Gods Masterpiece — Stephen Marshall

Gods Masterpiece · Stephen Marshall

A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the Houſe of LORDS at the Monethly Faſt, March 26. 1645.

PSALM. 102. 16, 17.

When the Lord ſhall build up Zion, hee ſhall appeare in his glory hee will regard the Prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer.

I Have choſen a Text (Right Honourable The Introduction ſhewing the tenor, and occaſion, and ſcope of this Pſalme.and Beloved) which is neither difficult in it ſelf, nor (which is the lot of many plain Texts) made to ſeem obſcure by the variety of gloſſes and interpretations put upon it: There is a generall agreement concerning the ſcope and meaning of the Spirit of God in this Pſalm; ſome little difference is found amongſt Interpreters concerning the time, and the Penman of it: Some conceiving it was about the time when the Jews were ſtopt and interrupted in the works of building the Temple by their ill neighbours; but moſt doe agree that the time was about the end of the ſeventy years captivity, when God had raiſed up the ſpirits of the Prophets to encourage the people to expect this mercy, according to that of Eſay 40. Comfort yee, comfort ye my Eſa. 40. 1, 2.people, ſaith the Lord, ſpeak ye comfortably to Hieruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed: and alſo ſtirred up the ſpirits of the people to pray to the Lord, to accompliſh his good word for their returne, according to that of Jer. 29. Then ſhall yee call upon mee, and I will Jer. 29. 12, 13.hearken unto you. And as for the Penman of it, who ever it was, (for that is altogether unknown) moſt certain it is, that hee neither penn'd nor ſpake theſe things in his own name, or of his own condition, but in the name of the whole Church of God, like another Jeremy writing a book of Lamentations, for the deſolations of Zion; bemoaning them before the Lord, and moſt earneſtly begging mercy and deliverance. In the 11 firſt Verſes you may behold the afflicted Church of God ſitting alone like a deſolate widow, with her tears on her cheeks, her belly cleaving to the duſt, her heart ſmitten and withered like graſſe, eating aſhes for bread, mingling her drink with weeping; as a Pelican in the wilderneſſe, as an Owl in the deſart; her enemies many and raging againſt her, ſhee looking round about, and all her Lovers and friends departed from her; enquiring after ſuccour and comfort, and it is farre removed: Behold to what a ſad condition the ſinnes of Gods own people doe oft times bring them! and that is the firſt part of the Pſalme. But in this dark and tempeſtuous night of calamity and deſolation, this afflicted ſoul, with Jonah in the whales belly with weeds-wrapped about his head, looks up to God, begins to remember thoſe everlaſting mercies that may bee found in the Lord Jehovah; and preſently there darts in a beam (as from a new created Statre) of light and comfort in the 12, and 13 Verſe, which ſhines into the ſoule, and inables this poore deſolate creature to conclude very comfortably, that that God who had broken her would yet again heal her, that his wrath ſhould not alwayes continue, but he would return and revive, and quicken them, after all the days wherin he Eſa. 40. 31.had afflicted them, and ſo ſuddenly begins to renew its ſtrength, and mount up with wings of comfort, as an Eagle: And from the 12 Verſe to the end of the Pſalme, after all this ſad lamentation, there is a comfortable propheticall ſtory of all the good that God did mean to doe fot this afflicted Church, which now lay in the duſt and rubble: wherein there are three remarkable things,

The firſt is, A ſtrong confident propheticall concluſion, that the deliverance of Gods Church was nigh at hand, in theſe words, Thou ſhalt ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to deliver her; yea, the ſet time is come: that's her concluſion, that it muſt of neceſſity be, the Lord was reſolved ſpeedily to raiſe them out of their low condition.

Secondly, you have the Argument which ſatisfied this afflicted deſolate ſoul, that the time of Zions deliverance was at hand; becauſe all Gods ſervants took pleaſure in the duſt of it, and pityed the very ſtones, and the rubbiſh of it; their hearts were deeply humbled for Zions miſeries; they had ſet themſelves earneſtly to pray to the Lord; to give him no reſt night nor day till hee had ſet it up; and this ſpirit of prayer powred out upon the Church, was to her as ſure a token of approaching deliverance, as the day ſtar is a token of an approaching morning: That is the ſecond.

The third part of this prophecy is, the uſe or fruit, which he doth foretell ſhould be made of this great work of Gods raiſing and building up of Zion, which is very excellent; partly the uſe that the reſt of the Nations of the world ſhould make of it, all the heathen ſhould ſtand and wonder at it, and praiſe Gods name for it; yea, their Kings, even all the Kings ſhould behold the glory of the Lord, and come in and worſhip, and honour him who had wrought ſuch a great work, as the raiſing Zion out of the duſt: and then for the Church, the people that are created on purpoſe to bee for Gods glory, it ſhould bee written for them from generation to generation, that they and all their poſterities ſhould perpetually love and ſerve the Lord, who did thus remember his people in their low condition. Now leſt ſome body might wonder why the Prophet ſhould make ſuch a ſtupendious buſineſſe of it, and demand a reaſon why all the world muſt thus take ſuch notice of the building of Zion: what is Zion? and what is the work? as he ſaid of Abana and Parphar, were they not better rivers then all the rivers of Samaria? Are there not other Empires and States, more pompous, and powerfull, and glorious, and excellent then Zion? what is Zion to Nineveh or Babylon, that all muſt ſo ſtand amazed at the reparation of it? To ſatisfie all the world about it, that the work of building up of Zion, is indeed admirable and wonderfull, and deſerves all the praiſes that the hearts and tongues of men can utter, the Prophet in the 2 Verſes which I have read, doth ſetdown two remarkable Circumſtances which perpetually accompany this work, which if they but interpreted, and rightly underſtood, will ſatisfie all the World, that And of theſe words.this alone is the work deſerving admiration, and theſe they are.

The firſt is, It is ſuch a work, that when ever the Lord goes about it, Hee doth appeare in his glory; when the Lord ſhall build up Zion, he ſhall appear in his glory.

The ſecond is, when the Lord doth build up Zion, He doth then return an anſwer to all the prayers of his afflicted people: Whatſoever they had been begging from year to year, from generation to generation, now was the Jubilee, now comes the return of all into their boſomes, full meaſure, thruſt together, ſhaken, and running over: When the Lord doth build up Zion, he doth then regard the prayer of the afflicted, and however before hee might ſeem to deſpiſe ehem, now he doth no longer deſpiſe their cry: The firſt of theſe is that, which by the Lords aſſiſtance I ſhall this day clear unto you; this remarkable circumſtance which accompanies the building and reparation of Zion: When the Lord ſhall build up Zion hee ſhall appear in his glory; and in it obſerve & handle theſe two leſſons.

That the building of Zion is the Lords work, and the Lords onelyonly.Doct. 1.

When the Lord ſhall build up Zion; the ſecond and main (the which I ſhall inſiſt upon) is:

That when ever the Lord goes about this work, hee doth appear Doct. 2.in his glory.

The firſt I ſhall onelyonly touch, and that but to make way for the ſecond.

That the building of Zion is the Lords own work; There is nothing difficult, Zion you know is in the Scripture taken Doct. 1.The building up o… Zion is a work peculiar to God alone.ſometimes in a literall, but ordinarily in a myſticall and a ſpirituall ſenſe: Zion in a literall ſenſe was that ſtrong part of the City of Jeruſalem, which David did take from the Jebuſites, & fortified it, and beautified it with excellent buildings, and called it the City of David, the moſt beautifull part of Jeruſalem; this is Zion literall: And this Zion may beſaid to be built, when it is furniſhed with ſtately houſes, with ſtrong walls, and repleniſhed with people, accompliſhed with Magiſtrates, and good Civil laws: But this Zion I have nothing at the preſent to doe with; the Zion which my text means is ſpirituall Zion, myſticall Zion, the Zion, whereof this City of David 2 Sam. 5. 7. What is meant by Zion, and the building of it.was a type (as David himſelf was a type of Chriſt) and that is, the Church of God, which in a hundred places at leaſt in the Old and New Teſtament is called by the name of Zion, he reaſon why Zion this part of Ieruſalem, was ſuch 2 Sam. 6. 12. compared with 1 King. 8. 1.a celebrated type, is, becauſe all Davids time, and untill Solomons Temple was built upon mount Moriah, the Ark of God was placed in Zion, where hee is therefore ſaid to dwell: this is the Zion that we are to ſpeak of; and this Zion, this Church of God is then built, when the doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt is made known, the new and living way to life by him is opened; when Miniſters and Ordinances are given, the elect called in, Churches gathered, and eſtabliſhed, the worſhip and government of Chriſt ſet up, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtery, for the Epheſ 4. 11, 12. 13.edifying of the body of Chriſt, till all the Saints come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt: when the Curtains of the Church are thus enlarged, and the Tents of it made firm; when God doth thus proſper and bleſſe the Church of Chriſt, then doth hee build up Zion: This I ſay is, firſt, Gods own work: and ſecondly, a work which when ever hee Proved by Scriptures.goes about, hee doth appear in his glory.

That the building up of the Church is a work peculiar to 1.God onelyonly, I might eaſily prove out of many Scriptures: Mat. 16. 28. Pſal. 32. 13, 14, &c. & 48. 12. & 51. 18. & 69. 35. & 126. 1aedificabo Eccleſiam, I will build my Church, is a ſpeech to be uttered by none, but by Jehovah himſelf; and I know you will grant the truth of it, by that time I have cleared unto you theſe two things.

Firſt, that the building of Zion is ſuch a peace of Eſa. 14. 32. & 28. 16. Zach. 8. 3, 4. Pſal. 121. 1, 2. And by reaſon, 1. becauſe no other builders have any skill to doe it.work as no other workmen have any skill to do.

And, ſecondly, as they have no skill, ſo they have no will to doe it; and if no other have either power nor heart, neither skill nor will, it muſt needs bee done by God, if ever it be done at all.

Firſt, I ſay, no other workmen have any skill to build 2.Zion but God alone; there is not one piece of Timber 1Pſal. 49. 1. 8. Though God uſe them as his inſtruments.belongs unto it, not one Cord, not one pin, not one nail, not any one thing from the foundation to the Capſtone, but it is beyond the underſtanding, the value, skill or artifice of any created Nature; that what God ſaid in the 49. Pſalme concerning the keeping of a man from death, is moſt true of this work: great men can build houſes, and purchaſe Lands, but there is not one of them can redeem his brothers ſoul from death, no, he muſt let that alone for ever, that is too hard a task for him, to keep a man that hee ſhould not goe down to the grave: Men may build Houſes, make Kingdoms, erect Common-wealths, Corporations, &c. But as for the building of the Church of God, all mortall men muſt let that alone for ever. In this work our help is onelyonly from Pſal. 121. 12. Eſa. 63. 5.the Lord which made Heaven and Earth. I looked, ſaid, Chriſt but there was no help, there was none to uphold; therefore my own arm brought ſalvation, neither could they, were all their perfections joynd into one, when man is dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, ſticks faſt in the miry clay of ignorance and duplicate page duplicate page iniquity, not able to think a good thought, or ſpeak a good word, a voluntary bondſlave of Satan, under the power of Hell, and the curſe of God; what men, what Angels have any gifts or ſtrength, to help him out of this condition? It is true indeed, that in the building of it, God doth make uſe of mortall men, and other creatures, viſible and inviſible, hee calls Miniſters, Apoſtles, Prophets, Paſtors, and Teachers, to bee the Guides, the Leaders, the Inſtructors, Yet they contribute nothing to this work.and the Shepheards of his people, and hee calls Kings and Princes, and Nobles, to be nurſing Fathers and nurſing Mothers to it; he gives Paul to plant & Apollo to water, but its neither for his need, nor their aptneſſe for this employment; no, no, when all is done, hee that plants 1 Cor. 3. 6, 7.is nothing, and hee that waters is nothing; Clay and ſpittle did as much to the opening of the blind mans eyes, Peters ſhadow did as much to the healing of Diſeaſes, Abana and Parphar, did as much to the curing and cleanſing of the Leper, as all inſtruments whatſoever are able to doe towards the building of the Church of God; all their very being, and motions, and operations, and the ſucceſſe of their whole endeavours depend wholly upon the Lord alone.

