Sermons, Sermon 4 – Dedication 5
A Sermon Preached before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, upon their Extraordinary day of Humiliation, Octob. 22. 1644.
2 Sam. 15. ver. 25, 26.
And the King ſaid unto Zadok the Prieſt, carry back the Ark of God into the City. If I ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again and ſhew me both it, and his habitation.
But if he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him.
THe Religious King Jehoſaphat hearing that Moab, Ammon, and Others were in march againſt him; took the alarum, and firſt drew up his people into a poſture of Faſting and Prayer, 2 Chron. 20. 1, 2, 3. and the anſwer from God was preſent, for the Spirit of the Lord came upon a man in the midſt of the Congregation, v. 14. and he ſaid, Hearken ye all Judah, and ye Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and thou King Jehoſaphat. Thus ſaith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor diſmay'd by reaſon of this great multitude, For the Battel is not yours, but Gods. Ye ſhall not need to fight in this battel, ſet your ſelves ſtand ye ſtill, and ſeè the ſalvation of the Lord v. 15, 16.
Had I ſuch a meſſage from God unto you at this time, or ſuch as that which Paul deliver'd to them in the Ship with him, when they ſeemed to be at the laſt caſt: There ſhall not a hair fall from the head of any of you, Acts. 27. 24. it would be a good Breakfaſt unto you; but ſuch is the caſe of God… people ſomtimes, that the Prophet being asked. Can theſe Bones live? anſwered, O Lord God thou knoweſt, Ezech. 37. 3. and they in Joel 2. 14. were at their quis novit.? Who knoweth if God will return, and repent, and leave a bleſſing behind him? As David in this Text was at his If, and If. If I ſhall find favour, &c. But if he ſay I delight not in thee, &c.
The Text holds forth unto you the equal temperament, and the even poize or poſture of a gracious ſpirit in a doubtful condition: He whoſe heart is ſteered by ſuch a Compaſs, will ride even in all ſtrait Seas whatſoever. I ſhall but briefly touch the hiſtorical part, becauſe it hath not much influence into the Text.
Abſalom had ſtolen the hearts of Iſrael into an Inſurrection againſt his Father, the Conſpiracy was both ſudden and ſtrong. David being in fear of ſurpriſal, reſolves to flee from Jeruſalem. There was a hand of God in this, for he had told David beforehand, that for the matter of Ʋriah he would raiſe up evil againſt him out of his own houſe, 2 Sam 12. 11. Now it is come to paſs, The Prieſts and Levites would go with David, bearing the Ark of God: But whatſoever ſuperſtitious conceit the people had in bringing the Ark of God from Shiloh into the Camp againſt the Philiſtines; David had none, for he had learned by that example, that even the Ark might fall into Philiſtines hands, 1 Sam. 4. 3. Therefore he ſaid to Zadok, carry back the Ark of God into the City; If I ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and I ſhall ſee it and his habitation foreign, ſay the Septuagint: The Beauty or Comlineſs o… it: But if he ſay thus, I delight not in thee, Here I am. Where you find no diſcompoſure or aeſtuations of ſpirit in David, no exclaiming againſt the impiety of his Son, or againſt the unkindneſs and ingratitude of Iſrael, no curſing of his ſtars, no bitter invectives againſt male-inſtruments, for theſe things are but the ſludge that is uſually caſt forth by the overflow of diſtempered ſpirits.
But being of an equilibrious frame of ſpirit, lays himſelf down at the feet of God, whether he pleaſe to lift him up, or tread upon him, and in happy compoſure of himſelf comes to an anchor, even then when in regard of the event of the ſtorm, he is at his if and if.
There are ſix things in the text which I might work upon, as affording ſeaſonable matter for this time.
1. David reſolves all into God, all events and iſſues, whether they be pro or con, for good or evil. If I find favour, &c. but if he ſay thus, &c.
2. He makes Gods favour to him the ground of Gods reſtoring him, or bringing him back again; If I find ſav…ur in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again.
3. He caſts up the events both wayes, not being able to reſolve the skales either one way or other. If ſo then thus. If ſo then ſo.
4. Every way he is reſolved to be at Gods diſpoſe, if the worſt come that can come, yet ſaith he Here I am.
5. He ſtates his happineſs to conſiſt in the fruition of God, and of his Ordinances. He will bring me again, and ſhew me both his Ark and his habitation.
9. His affliction or utter overthrow he expreſſeth by this phraſe; Good in Gods eyes. Let him do to me that which is good in his eyes.
