An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 2 · Lecture 8
The Eighth Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 11.
I will alſo cauſe all her mirth to ceaſe, her feaſt dayes, her New Moones, and her Sabbaths, and all her ſolemne feaſts.
THe Lord proceeds ſtill in his threats againſt Iſrael, in this verſe we have as ſore a threat as any, for it is in part ſpirituall.
Her mirth, foreign, ſo the Seventy reade it, the word ſignifieth the right temper, the right poſture of the minde, when the minde is in a right frame, then it may be merry;James 5. 13. foreign. Whoſoever is merry (ſaith S. James) let him ſing; there the word though not the ſame, yet ſignifying the ſame thing; who ever hath his minde in a right frame, let him ſing. No man can be truly merry except his minde be in a right frame.
I will cauſe [all] her mirth. Lect. 8.God many times takes away from his Saints much of the matter of their mirth, but never takes away all. This is a dreadfull threat to cauſe all their mirth to ceaſe.
I will cauſe it to ceaſe.
I will turne it away, ſo the Seventy. I can ſoone have all their mirth down, they ſhall never be able to rejoyce more if I pleaſe; it is gone all with the turn of a hand.
It appeares that Iſrael, though an apoſtatizing people, though a people of Gods wrath, deſigned to dreadfull judgements, yet was a merry jocund people, they went on ſtill in their mirth and joviallity.
That which is here implyed, is more fully expreſt in Amos Chap. 6. 4. who was contemporary with Hoſea, and hee was the Prophet of the ten Tribes as Hoſea was, now ſee there how Amos ſetteth forth the mirth of this people, They lye upon beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their couches, and eate the Lambes out of the flock, and the Calves out of the middſt of the ſtall, they chaunt to the ſound of the Violl, and invent to themſelves inſtruments of muſick like David, they drinke wine in bowles, and anoint themſelves with the chiefe oyntment. This was their condition when they were under ſuch fearfull guilt and in ſuch dreadfull danger.
Senſuall men,W…kel men though under God… wrath yet w…ll be jocund and merry. while they proſper, they looke upon themſelves as above the word, and bleſſe themſelves in the ſatisfying of their own carnal deſires, as if it were but a poore low and meane thing for them to be under the power of the word, to feare ſin and threatnings, it is too low for ſuch brave ſpirits as they have; But, come let us ſing away all care, let us live merrily, let us take our pleaſure for the preſent, and crowne our ſelves with roſe-buds.
This is the diſpoſition of carnall hearts under all their guilt and danger; They ſwim delightfully in that River of Jordan, and ſuddenly fall into the Dead Sea; they ſpend their dayes in pleaſure, and in a moment go down into hell. This is all the portion of their cup they receive from the Lord: They have a little joy here, this is all they are like to have, and therefore they will take their fill of what they have.
But this will not hold.
I will cauſe this mirth to ceaſe.
Sinne and mirth can never hold long together;Obſer. there muſt be a ſeparation between them. The union that there is betweene ſinne and mirth at any time, it is a forced union; God never joynes them together, and if you will joyne thoſe things God never joyned, your joyning cannot hold: Sinne is of ſuch a canker-fretting nature, as it will ſoone fret out all the varniſh of mirth and joy that is upon it.foreign
If you will not take away ſinne from your mirth, God will take away mirth from your ſin. It is indeed the happineſſe of the Saints that they ſhall have everlaſting joy, the pleaſures at Gods right hand are for evermore, but the pleaſures of ſin muſt ceaſe.
Thirdly,Obſ. when afflictions come upon the wicked they are all Amort, their joy, their mirth is gone. We ſay of fire, it congregates things of the ſame kinde, and ſeparates things that are of diverſe kinds. So it is with the fire of affliction, it congregateth things of the ſame nature, as thus, ſinne and horror, trouble, anguiſh, ſorrow, vexation, accuſation of conſcience, condemnation, theſe are of the ſame kinde; ſin and theſe are Homogenall; now when affliction commeth, it congregateth all theſe; Here is ſinne, yea but ſorrow, and anguiſh, and horror of conſcience ſeemeth now not to be together with your ſinne, but when the fire of affliction comes it joynes all theſe together. On the other ſide, ſin and joy, and proſperity, and peace, theſe are Heterogeneall, things of another kinde, now when the fire of affliction comes, it ſeparates theſe Heterogeneall things; then the hearts of the wicked ſinke as lead, they lye down in ſorrow, the candle of the wicked is blown out, all their mirth and joy it is but the light of a candle, affliction makes all to be but as a ſtinking ſnuffe. And indeed ungodly men when affliction comes are men of the pooreſt ſpirits of any men, they quickly dye, they ſuccumb, they fall downe under the leaſt weight of affliction; They ſeeme to have brave ſpirits, to out-brave the word of God, but they have poore, meane, and low ſpirits when they come to beare Gods hand upon them; Affliction takes away all their good, that they conceive and underſtand good. There is nothing within them to ſupport them, there is nothing but darkneſſe and blackneſſe within, nothing but guilt and gnawings of the worme; And they looke upon every ſuffering they indure but as the beginning of eternall ſuffering; And there is the venome and curſe of God goes together with their affliction, which drinks up their ſpirits.
Oh the happy advantage the Saints have in their afflictions over that the wicked have in theirs! They have ſpirits indeed that well may be called brave ſpirits,Difference between the ſpirits of the wicked and the godly in their affliction. that can ſtand under the greateſt weight of affliction, and that with joy, in the midſt of them; Paul can rejoyce in tribulation, yea and glory in it too. They have comfort in the creature, but they are not beholding to the creature for comfort; they depend not upon the creature for comfort, their joy is a great deale higher; That is precious light indeed that no ſtorme can blow out. See an example of a brave ſpirit that way, that in the midſt of affliction can have the light of joy, Habak. 3. 17. Although the Figtree ſhall not bloſome, neither ſhall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive ſhall faile, and the fields ſhall yeeld no meate, the flocke ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtals; What then? Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation: All their joy ſhall not ceaſe; perhaps in times of affliction, in ſad diſmall times, they may abate ſomewhat of their outward joy, but all their mirth ſhall not ceaſe, there ſhall be joy within, though none without.
Laſtly, I will cauſe all the mirth to ceaſe.
All our mirth depends upon God,Obſ. he can take it away when he pleaſeth. God is called in Scripture, The God of all conſolation; Joy is Gods propri…ty, he gives it when he will, and takes it away when he will.
