The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Before the Church can Record the late wonderfull Works wrought for her by the miniſtery of Man, She will put ſome things to our Conſideration, which obſerved, may make us wiſe, and fit us for the Times, how hard, fierce and perillous ſoever.
SECT. I.
What the Church is moſt taken with; Whom She looks unto in all adminiſtrations; What ſettles and calmes her spirit in the greateſt Commotions.
THus we have cleared, That the former Dayes, Dayes of trouble, are to be recorded, for Gods Deliverance out of them is wonderfull; and they have yeelded the Church in all ages, a peaceable fruit of righteouſneſſe.
Now before She can Record theſe freſh and late works of wonder, wrought with God this Day, The Church will give us ſome Conſiderations from her owne practiſe, to take along with us, firſt; ſo ſhall we underſtand the works, and our ſelves and the Church the better.
¶ 1.
One Work only wonderfull, and to be admired.
THe Church can muſe on the workes of God, and ponders them in her heart; She can call them wonderfull works and marvellous: But She can admire nothing but the riches of Grace, thoſe hidden, miſterious and unſearchable wayes of her Redemption. There is matter of admiration, and there only; for other Works, She laboureth to ſearch them out; and her Thoughts thereon are very precious: But in this light path, which ſo dazleth her eyes, and amazeth her, She ſtands admiring, and it is her Lords pleaſure She ſhould doe ſo d2 Theſ. 1. 10..
¶ 2.
A Gracious ſpirit is not much taken with under-moone matters.
IF at any time we finde the Churches mouth wide open to Praiſe and Thanks, Then we muſt know her heart is much more enlarged. About what? yes, that is a neceſſary Queſtion, ſo is the Anſwer; Evermore about ſpirituall matters, ſuch as concerne the ſoule, the welfare and proſperity thereof. At that point She is enlarged; She is not over-much taken (as we of the common ſort are) with under-moone matters; She is not taken with the fl…wing in of Oyle and Wine; nor with the recovery of Flaxe and Wooll, of Soape and Salt, and Leather, and the like; She obſerves the crooked wayes of men, and carriage of things very well; rejoyceth and mourneth in her meaſure; but I ſay She is not taken with them as we are: For we finde quicke fleſh, lively and ſtirring affections onelyonly there: If we have our outward Liberties and Priviledges as free Subjects, and Citizens here, of the Ieruſalem below, then we are well and marvellouſly appayed: Indeed we ſay aGen. 33 9. foreignas Eſau ſaid, We have enough, that is, much or a great deale. The Church not ſo; give her the liberties of ſonnes and daughters of Ieruſalem above, or elſe, but that Chriſt liveth in her, She will dye: So unſatisfiable are All things here below to her everlaſting ſoule; But if She have her God, though with Him captivity, fire, ſword, what other evils you can name, if with theſe She hath her God, She is well enough, and with Iacob She hath enough, for She hath All bGen. 33. 11. foreign.
¶ 3
The Church referres all to the firſt Cauſe, and thereon fixeth.
VVE muſt note, That the Church beholdeth all the Workes wrought by Man, not as Mans works, but the works of Him, Who only doth wonders. She looks through them, and through Man alſo unto God, There She terminateth her ſight. Whence it is, That whatſoever thing comes unto her, through the hands, and by the adminiſtration of Man, She accepts with all thankfulneſſe, but She writeth upon it, upon every thing (what ever were the meanes of conveyance) the Gift of God.
¶ 4.
The Righteous are calme and ſetled what ever the newes is, or troubles are in the World; and thankfull for all.
