THE PRISONERS PRAISES FOR THEIR Deliverance from their long Impriſonment in Colcheſter. On a day of publique thanksgiving ſet apart for that purpoſe by the Gentlemen of the Committee of Eſſex, who for their fidelity in ſerving their Country were ſurpriſed by the Enemie at Chelmesford. In a Sermon upon the ſixth, ſeventh, & eighth, verſes, of the CXLIX. PSALM. Preached at Rumford Septemb. 28. 1648. By SAMUEL FAIRCLOUGH, Paſtor of the Congregation at Ketton in Suffolk.
We were bondmen, yet our God hath not forſaken us in our Bondage, but hath extended mercy to us in the ſight of our enemies, and hath given us a reviving.
God looked down from the height of his Sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth: To heare the groaning of the Priſoners, and to loſe them that were appointed to death: That they might declare the name of the Lord in Sion, and his Praiſe in Jeruſalem.
LONDON Printed by John Macock, for Lodowick Lloyd, and Henry Cripps, and are to be ſold at their ſhop in Popes head Alley. 1650.
I Conceive it will not be accounted any preſumption to preſent that unto you, which without injuſtice, and breach of promiſe, I cannot detain from you; for howſoever when I heard you had deſigned me to this ſolemn Service; of being Gods mouth unto you, on the day of your publique Thanks-giving; the conſciouſneſs of mine own weakneſs, cauſed me to entertain the meſſage with fear: yet when you were pleaſed to give life and incouragement to this plain and unstudied Sermon: Firſt, by your cheerfull and affectionate attention in hearing, and then by your earneſt importunitie, That it might be made publick, when you had heard it: I must confeſs I was overcome (contrary to mine own inclination) to promiſe, that if my reverend Brother, who joyned with me in the work, did ſend his Sermon to the Preſs before, that mine in due time ſhould follow after: in performance whereof, and in anſwer (if not ſatisfaction) to your deſires therein, I have tendred it unto you without addition or alteration of one materiall paſſage, that was then delivered unto you. I was intended to have added a Doctrinall Explanation, of the remaining part of the Pſalm; with Scripture Reſolutions, to ſome Questions that may ſerve to be obvious therein, before this mangled and imperfect peece had come to your hand: but upon the adviſe of ſome godly judicious friends, I have ſuſpended the ſame (conceiving it better to ſpeak enough, then to ſpeak all) accept it therefore as a teſtimonie of my complyance, rather to your pleaſures, then mine own will (who am not ſo great a ſtranger to mine own weakneſs, as to think any thing of mine worthy of publike view) wherein if mine obedience ſhal appear better then my ſacrifice, yet this is my comfort, That the ſame candor of Spirit, and ingenuitie, that put me on the Service; and gave ſo undeſerved approbation, unto the weak performance; Knows alſo, how to pardon my weakneſs, and imperfection, with favorable acceptations: then which indulgence, as when I reflect upon my ſelf, I dare deſire no more; So when I look upon you I can hope no leſs: All that I would further ſay unto you, you ſhall receive at large expreſſed in the Book; which I will not anticipate by any earneſt ſolicitation of your forward mindes, to raiſe up themſelves by the reading of it to wel-grounded determinations, and conſtant reſolution, dayly to act and practiſe accordingly; only this I muſt add, That the Subject is ſo excellent, that it is as worthy of your dayly remembrance, and deepeſt conſideration; as my Pen is unworthy of ſo excellent a ſubject: and withall, That as your deſire of publiſhing of it, hath obliged me to preſent it to the world; ſo hath it engaged you alſo to walk more anſwerable to the Intents, and directions of the ſame, before the world.
The Diſcourſe is yours, the Duty therein is yours, and my uttermoſt Indeavours, Service, and Prayers, are yours; which ſhal ſpeak that unto God for you, which (to avoyd the appearance of flattery) I dare not ſpeak unto you. The moſt high God, that hath highly honored you, with his higheſt diſpenſations, enable you al joyntly, and ſeverally, with his grace and bleſſings, to honour him again, with your higheſt prayſes and thanksgivings; which ſhall be the constant Prayer
Let the high Praiſes of God be in their mouthes, and a two edged ſword in their hands;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen; and puniſhements upon the people.
To binde their Kings with Chains, and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron.
SO great and thick is the cloud of Interpreters commenting upon this Pſalm, that inſtead of inlightening,Introdu. they darken the Text; for the Occaſion, Analyſis, Argument, and Scope, is rendred by them ſo various and different, as that it would ſwallow up the whole time alotted to both our exerciſes, to rehearſe their opinions, to diſpute their grounds, and to make choyce of the beſt amongſt them; I ſhall purpoſely wave them all, and only hint unto you that wherein they all concur, viz. that this Pſalm is one of them which they call〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, gratulatory6 Circles, where, by the caſt of your eye upon it, you may perceive the Centre in the middle, the fift verſe to be the Glory of God, the circumference on all ſides the Praiſes of God, beginning and ending with Hallelujah; the ſeveral verſes as ſo many radii, or right lines,Piſcator Mollerus. either aſcending from the Centre of divine Goodneſs, to the Circle of the Churches Praiſes, (holding forth the Beams of Gods Mercies to his People,) or elſe deſcending from the Circumference of the Churches Praiſes, to the Centre of divine Love, (expreſſing the Peoples duties to their God.) Obſerve the words of the Text, with their relation to the Hallelujah in the end of the Pſalm, and what I have ſaid will be manifeſt to you, they containing theſe two generals:
The Inſtruments, by which the high Praiſes of God and to be performed, are two:
Firſt, The Mouth, that they may be expreſſed verbally; Let the high Praiſes of God be in their mouth.
Secondly, The Hand, that they may be performed really; And a two-edged ſword in their hands: A ſword of two mouths, or edges, as well for God, as to God; as well defenſive for his Truth, as offenſive againſt Error, Theſe are the Inſtruments.
The Execution follows, where we have,
The Sufferers, by this two-edged ſword, are of four ſorts:
The next thing is their Sufferings, which alſo is four-ſold, according to the different condition and quality of the perſons to ſuffer.
The third thing is the Rule of Execution, either of the Vengeance upon Heathen, or Puniſhments of People, or Chains on Kings, or Fetters on the Nobles; and that is the Judgment written,Janius. Ameſius. no more, no leſs, no other, and by no other perſons then is expreſly written, and declared by the great Judg of Heaven and Earth in his Word: The Sword of men, of Saints, againſt the worſt of Heathen, muſt not exceed one Iota, the Sword of the Spirit, the written Word of God.
The fourth, the Reward of this Execution, is Honour: This honour have all his Saints.
Where firſt we may obſerve what the Reward is, namely, this Honour; that is, firſt, To have high praiſes of God in their mouths, and this two-edged ſword in their hands. Secondly, To be guided to execute no Judgment but that which is written, upon any: This is Honour.
Secondly, Who they be that are thus honoured, to have praiſes in mouths, and execute Judgment written, namely, his Saints, ſuch as God hath made, and by his Word accounts Saints; not ſuch as are Popiſh Saints, or canonized by themſelves, or Satan, or their Flatterers, but ſuch as ſhew themſelves Saints, by having their minds and hands bound by the written Word from executing any thing further, and otherwiſe, then God hath appointed; theſe, and no other, are his Saints, and therefore to be honoured; yea, God to be honoured by them, in them, and for them, which is determined in the uttermoſt extent of this laudatory Circle in the end of the Pſalm, Hallelujah, Praiſe ye the Lord.
Every obſerving eye may clearly perceive what a large field is laid open in the Text for my diſcourſe to walk in, and how many Cluſters of divine matter, ſeaſonable, and apt for our times, and preſent occaſion, do offer themſelves to my hands; but I am reſolved to let all paſs, and to take hold only of one, and gather it for a Peace-offering8 to the Lord, in applying it only to your preſent occaſion, and it ſhall be that one that groweth upon the very top of this Tree of Life in my Text, and furtheſt from the ſhadow of thoſe Collections that may be found on the under boughs, namely, The preſcription of the duty to be done, The high Praiſes of God; where every one may take notice,
The Praiſes of God are of an high nature,Doctrine propounded. and high performance: OR, The duty of praiſing God is a high duty, which muſt exalt and lift up the high God in it.
This truth I ſhall labour to demonſtrate, 1. From the Object. 2. Demonſtrated.The Effect. 3. Their Price. 4. Their Performance: Or to uſe the School terms, they are high, 1. Objective. 2. Effective. 3. Oppretiative. 4. Perfective.
9Firſt, The Praiſes of God are high in relation to their Object,1. From the object, being peculiar to God. which is none other but the moſt high God, and that in the conſideration of his tranſcendent height and Sublimity over and above all other things or perſons, ſo the Pſalmiſts reſolution intimates, Pſal. 7.17. I will praiſe the Lord according to his Righteouſneſs, which he expreſſeth in the following words, To ſing praiſe to the Name of the Lord moſt high; and Pſal. 92.1. It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to ſing praiſe to thy Name, O thou moſt high: In which places, and very many more in the Scriptures, it is evident, That the Lord, conſidered in his higheſt Sublimity, is the object of high Praiſe, and that by moſt ſpecial and peculiar approbation of them unto himſelf, and none other: Iſai. 42.8. I am Jehovah, that is my Name; I will not give my Glory to any other, nor my Praiſe to graven Images: See how the Lord appropriates and owns it, yea ſpecially doth reſerve it; It is my Glory, my Praiſe, and ſo mine, that I will not part with any of it to any other, how high ſoever they be, it is too high for any but my ſelf: The Lord will and doth give the higheſt of all things elſe, in the whole Creation, to others, as the Heavens, how high ſoever above them, and the earth, and all the works of his hand beneath them, hath God put in ſubjection under mans feet, and made him to have dominion over them, Pſal. 8.6. Nay, he gives the Services of the higheſt Angels, in the higheſt Heavens, to many others, Heb. 2.14. Yea, the higheſt Felicity, and Joys of Heaven, even the Maſters Joy, Mat. 25.23. Yea, he will give his Son, his Spirit, and all his own Excellencies and Perfections, beſides his Glory, to be the portion of his People; but his Praiſe and Glory is ſo peculiar to himſelf, as that he wil not give the leaſt part of it to any, how dear and beloved ſoever they be unto him. I confeſs, this high God permitteth and alloweth ſome kind of praiſes in the Scriptures to ſome ſpecial Inſtruments of his Praiſes, but he alloweth no high Praiſes to any,Diſtinguiſhed from the praiſepermitted to men, which are, firſt, Relative. but only low Praiſes, and thoſe bounded & refracted with many cautions and limitations to diſtinguiſh the low Praiſes, which are communicated to men, from the high Praiſes peculiar to the moſt high God.
