Deliverance Obstruction, Sermon

Deliverance Obstruction · Sermon

A SERMON Preached before the Right Honorable Houſe of PEERS.

EXOD. 5.22, 23.

And Moſes returned unto the Lord, and ſaid, Lord, wherefore haſt thou ſo evil intreated this people? why is it that thou haſt ſent me? For ſince I came to Pharaoh to ſpeak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people: neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all.

YOu have in theſe words

1. A Grievous diſtreſſe.

2. A Gracious addreſſe.

The Addreſſe indeed is firſt in the order of words; but the Diſtreſſe is firſt in the order of time and ſence: And this it was briefly:

Moſes and Aaron according to their Commiſſion, had been now with Pharaoh to deliver their Embaſſie and Command from God concerning Iſrael's diſmiſſion: Let my people go, &c.Vers. 1.

p. 2The Iſraelites wait to hear what news from Court, full of glad expectations of a ſpeedie and preſent Deliverance from the Egyptian ſervitude, Chap. 12.40.under which they had groaned now theſe Four hundred and thirty yeers. But the tidings doth not anſwer their expectations:Verſ. 2. Pharaoh will not let Iſrael go; he knows no God but himſelf, neither ſhall Iſrael ſtir. Yea their hopes of enlargement, are turn'd into the doubling of their bondage: in ſtead of keeping Holy-day in the wilderneſſe, they muſt to work again in the Brickils of Egypt: yea, make Bricks they muſt,Verſ. 7, 8, 9. and finde themſelves ſtraw too: more work, and leſſe wherewithal to do it. This was ſad news indeed: Yet they had ſome hopes that this might be but the cruelty and encroachment of the Commiſſioners ſet over them; therefore they'll to the Court themſelves with their Petitions; happily the King may give them a better anſwer; it is poſſible His Majeſtia gave no ſuch command concerning Iſrael. But when they come they finde it was no miſtake; Pharaoh ſpeaks the ſame language the Task maſters did: Ye are idle, ye are idle, get you to your work; Verſ. 17, 18.there ſhall be no ſtraw given you, yet ſhall ye deliver the tale of Bricks, &c. This kills their very hearts; now they ſee themſelves worſe then ever:Verſ. 19. and thus coming out from the Preſence-chamber full of anguiſh and impatience, they meet with Moſes and Aaron, Verſ. 20.fall foul upon them, charge them with being the cauſe of bringing them into this ſad and hopeleſſe condition; and in plain terms call for vengeance from God upon them:Verſ. 21. The Lord look upon you, and judge.

And this now is the Diſtreſſe, the matter of Moſes complaint, Verſ. 23. Since I came to Pharaoh to ſpeak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all.

Yet in this diſtreſſe he doth not behave himſelf like the Iſraelites.

They murmure, He mourns.

They run to Moſes, He runs to God.

They proudly quarrel out the matter with him; He ſweetly, humbly expoſtulates the matter with God.

They (in a manner) fall a curſing; He in a holy manner fails a praying:

p. 3Moſes returned unto the Lord, and ſaid, Lord, wherefore hast thou ſo evil intreated this people? Why is it that thou haſt ſent me?

This was Moſes gracious Addreſſe.

The words thus briefly divided and opened, will afford us Two moſt remarkable Obſervations or Doctrines. The firſt, from the Diſtreſſe; the ſecond, from the Addreſſe.

From the Diſtreſſe thus:

A Deliverance of Gods own promiſing and ſetting on foot, may meet with ſuch deſperate oppoſition and ſet-backs, 1 Doct.as to the very eye of a Moſes may render it a lost deſigne, no deliverance at all: Thou haſt not delivered thy people at all.

From the Addreſſe, you may take a Second Doctrine, and that is this:

A gracious heart, in the deepeſt diſtreſſe, 2 Doct.in the moſt hopeleſſe condition, will yet go to God, and reaſon out the matter with God in Prayer: it will empty it ſelf into the boſome of God by prayer and holy plaints.

Whether I ſhall be able to reach this ſecond Doctrine or no, I know not. If time will not ſerve to handle it as a Doctrine, yet in its place it may come to do us good ſervice as an Ʋſe.

I begin therefore with the Firſt Doctrine.

A Deliverance of Gods own promiſing and beginning, may meet with ſuch deſperate oppoſition and ſet-backs, that to the eye of a Moſes it may appear a loſt deſigne, no deliverance at all. For ſince I came to Pharaoh, to ſpeak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all.

You ſee there be Two branches in this Doctrine.

1. That a Deliverance of Gods own purpoſing and forming, may meet with ſharp encounters and deſperate ſet-backs.

2. That a Moſes himſelf may at the firſt bluſh look upon it, at ſuch a non-plus, as a lost deſigne, a no-deliverance at all.

Theſe are of ſuch a various nature, that they well deſerve to be handled diſtinctly: But fulneſſe of matter, and ſtraits of time, will neceſſitate me to handle them both together; p. 4which yet may be eaſilier done in the inſtances then in the Reaſons of the Doctrine; they being of a moſt differing account; and therefore when I come to the Reaſons, I muſt take leave of the Second Branch, to purſue the account of the firſt onelyonly.

Inſtances indeed there be that will reach both.

This in hand doth: For here, you ſee, is a Deliverance of Gods own promiſing: Four hundred yeers before, it was promiſed to Abraham, as you may ſee, Gen. 15.13, 14. At the end whereof, God himſelf ſet it on foot, by ſingling out Moſes and Aaron for this ſervice,Chap. 3 & 4. and promiſing his preſence with them, and his bleſſing ſo upon them, that they ſhould undoubtedly do the work; which yet meets with ſuch fierce oppoſition, and deſperate diſcouragements, that not the Iſraelites onelyonly, but Moſes himſelf gives it up for a LOST DESIGNE; Thou haſt not delivered thy people at all.

But alas, it was early days when Moſes made this complaint; this was but the beginning of the ſorrows of their travel; Iſrael muſt endure ſharper pains and harder throws, before ſhe be delivered, that ſhall make her even deſpair of Life. Oh how doth the Deliverance after this hover up and down between Hopes and Fears? Good news to day; the plague of the Frogs hath made Pharaoh another man;Exod. 8.8.Exod 8:8 he ſends for Moſes and Aaron, calls for prayers, promiſeth to let Iſrael go: Moſes thinks he is in good earnest; tells his Majestie he may command his prayers, Have this honour over me; bids him appoint his time, and it ſhall be done. Verſ. 9.Surely now ſaid they one to another, Our bondage is at an end; we hope, before a week go over our heads, to be well onward in our journey towards Canaan. I but before that week came about, What news from Court? Oh, as bad as ever; Pharaoh is of another minde; he ſpeaks big, Exod. 10. 10, 11.Exod 10:10Exod 10:11threatens, curſeth: it is well if we be not put to the ſword! Well, but there is tidings ſince that, very good; what the Frogs could not do, the Locuſts have: Pharaoh melts. Verſ. 17.confeſſeth his ſin againſt God and Moſes, begs pardon, which be deſires but this once more, and then certainly Iſrael ſhall be gone. I but this fair weather laſts not; the clouds return after rain: Pharaoh hardens again; Moſes and Aaron are p. 5baniſht the Court upon pain of death; and there ſeems to be no poſſibility now of their departure, ſince all means of negotiating thereof is obſtructed.

In a word; look how many plagues paſt upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, ſo many deſperate encounters and non plus's Iſraels enlargement meets withal; ſo many hard pulls it coſt, before they could get looſe: And when they had got their ſhooes on their feet, and their ſtaves in their hand, and their kneading-troughs upon their ſhoulders, and they well onward on their way, encouraging themſelves now that the worſt was paſt; behold, the hardeſt pull of all was behinde; they finde themſelves (or ever they were aware) environed with death and deſtruction: If they look before them, there is a Red-ſea; if behinde them, lo, there is Pharach, with I know not how many thouſands of Horſe and Foas, like another Red-ſea, roaring, and threatning to ſwallow them up; if on either hand, there is an unpaſſable wilderneſſe; and now, ſay the people to Moſes, Becauſe there were no graves in Egypt, host thou brought us out to die in the wilderneſſe? Exod. 14, 11, 12.Exod 14:11Exod 14:12This was nothing elſe but a very Plot of Moſes and Aaron, an ambuſhment laid on purpoſe to deliver Iſrael up at once to the Egyptians, that they might utterly deſtroy us: we can neither fight nor flee; die we muſt every mothers childe.

See at how many dead lifts and deſperate loſſes they were, and all this but in reference to the terminus a quo, of their deliverance, their coming out of Egypt.

When you have leaſure, you may follow Iſrael Fourty yeers journey in the wilderneſſe. How do they tread the Maze as it were! backward and forward, up and down; advance to day, and to morrow a turn again; march ten miles perhaps, and then fetch a compaſſe and retreat twenty it may be: and all the way encountred with ſuch difficulties and deſperate hazards, that they, would have been an hundred and an hundred times contented with all their hearts, to have exchanged their New liberty for their Old bondage; to have ſold Canaan for Egypt again, and have though they had made a good bargain. Yea, once more, when now at length, through innumerable dangers and deaths, for Fourty yeers together, they had ſet foot p. 6on the Borders of Canaan, their terminus ad quem; and one would have thought there had been nothing more to have been done, but to have taken poſſeſſion; behold, they meet with ſuch a freſh unexpected diſcouragement; their valley of Jericho is turned into a valley of Achor; their fair fruitful meadows, into another wilderneſſe; where they were at ſuch a plunge, as not to Iſrael onelyonly, but unto their gallant General, Joſhua himſelf, ſeems the loſſe of their deſigne; Joſh 7.5.6.Josh 7:5Josh 7:6makes him rend his clothes, his heart being firſt rent, Verſ. 7.and wiſh that they had taken up their Quarters on the other ſide Jordan.

It fared not much better with them upon their ſecond Return out of Captivity; their return out of Babylon I mean: Indeed they met not with altogether ſo many difficult encounters and deſperate obſtructions, in reſpect of the terminus a quo, their getting looſe from Babylon; that came off better, though it wanted not its diſcouragements: but look upon the terminus ad quem, and there you ſhall finde them oftener at the loſſe, then when they came to take their firſt poſſeſſion: the Building of the Temple, and the ſetting up of Religion and the Ordinances of God, ſtuck more then thrice ſo long then their travel in the wilderneſſe. It was about One hundred and eleven yeers after, before thebbIn the 6 yeer of Darius Notho, the Temple was finiſhe, which was anno 3531. Temple was built; Twenty yeers after that, before theccIn the 7 yeer of Artaxerxes Mnemon, Ezra came from Babylon, and ſet upon the Reformation of Church and State, anno 3550. Reformation of their Eccleſiaſtical and Civil Policie was accompliſht by Ezra: and Fourty five yeers after that, before theddIn the 20 yeer of his reign, Nehemiah began to build the wall of Jeruſalem, which was anno 3564, and perfected them in 12 yeers. wall of Jeruſalem was perfected by Nehemiah: So that from their coming out of Captivity, to the completing of the work, was not leſſe then about One hundred ſeventy ſix yeers; almoſt the length of the wilderneſſe-travel four times told. All which time, they meet with ſo many open oppoſitions and ſecret treacheries and plots, that might well have made it ſeem a lost Deſigne, no deliverance at all; as you may finde in the Stories of Ezra and Nehemiah.a They came out of Babylon 1 Cyri; which was about the yeer of Creation 3420.

p. 7While this Captivity was yet threatned; the Church was in travel, in Hezekiah's time, and great hopes there was of a fair and ſpeedie Deliverance: Iſa. 37.3.Isa 37:3The children were come to the birth; i. e. every thing ſeemed to concur that might promiſe a deſirable iſſue; and yet you know whoſe complaint it was, There is no ſtrength to bring forth; her ſtrength failed;Iſa. 37.3.Isa 37:3 her pangs left her, and Sion was now like a woman laid by of her Midwives for death. Hezekiah himſelf looks upon it as a LOST DESIGNE, NO DELIVERANCE at all: There is not ſtrength to bring forth.

