ORdered by the COMMONS aſſembled in PARLIAMENT, That Mr Boſevile doe from this Houſe give Thankes to Mr Lockyer, for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached this day at the intreaty of this Houſe at Margarets Weſtminſter, (it being the day of Publique Humiliation) and deſire him to print his Sermon, and he is to have the like priviledge in printing of it, as others of the like kind uſually have had.
I appoint John Rothwell, and Hannah Allen to print my Sermon.
A SERMON Preached before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS aſſembled in PARLIAMENT:
At their late ſolemn Faſt, Octob. 28. 1646. In Margarets Weſtminſter.
By NICHOLAS LOCKYER, M. A.
And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, ſo that ſhe hath no ſtrong rod to be a Scepter to rule: this is a lamentation, and ſhall be for a lamentation,Ezek. 19.14.
And in that day will I wake Jeruſalem a burdenſome ſtone for all people, all that burden themſelves with it ſhall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together againſt it,Zech. 12.3.
And he ſtayed yet other ſeven dayes, and againe he ſent forth, and the Dove came in to him [in the evening] and loe in her mouth was an Olive leafe pluckt off,Gen. 8.10, 11.
LONDON, Printed by Matthew Simmons, for John Rothwell, at the Sun and Fountaine, in Pauls-Church-yard, and Han. Allen, at the Bible in Popes-head Alley. 1646.
WHen the Prophet was to be plaine**Ezeck. 3.23.27., God ſet him upon a plaine, and ſpake to him. When you called, bowels bid me viſit the ſick and weake, and truly theſe alone ſtirr'd, all other parts of body and mind were utterly againſt it; and as I went, Chriſt and Conſcience, in ſuch a caſe, bid me be faithfull, leſt I brought in two houres, the bloud of two Nations upon mine head. Jeruſalem was pourtrayed to one of the Prophets upon a Tile, and (ſome thought) was England to mee in you when I was before you; and truly I had a good deſire, to bring forth a Nation of a day to Chriſt. I want ability to give milke to babes, much more to give ſtrong meate to ſuch ſtrong men as you; and 'twere well if friends would indeed believe it, and pray for me more. Legs are precious limbes to the lame: mine owne weakneſſe makes the power of God ſtill the more admirable to mee. When I left you Jeremies rapture tooke hold on mee,Jer. 18.3. Behold he wrought a worke on the wheeles. Our acceptation with you, was in word and deed, for which I account my ſelfe much obliged to the Lord and you. Your way is much in the darke, ſo many perſons and things are before your eyes; I was willing to get as many prayers for you, to ſet as many dryed cheeks and bowels a bleſsing of you, as I could, theſe will make ſuch great wheeles goe ſafely and ſwiftly, when wit nor wealth nor any thing elſe will. One Prophet felt in ſo many dayes, what all the people of Iſrael ſhould feele in ſo many yeares;Ezek. 4. if I had any degree of ſuch an advantage ſpiritually, I ſhould be a better ſervant to you and my native Countrey then I am, both in praying and preaching. My petition to Chriſt oft is, that he will make impreſſe upon my ſpirit, ſuitable to all his purpoſes towards this poore bleeding Land; I get as neere him as I can, and as much out of al noyſe, to hearken and heare diſtinctly what he will ſpeake, peace or warre, life or death; and if in this Goſpel way God will but grant mee that Prophets favour**Ezek. 12.3., to remove in my ſight, and to dig through the wall of Englands welfare in my view, I hope through the ſtrength of Chriſt I ſhall be faithfull to tell her of it, though it ſhould coſt mee much. Would I knew how in this ſhaking time, to eat my bread with confidence, and yet with quaking: If the pleaſure of the Lord were dearer to us 'twould eaſe much, the many hard things which are yet before us. I came, Honourable Worthies, very trembling to you, and ſo truly departed from you, to thinke how little ſervice I had done, for perſons and employments of ſo great conſequence as yours. At what time I feared I believed, which was Chriſt laying his right hand upon mee, like that upon John, ſaying, Feare not, I am the firſt and the laſt**Rev. 1.17.. If God be found firſt or laſt wherever I come, or in what ever I undertake, I and all with me will be bleſſed; and ſo will it be with you, and thoſe many thouſands for whom you act. I would people would be patient, and thinke lower thoughts of their owne wiſdome, and higher of Chriſts and yours, as an Ordinance of God for their good, and in all your travels, travell with you, and cry out for a man mid-wife from heaven for you, when you are like to miſcarrie, and not fill Citie and Country with unnaturall and unchriſtian clamour. I judge a free Parliament, the moſt naturall Ordinance (and the neareſt that Divine government which once was) for the true good of a Nation that would not be ſlaves to ſinne and mans will, of any yet knowne, or in uſe in the world; and if my Judgement were of any weight in a buſineſſe of this nature, I would thinke thoſe the more unnaturall to themſelves and others, who otherwiſe ſpeake and act amongſt us. Our luſts would be Lawes and Judges of them too, and may, as well one as tother; 'tis thus with us, tis thus with you; 'tis ſo in Divinity, 'tis ſo in morality, 'tis ſo in the firſt Table, 'tis ſo in the ſecond. Chriſt meant civill Government really, when he bade us ſubmit to it, and pray for it, and practiſed it himſelfe by giving to Caeſar the things which were Caeſars; if in theſe laſt and worſt dayes we need it leſſe then then, I do not yet underſtand it. Wilde beaſts love no bound, but if this ſhould be, then all the world would be a wilderneſſe, and where ſhould we live without tearing in pieces? I thinke juſt Government in a Turke to be a beame of God, and we admire it abroad, and trample upon't at home. Violence is riſen up into a rod of wickedneſſe. Men are ſo violent,Ezek. 6.11. and yet ſo voyd of reaſon, that they are a rod to themſelves and many ſober men; complaine of obſtructions and yet make them, by mad motion a this ſide truth and their place: Chriſt beares all this about his Kingdome and government, and ſo muſt you about yours. Ezek. 6.5.13, 14.Chriſt will lay the carkaſſes of men before their Idolls; mens perſons in prepoſterous courſes fall, or their eſteeme, and then is man a moving carkaſſe before his Idol pride. Purity is indeed of Majeſtie:Ezek. 1.22. wee read of terrible cryſtall; Let your courſe be patient and pious before men who are not ſo, and this will keep God and good men with you, and all others below your peace, if not below their owne. He is not ſo fit to adviſe you, as to pray for you, that you may be in the ſecret of his people, who is and ſhall be ſtill theirs and
Yet it pleaſeth the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to griefe: when thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee ſeed, he ſhall prolong daies, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand.
THe great workes of man-kind, for ſoule and body, beare heard upon Chriſt: to Jew and Gentile, doth this text relate; both which in a very ſad condition, and yet Chriſt here affirmed unto them a full reliefe. The Jew, waſte chapter foregoing verſe 9. Choreb dried up: Mount Choreb, ſo called from hence becauſe a drie dead thing, and ſo all2 the reſt of the wildernes Choreb, a land of drought, great drought, wherein there was no water, and this one reaſon why called a terrible wilderneſſe Deut. 8.15. The wiſdom of God is glorious, hee led our Fathers in ſuch a way externall, as all along in every ſtep thereof ſpake unto them their internall ſtate; they were Choreb to God, a land of drought, their ſoules withered and dead, no one ſcarſe of any ſap. Who hath beleived our report? chapter contaning my text, ver. 1. And yet the braveſt roote that ever was, muſt ſpring out of this drie ground; and when at drieſt, (as in deed it was very drie when Chrſt ſprang up amongſt them) and by vertue of it, all made fruitfull. Hee ſhall ſpring up before me as a tender plant, and as a roote out of a drie ground, verſe 2. The fruitfulneſſe of this roote, in very drie ground, read ver. the 4. Surely he hath borne our griefes, and caried our ſorrowes. A full relation of this precious fruite, is continued verſe after verſe, to the very text I am to ſtand upon.
