The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
It is ordered that neither the Table of the Lord, nor His Name be Idolized; nor His Day prophaned; nor Prayers reſtrained; All this the Church Records with all Thankfullneſſe; The Time alſo when this was done: and She ſets her hope in God for after Time, therefore She gives her ſelfe to Prayer.
SECT. I.
The Name reſtored; Idols and Idoll Prieſts Caſt-out; The bold Chancellor rebuked; the Lords Day reſcued from thoſe that offered violence thereunto.
BLeſſed be ye of the Lord; you will have things called by their Name; Cringing and bowing, flat Idolatry; The Table of the LORD, a Table: And His Name ye will not ſuffer to be made an Idoll neither; nor His Day prophaned; nor would you reſtraine prayer; for, next to her Lord Chriſt, it is the life of her ſoule, and more pretious then the breath in her Noſtrills. She will ſpeake of theſe in order, and to your everlaſting praiſe.
¶ 1.
The Church accounts of but one feaſt during her wea…y Pilgrimage here, and it is, That her Lord Chriſt is pleaſed to invite her unto, and make her partaker of at His own Table; where She beholds admirable things, an unspekeable gift, which She cannot expreſſe, but there She ſees her Ieſus, Him, Whom her ſoule loveth, in Him and through Him exceeding riches of grace, abundant mercy, great love.
The Church is abundantly thankfull to you now; That you have reſtored to her the Name, and the uſe of That, whereat She doth communicate, and feaſt with her Lord: She may call it a Table, for ſo it is, and not an Altar, for that is a lye, an abomination, not to be once named in the Church of God, who hath but one Altar, as She hath but one Prieſt.
¶ 2.
The Church hath more thanks to give you before She can leave the Table; That you have rebuked the bold Chancellor, his turning of things upſide downe, which you eſteemed as the Potters clay: Let him order things at his own Table, he had no more to doe in Church-vvork, then Vzziah had to meddle with the Prieſts office: Therefore the Lord going along vvith you, hath ſet a note of disgrace upon him (ſo notoriouſly tranſgreſſing the bounds of his office, the pattent whereof he hath quite loſt, or willingly laid aſide) as manifeſt, as was the Leproſy riſing in the forehead. Bleſſed be ye of the Lord, that ye have ſo rebuked him, and the vile Prieſt alſo, who would make an Idoll of his Lords Name; That WONDERFVLL NAME, making one letter in that Name, more excellent and honourable then another, whereas every letter there is WONDERFVLL, and infinitely glorious: but ſo he did Idolize that Name there, and every where, bovving the knee at the hearing of it, and, in the meane Time, mocking Him to His face. The Church thanks you for this, and that you remembred alſo that which was an offence, and grief of heart.
¶ 3.
The INCLOSVRE, the Railes there, for vvhy ſhould the Prieſts, novv the vaile of the Temple is rent, make the Chancell, as the HOLY of HOLYES, ſo making a difference in places, vvhere God makes none; or why ſhould he ſtand alone there, ſo like a ſacrificing Prieſt, as if the guift he were to diſtribute there, were not common to all believers? Now the Lord Chriſt is as a fountaine opened to the houſe of Judah, the Church. She is indeed a garden incloſed, a ſpring ſhut up, a fountaine ſealed bCant. 4. 12., Becauſe the Church is ſeperated Optimâ fide caſta… conſervas … & tuos fructus intogros. Iun.for her Lords uſe: and all her fruit, as from Him, ſo all reſerved for Him: What her Lord Chriſt is, what He hath, all is for His beloved; Therefore ſhe is peculiarly His, all ſhe is, and all ſhe doth. But her beloved is a common good to the whole Church, to every part and member of the ſame: The pooreſt, weakeſt perſon, hath the ſame right and intereſt in Him, the ſame acceſſe to Him, as the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian hath; even as a beggar pleades the ſame intereſt to the Sun-ſhine, and a common fountaine, as a King doth; for God hath made theſe things common. Bleſſed be yee that you have broken down the Railes there, and thrown-down thoſe Mock-gods, which did ſerve the Heathen, in thoſe darke times, to keep their gardens, and drive away the Crovves; and may yet ſerve ſome to make ſport with, who in the Sun-ſhine (their tender yeares w…ll excuſe them) doe ride upon a long reed and play vvith R…ttles. Theſe dung-hill goods aſcending out of the earth, you have ordered to be caſt out to their place; And ſome of the Prieſts you have whipped-out too, more polluting the Temple then ever did the buyers and ſellers there. The Church accepts all this with all thankfullneſſe, and waites the time when you muſt doe more, even avenge her of ſuch Adverſaries as theſe; who have not only done as above-ſaid, but forced the prophanation of her Lords Day after an unheard of and heatheniſh manner, Surely this bold and daring ſin hath filled up their meaſures brimme full, ſo as wrath is running over now, and bearing them down as a mighty ſtreame. And this the Church remembers often, the more to enlarge and heighten her ſpirit in thankſgiving and praiſe.