Doct. 1 David reſolves all events into God, whether pro or co…, for good or evil. It could not be but a time of fear and grief unto him, had he looked to the clouds that were now thickning againſt him, God was now remembring his former hamous ſins, and the people were up in armes, but he ſeems not to value or caſt up that which made againſt him, So as to overthrow his faith or dependance upon God, as it is ſaid of Abraham, R…m. 4 19 foreign, He conſidered not. His own body being dead, &c. that is, he vied not any improbabilities againſt God, ſo neither doth David conſider things, either …. To ſink under the reckoning of ſuch things as threatned him The unkindneſs of his beloved ſon cap. 16. 11. My ſon that came out of my bowels. The defection of the people from him. Cap. 15. ver. 13. The hearts of the men of Iſrael are after Abſalom. The ſtrength of the conſpiracy, ver. 12. the couſpiracy was ſtrong. The wiſedom and policy of the enemy, ver. 31. Achi…pel it among them. The ſuddeneſſe of the inſurrection, ver. 14. Ariſe, let us flee, for we ſhall not elſe eſcape.
Or 2. to bear himſelf up by ſuch things as might ſeem to make for him, Jeruſalem adhered to him in their affections; the Prieſts, and Levites followed him, all the countrey thereabout wept for him: ver. 23. ſome faithful men were reſolved to run the ſame hazard with him.
But whatſoever made either againſt him or for him as if the total ſum on both ſides had been but Cyphers ſet over againſt one an other. He reſolves himſelf and all into God, if I find favour in his eyes &c. but if he ſay thus I delight not in thee &c. and if we view David well, we ſhall obſerve, that he was a man very happy in this frame of ſpirit. Doth Michol ſcoffe him for his zeal? I will be more vile ſaith he it is for God. Doth Shimei curſe him? its God that hath bidden him. Hath he loſt all at Ziglag? why yet he encouraged himſelf in God. Doth he flie before his ſon? he reſignes himſelf up into the hand of God and indites a Pſalm, namely the third Pſalm, wherein is the firſt Selah in all the book of Pſalmes, he had it ſeemes his elevations of ſpirit even at this time, what an excellent ſpirit is there in a godly man, he will be happy either in the fruition of God in peace: or in ſubmiſſion to God under calamity: he is foreign, hath a ſquare ſide to fall upon be he thrown where or how the enemy can.
Ʋſe. That which I draw from this firſt head by way of uſe is to exhort you to reſolve all your thoughtfulneſs, cares, feares, doubts, queſtions upon God, What without uſe of means? No that's madneſs, as we muſt ſow to the ſpirit, ſo we muſt ſerve providence. God will not be tempted into miracles, David at this time had ſent forth his eſpialls and intelligencers, he had a counter-mining Huſhai in the counſels of the enemy: To have means in our hand, and not to uſe them, is ſecure unbelief, to uſe them and truſt in them, is proud unbelief, and this is our epidemick ſin, when we ride upon the arm of fleſh then we gallop, when we are unhorſt and ſmitten off that, then we lie deſpondent and cannot keep our legs, either we ſwell or ſink, in our victory and ſucceſſes hitherto God hath firſt ſhown us the vanity of our ſtrength, and then made bare his own arm. Its even ſome loſſe to our ſelves, that he muſt diſtrain for his honour before we give it to him. In our ſucceſſes we are proud rather then, thankful, in our ſtrokes we are rather broken then humbled, oh that we would caſt away theſe bladders that help to drown us. The ſtile of man is Alexander or Caeſar hath gotten ſuch a victory; But the ſtile of Scripture is, The Lord dicomfiled Siſera before Barak Iudges 4. 15. 23. It was ſaid the ſword of the Lord and of Gideon. How poor an army was it with which the ſword of the Lord was coupled, yet the victory was ſo examplary and ſignal, that it is made a pattern of an utter overthrow, Iſay 9. 4. as in the day of Midian and again, do to them as to the Midianites Pſa. 83. 9. and therefore as it is in Tragoedies when the ſcene is come to ſuch a paroxiſm, or ſuch a knot as there ſeems to be no way out: then Deus a machina, comes in and heales all. So when things are doubtful deſperate, inextricable, let God have your eyes, who can reſolve every riddle and lead you out of the Labyriuth.
And there is reaſon for it, why at ſuch a time as this, when there is ſo much at ſtake, you ſhould reſolve all your thoughts into God; becauſe events and iſſues are his, duty is yours but iſſues are out of your Sphaere. The Enemy may heat his oven but he cannot make the fire to burn the three children. Balaam may ſet up his Altars, and offer his ſacrifices, but he cannot ſpeak inchantments when he hath done all he can. It may be obſerved, that though the devil begin the tragedy with I…b, and the Sabeans and Caldeans act in it, yet the end is not called theirs, it is foreign, James 5. 11. The end of the Lord, Whatſoever the premiſes may be, God drawes the concluſion, and that by another manner of inference than is in our mood and figure, we have this hope, that if God bring his people into the wilderneſs, he will alſo bring them out. He will give them their vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope, Hoſea 2. 15. Let us not trouble our ſelves about that which is Gods work and not ours, let us not only look at the ſtorm that threatens us, but to the ſteers man, that ſits at the he…m to pilot us through all difficulties. Noah need not beat his head about a monntain or place for the Ark to reſt upon, God will find an Ararat in the end.