Tou have an excellent Text for Gods hand in taking away joy from the hearts of men when he pleaſeth, it is Lamen. 3. 65. Give them ſorrow of heart, foreignthy curſe upon them: Marke it; Now that word that is tranſlated ſorrow of heart (I eſpecially take the note from thence) A word that comes from that that ſignifies a helmet, or a ſhield to fence of any thing, or to cover a thing as a thing is covered by a ſhield and helmet; And it doth note to us that diſeaſe which Phyſitians call Cardiaca pasſio, a kinde of diſeaſe whereby the heart is ſo oppreſt, and there is ſuch a ſtopping, that it is as it were covered ſicut ſcuto, as with a ſhield, there is a lid as it were put over the heart, a ſhield to keepe out all things that ſhould comfort, and to fence off all things that may be taken to be any refreſhments to the ſpirits; let the moſt precious Cordials in the world be given to thoſe that have that diſeaſe, they cannot be refreſhed by any of them, and ſo the heart comes to be ſuffocated with ſorrow. This is the meaning of the word here, Lord give them ſorrow of heart; Put them into ſuch a condition, as that their hearts may be ſo ſtopped and ſtifled with ſorrow, that what ever meanes ſhall be uſed to bring any comfort to them, let it be kept off, that no creature in the world may be able to afford the leaſt refreſhment to them; They were wont to ſhield and fence off thy VVord: when thy word was uſed to be delivered to them, wherein the treaſures of thy mercies were, and they heard the ſweet promiſes of the Goſpel opened, yet they fenced off thy word as with a ſhield; Now when they are in affliction let their hearts be choaked ſo, and let there be ſuch a fence put upon their hearts, that though there be never ſo many promiſes brought to them, they may be fenced off by the ſecret curſe.
As, Doe we not finde many wretches who have lived under the Goſpel, and fenced off the treaſures of mercies opened to them, when they have beene in affliction they have beene in horrible deſperation, and whenſoever any thing out of the Goſpel hath been ſpoken to them for their comfort, they have had ſtrange kinde of fences to put off ſuch things; As thoſe that reade the ſtory of Spira, may wonder what a cunning fencer he was to fence off all comfort that was brought to him. This was from the Lord, Lord give them ſorrow of heart, that is, Lord put ſuch a ſhield upon their hearts, as all comfort may be fenced of from them.
We ſee (my brethren) how we depend upon God for comfort, we all cry out for comfort, let us know and take to heart our dependance upon God for it, God can fence our hearts from comfort when he pleaſeth, let us take heed we doe not fence of his word form our hearts.
I will cauſe all her mirth to ceaſe, her feaſt dayes.
Theſe two are put together, for the hearts of men when they enjoy a more liberall uſe of the cheature then ordinary, and are amongſt cheerfull company are warmed, raiſed and inflamed at ſuch times, If the heart of a man be gracious, and hee feaſts in a gracious way, his heart is warmed, and cheered, and inlarged in things that are good; ſo the heart of the wicked when they are at their feaſts, all their luſts are warmed, and their ſpirits are raiſed & ſtrengthned in the things that are evil. You have a notable example of the cheering and raiſing of the hearts of men in good things in the time of feaſts, 2 Chro. 30. 21. the feaſt that Hezekiah made for the people of Jeruſalem in that great Paſſeover, the Text ſaith that they kept the feaſt of unleavened bread ſeven dayes with great gladneſs, and verſ. 23. the whole Aſſembly tooke counſell to keep other ſeven days, & they kept other 7 dayes with gladneſs. Now mark how their hearts were raiſed, and mightily up upon this, Chap. 31. ver. 1. When all was finiſhed, all Iſrael that were preſent went out to the cities of Iudah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw downs the high places and the Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamine, in Ephraim alſo and Manasſeth, untill they had utterly deſtroyed them all. Their hearts being up, and their feaſts being in a gracious way, they were ſo inflamed, that now they tooke upon them a mighty courage in doing great things for God.
It were well if it were always ſo with us when God calleth us to feaſting, (as ſometimes he doth, though not now) that our hearts were alwayes up in our feaſting, warmed and inlarged to do much good. It is that which hath been the honour of this Citie, that in their Companies feaſting yearly, they were wont heretofore uſually when they had rejoyced one with another, when their hearts were up, to conſult together what good to do for their countries in which they were borne, and then to reſolve to ſend the preaching of the Word to ſuch a great Town where moſt of them were bred, and to ſuch another Towne. This was a gracious feaſting, and for this they were much envyed at: And though theſe feaſts were prohibited upon other pretences, yet the hindering this good done at thoſe times, lay in the bottome of that prohibition.
Feaſting alſo warms the luſts,The wickneſs of men at feaſts. and deſperately inflameth wicked reſolutions of ungodly men. When a company of ungodly men met together in a Tavern, and there have drunk and eat liberally, how deſperately are they ſet againſt the ways of godlines! then they ſcorn and jeer godly Miniſters, and Parliament, and Chriſtians; they are then as if they were above God, their tongues are their owne, and who ſhall controule them? and all when their luſts are heated with wine and good cheer. Mark that Scripture, Pſ. 35. 16. With hypocriticall mockers at feaſts, they gnaſhed upon me with their teeth. Here is ſcorning and violence, gnaſhing upon the Pſalmiſt with their teeth, and this at their feaſts. Hoſ. 7. 5. In the daye of our King, the Princes have made him ſick with bottles of wine, he ſtretched out his hand with ſcorners. They brought bottles of wine, and when his luſts were heated with wine and good cheere, then hee joyned with them in ſcorning the wayes and worſhip of GOD; they ſcorned at all thoſe that would goe up to Jeruſalem to worſhip according to the inſtitution, theſe muſt be ſo preciſe that they will not joyne with us, as if wee had not the worſhip of GOD among us, they tel tales to Jeroboam and the other Princes of the godly who would not yeeld to their idolatrous wayes of worſhip, they ſcorned at their preciſeneſſe; Now ſaith the Text, The King ſtretched out his hand with ſcorners, takes them by the hand, and encourageth them in that way, and tells them he will take a courſe with them, not one of them ſhall be ſuffered to live in his dominions.
