev. 19. 13. And his Wisdome . 2 For their good many wayes . 1 Hereby hee teacheth them to pray . Psal. 88. Mat. 15. 22. Gen. 32. 24 , 25. 1 Sam. 2. 2 Trains them up in humility . Psal. 131. 1 , 2. 2 Sam. 6. 3 Exercise their Faith & Hope . Rom. 4. 19. Mat. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 8. Esa. 8. 17. Makes the answer of their prayer more comfortable . Prov. 31. 2. Luk. 1. Prov. 13. 22. Application . 1 Consolation in relation to our present work and troubles . Vse . 2. 2 Consolation to particular distressed soules Psal. 50. 21. Psal. 116. 2. Psal. 69. 3. & 119. 123. Cant. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 12. 2 Chron. 7. 1. Psal. 35. 13. Obser. 2. The Lord answers all his peoples prayers when he builds up Zion . Jer. 14. 11. Rev. 6. 10. Jer. 29. 11. Esay 25. 9. Cleared in two branches . Then God relieves their particular wants . Esa. 61. 2 , 3. Jer. 31. 25. Esa. 25. 4. Esa. 35. 3. This building up of Zion , is the sum of all their prayers . Deut. 32. 1 Kin. 8. 2 Chron. 20 Esa. 62. Dan. 9. Ezra 8. Neh. 1. 12. 14. Matth. 25. Psal. 74. 22 2● . Vse 1. For examination , a notable discovery whose hearts are right with God . Psal. 126. 1 , 2. 1 Sam. 4 13 , 18 19. Neh. 1. 4. Dan 9 Psal. 13. 7. Esa. 22. 4. Haggai 1. 4. 1 Cllto . 4 23. Neh. 4. 16 , 17. Ezra 6. 7 , 8. Esa. 4. last . Vse 2. Exhortarion to all to promote this work Psal. 106. 4 , 5. John 3. 29 , 30. Jer. 29. 7. Psal. 1. 32. 6 , 7. Haggai 1. 8. Mal. 3. 10. Hester . 4. 14. Zach , 12. 3. Micah 58. 3 Consider this promise of Gods regarding the prayers of the destiture , in respect of the thing wherein they shall be regarded . Last Doctr. The building up of Zion , the fruite of Gods peoples prayers , proved , 1 From Gods Providences . Deut. 32. 36. Esa. 16 , 17 , 18. Jer. 29. 11. Zach , 12. Esa. 62. 1. Psal. 102. 13. Deut. 9. 8. 2 From his command . Jer. 29. 11. Psal. 122. 6. Jer. 51. 50. 3 From his promises . Hose . 12. 4 with Gen. 32. 26. Exo. 32. 10. 14 Reason 1. This way God provides , that himselfe alone shall have the glory . Ephes. 3. 20. Psal. 21. 3. 1 Kin. 3. 12. 13. Reason 2. For his servants glory . Job . 42. 8. Gen. 20 ▪ 7. And benefit . Prov. 31. 2. 1 Sam. 2. Application . 1. Instruction , what under God hath been our greatest help , even the prayers of Gods people . Vse 2. In what high esteem prayer and praying men ought to be . Foure things wherein prayer is more excellent then all other helps . 1. It is a most universall remedy . 1 Kings 8 33 , ad fir em . Pro. 15. 4. 2. It will help in any extrem●ty . 3. It helps at any distance . Psal. 139. 8 , 9. 4. It is the most speedy help . Vse 3. Exhortation to all who can pray , to ply the throne of grace 1. Motives thereunto . 1. Prayer hath done much already . Psal. 66. 19. Jonah 2. 7. 2. Our need as great as ever . 2 King. 13. 19 A caution to be remembred , not every man , not every prayer will doe it . 1. Not every Man . Jer. 14. 12. Job . 22. 21 , 27. 2. Not every Prayer . Psal. 102. Title Jam. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Heb. 10. 22. Psal. 66. 19. Ezek. 14 , 4. 
A52035	----	The vvorks of Mr Stephen Marshall, late minister of the Gospel at Finching-Field in Essex. And since at Ipswitch in Suffolk. The first part. Viz. I. Of Christ's intercession. And of sins of infirmity. II. The high priviledge of beleevers. They are the sons of God. III. Faith the only means spiritually to feed on Christ. IV. Of self-denial. V. The saints duty to keep their heart in a good frame, etc. VI. The mystery of spiritual life. Attested by Ralph Venning. Thomas Lye. Thomas Jacomb. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 1661 Approx. 403 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 127 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A52035 Wing M747 ESTC R214099 99826318 99826318 30715 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52035) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 30715) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1763:8) The vvorks of Mr Stephen Marshall, late minister of the Gospel at Finching-Field in Essex. And since at Ipswitch in Suffolk. The first part. Viz. I. Of Christ's intercession. And of sins of infirmity. II. The high priviledge of beleevers. They are the sons of God. III. Faith the only means spiritually to feed on Christ. IV. Of self-denial. V. The saints duty to keep their heart in a good frame, etc. VI. The mystery of spiritual life. Attested by Ralph Venning. Thomas Lye. Thomas Jacomb. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Faith -- Early works to 1800. Christian life -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17tn century. 2004-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-11 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE WORKS OF M R Stephen Marshall , late Minister of the Gospel at Finching-Field in Essex . And since at Ipswitch in Suffolk . THE FIRST PART . VIZ. I. Of Christ's Intercession . And of Sins of Infirmity . II. The High Priviledge of Beleevers . They are the Sons of God. III. Faith the only means spiritually to feed on Christ. IV. Of Self-Denial . V. The Saints Duty to keep their Heart in a Good Frame , &c. VI. The Mystery of Spiritual Life . Attested By Ralph Venning . Thomas Lye. Thomas Jacomb . LONDON : Printed by Peter Cole , and Edward Cole , Printers and Book-sellers , at the Sign of the Printing-press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange . 1661. BEcause it is usual to abuse Readers in thrusting forth broken Notes under the Names of Authors that are of Repute : These are to Attest the following fifty Sermons on several Texts ; Were Preached by M R Stephen Marshall ; And are now Published by the most perfect Coppy . Ralph Venning . Thomas Lye. Thomas Jacomb . Books Printed by Peter Cole , and Edward Cole , Printers and Book sellers of London , at the Exchange . Mr. Burroughs ▪ WORKS viz. on Matth. 11. 1 Chirsts call to all those that are Weary and Heavy Laden to come to him for Rest. 2 Christ the Great Teacher of Souls that come to him . 3 Christ the Humble Teacher of those that come to him . 4 The only Easie way to Heaven . 5 The Excellency of holy Courage . 6 Gospel Reconciliation . 7 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment . 8 Gospel-Worship . 9 Gospel-Conversation . 10 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness . 11 Exposition of the Prophesie of Hosea . 12 The Evil of Evils , or the exceeding sinfulness of Sin. 13 Precious Faith. 14 Of Hope . 15 Of Walking by Faith. Twenty one several Books of Mr. William Bridge , Collected into two Volumes . Viz. 1 Scripture Light the most sure Light. 2 Christ in Travel . 3 A Lifting up for the cast down . 4 Sin against the Holy Ghost . 5 Sins of Infirmity . 6 The fals Apostle tiled and discovered . 7 The good and means of Establishment . 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer . 10 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holyness , opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to Tempt and Christs Love to , and Care of his People under Temptation . 12 Thankfulness required in every Condition . 13 Grace for Grace . 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Naturall Impossibilities . 15 Evangelical Repentance . 16 The Spiritual Life , and in being of Christ in al Beleevers . 17 The Woman of Canaan . 18 The Saints Hiding place , &c 19 Christ Coming &c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances . 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts . New Books of Mr. Sydrach Simpson . VIZ. 1 Of Unbelief ; or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by Christ. 2 Not go●ing to Christ for Life and Salvation is an exceeding great Sin , yet Pardonable . 3 Of F●ith , Or , That beleeving is receiving Christ ; And receiving Christ is beleeving . 4 Of Coveteousness . Mr. Hookers New Books in three Volumes : One in Octavo , and two in Quarto . These Eleven New Books of Mr. Thomas Hoo●ker made in New-Edgland . Are attested in an Epistle by Mr. Thomas Goodwin , and Mr. Philip Nye , To be written with the Authors own hand : None being written by himself before . One Volum being a Comment upon Christ's last Prayer on the seventeenth of John. Wherein is shewed . 1 That the end why the Saints receive all glorious G●ace , is , That they may be one , as the Father and Christ are one . 2 That God the Father loveth the Faithful , as he loveth Jesus Christ 3 That our Savior desireth to have the Faithful in Heaven with himself . 4 That the happiness of our being in Heaven , is to see Christs Glory . 5 That there is much wanting in the knowledg of Gods Love , in the most able Saints . 6 That the Lord Christ lends dayly direction , according to the dayly need of his Servants . 7 That it is the desire and endeavor of our Savior , that the dearest of Gods Love , which was bestowed on himself , should be given to his faithful servants , 8 That our Union and Communion with God in Christ , is the top of our happiness in Heaven . Ten Books of the Application of Redemption by the Effectual Work of the Word , and Spirit of Christ , for the bringing home of lost sinners to God. By Thomas Hooker . D. Hills WORKS . The Kings Tryal at the High Court of Justice . Wise Virgin. Published by Mr. Thomas Weld , of New-England . Mr. Rogers on Naaman the Syrian , his Disease and Cure : Discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self-love ; with the Cure ; viz. Self-denial and Faith. A Godly and Fruitful Exposition , on the first Epistle of Peter . By Mr. John Rogers , Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex . Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage . The Wonders of the loadstone . By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch . An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew . By Mr. Ward . The Discipline of the Church in New-England By the Churches and Synod there . Mr. Brightman on the Revelation . Christians Engagement for the Gospel , by John Goodwin . Great Church Ordinance of Baptism . Mr Loves Case , containing his Petitions , Narrative , and Speech . A Congregational church is a Catholick Visible Church . By Samuel Stone in New-England . A Treatise of Politick Powers . Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians . Vox Pacifica , or a Perswasive to Peace . Dr. Prestons Saints submission , and Satans Overthrow . Pious Mans Practice in Parliament time . Barriffs Military Discipline . The Immortality of mans Soul. The Anatomist Anatomized . The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech . Woodwards Sacred Balance . Dr. Owen against Mr. Baxter . Abrahams Offer , Gods Offerings : Being a Sermon by Mr. Herle , before the Lord Major of London . Mr. Spurstows Sermon , being a Pattern of Repentance . Englands Deliverance . By Peter Sterry . The Way of God with his People in these Nations By Peter Sterry . Mr. Sympson's sermon at Westminster . Mr. Feaks sermon before the Lord Major . The best and Worst Magistrate . By Obediah Sedgwick . A sermon . A Sacred Panegyrick . By Stephen Marshal . A sermon . The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries . By Matthew Newcomen of Dedham . A sermon . Clows Chyrurgery . Marks of Salvation . Mr. Stephen Marshals New WORKS . VIZ. 1 Of Christs Intercession , or of sins of Infirmity . 2 The high Priviledg of beleevers , They are the Sons of God 3 Faith the Means to feed on Christ. 4 Self-denial . 5 The Saints Duty to keep their Hearts , &c. 6 The Mistery of spiritual Life . Several Physick Books of Nich. Culpeper Physitian and Astrologer ; and A. Cole , &c. 1 Idea of Practical Physick in twelve Books . 2 Sennertus thirteen Books of Natural Phylosophy . 3 Sennertus two Treatises . 1. Of the Pox. 2 Of the Gout . Sennertus Art of Chyrurgery in six Parts . 1. Of Tumors . 2. Of Ulcers . 3. Of the Skin Hair and Nailes . 4. Of Wounds . 5. Of Fractures . 6. Of Luxations . 4 Twenty four Books of the Practice of Physick , being the Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor , Lazarus Riverius . Physitian and Councellor to the late King , &c , 5 Riolanus Anatomy . 6 Veslingu● Anatomy of the Body of Man. 7 A Translation of the New Dispensatory , made by the Colledg of Physitians of London . Wherein is added . The Key to Galens Method of Physick . 8 The English Physitian Enlarged . 9 A Directory for Midwives , or a Guide for Women . 10 Galens Art of Physick . 11 New Method both of studying and practising Physick . 12 A Treatise of the Rickets . 13 Medicaments for the Poor , Or Physick for the Common People . 14 Health for the Rich and Poor , by Diet without Physick . The London Dispensatory in Folio , of a large Character in Latin. The London Dispensatory in twelves , a smal Pocket Book in Latin. To the Physical Reader . THe greatest Reason that I could ever observe why the Medicines prescribed in these Books above mentioned , and in many other Physick Books , do not perform the Cures promised , is , the unskilfulness of those that make up the Medicines . I therefore advise all those that have occasion to use any Medicines to go or send to Mr. Ralph Clarke Apothecary at the sign of the three Crowns on Ludgate-Hill , in London ; where they shall be sure to have such as are skilfully and honestly made . The Printer to the Reader . I Have in my hands divers other works of Mr. Stephen Marshals , which for their excellency and variety of matter are highly esteemed by all that heard them preach'd , Or have read them in writing . I intend to print them in several smal Books , that they may not be above the reach of a poor man's purse . The Subjects on which they treat are Chiefly these that follow . VIZ. 1. Of the Covenant of Grace , And the great priviledges the Saints have therby . 2. Formal Professors seldom become sincere . 3. Reformation and turning to God , the only means to prevent Ruine . 4. Christ the Prince of Peace . 5. The Excellency of Christ's Kingdom . 6. How Freedom come by Christ. 7. The Vnion between Christ and Beleevers . 8. The Riches of the Saints through the Poverty of Christ 9. How Christ is the Head of the Church . 10. Christ and his Seed have sufficient strength to destroy their Enemies . 11. Christ the Bridegroom , Beleevers are his Bride . 12. No Participation of Christ but by Faith. 13. Faith so precious a Grace , that Christ is glad of any thing that may further it . 14. An Humble Spirit Infinitly acceptable to God. 15. Great Joy to all that Mourn in Zion . 16. The double Recompence the Godly shall have after their affliction . 17. The Happiness of the Saints under the Cross 18. The untimely Death of good men a Ground of Great Lamentation . 19. The Magistrates Dignity , Duty and Vsefulness . 20. The Churches Danger , Deliverance and Duty . 21. The Churches praise unto God for their Deliverance . 22. A great Mercy in God to prevent his Peoples ingageing one against another in Blood. 23. Gods Chosen Ones are the Preventors of destruction . 24. Mens Misery is only from themselves , Their Deliverance is only from the Lord. 25. The Pearl of the Gospel . 26. How the Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation . 27. It 's impossible for true Beleevers totally and finally to fall away . 28. Parents Duty to their Children . 29. Provision for the Poor . 30. The Great Judgment of Famine . 31. Of the Sacrament . The CONTENTS of the first Book of Mr. Stephen Marshals Works . VIZ. Of Christs Intercession or Sins of Infirmity . SERMON , I. On 1 John 2.1 . And if any man sin , we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous . THe scope of the Epistle Opened Page 1 , 2 , 3. The words of the Text explained Page 3 , 4. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christs Intercession in Heaven , is the great dayly Relief that all the Saints diligentest , their watchfulest work in the world to keep their hearts in a good frame when once the Lord in mercy hath put them into a good frame Page 132 , 133 Reasons of the Point . Reas. 1. Because the Heart is beyond all comparisons the best part of Man , it is the Head Quarter Page 142 Reas. 2. Because the Heart is not only the best part of Man , but it is the Treasury , wherein better things are laid up than it self . Quest. What are the Treasures laid up in the heart of a gracious Man ? Answer 1. The great God chooses the Heart of every Godly man for his Privy and Presence Chamber . 2. Christ Jesus dwels there ; Emmanuel dwels there , in whom are bid , all the Treasures of God. 3. The Holy Ghost dwels there too , the Heart of every Godly man , is his Temple . 4. All the Graces of the Spirit of God are laid up there . 5. The Word that is the the rule of our life is laid up there Reas. 3. Because the Lord whom we profess to serve looks only at the Heart in al the Sacrifices we perform to him . Reas. 4. The Devil makes all his Assaults and Batteries against the Heart , and counts all his labor lost if he get not into the Heart . Reas. 5. Because the Heart is not to be trusted , but is deceitfull , false , cosening , even the Heart of the best man in the world 139 Reas. 6. Because out of it are the Issues of Life ▪ thy whol Conversation wil be as thy Heart is kept . Use 1. Serves to reprove thousands with a bitter reproof who would fain go for Children of God and yet 1 , They are exact in keeping their Houses &c , but neglect their Hearts . Page 143 , 144 2. Others are curious about their Bodies , to Feed , Physick , Adorn them but neglect their Hearts . Others are careful also of their manners and Conversation to avoid scandal and yet neglect their Hearts . 4 , Others keep indeed their Hearts but sleightly , they do not keep them above all keepings Page 146 Use 2. This is a Doctrine of wonderful consolation ( though it carry just rebuke with it ) to al whose Consciences witness that their greatest care is to purge and keep their Hearts Page 147 Use 3. To exhort all men for the time to come to make this their study to keep their Hearts . Before this can be done , I. The Lord must break the Heart to pieces and new mold it And then you must 1. Keep it pure from Sin. 2. Keep it fit for Duty . The Life of Christ , or the great Mystery of Spiritual Life . SERMON I. THe Text Opened , Page 1 , 2 , 3 Doctrine 1. Every Soul that hath Interest in Christ , while he is in this world , it is in Christ that lives in him . Doctrine 2. The manner of their living this Life in this world it is by Faith. For Explication consider that There is a twofold life . 1. A Natural life , which we have from Adam . 2. A Spiritual Life which flows from the second Adam . Quest. What is this spiritual life . Answ. It is a Participation of Christs Righteousness , upon the Souls union with him . Use 1. Shews how necessary it is that we should all try and examin our Souls whether we are partakers of this Life or No. Page 20 Considerations to stir up to this examination . 1. That in Truth this alone is Christianity : there is nothing Christianity but the Life of Christ. 2 Aboundance of things go for this Life which are not this Life . Quest. How shall we know this Life ? Answ. By these two Characters . 1 Wheresoever the Lord gives Life to any Creature in a Natural way , the life is the Preciousest thing in the world to that Creature : and so among al that live the life of Christ there is nothing in this world so dear to them , as their Spiritual Life is . Which valuation of the said Life appears in these three things . Page 22 1 In a Natural propensity and inclination and appetite towards those things that are the nourishment of this Life . 2 In a most vehement declining of what they know to be destructive to this life . 3 In a willingness to part with any thing to save this spiritual Life . Page 24 The second Character of this Spiritual Life . 2 Consists in some things that are the proper beatings of the pulse as it were of the Soul. Arguments of this spiritual Life . A● , 1 The Natural motion of this spiritual Life is to enjoy God in Jesus Christ as their chiefest good ; this is the great thing wherin the souls pulse beates . 2 There is a Natural making out of the Heart towards holiness , righteousness , love , kindness mercy , pitty . Page 27 3 The Soul that is alive unto Christ , is guided by the word it is his Card , his compass , his Square , his Meet-wand , his Eye Looking to the word as his only Guide . Who are strangers to the Life of Christ ? 1 All that know not Christ 2 All that live to their Lusts. 3 All that live to the World. 4 All that live to their Pleasures . Use , 2. This serves to comfort those that live this life considering that . 1 This is the highest , noblest , most excellent Life that ever any Creature did partake of . 2 This is the sweetest of all Lives , for in all other lives men tast but the sweetness of the Creature , but in this the sweetness of God and Christ. 3 It is the greatest pledge of Gods love he gives to any . 4 Christ being the fountain of this life you may be bold to rely upon him for the preservation of it . Page 32 Use , 3. To perswade all men to study and seek after this life . SERMON , II. DOCT. 2. That life of Christ which all Gods people live in this world , they live it by Faith The DOCTRIN is . 1 Demonstrated from scripture that it is so , that the whol Life of a Christian is led by Faith. 2 It is opened by shewing what the Holy Ghost means by this , and what it is for a Soul to live the life of Christ by Faith. Page 35 Use , 1. Hence we may safely and sadly conclude , that amongst the great multitudes of those that challenge the Name of Chrstians , there are very few that are really Christians . For , 1 Many are Ignorent of Christ. 2 Many never trouble themselves at the very Doctrine of Faith. 3 Many live to their lusts . 4 Multitudes live to the world . 5 Many live to their own wills . Use , 2. Real Christians ought to lament nothing so much as their unbelife . Quest. Do you think that the people of God are so much guilty of it ? Judge by these Signs . 1 Our not studying of the Word 2 Our little Valueing of the Word . 3 Our unevenness in our whol course . 4 Our deviations and use of unlawful means . SERMON , III. Use , 3. This shewes what kind of Christians they must needs be who can live in the Flesh above Word and Ordinances , having no use of them , and ( as they think ) nothing to do with them , but live in an immediate communion with God and enjoyment of him . Use , 4. To make this living by Faith better known to the Lords people and more exactly practised then it hath been hitherto . For encouragement to study this art of living by Faith , consider . 1 If you wil be Christians you have no other Mistery to maintaine your lives but Faith. 2 All other waies of life that any man pitches , upon wil shortly appear to be but a poor thing , 3 This Mystery of living by Faith is the best Life the most desirable Life that any Man or Woman can live , til they come to enjoy God immediately . The Excellency of this Life opened in Particulars . 1 It is the life which the Lord hath chosen out to be the life of those that he loved from all Eternity . 2 It is most honorable to us . 3 In this world it is the easiest Life . To live by Faith is the easiest Life under Heaven . 4 It is the best Life because it is the surest Life . Page 64 Question . How shall we do to live this Life ? Answer . 1 The Grace of Faith is the principal of his Life . 2 If you would live the Life of Faith , labor to be well acqainted with God , especially with God in Christ. 68 3 Study to be acquainted with the word . 4 Faithfully and Conscientiously serve the Lord , in the use of means . Page 73 Two Cautions to be taken in with these directions . When it is said we must use means , and thus live by Faith , the meaning is . 1 That when we have done we must not limit God ; God limits you and limits me , but Faith must not limit him , as to the way how , or time when be shall make● good . Page 74 2 When you are directed thus to live the life of Faith you must take heed of some other Principles , viz. your own Reason and your own sense . The Premises considered it is sad to think . 1 How the common People of the world live amongst us , being wholly Ignorant of these things , and setting their Hearts upon wealth and Pleasure and Honor and such perishing things . Page 76 2 It is sad to think how many Souls that are Godly and study the Scriptures and attend upon the word , yet had rather study nice controversies and things that engender strife , then this great comprehensive Duty of living to Christ , and living by Faith. Page 77 FINIS . CHRIST'S INTERCESSION , OR Sins of Infirmity : Opened in a Sermon at Pauls , Novemb. 19. 1654 1 John 2.1 , 2. My little Children these things write I unto you that you sin not ( now follows my Text ) And if any man sin , we have an Advocate with the Father , Jesus Christ the righteous ; And he is the Propitiation for our sins , and not for ours only , but also for the sins of the whol world . THe whol scope of the blessed Apostle in this Letter of his , is , as himself teacheth us , to confirm the people of God , to build them up in that great Article of their Faith , and their great priviledge which is , the Communion of Saints . He tels you in the beginning , he writes to them that they might have Communion with himself and the rest of the Apostles , whose Communion is with God the Father and is Son Jesus Christ ; presently he proceeds to shew wherein this Communion stands , which he doth express , First , More generally : It is to walk in the light ; when all the world walks in darkness ; they by virtue of their fellowship should walk in the light , And then , Secondly , Explains this more particularly , in the subsequent discourse ; and shews that by walking in the light he mainly intends walking in holiness , that is , to abominate and abandon the waies of sin , and to live as becomes those that are born of God in holiness and righteousness , and this is the plot of the whol Epistle . And then he begins with the first branch of it , and that is , to depart from the waies of sin , and sets down this conclusion , That if any man do pretend Communion with Jesus Christ and walk in sin , he is a meer Dissembler , he hath not one dram of Communion with God and Jesus Christ ; That is a certain rule , no man that hath Communion with Jesus Christ can walk in a sinful life , but every branch of the great things that Christ bestows upon his people , the purport and intent of them all is , to make them leave sinning , that they wholly overthrow the very tenour of the Gospel , who talk of believing in Christ and walk in a Godless life . Now this first Branch the Apostle prosecutes at large , both in the first Chapter , & in this second Chapter , and begins the second Chapter thus , Now all these things do I write to you ▪ that you sin not , and presently at the 3d verse takes it up again , ( saith he ) If any man know him he must walk as he walketh , and so proves it by many Arguments . Now ( Brethren ) you shal see the intent of my Text : The Apostle knowing what an uncomfortable Doctrine this would be if it were not explained , how uncomfortable it would be even to the best of Gods Saints and people , he prevents the sad objection that every gracious heart would be ready to make ; for when he hath set down this for his Conclusion : He that is in Christ cannot sin , he cannot sin , he deceives himself if he talks of Christ and sins , Why ? A poor Soul would presently come out and say , Then am I utterly undone , I have then no interest in Christ , for I sin , I sin dayly , I cannot live without it , I cannot perform one Duty but my corruption is intermingling it self with it ; wo be to me if that Doctrine go for currant , that he hath nothing to do with Christ that sins . Now by way of Prolepsis the Apostle anticipates this objection , and cleers the mind of God about it , and then proceeds further to prosecute his Doctrine , and it is laid down in these words , But if any man sin , let him know that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous , who is the Propitiation for all our sins , and not only ours that are Jews , but throughout all the world if they be Beleevers : This he laies down to stay the hearts of Gods people in reference to that sadness , that they would be ready to be overwhelmed with . Now ( Brethren ) because there is but one main Doctrine that I intend to insist upon , I wil but briefly explain the words to you , and then I wil propound the Doctrine . First , When the Apostle saith , If any man do sin , he thereby plainly implies , that there are certain sorts of sins , that even Gods Children though they dare not commit sin nor walk in sin , yet even Gods own Children ( for them he speaks to , my little Children I write this to you , ( I say ) there are sins that Gods own people ) are overtaken with , even after they have fellowship and Communion with Jesus Christ ; that is the first thing that he takes for granted . Then , Secondly , To that he adds , But ( saith he ) if any man sin , that is , when we do thus sin , when Gods people do thus sin , What then ? We have an Advocate , ( that you all know the meaning of , ) one that pleadeth our cause , that is the office of an Advocate , to appear in behalf of another in his cause : We have an Advocate with the Father above in Heaven at his right hand , that is , Jesus Christ our Lord who died for us , and loved us , and gave himself for us , he appears in Heaven for us , yea , he is Jesus Christ the righteous ; that is , though he be so righteous that he wil never plead an ill cause , yet this is a part of his righteousness , to intercede and appear in the behalf of his own people , even when they sin against him ; Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins ; that is , who once upon earth offered himself up a Sacrifice to satisfie for them , and now in Heaven pleads the benefit and virtue of it for ever in the behalf of his people . And not for ours only ; that is , we that are Jews , but for the sins of the whol world , supposing stil he speaks of the same matter , of those that believe in Christ , that have Communion with him throughout the world , Rich and Poor , Yong and Old , Jew and Gentile , this is a truth to them all ; When Gods people sin , Jesus Christ the righteous , at Gods right hand maketh mediation for them . So the words thus briefly paraphrased upon do afford us this Doctrine , ( which is the only Lesson that I intend to handle this day , ) namely , Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christs intercession in Heaven , is the great dayly relief that al the Saints have upon Earth against their dayly sins . A Doctrine which at the very first propounding Promiseth not only comfort to Believers , but carnal men they wil be ready to promise themselves liberty , ( though I hope without cause ( by that time I have done with it , ) but Jesus Christs mediation in Heaven is the great relief to all Gods Saints upon earth , against the dayly sins that they are overtaken with . Now ( Beloved ) that I may handle this Doctrine for your profit , there are two questions which ( God willing ) I shal endeavor to cleer , ( and that wil be the sum of all my work , the discussing of them . ) First , Quest. 1. What sins the Lords Children and People are liable to while they are in this world , what those sins are that the Children of God may be overtaken with while they live in this world . Secondly , Quest. 2. I wil shew you how the Intercession of Jesus Christ is the great relief to Gods Children against these sins . For the first , First , What are those sins which the Lords people , his own Children are liable to while they live in this world ? And to make you the more attentive to it , be pleased to note that there are two Conclusions about sin , laid down so cleerly in the Scripture , yea , in this very Epistle , that they almost seem to contradict one another , and therefore it is of great weight to have that cleared . First , 1. Nothing clearer then this , That he that is born of God doth not sin , nor cannot sin , and if a man say he hath communion with Jesus Christ and walkes in sin , he is a Liar and deceives his own Soul ; Nothing clearer then this in this Epistle ; So likewise in Romans , 6. How can we that are dead to sin Live any longer therein ; Sin cannot have dominion over you , you are not under it , you are under Grace ; This is a clear proposition , A Child of God cannot sin . 2. Yet on the other side it is as clear , that if any man that calls himself the Child of God say he hath no sin , he is a Liar , it is rather an Argument he hath no grace ; In many things we sin all ; Nothing clearer then that the people of God , his dearest Children do sin . Paul in the name of them all , talketh of being sold under sin , carrying a body of sin about him ; now these two must of necessity have such an interpretation , as to justifie the truth of God in it . Be pleased then to know thus much , that when the Scripture speakes so positivly and clearly , of the Children of God not sinning , that they cannot commit sin , the meaning is this , That whereas the way of sin ( mark it , the way of sin ) is the only way that al men walk in before they come to Christ , as conceive it thus , when men first fel from God , while he stood in his integrity God was his end , God was his portion , God was his rule , but when man fel from God , the whol corruption of mans nature stood in these two things , That now he was turned away from God , and fallen into the Creature , and there he continues til a new life be communicated , let him do what he will , let him pray , let him read , let him hear , let him walk in workes of justice and righteousness , and stil he is but within the compass of injoying the creature , and living to the creature , making himself and the good that he can find in the creature his portion , which is a turning off from God and this is one way of sin , and thus all the men in the world walk , that although it be true , yet some of their sins are greater then others , and aggrauated by some circumstances , yet look as it is with a man that is in prison , though the prison may be very large , and he may somtimes walk East , West , North , and South , and do some things more clean , and some things more gross , yet they are al done within that compass of the prison ; So take a man not in the state of Grace , the end he aimes at is himself , the rule he walks by is somwhat that may yeild contentment to him from the creature , and beyond al this no living man goes til God give him a new life . Now when the Lord vouchsafeth to cal a man home to Jesus Christ , and planteth in him a new principle of a new life , then the Soul returns home to God , now for time to come God is his portion , and the way that may lead him to the injoyment and knowledg of God , is his only way to which he resignes up himself , and makes it his daylie study and trade to walk in it : now here is his way , that as to an unconverted man the creature is his way , and al things that may make him injoy the creature , or setled in the creature is his way , but the new man he hath no way but approaching to God , aspiring up to him , drawing nigher to him , being made more like to him , this is his way , but now while he intendeth this way , ( mark it ) he being converted but in part , he knows his way but in part , and therefore somtimes misseth it for want of light , he somtimes likewise stumbles in the right way for want of strength , somtimes a violent temptation takes him and turnes him a little out of the way for want of good take-heed ; these kind of sins Gods Children are liable to while they live in this world ; So that the sume of it is this , no reigning sin , a sin that shal have dominion over him to carry him from God , and settle him upon the creature can be compatible with the state of a converted man ; but yet frailties and weaknesses for want of strength those are his sins , and they and no other are the sins that Gods Children are liable unto . So that the thing I have brought you to is , to shew you , that the Saints while they live in this world are compassed with infirmities , and only with infirmities ; concerning which ( because it is a great Doctrine ) I intend ( the Lord assisting me ) to open these three things , and that wil be the sume of this first Question , What the sins are . Three things I will open to you about the sins of infirmities wherewith Gods people are compassed while they live ; The first is , First , I wil shew you the nature of them , the nature of a sin of infirmity . Secondly , I wil shew you the kinds of them , what kinds of sins of infirmities Gods people may be overtaken with . And Thirdly , Thirdly , I wil shew you how these may be known to be such , that no man may deceive his heart about them and these must needs be opened , because the latter part of our Question of Christs being a relief to them , is so ful of Consolation , that I would have no body have it that have not right to it , and therefore I would not have them flatter themselves about it . For the first , First , To open to you the nature of an Infirmity : Take it thus , To enable a Soul to walk in the waies of God , ( as all Gods people do in measure , but to enable a Soul to do it , ) there is required a twofold strength , the one is , I. An habitual strength . The other is , II. An actual strength . 1. The habitual strength that all Gods Saints have , it is nothing but the inclination and disposition of their hearts to the waies of God , and against the waies of sin , which is wrought in them by 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost in the time of their first conversion 〈◊〉 which hour the quickning Grace communicate●●o the Soul , doth once for ever make the bent of the heart stand to the waies of God , that now there is a complacency , a delight , a suitableness to them in the waies of God , and a displacency and aversion in reference to the waies of sin . This now is habitual strength , once given to Gods people , never taken away from them . But now though this habitual strength do give them a good wil , ( as the Apostle cals it ) a good mind to the waies of God , yet , 2. To enable them either to forbear any sin , or to perform any duty , there must be communicated an actual strength , and that actual strength is nothing but the immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost , who dwels in them drawing out their Graces to work , and strengthening them in their working , and when this actual strength is communicated to them by the Holy Ghost , then if a temptation to a sin be propounded , the Saint is too strong for it , he overcomes the temptation , if a holy Duty be propounded to be done , by the help of this God ( if need be ) he can leap over a wall . Give a Child of God the inward inclination of his heart wrought by Grace , and the actual assistance of the Spirit of God , when he is called out to particulars , then he walketh as becomes a Saint in holiness and righteousness : but when at any time the Spirit of God ( for reasons best known to himself ) doth withold his immediate assistance from that Soul , then their habitual inclination is never able to make them do any thing that is good : If a temptation to a sin be propounded , and a corruption of their nature be a little excited , and Satan backing it , and the Spirit of God not joyning , down they tumble in every temptation , and sin against God though never so fouly ; and if a holy Duty be to be performed , pressed with all the moral Arguments in the world , if the Lords spirit afford them not assistance and strength , immediately they are not able , they are unfit & unable to do that which they are required : and from hence ariseth all the infirmities of Gods people ; and herein you may see there is a corrupt nature in part remaining . There are likwise external objects that would stir up this corrupt nature , temptations from the Devil that would inflame it , when these stir and Gods spirit doth not assist , then are all the Lords people so weak and feeble , that infallibly they sin against him ; and this is the nature of the sins of infirmity , that is the first ; The second thing I would cleer is this . Secondly , What kinds there are of them , ( because that will further acquaint you , for indeed my aim is that all the Saints of God may see the frame of their own spirits ( as it were ) in a Glass , that so afterwards you may learn how needful the Lord Jesus Christ is to us , then the second question is , ) What kinds of infirmities are the people of God subject to ? To that I answer , They may all be brought to these two Heads , they are either , First , Such as are not common to all the Saints , No , nor to any of Gods Children except upon special desertion ; or else , Secondly , They are such as all Gods people while they live in this world are dayly compassed about with : For the first of them , I. There are Infirmities ( I say ) which are not common to all Gods people , No , nor to any of them unless when very extraordinarily deserted of God , and they are such as when the Servants of God do seem to pour their hearts out into wicked waies , and commit those sins that are publickly to the dishonor of the Lords Gospel , to the wasting of their own Consciences , to the defiling of their own holy waies , to the scandal of Gods people : as suppose , to live in Adultery , in Uncleanness , in wantonness , Cursing , Swearing , Drunkenness , false dealing and the like ; Now two things I would say about this . 1. That somtimes Gods own Children for a season are left under such a condition ; David you know even when he was the Child of God , took his neighbors Wife into his bosome , and most wickedly plotted to take away her Husbands life , and did take it away ; Peter Cursed , and Banned , and Swore and counterfeited himsel● to be a prophane person , that he might not be thought to be a follower of Christ : So that such things & many other instances I might give you , that in the greatest the most flagitious way , wherein a man may seem to be turned from Christ , and betake himself into the Tents of his enemies , to fight against him , as if he would be a Ranter against him , such a thing may befal a Child of God : But then I adde , 2. But this is not the Lot of all , No , nor of any but when extraordinarily deserted , and that is cleer by this , because throughout all the tennor of the Gospel it is sufficiently declared , that these are not the spots of Gods Children , these are not the waies of the Saints , these are the waies in which whosoever walks cannot be saved , and therefore what their condition is I shal tel you by and by , ( God willing ) when I come to cleer it : But that is one sort , that it is possible the corruption may be so strong , the assistance of Gods spirit so wholly withdrawn , and the temptation so mighty , as that a Child of God for want of strength may fall into the foulest mire and filth in the world ; That is one sort . II. There are other sorts of Infirmities , which all the Saints are compassed about with every day that they live , and it is rare that any of them spend a day either without al of them or some of those infirmities , and if you wil know what they are , I answer , There are three kinds of them , and I think all the infirmities of the Saints wil fal under one of them , and I purposely open them that you might have a Glass to see your faces in . 1. Some and very many of the infirmities of the Saints of God , they are meerly the infirmities of their understandings , that is , sins of ignorance , that they do the things that are contray to God , contrary to his will , but do not know Gods mind about them , and from this sort no man upon earth is free ; Who knows the errors of his life ? and I think verily under this head fals those sins of the Patriarchs , of the holiest men that walked with God , whose hearts were perfect with God , they had their many Wives , they had their Concubins too , not knowing that this was against the Institution of God. And so likwise in the sin of omission , as you shal see there was from Joshuah's time to Nehemiah's time , one of the great solemn Feasts , that is , the Feast of Tabernacles was never kept , according to Gods institution for a thousand years together , that they were by Gods institution to keep it not in their own houses , but to go to live in Booths in the Fields for that time , & it is said expresly from Joshua to Nehemiah that that Feast had never been so kept , that either they had forgotten it or the generations were unacquainted : But now when Gods people do any of them in their speeches or actions , do the things that are indeed contrary to Gods wil , but especially not knowing it to be so , and yet their hearts prepared , that if the Lord would but discover his mind to them , they would follow him in all things , and yet this is one sort that all Gods people are liable to in the world : But I tel you ( by the way ) that were but this one thing understood , it would go a great way to make the Servants of God less harsh than they are one to another : The Lord give them so much light to own it , he sees such a thing as cleer as the Sun to be the institution of God , or the mind of God , or the way of God , in this or that Duty , of the first or second Table , and then because he sees it , he is ready to condemn all the world as rebelling against God , for not being of his practice , because the Lord ( it may be ) lets not them see it : But that is one sort , sins in the understanding when Gods wil is not known . 2. Another sort of these infirmities when the thing is known , it is known that such a thing is contrary to God and I ought not to do it , but yet by a sudden hurry of temptation , when the violence of temptation surpriseth the Soul , many times before ever it can recollect it self , it is carried down with the temptation even against a cleer light , yea , carried against it , as if a Cock-boat should be carried down a strong stream , & they have not so much time to cal themselves to an account , to think whether these things become them or no ; And thus it was with Aaron that Saint of the Lord , he could not but know that to make a Calf , it was destructive to the Covenant of Grace that God had made with them , it was a kind of implicite renouncing of God , but a sudden temptation came , all the people came saying , make us a resemblance of God , Moses is gone , we wil have it , he was surprised before ever he could recollect himself . And so Moses that holy meek man , when a sudden temptation came , that the madness of the people had vexed him , that he could not recollect himself , he speaks so unadvisedly with his lips to Gods dishonor , and this no man is free from , but some in one part , some in one kind and some in another , all Gods people before they are aware are many times carried away and surprised before they can recollect themselves to know what their duty is ; But yet there is a third sort , and that seems to go deeper , and that is , 3. When they do not only know it to be a sin , but deliberatly commit it , I mean , that the heart is tempted to such a thing , saith the soul it is abominable , it is against God , I will not do it , but betakes it self to prayer , prayes the Lord to assist and strengthen him , the temptation comes again and gathers upon him , that though he do resist it yet he hath not strength enough to overcome it , & the ground of it was , because the holy Spirit who is a free agent , communicates so much strength to him as to stir up his graces , and to draw them out into the Field in Gods Cause , and to oppose the Enemy , and gives him some strength to resist it , but not strength enough to overcome it , but leaves him unfit and without sufficient strength against that temptation ; and of this I think the Apostle Paul mainly means in all his discourse in Rom. 7. where in the Person of a Regenerate man he saith , The thing I would not do , I do , and when I would do good , Evil overcomes me , I would not do the Evil , yet it is too strong for me , & then complains , Wretched man that I am , I am even sold under it : Now ( I think ) under one of these three fal al the common infirmities of all that love Jesus Christ in sincerity , they are either meer Ignorances that they know not Gods mind , or they are else sudden surprises , hurried away before they can cal their hearts and graces to act , and have strength to assist them , or else the Lord lets out a greater measure of the power of the Enemy to assault than he is pleased to communicate to the soul to resist ; and under one of these ( I say ) do all the infirmities of Gods people fal in their ordinary course : Now the third thing ( which when I have briefly dispatched then I wil go to the next , which is the great question , ) is , Thirdly , How this may be known ; and I wil speak to it the rather because I find there is no man in the world that lives , ( within the compasse of the Church I mean ; ) but is wonderous desirous to have all his lusts and corruptions to be adopted into the name of an infirmity , and when they have brought them under that Burrow , then they are wonderful safe in their own eyes ; the man that Keeps a harlot , and nourisheth his wanton vain glory , or whatsoever it be , convince him of it , I ( saith he ) God helpe me it is my infirmity no man lives without his infirmities , and when they have once got them under that name of an infirmity then all that you say concerning Jesus Christ's relief against their daily sins , it is all their own , though God knows they are as far from it , as the East is from the West : And on the other side , I find many a real Servant of God , that if their corruption have any thing in it that carries horridness to the Conscience , any strange distemper that is more than ordinary , and assaults them , and buffets them , and treads them under foot , Then they are ready to think that all the world cannot satisfie them that these are but infirmities , these cannot be the spots of Gods people : And so that neither the Lords own Servants may be discouraged , nor wicked men get a Cloak , I would a little discover how you may cleerly know , what are the infirmities of the Saints , and wherein they differ from the rebellions of those that are the Lords Enemies , and for that I wil give you 1. One Rule that is Negative , and , 2. Another that is Positive . 1. Negative : You must take this , That an infirmity must not be judged of by the matter of the sin , not one whit judged of by the matter , but only from the disposition and qualification of the Person that commits it ; my meaning plainly is this , We are ready to think that those sins that are but petty and trivial , they must all have the names of infirmities , and those sins the matter whereof are odious , those must not go for infirmities : Now this is a most false Rule , for a sin that is a very trifle , if it be but an idle word , vain thought , petty oath , any such thing , as it may be committed , may be a reigning sin , and a path of the way that leads to eternal damnation , according as the Person is that commits it , and on the other side even a great sin for the matter of it , should it be Murder and Adultery , ( I instance in them because they both met in David ) possible it is that the things may so fal out that these may be but infirmities , therefore remember that is a corrupt Rule , and all you that please your selves with this , that God keeps you from the great abhominations , you are no Whoremasters , you keep not a Harlot , and you are no Cozeners nor Cheaters in your Trade , though it may be your Oaths are Faith and Troth , and prittle prattle , and slighting of holy Duties , you wil have these things pass for infirmities , No , you wil see this is no Rule . That is one , remember you must not judge of infirmities from the matter but only from another Rule which I wil give you , and that is this , 2. Whosoever can but rightly judge of an infirmity of the body , hath a cleer Rule to direct him to an infirmity of the Soul : Now all infirmities of the body they have all of them these three things constantly go with them . The first is , 1. They never are our choyce , That that is our infirmity never is our Choyce , that I think I shal not need much to discourse of , I have such an infirmity , I want strength in me , I , strength in my Limbs , in so much as if any body say , Come pra'y , will you walk , If I walk I must halt every step I go , But would you have it so ? Do you make choyce of it to be so ? Now there is a mans infirmity , he never makes any choyce of it ; Though it is possible in spiritual things there may be something of the wil in temptations , yet no man ever saith , Lord , give me leave to be a Deceiver , or a proud man and the like , No , if it be an infirmity we never make choyce of it . Secondly , 2. If it be an Infirmity , it is perpetually a burden , and according to the nature of it , so the burden is greater or lesser ; And so a man that hath an infirmity in his body , if it be in a noble part his Eye , Oh! it is a great burden to him , if his infirmity be in a very useful part , in his Foot , every step he takes goes to the heart of him , if it be an infirmity in his breast where the Lungs lie , Oh! that is a wonderful burden ; According as the part or faculty is useful , so a weakness there is accordingly a proportionable burden : So now wheresoever any Child of God hath any passions , any corruptions stirring in him to hinder him in his enjoyment of God , or walking with him , they are his greatest burdens in the world , no affliction goes so neer to a man that hath given up himself to walk in the way to Heaven , as that that keeps him from walking in the way to Heaven , that interrupts his peace , and disturbs him in that way : So if it be thy infirmity the Soul chuseth it not ; Secondly , It is a burden unto it . And then the third is , 3. That in an infirmity alwaies there is a desire of curing it , that though beforehand I may know I can never cure it totally , yet if I can but cure it so as to be less burdensome ; if I could cure it wholly whatsoever it cost I would , yet , if not cure it wholly yet to keep it under : So here every Child of God whose end is God , whose way is Gods word , he finds his flesh that that hinders him he cannot walk in it , doth he make nothing of it ? No , it is his dayly practice to crucifie it , to put off the Old man with all the lusts of it ; No Chyrurgion more desirous to mortifie a member that must needs be cut off , than a Saint is to draw out the life blood of every corruption he bears about him : And truly because I see the time hath so prevented me that I shal be hindred I would else have stopped here , and made some Application of this , but I wil only beg of you ( because I am in the next question to open a great deal of comfort to every Child of God I beg of you ) for the Lords sake deceive not your selves about it , think not that all that shal be spoken of Christs being a relief against the corruptions of his people wil reach you , you that sel your selves to unrighteousness , you that would not be made clean , and have no mind that the Lord should rend your Harlot from you , but your credit and reputation you must have , whether it wil stand with Gods or no : Flatter not your selves to think that the Blood of Christ wil be your Propitiation , and that he appears for you , No , you have nothing to do with him , you choose your waies of sin , and the Text hath told you a little before , That if any man talk of Communion with God and with Christ , and walk in darkness , that man is a Lyar and hath no truth in him : But if any of you your Consciences bear witness to what I have delivered , that your heart is in Gods way , Gods word is your way , your aim is at it every day in every thing , only you are surprised , you want light , and strength , and ability to stand it out when you are put to it , Now for that come we to the second Question , and that is , Secondly , To shew you how the Lord Christs Intercession in Heaven is a sufficient relief to al his Children , against all their corruptions they bear about them : And I know ( before I enter about it ) I may say in so great an Assembly , all those that are the Lords they wil much more desire to have a relief about their corruptions , than about the greatest afflictions that betide them in all the world . For I know no such evil that the people of God lie under as their sins in their own apprehensions . Now then the Question is . How doth the Lord Jesus Christ's being in Heaven serve as a relief to Gods people under their many infirmities ? And to that I shal bring my Answer to two Heads , according as I laid down two sorts of infirmities , I told you there is one sort of infirmities that is not common to all , nor to any of Gods people unless when wofully deserted . Now the Question to that is , Quest. 1. What is the Intercession of Jesus Christ unto the Saints under such abhominable fals ? What Relief is the Intercession of Christ to David when he lies in Adultery ? To Peter when he denies his Master ? and to others when they fal into the like sins , What is the interecession of Christ to them ? Answ. That I shal dispatch very briefly , and I will lay you down what I have found to be the Lords mind in these two Conclusions . First , 1. That during the time that any of the Lords people do rant , after that maner against him , fal in that way against him , the intercession of Christ is so far from affording comfort to them , that it is the greatest aggravation of their sins , and Christs being related to them and so their being related to him , doth make their sin beyond al measure sinful ▪ that is the first . Now , a child of God turning rebell against his Father while he lies under this rebellion , ( the intercession of Jesus Christ indeed our selves know upholds him and grace wil bring him home as I shal speak by and by but during that time ) he is interdicted al communion with God through Jesus Christ. Many are the evidences I could give you of it in the Scripture , what was Ephraim ? God saith he is his dear Child , but if he joyn himself to Idols , let him alone ( saith he ) let him alone , he is joyned to Idols let him alone , I wil meet him as a Bear robbed of her whelps , I will meet him as a Lion or as a Leopard , I wil tear the very Caul of his heart . And the Prodigal all the while he had run away from his Father , and wasted his goods amongst his harlots , his Father lets him alone , let him starue and giue up the Ghost , he never inquires at al after him ; and had I time I could shew you abundance of particulars to make this good , that the Lords People when they fal into flagitious scandalous waies , they make them so abominable , that in regard of Gods glory & the good of the Church , it had bin better they had never bin born then commit them , they do so harden the wicked , so dishonor God , so deeply defile their own Consciences , that here is nothing can be said for any men that they have any part in Christ , while they are given up to such waies ; No , ( saith God ) Know you not that no Whoremonger , nor Adulterer shall come into the Kingdom of Heaven ? they are as it were interdicted from all right of entring into Heaven , while they are in that condition , That is the first : But then Secondly , 2. When the Spirit of God awakens them to repentance , that they grow sensible of their unworthy and unchild-like walking ; then the intercession of Christ so far is for them , that there is a free access to come to the Lord , to be in his Book , and to enjoy Peace with him , as if never any such thing had been committed by them at all . Though the sins of Gods people , when they are thus egregious , are beyond al measure sinful , and do exceeding mischief to others , notwithstanding all this if once the soul be but humbled , and that they consider what they have done against God , and how they have provoked him and injured him , Christ in Heaven prevails that there is no bar in the world against their acceptance , but the Lords Arms stand open to receive them as freely , as if the things had never been done by them ; and of this you have a world of Evidences . I wil give you but two instances of it , and one is that of Ephraim , The Lord saith to him he was his dear Child , but all the while he walked after that manner the Lord spit in his face and would not own him , but you shal read of him in Jer. 31.18 . saith the Lord , I saw Ephraim bemoaning himself ; mark there , Ephraim was come home by weeping Cross , What did he do ? ( saith he ) I saw him bemoaning himself : Oh! I have been an untamed Heifer , the Lord hath chastised me and I was chastised , but I was like a Bullock that would not bear the Lords Yoke , Turn thou me , and I shal be turned , for thou art the Lord my God , surely after that I was turned I repented , and after that I was instructed , I smote upon my Thigh , I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth ; When this Spirit had seized upon him , mark what follows , The Lord stands behind the Curtain and hears his Child thus bemoaning , and what saith he ? Ephraim is my dear Child , he is a pleasant Child , for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him stil , therefore my bowels are troubled for him , I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord ; He breaks out , he can bear no longer , when once he had a Christ and Mediator in Heaven , and when once he was but sensible of it , the Lords bowels yerned towards him presently : And that other Instance is the example of the Prodigal in Luke 15. that the Lord intended to be the Pattern of those Children that should run away and be brought home again by Grace , all the while that Wretch ran away and spent his goods , his Father regarded him no more than his elder brother did when he came home , but when the man was broken , I have a Father ( saith he ) And I wil go to my Father and confess I am not worthy to stand before him , and when he came tattered and lousie home , the Text saith his Father ran to meet him , as if he should have said , No more of that ( Son ) come bring him in , kill the fatted Calf , and put a Ring upon his Finger ; and quiets his Elder Brother , and it is fit it should be so , thy brother is come home again ; I speak this the rather because if there should be any one here to hear me this day that hath run away from God , and the Lord hath touched thy heart and thou beginnest to think how thou hast wronged him , the Lord Jesus Christ hath made thy peace , the door is open that thou maiest come freely to him , as if there had never any such thing been . As in Hosea 14. the latter end , When Ephraim shal say , Come take words and say , Father receive us gratiously : I wil heal him freely ( saith he : ) There is the first Question answered . I was the shorter in this because I would gladly hope there are none such here so wofully deserted of God , as when they have received a new life that they should give up themselves desperately to walk in waies contrary to him . Quest. 2. But now for the other question which is the lot of al the Saints of God , I know there is no man heares me this day that hath any thing of the life of Christ in him , but he carries a body of death about him , whereby he is surprised one way or other ; or for want of sufficient strength he is overcome , now such an one must know that when it is thus with him he hath a great reliefe by Christ Jesus his appearing at the right hand of God for him ; wherein lies that , I wil open in four or five particulars with a very short application added . Four conclusions I would set you downe about Christs being a reliefe to his Children against their daily corruptions their infirmities , The first is . 1. That Jesus Christ doth pitty in heauen , he pities his Children under their sinful infirmities , as much as any Parents pity their Children under their bodily infirmities ; that is the first . That the Lord Christ who is their high Preist , their suretie ? he hath compassion upon them in their infirmities , and pitties them under them , as Parents use to pittie their Children that lie under bodily infirmities ; no body I hope wil mistake me , when I say pity , I mean not such workings of bowels and passions in Heaven , which we poor men are subject to upon earth , but somewhat that is like to it , somewhat that carries the thing in it and that you wil find cleerly in Scripture , the Psalmist saith , in Psalm . 103. when he cals up himselfe to blesse the Lord there for al his goodnesse , and tells us the Lord heals his infirmities , surely he means his spiritual infirmities , and there he blesseth God that pities them even as a Father pities his own Children . And we have an high Priest ( saith the Apostle ) that cannot but compassionate our infirmities , though he was without sin himselfe , yet he hath a compassionate heart And there is one passage which if you will but read when you come at home , it would give you abundance of satisfaction , it is in Ezekiel 34. in the midst of the Chapter , the Lord there quarrels with the wretched Shepeard that goared some of his Sheep , and trod others under foot , and killed some , and fleeced some , and when he comes to reckon with him , he tels him that he would send the Lord Jesus , and that he was the good Shepeard , and what he would do , and there he sets down all the infirmities that Sheep are subject to , I seek them that are lost , some of them wander , I seek them that are lost , others of them are driven away , by a violent temptation , I wil fetch back that which is driven away ( saith the Lord , ) then others of the Lords Sheep are wounded , I will heal that that is wounded , wounded in their Consciences with guilt , the Lord wil heal them , others of them their very Limbs are broken , I wil bind up that that is broken ; and compare that with another place where some of them are unable to stir , I wil lay them upon mine own Shoulders and bring them home ; Mark , If they wander , be driven away , wounded , broken , lamed and spoiled , he hath a heart sutably compassionate to them all ; that is One , Jesus Christ compassionates us under our sinful infirmities , as we Parents do our Children under their bodily infirmities , we are far from loving them the less for them : But if any one ( by the way ) should ask , If he do so , Why doth he not heal them ? Stay but while I come to the last Conclusion and that wil satisfie you ; that is the first . Secondly , 2. Jesus Christ at his Fathers right hand prevails that the sinful infirmities of his People , make no breach in the league of love that is betwixt God and them ; mark what I say , his Intercession prevails for them , he bearing their names , and pleading their cause , prevails that there is no breach made in Gods good will towards them : But even as it is with us that have a poor Child that goes about to do our work , and oftentimes spoils it when he would fain do it , and somtimes forgets to do it when yet he had a mind to do it , we knowing the frame of the Child , we kiss it notwithstanding ; So God is such a gracious Father through Jesus Christ to his people , that notwithstanding al our infirmities the Lord never breaks his league of love , but we may go to him and pray to him , and call him Father , leave our supplications with him , and make that use of him as the Covenant of Grace holds him out to all his people , as freely in the midst of all our infirmities , as if we were quite delivered from them : Now this the Scripture is wonderful plain in , I could turn you to a great many , That Speech of Micah is admirable , Who hath such a God as we have ? Why , what is our God ? He passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his Inheritance , he never looks after them , or if any one shew him them , he casts them behind his back , drowns them in the depth of the Sea , never laies them to the charge of them that fear him : Thou art a dead hearted Creature and canst not pray without wandring , and do nothing as becomes thee , but thy own flesh rangles with it , that al is an abhomination in thy own eyes that thou doest , thou hast a friend in Heaven that presents all to God as if there were no blemish in them : Thou art all fair , my Dove there is no spot in thee . Is not this good news to all those that endeavor to walk with Christ in sincerity ? The first is , He pities them under them ; The second is , He prevails that there is no breach made betwixt God and the Soul because of them ; Thirdly , Another which is a very great one , and that is . 3. Jesus Christ gives his Spirit unto his People to relieve their infirmities ; The Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities , you have that expression in Rom. 8. That the Lord Christ our Mediator doth give his holy Spirit to help us against our infirmities , What is that ? I humbly conceive that Christ helping his Saints against their infirmities signifies these three things , possibly it may signifie more , but these three ( me thinks ) are very cleer , The one is , 1. The Lords Spirit helps the Lords People so about their infirmities , that they shal not be quite overrun with them ; I , he doth as he said to the Sea , the proud waves of it when they come roaring , hitherto you shal go ; there you shal stop ; So the Spirit of God keeps our corruptions in bounds , otherwise he whose corruption is gotten loose and taints his understanding with a speculation , that would carry him on to action , and so to an habitualness ; No , ( saith the spirit of God ) here I wil stop you , you shal go no further ; that is one . It is through the help of Gods Spirit only , that the strength of every corruption that assaults us , makes us not act it to the very height of it ; As when I walk with a man that hath overthrown me , then I am in his power , he may cut my Throat if I had not some friends to succor me ; Gods Spirit succors us that Satan and our corruptions should not totally subdue us . Secondly , 2. He raiseth us up again when corruption hath brought us down ; for you must know ( Brethren ) and that you wil easily understand , that the nature of sin is such that when a man is committing it , that he would rol down to the bottom of the Hil , and when he is there the waight would lie upon him that he should never rise again : Now the Spirit of God doth like the friend of a Wrastler by him when he hath thrown a man down , he plucks him up again and sets him upon his feet again : So when any thing hath overpoured the Soul , it would never rise again were it not for the Spirit of Christ , but Christs Spirit that is sent to relieve us , sets us again upon our feet ; Yea , Thirdly ( which is more ) 3. The Spirit of Christ so assisteth all his people , that notwithstanding their corruptions be too strong for them , they shal again oppose it , yea , and by degrees get strength against it , Crucifie it , and Mortifie it all . As the Apostle expresseth it in Rom. 8. that when our corruptions are most potent , by the help of the Spirit you shal mortifie and crucifie the deeds of the Body ; thus doth Christ for all his people , he doth not only compassionate , and keeps peace with God for them , but keeps their corruptions in some bounds that they do not quite over run them , or when they have prevailed in part ; sets them up again , yea , and gives them strength to get up again : And then Fourthly and Lastly , ( and then I draw to a Conclusion , ) which is the Mystery of all the rest , and that is this , 4. The Lord Jesus appearing in Heaven for his People doth not only thus succor them , but like a Heavenly Physitian maketh Treacle of these Bites , he doth his Children Good by their Corruptions , and helps them more on in their way to Heaven , even by the opposition of their corrupt natures . This I acknowledg to flesh and blood is a mystery not to be opened , but you will see it cleerly to be so , only understand me thus , When ( I say ) the Lord wil do his people good by their sinful infirmities , I mean not that there is any thing in the nature of a corruption that can contribute to it , No , all that is in a corruption is deadly and poysonful , and dishonorable to God ; but as one of the Fathers said of Adams fall , Oh! happy fall that did obtain such a Redeemer ! So ( you will say ) happy are the People of God in the midst of their corruptions , when the Lord Jesus doth them so much good by them : Now if you will know what is the good he doth to them , I acknowledg I want strength and time , and you would want Patience if I should discourse of them at large , I wil name but four Particulars and the naming of them wil confirm you in the truth of them , if you compare them with the experiences of all Gods people . The first is this , 1. By the Corruptions that the Saints of God carry about them , the Lord keeps them in a continual self-abhorrency , which is the most excellent frame on this side Heaven . I know what I speak , that there is no frame of Spirit in this world so excellent as a self-abhorring Spirit , taken but with the next branch that you shall hear of presently , now nothing laies all Gods people so low as their corruptions ; I tell you if the Saints of God had all the afflictions in the world lay upon them , were it not for their own corruptions they would rather be proud of their afflictions , they are ready oft-times to murmur against God , as David and Job were tempted to it , I have walked with God in my integrity and simplicity , and yet I must thus be made worse than others ; Oh! that would be grievous ; but now when the Soul is sensible of its own corruption , dead heart , unprofitable Spirit , and the like , then wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from it ? I say again , nothing in the world keeps Gods people so low as their corruptions , and that is a great gain ; Augustin had a Speech That God would rather allow Lust to keep his Grace humble , than Grace to make his heart proud ; Oh! nothing so abasing as the relicks of corruption , which exceedingly advantages Gods Children ; The Second Advantage is , That as it makes us very low in our own eyes , so , 2· It wonderfully magnifies Christ , Oh! it maketh Jesus Christ most precious nothing makes Christ so precious to the Saints of God , as the Corruptions that they bear about them : Nay , I will add more , that had Jesus Christ forty years ago done the work , satisfied for sin , and made me stand in Gods favor , and now I had no more need of him , I should quickly forget him ; As suppose a man had forfeited his estate , and his Life forty years ago , and some dear friend buys all , and gives him all , and sets him up again , now forty years after he hath traded and grown Rich by his own Wit and strength , surely he cannot but remember how he was beholding to that friend , forty years ago ; I , but he would never remember him so well , as he would that friend that should do that every day for him , I live upon his Table and Almes every day , and yet he Loves me never a whit the less : So when a Soul remembers I was a dead Man , an enemy , and Christ brought me , and not only so but every day I forfeit all , and grieve God , and shall bring ruine upon my self , mark how Paul concludes it in Rom. 7. when he said , Oh wretched man ! Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death ? I thank God through Jesus Christ ; Oh! Christ Jesus his appearing it was dear to Paul. Now here is a wonderful gain beyond all the Righteousness of this world , if the Saints of God had in their course as much Righteousness as the glorified Saints in Heaven , and the Angels in Heaven have , it were not so glorious to God in this administration , as a spirit that magnifies Christ and abaseth it self , and this is wonderfully advanced by the reliques of corruption that we bear about us ; Thirdly , Another great benefit is , 3. Hereby doth the Lord temper his People , to make them submit quietly , to every bitter Cup the Lord gives them to drink ; Nothing makes the Soul so Patient under affliction , so quiet in the loss of all other things , nothing doth it like to this , Oh! had I my deserts , should the Lord mark mine iniquities , it would not be the loss of a Child would serve my turn , it would not be the clipping off of a piece of my estate , it is mercy I am not destroyed , nothing makes the Soul lay its hand quietly upon its mouth , and quietly submit to every dispensation of God though never so bitter , as the sence of corruption we daily bear about us ; And in the last place . 4. Hereby doth the Lord , wonderfully make his People long to be dissolved and get to Heaven , where they may leave sinning against him ; for whatsoever carnal People may think , there is nothing so grievous to the people of God as sinning against him , and when they shal come to die , when they shall put off mortality and leave off dishonoring his name it is more welcome to them then to be rid of afflictions , and that made Paul long to be in Heaven , because I know while I am in this Body I shal never be with the Lord as I should be , but I long til that day shal come ; Now here is gain , when that corruption , those reliques of it abase thee , and magnifie Christ , and fit thee for every dispensation , and make thee long to be at home with the Lord , and ( I might add ) in the mean time make thee attend conscionably upon all the means that may bring thee to him , and is not here wonderful gain ? So that you may see of what use the intercession of Christ is to al the Saints in the middest of all their sinful infirmities that they bear about them ; I will now dismiss you presently with two short Uses of it . First , USE , 1. This Lesson if truly understood ( for I know it wil be a hard thing to keep wicked men from laying hands upon it : but I think Gods mind is , that his own Servants should have their portion whosoever abuse it , but ) here they may have a constant relief against that which is their greatest burden , I am sure of it , if thou beest the Lords , no burden like thy corruptions , and thy other afflictions would be easily born by thee if so be corruptions did not aggravate them in thy own apprehensions ; Now if the world were given thee , it would not be such a succor as this to thee , when thou canst say in all thy wandrings , Oh! I have talked with many a Soul , Oh! never such an unprofitable wretch as I ( saith one , ) I think no one hath such a forgetful head as I ( saith another , ) and none have such impetuous affections as I ( saith another , ) Oh! but doest thou remember that he is at Gods right hand that gave himself for thee , and in an acceptable day carries thee home , and carries thee stil in his bosom , how he appears for thee every day in the midst of all thy corruptions , if thou didst know it , it would engage thee to joy , and to every thing that is Holy and Good , the Lord set it home to the hearts of his people , and teach them to apply it to their own Souls in secret . And then Secondly , USE 2. 2. I say to you all from hence : All of you learn what need there is of getting an interest in Jesus Christ , for that is the end of my Sermon , To perswade you to see the need that you have of getting an interest in Jesus Christ. Would you know why ? I wil tel you , Al the sins that you commit ( as you wil commit sins every day you live , but all the sins that you commit ) are all writ down in Gods Book , he numbers your steps though you number them not your selves , he hath your iniquities in a Bag , and the day is coming when he wil cal every one of you to an account , and now ( Friends ) what if you have not a Daies-man or a Mediator to appear for you ? I remember Ely said , Oh my Sons ! if men sin against men , men shal speak for them , but who shall speak betwixt the Soul and God ? So you have committed innumerable sins , and your own hearts and Consciences tel you more than any man can charge you with , How wil you do to appear before God ? What if you have not a Mediator , the Lord Jesus that is a Propitiation for our sins ? What a woful case are you in ? Take heed you do not imbrace a Cloud , but study Christ and get found Faith in him , and if Christ be yours , you are secure : but look to it or your case is dangerous , I dare not stay you any longer : The Lord give us understanding in all things . FINIS THE HIGH PRIVILEDG Of all True BELIEVERS To be the SONS of GOD. Opened in a Sermon at Suttons Hospital , Novemb. 12. 1654. John , 1.12 , 13. But as many as received Him , to them gave he power to become the Sons of God , even to them that beleeve in his Name , Which were Born not of Blood , Nor of the will of the Flesh , Nor of the will of Man , But of God. THe dependance of the Words stands thus . First , You have in the beginning of the Chapter a most glorious Description of Jesus Christ , both of his person , and of his Natures , and of his Office , under the Name of the Light that inlighteneth every one that cometh into the World. Then , Secondly , You have a description of his Entertainment in the World , when this great Lord submitted to this work , and manifested himself : What was his entertainment ? First , He came into the world , and though the world were made by him , Yet the world would not know him , he came amongst his own , that is , his own nation and kinred , who had been instructed about a Messiah that was to come , and had long prayed for him , Oh! that he would bow the Heavens and come down amongst us ; he came amongst them , and they would none of him , they would not receive him . Truly , this is the ordinary lot of Jesus Christ wheresoever he cometh , but yet there were a remnant that did receive him and shal receive him , even those that belong to the Covenant of Grace . And what get they by it ? That Remnant , that handful that do receive Christ , make the best bargain that ever was made in the world : As many as did receive him , to them he gave this priviledg , that they should become the Sons of God ; and so here you have the comprehension of all the happiness that Beleevers do receive by Jesus Christ , they are made the Sons of God ; so that the Text hath two things in it . First , 1. Here is the Means whereby Souls are made partakers of Christ ; that is , upon receiving of him , that is the means and condition or instrument . All that receive him , which is interpreted in the next words , even they who believed in him , Believing in Christ , and Receiving Christ is al one ; This though it be a Doctrine of wonderfull comfort I shall speak nothing of it , but of the second ; That is , 2. The benefit that they all receive who do partake of Christ , what they get by him : They all of them have this priviledg or Prerogative , That they are made the Sons of God ; and so without any more preparation to the Text , or explication ( for the Doctrine I will explain in the handling of it , I say , ) without any more preface I lay you down this Doctrine , Doct. That al who believe in Jesus Christ are made the Sons of God , the Children of God. And that you may receive this with better attention , I will ( to make you the better understand the Lord's scope ) answer a Question , that is this . Quest. You say it is very cleer in the Scriptures that al Beleevers are made the Children of God , that is one of their Priviledges , but what is the reason that no more is named but that one ? They are Justified , they are Sanctified , they have the Promises , they are Reconciled , they have a thousand excellencies in this world , yet here is none named but only this , they are made Sons , Why is no other named but this ? Answ. I Answer plainly , and it will be of great use to understand it , namely , that though somtimes in the holy Scriptures our Sonship is but one of our Priviledges , yet very frequently in the Scripture all that Beleevers do obtain from Christ in this world and the world to come , here and to eternity , all is comprehended in this one , That they are made the Children of God. Really you wil see it as cleer as the Sun presently , that God comprehends all other priviledges in this one ; that he that hath this one , he that is made the Son of God , he hath all other that can be imagined , or that you can find any Speech of , in al the Book of God , so great is this . And I wil give you a little light about it , and then you wil receive the Doctrine ( I hope ) with the more attention , and with the more desire to see your own Interest in it ; You shal see ( and observe it as a general ) that very frequently , when the Lord describeth the Covenant of Grace , the new Covenant what he wil be to his people in the new Covenant , he is very frequent in the setting down of this , I wil be their Father ( saith he ) and they shall be my Sons and Daughters ; I know not how often the whol Covenant of Grace is expressed in that word , I wil be their Father , they shal be my Children : but very cleerly you shal see it , if you turn to Ephes. 1.5 . where the Apostle doth bless the Lord for all the abundant Grace that is manifested to us in Christ , there he sets it down in this one expression , having predestinated us to the adoption of Children : What is al that ? Al the Graces & al the Good that we enjoy from Christ , you have it in this one Sentence , God predestinated us to the adoption of Children ; he hath done all when he hath done that . And therefore upon that very account it is that you shall see in Rom. 8.23 . where the Apostle speaks there of the Groaning of the Saints , the rest of the Creatures groan , & al the Saints groan for the glorious coming of Jesus Christ , To what end ? ( saith he ) That we might receive the Adoption ; that is , the perfecting of our Sonship . Now we have Heaven it self when we have but our Sonship made , that is plain ; and you wil see it still plainer in the Epistle to the Galatians , Chap. 4 and the beginning , the Apostle there speaking of Christs coming as our Surety , When the fulness of time was come the Lord sent his Son Jesus Christ , made of a Woman , under the Law , and made him a Curse , To what end ? that we might receive the adoption of Children ; there is all . But that the time would prevent me having many things to deliver , I might go on to shew you more Scriptures that fully prove this truth , That to be made a Son of God is to have the comprehension of all that is obtained by Jesus Christ ; so that this is no smal Theam that I am entred upon , and I hope if the Lord help me but to make it out to you in this hours discourse , you will before you part , conclude they are happy men that have gotten an interest in Christ by Faith. This premised now I come to the demonstration of the Doctrine , That all who have really accepted of Christ for their Savior , they are all of them made the Sons of God ; that is the Doctrine . Now to explain it , You must know that God is said to have Sons , or to be a Father in the Scripture in many senses ; I may bring them all to these two heads for my purpose . 1. Sometimes the Lord is said in a Metaphorical sense to be a Father in divers cases , and yet he is not properly a Father , he neither hath the bowels of a Father , to those whom he cals Sons in that sense , nor have they the bowels of Children , who cal him Father in that sense , for all the whol Creation he is the Father of them all in that respect , That their being is from him and their dependance upon him and the like : But then Secondly , 2. God is said to have Sons properly , and I explain when I say properly , I mean Sons so that really he is a Father to them , hath the heart of a Father , the bowels of a Father , whatsoever is desirable in a Father ; and they on the other side properly are his Children , in being unto him what Children are unto a Father : Now in this sense God is said in the Scripture to have Sons two waies , two sorts of Sons . The one is , 1. Natural , Begotten by him , in which begetting or generation his own essence is communicated , that as we beget a man , so in that begetting God may be said to beget a God , or a Person that hath the essence of God ; this is one sense , and in this sense he hath no Son but our Lord Jesus Christ , who was eternally begotten by him , and is God over all , blessed forever ; and it is blasphemy for any but Christ Jesus to challenge to be the Son of God in that sense ; and therefore the Scribes and Pharisees were right when they told Christ , he did blaspheme because he called himself the Son of God they were right ( I say ) thus far , that had not Christ been the begotten Son of his Father , and so had the same nature , he had blasphemed in calling himself Gods Son in that sense . But then Secondly , 2. But God hath other Sons to whom he is properly a Father , and those are by Adoption , which you frequently read of in the Scriptures , especially of the new Testament , where all Saints and Beleevers have the Adoption , are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God ; Thus I have brought you to it , that Beleevers are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God concerning which I shal ( the Lord assisting me ) in the Doctrinal part open these three things to you , and the other shall be the Application so far as the Lord shall help me in the compass of the time ; Three things in the Doctrinal part : The first is , 1. What this means , what it is to be an adopted Son of God. Secondly , 2. How this priviledg of being made the Son of God by Adoption is wrought , that you may see it is not a Fancy , I wil shew you how it is wrought and brought about , and by it those that will be willing and Faithfull may be able to judg of their own condition , whether they are the adopted Children of God or not . And then Thirdly , 3. I wil shew you , in somwhat a more general way , What this adoption , or being made an adopted Child of God , what infinite priviledges it doth comprehend in it . For the first , 1. What it is to be adopted , What is Adoption ? I Answer , Indeed the word was never used in the old Testament , and the reason is because that adoption it was not then known , though there was somthing like it , but in the Roman Empire which was at the height when Christ and his Apostles lived , there the thing that we cal Adoption was as wel known , as almost any thing that belonged to the government of the Empire , the Nature , the Laws of it , the Duties of it too , they were all stated , that our Lawyers have not more cleer Evidences how to set out things that belong to our Law now , than in the Empire of Rome they were acquainted with the whole Laws and Manner and way of adoption , and so because it is of so exceeding great use to shadow out the unexpressable benefits that we have by Christ , the Lord was pleased ( if I may so say ) to adopt into the Covenant of Grace ; And amongst the Romans Adoption it was after this manner , It was the taking of a Person or Persons , who had no natural right to any inheritance , a taking them into a Lawful right , there are various descriptions of it amongst the Romans , but the best of them is this , A lawful act imitating nature , whereby a Person or Persons who have no natural right to an inheritance , are taken in , into a lawful right , and it was done after this manner in a few words , for commonly none but Princes , or Senators , or great Persons did ever adopt any , but this was the way , When there was an agreement made betwixt the Persons that did adopt and the Person to be adopted ( for they never adopted those that were unwilling to it , but when there was an agreement it should be so ) the adopter did carry the Person before the Judges , or into some publick and Lawful Assembly , and there before them al called the Party Son , This is my Son , and from that day forward he was his Son to all rights and purposes in the Roman Laws , as much as if he had begotten him ; ( as you will hear more before I have done my discourse , ) thus it was amongst them . Now accordingly if you wil know in the Gospel Sense , what is Adoption , I describe it thus , It is a gracious Sentence of God the Father , who cals sinners ( if Beleevers ) his Sons for Christ's sake ; I give you this short description : That it is a gracious Sentence of God the Father , whereby he doth call Beleevers though sinners , yet he cals them his Sons for Christs sake ; the very Scripture language , We are called Sons : but yet I think a little plainer take this : It is a gracious work of God , whereby he doth take poor sinners who beleeve in Christ , into that Glorious Condition of being his own Children : All this will by and by be more plain , when I come to shew you what it comprehends in it , but the Lord of his free Grace when he hath brought home a Soul , to make it accept of Christ to be its Savior , then doth he , how unworthy soever that Wretch be , he takes him into the condition of his own Children : That is the first , and I am the shorter in it because the next wil explain it more , The second Question is this , 2. What is this work of Adopting , or how is it done ? and therein I humbly crave your best attention , because I know to you that are the Lords , I am opening the most glorious Priviledg that Christ Jesus hath bought with his blood for you , and it wil be wel worth your understanding , how we that are Children of Wrath come to be made the Children of God. I Answer you then , First , 1. In general , The Adopting of a Soul to be a Child of God is so high a work , that the whol Trinity , the Father , the Son , the Holy Ghost , every one of the three Persons have their distinct work , in Adopting a poor Sinner to be the Child of God ; nor is any man upon Earth ever made the Child of God , til al those three works of the Trinity have passed upon him , so great a matter is it to be made Gods Child : And this wil I open to you in the second place , 2. What the several works of the blessed Trinity are , in making a poor unworthy sinner to become the Child of God. First , 1. The work of the Father . God the Father what is his work in our Adoption ? It stands in two things , you will find them cleerly if you do but study the Scriptures . The first is , 1. From all Eternity the Lord did choose them to be his Children , that when he did first pitch upon them , ( if I may speak of any thing that is first which is eternal ) but when the Lord pitched upon poor Creatures and chose them to life , he chose them to be his Children ; as you have it in Ephes. 1. verse 5. He hath predestinated us to the Adoption of Children , that although he himself had a naturally and only begotten Son , every way pleasing and delightful to him , yet besides this only begotten Son would he have other Children , who with that Son should enjoy him , and serve him , and under that notion he chose to make them his Children ; Not only so , but , 2. When he gave them to Christ , which was likewise a work from all Eternity , When the Lord gave these to Jesus Christ whom he chose to be Sons , he gave them to him under the notion of Brethren ; These are to be thy Brethren , I give them to thee to compleat the work which I have chosen them to , which is to be my Sons , and therefore it is said in that place of the Hebrews , That because the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood , that is , those that the Lord had chosen and looked upon as Children , he that was their Surety must partake of Flesh and Blood : So there is the Fathers work , that from all Eternity he taketh a poor Creature , and saith , This shal be my Son , and he gives him to his Son Christ , These I give as thy Brethren to thee , to bring them to the enjoyment of me ; There is the work of the Father , this I hope is plain . Then Secondly , 2. There is a work of Jesus Christ , What is that ? The work and Office of Jesus Christ in the point of Adoption , that likewise stands in two things . The First is , 1. He was to purchase their Sonship for them ; for though the Father would give it them freely , it should cost them nothing , yet Christ being made their Surety he must purchase it for them , so that the Lord although he was the Heir of all things , yet he condescends by his own Blood , by his own Sufferings , by himself being made a Curse , He condescends to purchase adoption for those that were given him to bring to life . This is plain in Gal. 4. where i● is said , When the fulness of time was come , God sent his own Son born of a Woman , made under the Law , that we might receive the adoption of Sons , that our Adoption as it flows from Christ is the price of his Blood , that is one of the works that Christ doth . The second is this , 2. That when the acceptable hour is come , that the Lord is pleased to bring a Sinner home to Christ , Christ is applied to him as a Brother , that when they are brought to Christ by Faith , Christ cometh to be applied to them as their elder Brother , not only as a Redeemer that hath satisfied God and purchased for them , but when he is made over to them , he is made over to them in his Sonship as wel as in the rest of his works ; so that as our justification ariseth from Christs righteousness being applied to us , so our Sonship arising from Christ as the Son , ( being the only begotten Son of God and our elder Brother ) is applied to us : Yea , I tel you this application of Christ in his Sonship to the Saints is so neer and so close , that although he be the only begotten Son of God , the first born , the Heir of all things , yet by vertue of his application unto Beleevers , they likewise come to be called by God himself his first born : These are high things , but the Scripture is cleer in them , for so you read it in the latter end of Heb. 12.23 . where it is said , that we are come to the new Jerusalem , to an innumerable company of Angels , to the general Assembly , and to the Congregation of the first born whose names are written in Heaven , that all they that are called home to Christ , by reason of their conjunction to their elder Brother , they are the first born of God : and the Lord speaks thus of all his Saints in that place of Exod. in that sense I am speaking , Go ( saith he ) to Pharoah , tel him Israel is my Son : What Son ? My first born , he is my first born because Israel was comprehended in Christ , and Christ looked upon as his Brother , Israel is Gods first born : So here are two of the works of the Trinity in our Adoption , the work of the Father in chusing us to it , and giving us to Jesus Christ as his Brethren , the work of the Son is in purchasing this great priviledg by his Blood , and when the time of Application is come , the making himself over to them in the consideration or notion of an elder Brother , and so they really by their conjunction with him partake of it . There is the second work . 3. There is the work of the Holy Ghost , and til that likewise be past over the Soul , never is any man made the Son of God. The Holy Ghost and his work is so eminent and apparent , that he is called the Spirit of Adoption , that when the Lord gives his Spirit unto his Children , he cals it by the Spirit of Adoption , because it is the great Office of the Spirit to make that great work of Adoption . Quest. Now what is the Holy Spirit 's work about it ? Answ. I Answer , It stands in three things , and you wil see them all cleer in Scripture , ( and I hope I shal have some time for the Application , for I go it over as fast as I can , ) the Holy Ghosts work in making us the Sons of God stands in three things , as it is cleer in the Scripture . The one is , 1. When the acceptable time is come , that the Lord means to make a Soul that is by nature a Child of wrath to become the Child of God , He sends the Spirit of Jesus Christ into that Soul to be a band of union betwixt Christ and that soul , that whereas Christ is to be applied to them as a Brother , and they to be mystically united unto him , the holy Spirit takes this Office upon himself to come and dwel in the heart , as a band of union betwixt Christ and them , that Christ and they should never more be separated , and this work of the pouring out of the Spirit into the Soul , to take possession of him for Christ , and to give the possession of Christ unto him , the Spirit being the band of it , this is the first work of the Spirit as he is the Spirit of Adoption : There is one . The second work of the Spirit is this , 2. That when the holy Spirit comes to make Christ and us one , he as the elder Brother and we as his Brethren inseparably united to him , whereas he findeth us enemies , hateful , hating , that would rather be united to Harlots , to the Creature , to any thing , the Spirit of God works a Child-like heart in them , framing and molding their Spirits , that for the time to come they calling God , Father ( as they have warrant to do ) they likewise shall be made Sons , even in the frame and bent of their spirits , which is very excellently expressed in the very next words to my Text , wherein it is said , He gave them this Prerogative that they should become the Sons of God , which were born ( saith he , mark , ) not of Blood , nor of the wil of the flesh , nor of the will of man , but of God ; Now no longer shal flesh and blood sway them , but being born of God , the Spirit of God gives a new birth and a new life , now they come to have the hearts of Children , that as nature hath planted in the heart of a Child toward the Parent , Honor , and Love , and Reverence , and Obedience , where sin hath not utterly perverted it , this is the natural genius of a Child to his Father . So the Spirit of God molds and frames the Soul , and this the Scripture signifies when it saith , Because you are Sons , God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts , whereby now we can cry Abba Father , now the hearts of them shal stand to God , and be carried to him in Faith and Prayer , as the hearts of Children are naturally carried to their Parents That is the second thing . And then the third and last work of the Spirit ( and so you have all this indeed as plain before you as I can set it out , briefly the Third Work ) is this , 3. This Holy Spirit even as it is the Spirit of Adoption , doth not only unite them to Christ , and frame a sutable disposition in them towards God and Christ , But it abides in them upon all need to witness to their Spirits that this is their condition , to give not only the Seal of it by changing their hearts , but by giving them the comfort of it as they need it in their necessities ; which the Apostle expresseth in those words , it is in Rom. 8. And the same Spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are Gods Children , it carries our hearts to God , and testifies to the Soul that God is their Father . There is the second . Now I have been larger in that , because in truth the world doth not ponder these things , nay few of Gods own Children do ever consider what a strange work it is , that none but the blessed Trinity can undertake , and each of them have their distant work in it , of bringing a poor Child of Wrath to become the Child of God. That is the second . You hear now what Adoption is , and how it is wrought . Now the third thing in the Doctrinal part ( and then I hasten to the Application , ) is , Wel , What are the benefits of it ? Now what are the benefits of our Adoption ? That when the Lord hath took this strange course , and brought about this strange work , Wherein doth the worth of this Priviledg stand ? I answer , You wil receive a great deal of light of it , at least it wil help you to remember it , and understand it the better , if I do illustrate it , by the practice that was amongst the Romans : So their Adoption and the Roman Adoption had three things in it , it carried three things ( as all learned men that have read their Stories and Laws do know ) The first is , 1. When a man was Adopted into a Family , the Family of a Caesar , or the great men , by his Adoption he was cut off from the Family from which he sprung by his natural birth , cut off from it , not simply , but from whatsoever was base or unworthy in that Family , that if his Father were a Slave , and himself by his birth a Slave , it was hereditary to him , or if any blot or infamy stuck upon his family , whatsoever it was , the Adopting of this Person into another Family , wholly cut him off from al the base ignominious slavish bondage , and dangers which belonged to the Family , from which he sprung by his natural birth ; That was the first . The second was , 2. That by his Adoption he was taken as belonging to the Family into which he was Adopted , as much as if he had been begotten by him , he was to have ( by the Laws of the Empire ) the same respect from his adopted Father , the same provision , the same protection , the same immunities whatsoever , that his own begotten Son might claim by nature from the Roman Laws , the adopted Child was instituted in them all . And Thirdly , 3 By his Adoption he had the same right to the inheritance that the begotten Child had ; if there were no other begotten Children , the whol Inheritance sel to the Adopted Child , if there were another begotten Child though beloved , the Adopted shared with him in it , Look how the inheritance was to go amongst the begotten Children by the Laws of the Empire , so by the same Laws it was to go amongst them that were adopted : Thus it was amongst them , but whether any Lawyers can except against it or no I will not much dispute it , but I shal make it cleer to you , that it is thus absolutely and fully in our adoption ; Absolutely and fully in the adoption of a Child by Faith , all these three things meet . First , 1. We are hereby cut off from the Family from which we sprung by nature , I speak not now of our Civil birth or rights , but of our spiritual standing , which is to be Children of wrath , Children of Belial , Children of old Adam , Children of Sin and Death , we are cut off from that Family , no longer to be reckoned of it , the Bondage , Baseness , Obligations , Curses , whatsoever lay or doth lie upon Adams Family , or upon any that spring from it , assoon as ever the Lord cals him Son through Christ , he is wholly cut off from all , that is plainly thus , ( and because I cannot possibly open these in a short discourse , I wil commend it to your studies ) 1. We are ( for example ) all of us by nature under the Dominion of sin , that is our birthright , sin and the curses of it , we are al under it , assoon as ever the Lord cals a Beleever , Child , that he hath let his adoption pass upon him , the bondage of sin , the curse of sin , the dominion of sin , it is wholly removed from him ; ye 〈◊〉 not under sin , sin cannot have dominion over you ▪ because you are now brought under Grace ; And then likewise , 2. The Law whereby sin is irritated and animated , the Law that in the Rigor of it , and the Curse of it , that lies upon all the Sons of Adam , we are cut off from it assoon as ever we are Gods Children ; and therefore the Apostle expresseth it thus to the Galatians , that he made his Son born under the Law , that he might Redeem us that are under the Law , that we might have the Adoption of Children , I hope no Body will mistake me , for it is most clear in the word , that the Law remains as a rule to Gods Children , and that is their priviledg , but as for the Rigor and curse of it , they are wholly cut off from that when they are made the Sons of God by Adoption ; That is the First , That the Lord calling Sons to Jesus Christ , and owning them as his Children for the sake of Christ , they are delivered from all the Curses and bondage that belongs to Adams Family , and which all the Rest of the world lie under : But then the Second is greater then this . And that is , 2. That by our Adoption we are really ( I speak of Beleevers not nominal Christians , but real Christians , they are all of them ) taken into Gods Family as his Sons and Daughters , that is , he owneth them to be his Children , and hath the Bowels of a Father to them really , that they are now under his care , under his provision , under his Protection , under his indulgence , and whatsoever he hath commanded the most Holy Parents to exercise towards their own Children that fear them , he hath ingaged himself perpetually for ever , to do all these things unto those whom he is pleased to cal his Sons and Daughters by Adoption ; There is nothing so ful , no pearle so ful of excellency , there is nothing so ful of any thing that is good , as this is ful of consolation to the saints of God , that can but understand it , therefore he must needs bear with them , therefore he must needs provide for them , therefore if he correct them it must needs be in Love , with nothing but a Fatherly rod , for we are all taken into his Family , and may go to him as to a Father in all things wherein we have need of a Father ; that is the Second , A great comprehension of Priviledges not to be uttered ; And then the Third branch is as clear . 3. That when God calls us to be his Children , we are thereby made his Heires , we are Heires of God ; indeed in the Civil Law inheritance it is by a succession into the right of the Dead , but now as the Lord is pleased to apply it to his Children , it signifies a certain inheritance , but certainly the inheritance that the Lord of Heaven is to give to any , or that he hath given to his Son Jesus Christ , all his Brethren the Brethren of Christ , and the Sons of God have a share in it ; If you wil have it a little more fully , I will tell you in a few words thus , for you have the proof of it in Rom. 8.16 . That the Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God , and if Children then Heirs , Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ : But I mean these two things by it . First , 1. The Heir while he is a Child is Lord of all , he is Lord of al before he comes to the injoyment of it , he is the Lord of it , so now while Gods Children are in their minority , while they are poor ones in this world , they are Heirs of the world , the Lord hath called his Children to be Heirs of the world , that is , whatsoever is in this world is for their sakes , the Angels , the World the Devils in Hel , in spite of their Hearts they are al under the Saints , and are compelled by the Lord , they against their wills , and the Angels with their good wils , they all of them are subservient to those that are the Sons of God by Adoption , and whatsoever is in the wide world , and may be enjoyed any waies for the good of his People , they are the Heirs of all ; this is their Portion while they are in this world ; the Scripture saith it plain , All is yours , and you are Christs , and Christ is Gods , and therefore Paul , and Apollo , or Cephas , or whatsoever is in the world , all is yours , the Saints of God have a real right to al by vertue of their Sonship , not in the Law of man but in the spirituall sense that the Scripture holds out . And then , 2. For the other life , where the prepared possession which was cast by God from all Eternity , all the Glory of Heaven , such as Eye never saw , nor never entred into the heart of man to conceive of , it is all kept to be the everlasting inheritance of all those that are called the Lords Children . Thus ( Brethren ) I have as briefly as I could , and yet I have through Gods goodness plainly opened to you this great priviledg of all priviledges , that whosoever doth beleeve in Jesus Christ , really accepts him to be their Savior , they are upon their beleeving in Christ made the Sons and Daughters of God : Now let me make some Application before I dismiss you , and one thing that I would fain have you think upon alone , is , USE , 1. 1. To take heed you be not deceived about it ( this would require a Sermon whensoever I should treat of it , and therefore I wil but commend it now to you in a few words , be not you deceived about it ) I pray do not all of you take this for granted ( now I have opened so glorious a Priviledg ) that every one of you because you are called Christians , are all made the Sons and Daughters of God , take heed you be not deceived , you see it is a mighty work of the whol Trinity to make it , and therefore your own fancy and conceit will not give you a share in it , No , it is here as it is in Saintship , many a man is owned as a Saint , yea , and ought so to be owned by them that converse visibly with him , and yet God wil not own him , but look upon him as a Devil , as he did upon Judas : So it is with Adoption , there is a visible kind of Adoption that men partake of , when they visibly own the Covenant , and I think this is the sense the Apostle speaks of , when they demand what Priviledges the Jews had above others , very much , to them belongs the Adoption , that is , visibly they were owned as Gods people in the face of the world , and yet I tell you , when many of them came and pleaded their adoption and said , God is our Father , saith Christ to them , The Devil is your Father , and you do the works of your Father the Devil ; So you may say when you come home after the Sermon , here is a great priviledge indeed , are wee Gods Children ? I you may say so , but God wil say to you , you are of your Father the Devil ; look to your hearts then and examine very much , whether this be wrought in you , and you shall need no other direction , if you will be faithful ( for this I tel you is not the use I intend to insist upon ) therefore do but ask whether these works of the Trinity be passed upon you or no , and chiefly that of the Holy Ghost , Is the Holy Ghost come to dwel in you to unite you to Christ ? Doth the Holy Ghost work a Childs heart in you ? Can you honor God , and reverence him , and turn to him ? And can you walk before God as obedient Children , at least in the constant bent and tenure of your Souls ? You had best examin that , if you wil conclude all is wel . Now many force themselves , How came you a Child of God ? By my Baptism ( as it is in the Catechism ) because you were once washed , Oh! beware of these things , it is a hard thing to know that you are the Children of God , therefore be not deceived in it ( but this I say , I purposely wave the entring into this , because I cannot speak of it in so little a time ) but that which I wil open to you shal be but two Instructions that flow from this , but are likewise very ful of consolation to all Gods People . USE , 2. Is this the Lot of al the Lords People ? all beleevers in Christ , are they all made the Sons and Daughters of God ? Then I pra'y be informed of these two things ▪ First , 1. The infinite love of God to poor sinners : Brethren , were I able to speak of it ( though I should borrow half an hour to speak it , you could not grudge the time , if I could speak of it ) as it deserveth , it would astonish you , Behold what love the Father hath shewed to us , that we should be called the Sons of God , saith the Apostle in 1 John 3. and the beginning , Oh! here is love indeed ! God hath shewed a kind of Phylanthropia , a love to man in many things , but could we consider what love the Lord shews to a poor Soul , when he doth but cal Child in the Covenant of Grace , I am assured it would make you all be swallowed up in admiration ; I wil open it in three things , 1. What is the love that God the Father shews . 2. The love that God the Son shews . 3. The love that God the Holy Ghost shews to thee a poor sinner who beleevest , when each of them have this work upon thee as to make thee his Son. 1. As for God the Father . Was it not a strange love that made him from al Eternity choose thee to be his Child ? especially this love wil swallow thee , if thou wouldest but take in these three Considerations . First , 1. His Majesty , How great and Glorious a Majesty he is , that He should condescend : This Glorious Majesty could condescend after this manner . And Secondly , 2. To whom ? To thee a Worm , if he looked upon thee at the best , as a thing made of a piece of Clay , that hast a heart ful of enmity against him , And Thirdly , 3. If we could but take in , upon what motives or considerations the Lord hath done it ( for if we mark it ) Amongst men , when any mortal man hath at any time Adopted one to be his Child , it was because either they had no Child , or no Child that pleased them , or because they would perpetuate their Name , that their name might continue after them , or because there was some worth or excellency in the person that might be an honor to them , some such things as these have led all mortal men , when they Adopted any to be theirs , but why did God chuse thee ? Did he want a Child ? Had not he a Son from everlasting ? Is his comfort increased by it ? I remember the Romans said , It was an imitating of Nature , found out for the Solace of the Father , But didst thou Solace God ? Did he need any ? No , but meerly out of his good will to thee ; and as for the perpetuating his Name , thou addest not to it ; so that it is meer mercy and meer Grace to thee and me , and whomsoever he hath set his Heart upon , that the Father would condescend after this manner . And , 2. Is it any less in Christ Jesus the Son of God ? That he would die to purchase Coheirs with him ? Amongst men this is not usual , an Heir is seldom troubled that he hath no more Brethren and Sisters to share in his Inheritance , he is rather afraid that there should be too many to get some of it away from him , but that the Son of God when this was his Inheritance from all Eternity , should be come in the form of a Servant , die , undergo the wrath of God to this end , that he might purchase poor worms to be Coheirs , and a Brother with himself , and that he would likewise give himself to thee as a Brother , that thou shouldest be one mistically with him . And in the Third place , 3. The Holy Ghost , That he would condescend to come and dwel in thee , to unite us to Christ , to alter & frame our cursed natures , and ( as need shal require ) to be a constant supplication of comfort and refreshing to us , Oh Brethren ! these things surpass the thoughts of man , utterly surpass them , but could we ponder them seriously we would say , Oh Lord ! Who am I that thou shouldest remember me ? it would make us so settled upon the love of God ; and I the rather press it , because when a Servant of God is but perswaded of Gods love , he wil interpret every thing wel that God doth to him , and he will then trust him , and then fear him , when he is but perswaded of his love ; and therefore learn this Lesson , here is love indeed , here is love the like was never heard of , that the Lord should rear poor Worms , and let such a work pass upon them , to make them the Sons of God : That is one collection , that therefore the love of God is wonderful great unto those that do beleeve in him : And Secondly I have but one Collection more that I will give you at this time , and that is this , 2. Hence it follows , That they who beleeve in Jesus Christ are exalted to the highest dignity that any Creature is capable of , that as here is a magnifyng of Gods love to them , so here is a magnifying of their State : That I hence collect , that there are no People under the Heavens , Nay let me ad not in the Heavens , there are no Creatures so highly exalted as Beleevers , and why ? Because they are the Sons and Daughters of God , not in a name only , not metaphorically as all the Creatures are , but really , God hath the heart & the Bowels of a Father to them , and they the hearts of Children , Yea , the State & Adoption of Children , the greatest exaltation that is in this world . I remember what David said when some of his Courtiers came to him , & told him of Sauls good opinion of him , to give him his Daughter , and wished him to be thankful for it , Oh! but ( saith he ) is it a smal thing in your eyes , for a man of so mean a stock as I am , to be made the Son in law of a King ? So if there be any Beleever here , that thy heart tels thee that thou acceptest of Christ to be thy Savior , & that his Spirit hath laid hold upon thee , Is it a smal thing in thy eyes that thou art really the Child of God ? Is there any thing in Heaven and Earth to compare with it ? I remember David in 1 Chron. 17. when he had Nathan came to him with a message from God , and told him to this purpose ( saith he ) I wil raise up thy Child after thee and I will set him upon thy Throne ▪ and I wil be his Father and he shal be my Son , and thus I wil do to thee , David could not hold but runs and sits him down reverently before the Lord , Oh Lord ! ( saith he ) who am I ? What comparison is there ? Wilt thou be my Father and the Father of my Child ? Is it true Lord ? Can this be ? Oh! it so amazed him that God should be his Father , Oh! could we think of it , I beseech you tel me , to which of the Angels said God at any time , thou art my Son ? he saith to the poorest Beleever in the world , thou art my Son : It is not only a name that expresseth good wil , but a state and condition that the Lord hath set him in , so that I dare boldly say ( I will draw to a Conclusion with it , but I would have you study it when you are at home , I dare boldly affirm ) that the meanest Beleever though ( as we say in the Country ) he go with his Flail , or a Rake , or ( as you wil say in the City ) he carries the Tankard , the meanest Beleever that hath Christ for his Lord and Savior , he is exalted to a higher condition than Ahasuerus was , when he was made the Emperor of a hundred twenty & seven Provinces ; for let them take al the Pomp , Wealth , & State that is in this world , let them have it all , if they have not Christ , God looks upon them as Satans slaves , and over a few daies they wil perish among the Dogs , I mean among the Devils , & be base , and be miserable for ever ; wheras the poorest servant of God that believeth in Christ , the Lord tenders him as his first born , O! I would fain ( if it were Gods wil ) that Gods People would lay this to heart , it would comfort them against all the Scorns and Reproaches of the world . It is with many of Gods People as it was with Christ when he was upon Earth , when he was called King , How was he jeered for it ? Art thou a King ? ( saith Pilat ) when he had a seamless Coat on and bound with Halters , belike you are a King : So they are ready to jeer the Children of God , belike you are the Childrdren of God , I , let them scorn , I have read of Princes that when for some ends , they could be strangers from their own Countries a while , they could bear the Scorns and Jeers of People , but when I am at home I am known what I am : So a poor Child of God may say , I go in a russet Coat , and have never a penny of Mony in my purse , and undergo many afflictions and troubles , Wel , but God is my Father , and the very thought of the dignity that God hath exalted him to , will make him quietly and contentedly undergo all the afflictions of this world , These are but general Collections , had I time to enter into the Particulars , to shew what Gods Children by Adoption are delivered from , Sin , and the Law , and what they are instated into , under his Family , under his Provision , Protection and the like , truly I might set that before you , that if a man could hold to it by Faith , and the Lords spirit help him to apply it to his heart , he would live comfortably here al his daies . FINIS FAITH THE ONLY MEANS Spiritually to FEED on CHRIST . Opened in a Sermon at Mary le Bow , November , 12. 