Sermons, Sermon 6 – License 7
A SERMON Preached to both Houſes of PARLIAMENT, at Chriſts-Church, London, upon a Solemne day of Thankſgiving, March, 12. 1644.
DEUT. 33. 29.
Happy art thou, O Iſrael: who is like unto thee, O people! ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of thy help, and who is the ſword of thy excellency: and thine enemies ſhall be found lyars unto thee, and thou ſhalt tread upon their high places.
MOſes in this Chapter, doth prophetically retail out unto the ſeveral Tribes their ſeveral Bleſſings; and in the cloſe thereof, he ſums up the body of that people into one total, under the name of Iſrael; and their condition under the name of Happineſs. Thy Happineſs, O Iſrael, &c.
In the words we have The happineſs of Iſrael
1. Pronounced.
2. Deſcribed.
Pronounced in theſe words, Happy art thou O Iſrael: Who is like unto thee, O people?
Deſcribed, and that two wayes:
1. By the Authour, Jehovah, who is reſembled to weapons of war,
Defenſive: The Shield of thy help.
Offenſive: The Sword of thy excellency.
2. By the parts of it, and they are two:
1. Salvation or deliverance: Saved by the Lord.
2. Victory or Conqueſt.
and that
1. Of their enemies. Thine enemies ſhall be found liars unto thee.
2. Of their high places. Thou ſhalt tread upon their high places.
Time will not permit me to take up obſervations out of every ſubdiviſion or part of the Text, as it is cut out, but I ſhall caſt the Happineſs pronounced into the point, and the Happineſs deſcribed into the reaſons of that point, thus;
Such are the Happineſſes of Iſrael, as do lift them up above all compare with any other people. Thy Happineſſes, O Iſrael: who is like to thee, O people!
That Iſrael is a people ſo happy, is proved:
1. They are ſaved by the Lord, the Shield of their help, and who is the Sword of their excellency.
2. The enemies of Iſrael ſhall be found liars unto her, and ſhe ſhall tread upon their high places:
Doct. Such are the Happineſses of Iſrael, as do lift them up above all compare with any other people: Happines is as much in the ſingular, as in the plural number: yet if there be a plurallity of happineſſes, they do all belong to Iſrael above all other people, every mouth (both the mouth of Balaam, and the mouth of Moſes) do pronounce Iſrael happy. All things do co-operate for good unto the Iſrael of God; we ſay of Bonum a good thing, that it is ex cauſis integris, and ſo of Happineſs, we may ſay it is ex bonis integris; the mixture of any evil, or defect of any proportionable good, maimes happineſs, and makes that it cannot be truly ſo called; and yet there is bonum ex malo; good ariſing out of evil, which doth much conduce to the happineſs of Iſrael; were there no thorns in the fleſh, how ſhould we be humbled? No Devil, how ſhould we be winnowed? No Tribulation, Diſtreſs, Perſecution, Famine, Sword, how ſhould we be more then Conquerors? No Death, or Diſſolution, how ſhouldwe come to be with Chriſt? The world, life, death, things preſent, things to come, all are yours, and you are Chriſts, 1 Cor. 3. 22. You will reply that many of theſe things that are ſaid to be ours, do work our good praeter-intentionally, and by meer accident, which I grant to be true as touching theſe things themſelves, but not as to God; whoſe wiſedom and power is both much ſet on work and ſeen in bringing good out of evil. God is ſuch an Artiſt in working the happineſs of his people, that he can make uſe of a crooked toole, to do that which can never be done by a ſtreight one; Pharaoh his double taks and burdens, ſerve to wean Iſrael from and out of Egypt, ſo Pharaoh helps to make Moſes ſuccesful in the bringing off of Iſrael? Joſephs brethren intend no preferment to him, or any fulfilling of that Oracle which had ſaid he ſhould be high above his brethren, and yet they contribute to it, and work towards it, The wiſdome of all the enemies of Gods people, and the ſubtilty of Satan are always befool'd when they plot upon the Church; that which they intend ſhould be mortal, is medicinal; the Leech ſucks the blood, the Phyſitian by the Leech, draws away the diſeaſe: God hath a work upon Mount Sion, and Jeruſalem, Iſai. 10. 12. He uſeth the Aſſyrian as his rod, but the intention of the Inſtrument is nothing like unto the intention that God hath, ver. 7. And therefore it is that God is ſaid to laugh at the enemies of Iſrael, becauſe he lets them build their works, and then blows down all their Paper buildings by a blaſt, which they know not whence it comes; yea, God ſets them on work againſt themſelves, and not only makes them ſet up their own Gallows unawares to them, but hold the ſtirrup to Mordecai, whom above all men they hate.
