The Craft and Cruelty of the Churchs Adversaries, License – Dedication
Die Sabbathi, 5. Novemb: 1642.
SIR William Maſſam is appointed to return thanks to M. Newcomen, for his great pains taken in the Sermon he this Day preached at St. Margarets, at the intreaty of this Houſe, and to deſire him forthwith to print his Sermon, and to give a Coppy thereof to the Committee for Religion, that when they ſhall have liberty to ſit, they may conſider by it, how to prepare and provide for the extirpation of Popery; And it is further Ordered, that he ſhall have the uſuall priviledge for Printing his Sermon.
Hen: Elſyng, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I Appoint Chriſtopher Meredith to Print this Sermon,
MATH: NEVVCOMEN.
This is Entred,
HEN: WALLEY.
THE CRAFT AND CRVELTY OF THE CHƲRCHES ADVERSARIES, Diſcovered In a SERMON Preached at St. Margarets in Weſtminster, before the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS, Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT. Novemb. 5, 1643.
By Mathew Newcomen, Miniſter of the Goſpell at Dedham in Eſſex.
Quid facit in Pectore Chriſtiano Luporum Feritas, Canum Rabies, Saevitia, Beſtiarum, Veneuum Lethale Serpentum?
Cyprian.
Cum ſitis Impij Crudeles, Homicidae, Inhumani, non amplius eritis Chriſtiani,
Lucifer Calazit.
Publiſhed by Order of the Houſe of COMMONS.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Chriſtopher Meredith, at the Sgne of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard, M.DC.XLIII.
TO THE HONOVRABLE THE HOVSE OF COMMONS now Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
IF there be any Hiſtory in all the Booke of God that may paralell our times, ſure it is this of Nehemiah.
The People of Iſrael though delivered from their long and ſorrowfull captivity in Babylon: yet long it was ere they could ſee Truth and peace eſtabliſhed in their Church and Common-wealth, the Temple of God reedified, the worſhip of God reſtored, the walls of the holy Citty repaired, the Lords Sabbaths ſanctified, the Prieſts in their ſeverall Orders and ſtations attending the ſervice of their God: Long it was ere matters of Church and State attained unto a Beautifull Regularity; c Pembl.ſome reckoning above a a 100. other above 150. bPerk. Chronol. Red. cap. Anno. 3431. Secundus Nehemiah praefectus, Anno Mund. 3537. Calvetius & Helvicus, redit populi, 3418. Secund Nehem. praefect. Anno 3575.ſome 200. yeares. d The vulgar Latine and the Engliſh Geneva, make Ezra the writer of this Story, but it is a miſtake. Nehem. 1.1. See Pembl.Three on ſets were given to this great work: thrice did the Lord raiſe up and employ bleſſed and glorious inſtruments in it before it arrived at it's perfection. The firſt was Zorobbabel, Ezra 1. The ſecond was Ezra, Ezra 7. The third was Nehemiah, the Author of this Booke, according to the good hand of his God upon him,eNeh. 4.2, 3. with invincible courage and indefatigable patience againſt the inſolent ſcoffes, multiplyed conſpiracies fCap. 4.8, 11. cap 6.2, 4.and terrifying reports of his enemies, gCap. 4. cap. 12. cap 6.6, 9.againſt the treacheries of ſome of his owne Brethren and Nobles, and their baſe compliances with the publick Adverſaries hCap. 3.5. cap. 6.10, 17.againſt the murmurings of the people iCap. 4.10.5.1, 2, &c.with great expence of his eſtate kCap. 5.8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.and hazard of his life lCap. 4.23.6.2.carried on this great work, and gave it a full and bleſſed period, to the comfort of the Jewes and terrour of their enemiesmChap. 6.16
To paralell this: the people of England, though through the mercy of God they have bin in a gracious meaſure delivered from the ſpirituall Captivity of Romiſh Babylon, which our fore-Fathers were enthralled in ſo long a time; yet now almoſt a 100 years have paſſed over us, ſince that firſt deliverance, and yet we ſee not that purity of Truth, that beauty of worſhip, that orderlines of adminiſtrations, that ſtrength of diſcipline, as wals and bulwarks about this our Jeruſalem, which hath bin the deſire, prayer, expectation of us & the ages that were before us. God ſeems to me to proceed by the ſame ſteps with us, that he did with the people of the Jews, and hath made 3 viſible and memorable on-ſets upon the Reformation and reſtauration of his Church among us. The firſt by that famous Prince, the miracle and glory of his people & age, Edward the 6. of ever bleſſed memory, whoſe beginnings though exceeding hopeful and promiſing were ſoon ſtopt by acountermand, as it were from the God of Heaven, as Zerobabells beginnings were by letters from the KingnEzr 