Three Sermons, Sermon 1
The firſt SERMON.
PSAL. 122. ver. 6.
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
NOne can ſpeake more punctually in the commendation of peace, then they that have beene long harrowed with Warre, David, a man of Warre, in his younger dayes, he ſlew a Lion, he kill'd a Beare, he overcame Goliah, that uncircumciſed Philistim, that defyed the Hoſt of Iſrael, in his riper yeares he conquered the Canaanites, the Amorites, the reſt of thoſe heatheniſh Nations, he had ſeaven yeares warre with the houſe of Saul, Warre with his rebellious ſubjects, with his treacherous,… Chro. 22.8. traitorous ſonne, God witneſſeth that he had ſhed bloud abundantly, that hee had made great wars, in his latter dayes he had a breathing time of peace, in which reſpite and Interim, he prepares to build God an houſe, he rejoyceth in his preparation, and prayes for the proſperity of it, and encourageth others to pray,
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
Ieruſalem, either the City Ieruſalem, the Metropolis, the chiefe Citie, the Royall City, the City of the great King, the London of the kingdome of Iſrael, wherein the Thrones of Iudgement, the Courts of Iuſtice, Weſtminſter Hall was, wherein the thrones of the houſe of David his Court, his Pallace, his houſe, his Manſion, White-Hall was, Or Ieruſalem, taken for the Temple in Ieruſalem, the houſe of the Lord, the place whither the Tribes went up, the Tribes of the Lord, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. And ſo by a figure for the Church of God, the Temple in Ieruſalem was a type of it, Or Ieruſalem, taken for the whole kingdome, it being the chiefe member of the kingdome, the Chamber of the kingdome, the ſtomacke of that body politicke, which receives all the nouriſhment, the forraine Marchandize, and diſperſeth them abroad to every member, take Ieruſalem in the firſt ſence, in the ſtrict and literal acception of the word, for the Citie Ieruſalem, for the London of that kingdome, Then pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, for the City London, that there may be no deſtroying plague, no evill diſeaſe, no infectious ſickneſſe, no diſſentions, no diviſions, no commotions, no riſing of lawleſſe Creatures, no rebellions, no Treaſons, Pray that the forreiners and ſtrangers that are in the Citie, the Male-content, and deſperate heard, the Cananites that dwell among them, the French, the Papiſts may not diſturbe their peace, and proſperity, pray that David and Ieruſalem, the King and the City, may accord together, that the Thrones of Iudgment, and the Thrones of the houſe of David, Weſtminſter-Hall, and Whitehall, may be Thrones of Iuſtice, of honour and glory, take Ieruſalem in the ſecond acception, in a ſence not ſo reſtrained, for the Temple in Ieruſalem, for the houſe of the Lord, for the Church of God, and then pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, for peace in the Church, pray that there may bee no hereſie, no hereticall doctrine, no erronious Articles of Religion, no Trent determinations, no Socinian blaſphemies, no Arminian quiddities, no Antinomian wickedneſſes, pray that there may bee no Schiſme, no ſeparation, no wall of partition, no heatheniſh cuſtomes, no Samaritan rites, no Idolatrous ſuperſtitions, no Popiſh ceremonies, no Canons to Batter and terrifie the conſciences of Gods people, pray that the whole Clergie may be of one ſpirit, not divided, not diſtracted not torne in peeces, that one part may not ſpeake proſperity in the eares of the King, to ſend him to Ramoth-Gilead to dye there, and that the other part may not humor and flatter the people to ſtubbornneſſe and diſobedience, pray that the Church may be as Ieruſalem, a Citie compact together to which the people of the Lord may goe up without offence, without trouble.
The Temple in Ieruſalem was built by Salomon a King of peace, in a time of peace, there was no inſtrument of Iron, no toole of the work-man heard in the rearing of it, Chriſt the Prince of peace, his Diſciples the children of peace, quiet fiſhermen, not hollowing hunters, and whooping Faulkoners: may the Church be as the Temple Ieruſalem, as the Schoole of Chriſt, a Citie, a houſe of peace: take Ieruſalem in in the third ſence, in the largeſt acception of the word, for the whole kingdome of Iſrael, of which Ieruſalem was the head Citie; and then pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, for peace in the kingdome, pray that there may be no homebred conſpiracies, none left of the houſe of Saul, to wage warre with the houſe of David, no diſcontented Sheba to blow the Trumpet of ſedition and rebellion, no flattering Abſalom to ſteale away the hearts of the Kings people, no gallant Adonijah, to make a ſtrong partie againſt Salomon, no Achitophel Politician to give pernicious counſell againſt David, pray that there may bee no revolting in the kingdome that neither Edom nor Libnah, 2 Chro. 21.10.no kingdome nor Country, no Citie, nor Towne, nor perſon may fall from their allegiance to the King, Pray that there may bee no forraine enemy, no Syrian, no Aſsyrian, no Egyptian, no Roman, no Turke, no Saracen, no Italian, no Spaniard, no Dutch, no French, Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, for all the kingdomes that pertaine to the King of Ieruſalem, for all the Countries, Cities and Townes in theſe kingdomes, for the Church in the kingdome, Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, the Citie, the Church, the kingdome, Peace is taken in as large a ſence as proſperity, it comprehends all bleſſings, in the wombe of it, I ſhall principally take it, in the ſtricteſt ſence, and Ieruſalem in the largeſt, and then the duty is, Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, that there may bee no warre in the kingdome, Warre is only ſweete to them that are ignorant of it, Our kingdome hath enjoyed a longer time of peace, then ſome kingdomes have, of being, Our age hath not beene rowſed with the barking of uncouth-Wolves, the midnight drum hath not frighted our ſleepes, the ſounding trumpet hath not deaft our eares, our beacons have not beene fired, our ſhippes arreſted, our walls manned, our Townes have not beene ranſacked, our houſes ruined, our women raviſhed, our infants daſhed againſt the ſtones, wee have not ſowed and the ſtranger reaped, we have not built, and the enemy poſſeſſed, we have not beene confounded with ſtrange languages, but peace hath beene within our walls, and plenteouſneſſe within our dwellings, Peace, the daughter of the Goſpell of peace, Plentie, the daughter of Peace, Peace the glory of Heaven, the joy of the whole world.