I ſhall not intricate my Diſcourſe with any Philoſophical diſputes about Happineſs, wherein the Philoſophers were ſo much divided in opinion, and into parties, an evident demonſtration of the blindneſs of men by nature, ſhooting ſo wide from the mark in ſo concerning a point, but ſhall for the better opening of the happineſs of Iſrael, diſtinguiſh between the wilderneſs eſtate of Iſrael; and their Canaan eſtate, and ſo of their happineſs in their wilderneſs condition, and in their Canaan condition; for ſo doubtleſs there is a wilderneſs condition of the Goſpel Churches, and a Canaan condition of them, even in this world, wherein they ſhall be in more luſtre, ſettlement, beauty, and glory, their mean Tabernacle ſhall ariſe into a more glorious Temple.
1. This Canaan condition of the Goſpel Churches, is fully pointed forth in the Promiſes and Propheſies of both Teſtaments, that Iſrael ſhall be happy, a none-ſuch, a quis ſicut tu? who is like to thee? I make no queſtion, only thus much may be ſaid, that as the Promiſes made before time to Iſrael, concerning Canaan, could not be reconciled or adopted to the r Egypt, or Wilderneſs condition ſo neither can the Promiſes made to the Goſpel Churches as touching their Canaan condition, be reconciled to the Wilderneſs in which they now ſeem to be, and therefore if it ſhould be asked: How doth Gods Word and his Works agree? How can his ſweet voice be reconciled to his rough hand? We muſt anſwer, That the Birth of the Promiſes, will anſwer their Conception, they will bring forth in full ſhape and feature, the glory with which they are pregnant; but that muſt not be expected, until they come to their full count: for there is a fulneſs of time, wherein the Promiſes ſhall be delivered; until which the great and good things we hope for, do lie in their wombe, and we muſt be content, if we ſay, as the Mother of Jeſus, They have no wine: to hear, Woman, what have I to do with thee, My hour is not yet come.John 2. 3, 4.
2. The wilderneſs eſtate of Iſrael, or the Churches of God, is that wherein they are in pangs, and travaile: being humbled and hammer'd by God, unto that beauty and glory which ſhal be revealed in them; for it is to be obſerved that God reſembles the drawing forth of his Church, out of their declenſions and Apoſtacy, to the Idaea, or pattern of his bringing Iſrael out of Egypt into a wildernes, Ezek. 20. 35, 36. Hoſ 2. 14. 15. And in this ſtate of the Churches, we cannot but expect, that there will be a mixt multitude among them that will fallNumb. 11. 4. Numb. 14. 3, 4, to luſting: there will be many returners in heart into Egypt, there will be miſreporters of that good land, murmurers, complainers, tempters of Chriſt. There will be a powerful Amalek, that will oppoſe, and give battel, which muſt be beaten down by Moſ…s hands, and Joſhua his ſword. In a word, there wil be wildernes ſins, which wil keep us out of Canaan a long time; for you may obſerve it, that it was not for Iſraels Egypt ſins, but for their wilderneſs ſins, that their carcaſſes fel in the wildernes, and that the reſt were ſo long kept out of the promiſed land; and this obſervation is very uſeful to us as this time, who hang ſo long in this condition, for our wilderneſs ſins and provocations.
How then can Iſrael be pronounced happy in her wilderneſs condition? for that I bend my ſelf the rather to ſpeak of: that I might ſpeak more neerly to our own caſe. And that we may rejoyce, not only in hope of the glory of God, but in ſuch preſent marks of his favour and preſence, as may keep us erect; and in Comfort, under ſuch a condition. Firſt then,
1. Iſrael, or the people of God are happy, becauſe heyres of all the gratious Promiſes which God hath made. In Chriſt the promiſes are Yea to them and Amen, that is made, and made good. They have God by his Name El Shaddi, to live upon; though he be not as yet pleaſed to make himſelf known unto them, by his Name Jehovah, and ſurely, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, were happy men, though God appeared unto them onelyonly as a God Almighty, Exod. 6. 3. that is, he was a God ingaged to them by Covenant and promiſe, and a God of power to make good his ingagements, though he did not actually pay down, and give exiſtence to his promiſes in their times, and therefore it is ſaid of them, that they having ſeen the promiſes a far off, were perſwaded of them, and embraced them, and ſo died, not having received that which was promiſed, Heb. 11 13. It is a happines to be under promiſes, though the thing promiſed be poſthumous to us. He is not poor, that hath good debts lying in ſo rich a hand as Gods: and we may find it true in our experience, that all the while God keeps in his hand the principal, he pays his people the full intereſt for forbearance, and maintaines them in their minority with ſome competencies out of the revenews which he hath entailed upon them when they come to full age. Jacobs proſpering under Laban, while he was an exile, and a ſervant, was far from that bleſſing to which he was heire, but yet it was a remarkable hand of that God who was in bonds to him for a great ſum.
