A Two Edged Sword out of the Mouth of Babes, Part
The firſt of theſe hath two Branches:
1 Doctrine in two branches.That to ſenſe and reaſon it is a moſt unlikely thing, that babes and ſucklings ſhould ever quell the enemy and the avenger; that Chriſt and his followers ſhould ever bee able to cope with the adverſaries that are engaged againſt thems.
2.That though it doe appeare moſt unlikely to ſenſe and reaſon, yet ſo it is, they have ſufficient ſtrength to quell and ſubdue all their enemies; That it is an unlikely thing to ſenſe and reaſon, I ground it upon the expreſſion which the holy Ghoſt hath choſen, Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings: 1 Branch. It's an unlikely thing to ſenſe and reaſon that Chriſt and his Church ſhould be able to overcome their enemies.Chriſt and his followers are here called babes and ſucklings, not onelyonly becauſe their originall is from being babes, but principally becauſe the Lord would ſhew the diſproportion which to reaſon doth appeare between them and their enemies, they are babes, and the other are Gyants; they are poore ſucklings, the other are the enemies of God; yea, the enemy, the great enemy and the avenger: ſo that little David with his ſling did beare more proportion to the Gyant that was armed in braſſe, then babes and ſucklings can beare unto thoſe whom God calls his profeſſed enemies; and you may obſerve in the Scripture, the Lord uſes to ſet it out by the moſt unequall matches that can bee found; Jer. 31. 22, 23. opened and explained: Proved by the compariſon which ſets out the unlikelihood of it.Firſt conſider that expreſſion, Jer. 31. 22. How long wilt thou goe about, thou backſliding daughter; for the Lord bath created a new thing in the earth, a woman ſhall compaſſe a man. God had promiſed them deliverance, and now hee blames them for going about to ſeeke other helpes, and would not reſt on his word, becauſe they ſaw no hope or probability of its comming to paſſe; hee tells them this ſhould bee no barre to believing, for the Lord will create a new thing, a woman ſhall compaſſe a man, the church was a weake woman, deſtitute of armes, of ſtrength, of skill, the enemy from whom they ſhould be delivered, were as a man, yea, a ſtrong man, (ſo the word ſignifies) and ſuch was the Babylonian Empire at that time; yet this woman ſhall compaſſe, i. e. beſiege this man, ſo as to overcome and take him: Now how improbable this was to ſenſe and reaſon, that a weake woman ſhould bee able to doe this to an armed man, any man may judge. Conſider alſo that compariſon in the 41 of Iſaiah, verſe 14, 15, 16. when the Lord would ſet out the oppoſition betwixt the Church and the Enemies, the Church is called a worme, the enemy is called a mountaine, yea, mountaines, in the plurall number; Fear not thou worme Jacob, I'll make thee my threſhing inſtrument to beate the mountaines to duſt. Now what proportion is there betwixt a mountaine and a worme? one bit of a mountaine would kill 10000 wormes; but here is one worme to cope againſt a great many mountaines, a moſt unlikely thing; Pſal, 22. ver. 6. Chriſt compares himſelfe and his people to a worm, I am a worme, and no man, a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the people; Pſal. 22. 6. 13. 16. 202.and his and their enemies hee compares to fat Bulls of Baſhan, to ravening and roaring Lyons, to madde and fierce dogs: Thus alſo our Saviour told his Diſciples, they were as ſheepe among wolves, Behold I ſend you out as ſheepe among wolves. Luke 10 3.A handfull of ſheep goe to fight with a whole multitude of Wolves, is there any probability to ſenſe or reaſon, that they ſhould carry the victory? Proved 2 by ſome inſtancesBut it will bee yet clearer in a few inſtances:
Firſt, take that of the Lord Chriſt himſelf, who is the head and Captain-generall of the Party, when hee came into the world to undertake this grand enemy, even the enemy, and the avenger; marke how hee appear'd, the ſtate of the world then ſtood thus, the Devill and his Angels in all places were worſhipped as ſo many Gods, the Empires and Kingdomes of the world were all at the Devills diſpoſe, hee was then the God of the world, and ruled in the hearts of all; the Lords friends lived in one onelyonly corner of the world, in the Land of Judea, and they were at that time brought into captivity to the great red Dragon, the Roman Empire, the profeſſed enemy of the God of Heaven, and theſe were his vaſſalls; Among them commeth Chriſt as a Champion to undertake this great adverſary; and thus he enters the Liſts, borne in a ſtable, wrapped up in rags, bred a poor Carpenter, lives 30 yeares in the world almoſt untaken notice of, when hee did come to ſhew that hee was the Saviour who had undertaken the redemption of his people from their thraldome, they who ſhould have owned him, and joyned with him, ſcorn'd him, rejected him; none but a few women and children, and fiſhermen, would ſo much as acknowledge that hee was ſent of God, yea, they never leave him till Jewes and Romans, (following the counſell of the Devill) had agreed together to deſtroy him, they tooke him, hung him upon a croſſe, crucified him, and there let him remaine a ſhame and a reproach, and curſe, and laughing-ſtock to all the world, and now was the time hee was to fight the field; thus was hee accompliſhed for the warfare, and now was hell let looſe upon him: who that ſhould have looked upon Chriſt at that time, would ever have thought that deliverance ſhould have come by him? would not all have ſaid of him, as ſome of the ſonnes of Belial did of Saul, and with a great deale of more reaſon toe, How can this Man ever ſave us? fieſh and blood, I dare ſay, would have given up the Cauſe as loſt.
Secondly, take another inſtance in the firſt Champions whom Chriſt ſends out in his Name, his Apoſtles, and the reſt of his Diſciples, taken out of Fiſher-boates, and from other the like conditions, and hee ſends them to reduce the world under his ſubjection: ſee what probability there was, that they ſhould ever ſpeed: they goe out a Company of weake men, without money in their purſe, without a ſword by their ſide, unto a prejudiced world, where all were engaged againſt them, and thus muſt they go to ſubdue the world, and how I pray? by preaching ſuch a Doctrine as was for the greateſt part utterly above the capacity of man, ridiculous to mans reaſon, that they ſhould beleeve in a crucified God, and appoint them a way of ſelfe-deniall, plucking out their right eye, and cutting off their right hand, and their right foot, and forſaking all, and taking up a croſſe, and following a crucified God, and when they had done all, then they ſhould looke for that which no man ever ſaw, a reward in a place where no man ever was that they had heard of, a reward of glory in another world, after they had undergone nothing but miſery in this world, and with this Doctrine muſt they overcome the world. When Mabomet came out, hee had a Doctrine that ſuited Mans reaſon and his luſts. And when Antichriſt came, hee had a way that would pleaſe whatſoever was in a carnall heart, but theſe muſt go out with that, againſt which every man hath as many principles as hee hath luſts in his heart. Would ever any man thinke, that all this project and undertaking would not have fallen preſently into the duſt? I could goe on (but that I have many things to handle) and ſhew you that in all the Churches conflicts it hath been ſo. When God ſent a ſhepheard to fetch 600000 men out of the land of Egypt, where they were in bondage, how ridiculous an attempt would it appeare to fleſh and blood? When they were to come out of the Captivity of Babylon; when Athanaſius was to undertake the Arrian world; when Luther and a few company of Fryers and Monkes that came out of their Cells, undertooke to deſtroy the maſterpiece of policy that ever the Devill had, was there any likelyhood to fleſh and reaſon they ſhould carry it? I adde further, every particular Saint who is brought home to Chriſt, is a ſufficient proofe of this, when grace comes firſt into their heart, as a ſparke of fire into a well of water, as a graine of muſtardſeed caſt into a barren ground, a poore weake Creature, who hath onelyonly learned to know the way to life, preſently aſſaulted with all the power of the world and hell it ſelfe. No man that ſhould looke upon it with the eyes of reaſon, but would conclude, it will never come to any thing.
