such as are descended of the Blood of Christ in which regard they are the dearest of men and nearest unto God Yea they are a people distinct from all others by Gods Grace of Election and stand before him in their new Birth and Second Creation in which the Lord lookes joyfully upon them and delights to behold them because they sprang from Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Eph. 3.15 And this Church Metaphorically and by way of similitude is called Mater Fidelium the Mother of the Faithfull because she brings forth Sonnes unto God unites them to Christ and nourisheth them by the Preaching of the Word and by the Examples of good Workes And hence is that expression Non posse quemquam habere Deum Patrem qui non habet Ecclesiam Matrem No man can have God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother alluding to that of S. Paul Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell So that if we would have God for our Father we must account the Church for our Mother and procure her Peace with our best endeavours and there is no more prevalent way for us to helpe her then by praying heartily to God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Jerusalem was the Metropolis of Judea And she was also a Tipe of the Church of Christ and that in diverse respects viz. 1. Jerusalem was a Citty compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of love and Order that was amongst the Citizens themselves as in this Psalme verse the 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City that is at unity in it selfe So in like manner the Members of Christs Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit Ephes 4.3 And they joyntly endeavour to keepe the unity of that Spirit in the bond of Peace 2. In Jerusalem was the Sanctuary a place of Gods Presence and Worship So in like manner the Church of Christ is the roome of the Sanctuary in which we must seeke the presence of God and the word of Life 1 Tim. 3.15 Therefore the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pillar and ground of Truth 3. The Lord mercifully promised the people of Jerusalem that if they would call upon his Name they should have Deliverance Joell the 2. ult the which hath resemblance to the Church of Christ amongst the Gentiles alluding to that of S. Paul There is no difference betweene the Jew and the Grecian Rom. 10.12 13. for he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved 4. In Jerusalem the Citizens yeelded obedience to their Kings So in like manner the Members of Christs Church being true Believers Eph. 2.19 are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And they yeeld obedience unto Christ their King Esa 2.5 5. In Jerusalem was the Throne of David as in this Psalme verse the 5. So in like manner in the Church of Christ is the Throne or Scepter of Christ Rev. 3.7 figured by the Kingdome of David 6. Zach. 2.8 The Lord chose Jerusalem above all other places in the world and tendered the people therein even as the apple of his owne eye So in like manner the true Members of Christs Church are a Chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a Peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Lastly in Jerusalem the names of the Citizens were inrolled in a Book So in like manner all the true Members of the Church of Christ Rev. 20.12 have their names written in the booke of Life S. John had a Revelation of the last Judgement And he saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Whereupon we may orthodoxally resolve and infallibly infer that whosoever have not their names written in that Book of Life must have their portion with the Devil and his Angels for evermore as plainely appeareth in the last verse of the same Chapter And whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the lake of fire Loe thus Beloved you have heard the neere Resemblance and Typicall Representation betweene the City of Jerusalem and the Church of Christ Now let us come to the Reasons of the Observation Reas 1 Because the Church is in a continuall warfare in this world and therefore she is called the Church Militant because she is daily fighting against the Flesh the World and the Devill yea she hath many enemies that come from Satans Campe very fiercely against her Who like Tyrants by violence and force of strength like Sophisters by subtilty and corruption of doctrine like Hypocrites by dissembling and superstition and like Epicures by leudnesse of life and filthinesse of conversation doe daily assault and sight against the Church of Christ Loe these like cunning Fowlers strive daily and hourely for to intrap her the Flesh would infect her the World would deceive her and the Devill would destroy her And therefore it behoveth us with our best endeavours even heartily to pray unto God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 2 Because whosoever desires to have his Habitation in Gods Tabernacle must love make much of the members of Gods Church Psal 15.4 And how can we better manifest our love untothem then by praying for them when they are in distresse And this duty of Love to the Members of Gods Church is both Commanded Commended Approved and Rewarded in the holy Scriptures It is 1. Commanded 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should believe in the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement 2. Commended 1 Cor. 13. ult Now abideth Faith Hope and Love even these three but the chiefest of these is Love 3. Approved Apoc. 2.19 The Blessed Spirit of God spake to S. John to say to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira I know thy Workes and thy Love meaning towards the Members of Gods Church 4. Rewarded Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love which ye shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister Yea beloved and were it so that the love to the Members of Gods Church were neither Commanded Commended Approved nor Rewarded Yet notwithstanding if thou hast received an Influence of Grace from Heaven the sparkes of Grace will so kindle in thy soule that thy praying for
The LORD is a man of Warre his name is Jehovah c. Deborah Iudg. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang a song of Praise for the peoples Victory Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 praised God for her sonne Samuell It was S. Phil. 4.6 Pauls Exhortation to his Philippians that they should be Thankfull unto God And also to his Colossians Col. 2.6 7 that they should abound with Thanksgiving Thus Raguell praised God for the preservation of Tobias life Tob. 8.15 O God said he thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise therefore let thy Saints praise thee with all thy Creatures and let all thine Angels and thine Elect praise thee for ever It was the desire of wicked Balaam to have the Righteous mans Death Num. 23.10 But he would not live the Righteous mans life If therefore we desire to be happy with the Saints at our Death Let us endeavour to imitate them in our Life And one way whereof must be by being thankfull to God for his Blessings received Holy Davids thankfull heart unto God makes it his Quaerie Quid retribuam Domino What shall I give unto the Lord Psal 116.11 12. for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Yea the serious consideration of Gods Blessings caused David to stir up his owne soule to be thankefull unto God when he said Praise the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 and forget not all his benefits And the same Princely Prophet foure times in one Psalme heartily wisheth that the people would praise the Lord and set forth his loving kindnesse to the world Psal 107.8 15 21 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Our Thankfulnesse to God ought to be testified as far as Mortals may in a threefold duty In Corde In Affectione In Lingua In Professione In Vita In Actione In Affection Profession and in Action Cordially Verbally and Visibly 1. Thankefulnesse in Affection is when willingly we accept the Benefit and heartily think our selves indebted for it 2. Thankfulnesse in Profession is when we make publication of a benefit received to the praise of the Giver 3. Thankfulnesse in Action is when the party receiving a gift doth expresse a reality of gratitude gratifying thereby the Donor to the uttermost of his power So that our reall thankfulnesse must be by a constant cordiall and universall obedience to Gods commandements It should therefore be the care of every one who would be truly Thankefull to be the same all these three wayes viz. In Heart in Mouth and in Life Let us therefore call to mind my beloved Brethren how many Bonds of Thankfulnesse the Lord hath bound us in And also consider with our selves it was onely his free mercy towards us that we had not beene those children that were ripped out of their Mothers bellies 2 King 8.12 Or those young men that perished in the Battell Judg. 9. Or those women that ate their Babes to preserve their lives 2 King 6.29 Or that we were not Infidels Pagans Papists Atheists or Hereticks So that we may comfortably say with the Prophet David He hath not dealt so with every Nation Psal 147. ult Let therefore evermore the Praises of God be in our Hearts the Word of God in our Mouthes and the Gospel of Christ in our Lives And by how much the more we have tasted of the Lords Goodnesse above others so much the more let him tast of our Thankfulnesse above others And let us all in Gods feare pray continually for the Peace of England and the flourishing estate of this Church and Common-wealth wherein we live Use the meanes to keep it refuse the way to lose it and long yea for ever may they prosper that love it O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Thus much for the Subject of this Duty being the Third Considerable in our Text set downe in this word Peace From whence you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing of God well deserving the prayers of his faithfull servants And now let us come to the last Considerable in our Text viz. the Object of this Subject set down in the last word of our Text Jerusalem By which is meant the Church of God From the which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. It is required as a due debt from the Children of God that they should pray for the peace of the Church their Mother O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And here I am not to speak of the invisible Church triumphant in Heaven but of the visible Church Militant here upon Earth and of that as briefly and orderly as I may The word used for Church in the Originall language of the New Testament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to call for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called of the