The Jew, Choreb, and the Gentile, Coreb, both drie and barren, and yet this latter alſo (which was as given up of all) to be made fruitfull, and by the ſame hand, and therefore called upon to ſing; Sems Redeemer, Iapheths Redeemer. Her Redeemer the holy one of Iſrael, the God of the whole Earth ſhall he be called. Chapter following the text verſe the 5. The miſery of both theſe barren ones is largely expreſt in the Scriptures foregoing and following that we are to ſtand upon, under the metaphor of barrenneſſe; and this metaphor divinely carried out to note all manner of bondage both outward and inward, captivitie to ſin and for ſin, and one infolded in another; Yea, ſo divinely carried out, as to ſet forth both Jew and Gentile, wrapt up totally under the power3 of ſin, Satan and men, and yet both to be brought out of the hand of all theſe, all which wonderfull indeed. The greatneſſe of the worke, makes the fulneſſe and the ſolemneſſe of the aſſertion here. And the apt ſituation of the words, betweene both, as equally reſpecting either, caſts more vigour and luſtre upon the deſigne. Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to griefe: when thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee ſeed, he ſhall prolong dayes, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand.
The text is a full affirmation of all good, to Jew and Gentile, not withſtanding all oppoſition; it ſpeakes deliverance from all ſorts of ſlavery and bondage whatſoever. Not aſhamed, nor put to ſhame, is the expreſſion proper to both, chapter following my text, ver. the 4. the one expreſſion noting all naturall internall weakneſſe, the other all extrinſecall coercive powers.
The text hath two branches: the action of the Father towards the Sonne; and the iſſue of this action towards the ſonnes of men. The action of the Father towards the Sonne is ſad, and expreſt exaggerately, ſome expreſſions pointing more properly at the body of Chriſt, though the ſoule not excluded, others pointing more properly at the ſoule of Chriſt, though the body not excluded: thoſe expreſſions which point at the bodie of Chriſt are the beginning words of my text, the Father bruiſed the Sonne, Dacha, tore him in pieces, ſo is the word rendred Pſal. 94.5. They breake in pieces thy people O Lord. Not a bone of Chriſt was broken, Exodus 12.46. John 19.36. But the fleſh of Chriſt was. Hee gave his backe to the ſmiters, and his cheekes to them that plucked off the haires Eſa. 50.6. pluckt &c. Marat, ſcratcht or rooted up**radicitus evulſit pilos; ſcalpſit, excoriavit.. What that Prophet4 there ſpeakes of his backe, and his cheekes, that another Prophet ſpeakes of his eyes and his belly. Mine eyes are conſumed with griefe, my ſoule and my belly, Pſal. 31.9. conſumed, gnaſhaſh, gnaw'd and fretted, as a moth frets and gnaw's a thing; from thence is gaſh which ſignifies a moth, and uſed Eſa. the 50.9. the moth ſhall eate them up. The wrath of God like a moth did gnaw, teare, and eate up the fleſh of Chriſt; the fleſh of his backe and cheekes, the fleſh of his eyes and belly, (i. ) all his body from head to foote. The wrath of God did ſo gnaw and teare the fleſh of Chriſt, that one might tell all his bones, Pſal. 22.17. It did ſo teare and rend, that it made him ſicke, which is the next expreſſion in the text, amplifying the action of the Father upon him. He did put him to griefe, Chalah, which ſignifies to make ſicke, ſo rendred, Iſa. 38. the 1. Hezekiah was ſicke unto death. **It may be Chizk•••ak from Chazak ſtrong: and then very ſtrong was very weake; ſo was Chriſt.
Now leſt any ſhould thinke, that the ſufferings of Chriſt were but skin deepe, that the Father did but onely touch and teare the fleſh of the Sonne, all that was ſaid is reſum'd and ſouled, as I may ſay: When thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, aſham, peccatum (i. ) peccatum & pretii peccatum, to beare and preſent our ſinne, to ſtand with our filthy garments upon him, covering him from head to foote bodie and ſoule; and withall, paying the price thereof, that theſe may be taken off. Bodie and ſoule ſuffered; Chriſt was a whole burnt offering, which the Hebrewes call Chalil from Chalal, perficere, to perfect, he did perfectly ſuffer, that is, in all, and ſo did perfectly ſatisfie, that is, for all our ſinnes. Their chalil, or whole burnt-offering, was their moſt compleat and prime offering, and did above all other offerings ſet out what5 an offering Chriſt was to the Father, and what an offering wee ſhould be to the Sonne: See the dignitie of it above other offerings in Deutoronomie, upon the faithfull carriage of Levi, whom God did prove at Maſſah and Mertbah, who in the execution of that ſinne, knew neither Father nor Mother, and therefore ſaith God, He ſhall offer upon mine Altar chaſtil, a whole burnt-offering, Deut. 33.10.
Though this action of the Father towards the Son was terrible, yet pleaſant to himſelfe; it pleaſed the Father to bruiſe him:Chaphets. the word notes the higheſt content that may be, to wit, delight: which is the intention and ſtrength of affection: the emphaſis of this word is beſt reached, by another word out of the ſame mouth in the New Teſtament,**This is my beloved Son in whom I reſt.〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. If the Lord delight in us he will bring us into the good Land, Numbers 14.8. To the Saints in whom is all my delight, Pſalm. 16.3. In both thoſe places is this word Chaphets uſed. That ſo very ſad action upon Chriſt, ſhould be ſo exceeding content full to the Father, is wonderfull: The ſad action of the Earlier upon the Sonne, may be conſidered formerly, or finally; preciſely in it ſelfe, or in order to ſuch an end: in that former ſenſe, not joyous in the leaſt, becauſe a converſation about ſinne and puniſhment, two of the undelightfulleſt things to God in all one world; but conſidered in order to ſuch an end, that is, his own glory, and mans eternal good, ſo 'twas very pleaſant to the Father to bruiſe, and to griefe, and to Chriſt to be bruiſed and grieved. A skilfull phyſitian, in ſome caſes delights to contrive art ſo as to tag nature, not ſimply, but in order to ſuch an end, to wit, the removall of ſome deepe malignity, and ſo the••••th of the patient. 6Chriſt is a patient in the perſon of mankind, and it pleaſeth that great Phyſitian to contrive art ſo, and Juſtice ſo, as to tug Chriſt extremely, and our corrupt nature in him, not ſimply, but in order to his owne glory and our ſalvation. The end of the Fathers action is in his eye, and the certaintie of this end, which is another circumſtance, which cauſeth ſuch content in the performance of it: if a phyſitian be in any degree certaine of the good event of ſtrong phyſick upon his patient, this makes him with much content and delight to preſcribe ſuch and ſuch ingredients, though he knowes they will tug and gripe much; when thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, he [ſhall ſee] ſeed, [he ſhall] prolong dayes,] &c. Drugges ſhall not lie in him to kill him, that is, to make an utter end; not an utter end of the perſon, but of all evill that aſſailes it. I know as if the Father had ſaid, when my Sonne ſhall be compleatly paſſive, he will be compleatly active, when he hath fully borne my wrath, he will fully and yet legally command and reveale my love, to creatures that otherwiſe can upon no ground pretend to it, though their onely happineſſe.