The reaſon why it's ſo unlikely to ſenſe and reaſon.And there is this reaſon for it, becauſe the principles of ſenſe and reaſon can behold and view all the power that is againſt them, the temptations and allurements of the Devill, the world and the fleſh, are all agreeable to our corrupt nature, and wee can diſcerne what ſtrength is in them, the oppoſition which the wiſdome, authority and power which all the Kingdomes and men of the world make againſt the Saints, appeare in its full ſtrength, as clearly as the Army ſent to take Eliſha the Prophet, did unto his ſervant.2 Kings 6 15 But on the part of the Babes and Sucklings, ſenſe and reaſon ſees their weakneſſe, but ſees nothing, of their ſtrength, that's no more diſcerned then the fore mentioned ſervant ſaw the mountaines full of Chariots and Horſes of fire, before the Lord opened his eyes, that is, a hidden, ſecret thing can be beheld and known only by the light of faith, and the revelation of God, which they have no underſtanding of; there is the firſt. The ſecond Branch is,
2 Branch. Yet they have ſtrength to doc it, and ſhall doe it.How unlikely ſoever it appeare, yet ſo it is, they have a ſtrength, whereby they ſhall and will quell all their enemies, even the enemy and the avenger, the victory is ſure enough: For the proofe of this, nothing is more cleare in the Book of God. Firſt,
Proved firſt by many promiſes that it ſhall bee ſo.All the promiſes are for it, a thouſand promiſes have declared it muſt bee ſo, The ſeed of the Woman muſt breake the Serpents head; Gen. 3. 15.I will build my Church, the gates of hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it. Matth. 16. 18.No weapon that is formed againſt thee ſhall ever proſper; Every tongue that riſes up againſt thee, in judgement thou ſhalt condemne; Eſay 54. 17.Feare not thou worme Jacob, thou ſhalt threſh the Mountaines, and beat them to duſt: Eſay 41. 14.Ariſe and threſh O daughter of Zion, and I will make thy borne iron, and thy hoofes braſſe, and thou fhalt breake in pieces many Nations: Micah 4. 13.I will make Jeruſalem a burdenſome ſtone, for all people that burden themſelves with it, ſhall bee cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth bee gathered together againſt it: Zach. 12. 3.God will tread Satan under your feet ſhortly: Rom. 16. 10.All that is borne of God overcomes the world: 1 John 5 4I write unto you little children, becauſe yee have overcome that wicked one: 1 John 2. 13.who hath not read abundance of ſuch promiſes as theſe are?
2 By experience it ever hath been ſo.And experience hath found it thus, ſee it in a few examples: Firſt, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe at that time, when hee appeared ſo unlikely, as you have heard, then did hee breake all his enemies, and led captivity captive; and hath hitherto ſo farre prevailed, that all the Empires which have riſen againſt him, the Aſſyrian, Perſian, Greeian, Roman, whether the Roman bee conſidered as Pagan, or Arrian, or Antichriſtian, Chriſt hath got the victory over them all, he hath broke them all, no power of Devill or world hath not been able to ſtand againſt him; this ſtone cut out of the mountaine without hands, hath ſmitten and broken the great image of Gold and Silver, Braſſe and Iron,Dan. 2. and he muſt reigne till all his enemies are made his footſtoole.Pſal. 110. And not onelyonly Chriſt, but the Fiſhermen and the reſt of their companions that have been ſpoken of, ſerve for a ſecond experiment; I will bee bold to ſay it, that Alexander and all the Caeſars never conquered ſo many, as thoſe ſimple men ſubdued to Chriſt in a very little time. In one age their line went into all the corners of the world, the Sunne did hardly ſhine upon a place, where they did not ſet up Trophees of their Victories, as unlikely a thing as it was. Yea, all the Saints of God that have lived hitherto, have all found, that whatſoever Tongues or Spirits have riſen up againſt them have been condemned, the woman hath compaſſed the man, the worme hath deſtroyed the Mountaine, and they have at the long runne been able with Paul to triumph, not onelyonly over poverty, and hunger, and nakednes, and perſecution, and ſuch outward troubles, but over Principalities and Powers,Rom. 8. 35, 38 and all ſpirituall wickedneſſes too, the Devil himſelf hath bin trod under all their feet. And ſhal be ſo more & more.And as there hath been experience of it hitherto, ſo whoſoever reads the Scripture will finde, that the older the world growes, the more experience there will bee of it continually, becauſe now begin the times of Chriſt and the Churches manifeſt conqueſt: hitherto they have carryed it, but not ſo viſibly alwayes before the eyes of men; but we expect the dayes to bee at hand, wherein the Saints ſhall take the Kingdome, Dan. 7. 18.and all the Kingdomes of the world ſhall bee the Lord Chriſts, and hee ſhall reigne over them;Revel. 11. 15. and that Kingdome that will not ſerve Chriſt, ſhall bee deſtroyed, and they ſhall with joy and comfort bring all their glory, and conferre it upon the head of Chriſt, and put it into the hands of theſe Babes: So that the Babes and Sucklings muſt carry it; Reaſons of it.and if you'll have a ground or reaſon for it, 100 might bee added. Firſt,
1.It is Gods onelyonly deſigne, the onelyonly great project that the Lord hath laid from eternity, that the Babes and Sucklings ſhould carry the day againſt all their enemies; it is the maſterpiece of his contrivement, wherein hee will not indure to bee diſappointed. And then ſecondly,
2.His heart is with them, his love is ſet upon them, they are his children, the apple of his eye, they are written upon the palmes of his hands, they are continually in his ſight, he loves them as hee loves himſelf.
