Queen Esthers Resolve, Sermon

Queen Esthers Resolve · Sermon

Queen Esthers Reſolves: OR A Princely Pattern of Heaven-born RESOLƲTION, For all the Lovers of God and their Country: OPENED IN A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Honourable Houſe of Commons, at the Monethly Faſt, MAY 27. 1646.

By RICHARD HEYRICKE, Warden of Chriſts Colledge in Manchester in Lancaſhire, and one of the Aſſembly of DIVINES.

EXOD. 32.32.

Yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſin, and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Book which thou haſt written.

ROM. 9.3.

For I could wiſh that my ſelf were accurſed from Christ, for my Brethren, my kinſmen in the fleſh.

JER. 3.9.

They are not Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth.

LONDON, Printed by J. Macock, for LVKE FAVVNE, and are to be ſold at his ſhop, at the ſign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard. 1646.

Die Mercurii, 27 Maii 1646.

ORdered by the Commons Aſſembled in Parliament, That Colonell Moore do from this Houſe, give Thanks to M^r Heyricke for the great paines he took in the Sermon he Preached this Day, at the intreaty of this Houſe at S^t Margarets Weſtminſter, it being the day of publike Humiliation; And to deſire him to Print his Sermon: And it is Ordered that none ſhall preſume to Print his Sermon without leave under his hand writing.

H. Elſynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.

I doe appoint LUKE FAVVNE to Print this Sermon.

Richard Heyricke.

p. 1A Sermon Preached at a late Solemn Faſt, before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS. May 27. 1646.

ESTHER 4.16.

—and if I periſh I periſh.

REſolution is the life of Action, a thing well reſolved is more then half done, Vita ſine propoſito languida. Of all the Reſolutions that I have read of, I finde none parallel with, nor comparable to this of Queen Eſther. And this will appear if you will conſider the Reſolution it ſelfe, the acting or executing of this Reſolution, the ſucceſſe and iſſue; The Reſolution had the royall ſtamp of Virtue and Glory; the Execution, of Wiſdome and Courage; the Succeſſe, of Wonder and Honour: The Reſolution did breath an Heroick Virtue, the Execution a Religious Fortitude, the Succeſſe Honour and Glory.

1.The Reſolution is commended from the beauty, the Majeſty, of her that reſolved, a Woman, a Queen.

2. From the preparation ſhe makes unto it, wherein we have.

p. 21.Her diſcreet deliberation with her ſelfe.

2.Her wiſe Conſultation with others.

3.From the difficulties and dangers ſhe was to encounter withall.

1.She muſt go uncal'd to the King, there ſhe expoſed her ſelf to the penalty, to the danger of the Law.

2.She was to affront and confound the Minion of the Court, the Favorite of the King, ſhe was to hazzard the frowns the thunder of the Kings Creature.

3.She muſt attempt to reverſe a Law of the Medes and Perſians, which were not to be changed, to be cancel'd.

In the firſt there was evident danger, in the ſecond eminent difficulty, in the third apparent impoſſibility; but not the one, nor the other, nor the third; not the danger, not the difficulty, not the Impoſſibility, could weaken or ſhake her Reſolution.

4. This Reſolution receives commendation from the Motives that invites her, from the Object, the end that encourageth and ſtrengthens her to it.

1.The preſervation of her Country people, unjuſtly and wickedly doom'd to ruin and deſtruction.

2. The continuation of her Jewiſh Religion, attempted to be corrupted, extirpated.

3. The Vindication of the glory of her God, which would be ecclipſed, blaſphemed.

The Execution of this Reſolution is commended: Firſt, from the means by which ſhe accompliſheth it, they are all fair, direct, and Lawfull.

2^ly, From the circumſtances which accompany it, they are Religious, Honeſt, and Seaſonable; the means proclaims her Piety to God, the circumſtances her policy to man.

The Succeſſe and iſſue anſwerable to both theſe; ſhe is crowned with glory, her enterprize with honour, God graciouſly heard her prayer, the King ſmilingly received her p. 3Perſon, Mordecai her Uncle advanced, Haman the common Enemy hanged, the Jews her people reſcued, the confederate combined conſpirators executed, her Religion eſtabliſhed, Gods glory mightily exalted. This is the reſolution of this Reſolution, of which briefly by way of Explication, then of Obſervation, and Confirmation, and in the cloſe by Application.

1The firſt thing that adds luſtre to this Reſolution, was the Beauty, the Majeſty, the Sex, the quality of her that reſolved; Eſter, a Woman, a Queen. Admirabilior in foemina quam in viro virtus. We uſe to admire, ſaith Quintilian, the ſame virtue more in women then in men, whence his ſentence is, If we deſire to beget in any the love and emulation of courage, the inſtance of Horatius and Torquatus would not prove of ſo great efficacy, as of that woman who with her own hand ſlew Pyrrhus: In perſwading you to true Chriſtian reſolution, the inſtance of Cato, the example of Joab, cannot be ſo powerfull as this of Queen Eſther. It was a blindneſſe to be pittied in Seneca, that he could not ſee a fairer Object for God, than Cato ſtanding bolt upright in the midſt of publike ruine; were it lawfull to ſpeak in his ſwelling language, Ecce ſpectaculum, behold a ſpectacle truely worthy of God, not an Heatheniſh man deſperately ſtrugling with a private misfortune, but a virtuous woman more then manfully wreſtling with publike danger and deſtruction; Behold ſtrength in weakneſſe, vertue in infirmity, Reſolution in inconſtancy; ſtrength, virtue, reſolution in a woman, Graetior eſt virtus veniens e corpore pulchro.

2Nor doth her Sex caſt a brighter beam on her reſolution then her condition; Majeſty makes high the commendation; Had Queen Eſther been yet amongſt the Virgins of the common rank, within the wals of her obſcure family, a Captive, a Stranger, ſhe had then loſt much of the glory of this Sacred Reſolution; when Poverty and Obſcurity expoſeth it ſelf p. 4to a doubtfull danger for a publike ſafety, few obſerve them; many ſtars may be Ecclipſed and few take notice of it; miſcarriage it ſelf to a deſperate condition is the cure of its miſery, what is it for hunger-ſtarved Lepers to adventure on the Enemy? If they kill us we ſhall but dye, this is not reſolution, but neceſſity; But for one without the verge of danger, to intereſt and hazzard her ſelf in anothers reſcue, is a Character of true fortitude, for one preferred to the height of Majeſty, incompaſſed within the wals of ſtrength and ſafety, incircled with Guards and Penſioners, for a Queen to expoſe her ſelf in a voluntary compaſſion to the danger of a fall of death, this blazons an Heroick ſpirit and proclaims a Royall goodneſſe, this commands amazement and admiration; the ſun Eclipſed, all eyes are fixed upon it.

