was a King yet became such an humble companion of all them that feared the Lord that hee thought it no disgrace to bee called by his people to y e Tabernacle Some great Kings would haue thought it no great pollicy to haue giuen answer to such popular motions or if hee had seene his people go it were ynough as for himselfe he might haue greater matters in hand But oh how doth religion beate downe high conceits And maketh euen Kings take the Kingdome of God like little children Dauid disdained not but reioiced when they said to him Come let vs go to the house of the Lord. He lost no honor no it was his truest honor in the eies of God and hearts of his people y t he gaue them contentmēt and incouragement in such an honorable motion as y t was Faith in the heart will not so retire it selfe but it will bee kindling calling on others whence it is that we read in so many places of the Prophers y t when people are conuerted to the faith these voices should be soūded from thē Up let vs go pray before the Lord seek the Lord of hoasts I wil go also And vp let vs go to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he wil teach vs his waies and wee wil walk in his paths but especially it forceth vs to bring our own families carefully to y e place of worship as those for whom we must bee more countable it bringeth vs to y t holy resolution of Ioshua that although none wil ioin with vs in such waies let them at their perill do as seemeth them good our selues and our housholds wil serue the Lord. Vse 4. If our chief delight be in the assemblies of Gods people then wee cannot but prefer a meane outward estate with the fruition of the exercises of religion before a wealthy and glorious conditiō in the want of them as our Prophet here preferred the meanest office euen of doore-keepers who were to be first last in y e tabernacle before a glorious and easie life in the Pallaces of the mighty in which hee should bee deteyned from the places of Gods worship Euen so whosoeuer would carry such an heart as Dauid who was a man according vnto the Lords owne heart must esteeme of a poore life vnder a powerfull Ministry more happy and comfortable then a rich condition in places of ignorance which want the meanes of their spiritual consolation Moyses was of this minde he would rather suffer aduersity want reproch with the people of GOD then inioy the treasures of Egypt by forsaking them It was also alwaies a mark of y e people of God to follow him into the places of his true worshippe where hee went before If in Shiloh if in Ierusalem thither do all the Tribes repaire euen such as set their face to seeke the Lord. But how do men proclaime that this reioycing neuer entred into their hearts who with Lot chuse Sodom before Canaan and delight rather in the Mountains of Samaria then in Sion hil which indeed is the fruitfull part of the earth Some choose habitations for friends ayre waters woods walkes fruitfulnesse and some other speciall commodities and hence commend them and there seate themselues and set downe their staffe although Gods habitation be not there the Ministrie is counted as an hang-by if that bee there they count it neuer the better if it be absent it is neuer a whit the worse they care but a little too liue in the common ayre of Gods people the familiaritie of Gods friends the pleasures of Gods house the sweete fruites of the spirit of God are not enquired after nor tasted Others retaine to atheists scorners papists swearers and if Peter can warme himselfe still by Caiphas fire hee can sweare and forsweare as they doe They neuer aske themselues that question which the Lord asked Eliah What doost thou here Eliah they say not what doe I here in this caue this is not a place where I should bee to liue where the Diuell dwelleth or where God dwelleth not they heare not the Lords voyce speaking to them as vnto Eliah Vp get thee to Sarepta I haue appointed there one to feed thee They are well content to be fed by Rauens still But here is a fearefull brand vpon such who are contented to make exchange of heauen for earth and haue resolued that they will be gainers in the world though it bee to the losse of their soules Whosoeuer therfore thou art y t hast any care of thy soule neuer liue if it be possible vnder an idoll but where the worde is setled and the ministery duly discharged Buy the truth whatsoeuer it cost yea with the losse of many outward things be a meanes to thy abilitie to procure a standing Ministry to thy selfe thine what comfort couldst thou haue to liue and dwell in a wildernesse among wild beasts without men or other comforts in such a barren soile as no paines can ouer-come the inuincible stifnesse of the ground and yet in such a place were it more comfortable for a godly heart to liue then amongst a wicked people wanting meanes of grace and instruction And if thou wouldst dwell in the loueliest