heare of it but if it must heare of it and entertaine it too then the heart welcomes it as a man takes fire into his bosome indeed reformation comes into the world as the Lord Christ came to send fire on the earth It was so in all ages downeward to this day it will be so to the end of the world Luke 12.49 Behold Hee shall come saith the Lord. Who The Lord Christ what to doe To reforme His Church Mic. 3.1 He shall sit as a resiner and Purifier of Silver A gracious and a glorious worke how will it be entertained As a man welcomes fire and sword which must either purifie him or consume him who may abide the day of His comming and who shall stand when Hee appeares for He is like a refiners fire and like Fullers Sope. This refining worke is a searching worke and findes bad welcome in the world Looke we into the Church the Congregations there upon the Priest and his people how doe they fret at it though but one foot and comming towards them as if already cut to the very heart But I need not looke abroad nor unto others I will returne to my owne heart for there I can read all this SEGT. XIV If reformation be a defiling of Idols and the worke in hand then a man needs not goe into the Congregations to behold the cariage of the Priest and people there nor abroad to enquire what newes he may returne home to his owne heart and read the newes there I Can read the times now what newes is most stirring and and fittest to be enquired after and yet not move one step from the Idoll and my owne heart I can tell what is done in the great world by looking diligently what is done in my little world And the way I take must be this I must read Reformation and the processes thereof and what its demands are then I must reade in my owne heart how that stands towards it in its naturall posture And behold it stands in a posture of offence nay of defiance most contrary thereunto I will bring them I had almost said together but that is impossible to man to an interview that we may heare how they greet one the other what is demanded and what denyed betwixt them Thereby I shall make more then a conjecture what is done in the Kingdome what motions and contrariety of wills there Reformation tells me I must not walke according to the course of this world Ephe. 2.22 My heart makes answer that according to that course it will walke though it be according to the spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Reformation saith I must forsake the beggerly Rudiments and old customes such as were in Queene Maries dayes the heart answers she will not forsake them they are her lovers she hankers after them and after them shee will goe Reformation tells me I must worship God according as Hee hath commanded I must not make a mingle mangle in Religion I must not serve God partly as Hee hath commanded partly according to my owne understanding I must not mate the wisedome of God with my foolish conceits my silly inventions The heart answers shee likes her owne way and would heare no more of that matter for she is setled and resolved to serve God her owne way and to maintaine that way till she dies Reformation tells me I must through down the Idolls before my eyes My heart is pretly flexible here so it be but a stocke or a stone God hath given me reason I must shew my selfe a man it were a shame to stumble in a Sun-shine at stocks and stones But Reformation is not contented with this It goes on commands me to give up my two Idolls my ease which I love so well The profit and glory of the world which I dote upon Me thinkes I finde my heart mad upon these Idols Jer. 50.38 now they are demanded of me and my two eyes sparkle with rage rather then I will part with them My Plate shall goe and which should be more pretious a good conscience also My ease is more then my Plate and my credit in the world my chiefest Jewell Reformation heares not it stands like an upright Judge as doth the stalke of a ballance It demands as once Moses did All All my gods how pleasing how serviceable to mine owne ends how desirable soever how deare or neare no matter I must yeeld them up and my strong holds there the house of my Images and guardians thereof with my Imaginations and every thing that exalteth it selfe 2 Cor. 20.4 The heart will sticke here nay it will die here before it will yeeld offer the heart faire heaven and eternall happinesse it will not yeeld offer it foule hell everlasting misery it will not yeeld up its Idoll he will not suffer it to be slaine before his strong holds shall bee given up before his reasonings can give or take satisfaction As the Lord said Jer. 22.29 O Earth earth earth heare the Word of the Lord. It cannot heare no more can the heart it is desperately wicked who shall make a good understanding betwixt him and reformation Of this in the close Now we have seene at what a distance the heart stands to heaven that patterne wee are to bee conformed unto how it fighteth to maintaine his Idols which hee will not part with till he dyes Then wee may easily gather by the unquiet motions within what is done without if there be such motions in one mans little world what motions will there