2Nor doth her Sex and quality, her beauty and Majeſty more eternize her Reſolution, then her wiſdome in the manner of reſolving; none are but what of neceſſity they cannot avoyd, to commit their affairs to any contingency; Eſther wiſely conſiders the nature of the buſineſſe, not onelyonly in the ſuperficiall and outward appearance, but ſhe penetrates into the inſide, ſhe weighes and conſiders the accidents and conſequences, ſhe balanceth the beauty, the excellency, the glory of the enterprize, together with the trouble, difficulty, and danger. True Reſolution is not an inconſiderate and raſh temerity, not a ſenceleſſe and brutiſh ſtupidity; this virtue cannot be without knowledge and apprehenſion; ſhe ſeriouſly and ſoberly pondreth and weigheth all things, ſhe ballanceth and poyzeth together the eminency, the worthineſſe of her undertaking, with her ſtrength and ability; the weakneſſe of her Sex, nor the Majeſty of her Perſon doth not more commend her Reſolution, then her wiſdome in deliberating, her judgement and diſcretion in conſulting about it, another circumſtance that commends the Reſolution.

p. 5In difficult and dangerous affairs, in buſineſſe of great conſequence and importance, the wiſeſt, they of moſt underſtanding, are to uſe advice and councell of others; two are better then one,Pro. 24.6.Prov 24:6 In the multitude of Councellors there is ſafety: Non unius mens tantae molis eſt capax; Eſther conſults with her Uncle, a wiſe, religious and faithfull friend, a grave and adviſed Councellor, ſhe commends it to the whole City of Shuſan, they approve it, they bleſſe it, ſhe doth not precipitately nor raſhly, being wedded to her own judgement, conceive, reſolve, and execute: but ſhe debates the matter, ſhe canvaſeth it pro and con, ſhe puts it to the Vote; thus being prepared and fortified, ſhe will not be deterr'd; it is not a Lyon in the way, nor a Legion of Devils, though ſhe fore-ſees ſhe muſt encounter with both, yet ſhe is arm'd, ſhe knows the worſt, ſhe can but periſh, and that ſtanding in competition with her peoples ſafety ſhe regards it not, Go I will unto the King which is not according to the Law.

The Court of Kings ought to be as the Court of Heaven, equally neer and diſtant to every one; it argues more Tyranny than Majeſty to have ſet and ſtanding Guards to keep out Petitioners. Turkes, and Perſians, that make it their glory to fear all, may keep ſuch Guards and Enact ſuch Laws, becauſe they are afraid of all; But Chriſtian Princes who are to rule by Law and not by will, they are to have their Courts open to all, the pooreſt ſubject may have liberty to prefer his Petition, a priviledge that Eſther though a Queen could not have, but if ſhe would go uncal'd to the King, ſhe muſt run the hazzard of the Law, for it was not according to the Law.

How far ſuch Laws do binde I cannot determine; He is no tranſgreſsor, ſaith the Civill Law, that croſſeth not the mind of the Law-giver, though he break the Letter of the Law; and a reaſonable cauſe, as the Caſuiſts and the Schoolmen agree, ever excuſeth the breaking of a humane Law; I heard p. 6it very lately from the Authority of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, what Laws, Ordinances, or Orders ſoever, that are againſt the Law of God, are by the Laws of this Land null'd; The obſervation of Laws is very commendable; but when exigences are ſo violent, when confuſion hath turned all upſide down, when the State is diſturbed, when wicked men are combined, when all Order is perverted, then men are to look to the main chance, then to ſollicite the principal buſineſſe, and ſo much the more zealouſly, as Eſther did, by how much there is leſſe poſſibility of compaſsing it the ordinary way. When neceſsity is ſo urgent that it makes the obſerving of the Laws impoſsible; Nature, Reaſon, Laws, Religion, all inſtruct us to betake our ſelves to that which is moſt neceſſary; Prerogative, Priviledge, Liberty, all muſt be laid aſide: It was a reproach unto Cato, he would rather ſuffer the Common-wealth to run into all extremity, when he might have ſuccour'd it, would he have a little tranſgres'd the Laws: and contrary wiſe Epaminondas is commended, that in caſe of neceſsity he continued his charge beyond his time, though the Law upon pain of life did prohibite it. The Parliament ſhall ever be famous, they have not onelyonly followed preſidents but made them: Men may ſwerve from a ſecond particular and municipall Obligation, denying obedience to the Laws and Cuſtomes of the Country, when they are againſt the firſt and more ancient, againſt Univerſall Nature and Reaſon: the Queen did not contemn the Law, but neceſsity made her paſſe it over; this way it might pleaſe God to bring forth a glorious deliverance, and to make her a bleſſed Agent in her peoples reſcue; if ſhe ſhould miſcarry, ſhe might looſe ſome of her hopes, none of her virtues; the Laws deterre her not, nor the greatneſſe of her adverſary; Go ſhe will though Haman advanceth againſt her.

Sathan when he cannot maſter the truth by meaner Agents, he intereſſeth great ones; Haman his name diſcovers his humour, p. 7he was a troubler, and at this time a troubler of Iſrael, by birth an Agagite, of that Nation which God curſed, and with whom the Jews were to have perpetuall Hoſtility; this was one reaſon why Mordecai refuſed to bow, he would not ſtoop to ſo accurſed an Enemy of God and his people; Haman was incorporated a Perſian, whoſe Princes exacted more then Civill obſervance; this was a ſecond reaſon. He was advanced the ſecond in the Kingdome, where he plots and contrives by a deſperate and bloody Stratagem, the utter ruin and deſtruction of the Jewiſh people: Kings are but men, their favorites often the worſt of men, they lye open to the envy of the people, which like the Sun-beams, beats alwayes moſt ſcorchingly upon riſing grounds. What that Prerogative is I know not, that Kings cannot offend; Kings ſin, and Kingdomes are ruin'd: Eſther bows low to the King, but ſtands upright againſt Haman; ſhe encounters his perſon, and is reſolved either to ſtand by his fall, or to fall if he ſtands; this difficulty though a great one, yet not the onelyonly one, the laſt is worſt, there is a ſeeming impoſſibility, ſhe muſt reverſe the Law, the laſt diſcouragement.

Non conveniat (ſaith Caeſar) vel ullum verbum; diſconſonant it is that one word ſhould paſſe vainly out of a Princes mouth. But when laws are enacted, decreed and eſtabliſhed, when ſigned and ſealed with the Kings ſeal, and that according to the Laws of the Medes and Perſians which alter not, what hope to reverſe or change it? ſet aſide Principles, Grounds, Articles of Religion, unqueſtionable truths and undeniable Aphoriſms, the Morall and Eternall Law of God; Men are not to make, nor may any entertain the Laws with an Oath never to change them; none may vow a perpetuall marriage to their own Mandates, there may be a cauſe for a Bill of divorce, room for retractations. What made theſe Perſian Laws unalterable, but the Laws themſelves? that power that makes, may change. This Eſther knew, this might p. 8be, though there was little hope this ſhould be, but ſhe will venter it, it was for her people, her Religion, her God, which are the Motives that moved her, the laſt conſideration that commends the Reſolution.

4Had Eſther been of the ordinary temper, as jolly and proud of her Majeſty and beauty as her predeceſſor Vaſthi, how eaſie had it been for her to have over-looked the calamity of her people? ſhe that before neglected her Husband her Soveraign, how would ſhe have here under-valued her ſervants, her ſubjects? her wiſe Ladies would have perſwaded her; yea, ſhe would have ſaid her ſelf it had been an unneceſſary anxiety, to have interrupted her mirth with the thought of their miſery; a buſineſſe beneath the State of a Queen to undertake the reſcue of a few deſpiſed Countrymen, eſpecially with the hazzard of the forfeiture of her honour, the high diſpleaſure of the King, the danger of the Law, the hazzard of her life, the ſmall hope of ſucceſſe. This certainly would have been her voyce, if they periſh they periſh; but Religious Eſther ſhe more eſteemeth of her peoples ſafety then her own, her life is bound up in theirs, if they periſh ſhe could not live, ſhe would have been more miſerable had ſhe ſurviv'd their Miſery; who could deſire to live when the Country is dead? all owe more to their Country then to themſelves; this Esther knew which thus ſtrengthned her reſolution, together with the preſervation of her Religion, a ſecond conſideration.