3.Thirdly, and his power is with them, his Almighty power, that power which can as eaſily make a World, as it can uphold a ſtraws all that power is engaged, that no man ſhall ever bee able to prevaile againſt them. Theſe, and many more ſuch reaſons as theſe are, have been ſo frequently ſet before this Honourable Aſſembly, in the times of your greateſt extremities, to uphold your hearts, that I ſhall not need to ſay any more, neither in truth doe I know what to adde to that which hath been ſpoken by other men. I come therefore to a ſhort application of both the branches, and among many excellent Uſes wee might make of the firſt, That it is an unlikely thing to ſenſe and reaſon, that Chriſt and his Church ſhould bee able to conquer their enemies, I ſhall obſerve onelyonly this one,
To teach you all not to wonder, why the wiſeſt men, and Vſe of the firſt branch, not to wonder though ſo few wiſe men own the Churches cauſe.greateſt men of the world, the moſt politique and wary men of the world, in all ages have, and doe moſt of them reject the cauſe of Chriſt and his Church, ſeldome willing to venture themſelves for it: …ou know Paul obſerved it in his dayes, 1 Cor. 1. 26. Brethren, you ſee your calling, not many noble, not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many learned, and all ages have proved it ſo. And when multitudes followed Chriſt himſelfe, the Phariſees demanded, Doe any of the Rulers, or of the Phariſees beleeve on him? John 7. 48. And Hierome obſerved in his dayes, that when one Paulinus a brave young noble man imbraced Chriſtian Religion, there was more wondering at it, than if a Mule had caſt a foale: now this leſſon may fully inſtruct you in the reaſon of it, ſo farre as any of their principles are able to make up a judgement, the cauſe of the Church is a loſt cauſe, Chriſt and his Saints are but like David againſt Goliah, they are but wormes againſt a Mountaine, and what wiſe man would ever engage himſelfe in ſuch a fooliſh and unlikely buſineſſe? who that hath underſtanding would put his fortune into a Ship that hee thinkes will ſinke in the Sea, which will daſh againſt the next rocke, or bee ſplit with the next wave? Indeed when the Church is ſmiled upon, and countenanced by Kings and Princes, it's no marvaile though wiſe, rich, and great men doe joyne with it; but when warres and perſecutions are raiſed againſt it, which hath moſt-what been the Churches lot hitherto, wonder not though wiſe men withdraw from it, when they can ſee nothing but ruine attend them who take with this ſide; and this is the very reaſon of their withdrawing, and this alſo abundantly ſatisfies mee in our preſent trouble, wherein we have had ſo many Lords, ſo many Gentlemen, ſo many Learned men, ſo many great and rich men to have deſerted the Cauſe that the Parliament was engaged in. I ſolemnly profeſſe, I rather wonder that any wiſe man, if not ſanctified, hath ſtayed, that any Man not guided by the Spirit of God, ſhould venture himſelfe in a Cauſe that appeared ſo deſperate as this Cauſe of Chriſt hath done to the eyes of fleſh and blood. I juſtly call it the Cauſe of Chriſt and his Church, becauſe it's apparent that the Parliaments engaging themſelves for reformation of Religion, as well as preſerving civill Liberties, hath provoked moſt of theſe enemies againſt them. Therefore let this ſatisfie you abundantly, when the multitude of the world generally goe againſt the Cauſe of Chriſt, they thinke it folly to owne it, becauſe they looke upon it as a loſt Cauſe. But the other Branch affords many excellent Uſes: One is,
Uſes of the ſecond branch, Conſolation to whom; who joyne with the cauſe of Chriſt and his ChurchThis may hold up and content the heart and ſpirit of every one that hath given up his name to Chriſt and his Cauſe, entered his name into Chriſts Muſter-booke, is enrolled amongſt the ſouldiers of the Lambe; I know fleſh and blood, ſenſe and reaſon, thinkes wee have the worſer end of the ſtaffe, but let ſuch know, what dayes ſoever may come, hee ſhall never have cauſe to repent that hee engaged himſelfe on this ſide, the victory is ſure enough: ſome men in theſe conflicts of ours, have ſolemnely proteſted, that their plot was onelyonly to bee on the ſafeſt ſide, that they might bee ſure to ſtand, whoſoever fall. In the name of God, I promiſe it to every one that hath undertooke with Chriſt, in the Cauſe of his Church, they ſhall ſucceed well. They uſed to ſay in Rome, in Germanieus his dayes, Salvus Germanicus, ſalva Roma, ſalva omnia, Germanicus is well, and the City is well, and all is well: I ſay it with better confidence, Chriſt is well, his Church is well, their Cauſe is good, a ſucceeding Cauſe, a proſperous Cauſe, and all ſhall bee well, the worme muſt beat the mountaine to duſt, the Woman muſt compaſſe the man. It may for a while ſeeme to goe very hard with the Church, but the end will bee comfortable; it was of old ſaid of the Romans, they were ſometimes praelio victo nunquam bello, they loſt many a battell, but in the concluſion they conquered every Nation which warred againſt them: This moſt undoubtedly is the fate of the Church, & might hold us up in all our preſent difficulties: I know many of you are yet at your wits end, and wonder what will bee the end and event of theſe things; the pillars of the Earth, the pillars of the Land, the pillars of Truth as well as of Peace, are ſhaken, ready to fall; wee are wofully divided into minutula ſruſtula, and the young childe of Reformation in danger to bee ſwallowed up, a Hydra, a Dragon watcheth for it, a malignant party on the one hand, Blaſphemies, hereſies, and diviſions on the other hand; but there is a Spirit working wil ſubdue all, the zeal of the Lord wil bring all well to paſſe, therefore hold up your Spirits and fear nothing, I cannot but commend unto you that excellent ſpeech of Luther to Melancthon, when the Proteſtants were in a very low eſtate, when Melancthon was affraid, Come (ſaith Luther) to him, let the Pholips, let the Biſhops, let the Turks, and the Devill himſelfe doe his worſt againſt us, nos filii regni ſumus, wee are the children of the Kingdome, Dominus prope adeſt, the Lord is at hand, wee are engaged with Chriſt, whom they have crucified and ſpit upon, wee muſt carry the day from them: So I ſay to thee, Feare thou nothing, the Barque wherein thou art may be toſt, it will never be ſplit, troubles may come, the preſent may continue, new ones may come, but nothing ſhall come, but ſuch as that Chriſt contrives purpoſely, that things may appeare difficult to us, that his glory may bee the more in his carrying us through them all, and in the name of Chriſt, I promiſe you the event ſhall bee ſucceſſefull.
2 Uſe of conſolation to every particular Saint.And as this is comfortable in reference to the whole Church, ſo it is wonderfully comfortable to every particular ſoule that feares the Lord Chriſt, and may uphold them in all their temptations and afflictions, croſſes and deſertions. I am perſwaded many a ſoule who heares mee this day, wonder how they ſhall ſubſiſt one weeke longer, their ſpirituall preſſures, temptations, deſertions, are ſo ſtrong, another findes their outward afflictions ſo intolerable, and their preſſures more and more breaking in, ſo that they are ready every moment to ſinke under their burthen, and know not what will become of them; ready every day to conclude as David did in his haſte and feare, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul, I ſhall never hold out, I ſhall never be able to ſtand againſt theſe impetuous aſſaults; but cheare up thy heart, if there bee any thing of Chriſt in thee, though it bee but as ſmoking flax, it ſhall never bee quenched, though but as a bruiſed reed, it ſhall never bee broken, though it bee but a babe and ſuckling, thou ſhall quell all thy enemies. I tell thee, I know it, that all the power of hell is engaged againſt thee, becauſe thou art for Chriſt, whether there bee any power of hell in thy heart, in thy luſt, or in thy family, in thy father, in thy husband, in thy mother, in thy brethren, or about thee, all will bee againſt thee; but as this power is againſt thee, ſo I aſſure thee, all the power in Heaven is engaged for thee, all the power that the God of Heaven hath, all his Attributes are for thee, and therefore doe thou conclude, though thou art a worme, a woman, &c. the worm ſhall threſh the mountaine, the woman ſhall compaſſe the man, the lambe ſhall overcome the wolfe, and what is ſaid in the 17 of the Revelations, of all the Kings of the earth, that they ſhould ſet againſt the Virgin Company, who follow the Lamb, but the Lambe ſhould overcome them, for hee is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and thoſe that are with him, who are called, and choſen, and faithfull, the like is true of every ſoule who is a follower of the Lord Chriſt, they muſt overcome, and by the helpe of the Lord tread all their enemies under their feet.
