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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79993	The sect every where spoken against or, the reproached doctrine of Ely. As it was held forth in several sermons in the year, MDCLI. By Christopher Cob, lay-man, minister of an united people in Ely. Collected and analized for a private use, by Hampden Reeve, Master of Arts, one of that Society, and a constant hearer. Now published by the assent of the whole Society (as a short character, at present, of them and their way, till an opportunity of a farther and fuller discovery) for satisfaction in general.	Cob, Christopher.; Reeve, Hampden.	1651 (1651)	Wing C4769; Thomason E1251_1; ESTC R209173	234,596	386

Babylon and the work once hindered and so now sit down and will not venture V. Consider the Miseries that follow them for not building They sow much and bring in little clothe them and were not warmed earn much but all put into a bag of holes a curse in all their ways vers 6 9. This applyed to the present desolation upon us it being impossible for us to prosper without joyning in to be a one People VI. The Priviledges considered which accrue to them that set hand to this work They are these four 1. God promiseth Vers 8. to take pleasure in it This is a great Priviledg 2. Vers 13. he says I am with you saith the Lord His presence goes along 3. He promiseth Chap. 2.19 From this day will I bless you A sure blessing follows 4. He promiseth Zerubbabel Vers last I will make thee as a signet c. In which three great Priviledges considered 1. A Signet hath a neer relation to the hand so He to the Lord. 2. A Signet carries a mans own Arms or some memorable thing in it 3. It is to ratifie and confirm things to make sure such an honor and great priviledges are promised to such as shall set upon this work HAGG. 1.2 3 4 c. Thus speaketh the Lord saying This People say The Time is not come the Time that the Lords House should be built c. SEveral things I would mention to you out of this Scripture 1. I would open what this house is that God complaineth lieth waste 2. What this house is to be built up of of what materials 3. Why do they plead It is not time to build the Lords House yet What Reasons have they for it 4. What misery comes upon them for neglecting this work a blast and curse follows in all their ways They prosper in nothing they set a hand to because of this 5. I would open the great benefits and priviledges that follow upon the beginning to set to this work of building God a house how wonderfully they are prospered and blest and preserved what strange ways God findes out and turns all things that were contrary to help forward his work The Heaven shall hear the Earth and the Earth hear the Corn and Wine and the Corn and Wine shall hear Israel God will turn and order all things for a Blessing I. WHAT IS THIS HOUSE THAT LIETH WASTE AND WHAT TYPES IT OUT Time was when God had his Vine in Egypt his people were in slavery and bondage in a strange Land till their tasks grew too heavy and they cry out under their cruel bondage till at last the cry comes up to Heaven and the Lord can bear no longer but breaks out I have seen I have seen the afflictions of my People Israel and so he sends to deliver them with a high hand and stretched out arm by strange signs and wonders against all the opposition and rage of their Enemies Now when he had brought them through the red Sea and by a visible miracle drowned all their Enemies and saved them with a great Salvation then their hearts were taken and they sing his praise and in their song they make this promise And we will build him an HABITATION and this was never accomplished till Solomons time Though it was in Davids heart and God took it well that it was in his heart yet Solomon was pitched on by God for this work He shall build me an House and here God placed his Name and his Worship and his Presence here he dwelt here he would be sought and enquired of Hither the Tribes came up here their prayers were made and answered c. But after they came once to make an evil use of this House to serve their lusts and own ends contrary to what God had intended it when they come to cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and vainly rest on that outside and make an Idol of it as they did of the brazen Serpent in the wilderness then God departs from this House and gives it into the hand of the King of Babylon who makes havock of all and lays it waste and carries away the vessels of the Lords House into Babylon and breaks all their way and worship in pieces But yet still the Lords minde goes on and is the same he is upon it still to have a House built for his Name and Worship to live in and to this purpose he turns the heart of the King to make proclamation of Liberty to the people to return and gives them encouragement and supplies to farther this work but they no sooner set to it indeed to begin and lay the foundation but there are Enemies appear and great opposition is made so that the work ceased and was layd aside till a new stirring arises and God sends Haggai and other of the Prophets to put them upon it to build this House after it had lien waste many years for the people were now brought out of Babylon and dwelt in their own Land but they let the time slip and pass over and had no heart to the work though