The iſſue of the Fathers action upon the Sonne, towards the Sonnes of men, is mentioned two wayes, particularly, and generally: particularly, and ſo two things are mentioned, he ſhall ſee ſeed, he ſhall prolong dayes. [He ſhall ſee] curioſe inſpicere, Raah, it doth not onely ſignifie to ſee, but to ſee plainely, and to ſee wonderfully. In the mount of the Lord it ſhall be ſeen, Gen. 22.14. that is, plainly, there the word is uſed: this word notes more then Nabat, which ſignifies properly and ſimply to ſee, or to looke, and therefore7 the Kings Tranſlators ſet forth the emphaſis of this word above the other, rendering it ſtare, Pſal. 22.17. They looke and ſtare upon me; ſtaring is a kind of ocular appetite, that is, ſuch a ſtate wherein the eye is like the ſtomack ſometimes, mightie greedie, and takes in ſpecies by thouſands, and yet cannot tell how to take off it ſelfe, things that are taken in, are ſo taking, that is, ſo great and ſo ſweet, ſo incomprehenſible in all excellencie. Staring notes a beholding unto wonderment, all faculties at once looking out at window, and utterly unwilling to ſhut the caſement, in the leaſt, that a full hold may be taken of what fully affects it; thus ſhall Chriſt ſee ſeed, plainely, wonderfully, he ſhall ſtand and ſtare upon the glorious births of all his travels; he ſhall behold unto wonderment, unto raviſhment. Thou haſt raviſhed my heart my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy neck, Cant. 4.9. and yet Chriſt but perſonating us in this, as in the former paſſiveneſſe: we ſhall ſee plainly and wonderfully with him; wee ſhall ſtand and ſtare with open eye, and with open face, beholding the glorie of God, and his good will to man, even unto raviſhment, which is their Heaven above, and ours here below.
He ſhall prolong dayes, or ſtretch out dayes, Arach, the word is uſed about the cloud which waited upon the Tabernacle,Numb. 9 19. which did ſtretch out it ſelfe every way, and covered over the Tabernacle, by which was ſhadowed the providence of God that ſtretcheth out its wings and feathers, and covers us all over, as a hen her young. Man that was for life a beame of eternity, his time is now ſhrunke, a creature ſhort-breath'd, his dayes ſo ſhort, as not to be meaſured by length,8 but by breadth, and by the leaſt of that dimenſion, to wit, a hand. Behold, thou haſt made my dayes as a [hand breadth] mine age is nothing, Pſalm. 39.5. Hence it is that man is put upon't, to doe all his worke of a day, To day if you will heare his voyce, to day if you will be for Chriſt. Yea hence 'tis, that man is put upon't, to doe all his worke in one houre, in a moment, his time is ſo ſhrunke up. Now is the accepted time; Chriſt ſtretcheth out mans time and dayes againe to their full length, and this is one of the wonders that he ſtands and ſtares upon; this is one of thoſe things which he lookes upon and admires, to ſee Adam in Paradiſe againe living for ever, which is admirable indeed. He asked life of thee and thou gaveſt him long life, even life for evermore. And in this alſo perſonating us, wee ſhall ſtand and wonder with him, to behold our very glorious, and never dying condition, wee ſhall be raviſhed to behold our ſelves, not as the flowers of the field, which in the morning are, and in the euening are not, but as the herbes of Eden, that garden incloſed ſemper vivens, ever living, who were ever dying. Thus you have the particular expreſſions of the iſſue of Chriſts ſufferings.
The generall followes, which is the laſt expreſſion in the text, and indeed the ſum of all, and becauſe ſo, I ſhall ſit downe here, to give out from the Lord what I have to ſay. The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. The pleaſure, chephoets**A derivative from the ſame roote in the front of the text., will of the Lord (i. ) all the will of the Lord. Compare with this the type, Act. 13.22. To whom alſo he gave teſtimony and ſaid, I have found David the Son of Jeſſe, a man after mine owne heart, which ſhall fulfill all my will; which is ſpoken in oppoſition to Saul, who did fulfill but a part. Chriſt did not9 baulke one title, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe,Matth. 5. but one title of the Law ſhall in no wiſe paſſe till all be fulfill'd: ſuch parts of Divine will, as were moſt debaſing of Chriſt, were fulfilled, as well as other parts which were dignifying; he ſtoopt to men, who were not worthie to ſtoop to his ſhooe latchet. Suffer it to be ſo now, for thus it becomes to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, Matthew 3.15. as if Chriſt had ſaid, the will of the Lord ſhall proſper in my hand, though I lie at any ones foot. Take the next word in the text, and it will carrie it to this ſenſe, the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall [proſper.] Tſalach, it ſignifies the carrying on, or the carrying thorough of a thing againſt all difficultie, a breaking through, or a cutting through with the foote. As if God had ſaid, My will will be much oppoſed by Devills and men, yet he into whoſe hand I have put it, will breake through all. The word is uſed, 1 Samuel the 10. the 6. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou ſhalt prophecie. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee; Tſalach, will breake in upon thee, and thou ſhalt prophecie whether thou wilt or no. 'Tis uſed in the 2 Sam. 19.17. There went a thouſand men of Benjamin over Jordan before the King. Tſalach, brake through before the King. Thus ſhall he into whoſe hand Gods will is put, breake open the everlaſting doores, and breake in upon dead ſoules, and breake down whatſoever hinders their eternall life.
Conſider the word in its ſimple ſignification, or, conſider it in the time in which it is here put. [Shall proſper] by his hand. Which future tenſe carries us not ſo much to the futuritie of the worke, as to the certaintie of it, as noting upon what ſtrong bottome it beares, to wit, the Juſtice of God, and this in a double10 reſpect. Gods voluntary chuſing Chriſt, and owning him to be his ſervant. 'Tis a matter of juſtice, that whom I voluntarily take and owne to any buſineſſe of mine, I ſhould cleave to him, and aſſiſt him as I am able. This I take to be the emphaſis and life of thoſe words, Pſalm the 89.20. I have found David my ſervant, with my holy oyle have I anointed him, with whom my hands ſhall be eſtabliſhed, mine arme alſo ſhall ſtrengthen him, the enemie ſhall not exact upon him, and I will beate downe his foes before his face, &c. I have [found] David my ſervant, &c. Matſa, I have laid hands upon him, or, taken hold of him, ſo the word is rendred, Pſal. 116.3. The paines of hell tooke hold upon mee; I have laid hands upon my Son, and therefore tis but Juſtice I ſhould keep hold of him, and that theſe hands which I have laid upon him, ſhould be every way vertuall to him, and they ſhall be ſo; the enemies ſhall not exact upon him. The word uſed for exact is Naſha, ſeducere, decipere, and ſignifies to ſeduce, cheat, and deceive, and ſo is rendred, Jer. 29.8. Let not your Prophets deceive you, &c. As if God had ſaid, the times through which my Sonne ſhall paſſe will be full of craft, and if it were poſſible to deceive mine elect; but it is not poſſibe, becauſe hee is mine elect; he is my ſervant, and becauſe my ſervant he ſhall deale prudently, not the ſubtleſt wit in the world ſhall put a trick or cheat upon him, in order to any punctum of my will. The word Naſha, hath no affinity with Naſag, which ſignifies to be overtaken and catcht as huntſmen doe their prey. Chriſt is the Hinde of the morning, hunted from Sun-riſe to Sun-ſet, but having Hindes feet, he cannot be taken. Thou haſt made my feet like hindes feet, ſaith Chriſt oft in the Old Teſtament. 11Chriſt cannot be taken nor overtaken, hunt, and catch, and lay ſnares who will; Saul, Judas, or all the violent craftie hypocrites in the world. A bow of ſteele is broken by his hand. Hell is naked before him: not onely open, but naked as a thing without all ſtrength or force to hurt, becauſe one walking in this furnace with him, the ſupport of the God-head. You have the Father telling all the world, that he goes upon this ground along with the Sonne, to wit, that he is his choſen ſervant. Behold my ſervant whom I uphold, mine elect, &c. I have put my Spirit upon him, my mantle and livery as my ſervant, he ſhall not faile, nor be diſcouraged, not darkned or broken, till he hath ſet Judgement in the earth, (i. ) accompliſhed all my will, Iſa. 43.1, 2, 3, 4. Upon this ground God ſticks cloſe to us, becauſe his choſen ſervants, ſee it largely and comfortably ſet forth by the ſame Prophet, Iſa. 48.8, 9, &c. and therefore bid againe and againe, though wormes, yet not to feare, becauſe wormes upon ſuch a ground.
