him commit adultery against him 3. Sometimes it comes to pass that Gods Israel whilst she lieth under the guilt of whorish departure from her God in stead of being affected with and afflicted for her whoredom in stead of mourning and judging her self before the Lord doth securely and sinfully let out her heart to carnal comfort and rejoycing 4. An Israel under adulterous departures from God hath least cause to rejoyce and more cause to mourn and lament then any nation or people under heaven In these 4 Doctrinal Observations you have the sence and soul of this Scripture I begin with the first intending but a brief transition through the 3 former that I might sit down and enlarge my self upon the fourth and last I begin with the first Doct. 1 A Nation or Kingdom in external Covenant with God stands in a conjugal relation unto God Thy God There you have the Covenant so it runs I wil establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee c. To what end To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17 7. And so again v. 8. I wil be their God Where ever the Scripture saies thy God it implyes a Covenant Fallen man having lost his God can never come to say my God again but it must be by vertue of a Covenant Thou hast gone a whoring that implyes as I have shewed you the conjugal relation unto God Wheredom being the sin of wedlock the violation of the sacred bonds of marriage Into this neer relation doth God take a nation or people when he brings them into the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20.37 So run the words of the Covenant I wil betroth thee unto me for ever I wil betroth thee unto me in righteousness I wil betroth thee unto me in faithfulness Desponsabo Hos 2 19 20. They are I say the words of the Covenant which God speaks not only to * Rom. 9.26 old Israel when the vail shal be taken away from their hearts but to the Gospel-Israel also even to whatsoever nation or people God shal say * Hosea 2.23 Thou art my people and they shal answer thou art my God Witness the Apostle S. Peter who in his first Epistle 2. Chap. 9.10 verses applyes it to the Gentiles as wel as the Jews * 1 Pet. 2 9 10 But ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marveilous light Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Speaking to the * Chap 1 1. strangers i. e. strangers by nature though not by grace by generation not being of Abrahams seed though not strangers by regeneration being of Abrahams faith for so it follows Scattered through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bythinia I But there is no more national Churches since Abrahams seed ceased to be a Church Say some Object There is not indeed a national Church in that sence that Israel was a national Church And truly if this were but wel observed Answ it would cut off a great deal of needless Controversie whereof comes nothing but strife and contention I say there is not a national Church as Israel was a national Church that is to say 1. Quà such a mans seed they were a Church as coming out of Abrahams loynes for if there were any Prosolites among them they were reckoned unto Abraham for a seed So we know no national Church in the times of the Gospel 2. Nor which follows upon the former quà such a nation Israel was a Church quà Israel England is not a Church quà England nor Scotland quà Scotland c. 3. Nor thirdly do we assert or know a national Church exclusive as Israel was Israel was a Church so that there was none else in all the world besides In Iudah was God Known Psa 76.1 2. his name was great in Israel In Salem was his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion i.e. So as he had no dwelling place else it is by way of exclusion to all the world besides Thus I say and in this sence we own no National Church under the Gospel But now take a Nation or people as in external Covenant with God h.e. 1. As God offering to them his Covenant of life and gráce by Iesus Christ revealed in the Doctrine of the Gospel and ratified by the Seals thereof affixed 2. And secondly such a Nation or people as generally accepting of and closing with this Covenant thus revealed and Sealed and professing faith in and obedience to this Covenant thus offered And this offer on Gods part and acceptance on theirs makes them a National Church in a Gospel-sence yea notwithstanding ye should suppose all in that Nation do not profess it and but very few do savingly embrace and beleeve it For what if some do not beleeve shal their unbeleife make the faith of God i.e. * Fidei nomen hic propria et omnibus scriptoribus usitata significatione accipitur pro dictorum conventorumque constantia et veritate Beza in loc The Doctrine of faith or of the Covenant without effect It is the Apostles argument in a like dispute it is general Reformation not personal saving conversion which makes a National Church Rom. 3.3 If any man shal demand of me to shew a National Church in the N.T. 1. Though I might as wel demand of him to shew me such a thing as a Nation in Adams family we cannot shew things til time bring them forth 2. Yet whosoever wil impartially consult these Scriptures * Psa 22.27 All the ends of the world shal remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shal worship before thee * Is 19 24 25 In that day shal Israel be the third with Aegypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the land Whom the Lord of hosts shal bless saying Blessed be Aegypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance * Isa 52.15 So shal he sprinkle many nations c. * Isa 55,5 Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and nations that knew not thee shal run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he hath glorified thee Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shal raign for ever and ever and the like may find such a thing as a national Church in the Prophesy And if the history of the Gospel reach not far enough to shew the accomplishment surely the progress of the Gospel doth 3. In the mean time as it is no