You know David, long before him, had the promiſe of the Kingdom; he was anointed by Samuel at the ſpecial deſignement of GOD; and yet how many Faith-ſhaking diſcouragements doth he meet withal? every ſtep he took, he treads upon a thorn; oftentimes more like to loſe his head then to wear a Crown upon it. Everywhere danger and death ſtares him in the face; in the bed, in the houſe, in the wilderneſſe, &c. inſomuch that at length he gives his hopes of a Kingdom and himſelf too for loſt; I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul; 1 Sam. 27.1.1 Sam 27:1and in his haste, in his paſſion, in his extaſie, foreign Pſal. 116.11.Ps 116:11as the Septuagint tranſlate it, gives the Lye to all the ſons of men; I ſaid in my haſte, All men are Lyers; even Samuel himſelf, that made me believe I ſhould be KING, He did but deceive and flatter me with a prophecie of his own head. Alas, he deſpaired of life, and what hopes then of a Crown?

It were eaſie to multiply inſtances: How oft do you finde the Church giving her ſelf for lost, Iſa. 49.14. Pſal. 44.9. Jer. 14.19, 21 & 15.18. & 20.7, 8, &c.Isa 49:14Ps 44:9Jer 14:19Jer 14:21Jer 15:18Jer 20:7Jer 20:8and ready almoſt to accuſe God of Forgetfulneſſe, and even breach of Covenant?

Take but one instance more for all: The Deliverance of Deliverances, the Redemption of the world by Jeſus Chriſt; how fiercely and furiouſly was it encountred by men and devils? how long was it adjourn'd after it was in the promiſe? how lowe was it brought after it was ſet on foot in the fulneſſe of time? Surely ſo lowe, Luke 24.21.Luke 24:21that at length the Diſciples themſelves give it for lost; We trusted it had been he which ſhould have redeemed Iſrael: we truſted it had been He; that implyes, now they had given over the Hopes of it, and look upon it as a lost deſigne, no Redemption at all.

p. 8And ſo it fares with Believers in their Spiritual eſtate, their ſoul condition: alas, how often, even after they have received the promiſe, yea, have been ſealed up to the day of Redemption, are they at a loſſe before they come to heaven!

It fares with the Church in both theſe reſpects, as it doth with travellers who are going toward a City or Houſe; peradventure they may have it in their eye Twenty or Thirty miles off; yet by reaſon of Valleys and Woods thorow which they travel, loſe the ſight of it Twenty times before they come at it; yea, perhaps their way too; ſo that they even deſpair of coming ſafe to their journeys end. So, &c.

But I muſt hold you no longer in the Inſtances, leſt I fall ſhort of mine own deſigne; I haſten therefore to the Reaſons or Grounds.

Wherein I muſt now (as I ſaid) ſever theſe Two branches, and follow onelyonly the account of the firſt, viz.

What the Reaſons may be, why a Deliverance of Gods own promiſing and ſetting on foot, may meet with ſuch deſperate ſet-backs and nonpluſſes, as may ſeem, ſometimes, to give all for lost.

And you may pleaſe to obſerve a Fourfold Spring-head, out of which ſeveral and various accounts do iſſue: viz.

1. The Enemies of Deliverance.

2. The Subjects of Deliverance.

3. The Inſtruments of Deliverance.

4. The Author of Deliverance, GOD HIMSELF.

I begin with the firſt Spring head of accounts:

Sort of Reaſons. The enemies of the Churches Deliverance.The ENEMIES of the Churches Deliverance.

Here you ſee was a Pharaoh, and all his Malignant Courtiers and Subjects, oppoſing and obſtructing Iſraels deliverance: yea, when they had got looſe, arming all the Milicia of Egypt, and putting them into Array, to reduce Iſrael again into their old Servitude and Bondage.

And I would He had been the last Pharaoh the Church had been troubled with. But no though that Pharaoh was drown'd in the Sea, there ariſe up after him new Pharaoh, in every age of the Church, that know not the Lord, and that will be p. 9oppoſing and fighting againſt the Deliverance and enlargement of the Church of God, though they venture another tumbling caſt in the waters for it. Whether they be open oppoſers, or ſecret underminers of the Churches Peace and Reformation; Tobijahs and Sanballats, Ezra 4.1, 2.Ezra 4:1Ezra 4:2who under a pretence of building with the Jews, do hinder the work.

Such as ſince the beginning of this Parliament, have been members of either Houſe, who did his Majeſtie better ſervice at Weſtminſter, then they could have done at Oxford.

Theſe by what principles they are led, Tyrannie, Ambition, Pride, Covetouſneſſe, Revenge, &c. (ſome by one, and ſome by others) I cannot ſtand to diſcover: Sure I am, they are all acted by that great principle of Enmity ſpawn'd into them by the old Serpent the Devil, whereby they are carried out into deſperate hatred and oppoſition againſt the Government of Chriſt. Nolumus hunc regnare, Luke 19.14.Luke 19:14We will not have this man to reign over us; there is the firſt and great Quarral.

And Secondly, againſt the Peace and Welfare of the Church: Come, and let us cut them off from being a Nation, that the name of Iſrael be no more in remembrance: Pſal. 83.4. Minu. Foelix.Ps 83:4like their father the devil that ſets them awork, ad ſolamen calamitatis ſuae non deſinunt perditi perdere, &c. loſt themſelves, they ſeek to deſtroy as many as they can.

Hence it is, that the Church is never in travel with a Man-childe, ſome eminent and famous deliverance and Reformation, but there is a great red Dragon ſtanding before her, Revel. 12.4.Rev 12:4ready to devour the childe aſſoon as ever it is born.

But I muſt leave theſe: it ſhall content me but thus to have given you a touch in general of the oppoſition which the Churches Deliverance meets with from the Enemies: And truely well I may; for I profeſſe unto you, the Enemies, Satan and all his Imps, do not do the Tenth part of that miſchief to the Church, in obſtructing and retarding her Deliverances, as the Church doth her ſelf, take it for the mixt multitude of thoſe that make up a viſible Church, in the profeſſion of the true Religion and Worſhip of God; which brings me to The Second Spring-head of Reaſons follow,Second ſort of Reaſons. The Delivered. taken from The Delivered, or Subjects of Deliverance.

p. 10Happie were it for the Church, if the oppoſitions and Set-backs of her Deliverance were managed onelyonly by her Enemies.

Look upon the inſtance here before us, and you ſhall finde that God was now as much troubled with Iſrael (if I may ſo ſay) as before he was with Egypt: yea you ſhall finde that the work ſtuck not ſo long on Pharaoh's and the Egyptians hands, as it did after upon Iſrael's.

Firſt indeed, Pharaoh hardned, and Pharaoh hardned, &c. but then you ſhall finde, And Iſrael hardned, and Iſrael hardned, &c. not perhaps in the letter, but in the reality. And God made quick work with Pharaoh; that conflict laſted not long; probably a matter of Fourty days ended that diſpute and controverſie about Iſraels departure; but of Iſrael you hear God ſay Fourty yeers was I grieved with this generation, Pſal. 95.10.Ps 95:10&c. That journey unto Canaan which might have been diſpatcht in Fourty days, they quarrell'd and ſinn'd into a Fourty yeers mazing of it in the wilderneſſe: neither are they the laſt inſtances of a People that have laid in deſperate obſtructions and Set-backs in the way of their own Deliverance and Enlargement. It was ſo, 2 Chron. 20.33. Hoſ. 13.12, 13. But I muſt not ſtand upon Inſtances.

How the Delivered hinder their own Deliverance.The Ways and Mediums how they have done it, is the thing which I would as briefly as may be repreſent unto you.

In general, all ſin will do it; any ſin will do it; witneſſe what God ſaid once to Iſrael: Iſa. 59.1.Isa 59:1Behold, the Lords hand is not ſhortned that he cannot ſave, neither his ear heavie that he cannot hear:2.

But your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you. A paſſage quoted out of the**Num. 11.23.Num 11:23 hiſtory of the Wilderneſſe, and therefore the more proper.

But in ſpecial,

Theſe ſins.

1. By Pride.1. Ʋnhumbledneſſe of ſpirit, Pride of heart: It was not Pharaoh onelyonly that knew not the Lord; ſurely Iſrael himſelf knew not their God: what a world of pride, and ſtomackfulnes, and ſelfwih'dneſſe, and impatience they expreſt not in Egypt onelyonly,Num. 14.3.Num 14:3 but in the wilderneſſe too? Sometime they will make p. 11them a Captain to return into Egypt; anon, they will advance forward,Verſ. 40, 41. they will up into the mountain whether God will or no: and yet the Text tells us, verſe 39, The people mourned greatly; but alas, they were unhumbled in their mournings; their hearts were not broken: on they will, againſt an expreſſe Command, Go not up, for the Lord is not among you: Verſ 42. Verſ. 44.But they they preſumed to go, &c. and for this they ſmarted.

And ſo afterward, even while they were in the Babylonian Captivity, where they kept two ſolemn Faſts every yeer;Zech. 7.5. Sc. in the fifth and ſeventh monethmonth. Hoſ. 5.5.Zech 7:5Hos 5:5 yet neither their Captivity nor their Faſting humbled their hearts: The pride of Iſrael testifieth to his face. And again, The pride of Iſrael testifieth to his face, and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor ſeek him for all this; and for this the yoke of their Captivity was ſtrenthned upon them, and their deliverance retarded; They ſhall go with their flocks, and with their herds, Verſ. 6.to ſeek the Lord; but they ſhall not finde him: he hath withdrawn himſelf from them.

2. By Ʋnbelief.2. A ſecond Deliverance-obſtructing ſin is Ʋnbelief; deeply laid to heart by God, Numb. 14.11. How long will this people provoke me? how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the ſignes which I havo ſhewed among them? To tell you the ſtory of their unbelief, were endleſſe: but this was the ſum of it; They had not faith enough to carry them from one miracle to another: Let God do never ſo great wonders for them to day, in the next ſtrait they were as far to ſeek as before: they could not diſpute faith into the concluſion, from the ſtrongeſt premiſes which Omnipotence it ſelf could make: nay, they got a wretched art of perverting Gods Logick; they diſpute Gods arguments backward;Pſal. 78.20.Ps 78:20 Behold he ſmote the rock that the waters guſhed out, and the ſtreams overflowed; can he give bread alſo? can he provide fleſh alſo for his people? CAN HE? nay, they ſhould have ſaid, Can he not? Here is unbelief with a witneſſe, from premiſes of Gods power, to conclude weakneſſe: from a can to reaſon a cannot. And this unwheel'd the chariot of their deliverance as it were, that with Pharaoh's, it drove heavily: The Lord heard this, and was wroth: Verſ. 21.ſo a fire was kindled againſt Jacob, &c.Num. 13.32, 33.Num 13:32Num 13:33 See what contradictions their unbelief ſpeaks: The land thorow which we have gone to p. 12ſearch it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the men that we ſaw in it are men of great ſtature: and there we ſaw Giants. A ſtrange tale; the land eats up the inhabitants, and yet they are men of great ſtature, and Giants; ſurely then they were no ſtarvelings: ſhew me not the meat, ſhew me the man; if Giants, ſurely they wanted no victuals. UNBELIEF unreaſons a man: Unreaſonable men and faithleſſe. 2 Theſſ. 3.2.2 Thess 3:2ſo the Apoſtle joyns them, when he prays to be delivered from unreaſonable men; for all men have not faith. No wonder if unbelief be ſuch an obſtruction to a peoples deliverance: it ungods GOD, it UNMANS man. He did not many mighty works there, becauſe of their unbelief. Matth. 13.58. Mark 6.5. Matth. 9.29.Matt 13:58Mark 6:5Matt 9:29He DID NOT, ſo Matthew; but he COULD NOT, ſo Mark. God is ſaid to can do no more then faith believes he can do. UNBELIEF TIES UP THE HANDS OF THE ALMIGHTY: According to your faith, be it unto you.