As firſt, All praiſe to men is relative, not abſolute; praiſe to man relates to no vertue or power eſſential in himſelf, but derived and borrowed from God: Acts 3.12. Why look you on us as if we by10 our own power and holineſs had done any thing?
2. All praiſe permitted to men,2. Tranſient. as it is relative for meer borrowed and received worth; ſo is it not immanent in them, but tranſient through them unto God, in ſo much, that when it is moſt abundantly given unto him, it is moſt fatal and ſacrilegious to let the leaſt degree of it abide with them, or to be terminated upon them, as the example of Paul and Barnabas, Acts 14.15. and Herod, Acts 12. demonſtrate: Now who ſeeth not that relative and tranſient Praiſes, Praiſes for borrowed things that muſt not be received or kept, are but low Praiſes, and yet ſuch are the higheſt Praiſes the Lord allows to be given or taken by any of his Inſtruments, by whom or for whom he works; I ſay, to any, even the beſt and choiceſt Inſtruments of his Glory, becauſe there be many Inſtruments by whom, and for whom, the Lord doth many high Acts and Works, to whom he will not have any of this low relative, tranſient praiſe be aſcribed.
As firſt,3. Limited John 9.6. To no dead Inſtrument; who will give any praiſe, of the blind mans receiving his ſight, to the Clay which was put in his eyes?
2. To no irrational Inſtrument, though living; who will give any praiſe to the Locuſts, Graſhoppers, Lice? that were Inſtruments to overcome Pharaoh,Exod. 8.9. and force him to let the Iſraelites go free from his Tyranny, to ſerve the Lord in the Wilderneſs?
3. To no diſſallowed Inſtrument (though rational in himſelf, and permitted of God,)Matth. 26. what praiſe is due to Judas, for being Inſtrumental in the work of Redemption, who acted from his own luſt and covetouſneſs, to empty his maſters bags, and fill his own?
4. To no Inſtrument that is allowed in his work, and approved of God, if he intends not Gods end in the work, as well as the performance of the work it ſelf: For what praiſe is due to Aſhur, the Rod of Gods Anger, and the Staff of Gods Indignation? who was ſent and approved of God againſt an hypocritical Nation, to ſpoyl, prey upon, and tred them down as mire in the ſtreet, if yet he thinks not ſo, nor intends Gods end in ſo doing, but rather to ſtrengthen his own hand, and to cut off Nations not a few; for inſtead of any praiſe therefore, the Lord ſaith, Iſai. 10.11, 12. When be hath performed upon Jeruſalem, and mount Zion Gods work,11 Gods whole work; Gods whole work (alone) without other help and aſſiſtance, that then he will puniſh him therefore, yea, and not only him, but the fruit of his ſtout heart, and proud looks? Seeing then, that no praiſe at all is due to many Inſtruments, by whom, and for whom God doth perform many glorious Acts, both in ſubduing the Foes of his People and Church, and redeeming his Church from Vaſſallage, Tyranny and Bondage; and the Praiſe, that he allows to be given, or taken, by the moſt holy and choyceſt of Inſtruments, in the Service of his Church, is but relative, and tranſient, low praiſe: It is manifeſt, that the Praiſes of God are ſo high, that they are not to be communicated to others, but peculiar to himſelf alone, whoſe glorious Name is exalted above all Bleſſing and Praiſe, Neh. 9.5.
In the ſecond place,2. From the Effect. The Praiſes of God will appear to be of a high ſublime nature, from the high Effect, the genuine and proper fruit they produce, viz. That although their Object, to whom they are peculiarly appropriate (I mean, the Lord himſelf) be in his own Nature, and of himſelf, moſt infinitely high and tranſcendent, yet by the Attribution and performance of praiſe unto him, doth he account his Name, his Power, his Wiſdom, and Juſtice, and himſelf to be exalted and promoted thereby; yea, accepts of thoſe inward conceptions of his Glory, and thoſe outward honors we do him, in aſcribing high Praiſes unto his Name, as additions and augmentations of his higheſt Excellencies, who was (notwithſtanding) before, God over all bleſſed for ever: What elſe do thoſe expreſſions in Scripture imply, wherein it is aſſerted. That by this high duty of praiſe the high Jehovah is exalted, Pſal. 107.32. His ſublime Perfections to be extolled and lifted up, Pſal. 68.4. His great Name to be magnified, Luke 1.64. His infinite Majeſty to be glorified? Pſal. 50.23. Oh how high muſt that duty, that adds height to the high God, that magnifies the great God, and glorifies the God of Glory, and makes him higher, greater and more glorious then he was before: Not that mens praiſes,Not internally, how perfectly and fully ſoever aſcribed to God, add any thing to the eſſential and inward perfections of the Almighty, which can neither be enlarged or decreaſed, but the Lord would ſhew unto us thereby. That theſe high Praiſes, added unto him,But externally. do therewith make as great an addition to the external ſplendor and luſtre of his Glory, as the moſt12 flagitious and exorbitant practiſes of wicked men do darken and detract from the ſame, which practiſes of theirs (though they do not, neither can, or ever ſhall diminiſh the leaſt grain of the Immenſity of his internal Bliſs and Glory, nor injure, or harm, in the leaſt degree, thoſe infinite perfections of his Immutability, or All-ſufficiency, yet) by withdrawing and detracting from God, thoſe external good things, which are due unto him, which he requires to be given unto him, and declares himſelf much delighted in the receipt of them; they are ſaid in Scripture to diſgrace, diſhonour, contemn God, and deſpiſe him; even ſo theſe high Praiſes, rendring unto God that Honor, Praiſe and Glory which he both commands and entertains with higheſt delight and pleaſure, do therewithal render him to all the world more conſpicuous in Beauty and Glory, then he would be without them: For though the Sun would ſhine moſt gloriouſly in it ſelf, though all the world were blind, or all the clouds in the ayr did hide his face from us, yet when its beams are interpoſed, and luſtre over-clouded, we account it to be in a ſuffering condition; ſo the inward Perfections of God, without the duty of Praiſes, are as it were in a ſuffering condition, and like a rich Diamond or Jewel hid in a dark corner; but by the duty of high Praiſes the luſtre and beauty of his Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs are openly produced, and made conſpicuous to the obſervation and admiration of all Beholders and Spectators, for which cauſe they are called in the Text,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉not〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Exaltations of Jehovah, rather then Singings unto his Name, becauſe according to his Name ſo is his Praiſe, Pſal. 48.10. therefore his Name being moſt high, his Praiſe muſt be alſo moſt high and proportionable thereunto.
Thirdly,3. From their value diſcerned. The Praiſes of God are high, and of high nature, appretiativè, in reſpect of the high eſtimation and value the Lord him-himſelf hath them in, and ſets them at, which appears two ways:
Firſt,1. In their procurement. The price, wherewith God is willing to purchaſe them, is very high: For not onely the expence of all his wiſdom, power, and goodneſs put forth in Creation, nor onely the layings out of all13 his counſel, care, love, and faithfulneſs in Providence and Preſervation; but alſo the rich Treaſure of his Promiſes, Covenant, Grace, yea, the precious blood of his own Son, in our Redemption, is given freely, abſolutely, intentionally, and ultimately, for no other thing, but the purchaſe of high praiſes to God, Epheſ. 1.5, 6. All that God doth and giveth, all that Chriſt doth and ſuffereth, is for no other end, but the praiſe of the glory of his Grace: I confeſs, conſider mens higheſt praiſes of God, as they are mans performances, they are poor and inconſiderable things: but conſider them as they are the Teſtimonies and expreſſions of a beleeving heart, declaring and making known the unſpeakable wiſdom, faithfulneſs, bounty, and excellencies of God, exerciſed in his works in this notion; The Scripture declares the heart of God ſo to be taken with the deſire of them, that he is willing to give Heaven, Earth, Himſelf and Son to poor men for the praiſes of their hearts, hands, and tongues; and accounts himſelf abundantly ſatisfied therefore, when his People will ſpeak good of his Name, ſpeaking well of him in the Dialect of Angels-notes, the high praiſes of God, which moſt ſtrongly and undeniably demonſtrates the high worth of the Duty of high praiſes, when the moſt high God will purchaſe them with the expence of Himſelf, Son, and all he hath: Give me praiſe, and take my Chriſt, Self, and Kingdom (ſaith God): When a profane and fooliſh Eſau will purchaſe a meſs of pottage with the price of his birth right, (a mean and contemptible thing with a great price,) we rather undervalue the wiſdom of the Purchaſer, then eſteem any thing the better of the Purchaſe: But if a wiſe Merchant, that is certainly and undoubtedly known to have perfect underſtanding and deep inſight into the worth of the things he deals for, if ſuch a one ſells all he hath, and takes up what he can elſewhere procure, to purchaſe a pearl or field, we then conclude the hidden worth of the Purchaſe from the high price given for it by the knowing and wiſe Purchaſer, Now then, muſt it not undeniably advance the heighth and worth of high praiſes, when we ſee the omnipotent and infinite onely wiſe God, that regards not Gold, Silver, Kingdoms, Honors, but yet knows how to prize and value his own contents and pleaſure, doth diſpenſe and lay out all that Heaven and Earth is worth, ſolely and purpoſely to purchaſe to Himſelf the higheſt praiſe of his Glory and Grace?
