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A75501
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An Apology for God's worship and worshipers [sic] both in the [brace] purity of the one and liberty of the other : from the gracious and (oft) miraculous defence that God makes for them both, when exposed to violation or violence.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing A3543A; ESTC R43602
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185,797
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397
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to buy above 12 d. purchase or to keep a Book that touches too near on Time-truths and Duties also no small hinderance it had by those that deal in Books and Eye-profit in the World more than propagating the Word Printers being also under hazard at home if found to impress unentred or nameless Pieces and such are still suspected and soon supprest the Tyde running back powerfully against all Books that look to our shore with light Then our Domestick Civil Hurreys and strong Hurricanoes give little time sedately to read and mind Differences and some do so strain and tenter Accusations that Schisme is Heresy Separation Sedition if not Truth Treason Religion Rebellion So that if we decline a little longer it may come to ervive in our Age three new Sects or Hereticks 1. The Nicodemites that did all by Night or stealth in Christ's Service 2. The Libellatici that purchased their Peace of the Heathens as some at Dr. Co. for money And at last the Traditores that in Dioclesian's days gave up by fear what parts of Scripture they had in their hands to be burnt by Persecutors all which God forbid to be in our day Now against these and more the like sad Difficulties preponderated by the former Motives I resolved to throw Pen and Paper after the Personal Wrack in Christ's Storm and rather than live idle and useless cast my Lines after John Frith's in hopes that Leviathan or the Panther's maw shall as the Codfish in Cambridge did his Book bring it up to Light Post Naufragium Tabula Niteris incassum Christi submergere Navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illa ratis So Pius II. wrote to the Turk Angl. Thou seeks but all in vain to sink Christ's Ship 'T may toss but is not lost under the Deep And assured I am by him that has the Keys of Hell and Death that Christ's Witnesses shall live again and that to the terrour of all that see them far more of those that slew them and though in their Grave Cloaths they seem a terrour to their best Friends yet the Earth quake is an adjunct and sign of their Resurrection that will affright their worst Enemies For the Book it self I call it an Apology calculated for all Protestants in general that do pretend to be right Worshippers in Spirit and Truth but if any slight it or need not to it this fits your Meridian best till others come to feel that heat you do wherein the Suns Elevation is to that degree that you are scorcht and look't on as black for you is this Apology made I direct it not to the High and Great that would be deemed Presumption in one so low nor to the Regent Imperial Clergy their Autocratorical Majesties would at best but lay it by as Caesar that Note that did so much concern his Life and not read it Nor do I send it abroad being not able had I Language and Opportunity to bear that Charge nor will my Acquaintance reach For you it is designed to you dedicated if you are as fearful of your Purse as some a late of their Pulpits the Author can but loose his Cost and Pains but it is pity you should slight your Friends Apology far more if in the Cause of God Temptations that hence flow on poor Brethren are ill considered as some are judged too daring and ventrous others dare not do what is Duty to God and their Brethren but desert them in the common Cause of God as Herds do by the Hunted In pace Leones in prelio Cervi Lord send us nobler Spirits If the Scope be askt the two Verses at the front do well import it viz. That God still defends his Worship in all Ages in a way of ordinary Providence or that failing by some efforts of extraordinary power what Proofs I give and Instances of it I leave with the whole aim and manner of pleading to the Judicious If my reason be weak and reading short or parts too shallow for the Design I own all only the End is good and worthy the best of Persons and Parts to defend I only glory in the Breast-plate or Girdle of Sincerity all dare plead the Cause of beautiful Truths few plead for biting Truths All are settled in Doctrines hundreds of years old few there be that are establisht in present Truths as in 2 Pet. 1.12 Saints scattered ought to be If any deem the Plea too tart Passages too near and close I say none are named save those whose Case requires and that not injuriously or irreverently men that make themselves notorious by their astions now must not fret that their Names are left in record as infamous hereafter Salt was required in God's old Law which is penetrant and sharp yet savoury when Honey is forbid Sweets are less profitable than Bitters If the season suit not to the Fancies of some or Fears of others I cannot help that all such may let it alone 't is obtruded on none nor can a Paper of a single Author or Book alarm any save those that are guilty and such God 's Hornets will sting anon with fear though I were silent Did Jeremy forbear to write Or Baruch to publish God's Word though in time of wrath and of his own Confinement Jerem. 33.2.33.1 Or after burning the rowle by him that was most concernd did he not publish a second edition with addition Jer. 36. last though to Baruch's hazard and God brought them both off safe in time of sin and wrath is the most need of a faithfull witness that sin being lamented wrath may be prevented and that City now was besieged Jeremiah confin'd from God's house and it nigh a taking and shutting up all fatall circumstances actjunct with ruines on City and Temple shortly by Babylon and was it or is it a time now to be dumb Truely I fear by all the bad signes boding evill on any people before us sad events lye at the door by the flagitions crimes of men the fearfull curses of God due for them By the Course of the Orbes above and the Counsels of men below by the late Comets-portents and the consent of wilful men accessory to their own ruine that they may effect others by all the predictions of God and presumptions of ill men by the Conspiracies of Hell and the Confusions of Earth by the Deaths Divisions Declensions of the best and distractions of all the rest Sacred or Civil all things concenter to a tremendous Catastrophe So that if Bp. Ush Prophesy of the In-let of Popery or Dr. Th. T. on one hand may be heeded or the dying words of a pious Reverend Dr. Dr. S.W. on the other hand we may as he thrice cry out Oh dreadful Times Yet the same Dr. a little after crys out again thrice O glorious Times to the joy of all about him And so the Scene-Tragical at the Entrance proves a Joy Comedy in the Exit If any say This Author writes sceptically in pleading for