2. Religion is the very Nerves and ſinews of the Common-wealth, the very heart and prime fountain of life and livelihood, the Crown, the glory of a Nation, the beauty, the ſtrength, the perfection, the Spirit, the ſoul of a Kingdome; In Religion is Embarqued the publike ſafety; when that is aimed at, the danger is dreadfull, the loſſe beyond recovery; Eli's heart trembled whilſt the Arke was in the field, in doubtfull diſputation; but when he heard the Arke p. 9was taken, he fell from his ſeat, whoſe heart was ſooner broken then his neck; yet with that he dyed; Happy death that made him not out-live the loſſe of the Arke! none but Atheiſts that know no life but the preſent, but they make Religion the firſt thing. The Heathen is recorded to all ages, for the laying aſide his Father, Wife, and Children, and taking the care of his Country gods; few make Religion their buſineſſe, eſpecially they that ſit at the top of the wheel, cloath'd in ſoft rayment, dandled on the knee and lul'd in the boſome of ſoveraignty; there are that will ſell Paradiſe for Paris, and will launce no farther forth, then they may return ſafe again; but Eſther is of a more divine temper, ſhe ſtands up for the defence of her Religion; In her Religion, ſhe ſaw the glory of God had founded it, and it could not be ruin'd without a manifeſt hurt to the glory of that God which was dearer to her then her own life: the third and laſt encouragement.

3Nothing is more dear, yea ſo dear to a Religious ſoul, as the glory of God; the glory of its own ſoul is valued at a cheap rate in reſpect of this; Gods glory is the ſupream, the higheſt glory, the ſun of glory; if that be darkned, though all the ſtars ſhine, it is ſtill night, whereas if that ſhines in its glory, though no ſtars ſhine, yet it is day: Chryſostome profeſſed he loved nor honoured Rome ſo much for her Antiquity, her multitude of inhabitants, her ſumptuous fair buildings, the great priviledges and immunities of the Citizens, the beauty and glory of the City, as for that the Lord of Glory was held forth there in the preaching of Peter and Paul: Heaven it ſelf is not ſo glorious, as a poor Country Village, where the King of glory is preached: Queen Eſther rather then the glory of God ſhould be obſcured by a black cloud of his ſervants blood, rather then the miſcarriage and downfall of Religion ſhould open the mouth of blaſphemy to ſpit reproach in the face of Gods people, ſhe will ſtake p. 10her owne ſoul, lay her life at pawn to redeem the glory of God from ſuch an injury, Finis dat amabilitatem, the end beautifies the enterprize; if any end can adde glory to any, ſurely this doth multiply on the head of Ester, ſhe is reſolved, actum est, it is done already in her unbended reſolution, ſhe cloaths her ſelf with Virtue, and puts on courage with her Jewels; Thus accompanied with Divine beauty, and heavenly Valour, ſhe ſets forward to her already bleeding Nation; her Weapons are faith and prayer, her Armour courage and reſolution, her Attendants beauty and virtue, her word Si pereo pereo, nor can danger, difficulty, or impoſſibility, Haman, Death, nor Devill turn her back again, Go I will.

Thus you have heard with what cautions, with what courage and wiſdome Queen Eſther, and by her Example, every good Chriſtian ought to enter into a Reſolution; here was an abſolute integrity of all concurrencies, which made this reſolution good, acceptable to God, comfortable to her ſelf, profitable to her people; The perſon that made it fitly qualified, the end moving ſufficiently warrantable, the circumſtances honeſt and ſeaſonable, the means direct and lawfull: Here was no defect, iniquity and exorbitancy of any particular, but a generall combination of all requiſites: The Reſolution was neceſſary and religious, which will the better appear, if we compare what Queen Eſther did in Perſia, with what the Scriptures teſtifie the Saints and ſervants of God have done at other times, and ought to do at all times, which is my ſecond thing, the Doctrine and the confirmation of it.

Doct.In the Cauſe of God, Religion, and our Countries, we are not to paſſe for periſhing. Gratious and Religious ſpirits, neither are nor ought to be out-dared in the cauſe of God, Religion, and their Countries ſafety, by the fear and danger of periſhing.

p. 11They that are on Gods ſide as Moſes proclaimed in the gate, Exod. 32.26.Exod 32:26they are to know neither father nor mother, but every one to ſtay his brother, companion and neighbour; Luke 14.26.Luke 14:26Chriſt teacheth us to hate father and mother and wife and children and Brethren and Sisters; yea, and our own lives alſo, when they ſtand in competition with God; Saint Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 16.22.1 Cor. 16.22.1 Cor 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha; he ſpeaks not of the Jews and Heathens, but of Chriſtians; the Apoſtle bleſſeth thoſe and prayes for them that love Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity,Eph. 6.24.Eph 6:24 Epheſ, 6.24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity; as the bleſſing is ſo is the curſe, Anathema Maranatha to them that love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity: None can love Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity, that love their lives before and above Chriſt. Saint Jerome proteſted he would trample upon Father and Mother, if they hindred his way to Chriſt; Curſed be he, ſaid that noble Marqueſſe, that counts the whole world to one houres enjoyment of Jeſus Christ. Saint Paul could not by the prayers and teares of his friends be kept back from going to Hieruſalem (though the Spirit witneſſed, Bonds and afflictions did attend him there) why do ye break my heart? Acts 21.13.Acts 21:13for I am ready not to be bound onelyonly, but alſo to dye at Hieruſalem, for the Name of the Lord Jeſus; All their tears and intreaties could no more prevail with him, then Dido's did with Aeneas, when Jupiter commanded his departure;Rom. 9.3.Rom 9:3 For my brethren and kinſmen according to the fleſh, I could wiſh that my ſelf were accurſed from Chriſt: Moſes full of zeal and compaſſion, when wrath was going forth againſt Iſrael, when the deſtroying Angel was waving his ſword over them, his ſword furbiſhed and garniſhed to make a ſore ſlaughter, He bows his knee to the father of Jeſus Chriſt, he cryeth out;Exod. 32.31, 32.Exod 32:31Exod 32:32 O this people have ſinned a great ſin, and have made them gods of gold; yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſin: and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Book, which thou haſt written. He ſpeaks after p. 12the manner of men, in whom compaſſion and paſſion ſtops paſſage to further ſpeech; an abrupt kind of ſpeaking, an imperfect ſentence, wherein much more is implyed then was expreſſed: Luther would to Wormes, though there were as many devils as tiles; and Antonius Marinarius ſaid, ſtanding up in the Councell of Trent, Though heaven fall and the whole world run headlong, yet I will look up to the goodneſſe of God, and though an Angel from heaven ſhould perſwade me the contrary, yet I would ſay Anathema to him. A French Cavalier proteſted for the recovery of Callis he would be content to lye two years in hell. A reverend Biſhop lying at the point of death, ſpake zealouſly and ſoberly Me moriente let me dye ſo the Church may flouriſh. Sejan with the hazzard of his own life did bear off the burthen that would have cruſht Tiberius to death, and our Santleger received the Arrow into his own breſt, that would have pierced the King to the heart. Thoſe Worthies did worthily, that preſented the firſt Petition at York; and this Parliament ſhall live for ever, for the firſt Remonstrance and Protestation. This is a duty that we all owe to God, to our Religion and Country, which all that are eminently godly, truely religious and zealous Patriots, have ever preferred before their particular eſtates, honours, and Lives. I ſhall but commend one Precept to you, with an example to illuſtrate and back it, you have them both in one verſe of the ſame chapter,1 Joh. 3.16.1 John 3:16 1 Iohn 3. v. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he hath laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, the example is the higheſt that can be given, and the Precept in every word emphaticall; we ought in point of duty, it is not arbitrary nor voluntary, a neceſſity lies upon us, and woe unto us if we lay not down our lives for the brethren, to lay down freely and of our own accord, not by conſtraint and of neceſſity, but of choyſe and deſire; Our lives the higheſt thing in our power, higher p. 13then our honours, our eſtates, our liberties, our priviledges, our preſent comforts, for the brethren, the Saints, the ſervants of God.