1654. JOHN , 6.53 , 54 , 55 , 56. Then said Jesus unto them , Verily , verily , I say unto you , Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man , and drink his Blood , ye have no Life in you . Whoso eateth my Flesh , and drinketh my Blood , hath eternal Life , and I will raise him up at the last day . For my Flesh is Meat indeed , and my Blood is Drink indeed . He that eateth my Flesh , and drinketh my Blood , dwelleth in me , and I in Him. I Read all these verses because they all hold out one and the same Doctrine , though in a little different phrases ; That you may the better understand the scope of our blessed Savior in these words , know that the occasion of it was this , Christ having the day before fed the Bodies of many thousands who attended upon his ministry ; The rumor of this flying abroad , the next day great multitudes thronged after him again , and Christ knowing what lay at the bottom of the heart , told them plainly they sought him for carnal ends , because they had eat of the Loaves and were filled , but that was not the end of his coming into the world to , fil their Bellies , No , there was better food that he was willing to give all that had an appetite after it , and thereupon ( that I may not stay you ) fals into a most divine discourse of his own being sent out of the bosome of his Father , to be the Bread of life to al who did thirst after him , and would but accept of him , and tels them more particularly that they must eat and drink his flesh and his blood , as the only Food that would do good to their Souls ; hereupon these carnal People were extreamly offended at him and at his Doctrine , for they interpret all this in a carnal manner , as if Christ did mean that they must eat his very flesh and drink his very blood , as they did eat and drink other food , and truly it was ever thus and it wil be ever thus , that nothing can act above its own Sphere , and they who have carnall minds can never judg right of spiritual things ; thereupon our blessed Savior in the words that I have read , and in many other in this latter end of the Chapter inculcates this Doctrine further , Assuredly no man could ever live that did not eat and drink his flesh and blood , and he that did eat him and drink him , eat his flesh and drink his blood would receive such invaluable nourishment , as he would think it the best meal that ever he was at : And that is the scope of these words , which before I come to handle , give me leave very briefly to vindicate them , from the gross erronious interpretation that the Papists put upon them , for you all know that there is a monster in their Doctrine that is called transubstantiation , which in their conceit is the turning of the Bread and the Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , into the very Body and Blood of Jesus Christ , and whosoever doth not beleeve it ( in their conceit ) is certainly damned . And this Doctrine of theirs hath been the occasion of the murdering and martyrdome of many thousands of Saints , and among all the Arguments that they alledg to prove it , this Scripture is the prime of all the rest , except only that of This is my Body : But in the next place to that comes this discourse , wherein Christ speaks so Positively and punctually of eating his flesh and drinking his Blood , and the necessity of it to salvation , that they think every man out of his wits that is not convinced by these Texts to grant their transubstantiation ; yea , one of them , and one of the learnedst of them hath left it in Print , that if ever the Lord Christ should say to him at the day of judgment , Why didst thou beleeve that the Bread and Wine was my very Body and Blood ? he would make no other Answer than this , Thou spakest it so plain in such a place that it could not be denied , my sense and reason could not deny it . Now I wil a little cleer this Text from them , and I hope to such an understanding Auditory as ( I think ) I preach to , a very few words wil serve the turn . There are three things which whosoever doth but weigh , will be easily convinced that the eating and drinking that is here spoke of , hath no relation in the world to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper . The first is , 1. This Sermon was preached a whole year before there was any word of the institution of the Sacrament , the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was at the Passover , immediately before his Death , this was a whole year before it , Now how can it be imaginable that Christs speech here should be meant of a Sacramental eating , when no Sacrament was instituted ? Who can imagine such a thing ? Secondly , 2. This Text and all this discourse in John 6. if it should be interpreted literally , for that is the thing they stand for , the literal sense ( I say ) interpret it literally and it is quite against their transubstantiation , for they say that the Bread and Wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ , but if here be any transubstantiation at all , it is that the Body and blood of Christ are transubstantiated into bread and drink , for he doth not say the bread is my body , the drink is my blood , but my body , my flesh is meat , and my blood is drink , so that if you will have any transsubstantiation it is quite contrary . And , Thirdly , 3. The eating and drinking of Christ that my Text speaks of , it is very plain by our Lords words , that whosoever eats him and drinks him as this Text holds out , shal certainly live another life for ever , and they themselves grant that you may eat that very Body and Blood of Christ as it is in the Sacrament , and never partake of his Grace , but go to Hell with the Sacrament in their bellies : I hope that this is enough to shew you that this Text proves it not ; I tel you ( in a word ) that the eating and drinking that my Text speaks of , is the same thing that the people of God enjoy in the Sacrament and out of the Sacrament , for there do we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ spiritually by faith , whosoever receives it preparedly , but the discourse here is nothing at all to that ; But now I come to the matter , and in the words there are two things which ( the Lord assisting me ) I wil open to you , the first is , 1. The duty required of every one that would partake of Jesus Christ ; and that is , to eat his flesh and drink his blood ; that is the duty pressed over and over and so heavily , that the Lord saith expressly , that whosoever doth not do it , can never live ; The duty required , to eate and drink the body and blood of Jesus Christ ; the second is 2 The benefits which every soul doth receive who doth eate Christs flesh and drink Christs blood , and that is set down in many various expressions , but all tending to the same thing , that is , they shall live for ever , they shall never hunger nor thirst , they shall in no wise be cast out , they shall be raised up at the last day , they shall live to eternity , these are the benefits or rather the benefit ( for all is one ) that every soul partakes of , who eates the flesh of Christ and who drinks his blood : wel now for the meaning of it , that I may make it plain , ( for my intent is to preach but a short Sermon ) I will ( God willing ) open both the parts , that is the duty required and the benefit received , I will open them distinctly and give you the application of them both together , for the first . 1. What is meant by our Lord when he doth thus positively say , that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood , his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed , this we must eat , this we must drink , What doth he mean ? I answer plainly that his meaning is , we must beleeve , Beleeving is eating and drinking , and eating and drinking in this sense is beleeving ; that is the general meaning , and that it is so , any of you may prove it your selves , if you wil but read the Scriptures over , for where he saith , My flesh is meat indeed in one place , He that beleeveth in me shall never hunger nor thirst , by and by , He that eateth of this Bread shal live for ever : So that I know not how often in this one Chapter eating & drinking is interpreted by Beleeving , and Beleeving in a Metaphor is nothing but Eating & Drinking , therefore my work shal be ( God willing ) to explain this , know then in general , that this great Grace of Faith whereby Souls partake of Christ , it is in the true nature of it nothing but an accepting or receiving of Jesus Christ , to be that unto us which God sent him to be for poor sinners ; the Scripture is most cleer , in 1 John 12. As many as received him , he gave them power to become the Sons God , even they that beleeved in him ; So that to receive Christ is to believe in him ; now the receiving of Christ being a spiritual act of the soul , wherin the understanding and the wil must both have a share , it hath pleased the Lord ( I beseech you mark it , it hath pleased the Lord ) to set out this one act of Beleeving by abundance of Metaphors in the Scripture similitudes taken from the Body , and every one of them being rightly interpreted wil cleerly set out the nature of Faith , and what the Soul doth when it beleeveth in Christ , as I wil give you but a tast , because it is but one only that I mean to open , and that is in my Text Somtimes , 1. Beleeving it is very often set forth by Coming ; Come unto me , He that cometh unto me I will not cast him out , that is to Beleeve● Now Coming therein is a figure , an expression taken from an act of our Body , of our Feet , wherein there are alwaies these three things , 1. There is the place from which we go . 2. There is the place to which we go . 3. There is the way and means in which and by which we go : Now these interpreted would cleerly shew you what the Soul doth in Beleeving : So likewise , 2. To look up to Christ , that as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wilderness , that whosoever looked upon it was cured , so Christ is lifted up that we may look upon him : Now that very act of the eye to look to an Object for such an end , being rightly interpreted would cleerly shew you , what the Soul of man doth when it beleeveth in Christ. And so , 3. To stay upon him or to lean upon him , which is a Metaphor taken from the Body that reposeth it self upon somewhat to uphold it , when it wants strength of its own ; now this being discovered would cleerly shew you what the Soul of man doth when it believeth in Christ. 4. Now among many of these Metaphors , this Text of John's pitcheth upon this especially , of eating Christ , and drinking , which is the action of our mouth and stomach , wherby our life comes to be maintained by our Food , and there is in this of eating and drinking so cleer a demonstration what the Soul of man doth when it beleeveth in Christ , and how it may discover whether men do beleeve or no , that you cannot desire a cleerer than this is , if God do but vouchsafe the ful understanding of it . That then which I have laid out for a part of this afternoon's work is , to shew you wherin the eating & drinking of our food doth shadow out Beleeving in Jesus Christ to eternal life , though I have but now brought you to that which I would endeavor a little more fully to discover to you , Would you know then wherein the Holy Ghost maketh the comparison to stand ? for I dare not go to ad the study of our own brains , but wherein the Scripture makes these to answer one another , eating and drinking food for bodily life , and Beleeving in Christ for spiritual life , wherein do they answer ? I answer in these six things , some of them I shall not need to stay upon , for if I should stay upon all I should not have time to cleer the rest , but in six things do the eating and drinking of our food answer our laying hold upon Jesus Christ by Faith , and I wil desire you to mark them , because it is the foundation of a great tryal of your spiritual estate . The first , 1. That the Lord when he first created man with a living Soul , with a life ; this life of man is not able to nourish it self , to preserve it self in being , nor to strengthen it self when it is any waies impaired , but God hath appointed that which is food , such creatures as have suitable spirits in them to the life of man , that mans life ( under God ) lies in these , and cannot be preserved without them , but it is the meat and drink ( as the ordinary expression is ) it is the food and the nourishment , the means wherby the life of man is preserved in a man , and give him all other things in the world , let Angels attend him , Princes wait upon him , let all that God hath given to the whole Creation be bestowed upon him , keep food from him and the man dies , he doth not live , though it is true we live not by Bread only , but God can preserve it otherwise , but in the ordinary proceedings of God , take away food and you take away life , you need no other weapon , mans life , the nourishment of mans life is food ; that is one . Now answerable to this for our spiritual life , it is laid up and to be found wholly in the Lord Jesus Christ , in his flesh and his blood , but you must know it is his flesh and blood prepared , that look as other meat , Bread must be broken , and ground , and baked , and so made fit for mans use before he partakes of it , so the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ was ground , was broken by the passion and sufferings he underwent for our sins , and by vertue of his dying communicated it to us , his flesh and blood hath merited life , satisfied wrath , and in Christ and Christ alone lies all the spiritual life of his people , and can be had no where else : Give him all the obedience that ever mortal man had , give him the righteousness of the Holy Angels in Heaven , give him all that a mans Tongue can speak of , or his Pen write down , he is a dead man if he have not the Lord Jesus Christ to be his life it self : Our life is hid in Christ ( as the Apostle saith ) there is the treasury of it . There is the first , that as our humane life lies in Gods disposing ( I mean by his so ordering it ) in our food , so our spiritual life lies only in Jesus Christ. That is one . Secondly , ( these three first I wil be very brief in ) The second branch is this , 2. That look as God in nature hath planted in every man , ( because his life is the most excellent thing skin for skin , and all that a man hath , he wil give for his life , therfore God hath planted in man ) a more vehement appetite and desire after food then after any thing else in the world , and if he be put to it that the choyce must be made , it may be he would not part with any thing that he thinkes is sutable to him , but if choyce be made all shal goe , so he may have food , the strongest appetite after any thing in the world is after food ; insomuch as therefore the Lord uses ordinarily to expresse the highest desires of the soule that man can put out in any kind , he uses to expresse them by hungering and thirsting , which is nothing but the appetite that men have after food , so that living men out of a desire of that which is sutable to their life , have a vehementer desire after that then they have after any thing else in the world ; So the Lord plants in any soul to whom Christ is life , ( for I speak not of those who are meerly dead , though I shall have occasion afterwards to shew you that Christ gives life to the dead , but ( I say ) to those to whom Christ is life ) there is nothing in the world found in them after which their desires are so mighty , so vehement , so constant , so unsatisfied with any thing else in the world , no such appetite is in the soul of a man , as the party that partakes of spiritual life hath after Jesus Christ ; as the heart after the rivers of waters , as the hungry man after his food , all kind of such things are expressed in the longing desires that the soul of a man that hath an interest in Christ hath after Jesus Christ ; lay up these by you till I come to apply them , but yet I am not come to the main things , wherein the comparison holds ; thirdly ; There is a third thing which is between eating and drinking and beleeving , and that is this . 3. That look as it is in our bodily life , our natural life , that as there is no such vehement appetite after any thing as after food when we want it , so there is no such satisfaction in any thing , as there is to be had in sutable things , that when a hungry man is satisfied with food , there is the quiet of his outward life ; then all vehemency , all pains , all angers , all longings till he hath more need doth cease , for you know such is our life , that one meales meat will not serve it but for a little while , but when hunger is raised and food administred , then is the desire quieted : So now when the Lord Christ hath life prepared in him , and raised up in the soul a desire after him , when that soul findeth him , when he can find that Christ owneth him , or intimates to it that he accepts it , it is satisfied as with marrow and fatness , no joy , no delight , no content in the world pleaseth the Soul so as to say this one thing I have found Christ Jesus and have an interest in him ; All these are main , but the three last are most ful to my purpose , and therefore I hasten to them ; Fourthly then , and that which I think is one of the greatest of all the rest , thus it is , 4. That look as it is in our food ( pray mark it , look as it is in our food ) for the body , let the food be never so excellent , never so wel Cooked , never so freely conferred , we never so freely invited , let al be set out that is imaginable , that food never nourisheth me or any other , until it come to be incorporated within me , that when a man & his food come to be made one , one mass , I wil not say transubstantiated , but translated and changed into the same substance with himself , never doth it become food to him til then . Take a man , set him before all the dainties , let him smel to them , put them in his mouth , nay ( if you can imagine it ) he may swallow them down , and they pass through him , if they be not incorporated into him , that the flesh of the beast he eateth turns to his flesh , or to be made fit for his blood , it is no food to him , though all the delicates of the world be set upon a Table , and say , here is enough to satisfie a thousand men , not one bit of them is fit for me , except it be so changed that it becometh one mass with me , this we all know in our natural food . Now herein lies the answerableness , so it is with Christ , it is Jesus Christ that is prepared , the Lord hath prepared and put the vertue into him , that it is enough to serve all the world , if the Lord be pleased to bestow it upon the world , but no man ever comes to have spiritual life from Christ till Christ become one with him , and he become one with Christ ; It is Christ in you that is the hope of Glory ; and this our Savior expresseth in the very Text ( saith he ) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood , I dwel in him and he dwels in me ; that they are made one really , only with this difference it , remember it , indeed our food for our body , we and our food are made of one substance , but there the food is turned into our substance , that if it were not the flesh of a Beast turned into my flesh , if it were not the blood of a Bird that is turned into my blood , and so it leaves its own nature and is changed into my nature , but this is different in our spiritual eating , for here instead of Jesus Christ being changed into our nature , we by feeding upon him are changed into his nature , made partakers of the divine nature , and there is a mystica , I spiritual union betwixt the Lord Jesus Christ and us , whereby we cease to be what we were in regard of our corrupt being , and now come to be changed into his spiritual being , but notwithstanding a union and conjunction there must be , or else the Lord Christ never profits : This is so plain that ( I hope ) I need say no more about it , that is the fourth . Lay up these , for these wil be for tryal before I dismiss you . Then fifthly , the fifth thing wherein the comparison lies is this , 5. That look as the Lord in his infinite wisdom hath in nature given such a Power to our stomach , our appetite to receive it , and our stomach to digest it , that all the art in the world hath not the power or skil to come and make the food that is an extraneous thing another thing from it , to fit it so and prepare it so that it shal be fit to become one with me , no art in the world can do it like that of the stomach , the power that God hath given to nature ; we know if we should take our meat and boyl it upon the hottest fire , it can never prepare it so as the heat of a mans stomach can do it ; God hath given this peculiar faculty and power to the stomach , thus to make our meat sutable for us ; so it is with the grace of God , beyond all other graces and works of all the creatures yea , of the Angels , he hath given that power to the souls acepting of Christ , and consenting to Christ , that power to unite Christ and the soul together , that is not elsewhere found in all the world ; for all Gods creatures if they should all joyne together to put out their utmost skil , they could not make such a conjunction between Christ and the soul as beleeving doth ; but yet I wil tell you thus far , not by any virtue that God hath put in faith , but as it is the hand whereby we receive the holy Spirit , for by the Spirit we receive faith , and this holy Spirit that takes Christ and gives him to us , and takes us and gives us to Christ , this holy Spirit in a way utterly unknown to us , and no waies to be understood in this world , makes us one with Christ. There is the fifth . And then the sixth and last is this , 6. That look as in our food , when the food is prepared , and we have an appetite to it , and the stomach receives it and works upon it , and it becomes one with us , then by vertue of that , by the strength of that food are we enabled to live as men ; if we have wasted our spirits , if our healths are decayed , here is strength to be added , if we have work to do , we are thereby enabled to do it , to go through what belongs to us , by the power that comes in Gods way of ordering it , by the power that comes and is added to us ; So it is here in our spiritual life , that when once the Lord brings the Soul to value Christ as that wherein his life lies , to have a desire after him above all goods in the world , to come to have Christ incorporated into us by the power of the Spirit , then do we come from hence by the Covenant of Grace , the operation of ●he Holy Ghost , according to Gods dispensation to his People , to receive such a supply of his Spirit , as we are enabled to walk as those that are alive unto God through Jesus Christ ; only add this difference ( for I wil shew you how the preheminence lies in our spiritual eating with this difference ) that whereas our outward food never gives life to those that want it , but by the blessing of God only repairs it in those that have it , now this spiritual eating of Christ doth not only maintain life in those that are alive , but it raiseth them up from the very dead , it gives life , and that moment that the Lord enables the soul to hunger after him and rest upon him , in that moment is the life of Jesus Christ conveyed to him . And this is the first part , to let you see that eating and drinking , it is nothing but beleeving in Christ , and the resemblance of them stands in these things , as I have opened to you ; and now the second ( which I wil be but brief in , because I would not stay you long , nor be hindred from the Application of it , the second ) thing I promised is , 2. A little to discover what the benefit is that we partake of , by eating and drinking the flesh and the blood of Jesus Christ , What do we get by it ? For answer , We can easily say when men are extolling the good cheer they have been at , at any Feast or Banquet , where luxury is set out , What get you by it ? a feeding of our Bodies that wil return to clay is al that a man gets by it ; Now what is gotten by this eating and drinking of Jesus Christ ? Oh! could I but in a few words open to you what our Lord hath said of it , ( saith he ) 1. He that eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood he shal have everlasting life : There is the first benefit . What means he by that life ? That is not this poor frail momentary life that we live , though this be the purchase of Christ to Beleevers , but he shall have , First , 1. The life of pardon , that whereas all of us are dead under the guilt of sin , dead in Law , liable to wrath , they are pardoned men if once they beleeve in Christ. 2. Whereas they were dead likewise under the dominion of sin , and were strangers to the life of God , the Lord Jesus infuseth a principle of a new spirituall life into them , and such inward qualities and holiness , that enables them to live the life of God , that life that is of the same kind that Christ himself lives , his life , a holy spiritual life , that alas ! if I could open it to you and you understand it , it would make you conclude , that there is no such life in any creature to be found , as the life that every soul lives that laies hold upon Christ ; I , and then he adds , 3. This life is an everlasting life , that is as our Savior expresses it , ( saith he ) Your Fathers did eat Manna , that is ( as the Scripture saith ) Angels Food , not that Angels eat any meat , but if they did eat any food it would be Manna , Your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead , but he that eateth upon me lives for ever ; It is not such a poor momentary life as this is , but a life that wil last to all eternity ; this is the Benefit : Nay , mark some other expressions that come in here together , 2. He shal never hunger nor thirst more : That wil explain wel what the Lord means by saying an everlasting life , they shal never hunger nor thirst , What is that ? He means not that they shal never desire more of Christ , No , there is a two fold hunger and thirst . 1. There is such a hunger and thirst as riseth out of sweetness , that because the honey is good they would have more of it , because the Wine is good , therefore the Drunkard saith , I wil sip again , where the content of it makes them desire more of it : This hunger all the People of God have , because they find contentment in Christ , therefore they desire more of him : But then , 2. There is another hunger and thirst which is deadly , which will kill a man unless it be supplied , which our Savior explains in his discourse with the Woman of Samaria , He that drinketh of that Water shall thirst again , that is , if he have not a supply he will be in as dead a condition as he was in before , if he be not supplied : But now he that eateth and drinketh of the meat and drink that he prepares , though there wil be a sweet hunger to make him desire more , yet there wil be such a life and stock of life within , that til eternity have end they shal never be destitute of meat : So here is a benefit , a life everlasting , that they shal never hunger nor thirst ; Nay , he explains it yet a little higher in the words I have read , the one is ( saith he ) 3. Whosoever doth thus eat and drink , and thus cometh to me , I wil in no wise cast off ; What is that ? though ( it may be ) he may think himself the most unworthy , and say , Lord ! here is meat indeed , Lord ! ever more give us of this meat , But who am I that I should come ? I am the unworthiest , wretchedest , vilest of all ; Nay , let him be never so unworthy in himself , never so vile , I wil in no wise cast him out , if he come to me , for God my Fathers wil is , and he gave it me in commission when I came from him , not to deny food to any one that cometh after me ; Nay , ( saith he ) last of all , 4. This is the Command I have from the Father , That I should raise them up all at the last day : Though it is true , the bodily life ends and fails , and they shal turn to dust as others do , yet when I come to make good the life that my People must have in abundance , when I come in the last day to make it good to them , I must raise al up that ever did partake of me to life : you see here is the benefit which is laid down in the Text : I have only a little paraphrased upon it , thus I have opened the Doctrinal part , That whosoever would live happy , Eating and Drinking of Jesus Christ is the Duty required of him , and they that do it are happy abundantly ; Let me now a little apply this to you , but three Uses I wil briefly make of it , or rather the Lord makes them , for it is out of mans power to do it , three things I would observe . First , USE , 1. If you be but willing you may cleerly discern whether you are partakers of Jesus Christ yea or no ; Oh! that the Lord that is the Father of spirits would work upon your spirits while I am speaking , Friends ! Shall I speak a little freely and examin this great Assembly , where doth your eternal happiness lie ? tel me in your own hearts , what you would answer to it if God did examin it , where doth your hope of happiness lie ? Would not this be your Answer ? Only in Jesus Christ the Son of God that became a Savior for poor sinners , I disclaim all other things , and I look for my happiness only in Christ , Would not this be the Answer of you all ? It may be some Pharisaical self justifiers , they can pitch presently upon their own honest and innocent life , but I pitch upon that which I think every one of you would answer , It is Christ ( you say ) but what Christ is it that you make account is your life ? What Christ is it ? Is it Christ the Son of Mary and the Son of God , Christ that died upon the Cross , that rose again and ascended into Heaven , and sits at Gods right hand in the Glory of his Father , and that shal come again in the end of the world to judg the quick and the dead ? Jesus Christ is preached to you in the several meetings in the ministry of the word , Is it this Christ you look for ? I , let me add this , If there be no more for thee or me than this , this Christ that sits at the right hand of God , if thou canst not ad , this Christ fed upon by me ; It is Christ in you the hope of Glory , it is not Christ in Heaven the hope of Glory , therefore I must needs beg of you that you would be true to your own souls , for ( through mercy ) I have a little converse amongst men , and a little experience of them , but the want of the knowledg of this point undoeth many men , they have heard so much of Christ that unless they be the arrantest sots and debauched persons , they can tell you all the story of Christ , but if you come to examin how I pra'y came this Christ into your hearts ? I know how he was prepared for Bread , how the Father hath ground him , and baked him , ( pardon the expression ) I know how the Father hath prepared his flesh and blood to be meat and drink , But how came he to be your food ? and how got you your interest in him ? if you did eat his flesh and drink his blood in a carnal way , it would do you no good , for though you go for Church members , yet if the Lord have not done these things in thee , which I have spoke of , thou wilt be utterly lost when thou comest to seek for salvation ; Doth it not trouble thee to think how thou canst answer these four or five Questions ? I will but name them . First , 1. Hath the Lord convinced thy Soul really and cleerly that there is no salvation to such a wretch as thou art , further than Christ Jesus wil vouchsafe it unto thee ; art thou set down under that ? that is wel , for believe it til this work of Christ come upon our hearts , we never see the necessity of that work . Secondly , 2. Hath he raised up in thee that amongst all the contents thou findest in other things , though God maketh thy Wife comfortable , or thy Husband comfortable , and al things sutable , yet stil thy heart is unsatisfied , if I have not Christ I am undone , What will my riches do me good , if I have not Christ ? What wil all the talk of others do me good if I have not Christ ? Hath he raised up in thee such a desire after him What sayest thou ? Thirdly , 3. If at any time the Lord smile upon thee though no body be by , but he smiles upon thee in secret , thou hast gotten some cleer Evidence that Christ is thine , and he wil own thee before the Father , Canst thou turn back and even laugh before the Lord and say , Oh Lord ! is it so ? Is Christ mine ? Is this to thee 〈◊〉 the honey and the hony combe ? 4. Dost thou find likewise in a way that thou know'st not , how it is brought about , but thou findest somwhat settled upon thy heart that hath changed the frame of thy heart ? thou that art by nature proud , lascivious , and naught , there is somwhat that is wrought in thee , and there comes some strength , that though thou canst not walk as thou should'st do , yet the Lord is dear , and his Children are dear , and his waies are dear , some strength God affords , that thou art not pleased in the world , but thy soul finds that God hath enabled thee to make him the end of thy life , and his word the rule of thy life , Hath he done this for thee ? then there is eating and drinking of Christs flesh and blood , then in the name of God thou doest partake of Christ : But ( good Friends ) be not deceived , I tel you in many places not one of a hundred that hears such a Doctrine as this , have any part in Christ , or their feeding upon him , or relying upon him , therefore I pray try your selves ; That is the first Use I wil make of it . Then in the second place , USE , 2. Oh! what a comfort may this be if the Lord would enable me to speak of it , I could pour down even showers of Consolation , upon those souls that have gone along with me in the tryal : All you that the Lord hath shewed this mercy to you , that you feed thus upon Christ : I tel thee this , Carry it home , thou hast eat a meal's meat that will keep thee as a man while God lives , he hath given thee one bit , Oh! one mouthful of Christ to get into Christ : I read of the Widows Oyl , truly it was a delicate portion that God laid out for her , that for a great while together shee had a little Oyl in the bottom of a Cruse , and a handful of meal in the bottom of a Barrel , and she and her Son did live upon it for as many years as the Famine lasted ; I warrant you that poor Woman would not have taken a hundred pound for it : So that poor soul that can say , I bless God he hath raised me up from my low condition , and I have abundance of the world about me , but I know Christ is more dear to me than all the world , I know my prayers are to him for life , and I hang upon him as wel as I can for life , and look for it no where else , and I dayly apply my heart to him in that poor measure his Spirit enables me , I tel thee ( poor soul ) he hath given thee Jehoiakims portion and the richest food , for manna was Angels meat this the Angels , nay , pardon me , God never created any creature in the world to tast of this , but every poor soul how wretched soever that lives upon Christ feeds upon ●t ; I pray meditate upon this at home , and the Lord help you to ruminate upon this in secret . Is it so Lord that the poor soul that casts himself upon Christ is thus made one with him ? Surely I wil never take care how it is in the world with me , God hath provided wel for me , my Lot is fallen in a very good place . And Lastly , USE , 3. For Exhortation : I shal make but one Use and that shal be in the very words of our blessed Savior , when he begins this Doctrine in this John 6. ver . 27. when they came and flocked after him for the Loaves , saith Christ to them , Labor not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endures to eternal life : This Counsel of Christ I would a little press to you , though I borrow half a quarter of an hour , forgive me , for it is for your good . First , ( saith Christ ) 1. You seek me for the loaves , labor not for that ▪ Friends , we are all cumbred , as our Saviour said to Martha in Luke 10. the latter end , Martha , Martha , thou art carefull and cumbred about many things , So we are cumbred all of us about many things , some of us are cumbred how to get more wealth , some of us cumbred how to dispose of the wealth we have got , we are cumbred about our places , offices , and these worldly things hurry us up and down , we can hardly come into any place but all the peoples talk is , no body is at leisure but full of business , and what is it for ? the meat that perisheth , all that thou laborest for is perishing , perishing money , pershing wealth , perishing honor , perishing profit , alas Freind ! in a very few daies all that thou laborest for , wil not be worth one penny , at least to thee , and but over a little time to no body else , perishing things not worth your seeking , the Lord knows they are not , they that the world comes in most upon , and all that their hearts can wish comes in with ease , it is not one hours content , it is but meat that perisheth , but now labour ( saith he ) for the meat that endures to eternall life , here is meat worth your labouring for , I appeal to all your consciences that have heard the Sermon , whether this meat be not worth the labouring for , whether to get an interest in Christ , to hunger after him , to long for him , to rely upon him , Is not this worth the seeking ? Oh! seek it , and to encourage you , 2. I wil tel you what our Savior adds in verse 27. Labor for that meat that endures to everlasting life , ( saith he ) the Son of man he gives it you ; that is , you have no promise if you labor for the things of this world , How many are those that toyl and moyl , and cark and care most for the world , and it wil not come upon them ? many a man sits up late , and riseth early , and manages his business discreetly , and yet it wil not come , but God hath engaged himself by a Promise , that he that seeks the bread of life shal have it , that if thou canst but pour out thy soul , Lord ! leave me not destitute of Christ , he wil not deny the Son of man to thee : But lest some-body should further add , Give it me ! Why should he give it me ? What is there in me that the Son of man should be given me ? Why should I think the Lord Christ would give me this food ? If I ask that , he ads , For him hath God the Father Sealed , that is , I came into the world under a sealed Office to do the wil of my Father , and the work that my Father hath sealed to me , made my work to do , is , To give eternal life to those that seek it : He can as wel deny himself , and deny that he is sent from God , and his Office , as to deny the bread of life to a soul that unfainedly labors for it : Wil not this do it ? The Lord bless it , and give you to consider what I have said , and win all our hearts to study that Jesus Christ may be more in our thoughts . FINIS SELF-DENIAL Opened in a SERMON At St. Mary Spittal , March , 26. 1649. Matth. 16 ▪ 14 , and so forward . Then said Jesus unto his Disciples , if any Man will come after me , let him deny himself , and take up his Cross and follow me , For whosoever will save his Life shal lose it , And whosever will lose his Life for my sake shall find it , For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul ? Or what shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul ? THe occasion of this speech of our Savior was this , he had a little before told his Disciples , what great things he was shortly to suffer at Jerusalem , whereupon Simon Peter begins to rebuke his Master for admitting of such a Melancholly thought , Far be it from thee to imagine , that God will ever suffer thee to undergo such sad things as these are , Master pitty thy self , if there be any danger take a course to avoid it ; Our Savior therefore replies to Peter , get thee behind me Satan , thou art an offence to me , this is nothing but the savor of the things of the world , that makes thee give me this wicked counsel ; having rebuked Peter , he turns to al his Disciples and utters this speech that I have read , wherein our Lord strikes at the Root of that , which made Peter give him that carnal counsel , for the Lord knew it was nothing but unmortified self in Peter , and he wel saw that it would bring the like bitter fruits in all in whom it was not Crucified , and therupon gives them that counsel , that is contained in those three verses that I have read to you , wherein there are these two things . First , 1. Here is a Lesson necessarily to be practised by all Christs Disciples , in these words , If any man wil be my Disciple , Let him deny himself , Take up his Cross And follow me ; that is the Lesson . Secondly , 2. Here is an Argument to perswade to the learning of this lesson , the Argument is taken from the necessity of it , it is so necessary , that that man that wil not deny himself , even to the denying of his life for Christs sake , wil undo himselff by his good husbandry , by his providence , if he think to save himself by following more wary Counsel , he wil ruine himself , but if he wil resign up himself to the counsel that Christ gives him , Christs counsel shal save him , and Salvation any other way he shal never find : Now lest some-body might object against this and say , But in probability the following of thee , and taking up our Cross wil be so far from saving of us that it wil ruine us , and the looking a little better to our selves may save our state , save our credit , save our liberty , save our life : Wel , to that saith Christ , do but cast up the gain that wil be got by this way , I deny not but a man may by that providence that you speak of save his estate , and save his credit , he may possibly gain the world , a great state in it , but he wil lose his soul by it , and that man that should purchase al the world , that should be able to say this Kingdom is mine , the other Kindom is mine , all the Kingdomes of the earth are mine , But what did they cost you ? nothing but my soul , I gave my soul for them , that man hath made a miserable bargain of it , he will gain nothing that will venture the loss of his soul for the purchasing of the whol world : The worth of a soul is invaluable , and besides when a soul is once lost , the loss of a soul is irrecoverable , what shal a man ever give in exchange for his soul ? Therfore set this down for your Conclusion , The man that wil not follow my counsel , upon the best account that can be made , is certainly an undone man. This is the scope of Christ in these words , Now I come to the Doctrinal part , ( which I shal only insist upon at this time ) and in it there are these two things . First , 1. Here is the Lesson that Christ teacheth and imposeth on his Disciples , in these words , Let him that wil be my Disciple , Deny himself , Take up his Cross and follow me . Those are the three things that Christ imposeth upon all his Disciples , Deny themselves , Take up their Cross , Follow him . Secondly , 2. Here is the Condition upon which this Duty is imposed ; If any man wil be my Disciple : Christ wil compel no body to be his Disciple , and if they have not a mind to be his Disciples , he wil not impose upon them denial of themselves , and taking up of their Cross , and following him , if they like other waies better , let them take them , and see what will come of them in the end , but if any man wil pretend to be a follower of Christ , if he be resolved to be listed amongst Christs Souldiers , or admitted into Christs School , or into Christs Family ; then this is the ABC , this is the first Lesson that he must learn , He must deny himself , Take up his Cross and follow him , and that is all that I will say to the Condition of it , that it may be as a watch word to all you that hear me this day , I shal by and by ( by the Lords assistance ) handle a Doctrine that I know is very hard to flesh and blood , that which possibly many of you never yet learned , nor have any purpose to learn , but only now remember this : You shal not be compelled to learn it , if you have not a mind to the Doctrine that shal be opened , you are at freedome to take another way , provided you wil not lay claim to be the followers of Christ : Run your hazards and enjoy your good things in this world , and see what wil come of it , but if you have a purpose ( as I know you have ) and would be glad to be thought followers of Christ , then be you high or low , Lords or Ladies , Gentle or Simple , Learned or Ignorant , know you that this is injoyned to every one whom Christ will own , that they must deny themselves , take up their Cross , and follow him . It is only the first of them that I purpose to treat upon at this time , Deny himself , and the Doctrine which ( by the Lords assistance ) I shall handle is this , the very words of the Text. DOCT. That whosoever wil be a Disciple or Follower of Christ , he must deny himself . And for the explication of the words , there is nothing hard but this : The word , He shal deny himself , doth signifie a total abrenunciation , he must wholly deny himself , ( as I shal make good out of the Scripture ) it must be a total work . Now for the proof of it that it must be so , it were easie to turn you to a great many Scriptures , where the very same words are used , and upon the like occasion , you shal find it in Mark 8. and also in Luke 9. but for fear I be prevented , I wil content my self with a Text that I wil turn you to , and that is in Luke 14. from verse 28. to the end of the Chapter , & it wil abundantly demonstrate the necessity of this Doctrine : If Christ may be beleeved , you shal find there , that there were a great many came in to Christ to be his Disciples , great multitudes , they were taken with his Miracles , & his Sermons , and the Conversation of the whol world began to run after him , and gave in their names as fast as they could be admitted : but mark what Christ saith to them , about verse 26. saith he , If any man come after me , and do not hate Father and Mother , and Wife and Children , and Lands , and his own Life , he cannot be my Disciple , mark what he saith , he cannot , he doth not say , I wil not own him , but positively , because there is an impossibility of being Christ's Disciple , unless that a man do so far deny himself , as to renounce and and forsake whatsoever may be called himself : And lest he should not be beleeved , he doth prosecute this by three parables that follow there in order , and they are to this purpose , in the two first parables he doth plainly tel them . 1. That if any man pretend to be Christ's Disciple , and do not learn this lesson of self-denial , that man if ever he be put to it wil prove an Apostate , if ever times of tryall come , that man that enters into Christs School not having learned the Lesson of self-denial , wil prove an Apostate . or Secondly , 2. If he be never put to it in a way of persecution , then he wil live all his daies but in a meer form of Godliness , and an unsavory general profession he may make , he wil never have any power in it ; and this ( I say ) the Lord shews in three Parables , the two first of them you wil find they are taken , one from a man that goes about a building , to errect a House , before he have throughly cast whether he have mony enough to go through with the building , and then when he hath gone as far as he can , and spent all that he hath , the building is unfinished , and himself is laughed at ; Or a King that goes to war-fare , and doth not cast up what the War wil cost him , and whether he have strength enough to go through with it , when he is ingaged in it , then he is fain to make shameful conditions , and come off dishonorably and basely , because he thrust himself into a War that he was not able to go through with : So ( saith Christ ) wil it prove with you , if any man undertake the work of being my Disciple , and hath not brought his heart to this resolution , to deny himself in whatsoever may be called himself , that man wil never hold out if a storm come , or if it he be ever put to it : Then the next Parable tels you , that he wil live but an unsavory profession , he may be Salt without any savor that is good for nothing , not so much as good to be cast to a dunghil ; and that wil be the upshot of all : the Christians in the world that list themselves under Christ Jesus , and have not learned this lesson of self-denial : That one Text is proof enough of it , but the main thing that I aim at in the Doctrinal part is , to try if ( by the Lords assistance ) I may make you understand what this same self denial is , and wherein it stands , and so there are two things that I shal bestow the best part of an hour upon . First , 1. In shewing you what is meant by self , what is that self that must be denied . Secondly , 2. What is this denial of a mans self , or when doth a man do that which Christ Jesus cals denying of himself . First , 1. We wil enquire what is meant by self , and the rather you must enquire into it , because there is a self that a man must not deny , there is a self that we must bring with us to Christ , we must not leave that behind us , we must give our selves to the Lord : The Apostle saith in Rom. 6. We must save our selves : in Acts 2. Peter exhorted his hearers , Save your selves : there is a self that we must watch over and attend to , Attend to your selves : So that if there be a self that must be saved , and brought to Christ and preserved , it is necessary to enquire what the Lord means by that same self that must be denyed : Now that I may make this plain to you , I must carry you a little further back ; Then the present condition that we are all now in , in our sinful state , and I beseech you bend your best attention for a while , while I endeavor to cleer this to you . Know therefore thus , That when the Lord did at first make man , he gave unto man a Soul and a Body and excellent endowments and accomplishments to both of them , he gave man likewise the Creatures , all the works of his hands , but though man had all these things to use , yet man had no portion but God , God alone was the Portion of mans Soul , he might use his Understanding , use his Wil , his Wit , his Reason , his Parts , his Wife , his Estate , use them all , but enjoyed nothing at all , but God , God was the whol portion of man , as man stood in the state of integrity : But now assoon as man fel off from God by sin , when ( I say ) he sinned against God , man did immediately leave God for his portion , cease to make God his portion , and having forsaken God as his portion , now he made himself his own portion , and the greatest good that he hoped for or looked for was himself for the time to come , and therein indeed fulfilled the Devil's speech , that if you eat of such a Tree you shal be as Gods , so we became Gods to our selves immediately upon our fal , and ever since that , man did come to fal into himself , to settle ( as it were ) upon his own bottom , and to rest upon his own Center , and now since that time all other things good or bad , that might be any waies conducible to man , to nourish that self-sufficiency that he had conceived in himself , and expected in himself , presently man maketh use of all these , but though he useth them all as means , he rests in none of them as his end , but himself is the end of all : This is the true state of man ; so that by self is meant that self-sufficiency , that portion that lost man did find after he had departed from God : But to make you understand this a little more fully , be pleased to know that every man in the world , though he have but one comprehensive self , yet this self hath four branches , and ( if you wil ) you may cal them so many selves , though indeed they are but one , yet there is a quaternity in it . First , 1. There is a sinful self . 2. There is a natural self . 3. There is a worldly self . 4. There is a religious self . Give me leave to explain all these to you . I say First , 1. There is that that we cal a sinful self , not that the other selves are not sinful , but we call this sinful , because it is materially sinful , this is not only sinful , the others are sinful in the use : but this ( that I mean by the first ) it is materially sinful , and that is the body of corruption , the body of lusts and corruption which every man in the world hath in him from his Mothers womb . You shal find that to be called our Self in many places of Scripture , in Collos. 2.5 . saith the Apostle there , Mortifie your earthly members ; mark you , they are our members , And what are they ? Fornication , Uncleanness , evil Concupiscence , Covetousness , Anger , Wrath , Malice , Lying , all these Cursed lusts doth he call our members , and in the next verse , cals it the old man ; and our Savior Christ cals our beloved lusts , our right Eye , or our right Hand , or our right Foot. There is one branch of Self , the body of corruption . Secondly , 2. There is another Self that is called natural Self , and by it I understand the Soul and the Body , and all the endowments , and Ornaments of them , our wisdom , our Learning , our Will , our Love , our Joy , our Fear , our Strength , our Beauty , all these that make up the Person that you or I do bear , with all the natural endowments or accomplishments ; that you al know to be Self , and that the world commonly understands by Self . Thirdly , 3. Every man hath in him likewise that that is called a worldly Self ; by that I mean al the relations that man stands in to the Creature , and all the interest that he hath in the Creature ; as for example our Wife , our Children our Estates , our Trades , our Lands , our Revenues , our Offices : Now that this is called a mans self the Text is plain for it , in this Text where Christ speaks of denying a mans self , he makes the world a piece of a mans self , and in Luke 14. where he would have a man forsake himself , there he reckons up Father , and Mother , and Wife , and Children , and Lands , and all that he hath . This is a third Branch of Self . Fourthly , 4. There is another that is as much Self as any of these ; and that is that that we cal religious Self ; and by that you are to understand our performance of holy Duties , our Vertues , our Righteousness , any thing that seems to be spiritual , and good , and moral in us ; this you shal find a notable passage about , in Phillip . 3. where the Apostle there saith of true Beleevers ( saith he ) We are the Circumcision that do worship God in the spirit , but we put no confidence in the flesh , we regard nothing of the flesh , and ( saith he ) if there be any man that might have any confidence in the flesh , I as much as any , mark his words , I much more than any , What flesh doth he mean ? mark what follows , I was an Hebrew of the Hebrews , of the Tribe of Benjamin , by my Religion a Pharisee , touching the righteousness of the Law I was altogether unblameable , here was his self : Now , this was his flesh ; so that the Religion , the Honesty , the Conversation agreeable to the Law , that Paul makes a part of himself , and cals it his flesh : Now concerning these four , ( for yet I have not done explaining this first part , what I mean by Self , concerning all these four ) both our Lusts , and our natural endowments , and our worldly interest , and our Religion , you must take these three corrollaries to understand them all , three things that I would add , The first is , 1. That al these are but one and the same self ; pray mark me , all these are but one self only , As the Sea which is but one , yet it is called the Brittish Sea as it toucheth upon England or Scotland , It is called the German Sea as it washeth the German shoar , and a great way off it is called the Ethiopique Sea as it washeth there , but all is but one Sea , so all is but one wretched self , though we call it a sinful self : as self applies it self to Lusts , cal it worldly self , as self applies it self to wealth or riches or honor : and cal it religious self , as self applies it self to the Law of God or to God , in any such like , but all is but one self , all is but one and the same man in all these . And Secondly , Another thing that I would have you know about them all four is this . 2. That though all these are in every natural man , yet commonly there is but one of them that is predominant , and all the other are subordinate unto it , As for example , Some men make their Lusts , their known Lusts their predominant self , and unto that Reason and Wil , and Father and Mother , and Children , and Law , and Duties , and all shal be subordinate , because this is the Lord paramount : In some others it may be the world is the paramount , Oh! and then unto that all their other Lusts , and all their Religion likewise shal be subordinate ; It may be in another his Religion is the predominant , his Honesty , his righteousness , his holy performances , that is his great predominant , and then unto that all the other shal be subordinate ; Commonly there is but some one of them that carries the Chair , that sits upon the Throne , and al the rest are underlings to that . Thirdly , and that which I most of all would have you mark , and weigh , concerning them all is this , and I beseech you weigh my words . 3. That in all these the heart is equally wicked , in every one of them the heart is as bad , and as far from God in the one as it is in the other , I mean plainly thus , That man that sets up his Lusts , suppose his Whore , suppose his Pride , suppose any known wickedness , sets up that to be the great good that pleaseth him , that man is no more wicked , his heart is no more wicked in that than another man that maketh Mammon his God , the gathering of wealth , or the maintaining of his honor , and neither of these are more wicked than he that maketh his righteousness , his own religious performances his God , because for ( though these may seem strange , yet if you wil wait you will find it to be good Divinity ) though in all these self is the end , and all these are used but as means , in the one of them I make use of the Devil to serve my self , in another I make use of the world to serve my self , in another I make use of God to serve my Self : but whosoever I make use of , it is my self that I set in the Throne , my own Ease , my own Wil , my own Good , my own Happiness : Now then here is the result , whatsoever a poor lost sinner doth make his portion , before he come to be reconciled to God in Christ , whatsoever it is that he maketh his portion , or placeth his happiness in , that our Lord means by self ; and there you have the first thing explained that I intended to handle , What is meant by our Self that must be denied ? all that we make our portion , be it our Lusts , be they our natural abilities , be they our worldly interests , be they our religious Vertues , Duties , Righteousnesses , they are all alike when the heart sodders with them , or rests in them , all these make up that self that must be denied . That is the first . Secondly , The second thing that is to be explained , is , 2. What it is to deny a mans self ; he that will follow Christ must deny himself , What is that ? I answer , First , 1. In general , ( as I hinted before ) it must be a total denyal , it is such a denial of a mans self , as must be a total abrenunciation , it must not be to put off the skin , the Serpents skin , and leave the Body , or to cut off a Joynt and leave the Trunk , but the whole man , all the comprehension of this must be abhominated and renounced , by that self-denial that the Lord here means . But what is it ? ( you wil say ) Wherein stands it ? That I shal labor to cleer to you as wel as I can . 1. Negatively , I wil shew what it is not . And then , 2. Positively , I wil shew you what it is . 1. What it is not . First , 1. By denying a mans self the Lord means not , that we should counterfeit our selves to be other than we are , as Jeroboam's Wife denied her self to be Jeroboam's Wife , by faining her self to be another Woman than she was ; The Lord means not that he that is a proud man should say I am not a proud man , or he that is a rich man should say , I am not a rich man , or he that is a proper man should say I am not a proper man , or he whose name is John or Thomas , should say I am not that man that is not the meaning , that he should counterfeit or feign himself to be another than he is : Nor Secondly , ( which it may be you think most probable ) by denying a mans self is this meant . 2. That a man must wholly be rid of al these things , that that man that denies himself must wholly part with all his corruptions , and part with the powers and faculties of his soul , or the accomplishments of them , or part with all his Estate , his Wife and Children , or part with his morral Duties and Religion , that is not the meaning neither , and that that is not the meaning I prove thus to you First , 1. Some of these things are things we must not part with , the Lord forbids us to part with them : If God have bestowed upon any man a good Wife , or Children , or Memory , Understanding , Learning , Wealth , Honor or Abilities , or Honesty and Righteousness , the Lord commands them not to part with these , these are things that God may be served with , and must be served with , therefore that cannot be the meaning . Nay , 2. The worst of them , none of them can be parted with while we live in this world , though we would never so fain part with them , totally no man upon earth can part with all his corruptions : If there be any man can say , he hath no sin in him , that man rather hath no Grace in him : St. John saith that man that saith he hath no sin in him lyeth , and the truth of God is not in him ; therefore that cannot be the meaning , What is it then ? I answer , and I humbly crave your attendance and weighing of these things , because your everlasting welfare must be measured out by this , you wil know your spiritual interest in Christ by it . I answer then , 2. That this same denial of our selves , this total renunciation of our selves , it comprehends these four things in it , and these four things do constantly meet in every soul that doth deny it self . First of all , 1. All these things that I have spoken of , we do totally and absolutly renounce them all from being any part of our portion , that whereas before all our good lay in some of these things , that if you would ask any man what he is worth , What are you ? and what are you worth ? he must tel you , I am worth a thousand pound a year , or I am worth as much as my Wife and Children , my Wit , my Parts , my Learning , my Education , my good name , my honest Conversation , Look what worth there is in all these so much I am worth ; and this was all his portion : but now when the soul cometh to Christ , it totally renounceth all these , to be nothing at all to him in the point of a portion , if he be the Lords ; and I shal shew you good reason for it by and by God willing ; I wil shew you a notable instance of it in the Apostle Paul , in that forenamed Phillip . 3. where he saith , I think if any man might Glory in the flesh , I might Glory as much as any , and there he reckons up his Religion , his Birth , his Education , his Learning , his Righteousness , and the like , and ( saith he ) these things were gain to me , they were my portion , that if you had asked Paul , Paul what are you ? What am I ? as good a man as you I hope , Wherein lies your goodness ? I am a Jew , an Hebrew , a Benjamite , a Pharisee , a Scholler , an honest man , one that is unblameable in my whol conversation , This was my gain ( saith Paul ) but after that Paul was called to Christ , he did profess al that was his gain before , it was now Dogs meat to him , shipwracked ; his Learning abided with him stil , and his wealth , and his wit , or any thing , he had it stil : but it was all rubbish now , he did lay no worth in the world upon it , he had no portion now but the favor of God in Christ Jesus , that was his wealth , but now for all these things what use soever he might make of them , they were nothing , not one penny to him in the point of a portion ; This is the first thing that is an ingredient into this same self-denial , that when the soul cometh to Christ , it is unloosed and set loose from all these things , as they gave any support to the soul , to breed a good esteem in it of its own happiness . That is the first . The Second thing that maketh up this self-denial is , 2 That as the Soul doth renounce all these from being a portion , so as in any of these there is any thing found that stands in opposition to Christ , or hath any enmity against Christ , so far the soul totally doth not only throw it aside as a worthless thing , but opposeth it as a deadly thing , it casteth it aside as an enemy : Before in the other it throws it aside as a useless thing : but here it throws it aside as an enemy , when it hath any opposition or enmity against Christ Jesus , or the waies that Christ would have his people walk in ; that is plain both by many Scriptures , that you shal see the Servants of God when they come to deny themselves , they say to their Lusts , get you hence , to their Idolatry , to their wicked waies , they throw them out to the Moles and the Bats , they mortifie them , they crucifie them , they put off the old man , with all the Lusts that are contrary to Christ , & their carnal reason that stands in enmity against Christ ; According ( I say ) as there is any thing in them that bears opposition to Christ Jesus , and the waies of holiness , so far the soul renounceth them as an enemy , if ever they deny themselves , because ( as you shal hear in the Reason ) Christ Jesus alone is the great good of that soul that denies it self . A Third thing that maketh up this self-denial is , 3. That all these four , or any thing that may fal under any one of them , so far as they ever stand in competition with Christ , and the things of Christ , so far the soul totally abandons them likewise , totally abandons them all according as they stand in competition with Christ Jesus ; and that our Lord means when he saith , That a man must hate his Father , and Mother , and Wife , and Children , Certainly the Lord doth not mean that we should hate them simply , No , but when they come to stand in competition with Christ's excellence , or providence , or things fall out so , that I must either renounce these , or I must withdraw from Christ , I cannot serve Christ , and enjoy them too , therein I totally renounce them all ; and this you shall understand thus : Our Savior Christ saith a man then denies Christ , though he have never so good an opinion of Christ , if yet when he comes to that exigent , that either he must leave Christ , or leave the world , or leave his wealth , if he leave Christ for his wealth sake then he denies Christ , so Christ saith , by the same reason when I leave my life , leave my wealth , leave my Wife , my Children , my Name , my Credit , my wil , my Duties , when these stand in competition with Christ , then I deny them all , then that soul may truly be said to deny them ; as I pray take an instance or two of it , that you may see what I mean : Take that that is reported of a famous Lady in the primitive Church , I think her name was called Julida or Juletta , that having a Suit before a Heathen Magistrate , in somewhat that concerned her estate , her cause was good , and it was like to go of her side , but some body whispers the Judge in the Ear , and tels the Judg that she was a Christian , the Judg tels her ; Lady , your cause is good ( saith he ) and it is like to go with you , but here is an information come that you are a Christian , and if so , you will not only lose this cause , and this part of your estate , but al your estate , and your honor , and your life , all is gone : Is it come to that ? ( saith she ) farewel my lands , farewel my honor , farewel my life , Nay , I am a Christian when these come to stand in competition with Christ once : Or as Gallatius Carixialdus a famous Italian Marquess , that had a Lady and delicate Children , and a fair Estate , but when he could not enjoy Christ and these together , he left them all and went to Geneva to live with Mr. Calvin : And there is a speech of Chrysostome that he said , when he thought he should go to banishment , or martyrdome for Christs sake , he said , If my Father should stand in my way , I would throw him down , if my Mother should meet me , I would tread upon her belly , meaning plainly , that if any of these should be hinderances to him in Christ's cause , and stand in competition , he would trample them under his feet : And this the Lord plainly means by a mans denying himself , my Life is dear , my Learning is dear , my Children are dear , my Credit is dear , al are good , I value them , I love them , I would keep them , but if either my peace with Christ must go or these , if my Conscience must go or these , if the Glory of Christ must go or these , all pack away , they are all renounced as they stand in competition with Christ. This is the third thing in self-denial . Fourthly there is another , ( and I pray lay up these things in your hearts , against I come to apply them by and by ) and that is , 4. That the soul that doth deny it self doth totally forsake all these so far , as from claiming his interest or propriety in them ; they do not only not make them their wealth , but now they resign them all up unto Christ , give them up to Christ , and themselves turn Baylifs or Stewards to Christ , to use them all according to the will and pleasure of Christ Jesus alone : Pray understand this , because though you be never called to some of the other , yet for this last this is that vein of self denial , that must run through the whol course of a mans life , and he hath use of it every day he lives if he be a servant of Christ ; Pray understand my meaning thus : Suppose a man had a smal Farm upon which he totally lived , it was the inheritance he received from his Father , and it is al that he and his Wife & Children have to subsist on , and he useth it according to his own will for his best advantage , builds , plucks down , plows , laies down his plowed ground , turns it into pastures , sels it , keeps it , changeth it , doth what he wil , it is all the wealth he hath , suppose this man had a fair estate that is ten thousand times better , settled upon him by some great man , that gives it him freely , only ties him to this condition , that this Farm that was his own before , he shal now surrender it up to the hands of the Lord , to him that is his Lord , and for time to come though he shal dwel upon it stil , yet now he shal occupie it only as his Baylif , shal not cut down a Tree but what he appoints , not pluck down a house nor alter a room but as he orders him , and all the fruits he shal lay them where he would have them , and dispose of them as he commands him , be but his Baylif and Steward as to that : the other now is his own portion that he shal live upon : Just now here is the case , while we are in our natural estate , all we have to live upon is our self , I have so many corruptions that ( it may be ) are very pleasurable , and honorable some of them , I have such parts , such strength of Body , I have such a wit , or such an estate , or such a good name , it is al I have to live upon , and I wil improve it to the best I can , and as it may best serve my turn I use it , but now when I take Christ Jesus to be my portion , when I come to take the Lord Christ to be my portion , I surrender all these up into Christ's hands , and while he is pleased to put them back again into mine , I am only his Baylif , his Steward , my wit is his , my Honour is his , my Wealth is his , my Lands are his , and a man that hath denied himself doth occupy all these things , just as the Jews were to occupy the Land of Canaan , of whom you may read in Levit. 25. that the Lord told them , This Land ( saith he ) is all mine , and you are but sojourners with me , you shal plow it thus many years , and then you shal plow it no longer than such a time , and of the fruits of it you shal bring the first fruits to such a place , and pay the Tithes to such a place , and to the poor give such a thing , and gives this Reason , For the land is mine and you are but sojourners with me , so that all that a man hath in this world , al that is comprehended under the name self , when once the Soul closeth with Christ , it is but a sojourner with him to use these things , and to use them according to the Lords pleasure ; and these four do make up self-denial ; when a Soul ( in a word ) is come thus far , that he doth abhominate all that is in it so as for making it a portion , when he hates and labors to crucifie whatsoever in it is an enemy to Christ and the waies of Christ , when he parts with all , with any thing as they stand in competition with Christ , when they labor to use all according to the rules of Christ , so as to make Christ the Proprietor , and themselves to be but Stewards or Tennants at wil to him . This is the self-denial that the Lord saith must be in every Soul that wil be his Disciple . Now before I come to the Application of this , I have but one thing more and that is to shew you , 3. Why it must be thus , what reason there is , that so the thing may be demonstrated to you , that so when I come to the Application your hearts may have nothing to oppose against it ; and understand me , the question is not why it is comely to do thus , why it is requisite it should be so : but why there is such an absolute necessity of it , that a man cannot so much as pretend to be a Disciple of Christ that will not submit to it . What Reason for it ? I answer first , 1. Because wheresoever the Lord Christ is received by any soul , he wil be received as the All of that Soul , mark my words , Christ wil be all or he wil be nothing , what the Father hath sent him to do he wil be all to do it , he wil never undertake a piece of it , and the Lord hath sent him to be all that a poor lost sinner can need . Now I pray conceive my meaning thus , Take a Maid that a Man wil be a Husband to her , when she marries to this man he wil be all in the place of a Husband , and she must renounce all the men in the world in matters that belong to conjugal Relations , the marriage state wil admit no rivalty ; I but for al that , though the Husband must be all in the relation of a Husband , yet he is not al that the Wife needs , and she may lawfully have application to other Creatures , and to other men for some things wherein her Husband cannot be all to her ; if she be sick , she must have a Physitian ; if she be wounded , she must have a Chyrurgeon ; if she be sad , it may be she must have another to comfort her : neither can her Husband be her Bread , and her Cloaths , she must have another must make them , and prepare them . But now Christ Jesus is All that the soul needs , he is their Father , their Husband , their Brother , their Friend , their Companion , their Bread , their Drink , their Cloth , their Gold , their Silver , their Honor , he is All in All ; Christ Jesus is so , and he wil be so , or he wil be nothing ; and there is this natural reason for it , Because every mans heart shares out both its prayers , and its confidence , and its love , and its praises ( I say it shares it out ) according as it needs , or findeth supply any where . If one man be my Patron , and give me a great deal of my maintenance , I share out my expectations , my prayers , my love , my service most to that man ; but another helps me with some of these , and he hath part of my good wishes , and part of my prayers , and part of my praises , according to the proportion of good I receive from him , so is my heart shared out to him in dependance , or thankfulness , or love . But Christ Jesus wil have no sharing , he wil have all thy heart , all thy prayers , all thy love , all thy affections , all thy obedience ; Christ Jesus expects all , which he cannot have until he be all , and he never can be all , til al other be renounced , til I have no God but Christ , til I have no Father but Christ , til I have no Wisdom but Christ , til I have no Righteousness but Christ , I shal never share out al my prayers , and confidence , and love , and the like , to Christ for al ; and therefore wil Christ have al renounced that he may be all . That is one Ground , and the great Ground . There is another ( which I wil briefly touch ) and that is this : 2. Because al these things that we are to renounce , even the best of them al in those notions wherein we are to renounce them , they are al of them , and wil be adversaries and hindrances to us , in the way that Christ Jesus expects we should walk before him , and therefore until our souls do totally renounce them , we are in perpetual danger of being undone by them ; as I pray conceive my meaning thus in a familiar comparison : Suppose in a Civil War wherein a Nation is divided , and one Faction engaged against the other ; if a man that hath been engaged on the one Party , do leave that Party , and come over to serve that side against which he did oppose before , this man must renounce all the other Party , though his Brethren were there , though his Estate lay in those Quarters , he must renounce them all , or otherwise he wil never be trusted by them , to whom now he pretends to joyn ; or be sure ( which is the thing I alledg it for ) if he hold correspondence with them , they wil ever be dropping destructive principles into him , against the way that he now engageth for . So al these things , not only our Drunkenness , and Whoredom , and Lust , and Lying , and stealing , and slandering ; but our Reason , our Wills , our Affections , our Wealth , our Honor , our Children , our Friends , our Duties , our Performances , wil lie as blocks in the way to hinder us from some of the things that the religion of Christ wil put upon us ; there is nothing cleerer , Saint John hath an excellent speech in 1 John 2.16 . saith he ) All that is in the world ( mark his words , All that is in the world ) the Lusts of the Flesh , the Lust of the Eye , and the Pride of life , it is not of the Father : It is not of the Father al that is in the world , What means he by all that is in the world ? that that he had said before , Little Children love not the world , nor any thing in the world , his meaning is , love not Life , love not Wife , love not Children , Estate , Honor , Wealth , love them not , Why ? They all serve but to nourish the Lusts of the Flesh , the Lust of the Eye , or the pride of Life , and that is not of the Father , they wil draw you away from God , therefore take heed of them ; and look what John saith of the things of the world , the same may be carried to al the other ; Love not your Duties , love not your Righteousness , love not your Performances , love not your Honesty , love none of these as you in your natural estate cleave to them , they al of them tend but only to advance your self , and to pul down Christ , and wil be hinderances to you in the way wherein Christ wil have you walk ; And thus I have endeavored ( Beloved ) to make plain unto you this great Doctrine of Christianity , that is the very first door that we pass through when we come into Christs School to deny our selves : Now it remains that I make some Application of it , and that I shal do as briefly and as cleerly as the Lord shal please to enable me , and among many other things there are but two or three that I intend to insist upon . The one is , USE , 1. Hence from all this discourse it cleerly follows , that among the great multitude of those that are called Christians , there are but very few who are Christians indeed ( for Gods sake marke this that I say to you , I say ) If this discourse of mine be true ( as I hope I have made it cleer out of Gods word to you ) that a man cannot be Christs Disciple , that hath not learned this lesson of self-denial , certainly there are very few Christians to be found in Christendome , and truly I have often thought and am perswaded it is true , that the not understanding of this lesson , or the not coming to Christ upon the tearms of this Lesson , is the great cause of all the formalities , and hypocrisies , and the unbelief , and apostacy that is sound amongst Christians . I observe ( and it is an observation that many have made ) that in the primitive times of the Church , when death and ruine was visibly to be expected by any one that would imbrace Christ , then it would be hard for any man to enter upon Christianity , until he had resolved upon this lesson , because they took it for granted , I go to poverty , I go to hanging , I go to stoning , I go to beggery if I go to Christ , and therefore they had need see so much in Christ , that they might be willing to part with all for him , and yet even then our Savior Christ noted , that a great many came in upon false grounds : but now after the name of Christian Religion hath obtained in the world , and men are made Christians from their mothers womb , I mean in an outward form , that assoon as we have a Child born we say it is born a Christian , and then we go and Baptize it as a Christian , and then when it cometh to Church it hears Sermons as a Christian , and then as it grows up and gets a little more knowledg it comes to the Lords Table as a Christian , and so men are made Christians by piece-meals , and they know not how , but the Lord knows mavelous few amongst them ever understood any thing at all of this Point of self-denial , that if amongst such a great Assembly as here is , if a man in Gods name should come but to enquire and say , Are you a Christian ? Yes : Do you follow Christ ? I : And are you his Disciples in truth ? I hope so : Pray have you denied your self ? Have you learned the Lesson of self-denial ? God he knows they know nothing of the meaning of it ( as they say ) it is heathen Greek to them , they are unacquainted with it : Wel ( Friends ) know you for certain , that you may be bred Christians , bear the name of Christ , make a profession of Christ , hear Sermons of Christ , partake of the Sacraments of Christ , and do a thousand things that may outwardly speak you to be the Servants of Christ , and in the mid'st of all these you may be as far from being his Disciples in truth , as they were that crucified him , and if ever the Lord come but to dispose of you , and come to cal for that same beloved Self of thine whatsoever it be , that thou must turn it out of door , the world shal quickly know that thou never didst receive Jesus Christ in sincerity , I am perswaded that so many of you as have but ordinary understandings in the Book of God wil be able to Judg , if you compare my Doctrine with the lives of most men . You wil say , Either this that you have preached is not Gospel , or we are not Christians , there are very few of us that ever learned this Lesson , therefore I desire you ( before I go any further ) every one a little to try his own soul , what evidence he hath of this Lesson wrought in him , you cal your selves the servants of Christ , I beseech you examin , Have you ever denied your selves ? I do not ask now whether you have learned a particular Lesson , to deny your Credit , or your Wil at this time or the other time , but this same putting off this old Self , this renouncing of thy self , hast thou ever learned that ? and among a great many trials I wil pray you ( at the present ) but to weigh these two Considerations . First , 1. In the presence of God tel me , what doest thou weigh in the Ballance ? This is somwhat a blunt question , but it is that that wil mightily determine the case , Tel me in the sight of God , what doest thou weigh in the ballance ? my meaning is this , I know thou knowest what thou art , and what thou hast , thou knowest thy self ( it may be ) to be a Scholler , a wel bred man , it may be a great Magistrate , it may be of a great estate , it may be a great name , it may be an honest man , it may be an unblameable conversation , it may be cried up as one of the eminentest men in the City where thou livest , looked upon by all the City , and neighborhood as a rare man , and it may be al this is true : But tel me what doest thou weigh in Gods sight ? That God that knows how thou esteemest thy self can determine this question : Wel thus plainly , Art thou one that carriest such thoughts as these ? there is such and such and such they are great Professors , I thank God I am as good a man as any of them all , I am sure I have a better estate than they , I am sure I have more honesty and as good a wit as they ▪ and I can set out my foot by any man , let any man detect me , I thank God I am not as a great many others are , and thus thou judgest of thy self ; Alas poor soul ! thou art very far from Christ Jesus : But now if God wil bear witness with thy soul , that in the mid'st of al these thou sayest , I am ( indeed I am ) it may be a learned man , or a great man , or a rich man , or a Schollar and the like , and I have lived honestly , and God hath kept me from many notorious wicked waies that others have walked in , but alas what am I for al this ? a poor undone Creature , a worthless Craature , not only my lusts but my Prayers , my Sermons that I preach , or hear , my duties that I perform , God help me I am a base Creature , if God look not upon me in Christ Jesus , I have no one thing to commend me to God , nothing that ever I had , nothing that ever I did is of any worth , I loath it all , Oh! if God would give me Christ I am wel , but for other things I have nothing , there is the man , the soul that weighs nothing in the ballance , is nothing hath denied himself , he hath sold himself , he saith indeed I am worth nothing , Why ? Is not this house yours ? It was but I have sold it and spent the mony too , God help me , so I had these things , but ( alas ) they are not worth a Groat , they are wotrh nothing , my worth is this , if I have hope in Christ I am wel , if not I am lost . Ask but thy soul that . Secondly , 2. Tel me ( for that fourth branch that I named , because I know if thou hast but any face of Christianity , thou darest not own those that are known Lusts , known Corruptions , thou endeavorest to mortifie them , but I wil insist only upon that fourth branch ) Dost thou with all that thou hast , look upon thy self as one that is Christs Baylif and Steward , he hath laid up thy portion for thee , he measures out thy wealth for thee , and for him thou livest , and for him thou givest that that thou hast , and that that thou art , and that that thou doest , thy honor , thy estate , thy life , thy wealth , if Christ may have any service from them , by them , through them , here they are , thou tenderest them to him with all thy soul , if the Lord have subdued thy heart to that , I tel thee for thy comfort ( and so I pass from this first use , if the Lord have subdued thy heart to that ) he hath taught thee that lesson which though it be the first in order to Christianity , yet it is the hardest Nut thou hast to crack , it is a lesson that nothing but Gods Spirit dwelling in thee ever subdued thy heart too , and it is assure a token that the Lord is thine , as any thing that ever can be found in thee , when thou hast renounced all , that Christ may be all to thee : but if this be a stranger to thee and thou to it , do not flatter thy self with thy carnal confidence , thou maiest be very religious and honest in outward shew , but thou servest thy Self and not the Lord , and that self of thine wil ruine thee and never save thee , and therfore in the next place ( which is the use which I most of all intend , and which when I have done with I have done my Sermon ) USE , 2. I would labor to teach this Lesson , this great Lesson of self-denial , I would be a help to those that are willing to learn this hard Lesson , how it may be attained that we may follow the Lord , and truly ( Honorable and Beloved ) if I should look upon my self only in this work , my weakness to think that I should perswade you to deny your selves , I profess I would as soon expect that I might perswade you to go out of this Assembly , and lay violent hands upon your selves , and cut your own Throats , as soon as by any Rhetorick or Arguments of mine , I should ever look to perswade you to this great lesson of self-denial , but when I consider that in this work I am the Minister of Christ , and that his Spirit goes along with his word , I may hope through his Grace that I may teach that , and leave that upon many of your souls , that may make you contented to forsake all , and follow Christ all the rest of your daies ; I say again , looking upon humane perswasions it is nothing : I remember the Story that is told of Luther , When Luther first came out to preach against the Popes indulgences , and to reform the corruptions of the Church of Rome , went about that vast Task , there was one Albertus that liked Luthers projects very wel , but despaired that ever he would make any thing of it , he wrote to him , Frater abi in cellam , die miserere mei Deus ; Fryar ( saith he ) go to thy bed , go into thy Cel , thou wilt never do any good at this work : So to come to perswade men to forsake themselves , to renounce themselves , to come and deal with Lord Majors , and Aldermen , and Sheriffs , and Ladies , and great Citizens , and learned men , to come and turn them out of al that ever they have , that they should renounce al , and deny al , and not be worth one Groat but the favor of God in Christ , Abi in Cellam , Go to thy Bed , there is no hope of it , but if God strike in , there wil be hopes of it , and therfore to perswade you to it , be pleased to take these three motives· 1. Three Considerations I would give you , to make you willing to learn this lesson of self-denial , and then , 2. I will shew you the means that you must use to attain it . 1. To provoke you to it , Consider in the first place . 1. That this self , this cursed self that I am preaching against , it is absolutely the greatest Idol in the world , the greatest Idol and false God that is to be found in al the world : Since man left the true God from being his portion , there have been found out a hundred thousand other Gods , but all those hundred thousand and hundred thousand demy-gods , they are all of them but underlings to this same God that is called Self , Self invented them , Self set them up , Self changeth them , Self produced them , and they all bow before it , as Dagon did before the Ark , so all the other Idols in the world bow before Self : I know I speak Gods truth , my meaning is , All false religions , all policies , all injustice , all oppressions , all underminings , all villanies that are acted in the world , and from one end of the world to the other , they all are but the fruit of self-love , self-preservation , self-interest , self-content , self-respect , somewhat about Self hath set them up , and were they all banished out of the world , while we have a Self in us , an unmortified Self , that self in mankind would invent all those again that ever were , or as bad as they : This is the Abaddon , the Apollion , the abomination that was all desolation , and certainly this ruines Kingdoms , ruines Common-wealths , overthrows Churches , it is the great waster that destroies all , and you set against all other things without any purpose , til you go against this ; I hope I speak to wise men , but I am sure if you wil search you wil find this to be true , that it is only self is the ruine of al men , and til you turn that off , you do but crop the bud ; and as if a man should say , that I have almost undone my self by a Whore , but I wil give her over , I wil follow her no more ; and another say , I have undone my self by a pack of Cards , but I will use them no more , but if self remains Covetousness wil undo thee with Religion and with Honesty , it wil carry thee to Hell by thy Prayers , by thy Tears , by thy reformations , til the Lord turn self out you do nothing . That is one . Secondly , Consider this , 2. There is an absolute impossibility ( the Lord help you to weigh what I am now saying to you , I say there is an absolute impossibility ) that ever the soul should cordially close with Christ until it do totally renounce it self , never can Christ be cordially closed with til then : There are a thousand things may make a man make an external profession of Christ , or keep a fair quarter with him , but cordially to close with him it is impossible , til the Lord teach us to renounce our selves : I wil give you the reason , because Christs interest and self-interest are diametrically opposite one to the other , directly opposite one to another , and therefore it is not possible that ever we should close with Christ until we renounce that other ; that is that our Savior means in Math. 6. No man can serve two Masters , he doth not mean that a poor man cannot serve two or three or ten Masters , he may serve twenty Masters , so as all those Masters have but one interest , if they have all one common and joynt stock he may serve them al , but if their interests be opposite one to another , the man can never serve them both ; Now Christs interest what is that ? it is only to lay the Creature low , to make man , and all that is of man vile and nothing , and to exalt free Grace only , that is Christs interest , but now self-interst is nothing in the world but to exalt it self , whosoever goes down , to tread upon the Devils shoulders to exalt it self , to tread upon the world to exalt it self , to tread upon Gods shoulders to exalt it self , any thing that may exalt it self , they are so opposite that it is impossible they should both close : Thus far indeed a man that hath made Self and self-interest his portion , that man may keep a marveilous fair quarter with Religion , as a learned man handling this very Doctrine I am preaching of , useth this comparison , saith he ; Those men whose interest is to maintain their own greatness , they will entertain those that are cal'd the wits of the time , the pleasant Companions , the Drols , they wil entertain them , bid them welcom , be glad of them : though it be some cost to them , it is a part of their grandour , it maintains their greatness to have such , and they are as welcome to them as any body in the world , but if any of these wits or pleasant Companions shal come to engage this man , and say , pray ( Sir ) be you bound with me for ten thousand pound : Sir you are welcome to my house , and your Horse is welcom , but ( Sir ) you must pardon me , he wil throw him off rather than do so : So a man may entertain Christ , while hearing of Sermons and discoursing of Religion is only an Ornament to a man , a man that is of a selvish spirit may cordially entertain him so far , but so as to hazzard their own undoing for Religions sake , for Christ's sake to bring me to beggary , it may be to hang me upon a Gallows , to throw me out of my Office , to overthrow my Trade , wholly to throw these away no man living can entertain Christ so far . It was a notable speech of the King of Navarre , that afterwards was Henry the fourth of France , The King of Navarre was a Protestant , and owned the Protestant cause , but his eye was upon the Crown of France , to which he knew he was Heir , and hoped to come to it , and when Beza and the other Protestants did press the King of Navarre , to appear cordially in the cause of God , saith he , I am yours , I wil go with you , but I promise you I will go no further to Sea , than I may come to Land if a storm rises , his meaning was , he would never hazzard the loss of the Crown of France for the Protestant Religion , and so he fared accordingly ; and truly so may it be now , Thou maiest tel Christ after a complemental manner , Lord , thou art mine , it is my honor to be thy servant , I delight to hear thy word preached , and worship thee in my Family , I rejoyce in it : all this fair quarter maiest thou keep , but beleeve it , if the Lord have not taught thee to renounce thy self , when Christ shal come to try thee throughly , thou wilt honor him just as you shal find in the Story , and it is worth your observation , in 1 Kings 20. you have such a Story as this is , Benhadad the King of Syria sendeth to Ahab King of Israel such a Letter as this , saith he , Thus saith Benhadad , All that thou hast is mine , thy Wives and thy Children are mine , thy Gold and thy Silver is mine ; and al is mine , Ahab very loth to quarrel with him returns him a very fine complement , My Lord ( saith he ) all that I have is at your service , all is thine ; Well , Benhadad sendeth next day , Wel , ( saith he ) whereas I sent to thee that all is mine that thou hast , I wil send my Servant for to seize upon it : while he only talked of it , Ahab would own it , my Lord all is thine : But when to morrow I wil send my servants , and they shal seize upon it , then he cals his Counsellors , See you how this man picks a quarrel with me , what a fair answer I sent to him , and now he would seize upon all : So if Christ come to thee , til thou hast learned self-denial , and say , here I wil lay thee down , here thou shalt lose thy credit , or thy Conscience , peace with me , or peace with men , thou canst never close with Christ cordially till thou hast learned this lesson . And then Thirdly and Lastly for my Motives . 3. Know for certain , If the Lord have but once taught thee this Lesson , there is nothing in all Christianity wil be difficult to thee , all the waies of Christ will be as plain as a Bowling-Alley , whatsoever thou art called too ; I know I speak a great word , but I bless God I speak not unpreparedly in it , all the waies of Christ wil be as plain as a Bowling-Alley to thee , if the Lord have but once taught thee to turn Self out of doors , thy work wil be brought only to these two Heads . 1. One part of it to learn to know what Gods wil is concerning thee , what he would have thee do , or what he would have thee suffer . And , 2. The other wil be but to seek strength of him , that thou maiest not in thy own power go about it , but be supported by him ; but otherwise all objections and difficulties are removed , if Self be but once turned out of doors ; Why ? Because all the difficulties in the waies of Christ ariseth from Arguments taken from Self only , either this will be against my honor , or here I must part with such a pleasure , or here my estate may hap to be crack't , or here this may hazzard my life , or this may deprive me of my Children , or this may cut me off from my Friends , or this may expose me to scorn , some such thing or other comes in , but otherwise when a man hath no such thing to take care for , I have no honor , nor credit , nor wife , nor Children , nor friends I regard , the Lord is my portion , I live upon him , I drink water out of that Cisterne , and I care for no other , when the soul hath but once learned that , it is but with him as it was with Paul , saith he , I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem , and I profess I know not what I shal meet withal , saith one , then I will tel you what you shal meet withal , the Holy Ghost saith the Jews shall bind you , and Scourge you , and Whip you , and send you to Rome , and what then ? they all fal a Weeping for , and about him , saith he , why break you my Heart ? What care I to die at Jerusalem when it is the work of the Lord ; he had no self to regard , he had turned self out of doors , and all the waies of Christ were easie to him , and God knows this passage was one of the motives that made me choose this Theam before this grave Auditory ; Truly our times are extream Ticklish and dangerous , and the wisest man under Heaven knows not what wil betide him , whether it fals back or edge , no man can tel what will become of him , nor what to meet withal , and a great many wise men are perplexed to know what to do , now I tel you , if the Lord do but teach you to deny your selves , to lay aside all that may be called self , you will have no great difficulty not in these difficult times , but only to know what God would have you do , that you may not go out of the right way for want of light that you may not ingage in sinful actions for want of councel , you wil pray to God to make your way plain , but as for other difficulties whether you shal stand or fal , Live or Die , it would be no great trouble to you , if God had but once taught you to deny your selves ; Nay , you will not only be prepared for the worst times to come , but for all services you shal be called to , It is a good observation of a learned man , That all the men that ever have been eminently serviceable , either in matters of the Gospel , I mean , in Duties of Religion , or eminent if it have been in a Christian way , in matters of Charity , or Justice , or in being faithful Patriots , they have been men that have little regarded themselves , that have not greatly regarded what they were talked of , how they were valued or esteemed , or what was like to betide them , but only men that were willing to be publick sacrifices if need were , and those men have done the best service if any other ; So in the greatest Services , you may be possibly called to suffer , turn but Sarah aside now , when Abraham must go to Sacrifice his Son , Sarah shal not know of it , and then Abraham can do it well enough , for he had learned to follow Gods will , but Sarah would have Rung him another Peal ; So turn but self out of the way , and you will be fit for any thing God shal cal you to ; But you will say . Quest. How shall a man attain this Lesson ? What Arguments or what Rethorick can you use , that you can expect ever to prevail with men , to turn them off thus from themselves ? I wil tell you , Answ. Not by any Humane Oratory in the world is this to be effected , but it is the Lord , it is the spirit of the Lord that doth it ; no man can come to me ( saith Christ ) except my Father draw him ; now in every coming , there is a Terminus a quo , and a Terminus ad quem , the term that you must go from , that is Self , the term that you must come to , that is Christ , Now no man cometh from himself , or cometh unto Christ , til God Almighty draw him : But what ( think you ) is Gods drawing ? It is nothing but the spirits perswading , Gods spirit perswades them , And what do you think the Spirit of God perswades them too ? that I now come to , and afford me but one quarter of an hour for that , and then ( God willing ) I shal have done . The Spirit of God when it doth enable a soul thus to deny it self , it doth perswade them of these two things , which two things I would commend to you as your study . The one is , 1. The Spirit of God maketh him see what Self is , and no man under Heaven longer cleaves to himself , than he is deceived in himself , for let him but once have but a true information of himself , and he abominates himself presently . That is one . And then the second is , 2. To make him see the excellency that is to be found in Christ , the All-sufficiency that the soul may find in Christ , and when they see their present portion worth nothing , and that that is offered to them to be every way satisfrctory , then doth the soul readily renounce the one , and close with the other ; so that then if you would get out of your self , and renounce your self . 1. Study to know thy self , study but to know who thou art , in any of all these things that I have spoke of , know but thy self ; I confess it wil not be a short study , but I commend it to you , and the Lord help you that you may study it ( I say ) know who thou art . First , 1. What thy Lusts are ; for I tel you while a man is in his natural estate , his Lusts are very excellent Ornaments to him , it is a brave thing to many a man to think what a proud spirit he hath , how he can rant it , and tread all his Neighbors under foot , and that he can go from one filthy pleasure to another , that pleases him : Study to know what thy sins are , and who thou art that art a sinner . 2. Study to know what the World is , thy Wife , Honor , Estate , Friends , Liberties , Study to know them . 3. Study to know thy Righteousness , thy Honesty , thy Prayers , thy Duties that thou art so prone to magnifie thy self for , and to make a bottom to stand upon , labor to know them , and thou wilt have enough of them , as I beseech you conceive me thus : Suppose a deluded young man were in love with some beautiful Woman ( as he takes her to be ) he takes her to be the paragon of beauty of all the Country , and of good behavior , and therefore he sacrificeth his State , his Life , his Parts , his Wit , and all to be her Servant , imagine now that this Woman were some ugly , deformed , abominable strumpet that hath only painted her self , and take her paint off , she hath the horridest visage that a man can look upon , and is all eaten up with loathsom Diseases , shew this Man but this Woman in her own colors , let him see her deformity , he hath quickly enough , then he loatheth himself for loving her : Would the Lord therefore teach you but to take any of al these things , and but to weigh them and study them , and see what shadows , what baubles , what dreans , what fancies the best of them all are , I speak not now of your Swearing , and Drunkenness , and Whoring , but I speak of your Pomp , your Honor , your Wealth , your great Estates , your Revenues , your good Cloaths , Nay ( I wil go higher ) your Prayers , your Mercies , your hearing of Sermons , your Righteousness , your Honesty , if God would shew you what guilt , what filth cleaves to them , what venom is in them how little they wil stand your soul in stead in the day of tryal , if God would teach you but to study these things aright , certainly you would say , Lord , draw me from my self , deliver me from my self , that am the veriest monster that lives . But especially . 4. Study to know Christ : Christ saith , Let him forsake himself and follow me , ( said his Disciples to him ) Lord , we wil follow thee , but what shal we have ? I wil tel you , ( saith he ) you shal have a hundred fold more in this world , besides in the world to come you shal have life everlasting , that is , ( in a word ) Thou shalt find in Christ all that that wil abundantly satisfie thy soul , there is righteousness enough , there is wisdom enough , there is mercy enough , there is goodness enough , there is counsel enough , there is honor enough , thou canst not need so much as thou shalt find in Christ , Rivers , Seas , Oceans of happiness in Christ , study to know Christ and thou wilt follow him . These things I thought good to press , and purposed indeed to have pressed them larger , but I know not how the time is gone , nor how burdensom I may be to you , and although this was all the use I intended , when I prepared this Sermon for this place , yet since I finished it , there is brought somwhat to my hands , that doth enable me to make another use of it , at least of one branch of it , and I beseech you give attention to it , and I have done . I am informed that it is one of the ends of this grave , honorable and solemn meeting of the Magistracy of the City , and of this holy service , to promote a work of Mercy , and Charity , towards the poor of the several Hospitals , to let the wel affected be acquainted how things are , and what may be expected or desired from them , and that I may do it in a few words , have patience but while I read this short paper to you , and then I shal spend a little more of my Theam about it , and then I have done . Here is a true report &c Thus ( Beloved ) I have read over this paper , and I think I shal not need to tell you how it fals within my Theam , I told you that one special branch of Self denial is , to resign up all that we have of Wealth , Lands , Mony , Trades , Parts , Abilities , to resign them up to Christ , to serve him with them , to lay them out in the way that he wil appoint : Now your hearts could not wish for a way more cleer and evident , for the testifying your being good Stewards for Christ , than in owning the present business that hath been read to you , and to make it good , I wil say but these two things in a few words . First , 1. That of al the Services , of al kind of Services that ever we can do for Christ , next to the saving our souls , the work of Mercy and Compassion to People is most accepted with him , that that himself wil most own in the great day , when there shal not a cup of cold water go unrewarded that ever hath been given for his sake . I am confident you so frequently hear of the excellency of the work of mercy and bounty to the poor , that I shal not need to spend any more time to commend it to you , only I pray you to think of it . 2. But the other thing that I would commend to you is this , ( and I beseech you beleeve I would not willingly flatter , but according to the best information that ever I could obtain ) There is no such Treasury in the Christian world , no such Banck where a man might promise what he doth to be faithfully , and wisely , and most advantagiously laid out , as in this Treasury of the honorable City of London , and the Governors of these Hospitals , I have often heard ( for I am but an ignorant man my self in the affairs of this City ) Godly men and wise men often say , that had they any Hospitals to erect , any sums of mony , were it a hundred thousand pounds , that they would promise themselves to be laid out so , that it should not go into private mens purses , or be given to Vagrants and Knaves , but to the halt , and the lame that have need of it , they have professed they would put it into the hands of those that are the Governors of the Hospitals about London , where things are done in such a way , that setting aside such frailties as al humane affairs are suhject to in the generality , they are above making personal gains , but desire only to be faithful Stewards , and therefore if God do put it in any of your hearts , that you would shew your self-denial , and would indeed make Christ beholding to you ( as he will be pleased to cal himself your Debtor ) know that such things as these are very fit objects for your thoughts . And the Lord of Heaven direct you about it . I dare stay you no longer . FINIS THE SAINTS DUTY To keep their HEARTS In a GOOD FRAME . Opened in a Sermon at Olaves Silverstreet , November , 9. 1654. PROVERBS , 4.23 . Keep thy Heart with all Dilligence , ( or as it is chiefly read , Keep thy Heart with all keepings ) for out of it are the Issues of Life . IN most of the Chapters of this Book of the Proverbs , there is no connection of one verse with another , that one should give light or help to clear the other , but they are as a multitude of excellent Pearls put into a large Box , whereof every one singly is of a very great price , and it is thought by many that they were but so many sentences , that King Solomon did utter usually when he sate in judicature , according as the cause or condition was that was heard before him , so there was a divine sentence in the Lips of the King , and the Lord in his good providence and love to his Church hath recorded them , to be for instruction for his People to the end of the world , and amongst them al if you go from one end of the book to the other , if it be lawful to make comparisons , I may freely say , there is not one Pearl of greater price , one sentence of more divine use than this that I have read to you , and shal endeavor ( God willing ) to open as far as I can within the compass of an hour and in it there are these two things plainly laid down . Here is first , 1. A Duty enjoyned to all the Lords Children , in these words , Keep thy heart above al keeings . Secondly , 2. Here is an Argument to enforce to this Duty , in these words , for out of it are the issues of life . 1. And in the Duty there are likewise two things . First , 1. Here is the subject matter , the thing that is to be done , and that is , Keep thy heart . Secondly , 2. Here is the manner how it must be done , and that is , ( as we translate it ) with al diligence ; Keep thy heart with all diligence , or , above all keepings keep thy heart . Now give me leave briefly to interpret the meaning of the words , and then I will put it all into one instruction , which I will endeavor to handle in this hour . First , 1. What is meant by the heart , And , 2. Keeping the heart , And , 3. Keeping it above all Keepings . And so , 4. Of the issues of life that flow from it . Let me give you a brief interpretation of each of them . 1. What doth Solomon mean by the heart here that must be kept ? No doubt it is not meant of the heart made of flesh , that is in the midst of our bodies , it is spiritually meant that no man doubts of : Now take the heart spiritually , and somtimes in the holy Scripture the heart is put for the whol soul ; somtimes it is put for the understanding faculty ; somtimes it is put for the memory ; somtimes it is put for the Conscience ; sometimes it is put for the Wil ; sometimes for one or two Affections ; it were endless to give you the instances of all these ; but here is a Key in the Text which will tel you what is meant here ; for without question that is meant by the Heart here , that is the spring of life , from whence the issues of life do flow . Keep thy heart for out of it are the issues of life , ( now as I shal shew you by and by ) the issues of life are nothing but our whol conversation , so that what 's within is the Fountain of our conversation without , that is meant by the Heart here ; and so consequently it must be meant chiefly of the Wil and Affections . not excluding the understanding : by the Heart then is meant the understanding faculty , especially the Wil and the Affections . Then , 2. Keep thy heart , Keep it , What is that ? The word that is here translated Keep , I find it in other Texts of Scripture variously applied , somtimes it is applied unto those that are the Keepers of a Prison , where dangerous Fellons or Malefactors are to be looked to , that they do not break away ; Joseph was made the Keeper of the Prison . The same word that is here ; somtimes it is applied to keeping the Sanctuary of God , and all the holy things that belonged to Gods Temple , so it is several times used in Ezekiel . Somtimes it is used to signifie the keeping of Treasures , Jewels , &c. so that it is such a keeping as doth argue a great deal of care and watchfulness and diligence &c. All this is meant by Keep thy heart , keep it as thou wouldst keep a dangerous Fellon , a Traytor ; keep it as thou wouldst keep a holy Sanctuary and Temple of the Holy Ghost , keep it as you would keep the richest Treasures , keep thy heart . And then , 3 Keep it above al keepings , with al diligence or above all keepings , that plainly needs the least interpretation of all , because that it is clear that there are abundance of things that God gives men in charge to keep , that if God commit to any man a Flock he must take heed to his Flock , if he bestow any Talent upon him of outward goods , he must keep it and occupy it for Gods Glory , every thing that is received from God must be kept according to the rules he hath given , but above all thy keepings , when you have put them all together , all the keepings that must be kept for Wife , Children , Estate , Name or whatsoever is dear , , let thy heart be kept above all keepings , beyond them al , above al keepings keep thy heart . And then , 4. Here is added thy Heart , keep thy heart , that signifies these two things . The one is , 1. That Solomon who was a Son of wisdom , for it is judged by many that these were not Solomons own words , but they were a part of the Catechism that his Father taught him , for so in the beginning of the Chapter he tels you that he was his Fathers dearly beloved Son , and he taught him & instructed him & said so and so to him , and so they think that all these were Davids words to Solomon , but if it be not , if you take them for Solomons words it is all one , for a little before he saith , My Son , that is , when he saith my Son he means one that is a Son of wisdom , a Child of God , Keep thy heart , that is a good heart , that is a reformed heart that hath Grace planted in it , yet he that hath it so , must be careful to keep it so . And then it signifies further , 2. Thy heart , that is , above al other mens hearts look to the hearts of thy Children , if thou beest a Pastor look to the frame of thy People , so far as thy relation and duty reacheth look to them all , and get what good may be , but let thy heart be looked to above them all . That is the meaning of the first branch , Keep thy heart above all keepings . 2. Now a word of the other , For out of it are the Issues of life . Here are two things to be interpreted . First , 1. The Issues of life , What is that ? The word that is translated Issue , it sometimes signifies a Bud that grows out from a Tree , somtimes a Child that is born of a Father , sometimes and very often the waters that spring or issue out of a Fountain , and so by the issues of life he plainly means all that comes out in our Conversation , that is the fruit of the heart , Words , Actions , Relations , Duties , Sufferings , whatsoever you wil , they are all the issues of life , Al these are issues of life . And then , 2. All these are out of it , What is that ? out of it , may signifie two things , and both come to the same purpose , Out of it , that is , 1. Out of the heart , it is out of our heart that cometh all the issues of life , or ( I think life must be added ) out of it , that is , 2. Out of keeping of thy heart though it be a good one , though it be reformed , yet when I exhort thee to keep it diligently , I would have thee to know that according as thou keepest thy heart , so wil the issues of thy life be ; Now out of these words thus opened , I observe this Instruction . Doct. 1. That the greatest Duty that lies upon all the Sons of God , the Sons of wisdom in this world is , to keep their hearts . To explain it a little more before I come to a further proof of it , be pleased to know that there are two great works about our hearts in this spiritual sense . The one is , 1. To get it into a good spiritual Frame , which no mans heart in the world is , til the Lord break it in pieces and make it new . The other work is , 2. When God hath put this Instrument into tune , that we keep it so , that when God hath put it into a good frame , our work must be to keep it in a good frame . The second of these is the Duty of this Text , for this is here applied unto the Sons of wisdom in whom Grace is planted , and so my Doctrine then is this . Doct. 2. That all the Servants of God must make it their busiest , their diligentest , their watchfullest work in the world to keep their hearts in a good frame when once the Lord in mercy hath put them into a good frame . Now to make this good to you , I wil not ( because an hour wil quickly be gone , and I have many things that I would fain give you ) turn you to many Texts that should particularly prove it , I think any of you that do but read the Scriptures , where the Lord Christ enjoyneth us to look to our hearts , because out of the heart and out of the treasury of the heart comes every thing out , but to convince you of it I would open six grounds to you , and all of them out of the Scripture which may satisfie you , that the greatest work that all the servants of God have to do in this world as to themselves is , To keep their hearts in a good frame ; and I hope I shal shew it you cleerly that the things are so , and then I wil make some Application of it , as the Lord shall enable me within the compass of the time . I say , there are six Conclusions that I would set you down , any one of them may be sufficient to convince , but al of them together may and ( I hope ) wil abundantly satisfie you , that we have no such Duty lies upon us as to our selves in this world , as the looking to our hearts . The first is , 1. Because the heart , that heart which I have interpreted , it is beyond all comparisons the best part of man , it is the head quarter . You know in an Army they have their Sentinel in every corner , they would be loth to have the out quarters beat up , but the head quarter where the General or chief Officers lie , there is the strongest and watchfullest guard of all : Now the heart of man , the wil and the affections , and the intellectual faculty , that is beyond all degrees of comparison better than every thing else that is in man , so much better than all the rest that our Lord saith , that the man makes a very ill bargain of it , that gaines all the world if he lose his soul , Loose thy Heart and thy Soul is lost ; Now then if our Souls , if the heart be ten times more worth than all things else that we have , surely it should be kept more diligently than any things else we have : This I think no man can question the strength of the reason of it , it is the best ; Remember our Saviors word in a lower case , when he did chide men that did take care of meat and drink and clothing and the like , saith he , Is not your life more than your food ? Is not your body more worth than your raiment ? I do but allude to that comparison , Now I may say then , Is not thy Heart better than thy Head ? Is not thy heart thy inward man better than thy outward man ? What is the body but meerly the shel ? It is the Heart that is the Jewel . That is one . I hope to have a little more time afterwards to shew what this includes in it , this keeping ( at least to point at it ) but that is one ground . Because the heart it is the best part of man , it is the Queen , it is the Prince , it is the head quarter , and al others are nothing when compared with it . Secondly , A second ground that is for the demonstration of it , is this , 2. Because the heart it is not only the best part of the man , but it is the treasury wherein better things are laid up than it self . The heart is a very rich Cabinet , yea , but it is a Treasury or Cabinet of the rarest , the invaluablest wealth that is in Heaven or Earth . Understand me aright , I speak not of the heart of a wicked man , of an unconverted man , for Solomon tels us expresly , the heart of a wicked man is nothing worth , it self is a base thing , and there is nothing in it but that that is worse than it self , nothing in the world but the rubhish and the filth of the Devil and the World and Hell lies in the heart of a wicked man , but a man that is a Child of wisdom , that is Gods Child , Oh! there is a rich treasury laid up in his heart . You shal read our Savior speaks of a good man , who out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things , he hath a good treasury : Now would you know what are the treasures that are laid up by God , not of our own getting but of the Lords depositing . Quest. What are the treasures that are in the heart of a Gratious man ? Answ. I Answer , the Tongues of men and Angels cannot tel you what ; I wil name you a few . The one is , 1. The great God himself hath chosen to make the heart of every Godly man , his own privy and Presence-Chamber ; himself saith it , that though the Heaven be his Throne , and the Earth his foot-stool , yet he dwels in in an humble broken heart , in the heart of one that trembleth at his word , and fears his name , there doth he himself dwel . And then , 2. Christ Jesus dwels there : Emmanuel , the Son of God , the Savior of poor sinners ; the Scripture is plain , That Christ may dwel in your hearts by Faith , Christ dwels in our hearts , Is not there a Jewel ? I tel you the Apostle saith of Christ , In him there are hid all the treasures of God ; The God of Heaven is worth no more than is laid up in Christ , and Christ & al he is worth comes to dwel in the heart , and in him ( saith the Apostle ) they are both of them in Collos. 2. the one in verse 13. and the other in verse 9. where he tels you , that the fulness of the Godhead dwels in Jesus Christ essentially or bodily : Now Jesus Christ dwels in the hearts of Gods people . And then , 3. The Holy Ghost dwels there too , For the Heart of every Godly man is a Temple of the Holy Ghost ; and if you wil I might go on to Multiply more . 