3. By Murmure.Thirdly, from hence proceeds another obſtructing ſin, and that is Murmure: you may finde it treading upon the heels of their unbelief all the way; they murmure againſt God, and murmure againſt their Leaders, Moſes and Aaron; and this aroſe from their Jealouſie: ſometime they ſuſpect them of treachery; Moſes and Aaron certainly had a plot firſt to betray them to Pharaoh (as you ſaw before) and then to deſtroy them in the wilderneſſe. Wherefore have ye brought us into the wilderneſſe to kill us?

Sometime of ambition, and affecting ſuperiority and Lordſhip over their brethren: Ye take too much upon you; wherefore lift you up your ſelves above the Congregation of the Lord? Yea, that which would trouble a man moſt to ſee, the very Princes of the people,Num. 16. Verſ. 2.Num 16 two hundred and fifty of them, are carried away with this fooliſh, groundleſſe JEALOUSIE: Certainly theſe men affect arbitrary Government; if power and authority be in their hands, we ſhall be in as great ſubjecton and ſlavery as we were in Egypt, if not greater.

And this murmuring againſt them, GOD takes as againſt HIMSELF:Chap. 14.22. How long ſhall I bear with this evil congregration which murmure againſt me? I have heard the murmurings wherewith the children of Iſrael murmure AGAINST ME: and for this, God threatens them with their own Jealouſies and p. 13cauſleſſe miſgivings; they murmurs themſelves to DEATH in the wilderneſſe, and their children into a FORTY YEERS TRAVEL: As I live, ſaith the Lord, as you have ſpoken in mine ears, ſo will I do unto you: Num. 14 28, 29, &c.Num 14:28Num 14:29Your carcaſes ſhall fall in the wilderneſſe, &c. all which have murmured againſt me.

And your children ſhall wander in this wilderneſſe fourty yeers, Verſ. 33, &c.&c.

A Fourth ſin is Adultery

Corporal,

Spiritual.4. By Adultery bodily and ſpiritual.

I put them both together, becauſe they both go together for the moſt part; the one, whereby a people or perſon take in a falſe Lover; the other, whereby they take in a falſe God, or a falſe Worſhip of the true God. And into both theſe that witch Balaam bewitcht the people in the wilderneſſe,Numb. 25.1, 2, 3, 4, 9.Num 25:1Num 25:2Num 25:3Num 25:4Num 25:9 to a great not abſtruction onelyonly, but deſtruction, as you may read in the ſtory. And how often afterward theſe two baſtned their Captivity, and hindred their enlargement out of it, I cannot ſtand to tell you: the whole Prophecle of Hoſea inculcates it over and over.

You know upon what Commandment it is, that God calls himſelf a jealous God; namely,Second Com. upon that Commendment which forbids Idolatry; to ſhew that much unto us, that as a jealous huſband cannot endure a wanton look in his wife upon a ſtranger; ſo God cannot endure a whoriſh glance in his people towards Idolatry and Superſtition: Ezek. 20.24.Ezek 20:24Their eyes went after their fathers Idols; it was no more hut an adulterous look; and for this when they might have expected a REFORMATION, God blaſted them with a DEFORMATION: Wherefore I gave them Statutes that were not good, Verſ. 25.and Judgements whereby they ſhould not live. Idolatry, and Superſtition, and falſe Worſhip, which before was their ſin, now became their curſe and plagues; Idolatry was eſtabliſhed by a Law, by Jeroboam, and Manaſſeh, &c. for to the whole ſtory and ſeries of their wicked Kings, doth that judgement refer.

5. By DiviſionsFifthly, a Church or People have infinitely troubled and ſet back their own Deliverance and Reformation by Diviſions. Diviſions are like great Breaches in the banks of the Ocean, which let in a Sea of wiſchief and confuſion among a people p. 14to hinder their work. The Spiritual walls of the Church of Corinth, went up as ſlowly as once the material wall of Jeruſalem in Nehemiah's time, and all by reaſon of their diviſions: I could not ſpeak unto you (ſaith the Apoſtle) as unto ſpiritual, but as unto carnal; 1 Cor 3.1. Verſe 2.1 Cor 3:1a great obſtruction to their Spiritual growth: they were not capable of the SPIRITUALITY OF THE GOSPEL. Hitherto ye were not able to bear it, nor yet are ye able. Verſe 3.Why? There is among you ſtrife, and envyings, and diviſions; are ye not carnal? The diviſions and mutiny of CORAH DATHAN, and ABIRAM, what a ſad obſtruction did it caſt in the way of this expedition here before us? They incenſe the Princes and the people againſt Moſes and Aaron, Num. 16.2.Num 16:2by raiſing Jealouſies, and crying up the power and holineſſe of the people above their juſt proportions: and what a fire did this kindle in their habitations, which had like to have burnt down to the very foundation?

Ths Troubles of Frankford might come in as a ſad witneſſe to this truth. But not to inſtance any further in ſuch as have been pretenders onelyonly to godlineſſe, who have always made a major part by oddes in the Church: You may take notice that the very differences and diſſentions of them who are godly indeed, have been moſt eminently fatal to Goſpel-deſignes; witneſſe the differences of LUTHER and CALVIN, which were greater obſtructions to the propagation of the Reformation in their days, then all the oppoſition and perſecution raiſed by the man of ſin, and all his Antichriſtian party in Germany.

It was the Church of Philadelphia, called ſo, for Love and unity between Brethren, before whom God promiſeth to make her hypocritical enemies to bow and fall.Revel. 3.7, 9.Rev 3:7Rev 3:9

It is Babel men build, and not Jeruſalem, where there is confuſion of tongues: Mark 3 25.Mark 3:25neither can the houſe divided ſtand long.

6. By Carnal confidence. Jer. 17.5.Jer 17:5Sixthly, as much have they diſadvantaged themſelves by Carnal confidence; a ſin not onelyonly croſs'd, but curs'd. Thus ſaith the Lord, Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arm: Why? The reaſon follows, whoſe heart departeth from the Lord. Look how much men DEIFIE men, by ſo much they UNGOD Jehovah: by how much a people p. 15IDOLIZE Parliaments, or Armies, or the beſt of Creature-helps, by ſo much they withdraw their confidence and dependance from the Rock of Ages; and therefore for this doth God oftentimes infatuate Counſels, and blaſt all the beauty and ſtrength of a people, wherein ther truſted. The wiſdom of their wiſemen ſhall periſh, Iſa. 29 14.Isa 29:14and the underſtanding of the prudent ſhall be hid. Chap. 20.5.They ſhall be afraid and aſhamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. Alas, can a people proſper that have forſaken their ſtrength for weakneſſe? that have exchanged God for the Creature? Can a deſigne thrive that is under a Curſe? Therefore cries the Prophet in the ears of all the world, Ceaſe ye from man whoſe breath is in his nostrils; Iſa. 2.22.Isa 2:22for wherein is he to be accounted of?

And therefore on the contrary, when Iſrael after her Captivity is put into a thriving poſture, ſhe is brought in repenting of and diſclaiming all her Creature-confidences, with the Spouſe in the Canticles, coming up from the wilderneſſe of Captivity, LEANING UPON HER BELOVED: Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, we will not ride upon horſes, Hoſ. 14.2.3.Hos 14:2Hos 14:3neither will we ſay any more to the work of our hands, You are our gods (ſhe had ſaid ſo before, but ſhe will ſay ſo no more) for with thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy. We break our ſtays, by leaning too hard upon them.

Seventhly, by undervaluing thoughts of a Deliverance or Reformation. An ignorant inadvertency of the worth of ſuch a mercy, is very diſtaſtful unto God: Oh Jeruſalem, Luke 19.42.Luke 19:42hadſt thou known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace! HADST THOU KNOWN the worth, HADST THOU KNOWN the neceſſity! God will have a people know what he doth for them; God will have a deliverance valued, before he perfect it: When Garlick and Onions are as good as milk and honey; when trading, and lands, and riches, and honours, &c. be as good as a Reformation; and men can take up with theſe, and let Reformation go its own pace, and come at leaſure, if at all; Let them wander, ſaith God in the wilderneſſe, till they know what CANAAN IS WORTH:Hoſ. 5. ult.Hos 5 I will go and return to my place till they ſeek my face: in their affliction they will ſeek me early.

This I ſuppoſe is that account given why the Reformation p. 16in good Jehoſhaphat's time was not a thorow-Reformation: Though much was done,Chro. 20.33. Howbeit the high places were not taken away; for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

I come now to the Third Spring-head of Reaſons or Cauſes, ariſing from

The Deliverers.

obſtructions in Deliverers …art.For certainly the work of Deliverance and Reformation may ſtick long upon the hands of them that are to be the Deliverers and Reformers of a people: Yea, you may obſerve it ſometimes, God hath more trouble (to ſpeak after the manner of men) to deliver a people from their Deliverers, then he hath to deliver them from the enemies of their deliverance; yea, though the work be intruſted in the hands of a Moſes and an Aaron, God hath enough to do to keep them from ſpoiling of it: a great part of the Deliverance, is to deliver a people from their Deliverers, before he deliver them by them. So little is God beholding to ſecond Cauſes. You ſhall ſee it in the Inſtances or Cauſes.

Take in the firſt place Luthers account.

There be three things, ſaith Luther, that are the bane of Chriſtian Religion; Melch. Ad. in vita Luth. p. 151 … Oblivio bene…ctorum ab E…angelio acce…torum. …. Deinde ſecu…itas quae paſſim & ubi que regnat.and therefore much more of a REFORMATION.

Firſt, Forgetfulneſſe of former mercies.

Secondly (for I will put them together) Security.

They were both the ſins of as famous a Reformer as ever the Church of God knew, Hezekiah's; for which the work of Reformation and the whole Kingdom, ſuffer'd deeply: I'll but read you the Text; But Hezekiah RENDRED NOT AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE BENEFIT DONE UNTO HIM;Chro. 37.25. for his heart was lifted up: therefore THERE WAS WRATH upon him, and upon Judah and Jeruſalem. Unthankfulneſſe and Pride had like to have undone all that he had done. Oh when Reformers forget old Mercies, and old Deliverances (and them it may be that God hath uſed as Inſtruments of them) and new mercies and ſucceſſes ſerve but to make them ſecure, and ſwell them with pride, to overlook their Brethren, and overvalue themſelves; to think themſelves p. 17no longer Stewards, but Lords; not onelyonly petty kings, but little gods, to do what they PLEASE in the work and with the people of God: this ſhakes the very foundation of Church and State. God is highly diſpleaſed. You have a ſad inſtance in Ʋzziah, of whom the holy Ghoſt records,2 Chro. 26.15, 16.2 Chr 26:152 Chr 26:16 He was marvellouſly helped till he was ſtrong.

But when he was ſtrong, his heart was lifted up to his deſtruction: for he tranſgreſſed againſt the Lord his God, and went in to the Temple of the Lord to burn incenſe upon the Altar of Incenſe. Alas, how was the man, and all the worthy things he had done for Church and State (of which you may read from the beginning of the Chapter forward) even lost in Pride, Ʋnthankfulneſſe, and Security!