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
IN the proſecution of which, I will ſhew you the miſery of Warre, the great danger that wee are in of having warre, the hopes that remaine to eſcape it, I begin with the firſt.
Firſt, conſider the miſery of warre, The ſword is one of Gods foure ſore Iudgements, whereby he layeth waſte and maketh deſolate the greateſt kingdomes,Ier. 15.3. And I will appoint over them foure kinds (ſaith the Lord) the ſword to ſlay, and the dogges to teare, and the fowles of the Heaven, and the beaſts of the earth, to devoure and deſtroy. For thus ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 14.21.how much more when I ſend my foure ſore Iudgments upon Ieruſalem, the ſword, and the famine, and the noyſome Beaſt, and the Peſtilence, to cut off from it man and Beaſt? Where you may be pleaſed to obſerve, the ſword is not only one of the foure, but the firſt of the foure; the moſt devouring, the moſt deſtroying, God uſually ſendeth none of theſe judgments, but when his patience is much wounded, when his Royall Indignation is kindled, when his Iuſtice is forced, when his mercy hath no more to ſay. God hath a ſtore houſe, a rich treaſury, a Magazen of judgments, there are all Inſtruments of death, and bloud, ſickneſſe to death, and ſickneſſes not to death, Agues and Feavours and conſumptions, and theſe God uſually ſends before the deſtroying Peſtilence, God hath his Staffe, and his Rod, his Bow and his Arrowes, with theſe he corrects the ſons of men, before he drawes his ſword, his ſword furbiſhed and glittering, to make a ſore deſtruction, Iupiter throwes not at firſt his dreadfull Thunderbolts, The heavens uſually grow darke and blacke, the clouds gather together, the raine falls, the lightning breaketh forth, the ſword, the famine, the noyſome beaſt, and the Peſtilence, they are in the darkeſt, in the moſt inward roome of the Caſtle and Tower, which God never opens till he be hard put to it, till his leſſer judgments are deſpiſed: ſee the method of Gods proceedings,Lev. 26.18, 28. he will proceed from few to many, from leſſe to greater, he will puniſh us ſeaven times more for our ſinnes, when the foure winds breake looſe, when any of theſe foure judgements come, then God is angry indeed; of theſe foure judgments, the ſword; the famine, the peſtilence, and noyſome beaſts, the ſword is the worſt of the foure, that which God reſerveth till the laſt, as the greateſt witneſſe of his diſpleaſure, and the ſwifteſt meſſenger for our deſtruction: any one of theſe foure, brings feare and trembling, horror and terror, paleneſſe and death: if the peſtilence, which is but Gods Arrow, if that bee let off of the ſtring, though in any part of the kingdome, the Arrow that flyes in the darke, that uſually poyſons moſt in the darke corners of the land, amongſt the pooreſt ſort of people, yet what a feare it ſtrikes into the body of the whole kingdome; if but one Citie be infected, what flying out of the Citie, what watch and ward, what ſtrict examination and doings of all that come from that Citie, every one being like Cain, afraid of every one that meete them leaſt they ſhould kill them, runnagates upon the face of the earth, Remember the feare that ſurpriſed you, when GOD ſhot this Arrow but into one houſe of this Towne, when it fetched the heart-bloud but from a few, what flying, what poſting away, your ſelves, your houſeholds? my Brethren, if the plague bee ſo terrible, what will the ſword bee, that comes after the plague, more fierce, more terrible, by how much the mercies of man, are leſſe then the mercies of God, yea when the ſword comes the reſt of theſe foure Iudgements attend on it, The plague may come alone, and the famine may come alone, and noyſome beaſts may come alone, theſe oftentimes come before the ſword, if poſſible, to prevent it, but when they cannot doe the work, the ſword will then contemne the rod,Eze 21.10 ſet at naught what ever the former judgments have done, it will come furbiſhed and ſharpened, and this blacke guard of peſtilence, famine, noyſome beaſts, will be at the heeles of it, The ſword layes men dead in the fields, it ruines Townes and houſes, it leaves the fields unplowed, unharrowed, unſowed, hence famine growes grievous, that kills whom the ſword eſcapes, the noyſome ſtinch of the dead begets plagues, that and the famine together poyſonous beaſts, travell over thoſe parts of Germany where the ſword hath raged, and tell me if the plague, the famine and the peſtilence, if one of theſe plagues be ſo terrible, what will they all be, when they are confederate and joyn'd in one, when the ſword comes there will be no eſcape, for hee that flyes the one ſhall bee overtaken with the other, The ſword is one of Gods foure laſt judgments, the laſt of the foure, that which hath the reſt attending on it.