He makes Gods favour to him, the ground of Gods reſtoring of him, or bringing him back again; If I ſhall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again. Free grace is the refuge or the plea of the moſt righteous man. Noah was a juſt man, and perfect in his generations, and walked with God, and he found favour (ſaith the Text, Gen. 6. 8.) in the eyes of the Lord, but ſome may ſay, why doth David appeal to favour? was he not innocent as to Abſolom, who roſe up againſt him; and as to them that roſe up with Abſolom? was there not ſin in the adverſe party? and godlineſs on his part? there is no queſtion of it; but yet David had former ſins which were now remembred to him, and he flies to meer grace and favour, and inſiſts on that plea. It was favour and meer grace that put Noah into an Ark, when all the world beſides was drowned; And what is it but Grace and Favour, that hath ſhut you up into an Ark of ſafety: Now when ſo many Families and Countries are brought under ſpoil and miſery, and (which is not the leaſt part of mercy) hath freed you from temptations of betraying either your lives or your conſciences, and from being put to ſuch diſguiſements of your ſelves, as Dawas, when he changed his behaviour before the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 21. 13, When God comes down in judgement againſt a people, there is ordinarily a reaſon to be found in themſelves. The Marriners knew that the ſtorm fell upon them for ſome cauſe, and therefore they went to the lot. And David when the famine did hang upon the Land from year to year, inquired of the Lord for what it was, 2 Sam. 21. 1, And for our own caſe, there is certainly a reaſon in our ſelves why the Sword is ſo long in our bowels, which we ſhould ſearch out upon theſe days of inquiry; for the ſmarting corroſive would drop off, if it did not find raw matter in the ſore, which makes it ſtick faſt, and eat into the quick. But now for the matter of our recovery, if ever God bring us again to ſhew us his Ark, and his Habitation, it muſt, it will be meer grace and favour, which grace is as powerful as it is free: Powerful, I ſay, to break through all obſtructions, lay flat all Mountains of oppoſition, remove all impediments; and therefore it is ſaid; If I find favour, he will bring me again; let Abſolom, let Achitophel, let them all do what what they can: As ſome worthy Divines do aſſert grace to work irreſiſtibly in a mans converſion, ſo may I aſſert it as irreſiſtible in reducing and bringing back his Churches and people, from under the yoke of any enemy; God that works graciouſly, works omnipotently and we know as little Why as How. This is that which doth moſt indear God to an unworthy ſinner, and which doth moſt kindly melt the heart towards God again. Nothing doth ſo at once raviſh the heart into admiration, and lay it low in ſelfconfuſion.
The Inferences which I draw from this Point by way of Uſe to our ſelves, are theſe;
1. Doth David now at this time when he might eaſily in his affliction ſee his former ſins, the greateſt that are recorded of him in the Scripture Faſten his eye upon the free grace of favour of God, as to which his reſtoring was poſſible? then why may not we, who are now under wrath for thoſe many heynous national ſins of ours, fly to this free grace of God. and therein likewiſe apprehend a poſſibility of our reſtoring, we are not ſhut out by our ſins from free grace; that which takes away our iniquities, is not taken away by them▪ all the aggravations of our ſin, do not prohibit our application to it, nor bind the hands thereof.
2. In that David builds not upon the ground of either the enemy his wickedneſs, or his own godlineſs and integrity, but derives his bringing back again from meer favour: it may reach us to caſt away all falſe flattering arguments, which are the foundations of our proud hopes; one while we look on the prophaneneſs and wickedneſs of our enemies, and gather thence a kind of ſelf-preſumption, as though God might not uſe ſuch ſcorpions to correct his own people withal; or not ſell the Iſraelites into the hand of Moab, Ammon, Philiſtines, people worſe than themſelves; otherwhiles we applaud our own godlineſs and ſincerity, and do bottom our expectations rather upon ſomewhat in our ſelves, than the free grace and favour of God to us.
Doct. 3 David caſts up the events both ways; If the Lord will ſhew me favour, then thus. If he ſay I delight not in thee, then ſo: He could not reſolve himſelf as touching the particular what God would do with him. And are not we in a like predicament at this time? doth not the Lord hold us in ſuſpence? and is not the ſhip filled with water again, after that it hath been pumped almoſt empty? is there yet any certain foreign of our eſtate? David might have ſaid ſomething for himſelf. Himſelf was a godly man, an honeſt party adhaered to him. The Prieſts and Levites were ready to follow him; and theſe things were good abodements; yet he ſaith, if and if, and ſo it may be with us; and therefore we ought to caſt up events both ways, not to create doubtings in our ſelves, or diſtruſt in God, but
1. To this end, That we may be fortified againſt the offence and ſcandal that may be taken, if we ſhould ſee Chriſt Jeſus led to be arraigned, and crucified, for what would become of us then, that have always expected a temporal and flouriſhing eſtate from him? Might we not for want of forecaſt of ſuch a thing, come to warm our ſelves at the High Prieſts fire, and earn it full deerly, wi…h a non putaram, or with the denial of our Lord.