Sapientia mundi qua vult omnia redigere in ordinem; & publicae utilitati impiis conſiliis mederi. Exod. 32.22, 23, 24. 1 King. 12. from verſ. 26 to the end of the Chap. Joh. 11.48.Exod 32:22Exod 32:23Exod 32:241 Kgs 12John 11:48Thirdly, Carnal policie worldly wiſedom, which applies fleſhly medicines to Spiritual distempers; when men will caſt the affairs of Chriſts Kingdom in the moulds and models of humane policie and principles.

Aaron he will make a GOLDEN CALF to ſtill the people and ſecure his own life: and Jeroboam will make two; ordain Offices, Feaſts, Worſhip, which never come into Gods heart, to ſecure the Kingdom to himſelf, though by this very means he lost it. The Builders in Chriſts time would not own Christ for their King and Deliverer, for fear of forfeiting their kingdom to the Romanes; and thereby ran upon that very miſchief they would avoid: yea, they loſt Two Kingdoms, while they would ſecure one. So dangerous a thing it is when men will be wiſer then God, or at leaſt, then God would have them. HUMANE POLICY before Scripture-precept, or Scripture-patern, is nothing elſe but DISLOYALTY; it gives God counſel, when God looks for obedience.

Fourth ſin, Ʋnprayerfulnes.Fourthly, Ʋnprayerfulneſſe in Reformers and Deliverers, is a great Obſtruction and Set-back to their work; when relying upon the goodneſſe of their Cauſe, they withdraw prayer, and leave all to God.

It is Maſter Calvins obſervation upon Pſal. 17. verſ. 1. Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, Pſal. 71.1.Ps 71:1give EAR UNTO MY prayer. Though David was ſure he was in the Right, yet he p. 18goes to God by prayer to own both it and him. Hear, attend, give ear: Saepe contingit prophanos quo que homines jure gloriari de bona couſa, quia tamen non agroſcunt mundum divinitus gubernari, ſubſidunt in conſcientiae ſuae theatro, a… fraenum rodentes contumaciter magis quam conſtanter ferunt injurias; quia ex fide & invocatione Dei nullam perunt conſolationem. At fideles non tantum nitumur cauſae ſuae bonitate, &c. Calv. in Pſal. 17.1. Judg. 20.Ps 17:1Judg 20he prays, and multiplies prayer: He prays, and Jacob like wreſtles with God in prayer; ſo the repetition of the words implies.

Calvin, I ſay, obſerves, that the children of God do not truſt meerly to the goodneſſe of their Cauſe, but make their continual addreſſes to God by prayer, for his counſel and patronage in the managing of it. The neglect hereof, was the miſcarriage of Two famous Battels wherein God himſelf ſent the children of Iſrael to do execution upon their Brethren the children of Benjamin, who refuſed to give up their Delinquents to the hand of Justice: in the firſt whereof, they loſt Two and twenty thouſand; in the ſecond, Eighteen thouſand men, and all becauſe they went out to the work full of carnal confidence, truſting to the goodneſſe of their Cauſe, their Commiſſion in their hand, with the broad Seal of heaven to it; but did not go forth with that fear and trembling, with that humiliation and ſeeking of God by prayer, as became a Service of that nature and importance. You may know what the cauſe of their miſcarriage was, by their Recovery; for when in the 26 verſe you finde them going up to the Houſe of the Lord with FASTING, and WEEPING, and SUPPLICATIONS, &c. then they go forth and proſper. Oh, God takes it very ill when men think they can do their work alone without God; and leaves them to encounter with deſperate difficulties and oppoſition, to convince them of their follie, while he may juſtly ſay unto them. Nay, if you have done praying, I have done helping.

A Fifth Cauſe of miſcarriage or obſtruction, 5. Self-ends.on the Deliverers part, is, When they are acted by perſonal interests, ſelf-ends; when they ſeek their own, not the things of Jeſus Christ, as the Apoſtle complains, Phil. 2.21.

Oh, when the enemies of the Churches Peace and Reformation can ſpie ſuch tempers and diſpoſitions among the Heads of the Tribes, they will be ſure to be tampering with and operating upon them; ply them with ſutable and powerful temtations:Dan. 11.32.Dan 11:32 Juſt the Kings plot, KING ANTIOCHUS; Such as deal treacherouſly againſt the Covenant, he ſhall corrupt by flatteries. Obſerve mens tempers, and boyl up your temptation p. 19to the height; ſpice it well with rich and ſparkling ingredients; an hundred to one but it will take; promiſe Offices, Honours, Eſtates, Pleaſures, you may eaſily make your party ſtrong; they ſhall warp, cool, grow flat, be no more like the men they were, then if they were not the ſame. Others that will not ſerve the deſigne, let them be diſcountenanc'd, croſs'd, obſcur'd, unleſſe they be men of high principles and ponderous ſpirits; in time they will be diſcouraged; and if they do not come up to act with you, they will have no great ſtomack to act againſt you; they will ſit ſtill, and let things work as they may. I do not know I Ceaſe ye indeed from man, &c.

Aaron himſelf hath a ſpice of this diſeaſe: He and his ſister the Propheteſſe ſpeak againſt Moſes, Num. 12.Num. 12.1.Num 12:1 Why what is the matter? the Ethiopian woman is laid in his diſh; I but that was but the pretence; there lay ſomewhat elſe at the bottom; Self was at the bottom; Moſes his GLORY obſcured theirs; he had more reſpect then came to his ſhare; they are no-body now: Hath the Lord indeed onelyonly ſpoken by Moſes, Verſ. 2.and hath he not alſo ſpoken by us? This breeds ill blood; they care not for ſtirring any further in the work: if Moſes muſt have all the honour, let him do all the work. What an Obſtruction was this like to prove I Ah Lord, what influence ſelf-ends and interests may have upon the very godly, to publike prejudice, if they do not narrowly watch their own hearts I Oh it is extremely ſad and ominous, when men come once to drive private Deſignes in ſtead of a Reformation.

6. Over-credulity.Sixthly, not leſſe miſchief may come to Publike deſignes by Over-credulity, in them that manage them, to the fair and ſpecious Overtures of Accommodations and Peace made by the Enemies: It coſt his Excellencie dear, Gedaliah the General of the Jews Forces; and I know not how many hundreds or thouſands of Jews and men of War loſt their lives by his too eaſie belief of PRINCE ISHMAEL'S FLATTERIES,Jer. 41.14, 15, 16. with Chap. 42.1, 2, 3Jer 41:14Jer 41:15Jer 41:16 though he were ſufficiently caution'd of his bloody intentions.

And ſo it had fared with them at their return from Babylon; the Adverſaries of Judah pretend to build, but intend to ſlay; an Accommodation at the top, Ezra 4.1, 2, but a Maſſacre p. 20at the bottom, Nehem. 4.11. and it had taken as ſure as can be, had not God given Zerubbabel and Jehoſhuah a ſingular ſpirit of providence and diſcerning.

Oh the miſchiefs that have redounded to the Church and her Reformation by unwary Treaties: all the Maſſacres and bloody treacheries which you read of in Eccleſiaſtical hiſtories almoſt,Dan. 11.25.Dan 11:25 have been uſhered in by Treaties; witneſſe king Antiochus, KING CHARLES the ninth of France: that bloody Maſſacre of above Sixty thouſand Proteſtants, was nothing but a covered diſh ſerved in under the pretence of Peace and Marriage, confirm'd by Oaths and Sacraments. The Church never got by Treaties: how ſhould ſhe? ſince not love of Peace, but want of Power brings the enemy to Articles, which he will keep no longer then he wants opportunity and advantage to break them.

7. Prepoſterous methods.Seventhly, Prepoſterous methods have been mighty Set-backs to Reformation: when Reformers begin at the wrong end. As long as they cried,Hagg. 1.2, 4.Hag 1:2Hag 1:4 The time is not come, the time that the Lords Houſe ſhould be built is not yet come, and began with their own houſes, the work ſtuck, they made no earnings of it; they put their wages into a broken bag: Verſ. 6.you cry, ſaith the Prophet, It is not time, it is not time: the truth is, ſaith he, if you had not wanted hearts more then time, the work had been done before now: half ſo much time and coſt on Gods houſe, as on your own; on the Church-affairs, as you have ſpent on State-buſineſſes, might have done the deed.Verſe 8. Ʋp to the mountains, fall a building Gods houſe that lies waſte, and do it in good earnest, if you mean to proſper. That is the ſum of the Prophets ſpeech. And therefore it was the ſingular wiſedom and piety of Hezekiah (recorded to his everlaſting honour) that in the firſt yeer of his reign, 2 Chron. 29.3, 4, 5.2 Chr 29:32 Chr 29:42 Chr 29:5in the first monethmonth, he opened the doors of the houſe of the Lord, and repaired them, and brought in the Priests, &c. He made Church-Reformation his first work.

And ſo Joſiah; In the eighth yeer of his reign, while he was yet young, 2 Chron. 34.3, 4, &c.2 Chr 34:32 Chr 34:4he began to ſeek the Lord; and in the twelfth yeer he began to purge Judah and Jeruſalem from the high places.

p. 21It was a brave Speech of one that was once a Member of Parliament (Oh that there had been ſuch a heart. S. E. D.)

For my part, let the Sword reach from the North to the South, and a general Perdition of all our remaining Right and Safety threaten us in open view; it ſhall be ſo far from making me to decline the firſt ſetling of Religion, that I ſhall ever argue, and rather conclude it thus; The more great, the more eminent our perils of this world are, the ſtronger, the quicker ought our care to be for the glory of God, and the pure Law of our ſouls.

In the Ninth place, you ſhall finde that want of due execution upon Delinquents, hath obſtructed, if not daſht hopeful beginnings in the Churches Deliverance and enlargement.

Saul ſpares Agag, it was a preſent ſtop in the work, and had like to have been the after-ruine of the whole ſeed of the Jews. Haman that plotted their Maſſacre in Babylon, Eſth. 3.1.Esth 3:1was an AGAGITE, i. e. of the poſterity of Agag: Out of the Serpents root came a Cookatrice, Iſa. 14.29.Isa 14:29and his fruit had like to have been a fiery flying Serpent, to have conſumed the whole houſe of Judah.

And how Ahab ſped for ſparing Benhadad, the ſtory will tell you, 1 King. 20.42.

Ninthly, Want of ſolid and ſubſtantial Principles in Reformers, hath been not onelyonly ſad, but fatal in the Churches affairs: when her Counſellers have been young, unexperienced, unprincipled men, led rather by fancie then by judgement, taken with every new thing that hath a fair and ſpecious face upon it, and not able to dive into the bottom and difference of things.

A company of young, giddy-headed fellows, that never knew any more of true Policie or Religion then a few Complements in both, came to, loſt Rehoboam, a King as wiſe in taking their counſel, as they in giving, his Kingdom: which makes me think that Wo to thee, O Land, when thy King is a childe, Eccleſ. 10.10Eccl 10:10was the Legacie which his father SOLOMON left behinde him, by a kinde of Prophetical ſpirit, as well as a Caution to after-ages. And when God would plague a people to purpoſe, he ſays but this; I will give children to be their Princes, Iſai. 3.4.Isa 3:4and babes ſhall rule over them.

p. 22In the tenth and laſt place, Irreformedneſſe in Reformers doth exceedingly trouble and hinder their work; when they that ſhould reform a people are Swearers, or Drunkards, or Ʋnclean perſons, or Haters of the power of Godlineſſe, &c. this is an obſtruction of a double influence.