they might have built it and this is parallel to our condition that linger and trifle away time and put it off though an opportunity be given us again and again and we are often called and invited and entreated to set on this work of building the Lords House to become a one-hearted people no more to serve our selves but one another II. But WHY WILL THE LORD HAVE A HOUSE BUILT a set place of Worship Why will he not leave his Worship to be performed in any place where men please themselves For these three Reasons 1. That this house might be a pattern of the Life to come a type of the Heavenly Jerusalem where they are all to live in love and peace and unity to be all of one heart and one soul moving from one principle to one end without jars and scatterings and wranglings for in the life to come it will not be as 't is now with us every one living for and to our selves and at a distance and loose end from all others But there the morning stars all sing together without jars and envyings and an evil eye there is a peaceable life a Kingdom of love and peace and this God would have a pattern a rude draught of in this World a people brought into some order and conformity of spirit answerable to the Kingdom to come He would have somewhat here of that union and agreement of Soul of that love to care for one another and bear one anothers burthens to honor and serve and prize one anotehr and all in love Paul had a taste of this life He became a servant to all that he might save some and Christ pleased not himself and David cries out O how I love thy Law and the place where thy honor dwells This life to come was pointed out by this outward Temple and all its beauty

it did for how did he curse the day of his Being c. though he had once spoke well of God The Prodigal sure once thought when he was in his fathers house that he should never be so base as to leave his father and joyn to a Citizen of a strange Country but you see he did it But shall not God visit for such things as these I will surely bring upon them saith God all the days of Baalim when they offered sacrifice to their Idols God is a just God Moses when Miriam was smitten prayed O Lord let her not be as one dead heal her now No saith God she shall be shut out of the Camp seven days till she bear her shame according to the transgression of her Sabbaths when she enjoyed them so many Sabbaths shall she be without a Priest or an Ephod Here 's the Judgment indeed God does not afflict willingly but because you would not hear therefore He cries out O Jerusalem Jerusalem that stonest thy Prophets c. He bewails over you because you have slept away your time all the days of his patience and long-suffering and dayly calling upon you It was possible to have turned his anger away while he was waiting and enduring the frowardness and rebellions but when he saw that Israel would not for all this return therefore saith God will I let go all my wrath And yet be comforted in this He is righteous in all his Judgments and holy in all his ways the ministration of condemnation is glorious And now to accept of the punishment of iniquity this God would have you do for if we wring and wrestle never so in the chain he will be too hard for us But 2. There arises a famine to this purpose to shew us there is no increase in this Land we may carry much in but bring nothing out again Wo unto me said the Prophet that I am constrained to dwell with them that hate Peace When we go into the Land of slanders backbitings envyings c. these are not like the garden of Eden A Land of plenty of all things is this Land where Brethren dwell together in unity But in this going out the Lord will have no fellowship with the stool of iniquity And though a man should have a great substance and gather it all together and carry it into a Land where nothing grows it would soon waste They that go down to destruction they cannot celebrate thy praise there 's nothing grows in that Land You are wondering why you are so desolate and empty so voyd of exercise c. alas there grows nothing in this Land you are gone out of the Land of plenty and can it be expected that men can gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles The time comes that all will be spent and you shall wonder at the desolation that shall come you shall say Where is the Land of Increase that once I was in The Deeps they say It is not in me the Sea saith It is not in me But saith Job Sure there is a place where Gold is found and a vein for the Silver Job 28.14 But as for the place of wisdom and understanding where is it It 's not in the wise world it 's not in sleepiness nor envy nor pride where then where the fear of the Lord grows they that fear the Lord they are the men that get wisdom They have forsaken the Fountain of living water and digged to themselves Cisterns that will hold no water It 's no wonder we are barren because we have not had the fear of the Lord before our eyes Again 3. The famine arises for this Cause that the Prodigal might be pincht out of his place When a General of an Army goes to storm a dangerous place he first considers May it not be taken by starving them out saith he So the Lord deals with his Prodigals they are gone far off from hearing beleeving c. but there comes a want because the Father intends to starve them out This misery befell the son of Josiah he