The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The Church wiſely conſidereth her two Siſter-Churches; The people amongſt whom ſhe dwels (for the moſt part enemies to peace;) The ſtraits that now are. The Church lookes through all unto God.
SECT. I.
The Church remembers how it is with her Siſter-Churches; and Gods gracious dealing towards her, which raiſeth her spirit to prayſe and Thankeſgiving.
THe Church being now to give in a Catalogue of wonders, cannot but remember her two Siſter-Churches, the Palatinat, which hath been under wrath now theſe 24. yeares: ſo long the anger of the Lord hath burnt againſt that people; ſo long he hath ſtretched forth His hand againſt them and ſmitten them. The Hills did tremble and their carcaſes were throwne in the midſt of the Streets dEſa. 5. 25. See Pſal 77.. For all this his anger is not turned away, but His hand is ſtretched-out ſtill. This Church ſeemes to ſtand with her Records in her hand, written within and without, Lamentation and Mourning and Wo…. But the ſumme and abridgement of her ſorrowes is contained in theſe two words, her Sabbaths and her God, both gone. Time was when ſhe hid her eyes from her God, and from H…s Sabbaths, turning her backe upon both. Now God turnes to them the backe and not the face; and His Sabbaths are now hid from their eyes.
Her other ſiſter, the Church of Ireland, ſpeaks forth bitter complaints and ſupplications; that her land is dunged with her carcaſes, and watered with her bloud: That whatſoever was pleaſant in her eyes, the enemy hath put into his hand, and taken it away.
All this time, the day of Iacobs trouble, the Church of England ſtands ſtill beholding and accounting the ſalvations of her God comming in unto her like the Rivers, mercies over-taking mercies, and loving kindeneſſes over-taking loving kindeneſſes; Deliverance upon Deliverance, and diſcoveries upon diſcoveries. The Church is ſtraitned in her ſelfe heere, ſhee wants expreſſions, but what engagements are there in all theſe! How doth ſhe ſtand bound to Record and Thanke and Praiſe her good God, Who hath done all theſe things for her! What a mercy is this? How unſpeakable? That at ſuch a time as this, when the Lord hath beene to theſe ſiſter-Churches, as a Beare lying in wait, as a Lyon in ſecret places, He hath pulled them in peeces, hath made them deſolate; hath bent his Bew upon them, hath ſet them as a marke for the Arrow; hath filled them with bitterneſſe, and made them drunken with worme-wood: ſo as now they are recording, their afflictions and their miſery, the worm-wood and the Gall, their ſoule hath them ſtill in Remembrance, and is humbled in them. I was ſpeaking; that at ſuch a time as this, a time of treading downe and perplexity, the day of Iacobs troubles, yet now this Church ſhould ſtand up with Records in her hand, written within and without, mentioning the mircies and loving kindneſses of her God. O! what an exceeding mercy is this, at ſuch a time as this, vvhen ſhe thought verily ſhe ſhould be termed alſo forſaken, and her Land Deſolate; Her Lord ſaid, no; But thou ſhalt be called Hephzi-bath, and thy land Beulah eEſa 62. 4. Deliciae meae oblectatio mea., for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land ſhall be married. What loving kindneſſes are theſe! how wonderfull! how unutterable!
Againe, The Church lookes over the land and Nation, where we live, and behold corruptions in Doctrines, and manners have leavened the land from corner to corner, and have eat and conſumed the heart thereof as doth a canker; whence it is that wee ſee ſtrange vanities, horrible impieties; abominable Idolatries; vile Prieſts, and almoſt as uncleane a people: All ſetting themſelves and taking councell together againſt the Lord and againſt His annoynted, ſaying, let us breake their hands aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us. And yet ſee the exceeding goodneſſe of the Lord, they prevaile not with their number, nor with their ſtrength; they aſſemble themſelves, and are broken; they take councell, and God turnes it into fooliſhneſſe, and their recompences upon their own head fIoel …. 7..