be in Cities in Towns in a Kingdom when Reformation assaies to go through the same to defile the Idols there If men will fret and fume and doe more because stockes and stones are defiled what will they doe for the Idoll in the heart to maintaine that in a posture of defence If defiling of Idols in one mans heart cause such a shaking what a terrible shake will it be when the Earth shall no more cover her blood but the men there must yeeld up their Idols to the Moles and to the Batts Reformation will cast a spewing upon all our worldly glory it will defile the three gods of the world honours pleasures profits for which the heart will contend till it die then the most stirring newes is warres and Rumors of warres Saint James resolves it so whence comes warres and fightings amongst you even of the lusts which war in your members There they warre first then they breake forth in the world If we could open the records of all ages and then put Saint James his question we must also make his answer our owne winds the windes from within us make our Sea so tempestuous The counfell is good calme it with your Prayers and resolve to throw out your Idoll * Fluctus maris tuis precibus mitiga Hier. Ep. 45. ult But that worke will cause a mightie contention While there is
strongly the more Reformation comes on 3. I aske againe are things set backe They are vvho sets them backe but they vvho should put to both their shoulders to the setting them forward It vvas so in ancient times Who set deliverance backe vvhen a deliverer vvas sent unto them but the Israelites themselves vvith their owne hands So vvhen the deliverer came forth of Zion vvho opposed Him The Rulers Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers beleeved in Him The chiefe Priests and Scribes Were they obedient No All these opposed Reformation vvith all their power these professed themselves the most bitter enemies thereunto The Priests and Scribes they for the most part that Are we cannot say properly they live but are Vatia hic situs est non diu vixit sed diu fuit Sen. in Cathedralls Cloysters Colledges these draw backe mightily and cause others so to doe when Reformation goes forward So it hath beene in all ages whether not so now let others judge I vvill tell my observation and every mans that vvill observe vvhich is this Those places as that earth is under which the Mines of Gold and Silver are nothing growes thereon say the Naturalists for the use of man no not so much as a grasse for meate to beasts Then there must needs be a drawing backs 4. We may note that the Lord doth seeme to goe backe when He meanes to goe forward with might and power And when He resolves to doe the greatest matters for His Church He then so seemes to stand that the Church cannot easily judge whether He meanes to goe forward or backward whether He be for the Church or for her adversary Josh 5.13 when the Churches burdens were sorest then her deliverance was nearest when her groanes were strong because of cruell Taskmasters then Moses came and deliverance went on a maine and in full strength Then in the last place because 5. This falling to ruines first This setting backe of things is a great offence in our way Let us consider this with all our hearts that we may not stumble at it What setting backe is here Take it to the utmost extent that can be and yet it is no other but as the Lord Christ was set back in His way to glory He went on the left-hand as farre back as possibly could be before he sate downe on the Right hand of the Majestie on High To expresse it as well as I can The Lord Christ went a back-way to His Throne Ephe. 4.9.10 He that is now ascended up above all Heavens is the same that descended first into the lower parts of the earth A back-way to glory sure He was set-backe so farre as is the Crosse and that we sometimes call Hell and yet this backe-way was the ready way to His Crowne to His glory Can the Church dislike this way which Her Lord Christ hath gone before her in and paved out unto her though seemingly a backe and contrary vvay Certainly the Church and every member there must be made conformable to their Head even in their way to Glory They must be set backe and back and yet farther backe How farre backe Even to the place of Dragons they may dash upon hell it selfe that low bottome before they rise up to their crowne And yet this backe-way this unsearchable and admirable way though it seemes an uncomfortable way even as the shadow of death yet shall it yeeld as much comfort as can be conceived for the farther backe now the farther forward anon the lower the descent the higher the ascent It vvas the way that Christ went in before and all His must follow Him in the same way after The old and ancient vvay it is from the Crosse to the Crowne from the lower parts of the earth to the highest Heavens from Hell to Glory It is well with the Body the Church if she be as the Lord Christ her head But she knowes it is vvell vvith her Head yet He vvas set backe as farre backe as can be imagined and from thence tooke His rise to Glory It is the Churches vvay also a back-way and darkesome but in that