Secondly the miſery that war brings is of that nature, that the ſpirit of ingenuous and free borne men (of which we are, if any nation under heaven be) can the leaſt brook it, of any judgment, Goe (ſaith God to Gad, 2 Sam. 24.12.Davids ſeer) and ſay unto David, thus ſaith the Lord, I offer thee three things, chooſe thee one of them, that I may doe it unto thee: It was a favour that God vouchſafed unto David, that he never did (as I read of) to any beſide, that hee ſhould chooſe the rod, David had offended, there was ſome ranke bloud in his veines, GOD muſt let him bloud, or he muſt dye, and better hee muſt looſe his corruption, then GOD loſe him; purge him God will, but whether with Pills, or with Potions, or with ſome Chymicall preparations, David hath the choiſe, chooſe thee one of them: there was three evils propoſed unto him, three of the greateſt evils, three of thoſe foure evils which God uſually reſerves to the laſt, to extremity, David muſt chooſe one, and by this he was ſure, he ſhould not be afflicted with all, I am in a great ſtraite, Hee was much troubled, terrified, affrighted,Verſe 14. whereever he ſhould make his choiſe, miſery would follow his election; the leaſt of the three judgments was plague enough, yet he reſolves, Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, (for his mercies are great) and let me not fall into the hand of man, It is uncertaine what Iudgement DAVID made choiſe of, whether the plague or the famine, 'tis certaine he would not have the ſword, hee had rather have any Iudgement then to flye before his enemies, Indeed of all judgments it is the judgement of judgments, I may call it the plague of plagues, which an ingenuous people can leaſt ſtoope to. Iob the mirror, the miracle of patience,Iob 30 1, 8. ſhewed as much impatience in this temptation as in any, I am in deriſion with them that are yonger then I, whoſe fathers I would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of my flocke, yea whereto might the ſtrength of their hands profit mee, &c. they were children of fooles, children of baſe men, they were viler then the earth, they made mee their ſong: peruſe Habacuk the firſt, from the fifth verſe to the eleaventh, Behold yee among the heathen, and regard and wonder marveilouſly, for I will worke a worke in your dayes, which you will not believe though it bee told you. For loe I raiſe up the Caldeans that bitter and haſtie. Nation, which ſhall march through the breadth of the land, to poſſeſse the dwelling places that are not theirs, they are terrible and dreadfull, their judgement and their dignity ſhall proceed of themſelves Their horſes alſo are ſwifter then the Leopards, and are more fierce then the evening Wolves, and their horſe-men ſhall ſpread themſelves, and their horſe-men ſhall come from farre, and ſhall flee as the Eagle that haſteth to eate, They ſhall come all for violence, their faces ſhall ſup up as the Eaſt wind, and they ſhall gather the captivity as the ſand, And they ſhall ſcoffe at the Kings, and the Princes ſhall bee a ſcorne unto them, they ſhall deride every ſtrong hold, for they ſhall heape duſt and take it. Bring theſe home to your owne doores, ſuppoſe that Nation of the Spaniard, which the Engliſh have had cauſe to have had in the greateſt deteſtation, and abomination, that inſolent and proud Nation, that they were at this preſent marching into the Towne, with their Colours flying, their drummes beating, their Trumpets ſounding, ſuppoſe their Souldiers, the rubbiſh, the ſcum, the filth of the Nation, were to ranſacke and rifle your houſes, or at leaſt to be but billetted among you, how could your ſpirits brook it, to ſee them ſit and command whilſt you wait and attend, to ſee them embrace your wives, kill your ſervants, beate your children, breake open your Chiſts, take away what ever is pretious in your eyes; you that are now ſo high and loftie, ſo tender, and impatient of the leaſt injury, that cannot paſſe by any offence, of your neighbours, of your equalls, of your ſuperiours, what if your ſervants, your prentices, your drudges, ſhould riſe againſt you, yea what if they, that your ſervants, your Prentices, your drudges would hate to have any ſervice from, thoſe that are preſt out of your ſtreetes, whom your charity formerly releeved, thoſe whom your moneys clothed, who while they were amongſt you, would have beene glad, with your dogges to have gathered the crums that fell from your Table, if they ſhould returne, and rule and command among you, if they ſhould with Briers and Thornes whip you every morning, if they ſhould take your cloathes from your backes, and teare your skin from your fleſh, if they ſhould lye with your daughters before your faces, and commit all villanie, and after all ſhould fire your Towne, ſhould lead you captive away, ſhould make you horſes for their carriages, ô the miſeries of war! what nature could ſtoope unto it?
Thirdly, this judgment, of all judgments, God is the moſt backwards, the moſt unwilling to bring upon his people, this ſhowes the greatneſſe of it, Phyſitians will try all meanes, before they will cut off, they will let bloud, preſcribe Pills and Potions, Sed ſi convaluerit malum, & ignis adhibetur & ferrum. The ſword is the laſt thing that God will uſe, yea God ſeemes to be afraid to uſe it, and therefore he deferres it from day to day, from yeare to yeare. They that are troubled with the Stone, they will hardly bee brought to bee cut for it, they will endure much firſt, they will try ſeverall Phyſitians, ſeverall experiments, they will ſend for the Surgeon, and they will reaſon with him, they will ſee his knife, they will enlarge their diſcourſes, they will ſend them away againe and again, and they will ſend for them againe, and for other Surgeons, they are ſcarce drawne to it,Deut. 32.26, 27. ſee the ſame of God. I ſaid I would ſcatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to ceaſe from among men, Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, least their adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, and leaſt they ſhould ſay, our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this, God loves not to afflict any, he afflicts none willingly from the heart, affliction is a ſtrange worke to him, If neceſſitie urgeth, hee doth it with the Roddes of men for their amendment, he will but correct them, not deſtroy them, he is not haſtie to cut off a member, 'tis the laſt, that which he is the loatheſt to uſe, yea God ſeldome or never uſeth this plague, this judgement, but he preſently repents him of it, and avengeth the bloud ſhed upon them that ſhed it, Reade at your leaſure, 2 Chron. 28. ver. 9. Iſay 10. verſe 12. Rev. 6. ver. 6.