14Secondly,2. In their Enjoyment. The high value that God hath of high praiſes, will be evident, by the high delight and pleaſure God takes in them thus purchaſed: for skilful Artiſts, and high principled, elevated underſtandings, never take pleaſure, or delight, in any thing, or work, which is not anſwerable to their higheſt principles, and proportionable to their uttermoſt skill and deſire: Now the Lord, who is the moſt perfect underſtanding, and deepeſt skill and knowledg, declares himſelf to take infinite delight in his Peoples Praiſes; It is his ſolace and pleaſure to be attended with them, either in Earth or in Heaven, by men or Angels; and his Soul is raviſhed with the thoughts and contemplation of them. This was it which was typed by the Feaſts,Pſa. 148. Lev. 6.7. Num. 29.12. and rejoycing in the peace offerings, by the ſweat Odors and Incenſe in the Enchariſtical Sacrifices; by the melodious Tunes, dilightful Sangs, Harmony, Muſick, Organs; Timbrels, Cymbals, Harps for exaltation and triumph, in the ſolemn Feaſts and days of Thanksgiving; the Scripture intending thereby to declare (not onely) with what cheerfulneſs and delight theſe gratulatery S•rvi••t were to be performed by men: but alſo how ancentable and pleaſing they are unto the Lord, as ſweet ſavars and odors in his noſtrils; as Angelical muſick and heavenly ayrs in his ears, as wine and divine delicatias to his taſte: yea and if in Heaven it ſelf, the Lord of life and glory receives any additional exaltation from the glorified Saints and Angels, beſides what is exernally enjoyed in the Circle of his own perfections, it cannot be concluded, from any thing expreſſed in Scripture, to proceed from any thing elſe, but the everlaſting acclamations and benedictions of the glorified Saints and Angals, giving glory, honor, and praiſe unto him that ſite on the Throne, and to the Lamb; whoſe Hallelujabe are nothing elſe but the higheſt of theſe high praiſes of God in their hearts and mouths. 4. From their performance requiring the exerciſe of greater meaſures of Grace then a publique day of Humiliation.Doth not then this height of Gods valuation in their Procurement, and the height of the Lords ſatisfaction in their Enjoyment, ſet the high Praiſes of God upon the higheſt top of the tranſcendent Sublimity of divine worth and excellenty.
In the fourth place, The Praiſes of God are high, and of a high nature perf••ti•d, that is, in reſpect of the high meaſure of Grace they are to he attended withall in their per•o•••••; the Lord requiring the duty of high Praiſe (eſpecially in a publique Day of15 Thankſgiving for any remarkable and high mercy) ſhould be performed with a great meaſure of Scripture-light, with a higher degree of effectual Faith, and with a more ample proportion of practical Holineſs, then any other of the moſt ſolemn Exerciſes of of his publique Worſhip. For the more full and clear demonſtration of which particulars, I mean of the ſingular meaſure of Light, Faith, and Holineſs, which the Lord requires ſhould be exerciſed in ſolemnizing of a day of Thankſgiving above any other part of his Service, I conceive will be no way unprofitable to inſiſt ſomewhat largely, either for the better obſerving this preſent day, or more acceptable diſcharge of our duties unto God in days of the like nature for the future.
In the demonſtration whereof, I ſhall make choyce to inſtance in that Ordinance, and Exerciſe of Religious Worſhip, which the Scripture requires to be performed with more extraordinary degrees of Sanctity and Piety then any other, beſides a day of Thanksgiving, I mean a day of publique Humiliation, obſerved according to Gods Inſtitution.
2. I ſhall ſhew, That the duty of publique Joy and Thanksgiving, is by Gods Inſtitution to be performed with a greater meaſure of Light, Faith, and Sanctity, then a day of Humiliation.
Which may be collected from the Scriptures thus:Which appears, 1. From the titles.
Firſt, From the different names, titles, and adjuncts the Spirit of God in the Word is pleaſed to cloath them withall: As firſt, a day of publique Faſt is called a day of reſtraint, Iſai. 58. or day of afflicting the Soul, Levit. 23. or day of mourning and weeping, Joel 2. But on the other ſide, a day of Thanksgiving is called a good day, Eſth. 9. they muſt keep the days of Purim for good days, very holy days: Neh. 8.10. Weep not, for the day is holy to the Lord; intimating therein, That by how much the exerciſe of goodneſs and holineſs (which are the high Attributes of God himſef) is more heavenly and ſpiritual then the exerciſe of ſorrow, weeping, and affliction, (the inſeparable off-ſpring of miſery and ſin,) by ſo much a day of Thanksgiving (rightly performed) is better and holier then a day of Humiliation; which is yet more manifeſt in the Levites Inhibition, Weep not, for the day is holy: The tears there ſhed by the people, and forbidden by the Levites, were16 Tears of godly ſorrow for their ſins againſt the Law of God, which are moſt expreſly commanded on a day of Humiliation, and are in their performance, the ſplendor and glory of the day: But theſe Tears are forbidden on a day of Thanksgiving upon this ground, becauſe they are not holy enough for the Services of it; Weep not, for the day is holy to the Lord; Oh how tranſcendently holy is that Exerciſe, where the pearl of a Tear of godly Sorrow is a blemiſh!
Unto this more general demonſtration of the point in hand,2. The end. let me entreat you to take notice of that expreſſion of the Holy Spirit, in Eſth. 9. Verſ. 31. when the days of Purim, or Thankſgiving, are ſaid to be the matter of the fastings and cries; that is the ſucceſs and fruit of their former days of Humiliation, mentioned in the fourth Chapter of the Book: Now who knows not, That the End is the perfection of the Means? and in that reſpect more excellent; as Faith is better then Hearing, becauſe Faith is the End of Hearing; Chriſt better then Faith, becauſe the End of Faith is to bring to Chriſt: So a day of Thanksgiving is better and higher then a day of Humiliation, becauſe Faſting is but the ſubſervent Means, leading to a day of Thanksgiving; and a day of Thanksgiving is the End and Perfection of a day of Humiliation.
As theſe different Titles of a day of Thanksgiving and Humiliation, in the Scripture, declare their high excellency of one above the other in the general;3. The particular graces: which are 1. Scripture Light in 3 particulars. So it is yet more manifeſt from the different degrees and meaſures of Light, Faith, and Holineſs, required in the obſervation of a day of Thanksgiving above a day of Humiliation in particular: As firſt, In the obſervation of a day of Thanksgiving there is required exerciſe and practice of more heavenly knowledg; In the ſecond of Joel, the Lord requires a day of publique Humiliation ſhould be performed, not onely by men, women, Prieſts, and Levites, that are ſuppoſed to be perſons of knowledg; but alſo even babes and ſucking children (that are known to be in a condition of ignorance:) Yea, and the people of Nineveh, Jonah 3. who cannot be conceived to have had any art, or ſpeculative underſtanding and skill, in the form, nature, or order of obſervation of a Faſt, according to Scripture, (being Heathens, and having had the means but three days amongſt them, yet) they were17 called to that Duty, and their performance of it was accepted of the Lord, becauſe the Lord requires little art, or skill, in confeſſing our ſins, or ſorrowing for them: But now in the Duty of our return of thanks and praiſes, there is an expreſs injunction of the exerciſe and uſe of ſpecial skill and underſtanding, as Pſa. 147.6, 7. Oh ſing praiſes unto our God; ſing praiſes, ſing praiſes to our King; Sing praiſes, for God is King of all the Earth, ſing praiſes therefore with underſtanding. And Pſa. 119.171. My lips ſhall utter praiſe, when thou haſt taught me thy ſtatutes. And Verſ. 7. I will praiſe thee with uprightneſs of heart; when thou haſt learned me thy Judgments. All which Scriptures evidence, That how upright ſoever mens hearts be to God, yet there can be no acceptable performance of praiſe, except alſo that upright heart be an underſtanding heart, that hath learned the Statutes and Judgments of God from the Lords teaching: and therefore in the Solemnization of that Duty of Thanksgiving, which was ſo holy that they might not ſhed a Tear in it, Nehem. 8. it is expreſly ſaid, There were none of that great Congregation that were gathered, either of men or women, but ſuch as could hear and underſtand, Neh. 8.2. And the obſervation of Gods minde, expreſſed in other Scriptures, will certifie us of the ſpecial degree of Heavenly skill, required to be in ſuch as offer high praiſes of God, namely, Knowledg, Firſt, Of the form of the Service. Secondly, Of the bleſſing for which the Service is undertaken. Thirdly, Of the matter to be returned.
Firſt,1. The form. Of the manner and form of the Service preſcribed of God, not minted in our brains, as is moſt evident, firſt, from the deſcription of days of Thanksgiving, Eſth. 9. where the form, and manner of obſervation of the ſame, is preſcribed in every particular, even to the appointment of their meat, drink, apparel, and looks on that day: And ſecondly, from Nehemiahs and the Levites reproof and Inhibition, Neh. 8.10. rebuking and blaming the people for their varying ſo much as in ſhedding a Tear, contrary to the ſame.
Secondly,2. The matter. There is required ſpecial underſtanding and knowledg of the nature and worth of the mercy, for which the Duty is undertaken; for God will not be praiſed confuſedly, but diſtinctly and proportionably to his Diſpenſation, Pſa. 150. Praiſe him18 according to his wonderous works; which is to be the prime and peeper matter of their high praiſes, even his more proper and peculiar high acts, then to be remembred, as is largely expreſſed in Moſes praiſe for the particular mercy of coming ſafe through the red Sea; Exod. 15. and Debora's high praiſe, for deliverance from the hoaſt of Siſera, Judg. 5. where the chiefeſt and higheſt part of the celebration, and exaltation, of God in his praiſe, conſiſts in the declaration and commemoration of the particulars of Gods ſpecial goodneſs, in their preſent deliverance: And to come neer to our ſelves, in reſpect of the Nation in general. Who in all the Kingdom can obſerve that anniverſary day of Thanksgiving (never to be forgotten, on the fifth of November) that was neer acquainted with the name, nature, and intentions of the proceedings of the Traytors in contriving, and the Lord our God in defeating, the Gunpowder-plot: Nay, to come to your ſelves in the particular, for which you have ſet apart this day, Who amongſt you can give high praiſes to God for your ſelves? Or, of all the Auditors, can joyn with you therein, that is ignorant either of the means, cauſe, and place of your Impriſonment, or the glorious paſſages of divine providence in your enlargement?