Their hearts were put all agog with their feaſts, but God hath a time to take away feaſting times from a people, a time when thoſe who have delighted themſelves ſo in the uſe of the creatures, ſhall have all thoſe merry meetings and brave times ceaſe, never feaſt more, never meet with ſuch merry company more;Animula mea vagubla blandula, quo vadis, non amplius joco… dabis. As that Pope Adrian ſaid when he was a dying, O my ſoule whither art thou going? thou ſhalt never be more merry.
For Kingdomes alſo, though there be times for feaſting, yet there is a time of mourning; and God ſeems this day to be comming to us to take away our feaſts, to call upon us to ſpend our times in another way; It were good for us to do what we can to prevent God, by humbling our ſelves in a voluntary way, to take away our owne Feaſts, and to change our Feſtivities into Humiliations. The times call for faſting now, rather then feaſting;We muſt not then feaſt when God calls for mourning. and it is a moſt dreadfull ſin then for men to give liberty to themſelves for feaſting, when God calls for mourning and faſting. It is not at your liberty to feaſt when you will.
Iſa. 22. 12. is a moſt dreadfull place, that might make the hearts of thoſe who are guilty in this kinde tremble. Verſ. 12. And in that day did the Lord of hoſts call to mourning, and to girding with ſackcloath, and behold joy and gladneſs, ſlaying oxen, killing ſheep, drinking wine. Surely this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you till you die, ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts. While the bread is taken away from our brethren, and the land is ſo miſerably ſpoyled, and when ſuch a black cloud hangeth over our heads, here is no time for Feſtivities. Whatſoever your cuſtomes have been, at this time now coming (I mean that which you call your Chriſtmas Feſtivity) you are certainely bound now to turne it into a time of mourning; For if wee ſhould grant it lawfull for men to appoint Holy-days that way, for feaſting, (of which more by and by) yet certainly it cannot be but a ſinfull thing, ſo to ſet thoſe dayes apart, as whatſoever providence of God falls out, yet they will continue what they themſelves have ſet. You will all grant this, that if it be lawfull to keep this time of Feſtivity, yet this not that that God himſelfe hath ſet apart and enjoyned. We never have it required by Chriſt, or by his Apoſtles, that at ſuch a time, juſt when the yeer cometh about, that wee ſhould have ſolemn dayes of Feſtivity. Well then, at the moſt, if we ſuppoſe it lawfull, it is but the inſtitution of man; if it be mans inſtitution, then certainly it muſt give way to Gods work, to providence. For man to put ſo much upon his inſtitution, becauſe hee hath appointed ſuch a day when the yeer cometh about to rejoyce in, that whatſoever worke of God falls out in the mean time, that calls for humiliation and faſting, yet hee will hold to his own inſtitution; what is this my brethren but to make the commandements of God to be of none effect through mans tradition? It is apparent breach of that Scripture. For this is certaine now that it is the commandement of God that you ſhould mourne and faſt, if then becauſe of mans inſtitution you will put by the command of God, and now ſpend time in feaſting and rejoycing, which ought not to be but in ſuch times when God ſhines upon a Kingdom in wayes of mercy, know this is ſin unto you. If you can ſay that God ſhines upon us now in preſent extraordinary mercies then we may feaſt. I confeſs they are extraordinary mercies in regard of what wee may hope to be the event and effect of them; but for the adminiſtrations of God towards us, they are ſuch as if ever they called for faſting, they call for it at this day. Therefore here by Gods works amongſt us, wee know we have Gods will revealed to us, namely to faſt; the other at moſt is but mans inſtitution and tradition. Now the traditions of man muſt yeeld to the commandements of God.
With what conſcience now can you take ſuch a plentifull uſe of the creature, and ſuffer your brethren to want cloaths and bread? If God have yet granted to you ſuch a comfortable eſtate that you have ſo much to ſpare as to feaſt, know you are bound in conſcience then to lay out that in relieving your brethren who have been ſo cruelly uſed, therefore God brings them to you to be objects of your compaſſion. It would be very acceptable to God if ſo much as any of you have uſually ſpent in feaſtings, or intended to ſpend in theſe twelve dayes, you would ſet it now apart for the reliefe of thoſe who want bread, and ſet the time apart alſo for mourning in your families, that God would pardon the ſinne of theſe times formerly committed. And now not only feaſts in private Families ſhould ceaſe, but the feaſts of Companies in your publique Halls likewiſe.
What abundance of poor plundered people might be relieved, if all that were ſpent in one yeere in the feaſts of your companies, were laid aſide for their uſe! Theſe are times for mercy, not for feſtivity; if wee will not ceaſe our feaſtings, let us know, God hath thouſands of wayes to take away feaſts from a kingdome, and to bring cleanneſs of teeth among us, I will take away their feaſts, ſaith the Lord.
The main thing in this verſe to be opened to you, is, what theſe feaſts of the Jews were.
In the opening of all theſe we ſhal be put upon the opening of much Scripture, and therefore I ſhall not make haſt out of this verſe.
The words here are Feaſts and ſolmne Feaſts; foreignthey are Feaſts both in your Engliſh, but the words in the Hebr. differ much, the firſt comes from a word that ſignifies to rejoyce and leape, the ſecond from a word that ſignifies a ſtated, a ſetled time. Our Engliſh word Feaſt comes of the Greek foreign a goddes, as the heathen ſo called, that which the Latines call Veſta, the goddeſs both of earth and of fire.
The Jewes had their Civill feaſts, and their Holy feaſts.
Amongſt their Holy feaſts, ſome were of Gods appointment, and ſome of their own.
Of Gods appointment, ſome were more ſolemn, ſome leſſe.
Their Civill feaſts were times wherein they tooke a more liberall uſe of the creature, in rejoycing one with another upon ſome ſpecially occaſion, this they called a Good day, not a Holy day, ſo you have it, Eſth. 8. 17. The Jewes had joy and gladneſſe, a feaſt and a good day, ſo they were wont to expreſſe the day of feaſting, facere Bonum diem, to make a Good day to their brethren, it will appeare by examining that Text of Eſther, that that day thought it was ſet to be kept every yeer, yet it was but as a good day to them, and could not be ſaid to be a holy-day; we do not read of any religious ſolemne exerciſe that they had for the day: Such a day I take to bee our fifth of November, a Good day, not a Holy-day, wherein wee have a more liberall uſe of the creature then at other times, and remember the mercies of God with thankſgiving: But wee know the day is not ſet apart for this end, ſo as it is unlawfull to be exerciſed in any other thing, and we ſhall ſhew afterward, how that dayes cannot be ſet apart Annually, or be made holy by men.