Thus the weake overcome the ſtrong, and the feweſt in number prevaile: We know not how, but ſo it is, the Lord hath ſet His King upon His holy Hill; and if the Lord the Captaine of His Hoaſt, march out before, it matters not, whether few or many of Gideons ſouldier march after, but the fewer they are, the more is the ſtrong arme of the Lord exalted.
And vvhat cauſe hath this Church to ſpeake good of the Name of the Lord, and to exalt His Arme, Who hath made her to ſtand upright and above her Adverſaries with a Catalogue in her hand, wri…e… vvithin and vvithout, as afore-ſaid: and vvhichwhich hightens the mercies, at ſuch a time as this, vvhen her other ſiſters are recording their dayes of trouble, ſhe is recording the loving kindneſſes of her God. The Church here muſt ſtand ſtill a little to behold the ſeverity and goodneſſe of God aRom. 11. 22., towards her ſiſter▪ Churches, ſeverity; towards her people, Goodneſſe: And that the may the more magnifie free Grace, exalt the Riches therof, the go…dneſſe and exceeding patience of God, All His excellencies, the Church reaſoneth out the caſe, and asketh, vvhy is it ſo? vvhy ſuch ſeverity towards her ſiſter-Churches? And yet towards her people ſuch goodneſſe?
Did Thy vvrath burn-out againſt them, becauſe Thy Sabbaths vvere profaned there? Here they vvere profaned too, and more, by a Law and Statute in Iſrael; notvvithſtanding, a fire did not kindle in our gates, nor devoure our palaces bIcr. 17. …7..
Was it becauſe the people there turned Grace into vvantonneſſe, they ſlighted the offer and means of Grace, they would have none of Thee; they turned their backs upon Thee, and the Goſpell? vvas it for this? Heere vve ſit downe aſtoniſhed, for here vve have done ſo too.
Was it becauſe of their unfruitfulneſſe under the meanes of Grace? H…re vve ſtand aſtoniſhed, conſidering hovv hig… vve have bin lifted-up in reſpect of the meanes, no Nation under the Sunne like to us; and then thinking of our caſting downe, how lovv that vvill bee.
Was it becauſe of their unthankfulneſſe for, and abuſe of mercies? Here alſo our Tables are full of vomit and filthineſſe, ſo that there is no place cleane cEſa. 28 8.: And vve reele and fall dovvne in the Streets at Noon-day.
Was it becauſe the Meſſengers of the Churches, and Glory of Chriſt d2 Cor. 8. 23., Thy faithfull Miniſters there vvere villanouſly uſed? We heare of no ſuch matter; they vvere contemned in deed and of no account vvith them: but vvith us they have beene uſed vvorſe then Davids Meſſengers; Their Beards and Garments were cut by halves *2 Sam. 10 4.: But here they vvere ſmit on the cheeks, and, as Svvine, lug'd by the eares.
Were they bruitiſh Paſtors fEſa. 56 9. Ier. …0. 2…. & 12. …., vvho broke dovvne the Hedge, and laid open gaps, vvhereat men after the manner of Beaſts, skillfull to deſtroy, might enter in? The ſame Paſtors are with us, vain men, treacherous Prophets, light Prieſts.
Was it, becauſe violence was done to the Law gZeph. 3. 4.? Becauſe they did as they could to their power to ſhed bloud hEze. 2… 6.? Becauſe their Judges vvere as Evening iNic 3. 11, 12.Walves, ravening the prey? ſo it vvas here, ſuch judg'd here. Why then is not our Zion plowed like a Field kEſa 9. 5? Why are not our garments rolled in bloud l? Why are vve not long before this time daſhed to peeces one againſt the other, Brother againſt his Brother, and Neighbour againſt his Neighbour, in all our Cities and Countries, in all places and corners of the Land? Why is it not ſo? She knowes the anſwer muſt be, becauſe is pleaſeth the Lord, it ſhall not be ſo *Amos 7. 2., …aith the Lord, It is His good pleaſure ſo, He loves the Land, becauſe He loves it: He vvill rejoyce in ſhewing mercy: and, it may be, will overcome us, and lead us captive with loving kindneſſes; and give gifts to the Rebellious. Be it ſo good Lord, becauſe it pleaſeth Thee: Amen. Thi… is all the Church can ſay to all this.