was carried into Captivity and Manasseh being in chains cryed unto the Lord and because he was of those good Figs God brought him out But there is a misery that befalls some as God bids the Prophet Jeremiah that he should not weep nor pray for a people some go into Captivity and shal return no more But here 's the mercy God brought out his Prodigal he was carried into Captivity for his good into a Land of famine nakedness c. to make him remember his fathers house and where this want is there 's no greater token of deliverance The restless Dove finds no footing till she return home to the Ark whence she went out but the Raven went out and returned no more Some are brought into famine for their instruction and some for their destruction There were some invited to the feast and because they would not come God swore they should never taste of his Supper But it was not so with Peter he went a great way off but the Cock did but crow his Conscience was awakened and Christ gave him but a look and that broke his heart for it was that look of Christ that was his deliverance though his Conscience was awakened before It was not so with Judas he went out but returned not again And here lies th●●avour of them God intends good to they shall return Therefore because it hath been thus with us that we are all Prodigals and have gone out and are in a very dangerous way here lies the fear now whether Truth will look upon us with an eye of favour or no The Cock will of a certain crow your Consciences will be awakened and your guilt will fly in your faces but if that were all our cases would be the same with Judas Thus you see the three Causes why this famine is come 1. As a Judgment 2. To shew us that no enlargement no increase of Truth grows in that Country 3. To pinch the Soul home to its Father he must find no rest he must have no bread he is glad to serve swine and would fain eat husks with them but must have none and here 's his mercy that he has none Here 's the difference two Thieves are crucified with Christ the one is saved the other left Therefore consider Though you are all sinners together you don't know whether you shall all return together therefore if the famine be come the great thing is to know the end whether there must be a return for all comes but for this one end that we might return home to our Father And he began to be in want The time will come that the want will be felt hunger that may be felt a hard heart a blinded mind that may be felt then the want will come nigh A mad man feels no want Wh le we have been mad in our huntings after folly c. we have not felt the want

madness of the heart shews it self when there must be no water given but what comes out of a rock a flint such a strange unthought of way and impossible to reason and that they must have no bread but what is given them new every morning that they can turn them no wayes from their miseries nor to their mercies that they cannot reach out a hand to help themselves but though they dye and starve and perish yet there is no remedy but they must lie at the foot of God and take what he gives and no more this is a day that will prove the heart indeed and what is in it 2. As it is a day of Triall so God would have us know it is not our rest our home there is a great journy to be gone up Elijah why sittest thou here Alass you are far from home you are not come to the good Land yet which brings forth of it self milk and hony and this greatly displeased the Lord that they should here in this wilderness sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play Is this a place Is this a time to sit down in and feast Alass as if God should say you know not how long you shall enjoy any thing what I give you to day I can take away and deny to morrow and then what becomes of you you know not yet my Heart and Mind and Good-will and Eternal Thoughts how they stand towards you and can you sit down here to take content and pleasure in any thing This God would have them and us know in what a dangerous place we are still in the Wilderness 2. Hear all The second thing the Lord would have them hear is what way they are to go And all along they are to pass through their enemies Lands they must go by Amaleck and by the children of Ammon and Moab all along stand enemies in their way to oppose and hinder All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution they must take up their Cross and follow him He could have led them another way a nearer cut to Canaan if he had pleased but he chooses this way to go through the Lands of the●r enemies and they must follow him if ever they will come to their journies end they must through the Cross through hunger and thirst and Serpents through sore temptations and sorrows and sins Now this you are to hear if you will hear all hear what your way is and submit to it if he will lead through hunger and drought if he will deny and shut up if he will destroy our next companions if Korah Dathan and Abiram must be swallowed up yet murmur not be not affrighted nor skared but go on still and know the way is through strairs and sorrows Expect no bettter 3. God would have them know their latter end whither they are going he hath given an expected end And here three things are to be known 1. That there is surely a Rest for the people of God that they shall not alwayes be as a rowling