prove good for it to be so afflicted this is not the first plot intended against it for utter extirpation nor you the first messengers called forth by Providence to speak unto Majesty for its preservation cherish then and augment that courage that I seem to be seated in your aspects most noble Patriots although invironed with Enemies invellopt with difficulties to sense no probability to escape revilings nor possibility to return prevailing You have a sufficient call you have a good and all sufficient God a just Cause unjust Enemies many potent prayers all impotent curses a promise of a blessing a president of good successe in this Book put on resolution and use importunate prayer as a preparation so go in to the King if ye perish ye perish May it please you now as an Introduction to my Text to premise with me these particulars 1 The utter extirpation of the Church of God plotted and if you observe it this plot hath its rise from self ends Esther 3.5 6. When Haman saw Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence then was he full of wrath he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdome 2. The Kings humour observed a decree for the execution demanded and an advance of monies promised Verse 8 9. And Human said to the King There is a certain people scatered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy Kingdome and their Laws are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings Law therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them if it please the King let it be written that they be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand talâ—nts of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the businesse to bring it into the Kings Treasuries 3. The request obtained Regina pecunia quid non and the manageing of the businesse solely to Haman committed Vers 11 12 13. And the King said to Haman the silver is given to thee and the people also to do with them as seemeth good to thee c. Then were all the kings Scribes called and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the Kings Lievtenants and to the Governours that were over every Province and to the Rulers of every People of every Province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of the King was it written and sealed with the Kings Ring and the letters were sent by Posts into all the Kings Provinces to destroy and to kill and to cause to perish all the Iews both young and old little children and women in one day 4 The activity of the Churches Enemies for the speedy execution of this plot observed Vers 15. The Post went out being hastned by the Kings commandement 5. A double effect of this plot deâ—teâ—d the Court and Enemies of the Church are merry and their spirits elevated They sit down to drink The Church of God is perplexed Vers â—6 The City Shushan was perplexed 6. Mordecai's Personall sense of this misery he is more eminently affected Chap. 4. Vers 1. Perceiving what was done he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath and ashes and went out into the City and cryed with a loud and bitter cry c. 7 The Nationall sense of this calamity Vers 3. And in every Province where the decree came there was great mourning and fasting and weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloath and ashes 8. The plot to Esther discovered by her maids Vers 4. and by Mordicai confirmed Vers 7. 9 Some difficulties by sense proposed Vers 10 12. and by Mordecai answered Vers 13 14. and by her faith mastered she puts on an heroick resolution and returns Mordecai my Text for a concluding answer Go gather together all the Jews in Shushan and fast ye for me c. In the words you have The Messengers order for preparation Nationall and Personall for her good successe in undertaking that great action Go gather together In which preparation you have two particulars 1 The suitablenesse of the duty to the Churches difficulty or her prescribing them suitable duty to so great a difficulty The Church is in a great strait decreed to death a decree also that none shall dare to aproach the Kings presence uncalled much lesse to be a petitioner for life to reverse a decree Vers 11. 2 Proportionable duty Fast pray nay fast all pray one and all nay do this exactly strictly neither eat nor drink nay do it importunately ply the work ply it night and day The Action these two particulars 1 The Messengers sensiblenesse of the Churches misery and her own difficulty I also and my maidens will fast likewise She doth not put upon others what she will not practise her selfe nor trust to others duties alone as a meanes for her security no I also if the Church be in misery she will as a member put her self on exact duty 2 The Messengers subsequent independing heroick self-denying resolution So will I go in to the King If I perish I perish The words are without difficulty onely thus farre permit me that I may condescend to every mans capacity 1. The Jews were then the people of Gods love his heritage his dear friends against these is the decree sealed for death for these the pit is digged the net spread the sword sharpened these thus designed for death must fast and pray heartily for the Messengers acceptance as the onely probable means for their deliverance 2. In Shushan that was indeed the winter-Palace of the Kings of Persia but to it was adjoyned a City which was denominated so from it Why the Jews at the Court may think to escape as Mordecai intimates Verse 11. by the Kings favour they in the City to be secure as within Lines of Communication No all must to the work for the Churches deliverance 3. Fast ye for me Some read it Orate prome The Originall hath it Jejunate supra me Arm me with your prayers and Fasting against the strength of malice and power of a decree Jejunium pro suffragio apud summum Deum petit 4 So will I go in to the King Magna fiducia Reginae in jejunio monstratur magnaque charitas in vitam populi 5 If I perish I perish She submits to God imbracing her own death rather then daring to neglect the use of the means for the Churches safety as undervaluing trampling on and contemning that life that may out-live the prosperity of the Church of God There are streaming from these fountaines many eminent truths time and your weighty occasions prohibit me to adventure upon all I shall therefore at this present onely summon some of them to appear and passe them by with observation one I shall insist on for your present preparation unto the great work of this day First from the first branch of the order Go gather