part of the earth choose such a place as which the Lord hath chosen to manifest his presence in and wherein hee hath set his tabernacle The tribe of Beniamin was of all the tribes the beloued of the Lord as Beniamin himselfe was the dearest to his father But wherein consisted this louelinesse in this that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders In which Metaphor the whole possession of Beniamin is compared to a body and the metropolitane which was Ierusalem to the head set betweene two shoulders in which the Lord delighted to dwell If any place therefore in earth should draw our affections aboue others it is that in which the Lord in his ordinances draweth nearest vnto vs and if our delights bee in the places where the Lord delighteth not to shew the presence of his grace our affections come short of our example here commended vnto vs. The face of God shining in his ordinance must be our Naomi to which we must say Where thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell FINIS Ephe. 5. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruth 1 20 Cant. 2. 1 Verse 3. Vers. 4. 5. Vers. 7. 8. The meaning Exo. 29. 45 Psal. 27 8. Gen 4. 14 Luk. 9. 33. 1. Chr. 9. 17 cap. 26. 1 Doctr. 1. The want of the word most lamentable of al wants Lamen 1. 4. Josephus antiq Iud. lib. decimo cap. decimo Ier. 52. 6. 11. 13. Dan. 9. 1. 2. 16. Psal. 137. 1. 5. 9. Why a good heart so esteemeth it Vse 1. Vndervaluers of the word reproued Vse 1. Vse 2. Lament the want of the word abroad Psal. 79. 1. 10 74. 1. 2.
were the ruths which were vppon the citty besides in al that eighteen monthes while the siege continued as plague famine in which the pittifull women were glad to seeth and eat their fruite and children of a span long and wherin those that were arraied in scarlet were glad to imbrace the dung much more lamentable was that blood-shed when Ierusalem was taken the Kinges son slaine before his face yea the King him-selfe taken his eies put out his feet put in fetters and him-selfe carried to Babel Infinite and vnspeakable was the losse both of the Cittie Temple when both of them were burnt downe almost to the ground and yet the Prophet conceiuing of these as farre lesser euils mentioneth none of them vntill he hath groned out most pittifull complaints for that the worship of GOD was ceased among his people and that which was a place of Gods presence delight was now become a den of heathenish Idolatry The like wee see in Daniel who when by reading in books he vnderstood that the terme of this captiuity was accomplished he turned his face vnto the Lord and sought by prayer and supplication with fasting sack-cloth and ashes that the Lord would turne away his anger and wrath from the Citty of Ierusalem and in that long prayer hee intreateth not that he with his people might bee returned into their former possessions and inioy their houses landes orchards vineyards and commodities but the greatest losse of all seemed to eat vp all the remembrance of these euen the fayling of Gods publike worship amongst them this was wholy in his eie and this took vp all his requests He prayeth indeed for the Cittie Ierusalem But because it was Gods holy mountaine Vers 16. and because it was the Cittie where-vpon his name was called Vers. 18. 19. yea herein he could neither contain nor yet scarce expresse his seruency but with strong cryes intreated the Lord for the Lords sake that is for his Christ sake he would cause his face to shine vppon his sanctuary which then lay waste and this may be obserued not onely in the Prophets of the Lord but also in the Lords people who how-soeuer before their captiuities it was hard to say whether they more despised Gods holy ordinances or imbraced their outward profits yet in their afflictions wandrings in strange countries the Lord taught them this wisdom that they looked not so much to their land and country as to the Temple to Ierusalem to Sion Now who can deny that those are good hearts which are thus disposed for 1. they are such as highly prize and worthyly esteem these ordinances of God as the holy meanes to beget and confirm faith in the soules of beleeuers yea the meanes whereby ordinarily the fellowship of the Saints with God and their mutuall Communion one with an other is heere begun in the Kingdome of grace and shall be perfected in the Kingdome of glory 2. they are such as see the necessity of Gods ordinances in the Ministry in the want of w e people must needs perish as such as want both y e rule and guide to direct lead them vnto true felicity 3. They are such as haue tasted in som measure how sweet y e Lord is in these ordināces or els could they neuer thirst after the liuing God they haue met with God in Sion who hath enlightned their minds perswaded their harts cōforted their consciences furnished thē with coat-armor of proof against satans subtilties and