Deliverance Obstruction, Title page – Dedication
Deliverance-Obſtruction: OR, The Set-backs of Reformation. Diſcovered in a SERMON Before the Right Honourable The Houſe of Peers, IN PARLIAMENT Now aſſembled. Upon the Monthly Faſt, March 25. 1646. By THO. CASE, Preacher in Milk ſtreet London, and one of the Aſſembly of Divines.
Iſa. 49.1.
Behold, the Lords hand is not ſhortned that he cannot ſave, &c.
Hoſ. 13.9.
O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf.
Verſ. 13.
He is an unwiſe ſon: for he ſhould not ſtay long in the place of bringing forth children.
London, Printed by Ruth Raworth, for Luke Fawne, at the ſigne of the Parrot in Paul's Church-yard. 1646.
Die Veneris, 27 Marcii, 1646.
IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament aſſembled, That this Houſe gives Thanks to Maſter Caſe, one of the Aſſembly of Divines, for his great pains taken in the Sermon he preached on the laſt Faſt-day before their Lordſhips in the Abbey-Church Westminſter. And he is hereby deſired to print and publiſh the ſame; which is to be printed by Authority under his own hand onelyonly.
Jo. Browne, Cler. Parliamentorum.
I appoint Luke Fawne to print my Sermon.
THO. CASE.
To the Right Honourable the Houſe of PEERS, In Parliament now aſſembled.
MY LORDS,
WHat Complaint that bleſſed Reformer HEZEKIAH ſent once to the Prophet ISAIAH, that the ISAIAHS of our time do now make in your ears, who are our REFORMERS, The children are come to the birth,2 King. 19.3. and there is not ſtrength to bring forth. To make ſome diſcovery where the OBSTRUCTION lieth, is the humble and faithful endeavour of this Sermon; which as it waits the ſecond time upon your Commands; ſo if your Lordſhips pleaſe (at your ſparer times) to let your eye ſecond the travel of your ear, it may through his power, Rom. 4.17.who quickens the dead, and calls things that ARE NOT, as though they WERE, become ſome way ſerviceable to the Work you have in hand (the end of its first and ſecond attendance upon your Honours.) There was a time when Temple-work*Ezra 6.14. PROSPERED in the hands of the LORDS AND COMMONS OF JUDAH, by the propheſyings of HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH: O that ſuch might be the bleſſed fruit of that abundance of GOSPEL-PROPHESIE which hath been preacht in the ears of Englands Parliament, ſince the time you were firſt engaged in this great Work, not onelyonly of STATE, but of CHURCH-Reformation. Truely, my Lords, we deſire to look upon your Call of us the poor Ministers of Christ to this Service, not a STATE-COMPLEMENT, but as your truely *Acts. 17.11.NOBLE deſires of conſulting with the Oracles of God. And for a real evidence thereof, give me leave, I beſeech you, to become an humble Petitioner to your Honors for two things.
Firſt, that now you are in the work of Temple-Reformation, you would provide an Antidote againſt Goſpel-contempt, in ſome remarkable puniſhment to be inflicted upon Sermon ſcorners, eſpecially when they ſhall dare ſuch a wickedneſſe in the face of Heaven and earth, of God and the Church: ſince it cannot but be taken notice of by your Lordſhips, that there be ſome, who to this day hear Sermons, in the very ſame poſture they were wont to ſee Stage-plays: to the infinite ſcandal of Religion, and provocation of Almighty God.
Secondly, that in your own perſons you will give a preſident to all the Kingdom of your willing and ready ſubmiſſion to the Goſpel of JESUS CHRIST: With what eyes you are pleaſed to look upon the Miniſters thereof, I know not; ſure I am, whatever faithful advice in their humble Addreſſes to you hath the Imprimature of SCRIPTURE upon it, comes arm'd with the AUTHORITY OF HEAVEN; He that heareth YOU, heareth ME; and he that deſpiſeth YOU, deſpiſeth ME;Luke 10.16. and he that deſpiſeth ME, deſpiſeth HIM that SENT ME. Ʋpon ſuch an account, it was an heavie word which the Prophet ſpake once to a King; I know God hath determined to deſtroy thee, BECAUSE thou haſt not hearkned to MY COUNSEL: The contemptible Prophet had no contemptible GOD to back him: The application of it be to the enemies of CHRIST, and of the WORK you have in hand. However, it is a thing not to be thought of without trembling at; All power in heaven and earth is in HIS HANDS,Matth. 8.18. 2 Cor. 10.6. to avenge all Goſpel-Diſobedience, to WHOM great and ſmall muſt give an account (and who knows how ſoon?) what they have done with all the Sermons that ever they heard: Which that it may be ſeriouſly and ſavingly laid to heart by Parliament and Kingdom, ſhall be the inſtant Supplication of
Your Honours to ſerve you, while you ſerve Chriſt, Tho. Caſe.