4. That all the graces of Gods spirit are laid up in our Heart , It is Faith in the Heart , and love unfained in the Heart , and all those excellent things . And , 5. The word that is the Rule of Life , saith David , I have laid up thy word in my Heart , I have hid thy word in my Heart ; Now ( Brethren ) where there is such a treasury that God is laid up in it , and Jesus Christ is laid up in it , and the Holy Spirit ( pardon the expression ) is pleased to dwell in it , and all Gods Graces , all they that are Gods ordinances are there laid up , his word and the like , do not you think this should be wel watched , and well barred , and wel kept , and wel looked to ? There is a second ground , that thy Heart it is not only the best piece that is , but it is the treasury of that that is a great deal better than it self , the richest treasury , and therefore Heaven hath not a richer treasury in it than the Heart of every Saint hath , and therefore it should be kept above al keepings ; Thirdly , A third ground of demonstration is 3. Because that the Lord whom we serve , or pretend to serve , and profess to serve , and do serve if we be his , The Lord looks only at the Heart in all the services that we perform to him , All things that we are to do to the Lord as an homage , and tribute and honor to him , he regardeth nothing but the heart in them all , nothing else is of any esteem with the Lord but the Heart . My meaning is this plainly , that in any services God liketh a thing never a whit the better , for the brave accomplishment or adornment of it with any of our parts or faculties , Wits , Fancies , Memory , expression , Decorum , fair carriage and deportment of the Body , the Lord values not this one button in any service whatsoever , but so much as the heart is in it , so much as the wil & affections are in it , so much doth the Lord value it , insomuch that this one thing wil satisfie you about the truth of it : read all the Scriptures over that speak of the servants of God , & you shal find this , That when all their infirmities ( as many of them had many gross ones and grievous ones , when they ) were all reckoned up , if this were but added , but his heart was with God , his heart was upright with God , that was a Salvo for all the other , he never broke with any of them or cast them off , if so be their hearts were but with him in the midst of al other weaknesses and infirmities , if they could but say as Hezekiah , Lord , remember that amongst all my weaknesses my heart hath been with thee , there was Gods content . And on the other side , Let the performances be never so glorious , or in things never so much commended , or never so much delighted by the Lord , the duties of his Worship and Ordinances , if God did but say of them , This they did but their hearts were not with God , Nevertheless his heart was not upright with God , that signified the Lord threw it all away as rubbish stuf that he took no pleasure in the wnrld in : So then because that it is the Lord that looks at the heart , and if he have that , he hath all , he hath so much as contents him , and never breaks for the want of any thing else , ( as you shal see further anon ) because where the heart is , the best they have wil be brought out , therefore above all we should keep that . That is a third ground . The Lord looks at that above all others , therefore we should keep it above all others . Then Fourthly , ( which I need but name ) . 4. The Devil who is our Adversary , and the Lords Adversary , and goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking how he may devour , all his assaults and batteries are at the heart , and he counts all his labor lost if he do not get into the heart , if he gets that he gets the Cittadel that wil command all the rest , and if he be kept out or cast out there , he himself counts he hath nothing , therfore he saith he wil enter into Judas's heart , he wil fil Annanias's heart , he labors to set up his Throne and his Dominion in the heart of the Children of disobedience , that is his great endeavor . Now then when we are called home to the Lord , we give our selves up to him to fight his battels , and where we know the Enemy wil most assault , certainly our care should be most to watch . If the good man of the house knew at what hour the thief would come he would watch , if he knew what part of the house he would assault , he would watch that most of all ; Now Satans whol endeavor though I confess that by his good wil , he would not let the Lord have a good word out of the mouth of any of his People , nor of any People in the world , nor the bending of a knee if it lay in his power ; but he wil afford that , so he may have but the heart , and if he can but any waies batter the heart , or discompose the heart , or bring it out of frame , he wil not greatly be troubled at all other formalities they give to God : Now because Satan doth so extreamly lay his battery there , surely the servants of God should above all keepings with all diligence keep that . That is a Fourth ground . Fiftly , Another that is of equal force is this , 5. The Heart even the heart of a Godly man it must be kept above Keepings with all diligence , because in truth it is not to be trusted , No , not the heart of the best man living in the world , it is deceitful , it is false , it is cozenig , it is treacherous , not that the new heart is so , but our heart is renewed but in part , and though it be made a Garison for Jesus Christ where our Treasures are kept , yet that Garison hath a great many false enemies that lodg within it ; It were endless for me to explain this sufficiently , in so short a time as is fit for me now to speak , you know where the Scripture saith , that the heart of man , of an unconverted man , in Jerem. 17.9 . It is deceitful above all things , it is desperately wicked , so desperately wicked and deceitful that none but the God of Heaven can search into the bottome of it , the deceitfulness of a mans heart goes as deep as Hel , that no plum-line wil go to the bottom of it ; Now when the Lord plants Grace in any of his Children , and brings in some integrity , some sincerity , yet there remains a woful tang of their former falshood and treachery , that was in it before any Grace was brought in ; and if it be not wel kept and wel looked too , the old deceits wil quickly so get up again , that all wil be put most wofully out of temper upon a sudden . Should I but give you the instances that the Scripture hath left upon record , of some of the choycest Servants of God , how they have been lamentably befoyled , when they have but a little trusted their own hearts , and not had a s●ickt watch and ward going along with it , you would hardly beleeve it ; That holy Apostle Peter , how did he trust his heart when our Lord and Savior asked him , whether he would stick to him when he was in danger ? Lord ( saith he ) I wil die with thee , and hang with thee , if thou beest in danger , and he beleeved it , and little knew what danger lay in the bottom : and David he would not countenance any one that was wicked , but when he trusted his heart it led him to Murther , and Adultery , and Dissembling . And abundance of others that when they have but a little beleeved their own hearts , the best of Gods Children have found so much , that I may say of all the Saints living what Solomon saith in Prov. 28. He is a Fool that trusteth his heart , he that trusteth his heart , that wil beleeve it , No , if it be not throughly searched and throughly looked too : as Solomon saith of an enemy , Beleeve him not though he give the fair words , there are seven abominations in his heart : So I may say to a Child of God , that hath set Christ and Grace and Gods Glory the highest in his heart , Beleeve not thy heart , there are seven abominations lie in it , that if it be not very wel looked to it wil lay thee in the ditch , it will bring thee into woful inconveniences : Now then as you know in a Garison , if so be that we would keep a Garison , if there be impetuous enemies without , if the Rampires and Wals be strong the Guard may be a little secure , but when they know there are a hundred false enemies within their wals , that watch for any opportunity to open some postern Gate or other , to set fire upon the City , to make way for the enemy to come in , they are mad that think that it wil be kept without al diligence ; So that because of the deceitfulness and treachery of our hearts , we must therefore keep them with all diligence in the world . Lastly , to give one more and that is that which my Text holdeth out , and therefore I wil speak a little to it . Keep thy heart with all diligence , Why ? 6. Because out of it are the issues of life , That is plainly , because Thy whol Conversation wil be as thy Heart is kept , that is the plain meaning of it , Thy heart is the fountain , and if thy heart be wel kept , clean , sweet , and pure , thy Conversation wil be such : Now you know that the Conversation of the Lords People it must be pure , it must be holy , Oh! there is a wonderful deal lies upon it , that the Servants of the Lord should glorifie him in a holy & unblameable Conversation : Jesus Christ redeemed them that they should in their Conversation shew forth the graces of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light , & made them Inheritors of better things , that they should be to the praise and glory of his Grace , and to have the servants of God walk unworthily , walk in a deformed disordered conversation , this makes the Lords name stink amongst his enemies , this is the greatest reproach of God that can be in the world , to see those that are his redeemed people walk otherwise than as becometh Saints : Now our Conversation wil be as we look to our hearts , look wel to thy heart , keep that above all keeping , and then thy Conversation is secure , then thy words and thy actions may all be trusted , then the Lord will be secure of his Glory ( if I may speak it with reverence ) in thy words and Conversation , if thy heart be but looked to ; but if thy heart be disorderly , and defiled , and polluted , then unclean issues of life wil appear : A proud Heart will bring a proud Conversation ; a wanton Heart wil bubble out a wanton Conversation ; a worldly Heart that drinks in the love of the Creature , wil dishonor God in a worldly Conversation , be sure of that ; I thought to have named you the Text , but I confess I had not time to look it , but you well know it an excellent speech of Solomons to my purpose , let me tell you before hand , that it is usual in the Proverbs of Solomon , that one part of the sentence concerns the wicked , and the other part concerns the godly , and commonly they are one of them ever set contrary one to another , Now he hath this speech towards the latter end of the Proverbs , The Tongue of the Just it is like refined Silver , ( mark that expression , the Tongue of the just it is like refined Silver ) what is that ? the language , the savory discourse of Godly men , of gracious men , it is pure , and it is gain to a whol City where they dwel , they even scatter refined Silver where they come ; Oh! it is delightful to sit and partake of the language of gracious men , the Tongue of the just is so ; now you will expect the other sentence should be , now the Tongue of the wicked is rotten , their speech is rotten , No , but he saith , The Tongue of the wicked is nothing worth ; as if he should have said , never look for any good in the Tongue of a wicked man , Why ? For his Heart is worth nothing , and therefore never expect his language should be worth any thing , and though it is true some wicked men have so much Hypocrisie , that they can express otherwise to men , yet God that looks at the Heart he looks upon it as rotten and unsavory , but let thy Heart be Silver , and thy Tongue will be like refined silver , let thy Heart be rotten and nothing worth , and thy discourse will be as nothing ; Now lay these six things together , let me endeavor to make some use of it , but this is the sum , therefore should all the Servants of God , all Gods Children look to their Hearts above all things in the world , because First , It is the best part of them , Secondly , It is a treasury of that that is better than it self , Heaven hath not a better treasury than is laid up in the Heart of a godly man , and the Lord looks at it above all other things , and Satan assaults it above all other things , and even the best men have abundance of corruption and deceit in their Hearts , and according as their Hearts are kept so will their life be , therefore above all keepings look to thy Heart ; Now the Application of it , I fear I shal not speak so much as I would have done , but I would willingly ( if God help me ) a little warm your Hearts about it , three Uses I would wilingly make of this Doctrine , that the greatest , the busiest work that the Servants of God have to do in this world , is to keep their inward Heart in a good frame to God-ward . USE , 1. Is this so ? How lamentably and bitterly doth this speak to the reproof of thousands , who yet fain would go for the children of God , I might say of it as Ezekiel saith in another case , it is a Lamentation and shal be for a Lamentation to a world of People , truly almost the whol world , many bitter reproofs may be gathered out of this Doctrine two three or four sorts of people , ( I will give you a touch of it ) and they are found in every place where you come . First , 1. How many are there that are wonderfully exact in keeping the outward things that belong to them ; come into the House which is your Housewives care , those that are neatly , civilly brought up , that would go for Housewives , how delilcatly are their things kept ? How are their Roomes rubbed ? How is every utensil kept tite and clean ? Come into the Shops of your Trades men , How do they keep al their wares ? and if any thing lie out of its place and pile , How impatient are they with their Servants ? if they have received any mony , how wonderfully careful are they to have a Treasury where it may be barred and kept safe for them ? and come into our Country , How do People keep their Cattel ? their very Swine they will keep them as they ought to be , that they may thrive and be for their gain , and credit , and the like , this you shall find common , but go amongst these People , and how are their hearts kept al this while ? As if I should come into one of your houses , and find it very neat , and clean , Truly I con you thanks , surely this cost somebody hot water to keep all this so neatly ; but how do you keep your heart ? Pray how do you keep your heart ? Friends , I fear your Houses , your Shops , your Chests , your Garments , I fear they wil all rise up in judgment against you , every one of you : Have you a Jewel , have you a heart wherein you think such a treasury is laid up ? Do you let it lie open to let every Rogue and Raskal come in , and every thing to defile it , and can you find time to keep these outward things so ? methinks I hear a Mother say to her Child that she gives a row of Pins to , See you keep them carefully I wil call you to an account for them : But saith God to a Soul , I have given thee a Soul , and ( if thou beest mine ) Graces that one of them are more worth than all the Kingdomes of the world , and what paines dost thou bestow upon the keeping them ? The Lord help you to ask your Souls the question , whether this will not rise up sadly against you one day . 2. Go to others and rise higher , because the Body is higher than all these things , Oh! what curiosity shal you find in many about keeping their bodies ? Alas , I must keep my body ( saith one ) I am subject to colds and distempers , and if once they be but bitten a little you shal hardly make them drink a Cup , it wil hurt their Bodies ; yea , they wil have their Cordials by them that shal cheer up their hearts , O! how shal I live if I look not to it , and this care I condemn not simply , because it is an Utensil we should use for Gods Glory , but I fear the bodies of most of you wil be a sad condemnation to the souls of most of you : You shal never meet any of you in a Congregation , but the body of you shal be tricked up as fine as you can , which it ought to be , But what have you done for your hearts ? Have you not left them at home ? Nay , to go a little higher . 3. How many are there that keep their very lives , not only their bodies but their moral Conversations , that look that they may be Sine crimine , that nothing may turn as a reproach to them , God forbid that my language should be otherwise than becomes a Servant of God , God forbid that my Recreations should be such but what may be honorable to God ; and come to them and ask them seriously , Are you the Servants of God ? Pray tel me , Why , can any body detect me ? No , there is your care , the issues of it shal be kept as far as thou canst keep it : but what doth thy heart do ? Thy Tongue talketh righteouly , thy Ears hear good discourse , thy Eyes are in a comly deportment , and so thy actions with men , Justice , Honesty , Sobriety , and other things shal not be found against thee , and perhaps in the mean time , thy very heart left to be a Cage for unclean Beasts and Birds : The good Lord pitty us , these things are very sad , where did you ever read that the Lord said , Keep your Shops above all keepings , or your Bodies a-above all keepings , or your Conversations above all keepings , though I told you how far it is comely , but for you to keep all these things and never look to your hearts is sad : Nay , there is one more that goes beyond all these . 4. It is true , you say true , We were Wretches if we should look to our Goods and Bodies , and not look to our Hearts : I look to that every day , I but Friend , Do you look to it above all keepings ? And bestow more pains about it than about all things in the World besides ? pray deal faithfully in it , for you must give an account to one that knows all things in the world , but have you more studies desires and endeavors about that than about all things in the world ? No , no , Alas most of the people I converse with , they do as some poor Tradesmen do , wretched men that think that they have got a servant that they leave all to , and now and then because they wil not let all run at randome , look into the Shop and ask him , Come , What ? Do you keep your Cash right ? and is all right ? and so rest in him , when all this while he is a Wretch , and runs out of all , and so is my heart wel ? is all wel there ? I , I , saith the heart , and we beleeve it , and put our trust in it , and it is the arrantest Lyar in all the world . I remember Solomon hath a notable Speech in the latter end of the Prov. Chap. 30. where he saith , There are three things that are wonderful , that I could never find out the way of them , yea , there are four of them , the one is , The way of the Ship in the Sea , and that is hard to find for it leaves nothing that you may say here a Ship hath gone , And another is , The way of an Eagle in the Air , and that hath many windings and turnings , And another is , The way of a Serpent upon a Stone , and that leaves neither slime nor excrement , that you cannot find which way it goes , And the fourth is , The way of a man with a maid , which he interprets afterwards to be a lascivious maid , who hath a wanton heart within that would deceive a hundred People , you may add the heart of a man too , for that wil tel you , I have been at Prayer , when it never prayed a word , and I heard the word very wel , and his heart was dead and asleep all the while , Oh! ( Brethren ) it is hard for you to think with a few words thus to charm this deceitful wild Beast , and you to have no care about it , but God knows and man knows that you are real in your other keepings , and slight in this , I fear there is little in your heart that your self judg worth the keeping , that you are so extream slight and loose about it . Wel that is one , ( I dare not stay longer upon it ) let it be a matter of rebuke , and to help you to try and judg how things stand between God and you , for if your hearts be as they ought to be , you wil bestow more pains about them than about any thing in this world . Secondly , Another Use that I wil make of it , which is a Use that Gods Children wil rejoyce in , and that is . USE , 2. It is a Doctrine that affords abundance of Comfort , I , this very Doctrine though it may seem and doth carry just rebuke ( I beleeve ) to the best of all Gods Children , in some degree to be humbled , but withall it is a Doctrine of wonderful Consolation to all those , whom God witnesseth with that their greatest care and study is to purge their hearts , to have their hearts mended , to have their hearts guarded , and are most humbled and afflicted when it is not wel with the inward man , though all other things go smooth with them , yet it is not comfortable with them except they find the heart set right Godward , this Doctrine speaks a world of Consolation to such poor Souls , I am confident it is the Lot of the generation of Gods People that hear me at this time , though it may be under a temptation they may lay all aside , yet otherwise God knows their dayly work , their greatest work , their work of prayer and mourning is most about their hearts ; If you ask them , How doth your Body ? better than my heart , How do you perform your Duties ? wel outwardly , but my heart is wretched , I have a vile heart , and there they make their study , there they make their search , there they make the matter of their mourning : Now I would say to such Souls , and dare affirm it with much boldness , none but the Schollars that are of the Lords own teaching ever study that Lesson , for as for others they love and like their hearts wel , that when they are convinced of every thing else in the world , they will boast of their heart that that is right , but when a man can say , as Hezekiah said to God , Oh Lord ! remember I pray thee that I have with an upright heart sought thee ; as if he should have said , If I could have done thee more service I would , I would have prayed better , and beleeved better , and been more active , but thou hast had my heart , the Soul that can say so , the Lord would answer it even as David said to the Lord , in 1 Chron. 29. Oh! Lord ( saith he ) I know that thou lovest the heart , when he had offered up an Oblation he and his People , Oh Lord ! ( saith he ) I know thou regardest the heart , and hast pleasuere in uprightness , as for me in the uprightness of my heart I have sought thee ; So when thou shalt say , Father , my memory is weak , my utterance bad , my temptations strong , and my corruptions great , I can deny none of these , but the Lord knows he hath my heart , could I get it in a better frame , I had rather see it in a better frame than have the estate of an Emperor ; Where there is a willing mind ( it is an excellent Speech of the Apostle , in 2 Cor. 8. in the point of Alms , and I wil give you an instance in that , that you may make of it in a hundred other things , when he would stir them up to contribute , he saith , where there is a willing mind ) it is accepted according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not , as if he should have said , The Lord hath given me a heart , I like this cause so wel I would willingly give twenty shillings to this cause , but I am not able to give above a penny , Hast thou a willing mind to give more ? thou art accepted according to what thou hast , The liberal gift is but the work of Gods Providence , the willing mind is the work of Gods Grace , The same wil run throughout all duties , go to prayer , one man hath such an utterance , conception , working fancy , can speak admirably to the affecting of all , but these are but gifts and parts , and if he hath an humble broken heart goes with it there is Spirit too : but it may be another poor Soul that joyneth in the Duty , that can hardly speak a few words of sense together , but God knows if they could pray , if they could pour out their souls , if they could wrastle with God , they had rather do it than any thing else in the world , that is the work of prayer , the other is but the work of common gifts , that is for the edification of others , therefore know this all of you , we poor creatures deal with men , and it is almost impossible but we value men according to their parts , a man whom God enableth with parts and gifts to edifie others , especially if there be Grace in his Heart too , he is measured by the value of his parts by all men , God goes not by that value , No , that Soul that takes most care about his Heart , give me a Woman , a handmaid that wrestles more in secret , that she may bring her wil to Gods wil , and may love and hate nothing but what God loves and hates , find such an one out , they are Gods choice ones , and his Jewels , therfore be not discouraged for the want of any thing while you can say , The great God that knows al knows my great study is about my Heart , I will conclude this use with a speech I have often heard of one Mr. Banes , a man that was indeed an excellent emminent Man for any thing that was good , and not long before he died , some friends were with him in his Library , it was an excellent one , and they fel a commending of it , I ( saith he ) There they stand but the Lord knows that for many years last past , I have studied my Heart more then my Books ; Oh! There was a study , give me a Scholler that can say , I study my Heart more then my Book , I study my Heart more then my Shop-book , I study my Heart more then my Counting-House , I study my Heart more then a Bargain , that it may be pure and Holy , this Man is a blessed Man and Woman that hath but attained this ; and then Lastly the last Use that I would make ( and I wil but even name it ) is this , USE , 3. I beseech you therefore for the time to come will you all make this your study , You have heard it is a dangerous Heart you bear about you , whatsoever you are that think you may be most secure of your heart , you are but Fools to trust it , and your Conversation wil be as your heart is , remember all the Arguments I gave you , and let it prevail with you for the time to come , to enter into this serious study , how you may keep it in a good frame continually , and this now would have been an Introduction to the second Question , for this is sufficient to prove that it ought to be so : But now the next is , Quest. Wherein stands the keeping of the heart in a good frame ? It is true , I confess it is comfortable to hear of the general endeavor of it , but what are the rules and directions the Servants of God should attend to , when they would keep their hearts in so good a frame , that it may be such a Temple of the Holy Ghost for the Lord to delight in ? Answ. That is too great a Question in truth to handle in a little time , only these two or three things I would say in general before I dismiss you : As First , 1. There is no talking , it is not for any man living ever to talk of keeping his heart in a good frame , until first the Lord have broken it to pieces and new molded it , that is for certain , while the heart is as we come into the world , as we are in a state of nature , the wildest Beast under Heaven will be easilier tamed , than the heart of a man wil ever be ordered ; It is just as a Bel that hath a crack throughout , al the Bel-founders in the Town & Country they may hew it , and chip it , and scurfe it , and I know not what , they wil never make it sound right , til it be choped a pieces and new cast : So ( I say ) the heart of man is by nature so forlorn , so ful of wickedness , so utterly destitute of all good , that if all the Teachers and Tutors under Heaven had it to work , to bring a man up and make him right , til God take away the heart of stone and regenerate him , and give him a new heart , there is no talking of ever keeping it in a good frame : Therefore if you be not throughly grounded in it , get your heart knocked in pieces , the first thing you do pray God Almighty to break it through , break it down , break it up , and then when the Lord hath broke it and new shot it , that he hath given you an interest in Christ , and the Spirit of Christ is become a new life to you , then you are fitted to this Duty , but til the Lord hath wrought that in you , all other talk is to no purpose , therefore your first work must be , to get such a heart as is capable of this , for every one is not . Then Secondly , 2. When the Lord hath done so , then for the keeping of it in a good frame , all the directions ( though there be very many of them yet ) I think they may be all brought to these two heads . The one is , 1. Keep the heart pure , keep it pure from sin , from the defilement that wil daily grow upon it if it be not wel kept , from the stirrings of corruption , either to keep them down that they do not stir , or when they do stir to get them dayly washed off by the blood of Christ. And then the other is , 2. As to keep it pure from sin , so to keep it fit for Duty , tuned and prepared for the several Duties , the word is large and through Gods mercy your instructions are many , and whosoever is willing may have constant directions to guide him in all these . FINIS THE LIFE OF CHRIST : OR THE Great Mystery OF SPIRITUAL LIFE . Opened and applied in several Sermons , at Olaves Silverstreet , Octob. 27. 1653. Gal. 2. part of verse 20. I am crucified with Christ , nevertheless I live , yet not I , but Christ liveth in me , ( now follows that which I shal more insist upon ) and the life that I now live in the flesh , I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . THE Dependance of these words with the former , briefly stands thus : The Holy Ghost having decried the Law as that which is utterly unable to give life , and set up the justification of a sinner only from Gods Free Grace , in making over unto him the Righteousness of Christ , having ( I say ) asserted this great fundamental Doctrine of our Christian Religion , wherein the Galatians were begun to be tainted , he then comes to answer the common Cavil , which ( not only the Papists , but ) too many among our selves do charge this Doctrine withal , namely , That it is but a door to al licenciousness , and doth take off the rains from any man , and give him an occasion to be bold in wickedness ; for if our righteousness cannot justifie us , nor our unrighteousness condemn us , but the righteousness of Christ is accepted for us , and in him we are compleat without any thing of our own , who would not take liberty to indulge himself in such fleshly courses as are agreeable to his nature ? Now against this the Apostle opposeth several things , as arguments to prove , that this cannot be a consequence of this Doctrine to a man that rightly understands it , Justification by free Grace wil never be a temptation to a man to a sinful life ; and one Argument is , All Pauls Ministry tended to beat down a wicked life , and do they think he would come to build up that which he had pulled down ? that were an absurd thing . Secondly , The very end of our Justification by Christ is quite contrary to it , for ( saith he ) through the Law I am dead indeed to the Law , but it is that I might live to God ; as if he should have said , It is true , that the right understanding of the impossibility of a sinners keeping the Law , wil beat down in him al thoughts of ever obtaining any life by the Law , he wil be dead as to look for justification , or acceptance that way ; but it is that he might live to God , that is the very end of it that he might live to God ; that is another argument , and that being the very end that God aims at , it is impossible that the quite contrary of it should flow from the Lords own appointment . Then Thirdly , Every man that doth but partake of Jesus Christ , he is crucified with him ; and he instances in himself , I am crucified with Christ ; when Jesus Christ hung upon the Cross , and there by vertue of his death did kil sin , and by vertue of his resurrection hath opened a way to a new life , when I partake of Christ I have an interest in this , I die with him , and am buried with him , therefore it is impossible that looking for life by Christ should make a man live a wicked life . And Fourthly . Which he brings in by way of Answer to a tacite Objection , Are you crucified ? do we not see you are alive ? Yes , I live indeed , but in truth more properly I may say it is not I that live , but it is Christ Jesus that lives in me , by vertue of my interest in him , my whol life flows from him , and that life that I live in this life , that is , in this fleshly Tabernacle , it is the life of Christ , and the way how I live , it is by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . And so I have brought you to my Text ; and in the words ( without any further interpretation , save what you shal have in handling the Doctrine ) there are these Two Doctrines cleerly laid down : The first is , That every soul that hath an Interest in Christ , while he is in this world , it is Christ that lives in him . While we live in this flesh , in this world , the life that we live , it is Christs life , Christ lives it , we do not , only ( when we accept of Christ ) beleeve in him to be saved by him when we go out of this world , and trust al the daies of our life , that when this life endeth he hath a better life for us in store , that is not al , but when we accept of Jesus Christ , we so accept him , that his life is communicated to us , and while we are in this world we live that life . That is the first Doctrine , That all the Lords people while they live in this world , they live Christs life . The Second is , That the modus vivendi , the manner of their living this life in this world , it is by faith . We shal live the life of Christ to Eternity , but when that moment of Eternity cometh , faith shal have no hand in it ; but the life we now live while we are in the flesh , it is the grace of faith by which we live it . Just as I may express my meaning ( for I shal not handle that Doctrine ) as take it of an Infant , As soon as ever the body and soul are but joyned together , that it is made a living soul , it is the life of a man that it lives ; but while it is in the mothers womb , the manner of living is by the navel , the navel-string conveyeth al to it ; when it comes into the world , that is cut , there is no more use of it , and then it lives another way . So while we are in this world , though we live the life of Christ , yet Faith is ( as it were ) our navel-string , it draws and receives al from him , when we are transplanted into another world , that way of living ceaseth , and we enjoy God in Christ immediatly . These two Doctrines lie in the Text , the first of them ( with the Lords assistance ) I shal spend one hour in endeavoring to cleer it to you , and to make some use of it . That all that do receive Jesus Christ , even in this world , they live his life . I live , but it is Christ that lives in me , and the life that I live in this flesh , I live it by the faith of the Son of God. Now to make a little way to it , That al the Saints live Christs life , the life of Christ ; I would not have you expect that I would spend any part of my hour in a Phylosophical Discourse about the Nature of Life in general , No , let this suffice , That you shal find in the Scripture a two fold Life of man spoke of : The one is , This present natural life which we al live , which we receive from Adam , I speak not of the corruption of our Nature , but the first man was a living soul , that is , he was an animal man , a man endewed with a reasonable soul , and al that come from him have that life which is nothing but the union of the body and soul together , and those motions and operations that are in us are acted in us by vertue of that union , and this the Scripture somtimes cals the natural man , the natural life , the animal man , as who should say , the man endewed with a soul , the happiness of whom is to enjoy a soul-life , and this life it is somtimes called the present life , somtimes called the bodily life , the life of man , and this life al that proceed from Adam do live in al Ages and parts of the world , and to the upholding and beautifying and accommodating of this life , are al mens labors and their studies , and the good things of this world , they are naturally al subservient to it , every thing parted with , rather than part with it ; Skin for skin , and all that a man hath , wil he give for this life : Now that there is such a life , no man doubts of it . But then Secondly , The Scripture speaks of another Life , and so you shal see my Text leads to it , he speaks of another life which is a spiritual life , which flows from the second Adam , that as the first Adam was a living soul , and communicates a living soul to al that come from him , the second Adam is a quickning spirit , and communicates a quickning spirit to al that come from him , that is the Life that my Text leads me to speak of , and this Life ( before I come to speak further of it ) the Scripture somtimes cals the new Creature , somtimes cals it the Life of Christ , as in my Text , somtimes cals it the Life of God , not only because God is the Author of it ( for so he is of the other Life ) but because ( in a sound sense ) it is the life that he himself lives , their Life being but an Image of his Life ; this is called Eternal Life , this is that that is the end and fruit of al Christs undertakings . Now this Life , this Spiritual Life , this Life of Christ , this new Life , this Eternal Life , it is that that I now come to endeavor to demonstrate to you , that al the Lords people live this Life while they are in this world . Now there are Two things that my purpose is to treat upon in the Doctrinal part of it , before I come to the Application ; but before I come to either of them both , I wil crave your leave to set down three or four Propositions that are but preparatory to it ; I wil not handle them , for they would take up too much of the time , but to name them is requisite , it shal be a kind of inlet or preparation to it . The one is , That this spiritual Life that the Saints do live , no natural men have any understanding of it , not any real understanding of it ; he doth not know the things of God , nor can he , they are spiritually discerned , and therefore if it should prove a Riddle to many of you , you may have cause to suspect your condition , but not to suspect the truth of the Doctrine . Yea Secondly , I premise that men may be in the Church , live in the Church , and have admirable learning , and admirable abilities to judg of al other things that fal under humane Capa●●ty , yet not be able to look upon this any otherwise than as a meer whimsie or a dark riddle . Nicodemus who was a Doctor , a Pharisee , a Ruler , & an honest man according to his principles he had been trained up under , yet when he comes to Christ to know the way to Heaven , he tels him al his other righteousness was nothing , if he be not born again , and have a new life , he could never come into the Kingdom of God ; What is this ? ( saith he ) this was as dark to him as if he should enter into his Mothers womb , and be born again when he is an old man : Therefore stil think not , that if you be Scholars , or wise men , or learned men , you must needs have the capacity of it though the vulgar cannot ; No , if the Lord give you not a share in it , you wil never understand it . Thirdly I premise this : That there is a double knowledg of this Life . The One is , Only a notional knowledg , the Theory , to be able to conceive that there is such a thing , and to be able to talk of it , and to reason about it . And There is another knowledg of it , that is experimental , and practical , and real , and convincing . Now the notional knowledg ( I confess ) by the common Light that accompanies the Ministry of the Word , may break in upon some men ; but for the experimental real inward knowledg of it , they wil stil be strangers to it . Yea , I would premise this also . That while we are in this world , none living understand this Life , none , not only natural men , unconverted men , but the wisest , holiest , graciousest men that live in this world , never come to have any other than some gatherings , they have some real knowledg ( I hope I shal make good to you ) but for a ful clear understanding of it , it is not attainable in this world , no more than as our Lord speaks of the wind , that we hear the noise of it , but understand not where it rises , nor when it wil end , and no marvel that it be not thus intelligible , Because Partly from the depth of the things themselves , they are the operations of the spirit of God. And , Partly from the weakness and corruption of our faculties and understandings , which in truth know nothing perfectly . No man doth understand how his own bones were framed in his mothers womb , and the things that are before our eyes , not a man living is able to decipher the life of a Pismire or a Butterfly , therefore much less must you think to be able to comprehend this ; for this I note to prevent a discouragement , if any soul should not be able to go along with a man in every thing , nor understand every thing , it may be an argument to humble thee , but not to discourage thee : only I shal ad this in the last place , They that live this Life , the poorest , weakest , simplest of al that are numbred amongst the Lords people , though others may be able to dispute of it better than they , and to speak of it to the edification of others better than they , yet they that live this life know more of it than al the world besides . I only give you these little things beforehand : Now I come to the Two things that I promised to treat of . The one is , I will first prove it cleerly to you out of the Scripture that there is such a Life , a spiritual Life , a Life of Christ , which al who receive Christ live while they are in this world , demonstrate the truth of it that there is such a Life . Secondly , I wil then a little more fully endeavor to discover to you what this Life is , and wherein it stands , and I do not doubt but if the Lord help me in it , the things I shal deliver wil be not only useful in some kind , but very comfortable to the Lords people . First then , The thing that I promised to endeavor the demonstration of it , is , That there is such a Life besides the Life of eating and drinking , and putting on of Apparel , and buying and selling , and enjoyment of these corporal things , there is a Life that is a higher degree of living , wherein men are taken up above the life that other people live , that there is such a Life , and I wil tel you why I undertake to prove this : Because as natural men do not understand it , so out of the pride of their hearts , disdaining that there should be any happiness that the poor creatures enjoy , which they themselves cannot understand , thereupon they beleeve that there is no such thing , and I am confident that most people that live , when they hear men talk of the Life of God , and the Life of Christ , and a new Life , a supernatural Life , a spiritual Life , they look upon it as a meer juggle , partly in the Ministers , to make the world beleeve that they know more than others do ; and the simple people that follow them , that they may have somwhat to cloke their fantasticalness , they give it out ; but for the thing there is no such matter : this men beleeve , and the rather because it is a hidden life , and hidden both under the poverty and weakness of those that have it , and many times hidden under their Infirmities and corruptions that break out , which maketh them look like other men ; and so men force upon themselves , and nourish in themselves a conceit , that though some ( it may be ) may be honester men than others , and stricter , and devouter , and the like , yet this is but a little chipping and he wing of the life that other men live , and can live as they do if they had a mind to it ; but as for a life by another principle and Rule , and to have other manner of operations than the Life of the rest of the world , they abominate the admitting of it into their understandings ; and I am perswaded this is that that hardens abundance of people , that they never look after , nor suspect their own condition : therefore ( I say ) I would now prove to you that there is such a life which the Saints do live , and instead of turning you to many particular Scriptures to prove it , I wil give you these Four Arguments out of the Scripture , which you shal in reading the Scripture find frequently proved to your observation ; Four Arguments to prove that there is such a Life , that is a higher degree of living , and another kind of Life than the rest of the world live . The one is , The comparison between the two Adams : Jesus Christ is to al those to whom he is a Root , as Adam was to al to whom he was a Root : For it is worth your observing , that the Scripture speaks but of two Adams from the beginning of the world to the end of it , two Men ; the First Man , and the Second Man ; because they two only were Roots that others do partake of , either which they spring from , or are grafted into . Now the first Man Adam , God made him a living soul , and of a living soul is he the Root of all us , that is , that natural , rational life that all men in the world have , the first Adam he was the Root of it which communicates it . Now Jesus Christ is to al us the Second Adam , and the Lord made him not only the Lord from Heaven to rule all that should be under him , but to be a quickning spirit , that as the natural men follow their stock , so al that partake of Jesus Christ must follow their Stock , and consequently must partake of his Life , as the branches of the first Adam do of his Life . That is one Argument , and pray weigh it , for if it please God anon , I shal come to examine whether you have that Life or no. Secondly , The second Argument I give is this , The Scripture holds it out as the proper end of Jesus Christs undertaking his work , to give life to al that come to him , that upon their coming to him he should give them life ; I am come that my sheep might have life , that they might have it in abundance ; and herein appeared the love of God , that he gave his only begotten Son , that we might live by him : He that hath the Son , hath life ; he that hath not the Son , hath not life . Now were there no other life than what all natural men live , this were an absurd argument , and a poor ( I may speak it with reverence ) undertaking . Suppose I should go visit , and ride a Journey of many hundred miles , and lay down my life , and part with my estate ; For what end ? That the party for whom I do it , might have have a house , that hath a house already ; why should I do this if there were not another house than that which he dwels in ? Or why should I go that he might have health , that is well without my undertaking , if there were not another health besides that . So , were there not another life , to what end should Jesus Christ make that the undertaking of his life , and death , and burial , and communicate life , if there were not another Life than the rest of the world live ? Thirdly , Cleerly you wil find this , and very frequent in the Scripture , that all the world are said to be dead til they come to Jesus Christ , all the world are said to be dead ; rich or poor , sickly or healthful , yong or old , they are al dead . Now it is apparent that they are not dead as to their natural life , that needeth no confutation , to say of this Assembly , that they are dead men , when they live , and move , and breath , and talk , and do all the actions of men ; when therefore the Lord saith , that al are dead til Christ cometh , certainly there is another Life besides that life that natural men enjoy . Fourthly and lastly , Abundantly in the Scripture wil you find this proved , that upon the souls accepting of Christ they are said to be quickned ; They who were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickned ▪ Read but the ten first verses of the 2d of the Ephesians , and I know not how many other places there are , Ye were dead , ye were such , but he hath quickned you : and he that beleeveth in me ( saith Christ to Martha in John 11.25 . ) though he were dead , he shall live , and living once he shal never die : Doest thou beleeve this ? Then , Christ being the Root of a Life , it being the end of his undertaking that his people might have life , and all men being dead before they come to him , and quickned to life upon the receiving of him , certainly then there is a life that they who have any interest in Christ do live , which others are strangers from . And let this suffice for the first . And ( beloved ) though I shal not apply this alone , yet I would count it a great fruit of this daies meeting , if the very notion of it might but stick upon your hearts , it would be of admirable consequence , that if al of you would go home and say ; Certainly whatsoever I may think of my self , if I be in Christ , there is another life than that which I live yet , and ( as you will hear if it please God ) a better life , another manner of life than this is . But that for the first . The Second ( which it may be you wil more long for , for I suspect not that you wil doubt the truth of the first ) is , What is this Life ? what is it ? Now remember I taught you in one of my Preparatory Conclusions , That it is not to be understood of this world , and therefore pray expect not any cleer opening of it , what it is ; but only so far as the Lord hath taught me out of his Word , I shal communicate to you : I wil give you this Description of it , and then I will open it more expresly as I go along . The Life that al Beleevers have from Christ , it is a participation of Christs righteousness upon their union with him , Pray mark it , I shall make this plainer by and by ; ( I say ) That the Life of Christ that al the Saints partake of , it is a participation of Christs righteousness upon the souls union with him . Where there are these two things a little to be cleered . First , That all who do receive Christ are united to him , and that is the foundation of their Life . The Second is , That upon their union they partake of his Righteousness , and the participation of this righteousness is their life . That is that I mainly intend to cleer . That they are al united to him , the Scripture is abundant in the proof of it , It is Christ in us that is the hope of glory , and we are one with him , and he with us , and he dwells in us by his spirit , &c. therefore it is cleer that we are united to him , made one ; and this union it is nothing but the Lord Jesus sending his spirit into the soul , as a band to knit him and them together , that he be made their Root and Stock . Now that I will not treat of , because the very handling of it , it is not only a great Mystery , but it would take up more time than is to be allowed for the Sermon . But Secondly , Upon their Union with Christ they partake of his Righteousness , and the participation of his Righteousness is our Life : Mark ( I pray ) this , because I hope it will give you some Light into this great Work ; for if you be Gods People , I am only making you to see what your spirits are , what your blood is , what your pulse is , and I shal speak of nothing but the things that are in you , if you be the Lords ( I say . ) The participation of Christs Righteousness that is our Life : To this purpose , be pleased to observe this one rule , and mark it in your reading of the Scriptures , of the new Testament especially ; How that Righteousness and Death , are the two things that are opposed one to another ; Death and Righteousness : That look as soon as ever man was a sinner he was a dead man presently , he was dead under the sentence of Death ; In the day thou eatest thou shalt die : and not dead only under the Sentence , but dead as his sin deprived him of Gods Image . Now as it is sin that is our Death , so it is Righteousness that is our Life ; not our own ( which the Scripture disclaims ) but the Righteousness of Christ : and you shal find several times in Rom. 5. where the Apostle compares the Death by Adam , and the Life by Christ , ordinarily he useth this expression , That , As sin reigned unto Death , so righteousness by Christ unto Life , stil opposing them , our Death is sin , our Life is righteousness . I know the time will prevent me if I should stay upon that . But therefore , I wil proceed to that that I aim at , the Righteousness of Christ , the participation of Christs Righteousness . You wil say , What mean you by that ? I mean plainly this : That our spiritual Death it hath two Branches , that Tree of Death , that deadly Stock hath two Branches ; and we are said to be spiritually dead in a two-fold respect . The one is , We are dead as we are under the sentence of Condemnation , and that is our death of guilt , being bound over by the righteous Judgment of God , to make him amends for the injury we have done him , and that sentence of condemnation is our death ; that is one branch in regard of our guilt . The other branch of our spiritual death is , Our state of death we are in , as being deprived of the image of God wherein we were made , and not only deprived of it , but have contrary principles in al the faculties of the soul , carrying us constantly to the things that are opposite to him . In these two respects are all men and women in the world dead til Christ finds them . Now Jesus Christ answerable to this , hath a two-fold righteousness , the participation whereof is our life . First , He hath a Righteousness of his Obedience , which is inherent only in himself ; but is bestowed upon us , imputed to us , reckoned to us , and by that righteousness performed by Christ , and inherent in him , and reckoned to us , by the righteous sentence of God he delivereth us from the death that we are under , the death of our condemnation , under the sentence of death ; and so the Apostle expresseth it cleerly in Col. 2.12 , 13. Ye ( saith he ) who were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickened ; How ? forgiving you your trespasses . In that place , the pardoning and removing of our trespasses , is the chief thing that is the quickning there intended . So there is one , a righteousness of Christ performed in our name , accepted by God in our stead , and made over to us in the Covenant of Grace . That is one Righteousness . Secondly , There is another Righteousness of Christ , which is not only inherent in himself , but is communicated to us , so that it is wrought in us , which is the righteousness of our Sanctification , and it is that branch of our spiritual Life that this Text aims at ; for he did assert the other , our quickning from the guilt of sin , in al the former part of his discourse . Now that no wretch may abuse it , and say , that then we may continue vassals to sin , he proves it that Christs righteousness is communicated to us , that is , Christs Grace is infused into our souls ; and that is made up of these three things , and I conceive there is nothing else in it but these three things . The one is , The Spirit of Jesus Christ , that holy Spirit of Jesus Christ is communicated to Beleevers , to dwel in them , to be in them a principle of a new Life . Secondly , This holy spirit poured into the soul , works in them in al the faculties of the soul , those gracious dispositions wherein the Image of God stands , which is , light in the understanding , freedom in the will , love , and fear , and joy , that is , the turning of al these affections or passions to their right object , habitually disposing them , turning the bent of the heart from sin to God. And then the third is , This self same spirit that plants in them these Graces , abides in them to excite them , and stir them up , and draw them out in their whol course , to think , and speak , and do the things , which in a kind of natural way flow from these inward principles , and are a conformity to the Will of God ; and thereupon al the love of the Saints to God , and one to another ; all their mourning for sin , their striving against it ; all their endeavors after God ; they are motions of this new life that is wrought in us : and this is the life now that all the Lords people do live while they are in this world . The Spirit of Jesus Christ bestowed upon them , working in them a new frame of heart , turning the bent of their hearts to God , and remaining as an exciting principle to draw out their graces , and strengthening them in their working , whereby their endeavor is in al things to live unto God according to his Will ; and this is that Life which my Text , and other Scriptures call the Life of Christ , and the Life of God , which although it be perfect in none in this world , but there are reliques of our old death in us , and of our sinful distempers in us ; yet really and truly these things are found in every soul that is brought home to Jesus Christ. And let this ( I pray ) suffice for the Doctrinal part , that without being burdensom to you , I may make some application of it . Thus then you see though I have not turned you to many particular Scriptures ; yet I know that if you do but read the Scriptures , you wil find that this Doctrine it lies written upon the foreheads of abundance of Texts , that thus it is with al Gods people . Now then for the use of it , I intend but three Uses , it may be I shal but even name the last . First , You see by all this how necessary it is that you should al try and examine your souls , Whether you be partakers of this Life or no ? And ( good friends ) be serious about it , and to make you the more serious , give me leave to stir you up by these few Considerations , to be willing to have your hearts tried about it . The one is , That in truth this alone is Christianity : mark my words ( and if you understand them not now study them ) There is nothing Christianity but the Life of Christ , nothing else that is truly Christianity . Opinions they may be Christian Opinions , they may be Christian Truths , but there is no life ▪ As we say not of any dead Carkass , of any Picture though it be drawn to the life , we say not in proper language , this is a man , though it be as like him as one thing can be like another , if it have not a mans soul ; we say not of a dead man , though it be the body of your Father or Mother , you cannot properly say , this is my Father or Mother , it is but the Carkass of them . So , ( I say ) be baptized , be in any Church Form or Order , wait upon never so many external Duties , hear Sermons never so constantly , give as good words as you will to those that preach the Truth , and hold it out to you ; this is not Christianity , Christianity is to live Christs Life , and at that day you shall find the Lord will never own a soul to be a Christian , that had not the Life of Christ communicated to him . And Secondly , I tel you to provoke you to it . Abundance of things go for this Life which are not this life ; because it is the thing that discriminates Gods people from others ; Satan hath shewed infinite stratagems , and discovered all his abilities , laid them out that he might make counterfeits of these things , that might go currant with people that he could delude ; Civil Righteousness in some it is not Christianity , a form of Godliness in others it is not Christianity , and abundance of things that I have not time so much as to reckon up ; but these are not Christianity though they look like it , and therefore I beseech you but think how you could answer this great Question ; Doth Christ live in you ? have you the life of God in you ? The Life you live in this life , is it the Life of the Son of God ? Think what you could answer to it . Now if you wil say , How shall we know it ? I wil briefly discover it to you ; for I will give you but two Characters of it ; many others might be had , but two I would bestow a little time to cleer to you . The one is , Wheresoever the Lord gives Life to any Creature in a natural way , the life is the preciousest thing in the world to that Creature ; howsoever it may mind other things , delight in them , be taken with them , there is nothing so precious to it as life , Skin for skin , and all that a man hath , will he give for his life ; and if you would suppose , as the life of a man it is made up of several lives , that that continues the being of his life , it is prized above al the others ; if he wil be impaired in any of them , it shal not be in that ( as neer as he can ) that concerns the being of his life . Now accordingly ( say I ) you shal find it cleer , that among al those that live the life of Christ , there is nothing in this world so dear to them as their spiritual Life is , it may be they are dayly mourning for the weaknesses of it , but that that they have of it , is dearer to them than any thing they have in this world besides ; and the high valuing of this spiritual Life wil appear in these three things , just as it is in the other life . The one is , A natural propensity and inclination , and appetite towards those things that are the nourishment of their Life . Look what God in Nature hath made the means to preserve life , those things living man , so far as he is living , hath the greatest inclination and disposition to ; and therefore of al desires that man is subject to , none so vehement as those of hunger and thirst : a man may love Gold , or Silver , or Lands , but there is nothing so vehemently carries him out of himself , as the satisfying hunger and thirst . So it is with all those that have this spiritual Life : Look whatsoever God hath placed their life in , as David had learned God had placed it in his Word , O Lord ( saith he ) give me thy Word , my life lies in it : and new born Christians , if ever you tast how sweet the Lord is , desire the sincere Milk of the Word that you may grow by it ▪ be longing after a high and reverent esteem , and an appetite after those things wherein the Lord hath placed thy nourishment , though they be but the channels , the vessels whereby his spirit is administred to you , the supplies of the spirit comes in them to you ; of al things in the world , these are the most desired : Others that are painted Christians may for their reputation , and that others may think well of them , and to get knowledg , &c. and for such carnal ends ; but with an inward savor no man is mightily and eagerly carried out after the means of spiritual Life , but he that lives it . That is one . A Second thing that manifests the high value of that spiritual Life is , A most vehement declining of what they know to be destructive to life . Let a man that is thirsty , come in , and give you all his money in his purse for a cup of Beer ; but let one come and tel him , Sir , that Beer in that cup is poyson ; that man wil drink his own Piss rather than that shal go down , Oh! it wil destroy Life . God hath put it into the bruit beasts ; as put a Sheep into a pasture , he carries that discerning tast , he wil not eat the poysonous Weeds that are there ; the Tree it will shoot no Root that way , it will decline it . So those that are the Lords People , that live the life of Christ , what their souls are convinced of to be destructive to their spiritual life , that they decline , shun , and hate , and turn from : and of all things under Heaven nothing so hateful to them as the waies of sin . And thirdly , it wil appear in this : That look as it is in the natural life , every Creature as it longs after that which would nourish it , and declines that which would destroy it ; so if they must come to the parting , they wil part with al other good things in this world , actually part with them to save their lives . It was a speech of Esau ( and had his Birthright been nothing but a Civil Priviledg it would have been justified ) If I die for hunger , what good would my Birthright do me ? he sels his Birthright for to preserve his life ; Skin for skin , and al that a man hath , he wil part with rather than his life . Take me a man that is alive to Christ , if he must part with his Christ , or with his wealth , with his Christ , or with his outward life , though it be the best thing that is to be enjoyed under the name of all worldly things , yet to a man that lives the life of Christ , that is a poor thing to him in comparison of his spiritual life , you shal rather strip him of al. I know when we come to practice , our weaknesses , ignorances , temptations , reliques of corruption often over power us , which may cause matter of self abhorrence ; but no man that hath this life of Christ , but in the bent of his soul doth these things , nothing so lovely as that that preserves his life , nothing so abominable as that that wil destroy it , and if he must part with any , they must go before Christ. Pray lay up these things . The Second and other Note whereby this Spiritual Life of Christ may be judged of , is this , That look as it is in al other Lives , there are some vital operations , some kind of motions or operations that are properly vital , that where they are found you may say and swear it too , that there is life , and where these are not found there is no life , or that life is in a swound . As now take the Life of a Tree , we know the natural operations of it are al those of vegetation , to draw nourishment , to expel superfluous moisture , to put out their seed in the sap and bark , and seed and the fruit according to its kind , where you see these things , if the sap run , if the buds be , if there be vegetation the Tree is alive , if it appear there be none of these in their season ( though they may be dead in Winter ) it is a dead Tree . So likewise in the life of man , the sensual life of a Beast , if there want the pulse that there be not those beatings , that there are not such motions of the heart , we conclude there is no life there ; if there be a beating of the pulse , though never so weak , life is there . Now in this Spiritual Life there are some things ( that you shal find in the Scripture ) that are the proper beatings of the pulse ; some operations , that though the things , the acting of them abroad , may be counterfeit as to others , yet to a mans own soul that studies his own heart , and the motions and operations of his own inward man , he cannot be cozened in it , and therefore you may by them be able to discern , whether the pulse of this spiritual life beateth . Now they are many , but I thought but of these three , and I think most of the rest wil fall under them . The one is , The proper genuine , and ( as I may so say ) the natural motion of this Spiritual Life , is to enjoy God in Jesus Christ as their chiefest good ; that ( I say ) is the great thing wherein their pulse beats , because Jesus Christ is not only the fountain of it , and so it must flow back to him , but he is the supream good of the soul , God in Christ is the supream good , and to be carried to that that we fancy to be our supream good it is not in our choyce , we do it necessarily , Nature compels every man to follow that that he looks upon as his chief good , therefore we use to say that of the chief end there is no deliberation , a man is not of choyce , but is carried to it . Now God in Christ being the chief good of the soul , the aiming after him , the braying , breathing after him , the mourning for the want of him , the joying in the presence of him , and all those things that would argue Christ to be the souls chief good , are never found in any but those that have the Life of Christ , there is no man else in this world , but if Christ be Twelve to him , there is somthing else that is Thirteen , therefore ask your souls that ; find you that by some operations ( it may be you know not whence they come , nor how they come in you , but there is this fixed upon you ) there is no good to your souls but Christ , let you enjoy God in Christ for your portion , and that is that good your souls aims after : you may tel others , and I tel you that I do this , and my heart may deceive me ; but if I examine my soul , I can never say I do this truly , unless the Life of Christ be in me . Secondly , Another Pulse wherein this Life constantly puts out , is this , That the things of Holiness they are connatural to him : Holiness , Righteousness , to be gracious , to be freed from sin , to be filled with love and kindness , and mercy , and pity , and these things , there is a kind of natural making out of the heart towards these ; because look as it is in our outward man , you know that the actions of eating and drinking , and of a man , no man shall need to learn them , he may have arts that shall make him do them mannerly , but to do the things , they are natural , they were born with him . So now to be holy with God , to be righteous in our conversation with men , freed from sin , to walk as the Lords redeemed ones , to practice these things , this is your life , and therefore the Apostle Peter useth this very expression , That we were redeemed by Christ that we should live to righteousness , live to righteousness . Now as a worldly man lives to his money , another man to his wrath , another man to his lusts , these are the things his heart runs its circle in : A gracious man , the things of holiness and righteousness are the things that suit his spirit . And then thirdly , and lastly , ( I wil name no more , but bring it a little closer to you ) a third thing is , That the Lord having made his Will to be the Rule of our Life , and revealed this Will in his Word , thereupon the soul that is alive unto Christ eyes the Word , looks at the Word , is guided by the Word ; the Will of God revealed in his Word , that is his Card , that is his Compass , that is his Square , that is his Meet-wand , his eye looking to the Word as his only guide . No man ( I dare affirm it though other things may come neer it , but I dare affirm it , that whosoever will study it shall find ) in this world doth any of these three things , but he that hath the Life of Christ , upon a serious debate to make Christ the good of his life , to make the acts of holiness the things that his soul naturally makes after , and for the directing of him in all to live ( as the Apostle saith ) not to the will of man , or the will of the flesh , but to the will of God , that is , to the Word of God , to make Gods Word the Rule of all our actions in our bent and purpose ; here is the discovery of the Life of Christ , and this is now to have Christ in you . Now I beseech you ( Brethren ) tell me ( for I shall by and by dismiss you , when I have made but one Use more , I will leave the third ) what say your souls to these things ? Really leave al self conceitedness , and apprehensions that you may have out of the Pride of your hearts of your own conditions , what say your souls to these things I have opened ? have you now the Life of Christ ? I wil tel you ( Brethren ) if I had time to press it , I had here a large Field to enter in , and to shew you what worlds of people that go for Christians , are yet utter strangers to the Life of Christ. I will name you a few that you may enlarge your thoughts of them when you are alone . All they that know not Christ ; it is impossible that there should be a making of Christ their chief good , where there is no knowledg of him . There is no valuing of an unknown thing . All ignorant persons are strangers to this life , as the Apostle saith , the Gentiles were strangers to the Life of God , because of the ignorance that was in them If you know not Christ and his Excellencies , you can never live in him . Then al those that live to their lusts , whose life is to be wanton , unclean , drunken , prophane , these live to the Devil , the Devil lives in them ; they may say , I live , not I , but the Devil lives in me . And so thirdly , All they that live to the world , whose work that the genious of their heart carries them to from morning to night , his wealth , purchases , buying , trading , &c. there their soul fixes on them , there they rest , to the world they live . And again , All that live to their pleasures , whose viv●re is bibere and the rest , they eat and drink , and sport and play , and give them these and these are the things that make a happy life to them . All these and abundance of others ( which I fear I should presume upon your patience , if I should stand to innumerate but al these ) are cleerly proved to be destitute of this Life of Christ ; think of it ( Brethren ) think of it . It is an easie thing ( let me tel you ) to be Christians ( as we cal it ) they are cheap things to hear Sermons , cheap things to profess Religion in our daies , wherein I think a long time there have not been fewer that mind it heartily , yet abundance now pretend to it ; but to be alive to Christ , to be able to say in this Life , I have other business than what I have here below , I have a Trade , a Wife , a Husband , and Children , but the Lord knows my Conversation is in Heaven , my life is in Heaven , it is Christ that lives in me , they are few can say it , and the Lord help you that you are not deceived about it . And then the other Use that I will make of it , is , That this Lesson is a most comfortable Lesson , for I do not doubt but the clearer any man speaks about these things of Gods Kingdom , the more will the hearts of Gods people be able to joyn with him . I fear not but many of you can say it is thus with you , the Lord witnesseth that with you , doth he not ? That there is nothing you have such an appetite after as the means of Grace and Salvation , that you might live , and that your hearts dread at the waies of sin , and that ( if God put you to it ) you beg of God to be stripped of all , rather than God should not be set up , and that al your prayer is , let God give me Christ , God in Christ for my portion , and that reverently , not in a ranting way , as if a lewd life could honor God ( as some rude people pretend to now ) but that I might be holy in this perverse generation , especially in my inward man where Christ dwels , and the things you look at in buying , selling , and purchasing , and sporting , and in al the things you may do that are Lawful to you , observing Gods Rules you take Gods Word to be your Rule , then I tel you for your comfort these two things . First , The Lord hath communicated to thy soul the excellentest life that ever he gave to any creature . Three things I wil speak briefly that you account of . First , To be thus minded , to be thus molded , thus framed , it is absolutely the highest , the noblest , the excellentest life that any creature ever partaked of . I might shew it you in a world of Particulars out of the Word , that there is no life like it . We use to say in Phylosophy , That the life of a Pismire it is a more noble life than the life of a Cedar , though one Cedar be worth many thousand Pismires ; yet the life of the Pismire is better , because it cometh from a nobler spirit . Now the Life God hath given thee comes from the spirit of Jesus Christ. It is the noblest ; the operations of this Life are above what poor creatures can do : as we say , the Life of Reason it is such a brave flying thing to be a top , above the poor sensual things of bruit Beasts , and to deal with God. And , It is the sweetest too ( that is another ; ) for in al other lives men tast but the sweetness of the Creature ; but here the sweetness of thy Life is God and Jesus Christ himself , there is no life so excellent as this is . Secondly , I say for thy comfort , The Life God hath given thee , is the greatest pledg of his love he ever giveth to any ; he hath given thee life , it was the end of Christs undertaking to give life to his beloved ones , he never giveth this to any man he means hurt to . He can give a Kingdom to a man he means to destroy ; he gave it to Saul , and cast him away in his wrath ; he can give an Apostleship to one that shall be damned ; he gave Judas an Apostleship , and yet he perished : but to have this Life , to close with Christ , to live to him according to his Word : had you this Church ful of Diamonds given you to do what you would with , and to raise your posterity to be the greatest men in this part of the world , it were not such an expression of his love as to give Christ to you . And thirdly , I tel you , This Life that the Lord hath given thee , of which Jesus Christ is the Fountain , thou mayest be bold to rely upon him for the preservation of it , because it flows from him , he is the Well-head of it , he is the Well spring of it ; and therefore when thou thinkest how many evils thy Life may be incident unto , what temptations thou mayest meet withal , how weak thou art to resist them , remember man or woman whose Life this is , it is not thy life , but Christs Life , and he ever lives to make us live ; and therefore thou in an humble walking , and dependance upon him in the use of Gospel Ordinances , mayest comfortably expect that God wil nourish this Life , and cherish it , till thou come to be a perfect man , till thou come to be transplanted into another Life , where Faith and al these things shal cease , and God be All in All : this the comfort of it . Then I thought to have spoken a little to the third Use. That because all the people of Christ live this Life , to perswade you all to study it , and to seek after it , and often compare it with that other life that we so often weary our selves about with a vain shadow , hazarding every thing for it , to have our accommodation with as much refreshing as can be . SERMON II. Gal. 2. part of verse 20. I am crucified with Christ , nevertheless I live , yet not I , but Christ liveth in me ; ( now follows that which I shal more insist upon ) and the life that I now live in the flesh , I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . THe Second Lesson , which is the manner how all the Saints of God live this Life of Christ while they are in this world . The Life which I now live in the flesh . By Flesh there he means not his fleshly part , as they are said to live to the flesh who live sensually and wickedly ; but by the Flesh there is meant our mortal condition while we are here upon Earth , while we live our natural life , the Life of Christ in us , it is lived by the faith of the Son of God , that is , the faith wrought in us by the Son of God , which we place upon the Son of God ; but that grace of faith , it is the manner , or the instrument , or the means of our holy Life while we are in this world . And this Doctrine which ( beloved ) is the mystery of Christianity , is the very life , and soul , and kernel of true Christianity , I shal endeavor ( according as the Lord shal enable me ) this day to open to you . This is the Doctrine , That that Life of Christ which all Gods people live in this world , they live it by faith . Understand but the scope aright , and I hope the discourse may prove useful to those that have this Life . My meaning therefore is , That the grace of faith , it is not only the instrument , or condition required to make us partakers of Christ and his Life , it is not only one chief grace , or one branch of this Life , but while the Saints are in this world , the mannagement of their whol Spiritual Life is the work of faith , Christ indeed is the fountain of it , and the Spirit of God is the great administration of it , but that which we do while we live in this world , our whol spiritual Life is through the assistance of God acted by the grace of faith , and I intend ( the Lord willing ) to handle it in this Method : First , I will cleerly demonstrate to you from the Scripture that it is so , that the whol Life of a Christian , it is led by faith . Secondly , which I more aim at . I shall endeavor to clear to you what the holy Ghost means by this , and what it is for a soul to live the Life of Christ by faith ; that shall be my chiefest work in the Doctrinal part , and then I wil come to the application of it . For the proof of it , that it is so . First , Mark how cleerly the Scripture holds it out , that while we are in this world the life of the Saints it is led by faith . There is one place in Habbakkuk 2.4 . I wil mention that , you shall see the reason by and by ; the Spirit of God there speaks of the several waies that men had to live in troublesom times ; for Habakkuk lived in very difficult times of the Church , and there in his discourse he shews how proud men lived by maintaining a good opinion of themselves , and lifting up their hearts , and how worldly men lived by loading themselves with thick clay , good store of Gold and Silver , and Houses , and Lands ; but ( saith he ) the just live by faith , every godly man lives by faith . Now this Text of the Prophet Habakkuk , it is three or four times in the new Testament alledged by the holy Ghost , to prove the very self same Doctrine : as for example , Rom. 1 17. I wil rather name that first , because it proves both these Doctrines I have propounded , saith he in verse 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ , for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth the Gospel , for ( saith he in verse 17. ) therein is the righteousness of Christ manifested from faith to faith : There now is my former Doctrine , that our Life to Salvation , it is nothing but the righteousness of God manifested to us , and communicated to us , yea , from one degree of faith to another , according as we get more faith , so we have more life , and as Righteousness is further revealed , so we have more faith , and consequently more life , as it is written the just shal live by faith : mark it , The manifestation and communication of the Righteousness of Christ , it is held out in the Gospel , but received by Faith , and every Beleever lives by Faith , The just shall live by faith . So in the Epist. Gal. 3.11 . the holy Ghost repeats the very same expression again , speaking of the Life of the Saints , as it is written , The just shall live by faith . Again the very same phrase in Heb. 10.38 . where the Apostle there is pressing of Beleevers to a holy Life , in difficult and troublesom times that are coming upon them , and shews what wil become of Apostates and Back-sliders , but ( saith he ) The just shall live by faith . The whol life of al holy men while they are going through the world , and get into Heaven , all their life is transacted by faith , this is clear . And I wil ad but another Text , that which you find in 2 Cor. 5.7 . the Apostle saith expresly , We live by faith , we live not by sence ; if you wil take sence there for carnal sence , things that are sensible to our outward man , we live not to sence ; or if you wil take it in the more elevated interpretation , spiritual sence , that is , the immediate enjoyment of the light of Gods countenance to ravish us , though it is a Treasury to be desired rather than ten thousand worlds , yet we live not by it , but by faith , the Life of Gods people it lies al in the grace of Faith. But , I wil add two Proofs more that are not particular Scriptures , but conclusions that are fit for you to study , and wil give a wonderful conviction to your hearts of the truth of this Doctrine , That the Life of al Gods people while they are in this world is lived by Faith. You shall have this demonstration . First , That the holy Ghost when he compares spiritual life and natural life together , he useth to compare the grace of faith to al those faculties or members , which are the whol livelihood of our natural lives , those members or faculties which contribute the most to the livelihood of our natural life , the holy Ghost makes faith to be al these in our spiritual life ; pray remember , my meaning is thus : You know while we are in this world , while we live we must be fed , take away food , appetite , eating , digesting , drinking , concocting of it , and you destroy a mans life presently : Faith is our mouth by which we feed , al the food that the soul hath , it is by a spiritual mouth , and it is faith whereby we feed , ordinarily it is compared to our mouth , appetite , and stomach ; but then before the food cometh to our mouth , the hand receives it and conveys it to the mouth ; Faith is our hand , compared to the hand whereby we do our work , and receive our food and carry it ; Faith is our eye whereby we behold the things we are to act , and work upon , for the maintaining of our life ; Faith is the foot whereby the soul is carried both to its business and food : hands , eyes , mouth , tast , the Spirit of God sets it out by them all , thereby signifying to us , that what the eye , mouth , hand , and tast , contribute to our natural life , that doth the grace of faith to our spiritual life while we are in this world . That is one Conclusion that I think is a cleered demonstration , that while Gods People live in this world , it is faith that is their Life . The Second , which is yet more ful , is this , That you shal find cleerly in the Scriptures , that not only our life in general is attributed to Faith , but every thing concerning our life is in Scripture made the work of faith . Oh! that we could understand this ; but you that are spiritual must needs be versed in the truth of this Doctrine , ( I say ) that not only the bulk of our life in general is said to be the work of Faith , but every thing that concerns our spiritual life , the holy Ghost doth impute it to the grace of Faith ; as now I will instance in some things that wil comprehend al the rest . All the Life of a Christian is reducible either , 1. To the beginning of it . Or , 2. To the preservation of it , and carrying of it on . First , The Beginning of it : We have our spiritual Life begun in us by Faith , it is on our part the principle whereby the very spiritual life is received : or if you will have it more plainly ; All those things that are the real principles of our Spiritual Life , they are all received by Faith. As , Jesus Christ who is our Life , and is the fountain of our life , we recive Christ by faith . As many as received him , that is , as many as beleeved . And in Ephes. 3.17 . whether Jesus Christ dwels in our hearts by faith . That Lord Jesus that remains in us constantly , we have him by faith . Then , The Spirit of Jesus Christ , who doth take from Christ and communicate to the Saints ; for so Christ said when he promised him to his Apostles , and Church ; that shall be his Office to take of mine , and give to you ( saith he ) How received you the Spirit ? was it not by faith ? So that by faith we receive the Spirit , as it is the very principle of our life . I confess this is a great mystery , for Faith it self is the work of the Spirit , and yet the Spirit is received by faith , but the holy Ghost saith it is so . Somwhat I would say to witness that , but the time wil not allow it me . So that our very beginning of our spiritual life is by faith , while we are meerly passive , the Spirit of God works alone without us ; but when we come to be active , the very first , and al the acts of our lives they are by Faith. Well , when this life is begun , Then Secondly , The Preservation , the Maintainance of it , the acting of it wholly , the Spirit of God acts by the grace of Faith : as thus ; All our nourishment comes from Ordinances ; for though the Lord be the Fountain of it , yet the Ordinances are the canales , the channels wherein the Lord gives out a greater supply of himself ; we must receive all these by Faith. The Word profits no man unless it be mingled with Faith , your Prayers they must be Prayers of Faith , the Sacraments they are received by Eaith : All Ordinances are so far effectual to the soul as the grace of Faith puts them upon you . Faith is not only the means of our Food , but for Physick , the overcoming of our evil , al the Spiritual enemies of our spiritual life , all that would destroy it , it is Faith alone must do it . You shall find Satan the great Enemy , how do we overcome him ? By resisting him in Faith. The World another Enemy ; every one that is born of God overcometh that the world cannot prevail upon them , and this is that that overcometh the world , even your Faith. So , All our Lusts ; it is by Faith that we put off the old man : the Scripture is cleer in it , nay , the actings of our lives , all the actions of our spiritual life , all the excitings and callings out of all our graces in every relation publick and private , the Spirit of God laies it al upon Faith , until we come to be consumated , and put into Heaven , the Lord doth leave the mannagement and carrying on of our spiritual life to the grace of Faith , himself is the Sum , the fountain ; but so far as the Creature hath a hand in it , that is the sanctified creature , it is this faith whereby the whol life is acted . Thus you see the first thing I hope sufficiently cleered , That the Life of al Gods People while they live in this world , it is the life of faith . But now comes the greatest Question , for there are so many cleer Scriptures about that you cannot doubt of it , you had as good doubt of your Christianity as to doubt of this , Whether a Christians life is the life of faith ? But now , What the holy Ghost signifies by this , what is it to live by faith ? That is a thing that may be more difficult to be understood , and if it please God that I can but cleer it to you out of the Word , that you may see wherein the true living by faith doth consist , when I have opened this I wil not doubt but so many as are Gods People wil say , this is my very condition ; but as for others they wil say , every body talks of living by faith , one man makes living by faith only to be a fancy in his own head , that God wil do this and that for him without any warrant from the Word ; another ( it may be ) fancies , that live how he lists , if he hope but to go to Heaven when he goes out of the world , then he lives by faith : But living by faith is substantial , I shal now set my self ( by the Lords help ) to clear to you , what the holy Ghost signifies when he saith , that the life of Gods people in this world , they live it by faith ; and to this end I must premise these two things ; but to make way . The first is , That our Lord Jesus who is our Head , our spiritual mystical Head , he hath not only an Al-sufficiency for al his people , for every one that beleeveth , til they come to glory ; but he hath a full purpose in his heart never to be wanting of supply unto his called ones , a full unchangeable purpose to supply them with whatsoever is needful to bring them to glory . That is the first thing I lay down as a foundation , to lead you to know what it is to live by faith , there is an all sufficiency in Christ our Head , yea , a ful purpose and resolution unchangeable , to supply to all his people whatsoever they can need in any condition , til he hath brought them to glory . That is the first thing , no body wil doubt this the Scripture is so ful to it . The Second thing is more immediate and closer to my purpose , and it is this , That Jesus Christ hath not only this determinate purpose in his heart , but he hath in his Word declared and manifested al that he will do for his people , and expect from his people til they come into Heaven ; mark , that is , In his Word hath he declared Promises , which hold out al the good that Christ means to do for his people , not only general promises for pardon of sin to bring them to Heaven , but promises for every condition that can be , he hath declared what he means to do , and which way he wil do it . He hath there likewise declared what his will is for al the duties that his people are to perform i● the way of obedience ; he wil never expect from them in al their life time any thing but what in his Word he hath set down . And thirdly , In the same Word he hath not only laid down Promises what he wil do , and precepts what they must do , but Directions that hold out both arguments to stir them up , and waies that they should take ; al these hath he laid down in his Word , al the means either to attain strength to do duties , or to accomplish the benefit of any Promise ; in his Word he hath laid down al his mind , and that is called his will concerning us , that is the will of God concerning us . Now these three things premised , the purpose of Christ to do all that he will do and expect , the declaration of all this in his Word . These two taken for granted , now in the third place , which is my Doctrine , and which wil make you understand what the living by faith is , The Grace of Faith wrought in us by the Spirit of God , and acted in us by the Spirit of God , it immediately hath its whol application to the Word . Good Friends hearken , ( I say ) the grace of faith is the work of the Spirit in us , and is excited and stirred up to work by the Spirit ; the Spirits proper and immediate work is to deal with the will of Christ revealed in his Word , it looks not at Heaven immediately , it looks not to Christ immediately ; but it looks at God , and Christ , and Heaven mediately through the Word . In the Word there saith sees all the good things promised , that in its life time it shal stand in need of ; in the Word it seeth the injunction of al those duties that the renewed soul should be conversant about or be exercised in ; in the Word , and in the Word only , he seeth the Methods , the Counsels , the arguments , the Directions that are to be attended upon for the enjoyment of all that which is in Christs purpose to do for us . Now mark , The grace of faith stirred up by the Spirit of God , to look to the Word in every thing in the right way , and the Lord by his invisible and secret work making the things held out in the Word effectual to the soul , by this act of faith in the whol course of our life , applying it self unto the Word ; the Word of Promise for matters of Comfort , the Word of Precept for matters of Duty , the Word of Direction in matters of means and Ordinances ; the applying of the soul to the Word in all these things , the Lord according to his goodness making these things good to the soul that thus applies it self to the Word , this is to live by faith . So that now to come a little neerer to the business , ( for I have not yet explained it so far as I hope by and by I shall , but I say ) now to live by faith . First , It is not only for a soul to beleeve in Jesus Christ for salvation , or to beleeve all our life time that we shal be saved by Jesus Christ when we go out of the world ; it is not only that that is but a piece of it . But , To live by Faith , it is in our course to enjoy the whol revealed will of Christ to us as our life , thereby fetching all our consolations that are fit for our life from promises , thereby fetching all our practices from the declaration of what he makes our duty , and applying our selves in the use of those means , which the Lord hath appointed us to attend upon for the accomplishment of these ; this conversation of the soul is the living by faith . To live by faith it is this : I am not only made partaker of the Righteousness of Christ which is imputed for my justification , and is inherent for my new quickening : I have not only these principles in me , but by the grace of faith al the comfort of my life is fetched from a promise , al the rule of my conversation is from the Precepts , and all the means I use for the accomplishment of one or other , they are those that are prescribed there ; so that be it to undergo affliction , to conflict with a temptation , to go through my Calling , be it to comfort my heart against temptations , when the soul looks to the Word of Christ , and there takes the Word for its guide both for comfort and duty , until the Lord of his meer grace have accomplished in us all the good that he intendeth to us , which wil never be til he takes us out of this world , when faith ceaseth ; but in the mean time , this , and this only is that which the Scripture cals living by faith . But now ( because I would yet make it a little plainer to you ) be pleased to know , That although there are acts of faith applicable to every particular condition we are in , which would require a Volumn to mention ; yet for the present purpose you must know , that there are five things faith doth in this general living by faith , that every one that is said to live by faith , his faith doth five things in his ordinary course , which are applicable to every thing that you can think upon , which I shall not need to stand to prove , though I will give a touch as I go along , because I would spare a little time for the Application before I break off : But there are five things applicable . First , The grace of faith looks at the Word as that which is most sure , that is , it yields a firm assent to the truth of all that Jesus Christ hath revealed concerning him in his Word . The Promises that are made , faith assures the soul they are al true ; they are not whimsies nor fancies . The Duties and Directions there prescribed faith assures the soul they are things the Lord looks for ; so that the Apostle saith in Acts 20. when he lived as a Christian , he did exercise himself to beleeve al that was spoken by the Lord in his Law , and David saith , Thy Word ( Lord ) is from everlasting : It makes not any scruple or doubt , but gives a firm assent to what the Lord hath set down in his Word . That is one , and that indeed is the Basis and Foundation of the rest . The Second , It not only assents that all these are true , but faith acquiesses that these are the magazine , the store house , the comprehension of al excellencies that the soul shall ever be made partaker of , he desires to be satisfied in the goodness of them , he desires no other course of Life to order him but what is set down in the Word , he thinks not there are any Councels nor Directions to be regarded , nor compared to those set down in the Word , he rests in them , there his Treasure lies in that great iron Chest , and the Word is not only true , but his livelihood , he knows God hath declared this in his Word , and there his soul is satisfied : That is the Second . And then the third is this : The Lord laies al our happiness up in his Word , the happiness of our comfort , the happiness of our holy conversation , therefore faith directs the soul to attend to the Word as to its only guide and comfort : that look as a man that is satisfied , I am to travel in a dark night , and to go through a dangerous place ; but I am sure I have a mighty guide , not a Will of the Wisp ( as they cal it ) and an Ignis fatuus to miss-lead me ; and therefore as I love my life and happiness , I will look to the Word , by the Word I am guided , by the Word I am directed , as the Apostle expresseth it : It is a thing you do wel to take heed to , as to a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn , until the day of Heaven come , and you be brought to glory . The soul looks to the Word as its only card and compass : as the Marriner at Sea looks at his Card and Compass , they are his guide ; so the Beleever he only looks at the Word as his guide . There is the third . And then the fourth thing that faith doth in al that live the life of faith is this , That they make the things revealed in the Word the matters of their prayers , they dare not beg a thing of God until they know it is Gods wil , that they find a warrant to beg it either absolutely or conditionally ; they make the Word the matter of their prayers and endeavors ; and if they go about any thing , or be under distress and affliction , they labor to get rid of it by making the word their direction in that . And Fiftly and lastly , Doing al these things as well as it can , it staies it self upon the truth ▪ and faithfulness , and power , and wisdom , and goodness of God , and the Lord Jesus who hath revealed these things to him , he staies himself upon him for the accomplishment of these things , in his own time , and in his own way . And he now that doth these five things , he truly lives by faith : The Lord hath turned the bent of his heart to it , and he is assured his Word is true , and that there lies his happiness , he looks at it as his only guide , he makes this the matter of his prayer and endeavors , and when he hath done , knows all his poor endeavors are nothing , but waits upon the Lord to make all good to him , according to his wisdom and faithfulness Thus you have heard a Christian ought to live by faith , and I hope now you see what it is . Now one Question more I must needs briefly speak to , and that is this : But may some say , Do all that live the life of Christ live thus ? that this is excellent I will not dispute , and that this is held out in the Word , I doubt it not ; but will you make true Christianity fall within the compass of this , and no further ? dare you affirm it that none live the life of Christ in this world , but those that you have spoken of ? Now the Answer to this you shall have cleerly in these three things . First , It is true , that even the Lords own people do somtimes too much live to the flesh , there is flesh in the best ; somtimes they are under great temptations , somtimes ( it may be ) under the sweetness of the Creature , and flesh prevails , and they walk by other rules so far as they are unregenerate , so far as the true Genius of Christianity works not in them ; for we all know that as we live but in part , so we live by faith but in part , and too much Gods people fail in this . But Secondly , I answer , That so far as we are Christians , so far every man in the world , be he strong , or be he weak , he lives according to these things . I fear not to speak it positively , that not one man living upon the Earth ought to own himself , or any other to own him to live the life of Christ , further than he lives according to this that I have set you down , though they talk of them , preach of them , write of them , if they practice them not , and actually live according to these Rules , they live not as Christians . But thirdly , I answer , That many souls do live thus , really live thus in their course , who cannot speak thus , who do not know that they live thus . As take my meaning thus : It is certain that our life in nature , it is lived thus , Food is taken into the mouth , when it is taken into the stomach , it digests it , and by a concoction it is so and so separated ; and al Schollers , and those that know the course of Nature , know not only that they live by food , but can tel you the Methods of it ; but many thousands that live the natural life , cannot tel how they live it : And as there is in Logick an Art of Logick , which is nothing else but Reason digested into the right Methods , to shew you what is the cause , and subject , and adjunct , &c. that we cal the Art of Logick , doth but cast al these things into their 〈◊〉 place ; but many thousands do argue , and speak from causes , and effects , and subjects , and adjuncts , and comparisons , and things that are opposite , use arguments from them , who know not that they play the Logicians in al these . So in the great acts of Faith , there is no man ( it is certain ) partakes of Christ but beleeves in him ; but doubtless there are many thousands that beleeve in Christ , that know not what that act of faith is , that gives them an interest in Christ , but the Spirit of God carries them on to it . So the Saints of God though they cannot speak of these Rules I have shewed you til they be opened to them , and then they can close with them ; so that I am far from saying that no man lives the life of faith , but he that understands that he acts al these things , but he may understand them really . Well , this laid as the foundation , you will pardon me though I take a little time to give you a tast of the Application before I dismiss you : But thus I have endeavored to cleer this Doctrine , That all the Lords people while they are in this world , while they do partake of the Righteousness of Christ , one part of it for their Justification , the other for Sanctification , the acting of this while they are in this world , it is the life of faith . Now the use of it is very large and sweet ; I will give you but a tast of two things before I dismiss you : The one is for Instruction . Hence therefore you may safely and sadly conclude , That among the great multitudes of those that challenge the name of Christians , there are ( God knows , and we may know ) a very few that are really Christians ; if this that I have opened to you be the Lords truth , which I hope through his mercy I have demonstrated , but if this be true , you shal see that amongst those great multitudes of them that are called Christians , there are but a very smal number who really are Christians . Oh! ( Beloved ) should I ( as justly I might , if the time would give leave ) but come to separate the chaff from the wheat , and to cul out the several sorts of men in this world , who live by clean different Rules from this I have spoken to you , in what a smal number might the names of real Christians be comprehended , what a little Book would hold them all ? As for Example : Do all the Saints of Christ live the life of Christ by faith ? Then certainly they that are ignorant of Christ , and know him not , are destitute of all real knowledg of him , it is not to be thought that they should live this life of faith . They that never troubled themselves at the very Doctrine of faith , it is to them but a meer whimsie , they are the most ignorant of him ; surely no man can be careless about that which is the principle of his Life : now a careless man about his faith , you may be confident that man never lived the life of faith . Again , All they who live to their lusts ( as God knows multitudes do ) what is their life and comfort , but to drink , to whore , to swear , to cozen , to cheat ? Multitudes of others live to the world , Mammon is the God of their life , the end of their life , that that takes them up from the beginning of the morning til the evening comes , when they are awake the world is in their hearts . And , They that live to their own wills ; as look whatsoever their own fancies and wills suggest to them to be advantagious , this is that that satisfies them and serves their turn , to attain such a corrupt end , or such a way as they are in . Oh friends ! there are a smal number that live the life of Christ , the Lord help you that you may not be deceived about this . I can but name this . And then Secondly , The other thing I wil name is this ( and pray carry this home . ) Those that are Christians , it hath plainly appeared that of al things in the world , Gods people have most cause to lament and bewail their unbelief . You hear that faith is your life and livelyhood , therefore there is nothing to be so much lamented by real Christians concerning themselves as their unbelief : I speak not but there should be somthing more lamented than our own damnation ; but for our selves of al the evils we lie under in this world , there is none to be lamented so much as our unbelief . Take my meaning thus : Suppose a poor child under the care of loving and careful Parents , that would neglect nothing that may do the child good ; but the child cannot eat his meat , it hath no appetite , or the meat is cast up ; alass , if he have no stomach the child wil languish , and for this and other distempers , let the Parents weep over it never so much , or dandle it never so much , the child hath an inward root that wil destroy it . I tel you what is true from the Lord , there is nothing can undo you but unbelief , there is no cross under Heaven can betide you , but faith will carry you through it , no duty can be preached , but faith will carry you through it ; no Promise so hard in the Word of God , but faith wil fetch out the sweetness of it . Oh! this unbelief of ours undoeth us . But you wil say , Do you think the people of God are so much guilty of it ? I wil give you a little tast , and by that you shall judg . First , All our not studying the Word , that we are no more acquainted with the Word , for were a servant of God assured that his livelihood in comfort , in duty , and every thing were to be fetched from the word , there is no Merchant that would endeavor to be skilful in the mystery of his Calling , more than every Christian would be in the understanding of the word . And When the word is held out to us , that we do no more value it , and that we no more rely and venture our souls upon it , it is nothing but our unbelief : As if so be a man that I dare put my trust in , if he make me a promise to furnish me with so much money at such a time , I dare rely upon it : But that I do not thus rely upon God in all my temptations , and fully perswade my self that the Lord will deliver me , it is nothing but my unbelief . If a mortal man tel me , if I walk thus and thus , I will fall into many a danger , and thus it wil fall upon me by Law , this makes me careful . That we deal not so with our gracious God is through our unbelief . Nay , in a word . All our unevenness in our whol course , that we somtimes rely so much upon the Creature , that when things flow in according to our minds , then my Line is cast in a fair ground , then God hath made my Mountain stand strong while the things of the world are with me , & at another time if I see a visibility of ruine , then I cannot say that the great God wil stand by me in these difficulties , this is nothing in the world but unbelief . Nay , All your deviations : If you find David using unlawful means , going over to the King of Gath to gain relief , it is nothing but unbelief . If you find a man venturing out to take any unlawful comfort in the Creatures , it is nothing but unbelief , it is a thrid runs through the whol course of Gods people , to make them live low lives , and hinders them from the obtaining of that that would be consolation to their own souls , therefore I beseech you , you that have made Christ your portion , and make account that faith must be your livelihood , lay it to heart , mourn under it , pray the Lord to root out this bitter weed , and make you masters over it , for certainly it is a great evil ; we stand by faith , we fal by unbelief , it is that that occasions all the disquiets of our lives . The Lord set it to our hearts , and deliver us from it . SERMON III. Gal. 2. part of verse 20. I am crucified with Christ , nevertheless I live , yet not I , but Christ liveth in me ; ( now follows that which I shal more insist upon ) and the life that I now live in the flesh , I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . NOW I proceed , and there is but one great Use that I intend , though I would a little mention another , and speak a little of it in the first place . Good Christian Friends , weigh what I have said , and regard it not because I say it ; but because of the evidence I hope goes along with it . But the thing I collect is , That you may all hence learn what kind of Christians they must needs be , who can live in the flesh above the Word and Ordinances , having no use of them , and ( as they think ) nothing to do with them , but live in an immediate Communion with God and enjoyment of him . This is one of the wildnesses and infatuations that the Lord hath let out amongst us in this sinful Nation , that many that have gone for sober , humble , gracious men and women , they look upon al those that have to do with Ordinances , that study Scriptures , and tend upon Sermons , they look upon them but in the A B C Form , they are of a low pitch and rank , themselves are above these things , they have attained to a higher Form : But this Doctrine that I have opened , will cleerly direct al Gods people what to judg of them ; for if they live the Life of Christ ( for that they pretend to ) it is either the life of spiritual sence , immediate enjoyment ; or the life of Faith : if they pretend to an immediate enjoyment of God without the intervention of faith , beleeve it they are beyond the Apostle Paul , that professed in his own name , and in the name of al the Saints that then lived , That the life that they lived in this life , it was by faith , and not by sence ; yet these have learned that they are beyond his Form : I will not say , much good may do their hearts with it ; but poor Creatures their delusion will one day afflict them . But if they say , No , we grant you it is the life of faith we live in this world . Then say I , Unquestionably , and without all dispute , it will appear faith hath its subordinate work , it is the declaration of the Lords mind in his Word , that faith meddles with , and all the Ordinances , and all tending upon the Word and Sacraments , &c. are the administrations of Christs will that is carried on in Ordinances , and no other way I know ; sure I am the Scripture is silent in it : Therfore Friends ( for such as are concerned in it , they wil not be here to hear it , nor any where else , they count it a folly , but ) to your sober Christians that desire to go to Heaven , and to walk with the Lord in his own way , give me leave to say this : Therefore , I confess our divisions and subdivisions in other matters of Religion are very sad , the cutting of the people of God a pieces in the several molds and forms of Government , and therby alienating their spirits one from another , it is very sad , and the Lord in his mercy remove those things . But yet this I must say , That while these lower conditions are , and as long as each form carries people to the Word , holds out Christ in his Word , Christ in preaching , Christ in the Sacrament , there is food for souls ; and if we could look aright ( it may be ) we would not be so angry with one another about it as we are ; for there is but one Truth , and we pray the Lord to reveal it : but stil here is carrying on the life of Comfort , Duty , Direction , and all that faith meddles with , that the Lords people may enjoy : but for Gods sake , and as you love the life of your souls , watch against temptations that would take you off from the Word , that the Scripture should be nothing ; this takes you off from that that your faith wholly meddles with ; for if you can say , I beleeve God for such a thing , and Christ for such a thing , unless you find it promised in the Word , it is presumption . Therefore , Pity such poor souls , your own experience may tel you ; do but mark them , generally they that live above Ordinances , see whether the Spirit of God do not withdraw , see whether the Lord hath any other way to convey himself to them , than what he hath held out in his Word ; their loosness , folly , pride , and joyning in any thing else that is naught , almost plainly shews that the Lord hath withdrawn from them . And secondly , You wil find that such of them as have grace in them ( for I am far from thinking any that have grace cannot be under such a temptation , but ) I fear not but the Lord will awaken them again though they be asleep , because faith must be the navel , and the string that must maintain them here . But this I did not intend to be large in . The great Use that I intend is , To all the Lords people whose Life is Christ , and in whom Christ doth live ; I would endeavor in the rest of this hour to give them some help out of the Word , that this living by faith might be better known to the Lords People , and more exactly practised than it hath been hitherto , and if the Lord help me to divide it , and you to receive it , I will not fear but your life will be more honorable to the Lord , and sweeter to your selves than it hath been : and there are but two things that I intend to treat upon . The one is , Some serious Considerations or Motives , to provoke all who have any thing of Christ in them , that they would study this art of living by faith more than in time past . And secondly , and principally , To lay out of the Word the true Directoins , the easiest and the readiest way that a willing soul may take to be built up in it . For encouragement to provoke you to it , I pray think of these things : First , If you will be Christians , it is our Trade , and the way of our livelihood , we have no other mystery for the maintainance of our lives but faith , that is cleer . Schollers may live by their Wits , Trades-men upon their Mysteries , and Gentlemen upon their Wealth : But as a Christian we have no other living , or way of living to God , but only our faith . Now because it is our Life , and our Trade , and our Profession , it would be a horrible shame to be found Bunglers in that that is properly our own Mystery . If a man should come and examine me , a Minister of the Gospel , and put into my hands a Merchants Book , and bid me cast up such an Account , and I could not , this were no shame to me : but if he should come and give me a Bible , and bid me open a Text , if I could not do it , it were a shame to me . So ( friend ) have you the right skil of living by faith ? No , It is thy Trade : As thou art a Member of the Common-wealth , or one of the Army , thou mayest have a Calling ; but as thou art a Christian , which is thy best Life , thou hast no Trade , but to live by faith , no other way to honor the Lord , nor to manifest the Life of Christ , nor to turn all things for thy good , and the Lords glory , it is thy living by faith must do it ; what a horrible disgrace will it be for thee to be found ignorant of it . Secondly , I tell you there is no other way of Life that any man pitches upon , but it will very shortly appear to be but a poor thing . If you should think that the living upon God , this holy life , it is a thing that is a mystery that you do not study ; but for the present life that you mind , and you mean to follow the things that will help you to live in the world , I tell you all those after a little while will prove meer delusions . If any of you have the way ( as some of you have found it ) to raise up your selves to great estates , of a poor servant , in few yeers to become a great man in the place where you live , and now you are wealthy . Before our eyes God hath overturned all these things ; hath not God let us see how he hath pulled down great Princes and Kings ? hath he not let us see a thousand , ten thousand a yeer a man may have , and yet live to see them al buried , and himself come to beggery ? doth not God tell us they are not al worth our study ? The Lord ( my meaning is ) dayly before our eyes stains the glory of all other waies of living ; never to the worlds end did he , or wil he stain the glory of living by faith , because you can no where else close with him . Thirdly , that which I most aim at in my Considerations , is to acquaint you with this : That this same Art , this excellent Christian Mystery of living our life by faith , it is absolutely the best life , the most desirable life that any man or woman can live , til they come to enjoy God immediately . This I wil demonstrate , and I hope I shal make it plain , that if a man had the comfort of al other waies of living in any kind , never would the learning or wit of man find out any life to be compared with the life of faith , for the excellency of it ; and the excellency of the life of faith I would open to you in four or five Particulars , the Lord perswade you but to study them when you are alone . One is more general . It is the Life which the Lord hath chosen out , to be the life of those that he loved from all eternity . The Lord you grant him al of you to be infinite in wisdom , and therefore before his eyes al waies of living happy were apparent , and out of them all he chose this same life of faith , to be the life of those he loved from al eternity . It is the Prophet Malachi's argument ; it is the best Conjugal condition for a man to have one wife , and a woman to have one husband , because else God could have made ten women if he would ; but he made but one , that is Gods choyce , therfore that is the best matrimonial life . Therefore the Lord ( say I ) who knew what learning , what wisdom , what friends , what Phylosophy , what Policy , what any thing might advance men to , he out of them al shews the living by faith to be the way how they should live in this world , who are as dear to him as the apple of his own eye ; and to a sober heart more needs not be said to make him think it an excellent thing . Secondly , as it is excellent because of Gods choyce , so , It is the honorablest life that can be ; there is no life in this world so honorable as the life of faith . First , It is wonderfully honorable to God , when his redeemed ones have their whol livelihood from him without hanging upon every hedg , but to acknowledg the Lord , I , to tel every body where they come , I have not one comfort in a child , nor in a wife , nor in a penny , nor in a garment , nor in a dish of meat , but I receive it from the hand of God by vertue of my faith , here God is lifted up in al his administrations . And as it is honorable to God , so , It is most honorable to us ; for in truth , if we were independent , that is , if we needed no dependance upon any , we must be Gods our selves , and no man would put his foot under another mans table ( as we use to say ) that hath one of his own . To live dependantly upon another man , that can live independantly of himself , takes off from his nobleness : but if we must live dependantly , then surely it is more honorable and noble to depend upon the head than the foot . He that hath not learned to live by faith upon God , he lives in part upon skins of beasts , upon the world , upon the excrements of the world , he lives ( I mean ) upon poor , ragged , beggerly creatures : one man saith to Gold , thou art my hope ; another man loads himself with thick clay : wel , this is a poor low thing in comparison of depending upon him more immediately , that hath incomprehensible glory ; it is ignoble . Thirdly , In this world it is the easiest life ; I will speak it ( I humbly bless the Lord that I have any experience of it in my own soul , but I dare speak it ) as Divine Truth , to live by faith is the easiest life under Heaven . Do not mistake me , I mean not it is easiest learned , that a man may learn it with a wet finger . Oh! it is a hard trade to learn , and this may be one motive it is not easily gotten : but my meaning is , that when once the soul hath learned it , that it be but a Master of this Trade , that it can say , I have learned to live by faith , no man under Heaven lives , or can live so easie a life as a Beleever may , Why ? Because the life of faith wil never leave any thing upon my care , but to walk humbly , and thankfully with my God , it leaves the providing for my body and soul , and posterity , and for the disposing of them al , and for al my affairs , it leaves it at Gods doors , laies it to him , and to me leaves nothing but to take the Book , find my duty , bend the knee , and for all the successes faith leaves it quietly to the Lord ; and is not this a sweet life ? We that are Parents know ( by reason of our carnality ) what a hard thing it is , when we have a company of poor children to provide for in a confused World , when all we have may be swept away , and others to have great trading , and yet our Ships miscarry , how we shal pay all our engagements we know not : but if once the soul have faith , it directs him to leave al to the wise and gracious God , and my self to acquiess in his will : I repeat it again , and I pray if you be not satisfied in it now , study it , and I wil be bound to recant it ( as the saying is ) at Pauls Cross , whensoever you wil , if ever man can come out and say , the life of faith is an uncomfortable life , no , it is the sweetest life of all : Oh! that God would perswade you to study it , it is the easiest life . Come into a family , and tell me who lives the easiest life , the Father or the Child ; the Child hath food , the Father provides it , the Maid cooks it ; he hath cloaths , his Father buys him them , the Taylor makes them ; and the child goes to school , and never thinks what will become of him when his cloaths are worn out , and his linnen spent , he leaves all to his Father . And then again I tel you . It is the best life , because in truth it is the surest life , for that man or woman that will trust God , and wil study to live according to the rule of faith , ( I speak it with reverence ) they have a statute upon al that God is worth that they shal be provided for ; they have a statute upon his All-sufficiency , I am a God