2. To the end that we may know our own hearts, for he that feeds himſelf with confidence that he ſhall never be moved, ſhal never know his ſpirit what mettal it is of the foreign, or reaſonings of his heart will never be known unto him, for is it not plain enough, that many Samaritans that claim kindred of the Jews, whiles they proſper, do diſclaim their acquaintance when they ſee them going down; are not many of us friends to the fortune of the cauſe, and not to the cauſe it ſelf. Durſt Shimei open his mouth againſt David, until he ſaw him flying? Put the caſe then both ways, and ſearch your hearts, whether your compaſs will not vary at ſuch a time, but ſtill point to the true pole, and whether you can and wil abide in the Ship, when it ſeems neer to breaking all to pieces.
And there is reaſon why we ſhould caſt up events both ways, not ſo much in reſpect of the cauſe it ſelf, as in reſpect of our reſolutions and ſtanding to it, for the cauſe of God and of Religion will proſper, and will ſwim ont of all waters; of that we have no doubt, though the viſion be yet for an appointed time. Though God drive with Abraham until the date of his body be out, yet the promiſe ſhall beget Iſaa… out of a dead root; and if there ſhall not be left an Iſralite to reſcue the Ark of God out of the Philiſtims hands, the Ark ſhall reſcue it ſelf, and come home alone.
This is our confidence as concerning the cauſe of God in it ſelf, and as touching our ſelves, God hath not left us hopeleſs for he hath a great harveſt of his faithful people in this Land, and no Husbandman ever laid his field fallow, while the corn was yet ſtanding upon the ground, untill he had inned his crop, but yet there is reaſon why we ſhould caſt up both events.
The firſt reaſon, I ſhall gather up into three heads.
Reaſon 1 1. The ſins we lie in and under. 2. The unpreparedneſs that is in us to cloſe with God, his …y, his truth. 3. The ill ſymptomes that put forth themſelves in us.
1. The ſins we lie in and under, and firſt that maſſe of National ſin, which hath been gathering into a heap for fourſcore years together and upward, ſins of all kinds under the Goſpel, and againſt the Goſpel, Idolatry, oppreſſion, abuſe of plenty and peace, as the Apoſtle ſaith of the workes of the fleſh, Gal. 5. 19. They are manifeſt which are theſe, and ſuch like. So I ſay of the ſins of this Nation, their aggravations are great, themſelves are great. If I ſhould go about to number them, I muſt adde an etcaetera at the end, as the Apoſtle doth, and theſe are they which may juſtly put in a caveat, or a notwithſtanding in our way, as the ſins of Manaſſes did to the Reformation made by Joſiah, 2. Kings. 23. 26 Notwithſtanding the Lord turned not away from the fierceneſs of his great wrath; But then ſecondly our wilderneſs-ſins threaten us much. For as it was not Iſraels Egipt ſinnes which ſhut them out of Canaan, and held them ſo long in the Wilderneſs, but their Wilderneſs-ſins; ſo they are our Wilderneſs ſins, that preſage ill to us, thoſe I mean that are upon us, ſince God came down to plead with us face to face, and to bring us upon the way, and they are our want of ſound Humiliation and brokeneſs of heart; for though we be broken yet we are not humbled: we are broken in our families, in our eſtates; The Kingdom is broken with our ſins, and with the ſword, but our hearts are not broken for our ſin. We are as weary of our faſts, as of our wars: our ſolemn dayes are wantonized with curled, bare and ſpotted pride to this day: our ſackcloth is grown into a faſhion and form, and by many laid aſide, the ſword drawes forth our blood, becauſe ſin drawes not forth our teares: ſurely God hath an anſwer ready to that queſtion; Wherefore have we faſted, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have we afflicted our ſoul, and thou takeſt no knowledg? I ſay 5. 8. 3. O that the Land would own its own ſins! for though we can all cry, It is ſin, yet when we ſhould come to particulars, Then it is with us as with Joſephs brethren: Thou didſt it, and Thou didſt it. The ſerpent ſaid ſhe: the people ſaith Saul: the people ſaith Aaron; We all acknowledg that there is ſin amongſt us, ſome where in the general, no where in particular: the people lay the blame on th… Magiſtrate, the Magiſtrate on the people, and ſo our ſins are never found at home; let us ſurvey our ſelves and deale impartially. Are not ſelf ends-ſerved upon the publike calamities, by ſuch as come to the common ſcarre fire, not to quench it, but to fiſh for what they can get? Is there not a great neglect of perſonal reformation; even by ſuch as cry for reformation Eccleſiaſtical? Is the power of godlineſs ſought by them who call for purity of Ordinances? is not charity cold? I might call it Juſtice toward thoſe that have drained their own wells dry, and cannot now get water to quench their thirſt? are there not delayes and obſtructions of Juſtice? are there not miſcarriages in inferiour officers and inſtruments that are too ſharp bitten, and prey for themſelves under colour of ſervice to the State? And may not the Lord renew that old ſaying: For three tranſgreſſions, and for fo…r I will not turn away the puniſhment of your Land, Amos 1. ver. 3. 6. &c.