batteries fortified them against their owne weaknesses supplyed them with preseruatiues against the poison of euill example which as a corrupt ayer infecteth not a few beutified them with the graces of faith hope loue humilitie patience sobriety and the rest clothed thē with the righteousnes of Christ whom their faith hath clasped and wil not let go in comparison of whom al gain is losse and al abundance meer necessity and beggery This doctrine serueth to reproue a nūber of men who account of the word and the ministry of it so meanly as the things which they can be best without and therfore where God in mercy hath vouchsafed them many esteem of them as a sixt fingar a superfluity a burden speake of them as the vnthankful Israelites of Mannah we see nothing but this Mannah there is too much preaching and what should so much of it do And againe where God in iudgement hath denied this blessing of a faithful Ministery vnto a people it is neuer asked after but in many ignorant townes and parishes scarce shal we heare of a man that stirres vp himselfe to seeke after God In the want of neuer so base an outward commodity men can complaine yea and lay their counsels and purses together to get their want supplied in season Hence is it that men are much in such complaints Oh we want such a commoditie in our country such a benefit in our parish such a necessary in our houses and will be diligent with much money to redeeme it but neuer a word of the want of instruction of the want of a painfull teacher of the want of the knowledge of God of the want of the practise of piety either in the parish or in the familie Which argueth the fleshlinesse of mens hearts which in their desires can soare no higher then earth and things below A pitifull thing it is that in the dayes of such grace a man may ride so many miles together and behold so many people as sheepe dispersed without faithfull shepheards to bring them into the folde of Christ or as so many goodly fields ready and white vnto the haruest and yet scarce any labourer to inn them and bring them into the barne of Christ of whom a mā may say to the sorrow of his soule as Christ of Ierusalem y t the things of their peace are hid from their eies further many who are not without all knowledge nor the means but take themselues to haue better part in Christ then the former may here finde the vnsoundnesse of their soules for many reputed christians because they are not only within the visible church but pertak also in al the outward exercises of religiō hear the word read preached receiue the sacraments contēt themselues in these works done without any great inward affection to any of them men they are of great indifferency if they be vnder the ministery they see good reason to submit their outward man vnto it to giue it now and then some good words and vpon occasion a meals meat if it were absent they could also vppon short warning frame themselues to indifferency carry the matter without much impatiēce w c if euer they had intertained in such affection as they that haue tasted the sweetnes of God in it they would wish to want the aire to breath in as soon as these sweet meanes no lesse necessary to a comfortable christian life then the aire to a
natural To such men therfore I say that lette them make what profession they wil let them reioice in the peace and liberty of the church if in the church inioying the word and exercises of religion thou prizest any thing in the world aboue them in thy affection yea if any thing be so sweet vnto thy taste as these bee thou now by vnder-valuing these vnvaluable priuiledges of Gods people declarest thy selfe for all thy profession to bee no better then cockle in the field or chaffe on the floore of Christ. And againe if in the want of these holy ordinances of GOD thou esteemest not with Dauid that the greatest want is vppon thee that can befall thee thou art but an vnsound member yea rotten at the coare of thy heart This doctrine teacheth further y t it is a iust cause of mourning when the word Ministery either decay amongst any people or are interrupted for this bringeth the greatest want that any people can be exposed vnto the dissoluing of the ministrie is the peoples decay Prou. 29 18. Where vision faileth people perish Hosee 4. 6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge Can there by any greater losse then the losse of a mans soule or can there bee a greater want then for a man to be starued to death or if this losse this want be brought vpon any man can any recompence bee made vnto such a party answerable vnto either what a griefe then should it bee to a godly heart to see whole townes lye vnder that curse of God Amos 8. 