all-sufficient , walk before me , I will be a horn of strength , I will never leave thee , nor forsake thee ; a statute upon his Wisdom , Power , Goodness , Faithfulness , what God is and hath , he hath engaged to the soul that wil trust in him . It is an old saying of a Poet , That it is an uncertain Estate ( though it may be great ) if it cannot be built upon : It is an uncertain estate to depend upon Cables and Anchors ; if it come home it is well , but it cannot be built upon ; and somtimes they stand in need of an Insuring Office , but how justly I dispute not . But lastly , This Art , when once the soul hath learned it , it will deliver a man from all base and unworthy means , it wil deliver the soul from all base and unworthy means in any kind whatsoever , because if he have God in his Word , what need he shirk and shift , or do any thing that is base , when he hath such a rock , such a livelihood for his soul as faith . As now I wil give you but an instance ; The Apostle Paul when he was in prison at Rome , he conceived he might have gone out , by giving the Captain of the Guard some money , but Paul scorned to give a penny : when he was at Philippi , put in prison in the stocks , the Magistrates came and bid him come out , he scorned to go out ; some might have said , you may provoke them ; I care not , he had God on his side . Never did any one so much study to get an Office , or Lordship , or an encrease of his Estate , that they may say there is that boy or girl provided for , let them go where they wil their portion lies by me : this is not so comfortable as to study this Doctrine , That that life that you live in the flesh , you live by the Son of God ; that this life of faith may be on your part your principal delight . Now then the Last part of my Sermon which I come to , is , But how should we do this ? Attainable it is , and in some degree all Gods people have it ; but what course should we take that we might be ( as it were ) Masters of Art in it , that we might Commence to a good degree ? I shall cleerly out of the Word , give you some four or five Directions , which if you will study you may much enlarge , and I hope it is the right way . The first is this , The grace of faith is the principle of our holy life ; while we are in this world you must labor to be well rooted and grounded in the grace of faith ; mark what I say , to be rooted and grounded , look to that that is your livelihood : when I say rooted and grounded , in that I mean these two things . First , You must labor that your faith be a right faith , a sound faith ; for ( beloved ) it is not every faith that wil afford a man a livelihood : painted fire is fire in the Summer time , but it wil never warm a mans hands in the Winter time ; painted bread will never fill a mans stomach ; it must be real bread , and real drink that wil maintain your life . So ( Brethren ) that common faith that goes about in the world , fancies and conceits people have ungrounded , without any work passing upon their hearts to make them new Creatures , it may serve for a dead profession , it may serve ( it may be ) to set you off so far by talking of Religion , that if time serve that way you may get an Office , a Place , and some accommodation for this life ; but never wil a formal faith enable you to live the life of Christ , that must be sound faith , faith of the right stamp . I , and secondly , I mean when I say , to be rooted and grounded in the faith , You must labor for strong faith , for ( Brethren give me leave to say ) the least degree of saving faith will certainly keep thee from Hell , and carry thee to Heaven ; but the least degree of it will not enable thee to live the life of Christ to his glory , and thy comfort : If a storm comes little faith shakes ; Why are you troubled , O ye of little faith ? but never , why are you troubled , you that have fulness of faith ? A little childs hand wil serve to receive a penny , I but a little hand wil do but a little work ; there is a great deal of work lies upon faith , drawing comfort lies upon faith , and quickning to duty lies upon faith , and as is the man , so is his strength . Gideons Son while he is a child , he wil not venture to cut off the heads of the Princes of Midian , no , he dares not fall upon them : no , a little faith will get but a little comfort , but you must endeavor ( and remember this is taught you as the first Direction ) to be strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus : Oh! ( if my heart deceive me not ) I had rather have a strong faith than any thing that may be called strong in the world : A strong purse , a strong head , a strong courage , a strong estate , will never do that that a strong faith wil ; therefore I intreat you al , if you find your want , I am a poor creature , I cannot bear afflictions , if God come with a heavy affliction it is hard for me to bear ; strengthen thy faith , and thou wilt carry any cross in the world , fly to the Lord. The Lord hath given us in our daies , many preachers that preach faith , many excellent Books that treat of Faith , and living by faith , and how faith may be strengthened , and all that is good about it . No Nation in the World since the Apostles daies ( I think ) have the like helps that England hath ; and therefore study it in the first place , labor to be rooted and grounded in faith , get a good faith a strong faith . Secondly , If you will ever live the life of Faith , labor to be wel acquainted with God , especially with God in Christ ( pray mark that , and carry it home ) labor to know God , I know whom I have beleeved ( saith Paul ; ) a man may beleeve confidently , but if he have not a ful knowledg of the party he doth beleeve , it may be his comfort wil be less . To know how all sufficient he is , that he can perform Promises easier than any man can , to know how gracious , how good he is , how unchangeable he is , there is no knowledg of God but wil do thy soul good ; but I mean , to know God in Christ , that is , as he stands related to Beleevers in a Covenant of grace ; and that I rather fix upon , because my Text hath it , and carries it here as the great Basis of Pauls living by faith , ( saith he ) The Life I live in this Flesh , I live it by the Faith of this Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me : he knew the dear regard that Jesus Christ bears to all his people , he loves them like the apple of his eye . Never Mother tendered her Children as Christ tenders all his Lambs , though never so weak , though never so feeble , though never so dead , he and his Father in him , is wel pleased when we look upon him in Jesus Christ , that not only I beleeve in him , but I beleeve in that God who in Christ Jesus loved me so , that he gave his Son to shed his blood that I might not perish . Now to know God in Christ is the way not to perish . Thirdly , another great Direction to live by faith is that that I opened at large , and now to speak a little more about it . Study to be acquainted with the Word : If ever you would live by faith you must study to be wel acquainted with the Word ; for though God be the ultimate object , and Christ be the all-sufficient means , yet ( beleeve it ) it is the Word that faith immediately looks upon ; and though I dare promise my self great things from my great God in my Christ , yet it must all be still as he hath revealed it in his Word : therefore if you would ever learn to live by faith , soundly , comfortably , you must be acquainted with the Word : And when I say acquainted with the Word , I mean these two things : The Promises of the Word for the comfort of your lives . To get a good understanding of all those excellent Priviledges , which are scattered up and down in all those glorious Promises , which are ( as the Apostle saith ) exceeding great and precious Promises . Brethren , the Word hath not only the great Promise of the pardon of sin which is an invaluable thing , and will carry us safe when we die ; but you shall find in the Word Promises for every condition it is possible for you to fal into ; if God should take away al thy children from thee , and thy wife from thee , and visit thee with sickness , and let men loose upon thee , and enemies to persecute thee , there are Promises in the Word for every one of these . Oh! to know the Promises it is an infinite help , especially if you ad this which I will make a second Branch of the same Direction : When I say acquainted with the Promises , I mean , We should know not only where the Promises are , but what they signifie ; what doth a Promise signifie that God in his Gospel maketh to souls ? for a man may have Promises , and truly from a great many able and great men ; good Promises signifie very little from many great men , and mighty men ; but to know what Gods Promises are , and what they signifie , it would be a great comfort , and I wil tel you briefly what they signifie , and it may be a key to unlock all the Locks in the House , that is , al the Promises in the Bible . First of all . The Promises of God , they do for the present , at the instant of their making , signifie , That God loves us ; for all the Promises come from his heart , his Providences come from his hands : the Promises come from his heart , and when the Lord makes a Gospel Promise to a soul , he doth as if he should say to that soul , I love thee dearly at the present , before the thing be accomplished thou mayest say it signifies thus to me , If the Lord make such a Promise to me , he loves me . And Secondly , A Promise signifies thus much at present , That God wil never hurt me : God gives in a way of Providence those things to many men whom he wil hurt and destroy , nay , he will destroy them even by the things that he gives them ; but to the souls to whom his Promises belong , they signifie not only Gods good will , but nothing in the world that can betide them shal ever hurt them , because they are all Branches of that Covenant of grace ; in which Covenant of grace there is no evil shal light upon the soul that is under it , therefore God wil one day make thee to know that he intendeth thy good in it : this is signified for the present . And , For the future , A Promise is a certain infallible pledg of a seasonable performance : His Covenant he wil never break , he will not alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth . All the Promises of the new Covenant are all backed with an Oath of him that is unchangeable . Here is a Promise for my poverty , for my temptation , it comes from the God that first loves me , and will do me no hurt , and wil accomplish it . Brethren , Do you beleeve this ? As Jesus Christ said to Martha ; He that beleeveth in me , though he were dead he shall live , and if he live he shall never die ; Doest thou beleeve this ? I Lord , I beleeve it : So say I , Do you beleeve this ? Do you not think you shall live comfortably ? And Secondly , when I said in this third Direction about being acquainted with the Word , I mean , Be acquainted with the Duties held out in the Word , as wel as the Promises , for it cals to holiness as well as to comfortableness ; therefore in the Word learn your Duty : and I the rather tell it you , because many a poor soul takes a great deal of care and pains , in some things that God never required , and they afflict themselves , and make their lives uncomfortable , in things that God hath not appointed ; as not to tel you of many poor creatures in Popery , that would thrust themselves into Monasteries , God never required it ; but my meaning is , study the Word , you can never study any thing that so much concerns you ; therefore there learn your Duties , the Duties that belong to your relations , and particular places where God hath set you ; for to know the will of God concerning me , argues an honest heart more than to know the will of God concerning others : but study to know the Word in the Promises , and in the Duties . That is the Third . Fourthly , which must not be neglected , When you have done all this , faithfully and conscienciously serve the Lord in the use of means , serve the Promises and Commandements , serve them faithfully in the use of the means without distraction , but out of conscience resigning up your selves : For , for me to go to labor for an enlarged faith , and to know the all sufficiency of God , and to have the Promises as familiarly as my Pater noster ( as they use to say ) for me when I have done this , to neglect the means the Lord hath appointed , this is not good . But look as an Husband-man ; What rational Husband-man is there , especially if he know God , but he knows that the Corn upon the ground cannot yield him a Crop , unless rain from Heaven water it ? and it cannot fall from Heaven unless God send it ; and notwithstanding all this , unless God give the Corn a new body , but because he hath likewise learned that ploughing , sowing , and harrowing , and dungcarting , &c. are all duties belonging to Husbandry , he serveth the Providence of God , and God blesseth him accordingly . Do thus with your souls ; God hath given you Promises for some things , Commandements for other things , serve him diligently in the use of the means ; but remember what I taught you before , that by the use of the means I mean , means only of his own appointment , for faith dare not go out of his own line , Lawful means that are agreeable to a particular calling , to reason , &c. I have often thought ( and I speak it to you from the Lord ) that when a people walk with a Word in one hand , and the use of the means in the other hand , we fairly leave the business at Gods feet , whatsoever the success shall be , we will be his Servants , when such a thing hath betided me , I find this is my duty by the best Counsel I can get , and so we leave it at his door , and whatsoever will come , fall back , fall edg , we may have peace and comfort . These are the great Directions , only with these I must put in two Cautions ( and when I have done them , I think I may have said that , which may be helpful to them that would walk by Faith ) The one is , When I say we must use means , and thus live by faith , my meaning is , First , That when you have done , you must never limit God ; God limits you , and limits me , but for himself , Faith must not limit him . My meaning is , Do not limit him to the way how he shal make it good , for he often works by contraries ; do not limit him for time when he shal make it good , for it is good to wait patiently the Lords leisure , though it be al the daies of our appointed season , and we injure God , and our faith doth not work up to its true height , when we will come and say , do it to day ( Lord ) or else I will question it to morrow ; no , limit him not , chalk him not out his way ; I may Lawfully expect from God that such a thing shall do me good , but I may not Lawfully tell God which way it shall do me good ; I may Lawfully say , from such a temptation God wil deliver me , but I may not Lawfully say , he wil deliver me from it within this week or fortnight , but quietly wait upon the Lord as one that infallibly wil do what he hath spoken : and is not here enough ? It may be some will add now by way of Objection . But what if my difficulty be such an one that I can find nothing in the Word about it ▪ What can my Faith do then ? Where is your circumscribing Faith within the compass of the Word ? It may be my difficulty is such as I find no Promise for it in all the Word . I dare confidently then say it is a matter of no great consequence , it may be in thy fancy some great thing , as the fancy of man can blow up a Molehil to a Mountain ; but beleeve it , if it be such a trouble as hath not a Promise , it is not worth the taking notice of ; for all things that concern the Lords Glory , and good of his People , there are Promises in abundance . That is my first Caution . And the other Caution is , When I direct you in all this to endeavor thus to live the life of Faith , you must take heed of some other principles which will put the wisest of you all to the utmost of your graces , and that is your own reason , and your sence , I mean not sanctified reason , nor your holy experience , but I mean carnal reason , and carnal sence , which in spight of our teethes will have an Oar in every Boat , it will be putting in , in all things that concern our whol Conversation : If a Duty be propounded , of a sudden I am called out to it ; it may be my Reason puts in twenty things against it , You wil lose your Credit in it , and your Labor , and it will come to nothing ; it may be our Sence will oppose it , You do but water a dead Plant , a dead Stock , nothing will come of it ; and I will tell you , all the experiences that the People of God hitherto have found of our carnal Sence and Reason , in all things that belong to the Waies of God , they are but like a Sophister in the Schools ; a Sophister that hath a wrangling head , will blur , and blind , and slur the clearest Positions , in any Art in Logick , Grammer , Rhetorick , Phylosophy , or what you will ; when a Conclusion is made and proved , a Sophister riseth up , and he shal slur it all , especially with weak people : So it is with carnal men , whereas a Promise , and a Direction of the Word looked upon by Faith , appears like the Sun in its strength , look upon the very same with carnal Reason , and carnal Sence , and it looks like the Moon in Ecclipse : a dark Body , it hath no light at all in it ; Oh therefore watch against it , and the rather because we are men , and from our Mothers Womb we are corrupt men , and therefore these things are bred in the bone , and will not easily out , but while we carry flesh about us , they will never be subdued . And therefore one handsomly expresseth it , as Abraham did when God called him to that Duty , it was cleer that God made it his Duty when he had called to it ; he never goes to call his Wife , for she would have said , Husband , it is impossible , this is but a delusion , it is not possible , the Child that must be the Heir of all Nations , and in him they must all be blessed , What! for you to kill him ! it is not from God , never talk of it . Friends , I the rather desire to open these things , because in truth , to a great many the Life of Christ is not known , and many holy souls do want plain Directions , how they should order their Conversation as becometh Christians , and in our uncertain daies , wherein we are every day looking what new Confusions shall break out , Oh! it were a sweet thing for a man to be stablished that he might possess his soul in quietness , in the midst of all the Changes in the World ; and really it many times grieves my heart to think , First , How the common People of the World live amongst us , they are totally ignorant of these things ; but they set their hearts upon Wealth , and Honor , and Pleasure , and these perishing things , these men are carried after , when God knows , these things are not worth the while . I wil briefly shew you one instance in Dan. 8. you shal reade of a Goat that came with one Horn , and he ran and killed all other Beasts that were in his way ; and that Goat was Alexander , and this same Alexander in ten years space did conquer one of the greatest Empires , I mean , he brought into his own hands , one of the greatest Empires that ever were in the World , in all the four Quarters of the World ( except America ) had he a great part ; within ten years there was an end of him , and not one of his posterity had one foot of it , and yet he left a Son and Heir , but al was carried away to others . And so will al Earthly things , we may struggle and strive , and weary our selves in a vain shadow , and when we have done , no man knows for whom he have labored ; it may be we expose our Posterity to the greater malice , envy , and hatred , and they wil be the sooner ruined : What a pity is it that such beggerly things as these should be so looked after , and Faith so little thought of . I , in the Second place . It grieves me to think how many souls that are Godly , and study the Scripture , and attend upon the Word , yet they rather study nice controversies , and things that gender strife , and help ( it may be ) to maintain a Party on this side , or the other side , and this great comprehensive Duty of living to Christ , and living by Faith , preached by many , studied by few , little regarded ; these are common Dunstable Truths that the old Puritans did preach a long time ago , but we have a more Seraphick vein and Spirit : and so God suffers us to be gulled of our Religion , which is the sweetest Portion that can be enjoyed in the world ; we make it a matter of brangling , and little comes of it , either to the Honor of God , or Comfort of our souls : And upon such thoughts as these , while the Lord shews me that mercy , that I may preach any thing unto you , I would fain acquaint Gods People with these things , that they may know wherein their life lies , and how they may lead it to the glory of God , and comfort of their own souls . I presumed upon your Patience : if God please to lay these things to your hearts , it wil not offend I hope . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52035-e14890 Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 1. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Quest. Answ. Vse 2. Vse 3. At Mary Magdalens Milkstreet Octob. 30. 1653. Doct. 2. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. At Mary le Bow. Octob. 30. 1653. afternoon . Vse 3. Object . Answ. Vse 4. Object . Answ. 
A89563	----	A defence of infant-baptism: in answer to two treatises, and an appendix to them concerning it; lately published by Mr. Jo. Tombes. Wherein that controversie is fully discussed, the ancient and generally received use of it from the apostles dayes, untill the Anabaptists sprung up in Germany, manifested. The arguments for it from the holy Scriptures maintained, and the objections against it answered. / By Steven Marshall B.D. minister of the Gospell, at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. 1646 Approx. 662 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 135 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A89563 Wing M751 Thomason E332_5 ESTC R200739 99861404 99861404 113537 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89563) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 113537) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 54:E332[5]) A defence of infant-baptism: in answer to two treatises, and an appendix to them concerning it; lately published by Mr. Jo. Tombes. Wherein that controversie is fully discussed, the ancient and generally received use of it from the apostles dayes, untill the Anabaptists sprung up in Germany, manifested. The arguments for it from the holy Scriptures maintained, and the objections against it answered. / By Steven Marshall B.D. minister of the Gospell, at Finchingfield in Essex. Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. [12], 256 p. by Ric. Cotes, for Steven Bowtell, and are to bee sold at his shop, at the Bible in Popes-head Alley, Printed at London : 1646. A reply to: Tombes, John. Two treatises and an appendix to them concerning infant-baptisme. The first leaf is blank. Includes index. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Apr: 9th". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Tombes, John, 1603?-1676. -- Two treatises and an appendix to them concerning infant-baptisme -- Early works to 1800. Infant baptism -- Early works to 1800. Anabaptists -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-04 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2008-04 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A DEFENCE OF INFANT-BAPTISM : IN Answer to two Treatises , and an Appendix to them concerning it ; Lately published by Mr. Jo. Tombes . Wherein that Controversie is fully discussed , the ancient and generally received use of it from the Apostles dayes , untill the Anabaptists sprung up in Germany , manifested . The Arguments for it from the holy Scriptures maintained , and the objections against it answered . By Steven Marshall B. D. Minister of the Gospell , at Finchingfield in Essex . The promise is made to you and to your Children , Acts 2. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Greg. Naztanzenus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Basilius Magnus . Hoc ( viz. infantium baptisma ) Ecclesia semper habuit , semper tenuit ; hoc à majorum fide accepit , hoc usque in finem perseveranter custodit , August . Printed at London by Ric. Cotes , for Steven Bowtell , and are to bee sold at his Shop , at the Bible in Popes-head Alley , 1646. TO THE Reverend Assembly of Divines and Commissioners of the Church of Scotland now sitting at Westminster . Reverend Sirs , WHereas all of you in generall are concerned , and some of you particularly named in the Booke I deal with , the world might happily have expected a joint endeavour , where there was a common interest : That I therefore ( whilst you are otherwise fully employed ) should undertake this taske , I desire may not bee imputed by you or any to an over weening conceipt of mine own abilities : for had it fallen to some of your lots , I should have hoped the Church of Christ might have reaped more fruit , then it is like to doe by my poore and weake endeavours . But my personall ingagement to assert that truth of God which I had held forth in a Printed Sermon , which my Learned Antagonist ( passing by other bookes written by other men on the same argument ) was pleased to single out to combate with , and to lay out his strength upon , hath called me forth to stand up in this controversie , not as your Champion , but as an affectionate friend to the truth , which we are all called upon earnestly to contend for ; in which conflict as I cannot but feare that you will easily discover my weaknesse ; so I cannot but hope that you will not finde me either so foiled by mine adversary , or deserted by God , whose cause I plead , as not to have sufficiently answered that booke , which hath obtained to bee called in Print , The strongest Shield and Buckler wherewith that cause was ever protected ; but in Salem God of old brake both Sword and Shield , and if he hath done the like now , the weake hand which hee hath made use of , serveth onely to point at that mightie arme of his , which hath gotten himselfe the victory . Truth , triumph and the Churches peace I have had in mine eye , and have desired to carry meeknesse and love even to him , whose opinion I fight with , all along in my heart and pen : what ever measure my former writing met with from him , I have endeavored to looke upon his with a neither bloodshot nor loftie eye ; passion blinds the one , and pride makes the other oft-times overlook that truth which a lowly eye seeth clearly at a nearer distance : sure I am , the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God , whilst the meeke hee will guide in judgement , and teach his way . VVhat herein God hath inabled me to doe , I willingly submit to the Churches censure , and humbly present to you , not as any way worthy of you , but onely as a publick testimony of my reverence and gratitude for all the refreshings of spirit , and that abundance of spirituall grace I have found from the hand of God , whilst I have had the happinesse to sit among you ; for a yet more plentifull effusion whereof upon you , to the happy setling at length of these distracted Churches in truth and peace , is the prayer of Your unworthy brother , and servant in the Lords work Steven Marshall . Aprill 2. 1646. A Table of Scriptures vindicated and explained . Gen. 17. 9. 10 , 14 , p. 92. Deut. 30. 6. p. 128. Deut. ●3 . 2. vindicated , p. 149 Esay 19. 24. explained , 210. Esay 44. 2. p. 128 Esay 59. 21. p. 128. Malac. 2. 15. vindicated , p. 156 Mat. 18. explained and answered , p. 209 , 226 , &c. Mar. 10. vindicated , p. 221 John 15. 2. p. 138. Acts 2. 38 , 39. vindicated , p. 124. Proves Infant-baptisme by consequence , p. 218. Acts 15. 10. explained and vindicated , p. 217. Acts 19. 5. 6. vindicated , p. 69. Rom. 11. 6. vindicated , p. 134. 1 Cor 7. 14. vindicated , p. 145 , 153 , 154 , 157 , &c. maintained against , p. 148. Verse 17 , p. 161. ver . 34. vindicated , p. 151. 1 Cor. 10. 3 , 4. explained , p. 199. 2 Cor. 3. 10. vindicated , 188. Gal. 3. 27 , 28. opened , p. 189. Ephes . 6. 1 , 2. explained , p. 200. Coloss . 2. 8 , 9 , 10. vindicated , p. 169 , 174. Heb. 8. vindicated , 188. 1 Tim. 4. 5. vindicated , p. 152. INFANT BAPTISME NO LATE INNOVATION . But cleared to bee as Ancient as is pretended . SIR , I Received your Book about the time mentioned by your self : which when I had read over , and thereby perceived how meane an esteem you had not onely of my Sermon , but of all other things extant , in defence of Infant-Baptisme ; and indeed of all Men whose judgement differs from your owne ; and how highly you value your own performance in this piece : I concluded you would have no rest in your spirit untill it saw the light ; and the rather , because you so earnestly presse mee To call in to my assistance all the rest who are ingaged in this Cause , that so you might have an adversary fit to deale with , that as a mighty man you might incounter with an Host . But when after some friendly conference with you , you declared to me , that if you might enjoy liberty to exercise your Ministery , in some place where you should not be put upon the practice of baptizing of Infants , you could ( yea , and intimated to me that you would ) keepe this Opinion private to your selfe , provided onely , that if any should preach in your Pulpit for the Baptizing of them , you should take your self bound in the same place to preach against it ; otherwise Mens preaching or printing abroad , should be no provocation to you . ( In hope whereof , my self endeavoured to help you in to the place where now you are , desiring the Church might not lose the benefit of those good gifts which God hath bestowed upon you . ) And thereupon I tooke no further thought of any present Examination of your large Treatise , having my hands full of other employments , because I verily thought you would have sate quietly down , preached Christ , kept your Opinion to your self , and not have any further appeared ( especially at this time ) to increase the flame of our Divisions and confusions . But since you think it necessary to deprive the Infants of Beleevers , of that which wee conceive to bee their glorious priviledge ; yea , and looke upon all other endeavours of Reformation , as things which will come to nothing , till this opinion of yours prevaile ( so dearely are you in love with your own Babe ) and come out into the field so bravingly , and gaint-like , to tread down all who stand against your way : I have ( with the Lords assistance ) undertaken your pompous Treatise ; and as farre as my impaired health , and other services would permit , indeavoured to bring your Examen to the tryall , with as much brevity and clearenesse as I could possibly ; and I hope also , with so much evidence of truth , that there shall be no need of a Colledge to make any further answer unto you . Wherein I shall not ( as you have done ) carpe at every phrase or expression , nor digresse into impertinent Discourses , thereby to swell up a volume ; nor amuse the Reader with multitudes of Quotations of Latine and Greek Authors , and then turn them into English ; nor frame as many senses of an expression as is possible , and then confute them , and so fight with men of straw of mine own fitting up ; nor spend a whole sheet of Paper together , in confuting what was never intended by my Adversary , as the Reader shall clearly perceive you have deal● with me : but plainly grapple with you , and insist onely upon what properly belongs to the cause in hand . But first give me leave to observe your destructive Artifice . It is the Socinians way to elude all Texts of Scripture which are urged against them , if they have been differently expounded by Learned and Godly men , ancient or modern : to question all conclusions infer'd by consequence from Scripture : to deride the testimonies of any of the Ancients , by discovering the nakednesse , error , and oversight of those Reverend men : and by making themselves merry by turning the Orations , Epistles , or allusions of the Fathers into Syllogismes : and by inserting of Ergo , now and then , to make all their Rhetoricall passages seem ridiculous . I appeal to the judicious Reader , whether this plot be not carried through your Examen & Exercitation . Especially I observe your maine faculty to lye in framing specious answers to Arguments brought to prove any thing . Your great Argument in your Exercitation is ; if I can answer all Arguments for baptizing Infants , then &c. And then you form the Argument into severall shapes , and seek to clude them ; and herein I confesse you are dextrous . The rest of the Arguments wherein you doe assert , or goe directly to prove ; alasse how inconsequent are they , as will appeare when they come to bee examined . The like course you take in your Examen , laying out abundance of strength in the anosc●uasticall part , waving and eluding the dint of an argument , by distinctions and severall senses , and finding some men of note to construe a Text otherwayes , and the like . So that the Reader may see what you doe not like , but he may stay long enough before you bring satisfying arguments to settle him in that which you would have , when you have startled him , in what you would not have . But this kind of disputing never edifies the Church : what one book was ever written by any of our Divines , even in the great point of Justification , or Faith ; which some learned and subtle Papist hath not been able to cloud and slur in such a way of answering ? Well , however I proceed to your Examen . And I begin with your Prologue , wherein you declare the occasion and end of this your writing ; the sum whereof you make to bee this . First , you sent ( as you say ) Nine Arguments drawne up in Latine to a Committee appointed ( as you were informed ) to give satisfaction about points of Paedobaptisme ; afterward Three Arguments more , with a supplement of some other things in writing , which were delivered to Mr. Tuckney , and by him joyned to the other Papers ; your intent being either to give or receive satisfaction in this great point ; but to this day ( much contrary to your expectactation ) you have had no returne from the Committee . Secondly , you are more provoked by some passages in a Sermon of Mr. Vines . Thirdly , and by a comparison in my Sermon , between Hazaels cruelty to the Infants of the Israelites , and the principles of the Anabaptists . Fourthly , you finde mee too vehement in maintaining of this point , of which you and others see no ground . Fifthly , yea Mr. Dan. Rogers confesses himselfe unconvinced by demonstration of Scripture for it . Sixthly , that Mr. Ball cuts the sinewes of the Argument drawn from Circumcision . Seventhly , that Musculus at length found 1 Cor. 7. 14. impertinent to prove this point . Eighthly , to conclude , upon your best search , you are confirmed that it is an Innovation maintained by dangerous principles , a thing not to bee acquitted from Will-worship ; that it hath occasioned many errors in Doctrine , corruptions in Discipline and manners , unnecessary and vaine disputes , and almost quite changed the Ordinance of Baptisme , &c. This is the sum of your Introduction ; to which , because it is but a pompous dumb shew , I shall returne a very briefe answer . First , for your Latine businesse sent to the Committee , I thought you had not been ignorant , that the worke of Committees , is but to prepare matter for the Assembly ; but neither Committees nor Assembly have power to answer any thing , sent from any ( except from the honorable Houses ) without leave from the Parliament . And if you please now to take notice of it , you will no longer wonder why the Committee hath made no return to your private Paper ; this I thinke is sufficient to remove your first stumbling block : onely I am further to tell you from Mr. Tuckney , that hee desires you to get better evidence for what you relate concerning him ; for the truth is , he neither mediately nor immediately received any Papers from you , nor joyned your 3 last Arguments to your 9 first . Secondly , your offence at a passage in Mr. Vines his Sermon , shall bee considered in the place where you againe repeate it , and aggravate it to the utmost , Part 2. Sect. 6. Thirdly , as to your exaggerating my allusion to Hazaels practice . I answer , I compared not their intentions with his , but the fruit of their principles ; casting all beleevers Children as much out of the Covenant of Grace , as they do the Children of Turks and Pagans and therein you your self joyn with them . Now whether such a comparison might not be used without any further Apologie , I leave the unprejudiced Reader to judge . Fourthly , whether my proofs for this Doctrine are weak , uncertaine , far-fetch't , shall God willing appeare to them , who wil impartially read and compare your book and mine together . Fifthly , as for what you suggest from my Reverend and Learned Friend , Mr. Dan. Rogers , although enough might be taken out of his words in that book , to declare his own meaning ; I rather chuse to set it downe in the very words which he wrote to me in a Letter , bearing date the 29 of January last past , in way of answer to a Letter which I wrote to him ; wherein I requested of him to know , what in his name I should answer to this passage of your book : his words are these ; If I were to answer that Anabaptist , I should answer him silentio & contemptu : for why should I not ? since in that very place of my Sacraments , part 1. p. 78 , 79. where I confute those Schismaticks , he snatches my words from their own defence . My words are , I confesse my selfe unconvinced by any demonstration of Scripture for Paedo-Baptisme , meaning , by any positive Text ; what is that to helpe him ? Except I thought there were no other arguments to evince it : Now what I thinke of that , my next words shew , pag. 77. lin . 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. I need not transcribe them . In a mord , this I say , though I know 〈◊〉 , yet that is no argument for the non-Baptizing of Infants ; since so many Scriptures are sufficiently convincing for it . Therefore this want of a positive Text must no more exclude Insants , &c. then the like reason should disanull a Christian Sabbath , or Women-kind not to be partakers of the Supper : The quoting of mine own Text were enough . 6. If Mr. Ball cut the sinewes of the Argument from Circumcision to Baptisme , himself was very much mistaken in his owne meaning and intentions , who in the very same place alledged by you , uses the same Argument , & makes the parallel to lie in the same things which my Sermon doth : you might have done well to have informed the Reader so much , when you used his authority to overthrow that Argument : his words are these , Circumcision and Baptisme are both Sacraments of Divine institution , and so they argree in the substance of the things signified , the Persons to whom they are to be administred , and the order of administration , if the right proportion be observed : as Circumcision sealed the entrance into the Covenant , the righteousnesse of Faith , and Circumcision of the heart ; so doth Baptisme much more clearly ; as , Abraham and his Houshold , and the Infants of beleeving Jewes , were to bee Circumcised ; so the faithfull , their families , and their seed are to be baptized . Circumcision was to bee but once applyed by Gods appointment ; and the same holds in Baptisme , according to the will and good pleasure of God. Seventhly , I perceive you glory much that Musculus hath deserted 1 Cor. 7. 14. as an impertinent proofe for baptizing of Infants , and you repeat it at least three or foure times in your book : and I observe through out your whole Treatise , that when any Authour joynes with you in any particular , you improve his authority to the utmost ; which makes me conceive , that it would be a great glory to you , to be able to prove a consent of Learned men to concur with you in your way . And therefore I cannot but wonder that you should so much slight and undervalue the Judgements of Fathers and Councells , Harmonies and Confessions of whole Churches , when they differ from you . As for Musculus , whether he changed his Judgement upon 1 Cor. 7. on good grounds , shall be examined in due place : In the meane time I informe the Reader that in the same place Musculus acknowledges that there are Arguments enough , and sufficiently strong to prove baptizing of Infants , though this 1 Cor. 7. be left out . And if Musculus Opinion sway in the one , I hope it 's not to bee rejected in the other . Eightly , whether Dignum tanto tulit hic promissor hiatn ; whether your roast be answerable to your great boast ; Whether your Arguments and Answers will make good this high charge that Paedo-Baptisme is an Innovation , maintained upon dangerous principles , &c. we proceed now to examine . And first wee shall inquire concerning the Historicall part , Whether Paedo-Baptisme as it is now taught , be but a late Innovation : whether it bee not as anoient as is pretended . Because many of the Anabaptists shame not to say , That the Ancients , especially the Greek Church , rejected Infant-Baptisme for many hundred yeares : I said in the beginning of my Sermon , that the Christian Church hath been in the possession of it for the space of 1500 years and upward , and named a few testimonies out of the Greeke and Latine Fathers , in little more then one page , to make this good ; no wayes intending to make the weight of the Question to hang in any degree upon humane testimonies or consent of authority , but onely upon the evidence of the Word ; upon this you have bestowed two or three sheets of your book , and as if all Antiquity run on your fi●e you confidently affirme : 1. As much may bee said for Episcopacy , keeping of Faster , the religious use of the Crosse . 2. That my highest Testimonies reach not so high . 3. That being rightly weighed , they make rather against the present Doctrine and practice , then for it . 4. That there are many evidences , which doe as strongly prove , that from the beginning it was not so ; and therefore is but an Innovation . The first of these you suppose so cleare to Scholars , that it is needlesse for you to bring any proofe ; the other three you undertake to make good in your subsequent discourse . Truly Sir , your undertaking is very high and confident , and I shall diligently weigh with what strength you perform it ; and shall therefore more fully inquire into the practice of Antiquity in this point , then else I should have judged convenient to doe . As for that which you tooke for granted , That there are plaine testimonies for Episcopacy , the Religious use of the Crosse , &c. before any testimonies can be produced for the baptizing of Infants , pardon mee that I forbear to beleeve you till you have made it good . I have already alledged some , and shall now ( God willing ) alledge more testimonies to prove that in the Judgement of the Ancients , the baptizing of Infants was received in all ages , and from the very Apostles , as a divine Institution . I read no such thing for Episcopacy , as a distinct order from Presbytery ; your selfe may read in Dr. Reynolds his Epistle to Sir Francis Knolls , that in the Judgement of Ambrose , Chrysostome , Augustine , Theodoret , Theophylact , Oecumenius , Primasius , Sedulius , Gregorius , and many other , that Bishops and Presbyters were all one by divine Institution , and that Ecclesiasticall constitution made the difference between them . Much lesse doe I read among them , that the Religious use of the Crosse was received in all ages , and that as a divine Institution . If you can make it out that these things were so , you will do a very acceptable service to the Papists , Anabaptists , & Prelaticall Party , who no doubt will return you hearty thanks , if your evidence be correspondent to your confidence . If you cannot , you should doe well to revoke this bold assertion . In the meane time I shall examine your Examen , of the Antiquity produced to make good the practice of the Ancient Church in Paedo-Baptisme . The first whereof was taken from Justine Martyr . Your first exception put in against this testimony is concerning the year in which he lived : I said 150 ; thereupon you charge me with overlashing , because I affirmed , the Church had been in possession of the priviledge of baptizing Infants 1500 yeares and upwards . Yet my overlashing herein , is not so much as you would have the world believe ; though my testimonies had pleaded for no higher time then 150 after Christ : Neither have I overlashed so farre in this ( as God willing hereafter shall appeare ) as you have done more then once . I said the Church was so long in possession of it ; and if you bee pleased to subtract 150 from 1645. I hope the remaining number will shew the mistake was not great , as appeares in the margent . If the Church was not all the while in possession of it , it had been your part to have informed your Reader of the time , wherein the Churches quiet possession was disturbed , and by whom . It is true , I named Baltazzar Pacommitanus with his associates , who to their own ruine started up to disturbe this possession : but the claim of an unjust intruder to justle out the true owner , will not carry the Title in any Court where equity takes place . In pleading the Churches possession of this truth for so long time , I said not so much as others have affirmed before me ; Learned Augustine ( though his judgement bee slighted by you ) affirmed as much in his time , and yet I read not of any then that excepted against him for it : The Church ( saith he ) ever had it , ever held it , they received this from the faith of their Ancestors , and this will it with perseverance keep unto the end . If he might say that the Church before his time ever had , & maintained it , and if after his time it was more clearely h●ld out ; then I hope I did not overlash in saying the Church had bin 1500 years possessed of it . And it were an easie task to produce abundance of testimonies , giving evidence ( not onely for their own age , but ) that it was the received custome in all ages even from the Apostles time , & that this evidence was true , we may hence know , ( saith Learned Vossius ) because the Pelagians never durst deny it , when the Orthodox Divines used to presse it , who certainly wanted neither Learning nor will to have gainsayed them , if they could have found them abusing Antiquity : nay , they not onely not denyed this , but concurred in it , so saith Augustine , lib. 2. contra Caelist . & Pelag. Caelistus ( saith he ) in a book which hee set forth at Rome , grants , That Infants were baptized for the remission os sins , according to the rule of the universall Church , and according to the sentence of the Gospell . In the next place you tell me I know that booke from whence this testimony was taken , was questioned whether it was Justine Martyrs or no. Truly I was not ignorant thereof ; therefore I said , in a Treatise that goes under his name ; I did not confidently averre that he was the Author of it ; yet you plainly call it a bastard Treatise , and never prove it ▪ but whosesoever it was , it is well known to be ancient ; and both Protestants and Papists asserting Paedobaptisme , cite it . Thirdly , I take notice that you answer nothing against the truth of the testimony it selfe : onely you say , that by it I may see that the reason of baptizing Infants was , not the Covenant of grace made to beleevers and their seed , which you make the ground of baptizing Infants at this day . You cannot be ignorant that this testimony was not alledged by me to prove the ground why it was administred : I onely made use of it to beare witnesse to the matter of fact , that Infants were baptized in that age in which that booke was written , which is plainely held out in the answer to the question ; you may also remember what I said of all the testimonies quoted by me , that I did not relate them to prove the truth of the thing , but onely the practice of it ; and so much it doth notwithstanding the answer which yet you have brought unto it : what ground the Covenant of Grace made to beleevers and their seed , gives to Baptisme , shall bee manifested hereafter , and whether the Ancients used not ( at least ) some of the Arguments which we doe . Come we now to consider what you answer to Irenaeus his testimony ; here you speake , 1. Of his Countrey . 2. Of the age he lived in . 3. You question his translation . 4. And in the last place you speake a little against the testimony it self . Before you fall upon the examination of the testimony , you say , Hee was a Greeke , and wrote in Greeke ; but wee have his Works in Latine , except some fragments : this you conceive to be a reason why we cannot be so certain of his meaning , as we should be , if wee had his owne words in the language in which he wrote : and may not this Objection lie against any Translation whatsoever ? and upon that ground you may slight it . I cannot guesse why you adde this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that hee was a Greeke , &c. unlesse it were to intimate to your Reader that I could not discern whether he were to be numbred in the Catalogue of Greek or Latine Fathers : yet you know that I mentioned him in the first rank of those Renowned Lights of the Church , which wrote in the Greek tongue , to which afterwards I added two other : and when I came to speake of any of the Latine Fathers ; Cyprian was the first in whom this question did occurre . But whether his words in the testimony alledged bee truly translated into Latine , shall by and by be considered . As for his age , you acknowledge with me , that hee lived in the same Century with Just . Martyr : the yeare in which he flourished is variously related by the Authors named by your selfe ; one sayes 180 , the other 183 , I may adde i● third who varies from them both , and sayes 175 , and may not others point at other times also ? For ought I know , you needlesly trouble your selfe , and your Reader , in naming particular year● in which these famous Lights of the Church lived , which I thinke can hardly with exactnesse be done : it is safe to say , about such a time , or in such a Century , such and such lived , which cannot bee prejudiciall to the Reader , when wee know a Century includes many years : neither can any man warrantably restrain it to any one year alone wherein such a man flourished , as if he had flourished one year and no more . But I proceed to what you say of the testimony it selfe , it is extant , Iren. 2. 39. Christus venit salvare 〈◊〉 , &c. Your exceptions against it are many . First , you question whether re●asuatur there signifies baptisme or no , as Feuardemiur his glosse take● it . Secondly , You say , that neither Christ nor his Apostles call Baptisme a new birth . Thirdly , possibly this was not the word used by Irenaeus in his own Writing . Fourthly , that the Latine alters Irenaeus his minde , as learned Rivet sayes . Lastly , that Irenaeus meant not Baptisme in this place , you goe about to prove by his scope therein . These are your exceptions which now wee come to examine . To begin with the first of them , when , Irenaeus saith , Christus venit salvare omnes qui per eum renasountur , infantes & parvulos & pueros , &c. First you question the meaning of the word renasountur , whether Baptisme is meant thereby ; and you ask me , whether this was any other then Feuardentius his glosse , and adde Rivets censure of him . I take not upon me the defence of Feuardentius , let him goe for such a one as Learned Rivet relates him to be , A corrupter of Irenaeus in many things : yet that judicious Man says not that he corrupted Irenaeus his sense in this place . And that he did not , it 's manifest to me ; because Baptisme usually is stiled by the Greek Fathers a new birth . Learned Vossini saith upon that very place , that to call baptisme renascentia , was ●●sitat● veteribus loquendi forma ; which a few instances will make good . Justine Martyr speaking of the manner of administration of Baptisme , sayes of the baptized party , He is brought to the place where the water is , and i● regenerated in the same manner wherein wee were regenerated : and to put it out of all controversie , he is there speaking of Baptism under the name of Regeneration ; he adds , They are then washed in water in the name of our Lord God Creator of all things , and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , and the holy Ghost . Here he tels us what he meant by Regeneration mentioned before : viz. When the Party was in the name of the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost washed with water , that is , baptized . Dionysini Areopag●ta ( but you will say he is questioned , yet no man can question whether he exprest Baptisme by regeneration ) speaking of Baptisme sayes , Divine signes of the divine generation , and what is that ( I pray you ) but a new birth ? yea in the same Chapter he addes further of it . The Saorament of our divine generation as in a signe . And in the beginning of that part , hee calls the Font , or place in which Baptisme was administred , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the mother of our adoption . Athanasine sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we are borne again by washing : and doth not Basil call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the regeneration of the soule ? Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 40. amongst many other titles he puts on Baptisme , this is one , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Now I demand of you , do not all these Authors call Baptisme a new Birth , which you would fasten onely on Feuardentius ? yea doth not Ambrose call the Fon : Baptisterium regeneration is lavacrum , the lavacre of Regeneration ? Whatsoever you say of me , I hope by this time you will not think that both Latine and Greeke Fathers learned of Feuardentius his glosse to call Baptisme a new birth . Secondly , you say , no where doth our Lord or the Apostles , call Baptisme a new birth . I desire to know of you the meaning of that place , Tit. 3. 5. I thought the Apostle there had called Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the washing of the new birth , or Regeneration : and what that is but Baptisme , yet I know not . To me the Apostle seemes plainely to parallel the washing of regeneration , and the renewing of the holy Ghost , as type and countertype . And the Analogie between washing in Baptisme , and Regeneration , lies in that custome of washing Infants from the pollutions of the wombe when they are first born . A learned Critick of our own in his Diatriba upon that place , thinkes none will deny that in these words the washing of Regeneration , the Apostle is speaking of Baptisme : sure I am , most of the Interpreters which I have seen upon that place agree that he either argues directly from Baptisme , or at least alludes to it . Thirdly , you grant , though the word renascuntur is used for Baptisme by the Ancients ( which before you seemed to pin on Feuardentius his sleeve ) yet possibly it was not the word used by Irenaeus in his owne writing . It seems , now you dare not stand upon the strength of the word renascuntur , because you confesse it was used by the Ancients for Baptisme ; therefore your conjecture here is , That possibly it was not the word used by Irenaeus for Baptisme in his own writing . I shall goe further then you ( and yet not wrong the truth ) and say , undoubtedly , renascuntur was not the word used by Irenaeus in his owne writing , for he wrote in Greek , and therefore it may well be conceived he said not renascuntur , though he might say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : But to that which you answer , I adde , you know 't is commonly said in the Schooles , fortè ita , solvitur per fortè non : you say , possibly it was not Irenaeus his word . I answer , possible it is that Irenaeus might use the Greek word , which is well translated renascuntur : for why might not hee being a Grecian , speak of Baptisme in the phrase and stile as other Grecians did ? yea , that he did speake so , is most probable , because that other Greek Fathers use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a new birth , in the sense in which I alledged it . As for the altering of Irenaeus his mind by the Latin Translation , not having his works in his owne language , I dare not say so much : when you bring forth Irenaeus his words in Greek , I shall the better be inabled to judge of it ; in the meane time I accept of the Translation , having made it good by parallel phrases in other Greek Fathers . In the last place you labour to prove , That it is not meant of Baptisme from Irenaeus his scope in that place . To this I answer , albeit that bee granted which you say was his scope there , yet his words prove the question in debate before us . I hope you will not deny , but that the scope of a speech may tend to prove one thing ; and yet the expressions used may give light to otherthings : was not the Prophet Ezekiel his scope by the parable of dry bones rising again , to prove the restauration of the Jews ( who then seemed to be dead ) to their former state ? that no doubt was the drift , yet hee layes it forth by that parable : and Tertullian by the same proves the Resurrection at the last day , if hee had not beleeved that dead bones were to rise againe ( saith the father ) how could hee by that Simile taken from them prove the Resurrection of the Jewes ? So may I say here , let it be supposed that Irenaeus his drift is , as you say , to prove that Christ was an Infant to sanctifie Infants , yet hee sayes they were renewed when they were baptized . As for Irenaeus his judgement of Christs living upon the earth about 50. yeers , it was not alleadged by me , therefore I leave it to you to helpe Irenaeus therein , because you alledge it . Now I desire the Reader to cast his eye back upon all that you have said about this testimony , and see whether you have brought forth any thing to obscure the light that it gives to our question : all the strength of what you said lay in the word renascuntur , whether that signified Baptisme or no : which by the usuall language of the Grecians I have made good against your exception , and so I passe from your examen of this Author and follow you to the next . In the third place you come to sift Origens testimony : Where , first , you question the authority of the booke ; secondly , you say , if it be Origens , yet hee calls Paedo-baptisme but an Apostolicall tradition , and from thence you draw forth some conclusions . In all which I hope to manifest your mistakings , and so to discover the weaknesse of your premises , that they shall not in any indifferent man his judgement be able to draw these conclusions after them . First , you question the authority of these passages cited out of Origen whether they are his or no : and you call the Author of them supposed Origen : It had been your part before you had so branded them , first to have made it manifest by some undenyable evidence or other , that they were not Origens , you question but prove not , and I am not the first that hath produced these testimonies to prove Infant-Baptisme , many learned men handling this question have done the same before me . You seek also to weaken the authority of these testimonies by the Censures of two judicious men , Erasmus and Perkins : the former of them ( who was vir emunctae naris in giving judgement of the writings of the Ancients ) saith , that when a man reads his Homilies on Leviticus , and on the Epistle to Romans , translated by Ruffinus , hee cannot be certaine whether he reads Ruffinus or Origen . Yet Erasmus saith not that these Homilies set forth under his name were Ruffinus his Homilies , and not Origens . If Ruffinus had wronged Origen in that point now in question , why should not that have been laid in his dish by some of the Antients discoursing on this question , who no doubt would have been forward enough to have taken notice of it to Ruffinus his prejudice , as well as other things which they object against him ? To this you adde Reverend Perkins his testimony , who puts his commentary on the Romans amongst his counterfeit works , as being not faithfully translated by Ruffinus . It may be Origen might suffer by his Translators , for Translations are various : some affect in their Translations to follow their Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to trace the very footsteps of the words they translate : other Translations are metaphrasticall , or by way of paraphrase , they expound as they translate ; thus severall men have their severall fancies , though they adhere to the Author which they translate , even when they keep not in all things to his words : Hierom gives instance in the Septuagint Translators , whose testimony I need not name to you . Ruffinus acknowledges , in translating Origens Homilies on Leviticus , that hee added some things to what Origen said , and what they were hee expresses : ea quae ab Origene in auditorio Ecclesiae ex tempore non tam explanationis quam aedificationis intentione perorata sunt ; the things which were spoken by Origen to his auditory , he translated them by way of explanation , or did more fully lay them forth in a popular way and therein Ruffinus dealt candidly , telling us what were the things hee added ; in this Erasmus acknowledges his faire dealing . But as for his Commentary on the Romans , Ruffinus confesseth se hoc opus totum ad dimidium traxisse , there was no addition of Ruffinus ; Erasmus here blames him for cutting off what Origen delivered more at large , but neither doth Ruffinus confesse , nor Erasmus challenge him here for any addition to what Origen said : I shall onely desire the Reader to take notice that none of the testimonies by me cited out of Origen , are denyed by Erasmus to be Origens : neither can they be conceived to bee any of the additions mentioned before by Ruffinus : therefore your exception is not proved by Erasmus nor Perkins testimony . You adde , in the passages which I cite , there are plaine expressions in them against Pelagians , which makes you thinke they were put in after the Pelagian heresie was confuted by Hierome and Augustine ; though they make against the Pelagians , yet who can necessarily inferre , that all these Homilies in which these passages occurre were written after the Pelagian Heresie was broached ? Iust . Martyr maintaines the Divinitie of Jesus Christ , yet we know hee lived long before Arius the ring-leader of that cursed Sect which denied it : can any man conclude that Iust . Martyr did not beare witnesse to the divine Nature of Christ , because hee lived before Arius started up ? Then you tell us Origen calls Infant-baptizing an Apostolicall tradition , according to the observance of the Church . This cavill I prevented when I quoted the testimony , which seemes to have some weight in it , for you grant what I said about Traditions , which is warrant enough to me to adde no more to justifie it , otherwise ( besides the testimony of Scripture which I named in 2 Thess . 2. 15. ) many other out of Antiquitie may be added , where Tradition is taken in that sense . Epiphanius calls Baptisme and other mysteries observed in the Church , which are brought forth out of the Gospell and setled by Apostolique authority , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : where by the way you may see that hee grounds the Baptisme , then in use in the Church , ( and even then Infants were Baptized ) on the Scriptures and authoritie of the Apostles , as well as other mysteries of the Christian ; Religion . But I follow you , Because , say you , in neither of these places taken notice of by mee Origen cites any Scripture for baptizing Infants , therefore it must bee understood of an unwritten Traedition : had it appeared as a new notion not heard of in the Church before , then had it been fit he should have confirmed what he said : but it being a position , which ( as he sayes the Church observed ) hee needed not to prove it . Ignatius presses upon Hiero to attend to reading and exhortation , and cals those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , traditions , yet addes no Scripture to confirm what he sayes , because they were things well known to the Church to bee consonant to the Scripture . So Origen tells us Infant-Baptisme was generally observed by the Church ; and had any appeared to plead against the lawfulnesse of it , he would no doubt by Scripture have maintained it , as well as affirmed it , to come from the Apostles , which he did . These are your premises which now being answered , your conclusions infer'd from thence , of themselves must fall to the ground : for if Infant-baptisme came from the Apostles , and was generally observed in the Church in Origens time , then you have no reason to challenge it as a thing not known before his time , nor delivered over to the Church in his time : albeit he exprest it under the name of an Apostolicall Tradition . The last Greek Author alledged by me was Gregory Nazianzen , who cals Baptism signaculum vitae cursum ineuntibus : against which testimony you have nothing to object : onely whereas I added , hee seemed afterwards to restraine baptizing Infants to the case of necessity : You ask of me , Doth he seeme onely to restrain it to the case of necessity ? He gives ( say you ) his reason why they should be baptized , but withall declares his opinion that others should stay longer : but what of all this , what follows hence more then this , that in his dayes Infants were baptized , though his advice was , that they should defer it , unlesse there were danger of death ? These are the Greek Authors alledged by me , none of which are denyed by you to testifie the practice of the Church in this point in their severall ages , onely your exceptions have been all on the by , not against the testimonies themselves , which yet ( notwithstanding what you have answered ) I doubt not will by any judicious Reader bee allowed , for cleare proofes of the practice of Paedo-baptisme in the Greek Church . After your examination of the former Testimonies , you adde 3 Arguments to shew that Infant-Baptisme was not known in the Greek Church . First , if it had been known among them ; you wonder why I finde nothing for it in Eusebius , Ignatius , Clemens Alexandrinus , Athanasius , and Epiphanius ? To this I say , they spake to the clearing of such questions as were afoot in their times : had any question been started when they wrote about Paedo-baptisme , no doubt they would have cleared it , as Cyprian did , and as it was done in the Councell of Neocaesarea . It is enough to mee that none of the Authors named by you speake against it ; can wee say that the Fathers living before the Pelagians troubled the Church , denyed the traduction of originall sin , because they spake not clearly of it , before it was denyed by those cursed Heretiques . Nor is it any glory to you that your Error was not ancient enough to be confuted by Eusebius , Ignatius , Clemens Alexandrinus , Athanasius , and Epiphanius : yet whether any of these named by you spake for Infant-Baptisme , shall now bee considered . I finde even in some of them which you have named ; expressions which doth induce mee to beleeve that they were farre from rejecting of Paedo-baptisme . I will not search into them all , for if any thing were brought out of Ignatius , you would tell mee that you did not know Ignatius when you see him , ( as you have done with others named before ) and I have no time to wrangle . You desire to know what Clemens Alexandrinus saith ? why , sure he had none but great Infants to his Scholars ; if you ( who pretend to be acquainted familiarly with the secrets of antiquity ) be acquainted with him , you 'll know what I meane : He desired ( as it is likely more Greeke Fathers who were converted from Paganisme did ) to set forth Religion in such a way as might move other Pagans to come and make confession of the Christian faith , that so they might be added to the Church by Baptisme in such a way as was proper to the baptizing of grown men . The next ( whose testimony you misse ) is Athanasius : you desire mee to quote any thing out of him to prove the Greeke Church did admit Infants to Baptisme ; if that will make you cease wondering , I 'll doe it : what say you to that passage in Athanasius ? where hee is shewing how we are buryed with Christ in Baptisme , and rise againe ; hee sayes , the dipping of the Infant quite under water thrice , and raising of it up again , doth signifie the death of Christ , and his resurrection upon the third day : is not that testimony plaine ? In his Questions ad Antioch . in the second question of that booke , it is desired to be known , how shall we know that he was truly baptized , and received the holy Ghost , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in holy Baptism when he was a Child ? ( it seems then it was a custome for Infants to receive Baptisme : ) He sets down an answer to it , that is to be known ( saith he ) by the motions of the Spirit in his heart afterwards , as a Woman knows she hath conceived , when she feels the child to stir in her womb ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not because his Parents say so . If that place doth not plainly , and in an Orthodoxall way beare witnesse to Paedo-baptisme , I know not what can doe it . I could out of the same Booke adde another testimony , but you will perhaps tell me , the words next following those that I shall cite are questioned . But I shall then reply , 1. The words that follow may bee erroneous , and yet written by Athanasius . 2. The words which I shall cite may be the words of Athanasius , and the words which follow , none of his , but added by some other . 3. How doe you prove that Tertullian , or Greg. Nazianzen wrote those words which you cite out of them . 4. You can ( more then once ) make this a plea for your selfe ( that your allegations may gaine a favourable construction ) That your proofes taken out of Antiquity doe ●s strongly prove the point in hand , as proofes are usually taken in such matters . I doubt not but all impartiall Readers will vouchsafe me the same favourable graines of allowance , and then this testimony also of Athanasius may passe for currant . These words then which are safe & sound , grounded upon the same Scripture which I have much insisted on , are read in the works of Athanasius : where the question is about Infants dying , requiring a resolution that might clearly set forth , whether they goe to be punished , or to the Kingdom ? The answer is , Seeing the Lord said , Suffer little children to come unto me , for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven . And the Apostle sayes ; Now your children are holy ; ( observe that Gospel ground , the same that I build upon ) it is manifest that the Infants of beleevers which are baptized , doe as unspotted and faithfull enter into the Kingdome . This assertion is owned by all the Reformed Churches . Epiphanius you say , sayes nothing of it in a place , which you cite : and are you sure he sayes nothing any where else ? admit he doth not , forme a Syllogisme , and see how your argument will run , &c. but I desire you at your leasure to cast your eye upon that expression of Epiphanius , which doth induce mee to beleeve that hee did not reject Paedo-baptisme : where hee tells us , That Circumcision had its time , untill the great Circumcision came , that is , the washing of the new birth , as is manifest to every one . What 's the washing of Regeneration but Baptisme ? which he would scarcely have called Circumcision , if hee had rejected Infant-Baptisme , and denyed that the children of beleevers ( who are hopefully capable of Circumcision made without hands , may lawfully partake of this great Circumcision : and addes , That this was notoriously knowne to all ; surely then none denyed it in his time . Secondly , you reason from the continuance of the Questions , put to persons when they were to be baptized , and answered by them : which I think because we must conceive children were not able to returne an answer to them , thereby you would inferre they were not baptized : But I answer , when the Gospel went first abroad into the world , such as being of age were first taught , were then baptized , Act. 2. 41. & Act. 8. 13. 37. After that time such as were taught are said to be catechized : for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Catechisme leads men to faith , saith Clem. Alexandrinus . When such were prepared and made fit to be baptized , certain questions were propounded to them concerning their faith in Christ , their resolution to forsake the Devil , &c. which are related by many of the Ancients : when those of age afterwards brought their children to Baptisme , these questions were likewise put to them ( though of themselves they were not able to make answer to them ) but how warrantably I will not goe about to prove ; yet that they were used at Infants Baptisme , as well as at the baptisme of such as were of age , it appeares by Balsamon in Can. 6. Conc. Neocaesar . Aug. Ep. ad Januarium , &c. To all which questions at Childrens Baptisme , such as undertooke their education made answer on their behalf . Therefore you cannot by these questions infer that Children were not baptized , seeing these Authors certifie that questions were put to them , and also tell us who answered for them . Thirdly , you conceive because many children borne of Christian parents were not baptized when they were young ; Therefore it was not their custome to baptize Infants . For the making good hereof you bring forth instances of Constantine the Great , Greg. Nazianz. and Chrysostome . Before I speak of these instances , it will not be impertinent to speake somewhat of the practice of some among the Ancients in deferring Baptisme ; and here I finde that some Ancient Christians deferr'd their owne Baptisme many times , ( as well as their Infants ) but upon no good ground , as may appeare by many sharpe invectives against them for it , which are extant in the Greek Fathers : see Basil . exhortat . ad Baptismum , Greg Nazienz . orat . 40. in Lanct . Bapt. Chrysost . Hom. 2. in Act. Apo. From these severall Authors and others , may be gathered the grounds upon which they defer'd Baptisme . Sometimes they would doe it in imitation of Christ , who was not baptized till he was about thirty yeares of age ; they would put off their baptisme untill they came to the like age . Greg. Naxianz . disputes against these . Constantine the Great put off his Baptisme untill hee should come to the River Jordan in which Christ was baptized , though he never attained to that desired place , for he dyed at Nicomedia . Some againe deferred Baptisme , untill they should have opportunity to be baptized by some speciall Bishop of some eminent place ; these Greg. Nazian . reproves at large . Some also put off their Baptisme upon another ground , they conceived it did wash away all sin ; so thought Orig. Hom. 15. in Ihesh . Hom. 5. in Ex. Cypr. lib. 3. ad Quirinum . & lib. 4. ep . 7. Whereup-upon it was a common speech , when they saw one to follow his sinfull courses , sine illum , faciat quod vult , nondum baptizatus est : to the same purpose Greg. Nyssenus in his exhortation to Baptisme , brings in the very same speeches of them , who put off their Baptisme upon this ground ; saying , Sine , carne abutar , & turpi libidine fruar , in caeno voluptatum volutabor , manus sanguine polluam , aliena auseram , d●lose ambulabo , pejerabo , mentiar : baptismum tum demum suscipiam , cum a vitiis & iniquitatibus desistam . Hee speakes much more to that purpose in that place , to which I refer the Reader : all which testifies what they thought of Baptisme , that it washed away all their sins , therefore they defer'd it ; for they would have none abridged of their sinfull delights untill they were baptized . Epiphanius tells us that Marcion gave order to have Baptisme thrice administred ; first when a man had committed any great sinne , after that in his judgement , hee might bee baptized for the doing of it away : Againe , if after that Baptisme hee had renewed his sinne , hee was the second time to bee baptized ; and so the third time , if after the second he had renewed his sin again . This opinion of the efficacy of Baptisme to doe away sinne , might induce them to defer it untill they were ready to leave the world , that by baptisme then administred to them , in their opinion , all their sinnes might bee done away . But Naz. confutes such , telling them all times were fit for Baptisme ; seeing no time was free from death ; So did Greg. Nyssenus also . They were also led into this error by another , some thought that baptized persons might live and not sin , for if they did sinne after Baptisme ( in their conceit ) there remained no repentance for them , misunderstanding that place of Heb. 6. 4. which place also was abused by the Novatians , denying remission of sins to Christians , ●inning after baptisme . It is cleare upon these and the like grounds ( but how justly , I leave it to you to judge ) many put off their owne baptisme . Neither doe I see why that others also may not be thought ( even upon no better grounds ) to have deferred the baptisme of their Infants ; which yet doth no wayes prejudice the commonly received , and constantly practiced ordinance of Infants-Baptisme , no more then the above-named practise may bee brought to prove that it was not the received practise of the Church to baptize such as were converted from Paganisme to Christianity , at their first conversion . Yet here I cannot but adde further , that sometimes it might fall out that Christians might not have the opportunity of bringing their Children to Baptisme , because they dwelt among Infidels , or Paynims , where they could not enjoy the benefit of the Word and Sacraments for themselves or their children : therefore in such a case they were necessitated to put off the baptizing of their Children . Greg. Naz. sayes expressely , that some may be hindered from Baptism by some violence , or some unexpected accident , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : that though they would , they could not enjoy the Grace ( of baptisme whereof he is speaking ; ) if by such accidents they themselves might be hindered from Baptisme , why might not the like accidents hinder them also from receiving Baptisme for their children ? Againe , sometimes their lot might fall out to live among Heretiques , which corrupted the Faith , and therefore would not have their Children baptized by them : might they not do herein as that pious man Moses , who refused to receive imposition of hands from bloody Lucius that Arian Bishop . Neither would Antiochus bee ordained by Jovinian , who adhered sometimes to the Arians : assuredly , such as scrupled to bee ordained officers in the Church by such , may upon the like grounds be thought rather to chuse to defer the baptizing of their children , then to have them baptized by such . Many questions were moved in the Church about Baptisme administred by such as were not sound in the Faith : which were agitated so farre by Cyprian , and other Asrieans , that they held their Baptisme to be null ; and therefore condemning their dipping , or washing , ordered that such should be baptized . Some other causes might be found out , why men might defer both their owne , and their childrens Baptisme , which yet I will not justifie : they might herein doe , as holy Moses , Exod. 4. defer'd the Circumcising of his son , yet Moses well knew it was an Ordinance in Israel , that every son of eight dayes old should be circumcised . Holy men in this might aliquid humanum pati ; I will neither excuse nor aggravate their fault : onely I thought good to speake somewhat in generall of the custome of some in deferring Baptisme . I come to the instances here given by you : the first is Constantine the Great , ( though the sonne of Helena , who is reported to have been a zealous Christian ) not baptized till hee was aged . You should have done well to have proved her to have been such , when Constantine was borne , otherwise what gaine you if shee were converted afterwards ? The true cause why he received not Baptisme at his Infancy ( so neare as I can gather it from the story of his life ) was this : Constantius his Father , albeit a man of a sweet temper , and a Prince wonderfull tender of the welfare of all his Subjects ; first out of the mildnesse of his nature favoured Christians ; ( seeing and observing their unblameable conversation and faithfulnesse in all their employments : ) therefore he did not in an hostile way pursue their Religion , as others Emperors did : yea , at length he grew to a good esteem of it , especially towards the latter end of his life : in this time his son Constantine the Great , lived in Dioclesian his Court , from whence ( his life being twice in danger ) he suddenly escaping , came to his father then sick , and presently upon his death , hee was by the Army saluted Emperour : These things considered , it is no marvaile if hee were not baptized in his Infancy ; when , for ought I read , his Parents had not then embraced the Christian Religion when he returned at his Fathers death , he was 30 yeares of age : and whether ever his Father was baptized , the story is silent . Neither is Helena her affection to Religion in his Infancy , related in the Story , though afterwards it is often mentioned . You need not then wonder , why when hee was an Infant hee was not baptized : inasmuch as it appears not that his Parents were then become Christians ; yea , and himselfe also was an unbeleever many years , as is apparent in the story . The next mentioned by you , is Greg. Naz. the sonne of a Christian Bishop , and brought up long by him , was not baptized till hee came to be a youth . You say he was the sonne of a Christian Bishop , but how doe you prove it ? he that writes his life , tells us , there was a time when his father was not a Christian ; yet afterwards , when hee had cast of the superstition and deceit of the Hypsistarians , bee appeared a true follower , or disciple of the Divine grace ; and so first hee became a Sheepe , and afterwards a skilfull Shepheard to the Church . What was the Hypsistarian errour , Greg. himselfe explaines in his Funerall Oration for his Father . Whether hee was converted from it before Gregory was born , it is not exprest : Yet the Historians tell us when Naz. was but young , he with Basil were bred in humane literature at Athens ; from thence he past to Antioch , all this while we read not of his studying the Christian Religion till afterwards . For it is to bee remembred , that when he with Basil had spent much time , and well profited in humane literature , some would have perswaded them to become Teachers of that kinde of learning ; others moved them to betake themselves to publike pleading of causes ; but refusing that way of study , they beg●n to thinke how to order their lives holily , as the rule of Christian Religion did direct them , wherein they profited much ; in the knowledge whereof Origens books were helpfull to them . Greg. Nazianz. having spent 30 yeares in those studies , he returned to his Father and was baptized : his education was not under his Father , as you relate ; and if his parents were Christians when he was borne , I wonder they should send him to Athens to be trained up under Heathens ; and why hee was not baptized as soone as hee was converted to Christianity , if you can lay downe the true cause , I desire you to doe it ; I dare goe no further then I have warrant from the story , and the relation of his life : Yet I may hint my conjecture from his own words ; where he says there were three sorts of men ( besides those which I named before ) who deferred Baptisme . 1. Some purposely put it off , because they would live in sin ; there were others living more temperately , taking in as it were the meane between vertue and vice , who though they sinned , yet approved not of their sins , but were over-power'd by them . Lastly , some defer'd their Baptisme , that they might the better prepare themselves to receive it ; and possibly hee for a while might bee ranked in the third sort of them , that for such a thing put off their Baptisme : yet himselfe reasons strongly against delayes of that nature , in that Oration , which peradventure was after hee was better informed . Thirdly , you bring in Chrysostome among your instances , Educated by Meletius a Bishop , yet not baptized till hee was past 21 yeares of age : If you can make this out , you say somewhat , though it will fall short of that you intend to evidence thereby . Christian birth , and Episcopall education might justly give occasion to a man to wonder how such a one came to escape the priviledge , which other Infants so borne , had ; if it were the custome to baptize such . But stay a little , herein you have adhered too farre to your friend Grotius , upon whose credit you have avouched all this , though neither he , nor you tell us from whence you fetch this relation . I being loath to be led by an implicite faith , without some ground ; after some search I have found that which makes me think you are deceived both in Chrysostome his Parents and education . The Ecclesiasticall Story ( the Penman whereof undertakes to set forth the place of his birth , his parentage , his call to his Episcopall dignity , and his removall from it ) sayes he was born of a prime family in Antioch , and names his parents , but not a word of his Religion nor of his Baptisme . I could here tell you that some others speaking of his Parents and of himselfe , say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he and they were Heathens , ( for so is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there to bee taken ) and they that say so are Grecians . But however , by Chrysostome his mothers own words it appeares that his father dyed within a very short time after his birth : so much is manifest from his mother , see Chrys . de Sacerdotio lib. 1. the death of thy Father presently followed upon the sorrows which I had in thy birth , which unseasonably made thee an Orphan , and mee a widow : and this fell out when Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , was young and could not speake , as shee sayes ; there shee puts him in minde of her care of his education , and of the charge she had been at to improve it ; but not a word of his Religion . I confesse it appeares from Chrysostome , that about the 20 yeare of his age his mother was a Christian : but whether his Father or his mother was so at his birth , it appeares not . His education in his younger time was under Libanius , who was an enemy to Christianity , and a scoffer at it , untill he was about 20 years of age : then changing his former studies , habit , and profession , he came to Meletius , by whom being instructed in divine knowledge , within 3 yeares afterwards he was baptized of him . After his mothers death , he betook himselfe to a Monasticall life , in which time hee was much furthered in his holy studies by Carterius and Diodorus , to whom he often repaired . These things considered ( which Chrysostome his own words make out ) you can hardly perswade your Reader that there is any strength in what you bring forth from his example to plead against Paedo-baptisme , for you neither prove his Parents were Christians at his birth , neither was he educated under Meetius , yet both these you have affirmed , but without ground of evidence . To all the forenamed instances you adde somewhat more out of Grotius , which before I doe examine , I have something to say to you concerning Grotius , whom I see you follow in severall passages of your Examen . I cannot but wonder , why you ( who pretend to bee familiarly acquainted with the secrets of Antiquity ) should have so much correspondency with them who are not likely to help you with any certain intelligence . Hugo Grotius is the strongest stake to support your tottering hedge ; and sure I am Grotius was a friend to the Socinians , and it is well known what they thinke of Baptisme . I have learned from Reverend Doctor Rivet , that Grotius was perverted by Cardinall Peron , who pleaded the cause of the Anabaptists in his answer to King James . Quae tum protulerat , congessit , ( saith Doctor Rivet of the Cardinall ) in suam responsionem ad Regem M. Britan. & Anabaptistarum causam egit , quantum potuit , strenue . Video eum satisfecisse D. Grotio , qui in talibus satis est liberalis . Doctor Rivet told Grotius , that learned Vossius had set forth 8 Arguments in Print , to prove the lawfull use of Infant-Baptisme , and desired him to answer them first , and then Doctor Rivet promised to vindicate Vossius ; but Grotius made a poor excuse in his Votum pro pace Ecclesiastica , and returned no answer at all . Grotius that hee might comply with the Papists , grants that Infant-baptisme ought to be received upon the authority of the Church of Rome : and to please the Socinians also , ( for it seemes hee intended to gratifie both ) he puts forth this question : An Christus ab Joanne baptizatus suit in nomen Patris , Filii , & S. sancti ? If any man desire a full character of Grotius , let him read his Piety , such as it is , in that subtle peece , entituled , Hugonis Grotii Pietas , or his Annotations upon Cassander , and his defence of those Annotations , and his Votum pro Pace : and he will acknowledge that Grotius was no fit man to bee trusted , nor likely to deliver the true sense of the Ancients in this or any other point . I will not stand to tell you what Laurentius , and Maresius say of him , but sure they prove enough against him ; and therefore I will put an end to this discourse , with that censure which learned Rivet hath passed upon Grotius , in Grotius own words ; Judicat prout amat , aut odit ; amat & odit prout libet . In his verbis exactissime descripsit ingenium suum , saith D. Rivet Apologet. pro vera pace Eccles . Sir. I shall desire you may have a more sure friend to relye upon then Grotius : how far he hath deceived you , and you following him , hath wronged the truth , and both of you your Reader ; I will now God willing open . You say , Grotius ( in Annot in Matth. 19. 14. ) addes , That the Canon of the Synod of Neocaesare a determines , That a Woman with Childe might bee baptized , because the baptisme reached not to the fruit of her wombe ; because in the confession made in Baptisme , each one 's own free election is shewed : from which Ca●on , you say , Balsamon , and Zonaras doe inferre , That an Infant cannot be baptized , be●ause it hath no power to choose the confession of divine Baptisme . Your inference from the Canon , gives me just occasion to thinke that you never read Balsamon whom you name ; for if you had , you would not assert what you doe . That this may appeare , I will set downe the words of the Canon , the occasion of it , and what the Glossator ( mentioned by you ) sayes of the same . The words of the Canon are these : Of her that is with Child , that shee may bee baptized when shee will : for shee that bringeth forth , in this doth not communicate with the birth that is brought forth , because every one manifests his own free choice in confession . The occasion of this Canon was this , as both your Glossators observe , it was propounded to the Fathers in that Councell , to know whether a Woman when shee is with child might be baptized or no ? some opposed it , because ( as they thought ) in her Baptisme , the childe in her wombe was also baptized : and this they held could not bee , because there is required of him that would professe himselfe a follower of Christ ( as Zonaras expounds the last words of the Canon ) a free election : or ( as Balsamon hath it ) there is required of every one in Baptisme his own promise , which an Infant in its mothers wombe cannot doe : at length it is determined in the Canon , the woman in that condition might bee baptized when shee would , &c. from whence your friend Grotius infers , That the childe useth not to bee baptized but of its owne proper will and profession : and to back this assertion , hee addes some words from Balsamon and Zonaras , as if Balsamon had denyed that any were to be baptized , but such as were able of themselves to make confession of their faith in Christ . To vindicate the truth here from Grotius false inference , and yours also in concurring with him therein ; I desire the Reader to take into his consideration these two things . 1. Of what kinde of Women the Canon speakes of . 2. What the Glossator mentioned by you speakes in the same glosse of Infants baptized in their Infancy . The first will let us see , that what you would infer from the Canon ▪ is nothing to the question before us . The second will let all men see that you deale not fairely with your Reader . Remember our Question is , Whether Infants of beleevers are to bee baptized with Christs Baptisme , &c. but this Canon , speakes of children of Women as come out from among Infidells , being then converted when they are with childe ; for Balsamon sayes , Such Women as were with childe , and come from the Church or company of unbeleevers : and what is this to our Question , which is about children born in the Church of beleeving Parents ? Secondly , Balsamon distinguishes of children ; some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in the wombe , and not brought forth into the world , others are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , young , but borne into the world , for the first of these he sayes , no man can undertake , ( he meanes in Baptisme ) but as for children that are borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they affirme by such as undertake for them , and they being actually Baptized are accounted worthy of divine illumination : your inference by Balsamons testimony is directly contrary to Balsamons words , for hee rotundis verbis affirmeth that children born , do in Baptisme answer by such as undertake for them : which words are mentioned neither by Grotius nor your selfe : herein you wrong the truth , and labour to deceive the Reader : in the beginning you charged me with overlashing ( which yet was your haste , and not my errour ) but here I may safely put you in mind of docking or Curtalling the Author cited by you . Lastly , in this Paragraph you tell us that Grotius addes that many of the Greeks in every age unto this day doe keepe the custome of deferring the Baptisme of little ones , till they could themselves make confession of their saith : you bragge much of the Greeke Church , but I will not deale with the Greeke Churches as you deale with the Fathers , I will not put the Latine Church , Augustine and those Fathers and Councells which accord with him in one scale , and the Greeke Church in the other , such comparisons are odious : But this I can and must say , that when you have searched into the Greek Church to the utmost , that you and all the Anabaptists in England cannot prove that the Greeke Church did for many hundred yeers reject the Baptisme of Infants ; which is the assertion which I said might well put the Anabaptists to the blush , and ( now I adde ) your self also for justifying them in so saying . To returne to Grotius his Annotations , who sayes , that many of the Greeks , &c. What some of the Greeks may doe at this day I know not , but against his testimony of the Greeks in every age I will produce some testimonies ( gathered by a learned Grecian , to whom the customes of the Greek Church were better knowne then to Grotius , or the Anabaptists who relye on Grotius his relation ) whereby it is evident that baptizing Infants was held eeven necessary to be observed in the Greek Church . Photius ( that learned Grecian ) gathering together the Greek Councells and laws for ordering of Church affaires , and reconciling them one with another , hath many things for Infant-Baptisme : as first , hee brings in an Imperiall Constitution , wherein it was provided , that all baptized Samaritans and Grecians should be punished , who brought not their wives and children in their families to holy baptisme . Here was a Law which required Grecians that were baptized to procure baptisme for their children , otherwise they should be punished . Again , Tit. 4. ca. ● . he brings forth another Imperiall Constitution concerning Samaritans ; such among them as are of age must not rashly bee baptized , but requires they should bee trained up in good Doctrine , and then admitted to Baptisme ; but their children , though they know not the Doctrine , are to bee baptized . So for Grecians , it 's required that all their little ones without delay be baptized , Conc. in Trullo . Can. 84. Whereupon it was appointed in that Councell , when there were no sure Witnesses to be produced , who were able to testifie little Children ( whose baptisme was doubted of ) were baptized , neither for their tender age could testifie it themselves , without any offence such should be baptized . Balsamon in his glosse upon that Canon , relates a story how Children comming from a Christian Countrey , were taken by the Scythians and Agarens , and bought by the Romans : the question was , whether the Children should bee baptized or no ? though some pleaded , they came from a Countrey where Christians dwelt ; and therefore it is to be presumed that they were baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in their Infancy ; Some pleaded it was the care of their Mothers to procure baptisme to them : and others pleaded other Arguments for their Baptisme : yet if they could produce no witnesse to make it good , they were to bee baptized . All which clearely testifies that Infant baptisme was then generally in use among Christians , seeing they were so carefull to have it testified that they were baptized , and did presume where Christians dwelt it was in use . Now see what from these testimonies may bee held out for Paedo-baptisme among the Greeks ; if such among them as brought not their Children to Baptisme were punished : if Imperiall Laws , as well as Synodicall Canons required Infant-baptisme ; which they held so fit , that if there were any Children ( of whose Baptisme it was doubted , ) they required they should be baptized ; may not I from all this wonder why Grotius , or you from him , do affirme , That in every age they deferr'd the baptisme of their children till they could make themselves a confession of their faith ? Whereas the former Constitutions about Infants Baptisme testifie that among them in those ages it was held an undoubted truth . I might also adde to these one of the eight Canons concluded in Carthage against the Pelaegians ; wherein was affirmed , That whosoever denyed Baptisme for the remission of sinne , to a new borne Infant , &c. should be anathematized . All which being duely weighed , it will easily appeare , Whether the Anabaptists need to blush , in saying , that the Ancients , especially the Greeke Church , rejected the Baptisme of Infants for many hundred yeares . Let the severall testimonies of the Ancients in the Greeke Church alledged by mee , speake whether the Greeks rejected that ordinance or no : And so wee passe from the Greek Church here , though afterwards you give me occasion to search further into the Grecians . Come we now to examine whether the Writers of the Latine Church will be more propitions to you in opposing Paedo-baptisme , then the Greeks have been ; here Cyprian is the first that comes under your Examen ; and calculating his age , you tell us Vsher places him in anno 240 , Perkins 250 ; I might tell you that others take notice of him in other yeares , as Trithemius 249 , Henr. Oc●us 245 ; so hard a thing it is to set down prec●sely the particular year ; yet all ( as I said before ) agree in the Century in which he lived . You acknowledge with me , that he was one of the anciencest Writers among the Latine Fathers ; onely Tertullian , you say , was before him ; and who denies that ? here upon your Semi-Socinian Grotius his credit you say , That nothing was determined in Tertull. his time , concerning the age in which children were consecrated by their Parents to Christian Discipline ; because hee disswadeth by so many Reasons in his Booke of Baptisme , c. 18. the baptizing of Infants . And you adde , If he did allow it , it was onely in case of necessity ; as may appeare by his words in his booke De Anima . ca. 39. Though my task in this examination of your Examen , bee onely to make good what I said before in my Sermon ; yet you shall have my answer to this place quoted by your self ▪ whereby it may appeare there are more witnesses to confirm the same truth , which I avouched but onely by the testimonies of a few . Tertullian indeed in the former of these places , is perswading men to defer both the Baptism of children , and others who are of age . Yet I beseech you tell me , doth he not therein intimate that it was the custome of the Church in his age to baptize the one as well as the other ? otherwise I see no reason why he should desire that they would defer the one as well as the other . And what 's the reason of his delay ? such as did undertake or promise for children were in danger ; whilst they promised on their behalf , that which by reason of their own mortality , and increase of evill disposition in children , afterwards might make them breake , or destroy their promise ; his words are these , Pro cujusque personae conditione , de dispositione , etiam aetate , cunctatio Baptismi utilior est : praecipue tamen circa parvulos . Quid enim necesse est , si non cam necesse , sponsores etiam periculo ingeri ? qui et ipsi per mortalitatem destruere promissiones suas possunt , & proventu malae indolis falli . Is it not evident by that place , that Baptisme was administred in all ages , even to little ones ; and that there were some who undertooke that they should perform the promises made by them on their behalf ? onely this custome of baptizing them did not very well please Tertullian : wherefore he seeks to disswade from it , but never pleads against it as an unlawfull thing , or an abuse of Christs institution , as you doe ; yet how displeasing a delay of that nature was to others ( famous in the Church ) hath been cleared by severall testimonies before : here may you take notice of one , even before Cyprian in the Latine Church , that beares witnesse against you , that in his time children were baptized . This truth is so perspicuously laid down by him , that you cannot deny it ; and therefore you come with an [ if , ] and say , If hee did allow it , it was onely in case of necessity ; for this you refer me to his book de Anima , c. 39. where having reckoned up the idolatry , and superstitious fooleries of the heathen at the birth of their children , he speaks of children , one of whose Parents is holy ; and confesses both by the priviledge of their birth and profession they are designati sanctitatis , ac per hoc etiam salutis , not sancti , till they be born of water and the Spirit : but in that place is altum silentium , of his allowing baptism to them in case of necessity , as you say : wherein if a man told you that you did overlash , he should not wrong the truth . But before wee part with Tertullian , give mee leave to aske the question , whether the disswasion which you cite out of Tertullians booke de Baptismo , may not reasonably bee interpreted of the Infants of Infidells ? because in that Chapter Tertullian speakes of the baptisme of such as were not born of Christian Parents , ( such as the Eunuch , and St. Paul ; ) and therefore hee desires that the Baptisme of such Infants should bee deferred , till they came to yeares , and were able to make confession of their sinnes , and profession of their faith , their Parents being Infidels , and their Sponsors mortall ; for what ( saith hee ) though these Infants may have some Sponsors to undertake for their Christian education ? yet their Sponsors may die before they are capable of instruction ; and then that promise is void and of none effect . And I am very much inclined to beleeve , that this is the true meaning of the place , because it is cleare and evident by the 39. Chapter of his book de Anima , that Tertullian did acknowledge that the children of beleevers had a kinde of priviledge ( which he calls prerogative ) by their birth , besides that of their education : and therefore in case the Sponsors who undertook for the education of the Infants of Pagans did live , yea , and give those Infants due education ; yet there was a great difference between them and the Infants of beleevers , who had such a birth priviledge as gave them right to Baptisme ; and by Baptisme , and the Spirit , saith he , they are made ( what they were by God designed to be ) holy indeed . Because I will give you , and the learned Readers light enough , I will transcribe the passage at large , and give you leave to judge , for I hope you will make it appeare that you are pius Inimicus , and passe judgement upon my side , when you have received some new light , if it bee new to you : but truly , I feare , that you saw something in this 39 Chapter , which made against you : and therefore you doe barely cite the Chapter , and not set down the words of the Author , which was not so fairly done : be pleased then to peruse the testimony in words at length , and not in figures . Hin● enim Apostolus ex sanctificato alterutro sexu sanctos procreari ait , tam ex seminis praerogativa , quam ex institutionis disciplina : caeterum , inquit , immundi nascerentur , quasi Designatos tamen sanctitatis , ac per hoc etiam salutis intelligi volens fidelium filios , ut hujus spei pignora matrimoniis , quae retinenda censuerat , patrocinarentur . Alloquin meminerat Dominicae definitionis , nisi quis nascatur ex aqua & spiritu , non introibit in regnum Dei , id est , non erit sanctus . Sir , are you not now convinced that Tertullian did conceive that the Infants of beleevers had such a sanctity ( as I called Covenant-holinesse ) by the prerogative and priviledge of their birth , as gave them a right to baptisme ? I would not abuse Tertullian , as you did Origen and other Reverend and Learned men ; and therefore have given you a faire interpretation out of his owne words : I beleeve by this time you are sicke of Tertullian ; let us confer with Cyprian and his 66 Colleagues , upon whom you have passed a Magisteriall censure . Cyprian , say you , saith enough , and more then enough , except hee spake to better purpose : if that which hee hath spoken be weighed in the ballance of your judgement , his words , though many will be found but light : yet you say that Hierom , and especially Augustine relyed upon that Epistle for the proving of baptizing Infants : for my part , I am more strengthened in my Opinion of the worth of Cyprian's words in that Epistle by this your confession : for had there not been solidity and truth in what hee said ; learned Hierom , and Reverend Augustine ( two eminent men in the Church , though you thinke great darkenesse was upon their spirits ) would not have relyed on that which hath no weight in it ; they were well able to ponder the weight of words , before they would relye upon them , or applaud them . And what saith Augustine of that Epistle ? That Cyprian was not devising any new decree , but followed the most sure faith of the Church : doth he not therein testifie that Cyprian maintaining that Infants might bee baptized before the eighth day , did devise no new decree , but observed faithfully what the Church did before him : whereby it seems , though Augustine approved Cyprians judgement , yet he relyed not upon his reasons to make good Infant-baptisme ; this to him is no new doctrine , he had another eye upon the constant and sure faith of the Church , which in that point hee followed faithfully . You tell me , I said Fidus denyed not Infants Baptisme , but thought they ought not to be baptized before the eighth day : to this you give no answer ; and may I not thereby thinke that it appeareth evidently to your selfe , as well as to mee , that Paedo-baptisme in that age was in use ? for this you deny not : and indeed , that this was the question wherein Fidus craved resolution of Cyprian : s●il . whether Infants were to be baptized before the eighth day , it appears by the words of the Epistle : Quantum ad causam pertines , quos dixisti intra s●cundum , vel tertium diem qu● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constitut●s baptizari non opertere , & considerandam esse legem circumcisioni● antiquae , ut intra oct av●m diem , eum qui natus est baptizandum & sanctifieandum non putares , &c. Fidus question therefore was , as I said before : this appeares also by August . his testimony , who ad Bonisacium , lib. 4. contr . ● . Ep. Pelag. c. 18. sayes the same . So farre then we agree : but you say , I might have gone further , and observed Fidus his reasons ; one whereof was drawn from Circumcision , which was done upon the eighth day after the birth of the childe : The other is drawn from the childes uncleannesse in the first dayes of its birth , which makes men abhorre to kisse it , &c. both which are related by Cyprian , not as his owne judgement , but as reasons of Fidus his scruples , whereof hee sought resolution from him : to both which he gives the judgment of the Councell , assuring him , that none of them agreed with him herein . If Fidus did Judaize in both these , or either of them , what 's that to mee , who say he denyed not Baptisme to bee administred to Infants ? if the ground hee went upon to tye it to the eighth day , was unsound , I seek not to justifie him in it . Yet let me tel you , that Fidus was not the onely man that reasoned from Circumcision to Baptisme , though they doe not tye Baptisme to the eighth day , as Fidus did . Besides the testimonies brought out of Athanasius before , take notice that hee calls Circumcision a type of Baptisme . Greg. Nazianz. proves that Children are now to be baptized , as under the law they were circumcised . August . also saith the same , lib. 1. contra Grescon . Grammaticum , c. 30. & de Bapt. contr . Donatist . lib. 4. c. 23. Where he sayes , Baptisme is as profitable to children now , as Circumcision was to children of old . Chrysost . also Hom. 40. in Genes . calls our Circumcision Baptisme . But none of all these holy men tyed Baptisme to a certain day , as Circumcision was , as Chrysostome speaketh in the same place . How far these worthy men Judaized in that age , in saying Baptism now comes in stead of Circumcision , is not now to be considered by us ; therefore I leave it . In the next place , you say , The resolution of this Councell is not to bee slighted , because upon your search , you finde it the spring-head of Infant-Baptisme . It seemes when you cast your lead into the sea of Antiquity to finde out the depth of this ordinance , your line was too short , and your plummet too light , that it could not reach beyond this Epistle : are there not divers instances among the Ancients which make it manifest , that before that time Infant-baptisme was in use , as hath been manifested to you already ? therefore that was not the first time in which it sprung up in the world . You say further , I am mistaken about the proofes of their opinion , which you call not reasons or proofes , but answers to objections . I will not wrangle with you about words , call them what you please , Arguments or Answers : this is enough to me , what I have produced is recorded in the Epistle : and all of them doe justifie the lawfulnesse of baptizing Infants , which was the thing which I went about to cleare : neither doth any of them enforce Baptisme to be tyed up to the eighth day , as Fidus thought . From the words of that Epistle , you alledge 3 things ; 1. They thought baptizing , giving Gods grace , denying it , denying Gods grace . 2. They thought the soules to bee lost , which were not baptized . 3. That all Infants ( not beleevers onely ) were to bee baptized . The 2 first I grant are rightly collected from the words of the Epistle ; you might , if you pleased , have collected divers other things , as that Baptisme comes in stead of Circumcision , &c. But suppose all their grounds which they plead be not to be justified : yet they doe not darken the light which the place gives to our question . If a man were to make good any assertion of a necessary truth , and use severall arguments to make it out ; if one of these arguments be not good , or be weake , that may bee rejected , and yet the truth stand firme , seeing the other arguments are good and strong to evidence the truth . It is true , when the Ancients said that Children were to be baptized , sometimes they stood peremptorily for the necessity of Baptisme , as if without it no salvation were to be excepted ; yet they made it out by other Arguments then that : why should then the truth justified and cleared up by them , be rejected for this ? When they were to prove that men of yeares instructed in the truth , should receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , they made that good by several Reasons ; as sometimes from the necessity of the command which Jesus Christ laid upon all the Disciples of the Gospel , that they might remember his death till his coming again . At other times they urged it , lest men should brand themselves with unthankfulnesse in not comming to the feast when they are invited . Sometimes again they prest the same duty upon the people to come to that ordinance , that they might have the inward Grace signified and exhibted in the Sacrament , to bee sealed up and confirmed to them . These three wayes did they use to presse their Hearers to the frequent receiving of the Sacrament : yet at some other times also they pleaded the necessity of that Sacrament , as if no man without the use thereof could be saved . No man can deny the first three Arguments to be good , though the last is not : and notwithstanding the weaknesse thereof , this is a sure truth , That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to be received . So it is here , divers Arguments are brought to prove that children are to bee baptized ; and amongst many , this is one , They conceived the want of it might bee prejudiciall to the salvation of Infants , which I will not justifie ; yet I dare not reject the truth made out by other media , reasons or arguments . And it is to bee remembred that this Argument was most frequently used by the Ancients in the heate of disputation , when they had to do with them that denyed the traduction of originall sin from Adam to Infants : howsoever , at some other times they confesse with Augustine , that some doe receive rem Baptismi absque Sacramento , a man may have the grace given in Baptisme , and not be baptized . As for the third inference made by you from his words , that not onely Infants of beleevers , but all Infants are to bee baptized : though he layes it down in generall termes , that none are to be hindered from comming to Christ : yet what he says ought to bee understood of the Church , because he speaks of such as God hath cleansed or purified , who were common . You construe some passages of the Epistle as answers to some objections , which doe no wayes weaken , but strengthen what I have said from thence . Onely in the closure of this Section , you would find fault with my gathering up of Cyprians mind , as if hee had meant that Infants are to bee baptized , because they are under Originall sinne , and need pardon . You say the Argument is rather , that they have lesser sinnes then others ; and therefore there is lesser hinderance to them to come to this Grace , remission of sinne , and Baptisme . Cyprian indeed sayes , if Baptisme be not denied to men of yeares , who hath committed more hainous sins then Infants , why should Baptism be denyed to Infants , who are onely guilty of Originall sin derived to them from Adam : doth hee not there mention Originall sinne , which he sayes is remitted to Children when they are baptized : which in his judgement is lesse then the grievous actuall sins of men of years , added to their Originall sin . In the farewell of your censure of Cyprians judgement , you call it naked , and say , you would have covered the nakednesse thereof , but that the truth suffered so much thereby : and so can at your pleasure put upon it the title of an absurd Epistle . Sir , for one man to slight the judgement of 66. men , eminent in their generation , doth not well become a modest disposition taught in the Gospel , to thinke better of others then himself . I am afraid , that when Cyprians Epistle , and your answer shall bee compared together ; the nakednesse of your answer will rather appeare ; yea , remember what the Philosopher trampling upon Plato his neat Carpet , said , calco Platonis superbiam : yet hee spying a hole in his slovenly cloake , answered , & ego per rimam pallii tuam video superbiam , &c. I cannot but account it your nakednesse , that if it be naked , you have not in your answer laid open the nakednesse of it : but though it be absurd in your eye , yet in the judgment of men renowned for learning and piety , it hath ever been accepted in the Church , notwithstanding some mistakes in it . Next to Cyprian comes Augustine under your Examen : Whose authority was it ( as you say ) that carryed on Baptism of Infants in the following ages almost without controule : For which you bring forth Walfridus Strabo , and Petrus Cluniacensis testimonies , which I here mean to passe over , and take notice of them in another place . I confesse learned Augustine his authority was great in the Church , both whilst he lived , and since , and that worthily ; not onely for his defence of the truth which you now oppose , but of other greater and more necessary truths also , which hee solidly maintained against the adversaries who laboured either to suppresse or corrupt the same : albeit you seeme not much to stand upon his judgement : which with you is of no more value , then his proofes and reasons can adde weight thereunto . Thus you slight him , though what he said is approved by divers Fathers and Councels named by your selfe ; and how far your bare single judgement and censure will out-weigh Augustine , Prosper , Fulgentius , and the Councells , ( which you mention in this Question ) let the Reader judge . It hath been an ancient justifiable course in the Church in examining of controversies in Religion , to look back upon the writings of famous men who flourished in the Church before : was not Sisinnius his counsell to good purpose , which he presented to Theodosius ( then studying how to put an end to the unhappy differences which troubled the Church in his time ) when hee perswaded him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : and to demand of them who petitioned him , whether they would not stand to the judgement of such as were Teachers in the Church before it was divided ? especially when their judgement dissented not from the Scriptures : his counsell no doubt was good and wholsome ; yet I desire that herein I may not bee mistaken . This I speake not , as if I attributed more to Antiquity then to Verity . I have long since resolved ( by Gods assistance ) with Hierom , Antiqua legere , probare singula , ●etinere quae bona sunt , & a fide Catholicae Ecclesiae non recedere ; it were happy for the Church among us , if in this unruly age , many ( who not content with former truth : , are carryed on with an itching disposition after novelties ) would doe the like . I return to judicious Augustine : Here I expected your accurate Examen would have canvast the severall testimonies in the places quoted by me ; but I am deceived : Whereby it seems you have nothing to say against them , but that they evidence what was that Churches practice in his time about our question ( which was the true and onely end why I named any testimonies from Antiquity : ) for if they did not , I doubt not you would have said so much : onely here you tell us what your account is of his proofes and reasons of his judgement in this controversie : all which to you seeme to bee but light : this you labour to prove in 6 following Sections , which I will now view ; and see whether your weighty answers wil satisfie his light reasons in the judgement of any indifferent Reader . Your first exception against his judgement is , because he makes it an universall Tradition ; a shrewd fault , or a dangerous position ; which wil not down with an Anti-paedo-baptisme . And first you reason against it to this purpose ; If the Church had thought it necessary that all children of Christians by profession should bee baptized in their Infancy ; then none born within the pale of the Church should have miss't of it . But so it is that many did . Ergo , &c. Your Minor you prove , Augustine himselfe , Adeodatus his son , and Alipius his friend were not so baptized ; and thus you labour to prove against Augustine , that Infant-baptism was not universally received in that Church as he said , which you thinke to evince by the induction of these instances . First , that it was universally used in the Church , testimonies of good Witnesses recording the practise of the Church make it manifest ; and wee have heard of some of them before in their severall ages ; as , Irenaus lib. 2. cap : 39. ( notwithstanding the bar you put in against him ; ) hee tells us that Christ came to save all sorts of people , whether young or old , for they are regenerated by him in Baptisme . Origen in severall places ; as , in Luc. 14. lib. 5. in Ep. ad Rom. & in Levit. Hom. 80. in which places he tells us , it was the custome of the Church to give Baptisme to little ones ; and sayes , not of this or that Church : which by a constant course they had observed : therefore in his time we find it universally practised in the Church ; otherwise he could not say that the Church observed it . Cypr. Ep. 39. proves ( as we have heard ) that Baptisme is to be denyed to no age : then hee addes , quanto magis prohiberi non debet Infans , &c. this he sets down as no new Doctrine , but faithfully adhearing to the order of the Church ; as we heard from Augustine before : may wee not now from all these say , it was in his time the universall custome of the Church to baptize Infants ? Shall I adde other Witnesses who lived in the same Century with him ? Chrysostome Hom. ad . Neophytos . Ambrose Ep. ad Demetriadem Virginem . Hieron . ad Laetam , & lib. 3. adv . Pelag. all which I now passe over : and are not all these Witnesses of the practise of the Church ? which being weighed , who can deny that Augustine might well relate Paedo-baptism to bee universally practised , having such a cloud of Witnesses to confirm it . And to manifest it further , this is somewhat to mee ; Epiphanius ( whose testimony you looked for ) in the end of his worke relating what was generally observed in the Church tells us , The Baptisme administred in the Church in his time , was performed according to the Tradition of the Gospel , and the authority of the Apostles ; as well as other mysteries then in use . And we know that in his time Baptisme was administred to Infants ; therefore in his judgement , what the Church did therein , they had authority for it from the Gospel and the Apostles : to make that good , he says afterwards , That Baptisme came in stead of Circumcision , which then was not in use . Furthermore , sometimes Historians relating particular customes in some things which were not in use in some Churches and Countreys , ( upon which arose some debat●s in the Church ) doe not mention that of Infants Baptisme as one of these particular customes observed in some Churches , and not in other ; See Socrates Hist . lib. 5. 