VVE ſhould obſerve her quiet and calme deportment and carriage in all adminiſtrations of God; for She looks upon them as His Adminiſtrations; and She accounts all good, nothing evill, except ſinne; and by the good hand of God towards her, even ſinne ſhall worke for her Good; God be thanked that ye were the ſervants of ſinne. All is well, She ſaith, and will end well. Well, What ever Rom. 6. 17.Newes She heares; What ever Troubles and Tumults, unquiet Motions there are, yet the Church is not full of ſtirres, not a tumultuous City cIſa. 22. 2.for all that; She is quiet notwithſtanding all that can be ſaid or done: Her Sonnes and Daughters are as well contented with the Newes they heare, as the honeſt Shepheard with the Weather; his judgement was asked, What weather it would be? He anſwered, It will be what weather it ſhall pleaſe me. The Anſwer ſeemed darke, and to containe a Riddle; therefore he was courteouſly requeſted to explaine it, which he did thus: It ſhall be (ſaid he) what weather pleaſeth God, and what weather pleaſeth God pleaſeth me. Truly juſt ſo are the Righteous pleaſed with their Newes; It ſhall be what pleaſeth God, and what pleaſeth God pleaſeth them. If Newes this day be, as we call it, good, They are cheered at it, but not over-joyed, they ſay, It is well. If the next Day (ſuch turnings there are and tydes of things) the Newes be contrary, they are the ſame, they were the Day before; for they know their God is the ſame, He is not changed; Therefore they conclude, notwithſtanding that croſſe Newes, It ſhall be well in the Morning, perhaps before night. They are not troubled about the fixed time, it is not for them to know that; they know it will be well. Straitnings ſerve very much to widen the way for enlargements: and ſtops towards the Spring-head make the waters riſe the higher, and anon will cauſe them to ſtreame the faſter. Blockes in the way make them walke more warily, and lift up their feet the higher. It is ſo with the ſpirits of Men. But yet the Church lookes not to Man, for He is full of Changes; but her eyes are to her God who changeth not; and, according to the Counſell dExod 14 13. Ne commoveami…, ac fluctuetis animo; …ed ſpe firm… ope… D…mini expecta…e. Iun., ſtands ſtill, waiting the ſalvation of her God, and is not greatly moved ePſal. 62 2.; nor doth She faint in her mind; She doth not float, nor roule this way and that way, but roules her ſelfe upon her God. In firme hope her mind is anchored and fixt upon Everlaſting ſtrength, and lapt up in a promiſe within Everlaſting Armes, expecting His Salvation, which She is confident to ſee in the fitteſt time.
SECT. II.
We that have not fixed spirits feele unquiet Motions.
NOw let us obſerve our owne ſpirits; ours of the Common-ſort; it is a thing worth our obſerv…tion. If we obſerve right, we are in Deaths often; not as Paul, in reall Dangers, but imaginary onelyonly and in conceit; for as often as croſſe Newes comes we die In extreames ſtill, either all hope and no feare; or all feare and no Hope. We cannot caſt away our confidence fHeb. 10. 3…., for wee have none, unleſſe it be in the Creature; and i… that …ailes us, wee ſinke, and our ſpirits faile too. A miſer…ble condition this, and a trembling poſture to ſtand in; Indeed we doe not ſtand, wee totter like drunkards, becauſe we are ſo filled with the ſweets of the Earth, and ſo empty of the comforts of Heaven. Wee are as weake as water, carried and t…ſſed as C…rke vvith the tide there; Juſt ſo hurried are our ſpirits with winde and tide. As the water riſeth or falleth at the Parliament-ſtaires, juſt ſo doe our ſpirits at the hearing the Newes thence. As the winde and gale of breath ſits there, ſo our mindes turne, juſt like a weather-cocke. If the newes thence be pleaſing to ſenſe, then we riſe high, that's well, ſay we; and then we are all Hope. If the contrary, That troubles are like to abide us, then vve are downe the wind, and make concluſions as men doe, that have no Hope. This is to have ſpirits as weake as water, and a minde not ſtanding-ſtill, but turning like a weather cocke.
SECT. III.
The Reaſon of the Churches ſettlement, and of our unquiet Motions, very neceſſary and conſiderable at this time.