¶ 4.
That ſeeing ſhe hath but one Day in ſeven, her Lords Day therefore moſt honourable; her ſoules Day, therein ſhe hath ſvveete communion vvith her Lord, and finds reſt to her ſoule; Her market-Day, then ſhe layes in her proviſion, expecting to live comfortably upon her gatherings all the weeke following: Seeing, I ſay, ſhe hath but one day, ſhe is dainty and curious thereof: zealous according to knowledge, and religiouſly covetous, ſhe would not have a minute of that ſacred time waſted. And now that you have rebuked the vile Prieſts and their brutiſh people, for their horrible prophanation of this Day, ſhe accepts this with all thankfullneſſe. Surely the Day when you did this, and the place where you did it, ſhall be called GILG ALL, for then and there you rouled away the reproach of Egypt. This ſhe accepts alwaies with all thankfullneſſe, but more abundantly, if more I…ſ…. 5. ….can be, would ſhe be enlarged for that which followes.
SECT. II.
The Churches Prayers, pretious and prevailing; Shee entreates ſhee may speake for her ſelfe, or chuſe her ſpoakeſ-man.
THat you have regarded the breath of her noſtrills, and the life of her ſoule, She doth profeſſe unto you in the preſence of her God, that ſhe hath but one meanes, in her abſence from Him, whereby to ſeeke His face; To know His mind concerning her, and her converſation here below: But one means to carry up all her wants, and to bring down all her bleſſings: for ſhe accounts nothing a bleſſing which is not gained by Prayer; and ſhee writes upon every thing ſhe receives, ASKT OF GOD: But one meanes to hide her ſelfe in the clifts of the rock, till the indignation be over: For, when the Lord ſh…ll ſhut the Heaven, and open His Armory againſt the earth aIer. 50 25., bringing forth all the weapons of His indignation: Then hath ſhe but one meanes, one ſhift (but as one ſaid, its foreign a greate one, and a ſure one) HE ARE THOƲ IN HEAVEN THY DWELLING PLACE, AND FORGIVE AND DOE. This is all her refuge, SƲPPLICATIONS TO HER GOD.
The Church hath much to ſay at this point; But ſhe humbly thankes you; that you did not thinke it fit to bind her ſtrictly, in her Publike Aſſemblies, to formes of others making: Alas they cannot reach her wants, nor the booſome of her God. The heart knowes its own bitterneſſe, and can beſt indite her own ſorrowes, and make them known unto her God. But yet the Church will not preſcribe heere, only ſhe hopes you vvill conſider, how ſhee hath been dealt with very lately, when a ſtout Prelate was ſo daring as to preſcribe her a prayer, and then cheate the world with her Name, The Churches Prayer, when indeed it was Lincolns Prayer, ſo the prayers have been all this Time, ſome private mens devotions, and then called the Prayers of the Church. But had this beene all, ſhe had held her peace. Behold how her Adverſary like an imperious WHO RISH WOMAN hath dealt with her theſe l…ſt yeares, which ſurely her Lord will take as a FORCING His QƲEENE before His Face; It is notoriouſly known, that the Adverſary hath, by his preſcribed formes, comp…led her to blaſpheme the Name of her God, and her own Name; to curſe her beſt friends, and to bl…ſſe her worſt enemies. In conſideration of the premiſes, ſhe conceives great hope, that, if you allow not her children to chooſe their ſpeakers, yet to allow of your choiſe; ſuch an one, who is ſincerely honeſt, underſtands their caſe, the weight of his office, and is ſufficient to be their mouth to their LORD, and to make knowne His meaning to them.