stone not always vagabonds and wanderers following the Prince of the Air with those restless tossing Spirits this God would have his people know that there is a Rest there is an expected end a day of freedom when all bonds and chains shall be broken Sin shall not alwayes reign the enemy shall not afflict and torment for ever I would not live alwayes saith Job by any means I am weary of it This God would you should hear but now whilst we are in that horrible pit the pit of noise we can hear nothing but destruction upon destruction one storm and wave comes upon the neck of another there is no respite given no time to swallow the spittle as Job complains so that the soul is as it were distracted to see no way of escape that it is like alwayes to be thus with it But is there not an appointed time for man upon earth Yes God would have you hear and be surely set down in that that there is an end 2. He would have you know when this end is to be It is said when Christ shall have put down all rule and all authority all power then to comes the end a time is to be when Christ shall reign in the world in his glory and his Saints reign with him and all Scepters and Kingdoms shall be made to bow and stoop under him but there is a time of his reigning in the particular souls of his People when all that opposes and offends shall be taken out of the way no end will come till then we shall find no rest in our Souls till the word of Life shall come and put down all other rule and government to bring every thought into subjection every Lust and Hunt of heart all Pride and Envy and self-love all those lords that have ruled over us must down before this end shall be and till this be done there will be nothing but wars and rumours of wars Nation against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and famine and pestilence and earthquakes nothing but troubles and perplexities and trialls till this end come now to be kept through all these is the Salvation He that endures to the end the same shall be saved 3. What is this end What is the Rest of the People of God Hear and know that and that rest is the sole raigning and rule of God in the soul when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all Now the Heir is under Tutours and Governours now up and now down under fears and faintings and Terrors because the Kingdome of God is not yet come that Kingdom of Peace and Truth God is not yet all in all we are yet stragling after our wills and lustings and covetings to our selves and so can have no peace in all our wayes till we shall be brought under that peaceable Government to submit to that one Lord in every thing to give the Crown out of our hand unto him whose due it is that God may be all in all Now hear all that the Lord shall say not by halves and piecemeals but hear all every word of God is good how many of you content your selves when you have but a little Light to see where you are how your condition stands but alas that is misery if you hear only your shortness that you are in a Wilderness if you hear not of a rest too of an end if you perish and fall short in the mid way what shall then come of all but oh how impossible is it to make any thing seise upon a flint to make a word enter upon an iron heart I wonder sometimes the word should sink no more being it is told you over and over again and yet all passes away as an idle tale but that I know it is impossible to be otherwise till there be a new heart given and an ear bored by God to

rest and peace and enjoyments and instead thereof to take up troubles and sorrows and afflictions Oh no the heart shrinks from this here comes in Spare thy self Master and therefore we plead it is not time yet because it is a trouble and perplexity to the man to set upon this work it puts him beside his cushion he must be sure if he begin to build the Lords House to meet with opposition and contradictions from within and from without from the world and from the Devill The more we shall stir to get out of his Kingdom the more will he stir and rage and cast out his floods to destroy what have our Fathers gone through in this work what strange miseries and sundry sorts of death as you may see Heb. 11. What did Paul suffer hunger and nakedness perils by sea perills by Land perils amongst false brethren stripes and Imprisonments and now who will endure this that can avoyd it who will choose afflictions Mans heart will ever plead it is not yet time because it loves Ease and would never see sorrow But 3. Fear hinders them They were yet under tribute to the King of Babylon they were not yet quite freed from their foes they had once begun to build and were hindered and curbed in the work and therefore now fear gets up and they will venture no more having been once crushed and still remaining under the same enemies this seems a just cause to plead it is not time and thus the heart reasons Have I not tryed again and again and been stopped and prevented and beguiled by the Enemy and am I not still in his hands and if I stir I shall soon be met with and pulled back again and here the heart slugs and lingers and thinks it hath cause to fear and keep off but Jordan never parts till the Priest first ventures to set his foot in it there must be a venturing through all lets and rubs in the way if ever we think to come to any thing and see when