way God is most glorious leading to the inheritance of the Saints in light The vvords fit very vvell and doe afford a strong consolation Luk. 24.26 ought not the Church to have suffered these things and to enter into her Glory This vvill give full answer to this setting backe if farther backe then yet things are The Church may be set-backe as farre as the gates and suburbes of Hell shee may be smitten into the place of Dragons and yet all this vvhile be in her vvay to her highest preferment 1 King 2.31 The Church can comfort her selfe in these vvords and vvill consider this vvith all that though a man hath beene smitten at the Altar vvhether he did flie for refuge yet it is rare to see a man smitten to death vvhom God hath truely humbled and brought upon his knees My meaning is vve doe not reade that God ever destroyed a praying people though things seeme to that people much set backe I goe on now for I must examine the Respects In respect first I. Of the greatnesse of distractions vvhich have divided us all one from another Not all Divide impera yet cursed be all that have so distracted us for thereby they bare rule and are multiplyed We say againe and say truely not all The good and bad stand out now and are as discernable as is the right hand from the left But joyned vve are now the closer together the Good vvith the Good the Bad vvith the Bad The good hold vvith the good never faster the Bad are joyned with the Bad never closer like the scales of the Leviathan they sticke together that they cannot be sundered Job 41.17 But into their secret let my soule never come Into their assembly mine honour be not thou united for in their anger they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell Lord divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Amen Gen. 49.6 So much be said in Respect of our destractions The second followes In Respect of II. The multitude of Sects and Sectaries men are dided in their opinions so many heads so many conceits every man has his way 1. I answer first Sects there are amongst us not a multitude we hope and these that are the greatest part of them in my observation which is not slight are occasioned by the Liturgy which is called The Divine Service I forbeare but handle it and see whether it be not all flesh no spirit at all And the Lord looke upon this cause and the offence it hath caused and require it He will doe it Onely let this be remembred in the meane time that it may bee now as once it was Acts 24.14 After the way which some
As He concerning Himself the same we may say of Reformation in His Name It comes not to send peace but a Sword to set men at variance one against another a Matth. 10.34,35 It comes to send fire on the earth It doth not give peace but rather divisions b Luk. 12.49.51 Wee may record our Lords words with trembling and yet every faithfull soule can rejoyce too Every kingdome divided against it selfe is brought to desolation c Mat. 12.25 Certainly our divisions are not a destructive signe not a signe of desolation but a signe of good to all that are good Our kingdome is not divided against it selfe rather one kingdome divided against another The Kingdome of Darkenesse against the kingdome of Light And the clearer this light the more manifest the opposers of it Againe these Divisions are of an uniting nature they tend to unitie and setting us in joynt againe Now they that feare the Lord speake often one to another Mal. 3. and amongst them there is a firmer union then ever Now the wicked are folden together as Thornes Nah. 1.11 they make a tumult now as once they did a little before they became as dung for the earth Psal 13.10 they are taking craftie counsell against His people and consulting against His hidden ones What followes now As once it was and ever will be in such distractions and seeming confusion in persons and things strong prayers are put up against these adversaries Now the godly give themselves to prayer and they cast not away their confidence saying Psal 2.6 yet God is good to Israel yet have I set my King upon My holy hill of Sion Yet the Lord Christ He is King and His kingdome shall bee advanced and his enemies shall He dash to peeces like a potters vessell by those very meanes by which His enemies would dethrone Him not suffering Him to beare rule in the world Fourthly in Respect of IIII. The Sects and Sectaries among us Doe they appeare A sure and certaine signe that God is appearing in His Glory Lastly in respect of and that is the chiefest Respect and hath in it the quintessence of all in Respect of V. Those honours for I take the Doctors word willing to goe as contrary to him as he goes to the sacred Scripture the Word of truth Those honours that have beene done this present yeare to the service of God truely called so and so indeed Can they point us to a time our enemies themselves being Judges when the day of the Lord The servants and service of the Lord have beene more honoured then the former and this present yeare Many Parliaments have done worthily but this hath exceeded them all in their honours done to the service of God And now I have said this I have