Laſtly, ſee ſome aggravating circumſtances of this judgment, men are ever made the inſtruments of warre, and therefore this judgment is greater then that immediately comes from GOD, thoſe inſtruments of cruelty, the leſſe they have of reaſon, the more unreaſonable, the more fierce in their cruelties, hence the mercies of man are cruelty in reſpect of God, the cruelties of beaſts farre worſe than the rage of man, the warre of Inanimate creatures, more raging then that of the beaſt, The Lion, the Tyger know their bounds better then the fire, the water, yet the depravation of the more eminent and excellent, is worſe then the meere negation in the other: when patience is abuſed in GOD it turnes into the heavieſt fury, the leaſt ſparke of his hell, is greater than the greateſt fire on earth: when men loſe their reaſon, they are more mad then the beaſt that never had it; bloudy minded men are the Inſtruments of this puniſhment, and of them, the moſt ſtrong and ſtout and luſty, the moſt irreligious, licentious, and violent perſons, the moſt baſe, ſordid and dung-hill people; Againe in warre no man can bee maſter of his owne, where ever the Souldiers paſſe, their hands are bird-lyme, like the griping Griffin they ſeiſe upon all, The Danites rob Micah, Iudges 18.16.and Micahs voyce muſt not be heard, leaſt when he cryes for his goods, he looſeth his life, war exhauſts the Treaſures of the Land, there will be many borrowers that never will pay againe, Theeves and Robbers, The Kings Exchequer ſhall want money, the Chamber of the Kingdome ſhall bee without ſupply, then the Subject ſhall bee made poore, no trading, much ſpending, Subſidies, Fifteenes, Taxes, Privie ſeales, Shipmoneys, proviſion moneys, Conduct money, a thouſand wayes to emptie private purſes, In warre men dye many deaths, here lyes one without an Arme, a Legge, Trampled under the Horſes feete, none regards their cryes, their lamentations, The Drummes, the Trumpets drowne their voyces: In warre multitudes are led Captive, tortured and tormented, made vaſſals and ſlaves; By warre ſtrangers and enemies invade our poſſeſſions, poſſeſſe our houſes and lands, deprive us of our rights, liberties and inheritances, by warre unnaturall ſlaughters are committed, oftentimes the father fighteth againſt the ſonne, and the ſonne againſt the father, more bloud is ſhed in warre than any other way: when GOD intends to deſtroy a ſtocke, a Country, a Kingdome, he ſendeth warre: by war might often prevailes againſt right, the worſer part, the ſtronger, the ruines and deſolations of warre laſt long, after a few months, the next yeare, may ſupply the defacings of the plague, of famine; but many yeares, many ages to repaire the loſſe by warre. You ſee the miſery of Warre; As you would eſcape the fury of it, pray for the continuance of our peace,
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
Secondly, conſider the great danger we are in, of looſing our peace, of falling into the miſery of warre; GOD deales fairely in the adminiſtration and execution of his juſtice, Surely the Lord will doe nothing but he will reveale his ſecret to his ſervants the Prophets, Amos 3.7.ſeldome or never doth God bring generall judgments upon a people but hee gives faire warning, he ſtrikes not unawares; You have heard of late ſad preſages, ſignes and forerunners of deſtructions, I will not tread that path againe; The ſword is the plague we now feare, God hath given us ſome warning, the ſword hangs over our heads, God hath been long whetting his ſword, hee hath blowne his Trumpet to the Battle, he hath diſcharged his warning peeces, hee hath charged his murdering peeces.
Firſt, lay to heart that God hath already viſited us with all other plagues and judgements, yea hee hath gone them over againe and againe: how often hath the Land groaned under the plague; what dearths and ſcarcities have we had: what ſecret and waſting judgments have beene conſuming of us? GOD hath runne through his Armory, his Treaſury, Caſtles, Towers, Magazens, he hath tryed all the reſt of his judgments to ſee if they will bring us to Repentance, ſo that none remains but the ſword: hath not GOD viſited us with the plague, with plague after plague, with dearth and famine, hath he not made the heavens braſſe, and the earth Iron? hath hee not let looſe the foure winds of the earth, which have overthrowne Shippes and houſes? hath there not beene fearefull earthquakes, thundering and lightning, ſtrange diviſions, diſſentions, mutinies, fearefull ſad things amongſt us? What remaines for God yet to do? if all this will not doe the worke, but that hee ſends the ſword, the laſt, the worſt of all, See Amos 4. verſe 6. and ſo on.
I have given you cleanneſſe of teeth in all your Cities, Verſe 6.yet have yee not returned unto me ſaith the Lord.
I have withholden the Raine from you, Verſe 7.yet have yee not returned unto mee ſaith the Lord.
Verſe 9.I have ſmitten you with blaſting and mil-dew, yet have yee not returned unto me ſaith the Lord.
Verſe 10.I have ſent among you the Peſtilence, yet have yee not returned unto mee ſaith the Lord.
Verſe 11.I have overthrown ſome of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, yet have yee not returned unto mee ſaith the Lord.
He ſpeakes after the manner of men in whom juſt indignation ſtoppes the paſſage of further ſpeech, The greatneſſe of his wrath wants words to expreſſe it ſelfe.
Verſe 12.And becauſe I will come, prepare to meete thy God, O Iſrael, God will come like a man of warre, prepare to meete the Lord; See if thou be able to ſtand againſt him with his ſword drawne, furbiſhed and ſharpened, ready to make a ſore deſtruction, God hath gone over other Iudgments againe and againe, therefore we may well feare the ſword is now comming.
Secondly, God hath ſent the ſword amongſt other nations, wee hitherto (like Gideons fleece) have beene dry, when all the earth about us hath beene drencht with bloud; the ſword hath beene in Bohemia, in the Palatinate, in Denmarke; in Germany, in France, in Holland. The Cloud hitherto hath bin violently carryed from us, and hath emptyed it ſelfe in other parts; The ſword hath beene filled with bloud and hath beene made fat with fatneſſe, drunke with bloud: when the Angell of the Lord with his drawne ſword had viſited other places of the kingdome, at laſt he came and ſtood over Ieruſalem: when God hath gone through other Lands, and Countryes, through other kingdomes and Churches, he will then ſheath his ſword upon us. The Iudges they are now in their Circuit, they have their Commiſſion from the King, to goe from one County to another, the Iudges before they have done they will come in their Circuit to us, wee muſt have our Aſſizes, God hath given his ſword a Commiſſion, it hath beene many yeares in the Circuite, 'tis now come neere unto us: The ſword cannot bee quiet, See Ieremy 47.6, 7. O thou ſword of the Lord, how long will it bee ere thou be quiet? put up thy ſelfe into thy ſcabberd, rest and bee ſtill; How can it bee quiet, ſeeing the LORD hath given it a charge againſt ASKELON, and againſt the Sea-ſhore? there hath hee appointed it.