22. it's true , he relates some diversities of severall Churches about persons that had power to baptize , and about the time in which Baptisme was commonly administred ; but he mentions none that excluded Infants from Baptisme , whilst others baptized them ; which no doubt he would have done if there had been any such custome then afoot in the Church . Sozom. likewise setting down the severall customes of severall Churches ( though they were of the same Opinion ) among all which singular customes , baptizing Infants is not named for one , yet in use in that age : therefore it is to be conceived as the generall practise of the Church . Indeed there was a different custome ( especially in some after ages ) in the manner of baptizing both Infants and grown men ; in some places they dipt them thrice , in some but once : and of this very custome Gregory the great meanes , when he saith , In una side nil officit ecclesiae diversa consuetudo . But in none of these Ancients doe I read any such diversity of customes that some Churches baptized Infants , others baptized them not : if you know any , I pray you produce them in your next . Now I come to speake to the particular instances , by which you goe about to disprove this universall practise of the Church : you tell me Augustine was not baptized till above 30 yeares , though educated as a Christian by his Mother Monica . First , I might answer you with the Proverb , una hirundo non facit ver ; or that one exception takes not away the generall rule : if after ages come to read the stories of the Church , after the Lord was pleased to begin the Reformation thereof in Luthers time : and then find that even in that time Baltazzar Pacommitanus with some of his seduced brethren did withstand Paedo-Baptisme ; or if after generations among us shall find that when God begun so happily to advance that blessed work of Reformation beyond the pitch it was brought unto in our Ancestors dayes , if they should meet with Mr. Tombes Examen of this question , and therein see your Judgement against the constant and universall practlse of the Church at this day : if such should from a few particular Examples infer that this was the Doctrine commonly received in the Reformed Churches ( that children should not be baptized : ) Or deny that this was the common received Doctrine that children should be baptized ; assuredly , a man that knows the Doctrine and present practise of the Church , might with all reason deny the consequence , because some among them did not stand for Infant-Baptisme ; therefore the generality of them denyed it . So it may be here thought , peradventure some ( though born of Christian Parents ) were not in that age baptized in their Infancy ; yet that is no way prejudiciall to the universall practise of the Church , in which Paedo-baptisme was received . But secondly , I answer more particularly : I grant Augustine was not baptized till hee was 30 years old . And I will not take upon me to determine ( besides the generall observation of the reasons , upon which Baptisme in those dayes was deferred by some , which formerly have been hinted ) what the particular reason was of his not being baptized in his Infancy : but I will hold forth unto the Reader so much as shall clearely shew that you have no cause from that example to say , That children of Christians by profession in that age were not baptized in th●ir Infancy ; because you should first prove that Augustine his parents were Christians at his birth ; otherwise you speake not to the question before us ; What was the profession of his Parents when he was borne ? take it from Augustine himselfe : who sayes ( though Possidonius in his life seemes to say otherwise ) when he was Putr , a child grown , hee fell extreame sick , which put him in feare of death , ( then hee and his mother also were both troubled that hee was not baptized : ) he sayes of his Father at that time , as yet he beleeved not in Christ . When Augustine was about 16 yeares of age , his father was but catechumenus , Conf. lib. 2. ca. 6. In another place speaking of his mothers peaceable cohabitation with him , ( though he was a man of a hastie disposition , and sometimes used her unkindly ) yet he sayes of her , virum suum in extrema vita temporali ejus lucrata est tibi ( i. e. Deo , ) &c. Doth not that testimony plainly hold out , that hee was not gained to the Christian faith untill hee drew neare the end of his life ? and if it was so long before he was truly gained to the Lord ; how can it seeme strange to any , that he who beleeved not in Christ himself , should neglect , or it may bee hinder the baptizing of his Childe in the name of Christ ? It is also said of Monica , that when shee was but 13 yeares old , she was marryed ; her mother taught her to pray , but we read not of her baptisme when she was young : or if she were baptized when hee was borne , how shall wee know that her husband would give way to her to have Baptisme administred to her son , she suffered many things of him whilst he continued an Infidell , as Augustine confesseth . Nay more , if she were baptized herself at his birth , why might shee not be conceived to be carryed away with the error of some in that time of deferring Baptisme till death , that they might not sinne after it ? it appeares not , his Parents were Christians ( it is out of doubt his Father was not ) at his birth : therefore nothing for the strengthening of your assertion is gained by this instance . Afterwards Augustine put off his own Baptism till he was about 30 years , and upward , and what marvaile ? He was poysoned with the Manichaean heresie , in which hee continued almost 9 years , Conf. lib. 3. c. 11. in which time what account hee made of Baptism , may bee seen in his deriding of it to his deare and intimate friend ( who was baptized in his sicknesse ) by whom hee is sharply rebuked for it . I might also adde what hee confesses , that the strength of his lustfull disposition carryed him on to many sins , which made him make no haste to bee baptized ; quia post lavacrum illud , major & periculosior in sordibus delictorum reatus sorct : so much may be read in Augustine himselfe , of the causes of deferring his baptisme , which yet can be no prejudice to the general practise of the Church in that age ; as it is mentioned by himself , and others . Neither is it any wonder why Adeodatus his sonne was not baptized in his Infancy : for how can wee seeke for his Baptisme in Infancy when as his father was unbaptized ? he being borne when his father was about some 15. or 16. yeers of age . When Augustine himselfe was baptized , hee caused him to be baptized with himselfe , Adeodatus being almost 15. yeers old . Indeed if Adeodate had continued unbaptized after Augustine his baptisme , your objection drawne from him might have had some colourable pretence , which now it hath not ; much lesse any weight in it to confirme what you seeke to strengthen thereby . As for Alipius , besides his scandalous conversation , hee was also poysoned by the Manichees : and further it appeares also what mistakings he had concerning the doctrine taught in the Church about Christs soule ; whereupon it is said of him , ad ipsam Christianam sidem tardius movebatur : therefore considering how long he continued in his errors , it is not to be wondered at that he also was so long unbaptized . So much for your three instances . Afterwards because you feare these instances will not bee sufficient to make good your answer , therefore you grant with Grotius , that Paedo-baptisme was much more frequented , and with greater opinion of necessitie in Africa , then in Asia , or other parts of the world : I take what you grant , that it was used both in Africa and Asia : and may I not then with Augustine say it was universall , both among Greekes and Latines ? And when you say it was more frequented in Africa then in Asia ; I know you would intimate that the received custome was , that some did , others did it not , each doing what hee thought best , but that the Greekes lesse regarded it then the Latines : for so I finde both Grotius , and the Arminians in their book Censura censurae , Cap. 23. to affirme confidently , but neither you nor they must be beleeved upon your bare assertion against so many witnesses : yet this sticks with you , that in the Councells ( as Grotius saith ) you cannot find ancienter mention of that custome then the councell of Carthage : I have formerly told you why Fathers and Councells mention not all things which are controverted in our age , which was this : because their care was to resolve the doubts which troubled the Church in their dayes : if there bee no Canon concerning it , why may it not be thought that they did not mention it , because in their times none did scruple it ? yet when any thing relating to childrens Baptisme was started , then the Church maintained it , witnesse the 66 Bishops assembled in a Councell answering Fidus about that question . I might also put you in mind that Constitutiones Clementis make mention of it saying , But baptize yee your Children : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 albeit for my part I conceive these Constitutions not to be his , under whose name they goe , yet with the best Criticks I may affirme this , that they relate the ancient customes of the Greek Church , gathered into one volume , the Compiler of them desiring to put credit upon them would have severall Constitutions to come from severall Apostles . And although it was more used in Africa then else-where , yet you question whether they did in Africa baptize Infants but in case of necessitie , or for healths sake : I pray remember what Tertullian that learned African said de Anima . Fulgentius tells us baptisme is sufficient to wash away originall sinne from Infants , so Hilarius Ep. 2. ad Augustinum mentions it , yet neither of these speake of Baptisme in the danger of death : to which you say they restrained it . You mention the distinction of Catechumeni and persons Baptized , and the use of catechizing before Baptisme , that even after Augustine his dayes the baptizing of persons of growne age did continue as well as of Infants , &c. Doe you not forget the question before us ? you should have proved that Infants were not baptized , and now you speake of baptizing of men of yeers , which gives you occasion to mention the distinction of Catechumeni and others , and that is nothing to our question ; for who ever doubted that even in Augustine his time many still adhered to Paganisme ? and when any of them had embraced the faith , why might they not be catechized , and so prepared for Baptisme , and when they were sound fit baptized ? Augustine could us before , that his father was Catechumenus when hee was sixteene yeers of age . Then you come to censure baptizing of whole Countries upon the baptizing of their King , &c. which is nothing to our question , otherwise I might relate unto you severall examples where you might see , what a notable preparation for the conversion of Nations it hath been to have their Governours shew them the way , but I forbeare . In your second Section you except against Augustine his judgement , because he held that Infants without baptisme must bee damned by reason of originall sinne , which is not taken away but by baptisme . I grant that Augustine , and some others of the Ancients pressed baptizing of Infants upon that ground , but not onely upon that ground : and they did most presse that ground when they had to doe with Heretiques , denying originall sinne to be conveighed from parents to their children : yet they maintained Paedo-Baptisme upon other sound grounds , as formerly I have proved ; therefore this exception is of no vilidity , nor was this Augustines constant Doctrine : yea it was a Doctrine which hee retracted as an errour , as shall afterwards appeare . Againe you say , that you cannot finde among the Ancients the ground that I goe upon : that the Covenant of grace belongs to beleevers and their seede . What if you have not found it , will you therefore say it is not to be found in their writings ? Bernardus non vidit omnia : why may not some things in the vast monuments of Antiquity passe unseene by you ? though you have seene much , and thinke that you have seene more truth then all the Ancients did , and can censure what they say at your pleasure : But if you did find this in the writings of the Antients , it would make nothing for , or against me , who have not placed Infant-baptisme upon that ground , because they placed it so : I have asserted that ground from the Scripture , as afterwards , God willing , shall bee made good . But that they also , ( even many of the ancients ) pressed Baptisme upon the sound grounds which wee doe , I have made it appeare out of severall writings . As for the judgement of Bellarmine , Aquinas and others quoted by you , I will not trouble my selfe in answering for them : they were not alledged by me , neither will I stand to their judgement . In your third Section you bid mee consider of Augustine his judgement , holding it necessary for Infants to receive the Lords Supper : that opinion is nothing to our question in debate before us , therefore you can expect no answer from mee to it , for I never pleaded it . But what is your Argument from hence , Augustine held it fit to give Infants the Lords Supper , Ergo , What ? draw a conclusion to hurt me if you can , our question being whether Infants were baptized in his dayes . Fourthly you tell me that Augustine held a certainety of Regeneration by Baptisme , and he makes no question of the Regeneration of Infants , &c. I confesse that sometimes hee sayes so , yet at other times ( as I told you before ) hee sayes there are some qui rem baptismi absque Sacramento baptismi consequentur . So also did Ambrose comforting Valentinian his sisters upon his death ( for hee died whilst Ambrose was on his journey comming to Baptize him ) where he said of him , Quem in Evangelio geniturus eram , amisi : sed ille non amisit gratiam quam poposcit — vita jam fruitur aeterna — qui habuit speculum tuum Sancte p●ter , quomodo non accepit gratiam tuam ? hee speakes confidently of his eternall estate , though unbaptized : yet Ambrose as well as Augustine at other times attributed too much to outward Baptisme . Fiftly , you scorne his judgement in defending questions put to Infants at their Baptisme , and answerd by others . That 's enough to me to prove that Infants were then baptized , though I will not take upon me to justifie that custome of putting forth questions to them , who by reason of their age were not able to returne an answer : possibly I could tell you how , and that many other customes crept into the Church , but because it is not to our purpose , I forbeare . Lastly , you say , it is apparent out of that Epistle of Augustine , That Infants , whether borne of Beleevers , or of such as had not received the Christian faith , were baptized , neither doe ●● in that justifie him : you may take notice that here againe you confesse the question that Infants were baptized . But because you make such a great matter of it that it must needs follow that they rejected covenant-holinesse or the birth-priviledge of beleevers Infants , because they baptized other Infants if brought unto them ; I reply that you cannot bee ignorant that many learned men deny this consequence , because they conceive that not onely such as are borne of Christian parents might bee baptized , but that other Infants also if any Christian would undertake to traine them up in Christs Schoole might bee admitted into it by Baptisme ; you know many of the reformed Divines thinke this lawfull , who yet plead covenant-holinesse , as further warrant why beleevers children not onely may , but ought to be Baptized : and Tertullian pleads both these grounds in the place I quoted at large , both prerogative of birth , and benefit of education . Furthermore many of the Rabbines say , that the children of Gentiles might bee circumcised if a Jew would bring him up in Religion , yet they all hold a birth-priviledge of Jewes children , for Circumcision ; I alledge all this to shew that you should not thus vilifie and scorne their practise and grounds without a more cleare refutation of them then yet you have made : whether that which hath beene spoken out of Cyprians Epistle , and Augustines approbation of it , doe not advantage my cause , whether they have not proved as much as I alledged them for , I leave to the judicious and impartiall Reader . To all the forenamed Authors I added Hierome and Ambrose his testimonies to prove the same : here you confesse that they were of the same judgement with Augustine in our question , therefore you conceive your answer to Augustine his testimony to be a sufficient answer to them also : in like manner I referre you to my reply to your former answer . Your last Section of this Chapter is a Recollection of what you have already alleadged both for the invalidating of the testimonies brought by me to prove the practise of Infant-baptisme , as also of what you have brought to induce an opinion that there was no such thing practised in the first and best Antiquity . You must give me leave to recollect what I have already answered to these exceptions and allegations ; as for your Vives and Strabo , I shall give you my thoughts of them anon . You confesse I brought these testimonies onely to prove the practise of Infant-Baptisme , and that you cannot deny they prove , onely you adde they rather prove the thing an errour then a truth , because practised upon such erroneous grounds . As the necessitie of Baptisme to salvation : The certaintie of the Remission of originall sinne : The denying of Baptisme unto none . But are these the onely proofes by which the Ancients did assert the baptizing of Infants ; I have proved , that notwithstanding some of them owned that corrupt ground ( and pleaded it especially in the heate of disputation ) yet they baptized them upon the same grounds which we doe . Doe not Tertullian , Cyprian , &c. argue from Circumcision unto Baptisme as wee now doe , and others of them from Covenant-holinesse ? ( but this and our other proofes you threaten to consider hereafter . ) In the meane time this you adde , ( you should have said repeate ) for you adde nothing to what you had spoken before . That the Testimonies produced prove not that it was in practise , but in case of supposed necessitie . Let the Reader judge whether these Testimonies have not proved it an universall practise , and so not onely in case of supposed necessitie ; and let Mr. Tombes but consult that Booke , which I perceive hee hath made great use of in this Controversie , an Arminian Book commonly known by the name of Censurae Censurae , and that will tell him that Augustine may bee said to bee the first that grounded Infant-baptisme upon necessitie , Cen. Cen. cap. 23. Secondly , you say there was still in practise a constant course of baptizing the growne children of professed beleevers when they were at full age : you have seene already how much you are mistaken in those instances you give of such a practise , and how much this practise was disavowed by the Fathers of those times , could you but finde as much in Antiquitie against the baptizing of Infants as there is against the deferring Baptisme , how would you triumph ? Thirdly , you say they did conceive a like necessitie of , and accordingly did practise the giving of the Lords Supper to Infants . But did all the Fathers fore-mentioned judge and practise so ? you cannot but know that all that plead for them doe not plead for the other , nor can you show that all that practised the one practised the other ; I confesse some of the Africans did so . Your fourth , that they made no difference betweene the Infants of beleevers and unbeleevers brought unto them , if it were true , doth not disprove the practise of Baptizing Infants , onely it proves an errour in that practise . But ( if by unbeleevers you meane Pagans ) it is not proved to bee their generall practise , I thinke it was practised by some of them upon the grounds above mentioned , but not found in their constant and generall practise . In your fifth you speake cautelously that the Ancientest of Testimonies for practise [ according to any Rule determined ] is Cyprian neere 300. yeers after Christ . Here I must needs take notice of your overlashing , who before calculating his age acknowledged him to live but 250. yeers , and here you say hee lived almost 300. yeers . I see that the Testimonies of Iustine Martyr , Irenaeus , Origen , Tertullian , ( who all lived neerer the times of Christ then Cyprian ) are made good against your exceptions ; you finde onely this evasion , that their Testimonies doe not prove the practise of Infant-baptisme , according to any Rule determined . But Sir remember our controversie at present is concerning the practise , not the Rule . In the next place you undertake to prove that it was not so from the beginning , and that by many evidences . Now I cannot but conceive it likely , that Augustines Ecclesia semper habuit , semper tenuit , should sway as much with the intelligent impartiall Reader , as Mr. Tombes his Non semper habuit , non semper tenuit ; especially considering that you bring not in all the Antiquitie you have produced one man that doth either deny the Baptizing of Infants to have beene the ordinary practise of the Church or that condemne it , onely two you cite that doe advise the deferring of it , as they doe also the Baptisme of growne men . As first , the propounding of questions unto Infants , which as Strabo and Vives did , so any reasonable man say you will thinke a manifest proofe that at first none were baptized but such as understood the saith of Christ . This supposeth these questions to bee of as Antient use in the Church of God as Baptisme it selfe , which certainly you can never prove from Scripture , and how can any reasonable man thinke that a manifest proofe to whom Baptisme was , or was not at first administred , that was not in use in the first administration . I have produced testimonies bearing witnesse to the baptizing of children , which plead for it , before you can bring any to witnesse that those formes of questions and answers , had any being in the Church . Secondly , your examples of Greg. Naz. Chrysost . August . Constantine the Great , have been already answered . Your mistakes in their parents , education , reasons of their deferring Baptisme , so made manifest , as it is abundantly evident they are farre from proving the Baptizing of Infants of Christian parents not to have been the received and constant practise of the Church of Christ . Thirdly , Greg. Nazianzen and Tertullian whom you cite as disswading ; you have heard even in the places cited to you , the one bearing witnesse to the practise of Infant-baptisme , the other commanding it . Fourthly , the Testimony of the Councell of Neocaesaerea which you say is plaine against it ; of the testimony of this Councell , let the Reader looke backe and judge , but the glosse upon that Canon to which you referred us , I am sure is a plaine Testimony for it . Fiftly , the silence which you impute to the chiefe writers , Eusebius , &c. is your mistake , not their fault ; for Eusebius , what the reason of his silence is you have heard ; and for your , &c. if you meane Tertullian , Athanasius , Epiphanius , whom before you charged with silence in this cause , I hope you may now heare them speaking and witnessing for us . Sixtly , for the many passages in Austine and others that call it an Apostolicall Tradition , in what sense they are to bee understood I have already shewed , and am loath to detaine the Reader with Tautologies . For your Triumviri that bring up your reere and shut up this first part of your Battalia , Grotius , Vives , and Strabo . ( to whom I wonder you did not adde Censura Censurae , for you are more beholden to them for your Testimonies of Antiquity , such as they bee , then to all your other three , and I dare say , without disparagement to your reading , whoever lookes in Grotius and them , shall find almost all that you have spoken in this Controversie from Antiquity collected to your hand . ) One of your three Champions I have encountred , and I hope dispatched already ; and for the other two Vives and Strabo , I see they are men of great account with you . Vives you quote five or six times , and adorne your Frontispice with a peece of his , and Strabo you mention often . But I beseech you Sir , must wee take the bare word of Vives a man of yesterday , or of a Strabo in matters of fact in things done so many hundred yeers before they were borne , and that against the expresse witnesse of so many worthy and learned men who lived in those times ? what evidence doe either of them produce out of Antiquitie to make their assertion good ? You know well enough that learned Vossius did take notice of Strabo and Vives , and proves out of Authors that lived many hundred yeers before Strabo ( for hee lived but about 850 ) that Infants were baptized in the Church of old , and wonders that Strabo should rely upon so weake an argument as hee doth ; and I as much wonder that you knowing all this should boast so much of such broken Reeds . And so I leave you and your men , and shall expect to see what reliefe you will bee able to give them , for they can give none to you . More Testimonies you say you could have added out of sundry Authors : which I hardly beleeve seeing you are forced to rake up an old use continued in some Cities of Italy onely upon the hearesay of Vives . But these you say are enough to you , and you thinke to any that search into antiquity , to prove that the custome of Baptizing of Infants was not from the beginning , and therefore is but an innovation , I verily beleeve upon your next search into Antiquitie , you will be of another mind . And for your confident assertion that the Doctrine that Baptisme is to be● given to Infants of Beleevers onely because of Covenant-holinesse , is not elder then Zuinglius : Zuinglius I confesse was a great Patron of this cause , who in a publike dispute did so convince and stop the mouths of the Anabaptists , that they appearing to the Magistrates unreasonably obstinate were banished the Citie . But whereas you say hee is the first that you can finde that maintained the Baptisme of Infants upon this ground ; I shall be glad to helpe you ; peruse but what is before your eyes , and you shall find Tertullian and Athanasius pleading the right of Infants to the Kingdome of heaven upon Covenant holinesse : you may finde Epiphanius , Cyprian , Nazianzen , Augustine , Chrysostome , and others pleading Baptisme to come in the roome of Circumcision , and divers of them pleading Infants right to Baptisme from the Jewes Infants right to Circumcision , which to mee is all one as to plead it from Covenant-holinesse : you may also finde even the Pelagians acknowledging a Divine Institution for it , secundum sententiam Evangelii . And now I hope it will not offend you if I say , I am sorry you discover so much either ignorance , or negligence in the search of Antiquity , as to say , The Tenet and Practise of Infant-baptisme accordingly as wee hold and practise , is not much above 100. yeers old , so farre as you can find . To conclude this part of my Treatise about the Antiquity of Infant-Baptisme , give me leave to adde these few things . First , that I should not have judged it convenient to have made so much search into the practise of antiquity , if you had not so confidently undertaken to shew that the ancients were of your mind , and that I perceive your faire showes make many begin to thinke it was as you affirme , and therefore taking my selfe bound to give the best account I could with truth , I have not onely made what diligent search I could my self , but have also ( which I willingly acknowledge that no man may thinke of my reading above what it is ) made use of my friend who is better versed in their writings then I am , lest the truth in this matter of practise might suffer through my weaknesse , who have but just leasure enough to looke into these Authors now and then , and consult them upon occasion . Yet had it been needfull , I could have added many other testimonies out of the Antients to let you see that they approved Infant-Baptisme , and affirmed that Baptisme came in the place of Circumcision , as the Author of the Booke De Vocatione Gentium , lib. 1. cap. 7 Cyrill . Alexandrin . in Levis . lib. Isychius Presbyter in Levit. lib. 2. cap. 6. and many more . Secondly , in this search I find that the Ancients did not thinke that all who died unbaptized were damned , as you usually charge them . They conceived that Martyrs were baptized with their blood , and therefore might bee saved though they were not baptized with water . When great Basil discoursed of this point in his Homily of the 40. Martyrs , he saith of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; He was baptized not by another ( or the saith of another ) but by his owne faith : not in water , butin his owne blood . Here Baptisme by water was denyed , and yet salvation attained by a two fold Baptisme , by faith , and in blood . Yea I also observe that they who were no Martyrs , were in the judgement of the Ancients sufficiently baptized by the holy Ghost , without blood or water : and for proofe of this point , I shall produce a testimony out of Augustine , whom I cite the rather , because upon second thoughts hee did retract his opinion , and acknowledge that Baptisme was not Absolutely necessary to salvation , Martyrdome might suffice without Baptisme , nay faith and conversion of the heart might suffice without Martyrdome , or Baptisme , in case a man were cast into such straights , that hee could not be made partaker of Baptisme ; Etiam atque etiam considerans inv●nio ( saith hee ) non tantum passionem pro nomine Christi , id quod ex Baptismo deerat , posse supplere , sed etiam fidem conversionemque cordis , si forte ad celebrandum Mysterium Baptismi in angustiis temporum succurri non potest , in his fift booke De Baptismo contra Donatistas ; observe that hee saith , etiam atque etiam considerans , &c. and therefore I told you this was his judgement upon second thoughts , and more mature deliberation . And when this point came to be debated in after ages , the Church tooke notice of this Retractation , Bernard discourses upon this subject at large in his 77. Epistle , and proves clearely out of Ambrose and Augustine that invisible sanctification was sufficient to salvation without a participation of the visible Sacrament . Invisibilem sanctificationem quibusdam affuisse , & profuisse sine visibilibus Sacramentis — Solam interdum fidem sufficere ad salutem , et sine ipsâ sufficere nihil , &c. Faith alone saith hee , ( that is , faith without Martyrdome ) is sufficient to salvation , and nothing but saith : for though Martyrdome , saith Bernard there , may supply the defect of Baptisme , wee must not conceive that the punishment or suffering prevailes , but the faith of him that suffers . Sufficiet spiritus solus ( saith Blesensis , one that 's as ancient as Bernard , more ancient then your Walafridus Strabo ) quia ipsius testimonium pondus habet . It is also cleare and evident , that after this opinion prevailed , Infant-Baptisme was not rejected , and therefore you are extreamely mistaken in this point . Now if ( in the opinion of the ancients ) men of growne yeers might bee saved without Baptisme , if they were either converts , or Martyrs , why may not elect Infants who are certainly sanctified , bee made happy without Baptisme , when they have been made holy by the spirit of holinesse ? could any of the ancients reasonably grant the one , and deny the other ? Thirdly , you may see that in pleading for this universall practise I speake no louder then other Reformed Divines , for the antiquity of Infant-Baptisme . Judicious Calvin who was well versed in Antiquitie , in his instruction against the Anabaptists hath these words ; I affirme that this holy Ordinance of Infant-Baptisme hath been perpetually observed in the Christian Church , for there is no ancient Doctor , that doth not acknowledge that Infant-Baptisme was constantly administred by the Apostles . 4. That notwithstanding all this evidence I have brought from Antiquity , yet I build as little upon Antiquitie as any other man. I acknowledge what learned Rivet saith to be very true , that Tradition is in most points uncertaine , and therefore he that will build sure must build upon the Scripture : Proinde necessario veniendum erat ad argumenta ex Scripturis ; quae si rem non evincant , frustra traditionem advocabimus . Animadv . in Annot. Grotii in Cassandrum , Art. 9. Pag. 71. And I would have you and every Reader to remember , that I doe not build my faith upon humane Traditions in this Argument , nor did the ancients build upon humane traditions in this thing : the very Pelagians themselves acknowledge it upon this ground . Parvulos baptizandos esse concedunt ( saith Augustine of the Pelagians ) qui contra authoritatem universae Ecclesiae procul-dubio per Dominum et Apostolos traditam , venire non possunt , lib. 1. de peccat . merit . et Remiss . cap. 26. Nay , they were forced to their owne prejudice to acknowledge that Infants were baptized secundum regulam universalis Ecclesiae & Evangelii sententiam , lib. cont . Caelest . & Pelag . Now that which was pressed from the scope of the Gospell was not pressed as a Tradition , and that which was acknowledged by the Pelagians to be the practise of the universall Church , according to the rule of the Gospell , was not built upon tradition . I will therefore close up my testimonies produced out of the ancient writers , with that savoury passage of learned Calvin , in his Instructions against the Anabaptists ; Caeterum minime peto , ut in eo probando nos Antiquit●s ●●llo modo juvet , &c. I doe not desire ( saith hee ) to borrow any helpe from Antiquity for the proofe of this point , any whit farther then the judgement of the Ancients shall be found to bee grounded on the Word of God : for I know full well , that as the custome of men doth not give authority to the Sacraments , so the use of the Sacrament cannot hee said to be right , and regular , because regulated by custome . PART II. HAving made good the practise of Antiquity for the Baptizing of Infants , I follow you in that which you are pleased to make the second part of my Sermon , which you call prejudices against Antipaedo-baptists , from their noveltie and miscarriages . Where , first , you blame me for seeking by prefacing and setting downe a briefe touch of the Anabaptists carriage in Germany , to create prejudice in my Auditors . To which I answer , that I yet never learned that a briefe setting downe the Originall History and State of a Controversie , or the weight and consequence of it , thereby the more to ingage the Readers attention , was against any Rule or Law of Art either divine or humane ; but in case it were a fault , Quis tulerit Gracchos ? You who begin your booke with telling , how nine moneths since you sent thus many Arguments in Latine , drawne up in a Scholastique way , &c. and never yet received any Answer , and in the end of your booke intimated that though you allowed me but a moneth , yet I have kept your booke a whole yeere unanswered : and throughout your whole Treatise strive to make an ostentation of reading , and put abundance of scoffes and jeeres upon them who are of a contrary mind to you , and seeke to loade the opinion you write against as if it carried all kind of mischiefes in the wombe of it . All which things you know well enough are apt to take the people ; but have no weight with them who use onely to weigh Proofe with Proofe , and Argument with Argument : you ( I say ) of all other should pardon such a peccadillo , and might very well have passed over what either my selfe or Dr. Featlies Frontispice , or Mr. Edwards his expressions might seeme to bee lyable to , of exception in this kind . In your second Section you blame mee for two things , first that I gave you no more light out of Augustine , to know who they were that questioned Paedo-Baptisme in his dayes , you have searched and cannot finde any , the Pelagians you acknowledge opposed it not , the custome was so universall , and esteemed so sacred that they durst not oppose it . All the further light I shall now give in a matter of no greater consequence is , that if you cannot finde any in Augustines dayes who questioned it , I am contented you shall beleeve there were none . Secondly , you blame me for making such a leape from Augustines time , to Baltazzar Pacommitanus , as if be were the first who opposed it , where as you alledge many who opposed it 400. yeeres before his time . To which I answer , I sayd not hee was the first whose judgement was against it , but the first that made an head against it , or a division ( or Schisme ) in the Church about it . It is possible men may hold a private opinion differing from the received doctrine , and yet never make a rent , or divide the Church into factions about it . But let us examine your instances ; you alledge the famous Berengarius as one . 2. The Albingenses . 3. Out of Bernard you mention another namelesse Sect. 4. Petrus Cluniacensis , charges the same upon the Petro-Brusians . To all which I answer , first , in generall . That ( these instances of yours having occasioned mee to make a more dilligent search into the doctrine and practise of those middletimes between the Fathers , and the beginning of Reformation in L●●bers time ) I dare confidently think , that you will have an hard taske to prove out of any impartiall Authors , that there were any company of men before the Anabaptists in Germany , who rejected the baptizing of Infants out of the confession of their faith ; possibly some private man might doe it , but I shall desire you to shew that any company or Sect ( if you will so call them ) have ever denied the lawfulnesse of baptizing of Infants : produce if you can any of their confessions , alledge any Acts of any Councells where this doctrine was charged upon any , and condemned in that Councell : you know , the generalitie of the visible Christian world was in those dayes divided into the followers of the Beast , and the small number of those who followed the Lambe , who bare witnesse to the truth of the Gospel in the times of that Antichristian Apostasie , these were called by severall names , Berengarians , Waldenses , poore men of Lyons , Albingenses , Catharists , Petr-Brusians , and severall other names , as may bee seene in Bishop Vshers book of the Succession and State of the Christian Churches . Now all grant that the Church of Rome even in those dayes , owned the baptizing of Infants , and so did all those persecuted Companies or Churches of the Christians , for any thing I can find to the contrary . Severall Catalogues of their confessions and opinions I finde in severall Authors , and more perticularly in that forenamed booke De successione Christianarum Ecclesiarum . But not any one of them denying this point ; they indeed denyed any Sacrament to conferre grace ex opere operato , and thereupon some of their adversaries would lay to their charge that they denied gratiam Baptismi , the grace of Baptisme : And others of them denyed the trumperies that went along with Baptisme in the Church of Rome : And thereupon some of their adversaries charged them that they laughed at the Baptisme of Infants : but I can finde none who layd to their charge simply that they denyed the lawfulnesse of Baptizing of Infants , except onely such who also charged them with Manicheisme and other abominable doctrins & practises , which we all beleeve they utterly abhorred ; Nothing tendes more fully to manifest their doctrine then their owne confessions , one whereof was published by Baltazzar Lidius which was presented to Vladislaus King of Hungary : In their Apologie and defence of their doctrine , they have a whole Chapter wherein they assert and prove Paedo-Baptisme largely . The confession of the Taborites hath not a word sounding against it . I finde also in the History of the Waldenses , this is set downe among the calumnies unjustly cast upon them , That they reject the Baptisme of Infants , for which Bernard is cited in his 66. Hom. in Cant. but of this they are purged out of their owne writings , and there the ground and occasion of imputing this errour to them is expressed line 15. True it is , that having been constrained some 100. yeers , &c. The same Author in the third part of his history , professedly sets downe the doctrine of the Waldenses and Albigenses , and among other things concerning Baptisme , he expresses this : And whereas Baptisme is administr●d in a full Congregation — and for this cause it is that we present our children in Baptisme , which they ought to doe , to whom the children are nearest , as parents , &c. Waldensis against the Wicklevists and Hussits imputes this heresie to some of the Lollards , that beleevers children were not to be baptized , and that Baptisme was to no purpose administred to them , secundum ritum quem servat Ecclesia , but he imputes it not to Wicklefs followers in generall , onely ascribes it to some Lollards of the Highlands in Scotland , and some few of the Diocesse of Norwich , and yet in the same place confesses hee had seene none of their writings to that purpose , nor knew what their grounds were , but onely had transiently heard that they used to produce 1 Cor. 7. Sanctificatus est , &c. 2. I answer to your particular instances , first , for Berengarius , it is true that Deoduinus Leodienses tooke it up as a common fame , and upon his credit Guitmund Archbishop of Averse relates it : But saith Bishop Vsher , in so many Synods held against Berengarius , wee never find any thing of this nature laid to his charge : and to him it appeares that they who in those dayes were charged to hold that Baptisme did not parvulis proficere ad salutem , held nothing but this , that Baptisme doth not conferre grace ex opere operato . The same answer serves for the Albigenses and Waldenses ; cleare it is that neither Aene● Sylvius in his booke de Origine Bohemorum , when he sets downe their opinions , nor the Magdeburgenses , who out of an ancient Manuscript relate their doctrines , no nor William Reynolds in his Calvino-Turcismus , wherein he indeavours to reproch them , layes any such thing to their charge . Sure I am , the confession of the faith of the Albingenses recorded by Hoveden doth enough , and more then enough owne the baptizing of Infants . T is true , Bernard in the place cited by you sayes of those Anonymous people whom he wrote against , ( who were no other then some of the Waldenses ) Irrident nos quia baptizamus Infantes , and the rest of the Doctrines which you mention , but withall in the same place charges them with Manechisme , and relates how the people threw them into the water as if they were witches , and when they would not sinke they fell upon them with stones and killed them ; and if you beleeve Bernard slandered them in these two last , you will forgive the Reader if he beleeve that he did no lesse in the other . And as for what Petrus Cluniacensis writes against Peter de Bruis and his successour Henry , the truth is , these two men , did for 20. yeers together so much spread the Doctrine of the Waldenses , and so plague the Bishops Miters , and the Monks bellies , that I wonder not though they charged any thing upon them which might make them odious to the people . He who reads that rayling booke of Petrus Cluniacensis , will find that he acknowledges most of what he layes to their charge to be upon the report of others , and layes this for one of their Articles , that Children who died before they could actually beleeve were damned , and that they would have all Churches demolished , and incouraged people to pull them downe ; and that common fame gave out that they condemned all the Latine Fathers , and not onely excluded the Latine Doctors è Cathedra Doctorum , but è regno Caelorum ; that they did not altogether beleeve the Prophets , Apostles , nor Christ himselfe . And no marvaile that these opinions should bee charged upon them , though they held them not , seeing wee find this particular charged upon Luther , Calvin , and Beza , who did all in speciall manner oppose this errour : So that untill you or some other doe out of their owne confession , or some other impartiall and authentique Register give better evidence then yet you have done , I shall beleeve that this doctrine of opposing the baptizing of the Infants of beleevers , is an Innovation no ancienter then the Anabaptists in Germany ; concerning whose practises wee now proceed to inquiry . In your third Section you take great paines to shew out of your reading who first in Germany stirred this question . I shall not stay the Reader long about it , because your selfe grant that it is not tanti ; I deny not but Nicholaus Storch , Marcus Stubner , and Thomas Muncer did bring it first upon the Stage about 1521 , or 1522 , and that by Muneers doctrine , a sad sedition was raised in the upper Germany , among the Country people , but because this Baltazzar Hubmir P acommitanus Pastor of the Waldshut , a Towne neere the Helvetians , was a man of greater note for learning , of an active turbulent spirit , one who both by preaching and writing much fomented their way , & was in very great repute among them , I feared not ( as others have done before me ) to name him as the Antesignanus of that unhappy Sect : of whose seditious practises , doctrine , recantation , Apostasie , and miserable death , for which he was esteemed a Martyr by his followers , I might out of many Germane writers easily informe the Reader , if I affected a needlesse ostentation of reading . In this Section upon occasion of the name of Anabaptisme , and reiterating of Baptisme , you desired to have it proved unlawfull to repeate Baptisme , or for a man that hath beene baptized rightly to be baptized againe : and afterward in your third part Sect. 12. you professe you are not satisfied , but that both Circumcision might have been , and baptisme may be reiterated : and here you adde that the Argument used against the repetition of Baptisme are insufficient ; and that if there were but as much for baptizing of Infants , as Acts 19. 5 , 6. affords for rebaptization , the controversie were at an end with you . I answer , you here clearely discover your itch after new opinions , your joyning with the Marcionites and Aetians , who allowed it to be done at least thrice . I suppose in your next wee shall have your Arguments to prove the lawful fulnesse of it , which if you doe , I beseech you also to shew how oft it may bee done , whether as oft as the Pharis●es used to wash : at least ( because your answers here seeme to imply so much ) whether it may not be repeated as oft as wee should attend upon the preaching of the word , or as oft as wee should indeavour to mortifie our corruptions ? In the meane time I shall tell you some of the reasons which have hitherto satisfied the Orthodox Church in all ages . First , Baptisme is primarily and properly the Sacrament of our new birth , the washing of regeneration , which is done but once , the Sacrament of our insition into Christ , which is done but once ; the Sacrament of our admission into the new Covenant , and partaking of the benefits of it , and ( although many of those benefits and priviledges are repeated and augmented , yet ) we have but one admission to them . Secondly , in no place where the Institution of it is named is there any mention , directly or by consequence , of any repeating of it , nor any order taken about it ; whereas in the other Sacrament , we have a quotiescunque in the very Institution : nor in any of the thousands baptized in the Scripture is there the least hint of any example of rebaptization of such as were rightly baptized , no not though some of them had played the Apostates , as the Galatians , some of the Corinthians and many others . And mee thinks this Argument should move you whose principle is , that nothing should be done about the Sacraments , but what wee have either institution , or example for . Thirdly , Baptisme succeeds Circumcision , which was but once administred nor to be administred any more , as is cleare to mee not onely from the totall silence of the Scripture , but out of Josh . 5. 4. &c. where the holy Ghost is pleased to give this as a reason , why Joshuah Circumcised the Israelites in Gilgall , viz. because all the Circumcised were dead ; intimating that had they been Circumcised already , it should not have been done againe . Beside , by Gods institution it was tied to the eighth day and unlesse you can find another eighth day after the birth beside the first , you will never bee able to justifie it from being a breach of the institution . Fourthly , to this I might adde the uncontradicted custome of all the ancient Church , with whom it was numbred among Heresies to reiterate a Baptisme , which was acknowledged to be valid : Indeed Cyprian and his fellow Bishops baptized such as had formerly been baptized by Hereticks , but it was onely because they thought the Baptisme administred by Hereticks not to bee true Baptisme . What weight these things have with you I know not ; the judicious Reader will consider of them . But whereas you adde that if you saw but as much for baptizing of Infants as Acts 19. 5. &c. affords for rebaptization , the controversie were at an end with you ; give me leave to tell you that I perceive a small Argument would satisfie you if wee could but once gaine your good will. As will easily appeare by a serious examination of the sense of that place , Act. 19. which it seemes satisfies you for rebaptization . I acknowledge , Interpreters differ very much concerning the meaning of that Text , but none of their expositions doe in any degree favour that opinion , that such as were once rightly baptized may be rebaptized : which I thus manifest ; very many Interpreters doe judge that those twelve Disciples were not baptized in that place , and they make the fifth Verse , when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus , to bee a part of Pauls speech , not of Lukes the Historian , and then the sense is this , when those twelve men had told Paul that they were baptized with Johns Baptisme , Paul tooke upon him to explaine to them what Johns Baptisme was , namely that Johns ministry did first exhort men to repentance ; and then that they should beleeve in Christ , who would give all them who beleeved in him the gift of the holy Ghost , which after John had sufficiently instructed them in , he then baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus , which say they is a paraphrasticall interpretation of this fifth Verse : and so Paul having approved the doctrine and Baptisme of John , which these twelve Disciples had received , hee did not rebaptize them , but laid his hands upon them , and then the holy Ghost immediatly came upon them . Other Interpreters thinke , that these words in the fift Vers . are the words of Luke the Historian , and that these twelve Disciples were then baptized after Paul had done his speech ; and of these some conceive that these were first baptized by some of Iohns Disciples into Iohns name , and not into Christs : and so their baptism was a nullity ; or at least , if they were baptized into Christs name , yet they were not instructed in the right faith of the Trinity , of Jesus Christ , his person , gifts ; and offices ; and so consequently that their faith and Baptisme were deficient in some fundamentall and essentiall things ; and this way go many of the Fathers , and Schoolemen . Others thinke they were rightly baptized with John's baptisme , and yet were baptized againe by the Apostle Paul ; because they think that John's baptisme , and Christ's did really differ ; and that the Lord would have them re baptized , who were baptized with John's baptisme onely ; but not them who were baptized with Christs . And this way generally goe the Papists : now whichsoever of these you take , here is no colour of rebaptizing of such who were rightly baptized with Christs baptisme : and indeed , whoever considers the Text , must needs grant that if they were re-baptized , it was because of the deficiency of the baptism which they had recieved . Paul demands of them , Have you received the holy Ghost since you were baptized ? They answ . The holy Ghost : what meane you by the holy Ghost ? wee never so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost : No ? ( saith Paul ) what were you then baptized into ? what strange kind of baptisme have you received ? what Doctrine , or Faith were you instructed in before your baptisme ? if you never so much as heard that there is an holy Ghost . Doth not this plainly hold forth , that if they were re-baptized , it was because Paul thought their former baptism to be insufficient ? Truly Sir , I conceive you might easily be perswaded , that there are at least as good grounds for Infants baptisme , as this Acts 19. affords for re-baptizing of such as have been rightly baptized . In this 5. Section , I very much wonder at your spirit ; the summe of it is , That although much of what I speake of the Anabaptists in Germany ( especially about Munster ) is true ; Yet you say , 1. Perhaps vehemency of opposition hath made matters more or worse then they were . 2. No marvaile though such things happen , when Reformation of abuses is denyed men by an orderly Synodicall way ; and the persons who seeke it , declaymed against , and persecuted as Heretiques , &c. 3. That the like things , if not the same , happened among the Non-conformists , and such as sought to remove Episcopacy and Ceremonies in Queene Elizabeths dayes ; that some of them grew to bee a dangerous and turbulent Sect : the practise of Hacket , and his companions proved like that of John a Leiden at Munster . That miscarriages , divisions , and persecutions brought the Non-conformists of England as low as the Anabaptists . That Whitgift and Hooker have long agoe compared the Non conformists principles and practises with the Anabaptists , &c. To which I answer . First , I am confident you shew more good will to the Anabaptists , then you intend ill wil against those worthy men who have written these Stories : but the things have been done so lately , and so many agreeing stories are written of them , and by men of such undoubted faith and honesty , that the things are not to be questioned . And I think you are the first of our Divines who have suspected them to overlash in their relations . Secondly , what you meane by denying Reformation to them who seek it in a Synodicall way , &c. I can hardly guesse : whether you intend it to excuse the Anabaptists in part , and to blame the Reformed Churches , as laying that stumbling blocke in their way , by refusing to heare them , or whether you hint it as a warning to our selves . As for them , I never read that they sought Reformation in a regular way , or were denyed it , before they fell into these furies . And as for our selves , you are the onely man , who hath pretended to seek Reformation ( if it may be so called ) in this point ; the rest of our Anabaptists seek not to our Assembly ; unlesse it be to reproach , and load them with scoffes , libels , threatnings , &c. Thirdly , but the rest of this Section is to me extreamly scandalous , when I read your odious comparisons between the Non-conformists in Queene Elizabeths dayes , and the Anabaptists in Germany ; it even grieves mee to consider , whither affection to your cause doth carry you . Sir , are you perswaded in your own conscience these things are so ? The Anabaptists in Germany rose up , and with fire and sword pulled downe Magistracy , Schooles , &c. wrought wofull Tragedies in upper Germany , in M●ravia , Silesia , Helvetin , and elsewhere ; did the like if not the same things happen here ? What did the Non-conformists ever endeavour to doe beyond prayers and teares ? what turbulent Sect was ever found among them ? what were those divisions and miscarriages which brought them so low ? the persecutions of the Prelates indeed brought them low ; but I professe I am wholly ignorant of any divisions and miscarriages of theirs in that kind : Hacket indeed was a blasphemous wretch ; and hee and his two Companions ( for no more there were of them that I can find : ) Coppinger , and Arthington made a noise in the City of London for a few hours . Hacket was taken and hanged for his blasphemy , his two Companions laid in prison , where one of them dyed , and the other ( I thinke ) was spared in hope of his repentance But what is this to your purpose ? what had Hacket to doe with the Nonconformists , who ( you know , if ever you read that Story ) abominated him , and would have nothing to doe with him , even before he fell to those prankes he plaid in London ? Or wherein was Hacket to bee compared with John of Leiden , who overthrew Magistracy at Munster ; set up a King of his owne Sect ; plundered the Towne , gave up all to Polygamies , Adulteries , &c. And lastly for the parallel which you say Whitgift , and Hooker made between them and the Anabaptists both in principles , and practises , ( under which reproach you leave them , without speaking a word in their behalfe to vindicate them ) I answer onely this , that I am perswaded your selfe beleeve , that Whitgift and Hooker abused them in these Comparisons : and what your ayme should bee in setting it downe , I cannot tell ; unlesse it bee to insinuate , that as the good Nonconformists were thus abused by their Adversaries ; so Sleiden , Bullinger , Calvin , &c. are not too much to bee credited in their relations of the Anabaptists , to whom they were professed adversaries . In this Sect your quarrell is against Mr. Vines , for suspecting the Anabaptists will indeavour to undermine Magistracy , if they could once get strength . To which you answer : 1. You take not Mr. Vines for a Prophet . 2. It follows not , that because they oppose Paedo . Baptisme , out of Mat. 28. 19. that therefore they will oppose Magistracy out of Rom. 12. 19. 3. That you will undertake to make good that to prove Paedo-baptisme from the equity and reason of Circumcision , doth undermine much of the Magistracy and Lawes of this Kingdome . 4. That some of the enemies of Anabaptists have opposed Magistracy . 5. That since the actions of Muncer and Munster , you finde neither their writings nor actions opposing Magistracy . 6. You bring in Cassander a Papist , speaking moderately of some of them . And to make your Reader thinke obaritably of them in this point ; You 7. referre them to the Compassionate Samaritan , and the London Anabaptists late confossion . I see how diligent and willing an advocate you are for your friends , but few of these things will either help you , or indure the tryall . 'T is true , Mr. Vines is no Divining Prophet . And 2. it follows not by Logicall argumentation , that because they have opposed the one , therefore they will oppose the other . But Sir , without a Spirit of Divination , or necessary consequence of reason , when wee see clouds gathering , wee may suspect rainy weather ; when we see multitudes of our Anabaptists , especially those of the last edition , to have drunk in almost all the rest of the dregs of the Germane Anabaptists ; ( I say ) in a manner all , except that of opposing Magistracy ; may we not feare that even that also would bee imbraced if they were fit for it ? Read over the whole Gangrene of their opinions recorded by Bullinger , Calvin , and others ; and lately ●pitomized by Cloppenbergius ; and see whether among our Anabaptists in England , they are not almost all to be found : Doe not some of ours , as well as they , hold blasphemous Opinions about the flesh of Christs ? Have not multitudes of ours swallowed down all Arminianism , as well as they ? Plead not some of ours for the mortality of the soule , as well as they ? have not some of ours laid downe their Armes out of opinion that even in a just cause warre is unlawfull ? have not many of ours drunke in the conceits of immediate revelations and Enthysiasmes as much as they ? doe not many of ours conceit a perfection of grace ? doe they not oppose the Christian Sabbath ? doe they not cry downe our Ministry as no Ministry ? our Churches as no Churches ? Verily one egge is not more like another then this brood of new opinions ( lately hatched in England , and entertained among them who are called Anabaptists ) is like that Spawne which so suddenly grew up among the Anabaptists in Germany ; and ours plead the same Arguments which theirs did ; and if they flow not from the same Logicall or Theologicall principles , it is yet their unhappy fate to be led by the same spirit . I confesse I yet heare not much of their denying the Magistrates authoritie , but if these men should increase to much strength , I will not take upon me to divine , but I shall pray that Mr. Vines prove not too true a Prophet , especially considering the nature of erroneous and hereticall spirits is to grow worse and worse , and not at first to vent all their poyson ; even the Anabaptists of Munster in the beginning of their Schisme set forth a confession of faith every way as Orthodox as that which you mention of the seven Churches of the Anabaptists of London , in their Confession mentioned in the latter end of this Section , as I am credibly informed by a Reverend and Learned Divine , who hath many yeers agoe both seene and read it in Germany . To your third and fourth I answer , onely this , that I shall waite untill you cleare them , as being not able out of my small judgement and Reading to conjecture either what proofes you can bring for the one , or example for the other : you who make your selfe merry with Mr. Vines his Logick , will shew your owne to bee supereminent when you make this consequence good , that pleading baptizing of Infants from Circumcision of Infants , overthrows much of the Magistracy and Lawes of England . But your fifth seemes very strange , that you cannot finde , that since Munster and Mun●er the Anabaptists in Germany have either by writing or action made any opposition against magistracy : as for their actions , they have of old paid so deare for their insurrections , that wee have not lately heard of any new ones ; but for their writings it is most apparent that their bookes written by them , even to this day , do constantly defend , that though Magistracy bee an Ordinance of God , as to them who are not under the kingdome and dominion of Christ , yet Christ hath put an end to it among his owne people , taken away all Magistracy from among them , that no Christian can be a Magistrate with a good conscience , and that if Christians doe live under any such , they are to beare them but as other plagues and judgements are to be borne . You oppose Cassanders moderate testimony of some of them to the Duke of Cleave a Papist , against Mr. Vines his speech before the Lord Major and City of London ; Cassander indeed spake favourably of some of their persons , but doth not excuse or plead for their doctrine or principles ; and Mr. Vines speakes against their doctrine or principles , but speakes nothing against the persons of any of them : so that I can see no cause of your bringing in this long testimony out of Cassander , in the favour of Menno and his followers , but onely to shew your good-will to the Anabaptists , and your displeasure against Mr. Vines , who differs from your opinion . One thing more I adde concerning this Menno ( whom you pleade for by Cassanders pen ) that his whole doctrine is as full of blasphemy about our Saviours taking flesh of the Virgin Mary , and other Hereticall and abominable stuffe , as the rest of his fellowes , though I thinke his spirit was not so seditious as many of theirs . And as to your allegation out of the compassionate Samaritan , which indeavours to speake all possible good of such as oppose Presbyteriall government : pleading to obtaine an universall libertie for all their opinions , and practices , and indeavors to brand as infamous , and cast all manner of filth in the faces of such , as indeavor to promote it , I leave such Lettice to their lips who like it . And for what you alledge out of the London Anabaptists confession , I acknowledge it the most Orthodox of any Anabaptists confession that ever I read , ( although there are sundry Heterodox opinions in it ) and such an one as I beleeve thousands of our new Anabaptists will be farre from owning , as any man may bee able to say without a spirit of divination , knowing that their received and usuall doctrines doe much more agree with the Anabaptists in Germany , then with this handfull who made this confession here in London . In your seventh , you first expresse your good affection to further Reformation ; secondly , you propound what in your judgement is the best way to promote it In the first you are sensible of your ●ath and Covenant , declare the sincerity of your desires and prayers to promote it according to the Word of God , &c. Your desires , and prayers , and intentions are holy , and good , well suiting with the report I have often heard of you before I read this your booke ; and would the Lord please to draw out those good Talents he hath given you in the most usefull way ; I conceive you may be a very profitable instrument in this great worke , and I verily thinke your abilities greater then many others , whom you suppose to have been imployed more eminently then your selfe ▪ But pardon me , that I tell you sadly and freely , that the frame of spirit which the genius of your booke shewes forth makes me feare the contrary , you every where manifest such height of selfe-confidence , you powre out such abundance of scorne upon them who thinke otherwise then you doe , you so magisterially tread under foot the Arguments and Reasons of those who differ from your opinion , though they appeare never so strong or evident to others ; you so boldly call into question some doctrines which few have ever questioned before you ; you so slight the Authoritie both of ancient and moderne writers , especially in this point , though you know the generality of all Confessions and Harmonies ( except onely the Anabaptists ) concurre in one against you , that unlesse God alter your present temper , I suspect this is not the last trouble you are like to put the Church unto ; and I assure you , very many who willingly acknowledge your learning , and other abilities and are no whit sorry your booke is extant , ( because they conceive this controversie may thereby receive a fuller scanning ) are extremely scandalized at your high and scornefull spirit . You propound what you conceive is the best way to promote Reformation , and your thoughts are , that the onely way to further Reformation is to begin with this your darling , the casting out this point of Infant-Baptisme , a point which you conceive to bee a mother corruption , which carries in her wombe most of those abuses in discipline and manners , and some of the errors in doctrine which defile the reformed Churches , without which all after Cathechizing , Censures , separaton , Church-Covenant , &c. are altogether insufficient to supply the want of it . Secondly , that Baptisme therefore hath not that influence into the comfort and obligations of Consciences as it had of old . And thirdly , that the Assemblies not beginning with this point is one great cause why Gods blessing doth no more accompany them , whilst they waste much time about things inconsiderable in comparison of this , and either hastily passe over , or exclude from examination , this which deserves most to bee examined . Ah Sir , How deare and lovely are our owne children in our eyes ! did ever any before you conceive so many and great evills to follow upon the baptizing the children of beleevers ? that such Monsters should be bred in the wombe of it , or conceive that the removing of this would bee the healing of all ? I verily thinke , should another have spoke such things of farre greater points , you would have called them dictates , Chimaraes , bold , assertions , and what not ? Whether your Examen of my Sermon , and your twelve Arguments in your exercitation will prove it to bee a corruption of Christs institution ; whether the reasons for Paedo-Baptisme be far fetched ; whether there be a cleare institution of Christ against it . ( as here you affirme ) wee shall have leisure ( God willing ) to examine in their due place : but for the present , suppose mee to grant your postul●tum , that it is an applying of an institution to a wrong subject , yet I would faine learne of you , how all these odious consequences will bee made good , how these abuses in doctrine , discipline and manners ( which you mention ) would be taken away if Paedo-Baptisme were removed ; nay would not the selfe same things still bee found as grounds or occasions of the same differences , while some professe they would baptize any , whether Turkes or Heathens , who onely would make a profession of their faith in Jesus Christ , and then admit them to all other Ordinances , and not have them Excommunicated è sacris , ( but onely a private consortio ) though their lives should prove scandalous ; ( and I am misinformed by good friends who know and love you very well if your selfe incline not this way ) others would take the same course before Baptisme , which now they doe before admitting men to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , and would proceed to excommunication à Sacris as well as privately withdraw from such as prove scandalous and obstinate ; yea and take themselves bound to separate from mixt communions with them , as much as they doe now , notwithstanding their admission by Baptisme in your way . And in this various manner of admitting men to Baptisme , and dealing with men in other censures , every Church or Eldership proceeding according to the largenesse or strictnesse of their owne principles , I can see nothing but that the same abuses in discipline and manners which are now found among Christian people , the same controversies about such as should be admitted to the Lords Supper , the same divisions and separations would be sound in the Church , which now ( alas ! ) take too much place amongst us . This I say , supposing your Postulatum were a truth ; But on the contrary supposing it not to be a truth , what a Deformation instead of a Reformation should wee bring in , in casting the children of Beleevers out of the visible Church , reputing them no better then Turkes and Indians , and especially doing it upon such grounds , as are pleaded by you and others ; which even alter the state of the Covenant of grace ? As for your second , I know not what influence of comfort or obligation upon conscience Baptisme had of old , which is not now to bee found among them who are truely baptized , who injoy not onely the putting away the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ . And lastly , for what you speake of the Assembly , I impute it to your prejudice , and extreame doting upon your owne opinion , that you thinke this Point most worthy of their examination , and to your misinformation ( to speake no worse ) that they waste much time about things inconsiderable in comparison , or that they exclude this from Examination , or seeke to stop it from any Tryall , or that they hastily passe it over ; This is a very bold charge which you give upon the Assembly in the face of the world : What evidence have you for this ? unlesse your Compassionate Samaritan bee Authentick with you ? The Apostle commands Timothy not to receive an accusation against an Elder unlesse it bee under two or three witnesses . But for one man to cast thus much filth in the face of an Assembly of Ministers is very high , and savours little of that modesty or meeknesse to which you did sometimes pretend . How farre the blessing of God ( who hath not hitherto altogether left us , notwithstanding our unworthines ) doth and will accompany the endeavours of the Assembly ; it is fit to leave to himselfe , who gives increase to Pauls planting and Apollo's watering according to his good pleasure . But as for their shutting out the due examination of this Point , you are wholly mistaken ( though they have returned no answer to your paper . ) It is true ( as I told you in the beginning ) that wee are shut up by Ordinance of Parliament from answering any private mens Papers or Bookes without leave from the Houses ; but I dare speake it in the name of the whole Assembly , that they would bee glad you were admitted to dispute all your grounds among them . In your next Paragraph which containes a comparison betweeve the evidences held out in the New Testament for the Religious observation of the Lords day , and this of Infant-Baptisme , you first make your selfe merry with my expressions , that all who reject the baptizing of Infants , because there is not an expresse Institution or Command in the New-Testament , doe and must upon the same grounds reject the observation of the Lords-day . But I am no whit ashamed of those words . They doe , and they must upon the same Principles ( if they be true to their Principles ) reject the one as well as the other . And though I want the skill which some others have to plead for the Lord-day ; yet I suppose you shall find I have skill enough to make this good , That there is no more expresse Institution or Command in the New-Testament for the Lords day then there is for Infant-Baptisme . And whereas you alledge that some of the reformed Churches reject the Lords day , and yet entertaine Infant-Baptisme , and thence inferre that these two must not necessari'y stand and fall , bee received and rejected together . I answer , Those Churches which doe so conceive that there is an institution for the Baptizing of Infants , but none for the observation of the ●ords day , although herein I humbly conceive they are mistaken , I doubt not but it doth and will appeare to impartiall and unprejudiced Readers , that there is sufficient evidence of an Institution for both of them , though not in such expresse Texts of Scripture in the New-Testament as the Anabaptists require , and I shall now examine whether you bring any better evidence for the one , then is to be found for the other . First , you say , they meane it of positive worship , consisting in outward rites , and not of worship which is naturall or morall . Answ . But this but a blind , morall and naturall are not to be confounded ; whatever worship is naturall may bee indeed acknowledged to be morall , but not whatever is morall is to be esteemed naturall : I know you cannot bee ignorant of the received distinction of Morale Naturale , and Morale positivum , and I beseech you , though a Sabbath be grant●d to be Naturall , yea if I should adde , that one day in the revolution of seaven should bee so ; yet that this or that seventh day in the revolution of a weeke should bee observed , all grant this depends upon an Institution , and hath no more moralitie in it then what can bee made out from an Institution , and consequently , that the first day of the weeke should be the Christian Sabbath , or that this one day of seven which God hath separated to himself and had once expresly fixed upon the seventh or last day of the week , should be translated from the last day to the first day of the weeke , must depend wholly upon an Institution , and consequently they who reject that which depends upon positive Institution , unlesse its Institution can bee expresly found in the New-Testament are as much at a losse for the Lords day , as for the baptizing of Infants . Nay give me leave to adde , that in this point in question , the advantage lies more on this hand , ( I meane for Infant-Baptisme ) because there is more necessitie of clearing the Institution for the Lords day , then for baptizing of Infants , because in the one the ordinance it selfe , and its institution is questioned , but in this of Infant-Baptisme , the question is not of the Institution of the Ordinance it selfe , but onely of the subject to whom the Ordinance is to be applyed . If the question bee betwixt Baptisme and the Lords day , all grant that we have clearer Institution for the Sacrament of Baptisme , then for the Lords day : Baptisme is clearly instituted in the New-Testament to bee the Sacrament of our admission into the Covenant of grace , and to succeed in the roome of Circumcision , ( as your selfe grant . ) Now the onely question is , whether ( taking this for granted ) that baptism succeeds in the roome of Circumcicision , and to bee applyed unto all persons by the will of God who are in Covenant with him , whether the same persons may partake of this Sacrament , as might partake of the other , unlesse those persons bee expresly set downe in the New-Tement ; I hope in the judgement of all indifferent men , a question about the persons to whom an ordinance is to bee applyed , is a question of a farre inferiour nature to that question , whether such a thing pretended to be an Ordinance have any Institution at all or not . It 's one thing to invent a new Ordinance of worship , another ( and that of inferiour rank ) to mistake in some of the persons to whom an Ordinance is to be applyed . In some of the ancient times the Lords Supper was given to Infants , and carried to sick persons when absent , to testifie their communion with the Church : I take them both for errours , but yet not for errors of the like nature with inventing a new Sacrament ; I say againe , there is a great difference betweene bringing in a new Ordinance , and applying it to these or these persons , especially , when the question is not of the persons in generall , who are the subject matter , ( as whether men or Angels , men or beasts ) but whether men of such an age or of such a Sex. Sir , to my best understanding , these two questions are not parallell , a just parallell question to this of Infant-Baptisme would be such a one as was once disputed betwixt Mr. Bifield and Mr. Brerewood , viz. Taking it for granted , that by a cleare Institution , the Lords day succeeds in the roome of the old Sabbath , whether yet the same persons are tied to keepe the Lords day , who of old were tied to keepe the Sabbath , unlesse those parties were mentioned in the New-Testament , as whether servants as well as their masters , the same holds here . All this I speake not as any whit doubting that there is as cleare evidence for Baptizing of Infants , as there is for the religious observation of the Christian Sabbath , notwithstanding the latter seemes to require fuller evidence then this doth . Your second explication gives you as little advantage , you say that Apostolicall example which hath not a me●re temporary reason , is enough to prove an Institution from God , to which that practise doth relate , especially when such examples come to bee backed with the constant practise of all Churches in all ages . And then you bring in Pauls preaching at Troa● , the collections upon the first day of the weeks in the first of the Corinthians and the sixteenth , the mentioning of the Lords day , Revel . 1. Sir , I except against none of all this to bee a part of that good evidence which wee have for the religious observation of the Lords day , but I dare confidently speake it , that out of these you can never evince more ( laying all things together ) to prove the Institution of the Lords day , then I have done for the lawfulnesse of baptizing of Infants ; and I appeale to all learned Readers , whether the many bookes written of late against the Institution of the Lords day , give not as specious and plausible answers to these places alledged by you concerning the Christian Sabbath , as yours are against Infant-baptisme ( although they have received sufficient cleare and solid answers ) yea and tread under their feet all arguments taken from these examples , with as much confidence and scorne , as your selfe doe that which I and others have named for Paedo-Baptisme . And as for the supplement which you bring out of the constant practise of the Churches for the religious observation of the Lords day in stead of the old Sabbath : I earnestly desire you in your next to produce as many of the ancients to beare witnesse to that truth , as I have done in this point for Paedo-Baptisme , and I promise you , you shall receive my hearty thanks among the rest of your Readers ; in the meane time the Reader shall judge whether I have not brought a moity of that for the Baptizing of Infants , which you have done for the Lords day . Further , whether you have not abused your reader in so confident averring that there are no footsteps in Antiquity for Paedo-Baptisme , till the erroneous conceit of giving Gods grace by it , & the necessity of it , to save an Infant from perishing some hundreds of yeers after Christs Incarnation , is easily to bee seene by what I have at large produced in the former part of this treatise . Lastly , your tedious discourse of that dangerous principle of framing additions to Gods worship by Analogies of our own● making without warrant from Gods Word ; I desire you to apply it to them who do so , I no further make use of it , then I find Gods Word to goe along with me : Whether beleevers Infants are confederates with their parents in the Covenant of Grace , comes afterwards to be examined ; the rest of this Section being carping at a phrase or expression which your selfe grant being taken cum grano salis , may passe with a candid Reader , I passe over as worthy of no further answer , onely I adde this one word , that though it bee not safe to reason barely from events of things , yet it well becomes us thankfully to take notice of Gods blessing upon his owne Ordinance , and the more earnestly to contend for that which God is pleased so mercifully to accompany with his grace . In your ninth Section you concurre with mee in condemning it as a wicked practise to separate from ministry and communion in Ordinances , by reason of this difference in opinion , and that the making of Sects upon these grounds is contrary unto Christian Charitie : and I as willingly concurre with you in what you say in the latter part of this Section , that godly Ministers and other Christians should not by harsh usage of their brethren in stirring up hatred in Magistrates and people against them , cast strumbling blocks in their way , thereby to alienate dissenting brethren from them : but for what you say in the middle of this Section , that this is not the evill of Anti-paedo-baptisme ; I answer , I conceive it flowes from the principles which most of the Anti-paedo-baptists do conceive ( though possibly all ( and your selfe for one have not wholly embraced them ) for if you please to take and to compare these three principles of theirs together . First , members are added to the Church by Baptisme , and not otherwise . Secondly , that such as are not baptized according to Christs Institution , their Baptisme is a nullitie . Thirdly , that because the Baptisme of Infants is not clearely held out in the New Testament , it is therefore not warranted by Christs Institution , but contrary to it , and then tell mee what followes lesse then this , that none so baptized are Church-members , & consequently can performe no acts of Church-members , and that therefore our Churches are no true Churches , our Ministry can bee no true Ministry , and therefore a necessitie of separation from us . What you add in the end of this Section , that a passage in one of my Sermons about the hedge which God hath set about the second Commandement hath been one cause of your startling at this point of Paedo-Baptisme . I answer , onely this , had you not bin startled before , there is nothing in that speech could have moved you ; and when once you have manifested that Baptizing of Infants doth breake downe the hedge which God hath made about the second Commandement , I shall bee startled with you , and not till then . In your tenth and last Section , wherein you undertake to answer that passage in my Sermon , that the opinion of the Anabaptists puts all the Infants of beleevers into the selfesame condition with Turkes and Infidells , you answer severall things : wherein I plainely perceive you cannot deny what I affirme , and yet you are loath to grant it : you say , first , Cyprian with his 66. Bishops doth the same , which I have forinerly shewed will not follow out of the words of of that Epistle : secondly , you say , Mr. Rathband pleading that such Children whose Ancestors in any generation were faithfull may lawfully bee accounted within Gods Covenant , grants the same also . But this no wayes followes without extreame wracking those words in any Generation . I suppose your selfe doth not thinke those words , Exod. 20. 5. were intended to intimate that all the children in the world , who came from Adam or Noah were included in the Covenant of grace , nor doe I conceive you beleeved Mr. Rathband to thinke so . For your owne opinion you declare it thus ; 1. You know no warrant to thinke election to reach beleevers children more then unbeleevers children . 2. You know no more promise for them then for the children of unbeleevers . 3. All the likelihood there is , that they belong to Gods election rather then Turkes and Infidels , to be , because they have their parents and the Churches prayers , some generall and conditionall promises , and enjoy the benefit of good instruction and example , which puts them into a nearer possibility to bee beleevers and saved , and experience shewes God frequently continues his Church in their posterity . But this you dare not ground upon any promise made unto beleevers as such , for store you should incurre blasphemy by challenging a promise which God doth not keepe : in that many of the posteritie of godly parents prove very wicked . To all which I answer , first , in generall , that to my understanding you here clearely yeeld the Infants of beleevers to bee in the same condition in reference to the Covenant of grace , which the Infants of Turkes and Indians are in , no more promise for the one then for the other : which so oft as you consider , mee thinkes your fatherly bowels to your owne children should bee moved within you . Secondly , I answer , first , to that of election , your owne speech that experience shewing that God frequently continues his Church among beleevers posteritie , should be one argument to make you thinke Gods election lies more among them then among others , though wee can bee certaine of no one of them in particular . Secondly , what promises are made to beleevers children more then to Turkes , and whether Abrahams promise reach them , shall God willing bee scand in its proper place . Thirdly , as to that which you say , that the children of beleevers are in a more hopefull way , because of their parents prayers , instructions , examples , &c. and some generall and conditionall promises which puts them in a more possibilitie ; I answer , this is nothing to the children which die in their Infancy , nor secondly , any more then children of Pagans enjoy , whose lot may fall to be educated by Christians , but no more promise by your doctrine for the one then the other . Thirdly , whereas you affirme that Generall , Indefinite , and Conditionall promises doe prove that there is a more comfortable likelihood that the children of beleevers are elected by God rather then the children of Turkes . I reply , 1. You doe not expresse what those promises are . 2. I wonder that you should inferre election from conditionall promises . Did God ever say that if you will performe these and these conditions , then I will regenerate you , give you a new heart , and put my spirit within you ? 3. If the promise of regeneration bee not conditionall then you must say that there is some comfortable likelihood that such Infants may bee elected though they are not regenerated , for if there be any thing lesse then regeneration promised , sure there can be no comfortable likelihood of the election of a child gathered from a promise of any thing which leaves a child in an unregenerate estate . But I much admire that speech of yours , where you feare you should incur blasphemy by challenging a promise which God doth not keepe , because many of the children of beleevers prove wicked ; I beseech you tell me , was it not so among Abrahams posteritie ? and yet you grant Abraham had a peculiar promise which wee have not ; might not they without blasphemy plead that promise , notwithstanding that promise , I will he the God of thee and thy seed , was not made good to every one of them ? for it is most cleare by the Apostles discourse in the ninth and eleventh Chapters to the Romans , that God was not the God of thousands of Abrahams seed , either in respect of saving grace , or outward priviledges , for he cast off the Jewes from being his people , and suffered them not to enjoy so much as outward priviledges , but made choice of the Gentiles in their stead ; and yet I hope you will not say that God broke his Covenant with those that had the seale of the Covenant in their flesh ; and yet were rejected not onely from saving grace , but from outward priviledges . Next let us see how you avoid being goared by the three hornes of my Syllogisme . I said , all being left in the same condition , 1. All must be saved . Or 2. all must bee damned . Or 3. God saves some of the Infants of the Turkes , and some of the Infants of beleevers pro beneplacito . After some discourse of the two first of these , you deny the consequence : It follows not ( say you ) God may save some , and those some may bee the Infants of beleevers , and none of the Infants of Turks and Indians . It 's true , a man that will may venture to say so ; and if another will , he may venture to say , That those some , are the Infants of Pagans , and not of Christians : and hee that should say so , hath as good warrant for this , as you have for the other , according to your principle . But what 's this to the question before us ? I said , This opinion leaves them all in the like condition ; One having no more reference to a promise then another . Now if you will avoid being goared by any of these three hornes , you should have shewed , that according to your opinion , there is some promise for some of the Infants of beleevers , though there be none for the Infants of Pagans . But in stead of shewing how your doctrine and opinion leaves them : you tell me what God may possibly doe in his secret Counsell , which is altogether unknowne to us . But I perceive your selfe suspected this answer would not endure the tryall : and therefore you quarrell at that expression of mine , That if any of the Infants , of such as live and die Pagans be saved by Christ ; then salvation by Christ is earryed out of the Church , whereof God hath made no promise . Against this you except ; 1. That salvation is not carryed out of the invisible Church ; though some Infants of Pagans should bee saved by Christ . I answer , it 's true ; and I adde , That if any man shall say , the Devils should be saved by Christ : even that Opinion would not carry salvation out of the invisible Church . But Sir , we are enquiring after the salvation of them to whom a promise of salvation is made . Now when you can prove that God hath made a promise , that he will gather a number , or hath a number whose names are written in the Lambs book , although their Parents never knew Jesus Christ , nor themselves ever live to bee instructed , you may then perswade your Reader to beleeve , that even some of the Infants of Pagans dying in their Infancy belong to the invisible Church : and till then , you must give him leave to beleeve that this answer is brought in as a shift , onely to serve your present need . Secondly , you answer , That men may bee saved out of the communion of the visible Church ; and you instance Abraham called out of Chaldea ; Job in the Land of Vz ; Rahab in Jericho : and you say , Hee that called these , may save some amongst Turkes and Indians out of the visible Church . I answer , I hope in your next , you will a little better explaine your meaning : The Reader will certainly take this to bee your meaning : that as Abraham , Job , and Rahab , were saved out of the communion of th● visible Church in their dayes : so some among the Turkes and Indians may bee saved out of the communion of the visible Church in our dayes . But surely this is not your meaning , you doe not beleeve , that Abraham , Job , and Rahab were out of the communion of the visible Church , though possibly the manner of their calling might bee extraordinary , as afterwards St. Pauls was . Nor doe you beleeve that the Eunuch when he was returned into Ethiopia was out of the Communion of the visible Church ; though his habitation ( at least for a● while ) was not among Christians but Infidels . I am perswaded that you thinke all visible beleevers to bee within the Communion of the visible Church , though possibly they may be hindered from being actuall Members of any particular Church . I will not so much as imagine that you mentioned these three examples , as a Blinde to deceive your uncautelous Reader : and therefore I only desire you in your next , to let us know your meaning plainely : and discover to us this mystery , how men may bee called to fellowship with Jesus Christ , and yet have no communion with the visible Church of Christ . The rest of this Section , wherein you enquire what those promises are which are are made to the seed of beleevers , I shall ( God willing ) give you an account of them in the next part of the Sermon , whither now you call me ; onely I cannot but take notice of your confident brag in the close of this Section , how manfully you have entred my out-workes , and thereby incourage your selfe to scale my walls : You indeed entred , and set up your flag , but I hope it appeares to the indifferent Reader that you are in no great probabilitie of getting any great spoile , unlesse my walls prove weaker then the outworke , which as yet are farre from being taken by you . PART III. NOw wee come to that wherein I rightly placed the strength of my cause , the evidence which the Scripture gives for Infant-Baptisme : which before I proceed in the examination of , I briefly propound to the Readers consideration , that you have this advantage to make your worke have a specious probabilitie , in that the question is concerning Infants , concerning whom there is much silence in the Scripture , and should any man argue against the justification of Infants , by the Theologicall doctrine that is to bee found cleare in the Scripture , how specious a plea might he make , especially if his disputation should bee carried as yours is altogether in the way of making exceptions against arguments , but not positively affirming any thing ? But notwithstanding , by the helpe of God , I hope clearely to vindicate my arguments from your exceptions . My first Argument was , the Infants of beleeving parents are faederati , therefore they must be signati , they are within the Covenant of Grace , therefore are to partake of the Seale of the Covenant . This Argument , because I knew the tearmes of the propositions and the reasons of the consequents would not be cleare at the first propounding , I therefore made no further prosecution of untill first I had cleared five conclusions from which it receives not onely its light , but strength , and from which it ought not to bee separated , because in them I both prove a Covenant and signe initiall , this , first you assault singly , and denying both the propositions you try your strength in this Section against the consequence , and affirme that they who deny the consequence doe it justly , because ( say you ) if they who are faederati must be signati , it must bee so either by reason of some necessary connexion betweene the tearmes , or by reason of Gods will declared concerning the Covenant of Grace : but for neither of these causes ; first , there is no necessary consequence that God gives a promise , ergo he must give a seale , or a speciall signe , Joshuah had none for his promise of bringing Israel into Canaan ; Phinehas none for his , for the Priesthood to continue in his family ; nor secondly , by any declaration of Gods will , Adam , and all the rest to Abraham had none , yea , and in Abrahams time Melchisedeck , Lot , Job ; and for Abrahams family there was no such universall order or declaration of Gods will , for children under eight dayes old , and all the females had no such command , and therefore to have sealed them , would have beene will-worship , and so you conclude here and in many other places of your booke , that it is not being foederati in Covenant which gives title to the seale , but onely the declaration of Gods will to have it so . To which I answer clearely , and first in generall . That concerning the truth of this consequence , the difference betweene you and me is not so much as you would make the world beleeve , wee differ indeed in the interpretation of the word faederati , about what is meant by being in Covenant . I assert , that many are to bee reputed to belong to the Covenant of grace , and in some sense to bee Covenanters though they be not partakers inwardly of the saving graces of the Covenant , for the Covenant of grace containes not onely saving grace , but the administration of it also in outward Ordinances , and Church priviledges , and that according to Gods owne word many are Covenanters with him , or in some sense under the Covenant of grace , who are partakers onely of the outward administrations and Church priviledges ; you allow none to be under the Covenant of grace in any true Gospel sense , but onely such as are inwardly beleevers , justified , sanctified , and partakers of the saving graces of the Covenant . Whether of us are in the right , shall ( God willing ) be tryed out in this dispute ; but as to the truth of the consequence , That all who are in the Covenant of grace , ought therefore to be partakers of th● seale : you acknowledge more then once , or twice , or ten times ; for though you every where dispute that God hath made no declaration of his will concerning baptizing of Infants , yet rotundis verbis , you professe that if you knew an Infant to bee regenerate , you would baptize it . And when I said , Such as have the inward grace , ought not to bee denyed the outward signe : You answer , There is none of the Antipaedobaptists but will grant that proposition to bee true , pag. 142. And the present state of a person is that which gives right to baptisme , pag. 158. It 's granted that ( such Infants ) such as are inwardly sanctified are disciples , and may not be debarred from baptisme ; mark , Infants disciples ; and is not this in plain English , That such as are Covenanters , ought not to be denyed the initiall seale of the covenant ; Now then , if I can prove that not onely such as are inwardly regenerate , but others also , whether Infants or grown men are to bee reputed to belong to the Covenant , and that an externall visible right ( in facie visibilis Ecclesiae ) may be made out for any person or persons , to be by us owned & received as Covenanters with God , you your selfe grant that the seale may be applyed to them ; and whether this bee so , or not , shall ( God willing ) afterwards fully appeare . Secondly , I answer more particularly ; 1. I grant with you that there is no necessary dependance between a promise and a seale , the addition of a seale to a promise is of free grace , as well as the promise it self ; & if God had never given any Sacrament or seal of his Covenant , wee should have had no cause to complaine of him , he well deserves to be believed upon his bare word . Nor 2. did I ever think that by Gods revealed will this Proposition was true in all ages of the Church ; All Covenanters must bee sealed , I carryed it no higher then Abrahams time , when God first added this new mercy to his Church , vouchsafing a seal to the Covenant : And 3. from Abrahams time and so forward , I say it was Gods will , that such as are in Covenant should bee sealed with the initiall seale of the Covenant , supposing them onely capable of the seale , and no speciall barre put in against them by God himselfe , which is apparent in the very first institution of an initiall seale , Gen. 17. 7 , 9 , 10 , 14. Where the very ground why God would have them sealed is because of the Covenant , I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and thy seed after thee : thou shalt keepe my Covenant therefore ; and this is my Covenant which yee shall keep , every man childe among you shall bee circumcised ; and afterward in the 14. the seale is , by a Metonymia called the Covenant , for that it 's apparent not onely that God commanded them who were in Covenant to be circumcised , but that they should therefore be circumcised because of the Covenant , or in token of the Covenant betweene God and them ; and he that rejected or neglected the seale , is said not onely to breake Gods commandement , but his covenant : so that because the initiall Seale was added to the Covenant , and such as received it , received it as an evidence of the Covenant , or because they were in Covenant : I therefore concluded , that by Gods own will , such as enter into Covenant ought to receive the seal , supposing still that they were capable of it . So that to lay Circumcifion upon Gods command , and the Covenant of grace too , are well consistent together ; for the command is the cause of the existence of the duty ; but the Covenant of grace is the motive to it . 4. Whereas you alledge concerning Melchisedeck , Lot , Job ; we find no such thing that they either received this seale of circumcision , or were tyed to it . I reply , it 's very hard for you to prove that Melchisedeck was then alive ; and had he been alive , he was of an higher Order , and above that Paedagogie . Or in what age of the world Job lived , though hee bee thought to be of the posterity of Esau , and so might have a right to it ( even in your sense ) as descending lineally from Abraham ; however this is a meere negative Argument in matter of fact , which your self know to bee of no validity ; Negative arguments from Scripture are good in matters of faith . I am not bound to beleeve this or that , unlesse it be found in the Scriptures ; but they are not good in matter of fact ; this or that fact is not recorded in the Scripture , therefore I am bound to beleeve it was not done , is no good consequence ; A non scripto ad non factum non valet consequentia . No Scripture saith they were circumcised , ( though very good Authors thinke that Lot and Iob were circumcised , ) nor doth any Scripture say they were not circumcised . As to that you say of Infants under eight dayes old , and of all the females in Abrahams family . I answer to that of Infants , there was a peculiar exemption of them by God himself , whether for any typicall reason , or in regard they were not fit in nature to undergoe so sharp a paine as was to bee indured in Circumcision , before the seventh and criticall day was past , or whether for any other cause , I dispute not ; it is sufficient , God forbad them to have the seale till they were eight dayes old . For the women , they were not subjectum capax circumcisionis , there was in them a naturall impediment against it , therfore could not be injoyned them : and suppose some men among them , or some who turned proselytes to them had not had a praeputium ( as some sort of Eunuchs ) this Ordinance had not reached them ; whether the wisdome of God purposely chose a signe that Women might not be capable of receiving it , for some typicall use , as some conjecture : I cannot tell , it is sufficient that they were not capable of it , & were exempted from it by God himselfe : so that if you please to state the generall Proposition , as you needs must , That all who since Abrahams time are foederati , or covenanters with God , must by Gods own appointment receive the seale of admission into covenant , unlesse they be either uncapable of it , or are exempted by a particular dispensation : This proposition will indure all the shock of your arguments , and remain unmovable . Next you reply to my answer concerning Women among the Jews , I said they were circumcised in the males : this you cast away with scorne , affirming it to be an easie answer , because it 's easie to bee answered . Indeed Sir , you answer it as easily as he who undertooke to answer Bellarmine in one word , and said , Bellarmine thou lyest : so you , it is an insufficient answer to take away the exception against the proposition , and that you might have a little matter to worke upon , you goe to another part of my Sermon , and thence you fetch the word virtually , with which you make your selfe merry putting my proposition into severall shapes and formes ; and in one form ( you say ) it concludes not the thing in question ; in another , it hath 4 termes ; in another , the major is false . Wheras my plaine meaning was , and is , that the women being uncapable of it in their own person , because of their sex , wherein was a naturall impediment , as to this Sacrament , God imposed it onely upon the Males , and yet the women were not esteemed as uncircumcised , being ( as Divines use to expresse in this point ) viris annexae & in iis censerentur qui familiarum capita debebant esse ; and whether this will not be justified , we shall presently inquire . But first give me leave to observe by the way how you pinch me with a point of law , That no man can be said virtually to have that by his Proxie or Atturney , which he might not actually receive himself in his own person . I question whether this be good law , but I am confident it is bad Divinity ; sure we sin'd virtually in Adam , yet we could not actually , though that sin of Adam be ours by imputation . The sun is virtually hot , yet Philosophers say it 's not actually . And the Jews of old offered to God such things by the hands of the Priests who were their Proxies in that work which they might not offer in their own persons : yea , and received such things by the hand of the high Priest ( who bare their names in the most holy place ) which they might not receive in their owne persons immediately : and the Saints now in this world do virtually , and quoad effectum juris , receive some such priviledges in Christ their Advocate , who in their right , is at Gods right hand , which here they are not capable of receiving immediately in their own persons . I also obiter desire you to remember this expression of yours , That it had beene a sinne for a child to have been circumcised after the eighth day was past . And try how you will reconcile this with an opinion of yours delivered elsewhere ; viz. That circumcision might bee administred oftner then once ; surely those other times must be after the first eighth day . The other fault you note in my argument , is , That I conclude of a signe of the Covenant indefinitely , and not of Baptisme onely ; whereas the Lords Supper is also a signe of the Covenant ; which yet you thinke I will say is not to bee delivered to them , because not appointed for them : I answer , I clearely in my Sermon shewed this Proposition onely to be meant of the initiall sign , and not of the other ; and I am confident your self , who durst baptize an Infant known to you to be regenerate , durst not yet give the other Sacrament to it ▪ because more is required to make one capable of that Sacrament , then is required to make them capable of Baptisme : a regenerate Infant you thinke is capable of this : but besides regeneration , I am sure you will grant , That an examination of a mans selfe , and an ability to discern● the Lords body , is required to make one capable of that . Now let us see how you avoid my proofes , That the Women were circumcised in the men . My first was , That the whole house of Israel are in the Scripture said to be circumcised . You answer , That by the whole house of Israel must not be meant all , but the major part , or the most confiderable part . But Sir , doe you imagine that any of your judicious Readers can be satisfied with this answer , when ( you know well enough ) that the Circumcision is put for the Church and people of God , in opposition to the uncircumcised that is , al the rest of the world who are not the people of God. When Peter was to go to the Circumcision , & Paul to the Gentiles to preach the Gospel ; does not circumcision include the Women Jews , as much as the men , in opposition to the Gentiles ; as well as the word Gentiles includes the women Gentiles as well as the men , to whom Paul was sent ? Gal. 2. 8. 9. Surely it must needs be granted , that not onely the major , or nobler part , but the whole Nation of the Jewes , both men and women are there meant by Circumcision , which could not have been , if in some sense they were not to bee accounted Circumcised . Secondly , I argued thus , No uncircumcised person might eate the Passeover : Ergo , Their women might not have eaten it , if in some sense they had not been circumcised . Your answer is , This is to bee limited pro subjecta materia , none that ought to be circumcised might eate the Passeover , unlesse they were circumcised . But this answer is altogether insufficient . For , 1. Where is this distinction of yours found , or founded in the Word of God ? other distinctions about eating the Passeover , are clearely found , the cleane might eate it , the unclean might not eat it , the circumcised might , the uncircumcised might not : but of your limitation there is altum silentium . 2. I demand further , where is there any command or institution for women to eate the Passeover , ( more then for Women now to eate the Lords Supper , ) unlesse it bee founded upon Circumcision ? yet in practice we know they did eate it ; and if they eate it not as ci●cumcised persons , tell me by what right they did it . If you say they were included in the houshold , Exod. 12. 3 , 4. Every houshold was to eate the Paschall Lambe , and there was no exception of women . I reply , first , grant but the same consequence , that when wee read so frequently in the new Testament , that whole housholds were baptized , & no exception of children , that therefore all the children in those housholds were baptized , and this controversie is quickly ended But I adde further , it is not said that the whole houshold shall eate it , for all uncircumcised persons were forbidden to eat it , & none but circumcised persons had any warrant to eat it . Yea further , suppose some words in the institution should reach the Iewish women , yet how doth it reach the women Gentiles , who should prove Proselytes to them ? for Exod. 12. 48 , 49. there is order taken for the male stranger , Let all his males be circumcised , and then let him come neare and keep it ; but there is not any word that takes order for the strangers females . I hope by this time it appears that your exceptions against the consequence of my Argument have no weight , they are foederati ; therefore they are to be signati . Next come we to examine the truth of the Antecedent which I manifested in those five Conclusions opened in my Sermon : The first whereof is this , That the Covenant of Grace , for substance , hath alwayes been one and the same , both to the Jewes and Gentiles . This first conclusion you grant ; and therefore there were no need to have stayed the Reader any further about it ; were it not that some of your exceptions doe almost recall your grant : If it bee in substance the same , though you should reckon up a thousand accidentall and locall differences , it were nothing to the purpose : but the first doth almost recall it ; wherein you charge me to carry the narration of the Covenant made with Abraham , Gen. 17. as if it did onely containe the Covenant of Grace in Christ ; whereas it is apparent ( say you ) out of the Text , that the Covenant was a mixt Covenant , consisting of temporall benefits , the multiplying of Abrahams seed , possession of Canaan , the birth of Isaac , besides the spirituall blessings . To which I reply , I meant so indeed , and so I plainly expressed my selfe , that all the difference betwixt the Covenant then made with Abraham , and the Covenant made with us , lies onely in the manner of the administration of the Covenant , and not in the Covenant it selfe . The Covenant it self in the substance of it holds out the same mercies , both spirituall and temporall , to them , and to us : Godlinesse having all the promises both of this life , and that which is to come ; and that they , and we have our right to all these promises upon the selfe same condition : earthly things indeed were to them promised more distinctly and fully , heavenly things more generally and springly then they are now to us ; and on the contrary , spirituall things are more fully and clearely promised to us then to them ; and earthly promises more generally and sparingly : And that these temporall benefits which you mention , viz. multiplying of Abrahams seed , the birth of Isaac , and possession of Canaan were all of them administrations of the Covenant of grace , they were figures , signes , and types of spirituall things to be enjoyed both by them and us . These things I not onely asserted , but proved in my Sermon . If you think otherwise of these earthly blessings , I desire you to explain your meaning in your next . If you mean no more then this that all these temporall blessings were promised and given as flowing from the promise of Christ , and were subservient to it , or were but types and shadowes of it , you meane no more then what wee all grant , who yet deny any more mixture in the Covenant made with Abraham for the substance of it then there is in that made with us : and that the difference lies onely in the manner of administration . But I confesse I suspect you have a further meaning , not onely because you here mention the temporall blessings before the spirituall , and call the land of Canaan the Covenant made with Abraham , but especially that expression which you owne from Cameron , that Circumcision did primarily seale the temporall promise , and signified sanctification but secondarily ; what your meaning is in this expression , I cannot tell , it hath an untoward looke , as if the meaning were , that God did primarily and chiefely , in a Covenant of Grace founded in Christ ( wherein himselfe promises to bee their portion ) intend in the seale of it to ratifie temporall blessings which onely concernes vitam animalem ; now that the Seale ( I say ) of this Covenant should primarily , and chiefly give evidence to such a porton which a people may enjoy , with whom God never made a Covenant to be their God , is so grosse a thing to imagine of God , and so expressely contrary to the word , that untill you owne it , I will not impute it to you , although I know the Anabaptists in Germany shame not to say , that the Covenant made with Abraham was a meere carnall thing , and had nothing to doe with eternall life . As for that expression of the learned Cameron that Circumcision did primarily seale the earthly promise , &c. if by primarily hee meant immediatly , though not chiefly , that it sealed these things first in order , as they were types of spirituall things , it may then passe ●um gran● salis , but if by primarily be intended principally , that Circumcision did chiefly seale earthly blessings , the opinion is too unsavory to be received : and whereas he , ( and you with him ) say that Circumcision did thus primarily seale the earthly part of the Covenant , I desire to know of you what Scripture ever made Circumcision a Seale of Canaan ; wee have expresse Scripture that it sealed the righteousnesse of faith , whereby he was justified , but I no where read that i● sealed the Land of Canaan . Whereas you say , though the promises were types of spirituall and heavenly things , yet the things promised were but carnall and earthly , as the sacrifices were but carnall things , though shadowes of spirituall : I reply , all this is true , but this belongs to the administration of the Covenant ( as was said before ) but makes it never a whit the more a mixt Covenant for the substance of it ; the Covenant then was more administred by carnall things then it is now , and yet the administration of the Covenant even now also hath some carnall promises , and priviledges as well as then , as the externall ordinances of the Gospell , Baptisme and the Lords Supper ; and wee as well as they have in the Covenant of grace , the promise of this life , and of that which is to come : and so you may , if you will , call ours also a mixt Covenant , consisting both of temporall and spirituall blessings ; and as among them some who were in Covenant did partake onely of the temporall part , and never were partakers of the spirituall , others of them were partakers of the spirituall part also ; even so now , some partake of the externall and carnall part onely , whilst others partake of both : this you must grant to be true , unlesse you will maintaine that none are now members of the visible Church , but onely Elect and true beleevers . Secondly , you except against mee that when I said the manner of administration of this Covenant was first by types , shadowes , and sacrifices , &c. it had beene convenient to have named Circumcision , that it might not be conceived to belong to the substance of the Covenant : I reply , first , this is a very small quarrell , I added , &c. which supplies both Circumcision and other things . Secondly , you know the Covenant of grace was administred by sacrifices and other types before Circumcision was instituted . Thirdly , whereas I said there were some Proselytes in the Jewish Church who were but selfe-justiciaries , carnall and formall professors , who are yet in the Scripture called Abrahams seed , you answer I call them so without the warrant of Scripture , as you conceive : to which I reply , my words were that there was another sort of Abrahams seed who were onely circumcised in the flesh , and not in the heart , who though they were borne of Abrahams seed , or professed Abrahams faith , and so were Iewes facti , though not nati , yet they never made Abrahams God their portion , but rested in somewhat which was not Christ , &c. and so were to perish with the uncircumcised . This you doe not here deny to bee true , onely you would have me shew where the Proselytes were called Abrahams seed ; I reply , had I mentioned no proselytes at all , but onely said there were some in the Church of the Iewes , who were visible members , and partakers of outward Church-priviledges , and yet were not inwardly godly , nor partakers of the spirituall part , and that these were called Abrahams seed as well as others , it had been enough for my purpose . I named not Proselytes to adde any strength to the argument ; and because they are called Gods people , I feared not to call them Abrahams children by profession , and never expected to have met with a quarrell for calling them who joyned to the Church of Israel by that common name whereby the Church members were called , viz. the seede of Abraham or the children of Israel : and could no place of Scripture be produced where proselytes are expresly called by this name , the matter were not tanti . But if it were a thing of any moment , it would be no hard matter to produce evidence sufficient to prove that proselytes were called Israelites and the seed of Abraham , as Acts 2. 10. and 22. compared , Act. 13. 26. compared with Verse 43. but I forbeare . You go on and accuse me , that herein I joyne with Arminius , who saith , there is a seed of Abraham mentioned , Rom. 4. 9. 10. Gal. 3. Gal. 4. who seeke justification and salvation by the workes of the Law , and that hee makes this the ground of wresting that Scripture , and that Mr. Bayne upon Ephes . 1. sayes that the seed of Abraham without any adjoyned is never so taken : I reply , you give an high charge , but a weake proofe ; I said there was a sort of proselytes who were the seed of Abraham by profession onely , or outward cleaving to the Covenant , who though they professed Abrahams faith , yet did not place their happinesse in Christ , or make choyce of Abrahams God for their all-sufficient portion . Sir , is this to joyne with Arminius in his interpretation of the ninth to the Romans ? 1. How doe you prove that Arminius meanes the words which you cite , of Jewish Proselytes ? Nulli filii carnis censentur in semine , saith Arminius ; doth hee meane that no proselytes were the seed of Abraham according to the flesh ? if so , I beleeve acute Mr. Bayne would have been more wary then to have opposed him in that point . Nay Mr. Bayne in the very selfe same page which you quote , having set downe Arminius his two conclusions . ( 1. The children of the promise are reckoned for the seed . 2. The children of the flesh are not reckoned for the seed ; ) passes his judgement upon them in these words , Page 140. The Conclusions are true , but not pertinent to this sense , for the children of the flesh here , are those onely who in course of nature came from Abraham . But you very wisely mention neither of these Conclusions of Arminius , you thought it more for your advantage to fasten upon some other proposition laid downe by Arminius , and as you set it downe it runs thus : There is a seed of Abraham , qui per opera legis justitiam & salutem consequuntur ; I was much amused at the words . I know Arminius saith , Deus ex promisse ac debito dat vitam aeternam operanti , but he meanes it not of the workes of the Law ; and therefore I wondered to see opera legis in your proposition ; but the word which puzled me most , was consequuntur . Sir , let me intreat you to correct your booke , there is no such word as consequuntur in Arminius his exposition , and it doth not agree with your own exposition , for consequuntur justitiam , is by you translated ; Follow after righteousnesse . I have perused Arminius , ( with whom you say I joyn ) and Mr. Bayne , from whom you say I say I differ , and I shall give an account of both to the reader . First for Arminius , his words are these , Filii carnis Apostolo hoc loco sunt , qui per opera legis justitiam & salutem consectantur , not consequuntur : so that the question between Arminius and Mr. Bayne , is , whether in that place , namely , in the 9 to the Romans , the Apostle by children of the flesh , doe meane such as seek righteousnesse by the Law ? Hoc in loco , saith Arminitor , the phrase is to bee so interpreted in this place ; No , saith Mr. Bayne , it is not to bee taken so in this place , though it may be taken so in other places : I shall set down Mr. Baynes his own words , that the Reader may see how grossely you have abused me ; For though ( saith Mr. Bayne ) children of the flesh in some other Scripture , doth note out justiciaries , seeking salvation in the Law , yet here the literall meaning is to be taken , a child of the flesh , being such a one as descendeth from Abraham according to the flesh . Good Reader observe , 1. That I was not expounding the 9 to the Romans ; and therefore did not at all meddle with the question between Arminius and Mr. Bayne . 2. I am cleared by Mr. Bayne himself , whom Mr. Tombes produced against me . 