Graecians an Assembly of the Citizens called from home by the voice of a Cryer to heare the Judgement of the Senate But the Jewes called their place of publique meeting for the reading of the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue that is a gathering together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather together to bring together and to assemble together But the Christians that by the very name of publique meetings they might distinguish betweene their Christian meetings and the Jewish assemblies have used and kept the word Church for the Congregation of them that professe Christ So that the Church of God is the company of selected Saints being effectually called from the world by the Preaching of the Gospell and chosen before all Worlds to the Worship of God being also Justified and Sanctified in Christ Jesus through the Operation of the Holy Ghost who heartily desire to serve and earnestly endeavour to please their Creator in all things whilst they live here in this world and shall have the full fruition of Eternall happinesse hereafter in the world to come And from being Members of this Church none that are true Believers are excepted whether they be high or low rich or poore old or young noble or ignoble learned or unlearned simple or politique of what estate degree or condition soever they be For there is neither Jew nor Grecian Gal. 3.28 there is neither bond or free there is neither male or female but they are all one in Christ Jesus The Sapient Solomon describeth the Church as though it were a Stately Court Cant. 6.7 in which there are none but those that are of the Blood Royall viz. Kings Queenes and those that are Heires apparent to the Kingdome of Heaven So that the true essentiall Members of the Church being faithfull Believers in Christ Jesus are the most precious and Noble Persons that live upon the earth even
earthly Purgatory I meane the Afflictions of this Life before we can come to the heavenly Paradise viz. the Joyes of the Life to come Yea we must goe by the Suburbs and Gates of Hell before we can come to the City of the new Jerusalem and joyes of Heaven Every true Member of Christs Church is a crucified Christian and therefore not onely incident to suffering but also strict in his Conversation for strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Mat. 7.14 None must live the life eternall hereafter in the joyes of Heaven but onely those that first Crucifie their carnall Corruptions and mortifie their sinfull Affections here upon Earth We must live in the Spirit and not in the flesh For He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting Gal. 6.8 And hence is that of S. Paul to his Colossians Mortifie therefore your Members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatrie Col. 3.5 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the Children of disobedience The Members of Christs Church publiquely promised by their Sureties at their Baptisme to forsake the Devill and all his Workes and constantly believe Gods holy Word and obediently keep his Commandements and were incorporated into Christs Church to confesse the Faith of Christ crucified to be faithfull Souldiers for Christ their Saviour and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sinne the World and the Devill and the Lord expects the constant spirituall Performance of this their publique Promise during the troublesome time of their earthly Pilgrimage And how shall the Valour of Souldiers be evidenced to the World who keep themselves continually in their Quarters and never goe upon service who lye alwayes in the Campe and never come into the Field But when once Troubles doe arise and the Enemy draweth nigh and Christs Souldiers by the sound of Drums and Trumpets are called from their Quarters and they march forwards and meet their Enemies in the face Loe then Abrahams Faith Davids Piety Vriahs Constancy Jobs Patience Jonathans Love Jehues Zeal Gideons Valour and Pauls Courage will appeare who like valiant spirited and heroicall hearted Souldiers will zealously strive unanimously desire for the Glory of God the Honour of their King the Peace Good and Welfare of their Country to be placed in the Front of the Battell So in like manner when Troubles seize upon the Soules of the Members of Christs Church then the Graces of Gods blessed Spirit within them as occasion is offered will be operative and working yea the more excellent in Graces the more eminent in Affflictions and thereby they are distinguished from the Souldiers of Sathan The Earth of it selfe will bring forth little else but briers and weedes if it be not tilled and Vines will wax wilde if they be not pruned Even so the corrupt and sinfull Affections of our gracelesse and rebellious Hearts like pernitious Briers and noisome Weeds would quickly over-runne not onely all the Parts and Members of our Bodies but also all the Powers and Faculties of our Soules if our Gracious God by his tender Care over us loving Chastisements upon us and powerfull working of his blessed Spirit in us should not effectually Purge Dresse and Manure us And the superfluous Branches of our naturall Corruptions would spread so far abroad within us as everlastingly to destroy us if the Lord by sharp sanctified Afflictions should not prune them and by his loving fatherly Corrections cut them off Therefore let the Church of Christ be content to suffer Afflictions here upon Earth and also be glad to bear the yoak in her youth Lam. 3.27 The present Condition of Christs Church Militant in her Warfare at this day in our Land resembleth the case of Judah Manasseth Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseth and they both shall be against Judah Loc this is the Sting of the Churches Crosses and unto her it is inevitable For it was the portion of Christ her Head and shall the Members expect to escape It was the Lot of her Master and shall the Servants thinke to fare better It was the condition of the Saints in the Old Testament and also of the Apostles in the New Of the Saints in the Old Abraham banished both from his Country and kindred Jacob lay in the fieldes Joseph in the prison David hunted as a Partridge upon the mountaines Elijah full of feare through Jezabels bloody Tyranny desired the Lord to take away his life from him Job scraped himselfe with a potsherd upon the dunghill Jeremy put into the dungeon The three Children into the fiery Furnace Daniell cast into the den of Lyons And Susanna brought almost to the place of her execution Yea the Church her selfe complaineth of her suffering condition O Lord behold mine affliction Lam. 1.9 for the enemy is proud And verse the 12. Have ye no regard all ye that passe by this way behold and see if there be any sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger The Apostle rehearseth a Catalogue of the Saints sufferings that were before Christs Incarnation They were tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreover by bonds and imprisonment They were stoned Heb. 11.36 37 38. they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred up and down in sheep skins and in goats skins being destitute afflicted and tormented Whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caves of the earth Loe these were the sufferings of the Saints in the Old Testament And as for the Saints in the New Poore Lazarus lay in a wofull condition at the rich Gluttons gate but there was found no mortall heart to sorrow for him nor eye to pitty him nor hand to relieve him And none of Christs Apostles dyed a naturall death but onely S. John and he was banished by the Emperour Domitian to the I le Patmos and also put into a Tunne of hot oyle at Rome as both Tertull. and S. Jerom report So that although with the rest he suffered not an immature death yet notwithstanding he also tasted deepe of his Masters Cup of which every one must be contented to drinke that is a true Member of the Church of Christ Beloved this is the Lords usuall dealing towards all the true Members of his Church thereby to make them Crucified Christians that so they might be like unto Christ their Captaine who is called by the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe Esa 53.3 And it was Saint Pauls generall rule to Timothy 2 Tim. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that will live
of God Let us all therefore in Gods feare to whom God hath given a greater Talent of knowledge then to others deale with their souls as holy Job did with infirmed bodies who was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Iob. 29.15 Labour to make the deafe to heare the ignorant to understand That so we may strengthen the weake armes and feeble knees in the service of God and bring home those weake and blind Wanderers into the sheep-fold of Christ Reprehension Vse 3 TO Reprove all those persons that take a quite contrary course who instead of stirring up others to the practise of holinesse and piety they provoke them to profanenesse and impiety Who pray over daily the black-booke of damnation that say one to another Prov. 1.11 Come with us let us lay wait for blood let us lurke privily for the innocent without a cause Or with those Epicures that say one to another Wis 2.6 7 8 9. Come and let us enjoy the pleasures that are present c. But those beastly belly-Epicures rest not themselves satisfied with this their voluptuous living frequenting the Schools of Drunkennesse and Temples of Bacchus and putting in practice Sardanapalus Epitaphe Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas Eate drinke and be merry for after death there is no pleasure But they goe one step farther in their impiety reviling righteous men for not runing into the same excesse of riot with themselves Vers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Come say they let us defraud the righteous man for he is not for our profit he is contrary to our doings He checketh us for offending against the Law and blameth us as transgressors of discipline c. But will you read the doome of those men by their owne confession in their mentall alteration justifying others whom they have condemned and condemning themselves whom they have justified Then shall the righteous man stand with great boldnesse before the face of him that hath tormented him Wis 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. and taken away his labours c. Certainely beloved if they that doe their best to convert soules and draw them to the service of God shall shine like stars in the firmament of heaven Dan. 12.3 then they that make it their worke to pervert soules and seduce them shall shine too But not as stars in the firmament of heaven above but as firebrands in the region of darkenesse and shaddow of death in hell beneath And therefore woe will it be with all such persons at the last judgement day Consolation Vuse 4 TO comfort the hearts of all those who have been diligent in the conversion of the soules of others Cheere up thy heart my beloved brother for there are degrees of glory in heaven and the greater number thou doest convert and bring to the true knowledge of God here upon earth the greater degree of glory shalt thou have hereafter in heaven Almighty God is a bountifull Benefactor his service never goeth unrewarded He seeth in secret Mat. 6.4 and will reward his servants openly Loe this S. Paul knew right well the which caused him rejoycingly to say I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7 8. which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing And therefore up and be doing 2 Chron. 