The ſword hath beene long unſheathed, and hath gone in triumph over all the world, beſides, how can it bee quiet, till it come among us? See what danger we are in, the ſword hath beene in other parts.
Thirdly, conſider warre hath beene at our very doores, we have not only heard of it with our eares, but our eyes have ſeene the ſmoake, the fire of it hath toucht our bodies, the enemy hath beene as neere us as David to Saul when he cut off the lap of his garment. The laſt yeare was not the enemy ſtrong upon our coaſt, a Potent, a powerful, a malicious enemy? I queſtion not the end of their comming, God and they know it, but was not the warre at our gates, did not the States, and the Spaniards, fight before our eyes when wee ſtood ſtill and looked on? God might have joyned them together againſt England. But he made their ſword drunke in the bloud one of another, as the Lacedemonians made their ſervants, and ſlaves drunke, that we might ſee it, and feare. Againe was not the Trumpet the laſt yeare blowne, was not a Generall made choiſe of, Leivtenants, Coronels, Captaines, and all officers, were there not many horſe and foote, they that went voluntary, and they that were preſſed? did not the King goe himſelfe, in perſon, ſet up his Royall ſtanderds, lye in the eye, in the ſight of the enemy, ſurely the ſword was then drawne, the knife was at the throate, the men of warre were prepared for the fight, there was great expence of men, time and money, yet then the Lord delivered us, he returned the King backe again, and we had peace, David was in great danger when Saul and his men of warre encompaſſed him about, yet then GOD brought Saul backe againe, Ieruſalem was ſtraitly beſieged by the Caldeans, Ier. 37.5.yet God haſted them away, warre was at the back-doore.
Laſtly, conſider the warre is now begun, the ſword hath begun to eate and drinke our fleſh and bloud, now is the time that Kings goe forth unto war, Our preparations are farre greater, our hope of preſervation farre leſſe, relapſe is the moſt dangerous; The ſecond wrath is ſeldome appeaſed, God is now ingaged in the warre, the meanes of deliverance became vaine and empty, there hath beene ryſings and rebellions in the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome, the Ordinances of warre are in print amongſt us, the men of warre are gathered together, wee waite daily to heare of ſome bloudy encounter, of ſome fearefull Stratagem, of ſome devilliſh damnable Maſſacre, ſome horrid and dreadfull Tragedy;Mat. 16.3. The Phariſees were weather-wiſe, it will bee foule weather to day, the skie is red and lowring, they could diſcerne the face of the sky, but they could not diſcerne the ſignes of the times, caſt up your eyes and you ſhall ſee a Cloud comming from the Sea, black and dreadfull, covering the face of the heaven; hearken a little, and you ſhall heare a ſound of abundance of Raine, yea the drops begin to fall upon your faces, ſtand ſtill and be quiet, and you may behold the approach of the enemy, the horror, the terror they bring with it, certainely he that ſees not that there is but one ſtep betwixt him and death, that we are all but dead men, hee is either blind or ſtarke madde; for the Sword is drawn, Warre is fully prepared, War is ready.
Thirdly, conſider what poſſibility there is yet of eſcape, what probability, what hope, what comfort remaines; Is there no balme in Gilead? Is there no Phyſitian there? Iacob was almoſt deſperate, the famine was ſore in the Land; Ioſeph was not, Simeon was not, they were taking away Benjamin alſo. The Chiefe Governour of Egypt, hee ſpake roughly to them, he impriſoned them as ſpies, hee conjures them that they ſhould not ſee his face without their brother Benjamin, Iacob was reſolved hee ſhould not goe, his ſonnes would not goe without him, the famine encreaſed upon them, ſomething therefore Iacob muſt doe,Gen. 43.11 If it muſt bee ſo now (ſaith hee) doe thus, take of the beſt fruits of the Land in your veſſels, and bring the man a preſent, a little Roſen, and a little hony, ſpices, and Myrrhe, Nutts and Almonds, and take double money in your hand, and the money that was brought againe in your ſackes mouthes, carry it againe in your hands, leſt it were ſome overſight, Take alſo your Brother and ariſe, and goe againe to the man; And God Almighty give you mercy in the ſight of the man, that hee may deliver you your other Brother and Benjamin, &c. There is the ſame beame of light and comfort left to us as was to Iacob, there lyes a neceſſitie upon us, it muſt bee ſo, wee muſt downe into Egypt, there is yet a little Balme in Gilead, we muſt take double money, increaſe our prayers to God, wee muſt pray, God Almighty give us mercy, &c. David was exceedingly diſtreſſed when the Amalekites burnt Ziklag, and had carried their wives and al that they had, captive, when all his people were diſheartened and diſcouraged, when they lift up their voyces and wept, when they mutined againſt David, and ſpake of Stoning of him, yet then David encouraged himſelfe in the Lord, there is yet this left,1 Sam. 30.8. how ever wee are ſore diſtreſſed, yet we may encourage our ſelves in the Lord, we may enquire of the Lord; Conſider therefore (to encourage you to this duty) this leading mercy that God hath vouchſafed unto us, this libertie and opportunitie, that God hath given unto us, this price that God hath put into our hands, that the whole kingdome may yet appeare before God, and cry unto GOD: my Brethren, this is not a little mercy. In the Prophet Malachy's time, when the ſtate of Gods Church and people was as deſperate as now, both in reſpect of ſinne, and in reſpect of judgment,Mal. 3.16. they that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another; It was a priviledge, they might have ſuch free acceſſe, ſuch communion, ſuch fellowſhip together, the times have beene, when the people of God have fled into the wilderneſſe, into the deſerts, into dens and caves, when they could not meete to faſt and pray, without great danger of diſtraction, of diſcovering, of preſenting, of impriſoning. The laſt yeare I heard it often whiſpered