3. The words which cleare me , are within six lines of those words which Mr. Tombes cites against me : whether Mr. Tombes be guilty of negligence or falshood , I leave to your judgement . 4. The errours of Arminius are many in the place cited , and I joyne not with him in any one of them . First , I doe not conceive that by [ Word ] Rom. 9. 6. the Jews meant the legall Covenant , but the word of promise , or else the Apostle had not answered directly , v. the 9. Secondly , by the word [ Seed ] was meant the children of the promise , the elect , Rom. 9. 8. as Mr. Bayne , nay Arminius confesses ; onely Arminius saith that they were elected upon Gods forefight of their faith ; an Opinion wch I detest , as being injurious to the free & effectuall grace of God. I need not instance in any other errours , only draw this Corollary , if God did fulfil this promise made to the seed of Abraham , though God did reject so many of his seed ( that had the token of the Covenant in their flesh ) not onely from salvation , but from the partaking of outward priviledges , from the dignity of being accounted his people any longer : then God may reject many of the seed of beleeve●s now under the Gospel , though baptized , not onely from salvation , but from all Church-priviledges besides baptisme , and yet make good his promise sealed in baptisme , in which he engageth himselfe to be the God of beleeving Christians and their seed . Fourthly , Mr. Tombes speaks of Abrahams seed by celling , and saith that promise , [ I will be the God of thy seed ] was made good to Abraham in the calling of the Gentiles , pag. 43. Now Mr. Tombes will not say that all the Gentiles were made partakers of an inward calling , the Gentiles then which had but an outward calling , are the seed of Abraham onely by profession say I , because they are of the same profession with the spirituall seed of Abraham , who are inwardly called . If Mr. Tombes say that it is better to term them seed by calling , then seed by profession ; if it bee but an outward call , where lyes the difference ? Fifthly , Mr. Bayne and Arminius are agreed , that by the seed of Abraham , Rom. 9. 8. is meant the elect onely , Omnes filii promissionis censentur in semine , nulli filii carnis censentur in sentine , saith Arminius . Sixthly , the principall difference between Mr. Bayne and Arminius , is , that this elect seed was elected upon Gods foresight of their faith , as Arminius would have it ; but I joyne with Mr. Bayne in detesting this opinion , as injurious to the free and effectuall grace of God : and Mr. Bayne joynes with me , in confessing that in some places of Scripture they who seek to bee justified by the Law , are termed children of the flesh . To conclude this of Arminius , I wonder you should seek to cast an odi●● upon my expression ( as you do here and severall other times ) by saying it's a joyning with Arminius , when you know well enough that you joyne not onely in an expression or two , but in this your very doctrine of opposing Paedo-baptisme , with that monster Servenus , and other like him . Lastly , you are much more stumbled and offended that Mr. Blake should say , There yet remaines in the Church a distinction of Abrahams seed , some borne after the flesh , some after the spirit ; and that both these have a Church interest , or a 〈◊〉 bright to Church priviledges ; and that ●ee for this alledged Gal. 4. 29. even so it is now , &c. I reply , for my part I as much wonder at your calling these passages very grosse , for though it bee granted , 1. That the Apostle shews Ishmael to be intended as a type of civill justiciaries who sought righteousnesse by the law . Yea , and 2. that these persecuted the true Church , who sought justification by Christ . And 3. That they are cast out from being heires , never to partake of the spirituall priviledges of the Covenant ; yet because it is apparent that even these ( who Paul said were typified by the son of Hagar ) had a visible standing in the Jewish Church , and were partakers of outward Church priviledges , and were the same of whom Paul speaks , Rom. 10. 3. Who being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse , and going about to establish their own righteousnesse , have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God. And that in the same place Paul himself saith , even so it is now , ( even in the Church of Gallatia it was so ) and Paul by this Doctrine laboured to make them better . ) I see not why Mr. Blake might not use this as an argument , that some have a visible Church membership , and ought to partake of outward Church priviledges , notwithstanding they will not have the inheritance of children , unlesse they repent . The thing which I conceive offends you in his expression is , that hee thinkes there is a fleshly seed of Abraham : but I know no reason of stumbling at that phrase , since by flesh is there intended any thing which is our own , whatever we put confidence in , and leane upon , as that which may commend us to God ; whether our birth , or parts , our understanding , or morall vertue , yea , or our Religious duties , and performanc●s , all are but flesh ; and this St. Paul plainly signifies , Phil. 3. 3 &c. We are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit , and put no confidence in the flesh , and in the verse following he tells you what he meant by flesh , viz. his birthright , his circumcision , his unblameable conversation , &c. And might not Mr. Blake safely say , there is still a seed of these who are visible members ? My second conclusion was to this effect , Ever since God gathered a distinct number out of the world , to be his Kingdome , Citie , Household , in opposition to the rest of the world , which is the Kingdome , Citie and Household of Satan ; Hee would have Infants of all who are taken into Covenant with him , to bee accounted his , to belong to him , to his Church and family , and not to the Devills . So much weight lies upon this Conclusion , and it so neerely concernes you to make at least a shew of overthrowing it , that in 40 Pages and upward you try all your wits , and artifices to shake the strength of it , by scornefull speeches , by clouding and darkning what was expressed plainely , by framing senses , and confuting what was never asserted nor intended , by Bringing in at the by , opinions of other men , and disputing against them , by alledging the Testimonies of some eminently learned men , when they are nothing to the purpose in hand , and by seeking to elude the strength of my arguments : In all these I shall attend you , and endeavour to cleare what you would seeme to have obscure , briefly to passe over what is impertinent , and chiefly buckle with you in that which concernes the cause in hand . First , you tell me this conclusion is a b●●kin , that may bee put on either leg , right or left , exprest so ambiguously that you know not in what sense to take it . Truely Sir , you take a course to make it seeme so : I knew a man in Cambridge that went for a great Scholler , whose remarkable facultie was , so to expound a Text , as to make a cleare Text darke by his interpretation ; even thus have you dealt with a plaine Conclusion , you bring first , three sorts of senses , then you subdivide them , and under each of them bring severall Imaginable senses , foure or five under one head , five or six under another head , and then blame me that I have not distinctly set down● in which of these senses , Infants of Beleevers belong to the Covenant , whether in respect of Election , or of a promise of grace in Christ , whether potentially , or actually , whether they are so to bee accounted by an act of science , or faith , or opinion , and that grounded on a rule of haritie , or prudence , or probable hopes for the future ; thus you expresse your skill in multiplication of senses : But I reply , that hee that runs may reade my sense , and with the tenth part of the paines you have taken to fasten a sense upon it , which I never thought upon , might confidently have concluded that I meant of a visible priviledge in facie visibilis Ecelesiae , or have their share in the faedus externum , which my words plainely enough held forth when I spake of Gods separating a number out of the world to be his Kingdome , Citie , Household in apposition to the rest of the world which is the Devills Kingdome : and afterwards in the same Conclusion , God having left all the rest of the world to bee visibly the Devills Kingdome ( although among them many belong to his invisible kingdome as being of the number of his elect ) he will not permit the Devill to come and lay visible claime to the off-spring of those who are begotten of the children of the most High , is not this plaine enough ? that as all they who by externall vocation , and profession joyne to the Church of God , ( though few of those many so called are elected ) have a visible right to bee esteemed members of the Church & Kingdom of God , ( which is a visible Corporation , distinct , and opposite to the rest of the world , which is visibly the corporation and kingdom over which the Devill doth reign ; ) So God would have their children , even while they are children , to enjoy the same priviledge with them : what Delian Diver is there any need of , to fetch up the meaning of this ? But that you may no longer complaint of not understanding my sense , I say plainly , The Covenant of grace is sometime taken strictly , sometime largely ; as it is considered strictly , it is a Covenant in which the spirituall benefits of justification , regeneration , perseverance , and glorification are freely promised in Christ . Secondly , as the Covenant of grace is taken largely , it comp●●hendss all Evangelicall administrations which doe wholly depend upon the free and gratious appointment of God , and this administration is fulfilled according to the counsell of Gods will ; sometimes it was administred by his appointment in type● shadowes , and other legall Ordinances ; this Covenant of administration , God said , Z●●●ary 11. 10. h●● did 〈◊〉 with the people of the Jews , and at the death of Christ hee did wholly evacuate and abolish , and in stead thereof brought in the administration which wee live under , where also hee rejected the Jews or booke them off from being his people in Covenant , and called the Gentiles , and graffed them in ram●rum defractorum locum , into the place of the branches broken off , as your selfe page 65. doe with Beza rightly expresse it . Now according to this different acceptation of the Covenant are men differently said to bee in covenant with God , or to be members of his Church and family ; some are mysticall members by inward grace , the inward grace of the Covenant being bestowed upon them , being made new creatures , &c. others are members in regard of the externall and visible aeconomy ; accordingly among the Jewes some were said to bee Abrahams seed according to the promise , and not onely after the flesh , who had the Circumcision of the heart as well as that which was outward , others were Jewes in propatulo , Jewes onely in foro visibilis ecolesia : and in like manner is it under the Evangelicall administration in the Christian Church , some are in Christ by mysticall 〈◊〉 , so as to bee regenerate , &c. 1 Cor. 6. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 17. others are said to bee in Christ by visible and externall profession , as branches which beare no fruite , Iohn 15. 2. and these also are called branches of the Vine , though such branches , as for unfruitfulnesse shall at last bee cut off and cast away ; and often times tells us many are called , but few are chosen : Unto both these do belong great priviledges , though the priviledg●● of the one be saving , & the other not , as shall by and by appeare . Furthermore , according to this different notion of the Covenant grounded upon the different manner of mens being in Christ , there are also different S●ales belonging unto the Covenant ; some peculiar and proper onely unto those who are in Covenant spiritually , a quo●d substantiam et grati●● fae●●ris , as the testimony and Seale of the Spirit , 2 Cor. 1. 2● . Ephes . 1. 13. 14. 30. Rom. 8. 16. others common and belonging unto all , who are in the visible body and branches of Christ the Vine in any relation , and so in Covenant quoad 〈…〉 , till by scandalous 〈◊〉 which are 〈◊〉 with that very outward dignitie and profession they cut themselves off from that relation , and such are the visible and externall Seales annexed to the externall profession among Christians , as the Jewish Seales were to those who were Jewes externally . When therefore I say , they are visibly to bee reckoned to belong to the Covenant with their parents , I meane looke what right a visible pr●fessor hath to bee received and reputed to belong to the visible Church , qu● visible professo● , that right hath his child so to bee esteemed : now all know the spirituall part and priviledges of the Covenant of grace belongs not to visible professors as visible , but onely to such among them who are inwardly such as their externall profession holds out , but yet there are outward Church-priviledges which belong to them as they are visible professors , as to be reputed the sonnes of God , Gen. 6. 1. the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men , Deut. 14. 1. ye are the children of the Lord your God ; and Paul , writing to a visible Church , Gal. 3. 26. saith , yea are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus , ( yet I suppose you doe not thinke that all the Galatians were inwardly so ) so likewise to bee reputed children of the kingdome , Matth. 8. 12. the children of the kingdome shall bee cast out , the children of the Covenant , Act. 3. 25. yee are the children of the Covenant which God made unto our fathers , and many other of their priviledges which belong to them , who are Israelite● in this sense , viz. being by such a separation and vocation the professed people of God ( though they were not all heires of the spirituall part of the Covenant ) Saint Paul reckons up in severall places , as Rom. 9. 4. to them pertaineth the adoption , even to the body of that people ( not a spirituall adoption , but the honour of being separated and reputed to bee the children of God , Deut. 14. 1. ) and the glory , and the covenants , and the giving of the Law , and the service of God , and the promises ; yet of these Paul saith , they were not all children of Abraham , when he speaks of the spirituall seed . So likewise Rom. 3. 1. afte● Paul had shewed Rom. ● . that nothing but faith and inward holinesse gave right to the spirituall part of the Covenant , and that all the externall priviledges of the Jewes , who were onely Jewes in propatulo , Jewes outwardly , were nothing to justification before God , hee then propounds this question , Cap. 3. 1. What advantage then both the Jew , or what profit is there of Circumcision ? what priviledge or gaine is it to bee a visible professor , a visible member of the Jewish Church ? hee answers , the advantage is great many wayes , and instances in this one particular , that the Oracles of God were deposited to them , the custody and dispensation of his Ordinances , which they might use as their owne treasure , and thereby learne to know and feare him , ( therefore it is called their Law , John 8. 17. It is also written in your Law ) when the rest of the nations all that while were without God in the world , and received the rule of their life from the Oracles of the Devill , according to that of the Psalmist , Psal . 147. 10 , 20 He shewed his word to Iacob , his statutes and his judgments to Israel , hee hath not dealt so with any nation , and as for his judgements they have not knowne them : So Deut. 33. 4. The Law is called the inheritance of the Congregation of Iacob . And although it bee true that these visible and externall priviledges will end with the greater condemnation of them who live and die in the abuse of them while they rest in Cortice , in the outward thing it selfe , and labour not after the spirituall part , yet the priviledges themselves are very great . It is no small mercy to have a membership or visible standing in that societie where salvation is ordinary , this our blessed Saviour told the woman of Samaria , Iohn 4. 22. Salvation is of the Iewes , this was the priviledge which the Church of the Jewes had above the Samaritans , that salvation was to bee found in their way , and God in his wisedome hath so ordained it to have his visible Church made up of such , I meane so , as to have some of them inwardly holy , and others of them by externall profession onely , for this reason among many others , that there might bee some who should from time to time bee converted by the Ordinances dispensed in his Church , as well as others , who should be built up , that the Pastors which hee sets up to feed his flocke , should not onely bee nursing fathers to build up , but also fathers to beget sonnes and daughters to him : and though all are bound de jure to bee inwardly holy , who joyne to the Church , yet would hee have his Church admit those who professe their willingnesse to bee his , that hee by his discipline might make them inwardly such as they externally professe themselves and as yet are not in truth , as into a Schoole are admitted not onely such as are actually learned , but such as are dedicated to be learned , not onely quia docti , sed ut sint docti : and who ever will deny this , that there are some rightly admitted by the Church to visible membership , who onely partake of the visible priviledges , must deny , that any are visible members who are not inwardly converted , which I thinke you will doe , but lest you or any other should , I shall at the present back it onely with that speech of the Apostle , Rom. 11. where Paul speakes of some branches grassed into the Olive , and afterwards broken off , not onely the Iewes whom hee calleth the naturall branches were broken off , but the Gentiles also ; the Gentile Churches who were graffed in in their roome , and were made partakers of the roote and fatnesse of the Olive , even they also may bee broken off if they beleeve not , and God will no more spare these branches then hee did the other ; now this cannot bee meant of any breaking off from the invisible Church , from partaking of the spirituall roote and fatnesse of the Olive , from this neither Jew nor Gentile are ever broken off , it were Arminianisme to the purpose to affirme the contrary , it must therefore bee meant onely of a visible standing and externall participation of Church-priviledges ; and if you thinke otherwayes , that none of old were , nor now are visible members of the Church , or had right to externall Church priviledges , unlesse they were inwardly sanctified ; I beseech you in your next , to cleare this , and open our eyes with your evidence that wee may see it with you , and in stead of leading your Reader into a ma●e by framing multitudes of senses & the like , produce some solid arguments to shew , and prove that no other but true beleevers , may in fore visibi●●● Eccl●siae , bee reckoned to belong to the Church and people of God. But I suppose in this particular , you will hardly deny a lawfulnesse of admitting men into a visible communion upon a visible profession , and that rightly , even by a judgement of faith , though their inward holinesse be unknown to us ; for so much you grant , pag. 159. and if by a judgement of faith a Minister as Gods Steward may dispence the seale of the Covenant of grace , and not stay from applying the seale to him , who makes an outward profession , because wee have not a Spirit of discerning , to know them to bee reall beleevers ; then it undeniably follows , That some may rightly be accounted to belong to the Church of God , and Covenant of grace , beside reall beleevers , which is as much as I need , to make my sense and meaning in this Proposition to passe for currant . And truly Sir , whoever will grant that a Minister in applying the seale , must doe it de fide , in faith , being assured he applyes it according to rule ; must either grant such a right as I plead for , that many have right to bee visible members , and bee partakers of the externall administration of Ordinances , though they be not inwardly sanctified ; or else hee must by revelation be able to see and know the inward conversion of every one hee applyes the seale unto ; for certainly hee hath no written Word to build his faith upon , for the state of this or that man. And for my own part , when once you have disproved this , that there is such a visible membership and right to externall administrations as I have here infisted upon , I shall not onely forbeare baptizing Infants , but the administration of the externall seale to any , what profession soever they make , untill I may bee de fide assured , that they are inwardly regenerate . This then was and is my meaning , when I say , That Infants of believers are confederates with their Parents ; that they have the same visible right to be reputed Church-members , as their Parents have by being visible Professors ; and are therefore to be admitted to all such external Church-priviledges as their Infant age is capable of ; and that the visible Church is made up of such visible Professors and their Children , that the invisible takes in neither all of the one , nor the other , but some of both . Whereas therefore you say you are at a stand to finde out what my meaning is , and know not what to deny , or what to grant : and again , pag. 45. You are at a stand whether I meane they are to bee taken in with their Parents into Covenant , in respect of saving grates ; or the outward priviledge of Church-ordinances . I beseech you stand no longer doubtfull of my meaning , I meane of them , as I meane of other visible Professors , they are taken into Covenant both ways respectively , according as they are elect , or not elect , all of them are in Covenant in respect of outward priviledges the elect over and above the outward priviledges , are in Covenant with respect to saving graces ; and the same is to bee said of visible members , both Parents and Infants , under the New Testament , in this point of being in Covenant , as was to be said of visible members , in the former administration , whether Jewes and their children , or Proselytes and their children . I endeavour in all this to speak as clearly as I can possibly , not onely because you say you are oft at a stand to pick out my meaning ; but because this mistake runs through your whole book , that none are to be reputed to have a visible right to the Covenant of grace , but onely such as partake of the saving graces of it . Now I proceed with you . When I say , That God would have beleevers children reputed to belong to his Church and family , and not to the devills . You answer , That you feare I use that expression ( of not belonging to the Devills Kingdome ) to please the people . But Sir , why doe you judge my heart to intend amisse , in using an expression which your self cannot mislike ? I have more cause to think you use all these words ( it cannot be denyed but God would have the Infants of beleevers in some sort to be accounted his , to belong to him , his Church and family , and not to the Devills . And againe , it is true in facie visibilis Ecclesiae , the Infants of beleevers are to bee accounted Gods , &c. ) onely ad faciendum populum , to please the people , because this is not your judgement ; for when you speake your full meaning and sense of this point , you professe you know no more promise for them in reference to the Covenant , then to the children of Turkes : And even here you onely grant them a nearer possibility to belong to the Covenant of grace then the children of Infidels have : therefore in your judgement they are not now actually belonging to it , but onely in a possibility : so that though they may be accounted to belong to the Kingdom of God potentially , yet ( by your doctrine ) they belong to the Kingdom of the Devill actually ▪ and all this charitable opinion which here you expresse toward them , dontaines no more then is to be allowed to the child of a Turk , if born among Christians ; especially , if a Christian will take it , and bring it up in Christian Religion ; and by what may we ground any probable hopes they will actually receive the profession of Christ , since by your rule there is no promise , no externall Covenant ? why may I not have as good hopes of Heathens children , if Gods promise helpe not here ? But say you , To make them actually members of the visible Church , is to overthrow the difinitions of the visible Church , that Protestant Writers use to give ; because they must be all Christians by profession . I reply , it overthrows it not at all , for they all include the Infants of such Professors ▪ as the visible Church among the Jewes did include their Infants , male ( and female too , lest you say that Circumcision made them members : ) I adde also , Baptisme now ( as well as Circumcision of old ) is a reall , though imp●i●●● Profession of the Christian Faith. But ( say you ) Infants are o●ly passive , and doe nothing whereby they may bee denominated visible Christians . I answer , even as much as the Infants of Jewes could doe of old , who yet in their dayes were visible members . Yea ( say you ) further it will follow , That there may bee a visible Church which consists onely of Infants of beleevers . I answer , no more now then in the time of the Jewish Church ; it 's possible , but very improbable , that all the men and Women should dye and leave onely 〈◊〉 behind● them , and it 's farre more probable that a Church 〈…〉 Anabaptists why may consist onely of Hypocrit●● ▪ Againe , you affirme , We are not to account Infants to belong to God , either in respect of election or promise of grace , or presen●● 〈◊〉 of in being in Christ , 〈◊〉 ●state by any act of 〈…〉 with in a particul●● revelation , because there 〈…〉 declaration of God , that the Infants of pris●●● 〈…〉 all or some , either are elected to life , or in the Covenant of grace in Christ , either in respect of present in-being , or future estate . To which I answer briefly , though all this bee granted , if meant of the spirituall part of the Covenant onely , yet this makes nothing against that visible membership which I plead for . Yea , I re●ort the argument upon your selfe , and dare boldly affirme , that by this argument , no visible Church , or all the visible Professors of any Church are to be accounted to belong to God either in respect of election from eternity , or promise of grace , or present state of in-being in Christ , &c. without a particular revelation , because there is no declaration of God that the present visible Professors are indefinitely all , or some , either elected to life , or are in the Covenant of grace in Christ , either in respect of present in-being , or future estate : look by what distinction you will answer this , for visible Professors who are growne men , the same will serve for the Infants of beleevers . In the next place , you make a digression against an expression of Mr. Cottons , which you thinke necessary to do , because you f●●de many are apt to swallow the dictates of such men as Mr. Cotton is , without examination ; he affirmed , the Covenant of grace is given to Christ , and in Christ to every godly man , Gen. 17. 7. and in every godly man to his seed ; God will have some of the seed of every godly man to stand before him for ever : against this you except many things , and according to your usuall course , you frame many senses , of the Covenants being given to every godly man and his seed ; some whereof are so absurd , as no charitable man can imagine ever came in Mr. Cottons thoughts , That every godly man should be to his seed , as Christ to every godly man ; which in truth ( as you say ) would be little lesse then blasphemy . But I shall give you this short Reply , that I take Mr. Cottons meaning to be , that looke as Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob , and other godly Jewes were to their seed , in respect of the Covenant ; that is every godly man to his seed now ; except onely in such things wherein those Patriarchs were types of Christ , in all other things wher●in God promised to be the God of them and their seed , godly parents may plead it as much for their seed 〈◊〉 , as they could then ; and whatever inconvenience or absurdity you seem to fasten upon Mr. Cotton , will equally reach to them also : as for example , suppose an Israelite should plead this promise for his seed , you 'll demand if ●ee plead it to his seed universally , that 's false , and so of the rest of your inferences , look what satisfying answer an Israelite would give you , the same would Mr. Cotton give , and at satisfyingly . As for what you say concerning Abraham , that by the seed of Abraham are meant onely elect and beleevers ; I have sufficiently answered to it before , and shall have occasion to meet with it again in its due place ; therefore I now say no more of it ; but the chief thing you grate upon against M. Cotton , is that expression in the close , That God will have some of every godly mans seed stand before him for ever . You aggravate this to the utmost , as a bold dictate , imposing on Gods counsel and Covenant , the absurdity and falsity wherof , you indeavour to manifest at large : to which I answer in two or three words , that supposing his meaning to be as you set it downe , That it is in reference to election and everlasting life , that every godly man shall have some of his seed infallibly saved . I confesse the expression is not to be justified ; nor doe I thinke that that sense ever came into the mind of so learned and judicious a man as Mr. Cotton is : for my part , I think he onely alluded to that promise made to Jonad●●s children , Jer. 35. tha● God would alwayes beare a mercifull respect unto the posterity of his servants , according to that promise , Exod. 20. 5. I will shew mercy to thousands of them that love mee and keepe my commandements . And that being his scope , ( as I thinke it was ) you need not have kept such a stirre about it . After your digression to meet with Mr. Cotton , in stead of returning to my Sermon , you wander further out of your way ; for after a short discourse of judging children to bee within the Covenant ( by opinion ) according to a rule of prudence or charity ( senses which I meddle not with : and therfore need not stay the Reader in descanting upon them . My rule of judging their condition , being limited to the Rule of Gods revealed will in his word ) you then proceed in an indeavour , wherein you doe but lose time , and waste paper for many pages together , endeavouring to confute what was never asserted by me ; viz. That the Covenant of saving grace is made to beleevers and their naturall seed ; that the Infants of beleevers are so within the Covenant of grace , as to be elected , and to have all the spirituall priviledges of the Covenant belonging to them ; this you would needs have to be my meaning : and I almost suspect you would fasten this sense upon mee , against your owne light ; for pag. 142. you doe as good as cleare mee of it ; where you say , You suppose that I doe not hold , that the Infants of beleevers indifferently have actually the thing signified by baptisme , union with Christ , adoption , pardon of sinne , regeneration , &c. So that in all this discourse , you doe but luctari cum larvis , according to your owne expression , pag. 45. my plain meaning was as is before expressed ; nor doe any of the expressions used by mee , and here brought by you as Arguments to prove this to be my meaning , hold forth any such thing ; as , they are within the Covenant of grace , belonging to Christs body , kingdome , houshold ; therefore are to partake of the seale . True , as visible professors are , quà visible . Againe , they are to bee accounted to belong to him as well as their parents . True , as well as their parents doe by a visible profession . Againe , they are made free according to Abrahams copy . True , according to the promise made to Abraham , I will bee a God to thee and thy seed ; that looke as Abraham and his seed , the Proselytes and their seed , upon their visible owning of God and his Covenant , had this visible priviledge for their posterity , that they should be accounted to belong to Gods kingdom and houshold with their parents ; so it is here . One Argument more you bring ( beside laying of my words together ) to prove that this must needs bee my sense , because you doubt not but my meaning is agreeable to the Directory , which holds forth , That the promises are made to beleevers and their seed : and directs Ministers to pray , That God would make Baptisme to the Infant a seale of adoption , regeneration , and eternall life . And you conclude , that if there be not a promise of these saving graces to Infants , in vaine are they baptized , and the seale is put to a blank ; To which I reply , my meaning is indeed according to the sense of the Directory , and according to that direction , I doe pray that God would make baptisme to bee a seale to the Infant of adoption , and the rest of the saving graces of the Covenant ; yet I utterly deny you consequence , that unlesse there bee absolute promises of saving grace to Infants , the Seale is set to a blank , for give mee leave but to put the same case ; first , for the Infants of the Jewes , was the seale put to a blanke with them , or had they all promises of saving graces ? Secondly , let mee put the same case in growne men , who make an externall visible profession , and thereupon are admitted to baptisme , can any man say , that all the saving graces of the Covenant , or the spirituall part of it , is promised to all visible professors ? is it not abundantly knowne that in all ages , even in the best times , even in the Apostles times , multitudes were baptized , to whom God yet never gave saving graces , and therefore never promised them ? for had hee made a promise , hee would have performed it . But I shall desire you a little to consider the nature of a Sacrament , in what sense it is a seale , and then you neede stumble at this no longer ; these three things are necessarily to be distinguished , first , the truth of the thing signified in a Sacrament ; and secondly , my interest in that thing ; And thirdly , my obligation , to doe what is required in or by that Sacrament : I say therefore , that in every Sacrament , the truth of the Covenant in it selfe , and all the promises of it are sealed to be Yea , and Amen ; Jesus Christ became a Minister of the circumcision , to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers , & so to every one who is admitted to partake of Baptisme , according to the rule which God hath given to his Church , to administer that Sacrament , there is sealed the truth of all the promises of the Gospel , that they are all true in Christ , and that whoever partakes of Christ , shall partake of all these saving promises ; this is sealed absolutely in Baptisme , but as to the second , which is interesse meum , or the receivers interest in that spirituall part of the Covenant , that is sealed to no receiver absolutely , but conditionally ; in this particular , all Sacraments are but signa conditionalia , conditionall seales , sealing the spirituall part of the Covenant to the receiver , upon condition that hee performe the spirituall condition of the Covenant : thus our Divines use to answer the Papists , thus Doctor Ames answers to Bellarmine , when Bellarmine disputing against our doctrines that Sacraments are seales , alledges then they are falsely applyed ostentimes ; hee answers to Bellarmine , Sacraments are conditionall Seales , and therefore not seales to us but upon condition . Now for the third thing , the obligation which is put upon the receiver , a bond or the for him to performe , who is admitted to receive the Sacrament , this third I say is also absolute , all Circumcised and Baptized persons did or doe stand absolutely ingaged to performe the conditions required on their part , and therefore all circumcised persons were by the circumcision oblieged to keepe the Law , that is , that legall and typicall administration of the Covenant which was then in force , and Infants among the rest were bound to this , though they had no understanding of the Covenant , or that administration of the Covenant , when this Seale was administred to them . Now then , since in Baptisme there is first an absolute Seale of the truth of the Covenant of grace in it selfe , a conditionall seale of the receivers interest in the Covenant , and an absolute obligation upon the receiver to make good the Covenant on his part , is there any reason that you should say , that the seale is put to a blank , where the spirituall part or saving grace is not partaked of ? What you further say here , that by Abraham who is the father of the faithfull is meant Abrahams person , and not every beleever , that it was a personall priviledge to Abraham , and not a common priviledge to beleevers as beleevers , which thing you repeate very often , it shall bee considered in a more proper place . So that , you having thus wholly mistaken my sense , and undertaken to dispute against a sense which I never owned , I may therefore passe over your six arguments which you bring to confute this sense which you have set downe : I joyne with you that it is an errour to say that all Infants of beleevers indefinitely are under the saving graces of the Covenant , for although I finde abundance of promises in the Scripture , of Gods giving saving graces unto the posteritie of his people , and that experience ●eacheth us that God uses to continue his Church in their posteritie , and that Gods election lies more among their seed then among others , yet neither to Jew nor Gentile was the Covenant so made at any time , that the spirituall part and grace of the Covenant should bee conferred upon them all ; it is sufficient to mee that they may have a visible standing in the Church , partake of the outward priviledges of the Church , and bee trained up under that discipline , or administration of the Covenant which God uses to make effectuall to salvation , in the meane time all of them to bee visible members as well as their parents , and some of them invisible as well as some of their parents . And therefore although in some of your fix reasons there are divers expressions which I cannot swallow , yet I shall not here stay upon them , but examine them when you bring them elsewhere to dispute against mee , as here you doe not ; onely give mee leave to touch upon the last of your fix arguments , because in some sense it militates against my Thesis , Is this were true , say you , that the Covenant of grace is a birthright priviledge , then the children of beleevers are the children of grace by nature , then Christians are borne Christians , not made Christians ; if the child of a Christian be borne a Christian , as the child of a Turke is borne a Turke ; and if so , how are they borne the children of wrath as well as others ? I answer , According to the sense which I owne I maintaine this assertion to bee true , that the child of a Christian is borne a Christian , it is his birthright to bee so esteemed ; I meane to bee reputed within the Covenant of grace , or a member of the visible Church , our ▪ I am sure it was so , the child of a Iew was borne a Iew , and it was his birthright to bee an Israelite , a visible member of the Church of Israel , and the Apostle Paul stuck not to use the word Iewes by nature , Gal. 2. 15. We who are Iewes by nature , and not 〈◊〉 of the ●●●tiles , ●ee there opposes the naturall priviledge of the members of the Church to the condition of the heathens , and Rom. 11. hee calls the whole nation of the Iewes the naturall branches of the Olive tree , because they were the visible Church of God : Will you say of them also , how were they then the children of wrath by nature ? I answer , doe but consider the Apostles distinction , Rom. 2. last . betwixt a Jew in propatulo in facievisibilis ecclesiae , a Jew without , and a Jew in abscondito , a Jew within , and your objection is answered ; in the first sense , every child of a beleever is brone a Christian , that is , hee is a member of the visible Church ; in the second sense , none can claime it as a birthright , men must be made Christians in that sense , and not borne Christians ; thus this , which is a weake objection of the Lutherans against the Calvinists , is easily answered , to bee children of wrath by nature ▪ and yet to bee holy in an externall Covenant , being borne of beleeving parents , do no whit oppose one another ; thus it was not onely among the Jewes who had a visible standing under the Covenant of grace , and yet multitudes of them were the children of wrath ; but even thus it is unto this day among growne men , who are admitted to be Christians in your way , some of them are sancti , called and holy in the face of the visible Church , and yet not so coram facie dei , whilst others are so both in the spirit and in the letter . Your great errour and mistake is , that you speake not distinctly of the Covenant of grace , for whereas the Covenant is to bee largely understood for the whole dispensation of it in outward Ordinances as well as saving graces , you usually take it strictly for saving graces which belong onely to the elect ; You cannot bee ignorant how our Divines owne the outward administration of the Covenant , under the notion of faedus externum , and the spirituall grace of it under the notion of faedus inte●●um ; you still restraine the Covenant to the spirituall part onely , and would perswade your Reader , that they who speake of the Covenant of grace must meane it thus strictly , and yet you bring not arguments to disprove a true visible membership , upon a visible profession , whether the inward saving grace be known or not . Now I returne with you to my Sermon , where your examen proceeds , I used for illustration sake ●● comparison from other Kingdomes , Corporations and Families ; the children follow the condition of their parents , free m●n● children are borne free , the children of slaves are borne slaves , &c. and thus hath God ordained ( said I ) that it shall bee in his Kingdome and Family , children follow the Covenant condition of their parents ; this passage you slight , first in generall , as that which containes nothing but dictates ; but par●ius-ista-vitis , you may give your adversary two in the seven at dictating , you who call my onely using a comparison or allusion to bee a dictating can dictate in this very place , Christianitie say you is no mans birthright , this was but even just now the question betwixt you and Mr. Blake , and you here without any proofe ●et downe this peremptory conclusion ( which was the very question betwixt you ) Christianitis is no mans birth-right , but the thing is true , call it what you please , and will not bee blowne away with a scornefull puffe : but say you , I do●very carnally imagine the Church of God to bee like civill Corporations , as if persons were to bee admitted into it by birth , whereas in this all is done by free election of grace , and according to Gods appointment . I reply , you carnally and sinfully judge of Gods wayes in this particular , for is it not evident that the Jewish Church was in this like civill corporations ? were not children then admitted in by birth-right , and yet was not grace then as free as it is now ? had the Jewes by birth no seale of grace , and that by Covenant , because God was the God of them and their seed , or was there no grace accompanying the Jewish Sacraments ? I suppose you are not so Popish as to deny it . And further I pray you tell mee , was not all done among them as much by the free election of grace , as among us ? are you of Arminius his mind , that Iacob and Esa● ( both circumcised persons ) are not proposed to us , Rom. 9. as such who hold forth to us the soveraigntie of God in election and reprobation ? Secondly , what meane you when you say , all is done in the Church according to the f●●● election of grace ? T is true , if you meane it of the Church invisible , all is there done by the free election of grace , but wee are speaking of the visible Church : and I hope you will not say , all is there done by free election of grace , you will not say that none have any interest in the visible priviledges , but onely they who are elected . You adde , yea to conceive that it is in Gods Church , as in other kingdomes , is a seminary of dangerous superstitions and errors ; Dr. Reynolds in his conference with Hart hath shewed that hence arose the frame of government by Patriarchs , Metropolitans , &c. and this is ( say you ) the reason of invocation of Saints , &c. I reply , true , for men to say thus it must be , or thus it may b●e in God● kingdome , because it is so in other kingdomes , is the very Seminary which Dr. Reynolds speaks of ; but to mention some things alike in Gods Kingdome and other kingdomes , when God himselfe hath made them so , it is obedience and not presumption . Yea , it is a great sinne to call that a carnall imagination which is Gods owne doing . Next when I say , if hee take a father into Covenant , hee takes the children in with him , if hee reject the parents , the children are east out with them . You answer , if I meane this in respect of election and reprobation , it is not true , or in respect of the Covenant of grace which is congruous to election or reprobation . I answer , you judge right , I meant it not of election or reprobation ; nor that the saving graces of the Covenant are alwayes made good , either to Infants or growne men , who are taken into Covenant ▪ I meant it as before I expressed it , of taking in , into a visible Church-standing . But ( say you ) neither is that true , it is not true in respect of outward Ordinances , the father may bee baptized and not the child , and è contra , the father may , bee deprived , and the child may enjoy them , I answer , but this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the thing that is in question betwixt us , the contrary whereunto I undertake to justifie ; Indeed de sacto , the one may enjoy them , and the other hee deprived of them , a father may bee baptized , and his child die before it bee baptized ▪ but our question is de jure , whether a Parent , being a beleever , his child hath not right to Baptisme , and other Church-priviledges , as it growes copable of them , at the ●ew●s children had to Circumcision , &c. De sacto , it fell out sometimes so among the Jewes , David , the ●ather circumcised , and not the child borne to him by Bathsheba , which dyed the seventh day , and was not Circumcised , and many multitudes more in the same condition , but is this any thing against the right of Infants to be● Circumcised ? Next ( say you ) In this point there i● 〈◊〉 certaintie or agreement in the paedobaptists determination , becaus● Mr. Rutherford saies , the children of Papists , and excommunicate Protestants which are barne with in our visible Church , are baptized if their forefathers have been found in the faith , but others will deny it , and you cite Mr. Cotton in the Margin , wh● sayes that if hath the nearest parents bee excommunicated , the child is not to bee baptized , because the parents are to us as heathen● , and th●● , say you , Paedobaptists as well as Anabaptists , like wates of the Sea , beat one against another : To which I answer , This peculiar controversie betwixt some Paedobaptists , by 〈◊〉 right the children are to bee baptized , whether by right of their nearest parents only , or by the right of their remoter forefathers , who have been sound in the faith , is very little helpefull to your cause , nor is it any very great controversie betwixt those parties whom you mention , for Mr. Cotton in the very words cited , doth almost , ( if not altogether ) reconcile it , while hee saith , when the nearest parents are excommunicate , it may bee considered whether the child may not bee baptized either if the Grandfather or Grandmother make profession , or in the right of the Houshold Governour , who promises to educate the child in the faith , 〈◊〉 by proportion of the Law may bee gathered from Gen. 17. 12 , 13. Here is little or no beating of one wave against another , but both of them beating Anabaptists ; and I wish , that your answer did no more beace against the very reason of the holy Ghost , Gen. 17. 7. who makes this his Argument why hee would have the male children circumcised , and thereby reckoned to bee in Covenant with him , because their parents are in Covenant with him ; this in mee you call a carnall imagination , take heed you dash not against the Lord Jehovah himselfe . Lastly , whereas I adde thus i● w●● in the time of the Iewes , both Jewes and Proselytes , they and their children came thi● Covenant together , and when God rejected the parents out of the Covenant , the children were cast out with them . To this you answer , indeed when par●nts were taken into Covenant , their children were circumcised with them , but whether this make any thing for baptizing of Infants you shall con●ider in du● place , and there ( God willing ) I shall meet with you . But for the second thing , that when the parents were cast out of Covenant the Children were cast out with them ; this ( say you ) is not true , parents might bee Idolaters , Apostates , &c. yet their children were to bee circumcised ; I answer , first , Is it not evident in the Jewes at this day , that they and their children are cast out together ? and ( I adde ) if you would shew the falsitie of it , you should have given some instance , not of parents , who remaine Gods people in externall profession , not having received a Bill of divorcement , though their lives might possibly bee very wicked , but of some who were cast off from being visible professors , and yet their Infants remaine in the visible societie of the Church , or of some who were visibly thus taken in , and their Infants left out , but instead of this , you still goe on in your wonted equivocation of the word Covenant of grace , taking it onely of the Covenant of saving grace , not including the externall way of administration with it . Now ( God willing ) I shall try what strength there is in your exceptions against those Texts I brought to prove that Infants of Beleevers do belong to the Covenant now as well as the Infants of Jewes did under the former administration . The first whereof was taken out of Acts 2. 38. 39. where Peter exhorting his hearers to beleeve and bee baptized , used this as an Argument taken from the benefit which should come to their posteritie , The promise is made to you and to your children , &c. The first branch of your answer is according to your usuall method , to throw dirt in the face of an Argument which pinches you , sleighting and scorning that which you know not how to answer ; and then to frame severall senses , and raise a dust about it ▪ You complaine how irkesome it is to Readers and Answerers , to finde them who alleadge ● Text to paraphrase upon it , but show not how they conclude from it . It is harder for you to finde your enemy then to vanquish him ; and you wish , that I would first distinctly expound , and then frame my arguments out of the Text. I answer I hardly can tell whether it were best to smile at or pity this grievous trouble you are put to , that your patience should bee thus compelled deverare taedium ; it seemes you expected I should make syllogismes in moode and figure , in a Sermon ad populum , if you did not , I wonder why you should bee thus troubled , since as plainely as I could I expressed the meaning of the Text : I first shewed where the strength of the Argument lay viz. That not onely themselves upon their faith and Baptisme should receive such an Invaluable benefit , but their children should also ( as under the former administration they were ) bee taken into a better administration , the Covenant being now exhibited in the best and fullest manner , and all they whether neere or farre off , who would owne this should themselves and their children with them , bee under this best Covenant , as formerly they were when the Covenant was more darke . And in the progresse of my discourse I both proved this to bee the meaning , and answered the exceptions to the contrary . Next follows your severall senses : You doubt whether I fetch children in under the first part , I will be thy God ; or whether under the second , I will be the God of thy seed . Or whether I meane is of saving graces , or Church-priviledges . One while you doubt whether my sense be , that God will be the God of their children if they obey his call : then you rather guesse it , That if the Parents obey his call , bee will be the God of them , and their children , though the children doe not obey his call . Yea further ( because here are not yet senses enough ) you proceed and say , If by the promise to them and their children , be meant of outward Church-priviledges ; then the sense must bee , If you will beleeve , repent and be baptized , then you and your children shall be baptized . Yet another sense you make out of that which I spake ( at the by ) of Zacheus , Luke 19. that salvation came to his house upon his beleeving ; that thence may be gathered , That the meaning is , a mans whole houshold may be saved barely by his beleeving : and not content with all these senses , you step out of your way to bring in Mr. Goodwins interpretation of Zacheus , that he meant it of the whole houshold ; and that thence he collected that an household was Ecclesia prima , which you confute , and then you set down your own sense of salvation comming to Zacheus his house ; that by Zacheus his house is mean● onely Zacheus himself . What multiplicity of imaginary senses , and consequences of senses are here poured out on an heape ? could the ●arest Chymick have extracted any more ? The Reader would hardly swadlow downe the tediousnesse of my discourse , if I should take them all singly , and shew what I own or reject of each of them : It is better to set down the plaine sense together , and make it goods ; and then he will discern how you have indeavoured to cloud an argument , and wrangle against it , when you cannot answer it . I plainly expressed the Apostles argument to be fetched from the benefit , which would not onely come to themselves , but to their children by their beleeving in Christ ; and after added , that the cleare strength of the Argument lay thus ; God hath now remembred his Covenant to Abraham , in sending that blessed seed in whom hee promised to be the God of him and of his seed ; doe not you by your unbeliefe deprive your selves and your posterity of so excellent a gift : In which passage you acknowledge I have hit the marke , and given that very interpretation which you owne . And whereas you adde as a further illustration , that the promise is now fulfilled to them and their children , according to Acts 3. 25. Ye are the children of the Prophets , and of the Covenant , which God made with our fathers , &c. I confesse that is true , but not all that is meant ; and yet even that strengthens my Argument , the Covenant which God made with their Fathers , That hee would bee th● God of them , and of their seed , and they were the children or heires of that Covenant ▪ that look as God was the God of Abraham and his seed , so he would be the God of them and of their seed , if they did beleeve and were baptized ; and therefore he would not have them by their unbelief deprive themselves and their children of that priviledge : this I then made my argument , and this you saw well enough , and therefore say , that this expression , doe not by your unbeliefe deprive your posterity of so excellent a gift , hath a little relish of my interpretation of the promise concerning the naturall seed of beleevers . But Sir , why doe you call it a little relish ? it is the very scope of my Argument , that look as God did when hee made the promise of grace in Christ to Abraham upon his beleeving , and took also his posterity , those that were borne of him , into Covenant with him , in the sense which I before alledged ; and not onely the naturall Jews , but even among all Nations , whoever became followers of Abrahams faith , did inherit Abrahams promise , That he would be the God of them and their seed , and by vertue of that promise , their children were taken into visible communion : so this blessed seed [ in whom this promise was founded ] being now come , would according as heretofore , make it good to al , whether Jewes or Gentiles , that should beleeve in him . This clause of the Covenant of grace , and the interpretation of it , viz. That it belongs to all believers , and that by vertue of it their children are to be received into visible communion , you often dispute against , and sometimes say that it was a promise peculiar to Abraham at other times , it was at the utmost to be extended no further then to Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob , to have their posterity ( as born of them ) to belong to the visible Church , though in this place where it was most proper , you say little or nothing about it , onely make wrangling exceptions against my interpretation ; but because it most pertinent to the businesse in hand , I shall here take it into consideration , and manifest that it was not a personall priviledge to Abraham ; no nor to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , to have their poste●●ty taken into Covenant by vertue of that promise , I will be the God of thee and thy seed For first , though Abraham was the father of the faithfull , and so in some sense [ the root , as you elsewhere call him : ] yet the Covenant was made with him for his faiths sake , and believers are his children and heires , and partake of those priviledges and promises which were made to him : and therefore look as Abrahams faith justified him before God , & gave him interest in the spirituall graces of the Covenant , and none but himself ; yet it was so beneficiall and advantageous to his children , that for his sake they should be accounted to belong to Gods Kingdom and houshold , and partake of the externall priviledges of it ; and thereby be trained up under the discipline of it , and so bee fitted for spirituall priviledges and graces which God doth ordinarily confer upon them who are thus trained up ; so shall it bee with them who become followers of Abrahams faith . Secondly , had it been a peculiar priviledge to Abrahams naturall seed , Proselytes of other Nations could never by vertue of their becomming followers of Abrahams faith , have brought their children into Covenant with them , so as to have a visible Church-membership , as wee know they did . Thirdly , and we know also that this promise of being the God of beleevers and their seed , was frequently renewed many hundred yeers after Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob were dead and rotten , as Deut. 30. 6. The Lord will circumcise thy heart , and the heart of thy seed , &c. so Esa . 44. 2 , 3. Feare not O Jacob my servant , and thou Jesh●run whom I have chosen , I will poure my spirit upon thy seed , and my blessing upon thine off-spring , and they shall spring up as among the grasse , &c. So likewise Esay 59. 21 As for me this is my Covenant with them , saith the Lord , my Spirit that is upon thee , and my words which I have put in thy mouth , shall not depart out of thy mouth , nor out of the mouth of thy seed , nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed , saith the Lord , from henceforth and for ever , and this last promise your selfe acknowledge , page 54. to bee intended chiefly of the nation of the Jewes at their last calling in : and whereas you use to elude these Texts by saying these things belong onely to the elect , when they come to beleeve , and reach not to any priviledge which is externall ; I reply , by the same answer you might cut off the seed of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , for to beleevers then as well as to beleevers now were these promises made ; and I shall desire you , to thinke how by this Answer you will avoyd that which page 42. you call absurditie and trifling in Mr. Cotton . For Instance ; God made this promise ( say you ) to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , to bee the God of them and of their seed , in all generations : see how you will answer your owne objection ; if it bee understood universally to all his seed , that is manifestly false , all his seed had not God to be their God ; or if it be meant conditionally , if they beleeve , then the meaning must bee , that God would bee the God of Abraham and his seed if they did beleeve ; and then it signifies no more then thus , that God will bee the God of every beleever , and then it is but trifling to adde , to bee the God of him and of his seed , because nothing is more expressed in the last words th●n what is said in the former ; therefore this promise made to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , must bee restrained to elect and beleevers onely , not to the naturall seed of Abraham , Isaac , and Iacob , but to beleevers , as they and their seed by calling : thus by your owne Argument you cut off all the Jewes but such as were elect and inwardly holy , as much as you doe the Gentiles , from having any visible communion in externall priviledges . Consider what you will answer to these things , I nothing feare but by what distinction you will fetch off the Jewes , wee shall fetch off the children of beleevers , whether Iewes or Gentiles . This I adde to make it more cleare , that that promise , Gen. 17. I will bee the God of thee and of thy seed , ( to which the Apostle here relates ) is a Gospell promise , which from age to age holds forth some benefits even to the naturall seed of beleevers . So that when the Apostle presseth them to beleeve in Christ , and by being baptized to come under this new and best administration of the Covenant , by an Argument reaching to their posteritie ; the sense is no more then thus , you have indeed crucified the Lord of life , and deserve that his blood should bee required of you and of your children , and that that Vineyard ( the heire whereof you have killed ) should bee taken away from you , but if yet you will receive him offered to you in his Gospell , it shall not prove so , but you shall receive the holy Ghost , you shall bee justified , accepted , you shall still bee a chosen generation , the Church and people of God , ye● and your posteritie shall be under this best administration , they shall be accounted by vertue of this promise still to bee his , and be trained up for him , in his Schoole , in his house , as heretofore they have beene , yea and with greater advantage , because a greater abundance of the spirit is now poured and to bee poured out . Try what absurdities you can make to follow from this Argument . After I had opened the scope of the Argument , I proceeded to examine what exceptions are made against it . First , some say the promise here mentioned is meant of extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost , this I confuted , in this you concurre with mee , onely ( that you might debase as much as is possible what ever I goe about to prove ) you adde , my reasons are not sufficient to confute it , for though all who then beleeved and were baptized did not receive those extraordinary gifts , yet Peter might assure them that it should be so for the future ; This deserves no reply ; is it imaginary that Peter might promise what never was to bee performed ? was it to be true at any time , that all who beleeve should receive the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost ? Your selfe say elsewhere , you should incurre blasphemy to challenge a promise which God should not make good . And whereas you adde further , that it doth not follow that this promise must bee true in all ages , that whoever beleeves and is baptized , shall receive remission of sinnes , and the gift of the holy Ghost ; b●cause there is nothing in the Text to prove that this promise should be in force in all ages . But Sir is there not in the Text , all that are afarre off , even as many as the Lord our God shall call ; and doth not that reach to all ages ? The other shif● which I said was insufficient to avoyd the force of this Argument , is their interpretation who say , To you and your children , must bee thus limited , viz. as many of them as the Lord shall call , that is , when any of your children come to bee called , this promise shall bee made good unto them ; now I said this was but a shift , because the Apostles Argument is taken from the benefit which should come to their children , which would bee no Argument at all ; because with this limitation , it holds forth no more to the children of beleevers then to Pagans , the promise is made to as many as God shall call , that is , to you , to your children , and to Pagans , and their children as much as to you and your children ; what argument can this afford from a benefit which their children should receive if they beleeved ? But this say you is the genuine and necessary explication of the Text , for let the promise bee what it can bee , whether of saving graces , of outward priviledges , of extraordinary gifts , it is no wayes true without that limitation , as many as the Lord shall call . But this is but a deceiving of your Reader with an equivocation in the word call , for if you meane of inward effectnall calling , of true faith wrought in the heart , and then say , what ever is meant by the promise , whether inward graoes or outward priviledges , none partake of any of these things , without this inward call : I must tell you , this is one of the things you use to call dictates , bold assertions without proofe , the falsehood whereof is abundantly manifested already : Do you not know and grant that outward priviledges are common to elect and reprobate ? But if you meane it of outward calling , then I not onely assert , but have already proved their Infants injoy this calling with them . But because you cannot deny that the Apostle here meant to fetch an Argument taken from the benefit which should come to their children , you have found out another shift , and say , the maine matter was concerning themselves to erect them , because they had said , His blood be upon us and upon our children , and this was a comfortable Argument , because they might hereby understand , that notwithstanding this imprecation or execration , they and their children might yet bee saved by this Jesus whom they had crucified , in case they should beleeve in him . But I reply , first , there is nothing in the Text to evince it , that all these men either uttered that curse , or were privie to it : for though Peter said they had crucified him , he meant the Scribes and Pharisees had done it , and elsewhere hee saies , the Jewes which dwelt . at Ierusalem had done it : it is most probable that many of these stranger Jewes knew nothing of it . Secondly , let it bee granted that they both knew it and were parties in it , and so consequently that the application of the promise was the more seasonable to them , yet because it was the promise of the Covenant , which belonged to every Covenanter , that God in Christ would bee a God to them and to their seed , and that hee pressed it to them as to those who were children of the Covenant , Acts , Chap. 3. Verse 25. this Argument taken from the Covenant had been of use , though that speech had never beene uttered . As for that which you call the witlesse descant I put upon my adversaries , while I say the Argument must run thus , that if the Apostle must be interpreted , ( as these men would have him ) to you and your children , so many of them as the Lord shall call , viz. you and your children have hitherto been an holy seed . But now if you beleeve in Christ your selves , your children shall bee in no better condition then the rest of the Pagan world , but if afterward any of them or any of the heathen shall beleeve and be baptized , their particular persons shall be taken into Covenant , but their Children still left out , this ( said I ) would not have been a very comfortable Argument to perswade them to come in , in relation to the good of their children . To this your answer is , that this witlesse descant followes not on the applying the restriction in the end of the verse , to them , their children , and all that are afarre off ; and that which I burden my adversaries Tenet with , of putting beleevers Infants out of the Covenant into the condition of Pagans children is a Co●cysme answered before . But Sir , bee it witlesse or witty , they must owne it whose it is , and I perceive you can more easily put it off with a scoffe then give it a solid answer , and it is a thorne which will not so easily bee plucked out of your side ▪ the strength of it is , Peter could not have used this as an Argument to perswade them to come under this administration of the Covenant , whereof Baptisme was a seale , from the benefit which should come to their children if your interpretation bee true , because by this their children should be in a worse condition , in relation to the Covenant , then they were before : all grant in the former they were included ; you say in this latter , you know no more promise for them then for the children of 〈…〉 : How then could this argument be fit to be used ? tel me I pray you , suppose a man held some Farm or Office under some great man , and that in his Grant or Patent , there were some apparent priviledges or benefits included concerning his posterity ; If now the Lord of whom hee held it , should offer him a new Grant in which his children should be expressely left out , and no more priviledges for them then for meere strangers , could an Argument bee taken from the benefit that should come to his Children , to perswade him to give up his former , and accept this latter Grant ? I thinke not . And whereas you call that expression of putting of the children of beleevers into the same state with the children of Turks , a Coccysme which you have answered before . I pardon your scornfull expression , you doe but kick at that which bites you , it is a truth which you have no cause to delight to heare of ; you have answered it indeed , by granting the truth of it , as the Reader may plainly see in my Answer to your 10 Section of the second Part ; and to Sect. 3. of this part . Whereas I further said in my Sermon , except in relation to the Covenant , there was no occasion to name their children , it bad been sufficient to have said a promise is made to as many as the Lord shall call . You answer , Their children indeed are named in relation to the Covenant : But there was another reason then that which I alledge ; not onely their imprecation , Matth. 27. 25. but especially because Christ was first sent to the Jews and their children , Acts 3. 26. I Reply , but this reason which you alledge affords no Argument for them now , to beleeve and repent from any benefit should come to their posterity by vertue of that promise , I will bee thy God , and the God of thy seed . To close this Section , you say , The Antipadobaptists have hence a good Argument against baptizing of Infants , because Poter required of such as were in Covenant repentance before baptisms . I answer , just as good an one , as because Abraham was in Covenant , and an actuall beleever , and justified by the faith he had in uncircumcision , and received it as a seal of the righteousnesse of faith ; therefore all these must go before Circumcision ; and because all who turned Proselytes to the Jews , must first make profession of their faith ; therefore none may bee circumcised but such as they are . But more of this when we consider this Argument in your Exercitation . Next , let us try whether your successe bee any better against the next Text of Scripture which I brought to prove this Conclusion ; viz. Rom. 11. 16. &c. where I said , The Apostles scope was to shew that we Gentiles have now the same graffing into the true Olive which the Jewes formerly had ; and our present graffing in is answerable to their present casting out ; and their taking in at the latter end of the World , shall bee the same graffing in [ though more gloriously ] as ours is now ; and it is apparent that at their first graffing in , they and their chi●dren were taken in ; at their casting out they and their children were broken off ; and when they shall be taken in again at the end of the world , they and their children shall be taken in together ; and all this by vertue of the Covenant , Ero Deus tuus , &c. Which is the same to us and to them , we and they making up the Church of God. In your Examen of this Argument you still proceed in your old method ; first to cast scorne upon it , as such an obscure Argument , That none but a Diver of Delos can fetch up the meaning of it : and indeed , should you not pretend difficulties , you could have no colour to bring in so many imaginary senses ; thereby to darken an Argument , which is the second branch of your Artifice : As whether this ingraffing be meant of the visible , or invisible Church , by faith , or profession of saith certain , by reason of election , or Covenant of grace made to them , or probable and likely , because for the most part it happens so , &c. Alas Sir , why doe you thus strip your selfe to dive under the water , when the sense swims upon the top : Look how the Jewes were Gods people , so are the Churches of the Gentiles ; looke how the Jewes children were graffed in , so are our children , we are taken in , in stead of them who were cast out , and become one visible kingdom of Christ with the rest of , them who kept their station ; this is the plaine sense of my Argument . Now if you please but to apply all your imaginary senses to the Jews and their children , and say , if they and their children were graffed in together , was it into the visible , or invisible Church ? was it by faith , or the profession of faith ? was it certain or probable ? Doe you not thinke your Reader would smile at the vanity of these questions ? When you have set downe your senses , next you thus proceed , the thing that is to be proved is , That all the infants of every beleever are in the Covenant of Free grace in Christ , and by vertue thereof to bee baptized into the Communi - of the visible Church . No Sir , the thing to bee proved from this Text , is , That our infants have the same right which the infants of the Jews had , and your Arguments fight against the Infants of the Jews , as much as against the Infants of the Gentiles ; for [ to apply your own words spoken of beleevers now , to the Jewes then , ] Though it may bee granted that the infants of the Jews were for the most part under the election and Covenant of grace , and so in the visible Church ; yet it will not follow that every infant of a Jew , in as much as hee is the child of a Jew , or a beleever , is under the Covenant of grace , because we have Gods expresse declaration to the contrary , Rom. 9. 6 , 7 , 8. and all experience proves the contrary ; is not this as much against the one as the other ? To what I said , the Jewes Infants were graffed in by Circumcision ; therefore ours are to be ingraffed in by Baptisme . You answer , by demanding whether in good sadnesse I doe thinke the Apostle here meanes by graffing in , baptizing or Circumcision , or incision by outward Ordinances ; for if that were the meaning , then breaking off must be meant of uncircumcising or unbaptizing . To which I reply , that in good sober sadnesse I do think that graffing in is admission into visible membership , or visible communion with the Church of Christ ; and that the externall seale of their visible graffing in was Circumcision , and of ours Baptisme ; and yet it follows not , that breaking off is onely uncircumcising , or unbaptizing ▪ but breaking off●●● a casting out from that visible membership whereof this Sacrament is a Symbole . But to you it seems that ingraffing here , is meant of the invisible Church by election and faith : I Reply , if it be meant of the invisible Church onely ; and that all who are graffed in , in the Apostles sense , whether Jews or Gentiles , are onely electones , I will solemnly promise you never to plead this Scripture more , for any Infants , either of Jews or Gentiles ; no nor for visible Professors of either of them ; provided onely if you cannot make that good , you will [ as indeed you must ] yeeld that some are to be reputed visible Church-members , though not elect , whether Jews or Gentiles , and that our graffing in , is as theirs was ; they and their children , we and our children ; and if you please , let us a little try it out . The Text is plaine , some of the branches were broken off , such branches whose naturall growing in the Olive yeelded them that priviledge which they now partake of who are graffed in in their stead ; were these broken off from the invisible Church ? you dare not say so : if then the Olive from which they were broken off , bee the visible Church , I have enough : and I wonder that any but an Arminian , should make any question that the Apostle speaks onely of rejecting the Nation of the Jewes from being the visible Church , and taking the body of the Gentiles in their stead , to be Gods visible Kingdom ; in that it is meant of such an ingraffing as may be broken off , which cannot bee from the invisible Church . But let us see how you seek to evade this , and how you prove that it must bee meant of the invisible Church : Abraham ( say you ) bad a a double capacity , one of a naturall Father , and another the father of the faithfull ; in respect of the former capacity , some are called branches according to nature ; others wilde Olives by nature , yet graffed in by faith : and when it is said that some of the naturall branches were brokin off , the meaning is not that some of the branches of the invisible Church may be broken off ; but onely such as were so in appearance , according as our Saviour expresses it Joh. 15. 2. But I Reply , I professe I understand not how this distinction gives you the least helpe , for tell me I pray you , were not these whom you cal naturall branches is truly in the Olive as they who being wilde by nature were yet graffed in , in the stead of them who were broke off ? If they were , how doth this distinction help you ? You say indeed , That the Infants of beleeving Jewes were not in the Covenant of grace , because they were their children : if by this you meane they were not members of the invisible Church , you say the truth , but nothing to the purpose . But if your meaning be , that they had not a visible membership , such an ingraffing as gave them a right to outward Ordinances ; you not onely contradict the Scripture , but your selfe , who plead this , That it was a peculiar priviledge to Abraham , that his children should have such a visible standing as ours have not : plainly , the Jewes were the naturall branches , some of them were elect , some not , the body of them were the branches spoke of in this place ; many of these were broke off , others of them kept their station ; yet Gods election failes not ; even so is it now , the Gentiles were graffed in , that is , their visible faith gave them a visible ingraffing , their invisible faith gave them ( who have it ) an invisible membership : yea , to me your selfe seem to say as much , when pag. 63. you affirme , incision may be either into the visible or invisible Church ; graffing in , may be either by faith , or profession of faith . And pag. 65. It is true that our present graffing in , is answerable to [ or rather for their ] casting out ; that is , God would supply in his Olive tree the Church , the casting away of the Iews by the calling of the Gentiles , so much the Apostle saith , ver . 17. thou being a wilde Olive , wer 't graffed in , in ramorum defractorum locum , into the place of the branches broken off ; if you mean it in this sense ( say you ) I grant it . And truly Sir , in these words , to my understanding , you grant not onely my interpretation of this place , but even the question controverted betwixt us . First , you grant my interpretation , that it is not meant of the invisible , but the visible Church : for I know you will not say that any of the elect Jewes were broken off , and the Gentiles elected and put into their place . It must therefore be meant of the visible , and of the visible Church of the New Testament ; and that those Jewes who kept their station , and we who are in the roome of those that were broke off , doe make that Olive which the Jewes made before . Yea secondly , you by necessary confequence grant , that our children are taken in as theirs were , we are graffed in , in ramorum defractorum loeum ; we supply in the Olive tree the Church , the casting away of the Jews . Now if we thus supply , our children supply the place of their children which were broken off ; and beside , we are one with the rest of the Jews who remained in this Olive ; and their remaining in the Olive , did not ( I hope ) deprive them of that priviledge which before-times they had for their children , and therefore we must have the same with them , and a greater then they had for their children , none of us ever pleaded , though ours be clearer , and a greater measure of grace accompanying it . You goe on , and say , when some of the naturall branches were cut off , it is not meant any otherwise then our Saviour Christ meanes , Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me not bearing fruit hee takes away ; that is , not that any branch truly in him could bee fruitlesse , or taken away , but onely those branches which were so in appearance . I reply , that this is my very meaning , that this standing as branches of the Olive , is not to be limited to the invisible , but takes in the visible also , not restrained to such as have a spirituall union with Christ by faith , but takes in also the externall profession of faith , which oft times is not in truth , that which it appears to be . Whereas you say , the Apostles scope in the whole chapter is to answer that question ; Hath God cast away his people , &c. and not to shew that wee have now the same graffing into the true Olive which the Jews formerly had . I answer , I undertook not to Analize the whole Chapter , but to open the scope of that matter or argument which begins at the 16 ver . and that you cannot gainsay , but that there the Apostle makes an Argument from our graffing in in their stead . And you minde me also of my owne distinction of the substance of the Covenant , and the administration of it . Sir , I thank you for remembring me of it , it is of very good use in this place , though not of that use which you bring it for , we have the same Covenant with them for the substance ; which Covenant consists of the same blessings , and is applyable upon the same conditions , belongs to the same sorts of persons , but the administration of it , is clean differing from theirs . You grant , That by faith wee partake of the substance of the Covenant , in respect of which , all beleeving Gentiles are Abrahams seed . Yea , and you may adde , visible beleevers are his visible seed : But if you mean it ( say you ) of the outward administration of this ingraffing by Circumcision , Baptisme , &c. nothing is more false , the outward administration is utterly taken away ; and to affirme that it is not , were to ●vacuate the blood of Christ in this particular . But Sir , this is at the best but cunning dealing , and in part , a confident false assertion ; it is cunning to say by Circumcision , Baptisme , &c. as if both these belonged to one administration . Indeed to affirme that ingraffing into the visible Church , should now bee by Circumcision , were to evacuate the death of Christ in that particular ; but to say [ as you ought , if you would speake plainly ] that to have our initiation now by Baptisme into the visible Church , as formerly by Circumcision ; or to say that all outward administrations of the Covenant are now utterly taken away , [ though the old one is vanished ] is not onely a co●fident , but a false assertion , and if you say not this , you apply my distinction to no purpose . You goe on , whereas I said their taking in in the end of the world wil be as ours , they and their children ; you grant this is true . If it be true , that their children by being the children of beleevers shal be accounted to belong to the Church , you grant my Argument , if you meane not so , but think that at their last and best restauration , their children shal not enjoy that priviledge which they had when they were Gods people before , why doe you not say so , that all the world may see that you think in their best condition they shall bee deprived of that glorious priviledge which they enjoyed in their non-age ? and yet you grant , That they and their children shall bee taken in , yea and a more full taking in of the children of the Jews , then is now of the Gentiles , according to that , Rom. 11. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved . But ( say you ) all this proves not , that God would have either all Infants of beleevers , counted his as elect persons , or in the Covenant of grace in Christ , or in the face of the visible Church admitted to Baptisme . I answer , the thing to be proved was , our Infants have the same priviledge with theirs ▪ and that it proves abundantly ; as for election , wee are not to esteem all visible members , whether Infants or grown men , to bee elected , God having declared the contrary , this being true in all ages of the Church , Many are called , and but few chosen . Notwithstanding , when we speak of particulars , wee have the same ground of charitable hope for one as for another . As for your other expression , That this proves not that they are to bee looked upon as visible members of the Church , and to be admitted to outward Ordinances ; this is onely to deny the Conclusion , whether this being proved , that our Infants have the same right to bee reckoned to the Church of God , as well as the Infants of the Jews , be not a just ground , and as good a foundation to prove , that therefore they must bee admitted to that Ordinance which is the initiall seale , shall in due time appeare , when I have made good the next conclusion , That Baptisme succeeds in the roome of circumcision to that use ; in the meane time let the Reader judge . I further said of the Jews , they shall by vertue of Gods Covenant bee taken in againe in the end of the world , because the root is holy , because Gods covenant with Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob extends yet to them , and shall againe blossome , and will take place , when the Nations unbeleefe shall bee taken away , and their present nationall condition I shadowed out in the comparison of Nebuchadnezzars dreame , Dan. 4. 14. of a tree that was cut downe , and the root bound with an iron chaine , and yet afterward did grow again . The thing it self you deny not , nor go about to answer my argument drawn from the Jewes , viz. we , as they , were taken in ; they , and their children shall be at the last taken in againe , as they were at the first : and therefore we and they making up the same body , are taken in upon the same ground , our children with us , as well as theirs with them ; this Argument ( I say ) you go not about to answer , but in stead of answering , you pick quarrels against my comparison taken from Nebuehadnezzars dreame . Why Sir , I never thought a Scholar would have expected a comparison should runne upon foure feet ; nor have wrested it beyond what was intended by it , I never intended to make Nebuchadnezzars dreame an argument to prove , but onely to illustrate , that as that tree for a while was cut downe , and the root bound with an Iron chaine , was kept from growing , yet in the end the chaine was removed , and the tree grew againe ; so the nation of the Jewes was for a while cast off , from being the people of God , during the time of their blindnesse and unbeleefe , but in the end the vaile should be removed , and their nation taken into their former Church-standing , yea and more gloriously , and that by reason of the Covenant ; But from this you seeke to draw many absurdities , and to shew wherein my comparison holds not ; as this tree is not cut downe as that was , onely some branches broken off , and that to make Abraham the root ; to bee bound with a chaine is unhandsome ; and that in this allufion , I sometimes make Abraham the roote , sometimes the Covenant the root , &c. all which are worthy of no answer ; nothing being held out in the allusion but what I now said ; neverthelesse , were it pertinent to our controversie it might easily enough be shewed , how in a sound sense the Covenant is the root upon which Abraham and all the rest of the branches grow , and also how by vertue of the Covenant , Abraham is also a root from which his seed grow , yea , and severall beleevers are roots from which their posteritie springs , and how in one sound sense Abraham , Isaac and Iacob , and all visible beleevers make up this one tree this Olive , and yet in another sense they are all but branches of this Olive . Whereas I said in all this discourse , the holinesse of the branches there spoke of , is not meant of a personall inherent holinesse , but an holinesse derived to them from their Ancestors , a faederall holinesse . Against this you except many things . First , Mr. Goodwin expounds it otherwise : if Mr. Goodwin meane that there is no other holines which may make men esteemed so in facie dei according to Rom. 2. ult . I concur with him , but if he say there is no other holinesse , or that the profession of holinesse may not make him passe as holy in facie visibilis Ecclesiae , when I heare him say so ( as yet I never did ) I shall dissent from him though hee be my loving friend . Secondly , say you , bere are divers things to be marked indeed , but with an obeliske : indeed Sir that brand is alwayes ready at your hand , let us see whether you have set it justly or no in this place , and whether your impartiall Reader will not take it off and set it upon your selfe . I oppose ( say you ) personall inherent holinesse , to derivative holinesse as inconsistent : but Reader looke into my Sermon , and see whether I did so or no ; I confidently deny this charge , I onely shewed the meaning of the word in this place to bee of derivative holinesse common to the whole nation , not excluding personall inherent holinesse in true beleevers among them ; and I say again , the whole nation was called holy , not personally inherent , but federally ; and you acknowledge here a derivative holinesse from Abraham as a spirituall father , yet I suppose you will not undertake to justifie that true inherent holinesse is derived from any , but from our Lord Jesus Christ , and his holy spirit . Next say you , this holinesse is derived not from any Ancesters , but onely from Abraham . But I beseech you in your next not onely to dictate this , as in this booke you doe very often ; but cleare and prove it by some good arguments , why it does not descend from other immediate parents , who are beleevers , as well as originally from Abraham : for parents who are branches from Abraham their father , are yet rootes to their children who spring from them ; Doe wee not read of the root of Iesse , Esay 11 ? though hee was but a branch from Abraham , might not every parent among the Jewes , at least every beleeving parent apply that promise made to Abraham , I will bee the God of thee , and thy seed ? if you thinke hee may not , disprove the Arguments which I have brought for it , in answer to your sixt Section . I demand further , was not such a holinesse derived from Abraham to his naturall seed , or posteritie , where all Abrahams posteritie , who are called the holy seed , true beleevers , and inwardly holy ? No ( say you ) other parents are not roots , Abraham onely is an holy roote , or at the most , Abraham , Is●ac , and Jacob , in whose names the Covenant runs . To which I reply , first , this is to say and unsay ; Abraham onely is an holy roote , yet Isaac and Iacob are holy roots too . Secondly , the Apostle names none of them at all , but speakes of the fathers , which includes all their Ancestors , at least more then Abraham onely . Thirdly , how often did God ( as I shewed before ) renew that promise , I will bee the God of thee and of thy seed , after Abraham , Isaac and Iacob were all dead ? Fourthly , your self say , the body of beleevers is compared to the Olive tree , and each beleever to a branch , and then , sure Abraham , Isaac and Iacob onely , are not the root or tree which bare the branches , but the body of beleevers is the tree , and so ( by your owne grant ) it followes , beleevers in one sense are the tree , in another the branches . Fiftly , I adde , that the body of beleevers , who make this Olive tree and branches , must necessarily be understood of visible professors , and not restrained or limited to true beleevers onely , otherwise the branches could not have been broken off , as is aforesaid . Next you step out of your way , to reproach Mr. Thomas Goodwin , who ( say you ) indeavored to inserre a kind of promise of deriving holinesse from beleevers to their posteritie out of the similitude of an Olive , and its branches , compared with Psal . 128. 3. &c. And then you vilifie him , as a man who by spinning out similitudes and conjectures , deludes his Auditory with such things , rather then satisfie them with arguments : what his discourse was , you set not downe , nor in what sense he alledged holinesse to be derived from beleeving parents to their posterity , but why like Ishmael your sword should bee thus against every man , I cannot tell ? as for Mr. Goodwin ( notwithstanding his difference from me in some points of Church-government ) I can doe no lesse then testifie that I know him to be a Learned godly Divine , and an eminent Preacher of the Gospel of Christ , and his worth not to be blasted by your scornfull speech ; and for the things you alledge against him , he assures mee , You have set downe his notions in your Booke otherwise then he preached them ; and that in due time hee intends to publish his Sermons , and then the world shall see whether you have done him right or not . Lastly , to that which I asserted , That the Infants both of Jewes and Gentiles , for these outward dispensations are comprehended in their Parents ; the Infants of godly Parents , according to the tenor of his mercy ; the Infants of the wicked , according to the tenor of his justice : you upon this demand whether I do not in this symbolize with Arminius , who makes this the cause why the posterity of some people have not the gospel , because their forefathers refused it ; and you bring in the learned Doctor Twisse , and Moulin disputing against him in that point . How faine would you say somewhat which might reproach this Argument ? But may not both these things be true , that God shews mercy to whom he pleases , and hardens whom he pleases , and yet shews mercies to thousands of generations that feare him , and visit the sins of parents upon their children ? may wee not say truly when God cast out the nation of the Jewes from being his people , that for their sins he gave the Bill of Divorce to them and to their children , that they should no longer be his people in Covenant , as they were in time past , and yet his grace remain free ? I spake expressely of outward administration of the Covenant , That when Parents are taken into Covenant , their children also with them have a visible right , and when God gives a bill of divorce from a visible Church standing , ( for to true beleevers hee never gives any ) their children are cast out with them , as appeares in the Jewes at this day ; is this to symbolise with Arminius ; or doth Doctor Twisse or Moulin , or any other of our Orthodox writers gainesay this ? I appeale to every learned Reader to judge ; But é regione , I desire you to shew how you will avoyd symholizing with the Arminians , who indeavor to prove falling away from true grace and holinesse , from this 11. of the Romans , because the branches were broken off , when you with them say , the graffing into the Olive here is meant of true beleevers graffed into the invisible Church , yet of the branches growing in , or graffed into this Olive , it is expresly said some were broken off , and others will fare no better if they beleeve not . Bert us in his relation of the conference at the Hague , urges this very place , to prove that it is poss●ble for the Saints to fall away from grace , because we are advised to take warning by the Jewes Example , who were broken off for their unbeleefe ; I know that you thinke not that true beleevers may fall away , but how you will avoid the Argument , interpreting this place as you doe , I professe I cannot tell . And now I leave it to every judicious Reader , whether you or I have darkned this Scripture , whether you in saying this Text , is meant of the invisible Church onely , and the graffing in is by election and faith , or I who say the rejecting is of the Jewes from being of the visible Church , and ingraffing is meant of the taking in of the Churches of the Gentiles to bee the visible Church , kingdome , and people of God in their roomes ; whether ( in a word ) I who interpret it of such a growing in the Olive , or ingraffing into it , as may endure a breaking off , and yet none fall from saving grace who once had it , or you who make such a graffing in , as that if any branches bee broken off , it must necessarily follow , that branches may bee rent off from the invisible Church , and fall away from inward holinesse , have interpreted this Text , most agreeable to the Analogy of faith , and the Apostles scope : and to conclude , let the Reader also judge , whether this Text ( notwithstanding all your indeavors ) remaine not still in my hands , as one of my strong holds , to defend this conclusion , That the obildron of beleevers new , have the same right to the Covenant with their Parents , as the children of the Jewes had with their Parents . Now ( say you ) you are come to my principall hold , 1 Cor. 7. 14. I perceive at first you thinke there is some strength in it , for you have brought a huge army against it , and drawne a long line about it , raised abundance of batteries , and in a very long discourse say something almost to every sentence of mine concerning this Scripture , and after all your shot is spent , you cry Io triumphus , I have got your chiefe hold which you had best manned . Truely Sir you speake like 〈…〉 , qui diff●avi● omnes 〈◊〉 Gurgu 〈◊〉 . But the best is , all the ground is not yours that you walke over , nor every man killed that you shoot at . I have no feare that your great swelling words will give any satisfaction to your judicious Readers ; wee will come to what you have done , and try what strength there is in this long Section , and that I may make my answer to it as briefe as is possible , I shall bring all the matter of your discourse to three heads . First , such things as wherein you and I doe agree , and must necessarily agree . Secondly such things as wherein whether wee agree or disagree it matters not much to the point in controversie ; these two I shall but touch upon . Thirdly , such things wherein wee differ , and which really concerne the controversie betwixt us . And these things ( God willing ) wee will try out hand to hand . First , wee agree , that sanctified may have many senses , and that of those many , two onely are applicable in this place , either the matrimoniall sanctification , which you insist upon , viz. Chastitie in the wife and husband , or lawfull matrimony between them , and legitimation of the children . Or else Instrumentall sanctification , in the husband and wife , and federall holinesse in the children , which I insist upon . Wee agree also , secondly , that i● may signifie by as well as in . Wee further agree thirdly , that the seepe and meaning of the Text is , that the Corinthians having writ for the Apostles resolution whether it were lawfull for them who were converted , still to retaine their Infidell wives or husbands ; the Apostle here resolves that case upon the affirmative . And I will further agree with you fourthly , that these words else were your Children uncleane , &c. are a medium or argument whereby the Apostle proves the former sentence , the unbeleeving husband is sanctified in the wife , &c. I yet further agree , fiftly , that all the places which you cite out of the learned Chamier are Orthodox , and clearely prove that for which hee brings them , viz. That sanctification cannot bee understood of the conversion of the unbeleever , through the diligence of the beleever , page 73. And that the Argument is not fetched from a contingent thing , pag. 74. And that holinesse is not meant of ceremoniall holinesse ( which sense was ascribed to Augustine ) pag. 76. And that the holinesse of Children here , is not that which they receive from their education , pag. 75. And I am sure you must agree with mee , sixtly , that in all these testimonies you have cited out of Chamier , there is not one word against my Interpretation , or for the Justification of yours ; yea and I know also that you will agree with mee seventhly , that the learned Chamier in a large dispute doth confute your interpretation , and vindicate my interpretation , as the onely true and proper meaning of this Text , even in that very place where you quote him . And therefore I know the Reader will agree with mee ( whether you doe or no ) that you doe but abuse your Author and Reader , both in making a flourish with Chamiers name nothing to the purpose , and thereby would make the Reader conceive Chamier to bee of your side when hee is point-blanke against you . I yet further agree with you , eighthly , that some Interpreters both antient and moderne doe interpret this Text as you doe , and I am sure you will also agree that it were easie for mee to bring ten for one , who interpret this Text as I doe ; though I forbeare to bumbast my booke with them , no wayes desiring that this cause should bee carryed by number of suffrages . Secondly , there are many things in this Section wherein wee differ , but the cause depends nothing at all upon them ; first , you severall times cite the learned Beza as if hee were of your mind in the interpretation of this Text , to construe it of matrimoniall holin●ss● . I confesse the cause depends not upon Beza's judgement , but your reputation depends much upon making this good : That you should dare to cite an author as interpreting it for you who exprofesso interprets it against you ; Beza indeed acknowledgeth this Text warrants a lawfull use , but withall sets himselfe to prove that that 's not all , but saith it 's such a sanctification as I contend for , and saith , no man may interpret it otherwise then I doe of federall holinesse : according to the Covenant , Ero Deus tuu● , &c. And out of that very Text , doth ( in his annotations upon that place ) assert Infant-Baptisme . Secondiy , you thinke this Text was never interpreted of federall holinesse untill the dayes of Luther : the cause I confesse depends not upon this , but it discovers some defect in your reading , since it is apparent that Athanasius , one of the most ancient of the Greek Fathers , and Tertullian one of the most antient of the Latine Fathers bring this Text to prove the prerogative of the Infants of beleevers , which certainly they could not have done if they had interpreted as you doe , that their children were legitimate , nor have given them any title to the kingdome of heaven , if to their understanding it had not related to the Covenant of Grace . Thirdly , whether Mr. Blakes paralleling this place with Gal. 2. 15. ( upon which you spend almost two whole pages ) bee good or no , or whether these places doe interpret one another , is not much materiall to the present controversie about this Text , although it be plaine , that by Jewes by n●ture the Apostle intends the Church-priviledge of the Iewes in opposition to the Gentiles , as I have elswhere shewed . Fourthly , whether Bellarmine was the first who expounded holy for Iegitimate , in confuting whereof you spend another page , and alledge sundry Authors before him who so understood it ; this is not to our businesse though you take occasion to shew your reading in it . Thirdly , this therefore onely remaines to bee tryed out between us , whether this bee meant of lawfulnesse of wedlock between man and wife , and legitimation of children , as you affirme ; or of Instrumentall sanctification , betweene husband and wife quoad hoc , and federall holinesse of children , as I affirme ; wherein I shall , first , make it plaine that your Interpretation cannot hold ; secondly , that mine must stand . The sense which you undertake to justifie is , that it is a Matrimoniall sanctification , when the Apostle saith the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife , &c. the meaning i● , their marriage is lawfull , and their children are not unclean , but holy ; the meaning is , they are not bastards , but lawfully begotten . Against this I dispute . First , in making good the foure Arguments used in my Sermon against this interpretation ; the first whereof was this , uncleannesse and holinesse when opposed one to another , are never meant of civilly lawfull or unlawfull , but are alwayes used in a sacred sense , alluding to a right of admission into or use in the tabernatle or Temple , which were types of the visible Church , & holinesse is always taken for a separation of Persons or things from common to sacred use . To this you except many things . First , you like not the term civill holinesse , you rather would call it matrimoniall holinesse , because its institution is of God , not from the laws of Man. I Reply , this is a poor shift ; by holy and civill wee distinguish things belonging to the first and second Table . All second Table duties are civill things , though their institution be of God ; civill Magistracy though instituted of God ; obedience of children to their Parents , though instituted of God ; and all the judiciall lawes given to the Jews about meum and tuum ; were they not therefore civill , because they were Gods institutions ? Or is marriage a businesse more concerning Religion , then these are ? is it a Sacrament ? or how else , is it more holy then these other civill things ? You except secondly , uncleannesse may bee taken for bastardy , in an allusion to a Tabernacle use : Bastards being numbered among the uncleane . I Reply , this is spoken without any proof , for although the Lord saith , Deuteronom . 23. 2. That a bastard shall not come into the congregation of the Lord , it cannot be meant that bastards shall bee numbered among the uncleane , or having nothing to doe about Tabernacle or Temple services ; for there was the same law for Eunuchs who were not excluded as unclean : no unclean person might eate the Passeover , might no Eunuch or Bastard eate the Passeover ? Beside , when you thus construe , else were your children unclean , you make there a Bastard and unclean , to be termini convertibiles , consequently every unclean child must bee a bastard . Now if any man would suppose that bastards might bee reckoned amongst unclean , yet all unclean children must not bee reckoned amongst bastards ; all the children of the Gentiles were unclean , but they were not bastards . It is needlesse to enter into a further discourse about that place , Deut. 23. how or in what sense a bastard might not come into the Congregation ; whether by the Congregation be meant the Sanhedrin , as some ; or whether his not entring , bee of bearing Office , as others ; or of not marrying a wife an Israelitesse , as others , it matters not , it 's sufficient they were not numbred among the unclean . Thirdly , you refer me to the 1 Thess . 4. 7. God hath not called us to uncleanness , but unto holinesse ; and desire me to tell you , whether uncleannesse be not there meant of fornication , and by holinesse , chastity . I answer , I prevented this in my Sermon : and shewed that chastity among the Heathens , is never called sanctification ; the holy Spirit onely is the Spirit of sanctification , and the bodies of the Heathens are not the temples of the holy Ghost : but among beleevers it may be called so , because it is a part of the new creation , a part of the inward adorning of the Temples of the holy Ghost ; and though the chastity of beleevers is onely a morall vertue in respect of the object , yet in respect of the root , principle , end , it 's a Christian vertue , and it 's an act of pure Religion , to keep a mans self unspotted from the flesh , as well as from the world , Iam. 1. 27. Besides , I now adde , there is no reason that that place , 1 Thess . 4. should be restrained to fornication , because many other sins are named in that place , besides fornication . Mark the words in the 3 ver . the Apostle tels them , That the will of God is their sanctification , that every one should abstaine from fornication ; that no man goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter . And then he gives this as a reason common to all the particulars , because God ha●h not called us to uncleannesse , but to holinesse . So that by holinesse there , is meant not onely chastity but justice also ; and what kind of consequence were there in such an Argument ; let no man goe beyond his brother in bargaining , because God hath not called us to fornication , but to chastity ? Whereas you alledge Beza thus interpreting this Text , vers . 3. This is the will of God , even your sanctification , i. e. saith Beza , that you abstain from fornication ; and upon this id est , you build much ; therefore I shall consider it . Sir , id est put in by Beza , hath reference not onely to that which doth immediately follow , namely , that you abstaine from fornication ; but to the 6 verse also , that no man go● beyond and defraud his brother : Beza saith , id est , ut abstineatis , ut ne quis opprimat & habeat quaestui , It being ordinary to have instances given in the second Table , when the duties of the first Table are included , if not principally intended ; that the holy Ghost might meet with Hypocrites , who are apt to put all their holinesse in outward performances . Yea , Beza in the same place in his Annotations upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , referres him to Iob. 17. 17. and his note upon Iob. 17. 17. is this , Sanctum autem dicitur , quod Deo peculiariter devotum ac consecratum est ; an expression agreeable to the Hebrew notion , and therefore Beza addeth , est autem hoc vocabulum profectum ab Hebraeis : so that by Beza we are brought back to the notion of consecrating and devoting things to God. But you yet endeavour further , and turne and winde the words every way , and run over all words that are of the same Tribe or kindred , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because you cannot find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the heathen ; and in the end you have found an instance in Stephanus's Thesaurus , where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies castim●niam servo , [ I am chaste . ] But first , Stephanus speakes but doubtingly , he puts in videtur , which you leave out . Besides , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually meant , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so Suidas ; and the very instance which you from Stephanus have brought out of Demosthenes , makes directly against you : for the Priest saith , I offer sacrifice , and I am in case to doe it , for I am pure from the company of man , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and all other things which might pollute me . That is , I am holy according to my order , and therefore fit to doe my office . These last words which give the full sense of the place , you have ( not very fairly ) left out of your Quotation . Yet you make another supplement out of Corinth . 7. 34. That she may be holy in body and spirit ; and demand whether the meaning be not that shee may be chaste . I answer , the plaine meaning is , that she being free from worldly distractions , is at more liberty to give her self wholly to godlinesse , then others can , who have these worldly avocations ; and in truth it is a pretty odd sense which you have invented of this place , the unmarried cares for the things of God , that she may be chaste ; but she that is married cares for the things of the world how shee may please her husband . I wonder what learned man concurs with you in this : I doubt in this rare interpretation you are all alone . When I added , That even the meat and drink of beleevers , sanctified to them , serves for a religious end and use , to refresh them who are the Temples of the holy Ghost . You answer , then is seems in eating and drinking they do an act of religion ; to which I need no other reply then your next words , that they are sanctified to them by the word and prayer , they receiving them after an holy manner , with faith , supplication , and thankesgiving , &c. And that this place of Timothy doth hold out more then a lawfull use , is most apparent ; because it is such a use of the creatures as the heathen had not , who yet had a lawfull use of the creatures ; and it is such a use as is appliable onely to beleevers ; and such a use as is procured by the Word and prayer : and although wicked men doe not doe an act of Religion in feeding the bodies of the Saints , because all their actions are uncleane ; yet beleevers have an holy use of those creatures which heathens feed them with having the Word not onely to warrant the use of them , but prayer to procure Gods blessing , to that end for which they eate and drink , which is to live unto God. My second Argument was , had this been the meaning , Else were your children unclean , but now are they holy ; else had your children bin bastards , but now they are legitimate ; the Apostles answer had not been true ; because then if one of the parents had not been a beleever , and so by being a beleever , had sanctified the unbeleever , their children must have been bastards , whereas wee know children born in lawfull wedlock are legitimate , though both the Parents were unbeleevers . To which you answer , this priviledge comes not from the faith of the beleever , but from the relation of marriage ; and your reason is , because the Apostle saith not , the unbeleever is sanctified by the beleever ; but from the husband or the wife , although one or two old Copies have the word beleever , yet the rest have it not ▪ and the reason cannot be conceived rightly to be any other , but that although the person meant were a beleever is well as an husband or wife ; yet in this passage they were considered onely as husband and wife , and not as beleevers , to intimate that the sanctification did not come from the faith of the party , but from conjugall relation . I reply , this expressely crosses the Apostles confessed scope , for the question was not , whether an husband might leave his wife , or a wife her husband , the Apostle had resolved that case before , ver . 10. but whether a beleeving husband might leave or separate from an unbeleever ; no ( saith the Apostle ) if the unbeleever be content to dwell together , ( if not , let them go , a brother or a sister is not in bondage in such a case ) Why ? for the unbeleever is sanctified in or by the wife ; but now in your sense , the Argument had been as good , to say , the unbeleever is sanctified in or by the unbeleever ; or the beleever is sanctified in or by the unbeleever , which had beene nothing to the question in hand . Againe , the Apostle expressely names the unbeleever in opposition to the wife or husband who is a beleever ; of which there had been no use , if he had intended onely matrimoniall sanctification , he might have said the husband is sanctified by the wife , and the wife by the husband , let them bee what they will , which cannot be spoken truly , when the Scripture plainely sayes , Nothing is pure or holy to the unbeleever , as Beza well observes upon this place : and though the word beleever be not in the Text , [ yet it is necessarily implyed , and therefore some Copies have it in the Margin , not onely one old Copy , and a Copy of Clermont , and the Vulgar Latine so reade it , but Augustine also in his book , wherein hee expounds the Sermon on the Mount ; and Tertullian in libro secundo ad ux●rem , ] for as Beza rightly observes , the question is concerning a beleever , what he is to doe with an unbeleever ; and when he sayes the unbeleeving party is sanctified in or by the other party , it plainly implyes the one party sanctifies the other , viz. the beleever sanctifies the unbeleever , ( not retro ) which needed not be said of matrimoniall sanctification , as you call it , for in that sense both parties were sanctified in themselves , not in or by one another , marriage being honourable among all , and the bed ( the coitus ) undefiled . Besides , there are words which plainly denotate it a little before , a brother or sister , which are taken for beleevers , ver . 12. if a brother have an unbeleeving or infidel wife , ver . 15. a brother or a sister is not in bondage in such a case : And if you should say the beleeving party sanctifies the unbeleever , not qua beleever , but by the Word and prayer I answer , this would make the Argument stronger ; for it is therefore such a sanctification as heathens are not capable of . My Third Argument was , the Apostles argument had had no strength in it , supposing the text were to be interpreted as these men would have it : their doubt ( say they ) was , their marriage was an unlawfull wedlock ; and so consequently their children bastards ; and they make the Apostles answer to be , were you not lawfull man and wife , your children were bastards : which kinde of Argument ( said I ) were but idem per idem . Your answer to this is such a one as I know not what to make of it ; you say I doe not rightly set downe my Adversaries explication of the Apostle , the doubt ( say you ) was onely , whether they might live in conjugall use ; but there was no question of their children , whether they were legitimate or not ; they were assured their children were not bastards , but legitimate , and this the Apostle uses as his medium , to prove they might lawfully live together . To which I Reply , take this for granted which you say , and ( if I want not common sense ) you plainely and fully answer your selfe , for if they were out of all doubt , that their children were not bastards , then it was not possible for them to doubt whether their owne marriage were lawfull ; take this to be his Argument , your children are legitimate , this you all grant : Ergo , your marriage is lawfull , of which you doubt : Risum teneatis amici ? they received the one as a supposed principle , that their children were lawfully begotten , which could not be but in a lawfull wedlock , yet had not light enough to know , that their wedlock was a lawfull wedlock ; if they doubted not of the latter , how could they of the former ? My Fourth Argument was according to this interpretation , the Apostles answer could no way have reached to the qui●ting of their consciences ; their doubt was , whether they were not to put away their wives and children as not belonging to God , as being a seed whom God would not owne among his people , and this answer could never have quieted their consciences , to tell them their marriage was lawfull , and their children legitimate . To which you answer , this Argument is grounded on a mistake , the question was not ( say you ) about putting away of their Wives and children as not belonging to God , but something else . I Reply , but if it be not grounded upon a mistake , and that ( as Beza sayes , ) Paut is not here arguing about civill policy , but arguing a case of conscience . Whether because of the idolatry of the wife or husband , Religion did not require they should be put away , because God would not have his holy seed mingled with them , then by your owne confession the Argument stands good ; which whether it will not be made out , shall ( God willing ) by and by appeare . These foure Arguments I used before ; and whether the first three be not already vindicated , let the Reader judge ; the fourth comes to be made good afterward , when I come to confirme the interpretation which I made of it . I shall briefly adde foure other Arguments , to shew that this Text cannot be interpreted as you would have it . First , you say , The unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife , and sanctification you here take for chastity : which is a most incongruous speech , to say that the one party makes the other chaste ; if he or she were not unchast , how are they made chaste by the husband or wife ? and if they bee unchaste , how doth this make them chaste ? marriage is then honourable or chaste when the bed is undefiled : this Argument is onely from the unseemlinesse of the expression . Secondly , my second I take from your own words , pag. 73. Where you say , The sanctification of the unbeleever here , is such a sanctification as is parallel with that , 1 Tim. 4. 5. where the creatures are sanctified to the pure by the word and prayer ; therefore there must be more meant then the Heathens are capable of ; therefore another sanctification then matrimoniall sanctification , for that the heathens had : if therefore this must be such a sanctification as that place in Timothy meanes , it must be a sanctification peculiar onely to beleevers . Thirdly , yet a third Argument I take from your owne words : you have endeavoured ( though in vaine ) to shew that bastards may be called uncleane , and holy may be called chaste ; but you doe not , and I beleeve you cannot produce out of the Scripture the least shew of a proofe , that holinesse signifies legitimation ; you are holy , id est , you are lawfully begotten ; if you can , pray let us have it in the next : sure I am , that place , Mal. 2. 