Their Religious feaſts which they preſumed themſelves to make holy, were [their] feaſts rather then Gods, and for that you have the example of Jeroboam, he appointed a feaſt even of his own head; it is in 1 King. 12. 32, 33. And Jeroboam (ſaith the Text) ordained a feaſt in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feaſt which is in Iudah, ſo hee offered upon the Altar which hee had made in Bethel, We muſt not preſume in way of imitation to God to deviſe things in his worship like to his former inſtitutions.the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which hee had deviſed of his owne heart, and ordained a feaſt unto the children of Iſrael. Marke here, Ieroboam is rebuked for appointing a feaſt of his owne heart, like the feaſt God had appointed; this is no excuſe that he would be an imitator of God. This reaſon many think will juſtifie their ſuperſtitious way, they do but imitate what God did, as thus, God had an Ephod for the Prieſts, therefore they will have a holy garment; God had a Temple conſecrated, they will have one ſo too God had his feaſt days and holy-dayes, they will have theirs too in imitation of God. This very thing that Ieroboam did, hee is rebuked for, that he would ſet up a thing like unto Gods.
Where God hath ſet his ſtamp upon any thing, wee muſt take heed wee preſume not to ſet our own ſtamp. Suppoſe any one ſhould take a piece of ſilver, & ſhould ſet juſt the ſame ſtamp as neer as he can that the King doth upon his coine, be it but a two-pence, the ſilver is his owne; well, but if he come to be examined, Why do you thus? What hurt ſaith he is there in it? I have done no more then the King, I have done but as he did; Why, may we not follow his example? will this anſwer think you ſerve his turne? It is as much as his life is worth: Juſt ſuch a plea is this, they will doe ſuch and ſuch things in Gods worſhip, why? God hath done ſo before, and they doe but imitate God; There is as much ſtrength in the one as in the other. Therefore that word here [deviſed of his owne heart] in the Hebrew comes from a word that ſignifies to lye, foreign Mendat…s▪Ieroboam did lye, Iſa 44. 25. He fruſtrateth the tokens of the lyars, it is the ſame word: Jeroboam indeed in ſetting this day apart, he did it under a pretence to honour and worſhip God, but though it might ſeeme to make Gods honour and worſhip better then before, yet the Scripture puts the lie upon it, ſo the word is; I thinke this was the reaſon he ſet it apart in the eighth month, the Feaſt of Tabernacles was the fifteenth day of the ſeventh month; now he would not alter the day, but have it the ſame day that Gods was, but in the eighth month, for the Feaſt of Tabernacles was appointed for this end, to praiſe God for the in-gathering of the fruits of the earth, and it was as upon our September; Now becauſe upon the fifteenth of September perhaps all the creatures were not gathered in, there might be ſome remaining abroad, therefore Ieroboam might have this device, he would ſtay till every thing be gathered in, till they had it in their barnes, and in their veſſels; when they had it all fully in, and it was fit to eate and drinke, then ſaith Ieroboam, now it is the time to praiſe God, you praiſed God before when you were taking in of the fruits, but you have not taken them all in, you cannot come to uſe them, but now having them all in, and now being able to make uſe of them, now is the time to praiſe God.
This was Jeroboams wiſdome, and he thought to make a Feaſt to take the people rather then Gods Feaſt. There are no ſuperſtitious men but will have ſome argument and plea for their wayes, to take the hearts of people to embrace thoſe wayes rather then Gods ſimple, plaine and pure Ordinances. Well, but though Jeroboam did it under this pretence, yet hee lies ſtill; ſo thoſe men that will take upon them to ſanctifie dayes, or places, or garments, or any geſture that God never did, though they ſay they doe it for Gods honour, to make Gods worſhip more glorious and decent; yet it is a lie: Juſt as thoſe who will make Images, brave golden Images of God, O ſay they, it is for the honour of God, but marke what the Text faith, Hab. 2. 18. What profiteth the graven Image that the maker thereof hath graven it, the m…lten Image and a teacher of lyes? If Images be lay mens bookes, they are books that have abundance of err…aes in them, they are full of lies.
Here now ariſeth the Queſtion about mans appointing Feaſts, whether there may he holy Feaſts (taken ſo in a proper ſence) by mans appointment? Ieroboam is accuſed for it plainly: and Gal. 4. 10. there is a charge upon the Galatians, and that very ſeverely. You obſerve dayes, and months, & times, and yeers, I am afraid of you le…t I have beſtowed upon you labour in vaine.
It appeares by this that peoples hearts are mightily ſet upon their Feaſts, their dayes, and months, and yeeres, they were loath to be taken off from them, ſo that the Apoſtle ſpeakes with a deale of bitterneſſe of ſpirit, I am afraid of you that I have loſt my labour; and indeed when godly Miniſters take paines amongſt people whoſe hearts are ſet upon ſuch things as theſe, for the moſt part they looſe their labour, little good is done.
Yea will ſome ſay, to obſerve the Jewiſh dayes after they were aboliſhed by God, that was ſinfull and dangerous, but we doe not keepe Jewiſh days.
But mark what theſe men ſay, God aboliſheth his owne, and yet they thinke hee gives liberty to man to ſet up others. If this were ſo, that upon Gods aboliſhing his own, men ſhould have liberty to ſet up theirs, then the Chriſtians are under a more heavy bondage and grievous paedagogie then ever the Jewes were, for it is better to have a hundred days of Gods appointing, then one of mans, it is more honourable. Further, if God appoint, there needs no ſcruple, as there is if man appoint; yea, if God appoint, wee may expect a ſpeciall bleſſing, and efficacy, and preſence of God, we cannot expect ſuch things in mans appointment. Now if this were ſo, when God hath taken away Jewiſh Ceremonies, man might lawfully appoint others as he pleaſeth, and when God hath taken away Iewiſh dayes, man might appoint other dayes, we may pray to God with good reaſon to bring us under the pedagogie of the Law again, rather then to be thus under mans power.