Die Mercurii 26 Maii 1647. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament That Sir William Brereton do from this House give thanks unto Mr Thomas Case for the great pains he took in the Sermon he Preached on this day at Margarets Westminster before the House of Commons it being a day of publike Humiliation and that he do desire him to Print his Sermon wherein he is to have the like priviledge of Printing thereof as others in like kind usually have had H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint LUKE FAVVNE and none other to Print my Sermon Tho. Case Spirituall VVhordome DISCOVERED IN A SERMON Preach'd before the Honourable House of Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT Upon the Solemn day of Humiliation May 26. 1647. By THO. CASE Preacher in Milkstreet London and one of the Assembly of DIVINES LONDON Printed by J. Macock for LUKE FAVVNE and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls-Church-yard 1647. To the Honorable the House of Commons in Parliament assembled IT is a ponderous speech of the wise man and worthy of all wise mens deepest consideration * Eccles 8.6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment therefore the misery of man is great upon him Jerom tels us that the Septuagint and Theodotio did read in stead of therefore the misery of man is great because the knowledg of man is great upon him and he conjectures the difference to arise from the likeness of the two Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one signifying knowledg the other evil or misery but the truth is the want of this knowledge or wisdome to know and judg of times and seasons is that which brings great misery upon the sons of men And so is the true sense of the words because there is time and judgment for every purpose and but a time And men have not judgment to discern and take that time therefore the misery of man is great upon him men bring upon themselves and others extream trouble and misery because they do not wisely discern Opportunity is time fitted and framed by God for the accomplishment of his designs and lay hold on the time and opportunity for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies opportunum tempus which God doth give them for the bringing about of all lawfull and righteous purposes and designs Therefore it was the wisdom of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that when he came about that great design of saving souls he took his fathers time So you hear his father bespeaking of him In an acceptable time have I heard thee Isa 49.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In tempare opportuno voluntatis vel placito and in the day of salvation have I helped thee therefore it was a day of salvation because it was an acceptable time the time which his father set him for the work oh how acceptable a Redeemer was Christ to his father because his fathers time was acceptable to him Noble Senators how much you are concern'd in these texts I leave to your selves to judg There is a complaint made by God Jer. 8.6 I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done I beseech you as you love Christ this poor Kingdom and your own souls let not this complaint be verified of any one of you Turn in upon your selves and bring to remembrance commune with your own heart upon your bed and every one ask your selves this question What have I done Ask your selves what you have done as men What you have done as Parliament-men what you have done in reference to the first table in reference to the second table What you have done in reference to Christ his Truths Worship Government Ministry Ordinances People What you have done in your Covenant with God and your Declarations to the world Yea oh that you would alter the question a little on the negative part and ask your selves what you have not done in reference to all these Whether indeed you have taken the accepted time which God hath fashioned and prepared by his own hand for the accomplishing of the great work of Reformation wherewith God hath entrusted and honoured you By the improvement whereof you might have been so many Ioshuahs Saviours and Redeemers to have restored the preserved of England Whether you have gone about the work in Gods strength in Gods methods and to Gods ends Surely never had Parliament fairer opportunities better helps greater encouragements to have set up Jesus Christ in his Throne the greatest honor and interest that States Kingdoms are capable of then you have had I humbly hope we shal not have cause to say only have had but that God wil stil entrust you with the work and bless you in it and renew upon you all those glorious advantages whereby you shal be encouraged and enabled to carry it on against all oppositions of men and Divels We cannot but take notice with much thankfulness to God and you rejoycing in the Lord greatly that now at last to use the Apostles words your care for the Publique good hath flourished again in those self-denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod jam tandem reviruistis Phil. 4.10 and Kingdom-refreshing-votes which have lately past your Honourable House which we look upon as the fruit of your late Serious and extraordinary humiliation within your own walles and an answer of Prayer your own and the rest of Gods people's who lifted up their hands and voices to God with you and for you on the same day Only I beseech you Honorable and much Honoured Patriots give out now real and lasting Demonstrations that this motion of yours is not meetly ab extrinseco but that it flows from inward principles and gracious impressions of God upon your Spirits Go on and do worthily in the eyes of all the Kingdom and at home the Churches abroad and though you are taught of God to be humbled for your failings yet let no discouragements enfeeble your hands in the work of God and the Kingdom but with David encourage your selves in the Lord your God 1 Sam. 30.6 And though you know how to be vile before God yet assert your Honor and glory before men by being zealous and expeditious stedfast and unmoveable in the work of the Lord Gen. 49.24 and the Blessing of Joseph be upon your heads whereby your bow may abide in strength and the arms of your hands may be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Iacob from whom you are the shepherd and the stone of England And the Lord undeceive this poor people and open their eyes that they may see their peace to be bound up in your safetie and that the best way to secure their own Rights and Liberties is to assert and vindicate your Priviledges This I am confident of when ever the Power and Authority of