The Reaſons that ſtrengthen this Doctrine are mighty convincing, and ſtrong to invite if not to inforce the obedience to it.

This we ought to do in point of Equity, Honour,Reaſon 1 and Policy.

1. In point of equity, what can we ſtake in Gods cauſe and our Countries, that we have not received from God and for Gods purpoſes? The Lord hath made all things for himſelfe, the Lord found nothing made to his hand; what is there in heaven and earth, that can ſtand out againſt God and ſay, I made my ſelfe; it was a blaſpheming ſin, no ſin of ignorance, which King Pharoah, belched forth, Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey his voyce to let Iſrael go? I know not the Lord, Exod. 5.2.Exod 5:2neither will I let Iſrael go: The great Turke blaſphemed God in heaven, when he cryed out; O God haſt thou not enough to do with thine own buſineſſe in heaven, but thou intereſteth and interpoſeth thy ſelf with mine on earth; it was ſordid & baſe flattery, Jupiter in coelis, God ruleth in heaven, Caeſar on earth; the Tyrant ſet his mouth againſt heaven when he ſaid, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the houſe of the Kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majeſty? Dan. 4.30.Dan 4:30And as God made all himſelf, ſo he made all for himſelf; whē he made them, he made no overture of his intereſt & propriety: All that man hath, & all that man is, is from God, and therfore all that he hath and all that he is, muſt be for God, Of him and to him, there is S. Pauls Alpha and Omega; when God endowed man with the greateſt truſt, power, and prerogative; when he made him his Vice-Roy, his Vicegerent, his Lieutenant Generall, when he gave the foul of the Ayre, the beaſt of the field, the fiſh in the ſea, the trees in the Garden to his command, yet then the Lord laid this reſtraint, but of the tree p. 14in the midſt of the Garden thou ſhalt not eate; That tree could then baffle Adam, when all the creatures beſides would bow unto him, and give homage and obedience, then that would ſtand upright and ſay, Adam touch me not, paſſe by, lay no hand on me, leſt thou dyeſt; what can we lay out for God, which we have not received from God, & for Gods purpoſes? if we lay out much of our ſilver and gold for God, God therfore hath given us much becauſe we ſhould uſe much; Of thine own ſaith David we have given unto thee, 1 Chro. 29 14.1 Chr 29:14when the Kings and Princes offered liberally towards the building of the Temple; If we have large parts, hearts and heads inlarged as the ſand on the ſea ſhore, ſo that we had as many choiſe notions as ſands on the ſea ſhore, God intended to make large uſe of them; Wiſedome and Underſtanding calls God Father, life it ſelf was beſtowed on man by God, that it might be beſtowed on God by man; The Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf received a body, not that he needed a body, but that with that body he might ſerve the great deſign of Gods Predeſtination, Heb. 10.5.Heb 10:5and ſo he underſtood and acknowledged it, A body haſt thou prepared for me, I come to do thy will O God. The whole Church reſolves according to this,Cant. 2.16.Song 2:16 My beloved is mine and I am his, He is mine in all he hath, he is mine in all he did, in all he ſuffer'd; he for my ſake encountred with the malice of men, with the rage of devils, with the wrath of God, and therefore good reaſon I ſhould be His, His in all I have, His in all I am, His in all I can do and ſuffer: O ſaith Spira, Were it with me as in times poſt, I would ſcorn the threats of the most cruell Tyrant with invincible Reſolution, and glory in the outward profeſsion of Chriſt, till I were choaked in the flame and my body conſumed to Aſhes: Certainly they are to be beg'd as fools, and to be eſteem'd as mad, that riſe againſt the Parliament that hath ſtood for them; we have received all from God, Judge ye, owe we not all to God? is not this equall?

p. 152In point of Honour; They that honour me, them will I honour, God honours them that are of publike Spirits,1 Sam. 2.30.1 Sam 2:30 that will lay out themſelves and what they have for God; the greateſt title of honour among the Romans, was to be intituled patres patriae, they had divine honours and were enrol'd among the Gods; the name of Quintus Curtius, of Attilius Regulus, of Papilius Decius the father and ſon, others are famous and renouned to this day; Conſtantine had the name great, and Theodoſius had the name good, not from the greatneſſe of their Empire, but from the goodneſſe of their Religion. You have ſtudyed to ſet marks of honour upon them that have jeoparded their lives in the high places of the Earth. King Darius upon a time opening a great Pomegranate, and being asked of what he would wiſh to have as many as there were grains in that Pomegranate, he anſwered preſently, So many Zopiruſſes; Zopirus was a Valiant and Noble Commander, who ſeeing the King his Maſter could hardly ſurprize Babylon, where the trayterous Aſſyrians were intrenched, put in execution this wonderfull and ſtrange Stratagem, he cauſed his ſervants to rent his whole body all over with ſcourging, to ſlit his noſe, to cut his lips and eares, then flying covertly to Babylon he made the Aſsyrians beleeve Darius had uſed him ſo, becauſe he had ſpoken in their behalf, councelling him to break up his ſiege and to remove his Army from aſſaulting them; they beleeving the ſtory, ſeeing his Maſſacred and diſ-figured body, they gave him the firſt command, by which means he delivered them and the City into Darius power. When the Lord Jeſus heard of the faith of the Centurion, the Text ſayes, He wondred, 'tis read, he honoured it; this raiſeth a man above himſelf, and ſheweth that he hath more then man, ſomewhat of God in him; as there cannot be a greater reproach, ignominy and obloquy upon the name of any, then of them that have betrayed their Country, their names ſhall rot for ever, and their p. 16memorials ſhall periſh, it is their curſe, and let their heires inherit it. The Jews to this day when they read this Hiſtory of Eſther, as often as mention is made of Haman, they ſtamp with their feet, frown, knock with their hands, ſhout and make an hydeous noyſe: the name of the gunpowder Traytors is abhord, and is in execration to this day, and after ages will abominate their baſeneſſe and villanies, that have lifted up their hand againſt the Parliament; but the Eſthers, the Mordicai's, the Religious Patriots, that have acted in the ſphere, the brave ſouldiers whoſe lives were not dear unto them, the faithfull Miniſters, the Horſemen, the Chariots of Iſrael, they ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance, their names ſhall be perpetuated to all generations, and their memory ſhall live for ever; Jael ſhall be bleſſed above women, and David for killing Goliah ſhal marry the Kings daughter, and his houſe ſhall be free in Iſrael; Mat. 26.13.Matt 26:13He is worthy, He loved our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue. Where ever (ſaith Chriſt) this Goſpel ſhall be preached in the whole world, there ſhall alſo this, that this woman hath done, for a memoriall of her. Pilate is gibbited up in the Creed for condemning Chriſt, whilſt Chriſt for dying for his people, Is exalted above all principalities and powers.