The Church is confident, that if you ſhall well conſider her Negotiations, you will find them weigh more upon the ballance, then thoſe concerning the greateſt Prince in the world; and yet ſhe will take the grant of this her requeſt, as a ſpeciall favour and grace from you, though not only a Prince, but inferiour perſons will challenge ſo much as their proper Right.
But ſhe referres her ſuites to the Cloſet, ſhe is now giving in the tribute of thankes and praiſe: and ſhe bleſſeth God and thankes you with all her heart, for all the labour of Love, worke of Faith, Patience of Hope towards her Sonnes and Daughters, that you have brought them ſo farre, even HITHERTO; ſhe ſets a marke upon it, for it requires ſpeciall obſervation.
SECT. III.
The ninth of September, a notable Day, to be written and to be named both; written, becauſe; on that Day, an unrighteous Decree, To eſtabliſh a Service odious to God (one of their own being Judge) was made Null and of none effect: Named, as in Dayes of old forthe ſame Reaſon.
HEre I have concluded the yeare almoſt in the middeſt of a Month; I could not elſe have given up the full tale of wonders. It was neceſſary I ſhould goe to the ninth of that MonethMonth, ſo farre, that it might the more fully appeare, how farre the Lord hath brought His Church working wonderfully for His people. That Day the Worthies adjourned their Court for five weekes, that ſo they might look over their private intereſts, and then returne againe well refreſhed for the Common-weale, and Gods worke, vvhichwhich that Day, late at evening, had a notable cloſe.
The Church ſeemes to heare a voyce now, as one of her ſonnes once did, comming to her eares with a double charge, Sonne of man write the name of the Day, even of THIS SAME DAY *Ezek. 24. ….. And the ſpirit ſuggeſts unto her the ſame Reaſon in effect, which He did to the Prophet for ſo doing. She remembreth well, ſome there were, who that ſame Day, vvould have eſtabliſhed the Liturgi… (as now it is) with all it's faults, which all indifferent men doe find there not a few: and acknowledge it to b… a Service, which God never commanded, neither ever ca…e it into His Heart. He that pleads ſo hard for the Liturgy (as now it is, for that muſt be remembred ſtill) the continuance and eſt…bliſhment of it in the Church; even the ſame man t…ls us, it is a S…RVICE ODIOƲS TO HEAVEN. Doth he ſo? Truly, I th…nke ſo, but j…dge you. No that you w…ll not, you will ſay, for you are not a judge; let the learned give judgement in theſe matters, and let my ſpirit be ſubj…ct thereunto. I confeſſe this is a point of w…ſdome and of modeſty both But I take judgement here in a vulgar conſtruction, and ſo we may judge; for the eare can try words, as the Mouth can taſte Meat *Iob 12. 11.. I will then give you out his wor…s by tale, for we find a pretty parcell of them together. Thus he ſaith firſt,
GOD WILL HAVE NO WORSHIP OF OUR D. Hals Com. l. 2 p. 138.DEVISING, Then God will not allow of all our Liturgy, for ſure, there is ſomething of mans deviſing therein, as no man vvill deny that is not all fore-head, and dares deny that Snow is white or fire will burne.
2. WE MAY ONLY DOE, WHAT HE BIDS US, Then we muſt worſhip the Father in SPIRIT and in TRƲTH, for the FATHER SEEKETH ſuch to worſhip HIM.
3. NOT BID WHAT HE COMMANDS NOT. Ioh 4. 23.Then the Curate muſt not bid Saints dayes to be kept holy; for God commands them not. He commands His Day to be kept holy (which the bold Prieſt hath count…rmanded) and ſuch dayes, vvhichwhich are to the Church now, as dayes of PƲRIM vvere to the Church of old, Dayes turned unto them from ſorrow to joy and from mourning into a good Day bEſt. 9. ….. So alſo dayes of Atonement, Faſting Dayes, called alſo Sabbath Dayes.