Parliament is trodden under foot the wall is broken down the destroyer comes in and without a rescuing arm of Omnipotence the Kingdom undone If the Lord wil give the Parliament an heart to be active for Christ and the Kingdom an heart to be active for the Parliament I hope yet to see it a flourishing Kingdom and you a flourishing Parliament The Lord Iesus ruling and triumphing in both which is and shal be the hearty and dayly prayer of Your unworthy yet faithful Servant in the Gospel THO CASE Reader thou art desired page 22. the last line but one in stead of conferring to write or read confessing of sin other mistakes there are not many unless they be literall SPIRITUAL WHOREDOM Discovered in a Sermon ON HOSEA 9.1 Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God CALVIN conjectures that this Prophesie of Hosea as we now have it as the rest of the Prophesies was but the summary or brief heads of certain Sermons which at several times and upon several occasions were preach't unto the people of Israel and Iudah collected by himself and registred for the use and benefit of the Church of God This Sermon he conceives begins at my Text but the distinct time when it was preach't neither himself nor any other Expositor do hint That it was before the Babylonian Captivity is clear from the date of the Prophesie Chap. 1. Vers 1. Certain it is and that may content us saith he that the Prophet doth here bitterly reprove the extream obstinacy and desperate security of the people Calv. in locuen who by all the pains and unwearied labours of the Prophets could not be brought to repentance although their rebellions and apostacy were so visible that all the world might take notice of it However their incorrigibleness must not cause the Prophet to desist his duty therefore upon all occasions when call'd to preach before them he ceaseth not to reprove to convince to exhort if by any means he might happily awaken them to a timely discovery of their sin and prevention of approaching ruine and destruction Peoples obstinacy must not silence the Prophets fidelity Observ passion and short-spiritedness of all men in the world doth ill become them In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure wil give them repentance c. 2 Tim. 2.25.26 is the Apostles cannon to all the Ministers of the Gospel In the words therefore the Prophet doth call them to serious and seasonable humiliation and repentance for though the words seem to speak only a bare prohibition of joy and rejoycing yet 1. That was to convince them of reprove them for their unseasonable mirth and jollity that they should rejoyce when their God was so highly displeased with them for their manifold apostacies and the repetition of the words rejoyce not for joy or as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew rejoyce not to exultation is for the greater * Habet haec repetitio emphasin quandam i. e. majorem increpationem intempestive laetitiae Ribera in locum aggravation of their sin and the Prophets reproof 2. And again the words have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them they mean and import more then they speak out as it is usual in Scripture Rhetorick and so while they forbid joy i. e. carnal security and sensual rejoycing in creature-comforts they enjoyn the contrary sc mourning and weeping girding with sackcloth and rolling themselves in dust and ashes aversus es a deo ergo tibi lugendum est Jugiter non exultandum Corn. a Lap. in locum a constant and conscionable humiliation and walking humbly before their God And this is prest from a double Consideration Sin Wrath. Their sin against God Gods wrath against them The one expressed The other implyed Their sin expressed thou hast gone a whoring And Gods wrath implyed if thou hast gone a whoring God cannot choose but be highly displeased with your sin and yet more displeased with them for their security then for their sin And both these are yet further aggravated from the Relation which Israel had to God thy God which relation is set forth 1. Positively 2. Comparatively 1. Positively The relation of a spouse or wife and that is implyed in the sin which is called whoredom Whoredom or adultery you know is properly the sin against the marriage-relation Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God wil judg Heb. 13.4 Adultery is the defiling of the marriage-bed and therefore some do etymon Adulterium quasi ad alterum the departure of the husband or wife into the bed and bosom of a stranger Here I say is the conjugal relation into which God had taken Israel implyed to the aggravation of her apostacy whereby her sin came to be Whoredom and Adultery against the Lord. 2. Comparatively With other Nations rejoyce not as other people Why Because though they have the relation of creatures unto God and of men and women yet they have not the relation of a spouse or wife Ye only have I known of all the families of the earth saith God to Israel Amos 3.2 i. e. with a conjugal knowledg other Nations may cal God Baali but they cannot cal him Ishi i.e. they may cal him my Lord and my Maker but not my Husband and my Redeemer they are his by Creation and common providence but not by Covenant and conjugal relation So that now here is the aggravation Other Nations may sin against God but they cannot commit adultery against God other Nations may rebell against the Lord but they cannot go a whoring from him This was Israels sin and the aggravation of it And as it was the aggravation of her sin so it was the aggravation of Gods wrath too that as I say is implyed for if Israels sin be the sin of adultery then Gods wrath must needs be the wrath of jealonsie and jealousie as it is the rage of a man Prov. 6.34 35 so it is the rage of a God anger red-hot wrath ad octo in the highest degree Therefore he wil not spare in the day of vengeance he wil not regard any ransom neither wil he rest content though thou givest many gifts Jealousie is as cruel as the grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame c. Cant. 8.6 This therefore you see is the aggravation both of her sin and danger By all which the Prophet calls Israel now to sence of sin and humiliation for sin to be affected with and afflicted for her grievous departure from the Lord. And now the words thus opened would afford many serious and seasonable observations I shal resolve all into 4 Doctrines 1. A Nation or Kingdom in external Covenant with God stands in a conjugal relation unto God 2. A people thus related unto God may possibly go a whoring from