Secondly, As all other builders have no skill, ſo neither have any of them any will to the building of Zion, if Zion 2.once lie in the duſt, the common vote of them all is, This is Nor ſecondly have they any will to doe it. Jer. 30. 7. Pſal. 35. 21. Pſal. 118. 22.an outcaſt, this is Zion whom no man cares for, there it lies, and there let it lie, Aha, aha! our eye hath ſeen it, ſo would we have it: This ſtone how pretious ſoever is refuſed of all builders: Indeed their will is ſo farre from building it, that it's ever bent to the utmoſt to ruine it; the gates of hell doe alwayes oppoſe it, and all the Princes and great men of the earth ſet themſelves againſt it, with all their ſtrength and Pſ. ….cunning; There is an everlaſting enmity in them all againſt it, not onelyonly, becauſe their principles, laws and manners differ one from the other, but alſo becauſe Zions rearing is their ſpoyling, their glory and beauty is blaſted and withered before the beauty of this; yea, this ſtone cut out of the mountain without hands, muſt one day (and Satan Dan. 2. 35, 42.who rules in them all knows it well enough) break in pieces and conſume them all, and make them like the chaffe of the Summer threſhing floores, and the wind ſhall cary them away, that no place ſhall bee found for them; they will therefore Ezra 4 2.doe all they can, with the Samaritans, to hinder the building of this City ſo prejudiciall to them; if ever they ſhew themſelves forward, it is but with ſuch a minde as they had, when they offer'd to build with them purpoſely to betray and hinder them: So then becauſe none elſe have any power, or will to doe it, whenever this work is to be done, it muſt bee the work of God alone; Paul expreſſes Heb. 3. 4.it excellently to the Hebrews, when he ſpeaks of the building of the Church, other houſes are built by men, every houſe muſt have a Carpenter, but he that builds the Church, is he that built all things, no other hand can do it, but onelyonly he who laid the Foundation of the Heavens and the Earth, that is, Almighty God alone.

For Application of this, It may ſerve for ſingular conſolation Application. Therefore wee may comfortably conclude that this work muſt go on; though other helps do fail.unto all thoſe who wiſh well unto Zion, and may fortifie their Faith againſt that which to our carnall heart is the greateſt ſtumbling-block, and greateſt diſcouragement that ever we meet with, and that is when outward helps and means do fail, for the carrying on of this work, when the enemies are ſtrong and many, the Friends few and weak, the inſtruments imployed in it fail, ſome by death, ſome poſſibly prove treacherous, turning againſt it, ſeeking to betray it, then preſently are wee ready to conclude, all will come to nothing, the work will faile, it will never be carried on: but (Beloved) remember this one Rule, in all other things that are done in the world, you may lawfully make ſuch kinde of Prognoſtications, as to foretell by the Inſtruments that are imployed, and by the Preparations which are made, what the fruit and the event of the worke is like to be. If you ſee a poore man gather together a few Willow-ſticks, and ſet a bungerly Luk. 14. 28, &c.Carpenter out of them to reare up a houſe, you may conclude it muſt be nothing but a poore ſhed or cottage: If you ſee poore men enterprize a warfare without counſell, without any money, againſt a wiſe Prince that is too mighty for them, you may conclude, that they muſt either be overthrowne, or make ſhamefull conditions of peace; and you judge aright when you judge ſo, becauſe in all theſe things God ſeldome puts out his power, otherwiſe then according to the virtue and power which he hath given to ſecond cauſes, and according to them he works, (though ſomtime to ſhew his ſoveraignty he diſappoints them, and cauſeth the race not to be alwayes to the ſwift, nor the battell to the ſtrong:) Sow a bad piece of ground, God doth not uſe to give a ſtrong crop there; but it's quite otherwiſe in the building of the Church, whatſoever the tooles or inſtruments are, it skills not one whit: Great inſtruments doe not further it, weak inſtruments cannot retard it: If he will fight, it's indifferent whether his weapon be a ſword, or the jaw-bone of an Aſſe: If he meane to Judg. 15. 15.take a City, it's all one whether the battering engines be great Guns, or Trumpets made of Rams-horns; any thing will ſerve the turne in the hand of this Work-man; if he intend to thraſh mountaines ſmall, and beat the hills to duſty chaffe, a worme will ſerve to doe it, as well as a Eſa. 41. 14, 15.great ſharp threſhing inſtrument having teeth: And therefore becauſe God hath begun this work of Reformation, and manifeſted that he intends to bring out a new Edition of his Church, and to ſet it out in a fairer Letter then ever it hath yet been ſeen among us, and declared by wonderfull ſignes and tokens, that his heart is ſet upon this work, reſolve you upon it, that this work muſt proceed: and when you heare any of our enemies deſpiſe it, becauſe it is a day of ſmall things, remember it's God who works all Eſa. 26. 12.for us, and anſwer their ſcoffes as he did them, who wondred that Saul the ſon of Kiſh ſhould be found among the 1 Sam. 10.Prophets; it ſeemes they had knowne him to have been a young Roiſter, and when they ſaw him propheſie, they cryed out, it may be not without a ſcoffe, What is befallen to the Son of Kiſh? Is Saul amongst the Prophets? But ſaith one, Who is the Father of the Prophets? remember but who undertakes to be the Maſter and Father of the Prophets, and you need not wonder who is the Scholar; ſo you may all conclude of this work, never be afraid of the carrying on this worke, feare not the inſtruments how weake ſoever; reſolve, whatſoever God meanes to doe, he will never want tooles or inſtruments, who with the ſpeaking of a word can lay the foundations of a new heaven and earth; who needs no more, then to ſay to Zion, Be thou inhabited; Eſa. 44. 28. 65. 18.to Hieruſalem, Thou ſhalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation ſhall be laid, and it's done; who with one word ſpeaking can create his Church a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

But all this will be more cleare in the ſecond Doctrine, Doct. 2.to which I now proceed, and to which this is onelyonly a The maine Doctrine, God doth alwayes appeare in his glory when be builds up his Church.Porch or Preface: That when the Lord doth build up Zion, he doth appeare in glory. They are the words of the Text, and therefore need no other proofe: In handling whereof I ſhall endevour theſe two things; Firſt, to make a full and cleare demonſtration of the truth of it, that God doth appeare in his glory when he comes to build his Church. Secondly, I ſhall make application of it. And for the clearing the truth of it there are foure things to be opened.

Firſt, what it is to appeare in glory.1.

Secondly, To prove the truth of it out of the Scripture.2.

Thirdly, and which is that that I moſt aime at, How God 3.doth appeare in his glory when he comes to build up Zion.

And fourthly, why he is pleaſed thus to appeare in his 4.glory, when he undertakes this work. For the firſt.

Firſt, what it is to appeare in Glory. Glory and Excellency 1. What it is to appeare in glory.doe thus differ one from another: Excellency is the intrinſecall worth or value of any thing; Glory is the manifeſtation of this Excellency: Glory is nothing but the irradiation or ſhining out of Excellency. Take a true Diamond ſtone when it is firſt found, and lookes but like a common ſtone, there is even then all the excellency of a Diamond in it; but when it is filed, and the curious Artiſt hath done his part to ſet it off in its luſtre, then appeares the glory of the Diamond: or amongſt men, it may be a man hath admirable abilities of wiſedome, learning, power, ſtrength, activity, or whatſoever elſe might argue him to be eminent, ſo long as all theſe are hidden, this man is really an excellent man, but when by ſome worke worthy of all theſe inward excellencies the world comes to know him to be ſuch a one as indeed he is, then doth the man appeare in his glory: So that to appeare in glory, is nothing but to appeare to be as excellent as indeed one is. Therefore for God to appeare in glory, is his manifeſting himſelfe to be ſuch a God as he is, when all thoſe eminent, excellent attributes and perfections which are in him, come to irradiate, ſhine forth, that others muſt neceſſarily acknowledge God to be that which he is; when he appears like himſelf, then doth God appeare in his glory.

Now ſecondly, it's cleare in the Scripture that God doth ſo, that he doth manifeſt himſelfe to be ſuch a God as he 2.That God doth thus appeare when he builds up Zion, proved. Pſal. 87. 3. Eſa 4. 5. & 60. 1 & 66. 18. & 59. 19. & 11. 10. Pſal. 142. 8. Pſal. 93. opened.is, when he undertakes the work of building his Church; many glorious things are ſpoken of this City of God, and of God in his building of this City, it's ordinarily called his glory, his throne of glory, his glorious work, his glorious reſt: Conſider ſeriouſly theſe few Texts. The whole 93 Pſalme; it's a ſhort Pſalme, yet a large proofe and full interpretation of my Text: Interpretors doe generally agree, that it is a Propheſie of Chriſts kingdome, his ruling and building up the Church; and marke how the expreſſions run, The Lord reignes, he is cloathed with Majeſty, the Lord is cloathed with ſtrength, he hath girded himſelfe, his throne is eſtabliſhed, the Lord is mightier then the mighty waves of the ſea: all theſe glorious expreſſions ſet forth the Lords manifeſtation of himſelf in his edifying and building his Church, as may appeare in the laſt verſe, Holineſse becommeth thine houſe O Lord for ever: this holy houſe of God, is that Throne which is thus eſtabliſhed, upon which he ſits in this glory and majeſty, where he Luk. 12. 35.girds himſelfe, as being ever in a readineſſe to goe on with his worke; and this is ſuch glory or manifeſtation of his excellency, that it cauſeth not onelyonly his Church and People to acknowledge it, but you ſhall finde verſe 3, that the flouds, the flouds lift up their voice, the flouds lift up their waves: What is that? Sometimes flouds and waves ſignifie the tumultuous people, that make a noiſe of ſedition, mutiny, trouble, and violence; but here, the flouds which ſignifie People and Nations, lift up their voice of wonderment and acknowledgment of that which was ſet downe before, viz. that God was cloathed with Majeſty and glory, when hee comes to eſtabliſh his Throne, and adorne his houſe with holineſſe; there is one evidence.