3 Vſe, exhortation to all, to have nothing to doe againſt theſe Babes & Sucklings.Secondly, becauſe how unlikely ſoever the thing bee, the Babes and Sucklings muſt queil all their enemies; let me teach you all this point of wiſdome, never have any thing to doe againſt the Lord Chriſt, or any of his children; beware how thou have thy hand in any contrivement againſt any of thoſe that are the Lambes followers: I cannot give it you better, then in an expreſſion of Solomons, in Proverbes 24. 15, 16. to a wicked man; Lay not maite, O thou wiched man, againſt the babitation of the righteons, ſpoile not his reſting place; For the righteons falls ſeven times a day, riſeth agains; but the wicked fall into miſchieſe: Prov. 24. 15, 16I take the plaine meaning to bee this, Solomon tells wicked men, hee knows they cannot but bee like themſelves, plotting and contriving miſchieſe againſt thoſe that feare God, and poſſibly it is, that through their contrivements they may cauſe the people of God oftentimes to fall, to fall into afflictions, under many croſſes, but let them fall never ſo often, they will bee like the corke, thruſt it under the water, you cannot keep it under the water, it will riſe againe, ſo ſhall it bee with godly men, they will get out of their troubles: but when the wicked falls, hee falls to the purpoſe, hee will fall into miſchief, and never riſe againe, God will deale with them as hee did with Moab, in the 16 of Iſaiah, Wee have heard of the pride of Moab, (he is very proud) even of his haughtineſſe and his pride, and his wrath, but his lyes ſhall not bee ſo; therefore ſhall Moab howle for Moab. Iſay 16. 6, 7.Moab thought to make my children mourn and howle, but I'll make Moab howle for himſelfe: So thou maiſt thinke to carry on a plot or deſigne againſt Religion, againſt the ſervants of God, either their Cauſe in generall, or ſome particular perſon of them, but forbeare it, as Gamaliel ſaid to them, Forbeare theſe men, middle not with them, leſt yee bee found fighters againſt God; Act. 5. 38.they may fall into trouble, but God will bring them out. I conclude this with that ſpeech of David, Pſal. 37. The wicked plotteth againſt the juſt, and gnaſheth upon him with his teeth, the Lord ſhall laugh at him, for hee ſeeth that his day is comming. Pſal. 37. 12, 13This is the firſt Leſſon, now I proceed to the ſecond.
Which is the manner how theſe Babes and Sucklings doe exerciſe this their great ſtrength, Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings; You know that every creature which God hath endued with any ſtrength, hath a peculiar way of bringing out its ſtrength'; the Lions ſtrength lies in his jawes, the Beare in his pawes, the Eagle in her talons, a Man by his armes, the Bull by his hornes, the Scorpions have their power in their tayle'; thus every creature that hath any notable ſtrength, hath ſome eminent way to exerciſe it: Now would you know which way doe theſe Babes and Sucklings, exerciſe their ſtrength, it is out of their Mouth, Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings. The Leſſon I propound to handle from it, is this,
That the peculiar way, whereby Chriſt and all his ſeed doe Doct. 2. The ſtrength whereby the Babes & Sucklings doe overcome their Enemies, proceeds out of their mouth. Thus Chriſt himſelfe.overcome their enemies, is by a power that comes out of their mouth: That's the peculiar way of fighting, power comes out of their mouth: For the truth of it, ſee it, Firſt, in Chriſt himſelfe, when it was propheſied of him in the 11 of Iſaiah, v. 4. how hee ſhould reigne and rule over all Nations, the Spirit of God layes it downe thus, He ſhall ſmite the Earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips hee ſhall ſlay the wicked. Eſay 11. 4.It was a rod of his mouth, and the breath of his lips, that's the ſtaffe of his power, that which is called in the 110 Pſalme, the rod of his ſtrength,Pſal. 110. 2. is in this 11 of Iſaiah called the rod of his mouth, ſo alſo in the 19 of the Revelations, v. 15. where hee is brought on horſeback, fighting his battaile in the field, and deſtroying all his enemies; it is ſaid, Out of his mouth came a two edged ſword, that with it hee ſhould ſmite the Nations; and if you read his ſtory while hee was upon earth, you may obſerve that all in a manner which he did, came out of his mouth; ſometimes by a word of command, thus his miracles were wrought, be healed, be opened, be cleanſed, &c. ſometimes by preaching, converting ſome, convincing others; ſometimes by prayer, that is one reaſon, as ſome thinke, why he is called foreign, the Word of God; becauſe all that hee did was by a word. Secondly,
2. Thus alſo all the Saints overcome.See it likewiſe in his ſervants, all the ſervants of Chriſt; theſe Babes and Sucklings that are his brethren and his ſeed, they all overcome by a power that comes out of their mouth; And to cleare this, conſider firſt ſome paſſages of Pſalme 68. a Pſalm, which I confeſſe deſerves to be more fully cleared, then a ſhort Sermon will allow, being ſo full to this purpoſe, the whole Pſalme being a full declaration of the way and manner how Chriſt and his followers doe overcome all their enemies; The firſt verſe of the Pſalme is, Let God ariſe, and his enemies bee ſcattered; and the cloſe of the Pſalme is, God hath given ſtrength to his people, bleſſed bee God, that is the drift of it, to give glory to God for the ſtrength hee hath given to his Sonne, and the followers of his Sonne to ſubdue all their enemies, and how is this performed? to ſay nothing of Chriſt himſelfe, you may ſee the way of his Saints overcomming, notably deſcribed, ver. 18. Thou baſt aſcended on high, thou haſt led captivity captive, thou haſt received gifts for men; even for the bellious alſo, that the Lord God may dwell amongſt them: Pſal. 68. 18.When Chriſt aſcended, then hee gave ſuch gifts to his children and ſervants, that by them they ſhould bee ſo farre able to tame the moſt rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them, ſet up his throne and habitation in the midſt of them; what theſe gifts were, the Apoſtle tells you expreſly in the 4 of the Epheſians; When hee aſcended up on high, hee gave ſome to be Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors, and Teachers, Epheſ. 4. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.theſe were the gifts which were powred out upon the day of Pent…coſt, all which were repreſented by the ſimilitude of cloven Tongues, Acts 2. 3.whereby the Lord would teach you, that all the gifts which Chriſt hath powred out upon his Church, there is nothing ſo lively a reſemblance of them all as the Tongue: out of the mouth by the tongue, comes all the power that the Saints have; Rev. 11. 5 6. explained.you'll finde it as plain, if you look into the 11 of the Revelations, ver. 5, 6. where the two Witneſſes of Chriſt their manner of overcomming is deſcribed. Theſe two Witneſſes are by the beſt Interpreters judged to be the ſmall number of true believers, who followed Chriſt all the time of the Antichriſtian Apoſtaſie, againſt theſe all the world fights, for the ſpace of twelve hundred and ſixty yeares, theſe two Witneſſes ever cartyed the victory, and there are they compared to Moſes and Aaron, to Elias and Eliſha, to Joſhna and Zerubbabel, ſo that looke what Moſes and Aaron did in their time of Iſraels comming out of Egypt, what Elias and Eliſha in the time of that Apoſtaſie, and Joſhua and Zerubbabel in the time of that Reformation, theſe two VVitneſſes ſhould doe the ſame; but how? even as Moſes, Aaron, Elias, and the reſt overcame all enemies and difficulties, by a power proceeding out of their mouth, as appeares in their ſtories; ſo doe theſe, theſe can ſmite the earth with plagues, theſe can turn waters into blood, theſe can ſhut and open heaven, theſe can deſtroy their enemies, who would hurt them; but all this proceeds out of their mouth out of their mouth comes fire that deſtroyes their enemies, all is done by their mouth; Rev. 12. 11. explained.and in the 12 of the Revelations, verſe 11. you may there read a great battail deſcribed, that is fought between the Saints, Chriſt and his Saints, and the great red Dragon, but Michael and his Angels overcome the Dragon and his Angels; at the 11 Verſe it's ſaid, They (that is, the Saints) overcame the Dragon by the blood of the Lambe; that was the meritorious cauſe, but the inſtrumentall cauſe was the word of their teſtimony; They overcame him by the blood of the Lambe, and the word of their teſtimony; but you will bee better ſatisfied after I have opened unto you,
Qu.Wherein lyes the power which proceeds out of their mouth, what is it? or what doth their mouth?