2 The unpreparedneſs that is in us to cloſe with God, his way and truth, many think it religion enough to cry King and Parliament, with them the power of godlineſs lies under as great ſcorn and diſreliſh as ever, and though we have ingaged our ſelves by Covenant, yet is that Covenant made by many but as it were a faſt and looſe knot, or a meer Shibboleth of diſtinction between party and party, how many are willing to compound for ſuch a Reformation as may ſerve ſelf-intereſts, or politique reſpects, making their own ends the ſtandard of Reformation, not the word or glory of God? What fear is there in many of the ſtrictneſs of it? What jealouſie leaſt it ſhould clip the wings of civil authority, and power? being ſtartled at the name of jus divinum, as Herod was when he heard of one that ſhould be born King of the Iewes, a vain fear. For he that ſaith by me Kings reign, doth not by his Goſpel pull them down date Deo and date Caeſari are no waies inconſiſtent.
The Symptoms that are upon us, are very ill abodements, as namely, the diviſions and ſidings in matter of Religion, which is firſt turned into a kind of Philoſophy of opinions, and then divided into parties and ſects, as the old Philoſophers were; After the great and general deluge of corruption of Doctrine, and ſuperſtition in worſhip, we are fallen into the confuſion of Languages. And then again, what emulations in Officers that have great command? as if they had an Alexander or a Caeſar, or a Pompey in their breſts, making too much ado about punctilios of honour? what diſſentions in the country between Committees and Commanders, the one accuſing the other for plowing away a furrow of his land, and the other recriminating the like, and whiles they come up hither to conteſt the difference, the Plow ſtands? what ſhould I ſpeak of driving of deſigns, and of the carriage of many in this cauſe, meerly by intereſts, and not by principles, which kind of men can never be firm, for intereſts will make any man looſe and uncertain; He hath the byas in his Pocket, which he can put off and put on, as the mark lies, nothing makes men firm but principles, for ſuch a mans byas is within the bowl, eſpecially if his principles carry him to God, as well as you, for otherwiſe he will not be always yours. Now if all theſe things be laid together, they make good reaſon why we ſhould caſt up both events.
The ways and diſpenſations of God towards us are ſo dark, as by them we are not able to diſcern cleerly of his particular mind or thoughts, as touching the iſſue or event, when we are (as we think) at ſhore and ready to land, there comes a guſt, and waves us back into the deep again, The Ark is carrying to Jeruſalem, and there falls out a breach upon Ʋzzah and ſtops the work. The war hangs long upon us, and who knows where or when the Tragoedy ſhall end. How long have the German Churches, (where the firſt day-break of reformation began) been under a thick cloud, and many a time when they have ſeemed to ſee land, they have been driven back again with croſs winds. Thus do the ways of God, like Arethuſe, run under ground. He hides his paths and his ends, and he is in the thick darkneſs; ſo that we ſee his goings: but are as much to ſeek for the meaning of his diſpenſations, as the boy was that ran to fetch Jonathans Arrows, whereby he made diſcovery to David.
This we know, that God hath not pinned his Ordinances to the freehold of a Land Nation, City: therefore he ſaith, Jer. 7, 12 goe and ſee what I did to Shiloh where I ſet my name at the firſt, and what was that which he did to it? Pſal. 78. 60, 61. He forſook the Tabernacles of Shiloh, the Tent that he had pitched among them, and delivered his ſtrength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand, whence it may be affirmed that though God do not altogether remove his name from the Iſralites, yet he may change the place thereof, from Shiloh to Jeruſalem; and ſo though he do plant his Ordinances ſomewhere in his Church; yet the Candleſtick may be removed, and the Kindome of Heaven taken away from this or that particular place or Nation.
Ʋſe. The Uſe that I ſhall make of this Point is, to call you to this caſting up of events that may fall out, to the end you may be able to juſtifie God if he turn his hand againſt you, and that you may for your own parts come to a center of reſolution, that let God do what he will with your particular perſons; yet you will ſerve the Lord, as in Ioſhua 24. 19. When Joſhua had told the people, he is a jealous God, and a holy, he will not forgive your Tranſgreſſions and your ſins, they anſwered, Nay but we will ſerve the Lord; and thereupon he ſet up a great ſtone for a witneſs, leſt they ſhould afterwards deny God: Let us ſet up ſuch a ſtone of witneſs this day, that we may not turn away from the Lord our God, but ingage our ſelves to be his people for ever.