is not only a degree to it but a spice of it In all the bed-roll of sins there is none found vile enough to make a shadow or representation of departing from God but this sin of whoredom the fittest emblem for that purpose in as much as it is a base and treacherous apostacy from the marriage-bed and the Covenant of God for so is the adulteress described Prov 2 17. She forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the Covenant of God Oh that as God hath set such a brand of abomination in the forehead of this sin this peccatum non nominandum this sin that should not be so much as named among Christians i. e. with complacency or delight Ephes 5 3 there should not be so much as word-obscenity among Christians I say oh that as God hath set his brand upon it so Authority would set their brand upon it too and make it as odious and formidable in the punishment as it is and should be to us in its own nature When the government was immediately in Gods hands he punish't it with death and why it should not be so in our polity I know not I am confident that law as it hath been often propounded so it had been long since established in this Kingdom had not guilt and love of that abominable filthiness stood in the way But 2. Hence we have to confute that lewd opinion that the Saints according to the new stile which all new opinions do write need not mourn for sin need not be humbled for nor troubled with any sin if at lest they can sin which is improved to that height that conferring of sin and mourning for sin is the greatest sin a Saint can be guilty of When alas the Spirit of God tels us here that no people in the world have so much cause to mourn and lament for sin as they have and you have seen the Doctrine made good by Scripture grounds and demonstrations As for those that can wipe off all this with the jeer and blasphemy of an old Testament Spirit I dare be bold to say and fear not the breach of charity in it let them be who they wil whether Teachers or Taught Doctors or Disciples they be of the number of the Apostles Separatists Iude 18. mockers walking after their own lusts sensual having not the Spirit they have not the Spirit neither old-Testament-Spirit nor new-Testament-Spirit for it was but one and the same Spirit of God that dictated both Testaments to the pen-men thereof all Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by inspiration 2 Tim 3 16 the breathing of God even the old as wel as the new For Prophesie came not of old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost As for them that can wipe out an whole Testament of divine truth 2 Pet 1 21 with a wet finger without which the other may wel suffer a deleatur also the punishment of their blasphemy is Prophesied before hand without repentance God shal blot out their name out of the book of life Rev 22 19 I should talk more with these men who thus boldly and blasphemously deny humiliation for sin but that it would keep us too long from the work it self which is the work of the day and the Third Vse An use for humiliation 3. Vse Hunuliation Have not the Prophets of England as much cause to cry in the eares not of this Congregation only Englands Whoredoms 1. All sin and the improvements thereof whoredom drunkenness swearing Sabbath prophanation but of the whole nation Rejoyce not oh England for joy as other people for thou hast gon a whoring from thy God Surely they have witness first not only the continuance but the monstrous improvement of all manner of sin among us whoredom and drunkeness and swearing and Sabbath breaking and all kinds of prophaness is broken in upon us like another deluge and a worse deluge then that of water for better it is a thousand times better to see a people lie drown'd in waters then to see a people lie drown'd in sin yea better to see a people lie weltring in their blood then to behold them lie wallowing in their lusts Did the pride of Israel testifie to his face and doth not the pride of England testifie to its face Pride of Men Surely it testifies to the faces of men in that gallantry and bravery sumptuousness and gaudiness of apparrel that scurrility of hair I may truly call it loftiness and wantonness of gesture and that in these sad times of Jacob-troubles that England never equall'd in her most peaceable and prosperous days I say it testifies to the faces of men Women And it testifies in the faces of our women the Gentry and Ladies of our times I cannot say they are Black-Mores or Ethiopians Ier 13 23. for they can change their skins they can change their skins by painting but I may justifiably cal them Leopards for they wil not change their Spotts Spotted beasts they are and are not afrayd to come with their Spotts into the Congregations of God yea to bring them to these days of solemn humiliation wherein they should rather come Sprinckled with ashes and girded with Sackcloth Surely as an ancient Divine was wont to say they cannot expect that God should know them they do so un-make themselves from what he made them and if God shal say to them hereafter depart from me I know ye not these are not the faces which I made they are undone for ever Interim God may in a just judgment smite them with a Spot that cannot indeed be changed or healed with all the art of the Physitian and rend their faces and skins with an incureable scab as they now rend their faces with painting It is threatned by a God able to make his Word good for this sin of pride Isa 3.17 Therefore the Lord wil smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion and the Lord will discover their secret parts And what shal we say for other sins doth not robbery and oppression cruelty and injustice cry in the ears of the Lord of Sabbath Iames 5 4. Surely there is such an increase of all manner of sin and prophaness as if the windows of hell were opened and the flood-gates of the bottomless pit were pull'd up hell it self broke loose But alas if we look upon those sins which more properly and peculiarly are branded in the shoulder with the mark of whoredom How may we take up the Prophet Isaiah's lamentation and wonder How is the faithful City the faithful Kingdom become an harlot Isa 1.21 She that was accounted the chastest among the Churches for fidelity to the worship and doctrine of the Lord Jesus how is she degenerated into an Adulteress For 1. is there not Idolatry found among us Ye have pul'd down Idols