said all For honour God and His service and what would we have more Thankes be to God for their much zeale and diligence this way And God grant they may abound yet more in their zeale for the worke of the Lord and in giving honours to His Name Amen SECT XX. God hath wrought wonderfully for His Church this present yeare The Citie writes the remarkables upon the Pillar with a pen of Iron she nameth the Pillar and dedicates the same ANd now after this contention this is easily cleared to the world that some notable things have bin done this present yeare also for and in behalfe of the Church The Citie then may goe on and write the remarkables of this yeare also What remarkables These which the adversary allowes her Alas what are these but distractions and feares wars and rumours of wars Yes something else which are these That the adversary conceived chaffe and brought forth stubble That their owne breath as fire did devoure them Esa 33.11 That the lips of a foole have swallowed up himselfe Eccles 10.12 That the adversaries plotted and plotted and the Lord brake their snares and discovered their plots That the adversary girded himselfe and girded himselfe Esa 8.9,10 it is twice repeated And the Lord brake him to peeces so often and more for it is thrice repeated and this yeare fulfilled in our eyes The adversaries tooke councell together but the Lord brought it to nought they spake the word but it did not stand Vers 10. How so it followes for God is with His people All this must be written first for thus it was done Then the Church will write according to her adversaries allowance all the forementioned for they followed close at the heele very Paradoxes all along things managed by an Almightie hand for her weale against all sence and reason She writes her distractions for these united her her feares for these quieted her violent deeds against her peace and dignitie these awakened her and set her people upon their Watch-Towers devouring words these in stead of swallowing up preserved her and so the poyson of Aspes embalmed her name for ever This must be recorded to all Generations The Church can go on and write what the Lord will do in after times That she cannot you will say Yes she can for she holds fast the confidence a Heb. 3.6 That by the greatnesse of Thine arme her enemies shall be as still as a stone b Exod. 15.16 He who hath wrought that and this the former yeare This and that this present yeare He will doe yet more He will make the adversaries of his Church to be as still as a stone Hee that brought His Church out of Egypt did not forsake them at the Sea To thinke now that the Lord will make a stand here and lift up the right hand of His adversaries were to forget the yeares of the Right hand of the most High Psal 77.10 these wonderfull yeares by-past Such a thought were to provoke the Lord as they did at the Sea even at the Red Sea But I will not call off our thoughts from what the Lord hath done That men may know that thou whose Name alone is Jehovah art the most high over all the Earth Psal 83.18 Now then the Citie will name this Pillar What can she call it but a Pillar Yes it must have a more proper Name as anciently it had when the Lords of the Philistims were discomfited it must be called EBEN-EZAR hitherto hath the Lord helped us 1 Sam. 7.12 Maugre the Malice and rage of the adversary yet HITHERTO Notwithstanding the power and policie of the enemy yet HITHERTO the Lord hath helped us Over this Wall that is not high enough over this Hill and that Mountaine through that gulfe and those straites All along backwayes and crooked pathes hard by the dennes of Lions and mountaines of the Leopards hath the Lord brought His Church HITHERTO Blessed be His Name Therefore she will Dedicate this Pillar also To whom Not to man not to his wisedome nor to his might though yet she will give as much to Man as he is
consider this That Baals Image though a filthy thing that shame yet was the Image as ours are pleasant to the eyes and to be desired which appeares because Israel a wise and understanding people were inamoured with it so as they joyned themselves to it a Numb 25.3 See how insnaring these filthy things were They were a trap and a snare and a ginne to Gods owne people Are they not as insnaring still I will inquire into that anon and resolve it In the meane time sober men will learne by this to observe their charge and doe thereafter Esa 30.22 Yee stall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the Ornament of thy molten Images of Gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence VVe shall make very good use of this sacred Scripture anon in defence of the accused if he stood at the barre In the meane time we will take a view of what is said The madnesse of these men is rebuked who miscall their Images their folly manifest for keeping a guard and watch over them sober men have taken forth their lesson also Now I must reprove these so pittifull men for shewing mercy and brotherly compassion towards stockes and stones Surely a scorne will be put upon them for such foolish pitty SECT IIII. Their foolish pitty is laughed at