Another you ſhall ſee in the 68. Pſalme; The whole Pſalme is a moſt ſtately ſtraine of divine Rhetorique, the Pſal. 68. 1. 2. opened.beginning of it is very high and lofty: Let God ariſe, let him ſhew himſelfe, let his enemies be ſcattered, them that hate him, fly before him; as ſmoake is driven away, as wax melteth before the fire, ſo muſt wicked men periſh at this preſence of God: and every where throughout the Pſalme, you may obſerve ſuch a glorious preſence of God, as made the earth ſhake, the heavens drop, the hills leap, the mountains moved, the Saints rejoyce and ſing, Armies to bee routed, Kings and Princes to flee: all this is nothing but a deſcription of Gods manner of appearing, when he builds up Zion, when hee redeems his Church out of bondage, and ſubdues people unto him by the Scepter of Chriſt, the Preaching of the word, which is the rod of his power, as is moſt manifeſt by one place in the Verſe 18. compared with Epheſ. 4. 8.midſt of the Pſalme, which is as a key to open all. Thou haſt aſcended up on high, thou haſt led captivity captive, thou haſt received gifts for men, even for the rebellious alſo, that the Lord God might dwell among them. This is meant of Chriſts aſcending to the right hand of God, to take poſſeſſion of the rule and government of the Church; when he thus aſcended up on high, hee led captivity captive, led all the enemies of the Church, as captives at his Chariot wheeles, and gave gifts to men, ſuch gifts as ſhould build his Church; which Paul interprets in the fourth of the Epheſians, to be the offices and gifts which the Lord Chriſt gave, when he aſcended up to heaven, for the gathering, and building up of the Church; hee then gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Prophets, ſome Paſtors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtery, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt.

Another notable paſſage is in the 63 of Iſaiah, Marke how rhetorically and elegantly the Spirit of God ſets it Eſa. 63. 1, 2. &c. opened.down; The Prophet ſtands amazed at the ſight of one that drew nigh unto him; Who is this (ſaith hee) that comes from Edom, with dyed Garments from Bozrah? that is thus glorious in his apparell: travelling in the greatneſſe of his ſtrength? who is this? what is hee that appeares in thus much glory? the anſwer is made, in the name and perſon of Chriſt, It is I the Lord, mighty to ſave. And what was the work that hee did there? what was the glory? why truely, Jeſus Chriſt then came to reſcue his Church from thraldome, from Egypt, Babylon, from Verſ. 9. Chap. 64. 4.Idumea and other evill Neighbours, in the type, and literall ſenſe, but eſpecially from Satan, death, and Hell, in the ſpirituall ſenſe, to pardon them, call them in, and build them upon himſelfe, the rock againſt which the gates of hell ſhould never prevaile; This was the work which occaſioned him thus to put on his glorious apparell. Many other Scriptures ſpeak the ſame; Exodus 15. 1. When God did deliver his Church out of Egypt, hee triumphed gloriouſly. But I forbeare, becauſe the third branch will cleare it all more fully, and that is,

Thirdly, to diſcover How, and wherein the Lord doth appeare in glory, when hee builds up his Church: and 3How God appeares in, his glory when he builds his Church.for this I ſhall lay down this one concluſion, and indevour to make it good to you in the following Diſcourſe; That although all the workes of God are great and glorious, and worthy to bee ſought into by all his people, there is not the leaſt atome, the leaſt Ant, but proves this, quaelibet herba, every little herbe, but ſhews it to bee Gods workmanſhip, Pſalm. 19. 12. The heavens declare his glory, and the firmament ſhewes his handy work.

Yet this work of gathering and building of the Church This work carryed on in a way differing from all other his works. Manifeſted.of Chriſt, is a work, which is carryed in a quite differing ſtraine, and way, from all other workes, which ever the Lord puts his own hand to. Look upon all his other workes, and you ſhall ſeldome finde that the work goes beyond what the matter and the inſtruments may promiſe, and within the compaſſe and fadome of ſecond cauſes, may you finde the ſumme of all that doth appeare in any other work of Gods hands; ſo that although every thing that is done, may truely bee ſaid to bee the Lords, and to bee wrought (if I may ſpeak with reverence) in his ſhop; yet becauſe God carries them on by a concatenation and ſubordination of ſecond cauſes, every one working according to their nature, (though ſecretly carryed by his own hand) theſe workes of God may truely bee ſaid, to bee wrought by Gods ſervants, by his apprentiſes and inferiour ſervants; but the whole carriage of the buſineſſe of the Church of God is reſerved for Gods owne hand, as his Maſter peece; carryed in ſuch a way as none may lay any claime to have any thing to do in it, unleſſe he can challenge to have the perfections of Jehovah in him; and this I am certaine you'l acknowledge, if you pleaſe to lend me your reverent attention, while I cleare theſe foure things unto you:

Firſt, the Materials out of which the Lord uſes to build his Church.

Secondly, the Inſtruments by which hee uſes to build it.

Thirdly, the Time when hee doth it.

And Fourthly, and chiefly, the Manner how hee doth it. 1.For the firſt.From the unfit materials out of which it is builded.

1. For the Materialls, out of which this ſtately peece is to bee erected; you know that in all other buildings, if the work bee to bee a glorious work, the materials are the excellenteſt that can be found; and Mercury muſt not be made of common wood: When Solomon meanes to build a Temple, it muſt be with Cedar Trees over-layed with Gold: If Noah be to build an Arke, it ſhall be of Gophir wood, firme and ſtrong ſubſtantiall Timber: No man would imagine that a ſtately fabrick ſhould be erected out of rotten Willowes, and broken ſtickes, and refuſe chips &c. But now the materials out of which God builds the Church, are the very refuſe, out of as arrant refuſe ſtuff as is in all the world, is this goodly building erected: Satans kingdome, the damned in Hell, that curſed ſtate of darkneſſe, is not built out of worſer ſtuffe then the Kingdome of Chriſt is, take the materials as they are when he firſt findes them. When God tooke the Nation of the Jewes to be his people, ſome people ſay, they were the ill-favouredſt people in all the world, a loathſome people to looke upon; but it is certaine, they were as croſſe and perverſe in Deut. 9 23, 23. 3. 26.their ſpirits as any living; the Lord told them often, that they were the unworthieſt of all Nations when he choſe them, bids them never thinke that they were choſe out to be his before the reſt of the world, for any thing that was in them, for he proteſted there was nothing to allure him: And for the Church which Chriſt now ownes and builds, the ſame things are manifeſt. In the 11 of Iſaiah, you have Eſa. 11.a Propheſie of Chriſts Church, what they are by nature, till his grace change them; Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, and Wolves, and Cockatrices, and Aſpes, and ſuch kinde of Vermine, are the creatures out of which Chriſt Jeſus chooſes and makes up his Flock of Sheep: Read Pauls Epiſtles, and you will finde that all the Saints (the excellenteſt of the earth, whom Chriſt thought not himſelfe and all his glory too good for) were Mancipia Satanae, Bond-flaves, and Hell-hounds, going on in their wicked wayes: A deſcription you have in the 16 of Ezekiel that fits every one of them, where the Lord tells the Church, what kinde Ezek. 16. 1, &c.of people they were when he fell in love with them; their Navell not cut, caſt out in the day of their birth, lying in their mothers bloud, no eye to pitty her, nor no hand to doe her any friendly office; and when he paſt by her in that pickle, then did he fall in love with her, and ſpread the skirt of his garment over her: And if you take another place of Scripture, to ſee what kinde of Spouſe he Ezek. 23.had; Aholah and Aholibah, two Whores, were the Spouſes that he did chuſe; plainly ſhewing to us, that this glorious work, that which all eternity ſhall give honour to him for, that the materials out of which it is built, are as bad as any are who goe to Hell and deſtruction. And this is one great part of a demonſtration, to let you ſee, that when God doth ſuch a work as this is, he doth appeare in his glory: It muſt needs be an excellent Work-man, who can raiſe ſo glorious a peece out of ſuch baſe ſtuffe.

Secondly, and by what Instruments doe you thinke the 2. From the weake inſtruments and tooles by which it is builded.Lord doth build it? and what are their Tooles? who are his Work-men? you'll wonder by that time I have told you a little about them. God hath ſometimes ſtrong Cities of his enemies to overthrow, from which he meanes to reſcue his people, and then the Armies which he brings Exod. 7, 8, 9, 10 chap. Joſh. 6. Eſa. 41.to doe it, are Rams hornes, Wormes, and Lice, and Mice, and Frogs, and Locuſts, and Caterpillars, &c. by ſuch as theſe doth the Lord ſometimes overthrow whole Kingdomes; when he pleaſeth to breake all their Iron barres aſunder, to fetch his poore captived people from amongſt them; and when in a ſpirituall way he ſends his Inſtruments to ſubdue people unto him, he goes not to the Schooles, to finde out the learned and excellent parted men, but a few Fiſher-men (poore deſpicable men, brought up in no Arts or Learning) ſhall be the Champions, who ſhall goe and ſubdue the great, and the wiſe men of the world, unto the Throne of Chriſt: and ordinarily, the men whom he doth chuſe to work the greateſt matters by, are men of a meane preſence, of weake parts, and contemptible gifts, (though God will have ſome that are eminent, to let you ſee, that his grace can make uſe of any, but yet) the greateſt ſervices that have beene done in the Church of Chriſt, have been moſt-what done by inſtruments from whom mans wiſdome would promiſe very little: ſo that in them is uſually fulfilled that of the Prophet, A woman doth compaſſe a Jer. 31. 22.man, the weake prevaile over the ſtrong, and the ſimple over the wiſe: and that of the Apoſtle Paul, God hath choſen 1 Cor. 1. 27.the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, weake things …o confound the things which are mighty, and things which are not to bring to nought things that are: And that alſo of the 8 Pſalme, Out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings Pſal. 8.haſt thou ordained ſtrength, to quell the enemy and the avenger. And truely their Tooles wherewith they work are no more promiſing then the Work-men; The great Engine whereby Satan muſt be fetched from his ſtrong hold, and made to fall like lightning downe from heaven, whereby captived ſouls ſhall be delivered from his power and ſnares, whereby the dead in ſinne ſhall be raiſed, the priſon doores opened, the blind made to ſee, the deafe to heare, the food whereby the Saints ſhall be nouriſhed, the Rod whereby they ſhall be guided and ordered; what are all theſe? even the Fooliſhneſſe of preaching ſhall doe all this, and waſhing with water, in name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt; Eating of Bread and drinking Wine in a Sacrament; Praying to God: ſuch kind of Tooles as theſe are, are the inſtruments wherewith theſe unlikely Work-men are furniſhed; far more ludibrious things in reference to this work, then a Shepheards boy with his ſling and his bag were to the Philiſtian Giant.