19. 1 Cor. 15 58. and the Lord will be with thee and thy labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Thus much for the Particle or Interjection O which stands here in the Front of our Text as a patheticall Preface to some ensuing weighty Declaration not onely craving our diligent attention but also our best assistance for our Mother the Churches Consolation O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus having passed through the Portch let us now enter into the Temple The next considerable in our Text is the exhortary Christian Religious Duty set downe in this word Pray O Pray From which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Prayer to God is the onely salve to cure calamity and to continue the favour of God unto his people O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem By Prayer I do not meane after the manner of Rhetoricians an Order of speech throughly laboured by art which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I meane according to Divinity a holy speech or talke with God not so much of the mouth as of the heart which also in other termes according to the Originall of the New Testament we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est invocare implorare to call upon and to request quod propriè de eo dicitur qui in periculo constitutus Dei subsidium cum clamore petit which is properly spoken of him who being in danger desireth the helpe of God with a crying out Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro toto Dei cultu accipitur hence by a Synecdoche it is taken for the whole worship and service of God Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Act. 2.21 Whereby S. Peter teacheth that Prayer is the remedy to avoid the wrath of God and to obtaine Salvation The severall parts or kinds of prayer are foure 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deprecatio whereby we desire the aversion of present punishment or imminent evill 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petitio whereby we desire those things that make for the glory of God and the benefit of our selves 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intercessio whereby we intercede mediate for others Acts 12.5 as the Church did for Peter when he was in prison 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est gratiarum actio wherein we give thankes unto God for benefits bestowed both upon our selves and others All which foure parts or kinds of Prayer are set downe in one Verse by S. Paul to Timothy I exhort therefore 1 Tim. 2.1 that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men But beloved if thus I should handle this word Prayer Common-place way then should I walke in so large a path as would tire your patience and therefore for brevity sake I shall herein reduce my self unto these two particulars together with the Reasons of the Doctrine and the Application viz. 1. Orationis Necessitas 2. Orationis Dignitas 1. The Necessity of Prayer 2. The Dignity of Prayer And upon these two considerations as upon the two wings of Prayer I desire your soules may flye aloft unto the hill of the Almighty O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And First for the Necessity of Prayer Certainly a great Necessity of Prayer lyeth upon every one of the sons of Adam whose whole composition is nothing else but wants and
at the Altar with Prayers in our mouthes Have not many Souldiers who are out of this life departed fighting and dying in their owne blood cryed aloud in the ears of God and shall we be silent who are left as yet alive after them Shall not we Pray for the Churches Peace who living in the bosome of the Church have had our lives given us for a Prey in this time of War Can we be so senselesse carelesse both of our own and others present calamitou Condition That would not only be laid to our charge as a Sinne but also redound to our great Shame in succeeding Ages even from all posterity Loe this is a duty which we owe unto the Church our Mother and she may justly claime it at our hands The word here Pray in our Text is rendred by some orate and by others rogate but the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which being translated is postulate The Hebrew Radix is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Rogavit Quaesivit precibus impetravit impetrare est quod petitur obtinere in petione effectum habere That is to importune God uncessantly and never to give him over by our Prayers untill he be intreated of us that the Church enjoyeth her Peace Behold our gracious God willingly accepteth uncessant Suters and also dearly loveth importunate Petitioners Yea the more earnestly he is desired of us the more sweetly he is delighted in us And therefore men of Israel helpe helpe with your Prayers Psal 121.2 for our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth So that it is He and onely He that can preserve the Churches Peace from disturbers Oh then let us flye and that speedily to the Lord of Hosts and importunately implore his assistance Let us be earnest suters to heaven and desire the Almighty to command his Angell to pitch his tents about his Church And for the preservation of her Peace Zecha 2.5 that his providence may be as a wall of fire round about her to surround and incircle her from the insurrection of wicked doers And thus whilst others digge out of the bowels of the earth powder and shot for our destruction let us fetch our Ammunition from Heaven let us looke up to the hils above and to the heavens above them from whence commeth our help Yea let us all resolve with holy David Psal 44.6.7 O Lord we will not trust in our bow it is not our sword that can helpe us but it is thou that savest us from our enemies and puttest them to confusion that rise up against us Vnto thee therefore do we lift up our eyes Psal 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the heavens O Pray for the Peace c. And now by the way of a necessary digression we are to pray not onely for the Church in generall but also for our selves in particular Art thou fallen into any sinne Then pray that thou maist recover thy foote out of the snarne of the Devil Doest thou stand upright in thine integrity Then Pray that thou maiest not be led into Temptation And thus upon every occasion we should repaire unto the Throne of grace to finde grace and helpe in the time of need that so we may have a speedy supply of assistance from heaven against all our infirmities At which Throne of grace our faithfull and fervent prayers will find acceptance and will be so prevalent both for our selves and others that we shall grow in the strength thereof from one degree of grace unto another untill we become perfect members in Jesus Christ And therefore let us not cease to pray particularly for our Selves and generally for the Peace of the Church O Pray for the Peace c. Reprehension Vse 3 TO reprove all those persons that doe not pray for the Peace of the Church My Charitable censure of this Congregation is that there are no such persons present here But if there be any then to them I say Oh Ungratious Children what are ye utterly void of all humanity Are ye stupified and become altogether senselesse of your Mother the Churches callamity Are ye wholly deprived of all naturall affection Is your Mother in misery and can ye not mourne for her Is Shee in adversity and can ye not pitty her Is she in distresse and can ye not pray for her Unto whom shall I compare you but unto that Widdow of whom S. Paul speaketh to Timothy who living in pleasure 1 Tim. 5.6 is dead whilst she liveth Or to the Angel of the Church of Sardis of whom the blessed Spirit of God saith Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead Loe thus such persons are frozen in the dregges of their owne impieties and will not suffer the heat of Gods blessed Spirit to enter into their hearts to dissolve them Whereby their hearts might relent and their bowels of Compassion yerne within them towards the distressed Church which they professe to be their Mother Oh how justly are those unnaturall Children to be reprehended Let therefore all such persons be ashamed for their neglect herein for the time that is past and make it their practice to pray for the Churches Peace for the time to come O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Consolation Vse 4 TO Comfort the hearts of all those persons that have conscionably performed this Christian duty of praying for the Peace of the Church for their reward is with God The God of the true Church for whose Peace thou hast prayed and whom thou hast greatly pittied when she was like a Lily amongst the Thornes will one day imbrace thee in the armes of his mercy And thou shalt see the Church in her perfect beauty and shalt with her from God receive a Crowne of immortall glory And therefore comfort thy selfe for having done the worke thou shalt be sure to have thy wages not as deserving any thing that is good at the hand of God but onely proceeding from Him ex merâ gratiâ having laboured faithfully by fervent prayer to procure the peace of the Church militant here upon earth Thou shalt be sure to reigne with her when she shall be gloriously Tryumphant in heaven Where all tears shall be wiped from her eyes and she shall sing Hallelujah Praise Rev. 5.13 and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for evermore And thus much for the exhortary Christian Religious Duty set downe in this word Pray O Pray for the Peace c. From which word you may remember the Doctrine Prayer to God is the onely salve to cure calamity and to continue the favour of God unto his people And now let us come to the next considerable in our Text viz. the Subject of this Duty set downe in the word Peace From which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing
to free our selves from the guilt of Infidelity Hypocrisie and Obstinacy let us speedily put in practice the Meanes here prescribed viz. Prayer Humiliation and Casting away all our Transgressions Concerning the first of these viz. Prayer I shall not need to say much because I have spoken so largely thereof already yet notwithstanding in regard Prayer is one of those Meanes here prescribed for the Aversion of the judgement of War from us I shall therefore speake a little more thereof Prayer is the great prevailing Ordinance of God both for a prevention from our falling into evils and also for our speedy deliverance out of them being fallen into them The Saints of God have ever made Prayer the Alpha and Omega of all their Actions The good and right use of holy Prayer amongst devout and Religious persons hath alwayes been esteemed both the first and last Remedy in our greatest dangers as being most prevalent with God for our speedy deliverance For when all earthly Policy and worldly Stratagems are fled from us and all our former fast friends shrinkingly from us have forsaken us and Death stands at our elbowes ready to seize upon us yet still Prayer is left with us as a gracious Oratour and an effectuall Advocate to intercede for us And unto this we have Gods owne Injunction Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble so I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And here also we must remember that our Prayer must be cordiall if it be prevalent Non vox sed votum non musica cordula sed cor clamat in aure Dei It s not the voice but the vote not the musicall harmony but the heart that cryeth in the eare of God Thus Hannah prayed 1 Sam. 1.13 she spake in her heart her lips onely did move but her voice was not heard Yea Prayer hath also beene the Practice of the Saints of God in the time of their calamity as for example David Prayed to the Lord when he was in trouble Psal 120.1 and the Lord heard him Hezekiah Prayed to the Lord to send him aide against the King of Ashur 2 King 19.15 16 17 18 19. 2 King 6.18 And he prevailed Elisha Prayed to the Lord to smite his enemies with blindnesse that were sent to apprehend him And he obtained Jehoahaz 2 King 13.4 Prayed to the Lord being surprized by the King of Aram And he was delivered Asa 2 Chro. 14 Prayed to the Lord for aide against his enemies And the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah and the Ethiopians fled Jehoshaphat 2 Chro. 20 Prayed to the Lord for helpe against the Ammonites Moabites and inhabitants of Mount Seir his enemies that came against him to destroy him And the Lord laid ambushments against them and they fought one against another and when the Ammonites and Moabites had destroyed the men of Mount-Seir then every one helped for to kill each other The Israelites cryed to the Lord when they were in trouble Exod. 2. Iudg. 6. Psal 107. and he heard them and delivered them Loe thus the Lord hath formerly heard the Prayers of his servants being in afflictions and also granted their requests for his glory and their comfort and still he is the same God his hand is not shortned Esay 59.1 And therefore let us not neglect to practise this duty of Prayer it being the great prevailing Ordinance of God either to prevent us of falling into troubles or else to free us out of them being fallen into them For the Second viz. Humiliation We have Gods Querie to the Prophet Elijah concerning the Aversion of Gods judgements from Ahab Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before me 1 King 21.29 Because he humbleth himselfe before me I will not bring the evill in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring the evill upon his house And when God by his Prophet Jonah threatned the Ninevites adhuc quadraginta dies Nineve subvertetur Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Yet notwithstanding upon their Humiliation that threatning was reversed and the Nirevites preserved And God saw their workes Iona. 3.10 that they turned from their evill waies and God repented of the evill that he had said that he would doe unto them and he did it not What were the sinfull Ninevites spared from Destruction through Gods mercy towards them upon their Humiliation Oh then how ought we in this our present and deplorable condition to make expression of our Humiliation with zealous Nehemiah Neh. 1.4 who when he heard of Jerusalems Calamity He sate downe and wept and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven Humility is the first helpefull step by which we ascend the heavenly Throne of Gods sacred Majesty for mercy and also the first raising Round of Godly Jacobs long reaching Ladder by which like swift Angels our pretious Soules climbe up to God in Heaven and his holy Angels and heavenly blessings descend downe to us upon earth Loe thus the most great and glorious God whose habitation is in the highest Heavens Esa 57.15 yet also vouchsafeth his gratious presence to dwell amongst humble minded men here upon Earth in the lowest hearts Therefore one of the meanes to obtaine mercy in this our present misery is in by and through Humility But admit thou canst not by thy Humiliation obtaine at the hands of God the deliverance of a Nation from a Generall calamity yet notwithstanding thou shalt thereby procure for thy selfe the Marke of the Servant of God Ezek. 9.4 And although our Humiliation be not the cause of healing our Lands distempers yet notwithstanding it is one of those meanes which God hath ordained for procuring the Cure thereof and therefore it must not be neglected by us for God hath commanded us to use the meanes to attaine the end And using the meanes as we ought there will be no cause for us to doubt of Gods blessing upon them Despaire not then of helpe in thy greatest dejection for there is yet Balme in Gilead and Hope in England And as Shechaniah once said unto Ezra in another case Yet now there is Hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 The which I hope may not unfitly be applyed to us English Natives in these many present and great distractions amongst us For God is more mercifull then we have been sinfull if we can be truely sorrowfull And for the proofe hereof I will declare unto you two examples in the holy Scriptures The one in the time of the Law And the other in the time of the Gospel 1. That in the time of the Law shall be that of Manasseh the King of Judah He was a notorious Malignant against the Lord He committed many horrible and hainous abominations wherewith the Lord was wrathfully displeased against him He shed so much innocent blood till he had filled Jerusalem from one end
tedious and burthensome yet notwithstanding to the faithfull Members of Christs Church they making a right use thereof it will be helpfull and profitable As for example Holy David was so greatly oppressed with troubles as that he complained in the anxiety of his soule The snares of death compassed me round about Psal 116.3 and the paines of Hell gate hold upon me What Adversaries are more horrible and Enemies can be more terrible then Death and Hell And yet notwithstanding he making a snactified use thereof they wrought in him most blessed and happy Effects the which he found experimentally in himselfe and therefore freely confesseth Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep thy word Psal 119.67 And Verse the 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes And the Lord saith of the Israelites by his Prophet Hosea Hos 5.15 In their affliction they will seeke me diligently And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Faithfull in affliction saith Lord in trouble have they visited thee Esa 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them So that Afflictions being Gods Rods are his Childrens Remembrancers yea Troubles make many Returners and Seekers to God who formerly have been Revolters and Straglers from him as were the Israelites Manasseh the Prodigall Sonne and diverse others Yea beloved and to be continually without Crosses Troubles and Afflictions men may justly suspect themselves to be rather Members of the Devils Church Malignant than of Christs Church Militant St. Ambrose that godly devout and religious Bishop travelling with some others towards Rome went to a Rich-mans house resolving to lodge and remaine there till the next morning And after some short discourse he demanded of the man of the house how it went with him and in what case he stood concerning his present condition for the things of this Life Unto which the Rich-man replyed Sir my condition hath ever beene happy and fortunate I never tasted any kinde of Adversity I never had any sicknesse or losse of goods all things have hitherto beene with me even according to my hearts desire When Saint Ambrose heard this he said unto them that were with him Eamus hinc nam Deus non est hic Let us goe from hence for God is not in this place And immediately after they were departed from the Rich-mans house the Earth suddenly opened her mouth and swallowed up the Man together with his house and all that he had Intimating thereby to the World that God is not there in mercy present where the Crosse is continually absent Hence then Let all the Faithfull Members of Christs Church account it as an indubitable Aphorisme of infallible Truth believe it as an Orthodoxall Article of their Christian Faith and hold it as an undeniable Maxime in Divinity that as the Children of Israel went through many Troubles before they could come to the Earthly Canaan which was a Type of the Faithfuls Passage from Earth to Heaven So in like manner the Children of God must passe through many Afflictions before they can come to the Heavenly Jerusalem St. Paul desired to know nothing amongst his Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 and him Crucified And he also rejoyced in nothing so much as in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World was crucified to himselfe and himselfe unto the World Gal. 6.14 He also expresseth to the World that no man is Crowned except he fight lawfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.5 And also confesseth of himselfe I bear in my body the markes of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 The lawfull and valiant fighting of earthly Souldiers for their King Country and Religion greatly reflecteth upon them with Credit and exceedingly redounded to their Honour they also account those Wounds that are given to their Bodies in Skirmish as Markes of their Magnanimity Cognizances of their Courage and Characters of their Valour intimating thereby to the World for whom they have fought how they have suffered and who they are Now for Application of this to our selves Heaven is appointed for none but onely Spirituall Conquerours viz. the valiant fighting Members of the Church of Christ against their Soules Adversaries surprizing subduing and conquering all their