in the eare, and ſecretly muttered, that the kingdome ſhould prepare to warre, and that God ſhould not be called in to the warre, that there was no prayer, no faſt injoyned, this made ſome to feare, leaſt God would joyne againſt us; See (my brethren) the King, to whom alone it belongs to proclaime publike Faſts, hath in his pietie to GOD proclaimed a day of humbling our ſoules, and of reconciling our ſelves to God, this promiſeth ſome good unto us, it is an argument, that we are priſoners of hope, when the enemy doth parley with us: there is ſome ſigne of yeelding, when there is liberty of parley: God doth never reaſon with them for whom he hath no mercy; Hee reaſoned with Adam and Eve, he did not with the Serpent. God cannot be angry with the prayers of his people, hee is then angry indeed when he forbids his people to pray, when he takes away their hearts from prayer, when hee denyes them liberty to pray, when they are reſtrained from prayer, but when GOD calls them to pray, when hee commands them to pray, when he ſtirres up a whole kingdome to pray, when hee makes thoſe men, that have prayers in abomination, and the people of God for their praying in abomination alſo, to countenance prayer, to joyne with the people of GOD in prayer, to be of one heart with them, O what a glimpſe of mercy is this, certainly there is hope, whilſt there is but one praying Chriſtian, amongſt us, whilſt any one that hath a publike ſpirit, whilſt Moſes prayes, the enemy cannot prevaile, whilſt Luther lived, the Duke of Saxony could not be conquered, yea there is hope, if there were not one praying Chriſtian in the midſt of us, if there be any of another kingdome, that pray for us. Abraham, that was a very ſtranger to Sodom and Gomorrah, prevailed farre with God, for them, his prayer ſaved his nephew Lot, his Wife and daughters: we have a multitude of prayerfull Chriſtians, that pray daily for us, that are not amongſt us: all the reformed Churches abroad, eſpecially our friends and kindred, that are lately ſeparated from us in Holland, in New England: Yea let me appeale unto your ſelves, have not moſt of you, as Daniel did, in your Chambers faſted and prayed? have you not in your families, have not the men faſted apart, and the women apart? hath there not been private notice given, as Esther to Mordecai, Mordecai to the Iewes in Shuſan? Yea that which Crownes all, is there not now a Proclamation gone forth, through all Countries, to command every one, Church and Chappell, to faſt? my brethren, a little encourage your ſelves in the Lord; The God of Iſrael is a mercifull God, wee cannot come with halters about our necks, but he will have mercy on us. The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah will not trample upon the yielding pray. The Comforter will comfort whom he hath convinced, of ſin, of righteouſneſſe, and of judgment: Let me ſpeake comfortably unto you then, in the words of Manoa's wife unto him, when hee was much afflicted; Surely we ſhall dye (ſaith he) becauſe wee have ſeene God, No (ſaith ſhe Iudges 13.23.Iudg 13.23) if the LORD were pleaſed to kill us, hee would not have received a burnt offering and a meate offering at our hands, neither would hee have ſhewed us all theſe things, nor would now have told us any ſuch.
Againe conſider what great things, faſting and praying have done, the prayers of one man, of one family, of one Citie, of one Kingdome, God is the ſame GOD as ever, the father of mercy, the God of compaſſion: we are not confirmed, becauſe hee changeth not: faſting and prayer have prevailed, why not ſtill? Call to minde the memorable things recorded in the booke of God, eſpecially that of Mordecai, and the Citie of Shuſhan, of Ezra and his company, looke into the booke of God, and tell me if you can finde one good or bad, that ever faſted and prayed, and God had not reſpect unto it, Iehoſaphat when the Moabites and Ammonites a great hoſt came againſt them, ready to ſwallow them up, yet he prevailed; call to minde Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, in Marcus Aurelius time, and Theodoſius time, that thundering Legion, when the Chriſtians prayer obtained an admirable victory; That of Luther and the Church, when the devill brought in the covenants, call to mind what you your ſelves have obtained by faſting and prayer, I could tell you of ſome ſingular things that have fallen within mine own knowledge, wonderfull things hath the publike faſting-prayers of our Church obtained of God. Nay more to encourage you, look into your owne Towne, when God ſent that infectious diſeaſe of the ſmall Pox, when ſcarce there was one houſe (as in Egypt) wherein there was not one dead, when you faſted and prayed, how ſoon did the Lord remove that plague, an Army of men cannot ſtand againſt a man of prayer, much leſſe againſt an Army of prayers; Surely (my Brethren) it is the prayers of the Church that hath kept off judgements to this day, we have had many Ionah's ſent amongſt us, crying, yet forty dayes and England ſhall be deſtroyed: We have had dayes and months and yeares, paſt over our heads, yet no ſword, when (ſaith the ſcoffing worldling) is the promiſe of his comming, the Prophets prophecie wind, yea Ionah was angry with himſelfe, what's the matter, God hath threatned ſo much, and wee have felt ſo little; did Ionah preach a lye in the name of the Lord? No Niniveh repented, and GOD repented, Nineveh faſted and prayed, and God was entreated; They have beene the repentings, the faſtings, the prayers of the people, that have kept off the ſword to this day, God is the ſame God; his compaſſions never faile: If we pray, God will heare; See how Salomon conſecrated his Temple, he prayed,1 Kings 8.44, 45. that when the people ſhould goe out to battell againſt their enemy, and ſhould pray unto the Lord toward the way of the Citie, and toward the houſe which hee had built; That then God would heare in Heaven their prayer and their ſupplication, and judge their cauſe, the turning towards the Temple was a turning to God, Chriſt was the Temple; turne to Chriſt in prayer, and the enemie ſhall not prevaile.