It is not my purpoſe to weaken the faith of the people of God, but to confirm their reſolutions, nor to give the enemy any occaſion to ſay; Now they ſtagger, they miſtruſt their cauſe, the wilderneſs hath ſhut them in, No, no, for whatſoever may become of our carcaſſes in this wilderneſs, though they may fall therein for our rebellions againſt, and temptations of God; yet for certain, Iſrael ſhall come into the Land of reſt, for howſoever it be that Gods ways towards us be in the dark, yet his promiſes to the Church are in the cleer light. Our dry bones are not too dry to live again by his breath; Though he cary Joſeph into a priſon, it is but to advance him; Though he thruſt Jonas into the Whales belly, it is but to ſave him. When the Ship is wrackt and broken, and the foundations (as the Pſalmiſt ſaith) are deſtroyed, yet edificab…o eccleſiam meam will ſtand good againſt the very gates of Hell. And we may build upon it as a truth, that however his works of providence may ſeem to us, not to anſwer his Word of promiſe; yet all his diſpenſations towards his Churches, are in order to the fulfilling of his Promiſes, and the pangs of his Church are unto life, and not unto death; I ſay the pangs or throws of his Church, becauſe I conceive, that theſe motions that are in Chriſtendome, this renting of States and Kingdomes, is in order to ſome revolutions in the Churches; all theſe conſpirations of ſtormy winds ingruent upon them are not for nothing: Doth the plowman plow all the day to ſow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground, when he hath made plain the …ace thereof? doth he not caſt in the principal wheat, &c. Iſa. 28. 4 God will ſow his Churches after his tearing them up by the plow; and therefore whatſoever Statſemen and Politicians may aime at, it is the Churches intereſt which the eye of God is upon, though they neither know nor intend it. As the Scripture taking notice of Auguſtus his Decree of taxing or enrolling the Empire or Provinces thereof, ſeems to give us the reaſon and occaſion of bringing Joſeph and Mary to Bethlehem (who were far off the place)▪ that Chriſt might be born according to the Scriptures, which was a thing the Emperor never once dreamed of. God hath other ends and purpoſes in theſe ſhakings of Kingdomes and Provinces then Politicians and Staſemen have, therefore let us not diſcredit God by unbelief, for my Covenant is to me (ſaith he) as the waters of Noah; that is, my purpoſe to my people; to do them good is irreve…ſible and abſolute, Iſa. 54. 10.
But then for our particulars. Though the waters of Noah return no more to cover the earth, yet ſuch a Houſe, City, Country may be overflowed and ſwallowed up with water; ſo may our Ark fall into Philiſtims hands; and therefore gather your ſelves together, ſearch your ſelves Oh Nation, even Ye our worthy Senators, call your ſelves to account, and examine your ſelves ſtrictly, impartially, humbly, leſt the Babyloniſh garment and wedge of Gold (which cauſes Iſrael to fly before the men of Ai) be not in any of your Tents, ſearch out carnal policy, luke warmneſs towards God; Neutrality, private ends. Its not impoſſible but that there may be an Abſolom, a Shemei in your own bowels, who if you were brought low, would drive you and the Ark of God too into the Wilderneſs, to ſeek a place. Oh let the repreſentative body of the Kingdome keep themſelves pure, that ſo if God ſhould pleaſe to eſtimate, or meaſure out unto the Nation, according to the repreſentative body of it, there may be mercy to it for your ſakes. To this end, have an eye [I beſeech you] upon obſtructours and deſigners, which cannot do ſo much hurt in the enemies Army, as in your Counſels; Malignity thruſt forth into the outward parts of the body, is nothing ſo dangerous, as that which lies cloſe and neer to the heart or vitals: Speed the hearing of Cauſes which come before you, that men may be diſmiſt to their commands and employments abroad to prevent a vacuum. Pity and relieve thoſe that are broken and ſhipwrackt for the Kingdomes ſake: have an eye upon your under-Inſtruments and Officers, that they ſpend you not more honour and reputation by their miſcarriages, partialities, private gain: than they bring you in ſupplies; he that flies a ſharp Hawk, rides hard after her, or elſe the Partridge will be half eaten before he come in; And fear not the loſing of any party by doing Gods wil and work; for God himſelf ſhould neither give rain nor fair weather; if he ſhould pleaſe all ſorts of men, I ſhall leſs ſtick on theſe things, becauſe you were this day before put in mind of them; only let me preſs one thing more, namely; That you would countenance honeſt and godly men, with places of command and truſt; With command, for they will be firm and valiant, a mans valour lies in his conſcience, and not in his ſpirit: With truſt, for ſuch a man is like a door with two locks: He hath an obligation upon him, both to God and you. Finally, do all that may be to ſuppreſs open and crying ſins, for authority makes it ſelf guilty of thoſe, other mens ſins, which it endeavours not to cut down, we in the Miniſtry muſt cry them down and you muſt cut them down, or elſe they become in guilt both ours and yours.