SECT. II.
Some light Obiections blown away, and a grave Obiection cleared.
BUt now there is ſomething ſaid againſt the Church, that ſhe need not be ſo b…ag of her mercies, her tranquillity and peace, for ſhe may now looke to the end thereof; her peace is taking from her; ſhe is ſinking now, downe, downe, downe ſhe goes, ſo her adverſary boaſteth, ſo he puffeth at the Righteous gPſ. 10. 5.. The Church anſwers hereto in order, and blows away this, as you will a duſt from your ſleeve. The Adverſary ſaith, firſt
Ob. The Church may ſee now to the end of her mercies?
An. No, but ſhe cannot, her mercies are the mercies of a God, and they have no end.
2. He ſaith, Her peace is taken from her?
No, that it is not … her peace cannot be taken away: it ſhall flow in like the Rivers, and come-in unto her as the waves of the Sea hEſa 4818.. Though the Aſſyrian ſhould come in to her Land, and tread in her Pallaces iMic. 5 5., yet he cannot take away her peace. When the enemie ſhall come in like a …, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift-up a ſtandard againſt him kEſa. 59. 19..
3. The Adverſary ſaith, That the Church is falling?
No, The Adverſaries fleſh ſhall conſume away firſt, and his eyes conſume away in their holes, and his tongue conſume away in his mouth lZach 14 1….; but the Church ſhall not ſinke nor fall away; ſhe is well under laid, as well this preſent yeare as the laſt, yeſterday, and to day and for ever, The eternall God is her Refuge, and underneath her are the everlaſting Armes mDeut. 33. 17.. She is well underlaid then; her enemies themſelves being judges.
Ob. But it is ſaid, here is more need of Prayers then of praiſe…. Things that ſeemed to be in ſo forward a way, are now ſet back, God now ſeems to ſtand ſtill; or if he goes forward, it is in carrying His Church to the Mountaine of ſtraits.
An. I might anſwer, things are never in ſo good and ſetled an eſtate, but there is matter for prayer: nor never in ſo bad and low an eſtate, but there is matter for praiſe, as in the caſe of Iehoſaphat d. But this would not be to the mind and ſenſe of the Obiection, which is this, That the Church ſhould be ſo much taken up now with her ſtreights, that ſ…e might very well forget proſperity; all the good that God hath ſhewn her theſe former yeares. Now God forbid.
There be ſome indeed, upon whom you looſe all your formet courteſies, unleſſe you ſtill follow them with new and freſh favours every day eNonnulli ita comparati ſunt ut antiqutora benefici… ſubvertas niſi nova poſterioribus cumules, & quamlibe… ſape obligati, ſi quid unum tamen neges, hoc unum meminerunt quod negatū est. Plin. epist. 2 King. 20. 19.. Some there be who have an hundred bleſſings, and with them but one Croſſe; but that one Croſſe ſowres all their ſweets, clouds and hides all their bleſſings from their eyes. The Church not ſo, Good is the word of the Lord, ſaid the good King, which thou haſt ſpoken. What did he ſpeake? Heavy tydings; yet ſaith the good King, Good is the word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken; Is it not good if peace and truth be in my dayes? The good King was not careleſſe, what would befall the Church and His Houſe, when he muſt be taken thence and gathered to his Fathers. O no, doubtleſſe thoſe tydings went to his very heart, touching thoſe things which ſhould befall to the Houſe of God, his houſe and his ſonnes after him. O, it was bitterneſse, bitterneſſe; but yet the Word of the Lord is good. It was matter of Admiration and everlaſting praiſe; That God had ſhewen him ſo much good, had wrought ſuch Deliverances for him; That his eye had ſeene ſuch ſalvations; That, when his Father Abaz had wrought ſuch abominations in Iudah, yet his