11. euen vnder a famine not of bread and water but of hearing the word of the Lord for although religion and exercises of it bee safe in the places where wee dwell yet if the absence of it else-where greeue vs not we lay not to heart the distresses of Gods people as we ought our bowels are too ayery wee are too priuatly minded and further if we heare or see any faithfull ministrie interrupted wee must lament that the free passage of the Gospell is hindered that that meanes wherein the Lord conueyeth all his goodnesse into faithfull soules is taken away and so a doore opened to all iniquitie yea a flood-gate vnto all impiety If any mans outward estate were broken his wealth by force and violence snatched out of his hands here would be sence and sorrow more then inough for the losse shall then thy inward state be crackt the liberties of the ministerie and of the assemblies be infringed the sanctuarie of God desolate the exercise of pure religion together with Gods worship be hindred or abolished and all this cause no sorrow nor set any griefe to thy heart Is this such a dispositiō as becommeth him who professeth himselfe to be the Lords no surely for such as they haue cause fill their mouthes with complaints of the desolations of Sion A iust cause of sorrow was it to Dauid when he saw the enemie lift vp axes and hammers to breake downe the carued worke of the Sanctuarie As iust a cause when such a man as Ioseph shall be euill intreated who hath beene a meanes to releeue a whole towne in the time of famine If at any time by their or such other meanes Sion shall sit in the dust the childen of the Church must shew their compassion in their mothers miserie weeping when shee weepeth and no more bee able to reioyce in her sorrow then the Iewes could compose themselues to sing Hebrew songs in Babilon when they remembred Sion Eli a good old man notwithstanding his weaknesse towards his sonnes when the Arke was carried to the battaile against the Philistines it is said his heart feared for the Arke of God 1. Sam. 4. 13. and when tidings came that the battaile went against Israell that Hophni Phineas his sonnes were slaine and the Arke taken it is sayd when he heard of the Arke he fell from his seate and brake his neck it was not the sorrow for his sonnes but for the Arke that brake his heart that it failed him Hee had likewise a good daughter in law Phineas his wife who when she heard of all these tidings the text noteth also of her that it was not the death of her father her brother nor her owne husband all at once y t so went to her heart but this was it which her minde and tongue ranne vpon and made her refuse all comfort because the Arke of God was taken and the glory was departed frō Israel vers 21. The like is worthy noting in that faithfull Captaine Vriah who when he was called and commanded by Dauid to goe home and eate and drinke and company with his wife hee vtterly refused because the Arke and Israell and Iudah were in tents and his Lord Ioab and his seruants in the open fields and therefore hee could take no delight in any thing at home because it was not well with the Arke and Israell abroad 2. Sam. 11. 11. Euen so should wee neuer thinke our selues well when it is not well with the Church nor when the Gospell runneth not with free passage which consideration should abate much of our present carnall reioysing in as it did in worthy Vriah Daniel was well enough highly in fauour with the King had libertie of conscience euen in that Idolatrous kingdome to worship the GOD of Israel purely he was in no bondage nor affliction but yet so long as GODS people were in calamitie Gods temple in desolation Gods worship in contempt he could not but sorrow fast and pray in their behalfe The like wee read recorded of that faithfull captaine Nehemiah he was a great man in the Court of King Artaxerxes in an office very honorable and neere the Kings person for he was his Cup-bearer yet when enquiring of his people he found they were in great misery and reproche and that the wall of Ierusalem was broken downe and the gates of it burned with fire his zeale stirred vp exceeding sorrow euen such as hee could not hide but that the King before whom no mournefull spectacle might come did read the deepe sorrow of his heart in his countenance his owne aduancement and honour could not comfort him so long as hee saw God dishonored abroad the Citie dedicated to his name now defaced by Heathen Princes that religion which by himselfe was prescribed to serue him by now decayed and that people which was his owne peculiar now to become seruants to strange Lords Nehem. 13. wherein wee read our owne lesson that our selues enioying the pretious libertie of our assemblies we ought to pitty the distresse of our countrymen who sit still in the shadow of death by our prayers and best meanes to releeue them groning out the desires of our hearts and that all Israell euen in our owne country might be saued Thirdly if the want of the word and exercises of it be the greatest want of all other then such as haue it must be wise