the spirit of God the Interpreter of al Gods works and Gods Word Ioel 2 28. poured out in greater abundance to expound his riddles Again did Israel sin against greater love then other Nations and doth not England sin against greater love then Israel Love exceeding Israels love Surely there be two kinds of love which Israel had not at lest not in such a revelation of them as we have And they are 1. Gods Christ-giving-love 2. His glory his Heaven-giving-love Alas Christ and Heaven were but obscure notions dark riddles among them hardly understood of one of ten thousand among them unless it were their Heroes the Patriarchs and Prophets and yet even of them says our Lord Iesus He that is least in the Kingdom of heaven i. e. in the Gospel Mat. 11 11. is greater then He that was greater then the greatest of them then John the Baptist sc in regard of the full and cleer discovery of Christ and glory Alas an earthly Canaan and a temporal Messiah one that should king it over them in terrene state and greatness was the top of their ambition witness the very Disciples themselves Acts 1.6 even when Christ was ascending to take possession of his heavenly Kingdom As for a saviour of souls and a Kingdom of eternal glory these were things which few of them could hardly spell out but clearly and with open face revealed to us in the Gospel Life and immortality are brought to light in the Gospel 2 Tim 1 10. Englands danger for her adulteries And to be guilty of all these treacherous departures from God and Christ under such a glorious revelation of Light and Love what may we expect But even that the jealousie of the Lord should break forth like a devouring fire and I pray God it be not already kindled which shal burn down to the very foundations of the Land Even 1. A stripping-jealousie that shal strip us not only of our corn and wine but of Word and Sacraments even of all our Gospel-ordinances and turn our garden of Eden into a desolate wilderness 2. His withdrawing-jealousie that God shal say of England as once of Israel Ier. 12.7 I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies 3. His divorcing-discovenanting-jealousie that God should call England as once he did Israel Lo-ammi and Loruhamah and cast us out of his house and out of his presence for ever 1 Thes 2 16. You see the wrath which he threatned upon Israel and Judah he hath poured it out to the uttermost What he spake with his mouth he hath fulfilled it with his hand as at this day But let me tel you this when ever the Lord shal enter into controversie with England for her whoredoms the furnace will be heated seven times hotter then it was for Israel the judgment wil be much more intolerable on us then it was on them By how much our light and our love hath been more transcendent then Israels by so much wil our condemnation be greater Oh for an England a people that have been clothed with scarlet and adorned with jewels to be strip'd naked as in the day wherein she was born For a people that have known the joyful sound and have walked in the light of Gods countenance all the day along that have sate as it were in the bosome and embraces of the Lord Iesus for God now to be a stranger in their land and as a way-faring man that turns in but for a night For a people that have sat at the top of heaven in Gospel-vision to be cast down to hell into a kind of utter darkness For a people that have been in the bed of divine loves feasted at Gods table sate as a Queen in the Pallaces of Ivory to come to be divorc'd kickt out of doors and a Cains mark as it were set upon them to wander up and down to be a shame and a Curse and a Proverb among the Nations as it is with Israel at this day The tongue of man is not able to express the heart of man is not able to conceive the misery and anguish of such a condition Prognosticks of dicovenanting wrath Gentiles and Pagans are not capable of such a judgment as this is Truly there be many sad fore-runners and Prognosticks of this approaching jealousie amongst us scil 1. Taking off of our wheels Exo 14 24 25 1. God begins to trouble us our wheels seem to be taken off we drive heavily In all our motions we drive heavily and ye know when it was so with the Aegyptians wrath was neer 2. Contempt 2. God hath poured out contempt upon us the Lord make us sensible of it unspeakable contempt upon the Parliament Contempt upon the faithful Ministry of the Land Contempt upon the City Contempt upon the whole Kingdom England once not only a terrour among the Nations but the glory of all the Churches now the shame of Christendom and the scorn of al the world Ier 2 16. It was one of the fore runners of old Israels rejection and divorce 3. A Spirit of division and confusion let loose upon as Councels divided 3. Division Divide impera An hous divided cannot stand and Ministers divided City divided and Kingdom divided not one limb hardly hanging to another the envious man hath done this through the wrath of the Lord the Jesuit and the Divel have almost attained their design so that without infinit mercy we are like water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again we are broken all to pieces 4. All the four great plagues and judgments threaten us 4. Gods four sore judgments Ezek 14 21. sword plague famine and euil beasts 5. Yea that which is a thousand times worse God seene to be departed from the ordinances the conuerting presence of God is gon from the word It was the sad emblem and symptom of Gods departure from Israel 5 God departed from the ordinances Ezek 10 4. Chap 11 23. Ezek. 10.4 The glory of God fil'd the house but God was upon the threshold And the next news we heare of him he was upon the Mountains It is sad and ominous when God begins to recede by degrees from a people or person 6. The power of godlines is departed from the generality of professors 6. The power of godliness is gone Alas that savour sweetness that life and activity which was wont to be in the people of God and in their Christian meetings wherein they did admonish and comfort and exhort and strengthen one another in the Lord their God comparing their evidences and communicating their experiences praying with and praying for one another alas where are these things to be found is not this a sad fore-boding of Gods jealousy 7. Spiritual plagues 7. And then in the last place Spiritual plagues begin to succeed and overtake
