must beleeve it And this is the first vse that wee are to make of this to beleeve that there is such a life Secondly if hee that hath not this life is not in Christ why then my beloved it concernes us to see that wee have the fruits and effects of this spirituall life in us that that change bee wrought in us that wee spake of that we have those motions and those actions that proceede from an inward principle of life that wee have that attractive disposition and that expulsive disposition which may empty our hearts of all known sinne which is also an effect of this life And this further we must chiefly look to that we love the brethren which for ought I see the holy Ghost points at above all other signs of this spiritual life you have it 1 Ioh. 3. 14. We know by this that we are passed frō death to life because we love the brethren You know a dead member hath no sympathie with the rest but a living member hath a fellow feeling yea a quicke and exquisite sense within when anie of the members are pained or hazzarded Therefore let us labour to find this character of life in our selves by being affected to our neighbours and brethren the Churches abroad by having bowels of cōpassion in us to melt over their condition to desire their safty as our own For why should we not are they not the same Church of God as we are are they not bought with the same price are they not as dear to God and certainly if we shew love to any Church because it is a Church we would do it to one as well as to another Again we have reason to commiserate them for our owne sakes For we cannot stand alone and God hath so ordered it in his providence Luke 6. 38. that looke what measure we mete to others in their distresse men shal measure the same to us in our necessitie and how soone the fire may take here also we know not But this you shall finde in the prophefie of Ieremiah when the nations dranke of the cup of Gods wrath we see there the cup went round everie nation dranke of it some more some lesse But if men doe not doe it yet certainely God will recompence us with good if we doe it with ill if wee omit it For though he seeme angrie with his Churches for a time as David was with Absalom yet as Ioab never did David so acceptable a turne in all his life as when he sought to bring home Absalom his banished sonne though hee were angrie with him because his inward affection was toward him all the while so wee cannot doe God a more acceptable turne than to helpe his Churches though for the present they seeme to bee under the cloud of his anger And doubtlesse the Lord would take it exceeding ill if we should neglect our duety to them as I hope we doe not and shall not as you see Iud. 5. 23. We see there how the Lord is affected in such a case as this Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord yea curse the inhabitants of Meroz bitterly because they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mighty Marke hee doth not say because they did them any wrong but because they came not out but sate still and you know the rule that hee that keepes not off an iniurie when he may he doth it Againe marke the ground why they came not out because it was to helpe the Lord against the mightie When the enemies were mightie they had respect to their owne safetie and sate still and that phrase is to bee observed chiefly they came not to helpe the Lord it was not to helpe the Lord but to helpe the Churches at that time and yet the Lord takes it as done to himselfe But now on the other side as the Lord would take it ill if wee doe it not so certainely if we doe it he will take it exceeding well at our hands This worke hath meate in the mouth of it it brings a sure reward Even as the Arke when it was harboured by Obed-Edom and others it brought a blessing to them so certainly the Church brings a blessing to those that defend it whereas on the other side when the Arke was violate and ill used by the Philistines the men of Bethshemesh you know how many thousands were slaine for it Whence I gather If God would doe so much for that which had but a typical holinesse that was but a dead Temple where he dwelt but for a time what will he doe if his living Temple be destroied For the people of God are his living Temple Ier. 2. 3. it is said Israel is a hallowed thing to the Lord my first fruits and therefore hee that devours it shall offend and evill shall come to him saith the Lord. And therefore in helping the Church of God from being devoured by strangers wee helpea hallowed people for wee see the Lord reckoned Israel so though they were subject to manie failings Let this therefore stirre us up to doe it with all diligence We may fall out and in at home and the vicessitude of fair weather and foule within our owne hemisphere may passe away and blow over as I hope it will and I pray God it may yet in the meane time if any of the Churches shall be swallowed up you know that is a thing that cannot be recalled Therefore let us resolve to doe our best and to doe it in time And this I will be bold to say for our encouragement they are the Churches of God and there is a God in heaven that tendreth them and hee is a God that delights to bee seene in the mounts even when things are past hope and though their enemies bee exceeding great and mightie yet when they goe about to oppose the Church they are as a heape of straw that goes about to oppresse a cole of fire that will consume them or as one that devoures a cup of poison that will proove his death or as one that goes about to overthrow a great stone that fals backe againe and bruiseth him to powder they are all the Scriptures expressions as you shall finde Zach. 12. So I say the Lord will deale with the enemies of his Churehes and will preserve them therefore let this hope encourage us to doe it the rather For your Maiestie wee are perswaded as your profession is so your desires and intentions are most reall and firme and when wee say wee are so perswaded as Paul speakes in another case we speake the truth and lie not for pulpets are not for flatterie but we speake as from God in the sight of God and a message from God may comfort and encourage and confirme you in it For us that are subjects let us be exhorted to doe our parts to contend and wrastle with God by praier and not to let him rest till hee