Reſp. 5 Things proceeding our of theſe mouths of Babes and Sucklings whereby they overcome.Poſſibly I ſhall not bee able to name every particular branch, but there are five things that are moſt cleare, which all are the fruit of the mouth, and by them in all ages, theſe babes and ſucklings have overcome the enemy and the avenger. Firſt,
1. Preaching.
2. Confeſſing, or profeſſing the Name, Truth, and Cauſe of God and his Chriſt.
3. Praiſing, ſinging out praiſe, and Pſalmes, and hymnes to God.
4. Praying. And,
5. Covenanting.
You ſhall ſee how by all theſe the Saints from time to time have carryed the victory, Firſt,
1. By Preaching.Preaching; when Chriſt ſent his Apoſtles out to goe conquer the world, what was their apparatus? what was their furniture? their inſtruments of warre? it was onelyonly thus, Its, praedicate, Goe out into the world and Preach: Mat. 28. 19, 20.And when hee ſent out the Lxx Diſciples, Luke 10. as lambes among wolves, without ſword, or money, or ſcrip, this was the great weapon hee furniſhed them withall, Preach unto them; and by that time they had been a little trying the power of this weapon, they had led captivity captive, and returne with great ſpoiles; and tell their Maſter, Lord, (ſay they) the very Devils are ſubject to us. True (ſaith Chriſt) I ſaw Satan falling like lightening downe from heaven, by preaching they could ſhoot the Starres downe from heaven, and fetch the Devill out of his Throne: It were an endleſſe task for mee to recount unto you, what preaching hath done; what ſtrong Caſtles have been demoliſhed by preaching; how many thouſand enemies have been made friends by preaching; how many Kingdomes have been ſubdued by preaching; how many thouſands, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand, have been taken out of the roaring Lyons denne by preaching; how before Pauls death the preaching of the Word had gone into all the earth, and unto the ends of the world,Rom. 10 18. Pſal. 19.and rent in pieces the Kingdome of the Devil. This, this is Chriſts Arms, this is the power of God to ſalvation, a thouſand tongues are not able to ſet forth the excellency and efficacy of it; this is the great Monſter queller, which is able to batter down all the ſtrong bolds of Satan, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. which can caſt downe every high thing which exalts it ſelfe againſt the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt: In a word, preaching is that whereby Chriſt deſtroyes the very Kingdome of Antichriſt, though it is the Devills maſter-piece laid the deepeſt in policy, and founded not onelyonly in States but in mens conſciences, yet Chriſt deſtroys it by the Word of his mouth, that is, the preaching of the Goſpel in the mouthes of his Miniſters. Preaching is one, and Secondly,
2. By confeſſing and profeſſing the Truth.Confeſſing is another; Preaching, though it belong to the whole Church, as a gift given to them for their good, yet it is to bee exerciſed but by the Officers of it, it's given to all, not to bee exerciſed by all; but all the reſt of theſe wayes of overcomming are to bee exerciſed by all theſe babes, whether in office or not, whether men or women, old or young, learned or ſimple, and confeſſing or profeſſing the truth is one of them, one of the things which proceed out of the mouth, whereby the Saints overcome their enemies, I'll give you but one text for it, the Lord Chriſt tells his Diſciples,Luke 21. 15. Luke 21. 12. what uſage they ſhould finde in the world, That they ſhould be carryed before Kings and Princes for his ſake, this might be looked upon as a terrible thing to them who had been brought up among rude and common people, to be brought before Kings and High Courts, whoſe ſplendor and majeſty would daſh them out of countenance and amaſe them, ſo that they would not bee able to ſpeake, and whoſe wiſdome, underſtanding and ſubtilty was like to bee ſuch, as would quickly put them to ſilence; but feare not this, ſaith Chriſt, why? I will give you a mouth, I will give you a mouth (that is his promiſe,) that none of your adverſaries ſhall bee able to ſtand before it; that mouth is nothing but a bold confeſſion of the truth and cauſe of God: a notable inſtance hereof wee have Acts 4. 13. the Councell or Synedrion had called the Apoſtles before them, and demanded by what authority, or by what Name they had done this? they preſently made a bold Confeſſion of the Lord Jeſus, and ſaith the Text, When they ſaw the boldneſſe of Peter and John, and perceived they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvailed, Acts 4 13.yea, they could ſay nothing; and whoſoever hath but read the ſtories of the Church may find that the Confeſſions which the Saints, yea ſometimes women and children have made, have repreſſed the enraged adverſaries, have ſometimes wonne, the hearts of them, yea, have converted thouſands: that is a ſecond weapon out of the mouth. Thirdly,
3. Singing of Pſalmes.Singing of Pſalmes, though this you would thinke the unlikelyeſt of all, yet the Scripture is plaine for it; in the 149 Pſalme, Pſ. 149. 4, 5, 6, &c.there you have a promiſe, verſ. 4. God will beautiſie them with ſalvation, yea, ſuch ſalvation, that they ſhall execute vengeance upon the heathen, bind their Kings in chaines, and their Nobles with fetters; this glory have all Gods Saints. How ſhall this bee done? Let (ſaith the Prophet) them ſing aloud, let the high praiſes of God bee in their mouth, and a two edged ſword in their hand: whatever bee meant by a two edged ſword, plain it is, that the high praiſes of God in their mouth is one of their weapons: And in Pſalm. 68. the place before mentioned, about verſ. 22, 23. &c. you have a deſcription of Gods terrible march before his people, the very fight whereof was dreadfull to his enemies; They have ſeene thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King in the Sanctuary; and how was it? you have it verſe 25. The ſingers went before, the players on inſtruments followed after, among them were the Damoſels playing with timbrels, all ſinging Hallelujah, bleſſe yee the Lord in the Congregations, even the Lord from the fountaine of Iſrael. Pſal. 68. 