A Firebrand Plucked out of the Burning, Title page – Dedication
A FIREBRAND PLUCKT OUT OF THE BVRNING.
A SERMON PREACHED AT Margarets Weſtminſter, before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, at their late ſolemn Faſt, Novemb. 27. 1644.
By Benjamin Pikering, Miniſter of Gods Word at Buckſtead in Suſſex: and a Member of the Aſſembly of Divines.
Publiſhed by Order of the ſaid Houſe.
Jer. 50.33, 34.
Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſtes: The children of Iſrael, and the children of Judah were oppreſſed together, and all that took them captives, held them faſt, they refuſed to let them goe.
Their Redeemer is ſtrong. The LORD of hoſtes is his Name, he ſhall throughly plead their cauſe, that he may give reſt to the land, and diſquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Philemon Stephens, and Samuel Gellibrand in Pauls Church-yard. 1645.
Die Mercurii 27. Novem. 1644.
ORdered by the Commons Aſſembled in Parliament: That Maſter Sallowey, and Maſter Knightley, doe from this Houſe give thanks to Maſter Pikering, and Maſter Gipps, for the great paines they took in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this Houſe, at S. Margarets Weſtminſter: It being the day of Publique Humiliation; and to deſire them to Print their Sermons. And it is Ordered that none ſhall preſume to Print their or either of their Sermons without leave under their or either of their Hand-writing.
H. Elſying Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I Appoint Philemon Stephens, and Samuel Gellibrand, to print this Sermon.
BEN. PIKERING.
TO THE HONOVRABLE Houſe of Commons, Aſſembled in Parliament.
HOnourable Senators, Your patient attention unto, and thankefull acceptance of my undeſerving paines in this Sermon (now according to your Order printed, and in all humility preſented unto you) emboldens me againe to reinforce my exhortation that you would be of good courage, and goe on zealouſly to work with God, untill he be pleaſed to make you and all Gods people happy and bleſſed in ordaining peace, perfecting Reformation, and working all your workes for you.
Nothing is ſo preiudiciall to your proceedings, nothing ſo much hinders good things from us, as many grievous provoking ſinnes in the midſt of us. Hence is it that when peace and freedome with Truth in purity have beene flowing in toward us as a River, the Lord hath cauſed them as Iordan to be driven backwards: the night ſeemed to be paſt, and the day of the glorious Goſpel with peace on earth ſeemed to ſpread it ſelfe over us; but now the ſhadowes are againe ſtretched out, black clouds hang over our heads, ſtill threatening a day of darkeneſſe and gloomineſſe.
The profaneneſſe and incorrigibleneſſe of the multitude declare that we are ripe for iudgement, indiſpoſed and unfit for ſuch mercies as have beene ever ſince the happy beginning of your ſitting tendering themſelves unto us: The vitals of this Kingdome are fearefully diſtempered, the whole head is ſick and the whole heart faint: Our ſinfull diſtempers threaten the diſſolution of the whole body: Therefore through the wrath of the Lord of Hoſts is the Land darkened, and the people are as fuel for fire, and their carkaſſes lye torne in the midſt of the ſtreets: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill.
Certainly it will be acceptable to God, available to the healing of the Land, and reducing us to a fitneſſe for Reformation, if you could, as you have begun, ſet up a faithfull Miniſtery, and eſtabliſh iudgement and iuſtice in the Gates. If iudgement had its free courſe in Citie and Countrey, the courſe of Gods iudgements would determine. Let your zeale for the Lord burne; and this burning which the Lord hath kindled would be quenched. Phinehas ſtood up and executed iudgement, and the plague ceaſed.
Let not the ſonnes of Belial ſay, There is no law now: Let them not be as when there was no King in Iſrael, every man doing that which was right in his owne eyes: let them know that the Kingly power reſides in his High Court of Parliament. Let your terrour be on all the wicked: bring the wheele upon them, or make them flee into deſolate places to cut up the mallowes by the buſhes,Job 30. and Juniper roots for their meate. If iniquitie were purged and the wicked tooke away, God would leave off melting,Jer. 6. Satan would be rebuked, the enemies unarmed: no weapon formed againſt you ſhould proſper.
