The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Frontispiece – Dedication 1
יהוה GOD IN THE FLAMING-BVSH.
EXOD. 3. 2.
Moſes looked, and behold, the Buſh burned with fire, and the Buſh was not conſumed.
EXOD. 3. 3.
And he ſaid, I will now turne aſide, and ſee this great ſight, why the Buſh is not burnt.
DEUT. 33. 16.
Bleſſed of the Lord be His Land, for the precious things of Heaven: And for the precious things of the Earth; and for the good-will of Him, That dwelt in the Buſh.
ESA. 63. 9.
In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angell of His Preſence ſaved them.
Publiſhed for a memoriall of the firſt wonderfull yeare, The day of the LORDS vengeance, and yeare of Recompences for the controverſie of Zion.
THE CHVRCHES THANK-OFFERING To GOD Her KING, and The PARLIAMENT, FOR Rich and ancient Mercies; Her Yeares of Captivity; Her firſt Yeare of IVBILE;
THAT IS, For the Marvelous Deliverances Wrought with God the firſt Wonderfull Yeare (ſince the Yeare 88) beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the ſame MonethMonth following: In all which time, The Lord appeared for His Church, as in the dayes of old, out of the middeſt of the BƲSH, ſo the Church burn'd with fire, and was not conſumed.
In the PREFACE, The THANK-OFFERING is vindicated, and ſet free, from all the Cavills and Charges againſt it; Where alſo it is cleared To be, as every Mans Duty, ſo every Mans purpoſe, To Offer Willingly now, who doth not make full proofe, that he falls ſhort of Pagan, Papiſt or Atheiſt; and is wilfully reſolved to walk croſſe to the moſt SUPREME Law, The HIGHEST Reaſon, and The unqueſtionable WILL of GOD.
1 Chro. 17. 19. O Lord, for Thy Servants ſake, and according to Thine own heart, haſt Thou done all this greatneſſe, in making known all theſe great things.
Pſal. 1…6. 17 I will offer to Thee the Sacrifice of thankſgiving: and will call upon the Name of the Lord.
Nehem. 5. 19. Thinke upon mee, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
London, Printed for T. Ʋ. at the ſigne of the Bible in Wood ſtreet, 164….
TO THE LORD, the moſt high GOD, Poſſeſſour of Heaven and Earth. TO IESUS CHRIST, His only Son our LORD, Prince of Peace, King of Saints. To the bleſſed SPIRIT, the Truth, and leading thereinto.
BLeſſed be Thy glorious Name, which is exalted above all bleſſing and praiſe. Thou alone workeſt wonders, and in ſo doing haſt magnified Thy Selfe and honoured man: Thou ſhewedſt ſignes and wonders upon Thy Adverſaries, for Thou kneweſt they dealt proudly againſt Thee: So didſt Thou get Thy ſelfe a Name, as it is this Day; and herein didſt Thou uſe man as an inſtrument, Duſt and Aſhes he is, give him grace to magnifie Thee. Bleſſed Saviour, Rock of our Salvation, Deſire of the Nations, Hope of Iſrael in time of trouble, Thou waſt content to be made of no eſteeme, that Thy people might be greatly beloved; to be made a curſe, that Thy people might become a bleſſing; content to be made low, that Thou mighteſt exalt man. So Thou haſt done, Thou haſt exalted him, even to ſit in Thrones next to Thy ſelfe; Give him an heart to exalt Thee, to honour Thee, to love Thee much, for Thou art worthy. Bleſſed Spirit, Thou haſt done great things and marvellous, not by aNihil aliundè mutuatur Deus ad Eccleſiae ſuae conſervationē, ergò vult ſibi Ʋni acceptam referri Eccleſiae ſaturē. Cal.(humane) might, nor by power, but by Thy ſelfe bZach. …. 6. Nec tamen omnia immediatè & per ſe agit Deus, ſed tantum oſtendere v…l… Eccleſiam erigi et conſervari non humano & vulgari modo, ſed mirabiliter & praeter omnes ſpes & ſenſus noſtres, Cal. in locum., ô bleſſed Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, take to Thy ſelfe the Glory, even all.