Thus farre we grant, that upon any ſpeciall work of God, the very revolution of the yeare hath a naturalneſſe in it to put me in mind of ſuch a thing, and ſo farre as there is a naturalneſſe in it, there is good in it, I may make uſe of it. Therefore I dare not ſay that is altogether unlawfull at ſuch times to have ſome outward rejoycing, when God doth not call for mourning ſome other way, (except the argument from the extraordinary abuſe there hath been of it may be of force) Nay that there may be advantage taken of the peoples leaſure, to preach the word, and to heare Sermons upon ſuch dayes we deny not. Wee know that Chriſt was in the Porch of the Temple at the feaſt of Dedication, which was one of the dayes of their owne appointing, not that he was there to countenance or honor the Feaſt, but becauſe he had been there before at another Feaſt of Gods appointment. Now there being a multitude of people at that time alſo gathered together, he takes advantage of the concourſe of the people to come to the out-porch to preach to them. So much therefore as we may grant, we will not deny.
For the underſtanding of this point, the ſetting apart days, I ſuppoſe there are theſe two things will be queſtioned.
Firſt, Why may not governours of the Church ſet apart dayes, as well as appoint times for preaching, or as well as others of themſelves will appoint ſuch times, as once a week ſo much time ſet apart for a Lecture?
Secondly, VVe may appoint faſt dayes, and dayes of thanksgiving, theſe are ſet apart by man, how cometh it to paſſe then that this can bee cleare that a man may appoint a time for preaching conſtantly once a weeke, and he may appoint times of faſting, and dayes of thankeſgiving, and yet not have this liberty, to make a day that may be properly called a holy-day?
VVe muſt cleare that point from this objection, or elſe we do nothing; and for the clearing this wee muſt know there is a great deale of difference in theſe three things, the right underſtanding of which will cleare all the matter.
Between deputation, and dedication, and ſanctification of a thing.
I may depute a creature to be made uſe of to help me in holy things, and yet ſtill this creature is not ſanctifyed by its deputation,Why a day may not be made holy as well as time ſet apart for a Lecture. and ſo we do a time for a Lecture, ſuch an houre in ſuch a day deputed, but the time is not made holy by it the place is deputed, but is not made holy by it.
Yea I will appoint ſuch a garment that I have when I am in ſuch a ſervice ſuch a day to weare, but yet the garment is not made holy by it. A creature is not made holy meerely by being made uſe of at holy exerciſe or in a holy thing. As thus, ſuppoſe I goe to reade the holy Scripture, I make uſe of a candle to reade it by, I doe not make the candle holy by this, becauſe I make uſe of it. If the making uſe of a creature in a holy duty did make the creature holy, then it would fall out generally in all creatures. I make uſe of the very light and the ayre when I am reading and ſpeaking holy things in publicke aſſemblies, I do not make the light and ayre holy, becauſe I make uſe of them in holy things; ſo I make uſe of this houre to preach in, though I make uſe of it in a holy duty, I make it no further holy then a man doth his ſpectacles that he uſeth to reade the Scripture by. A deputation is this, when ſuch a creature as I ſhal think moſt commodius for ſuch a ſervice ſhal be put a part for ſuch a ſervice, or when ſuch a creature, as I have uſe of for ſuch a ſervice, will be a naturall and uſefull help to me, to appoint it for that ſervice upon that ground.
The ſecond is dedication, that is when I give a thing out of my own power,VVhat it is to dedicate a thing. for a pious uſe, that I cannot make uſe of for any thing again. As when a man hath given ſo much of his eſtate to build a School or an Hoſpitall, it may be ſaid to be a kinde of dedication, he hath devoted, given ſo much of his eſtate to that end, ſo that hee cannot make uſe of it himſelfe to another end. Now we doe not ſo ſet apart the time of preaching, as that we cannot make uſe of this time for any other end, wee may as wee ſee cauſe alter it, where it is from 9. to 11, we make it from two to four, whereas if it were a thing that we had dedicated, that is given out of our own power then it cannot be changed by us. That is a ſecond degree, this is not ſanctifying yet.
Now ſanctification is beyond dedication, that is when any creature or time is ſo ſet apart for holy things as it muſt not be uſed in any thing but that that is holy;VVhat it is to ſanctifi… a thing. and though the ſame holy actions be done at another time, and with the uſe of another creature, they ſhall not be accounted ſo holy as at this time, and when this creature was made uſe of.
This is the proper ſanctification, and the ſetting apart of any day thus, that is, ſuch a day God giveth to me to make uſe of for my occaſions, if I ſhall thus ſet it a part, ſo devote it for ſuch a buſineſſe, as it may not without ſin to me (whatſoever falleth out) be uſed to any other occaſion.
And ſecondly, when I have ſet it apart I ſhall put ſo much in it as if the ſame holy actions be performed to another time, they ſhall not be accounted ſo holy as at this time, although that time hath as much natural fitneſſe in it, now I ſanctifie time to my ſelfe, but thus I cannot doe without ſin.
You ſhall finde that there are theſe two things in all holy feaſts, and indeed in all things that are accounted holy.
Firſt, it was a ſinne for them to make uſe of that time for any other thing, or any other wayes then God had appointed: Secondly, the actions that they did at that time were ſuch as were more acceptable to God then if they had done the ſame thing at another time. Yea it was ſo in their very days of humiliation, that were once a yeere, a day of Expiation, this day muſt not be uſed for any thing elſe; and if they humbled themſelves or faſted upon another day, that would not have beene ſo acceptable to God as upon this day.
So wee ſhall ſee it in all ſuperſtitions of men when they ſet apart either dayes, or places, or things, they put theſe two upon them.
As for places, They ſay we appoint a place for people to meet in a religious way; yes, but when comes it to be ſuperſtitious? Thus firſt when it comes ſo to be ſet apart, ſo as I ſhall make conſcience of uſing it to any other uſe but this; Secondly, when I ſhall be perſwaded in my conſcience that God accepts of ſervice done him in this place better then in any other though as decent as this. So for ſuperſtitious garments. You will ſay, may not Miniſters be decent? I have heard a great Doctor give this argument for a ſurplice; ſomtime ſaith he I ride abroad to preach and my cloake is dirty, is it fit for me to come into a Pulpit with a dirty garment? and therefore there is alwayes appointed ſomewhat to cover it; it is decent.