they do but begin and set upon the work how they are prospered and all makes for them which before might seem impossible and are not these the true reasons we keep off from the work are we not ignorant that this is the cause of all our misery are we not loving our ease are we not fearing our enemies and so give it over and plead it is not time c. But consider V. WHAT MISERIES FOLLOW FOR NOT BUILDING THIS HOUsE A curse and a blast follows in all their undertakings do what they will yet nothing prospers as it is with a man in a deep consumption let him eat what he will though never so good and choice diet yet his Stomack spoils all It turns it into ill humours to maintain the disease till the root of his sickness be taken away and so is it with us notwithstanding all our mercies and opportunities afforded meat is set before us daily daily are we waited upon and called and instructed and counselled yet how do we still waste and consume we thrive not in all but wax leaner and leaner we come and hear and listen sometimes and swallow down a great deal but alas all is spoiled by a bad stomack we spend all upon our Lusts we love to live alone by our selves at our own Wills and Counsells and Wisdom we are not subjected yet in our souls to come to build this house of the Lord to live in Love and Counsell and order one with another c. and this is the moth that eats and destroys and will destroy all our good if the Lord prevent not thus I have spoke to you what this House is why God will h●ve it built and of what materialls and then the Reasons why the people plead it is not time and the misery that follow this neglect and now in a word I would speak to that who they are that are chiefly guilty in this thing I cannot so charge you all of being thus guilty but there are chief Heads who are called to this work and they are to lay the first stone the cloud must first remove before the people can journy and in that great sin of taking strange wives for which Ezra pull'd off his hair and sat astonished on the ground 't is said the Princes and rulers they were the chief in this thing they lead on the rest by a bad example they are the sinners such as were bidden to the feast and yet refuse to come and make excuses they are the sinners Now are you all bidden called out to build this house no I know it cannot yet touch nor lie upon all your Consciences that this house is not built but the Princes and Leaders such as have been called both from a word without and a stirring within their own spirits to begin their work and lead the way and lay the first stone that the rest might follow these are the guilty persons that make their excuses when they are Invited I have married a wife I have bought a Farm This and the other stands in my way that I cannot come but if any enjoyment or imployment or relation if any tye shall hinder us from setting to this work when the Lord calls to it then are we miserable I know there are some of you that stand yet clear and have not resisted a call but think you are ready to become any thing that shall be called for from you but some of you there are that punctually and certainly know you are called forth to the work and yet draw back and shrink away and say 't is not yet time to build c. The heart knowingly flies back and shrinks this is the guilt here lies the sin Therefore the first thing to be known by you is whether you are called or not and if called then take heed of reasonings and pleadings with Moses I am a stammerer a man of a slow speech and they will not beleeve that thou hast sent me till at lest the anger of the Lord was kindled for his lingering in it and this is the way of the heart we do not say point blank we will never build the House No but shuffle it off It is not yet time and we know not our way and the enemies are round about to hinder us and so we conclude the case before-hand and keep off the strait that Paul was brought to when he cries out Lord what wouldst thou have me to do What way should I take What is thy minde in all All things go cross there is no thriving nor prospering in out ways but all symptomes appear to signifie a consumption is upon our way we are scarcely kept alive have scarce a bit of bread to stay our hunger Now what is the meaning of all this Sure there is a Cause Therefore need there is every Soul of you should consider your ways and enquire Lord is it I or Is it I Do I hinder this work where am

and ransacked I but Christ when he comes he takes away his armour all that in which he trusted and hoped and said Now I am safe I shall sit as a Queen for ever I shall never see sorrow I but all his armour and fence is taken from him and this is a downfal indeed when he is thus found out and nothing can hide nor cover him any longer his coat of Male is taken from him and then Truth can easily enter then nothing appears but the mans nakedness and guilt and shame then the man cries out with Paul I am the chief of sinners then the Word takes place and enters and every arrow sticks Thine arrows stick fast in me saith David Then the man falls under as a poor naked helpless hopeless thing then he is counselled by Christ to buy eye-salve of him and gold tried in the fire and fine linen for he is found wholly naked and blinde and miserable We had thought Christ had ruled in us and we had been for God and the Truth we