1. An influence of ſin: For will a wicked man, think ye, prepare a yoke for his own neck, or a rod for his own back? will he be forward and active to ſettle a Rule, to make a Law that he knows will curb and croſſe his own lusts? No, their endeavour ſhall be ſome way or other to bring down the Rule to their hearts, when they love not to bring up their hearts to the Rule.

2. It hath an influence of Divine Justice: For will God uſe ſuch, think ye, or honour ſuch in his ſervice? No ſaith God, Them that honour me, Sam. 3.I will honour: Shall he reform MY HOUSE, that will not reform HIS OWN? Shall he reform OTHERS, that will not reform HIMSELF? No, Every one of the Houſe of Iſrael which ſetteth up his Idols in his heart, and putteth the ſtumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, Ezek. 14.7.Ezek 14:7and cometh to enquire concerning me, I the Lord will anſwer him by my ſelf:

I will anſwer him according to the multitude of his idols.Verſ. 4.

God may uſe indeed a Cyrus, a Darius, about his Out-Works; but, Sanctificabor in appropinquantibus mihi; I will be ſanctified in all them that draw nigh unto me.Levit. 10.3.Lev 10:3

The Princes and Lords of Iſrael brought wrath not onelyonly upon themſelves, but upon the people, by their whoredomes, Numb. 25.1. ſo far from bringing them into the land of promiſe, that they were a means to ſlay them in the wilderneſſe. They that accompany the Lamb, must be CALLED, and CHOSEN,Revel. 17.14.Rev 17:14 and FAITHFUL.

I come to the Fourth and Laſt Account: ſc. The Reaſons taken from the Author of Deliverance, God himſelf.

For truely in all theſe things, God hath an over-ruling hand: it pleaſeth God,Reaſons on Gods part. for reaſons beſt known to himſelf, to ſuffer a Deliverance or Reformation of his own promiſing or ſetting on foot, to meet with many deſperate oppoſitious and ſet-backs, p. 23which do render it many times, in the eye of rational conjecture, a loſt Deſigne, no Deliverance. We will glean up ſome of thoſe accounts which he hath been pleaſed to let fall in Scripture, for our ſupport and ſatisfaction herein.

1. For trial of mens ſpirits.Firſt, God doth it for the diſcovery of mens Spirits; for the diſcovery of them to others, for the diſcovery of them to themſelves.

Thou ſhalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee theſe Fourty yeers in the wilderneſſe, to humble thee,Deut. 8.2.Deut 8:2 and TO PROVE THEE, TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN THY HEART, &c. Oh, ſuffering times are trying times. Set an empty pot over the fire, and it will break and flee in your face; ſo will men of empty, hollow ſpirits over a fiery trial: which is therefore called Gods fire, and Gods furnace, Iſa. 31.9. and 48.10.Isa 31:9Isa 48:10becauſe thorow this fiery furnace God will bring his choice ones, to be veſſels of honour. Oh what a diſcovering time hath this time of Jacobs troubles been I how many hundreds and thouſands of Hypocrites and rotten ſpirits of all ranks have been diſcovered, that had the work of Reformation go on as we vainly hoped (at firſt) it would have done, had lien hid to this day I and I am almoſt confident God hath not done his diſcovering-work yet: Goldſmiths uſe to run their metal more then once thorow the fire. Look to your hearts; the furnace is not yet extinguiſht.

2. To humble his people.To Humble his people alſo God doth this; the laſt quotation told you ſo beforehand; TO HUMBLE THEE, and prove thee. Proud men are not fit for a Reformation; they'll ſcorn any thing but what ſuits with their own humours, and quickly be weary of that too.Pſal. 149.4.Ps 149:4 The meek he will beautifie with ſalvation.

3. To exerciſe grace.Thirdly, it is the exerciſe of their Graces. Prayer WRESTLES, Patience SUFFERS, Hope WAITS, Faith puts forth PURE ACTS, in hope, abovè hope; Love is ACTIVE, Self-denial watcheth over PUBLIKE CONCERNMENTS, and Poverty of Spirit ſaith, If he have no delight in me, HERE I AM, LET HIM DO WHAT IS GOOD IN HIS EYES,2 Sam. 15.26. Job 13.15.2 Sam 15:26Job 13:15 and holy reſolution ſays, THOUGH HE KILL ME, YET I WILL TRUST IN HIM.

p. 24Oh what a glorious ſight it is to ſee a people come with exerciſed graces to take poſſ ſſion of the Land of promiſe!

4. To warn the enemie.Fourthly, In the mean time while Deliverance is thus delayed, God gives the enemies warning: He ſets them a day as it were to come in: He ſets Kings their day, when Parliaments do not:Pſal. 2.12.Ps 2:12 KISSE THE SON, ſaith he to the Kings and Princes that are in conſpiracie againſt his Holy Childe JESƲS: Will ye, Exod. 9.17.Exod 9:17or will ye not? AS YET EXALTEST THOU THY SELF AGAINST ME? ſaid he to the Egyptian Tyrant after the ſixth plague; AS YET? Wilt thou not come in for all th…ſe warnings? Come in by ſuch a day, or thou art but a dead man. And thus he beſpeaks the briars and thorns that come againſt him in battel; Let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me; elſe I will go thorow them, Iſa. 27 5.Isa 27:5I will burn them together.

And ſurely this dealing of God brings in many. While God and Pharaoh were buſsling, ſome of the Egyptians came in and compounded.

He that feared the Word of the Lord amongſt the ſervants of Pharaoh, Exod. 9.20.Exod 9:20made his ſervants and his cattel flee into the Houſes: And what, would they, think you, ſecure their cattel, and not themſelves? that had been a bruitiſh fear indeed: nay, the Text tells us,Chap. 12.38. A mixed multitude went up alſo with them. Oh the Patience and goodneſſe of God! To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.Pſal. 95.7, 8.Ps 95:7Ps 95:8

5. To take them elſe in their own plots. Pſal. 9.16.Ps 9:16Fifthly, elſe, by this means God takes the enemies in their own ſnares: The enemies plots are nothing elſe but Gods ambuſhments to ſnap them in: every new oppoſition of Pharaoh, is but a preparation to a new Plague. The wicked is ſnared by the work of his own hand. HIGGAJON SELAH.

6. To deſtroy them by degrees.Sixthly, by new oppoſitions, he waſtes and deſtroys them by degrees; every plague devours ſome: The Frogs ſome, and the Lice ſome, the Locusts ſome, & ſic in cat. So, Edge-hill ſome, Newbery ſome, York ſome, Salt-heath ſome, Alton-heath ſome, Naſeby-field ſome. A man might reckon you a good many hundred ſomes; and ſo God ſomes them out by degrees, and thereby gratifies his peoples prayers, as well as promotes his work.

God ſhall let me ſee my deſire upon mine enemies (ſaith thePſal. 59.10.Ps 59:10 p. 25Church.) What is her deſire? Slay them not at once, lest my people forget it. Verſ. 11.If all the enemies of God had been deſtroyed at Edge-hill, it had been forgotten by this time. Scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our Shield: ſo he hath pretty well, bleſſed be his Name. And by this means,Pſal. 111 4.Ps 111:4 he hath made his wonderful works to be remembred: The deliverance out of Egypt ſhall never be forgotten: no nor Englana's out of our Epiſcopal Bondage, while the world ſtands.

7. By delay, God multiplies Deliverances.Indeed by this means, God makes many deliverances of one. It fares with a Deliverance ſometimes, as it did with the loaves which CHRIST bleſt; while he brake them, they multiplied under his hand: ſo while God ſeems to BREAK a deliverance, he multiplies it into many: had Iſrael gon without oppoſition the next way to Canaan, it had been but one deliverance: oppoſition, protraction, MULTIPLIED it into many Deliverances, before they came to their Rest: had England ſtept out of Epiſcopal bondage into a Reformation, it had been but one Deliverance; while God hath ſeemed to break it, I am confident he hath multiplied it into above a thouſand already: to your Chronicles elſe, if ye believe me not: above Fourſcore in eight months; what think you in the ſeveral Counties, in theſe three Kingdoms, in theſe five yeers, ſince the Parliament began: And how many Deliverances more God will make of it, before he hath done, who can divine?

Eighthly,8. He makes a full Deliverance at length. his meaning is ſure by theſe methods to make a full Deliverance of it.

Full, in reſpect of the enemies deſtruction; the ten plagues bring in their particular ſomes, as you ſaw before. The Summa totalis is, Pharaoh and his Hosts hath he drowned in the bottom of the Sea. Exod. 14.4.Exod 14:4It was a full Deliverance at length.

And as it was full in reſpect of the enemies deſtruction, ſo it was full in reſpect of Iſrael's liberty and enlargement. Pharaoh would compound: firſt, Go ye, Exod. 8.25. Chap. 10.8.Exod 8:25ſacrifice to your God IN THE LAND; then, Go ye: but who are they that ſhall go? GO YE THAT ARE MEN, &c. then, go ye ſerve the Lord, men,Verſe 21. women and children; ONELYONLY LET YOUR FLOCKS AND YOUR HERDS BE STAYED.Verſe 24. Thus the enemies of God, if they cannot altogether hinder Reformation, would p. 26yet fain beat it as lowe as they can: if it muſt be a Reformation, let it be as ill-favour'd, as beggerly as may be, not worth the having: but no, ſaith Moſes, we'll go all, men, women and children;Verſ 25, 26. our cattel alſo ſhall go with us; there ſhall not an hoof be left behinde: we will have a thorow-enlargement, or none: and ſo God forc't it at length whether Pharaoh would or no: they ALL went I, and glad to be ſo rid of them. The Pſalmiſt remembers that,Pſal. 103.38.Ps 103:38 Egypt was GLAD at their departure. My Brethren, I have not the gift of Prophecie, as ſome men have; but I yet have ſome hopes that though our unhappie differences have hitherto kept us, and our Reformation very lowe, and we look upon it now with weeping eyes and bleeding hearts (as there is juſt cauſe; for our ſin and free grace may meet in the ſame action) I ſay, There is yet hope in Iſrael concerning this, that the fruit of all theſe Jarrings ſhall be the rendring of our Reformation taller by head and ſhoulders then otherwiſe it might have been.Zech. 8.6.Zech 8:6 My Brethren, becauſe this is wonderful in our eyes, ſhall it therefore be wonderful in Gods eyes? Oh that I had faith enough to ſay, The zeal of the Lord of hosts ſhall perform this: and let all that love the Lord Jeſus ſay, Amen.

Ninthly,9. He makes himſelf known. Iſa. 63 12.Isa 63:12 Thus ſhall be known to be God: oppoſitions lift up God. Iſrael ſees the Creature NOTHING, God ALL, in a deliverance ſo fetcht out of the fire. He led them by the right hand of Moſes with his glorious Arm, dividing the water before them, TO MAKE HIMSELF AN EVERLASTING NAME. And again.

At a beaſt goes down into the valley, Verſe 14.the Spirit of the Lord cauſed him to reſt: ſo didſt thou lead thy people. TO MAKE THY SELF A GLORIOUS NAME. Here is nothing to be ſeen in ſuch deliverances, but God, God: God will out his people by this means of themſelves; their own wiſedom, their own counſels, their own ſtrength, &c. and God will be All in All. The Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day, Iſa. 2.11.