Thirdly, take likewiſe the Time, for that is as remarkable 3.as any of the reſt: The time when the Lord uſeth to At a moſt unlikely time.build his Church, heare in this 102 Pſalme, it was when the Church profeſſed her bones were burnt up like a hearth, her belly cleaved to the duſt, ſhe was like an Owle, like a Pelican, like a Swallow, fed on aſhes; and my Text in the next words ſaith, God would regard the prayer of this poore deſtitute Church: The Hebrew word here tranſlated deſtitute, ſignifies either the ſhrub of a broken Tree, or the Heath that growes in the barren Wilderneſſe; ſuch were Gods people at this time: Now here is the time which God chuſes, when the enemies of the Church have them in the greateſt bondage, when his Church and people are in moſt utter incapacity of doing any thing towards their deliverance, or expecting any thing to be done for them; that time he ordinarily chuſes for the reſcuing of his people. When hee fetched them firſt out of Egypt, when they were worne out there with making brickes, and the tale of their brickes was do…bled, then did God ſend a Shepheard to fetch them out: When in the 70 yeares captivity they complained Pſal. 141. 7. Ezek. 37.that their bones lay ſcattered, as one ſhould hew chips on the face of the earth; and in another place compared to dry bones; that was the time he choſe to raiſe them up a glorious Army, and to bring them out for himſelfe: And ſo it is obſerved by Hiſtorians, that when the Lord came to deliver his Church from the terrible perſecutions under Nero and the reſt of the perſecuting Romane Emperours; and now lately from Antichriſt, when Cardinall Cajetan ſaid, that the Germans were ſo devoted to the Pope, that they were ready to eat graſſe and hay, more pecudum, like brute beaſts, at the Popes command, for the redemption of their ſoules; and all the reſt of the Chriſtian world ſtood in the ſame condition, the Kings having given their Crownes to the Whore, and laid their heads in her lap, Rev. chap. 17, 18, & 19.and their glory at her feet, and all the people Vaſſals and Slaves wondering after that inchanted Beaſt; then by a few Monks and Shavelings did the Lord break the power of this great enemy in pieces, and began the rearing up of that great work, which he is carrying on at this day: And ſuch like times doth he chuſe in planting grace, and building of his kingdome in the converſion of particular men, plucking them out of Satans clawes, when they are moſt deſperately wicked: when Manaſſeh wallowes in bloud of 2 King. 21. Luk. 82. Matth. 9. 9. Ezek. 16. 23. Acts 9. Epheſ. 2. 3 Col. 1. 21.Innocents; when Mary Magdalene is proſtituting her ſelfe; when Paul is mad againſt the Church; when Matthew ſits at the receipt of Cuſtome, every one of them wallowing in their bloud, carried headlongly to deſtruction, fulfilling the luſts of the fleſh with greedineſſe, loving their bondage, not ſuſpecting or underſtanding their danger, not ſo much as deſiring a better condition: this is the time the Lord chuſes. Now to doe it by ſuch inſtruments, out of ſuch ſtuffe, at ſuch a time, this addes much to his glory. I remember it is ſpoke of one of Davids Worthies, in the 2 of Samuel 23. it was Benajah the ſonne of Jehojada, that among all his valiant acts this was one, that he ſlew a Lion; 2 Sam. 23. 20.but that which magnifies it is, the Time when he ſlew it, it was a Lion that was got into a pit, in the time of a great ſnow: a Lion in a pit is moſt deſperate, moſt rampant, becauſe there is no flying away, eſpecially in a ſnow, the cold of the weather making all the heat of the beaſt gather about his heart, and ſo encreaſes his courage and ſtrength; and in the time of a ſnow, when a man hath hardly any footing to ſtand where he muſt fight; this magnified, the time when Benajah ſlew the Lion: So for the Lord to doe it by ſuch inſtruments, and out of ſuch ſtuffe, and at ſuch a time, if I had no other thing to ſay, I know you would by this acknowledge that the Lord appeares in his glory. But the fourth is the maine proofe of all, and that is

The manner how the Lord doth it, which my Text moſt aimes at; it is in ſuch a manner as ſhews him abundantly to 4.The manner is moſt glorious wherein he uſeth to magnifie.be that which he is: thoſe excellent and eminent perfections of All-ſufficiency, which are in God, do marvellouſly irradiate and ſhine out, when God builds the Church. Among many others, which may be obſerved, permit me to ſpeak a little of theſe 5 excellent Attributes, which do in their eminency ſhine out, when he undertakes the building of the Church: Firſt, his unſearchable wiſdome. Secondly, his almighty power. Thirdly, his excellent holineſſe. Fourthly, his his infinite grace and bounty. And fifthly, his admirable juſtice. Theſe five Attributes doth the Lord ordinarily magnifie in the higheſt degree, when he is pleaſed to ariſe to build up Zion.

Firſt, I ſay, his unſearchable Wiſdome: The Prophet ſpeaks aright of all Gods works, O Lord how manifola are 1.His unſearchable wiſdome. Pſal. 104. 24.thy works! in wiſdome haſt thou made them all; the whole world is full of Gods wiſdome, but never doth the wiſdome of God ſo ſhine out, as in the admirable contrivances that he hath for the building up, for the repairing and reſtoring of his Church. It is ſaid, that the ſpirit of wiſdome Eſa. 11. 2. &c.doth reſt upon Chriſt, when he is given to be the Ruler of his Church, carrying it in a way beyond all humane comprehenſion his way being in the ſea, his path in the great waters, and his footſteps not knowne, when yet he leads Pſal. 77. 19.his people as a flock: Conceive a little of it by this. The Lord doth ſo contrive it, that all the croſſe and excentricall motions of all creatures doe all concurre to further this work, though they work according to their ſeverall principles, and for their owne ſeverall ends, moſt of them intending miſchiefe and ruine to the Church, yet he orders them all to be as directly ſubſervient, to carry on the work of building the Church, as if they all ſtudied it, and intended it with their whole might: The plots of the enemies, Acts 15. 39. Pſal. 1. 12.their ſtrength, their cunning, their cruelty, perſecutions, and the weakneſſes, faults, corruptions, and even diviſions of his ſervants, all contribute toward the building up of the Church, though they ſeem all contrary to it: God ſeemes to me to lay a taxe not onelyonly upon Heaven, but upon Hell it ſelfe, and all the powers of darkneſſe, and all their ſervants, that every one of them ſhould bring in their utmoſt power to carry on this work. You have an excellent inſtance in the 60 chapter of Eſay, where God Eſa. 60. per totum.orders it, that the Iſlands and Kingdomes, the Princes and Nobles, the Beaſts and Birds, the Foreſts and Rivers, the Gold, Silver, Braſſe, and Iron, all kind of creatures and things, ſhall contribute their uttermoſt to raiſe up and beautifie this building; yea, though they intend it not, Micah 4. 11, 12, 13.though they intend the contrary, to ruine and ſpoile it, as is clearly expreſſed. Many Nations gathered together againſt Zion, that ſay, let her be defiled, and let our eye looke upon Zion, when in the meane time the wiſdome of God hath contrived it, that they come but to be threſhed out, and to be made a crop for Zion to feed upon. Never doth the Lord ſo magnifie his wiſdome, as in his excellent contrivances about the Churches welfare, ſuiting all providences and occurrences of things, and endevours of all people, though they have a thouſand ſeverall ends, yet every one to contribute their beſt, as if one ſoule dwelt in them all: which made Paul, when he conſidered of this point, to be even ſwallowed up with admiration, O the Rom. 11. 33. 34.depth of the riches, both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his wayes paſt finding out! who hath knowne the minde of the Lord, or who hath beene his Counſellour?

Another is, his almighty power, which is ſo eminently 2.ſeen in this work, that it is Gods ordinary expreſſion, to His almighty power. Eſa. 17.call it the creating of a new heaven and a new earth; Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth; he creates it: And in the 59 of Iſaiah, where God ſpeaks of the Church, Eſa. 59. 19.I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace: the fruit of the lips, is the preaching of the Word, but it is done in a way of creation; he creates Miniſters, creates Ordinances, creates Eſa. 4. 5. & 45. 7. Pſal. 102. 18 Eſa. 43. 1. Jer. 41. 21. Epheſ. 2. 10. * 14, 24.meanes and helps, creates deliverances, creates graces, comforts, all done in an almighty way of creation. Now creation, you know, firſt, fit irreſiſtibiliter, there is no power able to ſtand againſt a Creation: So it is here, when God pleaſes to build the Church, the Mountaines 1.flow downe; thus you have it Eſay 64. 1, 2, 3. Oh that thou Raiſing his Church irreſiſtibly. Eſa. 64. 1, 2, 3.wouldest rent the heavens, that thou wouldeſt come downe, that the mountaines might flew downe at thy preſence, as when the melting fire burneth, to cauſe the waters to boile, when thou didſt terrible things, which we looked not for. And the like hath the Prophet Zachary, What art thou, O great mountain? before my ſervant Zerubbabel, thou ſhalt become a plaine: that Zach 4. 7.is, all oppoſitions, all Kingdomes, all Empires, all the gates of Hell, and whoſoever ſtand againſt it, they are all broke in peeces, when once God is pleaſed to undertake the building of the Church; Ile build my Church, and the Matth. 16.gates of Hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it: What are theſe gates of hell? Chriſt ſpeaks according to the manner of thoſe Countries, the gates of a City were the place where there was both the wiſdome and the ſtrength of a City: In their gates ſate their noble and wiſe Conſellours; there were their Courts kept, in their gates lay their Ammunition, out of their gates went all their Commanders: All the wiſdome and power of Hell, that is, of Satans kingdome, muſt all be broken, if God pleaſe to build his Church: he ſpeakes the word and it is done, done irreſiſtibly.

Secondly, Creation ſit ex nihilo, it riſes out of nothing; though there be no preparative, though you cannot imagine 2.Out of nothing.what ſhall be the materia ex qua, the thing out of which the work ſhould ariſe, yet if Creation comes, it doth it out of nothing: Thus the Lord brings in the Church at one time, wondering at her owne encreaſe, Eſa. 49. 2….when ſhe had ſate long as a deſolate widow, a captive without children, forſaken of her husband, and an innumerable multitude of children ſuddenly ſaying in her eares, The place is too narrow for us, where ſhall we have room to dwell? Who hath hegotten me theſe? who hath brought up theſe? theſe, where have they been? Unthought of means and mercies uſually appear in this work, to magnifie the power of God.