23, 24, 25.And you have an inſtance of it in 2 Chron. 20. when the children of Edom and Moab, and Mount Seir came againſt Jehoſhaphat, when he & his people went againſt them, they went ſinging of Pſalmes; and it's ſaid, verſ. 22. When they began to lift up their voice, and to ſing praiſe to God on High; the Lord ſet ambuſhments againſt the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come out againſt Jehoſhaphat, and they were ſmitten, and they deſtroyed one another. 2 Chron. 20. 22Many other inſtances there are in the Eccleſiaſticall ſtory, of the ſtrength which Gods people have found in ſinging of Pſalmes; there is one famous one, of the Proteſtants in Mountaban in France, who when they (being beſieged) were compelled to fight in their owne defence, alwayes went out to fight ſinging of Pſalmes, and grew ſo terrible to the beſiegers, that in the end, as ſoone as they heard their ſinging voice lifted up within the Towne, before the Portcullis was drawne up, or the gates were opened, their hearts would faile them, and they uſed to cry out, They come, they come, and even fled away for feare, This is a third weapon out of the mouth; but then there is a fourth which is ſuper-excellent in many reſpects beyond all, like Goliahs ſword, there is none to that, that is,
4. Prayer.Prayer: The wonders which the Prayers of Gods people have wrought, no time is ſufficient to tell: Prayer uſes to fetch in all things they need, it removes all evills which lye upon them; Prayer is the key of Heaven, the conqueror of God himſelfe, the ſcourge of Satan, the out-gate from all diſtreſſes; you finde, Pſalme 107. five ſorts of men in miſery: 1 Wanderers out of their way. 2 Troubled and brought low with ſickneſſe. 3 Priſoners. 4 Toſſed at ſea with tempeſts. 5 Oppreſſed by enemies: but Prayer is a medieamentum eatholicum, a remedy for all theſe; then Pſal. 107. 6, 13, 19, 28.They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, & he delivers them out of their diſtreſſe; This Solomon begg'd,1 Kings 8. per totum. 1 Kings 8.When thy people go to war, when they are oppreſt with their enemies, &c. if they humble themſelves and pray, heare thou in Heaven and deliver them; and God promiſed Chap. 9. 3. that it ſhould bee ſo;1 Kings 9. 3. and this innumerable multitudes of Gods people in all ages have found to bee ſo; when Moſes hands are lift up in prayer, Amalek is routed;Exod. 17. 10. when Samuel prayes, the Philiſtims are diſconifited;1 Sam. 7. 9. when David prayes, his enemies flee, When I pray, my enemies are turned backe; this I know, (ſaid hee) for God is with mee. Pſal. 56. 9, 11.The time forbids me to tell of the thundering Bands of Gods ſervants, and what their prayers have done: but in a word I am aſſured, that what the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 11. 32, 33. of the power of faith, The time would faile me to tell of Gedeon, of Barak, Samſon, Jephthah, &c. who through faith ſubdued Kingdomes, wrought righteouſneſſe, obtained promiſes, ſtopped mouths of Lyons, quenched the violence of fire, eſcaped the edge of the ſword, out of weakneſſe were made ſtrong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight Armies of aliens, &c. Heb. 11. 33.hath all beene made good of Prayer: Prayer hath done as much as all this; yea, it hath made the Sunne ſtand ſtill, the Rivers runne back, what is it that Prayer hath not been able to do? Never did theſe Babes and Sucklings in the time of their diſtreſſe, ſeek God by Prayer in vaine. This is a fourth weapon out of the mouth. Fifthly,
5. Covenanting.Covenanting, is another, and for that you have abundance of evidence in all the ages of the Church, from the days of Moſes goe on to Joſhua, and the Judges, and Aſa, and Jehoſhaphat, and Hezekiah, and Joſiah, and Ezra, and Nehemiah, all theſe in their great extremities, (when nothing did proſper, but all went contrary to them) uſed to renew their Covenants with God, entred into Oath and Covenant with him, and God ever proſpered them after it. The ſtories of theſe things are ſo fully knowne, that I ſhall not need to inſiſt upon them. Reaſon of all this, when they are made ſo, mighty in working.If now you aske the reaſon of all this, why ſhould this power of the Mouth, Praying, and Preaching, and Confeſſing, and Covenanting, and Singing bee thus mighty in operation, whence grow theſe Samſons locks. I anſwer, many excellent Reaſons might be given for every one of them, but I will goe no ſurther then my Text, which I know will ſatisfie you: My Text ſaith, Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou haſt ordained ſtrength, or thou haſt founded ſtrength, ſo the Hebrew word ſignifies, conſtituted, made, appointed; and that word when it is applyed to God, ordinarily ſignified one of theſe two things; ſometimes his Counſell, or what his Decree hath appointed, but moſt commonly it ſignifies his making or creating a thing. The Lord by wiſdome founded the Earth, Prov. 3. 10. the ſame word that is in my Text; ſo alſo Pſal. 102. 25. Thou Lord from the beginning haſt founded the earth; and Pſal. 104. 5. Thou haſt founded the earth, or, laid the foundation of the earth; ſo that this is Gods appointment and his creation, God hath decreed it ſhall bee ſo, and the Lord hath created it, and therefore it is ſo; and truly you muſt reſolve all other things into the ſame reaſon, Why hath the Lyon that ſtrength in his jaw? God hath founded it there; why hath the Bull that ſtrength in his horne? why hath Man ſuch ſtrength in his armes? why the Serpent in his ſting? God hath founded it: Philoſophers will carry you on from reaſon to reaſon, and ſhew how theſe ariſe out of their compoſitions and natures; but when all is done, it muſt be reſolved into this, God hath appointed it, and made it ſo and ſo, God hath founded this ſtrength in them, and thus to bee exerciſed by them. And now I ſhould think this Leſſon were very fit for application, did I not know it neceſſary to remove one great ſtumbling block out of the way, which when I have done in a few words, I ſhall endeavour to ſet it home in 2 or 3 Uſes.