2. Iſrael is happy in their wilderneſs, becauſe they are come out of Egypt; It is a kind of Promiſe Hoſ. 2. 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderneſs, when we follow after our lovers, we may have, it may be, our bread, and water, and wooll, and flax, and oyl, and drink; but when the thorn hedge is made round about us, we are in a better condition, Hoſ. 2. 5, 6, 7. It's an argument that we are carnal, when the tasks and fleſh-pots of Egypt are valued as a Happineſs rather then wilderne…s diſpenſations; they that are in calamity, do magnifie the times of burning incenſe, to the Queen of Heaven; upon this reaſon, Ier. 44 17. for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and ſaw no evil. He would ſeem to ſpeak a Paradox, that ſhould ſay, It's better as we are, then as we were: Oh that there was not this error in our hearts; Oh that we did know his ways: For I was grieved (ſaith God) with that generation, and ſaid, They do always erre in Heb. 3. 10.their hearts, and they have not known my ways; that is, they conſider not my diſpenſations towards them for good, in bringing them out of Egypt, and in this wilderneſs; our condition in Egypt being conſidered, might juſtly make our wilderneſs a happineſs to us, eſpecially if we remember that God having brought them once out, did not again bring them back into it. Iſrael returns back no more, though many of the carnal mutineers deſired it. The Churches may be purſued and warred againſt by the enemy that enſl…ved them; the witneſſes may ſuffer under the tyranny and power of the beaſt, but they ſhall no more return into captivity to her, ſit down by her fleſh-pots, or to be under her tasks.
3. Iſrael is happy in the Wilderneſs, becauſe they have therein the Covenant renewed, the Tables thereof are given to them, the Tabernacle is ſet up, the Ordinances are inſtituted and appointed, Religion is reformed, and the things that concern the Houſe of God, are made according to the Pattern: And all this was done while Iſrael was in the Wilderneſs: This is Gods time to give, and the Churches time to receive the holy Ordinances. In the wilderneſs I gave them my Statutes, and ſhewed them my Judgements, moreover alſo I gave them my Sabbaths, Ezek. 20. 10, 11, 12. when God had Iſrael, as I may ſay, alone in the wilderneſs, and under his hammer there, ſee how he deals with them: He ſettles his own Ordinances, brings them into the bond of his Covenant, before he brings them into their affluence of Milk and Honey: That it is the Happineſs of Iſrael to be thus furniſhed with Gods Ordinances, and brought into his Covenant, is not neceſſary for me to prove, ſee Pſal. 147. ver. 19, 20. Rom. 9. 4. But that this is the time, when God doth it, and promiſeth to do it, you may ſee Ezek. 20. 35. 37. I will bring you into the wilderneſs, &c. and I wil cauſe you to paſs under the rod that is, bring you into my poſſeſſion, Levit. 27. 32.) And I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant, and I will purge out from among you the Rebels, and them that tranſgreſs againſt me, &c. ver. 38. When God hath his people in a wilderneſs, then he may do what he will with them; then he wil bring them into his Covenant, and then will he purge out the Rebels from among them, as the Apoſtle obſerves he did, 1 Cor. 10. 5. And all theſe things happened unto them for types, or examples unto us, ver. 11. Rebels ſhal be purged out, and the people of God ſhall be brought into the bond of his Covenant; and that when the Lord hath brought them into a wilderneſs; Now then Moſes and all Iſrael conſider Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and all the people, this is the time, this is the way wherein God is about to make you happy. It's your work and duty to receive and entertain the Ordinances from his mouth and hand, to ſet up his Tabernacle, and build unto him an Habitation, and then will he bring you into a condition flowing with Milk and Honey.
4. Iſrael in their wilderneſs condition are happy in the extraordinary preſence of God with them, to ſupply and ſupport them, at ſuch a time; never were there more cleer pledges and tokens of Gods preſence with, of his power and protection over Iſrael; then when they were in the Wilderneſſe, there Manna comes from Heaven, the Rock follows them, the Cloud is over them, the enemies that fight againſt them, are ſtrangely ſubdued; the Sun ſtands ſtill whiles the work is doing. When God brings his people into ſtraits, he will work wonders for them. Extraordinary caſes have extraordinary applications made by God unto them. Till they came to eat of the old corn of the land the Manna did not ceaſe, Joſh. 5. 11. We cannot have great experiences until we come into extremities; great deliverances preſuppoſe great dangers; when Chriſt is in his Agony and the Diſciples ſleep, there appears an Angel from Heaven, ſtrengthening him, Lu. 22. 43. 45. When the Mariners caſt Ionah over-board, the Lord prepared a great fiſh to ſwallow him, Ionah 1. 17. God doth as it were put himſelf to extremities, when he puts his people into them. Thou haſt conſidered my trouble, thou haſt known my ſoul in adverſity, Pſal. 31. 7. I ſhall ſay no more upon this, but only that which we find, Hoſ 2. where the Lord having ſpoken terrible things to his declined people, from the ninth verſe to the end of the thirteenth, doth in the 14. verſe, come to this reſolution and concluſion, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderneſs, and what then? I will ſpeak comfortably to her; and I will give her vineyards from thence, and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope; and ſhe ſhall ſing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when ſhe came up out of the Land of Egypt: There is (you ſee) in the wilderneſs God ſpeaking comfortably, and Iſrael ſinging joyfully.