temporal judgments Unbeleif hardness of heart contempt of the word and ordinances mocking of the messengers of God c. When so it was in Israel the text tels us there was no remedy a Spirit of delusions to beleeve lies and that which is the perfection of all 2 Chron 36 16 2 Thes 2 10 a Spirit of slumber a deep sleep of security doth possess us who is there that fears and trembles who is there that takes notice of these things to lay them to heart the whole nation is a sleep with the kingdom on sire about their eares Wel Honorable Is 42 1. and Beloved Christians this is our estate I may say to you as Iosiah did once to Isaiah Enquire of the Lord for us for great is the wrath of the Lord that is gon out against us What is to be done 1. Why rejoyce not O England i. e. Weep and mourn it is the work we are about this day O that we would do it to purpose O that this day we could do as Israel did 1 Sam 7 6. draw water and powre it out before the Lord. O that we could make the place where we are a Bachim And oh that the Lord would powre out upon us a Spirit of grace and supplication that we might look upon him whom we have pierced and mourn for him as one mourneth for his only sonne Zech 12 10 and be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born We have trflied with God in these days of publick Humiliation so that we may fear he takes them us more with good wil at our hands Mal 2 13 Truly we may fear lest our solemn humiliations be not become solemn provocations and our very prayers turned into sin Our fasts have not bin altogether so good as Israels bulrush humiliations Isa 58.5 We are impatient of bowing down our heads for a day O let us cry mightily to God and with Iacob-like importunity resolve not to let him go til be bless us 2. Yea secondly let us mourn in secret as Ieremiah did I sate not in the assembly of the mockers nor rejoyced I sate alone because of thy hand for thou hast filledme with indignation O that God would teach us to make good that Prophesy surely it hath an eye to Gospel-times Zech. 12.11 12 13 14. In that day shal there be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon And the land shal mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apars The family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart the family of Shimei apart and their wives apart All the families that remain every family apart and their wives apart The family of the house of David i. e. the royal family the house of the Prince The family of the house of Nathan i. e. the Prophets families The family of the house of Levi i. e. the Preists families the family of the house of Shimei i. e. the families of private men in their several callings O that God would indeed poure out from on high such a Spirit upon England that the King and Queen might humble themselves sit down Ier 13 18. and lie in the dust before the Lord that the Princes and Nobles Magistrates and Ministers with the whole people of the land from the highest to the lowest would humble themselves greatly before the Lord and cry mightily to him every family apart and their wives apart who knows whether the Lord might not repent of the fiereness of his wrath Ioel 2 14. and return and leave a blessing behind him 3. Labour to possess a mourning frame of Spirit take heed of letting out your hearts to take your fill of creature-comforts take heed how you give up your selves to carnal mirth and rejoycing It was Israels sin here in the text and a posture ill becoming a people that have gone a whoring from their God It is a sin at any time to feed our selves without fear much more when God is angry Jude 12. It was a seasonable and severe check God by the Prophet Ezekiel gave unto the unseasonable mirth of that besotted people Ezek. 21.9 10. Thus saith the Lord say a sword a sword is sharpned and also fourbished it is sharp to make a sore slaughter it is fourbished that it may glitter should we then make mirth And I could wish that as Jerome sayd of his surgite mortui c. so this voyce might sound continually in our eares to check and restrain our vain and unseasonable rejoycings in the creature yea in our sins for what doth the Lord require at our hands but to do justly and love mercy Mich 6 8. and walk humbly with our God Else wicked * 1 King 21 27. Ahab and heathen * Ionah 3 5 to the end Nineveh shal rise up in judgment with this generation and shal condemn it The Lord awaken us and teach us to behave our selves as a people whose God is angry angry even to jealousy to know in this our day the things which belong to our peace before they be hid from our eyes 2. Vse Exhortation Vse Exhortation There is a word of Exhortation behind and I beseech you suffer it First to you Honorable and Noble Patriots 1. Branch to the Honorable Parliament who are called to be the Reformers and Healers of a poor broken kingdome I would humbly move these 2. things First that you would exert that power and authority which God hath given you to the punishing and suppressing of the Adulteries and whoredoms of the land which do stare heaven and earth in the face and do provoke the jealousy of God even to give England a bil of divorce and put us away arise I say oh ye Rulers and Governors of England Psa 45 4 gird your sword upon your thigh and ride on prosperously because of truth and righteousness and let your right hand teach you terrible things You know what Phineas did in the case of Corporal whoredom committed in the face of God and the Congregation Psa 106 30 Then stood up Phineas and executed vengeance or judgment and you remember how wel the Lord took it at his hands The plague was stayed and it was imputed to him for righteousness 31 Oh that the Spirit of Phineas may come upon you that you may sheath your sword in the bowels of these monstrous whoredoms of all sorts Corporal and Spiritual which are committed in the sight of all Israel yea in the sight of all the Churches round about us that the blessing of Phineas may come upon you and the plague may be stayed Doth not indeed the punishing and suppressing of Spiritual whoredoms against God Idolatry Heresie Blasphemie and the rest doth it not belong unto you as welas the