15. That man might seeke a holy seed , or rather , a seed of God , will give you no help ; for though a seed of God in that place , might be interpreted ( as M. Calvin would have it ) for legitimate , because ( as he sayes ) that uses to be called Divine , which is excellent , a legitimate seed is in comparison of spurious , yet this is nothing to holinesse . The word in the Hebrew there used , is not a holy seed , but a seed of God , an eminent or an excellent seed , as all eminent or notable things use to be called ; great Armies are called the Armies of God ; great and high hills , are called the hills of God ; great and tall trees , are called the trees of God : so that take a seed of God in that place for a legitimate seed , yet there is nothing to prove that holinesse may signifie legitimation ; though for my owne part ( Pace tanti viri ) I humbly conceive the Prophet intended , not a legitimate seed onely , ( as Mr. Calvin would have it ) but to shew what was Gods chiefe end in the institution of marriage , viz. The continuance of a seed of God , wherein the Church is to be propagated to the end of the world ; now according to your interpretation of holinesse for chastity , the Apostles Argument must run thus , If your marriage were not lawfull , your children would be bastards , but now they are chast ; which sense were too ridiculous which to avoid you are compelled in stead of chaste to say legitimate , without any example of such a use of the word holy . Lastly , yet one Argument more I propound , your sense makes the Apostles Argument wholly inconsequent , if the unbeleeving party were not sanctified by the beleever , ( viz. matrimonially ) then were your children unclean , that is , ( in your sense ) Bastards , which follows not ; for if they were both unbeleevers , yet their children were not bastards ; and if they were both chast , ( yet being Infidells ) their children were uncleane , id est , Infidells and Pagans , so that to close this I retort your owne words , page the 75. That let this be granted ( that it is meant of matrimoniall sanctification , ●● of necessitie it must ) then the uncleanenesse must bee meant of Bastardy , and holinesse of Legitimation ; but I say , é centra , let this bee granted , ( as of necessitie it must ) that it is not meant of matrimoniall sanctification , or lawfulnesse of wedlock , then uncleannesse must not bee meant of Bastardy , nor holinesse of Legitimation , but of some other holinesse , which what it is , is next to be enquired . Having thus plainely overthrowne your interpretation , it remaines that I make good my interpretation against your exceptions , I said , their doubt seemes to arise from the Law of God , which was in force in Ezraes time , where Gods people were ordered to put away their Infidell wives and children , as a polluted seed , which God would not have mingled with his owne : you answer , first , You see very little agreement , betweene this case and that ; and that the cases are very farre different of two persons not under the Law marrying in unbeleefe , and of two persons under the Law , the one a Iew by profession , the other a stranger ; secondly , and that none of the phrases , except the word ( holy ) , are used in the one place which are not used in the other ; thirdly , you rather thinke their doubt arose from a former Epistle which hee had wrote to them , mentioned 1 Cor. 5. 9. wherein he commanded them not to keep company with fornicators , or Idolaters , thereupon they might doubt whether they should continue with their unbeleeving yoke fellowes I reply , first , that the cases were the very same when their scruple arose , for though they were both unbeleevers when they were married , and at that time neither of them both belonged to the Church of God , yet when one of them was converted , and the other remained an Infidell , one of them was now become a Church-member , the other remained an alien , their case was the very same , and they finding their condition parallell with that in Ezra might very well apply that case to themselves , and make this their doubt . Secondly , although the phrases used in Ezra differ from those used here , that makes nothing against this collection , because phrases are used according to the different administrations , each speaking according to the received dialect belonging to the administration they lived under . Thirdly , and as to that , you say that it might arise from 1 Cor. 5. 9. I answer , should that be granted , yet my sense remaines as strong as before , for if this scruple now rose , that if beleevers because of the unbeleefe or Infidell condition of the husband or wife , might not by the rule of the Gospel continue in marriage societie with them , it must bee from some rule of Religion , which must strike upon their conscience , and from what rule could they gather , that their marriage which before was lawfull was upon their conversion turned into fornication ? and if their doubt were ( as your selfe grant ) whether it were lawfull for a converted party , or a beleever still to retaine their Infidell wife or husband , ( not of unbeleevers whether they bee sanctifyed matrimonially one to another ) the doubt must necessarily arise from something in Religion , some case which was peculiar to beleevers , now ( as Mr. Beza saies truely ) the doubt being in their consciences , of an unlawfulnesse to continue in their married condition from some thing peculiar to Gods people , the Apostle should have used a most indirect argument to pacifie their consciences in referring them to the civill Lawes of other nations , by which their marriage is proved lawfull ; and to what purpose should hee discourse of Bastards or the like , when their consciences were scrupled in something which begun to concerne them upon their conversion , and to tell them they were sanctified in their unbeleefe , could never have reacht the scruple arising , after they begun to bee beleevers , because their marriage might be firme and good , while they remained unbeleevers ; yet the Infidell might now become impure in that relation of marriage to the other , which was converted . And therefore it remaines , that it must bee resolved from some rule which must reach beleevers , as they were the people of God , and not bee common to Infidels with them ; now what is that Argument which Paul here uses to satisfie them ? ( which must reach them as they were beleevers ) your selfe grant it is this , else were your children uncleane , which is the medium , because your children are not uncleane but holy , therefore the unbeleever must bee granted to bee sanctified to the wife or husband , this Argument must therefore necessarily inferre some kind of holinesse which is appliable onely to the State of Religion , therefore it must be federall holinesse . But against this you except many things . First , this could not have resolved the doubt in the case of those who by Age could not bee sanctified to this end , or by reason of accidendall inabilitie for generation , they might still depart each from other notwithstanding this reason . I answer , it followes not , this is a laying downe of their right , which they may claime when ever they are capable of it , this is their priviledge , which remaines firme though it should never come into Act , as if a freeman of a Citie should have right to have all his children borne freemen , that is to bee numbred among his priviledges , though hee should never have a child , this reaches to men and women , married , and unmarried , yea even to children yet unborne : besides , the first part of it reacheth to the bed , even the coitus is not onely undefiled , but sanctified . Secondly , say you , this reason would then run thus , you may live together , for you may b●get a holy seed , and so their consciences should have been resolved of their present lawfull living together from a future event which was uncertaine , and here ( as I toucht before ) you bring in Chamier nothing to the purpose ; I answer , it is not from a future event , but from a positive reall truth , if Pauls reason bee framed thus , the children which beleevers beget upon their Infidell yoke-fellowes are a holy seed , therefore beleevers have a sanctifyed use of their Infidell husbands or wives , had this been a reasoning from a future contingent . As for what you here cite out of Chamier , I answer onely this , I perswade my selfe you are by this time ashamed of your impertinent quotation , I assure my selfe , if you bee not , your friends are . Thirdly , say you , sanctification is here not ascribed to God a● selecting some from others to such an use , but is common to all unbeleeving husbands in respect of their wives , and comes from that common relation , not speciall designation . I answer , this Argument is a plaine setting downe the question in controversie , as an Argument to prove it selfe , and I have already proved the contrary , that it is a priviledge not common to all who are married , but peculiar to beleevers . Fourthly , say you , according to this exposition the words following could not be true , else were your children uncleane , but now they are holy , because in this forme of reasoning this proposition is included , their children could not bee holy without that sanctification , which ( say you ) is false , because children may bee in Covenant , and bee regenerated , though their parents had never been thus sanctified the one to the other , the children of Infidel parents may bee sanctified . I reply , not while they are Infants , they are not by any birth priviledge to bee accompted as belonging to the Church of Christ , which is the onely thing about which wee are disputing , no man ever went about to prove out of this Text that none can ever bee converted , whose parents are not sanctified the one unto the other . Next ( after another impertinent bringing in of Chamier ) you reason thus , take it in my sense , and it is no satisfactory reason you may live together , for you may beget a holy seed ; I answer , this is the same with your second Argument answered before ; and wherein I pray you lies the weakenesse of it , you may live together , and have a holy use of your unbeleeving yoke-fellowes , for God esteemes the seed of such to bee an holy seed as truely as if both were beleevers , is this a slight or unsatisfying answer ? nay I adde further , had the Apostle gone about to prove , that a beleeving wife and a beleeving husband have not onely a lawfull enjoyment one of another , ( as heathens have ) but a sanctified , as they have of other creatures , because else their children were uncleane , but now they are holy , all your exceptions would lie as strong against this last as against the former , for you might have said , this reaches onely those that are of age● ; secondly , this depends upon a future contingent ; thirdly , this depends upon their common relation ; fourthly , and children may be holy , that is , afterward regenerate though this be denyed , let the Reader consider of it ; You goe on , and say , that in your sense the reason is plaine and satisfactory , let them live together , though one bee a beleever , the other an unbeleever ; for notwithstanding their difference in Religion , they are husband and wife , marriage being honorable among all , and the bed undefiled ; I reply , but this had been no satisfaction to their scruple , their doubt was not whether their marriage were lawfull while they were heathens , but whether now their conscience would not bee defiled , in remaining joyned to Idolaters , and the Apostles resolution must remove that , which your sense doth not ; you granted , they doubted not the legitimation of their children , and therefore your sense could not have removed the scruple , as is above shewed . And whereas you adde the like resolution hee gives verse the 17. concerning circumcised and uncircumcised servants , they might still continue with their master , their Christian calling did not dissolve those relations . I answer in one word , this like , hath no likenesse at all in it , there is no parallel betwixt these two cases , hee speakes not one word about beleeving servants continuing with unbeleeving masters , but of servants in generall , whether their masters were beleevers or unbeleevers , hee tells them that they might continue servants though they were Christs free men , yet if they can fairely obtaine their freedome , let them choose that rather . One Argument more you bring against this interpretation , if the sanctification were meant of matrimoniall sanctification , and the uncleannesse of federall uncleannesse , so as to exclude them out of the Covenant , whether of saving graces or Church-priviledges , then the proposition was most f●lse , because children of parents not matrimonially sanctified one to the other , were within the Covenant , as Pharez , Jepha , and others . I answer , first , I desire the reader to take notice that you take the Covenant here in this place as I doe for Church-priviledges . Secondly , indeed if sanctification bee taken for matrimoniall sanctification or lawfulnesse of wedlock , and uncleannesse of federall sanctification , the proposition may bee granted to bee false , and let them who so take it , undertake the defence of it if they can , but let it bee meant of that other sanctification which I have justified , the proposition is most true ; I say againe , all the children of those parents , the one whereof is an unbeleever , are uncleane , that is , federally uncleane , excluded out of the Covenant in regard of Church priviledges , at least if not of saving graces , ( which is a secret left to God ) unlesse the one bee sanctified in the other ; this Argument I answered in my Sermon , and framed it thus , that holinesse is here meant , which could not bee unlesse one of the Parents were sanctified to the other , but federall holinesse of Children may bee , where Parents are not sanctified , one in or to the other , as in Bastardy , Davids child by Bathsheba , &c. in which case the children were federally holy , and yet the barlot not sanctified in , or to the Adulterer or fornicator though a beleever : my answer was , that the Apostles scope in this Argument is , to shew that the children borne of an unbeleever would not bee holy , unlesse the other Parent could remove that barre , but hath no force of an Argument where both the Parents are beleevers , which was the case of the Jewes , the case of Hagar , Bathsheba , &c. All the reply you make to it page the 80. is to bestow a few scoffes upon it , that my answer is to deny the conclusion , that I shew no fault either in the matter or the forme of the Argument , that the scope which I mention is but a meere figment , that I doe as good as say , that the objector can make no Argument out of it , and that therefore I need make no answer ; And that in one place I grant the minor , then the major , and thus you most gallantly vapour upon me ; I reply , were it not that some Readers are prone to thinke him to have the truth , who speakes most bravingly , I durst ( without adding a word more ) leave all Schollers to judge whether my answer deserves all this scorne ; but lest you goe on in your vaine hoasting , I shall apply my answer more particularly to this Argument which you acknowledge to bee your owne , and I say plainely that the major proposition is not true if taken universally , viz. That holinesse of children is here meant , which could not be unlesse one of the Parents bee sanctified in or by the other , what ever those parents bee , though both of them bee beleevers . This proposition ( say I ) is not true , because when both the Parents are beleevers , there is no such barre to bee removed , by the ones being sanctified in the other quoad hoc , so farre as to make them capable to bring forth a holy seed , they being both in the Covenant , and that sinfull defiling of one anothers body , doth not deprive them of that priviledge of the Covenant to have their children accompted to belong to the Church of God , but when one of the Parents being an unbeleever or Infidell , must have their children accounted out of the pale of the Church , unlesse that barre be removed , to them it 's true , that unlesse the one bee sanctified in the other , ( the unbeleever in , or by the beleever ) their children would not be holy ; if therefore you make not your major so universall , but limit it as the Apostle doth , and make the Argument thus , That holinesse of children is here meant , which could not bee unlesse the one were sanctified in , or to the other , the one of the parents being an Infidell , but this was the case of Hagar , Bathsheba , Jeptha , Pharez , &c. Now your minor is false , this was not their case , neither of their Parents were unbeleevers , though sinfull in that act : and now I pray you , where lies the absurditie or weaknesse of my answer ; all this I said before , onely you would not see it ; and thought to carry it with more advantage to you by scoffing then by solemne refuting . In the close I added , indeed if a beleever should Adulterously beget a child upon a Pagan , this objection in that case deserves to bee further weighed , but here it comes not within the compasse of the Apostles Argument ; upon this also you bestow two or three scoffes , you call it a wise remedy nothing to the purpose ; and you construe it as if I said , I will not answer the objection which i● made , but if you will make it thus , and thus , then I will answer it . Truely Sir , I am perswaded , all learned men , either laugh at or pity this vanity of your disputing ; in sober sadnesse tell me , was this the scruple of the Corinthians , or doth the Apostle here meddle with this case of beleevers , and Infidell harl●ts ? doth he not confine himselfe to answer cases betwixt beleevers , and their unbeleeving wives and husbands ? or doe both these cases require one and the same answer ? To speake plainely , I could name Divines , who are no whi● inferiour to your selfe , who conceive that a beleever , even when he commits fornication with an Infidell , doth so far remove the barre , in the unbeleeving party , as that the child is ( in the beleeving Parents right ) to be reckoned to belong to the Covenant of grace , and Church of God , but because I knew that question fell not within the Corinthians case , and was a question which the Text and controversie in hand did not tie me to give a resolution to , I purposely baulked it , not once suspecting I should have met with an adversary so uningenuous , to say no worse , who would have said , the baulking of this question had been the yeelding of the cause ▪ and I say againe , this case of Bastards concernes not the Apostles case , who speakes not of parents adulterers , but of husbands and wives , the one a beleever , the other not , yet this advantage may bee made of those Instances , that if among the Jewes , the true Church of God , the children of one parent a Jew , the other a Gentile ( forbidden to bee married ) were federally holy , as in the case of Pharez and Thamar , then may one party a beleever interest their children in the same Covenant , and if Bastards among the Jewes were partakers of Church priviledges , much more reasonable may it seeme , that the children of both chast parents , whereof the one at least is a beleever , should be federally holy , it being Gods rule in this case , parius sequetur m●liorem partem . And now Sir , I leave the reader to judge , whether you have taken this which you call my chiefe hold , you have indeed set up your flag , but I hope your Reader will take it downe againe . Thus I have vindicated the truth of these two Conclusions , and I doubt not but I have evidenced the truth of them with satisfaction to the unprejudiced Readers , though not with that ability which some others might have done : Your selfe acknowledge , that if these two Conclusions could be proved , the cause is gained ; as well as lost , if these Conclusions be lost . My third Conclusion was this , God hath appointed and ordained a Sacrament or Seale of initiation to bee administred unto th●● who enter into Covenant with him : Circumcision for the time of that administration which was before Christs Incarnation , Baptisme since the time of his incarnation : This ( say you ) may be granted . But whereas I adde , That our Baptism comes in the room and use of Circumcision : against this you except many things . First you say , this I deny . I wonder how you could grant my Conclusion to be true , and yet deny this . Nor would you deny this , if onely the baptizing of grown men were intended to be proved out of it ; 't is for Infants sake you thus labour to invalidate this Argument . Secondly , you make a large parallel betweene them , wherein they are like , wherein unlike , and shew how farre you come up , and where you differ . I Reply , your self say similitudes are weak proofs , be sure the shewing of dissimilitudes is the weakest way of answering when the agreement holds in that whereto we apply it . A Lievtenant may be locum ten●ns to a King , though there be many things unlike between them . Let us make the businesse as short as may be : I agree with you in that speech which you cite out of Mr. Ball , we may stretch the parallel no wider , nor draw it narrower then the Lord hath done it ; and in this point to alledge nothing but what God hath taught us , and as he hath taught us ; and whatever parallel men make between them , if the Spirit of God make not the same , let it be rejected . And I say againe , That the Spirit of God has made parallel in these particulars . First , Circumcision is the same with Baptisme for the spirituall part ; Circumcision was the seale of the new birth , Deut. 30. 6. so Baptisme , Tit. 3. 5. Col. 2. Circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse of faith , Rom. 11. 11. so Baptism , Acts 8. and many other places . Circumcision was the seal of the Covenant of Grace , Gen. 17. so Baptisme , it being the nature of every Sacrament . Secondly , Circumcision was the way of entrance and admittance into the Church , during the time of that administration , so is Baptisme during the time of this administration , Matth. 28. Acts 2. and throughout the whole Story of the Acts , Circumcision was the distinguishing badge between them who were Gods people , and the rest of the world ; so is Baptisme now , all who are not belonging to the Church , ( the solemn way of entrance whereinto is acknowledged to be by Baptisme ) are said to bee without , 1 Cor. 5. 12. Ctrcumcision was to be but once administred , nor Baptisme any oftner , as I have largely proved before , in answer to your 4 Sect. Part 4. None might eate the Passeover till they were circumcised , Exod. 12. nor of any to bee admitted to the Lords Supper , till they be baptized , as appears Acts 2. 41 , 42. And throughout the whole Story of the New Testament , all examples are for it , not one against it , and the reason is plaine , because none might partake of the Lords Supper , but such as were in visible Communion ; and your selfe know and grant , that Baptisme is the doore and entrance of our solemne admittance into visible communion , wee are by Baptisme ( say you ) according to Christs institution exhibited members of Christ and his Church , Exercit. p. 30. These parallels you see are made by the Spirit of God , and your exceptions against the comparisons between them , or rather your adding of more comparisons , similitudes , and dissimilitudes between them , by them to destroy these , are such as arise from the diverse administration of the Covenant , and do indeed manifest that they belong to severall administrations , but doe not prove that they had not the same general state , signification and use , as Sacraments , which seale the same thing in their diverse administrations ; Christ to come , and Christ already come , is the cause of difference of administration , and so of Ordinances , but hinders not the succession of one ordinance into the place of another , and therefore all those differences hinder not the inference of the one from the other . As for your exceptions , That Circumcision did confirme the promise made to Abrahams naturall posteritie concerning their multiplying , bringing out of Egypt , the yoake of the Law of Moses , setling in Canaan , &c. I answer , if this were granted , it hurts not me , these things concerning the manner of administration of the Covenant . Secondly , how prove you this which you say ? Thirdly , did circumcision confirme these things to all Abrahams naturall posteritie ? was the posteritie of Ismael and Esau to come out of Egypt ; possesse Canaan , ●ee yoaked with the Law ? Fourthly , what is the sense of these words , Circumcision confirmed the yoake of the Law ? it was indeed a part of the yoake , and obliged a person to it , Secondly , to that of womens being not circumcised , and children under eight dayes old , I have at large spoke to them in the first Section of this third part . Thirdly , the catechumini ; though they were members , yet they were not received into visible and Sacramentall communion of the Lords Supper till baptized ; the case of the Israelites travelling in the wildernesse was an extraordinary one . Fourthly , for that which you except against Circumcision being a distinguishing badge , because others were Gods servants who had not this badge ; I answer , that of Melchisedeck , Lot , &c. was answered before : beside , may not a livery bee a distinguishing mark of such a mans servant , and yet haply every servant not under the livery ? the Sabbath was a signe to Gods people , yet it may bee you hold that all Gods people till Moses did not keepe a Sabbath . Fiftly , and for what you adde that you make question whether an unbaptized person might not eate the Lords Supper , though you confesse you finde no example of it , and that in 1 Cor. 10. 2. 3. 4. and 1 Cor. 12. 13. Baptizing i● put before eating and drinking ; I reply , this I must number among your freakes , and out-leaps , and is a spice of your itch after singular opinions , and inconsistent even with your own grant , that Baptisme is the way and manner of solemne admission into the Church , and that nothing i● to bee done about the Sacraments , whereof we have not either institution or example , and yet here for oppositions sake you will allow men to come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , though unbaptized , and I thinke it never yet was a question in the Church whether an unbaptized person might receive the Lords Supper ; but say you , these and a hundred mor● cannot make ●● other then a humane invention , if the holy Ghost doe not shew that they agree in this particular of Baptizing as well as Circumcising of Infants . I answer , but when these Arguments and parallels made by God himselfe , are added to the parity of Jewes and Christian Infants , in being comprehended with their Parents in the Covenant which is to be sealed , it 's a vertuall warrant , it 's not meere analogy we reason from , for wee have a command to Baptize , and wee have the competency of infants to receive baptisme sufficiently proved elsewhere , your selfe grant right to Baptisme arises from the present state of a person , and therefore wee apply this seale , which succeeds that seale , to our Infants which succeed their Infants , in the priviledge of being faederati with their Parents , there being not the least hint in the word , that they should be left out . To slurre this Argument from Circumcision to Baptisme you frame a large and needlesse comparison between the Priests of old under the Jewish administration , and the Ministers of the Gospel now , and you demand , are Ministers therefore Priests ? and shew how many absurdities and dangerous consequences will follow if wee give way to such kind of comparisons , hence the Papists have pleaded for an universall Bishop , and the Prelates for superioritie of Ministers . A short answer will serve all this , you demand whether therefore Ministers be Priests , and so make simile to be idem against all sense and reason , as if I had gone about to prove Baptisme to be Circumcision . Secondly , wee onely apply things set up by God himselfe , and make the parallell as God hath made it , when any can prove that God hath set up an universal Bishop , or appointed superioritie of Ministers one above another , and hath made such parallels between them as you speake of , let them plead those comparisons and spare not , they had in their ministery many things which were typicall of Christ , which we have nothing to do with , but in other things where the Scripture hath made a comparison , wee may doe it safely , and may plead from the one to the other , as that they must have a call to their office , so must wee ; they that serve the altar must live upon the Altar , so they who preach the Gospell are to live upon the Gospel ; they must bee pure who bar● the vessels of the sanctuary , and the Priests lips must preserve knowledge , so our Ministers must be of holy life , fit to teach , &c. And all this wee may plead by good warrant ; and whereas I added in my Sermon that our Lord taught us this by his owne example ( miz . that Circumcision initiated into that administration , and Baptisme into this ) who was Circumcised as a professed member of the Jewes Church , and when hee set up the Christian Church , hee would bee initiated into it by the Sacrament of Baptisme ; hereupon you runne into divers things , as why Christ wou●d bee Circumcised , why Baptized , and in what sense Christ when he was to be baptized , said that hee would be baptized that hee might fulfill all righteousnesse , but you thinke it not probable , that it was any part of his meaning to be initiated into the Christian Church by baptisme , the Christian Church was not yet set up , with worship & discipline distinct from the Iewish , and because his Baptisme was of a higher nature then our Baptisme ; I reply , that the Christian Church was not fully set up , and compleated with all Ordinances of worship , government , officers till afterwards , is readily granted , but that it was not in fieri , in erecting and framing , and that Baptisme was administred in reference to the Christian Church , and that by Baptisme men were initiated into this new administration or best edition of the Church , I thinke no sound Divine did ever question . I grant Christs Baptisme was a transcendent one , and differs from ours in many things , and so was his Circumcision also a transcendent one , and differed from the Jewes in many things ; can you thence frame an Argument that hee intended not by his conformity to our Ordinances , to expresse the same favour to us as he did to the Jewes in conforming to their Ordinances , but that you should hence fetch an Argument , that because Christ was not baptized till hee was thirtie yeers old , ( which was within lesse then thirtie weekes after Baptisme was made a Sacrament ) is I confesse a most transcendent straine of wit , yet you boast of it , as if by it you had broke one of the strings I have to my bow . And proceed to try , whether you cannot crack the other also , the evidence which Colos . 2 8. 9. &c. gives to prove Baptisme to succeed in the roome of Circumcision : but before you come to the examination of this place , you make enquiry in what sense Baptisme succeeds in the roome of Circumcision , and you first observe that in speaking exactly , Baptisme was a concomitant of Circumcision , if not ancienter , that it was in use among the Jewes for many yeers together with Circumcision , though not as a Sacrament ; and for this you cite the learned Gentleman Mr. Selden , and Mr. Ainsworth on Gen. 17. and Mr. Lightfootes Elias Redivivus : I confesse , you are in the right , Baptisme was a knowne rite in the Jewish Church long before it was made a Sacrament , and therefore when Iohn came baptizing , none of the Jewes were ignorant of the use of Baptisme , they never asked him what he meant by baptizing , they knew well enough that it was a rite used in admitting of Proselytes or new Converts into the Church , they onely wondred , why hee did Baptize if hee were not the Messiah . But Sir , this exception of yours is so farre from being any argument against mee , that it affords me a good argument for Infant-Baptisme , because the same authors , which mention this as an Ecclesiasticall rite , in admission of Proselytes , doe testifie that the Infants of Proselytes were baptized as well as circumcised , and wheresoever Circumcision was applyed , Baptisme went along with it , so that the use of Baptisme was the same before , viz. to bee a rite of admitting growne men and Infants into the Church , onely it begun to bee a Sacrament of divine institution , when Iohn was sent to Baptize into the name of Christ : and it is in this Sacrament as in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper , the panis benedictus , and the cup were used before in the Sacrament of the Passeover , as an Ecclesiasticall rite , but our Lord at the last Passeover , instituted the bread and wine to bee Sacramentall Elements , which before were only an Ecclesiasticall rite ; now seeing that Baptisme which was in use before , was onely turned into a Sacramentall use , to succeed Circumcision , with whom before it was a concomitant , and alwayes applyed to the same persons . Have you not helped us to a good Argument , that Baptisme belongs to Infants as well as grown men , especially since there is not the least hint given in the Word , that when it was thus advanced to bee a Sacrament , it should not bee applyed to those persons to whom before it was , viz. Infants as well as growne men ? the truth of this , that it was so , may appeare partly by Mr. Selden who testifies that the Infants of the Gentiles were made proselytes by this rite among others , both the male children and the female ; so likewise Maimonides [ Issurei biah , Cap. 13. ) tells us by three things Israel entred into Covenant , by Circumcision , by Baptisme , and offering , and that Baptisme was in the Wildernesse before the giving of the Law , as it is said , And thou shalt sanctifie them to day and to morrow , and let ●hem wash their garments ; and in another place , when a Gentile will enter into the Covenant , and gather himselfe under the wings of the Divine majesty , hee must be Circumcised , Baptized , and bring an offering , if it bee a female , baptisme and offering ; and againe , a Proselyte that is circumcised and not baptized , or baptized and not circumcised , is not a Proselyte , untill hee bee both circumcised and baptized ; and againe , a little Proselyte , they baptize by the appointment of the Consessus . There are also speciall testimonies in the Talmud , which declare , that Infants both of Iewes and Gentiles , were thus admitted , the male children by circumcision and baptisme , the females by baptisme , &c. Many testimonies of this nature to shew that Infants as well as growne men , were baptized among the Jewes are to be seene in Mr. Ainsworth upon Gen. 17. vers . 12 , 13. I was willing to give this little taste , that the Reader may see , that baptisme ever since it was in use , was applyable to children as well as growne men . You adde , even the Sacrament of Baptisme was before circumcision ceased , and you instance with Iohns Baptisme , which was a concomitant Sacrament with the Sacrament of circumcision ; I answer as before , Iohns Baptisme and Ministery , was a Pr●ludium to Christ , and was wholly in reference to the Christian Church , which then begun to bee moulded ; and though there was not a new distinct Church of Christianitie set up , yet all this was preparing the materialls of it , and Iohn did not admit them by Baptisme , as members to the Jewish Padagogy , which was then ready to bee taken away , but into that new administration which was then in preparing , but this is no argument against baptisme to succeed circumcision , as a Lord Major elect succeeds the old , though the old continue after his election for a time . Yet further , You inquire in what sense Baptisme succeeds in the roome and place of Circumcision , and say if by roome and place , I meane , locus communis et proprius , so Baptisme being an action , hath no roome or place at all properly : and if by roome and place I meane the baptized and baptizers , that is true but in part , seme who were to be baptized were not to bee circumcised , as women . Thirdly , if by roome and place I meane the same society , that is not true , Circumcision admitted into the Jewish , baptisme into the Christian Church . Fourthly , if of the Commandement upon which both are sealed , that is not true neither , Circumcision was commanded long before Baptisme . Fiftly , if of the same use , that is most untrue , for the use of Circumcision obliged to keepe the Law , to be a partition between Iewes and Gentiles , and to initiate into the Iewish Church , or rather into Abrahams family . Then lastly you say , if I meane it of confirming and sealing the same Covenant , neither is that true save onely in part , because their Covenant was a mixt Covenant , and although Circumcision did confirme righteousnesse by faith , and signified holinesse of heart , so also did the Cloud , Sea , Manna , the Rock , the Deluge or Arke : and the same are also confirmed by the Lords Supper ; and therefore to say that Baptisme succeeds in the roome and place of Circumcision , is a position erroneous and very dangerous . I am prone to thinke that time as well as paper and Inke are very cheape with you , who thus needlesly waste them ; this poore quibbling about succession and roome , place , &c. is too Pedanticall for a grave Divine , what Reader will not at the first view see this to bee my meaning , of Baptisme succeeding in the roome and place of Circumcision , that Baptisme succeeds Circumcision as a signe substituted , in the place and stead of Circumcision , to signifie and seale the same Covenant of grace which Circumcision did , Circumcicision more darkely sealing , Christ being not yet exhibited , baptisme more clearely , the shadow being taken away and the substance come ? & almost all your differences refer onely to the severall manners of administration of the Covenant , not to the Covenant it selfe , or thing administred , yet I shall touch upon each particular . First , your fancy of Locus proprius & communis , is too idle to require any answer . Secondly , that of the Iewish women hath been sufficiently spoken to in the first Section of this third part . Thirdly , when you say , circumcision admitted into one Church , baptisme into another ; ( I am very loath to impute to your sense which you intend not ) if you meane onely the severall administrations , the Church of the Jewes being Christs Church under one administration , the Christian Church the same Church of Christ under another administration ; you speake truth , but not to purpose , my conclusion never said , Circumcision and Baptisme doe initiate into the same Administration of the Covenant : but if you meane , that the Church of the Jewes and wee are not one and the same Church , you speake pure Anabaptisme indeed , and contradict the Scripture expresly , which every where makes the Church of the Jewes and the Gentiles , one and the same Church though under divers administrations . I count it needlesse to annex any proofes , because I thinke you dare not deny it . Fourthly , you lay the command of circumcision was lo●g before the command of Baptisme , but how this followes that therefore Baptisme doth not succeed in the roome of Circumcision I cannot guesse , the Lords day succeeds the seventh day in being Gods Sabbath , but certainly the institution of it was long after the other . And fiftly , as for the severall uses mentioned by you , they all referre to the manner of administration peculiar to the Jewes ; I have often granted there were some legall uses of Circumcision it obliging to that manner of administration , and so they were part of the Jewish paedagogy , which is wholly vanished , and therein Circumcision hath no succession , but baptisme succeeds it as a Seale of the same Covenant under a better administration , as a set and constant initiating Ordidinance : onely I wonder that you say , Circumcision did initiate into the Church of the Iewes , or rather into Abrahams family ; I pray you explaine this , rather into Abrauams family ; if by Abrahams family you meane the Church of the Jewes , why say you rather into Abrahams family ? if you meane any thing else , tell us what it is , and how Circumcumcision initiated Proselytes into Abrahams family any otherwise ●hen as it was the Church of the Jewes Lastly , you hit upon the right thing intended , They he both seales of the same covenant ; but ( say you ) the coven●nt was not the same , except in part , which hath abundantly been confuted before , and justified to be one and the same , and the difference to lie onely in the manner of administration . But say you , the Cloud , Sea , Manna , water of the rock , &c. signified righteousnesse by faith , and holinesse of hea●t , as well as baptisme doth ; and why then should we not say that Baptism succeeds these , as well as it doth Circumcision ? I answer , these were extraordinary signes , not standing Sacraments to bee used in all generations ; much lesse were they set and standing Sacraments of initiation : And yet so farre as God hath made the parallel , what hurt is there in saying baptism succeeds them ? sure I am , the Apostle Peter compares baptism and the Ark , the like figure whereunto Baptisme saves us . But whereas you adde , And why also should not the Lords Supper succeed Circumcision as well as Baptisme ? I answer , what ever disparity may bee made betweene Circumcision and Baptisme , yet herein certainly they agree , and you often grant it , That both of them are initiall signes ; and therefore this is most wildly said of you , That the Lords Supper may he as well said to succeed Circumcision ; did ever any thinke the Lords Supper to be an initiall signe ? And now let the Reader judg of that expression of yours in the close , which you so boldly use against all Divines and Churches since the Apostles time , who all concurre in the same truth , ( except onely the Anabaptists ) That to say Baptisme succeeds in the roome and place of Circumcision , 〈◊〉 a propos●tion 〈…〉 , and very dangerous . To confirme this of Baptism succeeding Circumcision , much may be gathered out of many places in the New Testament , which hold out the things wherein they are parallel'd : I used onely that clear place , Col. 2. 8 to 13. whence I made it evident , Not onely that we have the same thing signified by Circumcision , while we are buryed with Christ in baptism , but also that the Apostle plainly set● Baptisme in the same state , and makes it of the same use to us , as Circumcision was to the Jews ; Christ onely to them ●nd 〈◊〉 also , is the author ●f spirituall Circumcision . The Circumcision of the flesh , was the Sacrament of it to them ; and now that is abolished , we have baptisme to seale the same thing . Let us see what your exceptions are against it , First , you acknowledge with me , the Apostles scope is to shew that wee are compleat in Christ , and therefore needed not Circumcision : And you adde , his scope was not to teach them that we have another ordinance in stead of Circumcision . I reply , it is very true , he teaches them wee are compleat in Christ , and need not Circumcision ; but it is as true , that he further enlarges this comfort , by shewing them that we have a visible seale of this compleatnesse in Christ , and so it is more evident wee have no need of Circumcision . Secondly , say you , Aretius in his Commentary sayes , That the thing it selfe is asserted to the Saints , without an outward symbole , which yet the adversaries incessantly urged ; and for which Aretius his helpe , you conclude it is utterly against the Apostles whole argument , to say , that they needed not Circumcision , b●cause they had another ordinance in the room of it . But Sir , why do you thus frequently abuse your readers with the names of Learned men , inserting some one sentence of theirs into your book , and thereby insinuating to your Reader , that they are of your Opinion in the point wherein you cite them ? I assure you , it concernes your Conscience , as well as your Cause , to be thus often taken tardy . The Learned Aretius in that very place where you cite him acknowledges indeed , That we are compleat in Christ , without an externall symbol● ; and that he is a perfect organ of our salvation ; you needed to have cited no man for this , we all concurre with you in it ; the onely thing controverted is , whether the Apostle intend also in this place to shew , that our baptism succeeds in the room and use of Circumcision ; and doth not Aretius concurre in this ? let himself speak : Observetur ●tiam successio Baptismi in locum Circumcisionis , quando aperte hunc vocat Circumcisionem Christi : Hee plainly tells us , that the Apostle calls Baptisme the Circumcision of Christ . But since you have put me upon Aretius , I shall make bold to inform the Reader , that the same Aretius in his Problemes , after the History of Valentine Gentilis , hath an intire Discourse to prove that Baptisme succeeds Circumcision , and brings this second of the Col. there also , as a maine evidence ; and cites many notable testimonies out of the Fathers , both Greek and Latine , for the confirmation of it . Accepimus non illam secundum carnem circumcisionem , sed spiritualem , quam Enoch & similes custodierunt , no● tamen per baptismum accepimus . Circumcisio figura erat exuviarum quae per baptismum deponuntur . Abraham ubi Deo erediderat circumcisionem accepit pro nota ejus regenerationis quae per baptismum conficitur . Illic fuit circumcisio carnalis quae inservit tempori ad magnam circumcisionem , h. e. Bapt. qui circumcidit nos a peccatis & obsignat nos D●o . Duravit circumcisio tempore inserviens donec major circumcisio accessit , h. e. lavacrum regenerationis . Affi●mat Christum in ecclesia sua dedisse pro circumcisione carnis , Baptismum . Baptismi & circumcisionis ejusdem est natura . All these the Reader shall finde in Aretius , whom you bring in , as if he concurred with you ; most of these testimonies are before also alledged by me . Thirdly , but you goe on and say , That in truth it would evacuate the Apostles argument used both here , and Hebr. 9. 11. 9-13 . who still proves the abolition of the ceremonies of the Law , because we are compleat in Christ ; not in some new ordinances added in stead of them ; for if there bee need of other Ordinances , ( besides Christ ) in stead of the old , then Christ himself hath not fulnesse enough , and though our Ordinances may bee said to imitate theirs ; yet Christ onely succeeds them . I answer , it is very true , that whoever should plead that we have any of our compleatness in any outward Ordinances would evacuate the Apostles Argument But Sir , is there no distinction to be made betwixt our compl●atnesse in Christ , and Ordinances which by his own appointment helpe us to apply this compleatnesse : doe the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper , and other Christian Ordinances hinder , or argue that all our compleatnesse in not in Christ . I adde further , that Christ onely succeeds all the Jewish ordinances , as the body succeeds the shadow : we plead not as the Papists doe , that the Jewish Sacraments were types of ours , they were types onely of Christ ; but yet ours succeed them to be like signes of the Covenant of grace , and so the Apostle doth in this place . Fourthly , say you , I deny not but there is an analogy betwixt baptisme and circumcision , as there is also betwixt the Arke and Baptisme ; but we are not to conclude thence , that Baptisme succeeds in the room and use of Noahs Arke , &c. for in the administration of an Ordinance , we are not to bee ruled by bare analogie framed by our selves , or delivered by the Spirit of God , but by the institution of God. I answer , but when those analogies framed by the Spirit of God , are agreeable to the use and end of Gods institution , we are to bee ruled by them ; and the Apostle shews that 's our case here . Fifthly , say you , The Apostle in this place rather resembles buriall to circumcision then baptisme : and so makes the analogie between circumcision and Christs buriall ; and you bring in Chrysostome and Theophylact concurring with you . I answer , this I wonder at , where is Circumcision compared to buriall , and wherein I pray you lyes the analogie between them ? Besides , whoever will look into this Text , shall finde that this spirituall circumcision containes both our death to sin , and rising again to newnesse of life , by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ , both which are here fully signified in our baptisme , ver . 11. & 12. consepulti sum●● ; the analogy lyes plain between our buryall and baptisme . And Chrysostome whom you cite , saith plainly , wee are spiritually circumcised , but when and where ; and answers in Baptisme . Sixthly , say you , Circumcision was not onely a priviledge to the Jews , but it was also a buriben to them , and it would be a bu●then , not a priviledge , to have an ordinance in the roome and use of it . I answer , Circumcision was a burthen , as it was a painfull Sacrament , and as it obliged them to that painfull , costly and burthensome manner of the administration of the Covenant , which was before Christs incarnation ; but it was no burden , But a great priviledge , as it was a seale of the Covenant . And in this last respect onely is baptism substituted into his room and place . In the close of this Section , I like your farewell , though you tell me , I speake with more confidence then truth ; I said there had been no reason to have named baptisme , but that he meant to shew baptisme was now to Christians in the room of circumcision to the Jewes : You say , baptisme is named , because it is one of the meanes by which Christians come to have communion with Christ , and to be compleat in him ; which was the thing the Apostle intended in the 12. verse . And therefore faith is joyned with it , they being the two speciall means whereby we have our communion with Christ , to which you adde , Gal. 5. 25 , 26. Rom. 6. 3 , & 4. But is not this the same sense with mine , who have hitherto undertaken to justifie that , though our compleatnesse be in Christ onely , who is now exhibited , and no longer to bee sought in the types and shadows of the Jewish administrations , ( to which manner of administrations Circumcision did oblige them ; ) yet Baptism is now the seal of our initiation , and a meanes to apply this Covenant to us , as Circumcision was to them , though the manner of their administration be wholly ceased . If I have not taken you right , make a syllogisme , and make all Logick quake before your mighty consequence . Baptisme is named , because it is one of the meanes of Christians being exempted from the Schoolmaster , and come to be ingraffed into Christ , and to bee compleat in him ; therefore it doth not succeed in the roome and place of Circumcision : nay , rather , it therefore doth . I pray you put together these words , Ye are compleat in Christ , in whom ye are also circumcised , being buryed with him in baptisme ; and see if it speake not this plainely , that baptisme succeeds into the use of Circumcision : surely , it hence appeares Circumcision and Baptisme are nearer of kin then you would make them . In the close of this Section , according to your wonted manner , you triumph , and tell me that you have at last waded through this conclusion , and the text , Col. 2. 12. & 10. the misunderstanding of which hath been the ignis faruis , foolish fire , which hath led men out of the way in this matter , into bags . Truly Sir , were these scorns of being led by foolish fire into bogs , &c cast upon my selfe onely , it were nothing ; but when they are thus cast in the faces of all Divines , ancient , and modern , all Harmonies and Confessions ( except onely a handfull of upstart Anabaptists ) as if they were all such simple ones , that an ignis fatuus , a fooles fire , might lead them into any bogs , I can hardly forbeare to tell you it is an argument of an arrogant Spirit . There is also in the end of your booke , a short discourse upon this Text , which I read over to see if there were any thing which might weaken my Argument , or strengthen your exceptions ; but in it I finde not any one sentence that hurts me , or helps you ; only some of those things which you call dictates , bold assertions , some of them contrary to the plain Text of Scripture , all of them magisterially set down with out proof : as , circumcision was not a token of the Covenant to the Iews children ; which is contrary to the very Text , Gen. 17. That the promises of the Covenant , were not the reason that they were circumcised . Yet any Reader may see that the Covenant is there set downe as the reason why they should bee circumcised . That the Jews children were not therefore in covenant , because they were Abrahams naturall seed , that beleevers children are not in covenant , because beleevers children ; and divers other Conclusions of the same nature , which are already answered ; and therefore I shall not stay the Reader any whit about them . Hitherto I have followed you foot by foot , because the gaining or losing the cause , depends upon these former conclusions , the samenesse of the Covenant both to Jews and Centiles , the s●menesse of our Infants right to the Covenant with theirs ; and baptisme succeeding circumcision , as to the use of an initiall seale to them , who are in Covenant . In that which remaines , I shall more contract the matter of your large Discourse● partly , because many things in it are upon by-matters ; partly , because that which is materiall , is but the repetition of that which hath been answered already . My fourth Conclusion was , That by Gods owne expresse order , Infants as well as growne men , were in the time of the Iewes to be initiated and sealed with the signe of circumcision , whether Jews by nature , or Proselytes of the Gentiles , one law was for them all , if they receive the covenant , they and their children were circumcised . This Conclusion you grant to be true ; onely , because you wil say somewhat to every thing : you answer , First , That it is as certain that this expresse order of God is now repealed ; very true , and you might have added , That by his order likewise , Baptisme succeeds in the room of it . I added , whereas some alledge , Though circumcision was to be applyed to their Infants , yet it was not as a seale of the spirituall part of the Covenant , but as a Nationall badge , or seale of some temporall and earthly blessings and priviledges , as of the right to the land of Canaan , &c. and that Ishmael , though he was circumcised for some temporall respects , was not thereby brought under the Covenant , &c. You answer , they who thus object , speake the truth : and here you referre to your Latine Paper . I reply , to my understanding , you here speake pure Anabaptisme indeed , just like the Anabaptists in Germany , who say , The Covenant which circumcision sealed , was a carnall covenant : and that when God commanded the Israelites to circumcise their children , wee are not to understand that he obliged them to have their hearts circumcised , nor aimed at any thing which touched the inward man ; that the condition required by God in circumcision , cannot bee drawne to a spirituall businesse ; that the circumcised by circumcision , were not bound to looke for salvation by Jesus Christ : how very neare are you come to these carnall conceits of the German Anabaptists , which have been a thousand times confuted by our Orthodox Divines ? yet you bring not one shadow of a proofe for what you say , onely you alledge , Ishmael had no part in the covenant , the cov●nant was to bee establisted with Isaac , and not with Ishmael , &c. But I have made it abundantly cleare , that not onely Ishmael and Esau , but missions of Jacobs seed , did never partake of the spirituall graces of the Covenant , yet were reckoned by circumcision to belong to the Covenant , and were obliged to seeke after the spirituall part of it , and whereas you say , when Ishmael was circumcised , Abraham understood the promise was not intended for Ishmael but for Isaac , that Ishmael onely was to have a share in some temporall blessings ; I answer , supposing that were true , you have given a very good instance to prove that some may receive the outward signe of the Covenant , and have a visible standing in the Church , though hee who administers the Seale , might by revelation know that the inward grace is wanting . Secondly , I answer , how doe you prove that no part of the spirituall Covenant made with Abraham did appeare to belong to Ishmael when he was circumcised , or not to Esau when hee was circumcised ? God indeed did then declare that Isaac was he in whose family the Covenant should continue , but not a word that Ishmael should have no part in it : prove ( if you can ) in your next that Ishmael and Esau were not by their circumcision bound to have their hearts circumcised , and to beleeve in the Messiah that was to come of Abrahams seed . And whereas you say , againe and againe , that no benefit of the Covenant was the proper reason why these or those were circumcised , but onely Gods precept : I have already cleared it out of the Text Genesis 17. that though Gods command was the cause of the existence of the dutie of Circumcision , yet the Covenant of grace was the motive to it , and these two are well consistent together . Whereas I answered to that carnall objection of the Anabaptists , that nothing is plainer then that the Covenant whereof Circumcision was a signe was the Covenant of grace , you reply , first , it was a mixt Covenant , which is before taken away , in answer to your exceptions against my first conclusion , Sect. 2. Part 3. Secondly , you say , all circumcised persons were not partakers of the spirituall part , it 's one thing to bee under the outward administration , another thing to be under the Covenant of Grace ; Sir , I thanke you for this answer , you grant as much as I have been proving all this while , viz. that men may have a visible membership though they bee not elected , and that there ever was and will be some such in the Church to whom the outward administration and externall priviledges doe app●●taine , though they are not inwardly sanctified , and I hope you will not deny but that these are called , in that sense which our Saviour meanes when hee sayes , Many are called , but few are chosen . I added Abraham received Circumcision a signe of the righteousnesse of faith : true , say you , Circumcision was a seale of righteousnesse , but not to all or only circumcised persons , but to all beleevers , whether Iews or Gentiles though they never are or may be sealed in their own persons . I reply , first , this is but a peece of odde Divinitie , that Circumcision should seale righteousnesse to them who never are circumcised , nor reputed so , nor capable of being circumcised , nor might lawfully be circumcised , but let that passe . 2ly Indeed none but beleevers have the spirituall part of Circumcision , but visible professors had a visible right to it , and were obliged to seeke the spirituall grace of it , and though they who are externally called , and not elected , never come to attaine the spirituall part , yet are they in foro visibilis Ecclesiae to be reputed Church members , and they have as Austin saith , veritatem sacramenti , though not fructum Sacramenti , they receive the truth of the Sacrament , though they partake not of the best part of it ; And the Iewes ( said I ) received it not as a nation , but as a Church , as a people separated from the world , and taken into Covenant with God ; against which you object , if I take ( as ) with reduplication , they received it neither as a nation , nor as a Church : for if as a nation , then every nation must have been circumcised ; if as a Church , then every Church must be circumcised ; they received it as appointed them from God , under that formall notion , and no other . But what poore exceptions are these ? my plaine meaning was , the Jewes were both a civill societie or Common-wealth , they were also a Church or a people in Covenant with God ; Circumcision was given them in reference to their Church State , not in reference to their civill state , and was in ordine to the things of Gods kingdome ▪ and though the formall reason of their being circumcised was the command of God , yet the Covenant of grace or their Church state was the motive to it , and the thing it related to , as is most cleare out of the 17. of Genesis and many other places where their Circumcision denotates their religious standing , as hath often been shewed before . But what is all this , say you , to the answering of the objection , which was , that Circumcision was not the Seale of the spirituall part of the Covenant of grace , to all circumcised persons , and that Circumcision was appointed to persons not under the Covenant , &c. I answer , I thinke it very fully answers the objection , for if it was commanded and observed , as that which was a priviledge and dutie belonging to the Covenant , and they used it as being in Covenant , the objection is wholly taken off . Your frequent bringing in of the manner of administration , by types , shadowes , &c. hath been abundantly answered in my vindicating my first conclusion , and elsewhere . Next you much trouble your selfe , how I will cleare that expression of mens conformity to temporall blessings and punishments , because blessings and punishments are Gods acts and not mens : I desire you to require an account of it from them who assert it , I said , Circumcision bound them who received it to conforme to that manner of administration of the Covenant which was carried much by a way of temporall blessings and punishments , they being types of spirituall things : is this all one to conforme to temporall blessings and punishments ? I added , no man can shew , that any were to receive Circumcision in relation to these outward things onely , or to them at all , further then they were administrations of the Covenant of grace ; you answer , they received Circumcision neither in relation to these outward things onely no nor at all , either as they were temporall blessings or types of spirituall things , and so administrations of the Covenant of grace , but for this reason and no other , because God had so commanded ; I reply , here had beene the fit place for you to have made good what you have so confidently asserted heretofore ; that Ishmael , Esau , and others were circumcised for some temporall respects , that Circumcision sealed the temporall or politicall promises , &c. but in stead of proving this , you doe here as good as deny it , for if they were not circumcised , in any respect at all to their temporall blessings , how I pray you did Circumcision seale their temporall blessings ? Nay further , you by consequent deny that Circumcision sealed either temporall or spirituall blessings , and consequently it was no seale at all , or a seale of nothing at all ; for if they were circumcised with respect to nothing , but onely because God commanded them to bee circumcised , how was Circumcision any Seale to them ? If a father give a child a Ring , and command him to weare it , onely to shew his obedience to his fathers command , what doth the wearing of this Ring seale to the child ? it declares indeed the childes obedience to the father , but seals nothing to the child from the father . Nor doth that which you adde any whit helpe this , you say , You deny not that circumcised persons were by faith to looke on the covenant of grace , through these administrations , but by what warrant could their faith look upon the Covenant of grace through circumcision if the command of circumcision were not in reference to the Covenant of grace ? I professe I cannot understand it , nor doe I thinke it possible for you , to reconcile this , either with the constant doctrine of the Scripture concerning the end and use of Circumcision , or with your owne grant , that Circumcision was the initiall Seale of the Jewes Covenant with God. To cleare it further that Circumcision was not a seale of the land of Canaan , or the temporall blessings of it , I shewed the Proselytes and their children could not bee circumcised in relation to Canaan , &c. because they were not capable of any inheritance there ; yea , that it tied them to a greater expence of their temporall blessings by their long , frequent , and chargeable journies to worship at Ierusalem ; you answer onely this , all this may bee granted , yet this overthrowes not this proposition , that the Covenant made with Abraham had promises of temporall blessings , and that some were to be circumcised who had no part in the covenant of grace : but Sir , the thing I am here proving is that Circumcision was no Seale of the land of Canaan , not that there were no temporall blessings belonging to the Covenant ; I know the promises of temporall blessings belong to the Covenant of grace , as well as the promises of spirituall ; godlinesse having the promise of this life , and of that which is to come : nor was I proving that all who were to bee circumcised had part in the spirituall graces of the Covenant , my drift being onely to prove , that all who were to be circumcised had a visible membership and right to bee reputed as belonging to the Church , against which in this place you say just nothing . Lastly , whereas I added that Ishmael and the rest of Abrahams family , Esau and others were really taken into covenant untill afterwards by apostasie they discovenanted themselves , you answer that I plainely deliver ap●stasie from the covenant of grace , which in others wou'd bee called Armianisme , because taking into the covenant of grace , argues election or some act which executes election : I reply , I have no doubt but that all indifferent Readers well enough understand what I meant by being taken into the Covenant of grace , even such a taking in as when the Gentiles were taken in , in ramorum defractorum locum , instead of the Iewes , who were broken off : your selfe grant , it is one thing to bee under the spirituall grace of the Covenant , and another thing to bee under the outward administration ; in this later sense were Ishmael , Esau , and the rest taken in , they were visible professors had an externall calling , and are all visible professors elected , and is not externall vocation Gods act , though a common one ? The fifth and last conclusion which I laid downe in my Sermon was this , the priviledges of beleevers under this last and best administration of the covenant of grace are many wayes enlarged , made more honorable and comfortable then ever they were in the time of the Iewes administration ; many Scriptures speake of their inlargement , not one for the dimininishing or extenuating of them ; I could hardly have imagined that you could have spent ten or eleven whole pages in excepting against this , I shall very briefely examine what you have said ; first , you shew your skill in the description of a priviledge out of the civill Law , and I concurre with you , that a priviledge must bee somewhat which is a benefit , and that the same thing may bee a priviledge at one time , which is not at another ; that that may bee a priviledge in comparison of the heathens which is not in comparison of Christians : but what 's all this to the purpose ? further say you , the priviledges of the covenant of grace belonging to the substance of it , are not now more enlarged or more honorable or comfortable then they were in the time of the Iewes ; I answer , first , though this were granted it hurts not mee , it 's sufficient if the administration be now more comfortable to beleevers and their children . Secondly , if there be no more honorablenesse in those priviledges which belong to the substance of the Covenant , how comes it to passe , that in your answers to those severall texts which I and others bring to prove the enlargement of priviledges under this last administration , you interpret them of those priviledges which belong to the substance of the Covenant or the spirituall part of it ? Thirdly , though I willingly acknowledge that the spirituall priviledges are the same both to the Jewes and Gentiles , the same under both administrations , yet seeing that under this last administration , these priviledges are communicated not onely with more clearenesse , but in greater measure and abundance , floods in stead of drops : wildernesses made like Lebanon and Sharon , I wonder you should say they are no more honorable and comfortable now then they were then ; is not abundance of grace more honorable and comfortable then a little grace ? But say you , in respect of the administration it is granted they are many wayes enlarged and made more honorable : this will serve our turne well enough , for this was a priviledge belonging to their administration , that their Infants were under it as well as themselves ; yeeld that for ours , and the controversie is ended , wee ( say I ) are freed from that hard and costly yoake of their way of administration : true say you , it is not onely our priviledge to bee free from that , but it is our priviledge also to have nothing in lieu of that yoake . To have nothing in lieu of them as they were shadowes of the substance , which is Christ , is very right , but to say it is our priviledge to have nothing in lieu of them , as they were externall Ordinances to apply Christ , is to say it is our priviledge to have no Ordinances to apply Christ to us , and thereby to make us compleat in him , which were a most absurd thing to affirme . Whereas I added that our priviledges for our selves and our children , are at least as honorable , large , and comfortable as theirs , your answer to this is very remarkable , but whether with an obeliske or asteriske the Reader shall judge ; first say you , circumcision belongs to the administration of the Covenant , not to the substance of it . I reply ; it was indeed a part of their administration , and obliged them to the rest of that manner of administration , as Baptisme now doth to ours , but did it not also belong to the substance ? was it not a seale of the righteousnesse of faith , of circumcision of heart , &c. doth not the seale belong to the thing sealed ? the conveyance and seal annexed to it , are no part of the purchased inheritance , but doe they not belong to it ? Secondly , your next is as remarkable , viz. That it 's so farre from being a priviledge to our children to have them baptized ; to have Baptisme succeed in the stead of Circumeision , that it is a benefit to want it , God not having appointed it . I answer , then belike our priviledges of the Covenant of grace are so farre from being inlarged by enjoying the Sacrament of Baptisme , that it had been our priviledge to have wanted Baptisme if God had not appointed it ; and by as good a reason at least , you might have said , that Circumcision was so farre from being a priviledge to the Jews and their children , that it had been a benefit for them to have wanted it , if God had not commanded it ; sure , that is a strange kinde of priviledge , of which I may truly say , that it had been a greater benefit to them who have it , to have wanted it , if the Donor had not commanded it . Next , you come more particularly to examine the proofs of my Conclusion ; and ( say you ) the thing I should prove , is one of these two , either that circumcision did belong to the substance of the Covenant of grace : or that the want of circumcision , or some Ordinance in the place and use of it , is a losse of priviledge of the Covenant of grace to us and our children . Sir , the thing I was to prove was this 5 Conclusion , viz. That our priviledges are inlarged , not extenuated : and as for these two particulars , I have already proved , that Circumcision , though a part of their administration , did yet belong to the substance ; belong to it I say , not as a part of it , but as a meanes of applying it . And I have also proved , that though it be a priviledge to have nothing succeed circumcision , as it bound to that manner of administration ; yet it is a priviledge to have somewhat succeed it as a seale of the Covenant , in as much as a Covenant with a seale , is a greater benefit then a Covenant without a seale . More particularly , I said our enlargement of priviledges appeares , partly , in that wee have freedome , in what was burthensome to them in their manner of administration ; partly , because our Covenant is established upon better promises , Heb. 8. 6. Whereupon you enter upon a Discourse of that Covenant there mentioned ; and you positively assert , That it was the Covenant of workes . Alasse Sir , why doe you run into this needlesse and erroneous digression ? I said indeed in my Sermon , that the morall Law was added foure hundred and thirty yeares after the Covenant was made with Abraham , not as a part of that Covenant , but as a Schoolemaster to whip them to Christ ; that they finding the impossibility of keeping the Law , might more earnestly long after Christ , exhibited in those shadows of Rites and Sacrifices , &c. but to say that this Covenant mentioned in the eight of the Hebrews , was the Covenant of works , is a most erroneous doctrine ; look into the Text , and you shall find that the Covenant which is there mentioned , ( which God finds fault with , and calls the first Covenant ; in opposition to this b●tter Covenant ) had Ordinances of divine Worship , had a Sanctuary , a Tabernacle , Priests , and High Priests , Sacrifices , and other Rites belonging to the administration of it . Sir , was this the Covenant of works ? I hope you will not own it in your next . Next you say , That place , 2 Cor. 3. 10. the glory of theirs , bad no glory in respect of ours : This is not meant of the Covenant of grace , but of the Covenant in Mount Sinai ; therefore impertinently alledged by me . Sir , I wonder at your confidence in it ; the Reader will easily discorne that the whole scope of that Chapter clearly holds forth the preheminence of the Ministery of the Gospel , above the Ministery of Moses his vailed Ceremonies : belike then with you , Moses Ceremonies were the Covenant of works . Next , I shewed in my Sermon , that as our priviledges are better then theirs , in being free'd from their burthens , so we as well as they , enjoy the honour of being called a holy Nation , a peculiar people , a chosen generation , &c. Vpon this you discourse at large , especially against Mr. Blake , and you undertake to prove that all these things are meant of the invisible Church . I answer very briefly , none of us ever doubted , but that the spirituall part belongs onely to the invisible Church , and did so in the time of the Jews , as well as now ; but yet we as well as the Jews partake of that priviledge , and our visible standing gives us the honor to be so reputed , as wel as theirs gave it unto them ; and were all the Jews who had the honour to bee called a holy Nation , really such ? were they all inwardly holy , or effectually called ? the like answer serves to your discourse upon Rom. 9. the Apostle speakes there of adoption as a priviledge of the body of that Nation , their whole Nation had the Honour to bee called the children of God , according to Deut. 14. 1. Ye are the children of the Lord your God , yet they were not all the spirituall children of God ; the Reader may see more of this in the vindication of my second Conclusion , and you shall doe well in your next , solidly to prove that these were not priviledges which the visible Church of the Jewes enjoyed ( though many among them had the kernell without the shell ) rather then thus to triumph in these feeble exceptions . I added , Wee have all these things with advantage , not onely in the clearnesse of the administration , but in some sense , in greater extent to persons , with us there is neither male nor female . Why I adde this of male or female , you say you know not , except I meane to insinuate that in the Jewish Church there was male and female , because Circumcision was onely of the males , &c. I reply , I acknowledge that though it bee true , that among true beleevers , among the Jews there was neither male nor female , all equally did partake of the spirituall part of the Covenant , as well as now with us , yet for the comfortable manner of administration of it , even this distinction of male and female , is a priviledge enla●ged under this last and best administration , and the Apostle in that place , Gal. 3. 28. doth plainly intimate the enlargement of this priviledge in this respect , and so I think the words plainly hold out , As many of you as have been baptized into Christ , have put on Christ ; there is neither Iew nor Greeke , bond nor free , made nor female , for ye are all one in Christ Jesus ; and if ye be Christs , then are ye Abrahams seed , and heires according to promise . To me the Apostle here doth plainly hold out , that now under the New Testament , baptisme is the visible pledge of our being Abrahams seed , as circumcision was the pledge of it under the Old Testament ; & that here is the enlargement of our priviledge in the New Testament , that whereas Circumcision of old was applyed to one Nation , and not to others ; now out of all Nations , such are called in , as are made Abrahams seed , whether Jew or Greek . And whereas of old the seale was applyed onely to the males , in this respect the differences of sexes is now taken away . And although it be true that the spirituall part of all this be made good onely to true beleevers , who likewise alone have the inward baptisme , yet visible professors enjoy the visible priviledge . Next you proceed to reply to an Objection which I propounded in my Sermon , and answered , ( viz. ) In some thing 's the Jews had greater priviledges then we have ; as that Abraham had the priviledge to bee called the Father of the faithfull : that Christ should be born of his flesh ; the Virgin Mary had the priviledge to be the Mother of Christ ; the whole Nation of the Jews had this priviledge , that God will call in their seed againe , after they had been cast off for unbelief many hundred years ; which priviledges none of the Gentiles have , or can have . And my answer was , That our question is about such priviledges as belong to all who have a standing under the Covenant , which every one who is in covenant with God might expect by vertue of the covenant , whether hee were a Jew or a Proselyte , not for any peculiar or personall priviledge to any one man or woman , or family , or Tribe . That it no ways derogates from us that some particular person or Tribe should enjoy some peculiar priviledges ; but if any of the common priviledges , which they all enjoyed by vertue of their Church standing should be abridged , then the priviledges of the New Testament would bee more restrained then those of the Old ; this , said I , is against the word of God. Your answer is , That this Argument hath no weight , but onely amongst Vulgar , and nonsyllogising capacities : and therefore in your Latine Paper you mention these instances of the Virgin Mary , &c. And thence would shew , That the Iews might have more priviledges in some respect , in some things , then we , and yet our condition better then theirs by reason of some other priviledges we have above them , which recompence the defect of those priviledges ; and therefore no good Argument can be drawne , That because God gave such a priviledge to the Jews , therefore we must have such a priviledge too ; yea , it would bee an Argument of arrogant presumption , to say , the Iews had such a priviledge , therefore we must have it : They had a priviledge to circumcise Iufants , therfore we mast baptise Infants . I Answer , I thinke indeed it would take with no sober Christian thus to argue : The Jewes had it , therefore wee must have it . But Sir , to argue thus , God gave such a priviledge to the whole Church of the Jews , that their Infants should be reputed to belong to his Church , and have the initiall seale : Therefore if hee have not granted to Christians , that their Infants shall also bee reputed to belong to his Church , and partake of the initiall seale ; then his grace to beleevers under the New Testament is straitned as to their posterity . This Argument appeares so cleare to mee , that I must confesse my selfe one of those Dull ones , who know not how to deny the consequence . In the meane time I observe , that though you would make your Reader believe , that these personall priviledges of Abraeham , to have Christ born of his flesh ; the Virgin Mary to be the mother of Christ , &c. doe presse my Conclusion ; yet you spake not one word to vindicate them from my answer : And therefore I collect that by this time you see , that now under this administration , some personal priviledges which a few of the Jews had over and above what belonged to the rest , may be denyed us , and yet they make nothing against this Argument ; That if the common priviledges which every one of them had were denyed us , our priviledges were straitned . Your other exception which you make concerning Melchisedeck , Lot , and Job , have been often answered before . That which you adde concerning one kinde of Proselytes among the Iews , who were called Proselytes of the gate , who though they were not circumcised , were yet reckoned among the Worshippers of God , ( such at were Cornelius and others ) and were also within the Covenant of grace . I know not what you intend to gather from it ; unlesse you would intimate , that they were Church-members among the Jewes , although they were not circumcised ; but had you said so , that the priviledges and Church-membership of these Proselytes of the Gate , were as honourable as those of the Proselytes of the Covenant , your learned Readers would have smiled at you ; sure there would have been no need for God to have instructed Peter by a Vision from heaven , that he should not call them ( to whom he was to be sent ) uncleane ; nor had Peter been ever put to have made his apologie for going in to Cornelius and his company , if these uncircumcised Proselytes of the Gate had been reputed Church-members among the Jews . Next you grant , The Iews indeed had that priviledge to have their children reckoned in the outward administration , as branches of the O live by their birth , which the Gentiles have not . But if we Gentiles have it not , then are not wee I pray you , straitned in that particular ? And I demand further , when we are graffed in , and so naturalized with them , doe we not partake of all the fatnesse or priviledges of the Olive with them ? what Scripture ever denyed it ? I demand yet further , did the many ten thousands of Jews who were baptized in the Apostles dayes , by their comming under this best administration of the Covenant , and thereby kept their former growing in the Olive with advantage ; did they thereby deprive their Children of that which you say was their naturall priviledge ? if you thinke so , produce your evidence to prove it ; if they were not , then it seemes the Jewes who beleeved in Christ , and kept their station , had a greater priviledge for their children , then the Gentiles who grow together with them , have for their children . I added , Let any man shew out of the Scripture , where our priviledges under the Gospel are cut short in any of these things , and in particular for the case in hand , concerning our Infants right to the Covenant and seale of it ; once we are sure the Infant-children of all Covenanters were within the Covenant , and the sedle also belonged to them : and by vertue of the Covenant ( which is still the same ) 〈◊〉 pl●ad their interest in it ; let any shew when and where this was taken away . You answer , it is unreasonable to require this at your hands , to shew what you doe not avouch : you goe not about to expunge Infants of beleevers out of the Covenant of Grace ; and you see no cause to beleeve me , who affirme that once they were within the Covenant , &c. I reply , but doe not you avouch , That the Infants of the Jewes had this peculiar privil●dge , and birth-right to be under the administration of the Covenant which ours have not ; which you know is the onely thing controverted betwixt us : may not I boldly say , That once the Infants of all Covenanters had this priviledge ? may I not also exact of you to shew when and where this was taken away ? who though you goe not about to expunge them out of the book of life , yet you expresly expunge them out of visible membership , while you say , the Jews Infants had it , and ours have it not . Lastly , I added , who ever will goe about to deprive them of it , to cut off such a great part of the comfort of beleeving Parents , must produce clear testimonies before they can perswade beleevers to part with either of them , either right to the Covenant , or to the seale of the Covenant ; because next to the glory of God , and the salvation of their owne soules ; their Infants interest in the Covenant , is one of the greatest benefits beleevers have from the Covenant of grace , even to have their Children belong to Gods family and Kingdome , and not to the Devills ; Children being the greatest treasure of their Parents , and the salvation of their childrens soules , the greatest treasure in their children ; and therefore to exclude them out of that society or visible standing where salvation is ordinary , is so great a losse , or eclipsing of their comfort , a● whoever would make them yeeld to it , had need produce very strong evidence ; and much more I said in my Sermon to this purpose . You answer , Here I am upon my advantage ground , in a veine of Oratory , and on a subject , of all others , aptest to move affections ; to wit , Parents tendernesse to their children . I confesse in this point , I stand upon a vantage ground ( not in Oratory , to which I pretend not , but ) in point of truth , had I only spoken words without weight , you could and would have discovered their emptiness , and scoffed at them sufficiently ; you make severall small exceptions which I shal briefly touch : as , First , That I touch something too neare upon the Popish Opinion ; as if I might be guess'd to symbolize with that Opinion of the Papists , who judge all unbaptized infants to perish ; which is not worth the answering . Then you demand What comfort doe wee give Parents , which the Antipaedobaptists doe not give them as well as we ; or what discomforts in truth doe they give them , which we doe not ? I answer , the difference is very great , you leave them in the state of Infidells , we in the condition the Jews children were in while they were the people of God ; wee account them actually belonging to the visible kingdom of Christ , you actually to belong to the visible kingdom of the Devill ; wee leave them under the benefit of that promise , I will be the God of thee and of thy feed , you acknowledge no more promise for them , then for the children of Turks : it may be these things are of no account to you , but I doubt not but they will bee with your unprejudiced Reader . I next proceeded to the maine and onely Objection made against this whole Argument , which is this , There is no command , no expresse institution , or cleare example in all the New Testament , of baptizing of Infants ; and in administration of Sacraments , wee are not to be led by our owne reason , or grounds of seeming probabilities , but by the expresse order of Christ , and no otherwise . You say , this is indeed the maine Objection , and without answering it , all that I have said is to little purpose . But Sir , did not you formerly grant , that upon the proving of my two first Conclusions the whole cause depended ? if therefore those Conclusions remaine firme , there is enough already said to the purpose . You adde , Vnlesse this Objection be removed , the practice of baptizing infants will never be acquitted from Will-worship , and that the Prelatists will shew vertuall commands from analogy of the Ceremoniall Law of the Jews , and Traditions Ecclesiasticall , as ancient as ours for Paedobaptisme , for their Prelacy , Holy dayes , Surplice , &c. And therefore if I stand not to i● here , I must yeeld up my weapons . Sure you think you are here like to get some advantage , you speake so big , but by this time I have had such sufficient experience of your strength , that I much feare not your great words . First , for the point of Will-worship , I shall desire you to prove this Conclusion , That all things belonging to Christian worship , even in the circumstances of it , even the ages and sexes of the Persons to whom the Ordinances are to bee applyed , must bee expresly set down in the new Testament ; if you prove not this , you say nothing to the purpose , for this is our very case . I have already shewed the falsenesse of it , in the point of the Christians Sabbath ; for though the Ceremoniall Worship , which was a type of Christ , be wholly abolished , yet not every thing which concerns all Worship which must have an institution , is abolished . And for the plea which the Bishops and others may pretend from the analogy of the Ceremoniall Law ; when you shew how they will raise their Arguments ( which possibly you have more skill and experience to doe then I have ) as plainly as I doe for Infant-baptisme , you may possibly prevaile with the Reader in their behalf . And when you shew as much Ecclesiasticall Antiquity for Prelacy , Holydayes , Surplice , &c. I shall beleeve your Reading to be greater , then I can yet be perswaded of , that you have seen some such Monuments of Antiquity , which the Prelaticall Party could never yet light upon . But I proceed with you . I first granted , That there is no expresse syllabicall command for baptizing of Infants , no expresse example where Children were baptized . Sure ( say you ) this is a shrewd signe that I am not like to make good my ground , having yeelded thus much . And why so I pray ? your very next words leave me ground enough , when you say , That if it bee made good by good consequence , it is sufficient : what need was there then of this idle scoffe ? I added , Many other points of high concernment , are not expresly laid down in the New Testament , a● forbidden degrees of marriage , Laws against Polygamy , the Law of a weekly Sabbath , &c. You answer , In meere positive Worship , it must be so , it must have either Precept or Apostolicall example , equivalent to a precept found in the New Testament , else it is will-worship , and this say you is our case in hand ; I answer as before , there is no absolute necessitie that every circumstance of an Ordinance , or the severall Sexes or ages to whom an Ordinance ought to bee applyed , must bee thus set downe in the New Testament , this is sufficiently cleared Part 2. Sect. 8. and part 3. Sect. 1. As for the forbidden degrees of marriage , you say , there is one branch mentioned and censured in the New Testament , viz. the incest●ou● Corinthians case , and that is , say you , a finne against a morall commandement ; but how would you laugh at such a consequence in another ; a man may not marry his fathers wife , a thing which by the light of nature was abborred amongst the Heathens , Ergo , all the degrees of forbidden marriage in Moses Lawes stand firme ? The like say you against P●lygamy , there is proofe against it , Matth. 19. 5. 9. But is this an expresse prohibition of it ? must you not bee compelled to goe by a consequence to bring it in , which is all I contend for ? For that of the Sabbath you referre your Reader to Sect. 8. Part 2. whither I also most willingly send him , and leave it to his impartiall judgement whether the advantage lie not clearely on my side . I added , there is no expresse command for children of Beleevers , when they are growne , that they should be instructed and baptized , no expresse command or example where women received the Lords Supper , good consequence I acknowledge there is , but no syllabicall or expresse mention of it ; but say you , there is expresse mention of womens receiving the Sacrament , Let a man examine himselfe , 1 Cor. 11. 8. where the Greeke word comprehends both sexes , but doth that Greeke word , where ever it is used , signifie both sexes ? you will not offer to say it , I deliver to you what I received from the Lord , Vers . 23. that , say you , is a command to the whole Church , which consisted of women as well as men , &c. But Sir , if any man were disposed to wrangle with you , might hee not in your owne words doe it , and say , all these expressions must be limited pro subject a materia ? I grant all this is good by consequence , but not in expresse termes ; the same say I for Infants , you grant all disciples may bee baptized , for that you say there is an expresse command ; your selfe also grant , that regenerate Infants may be called disciples , I grant this a good Argument by consequence , that such Infants may bee baptized ; and if I have proved or can prove , that Infants of beleevers by their birth priviledge have a right to bee esteemed visible Disciples , then by your owne g●ant , by a good consequence they also may bee baptized ; and I undertake to justifie that Infants of beleevers are visible Disciples , as truely as regenerate Infants are invisible disciples . I adde further , they who are visible Covenanters are to receive the visible signe , Ergo , Infants ( who have been at large proved to bee visible Covenanters ) are to receive Baptism which is the visible signe of it : these things are fully cleared already , it is apparent there is as cleare a command for Baptisme to be the initiall seale under this administration , as ever there was for Circumcision under that administration ; and as good evidence that our children are to be reckoned to the Covenant , as there was for theirs , and no exception in the word put in against them . Is not here then good consequence , that therefore they are to have the Seale administred to them ? suppose when Paul. said let a man examine himselfe , and so let him eat● , that there had been no women there then amongst them , would not this command by consequence have reached women as well as men ? if this qualification was found in them that they could have examined themselves , must the command necessarily expresse all sexes , ages or conditions , or else not reach them ? these things I mention , as consequences parallell to these which your selfe infist upon . I added , wee by good consequence have sufficient command and example for Infant● Baptisme : to which you answer , I should have said jeere , I fetch such a compasse , that you imagine my attempt will prove but a Mouse from the M●untaines travell ; I perceive you know not how you should possesse your Reader with prejudice , if you should not now and then interline a confident scoffe , but let 's try the particulars , my first was , Abraham who received the Covenant had a command to seale his children with the initiall seale , because his children were in Covenant with him . Now because what concerned the substance of the Covenant is alwayes the same , and what concerned them then who were in Covenant as they were Covenanters , the same concernes us equally with them as we are Covenanters , what concerned them in reference onely to their administration was peculiar to themselves , as that which concernes the manner of our administration is peculiar to us ; it thence follows that the same command which was laid upon them in their administration in all those things which properly related to the substance or spirituall thing intended in that administration , by a just analogie and proportion , binds us as well as them , I said , this our Divines maintaine against the Papists , that Gods commands and institutions about the Sacraments of the Jewes bind us as much as they did them in all things which belong to the substance of the Covenant , and were not accidentall to them , my meaning being plainly this , that all Gods Commands and Institutions about the Sacraments of the Jewes as touching their generall nature of being Sacraments and seales of the Covenant , and as touching their use and end , doe bind us in our Sacraments , because in these they are the same . To speake yet more plainely , if I can , there are in the Sacraments these two things to bee distinguished , the generall nature , end , and use of a Sacrament to seale the Covenant of God by some sensible signe ; and secondly , the manner of administration of these signes , as they referre to Christ to be exhibited , or to Christ already exhibited . The first concernes rem ipsam , the thing it self , which I called in my Sermon the Substance ; the other which concernes the peculiar way or manner of doing it in reference to Christ not yet come , or to Christ already come ; that in my Sermon I called Accidentall ; now when I say that Gods commands about their Sacraments bind us , my meaning never was to assert , that the rituall part of their Sacraments doe remaine in the least particle , or that we are tied to practise any of those things , but onely that there is a generall and analogicall nature , wherein the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament doe agree ; and that in these things , our Divines doe argue from their Sacraments to our Sacraments ; thus Chamier , Catholici ▪ docent convenire Sacramenta vetera cum novis , omnibus , iis capitibus quae sunt de Sacramenti natura ; Protestants doe teach that the Sacraments of the Old Testament doe agree with the Sacraments of the New in all things which concerne the nature of a Sacrament , and yet saith he , our very senses teach us that the externall rites of their Sacraments doe differ from ours ; So Amesius , quaecunque de Circumcisione dicuntur & spectant ad Sacramentalem eju● naturam quam habet in communi cum reliquis Sacramentis , illarecte applicantur ad omnia Sacramenta , and addes immediatly , ratio signandiest talis in circumcisione : and you know multitudes of our Divines speake to the same purpose ; their Sacraments were Seales of the Covenants , so are ours , their Sacraments had a Divine institution , so have ours , their Sacraments were not empty Sacraments no more are ours , the grace accompanying their Sacraments was not included in their Sacraments , ( tanquam contentum in continente ) nor in ours , their Sacraments were to bee administred onely to them who were accounted to bee in Covenant , so are ours ; they had one Sacrament which most immediatly and properly , was a standing Sacrament for admission into the visible Church , so have wee , now in these things doe our Divines use to argue by analogy and proportion from their Sacraments to ours : this was that which I intended in my Sermon , namely , That looke what dutie they were tyed to by their Sacraments , in seeking after the spirituall part of it , looke what graces they were bound to beleeve to bee sealed unto them in their Sacraments , the same are we tied to beleeve in ours ; these things concerne us as much as they did them ; but for those things which were the accidentall , or ( if you like not that expression ) which concerne onely the rituall part of their Sacraments , these doe no wayes oblige us ; Rites and Ceremonies , which were peculiar to them , are ceased , the duties , obligations , comforts and benefits which they were led to in their administration , doe all remaine the same to us under our administration , when the Apostle sayes , 1 Cor. 10. That all our fathers did eate the same spirituall meat , and dranke the same spirituall drinke , our Interpreters generally doe agree , that by the same spirituall meate , and the same spirituall drinke is meant the same with ours ; So Calvin , Beza , Chamier , and who not , because say they , Eadem fuit veterum Sacramentorum & nostrorum substantia , Their Sacraments and ours were the same in substance , yet no man is so absurd , as to thinke that either the Manna or the water of the Rock doe remaine to us : such an analogicall Argument as this the Apostle Paul himselfe uses , Ephes . 6. from the fifth Commandement which in the Jewes time was backt with a particular promise of living long in the Land whi●h the Lord their God would give them ; and beleevers now have no promise of living in the land of Canaan , yet Paul there presses a promise to us from the generall scope of that promise , Honour thy father and mother , which is the first Commandement with promise , that it may be well with thee , and that thou mayst live long on the earth : I indeavour the more fully to expresse my sense in this particular , because after your usuall manner you endeavour to make my assertion senselesse , and absurd , and then come to reason against a sense of your owne making , and cannot bee acknowledged to be mine . Now I proceed to see what you say against this Argument , First , say you , it is no und●niable argument that this must bee good , because all Protestants use it , nor did I lay the weight of this upon their number or consent , but onely intimated , that it is obvious and usuall ; if you take away the strength of the Argument , I shall not leaue upon the men . Secondly , you consent not to this , that there were no other ordinary Sacraments among the Iewes , then Circumcision and the Passeover ; you rather concurre with Mr. Cudworth , that they had almost as many Sacraments as Ceremonies ; I reply , whether this bee right or wrong , it is nothing to the businesse in hand , Mr. Cudworth denies not the lawfulnesse of such an Argument as reasoning from the Jewes Sacraments to ours , in that sense which I have here set downe , yea in that very Treatise he acknowledges the Lords Supper to succeed the Passeover in that notion of being a feast upon a Sacrifice . Thirdly , you take a great deale of paines to put a sense upon my words which I never thought of , ( viz. ) That the Iewish Sacraments are still in force to us , that I make some things in the Iewish Sacraments to bee substantiall , some things to bee accidentall , that the accidentalls I would have abolished , the substantialls to remaine , that I shew but little skill in Logick in opposing the substance of an Act , and the Accidents of it , that I would make somethings commanded by God in the Sacraments accidentall , and not to bee of the same weight or obligation as other things which are substantiall ; and finally you bring no lesse then ten Arguments to prove that all the Iewes Ceremonies ▪ Rites and Sacraments , are all abrogated , substance and circumstance , whole and part . In all your ten Arguments I fully concurre with you , and in that conclusion which you confute by those Arguments , I never understood by the substance of their Sacraments , the sensible signes used in the Sacraments , but rem Sacram●nti , the spirituall part of the Sacrament , or the res signata ; and my Argument was never intended to bee any other then that analogicall Argument which is above set downe , and none of your Arguments meddle with . You proceed to those particular instances I gave , in which you might have knowne the meaning of my Argument if you had pleased , and spared fighting with your owne shadow by your ten Arguments . The first , is Circumcumcision is called a Seale of the Covenant , theno● our Divines plead , our Sacraments are Seales of the Covenant . To this you except , first , you know not where Circumcision is called the Seale of the Covenant , though you acknowledge it is called the signe of the Covenant in one place , and both the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith in another place ; truely Sir , I thought that the comparing of these two Scriptures together , had been sufficient to shew that Circumcision was a sealing signe . Secondly , you except , though Circumcision bee called so , yet that is no Argument to call our Sacraments so , though you are willing they should bee called so , and you say our Sacraments are Seales of the Covenant . I reply , lay aside but this analogicall Argument , and prove if you can that our Sacraments are Seales ; our Sacraments are neither called signes nor seales in the New Testament , all the world must grant indeed that they are signes , but when the Papists deny our Sacraments to be Seales of the Covenant , how will you bee able to prove it , if you lay aside this Argument , Circumcision was a Seale , therefore our Sacraments are Seales , ours agreeing with their in the generall nature of a Sac●ament ? Next I said , Circumcision might bee administred but once , it being the Seale of admission : therefore Baptisme being also the Seale of admission may bee administred but once ; you answer , denying both antecedent and consequent , you know nothing , you say , but that hoth Circumcision , and Baptisme might bee administred more then once , which I hope I have sufficiently consuted in answer to Sect. 4. Part. 2. And secondly , say you , had there been a command to circumcise but once , it would not follow that therefore a person may bee baptized but once ; but when this is proved that Baptisme succeeds Circumcision to bee the initiall Seale , which your selfe cannot deny , it must then follow , that a man may bee baptized but once , no more then hee may be circumcised but once , because where there is the same reason of a command or practise , there must bee the same practise . I added , that Circumcision was to be administred upon the eighth day onely , was an accidentall thing , and therefore binds not , meaning that it had some peculiar relation to that manner of administration , and had nothing common either to the nature of a Sacrament in generall , or to the end and use of that Sacrament as it was the Seale of admission ; you answer , if reason may rule the rost , there is more reason that Circumcising on the eighth day should rather belong to the substance of the Covenant , then but once circumcising , both because it was commanded by God , and typified , as some conceive , Christs resurrection on the eighth day . I reply , if you please but once to understand , that by the substance I understand the res signata , the spirituall part of the Sacrament , you will no longer insist upon making every thing a substantiall part of the Sacrament which God hath made a part of the outward administration onely ; Indeed if Circumcising upon the eighth day had had any such spirituall meaning of Christs resurrection upon the eighth day , you had spoke something to the purpose ; but had I pleaded any such Type in it , as that Circumcision was to be upon the eighth day , because Jesus Christ was to rise the first day of the weeke , you would have laught at me though Cyprian had joyned with mee , and told mee as you doe here , mens conceits are voin● without the light of the word . My next instance was , from the Passeover , which being yearely to bee repeated binds us to a repetition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , which succeeds the Passeover , it being the Sacrament of spirituall nourishment and growth , as the other was for birth and enterance ; but that the Passeover was to be eaten in an evening , and upon one set evening in the yeer , was accidentall and so binds not us . You answer , here are a heape of dictates , and you as confidently dictate the contrary , you grant that the Passeover was to bee yearely repeated , but that this yeerly repetition belonged to the substance of the Covenant , or that this binds us to a frequent use of the Sacrament of the Lords supper , you utterly deny , but I doubt not , that the Reader who knowes that by belonging to the substance of the Covenant I meant nothing but the end and use of it , to bee a standing memoriall of that deliverance , and a typicall representation of Jesus Christ , and our deliverance by him , will not reject this , because you magisterially deny it , That our Lords Supper comes in the roome and stead of it , there is such a cleare demonstration of it , from the very manner of the first Institution , and the ends and uses of it ; Christ our Passeover being then to bee sacrificed for us , and wee in this service shewing it forth ; and in this parallell there is such a harmony of consent , that I intend not to lead the Reader into a digression about it . As for the maintaining of Easter and such superstitious customes , my discourse gives not so much as one hint for it ; yea in my Sermon I expressely shewed , That that Circumstance of once a yeere belonged onely to the Jewes administration . And I pleaded for a frequency of it , but because you love to knit knots , for others to untie , you demand , since wee have so cleere an Example , Acts 20. 7. of the disciples comming together the first day of the weeke 〈◊〉 eate the Lords Supper , and that that Action gave denomination to the whole service , and by the relation of Justin Martyr and others , this was the received practise in the primitive Churches , whether wee are not tied to have 〈◊〉 Sacrament every Lords day in the weeke : I answer , though I conceive no absolute tie to have it so , yet when it can bee with convenience , I know no reason why it may not bee so : but you making this one of your great Arguments , to prove the Institution of the Lords day , ( viz. ) An Apostolicall example , and practise of the primitive Churches , whether you bee not further engaged in this point to a Sacrament every Lords day , I leave to your selfe to consider . You demand further , since the Apostle does so expresly , and distinctly in his relation of the Institution mention the time of it , you would know of the Assembly of Divines , especially such of them , as have beene earnest for sitting at the Sacrament , how wee can be loose to receive it at another time ; I answer , certainly the Assembly would answer you , as Cyprian did in the like case , that the time was an occasionall circumstance ; and that the cleere examples recorded in the New Testament of the Disciples partaking of the Lords Supper at any of their Church-meetings , whether by night or by day , doth abundantly manifest it : nor can I conceive why you put this question to the Assembly , unlesse it be to shew you are not pleased with the dispute about sitting at the Communion , it seemes you still like kneeling better , for the thing it selfe , you either judge thus of it , that it was an occasionall circumstance , and so you pick quarrells even against your owne light and principles , or if you thinke it a binding circumstance , whence comes it that you use it not ? You have yet another quarrell about that expression of mine , in caliing Baptisme the seale of our extrance and new birth , and thence you would insinuate , that I deny Baptisme to be a Sacrament of our nourishment and continuance , and you tell me that 's but a dictate like the rest , and somewhat akin to Bellarmine and the rest of the Papists , who make the efficacy of Baptisme to extend not to the remission of the sinnes of our whole life , but of originall sinne onely . I answer , that Baptisme is a Sacrament of our Birth and entrance I have proved , and your selfe grant , that it is not of use afterward I never spake , never thought ; but as for my being akin to Bellarmines assertion , if your assertions were no more akin to Socinus , Servetus , Marcion , &c. then mine are to the Papists , it were better for you . My next Instance was from our Christian Sabbath ; the fourth Commandement binds us for the substance , as much as ever it bound the Jews ; there God once for all separated one day of seven to be sacred to himselfe ; and all the world stood bound by vertue of that Commandment in all ages , to give unto God that one day of seven , which should be of his owne choosing , though onely the seventh day of the week be named in the fourth Commandement . Now ( said I ) God having put an end to the Saturday Sabbath , and surrogated the first day of the weeke in stead thereof , to be the Lords day , we need no new Commandement for keeping of the Lords day , being tyed by the fourth Commandement to keep that day of seven which the Lord should choose : And though no day bee mentioned in the fourth Commandment , but onely the seventh from the Creation , yet our Divines think it no absurdity to reason thus , Thou shalt keepe the Sabbath , thou shalt rest the seventh day , that is , thou shalt rest the seventh day from the Creation , while the Lord continues that day to be his Sabbath , and thou shalt rest the first day of the week , when the Lord chooses that to be his Sabbath ; in like manner I say of the Sacrament of Baptisme . To this you answer , You referre your selfe to what you have before declared , Part 2. Sect. 8. And thither also I referre the Reader , where I have vindicated this answer from you . I further adde , you neither there nor here deny this Argument from a consequence , to be sufficient for practise of some things in the Worship of God , which are not expresly laid downe in the New Testament ; onely you adde here , I forget the marke at which I shoot , the Sabbath or Lords day being not to be reckoned among the Iews Sacraments . I reply , first , I might as well reckon the seventh day from the Creation , among the Jews Sacraments , as you may say the Jewes had as many Sacraments as Ceremonies . Secondly , I never numbred the Sabbath amongst Sacraments , but because the Sabbath belongs to the instituted Worship of God , as well as the Sacrament , and requires its institution to bee at least as cleare as this about Infant-Baptisme , which touches but a circumstance of age , this Argument from the one to the other , will appeare to the impartiall Reader , to bee too strong for you to answer . Next follows , the blow which will tumble downe all , if your selfe may be believed : Mark Reader how heavie a one it is . I said when God made the Covenant with Abraham , and promised for his part to be the God of him and his seed , what God promised to Abraham , we claime our part in it , as the children of Abraham ; and what God required on Abrahams part for the substance of obedience wee stand charged with as well as Abraham , to beleeve , to love the Lord with all our heart , to walke before God in uprightnesse , to instruct and bring up our Children for God , not for our selves , nor for the Devill ; to teach them to worship God according to his revealed will , to traine them up under Ordinances and Institutions of Gods owne appointment . All these things God commanded Abraham , and wee by vertue of that Covenant ( being Covenanters with Abraham ) stand bound to all these duties , though there were no expresse reviving these Commandements in any part of the New Testament : and therefore consequently that command of God to Abraham , which bound his seed of the Jews to traine up their children in that manner of Worship which was then in force , binds beleevers now to traine up their children in conformity to such Ordinances as are now in force . To all this you answer , supposing I meane the spirituall part of the Covenant to be that which God promised to Abraham , and the persons claiming to bee beleevers ; this passage you grant to bee true , be●ause these are mor●ll duties . Well then , the deadly blow is not yet given ; I meane this which you suppose : and I meane more then this , I meane that what Abraham might claime as an invisible beleever , we may claime as invisible beleevers ; what he might claime as a visible beleever or Professor , wee claime the same as visible Professors ; and so what he stood obliged unto as a visible beleever or professor , the same are wee obliged to ; I meane all this , and you say nothing against it but the next passage is that which kills all . I said , and the same command which enjoyned Abraham to seal his children with the seal of the Covenant , enjoyns us to seal ours with the seale of the Covenant ; and that command of God which expresly bound Abraham to seal his with the sign of circumcision , which was the Sacrament then in force pro tempore , for the time , doth vertually bind us to seale ours with the sign of Baptisme , which is the Sacrament now in force , and succeeds into the room of the other by his owne appointment . Your answer is , This Consequence is inferred from a Judaizing principle , without Scripture proving either principle or Conclusion , whereas you have brought ten Arguments out of the Scripture against it ; and that the meaning of the Concluclusion must be , that we are still bound to circumcise , that our males must be circumcised at the eighth day , that by no rule of Divinity , Logick , Grammar , or Rhetorique , any man can construe this Command , Cut off the foreskin of the males upon the eighth day ; that is , let a Preacher of the Gospel baptize young Infants , male or female , by as good Consequence I might say , thou art Peter , and upon this rock : Ergo , the Pope is Monarch of the Church ; or , arise Peter kill and eate , Ergo , the Pope may deprive Princes . So then , the din● of your mortall blow lyes in this , that you magisterially call it a Judaizing principle ; that you have brought ten Arguments to prove that Moses Ceremonies & Rites do not bind Christian men , but that they are all abrogated , substance and circumstance , whole and part ; that this vertuall consequence from the command of Circumcision to baptism cannot be made good either by Divinity or Logick ; but sure , if this be all you can say against it , the Consequent and Conclusion will easily recover of this wound . When I said but just now , That Gods Command to Abraham and the Jews , to traine up their children in that manner of Worship which was then in force , binds us now to traine up our children in conformity to such Ordinances as are now in force . You granted this rule was true , if meant of beleevers . I pray what difference is there betwixt this consequence and that , especially , it being cleare in the Scripture , that Baptisme succeeds Circumcision as the initiall seale of the Covenant , and our children have the same right with theirs to bee reckoned to the Covenant : if it be a good consequent , That because Abraham was bound to traine up his Children in conformity to those institutions which were then in force , because their children had right to be so trained up ; therefore we are bound to traine up our children in conformity to the present institutions , because our children have right to be so trained up ; is not this other consequence I say as good , That because God commanded Abraham to administer to his children , the seale of admission into Covenant , because his children were to be accounted to belong to that administration , we are to doe the like to our children now , because they belong to this administration . I say further , because Abraham and the Jews were to traine up their children to celebrate the seventh day of the week to be Gods Sabbath , we therefore are bound by vertue of that Commandment to traine up ours to keep the first day of the weeke as Gods Sabbath : which consequence your self grant to be good , though the thing be a part of instituted Worship , and no expresse command or example of it in the new Testament . I appeale to al Divinity & Logick , whether this consequence from the command of Circumcision to Baptisme be not every way as strong & clear . As for your ten Arguments to prove the abolition of the Jewish Sacraments & ceremonies , they are al agreed to , & are brought nothing to he purpose in hand . I have already shewed that this argument from the Analogie betweene Circumcision and Baptisme , and the reason , end , and use of them both stands still in force , though Circumcision it selfe be abolished ; and I doubt not but the impartiall Reader will acknowledge this argument to be as good , Circumcise your children , because your children have right to this initiall seale ; Ergo , by analogie let Christians baptize their children , who have the same right to the initiall seale ; as this , ye Iewes keepe the Sabbath on the seventh or last day of the weeke , Ergo , ye Christians keep the Sabbath on the first of the weeke . As for your ridiculous consequences which you put upon me , of , thou art Peter , Ergo , the Pope is Monarch of the Church , &c. I answer onely this , I shall desire you in your next , to deal with your Adversary by solid Arguments , rather then seek to render him ridiculous by jeeres and scoffes , lest in the end you meet with some adversary who may dresse you in your own kind , which I have no minde to doe ; whether I have not made good this command of Circumcising Infants to prove baptizing of Infants , by good consequence , I leave the Reader to judge ; and proceed to try your strength against the next . Another command by good consequence I gathered out of Mat. 28. compared with Mar. 16. 15. Gal. 3. 89. Rom. 1. 16 , 17. where our Saviour bids his Disciples goe and teach all Na●ions , baptizing them , &c. VVherein I observed two things . First , what they were to doe ; viz. to teach the whole Covenant , the Covenant made with Abraham , whereof this was one branch , I will be the God of thee , and of thy seed ; they were also to baptize , that is , to administer Baptisme as a seale of the Covenant , to all who received the Covenant . Secondly , wee have the persons to whom they were to doe this , all Nations ; whereas before the Church was tyed to one Nation , one Nation onely were disciples ; now their Commission was extended to make all Nations Disciples , every Nation which should receive the faith , should be to him now , as the peculiar Nation of the Iews had been in times past ; now we know when that one Nation of the Iews were made Disciples , and circumcised , their Children were made Disciples ( made to belong to Gods school ) and circumcised with them , &c. To this you answer , First , that promise , I will be the God of thee and thy seed , that it should be thus interpreted , the seed of beleevers are taken into Covenant with their Parents , is a new Gospel , no older then Zwinglius . But I have sufficiently proved that this was good Gospel in the Apostles dayes , and in the times of the Fathers of the Primitive Church . Secondly , concerning the persons who were to be baptized , every Nation , or all Natitions : to this , because it is like to trouble you , you bring forth your old artifice of framing many senses , whether by every Nation , be meant beleevers of every Nation , then you grant the sense is good : or , whether by Nation be meant a great or eminent part of the Nation , the Gove●nours , and chiefe Cities , the representative body of a Nation . Then you fly out , and talke of baptizing all within the Precin●● of a Parish , a conc●it which you fasten upon Cyprian , and talke of necessity of baptizing by officiating Priests ; and bring in the Independents , nothing to the purpose , and enquire whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or [ them ] referre to Nations , or Disciples , in those words of our Saviour ; then you vent your Criticismes against the author of Infant-Baptisme , and undertake to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies to teach cum effectu , or teach till they be made Scholars ; and after a long Discourse upon these things , your result is , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ them ] may be meant of Disciples , and Nations respectively , Disciples of Nations , or Nations who be Disciples , but not to baptize any of them till they were Disciples . But Sir , what need all these things ? the meaning is plaine ; by Nations , I neither meane the major part of a Nation , nor representative body of a Nation , nor the King of a Nation ; but whereas before , onely one Nation of the Jews were Gods people in Covenant , now other Nations should be taken in likewise : and whereas before their Commission to preach and baptize was restrictive , Goe not to the Gentiles or Samaritans , now he enlarges their Commission to all Nations ; and wherever their Ministery should bee so blessed , as to have any Nation accept the Gospel , they should be his people now , as the Jewes had been in times past , according to that Evangelicall promise , Esa . 19. 24. In that day shall Israel he a third with Egypt and Assyria , even a blessing in the midst of the Land whom the Lord of Hosts shal● blesse ; saying , Blessed be Egypt my people , and Assyria the work of my ●ands , and Israel mine inheritance . Here is the Nation of Egypt , and the Nation of Assyria taken into Covenant as well as Israel Gods inheritance ; and now Abraham indeed became the Father of many Nations ; so that the emphasis of this Text is in the word [ Nations , ] in opposition to the one Nation of the Jews ; that whereas the Apostles thought they were never to go to those vile nations who were esteemed as Dogs and Swine ; our Lord instructed them , That now hee would pluck up the partition wall , and that the rest of the Nations should be brought within the verge of his Church , and partake of the same Covenant , which the Jewes had before enjoyed as their peculiar treasure ( a wonder of mercy , as the Jews themselves judged , when they came first to understand it , Act. 11. 