Ob. All this by ſome is uſed as an argument againſt our defenſive Armes.All this which I have ſaid of the Armes of Chriſtians, is by ſome retorted upon our ſelves againſt our preſent warre, as if we held not our ſelves within the bounds of Chriſtianity for ſay they, If theſe be all the weapons and ſtrength whereby the Saints doe overcome, why doe you uſe any other meanes to overcome your enemies? why reſt you not contented with this? either theſe are not all, or you are not Chriſtians, not true to your own Principles; Indeed (ſay they) the time hath been when ſuch a Sermon as this was owned as Divinity, in the time of the Fathers, when preces & lachrymae, prayers and teares, were all the weapons which the Church did uſe; but now when you have ſpoke all theſe things of the power of Preaching, and Praying, and Confeſſing, and Covenanting, you are glad to betake your ſelves to Armes, to ſee what they will doe, to helpe theſe out, whence it's apparent you dare not reſt in theſe as ſufficient helpes; and ſo they throw this as a ſtumbling block in our way; but this is eaſily removed. I anſwer therefore,
Reſp. 1.Firſt, that many of thoſe who object this againſt us, doe it onelyonly, that thereby they might the better ſpoile us, as Julian the Apoſtate, when he would expoſe Chriſtians to all manner of injuries, and diſcourage them from ſeeking or uſing any lawfull way to right themſelves againſt any ſpoile or wrong, hee endeavoured to tye their hands by their owne Principles of Religion; and would ſcoffingly tell them, that Chriſtianity taught them, If any man ſtruck them on one eare, they muſt turn the other; and that if any man did take their coat, they muſt let him have their cloake alſo. Howſoever, I know this anſwers not the Objection I therefore anſwer, Secondly,
2.Wee acknowledge, that as we are Chriſtians (in that capacity) wee uſe no other weapons then theſe I have told you of, theſe onelyonly are proper and peculiar to us as wee are Chriſtians; but the weapons which wee enjoy as wee are Chriſtians, doe not deprive us of thoſe that wee enjoy in the capacity of Men; looke whatſoever belongs to us in the capacity of Men, or in the capacity of Subjects, or of Freemen, Chriſtianity doth not take them away, but ſuper-addes theſe unto them. I ſay therefore, that wee have all the ſame meanes of defence againſt unjuſt violence, that are common to us with other men, as we are Men, and wee have the ſame meanes of defence, as wee are Freemen, which other Freemen have; and wee challenge in this no more then wee might lawfully uſe, if wee were Papiſts or Turks, if we were Pagans, Jews, or Indians: we challenge not this to belong to chriſtianity, as peculiar to it, we have learned that by the law of Nature and Nations, men may defend themſelves againſt unjuſt violence; if the Turkes ſhould invade a Countrey of Chriſtians, they will tell him, that as they are Chriſtians, their Praying, and Profeſſing, and Singing, and Covenanting, theſe ſpirituall weapons out of their Mouth will quell them; but as they are Men, they have a liberty to defend themſelves againſt him, & vim vi repellere; or if a Chriſtian man were travailing upon the highway, & a Thief ſhould demand of him, how as he is a Chriſtian, hee defends himſelfe from his enemies; he would tell him by Faith, by Prayer, by the Word of God, by weapons out of his Mouth; but if the Thiefe aſſault him, to take his life or his purſe, as hee is a man, hee will uſe his ſword, and his Chriſtianity will ſanctifie this uſe of his ſword to him. The like inſtances might bee given in other things which concerne Chriſtianity. If any man demand, how live you as a Chriſtian? I would anſwer, by faith, by every word that comes out of Gods mouth; but yet as wee are Men, wee muſt eate our bread by the ſweat of our browes, and as wee are Chriſtians our Chriſtianity ſanctifies theſe other meanes of life unto us, it takes them not away from us: So when unjuſt violence is offered to us, contrary to the laws of the Land, looke what defence is lawfull by our Lawes, Chriſtianity deprives us not of that, it ſanctifies that, and wee have all theſe which I have ſpoken to boot: And ſo is it in our preſent buſineſſe, when the Parliament (the higheſt Court of Judicature, the Court where all controverſies between the King and his Subjects receive their finall judgement and determination) were proceeding to reform abuleſ, and call ſome grand Delinquents and Incendiaries to a legall tryall, a force was raiſed to protect theſe Offenders, and conſequently to compell the Parliament to deſiſt from their work: (and let once the authority of Parliaments bee overthrowne, wee are an inſlaved and conquered people;) thereupon the Parliament, the repreſentative body of the Kingdome, takes Armes to defend themſelves, and to bring in theſe evill doers to condigne puniſhment; this (ſay wee) wee doe according to the Fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome, and were the Kingdome and Parliament Papiſts or Proteſtants, Chriſtians or Heathens, the caſe is the ſame as to the matter of the warre, the Lawes of the Land warranting this juſt defence; now our being Chriſtians, and true beleevers, deprives us not of this defence which wee enjoy as Engliſhmen, but ſuper-addes theſe five things which I have ſpoken of, to ſanctifie our other lawfull meanes of defence, and to make them the more effectuall; and bleſſed be the name of God, wee have found it by experience. Now I proceed to apply the Doctrine for our good.
Vſe 1. Exhortation to to take notice of the comfortable experience wee have had of this, in our preſent troubles.Is this the great power whereby Chriſtians doe overcome their enemies, a power that comes out of their Mouth? O how good is it for us to take notice, how God hath made all this good to us in our experience, in the great conflicts and deliverances which wee have lately had? we muſt thankfully acknowledge, God hath raiſed us up Counſellors who have done their part, and Commanders and Souldiers that have done their part too; the mouth of the Sword hath done its part, but (I ſay) the ſword of the Mouth hath done more: Wee may ſay of the mouth of the Sword, as it is ſaid of Saul, that hee had ſlaine his Thouſands, but the ſword of the Mouth hath ſlaine its ten Thouſands. Wee in our extremities have ſought God, Prayed to him, Covenanted with him, Humbled our ſelves before him, owned his Truth, and profeſſed it; and God hath carryed all our affaires ſo, that when oftentimes our wiſe Councellors have failed, and our Armies have failed, and all other helpes have come in, and have told us, that wee are like to bee ruin'd, the Babes and Sucklings never failed to carry it in the times of our extremities: And I have begged it from God, and ſaid it in this place, and cannot but ſay it againe, I would thinke it a wonderfull glory to God, to have it truly Written and Recorded, how in all our extremities, the power that hath come out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings hath ſaved us from utter ruine: Our adverſaries have laughed at theſe things, and eſteemed all the weapons of our Mouth to bee but wind, but God hath made them ſuch a wind as hath ſcattered them. And (Right Honourable and Beloved) it becomes us well to obſerve it, and to ſtand amazed, and ſay with the Pſalmiſt here, Lord, what is Man, that thou ſhouldeſt be thus mindfull of him? O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the world?
Ʋſe 2. Exhortation to maintaine thoſe Forces for time to come.Secondly, becauſe this is the great way of our conquering our enemies, I beſeech you (I principally ſpeake to your Lordſhips, and to thoſe that are intereſted in being the great Councell of the Kingdome) take care that this Magazine of the Mouth, the powers that come out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings may bee preſerved and recruited, and not any wayes disbanded; It is now a great diſpute among you that are wiſe Stateſmen, what wee ſhould doe with our Armies? whether (there being no viſible enemy in the Field) it would not bee fitteſt to disband our preſent Armies? A diſpute I have nothing to doe with; but this I have to doe with, and make bold to tell you, whatſoever you doe with other Armies, you muſt not disband the Forces of the Babes and Sucklings, out of whoſe Mouth comes your ſtrongeſt helpe. You are farre from having your worke done as yet, Ireland is in a ſad condition, England is wofully unſetled, terrible diviſions are found every where; looke to it, that you have a force about you; what other Forces are needfull, I leave to your wiſdomes, but ſure I am theſe Babes and Sucklings, are the Triarii, the Veterani, the old Souldiers, the Life-guard of England, disband them once and you are loſt. Therefore for the Lords ſake, ſee that this power that my Text drives at, may have all the encouragement that may bee: To this end be carefull of two things.And to this end, your Lordſhips muſt be carefull of theſe Two things. Firſt,
1.To give all the aſſiſtance poſſible, that theſe Souldiers may bee encouraged and multiplyed in all parts of the Land, I meane, that the Goſpel may ſpread, the Preaching of the Goſpel, that Saints might bee wonne, and that the Church might bee inlarged, bee ſetled in peace, that there might be freedome to ſeek God, and to ſerve him according to his will; and know you for certaine, that every ſoul which ſhall be wonne to Chriſt, be it the ſoule of a woman, or of an old man that ſtoops for age, or of a childe, yet every ſoule wonne to Chriſt, and ſo numbred among theſe Babes and Sucklings will bee as ſtout a ſouldier as ever you did employ, and will in your extremity doe more then all the experienced Captains that tread on Engliſh ground, becauſe God is with theſe, and theſe muſt carry it; the power of heaven is engaged with them, therefore for the Lords ſake further Religion, the propagation and ſettling of it; you are wiſe, and can think of the wayes which have been often ſet before you, God Almighty bleſſe you in it, and ever let theſe parties be deare in your eyes, who have ſuch intereſt in Heaven, let them bee owned as the Souldiers who will never fail you, though others may and will. The other thing I humbly adviſe is this,
2.That you would alwayes carry this in your wiſe thoughts, never to engage in any cauſe, wherin you ſhould not be accompanyed with the power that comes out of the Mouthes of theſe Babes and Sucklings: you have found, (though it may be carnall eyes ſee it not) that the prayers and teares of Gods people, and their cleaving to God, and their intereſt in your Cauſe, hath been the greateſt meanes under heaven to keepe your Lordſhips to be a Parliament Houſe to this day; and the Lord keep you, that whatſoever buſineſſe you have, what conteſt or warre ſoever you may have, that your Cauſe bee ſuch, that theſe Babes and Sucklings bee not conſtrained to withdraw from your aſſiſtance; my meaning is, that the Cauſe bee ever good, and ſuch a Cauſe as God will own, and as God cals you to; hitherto your Cauſe hath been manifeſt, and your way hath been cleare; the Lord keep you, that you and the Babes and Sucklings of my Text may live and dye together, and then wee are well enough; but when ever you engage againſt them, or without them, you will be worſted.