so men are taught by nature and sense to expedite themselves out of an evill when they are in it but the greatest point of faith and wisdome is to foresee forecast evill to come and to prevent it Saul when he was in a strait he could seeke to the Lord but then he would not answer him neither by Prophet nor by Vrim nor Thummim Ioab when hee was in extremitie and had no other refuge he could fly to the hornes of the Altar as men use to flye to prayer in sickenesse in danger and extremitie but then it was too late Esau when the blessing was past helpe and recoverie he could seek it with teares But why did they doe it no sooner while it was yet time Certainely it proceeds from a secret Atheisme and Vnbeleefe to which wee are too subject which makes us not to be moved with any forewarnings till we feele the evill it selfe upon us And therefore it is said here Terrible things are done to us that we looked not for Death is a terrible thing yet because it s apprehended as a thing afar off who considereth the shortnesse of his life while its time to make sure his calling and election that his soule may not depend upon uncertainties Hell is a terrible thing to consider that the Soule is immortall and that there is another place to live in for ever and yet who considers this in time and takes it to heart Outward Calamities that befall a Church or a State or a particular Person are terrible but who considers them in time to prevent them This is and ever hath beene the nature of man in all times wee thinke we will doe it modò modò but still wee are put off therefore let us not as those in Amos Put the evill day farre from us and draw neere to the seate of iniquity for those two commonly goe together lest it befall us that Salomon speakes of As the Oxe to the slaughter and the Bird to the snare so we be led to destruction and consider it not till a dart strike through our liver but let us doe somewhat in time and not deferre and put off for the verie delay brings mischiefe When the blow comes as I say every man feares but before we care not but wee do as those who because the hand of the Dyal proceeds insensibly consider not how the houre passeth till the stroke of the Bell giveth notice It is a wise and true saying Extremum stillicidium clepsydram non exhaurit ultimus ictus quercum non caedit It is not the last sand that doth exhaust the houre-glasse nor is it the last stroke that doth overthrow the oake that is it is not the next immediate cause that brings evill upon us as men commonly thinke but it is the precedent acts neglects and decayes that were long before that blow came upon us And who knowes whether we be not now upon the very Tropicks and turnings of Times and yet as it s sayd of old age there is no man that is so old that thinkes he may not live a yeare longer so we are never brought to so low an ebbe but we are apt to thinke we shall hold out yet a yeare and a yeare longer So that as the Lapwing fals before the Traveller and draweth him a little and a little further till at length hee bee quite drawne away from her nest so wee are quite drawne off from doing the things which might prevent those evils that are to come and so terrible things are done to us which wee looked not for The ground of all is partly because wee live by sense not not by faith which wee are all subject unto more or lesse by which we think our present condition shall continue whatsoever it be if we be in affliction wee thinke that shall alwaies continue and if we be in prosperitie wee thinke as those in Esay 56. tomorrow shall be as to day and much more abundant that is an observable place saith the Prophet there is an evill neere unto you and the reason is the Watchmen are blinde they are dumbe dogges they cannot barke c. but looke to their own way every one and yet saith hee my people say Come bring wine wee will fill our selves with strong drinke to morrow shal be as to day and much more abundant I say this is naturall to us Besides another ground of it is because wee see dangers come and goe and passe away and yet the blowes come not upon us and therfore we are apt to doe as that foole that because hee saw the river sliding away standeth upon the shoare and hopeth at length that all wil be past that he may go over dry shod and considereth not that there is a succession of waters which will continue it so wee consider not that God hath an army of sorrows when he hath afflicted us seven times yet he addeth seven times more and if yet we continue obstinate hee can doe it seven times more till at length his wrath swell and grow over the banks and carry all away before it That expression you have in the Prophecy of Nahum Partly it is againe because God is not seene because God is forgotten in the world the creatures which should be as a glasse to help us to see him more clearely they become as thick clouds to hide God from us we look upon the wall of the creatures but we look not upon him that stands behinde it who changeth times and seasons as he doth the weather So that our wisest conjecture of him is as uncertaine as the prognostication is of the raine snow and wind wee are ready to compute future things as wee compute daies and yeares and forget that God that is the disposer of these and so grow bold and carelesse But David thought not so Psal. 31 My times are in thy hands O Lord As if hee should say