VVE muſt note what cauſeth the Churches ſtability and our floating. What is the reaſon, that the Church ſtandeth ſtill, quiet and calme in her ſpirit, when trouble is on every ſide: while we are at our wits end for expectation, troubled and mooved, As the Trees of the Wood are mooved with the win… gEſa. 7. ….. Wee muſt I ſay, enquire into this thing, and find out what is the reaſon hereof. The Reſolution muſt be this; Becauſe the Church ſtayeth her ſelfe on the Arme of God; Therfore ſhe ſtandeth ſtill, is firme and ſtedfaſt. Whatever changes are below, vvhatever turnings and windings of things here vvith us, yet there is no change in that Arme, no diminution tall of that power; It is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever hEſa. 59. 1, 2. -40. 27.—51. 9.. Sinne cauſeth ſome change in us, but there is no change in God. The Churches eye is upon her God, there ſhee fixeth, ſhe will not truſt in charets nor in horſes iPſ. 20., becauſe ſhee hath asked from one end of Heaven to the other; ſhe hath enq…ired of all …ges, vvhat became of them that ſo truſted, that made fleſh their Arme? The anſwer is, They that ſo truſted are brought downe and fallen. But the Church remembring the name of the Lord, and in that Name ſe…ti…g-up Banners, ſhe riſeth and ſtands upright; ſhee muſt needs have a firme ſtanding; for ſh…e hath a ſure foundation, ſhe is well under-laid, underneath the everlaſting Armes. Therefore Deut. 33. 27.though her outward Houſe be battered downe over her head and about her eares, yet according to the promiſe, ſhe is a quiet habitation kEſa. 33. 20.. How boyſterous ſoever the vvindes are, and troubleſome the vveather is, ſhe is quiet notwithſtanding.
Indeed vve may obſerve ſome times have beene ſo hard with her, fierce *foreign. Mat 8. …8.and perilous *2 Tim. 3. 1., that ſhe hath complained, My ſoule is bowed downe to the duſt lPſ. 44. 25.; I am covered with the ſhadow of Death, yet vve muſt obſerve from the ſame place, how the Church beares-up her ſelfe by Experiences and Promiſes, thoſe great pillars ſtaying up her Hands in Faith: and then ſhe reſolves to beaſt in her God all the day long. SELAH. It is an high note, and her voyce is greatly exalted in Praiſe and Thankeſgiving.
Object. Why then the Church is borne up by Experiences from Dayes of old, vvhat God hath done: And by Promiſes, what God will doe in after times?
An. True, but theſe Experiences have a bottome, the Almighties arme; they were wrought by Him, Whoſe power is ſtill the ſame, an everlaſting God. And theſe Promiſes touching that, the Lord vvill doe in after times, have the ſame foundation too, made unto her in and through Chriſt her Lord and everlaſting Father. There is her ſtrength, her ſtaffe and her ſtay. And now though the Pillars of the Earth are out of courſe and continue ſo, yet the Church is where ſhe was, upon the ſame foundation. She knoweth whom ſhe hath truſted: ſhee rowles her ſelfe upon God, vvaiteth his ſalvation, knowes Hee vvill come-in for her helpe in due time (ſhee vvould not have it ſooner) and praiſe vvaiteth for Him in Sion.
Thus in Quietneſſe and confidence is her ſtrength mPſ. …46. 10.. She can now, according to her Lords command, Be ſtill and know that I am God nPſ. 46.. She can ſtand ſtill, calme in her mind, for ſhe knowes that her God raigneth, with Him is power and faithfullneſſe oPſ. 146. 6.. He can, He vvill, nay, with reverence be it ſpoken, He muſt helpe His Church, and ſeaſonably too, for He is bound ſo to doe; He hath engaged His faithfullneſſe upon it; there's the Churches confidence; ſhe bears her ſelfe up upon it, and walks on by Faith.