2. The Biſhop muſt not bid his Curate reade all the Liturgy, for then he will reade Arch-Angels, which he ought not to doe, for God commands him not to reade a lye, we never heard or read of that word plurall, but in the Liturgie,
4 NEVER DID ANY TRUE PIETY ARISE OUT OF THE CORRUPT PUDDLE OF MANS BRAINE. We believe it; and withall, that all is not true Piety, that is contained in the Liturgy; for the worſt part of it (I heare the moſt part of it, nay, ſome ſay, all that is properly called the Liturgie) ariſeth out of the corrupteſt ſinke that is in the world, the Popes Maſſe-book, and that had it's originall ſpring out of mans brain.
5. THAT SERVICE, WHICH FLOWES NOT FROM HEAVEN IS ODIOUS TO HEAVEN. Be it ſo, then ODIOƲS this Service muſt be for the Reaſon afore-ſaid; for the worſt part of it flowes from the Prieſts mouth now, and he derives it, as was ſaid from the moſt corrupt perſon and booke, the …ope and his Maſſe-book.
The Church now makes no concluſions from the premiſſes againſt ſome ſet formes of CONFESSION, THANKES, REQƲ …ST &c. It being the judgement of the graveſt and moſt learned Divines, that ſuch ſet-formes may be and muſt be. Indeed the Doctours words ſeeme at the firſt view, and more then ſeeme, if they be narrowly looked into, cleane againſt them, ſet Formes I meane. But the Church concludes nothing; No, ſhe leaves all determinations and concluſions at the foot of her Lord, and of His Word; and under that authority, ſhe concludes her ſoule: and ſhe expects, That all her Sonnes vvill in their conſultations, touching this great buſineſſe, ſtand like the ſtalke of a Ballance, leaning to no ſide, neither to the right nor left, but juſt as the Churches Standard, the MIND and WILL OF GOD expreſſed in the ſacred Scripture, ſhall ſway them juſt ſo.
But for this Liturgie ſo diſtracted, ſo mangled, ſo like torne fleſh, ſo complying vvith the Maſſe-booke all along, and ſo filling up the houre, ſo as vvhen the Miniſter hath ended his Liturgie, he thinkes he hath done ſervice enough to the Church, that part of the Day: For this Liturgie the Church thinkes there can no ſufficient reaſon be given for the continuance of it; and therefore her Sonnes and Daughters will write this Day, vvhen the weake overcame the ſtrong, and the feweſt in number prevailed over the ſpirituall Lords; even that Day, the NINTH OF SEPTEMBER And that we may ſet a fuller marke yet upon that Day, the Church would have us note two ACTS of the spirituall Lords, very notable both, and the conſequence there-from: The one bearing date from the 16. of Ianuary, 1640 and iſſued forth by bill the ninth of September following, for the feoffi…g this Liturgie by their laſt will and teſtament upon the Church, her ſonnes and daughters for ever; wherein their ſpirits vvere ſo ſervent that they were conſumed in their owne fire. The other Act, bearing date the …9. of December, 1641. whereby they would have made void …ll that the Lords …nd Commons, (more ſpirituall then they) had done for the Church and Common-wealth. Preſently after their former Act, ſo full of that, we ſometimes call Spirit; This word SPIRITƲALL was caſt out of the bill; we might reade it there this once, and then no more for ever. By the…r l…ſt Act …f Subſcription, full of the ſame ſpirit alſo, their LORDSHIPS were c…ſt out of the houſe and with their owne hands. H…ein the Re…aliation of the Lord was wonderfull, how He meeted forth unto them the portion of their meaſures, becauſe they forgot Him and truſted in falſe hood dI…. 13. 25.. But this belongs to the yeare following; we are to write this day, even this ſame Day the ninth of SEPTEMBER for then the Church put-in a Caveat, That the ſpirituall Lords laſt Will and Teſtament might prove null and of none effect. The Church muſt name that Day alſo; ſo ſhe can and give it a very proper name, as once it was, when the Lord wrought wonderfully for His people. Thus we reade, That the Lords of the Philiſtines came up againſt Iſrael, preſently after Iſrael had powred out themſelves before the Lord: Then Iſrael cryed unto the Lord and to their Seer, that hee would cry for them in the eares of the Lord: So he did, for he knew his duty, and he cryed ſo long till he got a great Thunder out of Heaven upon the Philiſtines and diſcomfited them; So they were ſmitten before Iſrael. 1 Sam 7.Where we note in paſſage, that Samuell is the man of warre, and his Lord the God of Hoſts, all creatures ſerve Him, great and ſmall, high and low, Fire and Haile, Snow and Vapours, ſtormy wind, which execute His Word bPſ. 148. 8,. It was ſo here; The Seer hee prayes, offers Sacrifice, and then the Lord thundred.