They are not in the hands of Saul nor in the hands of Doeg nor in any of mine enemies hands to do me hurt nor in the hands of my greatest friend to doe mee good but my times are in thy hands for so thou disposest of them as it pleaseth thee And therefore let us be exhorted to reckon it our greatest wisedome to foresee the greatest danger to come while it is yet afar off Fire may bee giuen to a traine of Gun-powder a great way from the place to which the blow is intended therefore it was a wise observation amongst the Romanes that when Hannibal was besieging Siguntium a City confederate of their Allies which was farre enough from Rome they thought every blow was given to it that hee was even then beating upon the wals of the Capitoll therefore they tooke no lesse care to preuent the danger in such a distance than if it had already seized vpon them So no doubt when the enemy is assaulting the Churches afar off he is even then striking at the roote of this Church
because as I say it is that which perfects vs most of any thing wee study many things we study bookes wee study men wee study our selues that is done by this act of consideration and of all studies that is the best when a man studies his owne heart when hee dwels at home It was the precept of the wise Moralist to exhort men to dwell at home to looke inward for a man to bee as a good house-wife in her owne house to dresse the roome of his heart euery morning to sweepe it and to put things in order which the former day hath put out of order that he may bee fit to entertaine the Lord of glory therefore we ought to keepe our selues right and straight to keepe our selues cleane and pure in soule and body by this continuall act of consideration that we may be fit Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in and to continue in therefore we should doe this First in generall take this generall consideration let a man thinke what his condition is what he comes into the world for let him sit downe and thinke with himselfe that hee hath a soule that is immortall that must liue in another place for euer that his life is vncertaine hee knowes not when this soule of his shall bee put out of possession now if a man would take these things into consideration if hee would sit downe and consider his latter end consider the infallibilitie of the threatnings consider the vncertainty of this life consider the terrour of Gods wrath because these things are not taken into consideration therefore it is that men goe on in courses of sinne this is that which the people failed in Deut. 29. 4. saith Moses there you haue seene what the Lord did to Pharaoh and all his seruants you haue seene the temptations and the great workes which he wrought but you haue not hearts to perceiue you haue not eyes to see vnto this day you haue seene but you haue not hearts to perceiue that is you haue not hearts to consider it as it is as if hee should say this will profit nothing this which was one of the strongest arguments that was as how could a people haue more arguments to feare God than they had to see such wonders as they did but this profited them nothing because they had not hearts to consider so our Sauiour Marke 6. 52. They considered not the miracle of the Loanes for their hearts were hardned After that miracle was wrought when Christ walked vpon the Sea and they thought he had beene a spirit they were afraid the reason is giuen because they considered not the miracle of the Loaues as if hee should say there was enough in that to haue strengthened their faith that they should not haue beene so fearefull but saith Christ the reason you did not profit by that was because you did not consider your hearts were hardened and therefore 2 Tim. 2. 6. it is Pauls exhortation Consider what I say consider what in other places I haue named to you that is though these bee reasons strong enough yet consider Timothy or else it will neuer worke vpon thee therefore consider what I say and because wee are not able to doe it of our selues hee prayes to God to teach him to consider and the Lord giwe thee vnderstanding in all things and indeed that wee may doe so let vs beseech God to open our eyes to enable vs to consider till hee set vs a worke we cannot doe it to purpose so that I say we should learne to doe this in generall and not onely so but to make a daily practice of it euery day consider our waies to set some time a part for that purpose when we come to God in prayer consider the businesse wee haue to doe consider what hath beene out of order the day before to reflect vpon our hearts and to set things strait before God and after this to haue an eye vpon our actions all the day that our tongues our hands our feet or any part bee not ready to act any thing before we haue considered and pondered it before wee haue good warrant for it You will say this is impossible must a man stand considering euery act on that he doth I say it is not needfull that euery action should be considered as in a iourney you know it is not needfull for a man to thinke of euery step but the first intention of the iourney will carry him a great way so set the heart aright and that intention will carry a man thorow many actions though hee stand not to consider euery particular but because our hearts are so ready to goe out of the way like young horses that are not accustomed to the high way they are ready to turne aside euer and anon except the hand bee vpon the bridle continually so this consideration must bee euer and anon repeated in the heart to keepe it strait it is apt else to turne a side This wee must learne to doe in things that belong to godlinesse in other things wee are apt enough to doe it the young man is apt to consider how he shall satisfie his flesh and the desires of it how hee shall obtaine his pleasures the ancienter men they