Thirdly,3. The return. Neither is there required, in the exerciſe of high praiſe, knowledg onely of the mercy for which praiſe is to be rendered, but alſo of the lawfulneſs of the matter, or peace-offering, that by way of thanks is to be returned: In no Service is the Spirit of God more particular in preſcribing, or exact in expecting punctual obſervance, then in offering the thank-offering, or ſacrifice; becauſe in our praiſes (being the ſole return we can make unto him for all his coſt upon us) he expects we ſhould pay him with no coyn, but what hath his own ſtamp and ſuperſcription upon it; if it be the price of a profane dog, or the reward of an unclean whore, the Lord abhor it: How ſtrict the Lord is in acceptation of nothing, in a day of Thanksgiving, but the matter of his own appointment, let the ſad conſequence of Gideons Ephod,Judg. 8.27 and 9 11, 1 Sam. 15 Jephtha's. Vow, Sauls ſparing the beſt of Agags anathematized Cattel, (all for peace-offerings) be a watch-word and warning to you all this day, and all others hereafter, to take heed what they do in the day of their Thanksgiving, viz. That nothing be done, or returned, in way of thankfulneſs to God, which proceeds not from an underſtanding19 heart, inſtructed in the form of the Service, the nature of the bleſſing, and the lawfulneſs of the matter, that they manifeſt their thankfulneſs withall.
Secondly, A day of Thanksgiving as it requires the exerciſe of more Scripture-light;2. Grace, effectual Faith in 3 particulars. ſo alſo the uſe of a greater meaſure of more effectual Faith then a day of publique Humiliation; which I conceive may hence be manifeſt, The Ninevites faſted acceptably to God, and profitably for themſelves, and had Faith to beleeve the threatening of God againſt them; but their Faith, in the promiſe of mercy towards them, was very weak, expreſſed in theſe words, Who can tell if God will repent? And David faſted acceptably, 2 Sam. 12. when in the ſenſe of Gods anger againſt himſelf, and ſin in the ſickneſs of his Childe, he humbled himſelf before God: But in the return of high praiſe, in a day of Thanksgiving, beſides ſaith in Gods threatenings, is neceſſarily required the exerciſe of Faith in the promiſe, and beſides the habit of Faith (without which it is impoſſible to pleaſe God in any Service) in this, a threefold ſpecial actings of Faith upon God is required, as manifeſting himſelf reconciled unto the perſon who hath received the mercy, and is therefore now performing the duty.
Firſt, By Faith to apprehend in himſelf ſome ſenſe and feeling of the love and grace of God manifeſted to his Soul; for ſeeing high praiſes are to be performed with love and joy, yea, exaltation in God, who ever did or can return thanks to God, with ſpiritual joy, for any mercy, when he apprehends ſtill the angry countenance of God frowning againſt him, and hiding his favour from his Soul?
Secondly, It is neceſſary, in a Thanksgiving for a mercy, to have faith to ſee and know he hath title in Chriſt, as well as by common providence to the benefit of the mercy for which he is thankful; for elſe there will be more cauſe of ſorrow for the want of title by Christ, then of joy in the partaking the mercy without Chriſt.
Thirdly, So much exerciſe of Faith is neceſſary, as to ſee Chriſt to be willing to return their-praiſes, and mix his odors with them, in preſenting them unto God; as to ſee him conveying unto them their title unto the bleſſing, by his purchaſe and ſatisfaction; faith having as much need of an Altar and Mediator to offer up acceptable praiſes, as prayers; and this is done by acting faith upon20 Chriſt therefore, as is evident Heb. 13.15. By him therefore let us offer unto God continually the ſacrifice of praiſe, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name.
Thirdly, A day of Thanksgiving requires a greater proportion of practical Holineſs then a day of moſt ſolemn Humiliation,Grace, practical Holineſs, in two particulars. which I conceive may in theſe particulars (at leaſt) be evidenced.
1. God calls men to faſting, prayer, and mourning, when they are held captive under the violence of ſome prevalent corruption and temptation, as Paul and others, 2 Cor. 9. I beat down my body, and bring it under ſubjection, by extraordinary faſting; but God never calls any to joy, and rejoyce, or keep days of Thanksgiving, that lie under the power of their luſts, and bondage of corruption prevailing over them, but onely ſuch, who, beſides their general uprightneſs, are conſcious of their own actual innocency, Pſal. 26. I will waſh mine hands in Innocency, and ſo will I compaſs thine Altar; yea, and able, in ſome meaſure, to make profeſſion of their actual ſubjection to God, and joyn it as a ground of their praiſes; as Pſal. 116.16. Oh Lord, truly I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant, the ſon of thine hand-maid; thou haſt broken my bonds (of all ſorts;) Therefore I will offer up unto thee the ſacrifice of Thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the LORD: which ability, to be able to profeſs their preſent ſubjection unto God, in the conſciouſneſs of their Innocency, is a greater meaſure of practical Holineſs, then is required of ſuch as obſerve days of Faſthing; which will yet be further manifeſted, in that God calls ſuch to faſting, and thoſe that are ſo called, may faſt acceptably unto God, who can but procure their hearts before they faſt; or in the day of Faſting, ſincerely to purpoſe, covenant, and vow, reformation of their heinous tranſgreſſions, (though there be no antecedent or preſent actual reformation or ſatisfaction on the day) as is manifeſt in the Faſt obſerved by Ezra, and the reſt of the people, when they faſted acceptably, before they had put away their ſtrange wives, or taken off all the oppreſſion of their burthens; yet upon their Covenant, and Vow to do it, they were accepted; But in a day of THANKSGIVING, God requires not onely a purpoſe of Reformation21 conſequent, but actual performance of Vows and Covenants of Reformation for preſent, as David in Pſal. 116.18. I will offer praiſe, and pay my vows, now in the preſence of all his people, even in the Courts of Gods Houſe; which made our Saviour injoyn an antecedent actual reconciliation, and ſatisfaction, before the offering a gratulatory gift, as if an intention of it afterward would not be ſufficient: God rejects all the Solemn Feaſts of his people, Iſa. 1. Upon this ground, They had not before put away the violence in their hands: but they were ſtill full of blood: a day of Thankſgiving is not a day of running into more debts by future Covenants, but a coming out of debt by preſent payment, in which reſpect more practical holineſs is required to be exerciſed in a day of Thankſgiving, then in a day of Humiliation.
Having thus confirmed to your Judgments the duty to be high by way of Demonſtration, ſuffer me now to improve it on your conſciences by way of Application, wherein I ſhall look no way, but to the ſanctifying of the Name of our God in relation to your preſent occaſion, who have for that end & purpoſe called me hither, and that firſt by way of Information; 2. Exhortation; 3. Direction.
And for the firſt, let me inform you, and by you all other,Uſe of Information of the excellency of the work. concerning the great and high Work which ye have undertaken to perform, in ſetting a day apart for this high Service, in delivering you from your late reſtraint and Impriſonment, a duty of ſo tranſcendent nature, as requires the abilities of the Angels in Heaven, rather then of any perſons (Gentlemen, or others) in earth, and a far more ſuitable work for a glorified Saint above, then poor ſinful ſouls beneath; you have herein undertaken to return this day unto God all the ſplendor both of the vertue and beauty of his Glory, which hath ſhined forth in this work of your deliverance, to carry him home, to day, the crop and fruit of all the paſſages of his divine providence, exerciſed for you, or diſpenſed unto you therein, which is more prized, and is dearer to him, then any thing elſe in heaven and earth: You have undertaken to perform that ſervice unto God this day, that ſhall exalt him that is the higheſt already, to magnifie him that is greateſt already, and to glorifie him that is already moſt glorious; yet how high, great, and glorious ſoever before your ſervice began, when it is once done, he ſhall thereby be rendred to all Spectators more glorious then he22 was before, in raiſing higher thoughts of God, his power, faithfulneſs, and graciouſneſs, as well in their as your own hearts.
Yea, and you have undertaken to make the day a good day, and more holy then any other days whatſoever, by exerciſing a greater meaſure of Scripture Light, effectual Faith, and practical Holineſs then ever.
Yea, to perform that Service, which being rightly performed, will raviſh the divine thoughts and heart of the Almighty with higheſt delight and ſatisfaction, as with Incenſe and ſweet Odors in his noſtrils.
I note this,Applied 1. for Incouragement. firſt, to raiſe the value and eſtimation of this duty in your hearts, and to ſtir up and quicken your endeavours and reſolutions in the obſervation of the ſame, (being ſimply and abſolutely the moſt ſublime and perfect part of Gods Service under Heaven,) wherein the conſcientiouſneſs of men, in obſerving ſuch days, according to rule, diſcovers more ſincerity of love to God, and obedience to his Will, then all other duties, either of doing or ſuffering for God beſides, if this be neglected, becauſe neceſſity, fear, ſelf-love may drive us to faſt, pray, and extort other duties from us, but only ſenſe and feeling of Gods Love to us, and our delight in him, can draw us to this ſo high a Service, which is ſo pleaſing to God, that he declares himſelf to be pleaſed in no other duty of his Worſhip, whatſoever it be, further then it is gratulatory, and done in way of thankfulneſs unto him, and make for the exaltation of his praiſe.