Almighty Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt, Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity; unſpeakably Three in One, and One in Three, One in Authority, Will and Worſhip of all Three; King of Kings, Lord of Lords; Spare Thy Servant according to the greatneſſe of Thy mercy. Thy hand-maid is recording Thy ancient thoughts of Grace and Peace towards Thy Servants, her Sons and her Daughters: Ancient mercies towards them, when they lay in their blood, for that was a time of love cEzech. 16. 8.. Mercies toward them, exceeding Mercies, when they were in the fornace of affliction, for then Thou didſt DWELL with them and they had ENOƲGH. Mercies towards her Land and People this former yeare, ſtrange Reſcues, wonderfull Deliverances, admirable Diſcoveries; what then can Thy Servant ſay now? Even as Thou ſhalt be pleaſed to open her Mouth, and give her inlargement. She would take with her words dHoſ. 14. 2., but from Thy owne mouth, and of Thy owne chuſing; Thou muſt give firſt; for all things come of Thee, and of Thine owne have we given Thee e1 Chro. 29. 14.. Thy ſervant muſt now ſpeake Thy high Praiſes; then Thou, Lord, muſt tune my ſpirit, and raiſe it up, elſe it will flag; or like a Bird without wings, now up and preſently down. How inſufficient Thy Servant is, for ſo high and excellent an imployment, Thou knoweſt, for Thou even Thou onelyonly knoweſt the hearts of all the children of men f1 Kin. 8. 39.. At this preſent indeed, now that I have ſome high thoughts of Thy glorious excellencies, Thy Servant can ſpeake, as one brought downe to the ground, whoſe speech whiſpereth out of the duſt; yet, as one preſently ſtolne away from her ſelfe, ſhe can, with that Sorcerer, thinke her ſelfe ſome GREAT ONE gAct. 8. 9.. Lord, rebuke this proud ſpirit, and caſt a ſpewing upon Selfe-glory hHab. 2. 16.: for truth Lord, ſomething it would be, and ſomething it would doe, though a thouſand experiences have told us, that nothing it is, nothing it can iIer. 3. 5., but ſinne againſt Thee. Thy grace in us doth all, no more power in ſelfe, no more canning except the contrary way, then can the inſtrument of late held in the worke-mans hand, but now caſt-out, or lying by him. Lord, leave me not, no not a little, worke all in me and for me, then worke by me, for what we give to Thee is from Thy own hand to us firſt. And though fleſh and bloud would ſhare here, yet ſuffer it not; but ſay (where Thy voyce is, there is power) it ſhall not be ſo, and ſo take to Thy ſelf Thy proper right, all the glory. Let not ſo excellent a thing as the Spirit is, ſo vaſt and capacious, be loſt in ſelfe, which is nothing; but, let it runne forth to Thee, and though it will be loſt there alſo, amidſt ſuch an Ocean, yet there it finds a proportionable good, even all in Thy ſelf, for Thou art All.
Behold now, I have taken upon me to speake unto my Lord, that am but auſt and aſhes, Thou wilt ſuffer this once, and leade me into Thy Treaſure-houſe, to behold Thy mercies there, which I am no more able to underſtand, then I can the treaſures of the ſnow and of the haile kIob 38. 22.; nor comprehend, no more then I can meaſure the wind in my fiſt, or Heavens with my Span: for I muſt looke backe to the dayes of eternity, and Thy ancient thoughts towards Thy Sons and Daughters before the foundation of the world. And behold Thy wayes there, as undiſcernable as the way of an Eagle in the Aire; or of a Serpent upon the Rocke lPro. 30. 19.: as is the path which no foule knoweth, and which the vultures eye hath not ſeen mIob 28. 7.. But bleſſed be Thy Name, though there in that darke path, the ſoule can find no reſt, nor feels any bottome, yet, in Thy Chriſt *De praedeſtinatione d…ſputaturu… incipe … Chriſti vulneribus, Mel. Ad. in vitâ Sta…p. Vera eſt ea poenitentia quae ab amore juſtitiae & Dei incipit., we have a foundation, even according to the good pleaſure of Thy will, towards us in Him, to the praiſe of the glory of Thy Grace nEph. 1. 5.. For Him we bleſſe Thee, we praiſe Thee, we adore Thee, for Thy glorious manifeſtations, ſecret inſpirations, immediate workings; for all the meanes of conveyance, whereby Heaven is pleaſed to condeſcend and to have communion with earthly creatures, and earthly creatures have fellowſhip with the FATHER and the SONNE. For Thy Sons ſake all this, therefore we bleſſe Thee for that unſpeakable gift, with Whom Thou giveſt all things, a ſubduing of iniquity, victory over ſin; (ſinne is not left to bring forth its owne curſed fruit, an exceeding mercy) pardon of ſinne; communion with Thy ſelfe; joy in the Holy Ghoſt; then the ſtrongeſt, when we are weakeſt, and our ſufferings the greateſt: Then the higheſt elevation of ſpirit, then the floud of conſolation runnes higheſt, when the floud of wickedneſſe runnes over the head, and ſeemes ready to ſwallow up. This is that the world ſtumbles at; nay, we ſhrinke at too, at ſufferings, at perſecution, though yet a thouſand experiences tels us, Perſecution is the ſigne of a Theſ 1. 7.the true Church, and to them, who are perſecuted, Reſt with us (and our Reſt is in Thee and with Thee) at laſt; and then, even in that houre of temptation, then doſt Thou adminiſter abundant conſolations, even according as the ſufferings are; through fire, yet not conſumed; through water yet not drowned oEſa. 43. 2.; Surely this is becauſe Thou doſt guide Thy Servants by Thy Councell; we are not carefull whether we goe, when Thou haſt us by the hand, being aſſured, the end of the way is GLORY.