Thirdly, Creatio fit in inſtanti; as it is done out of nothing, 3.ſo it is done in a trice, in the twinckling of an eye: Who hath heard ſuch a thing as this? who hath ſeen ſuch Eſa. 66. 7, 8.things? (ſaith the Prophet in the 66 of Iſaiah:) What is that? of a Nation that was borne in a day: Shall the earth be made to bring forth in a day? muſt there not be a ſpace between ſeed-time and harveſt? or ſhall a child be begotten and born in a day? yet Zion doth ſo, brings forth before ſhe travailes, delivered of a man-child in an inſtant, yea of a Nation, and that before her paine came: and elſewhere the ſudden encreaſe of the Church is compared to whole flights of Doves, and to the clouds flying ſwiftly and in abundance through the aire; Who are theſe Eſa. 60. 8.that flye like the clouds, and as Doves to their windowes? But moſt fully this is promiſed in the 110 Pſalme, where the Pſal. 110.Churches encreaſe is compared to the dew which in innumerable drops comes ſuddenly out of the womb of the morning: there's another glorious Attribute of God ſhining out, his almighty power. Then thirdly,

His Holineſse: Never doth the Lord appeare ſo holy 3.a God, as he doth in this work of building the Church. His Holineſſe.Holineſſe is not onelyonly a glorious Attribute, but in truth it is glory it ſelfe, it is the very face of God; and therefore holy men are ſaid to beare the image of God, becauſe they are like his very face, when, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hoſts, may be ſung unto him, the whole earth is full Eſa. 6. 3.of his glory, with that work which cauſeth his holineſſe to appeare, then like the Sun he ſhewes his glorious face, when he appears in his holineſſe. Now this excellent Attribute is celebrated to the height in the Churches building: Rev. 4.This is cleare in that ſolemne and glorious repreſentation of Chriſt, ruling in, and beautifying of his Church Revel. 4. the foure Beaſts repreſenting the Catholike Church in the foure quarters of the world, when night and day they give glory to Chriſt, the head and King, the Builder and Ruler of his Church; their Song is onelyonly this, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty: and that triumphant Song of the Church, recorded Revel. 15. for the victory Rev. 15. Pſal. 89, 18. & 99. 5. Eſa. 17. 7. 1 Sam. 2. 2.obtained over the Beaſt, wherein they celebrate his greatneſſe, truth, and juſtice, the Church ſets this as the riſe of all, For thou onelyonly art holy: and in truth, the uſuall name he takes to himſelfe, and by which his people call him in reference to this work, is, The Holy One of Iſrael; and it is fit it ſhould be ſo, for then he ſhewes how little he can endure iniquity, then he purges away the ſin of his people, then he makes them a peculiar people, zealous of good workes, then he ſeparates their droſſe and their rubbiſh from them, then he makes them like unto himſelfe: never doth God beautifie his holineſſe ſo, as he doth when he builds the Church. That is the third.

Fourthly, and that which is one of the ſweeteſt, the Lord never magnifies nor glorifies his free grace and his love ſo 4.His free grace and love.as he doth in this work of building the Church; all the treaſures of love and favour, which before lay hid in his breaſt, do gloriouſly ſhine out; then he marries her, or keeps his Wedding-feaſt, and makes all the world to know how deare ſhe is unto him; there and then, and no where elſe, doth he beſtow his choice favours. When he gives Kingdomes and Empires, he gives nothing but a peece of clay, what he cares not for; but when he builds the Church, there he layes out his Treaſure. The time would faile me to number the gifts which he then gives: Great Princes ordinarily have their Almoners with them whereſoever they goe, and they give this or that peece of ſilver or gold to ordinary Petitioners; but when they will appeare in their glory, and give ſuch gifts as ſhall magnifie them, then it may be they create Earles, and Lords, and great Officers of State, which are peculiar and diſcriminating pledges of their love: So doth God, when he builds up other Nations with outward mercies, with fruitfull ſeaſons, health, wealth, and pompe, &c. he eſteemes them as nothing, he cares not a ſhoo-latchet for theſe common gifts, they are his common almes; but when he builds his Church, then he gives his Ordinances, then he gives his Miniſters, then he gives them the Graces of his Spirit, theſe are his Chryſolites, his Emeralds, his Pearles, and Diamonds, then he makes all the world ſtand amazed, (as my Text ſaith) and all the Kings to wonder, at the love and beauty which he ſhewes to his people in the day he builds up Zion: then they who deſpiſed her ſhall wonder at her, Who is this that comes out of the wilderneſſe leaning upon Cant. 8. 2. Eſa. 60. 14. & 62. ….her beloved? and bow downe at her feet and confeſſe, that ſhe is now to be called Heph-zibab and Beulah, becauſe her God delighteth in her. And laſtly,

The Lord uſeth more then at any other time, to glorifie 5.that excellent Attribute of his Juſtice, becauſe then he His Juſtice.takes vengeance upon his Churches enemies: You ſhall finde in the Scripture, that theſe two things ever goe together, the Lambes marrying, and the Whores burning; Zions building, and Babels ruine; his Servants exalting, his enemies falling; his People raiſed up, his adverſaries ſpoiled; then doth the Lord call them to account, and pay them, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, breach for breach: the day of Zions deliverance, and redemption, and fury and recompence to her adverſaries, ever goe together: Behold Eſa. 59. 17, 18. & 34. 8. Zeph. 3. 19. Eſa. 49. 26. Joel 3.(ſaith the Lord) in that day I will undoe all that afflict thee, and will ſave and gather thee: in one and the ſame day the ſpoiled Church ſhall be reſcued, and they who oppreſſed her ſhall be fed with their own fleſh, and made drunk with their own bloud: The Church militant and malignant are as a pair of ballances, or Buckets at a Well, when the one goeth up the other ſtill goeth down. And by this time I hope you ſee how the Lord appeares in his glory when he builds up Zion; I have but the fourth queſtion to anſwer, and this will be fit for Application; and that is,

Why the Lord appeares thus glorious in this work, rather 4.then in any other? There are theſe two reaſons of it: Why he thus appeares in glory when he builds his Church.Firſt, becauſe it is a worke that infinitely pleaſeth him: Men chuſe to appeare in their cloaths and behaviour ſuitable to the work that they are to be employed in: the woman 1.Becauſe he dearly loves his Church.of Tekoah muſt feigne her ſelfe to be a mourner, when ſhe goes on a mournfull meſſage; and David, when he goes on a dolefull journey, covers his face, and puts on mourning apparell; but when Solomon is to be crowned, he goes in all his royalty; and a Bride adorns her ſelf gloriouſly when ſhe is to be married: Verily ſo doth the Lord: when he goes about a worke he takes no pleaſure in, he puts on his mourning apparell, he covers himſelf with a cloud, and the heavens with blackneſſe; when he is to doe his ſtrange work of judgment, then he mournes, How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? how ſhall I make thee as Sodom? my bowels rowled within me, my compaſsions are turned: but the Jer. 31. 34. Pſal 132. 13. & 87. 2.building of Zion doth infinitely pleaſe him, becauſe Zion is as the apple of his eye to him; he bought Zion at a dear rate, with his owne bloud; he layes Zion in his boſome, he is raviſhed with Zion, Zion is his Love, his Dove, his faire one; he hath choſen Zion, and loves the gates of it, better then all the Palaces of Jacob; and being ſo pleaſing to him, no marvell if he put on all his glorious apparell, when he is to adorn and build up Zion. And ſe…ondly, it is

Becauſe all the glory that he looks for to eternity, muſt 2.ariſe out of this one work of building Zion; this one work He expects moſt glory from this work.ſhall be the onelyonly monument of his glory to eternity: this goodly world, this heaven and earth, that you ſee and enjoy the uſe of, is ſet up onelyonly as a ſhop, as a Work-ſhop to ſtand onelyonly for a week, for ſix or 7000 years, (a thouſand yeeres is with the Lord but as a day) and when his worke is done he will throw this peece of clay downe againe; and out of this he looks for no other glory then from a Cabul, a land of dirt, or a ſhepheards cottage, or a goard which ſprings up in a night and withers in a day: but this peece Pſal. 87. per to…um. Eſa. 31. 9. Pſal. 132. Ier. 17. 12. Rev. 4. Eſa. 6. 1.he ſets up for a higher end, to be the eternall manſion of his holineſſe and honour; this is his Metropolis, his Temple, his houſe where his fire and furnace is, his Court, his glorious high Throne, and therefore his glory is much concerned in this work: when Nebuchadnezzar would have a City for the honour of his kingdome, and the glory of Dan. 4. 30.his Majeſty, he will make it a ſtately peece; Solomon made 1 King. 10. 18, 27.all his Kingdome very rich and glorious, but he made his Court, and eſpecially his Throne, another manner of thing, ſo ſtately, that the like was not to be ſeen in any other kingdome: and therefore no wonder though he appeare in his glory in building up of that, which we may boldly ſay muſt one day be made as glorious as his wiſdome can contrive, and his power bring to paſſe.

Having thus plainly opened and proved this excellent Doctrine, give me leave in the Application to preſent you Application.with ſome matter, firſt, of Joy and conſolation; ſecondly, of Reproof and Terrour; thirdly, of Exhortation and Duty.

Here is a further excellent encouragement and ſtrengthening of our comfort, in that which I touched before, Ʋſe 1. For conſolation.viz. an aſſurance that this work muſt goe on; doe all the world what they can, they can never hinder the building up of Gods Church, becauſe God hath ſo ſet his heart upon it, that for the doing thereof he hath cloathed himſelfe with his glory, and girded himſelfe with ſtrength; and will he be hindred in it, though all the Nations of the world ſhould riſe up againſt him to hinder it? It is true, the gates of Hell doe alwayes appeare with all their wiſdome and ſtrength againſt it, but what of that? it is his glory to build it, and can we imagine that any ſhall be able to ſpoil him of his glory, that any can pull downe what he will build, or root up his pleaſant plant; when he hath called it his houſe of glory, which he will glorifie, that poore Eſa. 60. 7.wormes ſhall be able to defile or deface it? No, no, this work muſt be carried on, feare it not. He hath evidently begun it among our ſelves, and we are often diſcouraged in it; there is yet much to be done, much rubbiſh ſtill remaines to be carried out, and we are very low, our eſtates waſted, the builders diſcouraged, their hands weakned: but not by might, or an Army, but by my Spirit (ſaith the Lord) muſt this work proceed, and then what art thou, O great mountain, thou great mountain of Popery, Prelacy, ſuperſtition, oppreſſion, diviſion, hereſie, ſchiſm? what art thou before my ſervants the builders? thou ſhalt flow down, thou ſhalt be made a plaine: Be ſtrong therefore, ye Nobles and ſervants of God, whoſe hearts are ſet upon this work, you ſhall notwithſtanding all oppoſition ſee the cap-ſtone ſet upon the head of it, and cry Grace, Grace, unto it. The Lord uſeth an excellent ſimilitude in Eſay 31. 4. when he came downe to reſcue his people, and they Eſa 31. 4.were diſcouraged (juſt as we are now) with a multitude of oppoſitions, he compares himſelfe to a Lion, or a young Lion, that hath caught his prey, when the multitude of ſhepheards are called out againſt him, he ſcornes to mend his pace, or be afraid of their voice; So will the Lord of Hoſts doe in building of Zion, let all the world riſe up againſt this work, and he ſcornes to draw back from them, or be afraid of the ſhepheards or their dogges, he can worry them and all their dogs to peeces: And therefore I beſeech you, who are engaged in this great worke of God, when any diſcouragements fall out before you, remember the errand that God bids Hezekiah ſend to Senacharib, who came with ſome two or 300000 fighting men, and ſent him a very proud, ſcornfull, and threatning meſſage; tell him (ſaid God) the daughter of Zion ſits and laughes at him, ſhakes her head, and ſcornes him, bids him doe his worſt, and well ſhe might, for theſe proud mountaines ſoone flowed downe, for in in one night one of God ſervants Eſa. 37.killed 180000, e…en all his Captaines and great men were all killed; ſo ſay thou, when great difficulties riſe up, and thou beginneſt to think, Lord, by whom ſhall Jacob ariſe? for he is ſmall, our money failes us, our Trade is gone, yea, in many places Ordinances faile us, mens hearts are diſcouraged; what ſhall we doe? ſay, the Lord hath put on his glorious apparell, and he muſt and will carry on this work, he will never undergoe that reproach, This man began to build, and was not able to make an end.Luke 14.