Shall proſper] the futurity of the word, points at the certainty of the worke, upon another ground of Juſtice, that is, Chriſts merit. Chriſt hath bought and paid to the utmoſt farthing for all that may accompliſh him, in order to any part of the pleaſure of God towards the creature: this is a ground granted by God himſelfe in the text. When thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, he ſhall ſee the iſſue thereof, &c. There be many difficulties about the creature, but may be all infolded in one, to wit, ſinne. Man would have the heart of God, were it not for ſinne, and he that hath the heart of God, hath his hand, and can doe any thing: Now Chriſt hath paid the price of ſinne fully, and preſents in our perſon a primitive ſtate, and ſo12 hath bought the eare, the hand, and the heart of God, that is, a full concurrence of the Father, for all executions and accompliſhments in order to the creature: which is the reaſon of that ſtrong language of Peter, in his converting Sermon. VVhom God hath raiſed up,He〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉demanded life of thee, &c. Pſal. 21. having loſed the paines of death, becauſe it was not poſsible that he ſhorld be holden of it, Acts 2.24. Not poſſible? why? the reaſon is rendred, verſe 27. Thou wilt not ſuffer thy holy One to ſee corruption, Chriſt is a holy one, that is, legally holy; thou haſt made his ſoule an offering for ſinne, bought the ſoule with a ſoule, an eye with an eye, a tooth with a tooth; he hath purchaſed all the fulneſſe of the God-head to concurie with him, and therefore I ſhould be unholy to a holy one, if I ſhould leave his ſoule in grave, &c. Compare with this place, Iſaiah 50.6, 7, 8, 9. verſes, I gave my back to the ſmiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire, I hid not my face from ſhame and ſpitting;**The inference neceſſary. and my Lord God will help me, therefore I ſhall not be confounded, therefore have I ſet my face like a flint, and I know that I ſhall not be aſhamed. He is neare that juſtifieth me, who will contend with me? Let us ſtand together, who is mine adverſary? let him come neare to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me, (again he repeats) who is he that ſhall condemne me? the Moth ſhall eat them up. If any one could condemne Chriſt for any thing, that he had not done all things well, in order to his Fathers will, then ſomething might be ſaid, why things ſhould not proſper in his hand, why he ſhould not have a full concurrence of divine power, to carie him thorow al in order to the creature, but none can ſay this, no not the Father himſelfe, He will juſtifie me, and He is neare, that is, ready to doe it: and therefore I am ſure, as I have13 been a holy One to my Father, ſo He will be a holy One to me, and will not ſuffer me to ſee corruption, not be overcome by any adverſary: who will contend with me? compare with this Pſal. 45.7. Thou loveſt righteouſneſſe and hateſt wickedneſſe, therefore God [thy God] hath anointed thee with oile of gladneſſe above thy fellowes, where Chriſt's legall righteouſneſſe is mentioned, he did performe all things for the matter exactly, and for the manner exactly, with ſuch a degree of affection**He did doe righteouſly and love the doing of it: his affection was as compleat as his action, though the worke very ſad. that he did buy all the oile of his lamp, which might accompliſh him for the creature; therefore God called his God, as by purchaſe: thou loveſt righteouſneſſe, therefore God [thy God.] Compare with this that type, Deut. 33.8, 9, 10. And of Levi he ſaid, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy One, whom thou didſt prove at Maſſah, and with whom thou didſt ſtrive at the waters of Meribah: who ſaid unto his Father, and to his Mother, I have not ſeen him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his owne children, for they have obſerved thy word and kept thy Covenant; they ſhall put incenſe before thee, and a whole burnt-offering upon thine altar. The exactneſſe of Levi's righteouſneſſe in that point of great triall, is made a type of Chriſt's exact righteouſneſſe, whereby he purchaſed not onely Or lux, but Urim lights, that is, all the treaſures of wiſdom, & knowledge: And ſo not only thamam integrity or perfection, but Thummim, perfections (i. ) all righteouſneſſe. Vſe.
This point may exhort us, to bee patient; patience hath two things in it, a ſpirit free from perturbation, and pure in 'expectation, and both theſe, would I diſtinctly enforce,Contentation. from the truth in hand. It's a very ſhaking time of all ſorts, bodies, ſoules, perſons, Kingdomes; and when trialls are14 ſtrong, paſſions are ſo too for the moſt part, and men forget themſelves as men, much more as Chriſtians, and play the beaſt. One would not have thought there had been ſo many unreaſonable creatures in this land, until the hand of God appeared amongſt us. Ier. 18.20.Harveſt is paſt, the Summer is ended, and wee are not ſaved. Everie wheele breakes, and then the heart breakes too, when 't hath forgot the truth in hand, that the pleaſure of the Lord proſpers in Chriſt's hand. No wheele moves faſt enough, nor well enough, when the heart makes haſte: no body is wiſe, nor faithfull, none hath braines nor hands to doe any thing; tis ſtrange to ſee how all is carried, ſtranger to thinke what all will come to. No body wiſe nor faithfull? Yes, Chriſt is, and it ſhould bee enough to everie one in any ſtraight, that he is and will be a ſuccesfull agent. When many are about a buſines, oftt-imes no body is, one joſtles ſo againſt another, til all be in danger to joſtle againſt Chriſt, and the very principles of ſober men. When wheeles have much weaight upon them, they oft-times make a very unpleaſant noiſe. Is God amongſt us? Iſrael wants water, Amalek waites to give battell, and this great ſtraight, made that great State fall a chiding of God and one another. Is God amoungſt us? The place was called for this, Maſſah, Meribah (i. ) ſtriving and chiding. The bigger bodies are, with the greater difficulties they move; now when great difficulties, make great impatience, towards God and towards one another, this and not our ſtraights indangers all, as you may ſee in the example forementioned. Straights ſimplie conſidered,Exodus 17. though never ſo great, can undoe none, neither a perſon nor a Kingdom, but how either behave themſelves in them. When wee retort temptation15 upon God, this overturnes all: that is, when he tempts us, then wee fall a tempting of him. Water is wanting, mony wanting, enemies not wanting, Amalekites in abundance readie to combine, yet as long as Chriſt is, there is enough for the proſperity of any good worke; and then not enough for the quiet and tranquillitie of thy ſpirit? What though mountaines move, yet ſhould wee be ſtill: ſo long as Chriſt is, there is a ſtreame that will refreſh the Citie of God, in the greateſt drought.