I note this in the ſecond place,Applied 2. for Caution. to diſcover the odiouſneſs and heinouſneſs of their ſin that ſhall neglect, contemn, or abuſe this ſo high a Service, as celebrating Gods high Praiſes in conſciencious obſerving the days of Thankſgiving, which is then perpetrated when they are appointed, and alſo performed rather as a Ceremony, then in ſincerity; rather as a matter of pomp and ſtate in relation to men, then as a duty of higheſt devotion and conſcience towards God, where men turn the days of Thankſgiving to God, to days of liberty and licenciouſneſs in themſelves, to days of inordinate eating,Exod. 32. and exceſſive drinking, as if, with the Iſraelites, their days of Thankſgiving to God, were directed only to worſhip the golden Calf, in ſitting down to eat, and drink, and riſe up to play; and their practiſe therein the ſame that the wicked Jews obſerved in23 their Feaſts againſt our Saviour, to let looſe a Malefactor,Mat. 26. and crucifie the Son of God; by which means it comes to paſs, that whereas days of Thankſgiving ſhould be of all other the holieſt, theſe men (by their wickedneſs) change them into the prophaneſt; poſſibly ſome of theſe men make ſome conſcience to prepare themſelves with ſome devotion when they come to the duties of hearing, praying, faſting, &c. but when they come to obſerve days of Thankſgiving, their care is about nothing elſe but to put on their richeſt apparel, to get ready a Thankſgiving dinner, to be jovial with their carnal friends, in carnal ways; which done, God muſt reſt himſelf contented, thus to be glorified; but Oh ye fooliſh people,Deut. 32.8 and unwiſe, do you thus requite the Lord? Will you call this a day of Thankſgiving? and giving high Praiſes to God, to eat the fat, and drink the ſweet, and then being thereby waxen fat, and pampered, with Jeſurun, to kick up your heel againſt God by your prophaneneſs, whom you pretend to extol by your high Praiſes? What is this obſervation of days of Thankſgiving unto God, but to do therein unto God as the Souldiers did unto Chriſt? firſt to bow the knee of their profeſſion by praiſe to worſhip him, and then, by their irreligiouſneſs and exceſs, to ſpit on his face and buffet him; and inſtead of putting upon his head a crown of high Praiſes and Glory, to crown him with the thorns of their prophaneneſs and infamy; and could our Lord Jeſus's voyce be heard in the midſt of their confuſed jollity, they would hear him ſay unto them as he ſpeaks to the Jews, John 10.32. Many good works have I done for you, (for which you pretend to ſerve me,) for which of them do you thus ſtone me? I expected bread to day, & you give me ſtones; I looked for fiſh, and you give ſerpents; I looked for high praiſes, and you have brought me high reproaches and diſgraces. Bell-joy, Table-joy, Muſick-joy, and Bonefire-joy in a day of Thankſgiving, without the exerciſe of a greater meaſure of Scripture Light, effectual Faith, and practical Holineſs, in giving him high praiſes, is but to do with our God as the fiſher-man in Plutarch with his,2 Uſe of Exhortation to heighten Praiſes, becauſe God requires, who for bleſſing him with a great draught of fiſh, promiſed to give his god half, but paid him by taking out all the fiſh for himſelf, ſent the ſhels to his god.
For prevention of which abominable ſin againſt God in the obſervation of this your day, let me now by way of Exhortation entreat24 you (Gentlemen) in the Name of that great God, who hath of late ſo graciouſly heard and anſwered ſo many of your own and others prayers ſpeaking for you, now to hear, and alſo obediently to anſwer the Counſel and Exhortation of God in this truth you have heard ſpeaking unto you, which is this, That ſeeing the Praiſes of God are and ought to be high Praiſes, that then both your ſelves, and all others that would joyn with you, to anſwer God in thankfulneſs for this or any other mercy received, be careful and ſtudious to raiſe and heighten their praiſe before they be returned: The things that the Lord hath done for you all are not ſmall and low, but many great and high Favours; be careful therefore that the thanks you return him to day be not formal, common or ordinary, but many, great, and raiſed praiſes, unto which your hearts will the ſooner be convinced to yeeld obedience in raiſing and heightning your praiſes, if you conſider with me theſe two things manifeſt in Scripture:
Firſt, That whenſoever God requires praiſe to be returned for any mercy,1. Proportionable Praiſes. he doth not only require it to be returned in kind, but alſo in weight, meaſure and proportion, and that according to the greatneſs of his love manifeſted either in himſelf, word, or works towards them: So Pſal. 29.1, 2. Give unto God you mighty (that is, men of place and power,) give ye unto God glory and ſtrength; that is, your higheſt and uttermoſt ſtrength in giving him glory; and why? verſ. 2. Becauſe this is his due, from you that are mighty by way of proportion, therefore give him the Glory due to his Name, give him his full due, in worſhipping him in the beauty of holineſs; and Pſal. 66.2. the Spirit of God doth require of all Nations not only to ſing forth the honor of his Name, but to make his Praiſe glorious, raiſe it to the height of beauty and greatneſs, make his Praiſe as great as himſelf, proportionable to his own greatneſs: So Pſal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; and becauſe the Pſalmiſt adds, that his Greatneſs is unſearchable, he alſo infers, that men muſt wonderfully, gloriouſly and abundantly praiſe him in proportion thereunto, from verſ. 3. to 7. They ſhall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodneſs, and declare thy greatneſs, even proportionable to the excellency and height of it, Pſal. 150.2. Praiſe him in his mighty acts, and according to the excellency of his greatneſs. Thus you ſee25 the firſt thing that God looks for proportionable praiſe, great praiſe for a great God, doing great things, and high praiſes for a high God, doing high things.
The ſecond thing I would have you obſerve to move you to raiſe your praiſes for the mercy received, before they be returned,2. Proper Praiſes. is this, That that goodneſs of God in delivering you out of priſon (wherein you were unjuſtly detained) is a mercy of that nature, that God in his Word hath required, and expreſly and particularly declared, that he expects proper and ſpecial thanks and praiſe for the ſame; as Pſal. 107.10. Such as ſit in darkneſs, being bound in affliction and iron; theſe priſoners cryed unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distreſs, and brake their bands aſunder, Verſ. 13. What then doth the Lord expect from theſe praying and now delivered priſoners? ſee Verſ. 15. Oh that they would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and declare his wonderful works (in their deliverance) to the ſons of men, becauſe he brake the gates of braſs, and cut in ſunder the bars of iron, in which they were reſtrained; by which you ſee, That the Lord expects, amongſt all other mercies, expreſs praiſe for delivering men out of bonds, which made David, Pſal. 142.7. when he was impriſoned, and ſhut up in the Cave, and had the Army of Saul round about him ſeeking his blood, uſe this as the ſtrongeſt motive he could uſe to obtain his liberty, That if God would grant him the ſame, and ſet him at freedom, he would then praiſe his Name; Bring my Soul out of priſon, that I may then praiſe thy Name, which I cannot do now ſo fully and freely as I would, being in bonds: And as he here promiſed praiſe unto God for liberty, if he might obtain it; ſo we ſee him as faithful and careful to perform it, when he did enjoy it, Pſal. 116.16. Lord I am thy ſervant, the ſon of thy hand-maid, and thou haſt broken my bonds, and ſet me at liberty, and therefore I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving; my thanks (which I will return for my liberty) ſhall be a Sacrifice without blemiſh or imperfection, the firſt, the beſt; no low, mean, formal, but high and maſculine praiſes, by which (Gentlemen) you may both be ſtrengthned and juſtified againſt all gain-ſayers in this your action, in ſetting this day apart for this publique way of thankfulneſs unto God for your late enlargement, ſeeing the Lord looks and expects it ſpecially and proportionably26 therefore, and alſo be now throughly incited, ſeeing God looks for ſpecial praiſes, for the mercy received, to heighten your praiſes before they be returned;3 Ʋſe, direction how to raiſe them. which leads me to the third and laſt Uſe intended, namely, Direction, from what hath bin ſpoken, how to raiſe your thanks, and make your praiſes high praiſes before and in their delivery, which you ſhall effect, if in relation to the high praiſes you are to give for this your ſpecial mercy in your enlargement, you be careful to perform theſe two things:
For the firſt,1. Inwardly. High praiſes muſt be heightned in womb, and conceptions of the heart inwardly, they muſt be of high diſcent, and noble birth, and therefore the heart (which is the ſpring and fountain from whence high praiſes muſt ariſe) muſt be enlivened and quickned with the ſeminal vertues, from whence all high praiſes take their original, which are theſe three eſpecially:
1. 1. By the deep ſenſe of the danger in 4 particulars.From a clear underſtanding and apprehenſion of the greatneſs of your miſery under which you were enthralled.
2. From an enlarged affection, from the ſenſe and feeling of Gods Love, by which you were delivered.
3. From the actings and exerciſe of faith, in ſeeing God the ſole Author of your mercy, and making the Lord Jeſus the ſole Mediator to receive your praiſe, and preſent your duty.
Wherefore, that I may help your heart to breed and beget theſe high praiſes, let me firſt of all ſtir up your hearts to praiſe God from a true underſtanding and apprehenſion of the depth of the danger and miſery from whence you are eſcaped, which being duly conſidered and weighed, will appear no ſmall or ſingle calamity, but a thraldom and bondage, compounded of many ingredients of bitterneſs and aggravations of extream perplexity.