10. By this means God endears deliverance.Tenthly and Laſtly, By this way, and theſe methods, God endears Deliverances unto his people. If they were eaſily got, they would be light ſet-by; but O how ſweet is a land of Rest after fourty yeers travel! how ſweet Peace after War! how beautiful a Creation when p. 27it comes out of a Chaos! as heaven is worth two heavens to a poor ſoul that comes out of hell; ſo Deliverance is Deliverance indeed, and Reformation is Reformation twice told, that is fetcht out of the jaws of Difficulty, out of the bowels of devouring appoſition: it will be meat indeed, when it comes out of the eater; and ſweetneſſe indeed, when out of ſtrong conflicts and long expectation: then may the Church tune her Pſalms of Thankſgiving with the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael, Pſal. 40.1.Ps 40:1I waited patiently for the Lord, and he enclined unto me, and heard my cry; and ſo forward.

O the depth of the riches both of the wiſedom and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, Rom. 11.33.Rom 11:33and his ways paſt finding out!

And thus, Right Honourable and Beloved, I have diſpatcht the Fourfold account of this ſad Truth, &c.

That a Deliverance of Gods own promiſing and ſetting afoot, may meet with ſuch deſperate non-pluſſes and ſetbacks as may make it ſeem a lost deſigne.

As for the other part of it, ſc.

Why the people of God, even a Moſes himſelf may ſo judge of it; how it comes to paſſe that they ſhould ſo miſtake the ways and meanings of God, were indeed an account worth the enquiring into, were there time and room for ſuch a work; which ſince there is not, I muſt haſten to make ſome improvement of what hath been already ſpoken, for

Ʋſe and Application.

Wherein notwithſtanding it is poſſible we may meet with ſome opportunity and occaſion to give you ſome little kint and touch of this alſo.

Firſt therefore,1 Uſe, for Caution, not to judge of Undertakings by Succeſſe. Eccleſ. 2.9.Eccl 2:9 it may ſerve to Caution us not to meaſure the lawfulneſſe or unlawfulneſſe, goodneſſe or badneſſe of a Cauſe or Ʋndertaking by the encouragements or diſcouragements, the preſent ſucceſſe or oppoſition it meets with: No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. Wicked helliſh deſignes may go on ſmoothly and proſperouſly, hardly meet with a rub in the way; as it is ſaid of the wicked themſelves, There is no bands in their death; Pſal 73.4.Ps 73:4or as the Hebrew ſignifies, no**foreign knots in their death: they live like Lions and Wolves, p. 28tearing and devouring, and yet die many times like Lambs; not any knot to untie, no doubt of their ſalvation, no trouble of conſcience; a Lamblike death (the great Idol of carnal ignorant people.) So it is with their deſignes; there is no bands or knots in their deſignes; they meet with no rub in their way; they go off as ſmoothly as heart can wiſh, many times, the devil driving them on, and God in a ſecret and a juſt judgement, permitting, for the hardning of wicked men to their own deſtruction.

Whereas Deſignes of Gods own forming and animating, may, you ſee, meet with ſuch diſmaying Croſſings and Turnbacks, that many times might make one think there is no life in the buſineſſe. And therefore call not in queſtion the goodneſſe and warrantableneſſe of the work of Reformation in hand, or any other Goſpel-deſigne, becauſe of the obſtructions and oppoſitions it hath, or may meet with: we are very prone to it: The Iſraelites after their firſt and ſecond diſcomfiture before their Brethren of Benjamin, Judg. 20.23.Judg 20:23are at their Shall I go up again to battel againſt the children of Benjamin my Brother? and ſo again, Shall I go up, Verſe 23.or ſhall I ceaſe? thereby ſecretly making a doubt of the warrantableneſſe of their War; although God expreſly bid them go. And ſo you may finde the Iſraelites, even Joſhua himſelf,Joſh. 7.7.Josh 7:7 repenting of their adventure, as it were; Would to God we had been contented, and dwelt on the other ſide Jordan: they diſtrust their Cauſe, though it had the Imprimatur of heaven upon it, a promiſe of above Four hundred yeers old.

And have not we done ſo upon the deſperate exigences, and ſtraits, and non-pluſſes into which this deſigne hath been driven up many times? Have we not been at our Ifs and our Would-to-Gods, &c.? Remember, I beſeech you, what reaſonings and diſcourſes you have had in your own hearts. And get a better and a more infallible Rule to judge the goodneſſe of Publike or perſonal deſignes by, not ſucceſſes or oppoſition, but the Word; Pſal. 73.34.Ps 73:34if it be according to that Rule, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, the iſſue ſhall be good, whatever the preſent poſture of things be.

Secondly, if ſo, then take heed when you meet with ſuch Turn-agains and non-ultra's in your work; take heed, I ſay, of charging God fooliſhly; 2. Not to charge God fooliſhly.take heed of entertaining any hard p. 29thoughts of God. This is our ſin and our folly, That when any Church-deliverance is on foot, we think it muſt be carried on without any interruption, it muſt be done all at once; and ſo when the work meets with unexpected hardſhip and contradiction of ſinners, we are ready to call Providence, as well as the Cauſe into queſtion. I ſaid in my haſte. I am cut off from before thine eyes: You know whoſe complaint it was.Pſal. 31.22.Ps 31:22 And Sion ſaid, The Lord hath forgotten me, Iſa. 49.14.Isa 49:14and my Lord hath forgotten me. HARD THOUGHTS! And ſo we are ready to think the work is at an end; we have ſeen the best on't. Moſes you ſee is at this paſſe here: I would be loth to do the good man any wrong; but methinks he daſheth a little upon God in his complaint (though there be a great deal of grace in it too) Wherefore hast THOU evil intreated this people? Why hast THOU ſent me? THOU hast not delivered, &c. Ah good man, he think this was hard dealing of God; and fears he is at his furtheſt, it will all end in a cloud.

And the reaſon of all this is (to give you the hint intimated before) Becauſe the people of God take their eye off God and the promiſe, and fix it upon Second cauſes: Why the people of God reaſon thus unbelievingly in their ſtraits. Iſa. 33.10. Iſa. 15.17.Isa 33:10Isa 15:17becauſe they do not wiſely conſider Gods times, how that the Churches deſpairing times, are Gods helping times: Now will I riſe, &c. They do not wiſely ponder Gods methods: Moſes might have remembred how that God when he made Abraham a promiſe of bringing his ſeed out of Egypt; he ſhewed him alſo, as in a glaſſe, the Methods he would uſe in doing of it, in that Embleme of the ſmoking furnace, Gen. 15.7.Gen 15:7and the burning Lamp, the ſmoking furnace paſſeth before Abraham firſt an Embleme of black oppoſition, of ſad and affrighting diſcouragement and trouble; and then comes the burning Lamp, an Embleme of JOYFUL AND GLORIOUS DELIVERANCE.Pſal. 97.11.Ps 97:11 Light is ſown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Alas, Moſes might have thought with himſelf, and have ſaid to God, Lord, this oppoſition of Pharaoh, this doubling of thy peoples bondage, is nothing elſe but the viſion thou ſhewedst to thy ſervant ABRAHAM; whereby we know aſſuredly the WORK IS BEGUN, it is the arrow of the Lords deliverance: we are now, Lord, in the SMOKING FURNACE; the BURNING p. 30LAMP WILL APPEAR SHORTLY; O haſten it, Lord, and help thine Iſrael well thorow this Smoking furnace, that they may not be weary nor faint in their mindes, nor ſin againſt thee by IMPATIENCE and UNBELIEF till thou pleaſeſt to cauſe the BURNING LAMP TO ARISE upon us, &c. And with theſe words he might have quieted and ſtill'd the people alſo. But the people of God have their failings and faintings, their ſhort ſpiritedneſſe and ſhort ſightedneſſe; they look not to the time and methods of God; they eye not the ends and aims which God hath in theſe kinde of diſpenſations of his providence: and hence it is that they give way to Ʋnbelief and miſgiving thoughts.

And therefore ſince by this ſhort hint you ſee what the bottom of the diſeaſe is, labour to make a Cure of this Diſcovery. Take heed of hard thoughts of God.

Second Uſe, Examination.

And yet in the Second place, though in ſuch Exigencies and Emergencies as theſe be, we ſhould labour to keep up good thoughts of the Cauſe, 1 King. 8.47.1 Kgs 8:47and good thoughts of God; yet there is great reaſon that we ſhould at ſuch times turn in upon our ſelves, and bring back to heart our own ways, and our own doings, to ſee what the CAUSE may be on our parts, why Goſpel-deſignes, Church-deliverances ſtick ſo long in the birth, meet with ſuch deſperate retardings and retrograde motions: for this is certain, Deliverance ſeldom ſticks in the birth, but there is ſome ſin and folly at the bottom.

Ephraim is an unwiſe ſon: Hoſ. 13 13.Hos 13:13for he ſhould not ſtay long in the place of bringing forth children. A metaphorical expreſſion, importing thus much, that he ſhould not have ſtayed ſo long for his deliverance out of Babylon, had there not been ſome great folly bound up in his heart; Prov. 22.15.Prov 22:15which was to be fetcht out with this rod of Correction.

Truely, Honourable and Beloved Chriſtians, we had need then to lay our hand upon our heart, and bring our ſelves to the Bar this day: This is certain, God is angry; wrath is gone forth againſt us, we have great cauſe to fear.

p. 31Object. You will ſurely ſay, What cauſe? the War goes on proſperouſly; never had Joſhua better, ſwifter ſucceſſe in the conquering of Canaan, then our Armies in all places of the Kingdom almoſt, have had in reducing this almoſt-loſt nation; Eighty admirable ſucceſſes in eight months. We have had as much ſucceſſe as we could deſire, more by oddes then we could expect: The War is as good as finiſht.

Anſw. It is true, Brethren; if you will look upon theſe progreſſes as Mercies, we have great cauſe to be thankful: but if we would look upon them as evidences, I ſee not any ſtrong argument of rejoycing in them. I ſee not any bottom in them upon which a man, if he will look with both his eyes, can build any clear conjecture what God will yet do with us: My Reaſon is this:

The War goes on; I, but does the Work go on? Oh there is as ſad a face of things in the Kingdom, as ever was either ſince the War or ſince the Parliament began; and ſadder, in as much as now the obſtructions do ariſe from our ſelves, whereas formerly they have riſen from our enemies. And O happie Iſrael it was, when the obſtruction of their deliverance lay on Pharaoh's hand onelyonly; it ſtuck but a few days there; God quickly conquered thoſe briars and thorns; he went thorow them, and burnt them together. But when the obſtruction lay upon Iſrael's part. in thoſe days God began to cut Iſrael ſhort; the Deliverance ſtuck there many yeers.

Quest. But how may we know whether the work reſt on our part, or on Gods, and the enemies?

Anſw. Truely very eaſily: Take this Rule. When there be but difficulties in the way, though huge and many; Enemies may be in it, and God, over-ruling thoſe enemies and their deſignes to his own ends. For this cauſe I have raiſed thee up, Exod. 9.16.Exod 9:16to ſhew my power, &c. But when we ſee ſin in the way, then know the work ſticks upon a peoples hands: and this may make us tremble.

Truely, as I ſay, when we conſider how God carries on his work, it looks as if it would be a Deliverance; God works as if he were in good earneſt; and we have cauſe to turn our days of mourning into days of rejoycing. But when we conſider p. 32how we work, truely it looks as if we were in jeſt, or as if we we afraid of Deliverance, afraid of Reformation; and we have cauſe to turn days of Thanksgiving into days of Humiliation and mourning.

For thus it is; while God is working wilderneſſe-wonders, we are working wilderneſſe-ſins, wilderneſſe-prevocations.

I appeal elſe to the Liſt and Catalogue of thoſe ſins which on the Delivereds part you have ſeen to be the great obſtructions and ſet-backs to their Deliverance.Sins of England

Firſt,Pride. doth not the Pride of England teſtifie to our very faces? Alas, neither Judgements nor days of humiliation have taken down the pride of our hearts. Oh the pride of Apparel, the pride of Houſes, the pride of our Tables; but above all, the pride of Judgement, and the pride of Heart that is found in the midſt of us to this day! England is very proud.