spirituall Enemies For they wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities Eph. 6.12 against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this World against spirituall wickednesse in high Places So that of necessitie they must be Fighters for without a Fight there can be no Conquest and without a Conquest there will be no Crowne And therefore they must not onely be Fighting Souldiers but also Conquerours upon Earth before they can be Inheritors of Heaven For a Man to be a Christian and not a spirituall Souldier is to falsify his promise at the Font of Baptisme For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and not to fight under Christs Banner both manfully and faithfully for Christ is the Cognizance of a pusilanimous spirited Souldier and Badge of an Hypocrite For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and to fight for Christ and not to Conquer is to lose the Reward promised to Conquerours But to be a Christian a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and a Conquerour of all his owne spirituall Enemies Loe that Man and onely he shall be a Partaker of the rich Reward promised even the full fruition of the heavenly Inheritance And therefore whosoever thou art that desirest to be a true Member of Christs Militant Church thou must resolve with thy selfe to live the life of a Christian to a be a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and also a Conquerour Hence then we may infallibly collect that none shall be crowned hereafter in Heaven but onely those that in some measure first endure a spirituall Fight here upon Earth that so they may become crucified Christians and thereby made conformable to Christ their Head Phil. 3 10. The which Conformity is the greatest Honour that this World can afford to the Sonnes of Mortals And to such spirituall Conquerours Christ Jesus himselfe hath made a large promise even of no lesse Reward then Eternall Life He that overcommeth shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life Apoc. 3.5 And ver 21. To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne And Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2.10 and Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And what Fight is it that we should not willingly undergoe for to inherit Eternall Life And herein let Christ Jesus himselfe be
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Loe this truth Paul and Barnabas preached at Lystra Iconium and Antiochia and S. Luke reports it with an Oportet signifying the necessity of suffering Act. 14.22 We must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God Shall we hope to live with Christ in the Church Triumphant and not be content to die with him in the Church Militant Would we gladly reigne with Christ there and not willingly first suffer with him here Let us not deceive our selves None shall have teares wiped from their eyes in Heaven but those that have first shed them upon the Earth So that no perplexity no felicity no misery no glory no Crosse no Crowne For our happinesse is Conditionall Si sustinemus conregnabimus If we suffer with Christ meaning in Affliction we shall also reigne with him that is in glory 2 Tim. 2. Therefore let all the true Members of Christs Church arme themselves for Troubles so long as they live upon the face of the Earth Amos 6.6 and never forget the afflictions of Joseph but mutually pray one for another O pray for the Peace of Ierusalem Reprehension Vse 3 TO reprove all those Persons that are Disturbers of the Churches Peace And for brevitie sake I will but onely Hint at them and they are of two sorts 1. Those that help her not 2. Those that hurt her So that the Church hath both Omissive and Commissive Enemies Omissive neglecting to help her and Commissive endeavouring to hurt her 1. Those that help her not Whosoever is not for her is against her and whosoever gathereth not with her Mat. 12.30 scattereth abroad And they are of two sorts 1. Ministers 2. Lay-persons 1. Ministers who have Pastorall Charges in the Church of Christ and doe not feede those flocks that are committed to their Charge And they are of two sorts 1. Those that are Ignorant and cannot feede them 2. Those that are Idle and will not feede them The Ignorant that cannot are called reproachfully dumbe dogs Isay 56.10 and the Idle that will not must be accountable for the blood of that part of their flock that perish through their defect Ezech. 33.6 2. Lay-persons and they are of three sorts 1. Those that pray not at all either for themselves or for the Church Such stupified persons being both senslesse and carelesse of their owne and others conditions though they dwell amongst Christians yet to their shame be it spoken they live like Heathens Their foolish hearts are full of darknesse Rom. 1.21 They live as strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts Ephes 4.18 and are as without God in the world Ephes 2.12 2. Those that if they pray at all pray but onely for themselves utterly neglecting the Church never laying to heart the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 3. Those that if they pray for the Churches Peace they performe that great and weighty duty but lightly and perfunctorily as not being earnest and zealous in the performance thereof Yea give me leave I humbly pray you to demand of you all here present assembled before me who is there amongst you that in the sincerity of his heart can stand forth and say when once he did humble himselfe upon the bended knees of his soule unto God and sigh and groane and pray and shed teares flowing from a penitent heart on the Churches behalfe Oh how few there are that can truly say when once they did heartily humble themselves unto God for the good of the Church I will not censure so uncharitably of that number as if there be any to say of that party he is a Phenix But I feare I may too truly say of them they are black Swans even rare Birds amongst us Beloved if they be true Members of her it cannot be but they must Sympathizingly suffer with her and consequently pray unto God for her And therefore they come justly under the lash of Reprehension that are defective herein 2. Those that hurt her And they are also of three sorts 1. Open prophane persons who revile her by casting obloquies and reproaches against her as Potiphars wife to Joseph Shimei to David and Rabshakeh to Hezekiah Let all such know that whosoever revileth or reproacheth the true Members of Christs Church Christ taketh it as done unto himselfe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 2. Those that live in the bosome of the Church and make a profession of Religion and yet are vicious in their Conversations Those are cruell Enemies to the Church of Christ they make the Enemies of God to blaspheme cause the way of Truth to be evill spoken of scandalize the Gospell of Christ and are unto the Church as the Canaanites were to the Israelites even thornes in their eyes and pricks in their sides I shall referre all such Hypocrites to that learned Father who reprehensively saith Oh Hypocrite if it be a good thing to be good indeed why wilt thou not be that which thou seemest to be And if it be an evill thing to be evill indeed why wilt thou be that which thou wouldest not seeme for to be My counsell in this case to all such persons shall be I pray them in the bowells of Jesus Christ to consider that God is Omnipresent and that all things are naked before him and they cannot blinde the All-seeing Eye of the Omniscient God whose eyes are Ten thousand times brighter then the sunne beholding all the wayes of men and considering the most secret parts Ecclus. 23.19 The Lord beholdeth the ends of the world and seeth all that is under heaven Job 28.24 He seeth all the imaginations of the thoughts of mens hearts Gen. 6.5 He beholdeth our wayes and telleth all our steps Job 31.4 And pondereth all our paths Prov. 5.21 And there is no thought hid from him Job 42.2 The Hebrewes say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of thoughts And he is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Searcher of the heart Loe this truth is acknowledged by holy David where he saith O Lord thou hast searched me out and knowne me thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts long before Psal 139.1 Yea he knew right well Jezabels Fast 1 King 21.9 Absaloms Vow 2 Sam. 15.7 and Judas kisse Mat. 26.49 although their bloody intents and mischievous purposes were never so secret for He beholdeth and tryeth the very hearts and reines 1 Sam. 16.7 Psal 7.10 So that he perfectly knowes both the true-hearted Nathaniel John 1.47 and the false-minded Simon Magus Act. 8.20 Yea the Everlasting Searcher of the hearts hath written the sinne of Hypocrisie being double iniquity with a pen of iron and the point of a Diamond Jer. 17.1 So that
and let us imagine some device against Jeremiah for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor Councell from the Wise nor the Word from the Prophet Come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words If thus you shall requite me then may you justly feare that the righteous Lord will be wrathfully displeased with you and that may redound to your owne ruine But let me crave your candid censure for I call Heaven and Earth to record that I speak not this out of the spirit of betternesse against the Saints of God whose sanctified Conversation is answerable to their holy profession zealously serving and faithfully worshipping the living God in spirit and truth as he commandeth Yea Ioh. 4.24 my hearty Prayers I sincerely confesse are constantly unto God for them that he would continue them in the wayes of holinesse and daily increase the number of them in our Land and that they may splendidly shine as Lights in obscurity in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation amongst whom they live that so they might not onely glorifie God themselves but also be holy Patterns and godly Examples for imitation unto others whereby to draw them the more speedily to the service of God But I speak onely and that reprehensively of those who are mere tongue-tipped-table-Gospelers having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.5 who onely make a shew of sanctity having their hearts full of all manner of guile and hypocrisie who are facilie perceptible by their Fruites and evidently conspicuous to the world by their Actions walking in the wayes of dissimulation which lead to the infernall Pit of eternall perdition Mat. 24.5 And therefore if such persons will become true Members of Christs Church let them stand no longer at a distance from the Church but let them labour with expedition to purge out their owne Corruptions abandoning their former leud Conversations humble themselves