And now that the Lord had made a Breach upon the enemy, Iſrael purſues them, and ſmote them untill they came unto Bethcar: Now the Prophet hath his mouth as wide opened in praiſe, as before in prayer; and not onelyonly ſo, but he ſets up a Monument to keepe in mind this admirable Deliverance; he tooke a ſtone ſetting it up, and called the name thereof, EBEN-EZAR, ſaying, HITHERTO the Lord hath helped us; His glory hath been a REREWARD cIſa. 58. 8.hitherto.
This muſt be the Name of the Day, a good Day, and a good name HITHERTO. The Church commands her Sonnes and Daughters to ſet-up quickly this Monument to His praiſe, while the Mercy is freſh; for, as the Eele out of the hand, ſo Mercies ſlip out the mind; Wee have ſtill need of Remembrancers and none like this: To remember this Day, and that HITHERTO the Lord hath helped us. But becauſe this HITHERTO is counted by ſome a ſmall Mercy, the Church will reaſon out the caſe with a bruitiſh people at this Standard, turning her ſelfe unto her Lord.
¶ 1.
A wonderfull mercy and muſt have everlaſting praiſe; That the Lord hath brought his Church HITHERTO.
IS this the manner of Man, Lord God? I muſt anſwer, no; Kings of the Earth will not do ſo: If they be croſſed, yea but a little, they will rage 2 Sam. 7. 19.very much, ſhew much wrath, they will be avenged, if they can, ſevenfold, yea ſeventy-and ſeven-fold: Nay, vve poore men, low creatures, vvormes of the Earth, cannot beare injury and wrong, our patience is tired-out preſently, and we will be avenged; vve will not ſtick to ſay in our haſte, vengeance is ours, we will repay. Can two [Men] walke together, except they be agreed bAmos 3. 3…? No, for they will flie one in the others face preſently. There vvas a greate diſagreement betwixt God and His people, even now at this time, yet, behold! He and they walke together HITHERTO. We vv…lked moſt contrary; He not ſo; but moſt comfortably with us HITHERTO. Wee maintained w…rre againſt God; yet HITHERTO, God hath helped us. Wee thought He would have ſt…rred up all His vvrath, and have conſumed us utterly; Hee ſtirred up all His bowells, and ſo brought us HITHERTO; for, as we reade, He is God and not Man *Hoſ. 11 9.. But to put this mercy home, and to make it ſinke down into our hearts, The Church tels us more:
That, as this is not the Manner of Man, ſo, nor of God neither. The Lord hath wrought a new thing upon Earth, amongſt us in our Land. It is not His Manner to uſe ſuch patience towards ſuch ſinners as we are. He hath ſworne in His vvrath againſt thoſe, that have not provoked Him as we have done, and they are an aſtoniſhing example of Gods ſmoaking vvrath at this Day, and written for our example, vvho come the neareſt to that Mother-Church in our receits and returnes, I meane in mercies and ſinnes But this example, though an aſtoniſhing one, is farre off, and we are, if not blinde, yet very dimme-ſighted; We cannot clearly ſee into a judgement ſo farre-off, though it is at this Day, as that was cNumb. …6 10. Exemplum omniū oculis expoſitum, ut eſt erectum ſignum. Trem., for a ſigne conſpicuous to every eye, as a banner diſplayed, or as enſignes lifted up dEſa 57. 17, 18..