As firſt, The violent and ſudden deprivation of you from all your deareſt enjoyments together, to be carryed away, and ſeparated (againſt your wills) from all the comforts of families, wives, children, friends, eſtates at once, ſeems to be miſery raiſed with the higheſt and moſt killing aggravations: As the Amalekites, at Ziglag, took all David had, wives, children, cattel, and drove them away from him; ſo theſe Amalekites at Chelmsford took you, and drove you away from all theſe: That affliction made David27 weep, whiles he could weep no more; and ſurely had you fountains of tears, you might have had occaſion to have ſhed them all in this your captivity, had not the Lord wrought your deliverance, being thus ſuddenly and unexpectedly carryed from all at once, and that without ſo much liberty as verbal ſalutations, or time, or ſpace to take your leaves of them, (which the Martyrs, not only in their priſons, but even at the ſtake, were permitted to do,) the want whereof ſtruck the churliſh heart of Laban ſo deep, that he complains of it as a great wickedneſs and injury in Jacob, that he had not ſuffered him to take his leave, nor ſalute his ſons and daughters before their removal from him: You were ſurprized and ſnatched from all your deareſt relations, as Joſeph from his father Jacob, when he was ſent to viſit his brethren, who for his conſcience to his fathers command, and courteſie to them, was by his falſe brethren firſt ſtripped, then caſt into the pit, and afterward ſold as a ſlave to the Midianites and Egyptians; ſo were you by theſe Midianites and Egyptians, that carryed you up and down whither they pleaſed; the meditation of this cup of bitterneſs will become one ſpark to heat your hearts, and inflame them to a higher heat of thankfulneſs, eſpecially if unto the conſideration of that part of your miſery, whereby at once all your comforts were unexpectedly removed, You add the meditation of a ſecond part of it, I mean the woful ſubjection under which you were enthralled, you were become the ſervants of Satans vaſſals, under the power and ſociety of your own and Gods deadly enemies, amongſt whom you might truly and properly have had cauſe to cry out dayly, We unto us, we are conſtrained to dwell with Meſheck, and have our habitation in the tents of Kedar, where your righteous Souls were of neceſſity grieved and tormented, from day to day, to hear and ſee the uncleanneſs and prophane converſation of the wicked, when thoſe (whoſe priſoners you were, and carryed you away captive) dayly inſulted over your ſelves, Cauſe, and Religion; muſt it not of neceſſity pierce your hearts with ſorrow, and compel you like captive Jews in Babylon, to hang up your Harps, forget your Songs, and lift up your voyces, and weep, when you remembred the Zions either of your own or Gods Houſes, whither you had gone with your multitudes? but now you ſaw not your ſigns, neither was there any Prophet left to tell you when your28 miſery was like to end, but ſtill one deep called upon another, until all the waves went over your heads, and theſe ploughers ploughed what they pleaſed upon your backs, which was bitter enough for the preſent, but much more aggravated from that which you might probably expect further from their rage and malice, and your impotency to make any reſiſtance againſt the ſame, for when their rage was irritated by the cloſeneſs of the ſiege, continual repulſes of their Forces within, fruſtration of all hopes of relief from abroad, what could rationally be expected, but that they would have made your blood (if not the reſcue, yet) certainly the revenge of their own? You only (of all their enemies) were in their hands as lambs among wolves, and as ſheep under the hand of the ſlaughter-man, where you had nothing to defend your ſelves but ſilence, patience, equity, and innocency, all mediation of your own or their greateſt friends for your deliverance rejected, all offers to redeem you by exchange denyed, and into what deſperate condition ſoever, either their own wickedneſs, or weakneſs ſhould bring them, from it your lives and estates muſt ſecure them. (Gentlemen) If you would this day, by meditation, recall your former thoughts and ſad apprehenſions, think thoſe thoughts over again which were conceived in your diſtracted hearts and heads when you were carryed in the long march to Colcheſter, and were in hazard of the violence of the Souldiers all the way: if you would lay your ſelves down in the ſame condition of ſorrow and grief by contemplation, from which the Lords own out-ſtretched hand hath freed you; if your Souls have that night in remembrance, when they ſent you word in the evening to prepare for death in the morning, ſurely the the deep apprehenſion of the great danger, from whence (by the favour of God) you have been delivered, would prove a ſingular help to heighten and raiſe the praiſes of God in your hearts before they be returned. Eſpecially if,
In the ſecond place,2. The true apprchenſion of Gods preſence with them diſcovered in four particulars you ſhall add hereunto the enlargement of your affections, which will certainly ariſe in your hearts from the ſerious conſideration of the high and ſingular Love of God flowing out unto you, in taking this yoke of your enemies from your necks, in opening the priſon doors for you, and breaking your bands in ſunder; for firſt of all, when the comforts of your neareſt relations failed you, Lover and friend ſtood far away from your trouble,29 when you were deſtitute of all other Society, (beſides your fellow Priſoners mutually bemoaning and declaring each others loſſes and ſufferings,) when you looked to the right hand, and the left, but there was none to help from either of them; then the Lord appeared amongſt you, nor was there one day, in all your reſtraint, wherein he forſook you, but every hour diſcovered his preſence with you: as the Angel was with Daniel in the Den of Lions,Dan. 3.25 as the Son of God with the three Children in the Furnace,Gen. 39.21 as the Lord himſelf was with Joſeph in his priſon; ſo both the Lord himſelf, his Son, and Angels, may ſeem to have been all reſident with you, and that not onely as Spectators, to viſit you in your Trouble, but as moſt glorious Actors, to comfort you in, and deliver you out of your Trouble: which appeared;
Firſt, In binding the hands of them that bound you, and in the ſtopping of thoſe Lions mouths, in whoſe Den you were, and were wide open againſt you, by calming their ſpirits in ſuch a manner, that he ſuffered not any one of them to do you harm, or pull one hair from your head, or to increaſe the tediouſneſs of your reſtraint, by their incivilities, which was the Lords doing, and ought this day, and ever, be marvellous in your eyes; yea, it is your Duty, from thence, to conclude undoubtedly, That the divine providence did ſo awe, and over-rule their intentions, as if you had heard him vocally from Heaven give your Enemies the charge in the Pſalm, Touch ye not theſe my Servants,Pſ 105.15 and ſee you do theſe Priſoners no harm.
Secondly, His glorious preſence diſcovered it ſelf, in that he did not onely protect you from their rage, but alſo turned their hearts to favor you, in being civil and courteous to you ſo far, as to ſuffer you (their Priſoners) to eat the fat, and drink the ſweet, when many of themſelves ſtarved, and others ſuffered very much, by their more unwholeſom dyet, and infected proviſion: They ſent you out freemen the ſame day they yeeled themſelves to bonds: To give you your lives, when they reſigned their own to death, this was not their good nature, or any ſweetneſs in them, but the ſingular love of God to you, that made their ſtern and angry countenances to become your Mirrors, wherein you might (with Jacob) ſee the manifeſt ſmilings and aimable countenance of God himſelf: I confeſs freely, when I ſaw ſome of you ſpectators at the execution of ſome30 of the principal Leaders, whoſe priſoners you were the day before, I could not but conclude, Jehovah-Jirch, apprehending my ſelf to be with Abraham in the Mount, and to behold Iſaac delivered from the knife and fire; and theſe ſacrificed Rams firſt ſnarled in their own briars for your deliverance.
Thirdly, Was it not a clear diſcovery of Gods gracious preſence with you, (and ſuch an one as ſhould this day raiſe your hearts to high praiſes) that you had the invaluable benefit of ſo many prayers all the time you were in reſtraint? Whence could it proceed, but from the unſpeakable love of God to you, that ſo many thouſand were ſtirred, in their moſt earneſt prayers, to ſpeak unto God for you? multitudes, not onely of your friends and acquaintance, but of ſtrangers alſo, (that never ſaw your faces, or heard of your names before you were Priſoners) were ſo conſtant and inſtant with God in their petitions for you, as if they had been ſeeking the Salvation of their own Souls: In every publique meeting, and private family duty, the Priſoners at Colcheſter were ſtill the ſubject of a great part of the exerciſe: I am confident the prayers of the Church, mentioned Act. 12. that were made for Peters enlargement, did not exceed thoſe which were made for you, either in fervency or conſtancy, ſo cordial and affectionate (even unto Tears) were the expreſſions that were poured out to God for your liberty and ſafety, that for my part I am perſwaded, that few priſoners of your circumſtances, ſince the world began, had the like, for number and vigor; which evidenceth far greater love of God unto you, then the gift of Kingdoms and Empires: for (though tire prayers of the wicked are abomination to the Lord, nor are they ſo beneficial unto men as one cruſt of Brend, yet) the prayers of the righteous prevailed much for you,Iam. 5.16 and were effectual, not onely in preſerving you from baſe dispondency of ſpirit, in the time you were in cuſtody; but alſo in making your yoke eaſie, and your bonds light, above your own, and others expectation, until the time of your delivery; which love of God to you (being ſeriouſly pondered) will ſo warm your hearts, and raiſe your affections, that withall, your praiſes proceeding from them will be heightened in your ſelves before they be returned to God; Eſpecially,
If you take into your hearts the conſideration of a fourth Diſcovery of Gods eſpecial Love into you, in the time of your Impriſonment,31 which was the ſweet ſociety and fellowſhip, both in temporal and ſpiritual mereies and duties, that was permitted unto you, until the very day of your enlargement; you might meet together, prey together, confer with one another, and comfort each other in your bonds, by reading, ſinging, and brotherly obligations, whereby your Priſon was turned into a Temple and Sanctuary, as the Goalers houſe, and other priſons, was by Paul and Silas;Act. 16.27. Phil. 10. Col. 4. in one priſon they convert the Goaler, in another Oneſimus, in a third they receive comfort and mutual edification from the Churches, from Epaphus Ariſtarchus, and other their fellow Priſoners; for this fruit of love Paul gives many thanks in divers of his Epiſtles, Go you and do likewiſe; make the comfort of your mutual edification, whiles you were confined, an argument to raiſe the conceptions of your praiſes to God, from whom it was received, until the womb of your hearts grow pregnant with the high praiſes of your God.
Thirdly,The exerciſe of Faith. But yet nevertheleſs when your praiſes are firſt quickned by the meditation of the greatneſs of the danger under which you were enthralled, and ſecondly ſtrengthened and confirmed by the renewed ſenſe and feeling of Gods Love ſo many ſeveral ways difcovered, they will not withſtanding prove abortive, dye in their conception, and appear liveleſs iſſues, if the hand of your Faith doth not firſt being them forth of the place of conception; and ſecondly, being brought forth, carry them up, and preſent them to the moſt high God: The acting and exerciſe of your Faith in the duty of Thanksgiving will raiſe your praiſes ſo high, that of low moral conceptions in men, they will become evangelical, high Sacrifices and Oblations to God; adding a further degree of excellency, firſt, to their Conception; ſecondly, Production; thirdly, Acceptation.