Impatience is very excogitous: a man had need have more naturall ſtrength then ten men, or elſe he will fall into a conſumption, the ſoule is ſo unceſſantly hammering it ſelfe, and other folks, about its owne devices and divine events. Jer. 10.14.Every founder is confounded. If every founder, then an impatient man, for he is one founder; he is heating and melting his braines night and day, caſting this and caſting that, till he hath no more metall to caſt, and then quite confounded: when he cannot caſt the Idol he would, then quite caſts off the true God. Is God amongſt us? What and things ſo hard? and ſo croſſe and confuſed? Action may be in our hand, but ſucceſſe is in Chriſts, this the founder doth not ſee, (I meane the impatient man) and therefore is confounded. Impatience is ſpiced with pride and ignorance, though poſſibly neither diſcerned by the ſubject in which it is. What if the will of the Lord whilſt in our hand, be nothing but ſtraights, and difficulties, bloud and death? wilt thou therefore rage and fret againſt God, his people and will? this is to make a God of thy ſelf, to be angry becauſe the ſucceſſe of things is not plac'd in thy hands, and under thy cogniſance, whereas God16 hath ſaid it ſhall be onely in Chriſts hand.
As impatience is ſpiced with pride, ſo with ignorance. Great ſtormes bring great darkneſſe with them you know; God uſually is ſo much hid in ſuch times from man, that nothing but his hand is ſeene, and this too, rather felt then ſeen; and in ſuch caſes, Solomon tells us how ordinarily, poore blind man goes to worke. Say not thou what is the cauſe, that former dayes were better then theſe, for thou doſt not inquire wiſely concerning this, Eccleſiaſtes 7.10. An impatient man thinks, that the revolution of all times, ſhould be of the ſame aſpect; that preſent times, ſhould be as full of trade, as full of friends, as full of peace, and plentie, as former times, or elſe that former times were better then theſe: Men doe not inquire wiſely as the wiſe man ſaith. Times and conditions are to be called good, or better, not as our owne will, but as the will of the Lord proſpers in them: I may be more poore, more contemptible then I was in time paſt, yet if Chriſt be made more rich, and more glorious hereby, I am bound to ſay, that this time is better then the dayes paſt. Poſſibly the will of the Lord, in order to the men of this generation, may be, to put them to it in all that is dear, that our worke ſhall be to labour as it were in the fire, to baſt and waſte our ſelves out, about the refining furnace, to bring out the next age more pure and holy then this; wee may ſow and others after us reape, as they did before us, in order to many mercies then which now we have; & if Chriſt make ſuch a noble work to ſucceed and take by us, wee are bound to ſay, that theſe are very happy times**Luke 9.30.31.; and this Chriſt will, 'twas ſealed in that apparition, two appeared in glory17 and ſpake of Chriſts deceaſe. There is a communication of this in a degree, and 'twas done for our ſakes, as it is ſaid of other cariages. Meſſengers appeare to our ſoules in glory, when about the hardeſt parts of the will of God, a ſpirit of glory, and of God viſiteth us, which is the hand of Chriſt proſpering his Fathers will. Impatient men are blind, they can ſee no glory, but that which is externall: all that ever God hath ſaid about the glory of times, is onely this in my text, that his pleaſure ſhould proſper by the hand of Chriſt; and this indeed is the glory of times and perſons in every age. Doth the will of God by the hand of Chriſt proſper? within thee without thee? in the world, in thine owne heart? then tis a glorious time, that wherein thou ſhouldeſt content and ſolace thy ſelfe**Every time is beſt to its beſt improvers.. The ſtill breathing of every age ſhould be, the will of the Lord be done.
Patience hath two things in it, as I formerly told you, perturbation removed, and expectation ſeated in the place of it, and the Doctrine in hand inforceth both. Be ſtill and know that I am God, Pſalm 46.10. The one expreſſion notes paſſion allaied and the other expectation raiſed; Know that I am God, that is, that I will accompliſh my will, ſo it followes, I will be exalted among the Heathen, &c. Let your expectation be pure, to ſuch a height the point in hand lifts, Weeds creepe up by every flower, and in every ground, unleſſe very well look't to. Confidence becomes carnall, and then dies as inſtruments die, and ſwels and flants as they live and proſper; millions of ſuch men are not worth a ſtraw in a ſtorme, they are the great bubbles of boyſterous weather, which break as faſt as they ſwell. The Nations ſhall bleſſe themſelves in him, and18 in him ſhall they glory, or ſhine, Halal, what ever hath been done for us, hath been done by him, what ever is to be done for us, or for others, is to be done by him: if ever England ſhine, or any inſtrument in England, 'twill be as in his hand, by whom alone all ſhall proſper. Expectation pure, the ſpirit is ſolid, very high, and yet very low, never at a loſſe, let times and things goe how they will, but when 'twould ſpeake of the vertue and excellence of that hand, by which the pleaſure of the Lord is fulfilled, and truly there one may pardonably loſe ones ſoule. Tis not an eaſie thing to be pure in expectation: one is like a child that hath been uſed to be caried, that when ſet downe to goe alone, catcheth at every thing next it, and there hangs and will not let goe, and yet falls at laſt with its props in his hands. God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, Pſalm 62.11.12. The ſpeech of God in providence, is of great eccho, eſpecially in ſome more remarkable works: God ſpeakes in providence ſo wonderfully ſometimes, to a perſon or to a Nation, that it ſounds oft in a mans ſoule, once, twice, that is, frequently, that God alone does all, and a man is readie to ſay ſo oft, and yet in a renewed diſtreſſe, old unbeliefe revives and the ſoule dies. The Pſalmiſt in the context, bids not to truſt in poore or rich, one is vanity, t'other's a lye, ſaith he; but truſt in the Lord at all times; and then renders the reaſon in the words forecited, Power belongs to the Lord. Which is no more then the enforement of my text, the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. The word of the Lord is very pure, ſo ſhould our building upon it be, 'twas very gloriouſly taught in that ſignificant providence to Abraham, The Ram19 caught behind him, Geneſis 22.13. **I heard behinde mee a voyce of a great ruſhin bleſſed be th•glory of the Lord from his place, Ezek. 3.12. Gods glorious place is behinde us. The pleaſure of the Lord doth proſper at his pleaſure, and as his pleaſure; ſometimes before us, that is, in wayes which we can reach, and ſerve Gods providence in; ſometimes again, behind us, that is, in ſuch wayes as wee cannot reach, to lend him the leaſt concurrence in, to teach that our expectation ſhould be purely plac'd upon his word, and that wee ſhould ſay to our ſoules in all ſtraights, The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. Abraham had no hands behind him, neither doe men ordinarily goe that way to catch things, yet there was the Ramme caught.