Secondly, conſider (as a further encouragement to pray for peace) the enemies whom wee expect will engage us with Warre, and they are either forreine enemies, of other kingdomes, of other language, of another Religion, or they that are under the ſame King with us, of the ſame faith and Religion; Be they Spaniard, or French, or any of the Romiſh Religion, they are not more our enemies then Gods, and the warre is not ours, but Gods, God hath ſaid it, they ſhall fall before us, and he will avenge the bloud they have ſhed. The Saints under the Altar have a long time cryed, how long? the time cannot bee farre of, but that the Kings of the earth ſhall gather themſelves together, they ſhall hate the whore, and ſhall make her deſolate and naked, Rev. 17.16and ſhall eate her fleſh, and ſhall burne her with fire.
Babylon muſt fall, Babylon muſt fall, yet I cannot ſay, but for a time they may prevaile, they may ſtand, though wee in our perſons fall, yet this I ſay confidently, though we ſhould fall, our cauſe ſhall ſtand: And God will raiſe up them after us that will avenge all the bloud ſhed by them; Hannibal, when he was but nine yeares old, vowed himſelfe a perpetuall enemy to the Empire of Rome; The warre of Rome Chriſtian runnes Retrograde to the warre of Rome Ethnicke: though they had often the worſt in the preſent battailes, yet they were ever conquerers at laſt; when as Rome Chriſtian, though they ſometimes pevaile for the preſent, yet they ſhall never conquer, our warres with them, are as the warres with the Children of Iſrael, when they travelled into the land of Canaan, ſometimes they turned their backs before the enemy, but they were ſure to conquer at laſt; Our Shippe may by ſtormes and Tempeſts, be beaten and torne, be as the Shippe in which Chriſt and his Diſciples were toſſed and in danger, but 'tis ſure at laſt to arrive ſafe at the haven: my brethren, God may make the Papiſts whippes and ſcourges, hee may make them as thornes in our eyes, as prickes in our ſides, Ioſhua and Iſrael may turne their backes before the enemies, the Papiſts may have their long-waited for day, which may for the preſent bee to us as that day we read of in Ioel; Ioel 2.2.A day of darkeneſſe and of gloomineſſe, as dayes of clouds and of thicke darkneſſe, a day fearefull, as our day of doome, as our day of judgement: yet it ſhall not be our day of doom, nor our day of judgement, the ſunne ſhall not goe downe in a Cloud, when our day is over, their night ſhall begin, blackneſſe of darkneſſe ſhall cover them, the Sunne ſhall never riſe againe, they ſhall have an eternall night, they are greater ſinners then wee, and when God begins he will make an end, my brethren, we need not over much feare what Atheiſts and Papiſts can do;Iſay 10.12. what hell or Rome, what the Devill or Spaniard, there may come an houre of temptation, an houre of darkneſſe; Sathan may caſt ſome of us into priſon, wee may have Tribulation tenne dayes, but hee that ſhall come, will come and will not tarry: Our deliverer, our Saviour will raiſe up a mighty ſalvation for us; Pharaoh may oppreſſe for a time, but wee ſhall after a while ſee the Egyptians drown'd in the red Sea; They are Gods enemies, and we ſhal ſee the ſalvation of the Lord.
Are they againſt whom wee muſt fight, under the ſame King, of the ſame religion, they cannot but be as deſirous of peace as we our ſelves, we cannot fight againſt them as againſt enemies, nor can they fight againſt us; The King ſolemnly proteſts and declares to the world, be wageth not warre againſt them, his Armes are open to embrace them: What ever bloud hee drawes from them, he counts it as bloud from his owne veines, the kingdome is not forward for warre, God is called to Vmpire the cauſe, Therefore,
Pray, Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
You have ſeene the miſery of warre, the probability of a preſent warre, the poſſibility of eſcaping of it, O then pray for peace, which brings me to a uſe of exhortation further to preſſe this duty upon you.
Firſt, bee ſeriouſly affected with it, before you pray, lay the warre to your heart, thinke of it when you riſe in the morning, and when you goe to bed at night; Let the Trumpet that ſounds to this warre, bee as the Trumpet that ſounded in the eare of Saint Ierome, that where ever he went, or what ever hee did, he heard the ſound of it; It is recorded of Ignatius, that when hee was dead, the name of Ieſus was found ingraven in his heart in letters of Gold; Of Saint Francis, that the markes and prints of Chriſt crucified were upon his hands and feete. Queene Mary ſaid when ſhe was dead, they ſhould finde Callis writ on her heart; And 'tis ſaid when Sardis was loſt, that every dinner one cryed, Remember they have taken Sardis, have deepe thoughts (my Brethren) concerning this warre, becauſe of the Diviſions of Reuben, there are great thoughts of heart.
O lay it neere to your hearts, ſleepe with it, wake with it, eate and drinke with it, ſet it ever before your eyes, Vnleſſe you are truly affected with it, you can never pray effectually for it: Remember the affection of David, Pſalm. 137.5.If I forget thee 0 Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; Take to heart what Hezekiah did, when warre was threatned, hee rent his clothes, hee covered himſelfe with Sackcloth;Iſai. 37.1, 3. This day is a day of trouble, and of Rebuke and Blaſphemie, call to remembrance what Uriah did, a Souldier, he would not go to his houſe; nor lye with his wife, nor eate of the Kings proviſion, whilſt the Arke, and Iſrael, and Iudah dwelt in Tents, Nebuchadnezzar, that heatheniſh King,2 Sam. 11.11. when he ſet his heart to deliver Daniel and could not, he returned ſad to his palace, he paſſed away the night faſting he would have no Inſtrument of muſicke brought before him, his ſleep went away from him, he aroſe early in the morning, and haſted to the denne of Lions,Dan. 6.18. O ye Prieſts of the Lord, remember old Eli, when warre was at the gates, his heart trembled, for the Arke of GOD, hee watched at the doore, the Lampe did not goe out all night, the newes that the Arke was taken, ſtrooke him to the heart, Phinea's wife felt the loſſe of the Arke, more then the travell of her child, certainly (my brethren) they are neither faithfull to God their King nor Countrey, that are not affected with this war, that doe not pray for the peace of Ieruſalem. Iſay 22.12.This day God calls to weeping and mourning, to baldneſſe, and to girding with ſackcloath; They that will not this day fight the battailes of the Lord with their prayers, they ſhall bee curſed of the Lord;Iudg. 5.23. Curſe yee Meroz, becauſe they came not to helpe the Lord againſt the mighty; If the enemy ſhould break in upon us, then you would weepe and mourne; cry and howle, a grievous ſhrike ſhould bee heard among you. Then, ô my ſonne Iſaac! and ô my Father Abraham! weep and mourne, that the enemy may not come, doe as Iehoſhaphat did.