Firſt,1. The Conception of praiſe. The exerciſe of your Faith will heighten the Conception of your high praiſes, by enabling you both to ſee and acknowledg, that the mercy, which is the ground and ſubject of your praiſes, proceeded from an high, from no lower original then the moſt high God, that the moſt high God was the author and ſole efficient of your deliverance, whoſoever were the inſtruments: ſee this in Peter, Act. 12. he there praiſeth God for liberty from impriſonment, as you do here; wherein this exerciſe of his faith is moſt32 obſervable, That both in the meditation of it himſelf, and declaration of it to others, he ſtill acknowledgeth God to be the ſole efficient of it; firſt in his own meditation by himſelf, Act. 12.11. Now I know for a truth, that God hath ſent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the waiting-for of the people of the Jews: Secondly, In his declaration of it to others, Verſ. 17. He beckoned with the hand, and declared unto them, how the Lord had brought him out of the priſon; and ſaid, Go ſhew theſe things to James and the brethren: Whence you may learn (if you will faithfully return due praiſes unto God for your liberty) You muſt never think on it by your ſelves, nor ſpeak of it to others, (much leſs in your ſolemn Thanksgiving to God for the ſame) but you muſt beleeve and acknowledg the Lord alone to be author and eſſicient of it: ſo alſ doth the Tune of Davids Pſalm of praiſe, for liberty, run in this high Tone, Pſal. 116.16. (I mean in the exerciſe of his Faith, by acknowledging the Lord the ſole author of his enlargement,) Thou, O Lord, haſt broken my bonds, and therefore I will offer unto thee the ſacrifice of Thanksgiving: So doth good Ezra, in the like cauſe, go before you, in returning praiſes for his own, and the Churches freedom from the Babyloniſh Thraldom; whoſe words and expreſſion (Ezra 9.8, 9.) I deſire all of you would print them on the tables of your hearts, and make them as frontlets before your eyes; yea, that you would write them in your Note-books, on the walls of your Studies, and Bed-chambers, where you muſt lodg in the night, or converſe by day, that you may acknowledg, and confeſs with him as long as you live, ſaying, We were bond-men, yet our God hath not forſaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy to us, in the ſight of our enemies; and hath given us a reviving, to ſet up the houſe of our God, and to repair the deſolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah, and in Ieruſalem: Thus lifting up the eye of your faith to the moſt high God, ſeeing and acknowledging the height of his wiſdom, goodneſs, and mercy working your deliverance, will raiſe the conceptions of your high praiſes.
Secondly,The Production. So will the exerciſe of your faith heighten your production alſo, by ſhewing and cauſing you to confeſs, that as God was the efficient, ſo the Lord Jeſus's ſufferings was the meritorious cauſe procuring this deliverance from your temporal as well as33 ſpiritual bondage; It was the blood of Chriſt that brought all of you (that are true Beleevers) out of this houſe of bondage alſo; That was the red Sea in which your liberty came ſwiming to you; he was once bound, that you might be now free;Joh. 8. and if the Son make you free, then are you free indeed: For as by his ſtripes ye are healed, ſo by his bonds are you loſed; he dyed in cuſtody,Iſai. 53. under the hand and power of Heatheniſh Souldiers, that none of theſe Heatheniſh Souldiers (in whoſe cuſtody you were) might have any power to lay violent hands upon you:Mat. 27. he was taken from his priſon and judgment, that you might be taken from yours alſo; and when he aſcended up on high, he led not onely his own, but your Captivity captive: when you ſhall thus act your faith in beholding the Lord Jeſus meriting this your diſmiſſion,Eph. 4. and coming along with your diſcharge, and delivering it unto you as a fruit of his ſufferings for you, then will your Souls be enlarged, and your affections extended to a more ample production of the high praiſes of God.
Thirdly, As you muſt, by the exerciſe of your faith,The Acceptation. heighten the production of your praiſes from your ſelves; ſo their acceptation with God alſo: Faith will not onely demonſtrate God alone to be the original, and the Lord Ieſus the procurer of the mercy; but alſo be an effectual inſtrument to work high acceptation and reſpect to this your duty, whiles it will direct you to return all your high praiſes to God, by the hand of Chriſt alone, as their Altar and Preſenter, Heb. 13.15. By him therefore let us offer up the Sacrifice of praiſe unto God; who as he is a Mediator, and praying Saviour, for the ſupply of our wants; ſo is he a praiſing Saviour, in the return of our thanks: His oders and incenſe alone muſt ſweeten and perſume the oblation of our praiſes: as well as prayers: your higheſt praiſes, if they be not preſented by his hand, will be rejected in anger; if offered through his mediation, will be accepted with love and welcom, as the Philippians bounty, Chap. 4.18. an odor of a ſweet ſmell, and a ſacrifice acceptable, well pleaſing to God. Let me now therefore conclude the firſt part of my Direction, for the heightening your praiſes in their conception inwardly, with the words of the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 2.5. above and beſides all that you have heard for that purpoſe before, approve your ſelves, by this exerciſe of faith, to be Living ſtones, built up34 together into a ſpiritual Temple, and an holy Prieſthood, to offer theſe ſpiritual ſacrifices of higheſt praiſes, acceptable to God, by the mediation of Ieſus Chriſt alone.
The conception of your praiſes being by theſe means thus raiſed inwardly,The outward expreſſion of praiſe. proceed alſo to heighten their expreſſion outwardly; let their birth be anſwerable to their conception, and their production to God as high as their birth in men; which will be effected, and the external expreſſion of your praiſes much heightened, by a two-ſold gratulatory practiſe: Firſt, In your words; Secondly, In your lives: The words of the Text lead me to this diſtinction, by holding forth not onely the duty of high praiſes, that they are to be performed, but their manifeſtation alſo, how they are to be expreſſed; namely, firſt, by the mouth and tongue, the inſtrument of ſpeaking: ſecondly, the two-edged ſword and hand, the inſtruments of action; whereby the Pſalmiſt doth manifeſt moſt evidently, that theſe high praiſes, that are conceived in the heart, muſt be expreſſed in the tongue and life: Firſt then, Let the high praiſes of God be in your mouth, or in your throat, (as the Text hath it,) to note the extenſion of your voyces in their expreſſion, which is that which is commanded in the former verſe, when the Saints are enjoyned to ſing aloud upon their beds, and Pſa. 148.2. to praiſe God in the heights; that is, not onely in high places to exalt his Name above the Heavens and Earth, but alſo in high expreſſions of words and voyces, and therefore, Pſa. 150.5. the Spirit of God requires that the Lord be praiſed not only on a well ſounding Cymbal, or (as the Text is) a Cymbal of hearing, but alſo upon a high ſounding Cymbal, that is, notes of higheſt exaltation and ſhoutings: All which Scriptures call upon you, as well as my Text, to let the praiſes of God be high in your mouths, publiſhing them in the higheſt expreſſions of his glory, and that principally theſe two ways; Firſt, In a thankful celebration of them before others: Secondly,1. By the tongue in celebration before men. Pſa. 78.4 In a thankful commemoration of them between the Lord and your ſelves.
Firſt, You muſt heighten them by your tongues, in an high celebration of them to others, by making joyful and perpetual confeſſions, profeſſions, and declarations thereof to your brethren, and the Congregations of his people; that all you fathers make them known to your children, and they alſo make your deliverance and praiſes35 to be remembred by future generations: This is punctually preſcribed to be obſerved in uttering praiſes for deliverances from bonds and impriſonment, Pſa. 107. Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, viz. for being the Author of their liberty, and declaring his wonderful works, in their deliverance, to the children of men; which alſo is in like manner obſerved in Peters praiſe for his eſcape out of priſon, Act. 12. where, beſides the thankful confeſſion of it to God, Verſ. 17. he both declares it to the Congregation of Saints himſelf, and alſo requires the Church to make relation of it to others, and eſpecially to James and Iohn, who (being publique perſons) he knew would cauſe the praiſes of God to be remembred and celebrated therefore, in all the aſſemblies of the Saints, whereſoever they came; in conformity to whoſe practiſe, let me exhort you alſo to go tell your Iohns, and Iames, and other brethren, how great things God hath done for you in this your enlargement; ſo that, as the Spirit of God in your very caſe requires, Pſal. 102. 18, 19, 20, 21. it may be written for the generations to come; and the people that ſhall be created, may praiſe the Lord for you and with you, ſaying, God looked down from the height of his Sanctuary; from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth: To hear the groaning of us Priſoners, and to looſe us that were appointed to death, That we might declare the Name of the Lord in Zion, and his praiſe in Jeruſalem; When the people are gathered together, and the Kingdoms to ſerve the Lord.
Secondly, Heighten the verbal expreſſion of your praiſes,2. By Commemoration unto God. by a thankful Commemoration of Gods great mercy in your deliverance, between the Lord and your ſelves; the practiſe whereof I would have you learn from the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 136. where he praiſeth GOD with high praiſes; Firſt, for the work of Creation, unto the tenth Verſe; and then for the deliverance of his people from the Egyptian bondage and thraldom, Verſ. 18. In both which he heightens the praiſes of GOD theſe two ways: Firſt divides the total ſum of GODS goodneſs into the ſeveral parcels and particular remarkable paſſages of his providence therein: Secondly, He multiplies and reiterates the expreſſion and attribution of his praiſes, according to the nature and number of the particulars obſerved in his antecedent diſtinction; this is the method he obſerves in the firſt part of the Pſalm, unto the tenth Verſe;36 where he praiſeth God for works of Creation, dividing the mercy, and multiplying the praiſe, according to the number of the ſpecial. Attributes and Actions of God obſerved therein.
Firſt he obſerves the attribute of Goodneſs of God, and then praiſeth him for that; Oh give thanks unto the Lord, becauſe he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever: Then obſerves him as God of Gods, Verſ. 2. and praiſeth him for that by it ſelf; Oh give thanks to the God of Gods, for his mercy, &c. Then as Lord of Lords, Verſ. 3. Then takes notice of his wonderful Power,By diviving the mercy. That alone doth great wonders, Verſ. 4. Then of the attribute of his Wiſdom in making the Heavens, Verſ. 5. And having thus obſerved the diſtinction of Attributes in God, and multiplyed Praiſes according to the number, of them, he then proceeds to the diviſion of the total of his work into the principal parts of it, and multiplies his Praiſes according to the number of them; As firſt, His ſtretching out the earth above the waters, Verſ. 6. Then the making great Lights, Verſ. 7. The Sun to rule the day, Verſ. 8. The Moon and Stars to rule the night.