Again,Ʋnbelief. Heb. 3.12.Heb 3:12 Is there not yet an unbelieving heart in the midſt of us, cauſing us to depart from the living God? to depart from his Truths, and to depart from his Commands, and to depart from his Promiſes? Surely we have not faith enough left to carry us from one miracle to another. Though God hath cauſed us to walk upon the waters, yet if there do but ariſe one wave higher then other, with Peter we are ready to ſink. Though we live in an Age of Miracles, yet in every new danger our Faith is to ſeek. May not Chriſt reprove us ſtill with. O ye of little faith! wherefore did ye doubt?

And for Murmure; I am confident the wilderneſſe never rung more with that hideous ſound then England doth;Murmure. and the noiſe of it is gone up to heaven, and calls for vengeance. I am confident, had there been but half ſo much praying as there hath been murmuring, we had not been now to have been delivered.

And for Adultery, Adultery.that peccatum non nominandum, that ſin not to be named; Spiritual and Corporal; O that it had been Iſrael's ſin onelyonly! O that it had died in the wilderneſſe! The hearts of men go after ſtrange fleſh, and our eyes after our fathers Idols. O how fain would ſome return into Egypt! At beſt, Brethren, we have but changed our Idolatry, not forſaken it: we ſet up new Idols every day, there is a world of new Idolatry among us.

p. 33And On our vain and Carnal confidences! Carnal confidence.We make gods of any thing; gods of our Parliament, and gods of our Armies; a god of any thing but Him that is our God.

Ʋndervaluing of Reformation.Is Reformation prized? I would it were: men love it well, but they love their eaſe better, and their trading better, and riches better, and preferment better, &c. I am much afraid God might ſtop our mouthes with theſe things, though we never ſaw a Reformation. How little is it that men will do, or ſuffer, or part with, or deny themſelves in for a Reformation!

Laſtly, Are there not Diviſions among us? Diviſions.Surely for the Diviſions of England, for the Diviſions of London, for the Diviſions of Brethren, there be great thoughts of heart: And how many there be that caſt Oil in ſtead of Water upon theſe flames of Contention I how few ſtudy to be of an healing ſpirit! All cry for Peace; but moſt men by peace mean nothing elſe but their own wills. How few be there that do deny their own wills to ſeek for Peace? The Lord help us; we are in a thouſand times more danger from our own Diviſions, then we are from all the power and policie of all our enemies abroad and at home. And in this caſe now though your enemies flee and fall apace before your Armies, yet I remember what God by the Prophet told the people, Jer. 37.9.10. Thus ſaith the Lord, Deceive not your ſelves, ſaying, The Caldeans ſhall ſurely depart from us: for they ſhall not depart:

For though ye had ſmitten the whole army of the Caldeans that fight againſt you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet ſhould they riſe up every man in his tent, and burn this City with fire. There is no believing of Succeſſes when SIN lies at the door.

And now, my Lords, for that Catalogue of Obſtructions which the Deliverers of a People caſt in their own way by

Forgetfulneſſe of Mercies.

Pride and Security.

Carnal Policie.

Ʋnprayerfulneſſe.

Perſonal intereſts, baſe ſelf-ends.

Over-credulity of the enemies good meanings.

Preprosterous Methods.

p. 34Defaults of execution of Justice upon Delinquents.

Want of ſolid and ſubſtantial Principles.

Irreformedneſſe in their own perſons and families.

I ſay in all theſe I have given you onelyonly the History; I have made no Application, neither do I intend it: I leave the application of each particular to your ſelves. You know more by your ſelves then any ſtander by in the world doth; or at leaſt, you may do, if you ſtudie your ſelves, and ſtudie your own hearts; I pray God you may: And you may deal more plainly and thorowly with your ſelves, then it is meet for any Miniſter to do. You are our Fathers, and we would gladly go backward and cover your nakedneſſe; mourn in ſecret for you, and lift up a prayer to God in your behalf. What therefore another can do but by Hints and loof-intimations at any time, you may do in down-right accuſations, between God and your ſouls: you may ſay, if there be occaſion, Lord, I am the man; I have forgotten mercies; Honour and ſucceſſe have made me proud and ſecure, and lifted up my heart with Hezekiah: I have conſulted with Carnal policie rather then the Oracles God: I am an Ʋnprayerful wretch; my Chaplain prays, but I pray not; my Cloſet is a ſtranger to ſuch duties: Ah God be merciful to me, I have purſued baſe ends and ſelf-intereſts: I have been too eaſie to believe fair and ſpecious pretences, but have not ſearckt into the bottom and truth of things: Propoſterous methods have been my ſin, and I was never troubled for it. There be Delinquents of an high nature; Trinity-blaſphemers, Scripture-Traitors, &c. and I have not done my beſt to bring them to judgement: I want ſolid Principles: I am a childe, ſaid Solomon; Lord, I may much more ſay ſo: and that which is worſe, I that ſhould reform others, am unreformed my ſelf; I and my boſome-ſin are not yet parted: Oh will God make uſe of ſuch a wretch as I am, in ſo glorious a work as this is whereto I am called? God be merciful to me a ſinner. I ſay, This language would not become a Miniſter; but this language would exceedingly become you, as you ſhall finde occaſion. Oh deal faithfully between God and your own ſouls: Yea, all that ſtand before God this day; deal impartially in this buſineſſe of Self-examination this day: Reformation ſticks in the birth; the p. 35children are come to the birth, but there is not ſtrength to bring forth. God is certainly angry;Joſh, 7.11. he hath ſeen ſome accurſed thing in the midſt of us: And O that every one would begin to ask with the Diſciples, Nunquid ego Domine mi? LORD IS IT I? Say, DELIVERED, Lord, is it I? Say, DELIVERERS, Lord, is it I? Every one ſay, Lord, I and my fathers houſe are the troublers of England, the Hinderers of Reformation: It may be Iſrael had been in Canaan, had I been ſtoned to death; the ſtorm had ceaſed, happily, had I been caſt into the ſea with Jonas; the Reformation perfected, had I been removed.

Chriſtians, it is a day of ſould-affliction, of ſelf-judging, of ſelf-condemnation before the Lord: let us make it a little judgement-day: how neer the great day is, who knows? oh prevent i: Set up Thrones, and ſet Christ upon thoſe Thrones, and caſt our ſelves down before him, and ſmite upon our thighs, and bear our ſhame, and cry, Guilty, guilty: this were the way to atone God, to ſave the kingdom, to haſten Reformation: God would certainly take it well at our hands.1 Cor. 11.31.1 Cor 11:31 If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord.

I might enlarge here; but it is more proper for the work of Confeſſion and Prayer; which the day calls for. I haſten to Conclude with a word of Exhortation; the third Ʋſe.

And firſt, Noble Peers. Do you deſire to ſerve Jeſus Christ faithfully in this work of Reformation? do you deſire to manage it ſo, as no obſtruction may be on your part? I know you do! Give then a poor Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt that deſires as much to ſerve you, leave, to preſent you with a few Cautions, or Directions, or Rules (call them which you will) to help you in your work.

Rules for Deverers.Directions, or Cautions, or Rules for Deliverers.

1. Eye duty more then danger.1. Eye duty more then danger. It was a brave anſwer that Luther returned to Melancton, when ſurpris'd with fear, he wrote to Luther to be more moderate; Oh, ſays he, If the Cauſe be not Gods, let us lay aſide; but if it be, let us go on, and truſt God. Providence of means is ours; Providence of ſucceſſe and ſafety is God's. Do you your work, and God will do his. p. 36Sibi nim fore cetera curae. Ovid.IN THE MOUNT THE LORD WILL BE SEEN.

2. Take heed of Short ſpiritedneſſe.2. Take heed of ſhort Spiritedneſſe: Moſes had a daſh of it; Hear, ye Rebels, muſt we fetch water out of this Rock? It coſt him dear; he muſt onelyonly ſee, he muſt not enter the Land of promiſe It was a brave Reſolution of Nehemiah: Should ſuch a man as I flee? Short ſpirited men will give away their ſouls, Florus ſays of the French, They are primo …petu ignis, exitu vero ſumus. James 1 4.3. Obſerv. Gods goings forth. 2 Sam 5.24.Jas 1:4Jas 1:32 Sam 5:24much more a kingdom for nothing. There is Saul, becauſe God will not anſwer him, the Devil ſhall. Let patience have her perfect work.

3. Obſerve Gods goings forth, and then beſtir your ſelves. Saith God to David, When thou heareſt the ſound of a going in the top of the Mulberry-trees, then beſtir thy ſelf; for then ſhall the Lord go out before thee, to ſmite the host of the Philiſtines. My Lords, God hath ſmitten the Hoſt of the Philiſtines; is not this his walking on the top of the Mulberry-trees? Are not theſe the ſignals of Gods preſence? O beſtir your ſelves now to do ſomething worthy of God, and worthy of theſe wonders, in the work of Reformation. When God doth great things for a people. He looks for great things from a people; and if they anſwer not his expectation,Matth. 5.47.Matt 5:47 they are und one. What ſingular thing do you do?

4. Take heed of Tolerations.4. Take heed of Tolerations: do you know what they are? Truely in the latitude as they are cried up; and contended for, they are nothing elſe but a Gunpowder-Treaſon to blowe up Religion; a Balaam's plot to bring God in an enemy upon us: and I am confident the hand of the Romiſh Balaam is in it: as ſure as you are there,That Witch of Rome that bewitcheth the Nations. Cant. 2.19.Song 2:19 my Lords, Prieſts and Jeſuites are working theſe fire-works under-ground, and put them into the hands of active Engineers to throw them abroad. Oh that you could take us thoſe foxes that ſpoil the Vines, now that the tender grapes are ſprouting forth: Methinks it were not a matter of impoſſibility to earth them; to follow them by the print of their feet, to their burrows, where they skulk up and down in every place both in Citie and Countrey. What engines did Julian the Apoſtate and Valens the Emperour uſe,Aug. Ep. 166. Theod. Eccleſ. hiſt. l. 4. c. 22. when they would undermine and ruine Chriſtian Religion, but a Toleration of all Religions, Liberty of Conſcience, as we call it; but Libertatem p. 37perditionis, as Auſtin more rightly phraſeth it; a Libeyty of perdition? For what is it in Engliſh but If men will go to the devil, you muſt not hinder them?

Ob. Why but ſhall the godly be perſecuted or baniſht the Kingdom, after they have done ſo much for it?

Anſw. No, God forbid. I hope through Gods mercy and the Parliaments piety and wiſedom, there will be a medium found out between Baniſhment and a Toleration; or elſe for my part, I had rather be baniſht even life it ſelf, then live to ſee the miſery and confuſion that will come upon this Church and State. Surely you know how you may do it; ſc. by making a pure Rule, ſetling a thorow Reformation indeed.