And now, that the people may flow in hether, cauſe them to turne aſide and behold this ſight, why the BƲSH burnes and is not conſumed. All that looke on muſt reſolve it thus, becauſe Thy GOOD WILL DWELLS IN THE Eſa. 63. 9.BƲSH. In all their affliction Thou waſt afflicted, and the Angell of Thy preſence ſaved them. O bleſſed be the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, for Thy GOOD-WILL That dwels in the Buſh.
O let not my Lord be angry, and I will speake yet but this once; we Thy people have ſaid in our haſte, Our hope is cut-off, we ſhall be termed FORSAKEN, and our Land DESOLATE. But we behold and wonder, Thou haſt ſhewen grace unto us, to give us a nayle in Thy Eſa. 62. 4.Holy place, and haſt revived our hope, That we ſhall be called HEPHZ…BAH and our Land Beulah. Truly Lord Thou haſt comforted all my waſte places, Thou haſt made my WILDERNES like EDEN, and my DESERT like the Garden of the Lord, ioy and gladneſſe is found therin, Thankſgiving Ezr. 9. 8.and the voyce of Melody *Eſa. 51. 3.. But, Lord, why is it ſo? Why ſuch ſeverity towards our ſiſter-Churches, and ſuch goodneſſe towards us and our Land? Even ſo, becauſe it pleaſeth Thee; It is Thy good will ſo. Be it ſo, but we are over-charged with the conſideration thereof, and are ſilent. Truly, Lord, we ſtand wondering at Thy works, beholding terrible things rEſa. 64. 3., which our Fathers ſaw not, and we look'd not for; The turning councels upſide downe, &c. (for had Thy Servant the tongue of an Angell ſhe could not expreſſe it) but at our ſelves we wonder moſt of all, at the droſſineſſe, the dreggineſſe of our ſpirits, not yet reſolved into a ſpirit of Thankefullneſſe; no, not yet, though we have ſeene ſuch and ſuch things, above all, ſuch forbearance; ſuch a patient ſuffering our manners oAct. 13. 18., at ſuch a time as this. Why Lord God, Thou didſt ſend unto us Saviours, we ſhould have looked through them, as through a thin covering, to Thy arme made bare for our Salvation; we did not ſo, it was a thicke covering before our eyes, it hid Thy Almighty Arme quite from us. We did leane upon that Reed (ſuch is the helpe of fleſh) yet did it not pierce nor breake. O wonderfull! it is not Thy manner ſo, the prop of fleſh did not breake, though we laid ſo great a weight of expectation thereupon: notwithſtanding it hath held, &c. for Thy Servant is overcome; more ſhe would ſpeake to that point and is not able. But ſhe hath wherewith to anſwer Thy Adverſaries (as followeth.) The Enemy reproacheth Thy Name daily, and asketh, where is now your God? Our God is in Heaven, and thence Thou haſt declared Thy ſelfe againſt Thy Enemies, confounding them: and for Thy people, reviving their hope. Thou haſt exalted THY CHRIST before our Eyes: and received Thy people into COVENANT; theſe two things Thou haſt done this laſt yeare. And if Thou doſt no more in our dayes, yet thy Servants have ENOƲGH: And by Thy good hand upon them, they have out-plotted all their enemies. Thy Servants have no more to ſay, but, Remember, Lord, Thy Covenant, and keepe the hearts of Thy Servants cloſe with thee therein: Thou art Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and onelyonly art able to make Thy Servants to performe the words of Thy Covenant, and to STAND TO IT p2 Chro. 34. 31, 32.; and then, though the Enemy rage, he ſhall not hurt; though he conceives miſchiefe, he ſhall bring forth a lye.
God in Covenant defeates all their helliſh counſels, weakneth all their power, anſwers all Arguments againſt Thy people, or their Cauſe, nothing ſhall doe them hurt, every thing ſhall doe them good. It is Thy Promiſe, Lord, I will not turne away from them to doe them good aIer. 32. …0., All ſhall worke together for their good; loſſes in the World, for their good; troubles in the fleſh, for their good; come what can come, all is ſanctified, by all Thou wilt doe Thy children good; Reproaches, wants, neceſſities, Perſecutions, Captivities bIer. 24. 5., All to doe them good, even ſo Amen.