5. Iſrael is happy not only in fruition of God, but in acting for God. It is a queſtion, whether a mans happineſs do rather conſiſt …n fruition and enjoyment of good things, or in doing and acting out of a right principle; the Philoſopher ſeems to define happineſs rather by operation and working according to vertue, then by fruition of good things, and it is out of queſtion, there is no greater happineſs then in being Inſtruments and Agents for God: God makes you as happy if he pleaſe to uſe your purſe as if he fill it, if he pleaſe to lay out your lives as if he ſave them. It's hard to beleeve and reliſh this; but there is reaſon for it, that a mans happineſs ſhould conſiſt in that wherein he is active, as well as in that wherein he is paſſive, that is, in his returns unto God, as well as in his receipts from him.
So that upon the whole matter, It may ſeem that in what eſtate ſoever Iſrael be, whether in a Canaan eſtate, or a wilderneſs eſtate, they are, and they may truly be pronounced Happy: when they are like the buſh, all on fire; God is in the buſh, and they are not conſumed; and it may juſtly be to their great comfort, that all his Diſpenſations towards them are in order to the fulfilling of his Covenant, He keeps Covenant with them, or keeps them in his Covenant, by all his Diſpenſations, whether he create good or evil. If Paul have a thorne in his fleſh, it is to take down his puffing up above meaſure If after ſucceſſes he give us a check, it is to take us off from the arm of fleſh, leſt we ſhould kiſs our own hand.
So much for the happineſs of Iſrael pronounced, now to the Happineſs deſcribed; and
1. Iſrael is a people ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of their help, and who is the ſword of their excellency.
Saved, For Iſrael ſhall be ſaved with everlaſting Salvation, and ſhall never be confounded, world without end, Iſai. 45. 17. They are under the wheele, yet ſaved; plunged into the deep waters, yet ſaved; the winds and waves beat upon the ſhip, but Chriſt is in the ſame bottom with them, and they are ſaved. The Apoſtles makes a kind of Riddle of it, 2 Cor 4. 8. We are troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed: we are perplexed, but not in diſpair: Perſecuted, but not forſiken; caſt down, but not deſtroyed.
Saved by the Lord, that is the ſweet of all; the Salvation of Salvation it ſelf; Gods finger in any deliverance, is worth the whole body of the deliverance it ſelf; be it never ſo great; what have we to do in our own Salvation? Stand ſtill, and ſee the Salvation of the Lord, ſaith Moſes to Iſrael, Exo. 14. 13. I will take the cup of ſalvation, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 116. 12. but to work ſalvation, belongs to God alone, There is no Saviour beſides me. Hoſ. 13. 4. and how will the Lord ſave his people? I wil ſave them by the Lord their God, and wil not ſave them by bow, nor by ſword, nor by battel, by horſes, nor by horſemen, Hoſ. 1. 7. when Iehoſhaphat looks for ſaving he ſaith, We have no power against this great multitude, but our eyes are upon thee. 2 Chron. 20. 12. when Iacob looks for ſaving from the hand of Eſau, he ſaith, I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant, Gen. 32. 10. The one denies all ſelf power, the other denies all ſelf-merit, and ſo God is left to be the ſole worker of ſalvation, and the ſole mover of himſelf to do it, and theſe two taken together, do much indear God to us; that he ſaves by his own power; that he is moved by his own grace; and it no leſs ſweetens him that he is moved by himſelf, than that he doth it by his own Arm; how often doth God defeat our counſels, ſcatter our own ſtrength, prevent all our prayers, out-do all our expectations, that he may be more ſeen himſelf, when he hath taken us from ſtanding in his own light, The people that are with thee (ſaith he to Gideon) are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, Judg. 7. 2. Too few they cannot be, they may be too many.
The Lord is unto Iſrael,
The Shield of their help.
The Sword of their excellency.