But why doth he then ſo delay it? alas, it is worſe with Objection.us then it was two or three yeares agoe, the ſummer is paſt▪ the harveſt is come, and yet we are not delivered; much bloud is ſhed, the enemy is yet ſtrong and potent, our hearts faile, our inſtruments decay, and yet the worke hangs; if God did appeare in his glory, why would it come on thus heavily?

I anſwere, the Lord is a God of judgment, he is a wiſe Anſw. Eſa. 30. 18.God, he knowes the fitteſt time: That he doth delay is neither becauſe he is weary of the work, or becauſe he is not able to doe it, or becauſe the enemy is ſtrong; No, no, the Holy One of Iſrael never fainted, neither is he weary, but it is onelyonly becauſe his beſt time is not yet come; he Ier. 14. 8, 9. Eſa. 40. 28.will (it may be) more fit the enemies for deſtruction, and us for deliverance; it may be he will hunt us yet more from all our ſelf-confidence, and lay us low; but in the fitteſt and beſt time of all, this work muſt proceed, no weapon can proſper that is forged againſt it, the Lord will carry it on and finiſh it: whether we live to ſee it, it's no matter, if we dye and goe to heaven we are well enough, let us ſerve God in our generation, in this work which himſelfe will owne in all generations.

Is it the Lords glory to build up Zion, then miſerable, and wretched, and curſed are all they that are the enemies Ʋſe 2. Terrour to all who would hinder it.of Zion, who would pull Zion downe; who with the children of Edom, who cry, Downe with it, downe with it, even to the very foundation; who with Sanballat and Tobiah, doe ſtrive all they can to keep it low, to hinder the Work-men that they may not carry it on; what doe you think will become of theſe? Ile tell you how you ſhall gueſſe; you ſhall finde in the ſixth of Ezra, when a great Emperour of Ezra 6. 11, 12.Perſia came to underſtand a decree of Cyrus, wherein it appeared he was ſtirred up of God to build his houſe at Hieruſalem, he wrote a Letter to Tatnai and Shethar-boznai, and many others who were enemies to the Jewes, and had writ to the Emperour to know, whether they ſhould hinder theſe men from the work, the Emperour writes back to this purpoſe; You Tatnai and Shethar-boznai keep far from them, meddle not with them, I make a decree, that whoſoever he be that offers to hinder this work, his houſe be pulled downe, and timber be taken downe and ſet up for a gallowes, and himſelf hanged thereon; and the Goa that hath cauſed his name to dwell there, root out from the face of the earth all Kings and Princes that offer to alter this work, or deſtroy this houſe. Here was a brave ſpeech of a Heathen, of a Pagan Emperour: the like muſt be ſaid to theſe men, whoever offers to hinder the building of Gods houſe, the reformation of the Church, the decree of the great King will reach them, it is ratified in heaven, the God that hath cauſed his name to dwell in the Church, will cut off all Kings and Princes, Lords and Ladies, rich and poore, and whoſoever dare offer to hinder the building of it.

But who is he, or where is he, that in his heart dare think Queſt.ſuch a thing?

I tell you, their number is numberleſſe; God grant there Anſw.be none ſuch preſent: Ile name ſome of them, not onelyonly the Antichriſtian, Prelaticall, Malignant party, who are in armes againſt us, and endevour with all their power and cunning to deſtroy us, and ſo cauſe this work to ceaſe, but even all who ſecretly affect and aſſiſt them, or ſtand as Neuters, and hang off, when this work of God is in hand, Nehem. 3. 5.and like the Nobles of Tekoah refuſe to put their ſhoulders to the work, are all enemies to it, and doe daſh againſt this rock: and all whoſe wicked lives are contrary to it, all whoſe ill examples diſcourage, and lye like ſtumbling-blocks in the way, who refuſe to be hewen, and framed, and laid like living ſtones into the building of God, who are unwilling to beare Chriſts yoke; who by counſels, by power, or otherwiſe, hinder the ſpreading of the Goſpel, (which is the rod of his power, and the great engine whereby he reares the Church, and ſubdues his enemies) or that have ill will to the preaching of it; all that ſpread corrupt Doctrines, licentious opinions, who ſeek to rend and divide the people of God, all you and your works are enemies to it, whatſoever you think of your ſelves, and whoſoever you are, whether great or ſmall, you all kick againſt pricks; and beleeve it, you muſt all come under the curſe of it: you are all wretched and miſerable creatures, to oppoſe that work which muſt proſper, and to ſtumble at that ſtone, which will fall upon you, and grind you to powder: you muſt all periſh who have ill will at Zion; not onelyonly your weapons muſt be unproſperous, which are forged againſt it, but this is the plague wherewith the Lord will ſmite you, your fleſh muſt conſume away, your eyes Eſa. 54. 17. Zach. 14. 12 Luke 19. 27. Rev. 19. ult.rot in their holes, your tongues conſume away in your mouths, and to conclude your miſery, you muſt all be ſlaine before his face, and caſt into a Lake burning with fire and brimſtone: Repent therefore of this not onelyonly your folly, but madneſſe, which now is your ſhame, and is like to prove your confuſion.

Doth the Lord appeare in his glory when he builds up Vſe 3. Exhortation in two branches.Zion? then I beſeech you all give God the glory of his worke: you can never grieve a man more, then to neglect him in that which he makes his glory; to ſleight or throw 1.Since be appears in his glory, to acknowledge his glory in it.aſide a Work-mans maſter-peece, as if it were a toy, is taken very heinouſly among men; now I tell you, that although every work of God is excellent, and his praiſe may be found in it, the works of the Lord are all great, and worthy to be had in remembrance, yet this work of building the Church is his Maſter-peece, every pin, every ſtone, from the foundation to the cap-ſtone, is ſo enameld, and checkerd, with Rubies, Saphires, Emeralds, Chryſolites, Carbuncles, with all manner of precious ſtones, ſuch admirable, curious workman-ſhip, that Ahabs Ivory Palace, and Solomons Cedar houſe, the Pyramids of Egypt, all humane Artifices, yea all the rarities and ſecrets of nature, have no glory, when compared with the glory of this one work, of Chriſts gathering, building, protecting, and beautifying of Zion; this you would ſoon acknowledge, if you could look upon it with ſpirituall diſcerning eyes: get therefore your Bibles, and the Stories of the Church, and read them, and in reading labour to the utmoſt to underſtand this peece of Gods work; conſider, how ever ſince he hath had a Church upon earth, what a ſtrange way he hath took to governe it, from what ſmall beginnings he hath multiplied it, from what dead low ebbes he hath brought it, by what unlikely inſtruments he hath built it, what potent enemies he hath ſubdued before it, with what rare priviledges he hath enriched it, by what unthought of wayes and providences he hath done good it; ponder theſe things, and you can hardly read one Paragraph of the Story of Gods Church, but you muſt with admiration cry out, This is the Lords doing, and it is wonderfull in my eyes; O that there were in us ſuch a heart, that could be thus raiſed up, thus inlightned, as to ſee nothing excellent, but onelyonly Gods going in the Sanctuary! they have ſeen the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary: Pſal. 68. 24.ſuch an heart would be according to Gods own heart, a ſpirit which the Lord would delight in: more eſpecially ſtudy and behold the glory of this laſt peece of his work, this new edition of the Church which he is now about to ſet forth, wherein I hope he will vouchſafe to make his Churches, even amongſt us, a praiſe in the earth. O read over the admirable dealings of God towards us, in theſe foure or five laſt yeares, I am aſſured it will be the wonderment of ſucceeding generations, God will have it written by one hand or other, and when theſe things ſhall be told they will be wondred at indeed: when it ſhall be written what a low ebbe we were at, how we were tantum non ſwallowed with Popery, Prelacy, Superſtition, Arminianiſme, Tyranny, Oppreſſion all things concurring to undoe us, and then the Lord broke thoſe Iron yokes, and hath called this Parliament, which after he hath ſitted, and tried, and humbled, he hath put upon the repairing of his Church, and building the walls of his City, in a troubleſome time, when they build with the Trowell in one hand, and the Sword in another, when huge potent Enemies are riſen up to deſtroy them, and yet he carries on this work, exerciſing and manifeſting ſuch rare wiſdome in the midſt of our folly, ſuch admirable power in the midſt of our weakneſſe, ſuch holineſſe in the midſt of our corruptions, ſuch love in the midſt of our unworthineſſe, ſuch juſtice to our enemies in the midſt of their pride, carries it on after ſuch a manner, that they who read theſe things muſt ſtand amazed, and cry out, O how wonderfull are thy doings O Lord toward thy poore unworthy flock in the kingdome of England! Now could we get our hearts raiſed thus to give God the glory due to his name, it would pleaſe him better then a bullock that hath hornes and hoofes; never could we live to better purpoſe, it were an excellent work to have theſe wayes and goings of our God and King written for the generations to come, that the people who ſhall be created may praiſe the Lord: I have often begged of him, to put it into the heart of ſome wiſe obſerver of his dealings, to collect and digeſt them, and I hope it will be done; in the meane time let us that live forget none of his doings, but keep them all in thankfull mind and memory, and praiſe the Lord on the Harp, and ſing praiſe to him every day, for the wonders that he hath wrought, ſince he aroſe to build up our Zion. This is the firſt Exhortation, to praiſe God for his glorious worke: another followes, with which I will end, and that is

To you (right Honourable) for whoſe ſakes this meeting is in this place; that ſeeing it is the Lords glory to Ʋſe 2. Exhortation to the right Honourable Lords, to imitate Chriſt, to make this work their glory.build up the Church, you would make it your glory, that you would be like unto God, that you would eſteem your ſelves never ſo truely in your glory, as when you come out with all that you have, or are, to help forward this work: I humbly pray you look upon our deſolations, look upon the enemies of the Church, how infinitely induſtrious they are to ruine it, how few of them drive any private deſigne, but joyne in this common work and deſigne, to ruine the work of Reformation; how they lay out all their wit, power, and intereſt, which they have in Court, in Countrey, in City, by Letters, by Travels, by Bloud, by any thing, that they might (with Sanballat and Tobiah) cauſe this work of God to ceaſe; you know this. Conſider alſo how poore deſolate Zion doth even ſtretch out her hands unto you, and pray you, that in this ſad time of her calamity, if there be any love in your hearts and boſomes toward her, you would come out, and give her ſome help, to reare her out of the duſt and the rubble: I beſeech your Lordſhips ſet this work to heart, and up and be doing, do your beſt to carry this work on. To this end there are two things I ſhall humbly offer unto you: Firſt, to tell you what you may doe, and what God expects you ſhould doe: Secondly, to give you ſome quickening Motives to warme and enflame your hearts, with a purpoſe and reſolution to doe what God would have you doe.

Firſt, you may poſſibly demand, what may or can we Queſt.doe, or what can any creature doe, ſeeing you were taught that the building of Zion is Gods work alone?