ſonne ſhould ſee ſuch ſalvations in Iſrael; and, which is the viſion indeed, peace and truth all his dayes. This was matter of wonder, yea of praiſe and thanke both. It is ſo with the Church; they conſider well of their ſtraits now, and that theſe may be yet greater (and yet a ſigne for good.) They can conſider that the Church is not caſt ſo farre-backe yet, but ſhe may be caſt yet farther even to the place of Dragons, ſhe hath not ſeene nor heard the worſt yet, ſo it may be; nor is ſhe careleſſe of what ſhe ſees or heares. No, ſhe feeles them, and ponders things in her heart; but ſo as ſhe holds faſt her confidence; and ſhe muſt ſhew her ſelfe exceeding thankfull for all the Good her Lord hath done for her the laſt year, That when her people were ripe for judgement, as the corne for the ſickle, yet there was not a cutting downe. Truly when ſhe doth but thinke of it, ſhe is as one in a dreame, her ſpirits faile her. But this ſhe would ſay; if Deſolations ſhould follow ſuch ſalvations as theſe (which ſhe cannot believe) if the Lord ſhould ſend unto her ſad tydings, ſuch as would make the hearers eares tingle, Why yet, The word of the Lord is good, and He is good to Iſrael Bleſſed be His Name for His ſalvations notwithſtanding; for what He hath done, for ever bleſſed be His name; And becauſe we have Peace and Truth …n theſe dayes. theſe fierce dforeign Mat. 8. 28.dayes, theſe perillous e2 Tim. 3. 1.dayes, yet Peace an… Truth in theſe dayes. But yeſterday almoſt, not a yeare agoe, we thought that Truth was periſhed, and Peace was taken from the earth; We ſhould never heare of that any more; no more peace; no more Truth in our dayes. *1 Sam. 4. 21.I-CABOD was in every mans mouth. The Glory is departed; yet not ſo, Behold Peace and Truth even in theſe dayes!
You will ſay no, Warres …nd rumours of warres in theſe dayes. True, and yet Peace and Truth in theſe dayes. The Church contends for Truth, ſhe maintaines it, and will hold it faſt till ſhe dyes, and not let it goe. Why then, Though the mountaines be removed, and hu…led into the Sea, yet her peace cannot be ſhaken. Though the Kingdoms be moved, ſhe ſtands ſtill Reader, you and I may learne from thence; Maintaine we Truth; contend we for that, and Truth will maintaine us; Hold faſt Truth, and we keep Peace God hath joyned theſe together, Man ſhall not be able, no nor the Gates of Hell, nor power, nor policy, to ſeparate theſe; they are ſtill together, they kiſſe each other. And that is the Reaſon, That when we are full of ſtirres, a tumultuous people, The Righteous at ſuch a time ſtand ſtill, and are a quiet habitation. But I recall my ſelfe, Thus the Church concludes; Though the Lord ſhould make Deſolations now in the earth; Though He ſhould ſtretch over us, The line of Germany, and the plummet of Ireland; yet the Righteous ſtand bound to Record the Salvations He hath wrought. The Righteous are not a ſullen froward people, as we are; All the mercies we have are nothing in our eyes, becauſe there is ſomething wanting, as ſtill there will be in the moſt accompliſhed, the moſt completed condition here below. But I ſay, becauſe it is ſo, ſome want there is ſtill; therefore all our mercies, ſo great, ſo many, lye buried in us under that clod of diſcontent. As I ſaid before, ſo now, The Church not ſo; Though ſhe ſhould walke in the ſhadow of death; Though ſhe were ſtricken into the place of Dragons, yet would they Record the yeare of the Right hand of the Lord, when He wrought ſo wonderfully, ſuch ſalvations in Iſrael. And this is the taske ſhe is addreſſing her ſelfe unto, but ſhe cannot haſtily recollect her ſpirits as ſhe would doe, for ſhe would call upon all within and without to praiſe his Holy Name.