Secondly, bee not afflicted nor affected for a day onelyonly, though you begin your ſorrow to day, doe not end it to day, a woman is not long conceiving, ſhee is long breeding, ſhe is not long bringing forth, ſhee is long training up; Sow the ſeed of ſorrowes to day, and watch over it, and water it every day, weep day after day for Ieruſalem: Iſay 58.5.Is it ſuch a faſt that I have choſen, that a manſhould afflict his ſoule for a day, and to bow downe his head, as a Bull-Ruſh, and to lye downe in ſacke-cloath aſhes? Wilt thou call this a faſting, or an acceptable day to the LORD? O (my Brethren) Let this day bee but the beginning of your ſorrowes; Let GOD and the whole World ſee that you are become ſorrowfull mourners indeed: ESTHER faſted three dayes, DANIEL three weekes, the people of ISRAEL in their Captivity ſeventie yeares, abate while the Peſtilence, the warre laſteth, ſomewhat of your pleaſures, of your profits, you know what God ſaid of Miriam, Numb. 12.14.if her father had but ſpit in her face, ſhould ſhe not have been aſhamed ſeaven dayes; If God was never ſo little Angry with us, we ſhould faſt ſeaven dayes, much more now he hath plagued us with his greateſt plagues; Mephiboſheth neither dreſſed his feete, nor trimmed his beard, nor waſhed his cloathes, from the day the King departed, untill he came againe in peace; till God and the King returne in peace,2 Sam. 19.24. doe as Mephiboſheth did, ſet one houre apart every day for prayer, one day more in the weeke, eate leſſe, drink, leſſe, ſleep leſſe, put on your mourning apparell, lay by your feaſting, your banquetting, let your laughter be turned into weeping, your joy into mourning, water your Couch with teares.
Encite, and exhort, and encourage one another to pray. David doth not only pray himſelfe, but hee commands others to pray.
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
The word is in the plurall number, Then they that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another. The more prayers, the more power: we have at this day a great gale of prayers at our back; Noah Daniel, and Iob: The prayers of Noah alone preſerved himſelfe and his family, Daniel returned the captivity, Iob prevailed for his friends; if theſe ſeverally could doe ſo much with God, what can they all do joyned together? If one favourite can prevaile with the King, how can hee be denyed, when all the Court, when the Counſell, when the Kings Children, when the Queene joynes with him? get what ſtocke of prayers you can, pray your ſelves, call in others to pray; Let the Husband pray with the wife, the wife with her maides; The Parent with the Children, let one neighbour provoke another. An Army of men cannot ſtand againſt an Army of prayers: One praying Towne can overcome a fighting Kingdome, make your party ſtrong by prayers.
Fourthly, in this your day of prayer vow reformation to God: if any thing will prevaile with God, prayer and reformation will doe; Indeed you ſhould have reformed the evill of your wayes before this day of prayer; Reformation ſhould goe before Humiliation: The King of Nineveh when hee ſent forth the Proclamation for the faſt, he ſent it forth for reformation alſo: the times have beene when reformation would not ſerve the turne; There may ſo much guilt lye upon a kingdom that no reformation ſhal priviledge the kingdome.2 Kings 23.26, 27.
There can be no preſervation without Reformation, though reformation will not alwayes doe the worke, yet the worke can never bee done without it; It is the condition that GOD ever requires, that which his ſervants covenant for with GOD, that which encourageth them to pray; This ever leaves a poſſibility, a hope, a may bee: Therefore now (ſaith the Prophet Ioel, Turne yee to me with all your heart, Ioel 2.14.who knowes if he will returne and repent? breake off your ſinnes ſaith Daniel, by, righteouſneſſe it may bee a lengthning of thy tranquillity. Reformation muſt go along with prayer,Dan. 4.27. Waſh you, make you cleane, take away the evill of your doings, Iſay 1.16.ceaſe to doe evill; Reforme the abuſes, the ſinnes of the place, the drunkenneſſe, the idleneſſe, the whoring, the ſwearing, reforme the ſinnes of your houſes, the want of Prayer, of Catechiſing, your perſonall ſins, your covetouſneſſe, your pride, your oppreſſion, breake off your ſinnes, God may have mercy.
Laſtly, pray and reſt comforted in your prayer, quiet your ſpirits what you can, feare not their feare, ſhew that you can doe what the wicked cannot doe, you can Anchor your ſoules upon God. Admirable was the deportment and carriage of poore afflicted Hannah, when ſhee had powred forth her ſoule unto God, ſhe went home and did eate, and looked no more ſad; 1 Sam. 1.18.It was a good reſolution of a wicked man, yet a good Generall in the field. Be of good courage and let us behave our ſelves valiantly, for our people and the Cities of our God, and let the Lord do that wch is good in his ſight,1 Chro. 19.13. Iacob was reſolved, after he had uſed the means; If it muſt be ſo, If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. Eſther was at a point, goe I will, if I periſh, I periſh, I cannot foretell you of certainety what this day may bring forth; what anſwer wee ſhall have of our prayers, but I can ſay this confidently, and promiſe you in the name of the Lord, they that pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, they ſhall proſper, either in the publike proſperity of Ieruſalem, or in their owne particular perſon, or in the proſperity of their poſterity. The Children that are not yet borne may bleſſe you for this day. Pray then, O pray, Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, for the Citie, for the Church, for the Kingdome.