by the Ancients Jewes and Gentiles Living Images command pitty the dead scorne I Will not aske the former sort the Papists what ayleth them g Iudg. 18.24 for their gods are defaced Nor will I at present say to the other sort as he to the men that stood by will yee plead for Baal will yee save him h Iudg. 6.31 Barn 6. Hor. Sect. 1. Sect. 8. Mar. 8. Ep. 39. Tib. 1.10 M. faelix in fol. h. 16. l. 2. v d. Com. Lact. 2.2 I thinke it may sit very well to reason out the case a little in scorne of that Image as I find both Jewes and Gentiles Heathens and Christians have done before me in the like case and so I shall make way to my scope after this manner Here is a battery committed What though let him complaine that is damnified hurt or grieved First here is no dammage none at all the Popes power is not a jot the lesse now his Miter is gone his Cardinall can do as much with one hand as he did before with two And the Mother can command her sonne as imperiously as ever she did though halfe her crowne be gone And the defaced Saint smels as well now without a Nose as before when it was fresh and new out of the Carvers shop They have received no dammage none at all Secondly nor are they hurt or grieved It is their patience you will say to stand stocke still and silent when vilified or injured yes be it so but here I should rather thinke it the effect of use and custome for these Images have beene so long exposed to the scattering of Crowes and other birds to the spitting and spauling to the injury of weather haile raine windes that now they can suffer any thing even dust to be cast into their eyes and yet not wipe it off Here is no hurt done no grievance at all The Image next cryed not Oh no not when the fellow pluckt off its legge and thigh both nor did it resist at all nor thrust the man from it when he more then played with its nose doubtlesse there was no hurt done for then it would have cryed out in the eares of its neighbours Why then doe the men of the City complaine where lieth the griefe they are a little wiser I hope then Demetrius the Silver Smith and pretty well perswaded Acts 19.26 That they are no Gods which are made with hands why then should they complaine as they doe and call out so bitterly SEGT. V. These so pittifull men shew compassion to the Crosse and none to the Citie they are questioned and rebuked for so doing THey have but one thing to answer and truely they will speake against their owne Soules they tell us a goodly pile of Images is defaced which they will tell us anon they accounted an ornament to the place VVell but fith they will cry out of this indignitie which was offered to a pile of stones I must question them about their outcry in the presence of God they must answer as in the same presence But who are they that are now to be questioned if they are not knowne by their contrary walking nor their folly yet made manifest it shall not be made so by my pen. The dutie of private persons is to go backward and cover the nakednesse of their brethren and in reference thereto I hope my care shall be to carry all levell to this marke the good of my brother and his information therefore I must question them for their foolish pitty indeed you cannot give it a lighter word But before I question them I must put downe a Thesis first a truth which no man can deny and it is this Man as he is the most excellent creature in the world so is he the most noble and venerable Image that ever was looked upon since Jesus Christ was upon the earth he is a living Image of God made by the very hand of God and in this respect a thousand fold more excellent then all Images made by the hand of Man this is the Thesis I must premise three words more Six yeares agoe or thereabouts three Images were defiled all at once which could breath and smell and heare and wipe the dust from their eyes yea such they were that had knowledge to open the eyes of them who were borne blind These three were Pillored defaced stigmatized in plaine English markt for Rogues because they were faithfull and kept close to the Law of their God as was made manifest when their cause was made knowne and the VVord of the Lord had tryed them we reade on there Then they sent and loosed them the Peeres and the people let them goe free c Psal 105.18,19,20 But when time was so villainously they were used and for the reason above said Now I put the question to these pittifull men much after the same which Gidion put to Zeba and Zalmunna Judg. 8.18 What manner of Images were they which yee saw or heard were so abused They must answer as their brethren in that place did As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King Then I must reply as followeth Vers 19. They were your brethren even the sonnes of your mother I may goe on for the case will allow of the same zeale As the Lord liveth the pitty and compassion these men have shewen to stockes and stones when they shewed none to their owne flesh cryeth for vengeance against them VVhat can they pitty Images which cannot wipe the dust from their eyes and can they shew no