3In point of Policy, were there nothing but ſelf, ſelf ſecurity and ſafety, yet this would prompt us to it, Chriſt layeth it down as an irrefragable Axiom,Luke 17.33. Mat. 10.1. Mal. 1.10.Luke 17:33Matt 10:1Mal 1:10 Luke 17.33. He that loſeth his life ſhall preſerve it; No man can give a cup of cold water, but ſhall have his reward: Who ſaith God hath ſhut my door for nought? God is not nor cannot be a barren wilderneſſe. He that hath pitty on the poor,Prov. 19.17.Prov 19:17 lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again: read what Mordecai told Eſther when her fear at firſt prevailed with her, chap. 4. v. 13, 14.Eſth. 4.13.14.Esth 4:13Esth 4:14 Think not with thy ſelf that thou ſhalt eſcape in the Kings houſe more then all the Jews; for if thou altogether holdeſt thy peace at this time, then ſhall there inlargement and deliverance p. 17ariſe to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy fathers houſe ſhall be deſtroyed; and who knoweth whether thou be come to the Kingdome for ſuch a time as this. A gratious ſpirit cannot enjoy it ſelf, while the publike is in danger; that Hiſtory is worthy your obſerving though Apocryphall: A ſpark is ſafer in the fire then ſeparate alone;2 Eſdr. 9. 40. to c. 16 27. how eaſie may it be quenched? joyn'd to the reſt it preſerves it ſelf, and may burn them that ſeek to extinguiſh it: a drop taken from the reſt inſtantly dryes away, in the ſea it lives whiles the ſea lives: one ſouldier from the Army in continuall danger, in the Army ſafe: certainly that policy is folly, that councel fooliſhneſſe, that leaves men to themſelves to divide from the whole. He that bottles all the Tears, that numbreth all the hayres, that pondreth all the ſteps, that keepeth all the Bones, ſo that not a tear ſhall be loſt, not a hair fall, not a foot daſh againſt a ſtone, not a bone break: if God takes care of the tears, the hairs, the out-goings, the bones of his people, how much more for their Liberty, for their livelihood, for their blood, for their lives, for their bodies, for their ſouls? peruſe the ſacred book of God, ſearch all the Annals, the Hiſtories, the Records of the Bible, and finde me one, one example, one man, one woman, that ever were of publike ſpirits, that did but lay to heart the miſeries of the Country, that did but weep and mourn for the Abominations and Deſolations, and ſee if God did not ever preſerve them, if he was not a Sanctuary, a City of Refuge, a hiding place, a Royall Pavilion to them; I could give twenty inſtances, how God hath preſerved them, Enoch, Noah, Lot, Jeremy, Barach, Ebedmelech. God gives in expreſſe charge, Ezek. 9.4.Ezec. 9.4.Ezek 9:4 Go through the midst of the City, through the midst of Jeruſalem, and ſet a mark upon the foreheads of them that ſigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof: Certainly they that will not periſh for their Country, ſhall periſh without it or with it; whereas they that care nor to p. 18periſh, ſo that their Country periſh not, they may be ſaviours to themſelves and to the Country; neither they nor the Country ſhall periſh, witneſſe the ſucceſſe and iſſue of this Reſolution of Eſthers periſhing: and thus much for the Obſervation and Confirmation; I come in the third and laſt place to the Uſe and Application.

Ʋſe 1.Learn, God ſometimes brings his people into a periſhing condition, he leaves them hopeleſſe and helpleſſe, as Orphans and Widdows; the Jews they were at this time in a low and ſad condition, the Decree was gone forth, the day was aſſigned, the Executioners ready; the Iſrael of God they have been as a valley of dead & dry bones, Ezec. 37.Ezek 37without skin, without fleſh, without life; the Church of God as Iſaac, bound hand and foot, the knife at the throat, the fire burning; as Jonah in the belly of the Whale, in hell, as Chriſt in the Grave. How deſperate was the condition of the Jewiſh Eſtate, in the Reign of King Ahaz, they were ſo low, that they knew not by what poſſibly they could riſe again,Iſa. 7.11, 12.Isa 7:11Isa 7:12 God ſaid to him, Aske a ſign of the Lord thy God, aske it either in the depth or in the height above; But Ahaz ſaid I will not aske; and why would not he? He thought nothing in heaven, nor in earth could do him good. Iſrael was in Egypt as a burning Lamp in a ſmoaking furnace, as Abraham in a deep ſleep, full of horror and of great darkneſſe; in Babylon as a Lyon dead, in Rome as men kild, whoſe bodies lie unburied; the Church ſometimes paſſeth through the waters, through the Rivers, through the fire, through the flame. Chriſt the head of the Church (therefore much more the Church) was as a Plant or Root, in a dry ground, without forme, Iſai. 53.Isa 53without comelineſse, without beauty; deſpiſed, rejected of men, a man of ſorrows, one acquainted with griefes. Yea the Heroes, the worthies, they of the firſt Three, they are ſometimes neceſſitated to paſſe through the Pikes, to break through an Hoſt, an Army, to gain a little water. You your ſelves the Worthies of the Kingdome, have you not ſeverall p. 19times received the ſentence of death within your ſelves? have you not been at your ſtands, at your loſſe, God will raiſe up Mountains of oppoſition that you may be nothing in your ſelves, that you may be all in him.

