Spiritual Whoredom Discovered, Order to print 1 – Errata
Die Mercurii 26 Maii 1647.
ORdered by the Commons Aſſembled in Parliament, That Sir William Brereton do from this Houſe give thanks unto Mr Thomas Caſe, for the great pains he took in the Sermon he Preached on this day at Margarets Weſtminſter, before the Houſe of Commons, (it being a day of publike Humiliation) and that he do deſire him to Print his Sermon, wherein he is to have the like priviledge of Printing thereof as others in like kind uſually have had.
H. Elſynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I appoint LUKE FAVVNE and none other, to Print my Sermon.
Tho. Caſe.
Spirituall VVhordome DISCOVERED IN A SERMON Preach'd before the Honourable Houſe of Commons Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT, Upon the Solemn day of Humiliation, May 26. 1647. By THO. CASE, Preacher in Milkſtreet, London; and one of the Aſſembly of DIVINES.
LONDON, Printed by J. Macock, for LUKE FAVVNE, and are to be ſold at his ſhop, at the ſign of the Parrot in Pauls-Church-yard. 1647.
To the Honorable the Houſe of Commons in Parliament aſſembled.
IT is a ponderous ſpeech of the wiſe man, and worthy of all wiſe mens deepeſt conſideration;*Eccleſ. 8.6. Becauſe to every purpoſe there is time and judgment; therefore the miſery of man is great upon him. Jerom tels us that the Septuagint and Theodotio did read, in ſtead of [therefore the miſery of man is great] becauſe the knowledg of man is great upon him: and he conjectures the difference to ariſe from the likeneſs of the two Hebrew words foreign & foreign the one ſignifying knowledg, the other evil or miſery: but the truth is, the want of this knowledge, or wiſdome, to know and judg of times and ſeaſons, is that which brings great miſery upon the ſons of men: And ſo is the true ſenſe of the words; becauſe there is time and judgment for every purpoſe, and but a time: And men have not judgment to diſcern and take that time, therefore the miſery of man is great upon him; men bring upon themſelves and others extream trouble and miſery; becauſe they do not wiſely diſcern, Opportunity is time fitted and framed by God for the accompliſhment of his deſigns.and lay hold on the time and opportunity (for ſo foreign ſignifies opportunum tempus;) which God doth give them for the bringing about of all lawfull and righteous purpoſes and deſigns: Therefore it was the wiſdom of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, that when he came about that great deſign of ſaving ſouls he took his fathers time; So you hear his father beſpeaking of him, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, Iſa. 49.8. foreign In tempare opportuno voluntatis vel placito.and in the day of ſalvation have I helped thee; therefore it was a day of ſalvation becauſe it was an acceptable time; the time which his father ſet him for the work: oh how acceptable a Redeemer was Chriſt to his father, becauſe his fathers time was acceptable to him! Noble Senators, how much you are concern'd in theſe texts I leave to your ſelves to judg; There is a complaint made by God, Jer. 8.6. I hearkned and heard, but they ſpake not aright; no man repented him of his wickedneſs, ſaying, what have I done? I beſeech you as you love Chriſt, this poor Kingdom, and your own ſouls, let not this complaint be verified of any one of you; Turn in upon your ſelves, and bring to remembrance; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and every one ask your ſelves this queſtion, What have I done? Ask your ſelves what you have done as men? What you have done as Parliament-men? what you have done in reference to the firſt table, in reference to the ſecond table? What you have done in reference to Chriſt, his Truths, Worſhip, Government, Ministry, Ordinances, People? What you have done in your Covenant with God, and your Declarations to the world? Yea, oh that you would alter the queſtion a little on the negative part, and ask your ſelves what you have not done in reference to all theſe? Whether indeed you have taken the accepted time wch God hath faſhioned and prepared by his own hand, for the accompliſhing of the great work of Reformation, wherewith God hath entruſted and honoured you? By the improvement whereof you might have been ſo many Ioſhuahs, Saviours and Redeemers, to have reſtored the preſerved of England? Whether you have gone about the work in Gods strength, in Gods methods, and to Gods ends? Surely never had Parliament fairer opportunities, better helps, greater encouragements to have ſet up Jeſus Chriſt in his Throne (the greateſt honor and intereſt that States & Kingdoms are capable of) then you have had; & I humbly hope we ſhal not have cauſe to ſay only, have had; but that God wil ſtil entruſt you with the work, and bleſs you in it; and renew upon you all thoſe glorious advantages, whereby you ſhal be encouraged, and enabled, to carry it on againſt all oppoſitions of men and Divels. We cannot but take notice, with much thankfulneſs to God, and you; rejoycing in the Lord greatly, that now at laſt (to uſe the Apoſtles words) your care for the Publique good hath flouriſhed again, in thoſe ſelf-denying, foreign. quod jam tandem reviruiſtis Phil. 4.10.and Kingdom-refreſhing-votes, which have lately paſt, your Honourable Houſe; which we look upon as the fruit of your late Serious and extraordinary humiliation, within your own walles, and an anſwer of Prayer, your own, and the reſt of Gods people's who lifted up their hands and voices to God with you, and for you on the ſame day. Only I beſeech you, Honorable, and much Honoured Patriots, give out now real, and lasting Demonſtrations, that this motion of yours, is not meetly ab extrinſeco, but that it flows from inward principles, and gracious impreſsions of God upon your Spirits. Go on, and do worthily in the eyes of all the Kingdom and at home, the Churches abroad: and though you are taught of God to be humbled for your failings, yet let no diſcouragements enfeeble your hands in the work of God, and the Kingdom; but with David encourage your ſelves in the Lord your God. 1 Sam. 30.6.And though you know how to be vile before God; yet aſſert your Honor and glory before men; by being zealous, and expeditious, stedfaſt, and unmoveable, in the work of the Lord; Gen. 49.24.and the Bleſſing of Joſeph be upon your heads, whereby your bow may abide in ſtrength, and the arms of your hands may be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Iacob, from whom you are the ſhepherd, and the stone of England.
And the Lord undeceive this poor people, and open their eyes, that they may ſee, their peace to be bound up in your ſafetie; and that the beſt way to ſecure their own Rights and Liberties, is, to aſſert and vindicate your Priviledges. This I am confident of, when ever the Power and Authority of Parliament is trodden under foot, the wall is broken down, the deſtroyer comes in, and, without a reſcuing arm of Omnipotence, the Kingdom undone. If the Lord wil give the Parliament an heart to be active for Christ, and the Kingdom an heart to be active for the Parliament, I hope yet to ſee it a flouriſhing Kingdom: and you a flouriſhing Parliament; The Lord Ieſus ruling, and triumphing in both: which is, and ſhal be, the hearty, and dayly prayer, of
Your unworthy yet faithful Servant in the Goſpel, THO: CASE.
Reader thou art deſired page 22. the laſt line but one, in ſtead of conferring, to write or read confeſsing of ſin, other miſtakes there are not many, unleſs they be literall.