for their sinnes come in and close with Christ and speedily pray for the Churches Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Consolation Vse 4 TO comfort the Church in her saddest condition by calling to minde Psa 126.6 They that sow in teares shall reap in joy And heavinesse may endure for a night Psal 30.5 but joy commeth in the morning Considering also that Christ calleth none unto him with a promise to comfort them but those that are grieved persons Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And remembring the Cordiall that Christ gave unto his Disciples when he was to depart from them and in them to his whole Church John 16.20 Ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into joy That is ye shall rejoyce that ever you were sorrowfull As if Christ in other words should have said unto them Comfort your hearts my beloved Disciples for although I shall leave you for a while as Pilgrimes in the wildernesse of this wicked world yet notwithstanding ye shall hereafter come to the land of the heavenly Canaan even to the new Jerusalem whither I am now going and there you shall receive the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules 1 Pet. 1.9 Psa 16. ult where there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore The Lord without doubt will preserve his Church from the scratching Pawes of savage Beares the tearing Mouthes of ravenous Wolves and the covetous Clutches of greedy Cormorants who lie daily and hourely in waite to supplant subvert and devoure Her and all under the spetious pretence of Piety the counterfeit shew of Holinesse and candid colour of Religion Will not Christ Mat. 23.37 who wept over Jerusalem and would often have gathered the Children of the Jewes together as a Hen gathereth her Chickings under her wings preserve his Church from perishing Certainely yea And will not God who clotheth the Lillies Mat. 6.26 28. and feedeth the foules of the aire preserve his Church under the winges of his Providence Zach. 2.8 whom he tendereth as the apple of his owne eye Undoubtedly yea Conjugall-love is strong Paternall-love is powerfull Loyall-love is very effectuall But Divine-love viz. the love of God to his Church farre transcends them all Can a mother forget her childe Isa 49.15 and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord to his Church Yea and let the Church also listen to that sweet Expression of the Lord by his Prophet unto his people Isay 51.7 8. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law feare ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings For the moath shall eate them up like a garment and the worme shall eat them like wooll but my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my Salvation from generation to generation So that the Church of Christ needeth not to feare though at any time she should be plunged into the depth of calamity for rather then her Persecutors shall goe unpunished the Lord will make the very moathes and wormes and other contemptible creatures of the earth to be the Instruments of her enemies confusion and his hand shall bring unto her everlasting salvation And therefore what although the Church for the present sits pensively and mournes like a desolate widdow tristively weeping and lamenting for the personall absence of Christ her Husband Mat. 28. ult yet notwithstanding his comfortable Spirit is present with her and also will be unto the end of the World And at the appointed time there will be a cessation from all her sorrowes for he will joyfully returne unto her lovingly embrace her Rev. 7. ult and wipe away all teares from her eyes and then she shall receive a full deliverance from all afflictions both of body and soule Then that confident expected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Slavabit into Salvavit he will save into he hath saved And then all the violent brumall winter stormes of bloody persecution shall be fully passed over and the glorious sun-shine beames of Gods loving and comfortable countenance most splendidly shine upon her And then all the Chaines of her afflictions shall be broken asunder Psa 124.6 and she delivered as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler And the Lord will give unto her beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning Esay 61.3 and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse And when all these consolatory Blessings are come upon her then hearken unto her rejoycing Isay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soul shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousnesse he hath decked me like a bridegroome
amongst the Children of God is like the agreement and harmony in Musique yea it is well pleasing to God and acceptable to all good men God is the God of Peace 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout And he is also the Authour of Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Authour of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints And his Children are the Children of peace Isay 11.9 None shall hurt or destroy in all the mountaine of mine holinesse And Christ in his Sermon upon the Mount pronounceth a blessing unto them that labour for Peace Blessed are the Peace makers Mat. 5.9 for they shall be called the children of God When as King Salomon who had his name from Peace built that most glorious and stately materiall Temple for the Worship of God it is very remarkeable that in the making thereof no Noise was heard by strikeing or beating upon any of the materialls whereof it was made the which Temple was also a Type of Christ Esay 53.7 who was mute like a sheepe before the Shearers and with Patience did beare silently many injuries and indignities not onely offered unto him but also laide upon him In imitation whereof all true Beleevers in Christ who are the Spirituall Temple of the living God 1 Cor. 3.17 ought both silently to suffer and also patiently to endure the troubles and miseries of this their militarie Warfare according to that rule of our blessed Saviour learne of me Mat. 11.29 for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your soules And S. Paul when he was to leave his Corinthians he exhorted them to Peace that after his departure from them they might have the comfortable presence of the God of Peace with them Leaving them this memorable Valediction at his ultimum vale Finally brethren fare ye well be perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you So that to live peaceably towards others is a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 2. Holinesse The Apostle S. Peter speaking to the faithfull who should be heires of everlasting glory exhorts them to be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 Heaven is an holy place and none must inhabit there but holy persons viz. Saints those that are made holy by the blood of Christ those whose soules are washed in the blood of the Lambe Whosoever is not thus qualified must for ever from heaven be excluded Apoc. 22.15 Without shall be dogs and Enchanters and whoremongers and mutherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies Yea the Apostle is peremptory herein Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall see the Lord. Therefore labour to finde this Grace of Holinesse in thy selfe for it is an infallible Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 3. Love Spirituall Love is the most excellent effect of the Soule and also a fruit of Gods blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 Yea and our blessed Saviour to distinguish his Disciples from the prophane persons of the world expresseth Love as the cognizance of distinction By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if ye have love one to another So that spirituall Love is also a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 4. Regeneration Art thou sensible of thy new Spirituall birth Dost thou finde in thy selfe experimentally Mortification and Vivification a killing of the Old man and a quickning of the New dost thou feele the power of Christs Death in thee more and more to mortify and kill thy sinnes his Blood to sanctify and purge thy heart and the Vertue of his Resurrection to quicken thy soule unto newnesse of life and to make thee stand manfully and with an undaunted courage and magnanimous Resolution valiantly to fight against Sinne and Satan If these things be in thee they are certain Evidences unto thee that thou art a true Member of the Church of Christ 5. Obedience This is a satisfactory Duty well-pleasing and acceptable both to God and Man The time was and that of late yeares that England had a plentifull Peace and a peaceable Plenty throughout this Kingdome and also lived in filiall Feare of the righteous God and dutifull Obedience to Her lawfull Soveraigne at which time the Lord even loaded Her with plentifull Store both of Spirituall and Temporall Blessings She being then for satisfactory Accommodation to Her Inhabitants Gen. 47.6 farre transcending Goshen to the Israelites in the Land of Aegypt insomuch as that She was comfortable to Her Friends terrible to Her Enemies and the glory of all Her neighbour Nations round about Her so that they all must beare Her witnesse that as once the Dew of Heaven fell downe onely upon Gideon's Fleece when as all the Earth beside was drie about it So in like manner the Dew of Gods Blessings hath onely fallen upon this our English Kingdome when all our neighbour Countries have been destitute of it lying drie and unfruitfull and being also utterly untilled by the Plough of the Farmer but yet every where harrowed by the Hand of the Souldier and almost rent in sunder with all those great Calamities which the fierce Fire and cruell Sword could bring upon them all which while untill of late yeares our English Nation lived in Peace dwelt without Feare sate in Safety and slept Secure But when flourishing England waxed wickedly wanton supine and carelesse and fell from the Light of Grace into the Darknesse of Sinne wilfully walking in corrupt waies according to the carnall Lusts of Her owne sinfull Heart being very dishonourable to God distastfull to all good Men and disgracefull to the Protestant Religion and also grew both Vnthankefull and Vnfruitfull and like an untamed Heifer Ier. 31.18 cast off the yoake of Her dutifull Obedience both towards God and Her lawfull Soveraigne Loe then the Lord in Judgement against Her being wrathfully displeased with Her turned Her Peace into Warre Her Plenty into Penury Her Strength into Weaknesse and Her Glory into Shame since which time of Alteration She hath liberally pluck't the Grapes of gall and plentifully dranke the gall of Bitternesse Yea and so deeply hath She dranke of the bitter and poysonous Dregges thereof as that those deadly Draughts which lately have beene forcingly given Her have turned the Lives of many thousands into Death And yet woe and alas She still remaineth incorrigible under Gods afflicting hand by the sharpe stroakes of his Rods of Remembrance and will not yeild Obedience to God and Man as in the sacred Scripture She is commanded Obedience is two-fold in respect of the Persons to whom we owe it 1. Unto God 2. Unto the King 1. Unto God for himselfe as being our Celestiall Soveraigne 2. Unto the King in God and for
