Standing and Moving Upon the True Foundation, Order – Dedication
Die Mercurii 25. Octob. 1648.
ORdered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, that Colonell Harvy doe from this Houſe give thankes to Mr. Barker for the great paines hee tooke in his Sermon, preached this day at Margarets Weſtminſter, before the Houſe of Commons (it being a day of publick Humiliation.) And that he be deſired to print his Sermon; wherein he is to have the like priviledge in printing of it, as others in the like kind uſually have had.
Henry Elſing, Cler. Dom. Com.
I appoint Rapha Harford to print this Sermon.
MATTH. BARKER.
A CHRISTIAN Standing & Moving Upon the true Foundation.
OR, A word in ſeaſon.
Perſwading to
Sticke cloſe to God,
Act eminently for God.
In his preſent deſign a-againſt all diſcouragements, oppoſitions, temptations.
EXPRESSED In a Sermon Preached before the Honourable Houſe of Commons upon the day of their monthly Faſt, Octeb. 25. 1648.
By MATTHEW BARKER, M. A. late Preacher of the Goſpel at James Garlick-hith, London, and now at Morclacke in Surrey.
ISA. 30. 7. Their ſtrength is to ſit ſtill. V. 15. In quietneſſe and confidence ſhall be your ſtrength.
CANT. 3. 6. Who is this that commeth out of the Wi…derneſſe like pillars of ſmoake, &c.
LONDON; Printed by M. S. for R. Harford, at the guilt Bible in Queens-head Alley in Pater-noſter-row▪ 1648.
TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE of COMMONS now Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
TO ſpeake to a Kingdome at once, is both a weightie work, and an happy opportunity; Whiles I conſidered the former, the vaſt diſproportion of mine owne abilities did diſcourage me: but the latter brought me upon the adventure; in which though I ſhould come off with loſſe, yet if you and the great worke in your hand receive but any gaine, I ſhall deſire to rejoyce. I know that God uſually is maximus in minimis, and doth his higheſt workes by loweſt meanes, and inſtruments; Out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings he hath perfected praiſe, Mat. 21. 16. Therefore I hope my poore endeavours may not be without fruit; which your deſires doe command, and your gracious acceptance doth incourage me to make thus publique, and preſent them againe to you.
In them I have ſet before you a true Chriſtian as ſtanding firmly upon the true foundation, as aſcending daily in the true ſpheare, to perfection and reſt; Both which is the Lord Jeſus. Every ſtanding that is not upon this foundation is deceitfull and falſe, every aſcent that is not in this ſpheare is enormous and crooked.
Every man is growing up according to that root in which he is planted, and that principle in which he lives; By living in Chriſt we grow up into Chriſt, and he that lives moſt in him, growes up moſt into him; What ever God the father would have to abide, and grow up into a ſtate of perfection and glory, that he hath laid upon Chriſt as the foundation; and what ever reſts upon any other, will either vaniſh into aire, or be conſumed with fire.
And this is the commiſsion that Chriſt hath received of his Father, and the great work that he is upon at this day, to throw down all falſe foundations that men have ſet up and built upon, that the true foundation of all things may appeare. All Religion, peace and principles within, all power peace and glory without that reſts not upon it, he is now comming to ſhake and diſsolve.
The foure great Monarchies of the world, though their firmneſſe and ſtrength be like that of Gold, Silver, Braſſe, Jron, as they were repreſented to Nebuchadnezzar in his dreame Dan. 2. Yet becauſe they were not erected upon a true foundation, the Stone cut out of the Mountaine breakes them to peices, and brings them to nothing;
And ſo Great Babylon the throne of the beaſt being erected without Chriſt, yea againſt him, is falling down every▪day before him.
Therefore (Worthy Senatours) take heed how you build, ſee that your foundation be ſolid; Let me be bold to tel you, that all your profeſsion, religion, and your hopes grounded upon them will fall into the duſt if they ſtand not upon this Rocke, the Lord Jeſus; I mean not an imaginary but a true Jeſus, as rightly diſcovered and apprehended: For millions of ſoules miſcarry in theſe Goſpel-times, amidſt Goſpel-light by reſting upon ſuch a Jeſus that hath no exiſtence either in the word, or in heaven, or any where but in their owne fancy alone.
And when you find… your ſtanding good, let nothing ſhake you; reſt here, reigne here, and from hence be you daily advancing into the boſome of the father, which is the centre, the home, the haven, the heaven of your ſoules.
As to the Kingdome, and your own truſt in relation to it, I ſhall only ſay thus much, looke upon its ruines, and its dangers; and both theſe call upon you for a double worke, to be ſtrenuous in building, and vigilant in watching.