punishing of bodily whoredoms theft murder c. Doth it indeed belong to you only to look to the Civil peace and to let Religion and truth and the worship of God stand or fall to their own master fight God fight Divel fight Christ fight Antichrist catch that catch can you have nothing to do but to stand by and look on Say so then speak out publish it in your declarations to the world and let the people of England know that it is the right and liberty to which the subjects of England are born that every man hold what he please and publish and preach what he holds that it is the birth-right as some would have it of the free-born people of England every man to worship God according to his own Conscience and to be of what religion his own Conscience shal dictate do so and see fathers and brethren how long your Civil peace wil secure you when religion is destroyed how long it wil be ere your Civil peace be turned into Civil war for no doubt if this once be granted them but they may in good time come to know also there be them that are instructing them even in these principles too that it is their birth-right to be freed from the power of Parliaments and from the power of Kings and to take up arms against both when they shal not vote and act according to their humours Liberty of Conscience falsly so called may in good time improve it self into liberty of estates and liberty of houses and liberty of wives and in a word liberty of perdition of soules and bodies Right Honorable and worthy Gentlemen I cannot stand to dispute this only would I know of you are Idolaters and Heretiques and Blasphemers and Seducers are they evil doers if so then look to your Charge Rom. 13.3 4. Rulers must be a terror to evil doers unless ye mean to bear the Sword in vain verse 4. And if you wil God wil not and if God take the Sword into his own hand once as he seems to be a doing of it he wil smite to purpose he wil execute vengeance throughly both upon the evil doers and upon you that have not bin a terror to them Oh therefore up and be doing that you may deliver the kingdom out of the hand of the Lord for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb 10 31. O let not your patience I hope it is no more all this while be interpreted a Connivence and your Connivence be taken for a tolleration it may be the kingdoms ruin but it wil be your sin 2. As you should punish the whoredoms of the land so I humbly call upon you in the name of the Lord this day that you would awaken and stir up your selves to prevent the further whorish departures of this our Israel from the Lord. And that first by setting up your government do it I beseech you and do it to purpose do it and do it so as it may be able to answer the ends for which you set it up That it may not be mock't out by prophane persons on one hand nor by Sectaries on the other as it is at this day fill your government if you are in good earnest with a life and soul power and strength whereby it shal be able to act as wel as to speak And Secondly prevent the further departure of the land from God by keeping out Seducers those Seducing Malignant Popish Prelatical Priests whom you have cast out who have bin one great cause of the Apostacy of England The sins of the teachers have bin the teachers of sin they are the men who with Hananiah and Zedekeah have taught rebellion against the Lord. Certainly if ye did wel in putting of them out ye wil do extreamly ill in taking of them in again Hath the Kings army bettered them hath Oxford changed their principles I call heaven and earth to witness this day that if ye suffer them to recover their stations again or who ever of you shal for favor reward relation or any other respects whatsoever use your interest to re-invest them again into their places Gal 2 18. you destroy what ye have builded and wil be found transgressors and translate the bloud of poor souls upon your own heads Wel strengthen your hands Honorable and much Honored Patriots strengthen your hands in God thus to suppress and prevent the Adulteries and whoredoms of the land If you shal not give me leave to tel you ye wil bring a six-fold aggravation upon your neglect Aggravations First All the Sermons which have bin preacht before you and by your command have bin publisht to all the world 1. Sermons wil rise up in judgment against you for they wil testify to the present and to after ages to the coming of Christ and in that day that you have had Prophets among you who have not seen false visions and causes of banishment Lam 2 14. but have dealt faithfully with you Acts 20.27 in declaring unto you the whole Councell of God 2. All the blessed and glorious opportunities lost when the poor kingdom neer giving up the Ghost 2. Opportunities shal groan out her last complaints thus the harvest is past Iet 8 10. the summer is ended and we are not saved What opportunities Why 1. rare abilities and parts both of learning and grace among your selves I dare say a riper harvest was never gathered into those walls 2. Strange and excellent impressions many times upon your Spirits 3. Victorious armies subduing and conquering the kingdom before you 4. A Ministry neither ignorant nor unfaithful nor driving their own interests to serve you to bring in the hearts of the people to you which till some taught them otherwise they did with such success that 5. Your interest in the affections of the Subjects was such that you commanded their purses and their persons their lively-hoods and their lives with as much freedom as ye did the wives of your bosoms or your hired servants Oh that is were with you as in the days of old 6. The prayers of all the faithful at home and of all the Churches abroad which were round about you as an army of banners Oh to have all these come in against you wil be an Aggravation indeed 3. So wil in the next place the deep obligations which God hath laid upon you 3. Obligations from God your plenty peace preservations even miraculous both Publique and personal I hope you have not forgot them Admirable successes in your own kingdom seasonable and honorable assistance from the neighbouring kingdom of Scotland in a brotherly league and Covenant with you Your malignant neighbours abroad God hath found them Work of their own that they have not bin able to disturb you nor hath he suffered the Plague at home in seven Summers together to scatter you There hath not an hair of your heads fallen