violently shed in this our Kingdome And yet notwithstanding all their faire Pretences patheticall Speeches and mournfull Expressions for Peace when once they plainely perceive that there is any Proposition really intended and seriously proposed for a firme settled and well-grounded Peace throughout this whole Kingdome Loe then they are as averse in disposition to Peace as Saul's Armour was to the body of David 1 Sam. 17.38 39. when he was to fight with the Gyant Goliath Loe thus like grosse and palpable Hypocrites they deceitfully professe that with their fallacious Mouthes which they never really purposed in their guilefull hearts also utterly deny the practice thereof by their vicious disquietfull and contentious Lives Rebellion stands this very day amongst us in this Kingdome at the Barre of Gods Justice expecting every houre the giving up of the bitter Verdict of due deserved Guiltinesse and from thence the irrevocable Pronuntiation of the direfull fatall sentence of Condemnation and that without Repentance to a perpetuall and datelesse durance of Damnation Oh fearfull and intolerable Rom. 13.2 Punishment And for the speedy Prevention hereof I doe here heartily wish that some patheticall Aposiopesis would modestly whisper and secretly suggest to each mans Conscience that is guilty thereof the intolerability of that Punishment justly due to the Sinne of Rebellion and that through the operation of Gods Grace and blessed Spirit in their hearts there may be a speedy Reformation in their lives that so the damnable Sinne of Rebellion may not Syren-like be unto them the subtle bewitching Inchanter and immediate fallacious Fore-runner of their both temporall and eternall Destruction And although there be at this day in our Land such violent Opposition against Kingly Authority yet notwithstanding a faithfull-hearted Subject will readily make expression as occasion is offered of his loyalty to his King And as farre as the King hath a lawfull Supreme power to Command the Subject ought to have a willing heart and ready hand to Obey forasmuch as the dignity of a King transcends the Subject so much is the Obligation of the Subject to his King Neither is the Duty lesse which we owe to our Soveraigne then the Safe-gard we claime by his Protection as the Center next under God from which we derive our Honours and to which we owe our Services and the same Kingly hand of beneficence power which dispenseth honours and safety unto the Subject pointeth out the lines of dutifull Obedience and obliged Loyalty to His Prince Our gracious Soveraigne hath formerly and also frequently cast his Princely Eyes of sweet Favour and loving Kindnesse upon many of his meane Subjects who were but of low Degrees and also freely raised them up unto high Dignities not onely by conferring great Honours upon them but also store of Wealth accordingly wherewith to maintaine them whereby they were almost become Companions of Princes Quest But what Requitals have many of them made His Majesty for His so Graciously dealing towards them Answ They have fallen off from Him Spoken hardly of Him Adhered to His rebellious Enemies against Him Raised up unnaturall Warre upon Him And also drawne by their verball Perswasions and personall Examples many thousands of this Kingdome after them for to effect those things which themselves with others projected against Him What Could Christian English Subjects be thus forgetfull of so great undeserved Princely Favours freely conferred upon them Did they receive such Kingly Courtesies from the beneficent Hand of a Royall and bountifull Benefactor And have they rendered Him no other Requitals for them but onely unnaturall Opposition against Him And to such a One also as He is being Constituted by the God of Heaven for to be their lawfull Soveraigne upon Earth And whose royall Person is sufficiently knowne to be of eminent Worth and Integrity who constantly beautifieth the Protestant Religion with the gracious Example of His holy Conversation and who hath also given most ample Testimony of His reall Affections to the Peace Good and Welfare of this our English Kingdome To whom also even out of Conscience by the Oath of Allegiance they are strictly obliged for to yeild Obedience Oh ineffable Ingratitude For whose unnaturall and ingratefull Requitals His Majesty may at this day both truely and also mournfully take up against them the Lords just Complaint against the Obstinate Jewes I have nourished and brought up Children but they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 Loe thus woe and alas even David-like hath He been dealt with by them They rewarded him Evill for Good to the great discomfort of his Soule Psal 35.12 And as such pernitious Persons by those their rebellious Actions have publiquely evidenced to the World that they were His Majesties professed Enemies I doe heartily wish with the earnest desires of my Soule that it may not too truely be said of some others who were accounted His Majesties faithfull Friends and upon whose Fidelity under God His Majesty greatly depended being confident of their constant Loyalty towards Him that they have dealt treacherously with Him by abusing that Authority conferr'd upon them some of them being Selfe-Seekers corruptly executing His Majesties Commissions granted forth for His Majesties Military service Promotion betraying that Trust reposed in them by under-hand dealing sinisterly for their owne private Advantage receiving black Bribes secretly wherewith to minorate His Majesties rebellious Enemies pecuniarie Mulcts just deserved and assigned present Satisfaction Whereby wicked avaricious Policie being in the Front and corruptly commanding the Vaunt-gard hindered very unhappily the just and necessary furtherance of His Majesties compulsive Military Service in the Reare Nam pecunia est nervus Belli And others by delivering up unnecessarily those strong garrison Holds of Forts Castles Townes and Cities which longer with safety they might have kept had their pusilanimous Spirits beene magnanimously heroicall and perfidious Hearts subjectively faithfull by which their so treacherously doing they greatly weakened His Majesties Royall Power against His professed Enemies utterly ruined His Loyall-hearted Party in their outward Estates and wickedly inriched themselves with the cursed Mammon of Vnrighteousnesse Luke 16.9 So that of all such Judas-like Friends we may truely say with the Prophet Micah A mans Enemies are the men of his owne house Micah 7.6 All which detrimentall Effects together with many more have lately been unhappily produced amongst us in this our Kingdome which have proceeded from the deadly sinne of cursed Covetousnesse the which also have beene is and will be to the great prejudice of the Actors thereof themselves as well as others according to that true saying of an ancient Poet. Ipse cupido nocet multis cupidóque cupido Had such unconstant and false-hearted Persons both timely and carefully taken into serious Consideration had it been but for their alone particular Welfare but onely those unhappy and bitter Fruits which such cursed Trees of Treachery might have produced to themselves alone for their owne particular Ilfare
and the Actuall the Effect and Fruit proceeding from the same and both Originall and Actuall joyntly concurring and cursedly conducing to the utter Ruine of all Sinners And thus 1 Joh. 5.19 Hos 13.9 the whole world lying in wickedness every one that perisheth therein is the sole-Causer of his own Destruction And here if We of this English Nation would seriously consider and should strictly search with soundnesse of Judgement either as deep Divines or profound Philosophers into the mysterious Manner of God's working against us in these present Distractions amongst us we shall evidently find no small Argument to be drawn from the great Disparity between Divine Providence and Worldly Policy the Generall Result whereof must necessarily be this ensuing Hebrew divine Aphorisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id vulgò apud Latinos dicitur Homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proponit Pro. 16.9 Pro. 16.33 Psal 33.11 sed Deus Disponit Man meerly Proposeth id est Voluntas Hominis that is the Will of Man but God wholly Disposeth id est Decretum Dei that is the Decree of God Answerable to that Expression of Solomon Prov. 19.21 Many devices are in a mans heart but the councell of the Lord shall stand For as in the vast Frame of Nature Bodies compared one with another seem Heterogenean consisting not onely of different Constitutions but also of divers and sundry opposite Operations yet notwithstanding as so many Wheeles in an artificial Engine are by the same Hand directed to the same common Use even so all the Councels and Actions of men howsoever they seem casually to meet with and oppositely to justle one against the other yet are they certainly pre-ordained by the same Infinite Councell to co-operate to the same Universall End The which Proposall of Man and Disposall of God is a Proposition which amongst worldly minded Polititians is better known as a Proverb then acknowledged in their Practice And yet the longer they Run in this Maze of Worldly Policy the farther they Estrange themselves from Christian Piety and the Distance which at the first seemed to be below their Sense will at the last be found to be above their Understanding And thus may it also one day befall those super-polipragmatical Polititians of this Age in this Land now amongst us who when they are in the midst of their Mirth and have mounted themselves up to the highest Step of their usurped Power and Ambition even then Dan. 5.6 they may Belshazzar-like be stricken with Fear and Consternation for those horrid bloody and treacherous Actions which they have now usurpatiously attempted at which time through their Unskilfulnesse for the wise managing of those wicked though weighty Affaires being then justly infatuated by the justice of God against them they may in a confused Combustion Act the part rather of Phaeton then of Phoebus to the Confusion of themselves and many others But had such politique Persons been so religiously happy as to have had so much saving Acquaintance