Suppoſe it be ſo, but if it be ſo that this garment muſt be made uſe of for nothing but ſuch a holy exerciſe, and ſecondly if I thinke the wearing of it doth honour the ſervice, and that God accepts of the ſervice performed in ſuch a garment rather then in another, this is ſuperſtition; as in one place in Suffolke when that garment was loſt, there was a ſtrict injunction to the poore countrey men that there might not be any ſervice or ſermon till they had got another: for which they were appointed ten dayes, and this being upon a friday, there were two Sabbaths without any ſervice, therefore it is apparent they put the acceptation of the duty upon it. So for days, for any man to ſet apart a day, ſo that it ſhall be a ſin, that a mans conſcience ſhall condemne him before Ged as ſinning againſt him, if he doe any thing upon that day but ſuch holy duties. Secondly, That though the ſame holy duties be done upon another day, they ſhall not be accounted ſo acceptable to God as done upon that day, this is ſuperſtitious. Yer certainly of this nature have many of our dayes been, for if you opened your ſhops, what a deale of diſturbance was there in the city! It was a profaning of the day, every Proctor and ſuch fellowes had power given them to moleſt you: 2. did not they account it a greater honour to God for to have ſervice read that day then to have it read upon an ordinary teuſday or thurſday? yea preaching upon a Lecture day that was not one of their holy dayes, they accounted not ſo acceptable unto God as ſervice upon that day. Here comes their inſtitution, their inſtitution puts upon it more then God puts upon it, ſo it cometh to be ſinfull.
So if you ſhould ſet apart this time you call Chriſtmas, ſo as you ſhould make conſcience of doing any other ſervice or worke that day, and beſides, you ſhould think that to remember Chriſt and to bleſſe God for Chriſt upon another day is not ſo acceptable to God as to doe it upon that day, here comes in the evill of thus putting mans inſtitution upon dayes.
Well, but this is not cleare… except we anſwer another objection. But doth not the King and Parliament command dayes of faſting and dayes of thankſgiving, and are not they of the ſame nature? Will not you ſay it is ſin for us to open ſhops upon theſe dayes.
I anſwer,How it may be lawfull to ſet apart faſting dayes and how not. our dayes for faſting and thankſgiving have not thoſe two ingredients in them, for firſt, if God by his providence call any particular man to any particular buſineſſe in his family, then (let this man take heed he doe not appeare in a way of contempt) he need not have his conſcience condemn him though he ſpend all that day in that buſineſſe. They may ſet apart a day to be ſpent publickly, yet with this limitation, not to enjoyne every particular man, that whatſoever Gods providence calls him to in particular buſineſſes, he muſt leave off all, & make as much conſcience of doing this as upon the Lords day.
You will ſay, upon the Lords day, if we have any extraordinary thing fall out, we may go a journey or doe buſineſſe, as a Phyſitian may ride up and down, workes of mercy may be done, therefore this makes no difference betweene Gods day and theſe of mans appointment.
I anſwer, Though a Phyſitian doe a worke of mercy upon the Sabbath day, yet he is bound to doe it with a Sabbath dayes heart, as a work of mercy; whatſoever calls him off from thoſe ſervices that are Gods imediate worſhip, he muſt doe that thing with a Sabbath dayes frame of heart, he is bound in conſcience to doe it ſo, and he ſinneth againſt God if he rides up and down to Patients with ſuch a heart as he may doe it upon another day, he may follow it as a buſineſſe of his calling upon another day, but not ſo now; but if he do it with a Sabbath dayes frame of heart as a worke of mercy, he keeps the Sabbath in that. But if there were a neceſſity upon a Faſt day to ride, a mans conſcience need not to condemne him before God, if he went about that worke as the worke of his calling at that time. It is not therefore ſo dedicated but Gods providence may take us off to doe other civill actions, and that as the works of our calling. Secondly, Neither is it ſo ſanctified as if the ſame works done at another day were not ſo acceptable to God as done upon this day. As our faſt dayes ſet upon the laſt wedneſday of the MonethMonth, to thinke that the worke done upon another day were not ſo acceptable to God as done upon that day, this is a ſanctification of the day, and ſuch a ſanctification is ſinne. The ſame anſwer may be given for dayes of thanksgiving. Beſides, yet there is another thing conſiderable, that is in the ſtating of the time. Though men may thus depute and appoint dayes to worſhip God, yet they cannot ſtate any ſuch dayes, but onelyonly as Gods providence calls them to it, according to the preſent occaſion.
Therefore it were certainly a ſin if a ſtate ſhould appoint once every yeer to be a faſting day in a religious way, God did ſo, but men have no power to do ſo, the reaſon is this, becauſe they doe not know but God may call them to rejoycing upon that day, they have not the liberty of the time. All that we can doe is this, when God calleth us to faſting, wee muſt appoint dayes of faſting; when God calls us to rejoycing we muſt appoint dayes of rejoycing. Therefore to appoint the time of Lent as a religious faſt is ſinfull, and the Statute it ſelfe threatneth a mulct upon that man that ſhall call it a religious faſt; for civill ends it may be, but ſtated faſts which are not limited by providence, are certainly evil; and ſo for theſe monthly faſts that are now injoyned, if we ſhould ſay we will have a faſt once a monethmonth upon this day theſe twelve moneths, or theſe two yeers, I perſwade my ſelfe the State ſhould ſin: but to have it as long as Gods hand is upon us, as long as the occaſion laſteth, and Gods providence calls us to it, that is juſtifiable.
Our Brethren in Scotland wholly deny both ſtated Faſts and all other dayes: Nay they will ſcarce agree to this monthly faſting we have, becauſe they are ſo loth to yeeld to any ſtat a jeiunia. And I remember I have heard of a ſpeech King James once made in Scotland, bleſſing God that hee was borne at ſuch a time, and was a member of ſuch a Church; and the reaſon he giveth is this: For, ſaith he, the Church of Scotland exceeds in this all other Churches. England though it hath pure doctrine, hath not pure diſcipline; other Reformed Churches have pure doctrine and diſcipline, but they retaine the obſervation of many holy dayes; but the Church of Scotland hath pure doctrine and diſcipline, and keeps no holy dayes, and therefore ſaith he, it is a purer Church then any in the world.
Thus I have endeavoured to ſhew you how far things may be ſet apart, & how far not, when it commeth to be a ſinne for any one to ſanctifie a day.