And ſo we ſee the difference in our walking and place of confidence; ſuch and ſo great is the difference in our comforts and peace; the Churches peace full and laſting, ours but empty and momentany, like the laughter of fooles: for, vve vvalke by ſight; wee muſt ſee or elſe vve cannot believe. We cannot reſt upon the Almighties Arme, unleſſe vve ſee it cloathed vvith fleſh. One God is not enough for us, vve muſt ſee Many on our ſide, and whole Countries come in for our helpe, or elſe vve can ſee no hope of Victory, though the Lord hath ſaid, The People are too, many pIud. 7. 4.. We verily beleeve, That the race muſt be to the ſwift, the battell to the ſtrong qEccl. 9. 11., though a thouſand experiences have told us the contrary, when the battell hath beene againſt the Church. Fooles as we are, vvhen vvill vve be inſtructed? We truſt in meanes, likelihoods and probabilities, thereon vve bottome our ſelves, therfore it is, that we are in Deaths often: our ſpirits are up and downe, full of changes; for ſuch changes and tides of things there are in that, vve place our confidences. Our hearts are not fixed, not up-wards vvhere they ſhould be, therefore wee muſt needs reele like a drunken man, or a Ship in a tempeſt. We doe not truſt in the Lord, therefore we cannot be eſtabliſhed r2 Chro. …0. …0.: wee doe not beleeve H…s Prophets, wee ſhall not proſper, nor ſee when good commeth sIer. 17. 6.. Had vve the arme of fleſh with us, then vve could beleeve; nay, that is not Faith, for Faith is of things not ſeene. My meaning is, for I muſt ſpeake like a foole to make otherswiſe; Had we thirty thouſand Chariots, and ſix thouſand horſe-men, and people as the ſand on the Sea-ſhore in multitude; all theſe comming in for our helpe: And vvere vve to march-on againſt a feeble folke, a peeled, beſlaved, unarmed people, that had neither Sword, nor Speare, nor ſhield; O how confident would we be of the victory! We would ruſh on as terrible as an Army with Banners: and as fierce and feareleſſe as the warre-horſe. O how we would boaſt▪ The Glory of our noſtrils would be terrible; we would ruſh on upon ſuch a people as thunder; we vvould rejoyce in our ſtrength, mocke at feare, and ſwallow them up with fierceneſſe and rage. A bruitiſh people vve, for vve have not conſidered this in all this time; that the Battell is neither yours nor ours, but Gods t2 Chron. 10. 15.: And He hath taken all this ſtrength before mentioned, and given it into His peoples hand, vvhen they vvere a feeble, beſlaved, unarmed people; theſe have houghed the Horſes and burnt the Chariots in fire, Ioſh. 11.that is, The weake have taken all this prey uEſa. 33. 2….; And all this hath the Lord done; Why? that Ionathan and his Armour-bearer (the Lords Worthies) may not be diſcouraged at the mountain… of ſtraights; Where there is a ſ…p Rocke on the one ſide, and the ſame on the other; The our ſ…itua… North-ward: the other South-ward *1 Sam. 14 4, 5.. God doth drive His People to exigency, That they may ſhew themſelves what they are. Then a man …ves by faith in God, when meanes dye, and he is q…ite forſaken of them, Certaine it is, God will bring His Church to the Mountaine of Straits; but they ſhall ſee glorious things there; What? God appearing in H…s Glory; His Arme made bare of fleſh. God is never ſeen ſo glorious as upon That Mount; Then He lifts up Himſelfe on high; Then He appeares in all the peoples ſight. This is a mighty Conſideration even now, it followes.
SECT. IV.
How neceſſary the conſideration hereof is at this time, that our eyes may not faile with looking upward; nor faint when we are corrected; nor make haſte when troubles are upon the heele.