with the Word of God for the good of themselves and others as they craftily had and still have with their own wicked Wills cunning Combinations and pernicious Projects against both King and Kingdome they should doubtlesse have heard the Lord in the holy Scriptures before this time both frequently calling to them and also severely threatning to inflict his Judgements upon them the which long agoe would have staggered the politique Councel of the Wicked and turned the worldly Wisdome of the Wisest of them into Folly But they resembling the blind Andabates will not see Psal 58.4 5. and as deaf Adders refuse to hear the Truth declared to them whereby their Consciences might be convinced their Souls converted and their Lives reformed that so there might be a speedy Peace fully concluded and firmly settled throughout this whole Kingdome between King and Subjects for the Glory of God and Well-fare of our English-Nation But woe and alas may we of this English-Nation at this day justly cry out that those pernicious Polititians being averse to Peace are in their present Practice become like wilfull Mariners having as it were already ship'd themselves for a dangerous Voyage are now desperately resolved to sail along in the vast Ocean as the windy Gusts of their new Councell will drive them and the inconstant Tyde of Occasion shall befriend them adventuring all Hazards of their own and others Safety which by the means of Enemies Tempests Rocks Gulphs Whales Quick-sands c. may any ways befall them running rashly thereby the great Danger of their own and many others both Temporall and Eternall Ruine Lo such desperate Rebells by their pernicious practices in Rebellion may not unfitly be parallel'd to those impious Spirits Zijm and Ochim Isa 13.21 breathing-out nothing but destructive Desolation against our poor distracted and distressed English-Nation And yet notwithstanding all the Adversaries Opposition at this day against Kingly Authority there was never under the Cope of Heaven a clearer Truth so antient so generally acknowledged by all Christians and that also in all Ages since the name of Christ was first professed upon the Earth as is the Doctrine of Faith in God and of Obedience to lawfull Princes which being fully known and throughly practiced doth alone indeed make Christians and Christian Religion manifestly to differ from all other People and Religions in the World and the same Orthodox Doctrine England hath willingly embraced and obediently practiced for many years last past with Glory to God and Comfort to Herself untill of late the horrid sin of Rebellion like the Witchcraft of Circe transformed Her into another Creature which strange unhappy and unlooked-for Metamorphosis doth mournfully minister at this day just Occasion to every religious and judicious Spectator both to exclaime of Her and to lament for Her She being now foully fallen off from the holy Condition of Her first Creation For the sacred Image of God stamp'd in the reasonable Soul of man is to the Children of God both Law and Liberty aswell to preserve the just Rights of their lawfull Princes as the full Freedome of their own Priviledges but the ugly Embleme of Satan imprinted in the unsanctified Souls of wicked men is to the Sons of Belial Liberty without Law respecting onely the full Freedome of their own Priviledges nothing regarding the just Rights of their lawfull Princes That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behemoth Job 40.10 the multitude of earthly Beasts the belluina multorum capita that many-fold headed serpentine Hydra I mean the rebellious Anti-monarchicall Patty of the English-Nation whose Hearts Heads and Hands by affecting projecting and acting the hainous Sin of horrid Rebellion against their lawfull Soveraign doe thereby shew themselves rather heathenish and mischievous Monsters then rationall and religious Men. And here I willingly would demand What is that which those obstinate Persons would have who at this day thus rigidly barbarously and violently oppose our Gracious King Would they
the Church here upon earth will be inevitable So that I may say of such a one as the Prophet Ieremy once spake of himselfe in another case when Pashur had put him into Prison for denouncing Gods Judgements against Jerusalem Jer. 20.9 Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speake any more in his name But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay So in like manner if thou hast grace in thy heart the Church of God being in distresse thou wilt be weary with forbearing to pray for the Peace of the Church O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 3 Because the Church is invironed with many Enemies yea sometimes David-like inclosed with fat Bulles of Bashan on every side even Cruell Tyrants who seeke her Subversion Yea She is like a Lillie amongst the Thornes Cant. 2.2 She is often beset with dangerous and troublesome Thrones viz. hurtfull gracelesse and pestilent Spirited persons who prick and wound the Lillies in their goods names liberties yea and lives also And thus it hath beene even from the beginning for when there were but two men borne into the World the one was a Lillie and the other a Thorne but the Thorne suppressed and perished the Lillie viz. Gen. 4.8 Caine destroyed his Brother Abel Yea the most beautifull Lillie that ever saw the light of the sunne Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour was so fiercely and violently beset with Thornes as that all his love and purity meeknesse and innocency could not keepe them from him but they violently thrust at him pricked him to the heart and wounded him to the death And loe thus will it be with the poore Members of his Church untill the last Judgement day when as both Lillies and Thornes must appeare before Christ in the Cloudes to receive according to their deeds Mat. 25. And then shall the persecuted Lillies be received into Heaven and the pernitious Thornes be cast as Fuell into the fire of Hell So that this persecuted condition of the Church pathetically implores us to pray for her Peace O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 4 Because the Church is Seated in Bochim being a place of Weeping she now lives in a Vale of misery and Vallie of teares and must be Contented so long as she liveth upon the face of the Earth to sit downe like a desolate widdow Psal 137.2 and hang her harpes upon the Willowes and make her Expressions in mournfull Elegies and Dolefull Ditties untill her Husband returnes unto her Alas woe and alas may we of this English Nation at this day deploringly complaine that the little Barke of Christ is now almost sunke under Water She is tossed up and downe to and fro hither and thither in the troublesome Seas of this turbulent Age Rabshakeh raileth Haman plotteth Balack bribeth Balaam curseth the Enemy rageth and the Devill roareth and all against the innocent Doves in the little Barke of Christ as they are sailing hopefully towards their resting Haven of happinesse in the Kingdome of Heaven So that Peter-like in the eye of humane sense and reason they are in the way of perishing did not the hand of Gods Providence preservingly support them She was prefigured in Noahs Arke floating upon the Waters and doth now resemble a little Ship in the vast Ocean which sometimes is carryed along quietly with a calme prosperous Gale but suddenly the boysterous windes arising and the unresistible Surges Billowes and Waves swelling the Seas become rough and troublesome and she is in Danger and necessarily standeth in neede of our Prayers And therefore let us not cease to Pray for her Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the Reasons of the Observation unto the Application The Uses whereof are briefely Five viz. 1. Vse of Terrour 2. Vse of Instruction 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation 5. Vse of Exhortation Terrour Vse 1 TO terrifie the hearts of all those that have persecuted the Church of Christ Listen a while I pray you to those heavy though just Judgements of God that have befallen the bloody Persecutors of his Church Pharaoh Oppressed the poore People of Israell in the Land of Aegypt and when they had leave to depart the Land Exod. 14.28 yet he pursued them with a purpose to destroy them But in the end his intention was frustrate and both himselfe and all his Hoaste perished in the Sea Haman Hest 3.9 upon the promise of Ten thousand talents of Silver procured a Decree from King Ahashuerosh to kill and destroy all the Jewes both old and young men women and children that were in all the Kings Provinces in one day But his Designe was blasted Hest 7.10 and in the end himselfe hanged upon the gallowes he had prepared for Mordecai Senacherib the King of Ashur sent Rabshakey to raile upon the living God and to discourage his Army but the Birth of his Project proved abortive insomuch that the Angell of the Lord in one night slew in the Campe of Ashur Esa 37.36 an hundred fourscore and five thousand and in the morning behold they were all dead corpses Yea and after that Senacherib himselfe was slaine by two of his owne Sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer as he was worshiping his Idoll God Nisroch in the Temple Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius after he had chased Tryphon from the Kingdome of Asia and broken the league which he had made with the Jewes gave himselfe wholly to worke mischiefe against them Then violently he set upon Jerusalem and tooke it by force Commanding his Souldiers to destroy those that were therein insomuch that within the space of three whole dayes there was such a bloody massacre both of old and young men women and children that there were destroyed fourescore thousand of the Jewes 2 Mac. 5. After this was done this bloody Tyrant was put to flight by the Inhabitants of Persepolis a City of Persia going about to rob their Temple of their Treasures Then furiously he threatned the people of the Jewes saying I will make Jerusalem a common burying place of the Jewes when I come thither But the Lord Almighty the God of Israel smote him with an incurable and invisible plague for assoone as he had spoken these words a paine of the bowels that was remedilesse came upon him and sore torments of the inner parts So that the wormes came out of his body in abundance and whiles he was alive his flesh fell off for paine and torment and all his Army was grieved at his smell Loe thus the Murtherer and Blasphemer suffered most grievously and as he had entreated other men so he dyed a most miserable death in a strange Country among the Mountains 2 Mac. 9. Nero that bloody Tyrant being the first Emperour that persecuted the Church of Christ exposed the poore Christians to the fury of rude