SECT. III.
The Church opens the Records, begins to reade, but muſt pauſe a little, being taken off with Admiration.
THe Church is taken w…th the works of her God, as the Queene of Sheba was with the wiſedome of Salomon, and the magnificence of his Court; When ſhe had ſeen all that, There was no more ſpirit in her a2 Chron 9. 4.. Fame, which creates ſomthing of nothing, hath made whoſe Kin…doms, and peopled them with her owne inventions, reported not the halfe of Salomons wiſedome. It exceeded the Fame that was heard *1 King 10. 7.. Fame fals as ſhort in theſe Tranſcendents which we are upon; Therfore there is the ſame reaſon, and greater, That the Church ſhould be ſo affected now, as that Queen was at that time: For behold, a greater then Salomon is here; and a greater Glory is put forth in His works now, then could be ſeen in Salomons Court. She muſt be in an amaze when ſhe beholds the admirable, ſtrange and unſearchable wayes of Providence towards her this laſt yeare: He made a path for her in a wilderneſſe; turned the drought of her Summer into freſh Springs. A poore blind bIſa. 42. 16.Handmaiden, She; her Lord leads her in paths, ſhe could never have diſcerned, never have ſpyed out with all her ſearch, by a way ſhe knew not, never thought of: No, as hid from her eyes as were the unſearchable wayes of her firſt Redemption. Her Adverſary led her more then once, as they did her Lord, to the brow of the Hill cLuk 4. 29., thinking verily to caſt her downe headlong. But her Lord wrought gloriouſly for her eſcape: For as her Lord then, ſo She now paſſed through the midſt of them, and went away; She wondred how ſhe eſcap't, and was at that time as one in a dreame; but being well awakened, and comming to her ſelfe, ſhe remembred her Lord, whoſe ſhe is, and whom ſhe ſerves, He upheld her with His hand.
But what thanks and praiſe are due to her God? Who let out the wrath of man, and gave it the more Scope, ſo as the more it was let out, the more it might praiſe Him! Who ſo ordered the worke of an imperious whoriſh woman dEzek. 16. 30.(ſuch was the Church in name ſo) and her works ſuch; for ſhe w…s impudently bold, and paſt all ſhame (whom they commonly called the Church) to worke thereout good to his people; To cauſe the ſummoning of a Parliament; To make it hold; and that a caution was put in for after-times. What a confluence of mercies is, in all this! What abundant matter of praiſe! And that, when the Prieſts, for the moſt part, were brutiſh, and the people but a little more reaſonable, as froward as that Iſraelite, who co…nted reforming a killing *Exod. 2. 4.; Y…t ſuch a Parliament notwithſtanding, Who have layd a foundation of mercy for themſelves, and their poſterity, even for all the generations to come.
But I muſt not huddle up things ſo, nor throng them together, remembring, That the greateſt wonder, which moſt engageth the hearts of the Righteous, was wrought before the Parliament ſate; Therefore I ſhall take leave to begin according to my propoſed Method, and to ſet downe two Moneths, which are not in our late Kalenders; and then the Churches collections there-out, in the ſame order.
Surely, September (there I ſhall begin) it ſhall be to us the firſt beginning of Months, the firſt MonethMonth of our Iubile to us: For in that MonethMonth the Lord began to bring His Church out of Egypt, with a mighty hand, and to ſet His face againſt His Adverſaries, and toward His people. And becauſe He proceeded on toward the accompliſhment of what He had begun, and to make Himſelfe knowne, and to get a Name and everlaſting praiſe all the Moneths after; in alluſion to the Spirits words touching Moſes, I will ſay of this yeare There hath not been a yeare ſince the Redemption like unto this yeare, in all the ſignes and the wonders which the Lord hath done in the Land of Egypt, To the Pope and to all his ſervants, and to all his Land. And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terrour, which the Lord ſhewed in the ſight of all Iſrael *Deu…. ult …..