1. He ſaves Iſrael as the Shield of their help, orforeign. Gr. helpful Shield, He will interpoſe and take off all blows and ſtrokes, which might undo Iſrael. Magiſtrates that ſhould protect Common-wealths, are called Shields, Hoſ. 4. 18. ſo alſo ſome read the Text. Pſ. 47. 9. The Shields of the earth, that is, the Rulers and Governors; but theſe Shields may be ſtricken through and through, being but paper Shields: This Shield of Iſrael is a compaſſing Shield, that covers a man all over, on all ſides, and leaves him not open to the thruſts of the enemy: With favor thou wilt compaſs him as with a ſhield, Pſ. 5. 1…. ſo Pſ. 3. 3. Thou art a Shield about me: God will cover you all over with his favourable protection, as he did them in the wilderneſs with a cloud; Faith is called a Shield, becauſe it interpoſeth God and his Promiſes or Word to all attempts of the enemy of our ſouls; as we uſe to call him Enſign that carries the Colours; ſo Faith is called our Shield, becauſe it bears or carries our Shield (who is God) in our eye & heart, you have had much experience of this Shield, having been often ſecured both from the plots of Balaam, and ſword of Balak, ſince you came into this wilderneſs.
2. He ſaves Iſrael as being the ſword of their excellency. There is a skill both in the uſe of the ſhield and ſword; had we that holy art of putting our gratious God (who is pleaſed to compare himſelf to the inſtruments of our help againſt the enemy) to the beſt uſe we might, we ſhould find this true, that he would be a ſhield and ſword. Indeed God is as good a Sword, as he is a Shield, yea and he is the Arm as well as the Sword, he mannages his own counſels and power, for our defence and ſafety: there may be a two fold reading of theſe words.
1. The Sword of thy excellency, that is, whoſe Sword is thy excellency or glory: it makes thee excell all other people. The excellency of Iſrael lies in this, that God is theirs. God for a Shield, God for a Sword. It's not their own ſword, but Gods, that makes Iſrael glorious, victorious, triumphant.foreign. Gr. I will not truſt in my bow, neither ſhall my ſword ſave me, but thou haſt ſaved us from our enemies. Pſ. 44. 6, 7. Do we ever read in any Hiſtory of ſuch ſtrange victories and defeats of the enemy, as the Church victories have been? What ſtory paralels the relation of thoſe victories which God hath gotten for Iſrael? This ſword hath made them excellent.
2. He is the ſword of thy excellency: that is, he fights for thy excellency: for we often read this expreſſion. The excellency of Iaacob or Iſrael, Ezek. 24. …1. Amos 6. 8. and Chap. 8. 7. by which the ſanctuary, the Ordinances, and the Covenant, thoſe excellent prerogatives of Iſrael, wherein they tranſcended all other people, are meant. The Apoſtle calls them foreign the advantage or preeminence of the Jew, they had the Oracles of God, to them pertained the Adoption, the Glory, the Covenants, the giving of the Law, the Service and the Promiſes, Rom. 3. 1. and Rom. 9. 4. this may be called the excellency of Iſrael; and ſo God the ſword of their excellency, becauſe he will fight for and maintain his own Covenant, Ordinances, Sanctuary, againſt all the world; he values nothing in the world ſo much as his truth, and his people. Let the Ordinances of God be erected, prepare unto him an Habitation, for theſe will be your glory, and your bulwarke alſo, becauſe God will be the ſword of them to propugne and protect them. Upon all the glory there ſhall be a cloud or covering, Iſai. 4. 5. your enemies may be formidable by great names, Leviathan, the Dragon of the Sea; but Gods ſword wherewith he will puniſh them, is called a ſore, a great and ſtrong ſword, Iſai. 27. 1.
I ſhall now proceed to the ſecond part of the deſcription of Iſraels happineſs, in theſe words.
2. Thine enemies ſhall be found lyars unto thee, and thou ſhalt tread upon their high places. Which words may ſeem properly to refer unto the bringing in and planting of Iſrael into Canaan; for then were their enemies found lyars unto them, and they did tread upon their high places; but yet this Promiſe is extenſive, to Iſrael now as then; ſo far, as that victory over all oppoſites and oppoſitions ſhall ſtand on the Churches ſide. It is to be obſerved that Moſes deſcribes the happineſs of Iſrael in theſe words by that which was as yet future: Thine enemies ſhall be found lyars; Thou ſhalt tread on their high places: Much of our happineſs lies in reverſion. It's ſaid of thoſe prodigies of faith, Heb. 11 that ſome of them died in the faith, not having received the Promiſes, ver 13. and that all of them having obtained a good teſtimony by faith, received not the Promiſes, ver. 39. All of them happy notwithſtanding; There is a great inheritance in remainder, to be inherited by faith and patience, Heb. 6. 12. Happy are they who are within the intail; The Church ſhall reap her greateſt Harveſts, in the latter days. The ſcorching Sun that at preſent beats upon the corn-fields doth but ripen the fruits, which ſhall be gathered in full ſheaves in their ſeaſon.