Firſt, ſtrenuous in building, you are called to raiſe up the former deſolations, even the deſolations of many generations, Here are the liberties of the people to be built up, the peace of Church and State to be built up; the walls of Jeruſalem to be built up, and the ruines of poore Irela…d; according to your power and capacity addreſſe manfully to all theſe that you may winne to your ſelves the honorable name of b…ing the repairers of our breaches. I remember a great Athenian Commander being asked why he did not riot and ſwagger it with the reſt of the Company; anſwered, I know not how to drinke and ſwagger; ſed novi Rempublicam ex parvâ magnam facere; I know how to make a ſmal Common-wealth great: Oh Sirs, you will then approve your ſelves to be men of skill and wiſdome indeed if you know how aright to build up a poore decayed Sate, and to unite divided Chriſtians. That you may be ſucceſsfull in this worke;
Firſt, build with unity, there can be no greater obſtruction to the building than diviſions among the builders; Did you all act from the ſame principles, to the ſame common ends the work would goe on in your hands more proſperouſly and ſpeedily.
Secondly, with diligence; If builders grow ſlacke, will not attend the worke, but are by every ſlight occaſion called off, the building is likely to ſticke.
Thirdly, with wiſdome, Prov. 9. 1. Wiſedome hath built her houſe. The ſpirituall building goes on ſucceſſefully, becauſe it is carryed on by an infinite wiſdome: And Prov. 24. 3. By wiſdome is an houſe built, and by underſtanding it is eſtabliſhed.
You have many enemies that ſeeke to diſparage and undermine your building, and therefore build wiſely: and wiſe builders will build upon a good foundation, and by a good rule.
Fourthly, with reſolution; builders ought not to be affrighted from their worke with aſhowre of raine, a puffe of winde, or the barking of a dog; For want of this men have left their worke, and either by feares or flatteries have been brought to a very unworthy and baſe complyance.
Next in order to the imminent dangers of the Kingdome, your worke is to be vigilant in watching. Vita hominum vigilia, ſaid Pliny to Veſpaſian; I am ſure it is now one great worke of your life to be watchfull for this poor Kingdome, and would you approve your ſelves true watchmen, then watch;
Firſt, accurately; Watch-men muſt not be blinds as Iſraels was, Iſa. 56. 10. They muſt have a piercing ſight, that they may be able to ſee into the bottome and depth of things; that they may ſee ſnares that are laid in private, and may not be deluded with fair pretexts and overtures to the betraying of their truſt, and the good of thoſe for whom they watch. As alſo, that they may be able to ſee afarre off. Watch-men ſtand upon walls and high places to diſcover dangers approaching at a diſtance: ſo are you this Kingdomes watcbmen to diſcover evils that may come upon it, not only for the preſent, but many yeares hence. You are to provide not only that we may for a few yeares, or in this generation enjoy the Goſpel, our peace and liberties, but to ſettle them upon ſuch a bottome, as that poſterity may rejoyce in them as well as our ſelves.
Laſtly, Watch men muſt have accurate ſight to ſpie out the fitteſt ſeaſon for every action; that may be done at one time with eaſe, which at another will not with much difficulty. And ſurely Sirs, had there been this wiſdom on all ſides to improve ſeaſons, the work of this Kingdome might have been nearer finiſhing then now it is. But this is our comfort, though men may miſſe their ſeaſons, God alwayes doth lay hold of his.
Secondly, watch faithfully; the unfaithfulneſs of a watchman brings all in danger. If he be corrupted and comply with the Enemie, he may doe more hurt then the whole Army.
Thirdly, watch with ſelfe-denyall; A watch-man muſt endanger himſelfe for the publique ſafety, hee muſt deny himſelfe in his eaſe, in his eſtate, in his private occaſions and intereſts, that he may be ſerviceable to the publique. Let Adrian's motto be writ upon all your hearts; non mihi ſed populo, for the people, not my ſelfe.
That the dangers of the Kingdome are not yet over, we have too evident reaſon to believe: and therefore let your eye be ſtill open, and keepe ſtrict watch, leſt we ſhould be ſurprized by them.
Thus I have done, onelyonly if any where you finde my language more particular and importunate then ordinary, I deſire that the preſent exigence of the time and your affaires may plead my excuſe.
I did deſire to be faithfull in the worke, and in the free diſcharge o… mine owne conſcience I ſhall endeavour to ſit downe and rejoyce amidſt all the cenſures and reproaches of men. Who are the true friends and enemies of peace God will in a ſhort time diſcover.
Some things which I had prepared to ſpeake, I was conſtrained to omit by reaſon of the time, and I am here bold to preſent them to your eyes, together with thoſe which I have already preſented to your eare. Which that they may bee as A SACRED ANCHOR to eſtabliſh you, as HEAVENLY FIRE to enflame your hearts into an higher pitch of true zeal and reſolution for God and this Kingdome, ſhall be the continuall prayer
Of him Who deſires to be found a faithfull Steward in the Lords worke, MATTH. BARKER.