By this we may ſee what a mercy it is to be delivered from thoſe men who have robbed the Kingdome of ſo many dayes as they have, and put ſo many ſuperſtitious reſpects upon them, and ſo have involved us in much guilt, bleſſe God for delivering us from them, and for thoſe dayes that God giveth us liberty to exerciſe our ſelves in his worſhip, let us know our liberty in them. Thus much for thoſe Feaſts that are called their Feaſts, that were of their owne appointment.
Her new moons.
The ordinance of God in the new moons is in Numb. 28. 11. In the beginning of your new moons you ſhall doc thus and thus,The feaſt of new moons opened. &c. It was Gods ordinance that the Jews at the beginning of every month ſhould have a holy day, when they had a new moon they ſhould keep that day holy to God.
That which the Latines call Calends, were their new moones.
The holy ſolemnity of theſe dayes was in three things. Firſt, the offerings that were there appointed by God particularly for that time, were many & chargeable, two young bullocks, & one ram, ſeven lambs of the firſt yeer without ſpot, beſides their flower & oyl for their drink offerings, and one kid of the goats for a ſin-offering.
Secondly, At theſe times they were wont to repaire to the Prophets for inſtruction, to know the mind of God. That you have 2 King. 4. 23. where the husband of the Shunamire ſaid to his wife, wherefore wilt thou goe to him to day? it is neither new moone nor ſabbath. Indeed if it were new moon or ſabbath you may goe, but while it is neither, why will you goe? That implyeth that this was a thing in uſe among the Jewes to repaire to the Prophets for inſtruction, and to heare Gods word from them upon thoſe dayes.
Thirdly, yea it was unlawfull to buy and ſell upon thoſe dayes, Amos. 8. 5. When will the new moone be gone that we may ſell corn? they were weary of it, it ſeems, becauſe they might not buy and ſell in it.
Theſe three things we finde in Scripture upon their new moones.Benedctus eſto conditor t…us O l… na, benedictus aeſto Dominus tuus. Now Euxtorphius who relates to us the Jewiſh way, hee tells us of three other things they were wont to doe in their new moones.
Firſt, Thoſe that were moſt devout among them, uſed to ſet apart a day for faſting and prayer to intreat God to bleſſe the new moon to them.
2. As ſoone as there was an appearance of the new moone, one ſteppeth up and cryeth, O thou Creator of the moone, be ever bleſſed, and ſo he goes on in the benediction of God for this creature.
3. They uſed to leap and to reach toward the moon ſo ſoone as they ſaw it,Ter ſubſiliunt ſ…elum ver ſus quod quanto ſublimius poſſunt, taute melius eſt, lunamque alloquentes. Quemadmodum inquiunt not …e verſus ſub…ilientes attingere …e non poſſumus, ſic hoſtes noſtri omnes nos ad malum attingere nobi… que …eere non poterunt. Buxtorf. Synag. Iudaic. c. 17. ſpeaking after this manner: We reaching to the moon, we cannot reach it; ſo all our enemies that reach at us, are as unable to reach us to our hurt, as we that.
But why did God appoint this feaſt of the new moone?
It was appointed for theſe 4. ends.
1. Becauſe God would be acknowledged to have the government of all inferiour things in the world, and eſpecially of all the changes of times. As the Sabbath was for putting us in minde of Gods creating the world, ſo the new moones were appointed for them to bleſſe God for the government of the world, for many nations have attributed much of the government of the things of the world to the moone; the tydes you know ebbe and flow according to the moone, the great worke of God in the ſeas ſeeme to bee governed by God in the uſe of that creature, yea things ſeeme to be governed more ſenſibly by this creature then by others, to the end therefore that they might not ſticke in the creature, but give God the glory: therefore hee appointed the feaſts of the new moone;Ier. 44. 17. 18. 19. if they had any changes of times and ſeaſons, God cauſed it, rather then this creature, and as the heathens, ſo they called the Moone the Queene of Heaven, and they would not be taken off from offering cakes to the Queene of heaven, they attributed all their proſperity to her, as we reade in the Prophet. Now from this, God would take them off, therefore he appointed this ſolemn feaſt of the new moone,
2. God would hereby teach, that the bringing of any light unto us after darkneſſe is meerly from himſelf, and he muſt be acknowledged in it. The Moone is a glorious creature, and cauſeth much light, but ſoone after there is darkneſſe, and after this darkneſſe light ſpringeth up againe. Here is the work of God, we are taught a morall leſſon from this Feaſt, that is, Hath God at any time brought darkneſſe upon a Kingdome, or upon a Family, or upon a particular ſoul, doth he begin to bring light? He muſt be acknowledged and praiſed for it.
3. God would teach them this alſo, that the beginnings of all mercies are to be dedicated to him; when God reneweth a mercy, at the very firſt, before it comes to perfection, it is to be given up unto God; they were to celebrate this Feaſt upon the beginning of the light of the Moon.
And laſtly, which is more, this aymed at Chriſt, as all other Ceremonies of the Law did. It pointed out our condition in our depending upon Chriſt, for our light muſt be renewed by our conjunction with Jeſus Chriſt who is the Sun of righteouſneſſe; as the light of the Moone is renewed by her conjunction with the Sun, that gives the great light to the world. And as the light of the Moon increaſeth, as it takes it from the Sunne, ſo doth our light increaſe as we take it from the Sun of Righteouſneſſe. Thus this feaſt was typicall, and thus we ſee theſe feaſts were of ſpeciall uſe.
But when they come to abuſe theſe Feaſts, ſaith God, I will take them away, you ſhall have no more; and therefore Iſa. 1. God profeſſeth a loathing of their feaſts, and amongſt others of their New Moones. Not but that they were holy in themſelves, but when they came to abuſe them, by adding their owne ſuperſtitious vanities, or elſe had not the due end for which God appointed them, then God is offended. Now ſaith God, you acknowledg darkneſſe to be from me, and light to be from me, and change of time to be from me, but what uſe do you make of your time? You ſeeme to give up the mercies you receive unto me, but you do not honour me with them, nor for them.
You ſeem to think of the Meſſias in theſe things, but your hearts are not with him, but all your wayes are after your luſts. I loath your feaſts. Juſt as if a man comes to God, and prays devoutly, Lord lead me not into temptation, and aſſoon as he has done, he preſently goes into wicked company, God loatheth you for going quite croſſe to your prayers; you pray, Lord give us this day our daily bread, as if you ſhould ſay, Lord I depend upon thee every day for my bread, and for a bleſſing upon all my outward eſtate; and aſſoon as you have done, you cozen, and cheat, and goe preſently to the Devill for your bread: God loatheth theſe prayers of yours, as God loatheth their New Moons, becauſe when he appointed ſuch a worſhip for thoſe and thoſe ends, yet they went quite contrary.