1. Iſraels enemies ſhall be found lyars, that is, 1. Either they ſhall fall into a conſumption, and be attenuate and waſt away, as it was ſaid of the houſe of Saul, it grew weaker and weaker; there is ſome ſuch ſignification of the word, Pſ. 109. 24 Or 2. They ſhall promiſe to themſelves great things, ſaying, I will purſue, I will overtake them, and ſwallow them up, I will divide the ſpoile, my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them, as it is, Ex. 15. 9. but they ſhall be found lyars; for they ſhall bring forth a lye, as big with child as they are with miſchief, and ſo we have hitherto found true in our experience; The enemy is but a lyer, God hath blown upon their counſels, and fruſtrated them. Or 3. They ſhal be found lyars unto thee, that is, ſhall be ſubject in deſpite of their hearts, Pſ. 18. 44. Strangers ſhall lie unto me, they ſhall feign obedience and ſubjection, being ſo convinced of Gods hand with his Iſrael, or feeling it ſo againſt themſelves, that they ſhall curry favour, and like Gibeonites fue to make their peace, and ſhrowd themſelves under the protection of Iſrael: and this I conceive to be the moſt natural ſenſe of this expreſſion. Thine enemies ſhall lie unto thee. And thence I ſhall obſerve, That the proſperous ſucceſs of Iſrael will make many hypocrites, who will feigne reconciliation, and ſubmiſſion, and therefore a watchful eye muſt be upon them, becauſe they are but lyars; diſſembling themſelves, until there come an opportunity and revolution of things, when they will turn Samaritans again; It's no reſting upon their pulling in of their horns, but in the cutting of them off; nor can there be any ſecurity to you, but only in leaving them no power to hurt.
2. Iſrael ſhall tread upon the enemies high places; foreign, upon their neck (ſo the Greek tranſlation) Enemies to the Church may have their high places, but the Promiſe will bring them under her feet. It was literally fulfilled to Iſrael in reſpect of Canaan; The Idol-gods worſhipt uſually in high places cannot protect them; the ſtrength, power, forces, magnificence of the enemy muſt come down under Iſraels feet: this Promiſe will have effect, Thou ſhalt tread on their high places. Let not Iſrael be proud of the Promiſes, but with humble confidence expect them. All enemies muſt come under Chriſts feet, and if under his feet, they cannot be over our head. If any ſhall laugh at this Promiſe as unlikely (as Sarah once did at that Promiſe, which ſeemed improbable) becauſe the Church is few and weak; He may by the ſame reaſon laugh at a worm, threſhing the Mountains into chaff, and of the rams-horns blowing down the walls of Jericho; no matter though the inſtrument be as contemptible as the Jaw-bone of an Aſſe, ſo that it be in the hands of a Sampſon: that God who makes the Promiſe, hath a hand ſtrong enough to bring it to paſs.
I ſhall now draw drown that which hath been ſaid, into Application, ſutable to the occaſion.
Ʋſe 1 Let Iſrael ſee God, and admire him, and caſt upon him all the glory of their Salvation and victories. This who is like to thee, is applyable both to God and to Iſrael; Iſrael ſaith of God, who is like unto the; O Lord among the Gods; who is like to to thee? Ex. 15. 11. a fit Motto for your Enſigns, as it was for the Maccabees; and God ſaith of Iſrael, Who is like to thee, O people? God is a quis ſicut tu among the gods? Iſrael is a quis ſicut tu among the people: ſuch mutual commendations do God and his people caſt upon each other.
There are many rivulets which by their confluence make up ſuch a ſtream, as may turn the wheel of our praiſes this day; If we do ſearch out the works of the Lord, as it is ſaid, Pſ. 111. 2. The works of the Lord are great, ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein; and it may well be ſaid, of them that have pleaſure therein; for otherwiſe, when the hand of God is lifted up, men will not ſee; might we not be convinced of Gods finger here, if we would ſurvey all circumſtances, and not Atheiſtically deny, or perverſly wrangle againſt the manifeſtations of God; but it is the great unhappineſs of many amongſt us, that even with ſuch ſpectacles they cannot read God in his works; It is too late for the Egyptians to ſay, God fights for Iſrael, when they are incloſed in the Sea, and cannot get back again, they might have acknowledged it ſooner, had they not been hardened; and who knows but that check which God hath lately given us in the North, may not freez up ſome again, that did begin to thaw and yeeld; They that will be hard and ſtiff, ſhall not want occaſion, while we are in this wilderneſs. He that will ſtumble ſhall not want a ſtone in his way. If Pharaoh can but ſee that the like is done by the inchantments of his Magitians, as Moſes did, then is he where he was: For our parts, it ought not to take off our praiſes for the receipts we have had from God, though (as they ſay of the Nightingal) we have a thorn at our breaſt whilſt we ſing; for yet will we ſing the Lords Praiſes, and gather up the crums of his mercies, which he hath let fall at Scarborough, Plimouth, Shrewesbury, Weymouth, (ſic poſiti quoniam ſuaves miſcetis odores) theſe flowers make a good Noſegay, though there be one Bryar in it.