And as he obſerves this method of diviſion of the mercy of Creation, and the multiplication of praiſes for it; ſo in praiſing God for their deliverance from bondage and their ſlavery in Egypt (which is more properly your caſe,) he firſt in the beginning of each verſe doth diſtinctly obſerve the ſeveral parts and circumſtances of their deliverance, as that he ſmote the firſt-born of Egypt, and brought Iſrael from amongſt them, and with a ſtrong hand overthrew Pharaoh, and ſmote great Kings, and famous Kings, Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Baſhan; and unto every one of theſe particulars, adds a particular reiteration of the praiſe of God for the fame in the end of each verſe, ſtill inculcating and concluding, That his mercy endureth for ever; which is written for your learning and inſtruction, that you alſo, in praiſing God for your liberty, ſhould particularize the total ſum of your ſafety, and then to multiply and reiterate the expreſſion of your praiſes accordingly:And multipliing the praiſe. Come therefore and ſing unto the Lord a new Song, and praiſe him this day, in the Congregation of Saints; and with good Ezra, Heman, and Aſaph, Ezra 3.10, 11. Praiſe ye the Lord after the Ordinance of David King of Iſrael; ſinging together by courſe, praiſing and giving thanks unto the Lord your God, becauſe he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever: To37 the God of Gods, that ſtood by us when all other comforts ſailed us, For his mercy endureth for ever: To the Lord of Lords, that hath ſubdued our Enemies under us, For his mercy endureth for ever; That reſcued us from anger and rage of the multitude, when they firſt apprehended us at Chelmsford, For his mercy endureth, &c. That preſerved us in the long march from Brantree to Colcheſter, For his mercy endureth, &c. That ſuffered not our Enemies to do us any harm, For his mercy, &c. That turned their hearts to be civil to us, For his mercy, &c. That ſecured us from the bullets that were ſhot through our chambers, For his mercy, &c. That made our ſociety ſo comfortable whiles we were in cuſtody, For his mercy, &c. That did provide for us meat and drink, plentifully, when our Enemies ſtarved, For his mercy endureth &c. Who by his Spirit ſtirred up ſo many to pray for us, For his mercy, &c. And in his faithfulneſs anſwered thoſe prayers, For his mercy, &c. That cauſed our Enemies to give us life, when they yielded themſelves to death, For his mercy, &c. That after ſo many weeks impriſonment brought us home with Honor, Safety, and Freedom, For his mercy endureth for ever. Thus if you ſhall begin to particularize your mercies, and then proceed in multiplying your praiſes, you will raiſe the expreſſion of them, to be high praiſes of God in your Mouths, verbally, unto which the Text requires another and higher expreſſion of them to be added:
Namely, An actual raiſing them in your lives,The real expreſſion of praiſe heightened. with a two-edged ſword in your hands; which two-edged ſword in your hands is not your own ſword, but the Sword of the Lord, even the Sword that proceedeth out of his Mouth, the Word of God, which Word of God muſt be born in the hand of all thoſe that have the high praiſes of God in their months, that both hand and tongue, celebration and action may concur in the expreſsion of Gods high Praiſes: Two ways were the expreſsion of your praiſes verbally, viz. by Celebration and Commemoration; and two ways you muſt heighten them actually, namely, by the acts of Obligation and Vindication; and theſe two are written on the two-edged ſword in your hands, I mean, the Word of God, which directs you actually to heighten your praiſes for your liberty.
Firſt, By acting with one edg of this Sword, in fighting therewith for God and his glory.
Secondly, By acting with the other edg of it, in fighting therewith38 againſt Satan, and all his rout and company, whether they be Heathen, Vulgar, Kings, or Nobles; the former is accompliſhed in making your liberty a bond & Obligation upon you to promote the worſhip and glory of God; the latter by improving your liberty for due ſuppreſsion and vindication againſt the Enemies of God.
Firſt,1. By way of obligatiō to God. Therefore convert your broken bonds and chains (whereby you have been looſed from men) into cords of love, to bind you faſter to glorifie God; thus David actually expreſſeth his praiſe unto God for granting him liberty from men, Pſal. 116. Becauſe thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death, mine eyes from tears, my feet from falling; I will therefore walk before the Lord in the Land of the living: And thus the Lord himſelf teacheth the people of Iſrael, Exo. 20. to ſhew their thankfulneſs for being brought out of the houſe of bondage, by making the conſideration of it an Obligation to obſerve all his Commandments; I am the Lord thy God that took thee out of the houſe of bondage, therefore thou ſhalt have none other gods but me, nor bow down to any other, nor take my Name in vain; but ſanctifie my Sabbath: So argue your hearts unto real thankfulneſs for your freedoms, by making it an over-powering argument, and a prevailing motive to ingage you to every duty which the Word of God ſhall call for at your hand; when no other reaſon can perſwade, or motive induce you to be accurate and exact in walking with God, or be ſtrictly cautelous and abſtemious from the occaſions and appearance of evil, then let the remembrance of your deliverance from priſon, out of Colcheſter, overcome you to, and reſolve with David, and declare, That becauſe when the ſnares of death, and the ſorrows of bondage did encompaſs you, in ſo great extremity, the Lord your God did ſo graciouſly and wonderfully deliver you, therefore you will wholy give up your ſelves to do his Commands all the days of your lives, under the engagement of the ſtrongeſt bond and Obligation.
Secondly,2. By way of Vindication againſt his enemies. Raiſe the actual expreſsion of your praiſe with the two-edged Sword of God in your hand, by improving your liberty by way of Vindication, in executing vengeance upon the Heathen, puniſhments upon the People; by binding their Kings in chains, and Princes in fetters of iron; that is, to execute the Judgment written, according to the Rule of the Scripture (in your Callings and Places) to bring to condign puniſhment all the Enemies of God and his Church, of what rank or order ſoever they be, which you39 ſhall perform three ways,Origen: Ecumen: Chriſoſt: Moller. (according to the variety of Interpretations that are made of this act of Vindication and Execution of the Judgment Written, mentioned in the Text,) 1. Morally. 2. Inſtrumentally. 3. Politically.
Firſt, As you are diſtinct Members of Chriſt,1. Morally. ſo ſhew your thankfulneſs in executing the Judgment written againſt the Enemies of God Morally: In your own boſoms are heatheniſh, popular, potent, raigning Enemies of God; againſt your heatheniſh ſins execute the vengeance of penitential revenge, and the puniſhments of ſelf-condemning and ſelf-judging againſt your popular ſins; the iron fetters of faſting and prayer, and the ſpirit of mortification upon your potentate and predominate ſins.
Secondly, As you are joynt Members of Chriſts Church,2. Inſtrumentally. ſhew your thankfulneſs in executing the Judgment Written Inſtrumentally; as God hath taken the chains and fetters from your feet moſt graciouſly, ſo do you in thankfulneſs therefore ſhew your uttermoſt endeavors to take off the bonds and chains that are upon Ordinances, the Worſhip, the Meſſengers of the Goſpel miniſterially; ſo reaſons and concludes Ezra, God hath not forſaken us in our bondage, but hath ſhewed us mercy, that we might ſet up the Houſe of our God, and repair the deſolations thereof: It cannot be unknown unto you what deſolations hath been made, in the Houſe of your God, in his Worſhip, againſt Chriſt Miniſterial and Sacramental, by heatheniſh, popular, royal and powerful Enemies: I may truly ſay in the words of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 6. Fleſh and blood, principalities and powers, worldly Governors of the darkneſs of this world, and ſpiritual wickedneſs in high places, have taken away the liberties thereof, and ſubjected it to heatheniſh, popular and royal bondage: It is your duty, and ſhould be your work, to be Inſtruments (like Peters Angel) to open the brazen gates, and unhinge the priſon doors, that Chriſt Miniſterial may be enlarged, and that the Goſpel may run and be glorious, ſo ſhall you Inſtrumentally40 execute the Judgment Written upon the Goſpel Enemies, for by it the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall be exalted, the Heathen by the preaching of the Goſpel converted from their Idolatries, the People by Scripture conviction and reproofs reduced from their prophaneneſs and Hereſies, the Kings and Nobles bound in chains and iron fetters, reſtraining their vices, and bringing their perſons under bonds and ſubjection to the Goſpel.
〈…〉are Magiſtrates and Members of the Commonwealth ſhow your thankfulneſs in executing the Judgment Written Politically, where alſo you ſhall meet with many heatheniſh, popular, royal and potent Enemies to lawful Government and Magiſtracy, whilſt they are abettors and actors for Tyranny, Injuſtice, Oppreſſion and Cruelty, do you execute the Judgment written upon theſe, and caſt the chains and fetters of your power upon them, by reſtraining them from evil, by executing, preventing Juſtice on ſome, and by executing the vengeance of vindictive Juſtice upon the evil demerits of others; ſo that, as far as lieth in you, all may be brought to condign puniſhment that manifeſtly and wilfully break thoſe bonds aſunder, and caſt away thoſe cords from them wherewith and whereunto they were bound by our ſolemn League and Covenant: God hath made many of you Magiſtrates in your reſpective habitations and diviſions, and ſo hath put chains and fetters into your hands, wherewith to hamper and fetter, to reſtrain and chaſtiſe the malefactors of all ſorts and rank that are brought before you; it will be a moſt acceptable Sacrifice to God, and a real expreſſion of your high praiſes to God for your own liberty, to execute lawful, political vengeance upon them, and with your chains and fetters to overcome them, by which means theſe your bonds ſhall become famous, your praiſes for your liberty become glorious, and God himſelf become propitious to you all, in perpetuating your liberty, and augmenting your felicities, and thus the Lord himſelf by your high praiſes be exalted, magnified and glorified, and you your ſelves be rewarded and honored, even with this honor, that is peculiar to all, and only his Saints, to have the high praiſe of God in their mouths, and a two-edged ſword in their hands.
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