into Covenant and to blesse them Balak thought it in the power of his heart to curse the people Numb 22. ult sends to Balaam a Sorcerer to this purpose Balaams heart is now in his owne power In the 8. Verse Lodge here and I will bring you word againe as the Lord shall speake unto me First read what followes Verse 12. and Verse 24. Numb 13. There is no sorcery against Iacob See Esay 8. Verse 9 10 11. It is not to be held counsells Saul had spent much time in the pursuit of David and his heart was set for evill against him and yet God upon their meeting disposeth of his heart and tongue to blesse him read 1 Sam. 26.25 Princes hearts have been nay they still are there you see it is but improving of proportionable Nationall and Personall interests and strength with our God in duty and without all question we may gaine this eminent mercy and have his heart with us before his person who thinks on or grudgeth his hazardous voyage to the Indies when he considereth a probability of getting gold pearles and diamonds we never think of the hardships of warfare and the difficultie of duties when we are bent upon honour and were we resolved for Nationall mercy and such a blessing as the Kings heart to subscribe to the just desires of all his Kingdomes we should not stick at any duty if we were but a little love-sick of mercy it would break a little more out of our lips And thus having given you reasons for this truth I shall supplicate you for a little patience whiles I apply it Use 1. For information of us how much they are to blame that do not at this day supply the lamentable imploring necessities of the Church of God in both Kingdomes but are extreme short in duty if they consider the length heighth depth and bredth of their misery little water will not quench or decrease a great fire no rather increase the flame the taking away a little bloud will not cure the Calenture the body must in such a case be brought low the leaving of a few grosse sins will not cure the Churches evill nor the simple performance of monethly duties no the Church of God is brought low but our hearts are not brought low no they must if ever we will do good on it be brought much lower yet 2 Such as consider not at all or take no notice or looke a squint on the Churches misery Amos 6.1 Woe to those that are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountains of Samaria that put farre from them the evill of the Nation and lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves on couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and calves out of the stall And so Ver. 5 6. That chant to the sound of the Viole and invent to themselves instruments of musick That drink wine in bowles and annoint themselves with the chiefe oyntment but they are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph How many in the Kingdome keeping the Churches fasting dayes as feasting days instead of neither eating nor drinking day nor night drink if not eat day and night 3. Such as delay the answering the Churches necessity in misery by performance of proportionable dutie like Solomons sluggard A little more sleep a little more slumber and a little more folding of the hands and so misery eats in like a gangrene it is an old saying Quod cito fit bis fit An oppâ—rtune remedy is a double curtesie he that helps at a pinch helps to purpose he that cryeth spare the child when the stripes are given gives little case gets little thanks O that we would know what belongs to the Churches peace Luk. 19.41 in this our day before these recovering mercies are hid from our eyes he speaks too late to the Judge for a reprieve when the ladder is turned It may be God will now heare and grant to morrow he will not In Cant. 2. the Church that drowsily neglected her safety after in the third Chapter seeks it night and day but found it not It is good stepping into the poole upon the motion of the waters if you misse your wind you may lose your voyage the season hath pantings and swounding fits already take heed it go not away in one of these fits Fourthly they also are much to blame who proportion their duties to the measure of their own pressing necessities and so are injurious to the cause of the Church of God Jeremy was not hurt for the hurt of himself but the daughter of his people Many are praying and fasting for their owne interests no Esther thinkes not of her self but her people so it must not be thy life or my life or thine or my goods estate children c. or thy personall suffering that must affect thee and afflict thee but the sufferings of all the members of Jesus Christ In all their afflictions thou must be afflicted and for them all thou hast must be hazarded And now right honourable and well-beloved suffer me to come to you in a word of Exhortation with some few Motives and I shall conclude all with supplications for God to guide your hearts to such personall preparations that you may this day find favour in the sight of God and the King and return at least with hopes of Peace or some small branch to show the waters are abated and that God in due time will cause the Arke which is the Church of God to rest safe upon the mountaines of hope 2. Use of Exhortation That by way of preparation for your addresse to His Majestie for the Churches preservation you and the Church of God would learn and practice that lesson that you may be prayerfull and powerfull You see Esthers practice for her distressed people Nay you see the three Kingdomes like that man that fell among theeves wounded and bleeding to death Oh be not like the hard-hearted Priests and Levites that minded more the market then their neighbours miserie But put on the good Samaritans compassion and go and do likewise let your bowels yerne towards the poore wounded lacerated halfe-dead Kingdomes looke out for oyle betimes to poure into the deepe wounds of it O apply such plaisters as may cat out the putrifying cores and if yet you cannot heale yet keep open and sweat the wounds of the Church of God I know you are men of skill and know how to doe it you indeed with those Honourable Houses that sent you under God are the Physitians must doe it It is you that must heale up the wounds make up the breaches that must bring backe God to his people and fetch the Kings heart to his God and your selves and his people And I heartily pray there may be found no Mountebanks amongst you who are more affected wâ—â—h the goods of the Nation than the good of the Nation such who mount the Stage to vent old drugs by faire bumbasted expressions for wholesome and