Conſider we Gods dealing, His Manner tovvards His people nearer hand; but firſt, His dealing towards us. We went on very frowardly, traverſing our way. What did the Lord doe? Did He deale frowardly too? No, to the Admiration of Angels and men, He did as he ſaid even then, He HEALED us; He ſent us Saviours, He did terrible things againſt the Adverſary, which we looked not for; He brought us HITHERTO: How farre? I cannot tell that: Let it ſuffice to teſt, farre beyond our Prayers and above our Hopes: ſo farre He brought us, as we can conclude it, but poſſible to an Allmighty hand, to bring us ſo farre, HITHERTO. Is this His manner to deale ſo graciouſly with ſuch preſumptuous ſinners as we are? No, He did not deale ſo with Ireland, that Land lyeth under the diſpleaſure of an angry God, full of the furie of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. 'Tis not His manner neither to deale ſo with our Siſter-Churches. O no! The Lord hath brought them to an HITHERTO of judgements. I pray you, nay I charge you before the Lord obſerve their HITHERTO, and our HITHERTO, compare them together, and then conſider on it. I was ſaying, the Lord hath given the dearely Beloved of His ſoule (ſee how angry the Lord may be with His Beloved) into the hand of her enemies *Ier. 12 7.. He hath brought His people in Germany to a HITHERTO of judgements, and how farre beyond this, vve cannot tell. He began with them twenty foure yeares agoe (thereabouts) He hath not ended with them HITHERTO, no not to this Day. The Sword is yet bathed in blood. HITHERTO the Enemy hath prevailed, and keepes the Sanctuary of the Lord in his poſſeſſion. O ſet we up a Monument here for eſtabliſhing the Memory of this Mercy, that God hath brought us HITHERTO. We profeſſe ô Lord God, we feele our ſelves over-charged with this mercy, that Thou haſt brought us HITHERTO. Truth Lord, if Thou wilt bring us no further, no not one ſteppe, we doe indeed feare the reproach of Men, that Thy great Name may ſuffer; Their Manner is to open againſt Thee and to ſay as of old, THOƲ ART NOT ABLE. But we recover our ſelves again, and upon ſecond thoughts we are pretty vvell perſwaded; That thou canſt worke out Thine owne glory in Thine owne vvayes by us unſearchable and paſt finding out; And therefore ô Lord God, we doe profe…e before the World, Angels and Men, That if Thou ſhouldeſt ſet up Thy Pillar here, and write upon it, Beyond this HITHERTO, this PILLAR, there remaineth no Mercy, not a jot which you or your children ſhall live to ſee, for you are a brutiſh ſullen people, a crooked Generation, yee will not know, That I have ſent you SAVIOURS; You fly from them as from Spoylers; You account REFORMATION a killing aEx. 2.; and ſo you ſpeake of it in my eares. Therefore he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill bRev. 22. 11.. And for theſe Saviours I will take them away, or put a cloud over them, or an evill ſpirit into them; ſo as they ſhall carry you backe againe to the Aegypt you mind ſo much and like ſo well (yet the utmoſt of all evill, cDeut. 28. 68. Iratum habemus Chriſtum quòd … iuſtâ Reformatione abſumus; ſin red…er…mu… … vo…tum, quo furore, in nos exardeſces, Bright. i… ſtev. c …. 11. v. 15. Quid reliquum eſt prater ultimum ſupplicium, ubi conclamata eſt omnis emendatio, Bright. in Rev. 16. 10.) even to your pollutions, your MIRE and VOMIT where They ſound you.