And let none of us ſay within our ſelves, we have ſtrength for war, for Eccleſ. 11. 9. The battel is not to the ſtrong, We have received many marks and tokens of favour from God, for Ioſh. 24. 19. He will conſume you after he hath done you good. We are the Iſrael of God, to whom pertain the Promiſes, for Joſh. 7. 8. Iſrael flies before the Aians, We have the Ark of God in the Camp with us, for 1 Sam. 4, 10, 11. The Philiſtims may take it, We faſt before the Lord and have a good, cauſe for Iudg. 20. 21. Iſrael falls in two battels under Benjamin. We are not ſo bad as the enemy that comes againſt us; For its no truſting to the ſins of an enemy. The worſt bryars or thorns may ſerve for a rod in the land of God, to ſcourge his own people: We are Gods witneſſes, for Rev. 11. 7. The beaſt that aſcends out of the bottomleſs pit ſhall mak… war againſt them, and ſhall overcome and kill them. In a word, the axe that cuts down the tree, is hafted with the wood of the ſame tree, the enemies power over us lies in our own ſins; And ſo much for this Point.
Doct. 4 David is reſolved to be every way at Gods diſpoſe, Here am I. A happy fra…e of ſpirit it is, to be able to periſh, and reſign our ſelves up to God for ſuch a man ſhall be always in poſſeſſion of himſelf, out of the gun-ſhot of all ſtorms and tempeſts; ſteeled with courage and reſolution; and however he be toſſed too and fro, up and down, yet ſhall always light upon his feet. If Cannae bring Hannibal to the very walls of Rome; If wave riſe after wave, if Pillars be ſhaken, if rotten Boughs fall off the Tree with winds; if Alſolom ſtir, Iſrael be up, Shimei curſe, yet he is at this Point, Here I am.
I have not much to ſay upon this Point, This is the ſum. Do your duty and periſh in it, Si fractus illabatur orbis, Conſcience of ſincerity, and uprightneſs of heart in duty, will make a man ſing Ecce ego, Here am I. Middle region men, and lower Region, muſt be toſſed and weather-beaten, they live and have their treaſure where winds and clouds, and waves come, but he is in the Serene, and above all theſe whoſe hope the Lord is, you may be ſooner killed then hurt; and if God ſhould deliver you up to the enemy, and bring in difficult times, be ſure that there is few of them that hate you now, but would be ready to write upon the ſtatue of each one of you that lives and dies faithful, utinam viveres; or if ſuch days ſhould come that men ſhall be afraid to name your names, or own your worth; yet as it was ſaid of the Pictures of thoſe Patriots that durſt not come forth and appear in after times, Eo magis fulgebant quià non viſeban ur, they ſhined the more, becauſe they were not to be ſeen. Be true to God, to his truth, it will ſave you: but if there be any of you that come in and adhere to God and his Cauſe only for ſhelter and ſafety, that is not thank-worthy with God, no man thanks another for being driven into his houſe to ſtand dry in a ſhowr.
That you may be able to ſay Here I am, when God ſhal pleaſe to declare that he hath no delight in you, theſe things are requiſite;
1. To have a good conſcience on your ſide, that will feaſt you within doors, even when the hailſtones rattle upon the tiles of the houſe; you know what Luther ſaid when he was convented before the Emperor at Wormes, No winds ſhake the earth but thoſe within it. If you be in a good cauſe, that is not all, for hypocriſie and baſe ends will more pull you down, than the goodneſs of the cauſe will lift you up.
It's a tirrible thing to be hem'd in by the wrath of God on one ſide, and the galling of a guilty conſcience on the other ſide. He that dare not face his own conſcience muſt needs fly from the preſence and ſight of God, he cannot ſay H…re I am.
2. A ſubmiſſive faith to truſt God, and leave your ſelves in his hand, accepting the puniſhment of your iniquity with ſilence and juſtification of God, lying down as patiently under his knife, as Iſaac under Abrahams.
3. Acquaintance with God, ſo as to lay up your lives with Chriſt in God, having taſted his goodneſs to you in former experiences, ſuch a man may be killed all but the head, but that's above the reach of any enemy, and though he be forſaken, yet he carries, my God, my God, with him, from the croſs to his grave.
David ſtates his happineſs to conſiſt in the fruition of God and his ordinances: He will bring me again, and ſhew me his Ark, and the habitation of it. He ſaith not, he will bring me to my houſe again, to my Concubines which are left behind; but he will ſhew me his Habitation; The Ark and the Temple were the things that he accounted worth the enjoying, and here you may obſerve what a godly heart looks at, not revenues and trading, but Gods Ark and habitation. The Romane H…ſtorians obſerve how the firſt ſeven Kings did contribute to the State of Rome. Romulus the firſt, gave it eſſe, then Pompilius the next, brought in the ſacra, Religion is indeed the very keel of the ſhip. The main work we have to do is to ſettle it, and it's our greateſt wages, to ſee it eſtabliſht, it will pay us for all our layings out.