For Gods ſake, my Lords, let us not have a Reformation that ſhall need a Toleration, much leſſe that ſhall enforce it; to have found ſuch a one, would have been grievous; but to make ſuch a one, would be intolerable; what could Epiſcopacie it ſelf have done more? It is as if you put a ſcandalous Miniſter upon a people, and give them leave to go from him; make a ſmokie houſe, and give the children leave to run out of doors! The Lord keep you, that ſuch a thought may not come into your hearts; I hope he will. My Fathers, my Fathers, the charets of England and the Horſemen thereof, Toleranda ſunt quae emendari non poſſunt.PURITY IS THE BEST WAY TO UNITY; and as many as walk according to this Rule, peace ſhall be upon them; peace ſhall be among them, mercy, and upon the Iſrael of God. Therefore,

Fifthly, take heed, I beſeech you alſo, of that which is the next door to a Toleration, and that is Connivence: 5. Take heed of Connivence.It is but a Toleration in figures, though not in words at length. The plot of the Biſhops for the advance of Popery (whereby indeed it was thriven to a formidable height among us.) A Toleration will ſound too broad, we ſhall hear ill among the people: but, ſaid they to the Papiſts and Jeſuites, do what you will, we will ſecure you; if ye be fined, we will take it off; if ye be impriſon'd, we will quickly fetch you out: O LET NOT YOUR SOULS COME INTO THEIR SECRETS; AND TO THEIR COUNSELS LET NOT YOUR HONOURS BE UNITED.

p. 386. Provide for Religion before Diſpenſations.And therefore in the Sixth place, let it be your wiſedom and piety to provide well and thorowly for Religion, before you provide for the Religious: Settle a Rule according to the Word (and, if I may ſay ſo) according to the example of the best Reformed Churches, before you debate a Diſpenſation from the Role. Let us know who be Saints, before the Saints know their Thirty: For let me ſay this freely, If either Saints may make Opinions, or Opinions may make Saints, we ſhall quickly have more Opinions then Saints in the Land.

7. Minde Covenant.Well, Seventhly, Be pleaſed, for Chriſts ſake, to minde your Covenant, all over.

Let me ſpeak one word, not onelyonly to you the Nobles and Princes of this Land, but to both Kingdoms; I would I could ſpeak ſo that all might hear: God hath brought us into the Boad of the Covenant, to Himſelf, to One another: THAT NATION THAT BREAKS FIRST, WILL BE A SCORN, and (that which is worſe) A CURSE TO ALL THE WORLD: It is not all the Militia nor Proviſions in the world, that can ſecure their Peace and Safety. Shall he proſper? Ezek. 17.15.Ezek 17:15ſhall he eſcape that doth ſuch things? or ſhall he break the Covenant and be delivered? You know who ſaid ſo, and upon what occaſion.

8. Be humbled for old Superſtitions.Eighthly, Be humbled, I beſeech you, for former Superstitions: It concerns you that are the Nobles of the Land, and all that are call'd to be our Reformers, as well as the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to be deeply ſenſible of your former Compliances with Epiſcopal Superſtitions and Idolatrous mixtures in the Worſhip of God. It is the very Law, upon which God hath engaged himſelf to take off the vail from before Reformers eyes:Ezek. 43.11.Ezek 43:11 If they be aſhamed of all that they have done, ſhew them the form of the houſe, and the faſhion thereof, the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof, and write it in their ſight, &c. Who knows whether our Unhumbledneſſe for theſe things, be not the cauſe that the Curtain is not yet drawn?

9. Be tender of Chriſts prerogative.Ninthly, Be tender of Chriſts Prerogative. You are very jealous of your own Priviledges; whoſo toucheth them, p. 39toucheth the apple of your eye: Do you think Jeſus Chriſt will not be as jealous of his own Prerogative? And oh if you ſhould do any thing which the Parliament in heaven, that upper Houſe (for I know you look upon your ſelves but as the nether Houſe of Parliament) ſhould vote a breach of Priviledge, a treſpaſſe upon the Prerogative Royal of the King of Saints; how would ye be able to anſwer it in the day of Accounts? Oh therefore ſee I beſeech you to theſe things.

1. That Chriſts perſon be adored; that men honour the Son, Joh. 5.23.John 5:23even as they bonour the Father.

2. That his Ordinances be preſerved in their purity.

3. That his Officers be preſerved in their power.

4. That his Offices be preſerved in their latitude.

5. That all his Adminiſtrations and Cenſures be put into faithful and proper hands. If we come into your Houſes, we ſee no confuſion there: The Groom doth not uſurp the Steward's Office; The Cook doth not croud into the Bed-chamber; The Secretary doth not do the Chaplain's work: Even ſo Christ hath ordained that in his Houſe all things be done in decency and in order; 1 Cor. 14.40. Verſ. 32.1 Cor 14:40and that the ſpirit of the Prophets be ſubject to the Prophets.

10. Look to Self-Reformation.In the Tenth and laſt place, Eſpecially look to Self-reformation. Reform your Perſons, reform your Families: ſay as Joſhua, I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord. Do as Jacob did, who when he went to build an Altar to the Lord, Joſh. 24.15.Josh 24:15ſaid to his family, Put away the ſtrange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments. If they will not put away their ſtrange gods, their lying, their ſwearing, their whoredoms, their Sabbath-breaking, &c. Do you put them away. Say with David, He that walketh in a perfect way, ſhall ſerve me. Pſal. 101.6.Ps 101:6He that worketh deceit, ſhall not dwell in my houſe: he that telleth lyes, ſhall not tarry in my ſight, &c. And for your ſelves,7. I will walk in my houſe with a perfect heart;Verſe 2. I will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes, &c. It was David's reſolution,3. when he came to the Kingdom, and ſet upon the work of Reformation, he reſolved he would begin at home. Oh ſhew your ſelves the ſons of Jacob, the line of David. An Ʋnreformed Reformer is a drie Sea, a dark Sun, a cold Fire, an ungood God; Contractio p. 40in adjecto; a Monſter among men; a devil among Saints; a what not? Oh that we could ſee Religion in your families, the power of godlineſſe in your perſons, Noble-mens houſes, paterns of Pietie; then ſhould we hope God meant to do England good indeed: Finde me a man, and I will pardon it.

In a word,Jer. 5.Jer 5 Noble Peers and Patriots, you have in your hands the faireſt opportunity and the richeſt advantages to make Chriſt glorious, the Church beautiful, the State honourable, your Names precious, your ſelves ſo many Moſes's and Joſhua's, the Saviours of the People, that ever Nobility or Parliament had. Oh take heed of ſinning away ſuch an opportunity.

One word to all that ſtand before God this day,To All. and the whole people of this Land, and I have done.

Deſpair not.1. Deſpair not, though you may ſee the work at many a loſſe and many a dead-lift, as you have ſeen it already. When was it otherwiſe? Call for the Chronicles, read over the Stories of all Church-deliverances: when was it otherwiſe? If ye will not believe, Iſai. 7.9.Isa 7:9ſurely you ſhall not be eſtabliſhed. Know this, a Deliverance of Gods promiſing and ſetting on foot, ſhall go on in ſpite of all Set-backs and oppoſition: there is Comfort.

Ob. I, but we have no promiſe for our Deliverance, as Iſrael had for theirs.

Anſw. 1. If we had, an unbelieving heart will be an unbelieving heart in ſpite of promiſes: It is not a promiſe will make us believe, if we want faith. As long as we have Iſrael's heart, we ſhould doubt, though we had Iſrael's promiſe.

2. Note this in the Second place, that Special, yea perſonal Promiſes made to the Saints in Scripture, are ours, ſo far as

Their ſtraits are ours.

Their work ours.

Their faith ours.

Their concernments ours.

I had never look'd for my ſhare in Joſhua's promiſe, had not the Holy Ghoſt taught me to apply it: Be content with ſuch things as you have; for he hath ſaid, Heb. 13.5. ex Joſh. 1.5.Heb 13:5Josh 1:5I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE.

3. There be ſtanding Promiſes in Scripture, which are the Magazine of the Church thorowout all her deſcents and Generations.

p. 414. Know this alſo, that Scripture-Command ſupplies the want of Scripture-Promiſe. Go with me to Heb. 11.13, and ye ſhall finde Abraham with his ſtaff in his hand, and his ſandals on his feet, and his loyns girt: Pleaſe to let me ask him Two or three queſtions by the way; ſee what he will anſwer. Reverend Patriarch, Whither are you going? Anſw. I know not. When ſhall you return? Anſw. I know not. How will you ſubſiſt? Anſw. I know not. He is in haſte as well as we, and therefore I'll ask him but one queſtion more. Abraham, Why then do you go at ſuch UNCERTAINTIES? To this he will anſwer, I go not upon uncertainties; I have a call; I have a Command, and that will ſecure my perſon, and bear my charges. By faith Abraham, when he was CALLED to go into a place which be ſhould after receive for an inheritance, OBEYED, and went out, NOT KNOWING WHITHER HE WENT.Heb. 11.8.Heb 11:8

3. Chriſtians, obſerve, a Call is as good as a Promiſe at any time. With a Call, a man may travel from one end of the world to another, though he hath not a peny in his purſe. And whether or no you have a Call, a Warrant, a Scripture-Command for what you do, I hope it is not now to diſpute.

5. But laſtly, we have not onelyonly a Call, but a Promiſe; not in general onelyonly, but in ſpecial: The whole Book of the Revelation, is nothing elſe but one great Promiſe of the downfall of Antichrist, and Goſpel-Reformation; and that is the work Parliament and Kingdom have now in hand in theſe three Nations. Be of good courage; both it, and you, that are faithful, and called, and choſen, are in the hands of a God that knows how to carry on his Work, not onelyonly against, but by the oppoſition of men and devils.

2. Obſtruct not, hinder not the work.2. OnelyOnly therefore, in the next and laſt place, Take heed that none of you be obſtructions in the way your ſelves; labour to remove the hinderances that lie at your door (what they are, you ſaw before.) Studie to promote this great Deſigne by your counſel, purſes, perſons, prayers, REFORMATION, with all you have, and all you are, and the work is done; at leaſt your work is done.

Here is our exceeding miſtake and miſchief; We ſtand, like p. 42Jacob's ſons, looking one upon another, and can very hardly be brought to think,Ecceſ. 9.18. that one mans Sin can do much harm, or one mans Reformation can do much good. But be not deceived, Brethren, God is not mocked: Achan was but one, and yet he troubled Iſrael; Jonah was but one, and yet he had gone nigh to have ſunk the Ship; Adam but one, and yet he ſunk all the world: In a word, the holy Ghoſt will tell you, One ſinner deſtroys much good: And if thou ſhould be that one, or one amongſt many; how wilt thou look when thou ſhalt ſee the Kingdom afire about thine ears with the flames which thou haſt kindled? And when thou art buried in her aſhes, this ſhall be thy Inſcription that ſhall ſtand till Dooms day;

Here lies a State-murderer, a Church-killer, a Deſtroyer of himſelf and of Reformation.

On the other ſide, remember for your encouragement; Joſhua was but one, and yet he brought Iſrael to Canaan; Caleb was but one, and yet he ſtill'd the people; Phineas was but one, and yet he turned away Gods wrath; Paul was but one, and yet he ſaved the ſhip; Rom. 5.16, 17, 18, 19. Iſa. 63.3. Jer. 5.1. Job 22.30.Rom 5:16Rom 5:17Rom 5:18Rom 5:19Isa 63:3Jer 5:1Job 22:30and Christ Jeſus the ſecond Adam was but one, and yet he redeemed the world: I trod the wine-preſſe alone, &c. In a word, you hear God promiſing, Finde me one man, and I will pardon; and the holy Ghoſt telling us, He ſhall deliver the Iſland of the innocent, and it is ſaved by the pureneſſe of thy hands. And if thou ſhouldſt be that one, or one of thoſe few, what an honour would it be to be called, The Repairer of the breaches, the Reſtorer of the deſolate paths to dwell in; the Saviour of Church and State.Iſa. 58.12. Obad. v. ult.Isa 58:12Obad 1:5

However, Happie, yea, thrice happie ſhall he be called, that can be able to ſay, when he comes to give up his Account, Lord, I have done my best to promote Reformation, and to ſave the Kingdom.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Case, Deliverance Obstruction (1646)