had thought our zeal and forwardness and speaking for God should have passed currant but take away this armour of the devil and then we are found out to be a wretched deceitful people a lye and deceit appears to be running in all and that there is nothing single for God and Truth without base selfish ends of our own And this is the first work Christ is to do in your souls to spoil this strong man of his armour else no Word of truth can ever come nigh and seize 2. After Christ hath taken away his armour he then seizes on his goods and DIVIDES THE SPOYL the spoyl Why what use can Christ make of his spoyl what can he do with all the devils goods You may see the thing illustrated Jer. 15. where God speaks thus Let that which is for death go to death that which is for the sword to the sword that which is for the famine to the famine and that which is for captivity to captivity 1. That which is for death to death some of these goods are presently to go to death to be utterly destroyed The enemies which you have seen to day saith Moses you shall never see them more The malignant disposition that was so wickedly bent against all prospering of Truth that evil eye that which lay in the way that one step Godward could not be taken that must be utterly destroyed and cut off for ever that abomination must live no more that ill favour that gave a taint and poison to all our ways and thoughts and words that man to Death Christ will say to that unclean spirit Come out of the man and enter into him again no more That enmity of spirit and hatred and ill will to all good the end of that is to be destroyed for ever That Cain-like love that hates its brother and would not suffer the least breathing nor prospering nor looking up of the Truth for according to that evil disposition in you if you minde it the heart rises against all good where-ever it appear though in a childe in a brother in a husband or wife yet the enmity works and hates to see your offering accepted and mine laid by as nothing But before Christ can ever come to reign this must certainly die and a whole turn of soul be wrought and we made naturally to love and chuse the prosperity of the Truth 2. Something must go to the sword That which is for the sword to the sword The Word of God that sword of the Spirit that shall still go on after that great enmity is slain to search and judge and quicken and stir up the man and cut off what hinders that the soul may grow up into the minde of God and as it hath born the image of the earthly so to bear the image of the heavenly as we have given our members servants to sin so to give them up to be servants of righteousness to be as free and voluntary and earnest in the service of the Lord as ever we have been to serve our selves to spend and be spent for the truth this the sword must do cut out a way thorow all rubbish for this minde to arise It must cut away all that sloth and carelesness that sluggish and carnal minde that sits still at home and would not come out to help the Lord against the mighty When Christ shall come to deal with us indeed and use his sword this must all be cut away and the soul pruned 3. Something must go to the famine That ill taint and setled indisposition that has been gathered and contracted by long custom in evil that hankering and lingering after the wickeds dainties all this must to the famine and be worn out by degrees and pined by little and little till it come to die Where-ever the heart is taken and hangs on the creatures on eating or wearing or trading or whatever enjoyments by degrees and degrees a secret moth shall eat and consume all a wasting and consuming famine must cure this evil disease 4. Something must go to Captivity and that is the last enemy to be destroyed the Devil he will yet keep some hold and footing and not be utterly routed so long as there is any dust to be the serpents food so long as the man hath any life beside the life of God I but now Christ shall designe him to captivity he shall be under a hewer of wood and drawer of water a servant to Christ he shall lord it no more He shall be bound for a thousand yeers and that will be the souls greatest happiness to keep him but in his prison that he may not break forth do his mischievous pranks but lie in his dungeon and be an underling to Truth though he still live for some Canaanites will ever live in the land to be the souls trial c. And thus I have opened to you this Day the great block that lieth in our way the bonds and shackles that hold us so fast It is Satans day 't is his hour and the power of darkness the mans Day of reigning is declining and laid aside in most if not all of you the man is not suffered so to bear sway and go at liberty and soar aloft in his minde but there are secret checkings and mindings of a shortness and the black feet appearing make the feathers fall And in some of you it is an empty and desolate Day you are left without much stirring either from God or from the enemy The land is void of both her kings But the greatest and sorest Day which lies sore upon some of us is The reign of the enemy and then wo to the inhabitants of the world Wo to that Land indeed where the Wicked are in Authority I opened to you the several Woes in it And now to make some Use 1. Examine How is it with you Every soul look home do you feel this strong enemy Do you