And yet, Lord, we remember Thou haſt ſpoken good words and gracious concerning the Church for the time to come. We humbly conceive now is the time, when Thou art making good this good word to Thy people; not onelyonly becauſe they doe ſet their faces unto Thee to ſeeke by Prayer and Faſting cDan. 9. 3.(a great and good ſigne that Deliverance is comming-on, that Thou art appearing in Thy glory dPſ. 102. 16, 17., becauſe the Fatherleſſe, the Deſtitute pray unto Thee for this thing, and are reſolved to give Thee no reſt.)
But there are other Reaſons, why we ſhould ſet our hope in Thee, and that it is Thy meaning we ſhould ſo doe, which we ſhall ſpeake of before Thee now, and (if it could be) in the eares of all the Chriſtian world, for they are legible in all the peoples ſight, and moſt commanding, we thinke, to draw in others that are not willingly ignorant, and to make them fall downe, kiſſe Thy Sonne, and truſt in Him.
1. We humbly conceive that Thine Adverſary and Enemy ſhall proceed no farther. Surely, we ſay, that is Thy meaning and purpoſe of Thy Heart, becauſe His folly is manifeſt unto all men e2 Tim. 3. 9..
2. We conceive, that Thy Adverſary (a Legion) hath beene at the higheſt, his verticall point, and we ſee he is fallen thence. Truth, Lord, he fals ſlowly now; when his fall is like a milſtone fRev. 18. 21., with violence, then it ſhall be mighty, quicke and irrecoverable; there is that in his fall now, which, in our haſte, we call ſlackneſſe, and we ſay, in the ſame haſte, we may fall before him: If ſo, yet ſo, as we ſhall riſe with more ſtrength and in more glory; but he never to riſe againe to that ſame point. We conclude ſo (for ſo Thy manner hath beene) when the Adverſary begins to fall, he ſhall fall yet lower gEſt. 6. 13.; when he aſcends againe (if he falls not low in humiliations) it is up the Gallows.h7. 9.
3. The Adverſary hath been proud, as Moab, ƲERT PROVD iEſa. 16. 6., exceeding proud kI…r. 48. 29., as proud waters, which went over the heads of the righteous. We humbly conceive now, they muſt be brought LOW, VERIE LOW; now they muſt be made Baſe, EXCEEDING BASE, even now.
4. Prayer hath commanded (wee looke above all meanes to Thy glorious Right-hand) as ſtrange a ſtanding ſtill of the ſtarres in one place of the HEAVEN, as was the ſtanding ſtill of the Sunne upon Gibeon, and the Moone in the valley of Aialon lIoſh. 10. 12.. We humbly conceive, Thy meaning thereby is, and Thou wilt have it publiſhed to the whole Chriſtian world; That the great Court of Nobles and Worthies ſhall not ariſe from their place, till Thou doſt ariſe in all Thy peoples ſight, to avenge Thy ſelfe upon Thy Adverſaries, for all the diſhonours they have done to Thy Houſe, Thy Day, Thy Servants, Thy Service, &c. Come Lord Jeſu, Thy Servants wait Thy comming; Praiſe waiteth for Thee in Sion. The ſouls under the Altar ſay COME; multitudes, we cannot number, thouſand thouſand ſouls on the Earth, wearied out, becauſe of theſe Murderers *Jer. 4. 31., all theſe ſay come. The ſighing of the needy and the oppreſſion of the poore, ſaith come. Thy Day ſo prophaned, ſaith come; The spirit ſo grieved, ſaith come; Thy Spouſe (ſo often forced before Thy face) ſaith come; and becauſe of the preſent feeling, ſhe doubles it, Come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly; eaſe Thy ſelfe and Thy poore flocke of thoſe Adverſaries, who have fed themſelves and fleeced Thy Sheepe; have made void Thy Law, have taken peace from the Earth; have valued precious ſoules no more then they doe old ſhooes *Am. 26.. Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, and worke ſo, that a man ſhall ſay: verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily He is a God That iudgeth in the Earth.Pſ. 58. 11.
Thy Servant hath ſpoken, doe Thou according to the greatneſſe of Thy power and mercy, for Thy words ſake, Thine owne ſake, Thy Names ſake, Thy Chriſt His ſake, Thy Churches ſake, His deare one (the price of His blood) His neare one (as the Apple of His eye) His only one, His beloved one, the Crowne of His ſufferings, the Glory of His ſhame; and then will the Church aſcribe power, riches, wiſdome, ſtrength, honour, glory, bleſſing to Him. Who is worthy to receive all this; for of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory for ever, Amen.