4.23, 24.. Soon after the work was revived againe by his deare and gratious ſiſter Q. Elizabeth, in whoſe hands the Lord cauſed the worke to proſper to ſome further perfection, yet not unto that beauty and glory we hope our God intends to raiſe it to therfore this 3d time hath God raiſed up Inſtruments for the advancing of this worke, even your ſelves, Honorable and Beloved: who though you have met with the ſame oppoſitions in this great imployment that worthy Nehemiah did: Malignant ſcoffs, bloudy conſpiracies, reports full of various terrours, deſertions of ſome of your Brethren, murmurings of not a few of the people: yet in the midſt of Armies and changes of Oppoſitions and diſcouragements, have hitherto with unwearied patience and undauntable Reſolutions, not without great expence of your eſtates and hazard of your lives, attended upon this worke now theſe two years. At the preſent to the great griefe of all loyall and honeſt hearts, we ſee you in the ſame poſture that Nehemiah and his aſsiſtants were, Cap. 4.17. Every one with the one of his hands working, and with the other holding his weapon, a ſad condition: yet go on, the work of reforming the Church is Gods: he called you to it, he will maintain and defend you in it, he will give perfection to it, God is not as Man, that he ſhould begin to build, and not be able to finiſh.
The ſutableneſſe of this Hiſtory to our times, invited my thoughts (upon Summons received to this ſervice) to looke into this Book, and ſee if there were not ſomething there might fit the Day, and the ſutableneſſe of that portion of Scripture, which is the Baſis of this enſuing Diſcourſe unto the Day, concluded my thoughts upon this Text. My deſire and prayer was, that I might ſpeake ſomething that might give glory to God for the manifold and great Deliverances he had wrought for us, and ſomething that might give encouragement to your ſelves in the great things you are to work for God. This latter part of my deſire was intercepted by a feare of conſuming too much of that time, which (though your Piety could willingly have beſtowed upon the worke of Praiſe-offering) yet the extreme neceſſities of State, could hardly ſpare. This made me ſilence, much of what I had prepared to ſpeake, both in the Explicatory and Applicatory parts of the Sermon: which yet (ſeeing it is your pleaſures to command what you heard to the Preſſe) waits now with the reſt upon you. I dare not thinke there is any thing,foreign either in the one or in the other, that can adde unto your light: if any thing ſpoken or written may excite or encreaſe your heat, I ſhall enjoy much of the end I propounded in this Service. I dare not undertake to direct in any thing, if in any thing, I may erect your ſpirits in times ſo full of diſtempers, with a Chriſtian holy dedignation of all oppoſitions to carry on the great buſineſſe of the Lord Ieſus, in eſtabliſhing Religion, Reforming the Church, rooting out Popery. I have enough, if I faile of this, it is the ſin of my infirmity, not my intention.
Luther in ſad tumultuous times was wont to ſay to his Brethren and thoſe about him, Come let us ſing the 40. Pſalme. Me thinkes you (Right Honourable) in theſe ſad conflicting times may ſay one to another, come let us reade the Booke of Nehemiah, there you may reade experiences, encouragements, quicknings, directions, preſidents, to ſpread them before you is not the worke of an Epiſtle: nor is it needfull, having beene fully and excellently offered to your view in a Faſt Sermon,Dr Gouge his Sermon. onelyonly this, as you have made the ſame preparations to this ſervice you are now upon,Nehem. 1. which Nehemiah did, addreſſing your ſelves thereunto by Faſting and Prayer: and have met the ſame varieties of oppoſitions and diſcouragements, ſo perſiſting in the ſame pathes of Zeale for God, compaſſion to his Church, dependance on his power, adherence to his cauſe, conſtancy in his Service, Doubt not but the ſame mercifull hand of his and your God (after your Nehemiah like conflicts) ſhall crowne your faithfullneſſe with Nehemiahs ſucceſſes, which were ſo glorious, that when all their enemies heard thereof, Nehem. 6.16.and all the Heathen round about, they were much caſt downe in their owne eyes, for they perceived that the worke was wrought of God. And they that are of you ſhall build the old waſte places, ſhall raiſe up the foundations of many Generations: Iſa. 58.12.and yee ſhall be called the repairers of the breaches, the reſtorer of paths to dwell in, which hath been and is, the Prayer of
The leaſt and unworthieſt of your and the Churches ſervants. MATH: NEVVCOMEN.