3. Exhortation to all theſe Babes and Sucklings to uſe their power againſt Chriſtand their enemies.2. To the reſt; who is there among you that belongs to this party who are of Chriſts number, I beſeech you give us your help, come all of you and helpe the Lord againſt his enemies, helpe in the great worke that now is in hand; doe not ſay you can contribute nothing, it may bee ſome of you have no Money or Lands, no wiſdome or authority: I am ſure thou haſt that which Gods people may receive benefit by, Chriſt hath given thee a mouth, which is a quiver full of choice arrowes; thou canſt profeſſe Chriſts truth, thou canſt ſing his praiſes, thou canſt call him Abba father, thou canſt be one of his remembrancers, thou canſt pray for the peace of Zion, thou canſt ſay, Our Father which art in heaven, let thy kingdome come; and little doeſt thou know what great things thou maiſt doe, in thy Cloſet, in thy Chamber, in the Fields at thy work; no tongue can utter what admirable helpe thou maiſt give; thou maiſt reach Rome and Spaine, and Ireland, ſuccour the one, and deſtroy the other: O for the Lords ſake lay out your ſtrength to the utmoſt; come out (I ſay) and helpe the Lord all that are able; Solomon ſaith, Hee that in a famine withholds Corne, the people will curſe him; what will thy condition be, if thou withholdeſt thy help in the needfull time of trouble; you know Mordecai's ſpeech to Heſter, Who knowes but thou cameſt to the Kingdome for ſuch a time as this? I ſay to thee without any if or and, I know thou art indued with all this ſtrength, for ſuch a time as this, O therefore fill thy mouth with praiſes, with confeſſions, with prayers, and with whatever elſe may quell the Lords and thy enemies, even the enemy and the avenger.
2 Rules how to uſe this power of the mouth, ſo as to make it effectuall.But take this in, thou muſt bee carefull ſo to uſe this power, that it may take and ſpeed, thinke not that every one that pretends to pray, or pretends to Covenant, or profeſſe Gods name can doe it: I could give you abundance of inſtances, where the Lord hath aborninated al theſe things, & they have bin curſes to them who have uſed them, have you not often read of ſuch ſpeeches as theſe, What haſt thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth? when yee make many prayers, I will not heare you; when they pray, I will deſtroy them with ſword, famine, and peſtilence; and many other the like, know therefore its not bare Preaching or Confeſſing, or Singing, or Praying, that will doe any thing, theſe muſt be uſed and done aright; and there are excellent Rules for every one of theſe, to teach us how to uſe them, ſo as to make them effectuall, but a Sermon will not beare the handling of them, I ſhall at the preſent commend onelyonly two directions which are common to them all:
1.1 See that that Mouth out of which all this ſtrength muſt be exerciſed, bee a ſanctified Mouth, a Mouth ſeparated to, and engaged in Gods Cauſe onelyonly; let it not bee the Mouth that St. James ſpeakes of, Out of the ſame Mouth comes curſing and bleſſing; James 3. 9. 10.let it not be a Mouth that ſhall ſing Hoſanna to Chriſt in the Temple, and crucifie him in the Court; that ſhall ſing a Pſalme to him in the Congregation, and a bawdy Catch in an Alehouſe or Tavern; that ſhall bleſſe his Name in the aſſembly of his people, and bleſpheme him in the company of prophane ones; that ſhall talk of Heaven and holineſſe in one company, and uncleanneſſe and luxury in another, this is a Mouth end a Mouth, a double Mouth, that the Lord takes no more pleaſure in, then in a double heart: No, let the Mouth, that is ſuch an excellent inſtrument as this, and the tongue in it, let it (I ſay) bee for the Lord, and for the Lord onelyonly, let it bee a ſanctified Mouth. And ſecondly,
2.2 That though all this power muſt be exerciſed out of the Mouth, yet it muſt come further then from the Mouth, the Mouth is the inſtrument, it is the gun if you will, or the ſword, but the Mouth it is not the magazine, it is not the ſtore-houſe; though the tongue is the glory for execution, there muſt bee another thing that muſt be the fountaine: A double ſtore-houſe, whence the Mouth muſt be ſupplyed with ſtrength.and therefore this ſanctified Mouth muſt fetchall from another treaſury, & there is a double ſtore-houſe whence it muſt be furniſhed. 1 Chriſts Merits.1 Chriſts merit, the meritorious cauſe of all the conqueſt, is the blood of the Limbe; goe not thou out in the force of thy prayer, ſay not, I can pray, I can preach, I have a bold Spirit to confeſſe Chriſt, and I have taken the Covenant, and will ſtand to it: God forbid thou ſhouldeſt thinke this can contribute any thing becauſe it is in thee; no, but let the blood of the Lambe be the meritorious cauſe upon which thou relyeſt, faith in it will make the ſling ſtones, able with David to kill theſe Goliahs; take this away, and thou canſt doe nothing. 2 From a ſanctified heart.2 See that all come out of the good Treaſury within, from a ſanctified heart; when thy Mouth makes conſeſſion, ſee that it come out of a heart that beleeveth; if thou ſing to Gods glory with thy mouth and voice it muſt bee with grace in thy heart; if thou wilt pray, ſee to it, that it be not lip-labour, or onelyonly a company of words or ſentences well compoſed, but let it bee the powring out of the heart, the crying with the heart, with an humble heart, with a beleeving heart; and ſo let thy Covenanting bee, thou wilt ſweare a Covenant, let thy heart ſtand to it, and hold it out, and maintaine it; this is the way to uſe theſe Mouth-weapons aright. I ſhould have inlarged my Diſcourſe upon them, but I rather feare I have been burthen ſome already to your patience. Conſider what I have ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in allthings: And I ſhall end.
FINIS.
End of the text · Stephen Marshall, A Two Edged Sword out of the Mouth of Babes (1646)