Divine Efficacy Without Human Power, Title page – Dedication
DIVINE EFFICACY WITHOUT HUMANE POWER. Opened in a SERMON Preached at St. Margarets Church in Weſtminſter before the Right Honourable the Houſe of COMMONS, June 28. 1660. Being the day of ſolemne Thankſgiving for the happy Return of the Kings Majeſty.
By EDWARD REYNOLDS D. D. And Chaplain in ordinary to his Majeſty.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe, for George Thomaſon at the Roſe and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1660.
Friday 29th. June 1660.
Ordered,
THat the thanks of this Houſe be given to Dr. Reynolds, for his great paines in preaching and carrying on the work of publick Thanſgiving, before the Houſe at Saint Margarets Church Weſtminſter yeſterday, and he is deſired to Print his Sermon then preached, and is to enjoy like Priviledges in Printing, as hath been allowed to others in like Caſes.
And Mr. Pryn is deſired to acquaint him herewith, and to give him the thanks of this Houſe accordingly.
W. Jeſſop Cl. of the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND IN PARLIAMENT Aſſembled.
Right Honourable,
IT may juſtly ſeem strange unto you,Non ſe capit exundantis Laetitiae magnitudo, ſed dedignata pectorum latebras, ita multa & candida foris prominet, ut intelligatur, non ingentior eſſe quám verior. Nazar. Paneg. That, when Joy is one of the ſwifteſt affections of the ſoule, and of all other moſt impatient of ſuppreſſion. This Sermon, preached before you on one the greateſt ſolemnities of Joy that this Nation hath ſeen,In eundem hominem non puto … Gaud…m & S…l…ntiam. Pacat. ſhould have yielded ſuch ſlow and lingring obedience unto your commands, and like Cuſhi ſhould come laſt with the tyings of a Reſtored King, for which I have no other Apology to make but this, That the joy of one Service did retard the haſt of another. For having, together with ſome other of my Reverend Brethren, received a command from his Sacred Majeſty, (whoſe heart is zealouſly ſet upon healing the breaches and diviſions which are in the Church of God amongſt us) to draw up ſome materials towards ſo happy a work; and finding, That in papers of ſuch a nature, brought under the view of different judgments, (wherein every clauſe, yea, many times ſingle words and particular expreſſions, prove the ſubject of long debates) it is impoſſible to make ſuch diſpatch, as otherwiſe the urgency of the deſign doth paſſionately call for: the neceſsary and conſtant attendance upon that ſervice, did put for a time a ſuſpenſion upon the obedience, which I was ready much ſooner to have yielded unto your Commands, for publiſhing this Sermon.
It is now at laſt, by Gods aſſiſtance, come forth, and ſheweth how eaſily the Spirit and providence of God; can erect his Temple, and provide for the Intereſts of his Truth and Worſhip, though the inſtruments of it be utterly deſtitute of humane power. It is indeed an happy thing, when they who have power will exert it for God, and lay it out upon the ſervice of his Houſe. But though they ſhould want hands or hearts to build the Church, God hath ever a reſidue of Spirit to advance his own work by,Mal. 2. 15. and knows how to infatuate all Counſels,2 Sam. 15. 31. Iſa. 19. 3. 11. and to diſſipate all enterprizes and machinations which are framed againſt it.Job 5. 12, 13, 14. 12. 17.
Our eyes have ſeen how eaſie it is with God to diſsolve and demoliſh the moſt cunningly erected ſtructure,Iſa. 54 17. which either policy could contrive, or power ſupport,1 Reg. 19. 12. and that with a ſtill voice, and in a ſilent way, without ſo much as drawing a Sword, or ſtriking a blow to effect it. How he can do things which we looked not for, Iſa. 64. 3.by rebuking ſeas,Mat. 8. 26. and levelling mountaines,Zach. 4. 7. and melting Armes,Pſal. 46. 9. and ſcattering the beaſts of the reeds, Pſal. 68. 30.and making a plain and ſudden way through inſuperable difficulties to bring home our DREAD SOVERAIGN to his Throne and Native Dominions again.Iſa. 49. 11.
And he who hath wrought wonders for us in theſe our Civil concernments, can do the like for his Church, Iſa. 43. 4.(the Intereſts whereof, are, of all things on the Earth, deareſt unto him; and the welfare and happineſſe whereof, all the Earthquakes and Concuſſions, which have beene amongst us, do call aloud unto you, to looke after, aad to be tender of.Hag. 2. 6, 7. When the Lord ſhakes heaven and Earth, Churches and States, it is to make way for him who is the Deſire of all Nations. If Chriſt, and the Glory of his holy Ordinances, and ſpiritual worſhip be not more exalted; If the ſonnes of Levi be not purified, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteouſneſſe; Mal. 3. 3.if the Houſe of God be not purged of corruptions; if pompe and ſplendor, and terrene intereſts be the things moſt paſſionately proſecuted, and the vitals and eſſentials of Religion, the great things of the Law, purity of Doctrine, ſpiritualneſſe of Worſhip, power of Godlineſs but in the ſecond place regarded: If we be zealous for mint and cummin, Luke 11. 42.and philacteries and precepts of men, Mat. 23. 5.and have not a proportionable fervour of zeale for the Magnalia Dei: Mat. 15. 9.Certainly God will yet reckon with us,Acts 2. 11. and call us to an account for all the blood which hath been ſhed, for all the Treaſure which hath been exhauſted, for all the Judgements and mercies, for all the providences and wonders which have been expended upon us. I ſpeak not this to accuſe, but onelyonly to awaken; not to charge, but onelyonly to beſeech you to conſider, whether the Lord do not expect, That after ſuch viciſſitudes of wonders as we have ſeen, (eſpecially having inclined the heart of our GRACIOUS SOVERAIGN unto moderate, healing, and Reforming Reſolutions,) you ſhould together with him take up the ſame purpoſes, to make the Church of Christ amongst us more holy and happy then ever it was before. For certainly never any Parliament had greater advantages to promote Religion, than you have. I ſhall conclude this Dedication and addreſſe unto you with the words of Azariah the Prophet unto Aſa, 2 Chron. …. 1.The Lord is with you while you be with him, and if you ſeek him, he will be found of you, but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. The Lord ſhine upon all your Counſels.
From my Study, July 24. 1660. Your Honours moſt humbly and devoted in all duty and obedience EDW. REYNOLDS