Hitherto I have exhorted to contentation,Imitation. now I ſhall exhort you to imitation, and ſo cloſe up the point and the day. Be followers of Chriſt as deare children; what ſhall proſper in his hand, let that proſper in yours, according as you are able to give proſperity to things: and in the purſuit of this particular, give me leave (Honourable Worthies) to apply my ſelfe more particularly to you. Be valiant for the truth upon the earth; be ſo in heart, be ſo in tongue and hand; give not the Prophets and people of the Lord cauſe to mourne over you, as Jeremy did over the generation of his time. They bend their tongue like their bow for lies, but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth, Jeremie 9.2, 3. 'Tis a gallant thing, to lay hearts and hands upon all that which Chriſt doth, and ſay, let this proſper though I dye; if it will not grow without warring with my bloud, yet I cannot hand off nor heart off: the will of the Lord be done; you have many things to looke after and yet but one, the pleaſure of God in all that comes before you; be true to this, and you and wee ſhall doe well. I cannot20 give more for truth then tis worth; I cannot give more for truth then Chriſt, though I give all my bloud: that ſoule is alive and brave, that thus breaths. Converſation in all callings, is the glory and welfare of perſons and Kingdomes: in private callings tis ſo, in publick callings tis ſo, in our moſt publick calling, I meane our generall calling, tis ſo. 'Tis not called perſons ſimply, whether to this or that, which are the ſafety of a Land; neither is their calling ſimply, their owne welfare, but as they walke anſwerably to their calling, whether Civill, or Divine. I will not execute the fierceneſſe of mine anger, they ſhall walke after the Lord, Hoſea 11.9, 10. Some give a kind of a dry ſenſe upon this place, but I take the meaning to be this, that a holy and brave converſation, is any ones vigour and life, to his owne or a generall welfare; for by fierce anger is there meant, as in other places is plentifully explained, the deſtroying of all, righteous and wicked; which God doth, when the righteous are wicked, that is, lying in common pollutions, together with the reſt of the world. I may truly tell you, Honourable Worthies,Slay utterly old and young, &c. and begin at my Sanctuary.Ezek. 9.6. The wood of the Vine if it beare not, is it good for any worke, Ezek. 15. that a Saint is a cipher, in order to his owne or a generall welfare, when he walks unworthy of his holy calling; but not ſo in order to the hurt of either: One Jonah, that is froward and unfaithfull, is more numerous and ponderous to toſſe and overſet the ſhip, then all the brutiſh Mariners in it. There is a great loſſe amongſt the godly, of perſons, that is ſad; and of graces, that's a thouſand times more ſad; carnality takes much hold of the ſpirituall, which is the blackeſt preſage I ſee in the Land, and that which wee have this day to ſpread before the Lord: if this loſſe, Honourable Worthies, ſhould21 be ſound amongſt you, 'twere death at the heart, and the whole Kingdome a Patient of little hope: then that would runne right upon us, which the Prophet hath, Jeremy 6.13. From the leaſt to the greateſt every one is ſo and ſo, &c. Much wiſdome and faithfulneſſe hath hitherto appeared amongſt you, to the great refreſhing of all the faithfull in the Land; let theſe abide and increaſe, according to all the calls of a deſperate condition.
In the deſperateſt Nationall condition that ever was, when the braveſt State under Heaven lay juſt as wee doe now, looking when to give up, and breath out their laſt, 'tis obſervable what counſell the Prophet gives, Jeremy 6. the 13. verſe: he ſaith they were all naught, ſmall and great; at the 16. verſe he delivers you his counſell, viz. Stand yee in the wayes and ſee, and aske for the old paths, where is the good way and walke therein, and ye ſhall finde reſt for your ſoules: but they ſaid, We will not walke therein. Which Vote, was their ruine without remedy. Two things I gather by this place, are neceſſary in a deſperate condition: a diligent inquitie after the will of God, and then a faithfull purſuit of it. Diligent and acute inquiries are behovefull, eſpecially about ſuch matters of weight as you are upon, but then all our time muſt not be only ravelled out here: to be alwayes whetting is very dull. 'Tis the heavieſt curſe that I read, in all the book of God, which Jeremy wiſheth to himſelfe,Jer. 20.17. viz. That his mothers womb had been alwayes bearing of him. Diſputes and debates, they are but media, & ſubordinata, to dwell alwayes upon media, & ſubordinata, ſpeakes the braine very criticall, and the heart (I doubt) very hypocriticall. Some cannot beare iniquities about22 truth at all, at leaſt not ſtrict and acute inquiries, but all muſt be ſwallowed by preſent times, which former times have practiſed, without any more ſtirre; this is a great temptation upon men, and God I truſt will remove it by little and little: others can beare as long, and as acute inquiries as you will, but cannot come on to practiſe; this I take to be a greater temptation, by how much the leſſe ſimplicity in it, and by how much the more mens owne wiſedome and will are Idolized. Know honourable Worthies, that the maturity of all reſults and debates, whether divine or civill, are to be looked upon by us, as the anſwer of many prayers, as the price of much bloud, much pretious bloud, to wit, the bloud of Chriſt, and of many gallant men, and ſo indeed as a birth from Heaven, if ever any was: ſtrangle not ſuch a birth when borne, nor leave it unſwathed, to ſhift for it ſelfe, in the hands of a few poore deſpiſed ones, but let it have your hearts and hands, as nurſing Fathers to it, and be leaders in Iſrael, and practically precedentiall to all the Land, as Chriſt, a glorious beame of whom you are, as chiefe Magiſtrates under him amongſt us. If the poore rude multitude ſhall ſay as they in the place forecited, wee will not walk therein, yet ô let there never be one ſuch a vote amongſt you.
Conſider, honourable Worthies, theſe two things: if you ſhould vote any thing againſt the will of God, purſu'd by any of his, you cannot carrie it; you may carrie it poſſiblie againſt me,Will ye hunt the ſoules of my people, Ezek. 13.18. or any other ſuch like poore creature as I am; that is, againſt our perſons, and liberties, and externall welfare amongſt men, but you cannot carrie it againſt the will of God which we purſue; that will proſper in Chriſt's hands, what ever23 your hands doe with us. Nay, you cannot carrie it againſt the will of Chriſt, let what perſon will be the purſuer of it, ſuppoſe the perſon be not ſo worthie in converſation as could be wiſhed: that place is worthie indeed of the conſideration of any State to this purpoſe, 2 Chron. 35.20, 21, 22. The ſtorie is of good Joſiah, who reformed the things of God, and kept ſuch a paſſover, as not the like kept from the daies of Samuell the Prophet ver. 18. and yet after all, ſplit himſelfe upon a Heathen, that had but the advantage of a parcel of civill truth and juſtice upon him. After all this, when Joſiah had prepared the Temple, Necho King of Egypt came up to fight againſt Charchemiſh by Euphrates, and Joſiah went out againſt him: but he ſent Embaſſadors to him ſaying, What have I to doe with thee thou King of Judah? I come not againſt thee this day, but againſt the houſes wherewith I have warre, for God commanded me to make haſte: forbeare thee from medling with God, who is with me, that he deſtroy thee not. Nevertheleſſe Joſiah would not, and ſo was ſhot to death in that bout by God indeed. Tis obſervable here, how this Heathen ſpeakes to a Chriſtian, as twere in his owne dialect, to divert him from doing unlike a Chriſtian. Forbeare thee from medling [with God who is with me] that he deſtroy thee not. Here may I ground ſuch a diſtinction as this, A man may have God with him, which hath not God in him; as a man may have God in him, which oft-times and in many things, hath not God with him. There be many poore creatures in the Land, whoſe lives poſſibly, nor diſcretion, can by no meanes be pleaded for, as being very unworthy of their calling, as Chriſtians, and yet poſſibly theſe may have God with them, though not God in them: that is, they may, as that Heathen,24 have the advantage of ſome parcell of truth, againſt thoſe that come forth to warre againſt them, and ſo ſtand capable of divine aſſiſtance under that notion, from him who is ready to owne every beame of his, and to looke upon't and love it, though the Orbe in which it ſhines be not, not move not ſo ſutably as wee would; and ſo it may be dangerous and deadly, to ſet voluntarily upon them; and perſons and States of great account, may ſplit themſelves upon perſons and States of none, and then our ſhipwracke will be much at one for miſerie, whether it be upon this rocke or that; whether we ſplit our ſelves upon them that have God in them, or them that have God onely with them, and not in them.