2Let them periſh that bring the people of God into the hazard of periſhing. Haman the common enemy that plotted and contrived the utter ruin of the people of God, was himſelf hanged upon the ſame gallows that he prepared for Mordecai. —nec lex eſt juſtior— Nor did Haman dye alone, as the head of the Malignant partee, but Hamans ten ſons drank of the ſame cup; yea, they that would have acted in ſo helliſh a deſign, the Jews put to the ſword 76000 men; it is worthy of your obſervation, the Jews that ſtood up for their Liberties, for their Religion, yet the Text twice expreſly Records, That they layd not their hands on the Prey. Eſth. 9. c. 10. v. 16.Esth 9See what the Gibeonites asked of David, 2 Sam. 21.3, 4, 5, 6. What ſhall I do for you, and wherewith ſhall I make the Atonement, 2 Sam. 21.3, 4, 5, 6.2 Sam 21:32 Sam 21:42 Sam 21:52 Sam 21:6that ye may bleſſe the inheritance of the Lord? And the Gibeonites ſaid unto him, We will have no ſilver nor gold of Saul, nor of his houſe, neither for us ſhalt thou kill any man in Iſrael. And he ſaid, What ye ſhall ſay that will I do for you: And they anſwered the King, The man that conſumed us, and that deviſed againſt us, that we ſhould be deſtroyed for remaining in any of the coasts of Iſrael, Let ſeven men of his ſons be delivered unto us▪ and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did chuſe: And the King ſaid, I will give them. I do not deny but the Law of God, doth it ſelf allow compoſition for mens lives,Exod. 21.30.Exod 21:30 men may in ſome caſes redeem their lives with their Eſtates. Iſmael did not ſlay them that ſaid, They had treaſure in the field: But if there be any whom God hath marked out for deſtruction,Jer. 41.8.Jer 41:8 they that give their lives to them, their lives may go for their lives, Curſed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently. All are not involved in the ſame guilt, that are in the ſame Action; 200 joyned themſelves p. 20to Abſolon in his treaſonable practiſe, yet they went in the ſimplicity of their hearts: Yet there are a partee that are leaders to the blind, that Juſtice may not ſhut her eye againſt them; in Babylon there are ſome that have not the mark of the Beaſt upon them, they are to be invited, to be called out, to be received in▪ but they that have the name, the number, the marke of the beaſt, they muſt dye without mercy, and like milſtones be thrown into the midſt of the Lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone: the commands of God are not onelyonly peremptory,Revel. 18.6.Rev 18:6 Reward her even as ſhe hath rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup that ſhe hath filled fill to her double: but a bleſſedneſſe is promiſed to them that execute this command:Pſa. 137.8.9.Ps 137:8Ps 137:9 O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed, happy ſhall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast ſerved us, Happy ſhall he be that taketh and daſheth thy little ones against the ſtones: peruſe that of the Lamentations and you ſhall ſee who they are that are to be deſtroyed, and how to be deſtroyed;Lam. 3.64.65, 66.Lam 3:64Lam 3:65Lam 3:66 Render unto them a recompence O Lord according unto the work of their hands, give them ſorrow of heart, thy curſe unto them, perſecute and deſtroy them in anger, from under the Heavens of the Lord: [Give them ſorrow of heart] there is their character, there is their marke by which they are ſet out for deſtruction, there is that black beane, that fatall robe which deſigns them for death; the margent of your Bible reads it, give them obſtinacy of heart; an hard heart is a great evill; but an heart hardned, an obſtinate heart, obſtinacy of heart, ſuch a heart that will not, that cannot be ſoftned: one reads it give them a veil upon their heart, they upon whoſe heart there is a vail,Iſa. 26.11.Isa 26:11 that when Gods hand is lifted up they will not ſee: give them a ſhield upon their heart, a ſhield not to defend them from the fiery darts of Sathan, but as the Interlineary gloſſe reads it, ne penetrentur jaculo praedicationis. The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt is unpardonable, and could we diſtinctly know that ſin, men ſhould not pardon it more p. 21then God; blaſphemy was to be puniſhed by death, this ſin the higheſt blaſphemy; I beleeve there are many at this day that are guilty of this ſin; to ſin againſt mighty convincement (ſo Chriſt argueth againſt the Phariſees) is to ſin this ſin; they that fight againſt God as the Jews did that oppoſed Stephen, who were not able to reſiſt the ſpirit by which he ſpake, yet they were cut to their heart, they gnaſhed on him with their teeth, they ſtopped their eares, they ſtoned him to death; if ſome are not guilty of this ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, yet there are many that are guilty of that ſin which is unto death, of that ſin which leads unto death, which ſhall never return again, that have ſtood out againſt the Word of God, the Providences of God, the mercies of God, that have grieved the Holy Spirit, reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, quenched the Spirit and done deſpight unto the Spirit of grace: Chriſt would not ſpare the figtree above three years; they that ſtand out this year, after the maſter of the Vineyard hath been at ſo great coſt, and hath taken ſo great pains, after he hath done ſo great things, that heaven and earth are aſtoniſhed, I fear not to ſay, they have ſin'd this ſin which is to death, which God will not, which men ſhould not pardon: but if your charity be yet above my faith, That you beleeve there are that have not ſin'd, neither the one nor the other, yet your ſence cryes loud unto you, they have ſhed innocent blood, pretious blood, the blood of the ſons of God, which God will not, nor you may not pardon; they have not onelyonly fil'd Jeruſalem, ſhed the blood of many of your Citizens, but they have fil'd England, Scotland, Ireland, with blood; Recompence them according to their worke, they whoſe ſword hath made many childleſſe, let your ſword make their mothers childleſſe, Recompence them according to their work, yea, give them double not onelyonly according to the work of their hands, but according to the miſchiefe of their heart, which far exceeds the work of their hands, yea it is double p. 22unto it; and therefore God which ſees their bloody minds, bids his people recompence them according to what they have done, double unto them according to what they would have done: It was a bloody ſpeech of one, once your priſoner, now Governour of a ſtrong hold, that yet ſtands out againſt you: If the King commanded him, he would not care but glory in it, to burn all the Cities of the Kingdome, to lay the Land as Sodome and Gomorrah, to ſow this Garden of Eden with ſalt. O let not theſe ſons of Zerviah that have ſhed the blood of war in peace, and have put the blood of war upon their girdle, and in their ſhooes that were on their feet, let not their hoary head go down to the grave in peace, they have been the troublers of Iſrael; God and you trouble them; enter into your chamber and ſhut the doors upon you, and then revolve again and again all the ſad ſtories of theſe mens cruelty, ſum up whatever loſſe or dammage the three Kingdomes have ſuffered by them; yea, exact not the principall but the utmoſt farthing of Uſe and Intereſt: Our Saviour Chriſt tels the Phariſees, That they have fil'd the meaſure of their ſins, Mat. 23.35.Matt 23:35and that they had brought upon them all the righteous blood ſhed upon the earth, from the blood of Righteous Abell, unto the blood of Zacharias, ſon of Barachias, whom they ſlew between the Temple and the Altar: theſe men are guilty of all the blood that hath been ſhed in this Kingdome, in the cauſe of Liberty, of Priviledge, of Religion; God will lay all the blood to their charge, he will not looſe one drop of the blood of his Saints. Abels blood yet cryes for vengeance: God when he comes to make Inquiſition for blood, he will account for every drop of blood; he that pardons all other ſins, will not pardon innocent blood. Teares ſhall not wipe away the guilt of blood, Reformation cannot hinder when God inquires for blood; God may defer his Viſitation, yet come he will, and he will enquire whether there be any of the houſe of Babylon alive, to make reſtitution for blood. The ſame p. 23Spirit that actuated Cain to kill his brother Abell, actuated the Phariſees to kill the ſervants the ſons of God: the ſame have actuated theſe men to kill the Saints. The devill was a Murtherer from the beginning; the whole world lies in the wicked one, they all walk by the ſame bloody principles, they have the ſame inraged ſpirit, with the ſame helliſh rage which reacheth up to heaven, by which they have ſhed any of the blood of the Saints, they would have ſhed all; if all the blood that were ſhed from Abell to this time, did run in the veines of any one child of God, they would open that vein, and let out that blood, and ſpill it as water upon the ground: Caligula's bloody wiſh is in all their hearts, O that all the Saints and ſervants of God had but one head, that with one blow I might ſtrike it off.

Neither let your eyes ſpare, though there are great ones that are guilty; Queen Vaſthi too curiouſly wedded to the obſervation of the Perſian Law which inhibits women to be ſeen of ſtrangers, and too much doting upon her own beauty and Majeſty, refuſeth to come, though the King ſends a firſt and ſecond time, and therefore ſhe ſhall never come more,Eſth. 1.16 17, 18.Esth 1:16 the King and his Councell Decree it, and give a Morall Reaſon for it; greatneſſe and wickedneſſe may not twin together, Princes have not any licence to offend, Queens themſelves have not an Obſtante for ſin: 'Tis the miſery of greatneſſe, the offence is as great as the offender, the ſin as ſoveraign as the Perſon; great Perſons do not ſo much commit ſin as teach it; their diſobedience is ever Maſculine, and it begets followers of it, as of their Perſons; they are of a diffuſive and ſpreading nature. The higheſt Court may reach the higheſt Perſons; Cauſes and not Perſons are to be heard in Your Parliament: Ezra 7.26.Ezra 7:26Ile conclude this with that of Ezra chap. 7. ver. 26. Whoſoever will not do the Law of thy God, nor the law of the King, let judgement be executed ſpeedily upon him, whether it be unto death or to baniſhment, or to confiſcation of goods or to Impriſonment.