Ʋſe. Let the ſame mind be in you, as was at this time in David, account it your happines, and the moſt lively mark of Gods favour to you, if he ſhall bring you again, and ſhew unto you his Ark and his Habitation, for therein lies the glory of Iſrael. I would the Reformation did not lie under an ill report with many amongſt us. God would not bring the Iſralites into Canaan whilſt it was under an ill report with them by reaſon of the ſpies who undervalued it. It may coſt us a longer march in this wilderneſs, if we look upon it with a ſcornful eye, and yet the prejudices againſt it, and the aſperſions caſt upon them whom you have ſet on work to be hewers in the Mountains to prepare the materials of the Temple, are many; and I fear the reaſon is, becauſe nothing that is one can pleaſe, except it be a quodlibit; a grand ſallet, it will not fit ſuch variety of pallates as are amongſt us, I pray God ſuch a birth may be brought forth, as that there may remain no diviſions or ſeparation from us in conſcience, but only in pride and affected ſingularity; there is the leſſe regard to be had of ſuch as are reſolved aforehand, not to be fixed in the ſame or be with us, but like the erratick ſtars muſt each one have an oabe to himſelf. If any mans conſcience lie (as I may ſo ſay) in his fancy, then to give liberty to that, would be nothing elſe but to give him leave to be mad.
David expreſſes his ſufferings, yea his utmoſt ſufferings, by the phraſe, Good in Gods eyes, If he ſay thus, I delight not in thee, Here I am, let him do that is good in his eyes: He might feel it evil, but if it be good in Gods eyes, he yields to it; and ſo let our hearts be humbled and framed in expectation of Gods hand to us at this time, that we may kiſs the rod, and ſay with old Eli, when he heard the fall of his houſe: It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. We know not what Promiſes or Propheſies God hath given forth to his Church in his Word to be ſerved and fulfilled by or upon our ruins. If God pleaſe not to honour himſelf by our labours, let him honour himſelf by our aſhes.
FINIS.
Die Veneris, 14. Martii, 1644.
IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament aſſembled, That this Houſe doth give thanks to Mr. Vines, for his great pains taken in the Sermon he Preached on the 12th of this inſtant March, in Chriſts-Church, London, before the Members of both Houſes of Parliament, and giving thanks to Almighty God for his bleſſing to the Parliament, for their late good ſucceſs at Shrewsbury and Waymouth. And that the ſaid Mr Vines is hereby deſired to Print and Publiſh his ſaid Sermon, which is not to be Printed or Reprinted, but by authority under his hand.
Jo. Browne Cler. Parliament.
Die Jovis, 13. Martii, 1644.
ORdered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That Mr Sollicitor, and Mr Nicholas, do from this Houſe return thanks to Mr Arrowſmith and Mr Vines, for the great pains they took in the Sermons they Preached at the entreaty of both Houſes, at Chriſts-Church yeſterday (being a day appointed for a publique Thanksgiving) and that they do intreat them to Print their Sermons; and it is Ordered that none ſhall preſume to Print their Sermons, but whom ſhall be licenſed under their hand-writing.
H. Elſynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Abel Roper to Print this Sermon, RICHARD VINES.
THE HAPPINESSE OF ISRAEL.
As it was ſet forth In a SERMON Preached to both the Honourable Houſes of PARLIAMENT (the Lord Major, and Aldermen of the City of London being preſent) at Chriſt Church, London, upon a Solemn Day of Thankſgiving, March, 12. 1644.
By RICHARD VINES, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Weddington in the County of Warwick.
Publiſhed by Order of both Houſes.
The Second Edition.
EXOD. 15. 11. Who is like to thee O Lord among the Gods?
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for Abel Roper, at the Sign of the Sun againſt Dunſtans Church in Fleet-ſtreet, 1656.
To the Right Honourable, The LORDS and COMMONS Aſſembled in Parliament.
S Ʋch as look upon your ſucceſſes with an evil eye, will not lock upon your Th…nksgivings with a good one. They will be ready to ſay, Neſcitis quid ſerus veſper, praiſe a fair day at night. 'Tis no time to call for a plaudite, until ye ſee the end of the laſt Act.
But the Pſalmiſt tells us, that Praiſe is comely, and it is good, to pay as we receive: our Hoſanna's now, will nothing hinder our Hallelujabs then. Why ſhould we not offer up our firſt-fruits, though we cannot as yet cry Harveſt home? and receive the earnests and pledges of further and fuller mercies with Thanksgiving? This day among the reſt is worthy to be marked with a white-ſtone, being the memorial of our gaining of Shrewsbury, and regaining of VVaymouth; The one we did not think of, the other we could hardly expect. In our low eſtates and conditions, we have uſually been happy in God; and in this Mountain let the Hand of Iſai. 25. 10.the Lord reſt, until all our Praiſes and ſolemn Thanksgivings, which do as yet run in a leſſer channel, may empty themſelves into, and loſe all their names in one great Jubilee, ſo praies
Your moſt humble Servant for Chriſt, Richard Vines.