Yet there are two th…ngs exceeding obſervable about theſe New Moones. We often read of theſe things, but we paſſe them over and do but little mind them.
Firſt, God will have the glory of his creature, of the New Moone, and that ſolemnly, yet it muſt be at that time when the Moon is very little, ſcarce any at all, it muſt not be at the full, when the Moon is moſt glorious, God doth not call to be glorified in that creature when it is fulleſt of glory; but when that creature is (as wee may ſay) in the meaneſt condition, when it hath but a little light beginning, ſcarce any at all, then God will be glorified. This is the inſtruction and morall leſſon from hence, which is no ſtrained one, but I think intended by God himſelfe, in appointing this feaſt, in that God will have the glory due to him from this creature in the beginning of its light, rather then at any other time. We are taught in this,
That there is a great deale of danger when we are giving God the glory of the creature,Obſer. of ſticking in the creature, and not paſſing through the creature ſpeedily enough, and going from it to God. God is very jealous of his glory this way. God hath made many glorious creatures indeed, & he would have his glory from all his creatures, he would have us give due eſteeme to his creature; but when we eſteem it for any excellency there is in it, God is jealous leſt any of his glory ſhould ſtick in the creature, therefore he cals for it at that time when the creature is moſt meane. That is the reaſon that Gods Ordinances are ſo plain, we have but plaine bread, and plain wine, and a plaintable, and no brave pompous attire, becauſe God ſaw that when wee are to deale with him ſpiritually, if we had pompous things we would ſticke there; and we ſee men that are taken ſo with pompous things, they give not God that glory that is due to him, but they ſtick much in the creature, and honour it rather then God. It ſeems that the Heathens making the Moone to be their goddeſſe, eſpecially looked at it when it was moſt light, as appears, Iob 31. therefore Iob to cleare himſelfe from that idolatry, ſaith, If I beheld the Sunne when it ſhined, or the Moone walking in brightneſſe: They uſed to worſhip the Moon thus when they ſaw it walke in brightnes, becauſe they could not reach the Moon, they kiſt their hand, and ſo bowed to the Moon in acknowledgment of a Deity, therefore Job would free himſelfe from that, If I beheld the Moone walking in brightneſſe, or if my mouth have kiſſed my hand, that is, ſaith he, I have not worſhipped this creature. This is it I note it for, that when the creature is moſt glorious, there is danger of giving God the leſſe. It is thus with us many times, God hath many times more glory from us when our eſtates are little, then when they are very great; there is many a man, who when hee hath beene in full light of proſperity never minded God, bus when God hath brought him into darkneſſe, then he hath given God glory, and then it hath been indeed moſt acceptable, becauſe then he ſees Gods hand helping him without the creature.
Further, God had moſt glory from the Moon when it had the leaſt light, ſo God may have glory from us though our light be extinguiſhed, it is no great matter.
There is yet another thing that is remarkable concerning this Feaſt. You ſhal obſerve what difference there is between the Feaſts of the new Moones by Gods appointment under the Law,Lect. 9. and the Feaſts of the new Moones as they are ſet forth to us in Ezek. I lay this for a ground, that thoſe Chapters in Ezek. from the fourth & ſo on, though they ſeem to ſpeak of the Iews ceremonies, and Temple, and Feaſts, yet the ſcope of thoſe texts is to ſet out the glorious condition of the Church of God in the time of the Goſpel; As in Iſa. 66. 22. Then they ſhal worſhip me from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from Moon to Moone, that is, their conſtant worſhip ſhal be in compariſon as a Sabbath, and they ſhal not only worſhip me at the beginning of the Moon, but all times, their worſhip ſhal be ſo full & ſo conſtant: Therefore though in that place of Ezek. there be ſpeaking of new Moons & other Feaſts, yet it is to ſet out the condition and bleſſed eſtate of the times of the Goſpel under thoſe ſhadows & types, the Prophet ſpeaking according to the Jewiſh language in that way. This being granted, let us compare the inſtitution of the Feaſt of the new Moon, In Num. 28. with what is laid in Ezek. 46. in Num. 28. they were to offer for a burnt offering two Bulloks, one Ramme, & ſeven Lambs, but in Ezek. 46. 6, In the daies of the new Moon there ſhould be but one bullock & ſix lambs. God himſelf had ſaid, that in their new Moons they ſhould offer two Bullocks & ſeven Lambs, yet when the Prophet would ſet out a more glorious condition of the church, he ſaith, they ſhould not offer ſo much as they did before, they ſhould offer but one Bullock and ſix Lambs.
What are we taught from this? We are taught by this two excellent leſſons, which are the reaſon of the difference. Firſt, that there is ſuch a bleſſed eſtate of the Goſpel coming, that ſhall not be ſubject to ſuch changes as hath been heretofore, but a more ſetled condition of peace and reſt, ſo that they ſhall not have ſuch occaſion to bleſſe God for his providence in the changes of times as before they had. Their ſolemnity of the new Moon, that is, of doing that ſpirituall thing that was done in a ceremonious way, that was to give God the glory for the change of times: now in the times of the Goſpel they ſhall not have ſo many Sacrifices, to make it ſuch a ſolemn buſineſs as it was then, Why? becauſe the Church ſhall be in another condition of more reſt & ſafety, and more conſtancy in their wayes, not hurried up and down by mens humors, and luſts, and wills as before. Secondly, that the ſtate of the Goſpel ſhall not be ſo ſubject to danger neither as it was before, there ſhall not be that occaſion to bleſſe God for bringing of light preſently after darkneſs, for that is one end of the Feaſt of the new Moon, that when they could not ſee the Moone a great while, and it was darke, as if that creature had been loſt out of Heaven, now they ſee it againe they were to bleſſe God for it: But in the time of the Goſpel that is comming, there ſhall be no ſuch darkneſſe, this time is not yet come, we yet had need to have our ſeven lambs and two bullocks for we have much darkneſs, thoſe places in Ezek. aime at ſome ſpeciall time more then other, there is a glorious time of the ſtate of the Church, when there ſhall not be ſuch occaſion of bleſſing God for delivering us from darkneſſe as there hath beene.