p. 243Let not them Periſh, that have adventured the periſhing, that you & the Kingdome might not periſh; Eſther found favor in the eies of the king & the king gave her Hamans houſe: It was the Piety of David that he inquired Whether there was any of the houſe of Saul, 2 Sam. 9.32 Sam 9:3that he might ſhew the kindneſſe of God unto him: and it was a commendable cuſtome in the Courts of Perſia, to have the good Acts of the Subjects Chronicled;Eſth. 6.1.3.Esth 6:1Esth 6:3 Mordecai was found in the History, and the King highly advanced him for it. Would you be pleaſed to peruſe your own Records, you may finde ſome places, that now like Mordecai lyes ſad and deſolate in the gate, that did you admirable ſervice, whereof you did rejoyce and glory: pardon my zeal if I name the Town and Pariſh of Manchester unto you, a Town famous for Religion ever ſince the Reformation; beleeve it, it hath been a Goſhen, a place of light, when moſt places of the Land have been places of darkneſſe, it hath been an hiding-place, a place of refuge and ſanctuary againſt the Tyranny of Prelacy, the ſtormes and tempeſt of perſecution; They were with the firſt that jeoparded themſelves in the high places of the Earth, that ventured the periſhing in the cauſe of God & the Kingdome; They offered themſelves willingly amongſt the people, and they laid out themſelves in what they had for the publike ſervice; yea, I know there were that like the Widdow threw in all their treaſure into the publike Treaſury; God did great things by them and for them; I fear not to ſay they preſerved the North; Manchester was the publike Magazine, the Sanctuary to poor Exiles, the Priſon to proud Enemies, the Bulwark to the County; but now ſhe ſits like a Widdow deſolate, the hand of God hath lately gone out againſt them, the onelyonly Town untouch'd by the Enemy, and the onelyonly town in all the County ſtroke of God: The Prieſts the Miniſters of the Lord, that did bear the Ark of God upon their ſhoulders, there were ſixteen of p. 25them in that Pariſh, and now I know but one, one alone as Eliah left to do the ſervice of the Lord, and he is upon tiptoe, ready to take his flight, ſcarce having bread (through the wickedneſſe of the times the great revenues of the Church being unjuſtly withheld from him) to put into his childrens mouth: the Wals of the Garriſon they moulder away, and what the Enemy could never do, time hath made wide breaches in their Works, and there is not at this time that I know of, five ſouldiers to keep the Garriſon; theſe things in a Petition, they have lately laid at your feet: Give me leave in theirs and others behalf to ſay, Let not ſo great labour of Love be forgotten, Let the bleſſing of them that are ready to periſh be upon you, Comfort them, yea comfort them according to the time wherein they have been afflicted; yea, give them double for what they have done.

There are many Uſes that I could make of this Doctrine, but time and ſtrength would both fail me. I will conclude all with a ſhort meditation; peruſe 1 Kings 22.19, 20.1 King. 22 19, 20.1 Kgs 22:191 Kgs 22:20 And he ſaid hear thou therefore the Word of the Lord, I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon his Throne, and all the Hoſt of heaven ſtanding by him, on his right hand and on his left: And the Lord ſaid, Who ſhall perſwade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? and one ſaid on this manner and another ſaid on that. Be pleaſed to conceive a Parliament at this time conveen'd in Heaven, and God on his Throne asking this Queſtion, Shall I deſtroy England? And ſo ſome Anſwers after this manner and ſome after that.

1One ſtands up and ſayes, England muſt be deſtroyed, Elijah a bold and daring man, he makes interceſſion to God againſt Iſrael, Lord they have killed thy Prophets, and digged down thine Altars, thou hast conſumed with the Spirit of thy mouth, and haſt conſumed with the brightneſſe of thy comming, the great Antichrist, the Grand Impoſter, the man of ſin, the p. 26ſon of Perdition, the wicked one; and behold there are many Antichriſts, many wicked ones that are riſen up in the room of him, there are little Foxes that ſpoyl the Vines, thoſe Vines that have tender Grapes, and they are not taken away.

2A Second ſeconds the former, and ſaith, England muſt be deſtroyed, there is a great cry of injuſtice, of oppreſſion, of wrong, of injury, blood toucheth blood, Courts of Juſtice, Committees, are Courts of Robbery and ſpoyl; the poor ſheep flyes to the buſh for ſhelter and loſeth his fleece: Papiſts, Malignants compound, and they oppreſſe their poor Tenants, that have engaged themſelves in the publike for the Lord againſt their lords.

3A third aſſents to what the two former hath ſaid, England muſt be deſtroyed, wrath is begun amongſt them, they begin to imbrue their hands in each others blood, and becauſe others cannot murther them, they will kill one another: Lord what fears, what ſuſpicions, what jealouſies, what ſad diviſions amongſt thine own people! they that Affliction made friends, proſperity makes enemies; they whom one heaven will contain, one Church cannot.

4A fourth confirmes and concludes with the three former, England muſt be deſtroyed, they have broke the Covenant, they have falſified the Oath of God; Oaths and Covenants are like Sampſons coards, every one makes uſe of them to their own Intereſts. To theſe agreed many more, there was a great cry heard in the houſe, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground: God looked from his throne and wondred there was not one found, not one to ſtand in the Gap, to make an Atonement, to ſpeak in the behalf of England.

1After a ſhort ſilence, one aroſe from his ſeat and ſaid, Lord wilt thou deſtroy England, England for whom thou p. 27haſt done ſo great things, amongſt whom thou haſt magnified thy Name, haſt done Wonders, What Nation is there ſo great, who hath God ſo nigh unto them, as the Lord their God is, in all things they have called upon him for? and what Nation is there ſo great, that have Statutes and judgements ſo righteous? Aske now of the dayes that are past which were before thee, ſince the day that God created man upon Earth, Deu. 4.32, 33, 34.Deut 4:32Deut 4:33Deut 4:34and aske from the one ſide of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any ſuch thing, as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the Voyce of God ſpeaking out of the midſt of the fire, as thou hast heard and live? or hath God aſſayed to go & take him a Nation from the midſt of another Nation, by temptation, by ſignes, and by wonders, and by War, and by a mighty hand, and by a ſtretched out Arme, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? God never did more by Joſuah, by Macchabeus, by Alexander, by the King of Sweden, then by the Parliaments Army this year; wilt thou deſtroy what thine hand hath done? what will the Atheiſts, the Papiſts, the Malignants ſay, Surely God was not able to ſave them? ſave them for thy great Names ſake.

2A ſecond ariſeth and ſaith, England muſt not be deſtroyed, Lord wilt thou deſtroy a righteous Nation, if there be fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, righteous there? ſhall not the Judge of all the Earth do that that is right? there are ſeven thouſand at leaſt that have not bowed their knees to Baal, there are ſixty thouſand and more, yea then ſixty hundred thouſand, that cannot diſcern betwixt the right hand and the left; thou never didſt deſtroy a praying, a reforming people, wilt thou now do what was never in thy thoughts before?

3A third ariſeth after the ſecond and pleads the ſame cauſe, England muſt not be deſtroyed, there is a Parliament in the midſt of them, Phyſitians of great value, God hath p. 28been amongſt them and in the midſt of them, and they are ſtill acting for God and the Kingdomes ſafety, did ever Parliament periſh before?

4After all theſe the fourth ariſeth, that there might not appear fewer to ſpeak for, then there was to ſpeak againſt England, England muſt not be deſtroyed, they cannot dye alone, the three Kingdomes muſt dye with them, yea the Proteſtant Churches throughout the world; haſt thou not ſaid, That hell gates ſhall not prevail againſt thy people?