Scarborough was given to us at the time of the Treaty, when Weymouth was taken from us, which helped to make the end of the Wallet to hang the more even; Shrewesbury and Weymouth were two great Ports of Armies to be powred forth upon us. The one from the Welch, the other from the outlandiſh parts, God hath given into our hands the Keyes of both, and hath ſhut up theſe two doors, and both of them beyond our expectation.
Shrewesbury was that firſt Shop where the firſt great Army was formed againſt us, a good omen there is in it, that that place ſhould come into your hands, and that without any conſiderable expence of your blood, and which is more, that this ſhould be upon the very day of breaking up the Treaty: wherein though they were forward in their declaration, thereby to ſerve themſelves by ſuch an advantage, yet God put out his Declaration before theirs, and declared himſelf much for us, and better to the ſatisfaction of all murmurings and diſcontents for the want of Peace, then any thing could have been ſaid or declared by you; For howſoever that the Treaty might have been a Tree of knowledge of good and evil to us all, had we took and eaten of the fruit of it, yet becauſe it was a tree whoſe fruit was pleaſant to the eye, and a Tree to be deſired, how many might have been tempted to have put all to the hazard by it, and for it? at leaſt have been much diſcontent at the uneffectualneſs thereof, had not God put in ſuch a caveat as this, againſt all our quarrellings.
And for Weymouth, who knows but it ſerved to heighten the ſpirits and the conditions of the other part, that they might break with us to their own greater diſadvantage, and then when that work was ſerv'd and done, God returned it back into our hands again, having taken it from us, or borrowed it of us for a deſign of his, which when it was accompliſht compliſht, he gave it back again. God had left a little ſpark alive in Melcombe. Melcombe Regis, not the leſs the Kings for this their faithfulneſs: though (if I may ſpeak without offence) I hope leſs the Queens. It was very much, that a little Cock-boat ſhould reſcue the Ship and Guns, and beat out the Pirats, though aſſiſted with field force; and recover themſelves again, and when we thought that quarter might have been well for them, then to Conquer and Triumph over the Enemy, was a very remarkable hand of God with them, and the more that it is to our admiration, the more to Gods honor: He that is ſolus in opere, let him not have any that may be with him ſocius in gloria.. We will lay up this Sword in the Tabernacle of the Lord, as a Monument, that little David, prevailed againſt great Goliah; the Lord hath looked upon us in our low eſtate; the ſeaſon of theſe mercies makes them the more valuable unto us.
Ʋſe. 2 Let the ſalvations and victories which we have received from the Lord, invite and incourage, and oblige us to joyne in with him, who is our Shield and Sword. It is good for us to be on the right ſide of the cloud. Oh that ſuch ſeaſonable demonſtrations of Gods preſence, power, and goodneſs might put fire into every man. We have too much wild-fire of diviſions and combuſtions amongſt us already; but the fire which I mean is Heavenly fire, zeal for God to own him: acknowledg and adhere unto him. There are two great dividers of us amongſt our ſelves, jealouſies and Intereſts. I wiſh they were ſilenced by ſelf-denyal, and that the ſtrength of publick ſpirit, might drain thoſe ſtreams, and make their channels drie. My Lords and Gentlemen, what a God do you lay out your ſelves for, one that will be your Speaker in your Houſes, and your Shield and Sword in the Field; be true to him, and he will make your enemies lyars unto you; ſet him on high, and he will make you tread on their high places: you have a rent and broken Ship to ſteer, and pilot through croſs winds and waves. Be you one among your ſelves, and then all diviſions in Church or Armies will be leſs formidable; Your union would be a precious Pearl, while we are hnmbled for our manifold diſtractions. Let us rejoyce in your unity. If Moſes, Caleb and Joſhua hold together, and be all of one mind, the tumultuous Iſralites will be the better led on, through this wildernes. The laſt and ultimate end which you have covenanted to intend and aime at, ſhould give law to all private reſpects, paſſions, intereſts, and rule to all the means that conduce towards it, let the ardua regni, take place of meum & tuum, ſelf-denial will make you all one.