to Christ's Followers not be chained only a Change shall obtain on them and a little after it is expresly open'd so for the Envy of Ephraim shall depart vers 13. c. They shall not envy and vex each other So doth Zachary foretel ch 14.8 When the Lord shall be King in all the Earth then one Lord and his Name one Name notes Worship and it shows that all fatal Differences shall center and terminate in one Object one Dominator and Saints only strive which knows and does the Lord's Will best And so all Names of Dissent and Contest shall relinquish their lifeless Forms wherein the Enmity both breeds and feeds and contentedly be buryed in Oblivion That his Name Power and Worship may be one from the East to the West Mal. 1.11 2. For Right it shall not be run down by Might the Poor shall have as true and as much Justice for God's sake as the Prince So is Scripture pregnant the two great Maladies that Bars and Courts groan with of Denyals and Delays of Right shall by this have suited Cures the one by seeking out a wronged Cause the other by hasting Righteousness Isai 16.5 And Christ that Tree of Life in his days will spread the Earth over with Branches laden with all sorts of blessed Fruits How then should we pray for that King and Kingdom that alone will bring that Fruit Now when we seek this Kingdom and thirst for the Righteousness of it Mat. 5.6.6 33. When we pray the Word may run and be glorified 2 Thes 3 2. It is a good Argument of our being on Christ's side and this is the Defence David begg'd of God for his Life for fear of the Enemy Psal 64.1 And often for the good Cause he ingag'd for And it being all the Service you can do had you not need say the old Prayers with a new Spirit that God may help yet once as Sampson prayed and then pulled at the very Pillars Judg. 16.28 v. 30. And so dyed a Martyr for Israel and a Judge against the Philistims though himself sunk in that Adventure And truly the state of God's people is such some aged worn out and weak some poor low and discouraged many of the Rich timerous and of Nabal's temper the rest not yet pinch't with the Sorrows and Hardships of their own Flesh and all divided in their Notions about these Things that if by our Prayers we can serve Religion no better than by a Carnal Weapon we are like to suffer as sharp a Lash and as long as ever unless God by an Act of arbitrary Grace Works Wonders for us as here he did at Samuel's Prayers for Israel and thunder vengeance on the implacable in an extraordinary way and why not so now Since Promises do oft entertain us with hope Isai 10.26 Joel 2.21 Mic. 7.15 that God will do Wonders and lift up the Rod and that after the manner or Aegypt But matter of Prayer exemplified in Scripture of this kind is both various and frequent It may suffice to cite a few of many noted Petitions for Defence Let all that trust in thee rejoyce Psal 5.11 Why so For thou defendest them or thou puttest a Cover or Protection over them Psal 7.10 God is my Defence that saves the Vpright in Heart In a third he prays Let the Name that is the Power Worship of the God of Jacob defend or set thee on high psal 20.1 2. as the word is A fourth runs Be thou a Rock of Strength a House of Defence to save me ch 31.2 A fifth time he resolves to wait on him for God is my Defence ch 59.1 9. v. 17. It was when Saul watcht the House to kill him ch 62.2 6. What need had we of such Prayers I conclude the Direction for prayer with that of the Apostle That the Word may run and we may be delivered from unreasonable men or absurd men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 3.3 men out of Place of no Topicks For if these fall on the Law of God is again like to be led in Triumph as it was by Titus Vespatian when Jerusalem was took But let it be intence and earnest not lazy Prayer Mr. B. St. on the Parable of the ten Virgins for as one concludes his Book God relieves no ilde Beggars I only cite a Line of a Doctor at the end of his learned Apostolick History in prayer for the Jews thus Cause Truth to ride prosperously as the Sun at Noon Mr. S. Cradock pag. ult set up thy pure Worship and Institutions throw down false Worship and Errour break the yoaks of Oppression and Violence rebuke Profaneness unite Christians in all the main Fundamentals that may invite the Jews to Christ give us a Forbearance in less matters c. Now 2dly For Deprecation it is imply'd in our Lords Direction Lead us not into Temptation Mat. 6.13 So then we are to pray against all the Inlets of Temptation that within or without draw us to evil And more particularly 1. Deprecate God's Recess Leave us not was and still is an useful Request Exod. 33.15 Moses and Jeremiah did so the one chose to dwell still in the Wilderness with God rather than to go into the Land without him The other crys Leave us not we cannot sense this Loss till after His Presence is our Glory Jer. 14.9 2. Deprecate selling into men's hands that is slavery this follows that selling giving up and delivering into men's hands Isai 47.6 are acts near of kin and as he gets nought of the enemy but Blasphemy Psal 44.12 so to be sure we lose both civil and religious Rights by that Bargain once in slavery you may work long ere you buy off the Yoak men hardly let go a Slave 3. Pray against the Sins that demerit both If God protect his Worship and us in it shall we forget our Glory and Defence at once We may do it easily but are sure to repent it dearly What Sins do conduce to this I need not here to recite but a small fret as Miriams or wrong touch as Vzah's or false fire as Aaron's two Sons Lev. 10.2 or Formality and Mixtures soon drive God away or provoke him 3. For Imprecations in our Prayers let us first premise a Word next provoke and direct I depone two Positions and distinguish next 1. There is a lawful holy Curse now under the Gospel as was under the Law Jacob curst the rage of Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.7 So David the Sons of men that incenst Saul against him and drave him out to serve other Gods 1 Sam. 26.19 So Jeremiah had a holy Arrow for his indurate Foes Lam. 3. ult Paul had the like for the Galatians Troublers Gal. 5.12 2. Some men are fit Subjects of a Curse against whom this Weapon is of right to be drawn Psal 109.17 18. The sin to death secludes from all benefit of or blessing by Prayer 1 John 5.16 The delivery to Satan is a just