I anſwer, it is very true, the work is Gods, and Gods Anſw.alone, and you may truely ſay of Zion, when ever it is What Magiſtrates and great men may do.built, it is not by might, nor by an Army, but by Chriſt and his Spirit; yet were not great men, Princes, and Nobles, to be very great inſtruments in this work, God would never have promiſed it, as one of the great priviledges of the Church, that Kings and Princes ſhould be her nurſing Fathers, and that ſhe ſhould ſuck the breaſts of Kings: And truly Eſa. 49. 23. & 60. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 26.it is much you may doe by your examples, and by cauſing your great families to ſerve the Lord; I and my Family (ſaid Joſhua) will ſerve the Lord: and all the great men we Joſh. 24. 15. Gen. 18. 19. & 35. 2. Matth. 8 5. 2 Tim. 4. 19. Acts 16. 15.read of in the Scripture to have been converted, preſently their families were converted with them: The Ruler of the Synagogue and his family, the Centurion and his family, Oneſiphorus and his family, Criſpus and his family, Lydia and her family, and many others: Thus in a ſpirituall and morall way you may help to build the Church; but that's not all, your authority and power may doe very much in this work: It is very true, that your power (who are Nobles, Magiſtrates, & Rulers of States) in the Common-wealth, in the building of a Civill State, and the building of the Church, doe extremely differ one from another: In building the Civill State, you doe it ad modum imperii, by way of rule and command; therein you have authority; Meum and Tuum, the things of this life, are by the Lord committed into the hands of a State, and the light of Nature and humane Prudence are ſufficient to direct you in them, and in theſe things you have power and authority, according to your owne reaſon and will, to make Lawes about them; you may erect new Lawes, and new Offices, and new Officers, and you may impoſe new burdens, and people may lawfully ſubmit to your diſcretion, without ſeeking any further for a particular warrant out of the Word, in the things that concerne this preſent life: but (my Lords) it is not ſo in the building of Zion, matters of Religion are ſpirituall and heavenly things, Heb. 3. 1.which pertaine onelyonly to God, the ſoules and conſciences of men, and the communion of Saints, their end is Gods glory, mens converſion, edification, and eternall ſalvation; theſe are things which cannot be carried along by naturall reaſon, or civill prudence, but onelyonly by the light of that ſpirituall and heavenly Rule, the Word of God; and therefore in theſe things you have no Lordly rule; Unum Luther.Dominum habemus qui animas noſtras gubernat; all your power in theſe things muſt be ad modum miniſterii, not imperii; you muſt carry your ſelves, not as the Churches Maſters, but as Chriſts ſervants, yea and as ſervants to the Church for Chriſts ſake, not as Lords, to diſpoſe of the affaires of it at your owne pleaſure, but at the direction of his Word onelyonly: This then muſt you ſet down for a Rule, That you are limited to the Word, and men under your aurhority muſt, before they obey your Orders, examine them by the Word, and find them to be both lawfull in their nature, and expedient in their uſe, for edification, peace, order, &c. But (my Lords) though you have not ſuch an imperium here, as in humane things, yet the power and authority that Gods Word hath given you for the carrying on of this work, is exceeding great, and it may be reduced to theſe two heads: Firſt, the Lord would have you his inſtruments for the purgation and reformation; ſecondly, for the preſervation of the Church, when you have brought it into a ſtate of reformation.

Firſt, for the purgation and reformation of it; all the 1.rubbiſh, all the droſſe, the Antichriſtian pelfe and garbidge For the reformation of Religion.that the houſe of God is defiled with, you are to throw it all out, with Joſiah, into the brook Kidron; to ſweep it all out, and to bring back the people, who have been miſled into Arminianiſme, to Popery, to Superſtition, to any of theſe abominable wayes, you are to remove all theſe ſtumbling-blocks, and to bring them back againe unto the knowledge of the Lord their God: this God requires at the hands of Princes; thus did Jehoſhaphat, thus did Hezekiah, thus did Joſiah, thus did Ezra and Nehemiah, all 2 Chron. 17. 2 Chron. 29. 2 Chron. 34. Ezra 10. Nehem 9. 10.the good Kings of old, they all made it their care to command the people, to make them enter into an Oath, and a Curſe; and none might live under their priviledge and protection, who would not returne to the God of their Fathers: I confeſſe, I think it is not in the power of Magiſtrates to compell a people (unto whom God can lay no claime by Covenant) to alter from a heatheniſh Religion to be the Lords people, yet they ſhould be carefull to ſend Miniſters to preach unto them, and try if by any meanes they may be brought to receive the truth in love; yea and to puniſh them ſeverely, if they blaſpheme, or ſeek to draw away Gods people to Idolatry, &c. When the Jewes, David, or Solomon, or any of their Kings, conquered the Nations round about them, they never compelled any of them to forſake their falſe Gods, and to turne Proſelytes, becauſe thoſe people never had choſen God to be their God; but a people who once had in Covenant made themſelves the Lords, and ſo the Lord by virtue of the Covenant could lay claim to them and their poſterity, his Princes and ſervants have ever (according to his will) compelled theſe to ſtand to their Covenant, or elſe they ſhould not enjoy their protection; and therefore Joſiah, and thoſe good Kings put them all to death who followed Baal, and returned not unto the Lord their God. For our ſelves, our Plantations ought never to endevour to convert Infidels by violence, Chriſts people muſt be a willing people, we leave ſuch converſions to the Spaniards, who worried the Indians to death with dogges, and drove them into the river like cattell, and compelled them to be baptized: but Revel. 17. 16.for a people who have received Chriſtianity, and have been ſeduced to Anti-chriſtianity, to whom ſtill the Lord continues his claime, by the ſame right that Jehu deſtroyed Baal, and other good Kings Jeroboams Calves, and the reſt of their Idols, and compelled them to ſtand to the Lords Covenant and Oath, by the ſame warrant and rule may you root out Popery and Hereſie, and proceed againſt incorrigible Papiſts, Hereticks, Blaſphemers, and ſuch as have apoſtatized from the Lord, and refuſe to returne: This power the Lord hath given you for the purgation of Religion, to remove and caſt out the things that are abominable. You have power alſo, and it is your duty, to ſet up all Gods Ordinances; Ordinances for Worſhip, Ordinances for Government; thus did all the good Kings you ſhall read of: You are alſo to finde out fit Miniſters for the houſe of God, to ſee that they be regularly called, tried, and ordained, and ſent forth, in the way of the Goſpel; all this the Lord hath put into your hands. This for the Reformation; and when you have ſet the houſe of God in a good ſtate, the Lord calls you further to take care for the preſervation of it, by providing Seminaries of learning and piety, that the Sons of the Prophets may be bred, that there may never want a ſeed to furniſh the houſe of God; with able, faithfull, and skilfull Work-men, and to provide and continue ſufficient maintenance to them: And ſo likewiſe to convocate Synods, Aſſemblies, and to encourage Miniſters, with putting them upon their duties, quickning them up to it, &c. providing that the mouth of the Oxe be not muzled, that treads out the Corne; that the Levites be not compelled to leave their Cities: All theſe things for the preſervation of Religion hath the And the preſervation of it.Lord put into your hands, and theſe things God requires at your hands: yea (I ſay further) the Lord would have you look to it, that as none ſhall rob Gods people of the liberties Chriſt hath given them, nor take away any of their priviledges from them; yea, and that the weak, both in knowledge, faith, and practice, be born with, ſo far as the Apoſtles Canons doe require: ſo on the other ſide to provide that Hereticks and falſe Teachers, who would Ezra 6. 11, 12, 1 King. 2. 26. Rom. 13. 4. Deut. 13.withdraw the people from their God, who would ſteale them away from the knowledge, and worſhip, and ſervice of God, to licenciouſneſſe, to profaneſſe, to ungodlineſſe, to idolatry, to blaſphemy, and to ſuch things as overthrow Religion; the Lord requires it at your hands, not to permit ſuch Wolves to live amongſt them; ſurely ſuch are Rev. 2. 14, 20. Vide Beza de Hereticis mor…e plectendis.no more to be born with, who thus murther ſoules, then they who murther mens bodies. Now (my Lords) theſe are admirable duties and dignities, theſe are ſuch things to be employed in, that there is not an Angel in heaven, not an Apoſtle now with God, nor a Miniſter on earth, but would as willingly be employed in this work, as to be in the glory of heaven it ſelfe; and ſeeing God himſelfe appears in his glory when he builds up Zion, my humble ſuit is, that your Lordſhips would count it your glory, and think with David you never are ſo gallant and glorious, as when you are dancing before the Ark of God.

And to ſtirre you up to it, I ſhall uſe two ſorts of Motives; Motives thereunto.one taken from your ſelves, from your owne preſent ſtanding and condition: the other, from the conſequence and benefit of the work it ſelf.

Firſt, your owne ſtanding and condition affords you many notable arguments, ſuch as might even compell you to Motive 1.make it your glory to help forward this great building of the Church of God.

You are great men, lifted up above your Brethren: God 1.hath done that for you, which he hath denied to millions They are great men.in the Kingdome; you know your ſtates, bloud, birth, dignities, priviledges, ſo well, that I need not reckon them: Now God having made you greater then others, he expects, and certainly it would be a very comely thing, that you ſhould be the forwardeſt of all to help forward this work, that God is ſo well pleaſed with.

And ſecondly, God hath alſo put into your hands more talents and abilities, and opportunities to doe this work, 2.Have many opportunities.then into the hands of others: many willing men, who would lay downe all, would doe all, and give all they have to further it, yet are not able to doe ſo much as one Vote of yours may doe; one I, or one No, given by you, may more forward the building of this work, then the lives and ſtates of many thouſands: Now when ſuch an opportunity is in your hands, when you are ſo furniſhed and enabled to doe it, how ſad a thing would it prove if you ſhould not improve it?

Nay thirdly, (my Lords) you are Noble-men, and therefore you cannot out of true Nobility but deſire to 3.… a glorious worke, and will be their greateſt honour.have your hands in noble and honourable imploiments; ſure I am, ſince you were borne, or ſince this generation begun, never was it in the hand or opportunity of men, to be laid out more honourably, then you may in cordially helping forward this great work: never can you be ſo glorious in the eyes of God and his Angels, no ſuch glorie or Nobilitie as to be emploied in this work; had Iſa. 60. 12, 13.you all Acts of Parliament, to entaile all your Lands, Honours, Names and Fortunes, all that you are, and all elſe that you wiſh for, would never make you ſo honourable, as to be numbred amongſt theſe that built up the Church of God; that when the Lord ſhall reckon up the people, who were by him emploied in the work, as he ſaith once Pſal. 87.6.of Zion, This and that man was borne there; ſo for God to ſay, for the Regiſters of his acts and worthy deeds to ſay, Such a Noble-man, ſuch an Earle, ſuch a Lord, ſtood out in my cauſe and worke, when the Nobles of Tekoah Nehem. 3. 5. Nehem. 6. 17.would not put their hands to it: When ſome of the Nobles of Judah kept intelligence with Sanballat and Tobiah, when ſome others diſcouraged the well-affected; ſuch a man, like another Nehemiah, wrought for me night and Nehem. 4. 23.day, and never put off his cloaths except it were to waſh them; never could ſuch an honour be put upon you; look not while you live in this world, though you might live an hundred yeares, ever to have the like opportunitie. O that it might ſink deep into your hearts! that you did underſtand what an honour it is to be a helper of God, in laying the foundation of a new heaven and earth! Nay (my Lords) conſider in the fourth place,

God hath called you to it, as expreſly as he did call Bezaleel 4.and Aholiab, as he called Hiram, when Solomon ſent for him, to help him build the Temple: he could have caſt your lot to be meane men, or in his providence have left you among them who have deſerted him and his cauſe, (who ſhall therfore one day be cloathed in confuſion) but he hath kept you here, while theſe great matters of Religion Iſa. 58.are in hand, things which I hope will prove the foundations of many gnerations: This work he hath called Eſa. 44. ult.you unto, and hath ſaid to you, as once he ſaid to Cyrus, Build my houſe; and when God calls, you may be bold to follow him, rely upon him for wiſdome, counſell, ſtrength, ſucceſſe, &c. according to that promiſe Eſa. 45. 2. I will go Eſa. 45. 2.before thee, I will break in peeces gates of braſse, and barres of iron, I am the Lord who calls thee, and will bleſſe thee.