You that are for the Sea and the Field, hearken, the Sea and the Field call for you. It's ſeed time now in the Countrey, let it be ſo with you; go forth and ſow for us the matter of future praiſes, or elſe we ſhall have a late Harveſt, and I beſeech you, take faithfull Miniſters with you. If you have no Preachers with you, you will have too many. The Country ſavors too much already of the Field doctrine: and there is yet another thing which I have to ſay, I know not whether to you or the State, or both, and that is this, That an exchange be made of two hang-byes that have followed ſome of our Armies; I mean Plunder and Free-quarter, and that exchange to be for two other that will do you more credit; Good pay, and good diſcipline. We loſe very much by the two former, and ſhould gain very much by the two latter; we ſhould by this means convince and conquer enemies, and take away our own reproach out of their mouths, and we ſhould both gain and keep firm our friends unto us: and therefore we could not do our ſelves or the cauſe better ſervice, then to harken to this motion. Nor can there be a better time for you to go forth, then when the ſucceſſes which we mention this day do incourage you, our praiſes are your vetiles or forlorn-hope, ſent forth before hand; as they were Iehoſaphats, 2 Chron. 20. 21. The Pſalmiſt makes this conjunction, Pſ. 149. 6. Let the high praiſes of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged ſword in their hand.
And for you, this renowned City: you are the Deborah, or Mother in this Iſrael; of you that may be ſaid, which is in the 12th. Chap of Zech. ver. 5. The Governours of Iudah ſhall ſay in their heart, The inhabitants of Jeruſalem ſhall be my ſtrength, in the Lord of Hoſts their God. You are the ſinews and ſtrength of the Kingdom, and though you be much exhauſted, and there is but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oyl in a cruſe, yet (as hard as it was) the Prophet put the widow to go and make him a little cake firſt, 1 King. 17. 13. it was a great tryal, yet ſhe loſt nothing by it: you have now an occaſion, and an invitement, to ſtretch forth your abilities to the utmoſt, this warm Sun that ſhines upon you, may open the oyſter-ſhell that is cloſeſt ſhut up; Thankſgivings as they inlarge the heart, ſo they open the hand: It's true, that we commonly ſay, a man will not adventure all in one bottom, that is, when a man ſtays at land, and ſends his goods to Sea; but if a man ſhip himſelf into this cauſe, then why not all his goods, and worth? for if he ſurvive the ſtorm, he hath them; If not, he doth not need them.
I have one motion to the honourable Houſes, and one to this famous City: the firſt is on behalf of the Univerſity of Cambridge, that ſome expedient way be found for the eaſing their Taxes and burdens, that Learning may not be ſtar…ed; Let not the Kingdom want both her eyes; to what purpoſe is it, that the Univerſity hath a womb to bear, if ſhe have no Breſts to give ſuck?
The ſecond is on behalf of the poor, that workhouſes may be erected, to drain the ſtreets which are ſo full of indigent and miſerable people, whoſe miſery is their poverty, and idleneſs is their ſin: It were a happy work to heal them of both theſe; If every Thanksgiving be attended with ſome good work of Reformation, our God will incourage us by further mercies, and we ſhall further glorifie him by the improvement of them.
Ʋſe 3 Iſrael is pronounced and deſcribed, Happy; Then there is hope in the Churches condition, though low and deſpicable; The Promiſes of God will eat their own way through all oppoſitions and obſtructions; There is an obſervation made of three dead perſons raiſed by Chriſt; one in the houſe, Matth. 9. 25. one upon the Beire, Luk. 7. 14. one in his grave, Iohn 11. 43. and yet all of them brought to li…e again. This poor Church and Kingdom of ours is in a ſad condition. Ireland is upon the Beire. Germany as it were in the grave; and yet there is hope of Reſurrection to them all. Chriſt was firſt brought very low before he was exalted, and his body ſhall imitate or follow the example of their head; If God ſhall proceed ſtill further to weaken us, yet when he hath made Iacob a worm, he will then make that worm a flail to threſh the Mountains to chaff, Iſai. 41. 14. 15. And ſo I conclude, Happy art thou, O Iſrael, &c.
FINIS.
THE PURIFYING OF UNCLEAN HEARTS and HANDS.
OPENED IN A SERMON Preached before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, at their ſolemn Faſt, January 28. 1645. in Margarets Weſtminſter.
By RICHARD VINES, one of the Aſſembly of Divines.
PSAL. 24. 3, 4.
Who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord? and who ſhall ſtand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.
Publiſhed by Order of the Houſe of Commons.
LONDON, Printed by R. L. for Abel Roper, at the ſigne of the Sun againſt St. Dunſtans Church in Fleetſtreet, 1646.
Die Mercurii, 28, January, 1645.
ORdered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, that Mr. Long and Mr. Holland doe from this houſe give thanks to Mr. Vines for the great pains he tooke in the Sermon hee preached this day at the intreaty of this Houſe at St. Margarets Weſtminſter, (it being the day of publike humiliation) and to deſire him to Print his Sermon. And it is Ordered, that none ſhall Priut his Sermon, but who ſhall bee licenſed under his hand-writing.
Henry Elſyng, Cler. Parl. Dom. Com. I appoint Abel Roper to print this Sermon. Richard Vines.