If Thou ſhouldeſt ſay to us even ſo, and doe as Thou haſt ſaid, yet thy Servants can find in their hearts to give Thee everlaſting praiſe for bringing us SO FARRE, and helping us HITHERTO: for to the Confuſion of our face, and to the praiſe of Thy abundant Mercy be it ſpoken, that Thou haſt much the ſame inditement againſt us, as of old againſt Thy Iſrael; We have dealt ſo and ſo, YET THOƲ DESTROYEDST THE AMORITE B…FORE ƲS. Thou broughteſt ƲS alſo up from the Land of Aegypt, BƲT, &c. The ſame YET and the ſame BƲT, thou haſt againſt us, ſo as Thou art preſsed under us as a Cart is preſſed that is full of Sheafes dAmos 2. …, 12.. Therfore what though Thou wilt not doe this in our dayes, no nor in our childrens dayes; our eyes muſt not ſee ſuch Salvations: What though, we a fooliſh and gain ſaying people, muſt by Thy appointment, goe to the place of ſilence, and our childrens faces alſo muſt be wrapt up within their mould, ye… notwithſtanding we can bleſſe Thee, we can praiſe. Thee with open Mouth and enlarged Hearts, for that Thou haſt done before our eyes this laſt yeare; and for thoſe glorious promiſes, Thou haſt made to Thy Church for a great while to come: Which we ſee (as in a Glaſſe clearly by that thou haſt done this yeare) are now fullfilling. We can bleſſe Thee for all this, for helping us thus farre, for bringing us HITHERTO: How many of our Brethren, better then we, vvould have rejoyced to have ſeene ſuch a day as this, and EBEN-EZAR that Name put upon it; That they might have ſeen the good of Thy choſen, have rejoyced in the gladneſſe of Thy Nation, and glory vvith Thine Inheritance. But Thy pleaſure was not ſo. Thou haſt provided better things for them, where their ſight is more cleared, their joy more refined, their glory more abundant, bleſſed be Thy Name. VVee bleſſe Thy great Name alſo, and we can almoſt ſay, We have enough, that Thou haſt ſpared us to this Day, and brought us HITHERTO, ſo vvonderfully vvorking for us; and while wee have any BEING it is the full purpoſe of our Hearts to praiſe Thy Name, and the Lord keepe it in the purpoſe of our hearts for ever Amen: For what are we, what are our perſons or our Fathers Houſe, That Thou haſt brought us HITHERTO.… Sam. 7. 18.
¶ 2
The Church hath ſtrong Conſolations, becauſe the LORD hath ſpoken good words and comfortable touching her houſe for a great while to come. She gives her ſelf to Prayer.
BUt yet, ô Lord God, as thou haſt commanded us to Record, to Praiſe, to Thanke Thee for Thy Mercies HITHERTO: So doſt Thou take pleaſure in thoſe that hope in THY MERCIEMERCY fPſ. 1…7. 11.for after times. Good Lord, what a good word is that! Thou takeſt pleaſure in thoſe that HOPE in Thy Mercies: This word is to Thy people ſweeter then the Hony-combe; They keepe it as a ſweet Morſell under the tongue. Sith it pleaſeth Thee ſo well, They will hope in thy MercieMercy, that they vvill. It is the manner of the Church, I will looke unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my Salvation, my God will heare me *Mic. 7. 7.. It is the Churches confidence, Thou wilt heare; But if thou ſeemeſt to ſlumber, ſhe will waken Thee with Importunity; ſhe will give Thee no reſt, her Sonnes and Daughters vvill be Thy Remembrancers, for they remember all that Thou haſt done HITHERTO is That they might ſet their hope in Thee for after times gPſ. 78. 7.. They doe, Lord, they doe, and they will give Thee no reſt touching this thing, even that Thou wouldſt goe with thy Church yet farther, even till the enemy be ſubdued, and come no more into the coaſt of Iſrael to deſtroy there. And they will trouble with their importunity, thoſe thou haſt ſent to heale us when we thought 2 Chro. 10.there was no remedy, they ſhall have no reſt neither (Thou loveſt an humble violence) till they bring this people yet farther; if but to that place, where, though there will be weeds many, yet they ſhall not keepe downe the good Corne; though Bryars there be, yet they ſhall not choake it; nay, though Scorpions be there, yet they ſhall not ſting in Thy holy Mountaine. Why, Lord God, as if this, which Thou haſt done, were but a ſmall thing, Thou haſt promiſed to goe with Thy people yet a great way farther, for thou haſt ſpoken good and comfortable words touching Thy Servants for a great while to come. Thou art beginning, we hope, and Thou wilt not goe backe with us till thou haſt finiſhed; we dare not make haſte, for ſome faith we have concerning this, That Thou wilt hold the ſanne in Thy Servants hand, till the floore be throughly purged, as becommeth a floore on Earth; that Thou wilt root out them, whom Thy right Hand never planted; ſet Thy face againſt them, who turned Their backes upon Thee, walking ſo contrary; That Thou wilt thruſt out that, which thou never commandedſt, nor ever came it into Thy heart; ô Thy Servants thinke they have very ſtrong arguments; when they can plead the caſe before thee with Thy owne. Thou haſt ſaid, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted ſhall be rooted Mat. 15. 