Yea, fifthly, the Lord hath already bleſſed you in it: 5.Remember (I beſeech you) at what a miſerable low ebbe God hath already bleſſed them in this work.we were, when your Lordſhips, and the Honourable Houſe of Commons, entred into an Oath and Covenant with God Almighty, and ſware unto him with your hands lifted up to heaven, that you would endevour the reformation of Religion; what our ſtate was then, and how this work was derided and ſcorned, yet ever ſince, though you have been building in a very troubleſome time, and have for our ſinnes met with many a ſtop, many a Perez-Vzzah in bringing-in the Ark of God, a bleſſed alteration hath God made in our affaires; ſince we have owned his cauſe, how hath he owned us? what deep conſpiracies hath he detected? what victories hath he beſtowed? how many waies hath he bleſſed us, and carried the work on, notwithſtanding our weakneſſes, our follies, our not taking advantage of the opportunities, yet the Lord hath carried it on, becauſe he doth owne it.

Nay, give me leave to adde, your forwardneſſe and hearty affection to it, may make the work eaſie to all 6. Their example will encourage others. Judg. 7. 17.others; if you as ſo many Gedeons goe before them, and ſay to the people, Doe what you ſee us doe, Look on us and doe likewiſe; in this cauſe of God you are like the firſt ſheet of an Impreſſion, when that is printed, it is a patterne for thouſands to be wrought off afterwards with eaſe.

Nay laſtly, know it for certaine, that in this point of the 7. And Gods▪ ſervants will live and dye with them in this work and cauſe. 1 Chro. 28. 21.purgation and reformation of Religion, all the well-affected of England will live and die with you: what David ſaid to Solomon, My Son, up and build, all the Nobles, and Princes, and the courſes of the Prieſts, will be at thy command, I may boldly apply to you, Go on in this work, and you ſhall find England will never deſert you, the State of England, the well-affected, the Gentry, the People, the Miniſters will live and die with you, while you will live and die cordiall to Gods cauſe. It is an old obſervation, when Princes and great men leave God, they loſe their Names, Friends, Glorie: while Joaſh was for Religion, they all ſtuck to him; when he liſtened to the Princes who drew him off from God, he loſt his life and glorie all at once: even famous Solomon himſelfe, who built the Temple, when he forſook God, he loſt ten of his twelve Tribes: and it's as true here at home, among them whoſe hearts remaine faithfull to God and his cauſe, either in the houſe of Lords or Commons, although ſome clouds doe ſometimes riſe over them, ſome jealouſies and ſurmiſes, (which ſoon blow over againe) few of them are forſaken; but let any tacke about, and forſake God, and they are blaſted preſently, they are irrecoverably loſt. My Lords, conſider of theſe things ſeriouſly, and let theſe arguments, taken from your owne condition and ſtanding, provoke you to goe on reſolutely in this glorious work. There is one Motive more, and that is taken from

The fruit and the gaine that will come of this great work Motive 2. From the gain of this work.of your building up the Church of God: Take it in two branches, in two things, both which (I am aſſured) are very deare to you; the one concernes your ſelves, the other the State.

For your ſelves, your Honours, and Families, and Poſterities, 1.are certainly very deare to you; men of great To themſelves. In this world God will build their houſes.bloud, and birth, and eſtate, make the preſervation and eſtabliſhing of their Familie, ordinarily next to the ſalvation of their ſoules: Now (my Lords) you may take this for a certaine Rule, Build you Gods houſe, God will build yours; Jehu, though not ſound at heart, entailed the Crowne of Iſrael to the fourth generation upon his poſteritie, 2 King. 10. 30.for ſticking to God in the cauſe of Baal, in rooting Baal out of Iſrael; and God promiſed concerning Solomon, 2 Sam. 7. 11, 13he ſhall build my houſe, and I will eſtabliſh his Throne; mark it, thoſe two go together, he ſhall build my houſe, and I will eſtabliſh his Throne; and God ſaid to David in the ſame chapter, becauſe he had but a purpoſe to build a houſe for the Lord, becauſe it was in thy heart to doe it, I will build thy houſe for ever; and even the very Midwives in Egypt, who loved Exod. 1. 20.Gods people, God built them houſes. So that if ever you would eternize your names, and bring Gods bleſſing upon your families, know certainly this is the onelyonly way, other projects will not doe it, he can cut off families and houſes in their greateſt glory: Shebna thought by pride, and pomp, and ſtate, to carry it out, but ſhalt thou reigne (ſaith God) becauſe thou haſt built thee a brave houſe? Ile kick thee like a ball in ſtrange countries: It is no thinking to continue greatneſſe in deſpight of God, who at his pleaſure puls down and raiſeth up. But in this work you have him ingaged, build you Gods houſe, and hee will build yours, give his bleſſing to your poſterity, or in caſe they faile, give you a name that is better then of Sons and Daughters. And in another world, a better houſe preparedBut I'l tell you that which is better for you, better to your ſoules, when you have ſerved him herein this glorious work, when the day of account and reward comes, they who faithfully work moſt in this building, ſhall have the beſt wages, they ſhall ſit upon thrones there, and ſhine even as the Sun in the firmament, for ever.

Secondly, The benefit of this work for the publique 2. This would ſettle the State.State.

The publique State (my Lords) is that, that you have ſweat and toyl'd for hitherto, and you would rejoyce to ſee it well ſetled, to ſee poore England, buoide out of theſe quick-ſands, into which it is falne: What a bleſſed man would he be, that could but put us into the way, how to pacify Gods wrath kindled againſt the Nation, and ſecure it for the time to come; Now (my Lords) this will doe both, this will pacify the wrath of God. No ſuch way under Heaven, to remove it, as to goe on faithfully in Reforming the Houſe of God, in ſetling Religion according to the Word: That Heathen King Artaxerxes, ſent a letter by Ezra, to all the Governours, and bids them, that they ſhould let Ezra have all that he would Pacifie Gods wrath at preſent.deſire for the Houſe of God, ſo much Gold and Silver, and Wheat, and Oyle, and Salt, as much as he would, and bids him goe on, and ſet all in order; and what was the great Motive? For (ſaith he) Why ſhould there be wrath upon the Realme of the King, and his Sons? marke it, if all Ezra 7. 23.was not done that was requiſite for the Houſe of God, there would be wrath; and let it be done, and there would be no wrath; ſo I ſay to you, that God who hath caſt us into theſe combuſtions, can eaſily quiet them: how often when we have been ready to ſtrike ſaile in the harbour, hath ſome Euroclydon caſt us out into the ſea againe? and on the other ſide, when ready to ſinke, how unexpectedly hath he raiſed our hopes? Our work lies with him, and with him only, pacify God and all is done; this black ſtorm will bee blown over, if hee but ſpeak all will bee quiet: you may ſee this clearly in the prophecy of Haggai, God was very much diſpleaſed with them, and blaſted and Haggai, per totum.curſed every thing they took in hand, but as ſoon as they cordially ſet upon this work, his ſpirit was pacifyed towards them. And then for time to come, (with which I end) The doing of this work wil be the readieſt way to ſecure England againſt the like danger; I am perſwaded, you all think that the ſeeds of deadly and continuall feuds are now rooted between Family and Family, Neighbour and Neighbour, ſuch are the plunders and havocks made out of cruell ſpight, and God knowes whether the childe but new born will ever live to ſee an end of them; theſe I think are your feares, but carry you on this work, and this will ſecure the peace of the State for the time to come, I ſay againe, the doing of this ſhall ſecure all, ſo that no Enemy ſhall bee able to hurt you. It's ſaid of the Trojans Palladium, and the Romans Ancile, that they were the protection of thoſe Cities, that while they were ſafe, no Enemy could hurt them; when they were ſtolne and gone, the City was loſt; Certainely the eſtabliſhing of this, will bee the Palladium and Ancile of England; you have a promiſe in the fourth of Iſaiah, the latter end of it, The Eſa. 4. 5.Lord would create upon every dwelling of Mount Zion, a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire, for Upon all the glory there ſhall bee a defence, mark, a defence upon all the glory; Keligion is the glory, the ordering of Gods Houſe, is his glory, and that is a defence even a wall of fire; And you have had good experience of the fruit of Religion, in this huge conflict wee have had theſe three or foure yeeres together for our Religion, and Liberty; mark, who are they that have left you, and who adheard unto you, whether the Counties that have forſaken you, have not generally been the dark places, the Cities, and corners of the Land, where nothing but ſuperſtition, Prelacy, Ignorance, and profaneneſſe have dwelt, and whether the City of London, and the Counties which have had the Goſpel, where Chriſt hath been ſoundly preached, have not been the men, who to the exhauſting of all, have adheared to you in your righteous defence; and it's hard to name one Town that hath been againſt you, where the people are ſubdued to the Goſpel of Chriſt, and you find the generality of godly men thorow-out the Kingdom reſolved to ſink or ſwim with you, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt hath put it into your hearts, to reform and build up Zion. I will conclude with that promiſe, in the 58 of Iſaiah, the latter end, where the Lord exhorts his people to build the old waſte places, and repaire the Cities for the generations, &c. The great incouragement which the Lord there gives them is, The glory of the Lord ſhall bee their Eſa. 58. 8.Rereward; not their reward onelyonly, but their rereward, their reſerve; that that ſhall back them; the glory of the Lord is Religion, the Ark and Ordinances: Set up Religion, beautifie Eſa 60 13.the place of his Sanctuary, make the place of his feet glorious, that will keep God among you, and keep the people faithfull to God and your ſelves, and eſtabliſh you ſo, that the Enemy ſhall not bee able to riſe up, or if he do, and come one way, he ſhall fly ſeven waies; And this is the firſt Circumſtance from which the Prophet ſo magnifies this work of building up Zion, becauſe when the Lord doth build up Zion, hee appears in his glory: Conſider what I have ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in althings.

FINIS.

End of the text · Stephen Marshall, Gods Masterpiece (1645)

Gods Masterpiece, Sermon

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the Houſe of LORDS at the Monethly Faſt, March 26. 1645.

A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the Houſe of LORDS at the Monethly Faſt, March 26. 1645.