To theſe many more joyn'd in heart and Vote; there was a conſiderable partee of both ſides, nor could it be determin'd whether had more voyces, they that ſpake for the deſtruction, or they that ſpake for the ſalvation of England: and having ſaid they were ſilent; And behold as we read in the Revelation there was in heaven great ſilence for half an houre, both ſides waiting for Gods determination; at laſt God in his glorious Majeſty, rayſed himſelf from his Throne, and effectually cryed out, How ſhall I give thee up England, how ſhall I give thee up? and ſo without Concluſion and finall determination, diſſolved the Seſſion, to the admiration and aſtoniſhment of both parties.

Beloved, the truth is we are yet in an uncertain and doubtfull condition, none knows what the ſentence ſhall be at laſt, what God will do with us; God hath already done as much above our hopes as our deſerts, God hath lengthned out our tranquillity, he hath given us a breathing time, great Salvation he hath wrought for us, he hath given us. Liberty and opportunity to work our ſalvation with fear and trembling; beleeve it the Lord waits for ſomething from us; O yee that are the Lords remembrancers, ye Senators, ye Ministers, ye people, ſpeak often in his ears, give the Lord no reſt, ye Iſrael of God, ye mighty Princes of the Lord, ye men and women of Prayer, O all ye that are before the p. 29Lord this day, this Faſting day, open your mouthes wide unto the Lord, ask great things of God, ye Noahs, ye Daniels, ye Iobs, ye Moſes, ye Aarons, ye Jeremiahs, ye Ba…u…hs, plead Englands cauſe with God, and let not God go till he hath left the bleſſing behind him; O pray, pray, pray with ſtrong cryes and groans, pray away what ever it is, whether perſon or things, that keeps God from us; Eſther, Mordecai, they of Shuſan, they prayed Haman and all the Conſpirators dead together; Haman and his wiſe Counſellors, they for twelve Moneths together uſed Divination and Inchantment: Eſther in three dayes praying, overthrew what they were contriving twelve Moneths; nothing can ſtand againſt Prayer, Prayer is omnipotent, it is a Commander of the Heavens, a Controuler of the Elements, it commands God himſelfe; one prayerfull Chriſtian may do more then ten thouſand beſide; let not then God go, lay hands upon him, pray the ſentence on your ſide. You that are the Parliament of England, act ſtrongly for God, act like your ſelves according to the truſt repoſed in you. Did Publius Scipio a private man kill Tyberius Gracohus that did but lightly weaken the Commonwealth? and ſhall we that are Conſuls, ſaith the Conſul of Rome, let Cataline alone to work a common-deſtruction? let not Malignants reſt quiet amongſt you, there can be no ſafety to our Country, to our Religion whiles ſuch miſereants lurk in our dwelling; little know we what Gun-powder Plots are now in hatching, and how neer they are to the Birth, whilſt the Pope remains at Rome and the Devill in Hell, and their Agents in England, the ſons of darkneſſe will be ſtill working in the vault of Darkneſſe; to ruine the children of light; ſhew not the leaſt countenance to the deteſtable Neutrality that is practiſed by many: God writes in his books, write you in yours, all Neuters Enemies, p. 30all that are not for you againſt you. The Hedgehog the Hierogliphick of the Newter, hath two holes the one towards the South, the other toward the North; when the South wind blows, ſhe ſtops that hole that is toward the North; when the North wind blows, ſhe ſtops that towards the South; ſuch urchins are all Temporizers that halt betwixt two opinions: And as for Apoſtates that are falſ to their Covenant and to your State, let not your eye pitty them, let not your hand ſpare them, execute juſtice to the enemies of the Common-wealth, ſhew mercy with favour to your friends. You my Beloved in the Miniſtery, be zealous for God; if God bids us prophecy, nullus conſultandi locus, no choiſe is then beſt; that Roman Magnanimity muſt then take place neceſſe ut eas non ut vivas. Silvanus and Timotheus peremptorily told the Emperor, Power thou haſt O Emperor to puniſh us, but never to drive us from the Tenets of our forefathers: Euſebius refuſed to deliver Constantius the Emperor the Decree made by the Councell againſt the Arians, though he threatned to cut off his hand, yet he refuſed it: Theodoſius reports that the King of Scythia ſlew Anacharſis the Philoſopher for worſhiping the mother of the gods, after the Athenian manner; and the Evangeliſt records, that twice our Saviour purged the Temple, he that was the mirrour of Patience ſee how he looſeth the Reines in an holy Indignation in Sacrilegious abuſes, in Religious quarrels: The Multitude of the Offenders, the might and malice of the Obſervers, the danger of the Action, nor the perill of the conſequence ſtayes his hands, but he ſcourgeth out the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple: Truly Phineas Zeal, Iehu's March, Ioſiahs Reſolution, Luthers Heroicall Spirit are neceſſary for theſe times: It is all one to deny the faith and not to maintain it; ſilence ſtrengthneth Error, and they that through fear or negligence hold their peace like ſleepy p. 31watchmen they betray the City when a truth in Religion is queſtioned, when error is preferred; he that to his power doth not reſiſt, de ſuo damnabitur ſilentio ſhall be condemned for his ſilence. Courage, the Lord is with you: And ye people of the land come forth and helpe the Lord againſt the mighty.Judg. 5.23Judg 5:23 Curſe ye Meroz (ſaith the Angel of the Lord) Curſe ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof, becauſe they came not to the helpe of the Lord, to the helpe of the Lord againſt the mighty. Theſe are not the words of an angry paſſionate Prophet, but of the Angell of the Lord, not raſhly thundered out from the Pulpit, but zealouſly from Heaven, not with meekneſſe and calmneſſe of Spirit, but in bitterneſſe and fervency of Spirit; Here is not a ſingle Curſe, but a double, a multiplyed Curſe, not againſt the profeſſed open Enemies, but againſt the lukewarm, the feigned friends, not againſt the Cities of the Cananites, but againſt Meroz a City now in the Confines of Iſrael: All Iſrael was againſt Achan, and all Iſrael muſt be for the publike ſafety. If any man draw back, Gods Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in that man; they are no Iſraelites indeed that will ſit ſtill on this ſide Iordan, whilſt their brethren are in the field. Be all active in your way: for encouragement I will onelyonly ſay this, you ſhall ſee your deſire of your Enemy, your ſoul ſhall be filled with the goodneſſe of the Lord; for the firſt ſee Iſaiah 60.14. The ſons of them that afflicted thee ſhall come bending Unto thee,Iſa. 60.14.Isa 60:14 and all they that deſpiſed thee ſhall bow down themſelves at the ſoales of thy feet, and they ſhall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Iſrael: God will make the ſons of Princes bow down unto you, the greateſt that have afflicted you and deſpiſed you, ſhall lie at your feet. For the ſecond, ſee the ſucceſſe of this Reſolution, Eſther 9.29, 30, 31, 32. Your Faſts ſhall be turned into Feaſts, your dayes of mourning into dayes of rejoycing, p. 32your good ones ſhall be made great, the Esthers, the Mordicais ſhall be advanced; the Hamans the common Enemies ſhall be deſtroyed; Religion ſhall be eſtabliſhed, the Peace and ſafety of the Country ſhall be ſecured, Gods glory ſhal be exalted, and you your ſelves highly Honoured; God ſhall have the glory, you the happineſſe, poſterity the bleſſedneſſe of this deſired Work.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Heyrick, Queen Esthers Resolve (1646)