13.up; we know they have taken root, but not by Thee; and h…ld poſſeſſion, but not in right from Heaven: Wilt not Thou judge them O Lord God, and remove them from being Over-ſeers unto Thee? Thou haſt broken downe what Thou didſt build; and pluckt up vvhat thou didſt plant k; how much more thoſe, who hIer. 45.have built themſelves up with their owne hands; and planted themſelves upon their owne bottome? Thou haſt ſaid, Thou wilt be ſerved in ſpirit, for that ſervice onelyonly reacheth unto Thy boſome, and that hath been the manner of all Thy Servants, true worſhippers; Whom I ſerve in ſpirit, ſaith Thy Servant iRom. 1. 9.. What haſt thou to doe with a feare taught by the precepts of men? Thou haſt rejected them, who did reject the commands of God, that they might keepe their owne traditions kMark 7. 9.. Thou art the ſame jealous God ſt…ll; Thou doſt looke into Thy Temple ſtill with the ſame eye, and beholdeſt the abominations there, both perſons and ſervices, and we hope Thou wilt ariſe now and avenge Thy-ſelfe of Thy Adverſaries, who have made voyd Thy Law, and the offering vile, who have given Thy children ſtones for bread, and fo… a fiſh, a Serpe…t. Surely Thou wilt be avenged of ſuch murderers. Thou haſt given Thy Servants a ſure and gracious word of Promiſe, Aske what you will and i… ſhall be done l: Thy ſ… vants …aske nothing, but according to Thy m will, and it is th… confidence, that Thou heareſt them: It is Thy will that we … pray for the peace of Ieruſalem; Thy will, that they ſhould proſper that love it; Thy will, that the zeale of Thy Houſe ſhould conſume Thy Servants; and that the abominations there ſhould vex their righteous ſoules, for ſuch are as ſmoake in Thy noſe, and a fire which burneth all the Day: It is Thy w…ll, Lord, Thy Servants ſhould pray, Eaſe Thy ſelfe of Thine A…verſaries. Thy Servants are aſſured they doe not aske amiſſe: they aske according to Thy owne will: Thy own command; for Thine own glory, that Thou mayeſt have a pure and cleane Sacrifice offered unto Thee; that Thou mayeſt be the King in Thy Church, and rule by Thine owne Lawes there; they aske nothing in, or for behalfe of their luſts, but againſt them altogether; that Thou wouldeſt be King in their hearts, as well as in their Churches: That Thou wouldeſt take all Thine and our enemies, which would not have Thee for their King, and ſl…y them before their eyes. We doe not aske (wickedly) therefore we will never leave asking, we will trouble Thee day and night with importunity and give Thee no reſt, foreign. Iam. 4. 3.till Thou ſhalt hearken, and heare us, and grant our requeſt; till Thou ſhalt perfect what Thou haſt begun; performe the word to Thy Servants wherein Thou haſt cauſed them to truſt; till Thou ſhalt bring Thy Church THITHERTO, to a ſafe place, where Iacobs face ſhall waxe pale no more; ſhall be troubled, and toſſed, and vexed no more; ſhall heare Thy Name blaſphemed no more; ſee Thy worſhip defiled no more; Thy Day prophaned no more; Anti chriſtian Rights, baſe beggarly Rudiments, prevailing no more; Thy Miniſters villanouſly uſed no more; Thy Servants thruſt into corners no more: and becauſe of Aegyptian burdens and illegall preſſures, Thy people howling no more; nor any breach betwixt Iudah and Iſrael any more; where Ieruſalem ſhall be a QƲIET HABITATION, where ſhe ſhall looke from the top of AMANA, from th… top of SHINAR Iſa. 29. 2…. …o 33. 20.and HERMON, from the LYONS DEN, from the MOƲNTAINS of the LEOPARDS; then we ſhall …ng the high praiſes Cant 4. 8.of our God: Then Jacob ſhall rejoyce and Iſrael ſhall be right glad, ſaying HALLELƲ-IAH, Salvation, and Glory and Honour, and Power unto the Lord our God Amen, HALLELƲ-IAH.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hezekiah Woodward, The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King (1641)