to the ground Are these smal things in your eyes 4. Self engagements Surely they cannot 4. What say ye to the Engagements which you have layd upon your own soules by your enquiry at Gods oracles Declarations Sacraments vows the Solemn league and Covenant Oh wilnot these speak lowd in Gods eares I and in your eares one day in case of neglect 5. Iustice executed on delinquents 5. The judgment of God executed by you upon offenders for their delinquencies against the state against religion I should be sorry their bloud should ever cry against you Yet I must tel you Jehu carryed the matter so in destroying the house of Ahab though God commanded it that while Jehu writes Justice God writes down murder I wil avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Hosea 1 4. Jeroboam rescues ten tribes and an half out of the Tyranny of Rehoboam and then betrays them to Idolatry he sins and makes Israel to sin Amaziah destroys the Edomites for their Idolatry and then worships their Idols 2 Chro 25 14. In all these you shal find it was not love of justice that did edg their sword but self-interests Reformation was not indeed their end but the setting up of themselves upon the ruin of an opposite party so dangerous a thing is it to dally with God 6. And lastly What say ye to your prayers 6. Prayers and in special to your late day of Humiliation for the spreading of Heresies and Blasphemies in Print now to all the world Wil ye fast for Heresies and spare them when ye have done Wil ye humble your selves for Blasphemies against God and Christ and the whole blessed Trinity and suffer men to blaspheme on What wil this be when it is interpreted Surely though fear may make men mince it at home the Churches abroad wil not be afraid to call it hypocrisie and mocking of God And be not deceived saith the Apostle God is not mocked Not mocked What is that That is 1. Not undiscovered Gal 6 7. There is neither clouds nor darkness wherein treachery or prevarication can hide it self from the piercing eye of God There is no imposing upon the Almighty And 2. God is not mocked impune No man shal mock God and scape scot-free What a man sows that shal he reap it is the Apostles own exposition of the place Fathers and Brethren let me not be mistaken I come not this day as your Accuser but as your humble remembrancer I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie the Lord knows you are dearer to me then that blood which runs next my heart and might it do Christ and you any service I could I hope as freely sacrifice it as eat my bread when I am hungry I know you have had many obstructions and hinderances But now I beseech ye gird up the loyns of your mind set your selves with all your counsel and strength to the staying and stoping of the grievous apostacy and whorish departure from God in the Kingdom and to reducing of it back again to the Commands Worship Truths and Government of the Lord Iesus Conclude this with your selves there is no work lies upon your hands of such concemment as this And for your encouragement know that though your troubles and distractions be great yet you have a mighty God to stand by you who hath promised that Jerusalem shal be built and the wall shal be raised Dan. 9 25. even in troublous times It relates as wel to Gospel-Reformation as to the full and final return of the Jews and the Lord make it good to you and by you 2 Branch of Exbortation to Ministers I would speak a word in the second place to the faithful Ministry of England Do you set your selves with the Prophets of old to the bringing back of this poor Kingdom so fearfully gone a whoring from God To that end 1. Take heed of healing the hurt of the daughter of this people sleightly by crying peace peace where there is no peace Take heed of daubing with untempered morter Take heed of false visions and causes of banishment but be faithful in discovering the iniquities and whoredoms of the Land If they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to hear my words Ior 23 22. then they should have turned my people from their evil way and from the evil of their doings Behold this is the way to save the Land speak while ye may speak and I pray God it be not ultimus singultus morientis libertatis 2. Stand in the gap with Moses plead with Elijah pray and cry with Jeremy God hath not yet said to us pray not for this people if he had surely with reverence be it spoken we should not beleeve him Jeremy would not but even after the Lord had enjoyned him silence * Ier 14 11. pray not for this people he is at his intercessions again and again in the 13.19 20 21 22. Verses and all over his Prophesie Oh therefore Ye that make mention of the Lord ye that are the Lords remembrancers by special office and designement give him no rest till he establish and make this our Jerusalem a praise in the earth Thirdly and lastly 3 Branch of Exhortat to all Here is a word of Exhortation to all the people of the Land and that in the language of the Apostle Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief Heb 3 12 in departing from the living God In departing from the living God in his Truths Worship Commands Promises But in all these respects let us say with repenting returning Israel I wil go and return to my first husband for then it was better with me then it is now And for the encouragement of Parliament Ministers People let me remember you of that gracious invitation and promise They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him Ier 3 1. and become another mans shal not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. There is much treasure in the place but the summa totalis is this God wil accept of a returning people or person upon those terms that the dearest husband in the world wil not It is very observable that when Christ was withdrawn from the spouse Cant. 2.17 she cries but once to him Turn my beloved but when she was gone from him he cries four times return to her Chap. 6.13 Return return O Shulamite return return Christ is four times as desirous and glad of our return to him as we are or can be of his return to us The Lord speak effectually to us that we may know and all the Churches may know that he is the Lord God 2 Kings 18 37 and that he hath turned our heart back again Amen FINIS