Secondly conſider, honourable Worthies, you cannot vote nor act ſo ſingly in ſin, nor at ſo low and ſo cheape a rate as the people may: they cannot by their vote involve you in guilt, let them vote what they will; but you may involve them, and your ſelves. The vote of the people may make more noiſe upon earth then yours, but yours will make more noiſe in Heaven then theirs. The axe in your hand is an axe to the roote; if you cut and wound, 'tis not one but all: you beare or ſtrangle a Nation in a day. The poore Heathen Prince had this light, and load in his conſcience. Abimelech called Abraham, and ſaid unto him, What haſt thou done to us, that thou haſt brought on me and on my Kingdom a great ſin? and yet Abimalech only the actor; his place ſpread and ſpattered his ſin, over all the Kingdom, and ſo will yours. You ſhould thinke how ſtrong your breath is, and how many you kill or ſave, everie time you goe to ſpeake: The ſpeech of Samuell to the people, is ſeaſonable here to be conſidered. 25Come let us Goe to Gilgall and renew the Kingdom there, 1. Sam. 11.14. this was ſpoken upon the unction of Saul. The whole Kingdom was at Gilgall, becauſe ſuch men were there, and about ſuch State buſineſſe. So I may ſay to you, honourable Worthies, the whole Kingdom is at Weſtminſter, becauſe ſuch men as you are there together, and upon ſuch State imployments; and therefore I beſeech you be noble in ſpirit,In terraquepatris, cur telum perpetiuntur. and ſay like thoſe, Come let us goe to Gilgall and renew the Kingdom there: call upon one another, and ſtirre up life in one another: Come let us goe downe to Weſtminſter and renew the Kingdom there: let us goe and be valiant for God, his people and this poore dying Land**That the Kingdome may not be baſe and unable (as the Prophet ſpeaks in another caſe) to lift up it ſelfe, Ezek. 17.14.. The word for renew is Chadaſh, and doth not note a naked alteration of a thing, but ſuch an alteration, as hath in it a reſtauration; to renew as the Eagle doth her bill, and there is the word uſed Pſal. 103.5. and that it notes a reſtauration, read Iſa. 61.4. where it is ſo rendered.
You cannot I know, as times and things now ſtand with us,I will accompliſh my wrath upon the walls, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will ſay unto you, the wall is no more neither they that daubed it. Ezek. 13.15. want temptations of all ſorts to the contrary. Some may flatter: but of ſuch I will ſay unto you as the Prophet, When thou art ſpoiled what wilt thou doe? thy lovers will deſpiſe thee, they will ſeeke thy life, Jer. 4.30. When the Kingdom is deſtroyed, by harkening to flatterers and ſelfe-ſeekers, what will ye doe? If you ſhall to pleaſe fawning men, or froward men, diſpleaſe God, and betray all into the hands of his wrath, what will theſe unworthy perſons advantage you? when the guilt of the bloud of thouſands, lies upon your conſciences, will you ſend then for thoſe Clergie men, or States men, which miſlead you? why, you may, and mieſrable comforters will they be: the Holy26 Ghoſt hath told you here what ſuch wil then bee unto you, upon ſuch a diſadvantage of time; they will deſpiſe you, ſpit in your face; I, they will be the firſt, that will ſeeke your lives. Wherefore honourable Worthies, be followers of Chriſt as deare children, and of no body elſe, but as they are followers of him, and let the pleaſure of the Lord proſper in your hands: be valiant and faithfull for that, for all that, and then let ſmile or frowne who will, and I am perſwaded you will ſave your ſelves, and a ſinking Kingdom [I ſay for all that,] becauſe truly, when I read that place, 1 Sam. 28.18. I tremble, it's God ſpeaking by the Devil to Saul, Becauſe thou obey-caſt not the voyce of the Lord, nor executed'ſt his fierce wrath upon Amalck, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day; He did in part, but not in full, execute the will of God: he ſpared the fatte, and this made him leane, a man without a Kingdom, a man without the Spirit of God, and ſuch a one is a leane creature indeed: all the will of the Lord did not proſper in his hand, and therefore neither he nor his Kingdom, ever proſpered afterward. Take heed of this, and the rather, becauſe flatterers & fleſhly ſpirits are for abatments even upon truth it ſelfe; if you run to the end of the line ſay they, you will run your ſelves out of breath, and deſtroy all. What if it be the golden line that wee run by? ſuch perſons and Counſels I doubt indeed, outrun conſcience, and too faſt for ſuch an honourable body as you to follow, our ruins come not by being faithfull, but by being baſe; I ſpeake not of fidelity here, in oppoſition to wiſdom, nor any other grace, for all the vertues of Chriſt are conſiſtent, and like Ladies goe hand in hand, unto their Lord and husband Jeſus Chriſt. All our ruins at this day, are for ought I27 know, the fruits of ſuch counſels and practiſes, as before mentioned.
Nothing makes the way of a mans ſpirit ſo wide and ſweet within him, as fidelity to God and to his Conſcience: 'tis ſo in bigger bodies, nothing makes the way of a Kingdome more quiet and proſperous within itſelfe, then faithfull dealing with God, and the advantages it hath by his hand. And as for ſtraightes and difficulties which come in this way, reade that place, Iſaiah 48.20, 21, 22. and it will ſet you above them all, or any man elſe, that hath any thing of the Spirit of God in him. Goe yee forth of Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans with a voyce of ſinging, &c. verſe 20. But they might object, Lord, wee are poore and few in Babylon, that have any hearts to this, and wee are to goe a long Journey, and by many potent enemies, and alas! wee ſhall be eaten all up ere we come there, what with our owne wants and weakneſſes, and others violence. Obſerve what a ſecret anſwer God gives to this, in the verſe that followes, And they thirſted not when he led them thorow the deſarts, he cauſed the waters to flow out of the rock for them, he clave the rock alſo and the waters guſhed out: there is no peace, ſaith the Lord, unto the wicked. As if the Lord had ſaid, 'tis not a harder taske for me, to provide for you all, in your journey from Babylon to Jeruſalem, then for your Fathers in their journey from Egypt to Canaan; whilſt they obeyed my will, did they or could they want? water, bread, protectiō, or proviſion whither ſoever they went, but when nothing would draw them, and keep them on to this, then I pronounced them wicked, and there was no peace to them. Propoſe my pleaſure and to this ſubmit, and talke not of wilderneſſe, Serpents,28 Scorpions, or any thing elſe; nothing will undoe you, but diſobedience to my will. Let this place be thought on by all, when I am gone to mine. You are, Honourable Worthies, going out of Babylon, according to the call of God, which hath been long upon us by his faithfull ſervants; many of which are ſcattered, and many fallen aſleep, whoſe eccho at this day to you am I. Goe out, and leave not a hoofe: Egypt, and Babylon, and Rome, are one ſpiritually, and anſwerably ſhould be departed from. And doe not carnally object, 'twill worſe become you, then any of our Fathers heretofore, having ſeene what you have ſeene. In your wilderneſſe, in your greateſt ſtraights, God will ſtill appeare, and carie you through, ſo much is ſhadowed and ſealed in this Scripture; and ſuch perſons and Nations, as cannot receive this, have their doome alſo ſealed, No peace ſhall be unto the wicked, ſaith the Lord.