Every knowne ſinne ſuffered amongſt us, if not prevented nor puniſhed by you, will be as yours, and will give the enemie advantages:Greg. Moral. 10.….20. Therefore ſome thinke that Satan is ſaid to ſtand at Ioſhua's right hand, and ſo of his fellow reformers, as having iuſt accuſation, and therefore too hard for Ioſhua and his fellowes: Nam dextra fortius aliquid & majus ſignificat: to this purpoſe they bring that in the 109. Pſalme, Let Satan ſtand at his right hand, and thus expound it: fac ut Satan in judicio ſuperiores habeat partes: The reaſon why they thus thought was, becauſe Ioſhua did not carefully overſee and inſtruct the people in Babylon; he was not zealous in exciting to the building of Gods Temple: And although we read not that he was faulty in marrying a ſtrange woman, (as ſome ſay, (but without Scripture) he did) yet this was accounted his ſinne that his brethren and ſomes by his neglect or ſufferance had done ſo,Rabb. & Hieron. As Sanctius hath it. Ezra 10.
Thus farre this is uſefull; to excite you to prevent ſinne in others, and to take away occaſion from all that ſeeke occaſion either to aſperſe, or hinder your pious proceedings in building the Lords Houſe, and ſetting up his Worſhip and Ordinances in puritie: O be carefull leſt the Adverſary get advantage; for you are not ignorant of his devices.
Iuſtice alſo requires that you ſhould make ſpeed to heare and to releeve the innocent that cry to heaven, that cry to you as Gods on earth; let not their eyes faile with waiting.
Be zealous for Chriſts cauſe: delay not to eſtabliſh his government and diſcipline with vigour: proceed ſo on in your reforming and treating, that glory may dwell in our Land; that mercy and truth, righteouſneſſe and peace may meete together, and kiſſe each other.
Let your wiſdome find out a way ſo, that for circumſtantiall differences there be no rent made by thoſe who are one body: The wiſdome which is from above, which is pure and peaceable, ſo direct you, that you may take away all pretences of ſeparation or ſchiſme; that every mouth may be ſtopt, that brethren may dwell together in unitie, ſerving the Lord with one ſhoulder; that the God of love and peace may be amongſt us.
Your religious approbation, and expediting of the Directory for Gods worſhip, is no ſmall refreſhing to the ſpirits of all the godly: you have gone farre, but forget the things that are behind, and preſſe on toward the marke: So long as the Iewiſh builders and reformers minded more themſelves and their owne houſes then the Houſe of God, Satan prevailed by the Kings wicked Counſellours in Babylon, and the Samaritancs about Iudea, to hinder their counſels and endeavours: you have given good proofe that you exalt God, and preferre his glory with the hazard of the depreſſing of your ſelves and yours. (The Lord is faithfull who will not forget your unparallel'd zeale and labour of love) Continue in your integritie, and the Lord will continue a Sunne and ſhield to you;Pſal. 105.14. he will for your ſakes rebuke Princes; he will rebuke Satan and all his malignant Inſtruments, that they ſhall be as ſtill as a ſtone: Although Satan be at your right hand, feare not, ſo long as our Mediatour ſits at the right hand of God: feare not, if you (with Ioſhua) ſtand before the Angel of the Covenant: continue to ſtand before him as your Maſter whoſe worke you are about, expecting what he will preſcribe, or enioyne. Continue in his worke, that you may be found ſo doing; ſo acquit your ſelves, that he may ſay, Well done good and faithfull ſervants, you have beene faithfull in all my houſe, enter into your Maſters ioy. Stand before this Angels as your Iudge, to whom in all your iuſt proceedings you may appeale and have reliefe. Stand before him as your Advocate, who hath undertaken the Patronage of your righteous cauſe, and the promoting of your pious undertakings in heaven with his Father; there he ſpeakes good; there he pleads for you: and the Lord will anſwer him with good words, and comfortable words concerning you, and concerning his Ieruſalem. To his powerfull Patronage, conſtant care, and gracious guidance, you and all your weightie Affaires are commended in the daily prayers of
Your moſt unworthy, but faithfull and humble ſervant, BEN. PIKERING.