ANd this was neceſſary to be noted here, That we might behold the Churches ſtability and firme ſtanding, ſee our errour all this while, and vaine confidence; Correct our ſelves, take off our hold, and haſten to the Churches Rock, that we may be as She is, a quiet habitation alſo. What troubles ſoever, & how ſtrong ſoever the tyde of things is againſt her, yet not greatly moved; Though ſtanding at the foot of the Mountaine of Straits, and before a Sea of dangers and difficulties; yet ſtanding ſtill notwithſtanding, calme and quiet in her ſpirit. I ſay, it is neceſſary we ſhould note this; for,
Though by the good hand of God upon our Worthies, We have the great worke of Reformation as it were within ken, and in ſight; yet this Mount of God is before us as a great Hill in the Travellers eye; The Hill may be afarre off, and he muſt take many a weary ſtep before he comes at it: ſo, before the Church be thus exalt…d and ſet up, as it were, upon a Hill, She may paſſe as through vallies, low and dangerous bottomes, ſo as She may be much obſcured, and almoſt hid there. Before She be refined and purified in her worſhip and Ordinances. She may paſſe through the fire. But how perilous ſoever her paſſage be to her promiſed Land, though through fire and water both; over the Lyons den; hole of the Aſpe, and Mountaines of Leopards; how perilous ſoever her way is; how ſtrait, foule, thorney ſoever, Though many changes in her, and in her way, yet no change in God; His power, wiſedome, love, the ſame, from everlaſting to everlaſting, no change there. Her Lord will bring her into a wealthy place, that is certaine, no doubt of that. For the meanes and manner how, and the time when, The Church is not carefull about that; She commits all this into the hands of …er good God and faithfull Redeeme…. She doth beleeve that her wealthy L…d lyeth beyond as howling Wilderneſſe, and the Red Sea; And yet She is not carefull, nor doth She ſay, there is a Lyon in the way, and he will devoure: no, her Lord hath commanded her, ſaying, be ſtill. Be ſtill? what can ſtill her ſpirit then, when a bloudy enemy is behinde her, a devouring Sea before her, Mountaines on each hand, what can ſtill her ſpirit now? This, and know that I am God aPſ. 46. 10.. A God That can ſtop the Lyons mouth; He that made the Leviathan can make His ſword approach unto Him, even through his ſcales, though they are his pride; and to his heart, though as firme as a ſtone, yea as hard as a peece of the nether Milſtone bIob 41.. And for the ſtrong tyde of oppoſition againſt her paſſage, She is not carefull about that neither. She knowes God can divide the waters; for the Adverſary he thinks, ſo wiſe were his thoughts once; The Red Sea opened a way for him: Yes, that he may march on feircely and hopefully a little way, and then in the midſt of his way ſinke into the bottome like a ſtone. The Sea is divided for the ranſomed to paſſe-over, and ſo He made a path in the Seas: ſo can He alſo through the fire, the Church knovves it full well, for ſhe knowes whom ſhe truſteth. Ancient and preſent experiences hath aſſured her, that wherein the enemie deales proudly, therein the Lord ever hath been, is, and will be above them cExo. 18. 11.. And there the Church reſteth, her heart is fixed truſting in the Lord. A cold Winter makes the Spring more delightfull, the yeare more fruitfull, and the man more healthfull. The Church is foreign, Dion. de Reg. Orat. 3.not diſpleaſed with the daies, becauſe evill daies; Theſe make her the better now, and, when good come, they will be the more pleaſant and comfortable. In this quietneſſe and confidence is her ſtrength; ſhe beholdeth what God hath done, and gets aſſurance for after times: and ſhe is ſtaied up with promiſes too, as with ſtrong conſolation, for theſe ſhe ſees even now fulfilling.
And ſo the Church addreſſeth her ſelfe to make her acknowledgment unto man for preſent deliverances, which ſhe takes as pledges to aſſure and aſcertaine her the future, what her Lord will doe in after time. For though ſhe boaſteth of God all the day long, and will praiſe His Name for ever; yet ſhe forgetteth not to return all that is due to man in full weight and meaſure, through whoſe hands her God hath conveyed loving-kindneſſe and mercy unto her.