Hitherto I have ſpoken to direct your cariage to God, I have onely a word more to direct your cariage to men, and ſo I ſhall ſhut up all. Be faithfull to God, of which I have at large ſpoken; and towards men, be wiſe, and humble. Gallant things will now every day come into your hand, if you be followers of Chriſt, and faithfull to your God as he was; and as they ſhall ſtill come into your hand, chuſe ſuch inſtruments ſtill to be imployed about them, as moſt ſuite the pleaſure of God, theſe and theſe onely, will be the proſperous agents. Upon one ſtone ſhall be ſeven eyes: Zach 3.9. Be every one of you like that ſtone.Saul immediately after his unction, was much ſurely indowed with wiſdome, and obſerve, whil'ſt ſo, whom he takes next to him; men whoſe hearts God had touch'd. Saul went home to Gibea, and there went with him a band of men whoſe hearts God29 had touch'd; but the children of Beliall ſaid, How ſhall this man ſave us? And they deſpiſed him and brought him no preſents, but he was as though he had been deafe, which was heavenly wiſdome indeed. Charaſh which ſignifies much attention, and per antiphraſin, no attention at all. Surduit, ſiluit. 1 Sam. 10.27. To take perſons next you whoſe hearts God hath touch'd, will render you diſregarded at leaſt, if not ſcorned: but by whom? by ſonnes of Belial. Can ſuch a Parliament, and ſuch an Army, that conſiſts of ſuch Sectaries, and ſtrange ſpirits, ſave us? you muſt diligently heare now, that is, not at all: you muſt be deafe, this will be your wiſdome. Becauſe God hath given the Judgement of the Whore under the whole Heaven to the Saints of the moſt High, Dan. 7. And the battle-axe of Babylon is the rod of Gods inheritance, Jer. 51.19. Upon my mountaines will I tread him under foot, ſaith the Lord of the Aſſyrian: And this is the purpoſe, that is purpoſed upon the whole earth, Iſa. 14.25, 26. Whom God hath ſaid ſhall be his battle-axe, thoſe doe you thooſe: and to whom he hath given this Judgement of the Whore, to them doe you; let his pleaſure proſper in your hand. You may loſe honour & preſents from ſons of Belial this way, but you will have honour from the Lord. Neither will the clamour of ignorant unworthie perſons alwayes laſt; Adoniah kept a great ſtirre a while about his title to the Kingdome, but at laſt when he ſaw how manifeſtly God was with Solomon, he comes with other language to his mother, — and indeed, ſaith he, the Kingdome was my brothers from the Lord 1 King. 1.16. So when theſe ſhal ſee the pleaſure of the Lord proſper in the hands of his people, they will change their note, and ſay, the worke was30 theirs from the Lord; and the Parliament did but appoint ſuch as God appointed long agoe.
Towards men be wiſe, be humble; You are in place above others, but 'twill be your glory to be in ſpirit below all. 'Tis very obſervable, what Diſcipline Kings were to be kept under, by the command of God;Deuteronomy 17.15, 16, 17. They were by no meanes to ſet a ſtranger over them, which was not their brother, neither was he when ſet up, to multiply horſes nor wives, nor ſilver, nor gold, but to have the word of God diligently opened and applyed to him, that he might feare the Lord, and keepe all the words of his Law, and that [his heart might not be lifted up above his Brethren,] &c. Diſparity of place, muſt not take off a brotherly parity of ſpirit, let the place be never ſo high; you cannot want temptation to exalt your ſelves above what is here written. Jeſabel ſaid unto Ahab, Doſt not thou governe the Kingdome? Ariſe and eate bread, and let thine heart be merry, I will give thee the Vineyard of Naboth, the Iezreelite, 1 Kings 21.7. Pride is that Jeſabel, which is apt to creep into the boſome of the beſt men when in high places. What? doe not wee governe the Kingdome? is not all now in out hands? May not we doe what wee liſt, give and take, ſmile and ſlight, as we pleaſe? I beſeech you Honourable Worthies,He covereth the faces of the Judges of the earth, if not where and who is he? Job 9.24. every time you goe through Weſtminſter-Hall, and every time you enter in at the Parliament-dores, caſt your eyes upon both hands, poſſibly of one ſide or other, you may ſee Chriſt ſit in a poore oppreſſed condition, unpitied by all paſſers-by. Many a poore widow ſtands with a Petition in her hand, written with the heart-bloud of her husband, and ſubſcribed with a thouſand thouſand teares, becauſe ſhe can get no eye to reade it, no hand to preferre31 it, nor no bowels to diſpatch it; Sir, ſir, I beſeech you read this, 'tis a very legible lamentable character within, and without lamentation, mourning, and woe, like Ezekiels roll, and yet every one paſſeth by and over-lookes her: As you may eate up the ſins of the people, by winking at them, ſo you may doe their miſeries. How ſad is this may you conceive, to ſuch a poore ſoule, and how ſadning to the Spirit of the Lord that is in you, that can ſo voyde of bowells, goe by? The tith poſſibly of ſome trifling time that is ſpent by you, O what ſervice might it doe to put bread into the mouthes of many that are ready to ſtarve? Alas poore creatures, of which this Kingdome is now but too full, whither ſhould they come but to you? The widow hath no husband but you, the fatherleſſe hath no Father but you, the cripple hath no legs but you, the wounded have no money to buy plaiſters but from you, all the oppreſſed are bid by God to call you Gods, Fathers, and if you caſt them off too, when they have caſt off all for you, or if you ſhall while them off, when they tell you, Sir, this, is our laſt meale in the barrell, and this our laſt oyle in the cruſe, I muſt goe home and eate this and dye, if you doe not help me. The Lord Jeſus be mercifull to us, theſe living rafters of the houſe, will crie out againſt us all. I beſeech you, I beſeech you,Neither did ſhe ſtrengthē the hand of the poore and needy, therefore I tooke them away as I ſaw good. Ezek. 16.49 50. Honourable Worthies, let as little guilt lie at your dores, as poſſible may be, I aſſure you, Judgement lies not farre off it: I know your neceſſities are great, and yet I profeſſe my heart I feare, there be ſome caſes, if not more pitied, will make your neceſſities greater. Remember 'tis but a Kingdome of men which you rule, and that the moſt High alſo rules in theſe Kingdomes32 of men. Seven times ſhall paſſe over thee, ſaid God to that great and lofty Prince, till thou know that the moſt High rules in the Kingdomes of men, and giveth it to whom he will, Daniel, 4.32. Miſery enough attends that greatneſſe, that cannot ſtoope to hand and heart, the condition of the diſtreſſed. Honourable Worthies, I have ſaid, and with much ſimplicitie of heart, have I delivered the meſſage of my Maſter, all theſe things which I have ſpoken, I humbly judge to be the pleaſure of the Lord, which if they may proſper in your hands, I will ſay of your Kingdome as Daniel ſpeaks of Nebuchadnezars,Dan. 4.15. that let the Lord humble us as he pleaſeth, and make ſeven times paſſe over us, till there be nothing but a ſtump left (as truly now tis not farre from it) yet this ſtump ſhall be with a band of iron and braſſe.
FOr patients page 13. line 28. reade patience. For art p. 13. l. ult. read〈◊〉. for pretii peccatum p. 4. l. 22. reade peccati pretium.
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