away their confidence now No they know whom they have trusted He will keepe them as the Apple of His eye they have borne the burthen and heate of the day the wicked shall not receive the wages They have sought God for this thing and have sowen in teares the wicked shall not reape in joy surely they say Psal 89.42 The Lord will not set up the right hand of His adversaries He will not make His enemies to rejoyce This is their confidence now so though the kingdomes are moved yet they may be still calme and quiet in their minds for so they are commanded Be still Psal 89.10 what and the Kingdomes moved What can still the spirit then this Know that is trust perfectly that I am God and I will be exalted c. It is an ordinary observation that all the Letters in Jehovah are quiescent i. e. doe import quietnesse and rest it is of lively use I desire not so much to looke upon bare Letter as the Name it selfe the goodnesse mercy wisedome power of God and behold there the soule can finde rest and sweet repose when there is terrour on every side when Kingdomes are moved the earth quakes then there is rest Where In God O blessednesses compleatly blessed is the man Psal 1.1 that can say and knoweth what he saith The Lord is my God He reigneth be the earth never so unquiet yet He is King and will be exalted When there is an Earthquake and we looke for it when not the winds but the Lord will shake it smiting it terribly then in such a trembling time this man is as the Lord hath promised to make his people a quiet habitation Esa 33.29 Who would not be as He is Who would not rest as he doth in the armes and under the shadow of the Almighty Surely every man Surely then if he would be assured and confident he must give up his gods hee must yeeld up their strong holds but this must be more fully considered SECT XVI Every man must returne to his owne heart and enquire diligently the meanes of reconciliation and resolve upon yeelding up the Idoll REformation and the heart stand at a wide distance as we heard there must be a yeelding so as they may be brought together Reformation cannot yeeld it is stiffe as was the Heathens good made of the same matter the Pepists make theirs which they called Terminus wee call it a Bound-stone the old Land-marke cedebat nulli Prov. 23.10 Aug. de Civit. Dei 4. 23. it would not yeeld an inch for any mans pleasure Reformation is as stiffe it will yeeld nothing not a hoofe not a huske not such a poore matter as was a piece of ground full of Lentiles 2 Sam. 23.11,12 It was not a considerable piece What though yet the Philistims should not have it So stiffe is Reformation in yeelding to any thing against Gods right And great reason it should be so why should it yeeld that which is anothers God gives all He must have all all the heart and all the soule and all the mind Indeed Reformation can yeeld nothing It commands in Gods name and will have all its Demands the heart must bow and submit or perish for ever As the Lord said to Jeremiah Jer. 15.19 let them returne unto thee But returne not thou unto them That is they must yeeld to thy termes thou shalt not yeeld to theirs Reformation hath the same charge from the Lord and is as peremptory in her demands And now it will be made manifest to the whole world that the heart is as it is said to be deceitfull above all things and desperatly wicked Jer. 17.19 It appeares thus The soule is the most pretious thing in the world never any thing came up to the price of it but the blood of God He gave to the full worth for He gave Himselfe What is an Idoll now Nothing We know that an Idoll is nothing in the world saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.4 or if any thing then as hee hath said That shame A goodly price that our soules are prized at by us below thirtie peeces of Silver Zach. 11.13 and no wonder For so the Lord Christ was prized But yet wee must behold how desperatly wicked the heart is Reformation requires no more but the giving up the Idoll with the strong hold the forme without the power which maintaines it See now the heart will not yeeld it will venture an eternall soule the everlastaing-well-being thereof rather than it will yeeld up its Idols It is setled and resolved to keepe his enmitie to maintaine a defiance it will hold it out till it die though if I would quickly while I am in the way with him agree with this adversary Reformation I meane and upon its owne termes and conditions it would be the happiest agreement that could be made for then the Idoll which troubled my peace all my life long will be thrust out and my Lord would come in and with Him all things Paenitentiam mihi praecipis sed talis sum ego miser quod sentio me Nolle neque posse quare tuis postratis pedibus c. Lutheri concio de paenitentia Anno Dom. 1518. But this is a worke I neither will doe nor can doe I can stand it out stoutly I can hold fast the forme onely and that will hold fast my Idoll I am stubbornely bent to maintaine warre and all my strong-holds But to make a good agreement and understanding betwixt Reformation and my heart To yeeld to the Demands there and so to bring Reformation and my heart together is as impossible to me as to make the North and South