8. ) and consequently when other Nations should thus by receiving and professing the Gospel come under his wing , they should enjoy the same benefit of the Covenant with the Jews , He would henceforth be the God of them and their seed . Against this you except many things : First , say you , then there may bee a rule assigned to know when a Nation may be called a beleeving Nation , but there is none : And to prove this minor , you run out at large , not when a King is baptized , nor when the representative body , nor when the greatest part are beleevers ; and further , if the children of wicked parents in a nation may be baptized , it must be either from their descent , or place of birth , or both ; if by descent , it must be either from their immediate parents , or forefathers within memory , or beyond memory ; if from the place of their birth , then the children of Turks born in England may be baptized ; and if the children of wicked parents may claime it , it must be from some Charter , Abraham indeed had a Charter to circum●ise his , how wicked soever they should prove , but other parents have none . And here againe you bring in Rom. 11. to be meant of a personall priviledge by faith , which hath been before confuted . I answer to all this in a word or two , there is a known rule , viz. when a whole Nation consists of visible Professors , that Nation is to be reputed a Christian Nation ; and when the major part of a people may by a figurative expression bee called a Nation , that major part , if they bee visible Professors , may by the same figurative expression be called a Christian Nation , a holy Nation , a separated people , whether any who having been visible Professors , and afterwards prove apostates , or be excommunicate , may have their children baptized , or whether children in right of their forefathers , or r●mote ancestor● ( when their immediate Parents are cut off from the Church ) may be baptized , or whether the Infants of infidels brought up by Christians , and so adopted into their Families , may be initiated into Christianity by Baptisme , whether upon the ground of federall holinesse or other warrant of Scripture , are questions not belonging to our present businesse , therefore I passe them over . I added , when that one Nation of the Jews were made Disciples and circumcised , their Infants were made Disciples ( made to belong to Gods Schoole ) and circumcised with them , when that Nation was made Disciples in Abrahams Ioynes , and circumcised , their seed was also the same when they were taken out of Egypt , and actually made Disciples , their chi●dren were also with them . You answer , First , this supposeth that Christ bid them baptize all Nations after the manner that the Iews did circumcise one Nation . Secondly , that the Nation of the Iews were discipled when they were circumcised . And you say to the first Supposition , there is no ground for it , the Apostle knew Christs meaning well enough , that th●y were to preach and then to baptize ; and that there was no allusion from circumcision to Baptisme , as Mr. Blake conceives . But Sir , since it is apparent that here is no commission for any new Method in their work , but onely an enlargement of their commission to apply their Ministery to new persons , how could they understand our Saviours meaning to proceed any other wayes to the Gentiles , then among the Jews ? Now among the Jews and Proselytes , it is apparent , that children receive the initiall seale with their parents , yea , and you your selfe grant that their infants were baptized when they were circumcised , though baptisme was not then a Sacrament ; and when it was taken into the honour of being a Sacrament , there is not one word in the Scripture of restraining it from being applyed to infants as in times past , the reason of the silence of the new Testament about baptizing Infants , comes afterward to be considered , when your Objection from it comes to hand . To the second Supposition , That the Iews were discipled , and their children were discipled when they were circumcised . You say , it is such a construction of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ make disciples , as you beleeve no Lexicon , nor any Expositor to this day , hath ever made of that wo●d , which plainly signifies ●o to teach , as that the persons taught do learn , and accordingly professe the things taught . Sir , I pretend not to be a Critick , though you doe , but I have learn● , from better Criticks then your self , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is a ●abbinick phrase , and from their use of it , it is best to be understood , and with them it signifies to admit Scholars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a familiar manner of speech among them for to admit Scholars , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to get or retaine a Master ; now this admission of Scholars was not quia erant docti , sed , ut essent ; and there is this difference with them about this matter , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to admit Scholars to be taught , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to breed Scholars , or to make them learned . And if you please to consult the Learned Spanbemius , in his Dubia Evangelica , upon this very place , wherein he vindicates it from the Anabaptists , he will tell you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies not onely to teach , but to make disciples ; which ( saith he in this place ) is done by baptizing and teaching ; therefore ( saith he ) the sending forth of disciples in this place , is shewed or laid down , First , from the end of their sending . Secondly , from the severall acts they are to doe to to attaine this end . The end of their sending is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to make Disciples ; the actions whereby they are to attaine this end , are baptizing and teaching : and he gives this good reason for this his Analysis , because if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , should simply signifie onely to teach , there would be found a tautologie in Christs words ; thus , Go teach all Nations , baptizing them , teaching them . The sense therefore ( saith he ) of Christs words , is this , Goe ye , make disciples to me out of all Nations by baptizing and teaching ; and this making disciples , suo modo infantibus etiam aptari poterat ; quando enim parentes , &c. For when parents doe give their names to Christ for themselves and their families , their whole house is discipled , their children as well as themselves . By this time I hope you may be perswaded that baptizing may well bee rendred discipling . And among the Jews , to become a disciple , was not by being first taught , and then initiated into a Master , but is meant of being initiated into a Master , to bee taught by him ; so all Israel was baptized into Moses , 1 Cor. 10. not as already instructed , but to bee instructed and guided by him for the future ; so Ioseph of Arimathea , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 27. 57. discipled in himselfe , entred himselfe into Christs schoole ; so the blind man to the Pharisees , Iohn 9. will ye bee his Disciples , will ye professe him , will ye bee initiated into him ? the very first day any one initiated themselves to learn , they were called Disciples . Further you say , if the Apostles had understood our Saviours command thus , Disciple all nations baptizing them , that is , admit the Infants of all nations to baptisme , as the Jewes did the males of that one nation to Circumcision , they might have saved themselves a great deale of labour of preaching before Baptisme , and of baptizing females , and would have left us some president of such a practise . I reply , why the baptizing of Infants of Beleeving Parents should spare any Preachers the paines of teaching growne men , who are infidells before they are converted , doth wholly transcend my capacity , because the Infants of Proselytes were to bee Circumcised with their Parents , therefore the Jewes might spare the labour of preaching to growne men before they circumcised them , this is a most wild consequence ; or why the vertuall and analogicall arguing from circumcision to baptisme , should be brought as an Argument against baptizing of women , hath as little reason in it ; there being now under the Gospell , in reference to this Seale of admission , neither male nor female . Whereas you adde , had they done it they would have left some president of such a practise ; whether by good consequence they have not left us some evidence of it , is the question wee are now debating . I added , in every nation the children make a great part of that nation , and are alwayes included under every administration to the nation , whether promises or threatnings , priviledges or burthens , mercies or judgements , unlesse they bee excepted , whereof I gave divers instances in my Sermon ; you answer , the Lord hath plainely given a caution in Scripture for the leaving out Infants in this administration , according to ordinary rule , in that hee directs them to baptize Disciples upon preaching , hee excludes Infants , &c. and when Christ and John baptized onely such , this practise excludes others . I answer , by what rule then durst you baptize an Infant knowne to you to bee regenerate , since they cannot bee Disciples upon preaching , if you say you cannot doe it by ordinary rule , shew us ( I pray ) your extraordinary ; if you answer they are Disciples , therefore they may bee baptized ; I answer , the Infants of beleevers are visible Disciples , they visibly belong to the kingdome , family , schoole of Christ , as I have abundantly proved already ; any manifestation of Gods that persons belong to his Covenant is to your selfe a sufficient ground of accounting them such , either a promise , or powring out the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost , ( though they are no infallible signes of inward sanctification ) or confession of faith or of repentance , are warrant sufficient for us to baptize them , now the promise of God to beleeving parents to bee the God of them and of their seed , and his owning them as persons belonging to his Church , is as reall a manifestation of it as the other signes of receiving extraordinary gifts , externall profession , &c. either are or can be . And whereas you adde that Christs and Johns Baptizing such , and no other as made a visible profession , is exclusive to all others . I answer , first , it is no where said they baptized no others ; secondly , I deny that consequence , this is not an exclusive rule , the practise and example of Christ , and John is sufficient to make an affirmative or positive rule , they baptized such , therefore wee may baptize such , but it 's not exclusive , that therefore wee may baptize no other , and the reason is plaine , they possibly might not meet with all persons and occasioons , and so their practise is a good rule , not a full rule ; I shall give one instance , wee read not before the tenth of the Acts that either Christs Apostles or Iohn the Baptist baptized any proselytes of the gate , or that they baptized any ( as you say ) untill they made actuall confession of their faith and repentance , or that there was any rule given , that the receiving the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost should without any other confession bee a sufficient warrant to Baptize any , yet Peter upon the very powring out of those gifts , without requiring any further confession either of faith or repentance , baptized Cornelius and all his company : in one word , any word or act of God declaring that such and such belong to his visible Church , is a sufficient warrant without any danger of wil-worship , and this wee have abundantly for the Infants of beleeving parents , wee have therefore here nothing to doe with a mixture of wine and water , salt and creame and spittle , they are impertinent to our businesse , and you bring them in to no purpose ; all your discourse of wil-worship which you thus often repeate , reaches not the point in hand in the least tittle ; the Sacrament of Baptisme is an ordinance of his owne appointment , and by his appointment may bee applyed to all such as himselfe doth manifest to bee in the number of those who belong to his visible Church , what course soever himselfe pleases to take to manifest it , whiles wee keep within these bounds , we are therein out of the danger of will-worship . I added , it behooved the Lord to give them a caution for the leaving out of Infants in this new administration , that they might know his mind if hee had intended to leave them out , which that ever hee did in word or d●ed , cannot be found in the Scripture ; to this you answer , it behooved the Lord to give a precept to put them in into this new administration if hee intended to have them in , which that ever he did you cannot find ; I reply , but I have abundantly proved that they alwayes had a right to bee accounted as belonging to his Church , to bee reputed visible members , and therefore need no new putting in : if God once bestow upon a people a Sabbath to bee a signe between him and them , they may lay claime to that Sabbath upon what day of the week soever he please to appoint it : the like is to bee said here , while the Lord will own any to be visible members of his Church , they have right to the administration , bee it new or old , if they bee capable of it , and no barre put in against them by himselfe . That which followes in your booke , page 133. about Childrens being taken in with their parents , and included unlesse excepted , and of being under the former administration , and so under this , by paritie of reason , hath been abundantly spoke already . I added , our Infants are capable of being Disciples as well as the Infants of Jewes and Proselytes , you grant it to bee true , and I aske no more for ours then they had for theirs , and though they bee not capable of receiving actuall instruction from men , yet they are capable of Gods owne teaching even in their Infancy as much as the Jewes Children were , which is sufficient for my purpose ▪ I added , in Christs dialect to belong to Christ , and to bee a Disciple i● all one , and cleared it by some Text in the Margent , you answer onely this , that though Mr. Blakepr●●●ph in this n●tion , yet it is a triumph beford victory , and that the Text cited by me spake not of little ones in respect of age , and some of them mention not little ones at all , but what 's this to the purpose , when the intent was onely to prove this notion or expression that to bee a Disciple and belong to Christ is all one . Lastly , I argued from Act. 15. 10. to shew that Children may bee called Disciples , because they upon whose necks those false teachers would have put the yoake of Circumcision , are called Disciples , and to bee called Disciples , and it is apparent that they would have put it upon the Infants of beleevers as well as upon the beleevers themselves , because they would have imposed it after the manner of Moses Law , and prest that Law still to bee in force ; you answer , you see no necessitie from this to call Infants Disciples , and you first deny the major , that all are to bee called Disciples upon whose necks they would have put that yoake . To which I answer , without any further reply I leave it to the Reader to judge , onely I thanke you for the reason you alledge why you deny the major , because it is not said they would put it upon Disciples onely : I hope you will receive the same law you give , and therefore will rest satisfied , when your selfe doe plead , Johns and Christs Disciples required confession of saith and finnes of those whom they baptized , and when Christ bid his Apostles and Disciples first to teach , then to baptize , I shall answer , it is no where said , they baptized onely such , or were to baptize onely such . Secondly , you answer that this yoak of Circumcision which necessitated them to keep Moses Law to salvation was not put upon Infants , but upon brethren who were taught the necessitie of it . I answer , then Paul himself was much mistaken , who said , that every one that was Circumcised was bound to keepe Moses Law ; and certainely Paul meant that which these false teachers alledged , even Circumcision imposed after the manner of Moses . Lastly , you make your selfe merry with Mr. Blake , as if hee alluding to Esa . 49. 22. of bringing sonnes and daughters upon their shoulders to Christ , &c. had alledged that Text nothing to the purpose ; I confesse I am not satisfied , that that Text is cleare to the purpose , but I am fully satisfied , that you often make a noyse with Texts lesse to the purpose , as in bringing Acts. 19. for rebaptization , 1 Cor. 7. 34. to prove holinesse to bee meant of Chastitie , and many others . My next instance was from the forementioned place , Acts. 2. whence I shewed the Children of such as beleeve and are baptized are taken into Covenant , and therefore by good consequence are to receive the Seale of the Covenant , and that that Text not onely shewes that they are within the Covenant , but also that a right to baptisme is a consequence of being within the Covenant ; Your answer is to this effect , that you have already answered this plaoe , and that it is so far from proving this , for which I alledge it , that it proves the contrary ; I cheerfully referre the Reader to my vindication of this place , Sect 6. Part 3. I added , wee have likewise examples enough by good consequence . First , I shewed that the Gospell tooke place by bringing in whole housholds as the former administration also did ; you alledge to the contrary severall examples page 138 , 139. that it was not constantly so , nor did I ever say it was so alwayes or constantly either among Jewes or Christians ; you alledge the thousands converted in the Acts , the Citie of Samaria , and others , yet no mention of the whole housholds ; yet possibly their whole housholds did come in with them , the Scripture speakes nothing to the Contrary , how ever I alledge it not , nor doth the cause depend upon it ; I alledged many housholds who were baptized , Cornelius and his houshold , the Jaylor and his houshold , the houshold of Stephanus , of Crispus , of Aristobulus , of Narcissus and severall others ; to all which you answer , this must bee interpreted by other places , which when they expresse the haptizing of the houshold , they expresse also the beleeving or receiving of the word by the whole houshold , and that sometimes the house is put for the people of growth in the house ; but who taught you it must bee so interpreted ? hee that will may force such an interpretation upon himselfe , and it is hard to open the eyes of a prejudiced man , but I feare not , try it when you will , that you shall never finde so good evidence out of the housholde eating the Passeover , Exod. 12. thereby to prove that women did eate the Passeover , as this proves that the Infants of the house were baptized , because according to your principles women might not bee numbred amongst the Circumcised ; and the Law was plain that no uncircumcised person might eate the Passeover , whereas on this hand for Infants baptisme , it is not to bee doubted , but that there were some Infants amongst these housholds who were baptized , and no Law made against the baptizing of them . And for your evasion that though is bee sometimes said housholds were baptized , yet it is said these housholds received the word , though this might be pleaded concerning some of them , yet there is no evidence why you should speake it of all of them . And whereas you further alledge , that a house is sometimes taken for the growne persons in that house ▪ ( though all the Scriptures which you mention are not fit instances ) it may very well bee granted , and hurts not mee , unlesse you can prove that it must bee so meant : I have better warrant to affirme concerning the Jaylors house , of whom it is said Paul preacht to all those that were in his house , that either there were no Infants in that house , or that the preaching of the word to all in the house is to bee limited pro subjecta m●teria to them who were capable of preaching , and yet the rest received baptisme who were capable of it . And thus I have cleared and vindicated my first and great Argument , Infants are foedera ●● , therefore they must it 〈◊〉 they are in Covenant ▪ therefore the initial 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 belongs unto them . I proceed to the second . My second Argument was to this effect ▪ the Infants of bele●vers even while they are Infants are made partakers of the inward gra●● of Baptism● as well as growne 〈◊〉 who are visible professors ; therefore they may and ought to 〈◊〉 Baptism● , which is the outward signe of this inward grace . In your answer you grant the major , that all who partake of the inward grace may partake out of the outward signe , and that ●o Antipaedobaptist will deny this , but then you enquire what I meane by having the thing signified , and you suppose I doe 〈◊〉 ●old that all Infants of beleevers have actually the inward grace signified by baptisme ; no indeed Sir , nor do I thinke that you conceive that all grown persons who are visible professors have it . In your answer to the minor proposition that Infants as well as growne men are partakers of the inward grace , according to your usuall course , you enquire after a great many senses , whether I meane it of potentiall having it , or actuall having it , whether I meane onely some have it actually , others potentially ; in one sense the argument hath foure termes , in another forme , the argument will conclude but for the baptizing of some Infants ; then you enter into a discourse upon the Lutherans , and about a booke intituled , Baptismall regeneration of elect Infants , with which you say Doctor Fe●tley concurs , and of a book written by S. C. Intituled , A Christians plea for Infants Baptisme , which holds positions somewhat like the Lutherans , all which you professe you mention to discover what stuffe the Pedobaptists doe feed the people withall , you might have added , to worke prejudice in your Readers , and to shew your owne reading , and to swell up a volume , otherwise quorsum haec ? my meaning is as plaine as the high way , that as Infants are to bee reputed to belong to the Covenant as well as grown visible professors ( which was the drift of my first Argument ) so the scope of this is to shew that they are in the same capacitie to partake of the inward grace of the Covenant , while they are Infants , as there is of grown visible professors ; and that they are not onely capable of it , but many of them are actually partakers of it as well as grown men ▪ and consequently that wee have the same ground to look upon and judge Infants of beleevers to bee regenerate as upon grown men by a visible profession , there being to ●s no infallible ground of certaintie , but of charity , for the one no● for the other , and that their visible right to the Covenant and the many promises of God made to the seed of the faithfull are as good evidences to ground this judgement upon , as the externall signes which growne men can give ; and therefore whereas you say , that all the Infants of beleevers ▪ or the Infants of beleevers in as much they are the Infants of beleevers , are actually partakers of the inward grace of Baptisme , else the Argument will not serve for my purpose ; I utterly deny , that this is the Conclusion to be proved , or that my argument is not to the purpose , unlesse I undertake to prove this ; for I argue in the like case from grown men who are visible Professors , thus ; All who are partakers of the inward grace of Baptism , may and ought to partake of the outward signe and seale , but visible Professors are partakers , &c. This minor is lyable to the same exceptions that the other is , for who knows not that many visible Professors have not the invisible grace , That many are called , when but few are chosen ? and yet your self doe hold , that we may de side , out of faith & assurance , that we do it according to Gods will , apply the outward signe to them , though we have nothing but charity to make us conceive the inward graces to be in them . Neither can we by the judgement of charity think that all visible Professors taken together in a lumpe have the inward grace ; the Scripture ( which is the rule of our charity ) having declared the contrary , our charity onely warrants us to judge of every single person , when possibly we may know no more against the one , then against the other , though we know there are some false hearted amongst them : The same is to be said for Infants ; and this I proved out of the Scripture , Mark 10. To such belongs the kingdom of God ; and in my Sermon I vindicated this Text from the glosses which the Anabaptists would put upon it : your exceptions against it are such as these , it is possible they were not very little ones ; possibly our Saviour meant not of them , but of such as they , for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these : possibly , horum & similium , of th●se and the like : possibly , they were not the children of beleevers : possibly , it is meant onely of elect Infants , that these were elect , and should in time be called : but yet , say you , grant all , and it will not ●ence follow , that all Infants of beleevers have right to invisible grace ; yea , it here suits better for confirmation , then for baptisme ; yea , that it is rather an evidence Christ would not have Infants baptized , because he ordered not th●se Infants to bee baptized . But Sir , how many of these things would you have called dictates in another , assertions without proof and to how little purpose are all these things brought i● ? your self grant enough to serve my turne ; you grant that the kingdom of heaven did belong to these Infants , and I intended from this instance not to prove that all Infanta of beleevers are made partakers of saving grace ▪ but that Infants in their infantile age , are capable of inward grace , and some of them actually partakers of it ; this is enough for me ; and more then this cannot be said of growne men who are visible Professors . I added in my Sermon , sa one branch of a reason , that there is nothing belonging to the initiation and being of a Christian , whereof Baptisme is a seale , whereof Infants are not capable , as well as grown men ; as receiving the holy Ghost , union with Christ , pardon of forme , regeneration , eternall life . Your answer is a scoffe out of Hora●e , Amphora caepit institui , &c. I should prove , say you , that all Infants of beleevers are actually partakers , and in stead of this , I prove they are capable of it . Sir , this is but one part of my reason ; and I undertook not to prove that all infants , but onely that fome are partakers of it . I added , and it is further considerable , that in the working that inward grace , of which baptisme is the signe and seale , all who partake of that grace , are but meer● Patients ; and therefore Infants are as fit subjects to have it wrought in them , as growne men ; and the most growne men are in no more fitnesse to receive this grace , when it is given them , in respect either of faith or repentance , which they yet bave , then a very little child , &c. You answer , by demanding whether I bring all this as a proofe ; that all infants have it , or that they are capable of it ; or whether I intend it ●s a further argument , that baptisme is to be given to those , who are capable of the first grace , which because Infants are as well as grown men ▪ therefore they are to be baptized ; but then you deny the major , for a person is not to be baptized , because he may have grace , but because he hath it . Sir , I brought it to prove that which was in hand , viz. that Infants are capable of it as well as grown men , and that some of them are partakers of it as well as grown men ; and therefore their Infant-age cannot be pleaded against them , as if inward grace could not comp●tere to their present condition . And as for that you adde , That baptisme is to be administred , not to them who may have grace , but to them who have it . Then it seemes they are all wrongly baptized who have not inward grace ; and so ( according to your owne expression ) baptisme to such is as a seal set to a blank ; yet you know , even the Apostles themselves baptized many who were in no better condition : and your selfe afterward grant , That a Minister may defide administer this Sacrament to such as make a visible profession , though he be not assured of any inward grace . I have often proved , that a right to bee reckoned to belong to the visible Church , is a sufficient warrant to administer the seal of admission . Secondly , you much trouble your self , to finde out what I meane by the first grace : whether the free favour of God , or the Covenant of grace ; whether if I meane the first grace in exceution , I pitch upon justification , or regeneration , or adoption ; and then inquire which is the second grace . But all this is but seeking a knot in a rush . I am perswaded all other Readers understood me to meane by the first grace , all that grace which is requifite to the being of a Christian , union with Christ , forgivenesse of sin , the indwelling of the holy Ghost , as a principle of a new life ; and your selfe say more then once , that baptisme is the sacrament of our Initiation , and that which exhibits us members both of Christ and of his Church ; and therefore thus needlesly to quarrell about things wherein your self concurre with mee , is too too vain . Lastly , you have somewhat to say to that of our being meerly passive in our first conversion , and you tel your reader , what the Divines of great Britaine said in the Synods of Dort , of some preparations going before conversion : and what Mr. Rutherford , Dr. Twisse , and Dr. Preston have delivered about this point . And after a needlesse shewing that you have read these Authors , you grant as much as I contend for , That the taking away the be art of stone , and insusing of a principle of new life , is only Gods work ; and that a new heart , faith , &c. are the effects of converting grace , and that in these things wee are passive : in summe , you are of my judgement in this point , that Infants are capable of new life , and some of them partakers of it : and I likewise consent with you , and those above mentioned Reverend Divines , that in Gods usuall way of working upon grown men , there are some preparations for conversion , before conversion it selfe , in which preparations men are not meerely passive ; but in the receiving of the principle of new life , all men are meerely passive . I know you will owne that expression of Augustine , Qnid agit liberum arbitrium ? san●tur . I conclude this argument of baptizing Infants , with a speech of Bellarmine , there is , saith he , no impediment why Infants may not bee baptized ; nec ex parte prohibitionis alicujus divinae , &c. neither from any divine prohibition , nor on the part of the Sacrament administred , nor on the part of the Minister administring , nor on the Infants part to whom it is to bee administred , nor on the Churches part in which it is administred . Paedo-baptisme therefore is rightly continued in the Christian Church . PART . IV. I Proceed now briefly to examine what you have said against that which you are pleased to make the fourth Part of my Sermon , though I know no reason of this your Analysis : Had I indeed made this an answer of all the objections which I undertooke to answer , you might have called it so ; but you know well enough , that I intended here onely to satisfie these Objections which lye most properly against this second argument , as before I answered what was most properly objected against the first argument ; however , I shall take it as I finde it , and examine what strength you have added to these Objections . The first Objection I undertooke to answer , was to this purpose , Though Infants are capable of these things , and that they are wrought by Christ in many Infants , yet wee may not baptize them , because according to Scripture pattern , both of Christs command , Matth. 28. in his institution of baptisme , and John the Baptist , Christs Disciples and Apostles , they alwayes taught , and made them disciples by teaching , before they baptized any . And to make this argument the more plausible , you adde , It is a sin of prophaning that Sacrament , when the institution is altered by subtraction or addition , and that it was pleaded by the Non-conformists , that it is Will-worship to administer the Sacraments by addition of any thing to them , but circumstances which are alike requisite to civill actions ; now the persons to be baptized cannot be conceived a meere circumstance , but belongs necessarily to the administration of worship , as well as the person baptizing , or the persons receiving the Lords Supper . I answer , I intend not needlesly to multiply words , and therefore doe grant that to apply Sacraments to persons to whom they belong not by the Lords appointment is a prophanation of them . Now that it is so in this case , you goe about to prove out of this 28. Mat. Because the institution appoints onely disciples of all Nations to be baptized , and Infants are not such . This you have made good ( as you say ) Sect. 13. Part 3. You adde , Christs order thus appoints it , which must be kept in this point , as well as in examination before the Lords Supper , 1 Cor. 11. 28. &c. and that by the institution they are to bee baptized into the name of the Father , Son , and holy Ghost , that is , with invocation of the name of the Lord , which Infants cannot doe ; with devoting themselves to the service and adverence of God , which Infants cannot doe ; that presently after baptisme , the baptized are to be taught to observe whatsoever Christ command●d them , which Infants are not capable of ; that John Baptist and the Apostles alwayes made profession of repentance and faith , an antecedent to Baptism , which Infants cannot make . To all this I answer , First , this of Matth. 28. is not the institution of Baptisme , it was instituted long before to be the seale of the Covenant , it is onely an enlargement of their Commission , whereas before they were onely to goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel , now they were to goe into all the World. You reply , If it be not the first institution of Baptism , yet it is an institution of Baptisme to us Gentiles ; and therefore the rule by which Ministers are to baptize , or if not , wee must shew another institution , else we cannot acquit it from Will-worship . I answer , all this is abundantly answered before , Sect. 13. Part 3. And I add this inlargement of their Commission is very unfitly called by you an institution of baptism unto us ; their Commission at the same time was inlarged to preach to the Gentiles , will you call that an institution of Preaching ? and that the method of preaching to us Gentiles must bee fetch'd out of this place ? I know you will not . For the rest of your petty reasons above alledged , they resolve severall of them into one and the same : Christs order is ( say you ) teaching should goe before baptizing ; is not that the same with this ; That men must be made disciples by preaching , before they be baptized ? the answer to the one doth fully satisfie the other . But your third reason is a strange one , They must bee baptized into the name of the Father , the Son , and the holy Ghost , that is , ( say you ) with invocation of the Name of the Lord : then it seems if the party baptized call upon the name of the Lord by prayer , that 's all that is intended b● baptizing into the name of the Father , Son , and holy Ghost ; that the name of God should be invocated at the administration of Baptisme , and of Circumcision , and of every Sacrament , is most true ; but that baptizing into the name of the Father , Son , and holy Ghost , should be interpreted to be invocation of Gods name , and so to make Baptisme and Prayer all one , is strange Divinity ; it is true , Paul was exhorted to pray or call upon Gods name when he was to bee baptized , Acts 22. 16. but doth it prove that his Baptisme and Prayer was all one ? it may be you meane onely this , that every person who is baptized , must be able himself at the time of his baptisme to pray ; if that bee your meaning , prove it by your next , shew why more at Baptisme then at Circumcision . As for your fourth , were not the Infants of the Jews devoted to God by Circumcision , though they could not actually devote themselves ? To your fifth , That they were to teach them as soon as they bad baptized them ; and that therefore none wete to be baptized , unlesse they were fit presently after their Baptisme , to learne the rest of their duty . I answer , this also is sufficiently answered in Sect. 13. Part 3. and I further adde , that baptized persons ought indeed to be taught all that Christ commands them , and so likewise were circumcised persons , but not presently , onely as they were capable of it , and able to receive it . And as for the persons baptized by John , and Christs disciples ; I have before answered that it cannot appeare that they baptized no oother but such as made profession of faith and repentance ; and if it were granted , it follows not , that therefore no other may be baptized , their practice is a good rule , though not a full rule , as I shewed , Sect. 13. Part 3. And whereas you say , Iohn baptized none but upon profession of repentance ▪ you would have a hard task to prove it , if any man should put you to it ; to prove ( I say ) that Iohn did impose or require confession of sin before baptisme , it is said hee baptized them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to repentance ; not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as stated in actuall repentance ; and his calling for repentance , and preaching the Baptisme of repentance , shew that this was the lesson they were all to learne ; not that they must all manifest that they had it before he baptized them ; and though some did make confession of their finnes , yet you can never prove that all did it , or were tyed to it . Sure I am , I meet with very learned Men who judge thus , That their confession of sinnes was not because confession was a necessary medium to all who should receive Baptisme , but because heretofore Baptisme had initiated into Judaisme , and so to Legall performances ; and the men who came to be baptized of John , were such who had been educated in an opinion of Justification by works of the Law : and therefore John in calling for repentance , did but clear his Baptisme from misconstruction , lest they should think it to be a Baptisme obliging to legall performances , as that was of old , he would teach them that his Baptism was a Baptisme of repentance and faith in Christ , and so doth but rectifie those relyers upon their owne righteousnesse , in the right doctrine of Justification , which the Gospel now began to teach , contrary to their legall conceited righteousnesse ; and that therefore his calling for repentance and beliefe in him that should come after , did more shew the nature of the Gospel , to which his Baptisme was the introduction , then the nature of the Sacrament of Baptisme it selfe , or the method in which it was to be administred ; and with these accords the interpretation Paul made of Johns baptisme , Acts 19. 4. and consequently that the confession required had speciall relation to the condition of the persons who came to be baptized , and was not necessary for all , more would be required of a heretick for his admission into the bosome of the Church , then is requisite to be required of a child . But however , I thinke it will be hard for you to confute this , I shall leave it to the Judicious Readers consideration , and not insist upon it , but shall readily grant that all Jews and Pagans so bo●ne and bred , were not baptized till they professed their faith and repentance , because the Jews were all to come under a new administration , and the Gentiles till then were wholly aliens from the Covenant of grace , and then their Infants came in in their Parents right . But say you , This grant that the Iewes who already were in Covenant , were to make confession before they were baptized , is a sufficient proofe that the administration of Circumcision , is not the administration under which we now are : and that overthrows all virtuall consequences from Circumcision to Baptisme . I reply , who ever said that this administration is the same with theirs ? it is the same Covenant , but a new administration . And as to that you say , This overthrows all virtuall consequences from Circumcision to Baptisme ; I have so abundantly justified this before , that I shall not trouble the Reader with it againe , though you repeate this so often , that I am ready to thinke you hope your reader will beleeve you in one place , if he doe not in the other . You adde my saying , That their Infants were to come in onely in their parents right , doth overthrow my second Argument , because that is grounded upon a right which Infants had of their own , viz. participation of the grace of the Sacrament . I answer , belike then if any had pleaded thus for the Jewes Infants , That to Infants , as well as growne men , God communicated the spirituall part of Circumcision , therefore they might bee circumcised ; you would answer , that that Argument would overthrow their right from their birth-priviledge . I rather should judge it to be a second good Argument for their Circumcision ; the truth is , they are both grounds of Gods owne appointing : and the second is a farther manifestation of their right to the Sacrament , God not onely giving them a visible standing in his Church , because they are the seed of the faithfull , but among them , who are Infants as well as among growne men doth worke inward grace by his holy Spirit according to his good pleasure . Whereas you adde , that you cannot yet discerne but that our grounds for Paed baptisme are worse then the Papists and ancients , who build it upon the necessitie of baptisme to salvation ; I must needs tell you , your respect to the reformed Churches in this is very small , whil●t you thinke the Papists ground of damnation of Infants not baptized is not so ill as the Protestants , who baptize them because they looke upon them as within the Covenant of grace ; I will not aggravate this , I hope in time you will see it and be sorry for it . But you glory much in the advantage you thinke you have got , from that which followes in my Sermon , the Heathen nations who were to bee converted to Christ were yet without the Covenant of grace , and their children could have no right untill themselves were brought in , and therefore no marvaile though both Iohn and Christs Disciples and Apostles did teach before they baptized , because then no other were capable of baptisme , in this ( say you ) I grant many things which doe yeeld the cause : Sir , I shall not recall any one of them , make your best of your advantage . 1. Hence you collect it followes that baptizing of Infants is not according to Iohns , and Christs Disciples , and the Apostles practise : I answer , it no wayes followes , if you take but that in which immediatly followes , that their Infants came in in their parents right . 2. Hence I grant ( say you ) that no other were capable of Baptisme , but wherein I beseech you have I granted the cause in saying their Infants were not capable of it till their Parents came in , and when they 〈◊〉 in , their children came in also by vertue of the Covenant . What need you keepe such a coyle in asking whether beleevers had then no children ? or whether the Apostles had no commission ? or whether wee have a Commission if they had not ? you goe on and say , I thinke to salve it thus , when once themselves were instructed and baptized , then their children were capable of it by vertue of the Covenant ; I doe so , and what have you to say against it ? why then say you they were capable in Iohns time and the Apostles time , and this destroyes that which I said before , that then none but taught persons were capable of Baptisme ; but where did I say so ? I said there was no expresse mention made of any other , I said also Infants were not capable till their Parents came in , because their Parents were to come under this new administration , but I never said , when their Parents were come in in Johns time and Christs time , that their children then were not capable of it . Yea , I have shewed good grounds by consequence that the practise was otherwise . Further you say , it seemes I cou●d produce no Institution in the new administration , but the Institution of Circumcision , because I say the children were capable by vertue of the Covenant , and the validitie of arguing from Circumcision hath been considered before : and you further adde , that the Covenant being the same at all times , as my first conclusion holds , the children of bel●evers were as capable in Johns time as after ; and thus you say my words doe plainely interfere ; I answer , I have abundantly proved , that this ground from the Covenants being the same , and our Infants right the same with theirs to the Covenant , and our Baptisme succeeding in the roome and place of Circumcision , is a sufficient ground for this practise , though there be no expresse mention of them in this new administration ; nor did I ever say that Infants of beleevers were not capable of it by vertue of the Covenant in Johns time , so that this triumph of yours is not the fruit of my interfering , but of your owne blindnesse or stumbling . Whereas in the close of this Section I said , if any in the Jewish Church had received Commission to goe and make other Cities Proselytes to them , their Commission must have runne thus , goe teach and circumcise , and yet it would not thence have followed , that none might bee circumcised but 〈◊〉 as were first taught ; you answer the Commission must have had reference in the execution of it , either to the old institution of Circumcision , Gen. 17. or to a new Institution , and then it would have been told plainely what and whom they were to circumcise . I reply , supposing it had gone according to the institution , Gen. 17. which ( as you say ) was to circumcise males at eight dayes old not taught , I hope you will not say they might circumcise the males of any at eight dayes old , although their Parents were not taught , which is the case that I put , you cannot ( I perceive ) deny this case to bee parallell , onely this arguing from Circumcision to Baptism you cannot away with ; but Sir , this reasoning is justified to be good , rumpuntur ut ilia . The second objection I thus expressed , it is expresly said that he that beleeves and is baptized shall bee saved , faith in Christ is the condition upon which men may bee baptized , and no other unbeleevers may not be baptized ; children are unbeleevers , therefore they may not bee baptized ; they say the negative is included under the affirmative , beleeving is the affirmative , unbeleeving is the negative , therefore where beleevers are commanded to be baptized , unbeleevers are forbidden to be baptized . This Argument I said the Anabaptists doe very much glory in ; my answer to it was to this effect ; that if this Argument have any strength at all against the baptizing , it hath much more strength against the salvation of Infants , because it is expresly said both affirmatively and negatively , hee that beleeveth shall bee saved , but bee that beleeves not shall bee damned ; whereas though it bee said affirmatively hee that beleeveth and is baptized shall bee saved , it is not said hee that is not baptized shall not bee saved , looke by what distinction they will maintaine the salvation of Infants against this Argument , by the same will I more clearely justifie the baptisme of Infants against this argument . I adde now further , if they take beleevers in a contradistinction to Infidells , then I say Infants of beleevers are beleevers , as well as the children of Infidells are Infidells ; if they take beleevers in a more restrained sense for positive and actuall faith , then I deny that this is a necessary condition required to bee found and manifested in every one who is to bee baptized , as I have at large proved before , and your selfe cannot deny . To this Argument your answer is onely this , that you owne not the Argument , onely thus farre you owne it , viz. that a profession of faith is a pre-requisite to Baptisme , and so it was accounted in the dayes of Justin Martyr , Tertullian , Cyprian , and Augustine , &c. But I reply , though you dare not : owne this Argument , yet it stands upon the same ground that the rest of your arguments doe , and upon the same grounds that many of your expressions doe , such as this , That men are not to bee baptized , because they may have grace , but because they have it . But now you will not stick to this , That to have true faith , is a pre-requisite to Baptism ; you are contented with an outward confession of it onely , and that a visible profession gives right to a visible membership , and consequently that a visible membership gives a right to Baptisme , which is the thing I have been contending for all this while . As for what you adde , That in the dayes of Iustin Martyr , Tertullian , Cyprian , and so forward , this confession before baptisme was continued : it is true , it was continued for those that had been Pagans and Infidels , that they should make such a confession before Baptisme ; and it is as true , that in their days Infants of Christians were baptized . 3. I said it was objected , That though Infants are capable o● the inward grace , and that God doth effectually worke in some of them , yet that is no sufficient warrant for us to baptize all of them ; if we knew in what Infants the Lord did so worke , wee might baptize those Infants , but that we cannot know by any ordinary way of knowledge , therefore we may not baptize any of them , but wait to see , when and in whom God will worke the thing signified , and then apply the signe to them . You answer , this is granted , that if by revelation it could bee knowne , such as have this inward grace might be baptized ; and that those who are thus intituled are not through want of an institution to be excluded . To my understanding this over throws all which you have hitherto contended for ; for then if wee can prove that Infants are such , as to whom this Sacrament belongs , by your owne grant they are not to be excluded for want of an institution ; now I have proved that Infants of beleevers are such as to whom the Sacrament doth belong : yea , and your selfe grant , that true faith is not a needfull pre-requisite to the administration of Baptisme . Besides , I desire before I leav● this passage to know of you , how you will reconcile this with that which you spake , pag. 162. That there is a plaine Text requiring confession before Baptisme , though not before Circumcision . I hope you doe not think a regenerate bab● can make a confession of its faith ; surely these two things doe much differ , Gods inward revealing that he hath sanctified a child , and the childs own profession or confession ; God revealed that Saul was hid behind the stuffe , but this was not Sauls owne confession ; God revealed to the Prophet Ahijah , that the disguised woman was Jeroboams wife , but that was not her owne confession . My answer to this objection was , That our knowledge that God hath effectually wrought the thing signified , is not the condition upon which we are to apply the seale , he never required that we should know that they are certainly converted whom we admit to Baptisme , we are indeed to know that they have in them the condition which must warrant us to administer the signe , not that which makes them possessed of the thing signified , fallible conjectures are not to be our rule in admistring Sacraments either to Infants or growne men , but a knowne rule of the Word , out of which we must be able to make up such a judgement , that our administration may be of faith , as well as out of charity . To all this you assent , and cons●quently that there is nothing needfull according to the Word , but a visible right ; and then what is become of all your pleading , That because we cannot know that all infants of beleevers have the inward grace , we may not therefore baptize them ? this hold you have now quitted ; and when once you have proved that they have not a visible right to bee reckoned and accounted to belong to the visible Church , I promise you to quit all mine . Whereas I added , That I doubted whether in case Peter , or Paul could by the Spirit of revelation have known that Ananias , or Alexander , would have proved no better then hypocrites , wh●ther they either would or ought to have refused them from baptisme , whiles they made that publick profession , upon which others were admitted , who in the event proved no better then those were . You think they would and ought , because the end of such an extraordinary revelation , would be to warn them not to admit such persons . I answer , the cause depends not upon it , whether your conjecture or mine be rightest in this particular ; and I confesse , should such an extraordinary revelation be made purposely to warne them not to admit such persons , that would be equivalent to a prohibition ; but might not such a thing be revealed for other ends ? Christ knew that Judas would prove a devill , yet he admitted him not onely to baptisme , but Apostleship ; and since your selfe doe grant that we have a warrant de fide , out of faith , and not out of charity onely , to admit men into visible communion by baptisme , upon an externall confession onely ; I cannot understand why my private knowledge upon a particular revelation of a mans inward condition , should be a sufficient barre against proceeding according to the ordinary rule ; if I were infallibly assured that some glorious professor were no better then an hypocrite , were that sufficient warrant to deny the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to him , so long as his life was unblamable before the Church ? Lastly , I added , That in this the rule to direct our knowledge , is as plaine for Infants as for growne men , the rule having beene alwayes this , that grown men who were strangers from the Covenant of God , Pagans , or Heathens should upon their being instructed , and upon profession of their faith , and promise to walke according to the rule of the Gospel , bee received and added to the Church , and made partakers of the Sacrament of admission , and their Infants to come in with them , both sorts upon their admission to be charitably hoped of , untill they give signes to the contrary , charity being bound from thinking evill of them , not bound to conclud● certainly of any of them . Your onely exception against this is , wondering that I dare say , the rule to direct our knowledge , is as plaine for Infants as for growne men . I answer , truly Sir , by as plaine , I intended onely the truth of the rule , that it may be as truly known as the other , though possibly not so cl●arely . I deny not but I had spoken more fitly in saying the rule is plaine for Infants as well as for growne men ; and that I have proved abundantly . My fourth Objection was , That all who enter into Covenant must stipulate for their parts as well as God doth for his ; they must indent with God to performe the beleevers part of the Covevenant , as well as God doth to performe his part : My answer was , The Infants of Jews were as much tyed , as the Infants of beleevers under the Gospel , every one who was circumcis●d was bound to keep the Law , yet they knew not what it meant , nor could have the same use of it with their Parents and others of discretion . You own not this Objection , nor say any thing against my answer ; onely you except , That through my whole booke , I suppose there is the same reason of the mixt Covenant made with Abraham , and that it is the same with the pure Covenant of the Gospel , and of every beleever as of Abraham , and of Baptisms as of Circumcision . I doe so , and have justified these thing to bee true against your exceptions . You adde also , God commanded the one , but no where commanded the other ; which whether he have or no by good consequence , I leave the Reader to judge , by what is already spoken . I added in my Sermon , God seales to them presently , i. e. conditionally , as I have before shewed , and when they come to years of discretion , they stand obliged to the performance of it in their owne persons ; in the meane time Jesus Christ who is the surety of the Covenant ; and the surety of all the Covenanters , is pleased to be their surety : & this I illustrated from things done amongst men , thus , when severall parties stand obliged in the same bond , they may seale at severall times , and yet be in force afterward together , or even a child sealing in infancy , may agnize , and recognize that sealing , when they come to yeares of discretion , if then they will renounce it , as done when they understood not , they may free themselves , if they please , if they finde the former act a burden to them , so said I is it here , God is pleased to seale to infants while they are such , and accepts of such as seale on their parts , as they are able to give in their infant-age , expecting a further ratification on their part , when they are come to riper yeares ; in the mean● time affording them the priviledge of being reckoned unto his kingdome and family rather then the devils , if when they are growne men , they refuse to stand to this Covenant , there is no hurt done on Gods part , let them serve another God , and take their lot for the time to come . To this you answer , First , this is onely the spinning out the simile of a seale ; which whether it bee to the purpose or no , I as willingly as your selfe , leave it to the Reader to judge . Secondly , you say , it is very inconsiderate boldnesse in me● , to make every baptized person a Covenanter , for whom Jesus Christ is a surety ; when as the Scripture makes Christ the surety onely for his redeemed ones . I answer , it is very true that Jesus Christ is the surety onely of the elect , so farre as to performe all the conditions of the Covenant in them ; but he is also the surety of all visible Professors , aliquo modo , upon their condition of performing the Covenant ; looke in what respect your selfe will acknowledge Christ undertakes for visible Professors , as they are visible Professors , the same will serve my turne , and I shall ask no more . The fifth Objection was , that no benefit comes by such a sealing as this is . My answer was , The same which came to the infants of the Jews , who received the seale in their infancy . You answer , First , you allow not that expression , That God seales to every one that is baptized , he seales onely to beleevers , to whom be undertakes to make good his promise of writing his law in their heart , &c. And here againe you charge me with symbolizing with the Arminians , who make the Covenant of grace common to elect and reprobates , and left to every ●ans liberty to free themselves if they please , and so nullifie all . I passe by your scoffes , of my frivolous supposing of Chimeraes , and other such good language ; you have pretty well enured me also to receive the reproach of Arminianisme . As to the thing it selfe , I answer , was not Circumcision Gods signe and seale ? which by his owne appointment was applyed to all the Jews and Proselytes and their children , did it ingage God absolutely to every one of them to write his law in their heart , &c. And are not the Sacraments signa conditionalia , conditionall signes and seales ? and did any Orthodox Divine before your self charge this to be Arminianism , to say that the Gospel runs upon conditions ? I confesse it is Arminianisme to say any thing is conditionall to GOD , this I never asserted , but that the Gospell is both preached and by the Sacraments sealed to us upon condition of faith , will passe for orthodox doctrine , when you and I are dead and rotten . You adde that you doe not well understand that God required of the Jewes Infants to seale in their Infancy ; I reply , but I hope you understand , that the Jewes Infants were sealed in their Infancy , and by this they received not onely a priviledge to bee accounted as belonging to Gods family , but it also obliged them to the severall duties of the Covenant , as they grew up to bee capable of performing them . I added , secondly , God hath other ends and uses of applying the Seale of the Covenant to them who are in Covenant with him , then their present gaine , it is an homage , worship , and honour to himselfe , and it behooves us in that respect to fulfill all righteousnesse ; when Christ was baptized and circumcised hee was as unfit for the ordinance through his perfection , as children through their imperfection , being as much above them as Children are below them : your answer is , Baptisme is Gods worship , Paedobaptisme a wil-worship ; Christs Baptisme was of a transcondens nature , children are unfit for this ordinance , not because of their imperfection , but through defect of Gods appointment ; had God appointed it , there were no doubt to bee made of their fitnesse ; all this hath been considered and weighed againe and againe , and I desire not to burden the Reader needlesly . I added thirdly , the benefit and fruite of it at the present is great , both to the parents and to the children , to the parents whilst God doth thereby honour them to have their children counted to his Church , and under his wing , whilst all the other Infants in the world have their visible standing under the Prince , and in the kingdome of darknesse , and consequently while others have no hope of their childrens spirituall welfare , untill they bee called out of that condition , these need not have any doubt of their childrens welfare if they die in their Infancy , nor if they live untill they shew signes to the contrary , God having both reckoned them unto his people , and given them all the meanes of salvation , which an Infants age is capable of . You answer . First , all this passage is but dictates . Secondly , you say if I meane the unbaptized children of beleevers , doe belong to the kingdome of the devill , it is a harsh and uncharitable speech . Sir , I am glad to heare you give that censure upon your owne judgement , it is your judgement that all Infants even of Beleevers as well as Pagans though they may potentially belong to the kingdome of Christ , yet actually they belong to the Kingdome of the devill ; but for my selfe , I meant onely the children of Infidells , I doe not thinke that beleeving Anabaptists doe through their ignorance or errour put their children out of this priviledge . You demand further , What comfort doe I give more to beleeving parents that have their children baptized , then belongs to them , though their children were not baptized . I answer , if it bee not through the parents fault that their children be unbaptized , but onely by the providence of God , they may have the same comfort , yet I conceive it a greater inlargement of comfort to enjoy the visible Seale , an ordinance which they are capable of , and which God uses to blesse according to his good pleasure ; but I say when parents doe therefore not baptize upon this principle , that their children doe not belong to the Church of Christ , no more then the children of Turkes and Pagans , and consequently are without that pale , where ordinarily salvation is onely to bee had , it is easie to say that their comfort cannot bee so much as others : your selfe doe grant that this which I plead for is a comfortable condition if it could be made out , page 82. Whereas I added they need not make any doubt of their childrens welfare , if they die in their Infancy , &c. You answer , I speake like one who holds that Baptisme doth conferre grace ex opere operato : But why so ? when I ground it upon the Covenant , upon their capacitie both of the Seale and the inward grace , and yet leave all to bee done by God , who hath mercy upon whom hee will have mercy ; I said not that they may de fide bee assured of their salvation , but that they need not have any doubt , the same which may bee said of growne visible professors . I added , here is also much priviledge and benefit to children when as ( beside what inward secres worke God is pleased to worke in them ) they being members of the Church of Christ have their share in the communion of Saints , are remembred at the throne of grace , every day by those that pray for the welfare of the Church , and particularly in those prayers which are made for his blessing upon his ordinances ; here first you desire to know what I mean by a secret work which God is pleased to worke in them ; whether any thing , ex opere operato , or baptismall regeneration , I answer , I meant onely this , that God is at liberty , and may when her pleases let his grace accompany his ordinance : as for their being members of the visible Church , you deny they are so , and I have proved them to bee so . Lastly , I added , it is no small priviledge to have that Seale bestowed on them in their Infancy which they may afterward plead when they are growne , and came to fulfill the condition ; you answer , when , where and how Baptisme should bee pleaded , you doe not well conceive , it is not Baptisme that will yeeld a plea of any force either in the Court of earth or the Court of heaven , but the promise of God and the condition of faith in Christ , and you never knew any Saint that pleaded his Infant Baptisme , in such cases , as the Apostles plea lies for Rom. 8. 31 , 32. I answer , as it is a plea for visible professors all their dayes , so it is a plea for Infants , when they grow up upon the same condition , and though the promise and faith in Christ bee our best plea , yet Baptisme the Seale is no meane one , and you who say , that of old the influence of comfort from baptisme was very great , I hope did not intend to limit it to the present time of its receiving , but extended it to all cases , which may fall within the compasse of those things for which Baptisme was appointed to bee a Seale , and as long as it remaines a Seale , and why you should speake against the pleading of Infant Baptisme , when they come to fulfill the condition and to have the answer of a good conscience toward God , ( in which case the Apostle said Baptisme saves us ) I cannot tell , unlesse you think with the Anabaptists that Infant Baptisme is a nullitie , which if you doe , I pray you let us know it in your next . The last objection was to this purpose , If Infants being capable of the spirituall part will intitle them to the outward sig●● , why then doe wee not also admit them to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , which is the Seale of the Covenant of grace , as well as the Sacrament of Baptisme ; and the rather because the Infants of the Jewes did eate the Passeover as well as they were circumcised ? My answer was to this effect , Infants in their infant-age are capable of the grace of Baptisme , that we are sure of , not sure that they are capable of the grace signed and sealed in the Lords Supper , wee know they may bee initiated into the Church , while they are Babes , not that they receive nourishment and augmentation . And I further adde , there was expresse order that Infants should bee admitted to the initiall signe , not that they should bee admitted to the other . To this you answer , This Argument is good ad homines against them who argue that to whom the Covenant belongs , to them the Seale belongs , and you say , this argument is confirmed by the practise and opinion of the ancients , who gave the Lords Supper to Infants for 600. yeers as well as baptisme . I reply , my Argument runs thus ; To whom belongs the Covenant , to them belongs the initiall Seale of the Covenant , not every Seale of the Covenant , and though the Lords supper bee a Seale of the Covenant , and succeed the Passeover as a Seale of that Covenant , yet neither the Passeover , nor the Lords Supper were appointed to bee initiall Seales ; and though Baptisme , which is the initiall Seale , serves to confirme the rest of the benefits of the Covenant , as the baptized grow capable of them , or are made partakers of them , yet the prime and maine use of it is to bee a Seale of initiation and reception into Covenant . As for what you adde of the ancients giving the Lords Supper to Infants for 600. yeeres , I have before answered to it , that it cannot bee proved to bee so generall a practise as the baptizing of Infants was among them , nor was it pleaded by any such Arguments , as they pleaded for Infant Baptisme ; Indeed in the African Churches about Cyprians and Augustines time , the Lords Supper was given to Infants , but I can finde no such generall practise of it as you would insinuate . Howbeit , I am glad that upon this occasion you acknowledge , that for the first 600. yeers Infants were baptized among the ancients , though I know not how this will agree with that which you have so fidently asserted before , that it was hardly knowne in the Church for the first 300. yeers . Whereas I added , that though baptisme and the Lords Supper are both of them Seales of the new Covenant , yet it is with some difference ; the first is for birth and entrance , the other is for food and growth ; you answer , this is a paradox to you , because if I make the entrance at the remission of sinnes , justification , &c. the Lords Supper which seales Christs death , seales the entrance into the Covenant , and Baptisme seales as well the pardon of other sinnes as of originall sinne ; and therefore this difference which I put of the one being a Seale for entrance , the other for growth , is a difference which the Scripture makes not . I reply , if this bee a paradox , your selfe have very often owned this paradox , in calling both Circumcision and Baptisme the Seales of our admission , and that by Baptisme wee are exhibited to bee members of Christ and his Church : which you yet never said the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was appointed to bee . And as for what you now adde that the Lords Supper sealing the death of Christ doth therefore seale our entrance ; I answer , it followes not , it seales indeed the whole Covenant in its due place and order , as our food is a witnesse that wee are alive , and is a meanes to preserve our life , but yet it must bee supposed that wee are first made alive before wee are capable of the benefit of our food . And whereas you jerke at that phrase of the Lords Supper sealing the growth and augmentation of the Covenant , as an unfit expression ; truely , I thought every child would have understood , that by nourishment and augmentation I meant nothing but the nourishment and growth of those graces of the Covenant , which the Covenant promiseth , and all are tied to seek after . As to that of the Jewes Infants eating the Passeover , I answered , there is no such thing mentioned in the books of God : It is said indeed that the severall families were to eate the Lambe , and if the family were too little to eate a Lambe , severall families were to joyne together , and that when their children should aske them the meaning of it , they were to instruct them about it , but not a word of institution appointing them to eate it , nor any example witnessing that they did eate it : You answer , All the males were appointed three times a yeere to appeare before the Lord , one of which was the Passeover , and at that time there was no other food to bee eaten , but unleavened bread and the Pascall Supper ; and you observe out of Ainsworth that every child that could hold his father by the hand , and could goe up from Jerusalem gates to the mountaine of the Temple , his father was bound to carry him up , to the end hee might catechise him in the Commandements , and they who went up were bound to keepe the feast . I answer , were the Jewes bound to carry all their Babes up with them to Jerusalem , or any of them , before they had understanding in those rites and mysteries ? and was there no food among them all that time , but the Sacramentall food ? were the uncleane and uncircumcised in their families to fast all that time ? produce any Scripture that witnesseth these ; you indeed quote two or three broken testimonies out of the Rabbins , who lived some hundred yeers after Christ , but not one text of Scripture , and yet even your Rabbins say no more then I am willing to grant , that when they could understand the service , they might partake of it ; nor doth the Gospell prohibite such young ones to partake of the Lords Supper , who are able to discerne the Lords body . I observe also that when a testimony out of a Jewish Rabbi seemes to make any thing on your side , you draw more confident conclusions from it , and fetch consequences further then you will allow mee to doe out of the holy Scriptures . The application of my Sermon you passe over , as not being argumentative ; onely in the first use you againe fall upon the comparison which I made betwixt Hazaels slaying the Infants of Israel , and the principles of the Anabaptists , in putting the children of beleevers out of the Covenant of grace , and this you aggravate to the utmost , calling it a false accusation , a fruit of passion , not of holy zeale : this also you fell upon in the very beginning of your treatise , where I answered , I compared not their intentions with his , but the fruit of their principles , casting all beleevers children , as much out of the Covenant of grace as they doe the children of Turkes and Pagans ; and this I am sure they doe , and your selfe joyne with them , who acknowledge no more promise for the children of beleevers , then for the children of Turkes , and leave them to have their actuall standing in the visible kingdome of the Devill . This I said in a spirituall sense was more heavy to the bowells of Christian parents , then to see their Infants slaine before their face , while in the meane time they might looke upon their Infants so dying , to bee within the pale of the Church , where salvation is ordinarily to bee found ; this I leave the Reader to judge of . Whereas you adde that this followes not upon the doctrine of Antipaedobaptisme that Infants are thus excluded , and that if to be within the Covenant of grace , bee rightly expounded , you exclude them from the Covenant of grace no more then I doe ; of the truth of this , without any needlesse repetition , I leave the Reader to judge by what hath been disputed betwixt you and mee ; if they find this assertion of yours to bee true , I give them leave to charge mee with the same rashnesse , false accusations , and passions , which here you powre upon mee ; if not , I am sure they will lay it all at your dore . I now come to your Epilogue , wherein you intimate , first , that you presume you have said so much against my Sermon , that you hope I see cause to consider more exactly of this businesse then I had done before , that I am not now so confident as I was , that this is Gods truth : I answer , as in the presence of the same great God to whom you and I both must give an account , I have seriously weighed what you have written , or any other who have come to my hands , with a full resolution not to shut my eyes against what light hee would cause to shine upon mee , and upon my most diligent study , accompanied with my weake , yet sincere and earnest prayers , I am more confirmed in it , and the more I have studied , the clearer it appeares unto mee . Secondly , you say you have endeavored to examine every thing of weight delivered in my Sermon , and what you could remember of Mr. Thomas Goodwins , and what Mr. Blake , or any other have written about this thing ; and I likewise have seriously weighed and not past over any thing of weight in this your Examen . Thirdly , you say you chose out my Sermon , because I am in print stiled the Antefignanus , the Ensigne-bearer ; a title which I neither deserve nor desire . Fourthly , you motion that all wee who have appeared in publique in this cause would joyne our strength together in a reply to this your Examen , that you might see the whole strength imbattel'd , that you might not be put to the reading of every Pamphlet . Truely Sir , this smells a little too rankly , thus confidently to challenge all men , not contented with Goliah to say , Give mee a man , that I might fight with him , but to defie a whole host , argues a little too much selfe-confidence . But for your satisfaction , here is my booke , you may try your strength against it , and though I find my impaired health and multitude of imployments is like to bee an apology for mee , from drawing this saw any longer , nor indeed is it needfull , there being no end of writing , all knowing that there is no controversie of faith , wherein learned and prejudiced men have not been able to write booke after booke against the truth , especially when they choose such a way of disputing as you have chosen ; However , I feare not but it will indure your uttermost opposition , and if my booke alone bee looked upon , as too poore a businesse , you see there are already two or three other bookes extant already , against you , and I am informed two peeces at least come out of New-England upon the same subject , your selfe being therein concerned ( for even thither have some sent your writings , and sufficiently in them , shewed your scorne of Mr. Thomas Goodwin , Mr. Vines , and my selfe , as our friends doe from thence write unto us ) you may take us all together , and then wee may goe for a pretty Army , and when you have done all you can , I doubt not but some will be found who will have leasure as well as ability to cope with you ; I onely desire you in your next not to goe on in this way of making wrangling exceptions , and seeking to slurre and blind what is written by your Antagonist , but by solid and cleare arguments , see if you can refute that which is asserted , and let your Reader also know as well what you would have , as what you would not have , and open your judgement to the full in this controversie , and shew whether you take Infant-baptism to be valid , or a nullity , and if you think it not a nullity , shew your grounds for it , why all this should be true , which you have thus far contended for , That Infants are no more to be accounted belonging to the Church of Christ then Pagans , and yet their baptisme should be valid , whether if any man should baptize a Turk or a Iew when he should be asleep , or by violence or any wayes against his own consent , this baptisme were not a nullity , and I know not what difference you make between the one and the other . If on the other side , you doe thinke it a nullity , then manifest how any at all can now be baptized , unlesse you will thinke that they may baptize others who are unbaptized themselves ; for my own part , I seriously professe , that supposing Infant-baptisme a nullity , I cannot understand how any in the world should this day be lawfully baptized , unlesse it can be made good that a person unbaptized himselfe may be a lawfull Minister of baptisme to others : for certainly untill the Anabaptists arose in Germany , all the baptized world were baptized while they were Infants ; and consequently the first Anabaptist was baptized by an unbaptized person , and so in conclusion we must all turn Seekers , and be content without baptisme , till Christ give some extraordinary Commission from Heaven unto some men to be Apostles in this businesse . Fifthly , you expresse the straights you are like to be brought into by the losse of your small stipend , as a consequent of this your Opinion . Sir , I am perswaded this is made up abundantly in that Honourable Society where now you exercise your Ministery ; and I beseech the Lord so to informe you in his truth in this particular , and to guide your Spirit , that you may no longer be a stumbling-block to others , nor others prove stumbling-blocks to you , that those good parts which God hath bestowed upon you , may for the time to come be employed in the most serviceable way , that both your worke and wages may bee with and from the Lord. Sixthly and lastly , you declare your willingnesse , either to have conference with me , to consult about a way of a brotherly debating of this point , or to receive other answer within the space of a month . What past betwixt your selfe and me in Conference , I have given the Reader an account of in the beginning of my Booke ; and in truth , I verily thought you would quietly have kept your Opinion as private to your self , which was the true reason why I medled with your Book no sooner ; as soon as it was published , I took my self bound in conscience to take it into Examination , and give this publike account of it ; since which time God hath been pleased to visit mee with sicknesse and infirmity of body , so that for a moneth or six weeks I could very little attend upon this task , and many other employments have compelled me to go through it , horis successivis , not being able to attend it many whole days without much interruption . Such as it is you now have it with you , and I make bold to say again , I am verily perswaded it is Gods truth which I maintain against you , and I fear not my account of this Work in the great day ; save onely I must ever acknowledge and bewaile those frailties and infirmities which cleave to whatever I put my hand unto . A Brief EXAMINATION OF Mr. TOMBES his Exercitation about INFANT-BAPTISM . YOur Exercitation might very well have been spared in this place , for any great advantage it is like to bring to your cause , but I am very glad it is extant , because all Learned men will by it plainly discern how mean and poor your Arguments are , when you come positively to assert , they will now finde that true which I said in the beginning , that your faculty is farre better in darkening , slurring , and plundering the Arguments of your Adversary , then in making good your owne . You have here impanelled a whole Jury , and would faine perswade a verdict of twelve men to stand upon record on your side , as having found Infant-Baptisme guilty of the crimes which you have laid to its charge : I shall very briefly examine what every one of them have said , and only run them over , partly , because there are lately extant two learned Treatises against it , written by Doctor Homes , and Master Geree , the first of them was published when my Book was almost half Printed , the other since ; but chiefly because almost every sentence in this your Exercitation which hath any strength is by yourselfe brought into your other Treatise , which you call the Examen of my Sermon , and there is already fully answered . Of your twelve Arguments , the first is not properly to be called an Argument against Infant-Baptisme , but is rather an answer to severall Arguments pretended to bee brought for Infant-Baptisme ; and upon this you bestow at least two third parts of your Exercitation , twice as much I nke and Paper upon the foreman of the Jury , as you doe upon the other eleven . Vnder the head of this first Argument , you have brought in no lesse then fourteen Arguments ( as you call them ) for the lawfulnesse of Infant-Baptisme , and then you undertake to answer them ; your self say truly of many of them , they make a number without strength ; and therefore as you have made a conquest of them , doe with your prisoners what you please , for I count them not worth the redeeming ; onely this I say , we have six or seven of your twelve , which I think all the world , and your selfe also , will grant to be taken Prisoners by us , if you please we will exchange them for the other , and then in the exchange we shall lose nothing , being assured yours are as weake and simple as it is possible for those to be which you have taken ; and for the rest of the arguments brought for Paedo-Baptisme , you have propounded them for ▪ your owne advantage , so set them downe as to make them best capable of the specious answers you bring unto them ; but I like not that an enemy should have the ordering of the Forces which hee meanes to fight against , you must give us leave to choose our own weapons , and Marshall our own Forces , and then you may try your skill and valour against them . Doctor Homes hath made his Annotations upon all the arguments which you have produced according to your owne method Mr. Geree hath chosen out onely those arguments which carry most evidence , and not troubled himselfe to examine every thing ; for my part , I humbly conceive that Infant-baptisme is not to be fetched from any one of these grounds singly , but is built upon the identity of the Covenant , Infants right to the Covenant , and the initiall seale ; and consequently though one Text may be a sufficient medium or Argument to prove some one or two of them , yet to make the evidence full , these ground● must not be separated one from another , but necessary recourse must be had to them all ; and if all your Arguments doe overthrow any one of them , either the Covenants being the same in substance , or infants right to the Covenant , or the Lords appointing an initiall seale to bee administred to all who are reputed belonging to the Covenant , I shall readily yeeld the cause , as I have often told you . All the trouble I shal put the Reader to , about this your first Argument , or rather your answer to Arguments , shal be to point him to such places in my book , where you have already prest the same things , and I have given an answer to them . The first Argument from Gen. 17. hath beene examined , Part 3. Sect. 1 , 2. and elswhere . The second argument taken from Baptism succeeding into the room of Circumcision , and Coloss . 2. 11 , 12 , &c. is examined Part 3. Sect. 9. The third argument from the priviledges of beleevers under the New Testament , is examined , Part 3. Sect. 11. 7. The fourth argument from Acts 2. ●8 . is fully examined , Part 3. Sect. 6. The fifth argument from 1 Cor. 7. 14. is examined , Part 3. Sect. 8. The sixth argument from Mark 10. 14. Matth. 19. &c. which also you put into severall shapes , is examined , Part 3. Sect. 15. The seventh argument from Acts 16. and severall other places which speake of baptizing of housholds , is examined Part 3. Sect 14. And in these severall places you have pressed whatever is of any seeming weight in this your Exercitation , and added many other things which the reader shall finde to bee examined in the places which I have pointed to , besides in severall other places of my Booke , where you have again and again repeated many of the same things . The other seven arguments ( as you call them ) I looke not upon as arguments , and therefore will not meddle with them ▪ some of the Scriptures mentioned in them , as , Exod. 20. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. &c. so farre as they have any use in this controversie , are also considered of here , and there in my Book , as the Reader may observe . Your second Argument against Infant Baptisme is fetcht from Mat. 28. 19. That which agrees not with the Lords institution of Baptisme , that is deservedly doubtfull ; But the rite of Infant-baptisme agrees not with the Lords institution of Baptism , Ergo. This argument hath received its full examination , Part 3. Sect. 13. and Part 4. Sect. 1. whither I refer the Reader , as not willing to trouble him with needlesse repetition of the same things . Your third Argument is taken from the practice of the Apostles , and John the Baptist , and runs thus , That tenet and practice which being put , Baptism cannot be administred as John Baptist and the Apostles did administer it , agrees not with the practice of John Baptist and the Apostles ; But the tenet and practice of Infant-Baptisme being put , Baptisme cannot bee administred as Jo. Baptist , and the Apostles administred i● ; Ergo &c. This you goe about to prove , because John and the Apostles baptized none but such as confessed sinnes , they required shewes of faith and repentance in all whom they baptized . This Argument relates wholly to matter of fact , wherein you put your selfe to prove a negative ; and therefore the argument can prove nothing , unlesse you can produce some one place at least out of the Scripture wherein it is said no Infant was baptized by them , or no other then such as you have mentioned ; but what you have here said about it is fully considered , Part. 3. Sect. 13. especially Part 4. Sect. 1. These three Arguments , which alone deserve to bee called ( if yet the first may be so called ) are fully examined in the places above-mentioned ; the rest of your arguments are so wholly inconsequent , that I wonder you should think them worthy or fit to face an Assembly of Divines , and expect that they should joyne their strength together to frame an answer to them ; when as I verily thinke they may all bee routed by the running pen of an ordinary Clerke in a few houres . Your fourth is taken from the next age after the Apostles , and stands thus in your book , Because Infant-baptisme cannot be proved that it was inforce or use in the next age after the Apostles ; Ergo , the tenet and practice of it is doubtfull . The major ( you say ) is manifest of it selfe ; for the minor you alledge Vives , and Strabo ; and ( say you , it is confirmed by examining of places brought to that purpose , & by continuing questions to the parties baptized in ages following , and other tokens from Councells , and Ecclesiasticall writers . I answer , First , to your Major , which you say is manifest of its selfe , I judge to bee most false , and a most dangerous position : is every tenet and practice doubtfull , which cannot be proved by historicall evidence to have been received and practiced in that age , whereof we have so few Records ? the procession of the holy Ghost , the propagation of originall sinne , and many other Tenets , I beleeve you will neither find mentioned in that age nor the next ; How would you have laughed at such a conclusion set downe by another ? And secondly , for your Minor , I answer 1. There were no Councells at all assembled in that age next to the Apostles . And 2. as for Ecclesiasticall Writers , I wish you would name them ; I beleeve you will find very few Writers of credit in that age , whose legitimate workes are transmitted to posterity . Thirdly , how do Vives and Strabo know what was done in the ages next the Apostles , when the eldest of them lived almost 800 years after that age ? the authority and skill of these two men hath been sufficiently spoken to , Part 1. Sect. 2. Fourthly , I wonder how the questions propounded in ages following to the baptized , doe prove that Infant-Baptisme was not in use in the age next after the Apostles . Your fifth argument runs thus , That which in succeeding ages in which it was in use , was in force first as a Tradition not written . Secondly , out of imitation of Jewish circumcision . Thirdly , without universall practice . Fourthly , together with the error of giving Infants the Lords Supper , and with many other humane inventions under the name of Apostolicall Traditions , that is deserv●dly doubtfull . But such was Infant-Baptisme in those ages , Ergo , &c. I answer , first , by denying your Major , the observation of the Lords day hath beene by some accounted a Tradition , others have said it is Jewish to keep any Sabbath at all , because Sabbath dayes were a shadow of things to come , but the body is Christ , what will you thence conclude against our Christian Sabbath ? And for what you say about the practice of it that it was not universall , I desire you to remember , that argumentum ductum a non facto ad non jus est absurdissimum ; may wee plead thus , such and such a thing was not generally observed , Ergo it was not a duty ? the boyes in the Schooles would stamp and hisse at such an inference ; from the dayes of Iosoua , to the dayes of Nehemiab , the children of Israel had not kept the feast of Tabernacles in Booths or Tents , which was about a thousand yeares ; was it therefore not their duty to have done it ? Dr. Hoylin in his History of the Sabbath , urgeth this very argument against the Lords day , in such and such Fathers days many did not observe the Lords day , many did tipple and dance upon the Lords day ; ergo the Lords day was not generally observed , and if it were not generally observed in those days , Ergo we are not bound to observe it . This kind of arguing is almost as wilde as that which the Schools call , a baculo ad angulum , my staffe stands in the corner , Ergo it will rain tomorrow morning . Your last Exception under this fourth argument is yet more strange , There were many other things went under the name of Traditions , which were meer humane inventions , Ergo Infant-baptism , which went under the name of a Tradition is also a humane invention . Shall I shew the naturall face of this argument in a glasse ; such and such men who went under the name of honest men were knaves ; Ergo all that goe ●nder the name of honest men are knaves . It is true , many things went in those dayes under the name of Traditions , which were but humane inventions , and it is as true that many points of faith , and other divine institutions went in the same ages under the name of Traditions , as I have made apparent , Part 1. Sect. 2. You see what a poore argument this would prove although your minor were true , though the things were as you set them downe ; but I have abundantly proved the contrary : I have shewed the Ancients received it as a Divine Institution , and upon such arguments as we doe , though some of them prest some corrupt grounds which we reject : and as for the universality of the practice of it both in the Greek and Latin Churches I have abundantly cleared it from all Objections you make against it : and you out of all your reading have not been able to produce one of the ancients , who either beld it unlawfull , or denyed that it was in use from the Apostles dayes . One or two indeed you bring who advised the deferring Infant-Baptism , as they did also the baptisme of grown men ; and some examples you produce of the children of Christians not baptized ( as you think ) in their Infancy ; to all which I have spoken at large , Part. 1. sect . 2. And as for what you alledge of their giving the Lords Supper unto Infants , I have denyed , and shall doe still , till you bring some evidence for it , that there was any such universall practise , indeed in the African Churches that errour did obtain in the days of Cyprian and Austin , but I finde no such generall practice of it ; however the Argument follows not , That it was their error to give Infants the Lords Supper ; Ergo it was their error to baptize Infants . Your sixth Argument runs thus ; that which hath occasioned many humane inventions , partly by which Infant-Baptisme it selfe may bee underpropt , partly the defect in the p●licy of the Church supplyed ; that is deservedly douhtfull ; But the matter i● so in the businesse of Infant-Baptisme : and here you bring in witnesses in Baptisme , Episcopall confirmation , the reformed union by examination , confession , before receiving the Lords Supper , Church-Covenant before the admission of Church-members into Church-fellowship , &c. I answer briefly , if by occasioned you meane that Infant-Baptisme hath exnaturâ rei given occasion to these things , I deny your minor , Infant-Baptisme is no more an occasion of these things in the Christian Church , then circumcising of Infants was an occasion of the like in the Jewish Church ; Infant-Baptisme may very well stand , and doth very well stand in many reformed Churches without such witnesses , without confirmation , or any other examination , confession , &c. before the Lords Supper , or other Church-discipline , then such as might bee in use to men though they were not baptized in their Infancy : but if by occasioned you meane not 〈◊〉 da●a , but 〈◊〉 temer● a●●●pta , that the corrupt mind of man hath thence tooke occasion for other errors and mistakes ; if you meane that which hath thus ●●casioned many humane inventions is doubtfull , then I deny your major : there is scarse any common place in the body of Divinity but hath occasioned humane inventions , the Lords Supper hath occasioned kneeling at the Sacrament ; and that hath occasioned suspension , excommunication , separation ; what will you thence conclude against the Lords Supper ? Ergo , the Lords Supper is a humane invention ? Your seventh , eighth , and ninth Arguments are but so many branches or rather so many repetitions of your sixth Argument , possibly you have thus divided them that you might make up a whole Jury . And the selfe same answer serves them as was given to the other ; I will conclude as strongly against you , out of your owne premisses thus ; Antipaedobaptisme hath occasioned many errours , many abuses and faults in discipline , divine worship , and conversation of men , together with many unnecessary disputes , fostering contention onely : Ergo , Antipaedobaptisme is what you please to all Infant-baptisme : I leave out that passage onely in the major of your ninth Argument , viz. which cannot bee determined by any certaine rule , because therein you doe very heartily beg the question . Your tenth argument is framed thus ; That in the midst of the darknesse of Popery , the same men who opposed invocation of Saints , Prayer for the dead , adoration of the crosse , and such like , opposed also the baptizing of Infants , and here you bring in Bernard his 66 ▪ Sermon upon the Canticles , and his 140. Epistla against Henry the Heretick ( as you call him ) and Cluniacinsis against Peter de Bruis and Henry ; also a passage out of Ostander , accusing the Albingenses ●s consenting with the Anabaptist● . To which I answer , first , I deny the consequence , because they opposed invocation of Saints , prayer for the dead , &c. and also opposed Infant-Baptisme ; Ergo , the last is an errour as well as the first : for the same men have opposed Popery and the Sabbath , the same men have denyed Prelacy and the blessed Trinitie : Is it not possible for the same man to oppose a multitude of cursed errors , and yet to oppose some one blessed truth ? Secondly , I also deny your minor ; they who thus opposed invocation of Saints , &c. did not oppose baptisme of Infants : Bermgarius , the Waldenses , Albingenses , Wickluites , Hussites , and others are indeed slandered by some of their adversaries , as if they denyed Infant-baptisme , but are cleared out of their owne confessions ; as I have made abundantly manifest , Part 2. Sect. 2. What under the head of this tenth Argument you mention out of Tertullian , and Gregory Nazianzen hath beene fully confidered of , Part 1. Sect. ● . Your eleventh Argument runs thus ; The asserters of Infant-baptisme little agree among themselves upon what foundation to build Infant-baptisme : some from universalitie of divine grace , some from necessitie of Baptisme to salvation , some from the promise of the sureties , some from the faith of the Infants , some from the faith of the next parents , Ergo , What ? what conclusion can you make from this : The Antipaedobaptists reject the Baptisme of Infants upon severall grounds : some because Infants have no sinne , some because they have no more to doe with the Covenant of grace , then the Infants of Turkes ; some because Infants are not capable of grace , some because they are unbeleevers , some because we cannot know whether they have grace or no , will you therefore say Antipaedobaptisme is to bee rejected ? So for the Lords day , fome pleade it upon one ground , others reject that ground , and plead it upon another , have therefore none of them hit upon a right ground ? the like may bee said of many other points both of faith and practise in Christianitie ; the utmost that can bee collected from mens different grounds in pleading for such or such a truth is , that God hath not left that truth so cleare as possible he hath done others wherein there is a greater consent : but to collect that therefore the opinion is to be rejected , is a strange consequence . I add farther that almost all , both ancient and moderne , doe agree in the argument from Circumcision to Baptisme , which necessarily implies our Covenant to be the same with theirs , our Infants right to be the same with theirs , and our Sacrament of Baptisme to be the same with theirs of Circumcision as to the use of an initiall Seale . Your twelfth and last Argument which brings up your reere , which you call a weighty reason , runs thus : Because Infant-Baptisme seemes to take away one , perhaps the primary end of Baptisme , viz. that it should bee a signe that the baptized shew himselfe a Disciple , and confesse the faith in which hee hath been instructed , and this you prove from Iohn the Baptist and other passages in the New Testament , which put Baptisme for Doctrine , from the forme of Christs institution , and by the use of Baptisme in the initiating of Proselytes , and hence you collect that Baptisme doth not onely confirme a benefit , but signifies also a profession made . To which I answer : This Argument how weightie soever it bee , is but a branch taken from your second argument out of Mat. 28. and from your third argument from the practise of John and Christs Apostles , and is but a Crambe of what you have often prest before , and hath received its full answer , Part 3. Sect. 13. and Part 4. Sect 1. and I adde further , that even that which your selfe here sets downe , gives a full answer to your own Argument , for you say that a Sacrament is not only a visible signe of an invisible grace , ●r appointed to signifie only a divine benefit , but it likewise serves to signifie his dutie who receives the Sacrament : It signifies a profession made , as well as confirmes a benefit ; for doth it not thence necessarily follow that the Infants of the Jewes made by their Circumcision a profession , as well as received the signe of a benefit ? and that therefore the Baptizing of Infants doth not frustrate that end of initiating them to bee Disciples or Professors ? And that which you adde of the use of Baptisme in the initiating of Proselytes into the profession of Judaisme , is as full to the purpose as can bee to prove what I affirme : for wee know from all the Authors who write about it , that Infants as well as growne men were initiated into the profession of Judaisme by the rite of Baptisme . In the last place you shut up your Exercitation with a discourse about the Devills indenting with witches to renounce their Baptisme , as if some would thence argue that Infant-Baptisme is good , because the Devill would have them renounce it : but you , who it seemes know the Devills mind in it , say the true reason why hee requires witches to renounce their Baptisme , is not because the Baptisme is good in respect of the administration of it , but because the faith mentioned in the forme ●f Baptisme is good ; for my owne part , I am so little acquainted with the Devills practise in it , and see so little strength of Argument for or against Infant-Baptisme from the trading betwixt the Devill and the witch , that I intend not to meddle with this Argument 〈◊〉 from h●ll , I rest contented with those which I find in the ●●●ke of God. FINIS . A Table of Authors cited or vindicated , and other materiall things cited in this Treatise . A ABraham , th● Covenant with him no more mixt then with us , p. 97. Pros●lytes were his seed , 100. So were civill Justiciaries reputed , p. 101 , 104. Adeodatus why not baptized in his infancy , p. 48. Alipius why not baptized in his insan●y , Ainsworth , p. 171. Albigenses●o ●o An aboptists , p. 64. An abaptists not like the Non-conformists , p. 72. Their ancient errours newly sprung up again● , p. 73. Opposed Magistr●cy , p. 75. P●● no difference between Infants of Christians and Turkes , p. 86 , 87. Aretius vindicated , p. 175. Proves Baptisme to succed Circumcision by the An●ionts , p. 176. Athanasius mentions Infant-baptisme , p. 20. Augustin● vindicated , p. 43. &c. Why 〈◊〉 baptized in his infancy , p. 46 , 47. B Ball vindicated , p. 6. Baltazzar Lydius , p. 64. Baptisme called a new 〈◊〉 by th● Scripture ; and the Anci●●●s , p. 1● . Anci●ntty deferred , p. 22. Salvation may be obtained without it , p. 52 , 5● Whether it may be repeated , p. 67 , 68. Succeeds Circumcision , p. 164 . ●●rallelled with it , p. 145. In use among the Iews , and applyed to Infants as well as ●● men , 170. How it may be pleaded , p. 239. Beza cited against his owne judgement , p. 147 , 150. Bal●●mon 〈◊〉 , p. 31 , 32. Bayne vindicated , p. 101 , 102 ▪ Berengarius no Anabaptist , p. 65. C Catechumeni , p. 50. Chrysostome not baptized in hi●●●fancy , p. 27. vindicated , p 177. Circumcision ; women not capable of it , p. 93. Seales the spirituall part of the Covenant , p. 98. Baptisme s●●ceeds if , p. 164 . ●ar a●●●led with baptisme , p. 145. Why Christ 〈…〉 circumcised and baptized , p. 168. Why Jewes infants circumcised , p. 1●● . How the Jews received it , p. 1●● . Christianity how is may bee called ●● birthright , p. 119. Chamler often ci●ed to 〈◊〉 purpose 〈◊〉 . Against hi● own● judgment , p. 144. Constantine M. why not baptized in his infanty , p. 25. Cotton vindicated , p. 114. 〈…〉 Mr. Rutherford reconciled , p. 123. Cyprian vindicated , p. 38. &c. Covenant and Seal connected together , p. 89. What is meant by being in the Covenant , p. 89. Covenant of grace alwayes 〈◊〉 and the same , p. 97. Infants taken into the Covenant with their Parents , p. 105. Men may bee under is severall wayes , p. 106. Priviledges of them who are under the externall Covenant , p. 108. Anexternall right to it proved , p. 140. The promise in it not peculiar to Abraham p. 127. D Disciples , What it is to make Disciples , p. 212 , 213 , 214 , &c. E Epiphanitis mentions infant-baptisme , p. 21 , 45. F S●e● of Flesh what , p. 104. G Goodwin vindicated , p. 143. Grotius not to bee relyed on about infant-baptisme , p. 29. Misreports the Greek Church , p. 32 , 33 , 34. Gospel how conditionall , p. 236. H Hacket his Story , p. 72. Henricus Stephanus mis-retited , p. 151. Holinesse derivative and inherent not ●pposed , p. 142. Fedrall holinesse assented by the Ancients , p. 148. I Infants taken into covenant with their Parents , 105. of beleevers left by Mr. Tombes to be under the Devils kingdome , p. 112. Why Jewish Infants circumoised , p. 180. Whether Infants may be said to bee beleevers , p. 231. Ought to be baptized though we know not that they have grace , p. 232. How their Baptisme is commanded in Matth. 28. p. 207. Capable of the grace whereof Baptisme is a signe , p. 219 , 224 , 226. Infant-baptisme , Antiquity of it vindicated , p 7 , &c. p. 44 , 45. Episcopacy not so ancient as it , p 8. Why some Ancients speake not of it , p. 19. Athanasius , p 20. And by Epiphanius , p. 21 , 45. Not dispre●ed because of questions put to the party that was to be baptized , p. 21. &c. Grotins not to be relyed upon in it , p. 29. The Greek Church received it , p. 32. Asserted by Tertullian , p. 35. And Cyprian , p. 38 , 39. &c. By Augustine , p , 43. &c. By Fulgentius , p 50 How it is called a Tradition , p. 44. Why not mentioned in Councels before that of Carthage , p. 49. Still acknowledg●d in the Church , p. 63. The rejecting of it not the way to Reformation , p. 76. Examples of it by consequence , p. 218. Not a Will worship , p. 195 , 225. Benefits of Infant-baptisme , 236. No occasion of humane inventions , &c. 253. John Baptist initiated to the Christian Church , p. 171. Irenaus●ind ●ind indicated , p. 10 , 11 , 12. Justine Martyr vindicated , 9 , 10. L Ludovicus Vives examined , p. 37 , 38. Lords-day , p. 80 , 81 , 82. Proved by consequence from the Sabbath , p. 205. Comparison between evid●nce for it , & Paedo-Baptisme , p. 81 , 82. Lords Supper not eaten by unbaptized persons , p. 167. not by Infants , p. 240. N Nazianzen vindicated , p. ●8 . not baptized in his Infant , p. 26. Nation when it is to bee reputed Christian , p. 211. Neocaesarean Councell vindicated , p. 30 , 31. O Origen vindicated , p. 15 , 16 , 17. P Parents beleeving are roots of their children . p. 142. Passeover , our Sacrament comes in stead of it , p. 203. Priviledges ours , not straitned , but enlarged , p. 185. A great abridgement of them to have our children left out of the Covenant , p. 193. Photius Patriarch , p. 33. Q. Questions put to the baptized disprove not baptisme , p. ●1 . ●ay they prove it , p. 52. R Rogers vindicated , p. 5. S Selden , p. 170. Strabo examined , p. 37. Sacrament what it seales absolutely , and conditionally , 117. How they are Seales , p. 201. our rule in administring them , p. 233. how we may argue from Jewes Sacraments to ours , p. 198. 201. T Tombes his way of reasoning , p. 3. 105. 125. 134. Vnjustly charges the Assembly , p. 79. thinkes some may be saved out of the communion of the visible Church , p. 88. He joynes with 〈…〉 Circumcision to bee a seale of any thing , p. 183. makes it a priviledge not to have Infants baptized , p. 187. He makes the Covenant Heb 8. to be the Covenant of workes , p. 188. Misinterprets the 2 Cor. 3. 10. p. 188. Leaves all Infants of beleevers to bee under the Devills 〈◊〉 , p. 112. Symboliz●th 〈◊〉 Arminius , p. 144. compares Priest ▪ and Ministers to 〈◊〉 purpose , p. 108. 〈◊〉 his own● opinion ●●●nfants condition , p. 238. Tortullia● speak● for Infant-Baptism , p. 35. Talmud , p. 171. V Vines vindicated , p. 73. Usher de successione Chr. Eccles . p. 64. 65. Vo●●●i 〈◊〉 p. 68 , 69. W Waldenses , p. 64. no Anabaptists , p. 65. History of Waldenses , p. 64. Women not capable of Circumcision , p. 93. how Circumcised in the men , p. 94. if they had not been esteemed as circumcised they could not have eaten the Passeover , 96. Errata . PAge 1. 10. Line 11. read , you will not doe , p. 144. l. 34 for where r. were p 145. l. 35. r. thrasi . p. 157. l. 23. dele not , p. 164. l. 22. ● sequitur , p. 166. l. 5. r. 〈◊〉 . p. 167. l 6. r. Catechumeni , p. 173 l. 3. r. impure to you a sense , p. 175. l. 〈…〉 , ● 176. l. 13. 1. 〈◊〉 , 1. 16. r. tempore , p. 178. l. 38. r. fa●●●u● , p. 191. l. 33. for That r. But , p 199. l. 1. dol● comma after omnibus , p. 213. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 213. l. 5. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 222. l. 7. ● as for ●a . p. 226 l. 19. 〈◊〉 Baptisme and prayer all one , r. baptizing into the name of the Father , S●nne and holy Ghost , and prayer all one , l. 22. for , his Baptisme and prayer was all one ▪ read , that Ananid● his baptizing Paul into the name of Christ , or into the name of the Father , Some and holy Ghost , and Pauls calling upon the name of the Lord , was all one . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A89563-e280 Jude 3. Mr. John Goodwins answer to Mr. Edwards Ga●gr . p. 20. Psal . 76. 3. James 1. 20. Psal . 25. 9. Notes for div A89563-e940 Reply to the Preface . Sect. 2. Reply to the Historical part , vindicating the Antiquity of Infant Baptism . Justine Martyr , or the Treatise under his name vindicated . Hoc Ecclesia semper habuit , semper tenuit , hoc a majorum fide accepit , hoc usque in finem per severanter custodit . Aug. Serm. 15. de verbis Apost . Iust . Mart. qu. 56 P. 5. Irenaeus testimony vindicated . Trithem . P. 6. Answ . Just . Mart. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Dionys . Areop . Hierarch . ca. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . De Sab , & Circumcis . Basil . exhortatione ad baptismum . Lib. de initiandis ca. 2. P. 6. Mr. Mede . P. 6. Ezek. 37. De resur , ca. 31. Origens Test . vindicated . Hierom ad Pammachium . Ruffini peroratio in Ep. ad Rom. He contracted it halfe in halfe . Ruffi . praefat . a● Rom. Epiph. in s●ne operis . Ign. ep . ad . Hier. Greg. orat . 40. in Bapt. Nazian . vindicated . P. 8. P. 9. Vide Clem. Alex . paedagog . Athan. dicta & interpretatio Script . qu. 94. Athanasiu● gives testimony to Infant Baptism . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. qu. ad Antioch . 114. P. 4. Athan. ad Antioch . qu. 114. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Ephiphan . contr . Cerinthianos . Epiphanius owned the argument from Circumcision to Baptisme . The questions put to the Baptizes , disprove not Insant-Baptisme . Paedag. Of old some defer'd their owne Baptisme , as well as their Infants . Vbi prius . Euseb . de vit . Const . lib 4. Vbi prius . Aug. Confes . 1. 11. Orat. 40. Sozom. 4. 38. Theod. 4. 14. Gen. 17. Constantines Bap. no Argument that Infants were not then baptized . Nor Gregory Nazianzen . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. Socr. 4. 21. Soz. 6. 16. Greg. vita . Orat. 40. Nor Chrysost . Socr. hist . 5. 2. Siz . 8. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. Orat. ad viduam juniorem . Grotius not to be rel●ed upon in this point . Rivet . Apol. provera pace Ecclesia contr . votum Grotii . Rivet . exam . animad . Grotii . Grotii votum pro pace Eccles . ad articulum 9. P. 9. 10. The Councell of Neocaes . not against baptism of Infants . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Con. 6. Con. Neocaesariensis . Proles baptizari non solere● nisi propria vo untate , et professi●ne . P. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 10. The Greeke Church misreported by Grotius in this point . Phot. patriarch . Covel . anno , as some , 845. as others , 849. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Tib. 1. de fide ca. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Carth. ca. 14. Tert. de Bapt. c. 18. In Tertullians dayes Infants were baptized . ●ert . de Anima , c. 13. Cyprians testimony vindicated . P. 10. Cyprianus non novum aliquod decretum condens , sed Ecclesiae fidem firmissimam servans , &c. Aug. Ep. 28. ad Hier. Vestigium infantis in primis parus sui diel us constituti mundum non dixisse Ath. de Sab. & Circumcis . Orat. 40. P. 11. Lib. 4. c. 22. contr . Donat ▪ P. 12. P. 12. Augustine vindicated . Soz. 7. 12. P. 14. Other ancient testimonies for Infant baptism . Soz. 7. 19. Soz. 1. 17. P. 1 ● . Augustines baptism , no argument that Infants were not then baptized . Aug. C●nf . l. 1. c. 11. ille nondum erediderat . Confess . 9. 9. Poss●d . de vita Aug c. 1. Conf , 4 3. Conf. 1. 11. Nor his sonne Adeoda●us . Conf. 9. 6. Conf. 6 7. Conf. 7. 19. Nor Alipius . Pag. 14. Fulgent ▪ de fide ad Petrum , ca. 30. Pag. 15. Pag. 16. Chapter 23. Reply to Sect. 1. Answ . Reply to Sect. 2. Answ . Answ . That the middle times between the Fathers and Luther were for Baptizing Infants . Answ . Vsher de successione , cap. 6. Sect. 1● . 17. Cap. 8. Sect. 34. Cap. 10. Magdeburg●en● . 12. Cap. 8 col . 1●06 . Baltazzar Lidius , Tom. 2. Pag. 285. &c. History of the Waldenses . lib. 1. cap. 3. p. 10. Lib. 1. cap 4. pag. 15. Lib. cap. 6. pag. 43. Tom. 3. Tit. 5. cap. 53. Vsher de Success . cap. 7. Sect. 37. Berengarius cleared from Anabaptisme . Waldenses , Albigenses , &c. cleared from Anabaptisme . Vsh . ubi supr . ca. 8. Sect. 34. Jos . Vicecom . Obser . Eccl. Vol. Lib. 2. cap. 1. p. 103. To Sect. 3. To Sect. 4. Answ . Vide Vossii Theses de Anabaptist . R●asons against rebaptization of such as are rightly baptized . Answ . Act. 19. 5 , 6. vindicated from favoring rebaptiztion . Vid. Vossii Theses de Baptismo Johan . pag 402. &c. To Sect. 5. Answ . The old Nonconformists in Qu. Elizabeths days , pleading against Episcopacy and Ceremonies , il compared with the Anabaptists in Germany . To Sect. 6. Answ . To 1 , 2 Mr. Vines vindicated . Almost all the Errors of the Germane Anabaptists , lately drunke in in England . Mr. Dury . To 3. 4. 6. 7. To Sect. 7. Answ . 2. Answ . Sect. 8. To Sect. 9. To Sect. 10. Defence of the third part of Sermon . Reply to Sect 1. Of the connexion betweene the Covenant , and Seale . The consequence of the argument made good . Reply . The consequence proved by Mr. Tombes owne principle . Answ . to Melchisedeck , Job . and ●et . And to Infants under eight dayes old . Women not capable of Circumcision . Women circumcised in the men , vindicated . Circumcised not put for the major or nobler part . Gal. 2. 8. Reply . No warrant for women to eate the Passeover , unlesse they were to bee esteemed circumcised . Reply to Sect. 2. The Covenant of grace always one and the same . The Covenant with Abraham no more mixt for substance then the Covenant with us . Circumcision sea●ed the spirituall part of the Covenant . Proselytes were Abrahams seed . This is not to joyn with Arminius . Mr. Bayne of of my judgement , That civill justiciaties were called Abrahams seed . Bayne in Ephes . p. 138. cap. 1. 5. Mr. Tombes joynes with Servetus . Mr. Blake vindicated . Phil. 3. interpreted . What meant by seed of the flesh . Reply to Sect. 3. Infants taken into Covenant with their parents . Reply . The sence of this second proposition cleared . Men may bee under the Covenant severall wayes , some spiritually , and some under the administration onely . Great priviviledges belong to them who are under the externall Covenant . Gen. 6. 1. Deut. 14. 1. Gal. 3. 26. Rom. 9 4. Rom. 3. 1. John 8. 17. Deut. 33. 4. Psal . 147. 20. John 4. 22. An externall right to the Covenant proved . Rom. 11. This proved from Mr. Tombes owne principles . Mr. Tombes leaves all Infants of beleevers to be under the visible kingdom of the Devil actually . Mr. Cotton vi●dicated . Tombes●●deavours ●●deavours to 〈◊〉 a sense upon this Proposition , never intended by 〈◊〉 not owned by mee . What the Sacrament seales absolutely , and what conditionally . How Christianity may bee called a birth-right . Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 . To Sect. 5. Comparison betweene Christs kingdom and other kingdoms , vindicated . Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Cotton reconciled . Io Sect. 6. Vindicating Act. 2. 38. 39. as a proofe of Infants of beleevers to belong to the the Covenant of grace . Mr. Tombes his method of answering . Mr. Tombes his art in multiplying senses . The p●ame sense & scope of this argument opened and vindicated . The promise given , I will be thy God and the God of thy seed , not peculiar to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , proved by three Arguments . Deut. 30. 6. Esa . 44. 2 , 3. Esa . 59. 21. These places vindicated . Mr. Tombes his exceptions against this argument answered . 1 Exception . Answer . 2 Exception . Answ . 3. Exception . Answ . To Sect. 7. Rom. 11. 6. &c. vindicated . Joh. 15. 2. proves the interpretation to be true . Derivative and inherent holinesse not opsed . Beleeving parents are roots to their children . Mr. Goodwin Vindicated . Children follow the Covenant condition of their parents . Mr Tombes symbolizing with Arminius his expounding Rom. 11. To Sect. 8. 1 Cor. 7. vindicated . Chamier often cited to no purpose . And against his owne judgment . Cham. Panstrat . Cathol . Tom. 4. lib. 3. ca. 10. Beza cited by Mr. Tombes contrary to his owne judgement . Tertullian and Athanasius expound this Text for sederall holinesse . Mr. Tombes his interpretation of this Text overthrowne by eight Arguments . 1 Argument vindicated . Deut. 23. 2. vindicated . 1. Thess . 4. vindicated . Beza not interprets this Text as Mr. Tombes would seem to make him . Hen. Steph. misrecited . 1 Cor. 7. 34. mis-interpreted by Mr. Tombes . 1 Tim. 4 5. vindicated . 2 Arg. vindicated . Argument 3. vindicated . Argumen● 4 5 Arg. against Mr. Tombes interpretation . 6 Argument . 7 Argument . Mal. 2. 15. expounded and vindicated . ● Argument . The true interpretation vindicated from Mr Tombes exceptions . 1. Exception . 2. Exception . Answ . 3. Exception . Answ . 4. Exception . Answ . 5. Exception . Answ . 6. Ex●●ption . Answ . 7. Exception . Answ . 8. Exception . Answ . Conclusion 3. Baptisme succeeds Circumcision . Wherein Baptism and Circumcision are parallel by God himself . Exerc. p. 30. Mr. Tombes exceptions answered . Vnbaptized persons may not eate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper . Compatison of Priests , and Ministers brought in by Mr. Tombes . To no purpose . Why Christ was Circumcised and baptized . Col. 2. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. Vindicated , to prove Baptisme to succeed Circumcision . Baptisme in use in the Church of the Jewes , and applied to Infants as well as growne men . Proved from Mr. Selden . Maimonides . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Talmud . Johns Baptisme initiated into the Christian Church . Mr. Tombes Exceptions . Answ . 1 Exception deserves no Answer . 2 Exception answered before . 3 Exception answered . 4 Exception answered . 5 Exception answered . 6 Excep . Answ . 7 Excep . Answ . 1 P●● 3. 21. ● Excep . Answ . Mr. Tombes exception against Colos . 2. answered . Aretius alledged by Mr Tombes , as if for him , who is expressely against him . Ancient Authors cited by Aretius to prove that Baptism succeeds Circumcision . Just in Martyr contra Tryph. Athan. in Luc. ●●nia mihi tradita . Epiphan . contr . Iip●cureos . Idem contra Ce●●nthu●n . Aug in Epist . 1●8 . In Epist . ad Dardanun . Vide Rive● . in Gen. 17. Chrysostome cited by Mr. Tombes , is against him . Mr. Tombes his reason , why baptism is there named , confirmes my interpretation . The descant of Mr. Tomber upon this Text at the end of his book briefly examined . 4 Conclus . vindicated . Why Infants of Jewes were circumcised . Mr. Tombes grants what is in controversie . How the Jewe● received circumcision . Mr. Tombes by consequence denies circumcision to be a Seale of any thing . 5 Conclusion vindicated , our priviledges nor straitned but inlarged . Our spirituall priviledges how inlarged . Mr. Tombes makes it a priviledge not to have Infants baptized . Mr Tombes makes the Covenant , Heb. 8 to bee the Covenant of Works , erroneously . 2 Cor. 3. 10. mis-interpreted by Mr. Tombes . Gal. 3. 27 , 28. opened . Distinction of Proselyres of the Gate , and of the Covenant , helps not Mr. Tombes . A great a bridgment of our priviledges to have our children left out of the Covenant . Sect. 12. Ans . to the maine Objection . The command of Circumcision reacheth us by analogy . Chamier de Sacramentis , Vet. T●st . cap. 1. Ames . Bellar. Ene●v●de Sacrament . in genere . 1 Cor. 10. 3 , 4. explained . Ephes . 6 1 , 2. explained . The same Argument which is good by consequence for our Sabbath , is good for Infant-Baptisme . The rest of Gods commands to Abraham , teach us . Sect. 13. Mat. 28. A command for Infant Baptisme by consequence . Esay 19. 24. explained . What it is to make disciples . Acts 15. 10. explained and vindicated . Sect. 14. Acts 2. 39. holds forth a command for Infant Baptism by good consequence . Examples of Infant Baptism by good consequence . Sect. 15. Argu. 2. Infants are capable of he grace whereof Baptisme is a Seals . Mark 10. vindicated from Mr. Tombes exceptions . Bella● . lib. 1. de Baptismo , cap. 8 Sect. 1. Answers ●o Objections against Infant-Baptisme . Object . 1. From Mat. 28. Answers to othe petty Arguments of Mr. Tombes out of Mat. 28. Sect. 2. Object . 1. Infants are unbeleevers , ergo , not to be baptized . Answ . Sect. 3. Object . 3. We know not what Infants have grace , ergo we may not baptize any . Answ . Sect. 4. Object . 4. Infants cannot Covenant , or promise for themselves . Answ . Sect. 5. Object . 5. No benefit comes of Infant-Baptisme . Object . 6. Then also Infants may receive the Lords Supper . Sect. 7. Of the comparison between Hazaels crueltie to Infants and the principles of Anabaptists . Sect. 8. Answer to the Epilogue . Notes for div A89563-e42750 Arg. 1. Answ . Arg. 2. Answ . Arg. 3. Answ . Arg. 4. Answ . Arg. 5. Nehem. 8. 17. Arg. 6. Answ . Arg. 7 , 8 , & 9. Answ . Arg. 10. Answ . Arg. 11. Answ . Arg. 12.