new Physick The Lord give skill also to discover all such if any before they too much retard the Churches cure The Lord make you all men of affections and bowels to lay to heart and pitty the Kingdoms wounds Nay thirdly men of diligence neglecting no opportunity the losse of time may be the losse of life Now if ever pray for good successe Indeed the condition of the three Kingdomes doth not onely require it but the distressed of the Land expect that you croud thorough all difficulties and carnall reasonings and by any means represent their condition to the Lord in the way of extraordinary duty I could wish we would at last leave mocking and deluding the poore Church of God and deale open-heartedly with them we promise and professe we will doe any thing for their ease and yet more then show nothing is done to this day we are like an idle servant alwayes going of an arrant but never goe and do it For shame now at last let us lessen weaken our sins that we may strengthen our prayers the life of three Kingdoms is at stake nay of the Church of God for ought you know pardon my importunity if I sollicite you to be active by a few Motives it being upon life and death of three famous Kingdoms 1. Motive Yours and everie one of our Relations to it it is the Church of God of which you are fellow-members it is the ship of which you are partowners in which your lives nay the lives of your precious Soules and all the provisions for your posterities are imbarked Since the storme began I confesse you have rowsed up many a lazie and shorting Jonah nay you have cast most of the unnecessary lumber that was more burthensome then serviceable to the ships use into the Sea shall I say nay somâ— part out of their seas and yet all is not well the poor ship drawes much blood yet swims very deepe in the Red Sea I beseech you rumedgy the ship once more and if you find any seeds men of Division S. Paul in the 16. of the Romans 17. intreats you to take notice of them as monsters and I have read it is prodigiously ominous to a ship to be haunted with monsters Raysing parties in a family ship or army is a thing of very sad consequence thirefore the Apostle dares give it under his hand that God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 Truly it is a sad thing to see the members of Jesus Christ out of joynt for Christ falls not off from his members why should the members fall off from one another There can be no such reason given why we should seperate one from another as there can be why Christ might seperate from us It is the glory of Christs body when every member is serviceable to 〈…〉 â—…ole in its right place These are also weighty luggedge and the Apostle adviseth such after admonition to be cast out for these extreamly prevent the exact performance of proportionable duty Lastly let every one search his owne Cabine whether he have not secretly brought no unwarrantable goods aboard for his own ends that may make the ship liable to forfeiture If so over with them what a shame is it to any man to forfeit a ship for his owne advantage or the Church should perish for concealed abhominations unpardoned sinners are dead men and dead men are prejudiciall to a ship and therefore to be cast over else God will say ere long as to Abimelech 〈◊〉 20.3 Behold thou art but a dead man for the woman thou hast taken so for the sin you have committed and are taken in Why should we joy in any thing whilst the Chruch may take hurt the Saints of God have ever been as tender of it as their selves and preferred its good before all injoyments If I forget Jerusalem let my right hand forget its cunning It was so deare and went so neere to old Ely the news of its losse when the Ark was taken that it is disputed whether his heart or neck brake first Wherefore I beseech you let your relation to it make you now in its misery to put forth and hazzard your selves to the utmost for relieving Mercy Mordecais Motive to Esther was it was her Nation it s mine to you they are your Nations it is your Church your Families your Houses your Estates your Children Wives Selves Souls your Gospell Ordinances are aimed at O pray pray Fast and pray cry mightily all 's at stake 2. Motive Because such duty if the Church be fick or Sentenced unto death under a decree Nay although with Ezekiah it hath received a message That it shall dye and not live yet it is of power to procure God to visit it and one of his visites is halfe the recovering of it 〈◊〉 â—8 14 It is some comfort to men that are labouring under hard undertakings that they labour not in vain be of good courage and of good comfort Your labour is not in vaine with the Lord for his decreed Church to ruine 3. Motive It is your last refuge it is that besides which you have hardly any thing left you If men have nothing left or have spent all but their fingers ends to maintaine them and their families they had need ply them diligently and cherish them carefully If a house stand but on one pillar it had need oft to be viewed for repaires and to see that be safe and well founded prayer is as it were the only Pillar of the Church it is as the fingers ends we had need imploy our fingers ends for our selves and our fellow-members in misery if we intend a livelihood 4. Motive You are all sentenced and by your Enemies appoynted to dye I hope no true member of the Church but will speake a word for himselfe I confesse our owne guilt might sow up our lips and we might bee left wordlesse but yet if God offer thee an opportunity ply him for thy life and the Churches safety with importunity for if thou speed not this way thou art undone for ever Your life is on it there is no trifling with life doe you not know what condemned men do in point of life for pardon Improve all their friends all their time all their skill all for a pardon so do you and prosper 5. Motive Because by this kinde of duty if you cannot prevaile with God and that for causes best known to himselfe for complete redemption out of misery Yet you shall for a mitigation of it and for a sanctified use of it and for strength of grace to undergo it and there is a great deale of difference in mens sufferings and deaths all men die but some men are kil'd by death It was the saying of a godly man he did aegrotare vitaliter so the godly doe mori vitaliter for nothing can arme death to hurt us but sin otherwise thou art hard sting-free