meet as friends and to kisse each other which stand as wee heard at an eternall opposition But with God all things are possible Psal 147.15 His Word runneth very swiftly He sent forth His Commandement and it was done Let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament and it was so Nay He hath done a more astonishing worke then all this Hee hath made Heaven and Earth to meet and kisse each other He hath filled up that gulfe betwixt us and made it passable Hee hath brought two together God and Man and hath caused a good understanding betwixt them So as they are no longer two now but one Immanuel Then He can do what He pleaseth therefore my eye must bee to Him Who onely doth wonders And it is every mans worke who knowes his dutie for surely we have no might against this great company of gods which are within us and fight against us neither can we over-power our owne hearts But if our eyes are upon the Lord If we set our selves as one man to seeke Him wee shall finde that there is hope in Israel concerning this thing for the King of Israel is a mercifull King heare what He saith Jer. 3. â—… thou hast played the harlot with many
capable of Her heart is loyall choyce and chast too It cannot be Ravished it is the Doctors word but with the loving kindnesse of a God nor is it indeared to any thing but to her Christ The Citie will dedicate this Pillar to the KNOWNE GOD knowne by executing judgements and shewing mercies This is all but she must write this in Brasse and with a pen of Iron in Capitall Letters that he who runs may reade them and the generations to come may looke on and say What hath Jehovah done for our fathers Wee their children will trust in him Amen This Pillar will be an ornament to the Citie the most becomming and specious that ever was seene in the world SECT XXI The Adversary is offended hereat better pleased with a pile of Images then with a pillar erected for praise This Treatise with Gods blessing upon it may informe him and make him wiser It is concluded with two words to little children that they may account these Idoll-pictures fit to be played with now and to be cast out hereafter THe Adversaries now I meane not the Crosses Neighbours I suppose them reasonable men and reasonably well satisfied but the Adversaties will never yeeld to us at this point They are as stiffe against Pillars to be erected for prayse as they are for Images to be erected for Prayer No matter what they are for or against The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all those that have pleasure therein And the word of the Lord is mightie and will be sharpe in the hearts of the Kings enemies Such are they who turne His glory into a lie So the Lord hath said more then once or twice in this Treatise If we shall walke contrary thereunto He will walke contrary to us and then woe unto us nothing can be for us or prosper in our hands for Job 9.13 if He withdraw not his anger the proud helpers do stoope under Him And so we have our lesson also To conclude here is as much also yeelded for ornament as can be by Scripture allowance if they will have more if nothing will serve them but the cunning crafts-mans worke who ventureth to make his god with his owne fingers and so they will carve for themselves be it at their perill They have to doe with a jealous God who will famish all the gods of the earth their Carvers and maintainers all three So He saith also Let them be well ware of that and remember they have a faire warning I have done so soone as I have spoken two words to the little children they must not be forgotten here for Children will be prying herein I am sure because here is 〈…〉 golden Crosses and gilded â—…inges they 〈◊〉 to be gazing thereon And very fit gazing worke it is for them so long as they play with rattles and wipe their Noses on their sleeves Two words will serve their turne to instruct them for hereafter the one shall be Counsell the other a Prayer as short both as may be for their memories are short The counsell is 1 Joh. 5.21 Little Children keepe your selves from Idolls Amen The Prayer is as short but it must be continued while our mouthes are open for our selves and 〈◊〉 from dumbe Idols from Idol-Ministers from brutish and unreasonable men good Lord deliver us Amen Amen Page 64. Line 11. reade thus II The multitude of Sects and Sectaries which cry indeed as the Jewes before them The Temple of the Lord but with a worse addition That the Temple of the Lord may be destroyed Page 65. Line 6. manifest adde this Lastly doth not the Doctor wrong these Sectaries Truely I thinke he doth As he makes them more in number then they are so he makes them speake what they speake not nay what they abhorre to speake I am confident his Heritiques say not Let the temple of the Lord be pulled downe but the contrary Let the Temple of the Lord be built up Let the Altars the Rayles the mock-gods there let these be put downe which the light Priests and treacherous Prophets and bold Chancellors have built up Downe with these even to the ground So they say in a zeale to Gods Glory and doubtlesse their zeale is according to knowledge The c. FINIS