consider how they may increase their wealth how they may keepe correspondency as it is said of the good house-wife She considereth a field and gets it Prou. 31. there is too much of this consideration men consider such outward aduantages the thing that we require row is to consider how wee may walke circumspectly and holily before God in all things this is the thing that we ought to consider to neglect this and to intend other things is no better than madnesse If a man doe but consider seriously what he is what his condition is and what he is fit for hee will reckon it madnesse to intend other things as he doth we reckon men mad when they fall a gathering strawes and sticke their clothes with flowers when they scrabble vpon the walls because wee thinke these actions vnmeet for a man So come to a Christian when he is occupied in trifles in pleasures and honours for they are no better when men doe this with all their endeuour this is as vnmeet for a Christian this is as much below a Christian as those other actions that I named are below a man and it is as truly spirituall madnesse as the other is natural frenzie consider of this therefore and come to your selues I am not too harsh in calling it madnesse the Scripture cals it so in Luke 15. the Prodigall is said to come to himselfe for other things hee was come to himselfe before but for matter of grace and saluation therein hee was not come to himselfe so that a man may truly say that the world is full of mad men in this sense because they come as
mysticall bodie on earth and complete number of his elect cannot erre in matters fundamentall for then they might fall away and the gates of hell prevaile against them yet the externall visible bodie of the Church may erre because the truth of God may bee locked up within the hearts of such a companie as in competition of suffrages cannot make a greatet part in a generall Councell so that the sentence decreed therein may bee a fundamentall errour From these grounds thus laid may fitly rise a threefold application First seeing it is thè received and approved doctrine of the Papists That the Church of Rome cannot erre in points of Faith and Doctrine wee see how little hope there is that wee and they should ever bee reconciled or that one truth should arise from a composition of their and our opinions for if they yeelde in any thing to us it would presently follow that in that wherein they now yeelde before they erred and so this fundamentall point of their Churches not erring would from thence be overthrowne Wee may alter our Tenents if wee will but they are strongly engaged to keepe theirs without anie change or variation we may goe to them they cannot come to us witnesse the Germane Interim so carefully and often tempered wherin there were but few of their ingredients left out yet was it more than Charles the Fifth could do to get it entertainment on eitherside and therefore those Cassanders that thinke by wit and policie to reconcile us attempt a thing impossible For of what materials shall any middle course bee framed when neyther side can spare the smallest piece of timber in their building they cannot because thereby they should bee argued of erring for merly we cannot for true Religion is of a brittle nature breake it you may bend it you cannot no not in the least degree It cannot bee accommodated to interests and respects of policie and seruing turnes it cannot be mixt with errour no more than oyle with water iron and steele with clay Daniel 2. 43. They shall mingle themselves with the seede of men but they shall not cleave one to another even as iron is not miset with clay or as the elements when once they are mingled in a compound bodie doe lose their proper formes even so Religions when made ingredients and compounding parts of any other do lose their formes and cease to bee religions in Gods account 2 King 17. 33. It is said the mingled people of Samaria feared the Lord and served their owne gods after the manner of the Nations whom they carried away from thence that is they jumbled all together the fear of God worship of their Idols thinking thereby to fit both parties Iewes and Heathens with a religion wherein both might bee gratified But what saith God doth he approve this mixture verse 34. Vnto this day they doe after the former manners they fear not the Lord neither do they after their statutes or after the law or commandement which the Lord commanded God will not owne his owne commanded worship when mingled and compounded with another So Gal. 5. 1. 2. Bee not entangled againe with the yoke of bondage that is take heede of entertaining those rites and customes of the ceremoniall law from which now by Christ ye are set free Well but what if circumcision the ancient character bee still retained and joined unto Christ is it not better to be sure of both See what he answers in the second verse Behold I Paul say unto you that if you bee circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again vers 4. Christ is become of none effect to you As if hee should say Take whether you will either Christ or circumcision for both yee cannot have So Esay 1. vers 21 22. How is the faithfull Citie become an har lot But how proveth hee that Thy siluer is become drosse thy wine mixt with water He denies not but they had silver and wine amongst them but as silver mixt with baser mettall becommeth drosse and is no longer accounted silver so wine when it is mixt with water leaves off to be accounted wine Ier. 23. 28. Hee that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully for what is the chaffe to the wheat Whatsoever of our owne we offer to annexe to the word of God in Gods account is as if wee added chaffe to wheate by which addition the wheate can bee no gainer They that goe about to mixe true and false religions are like those that take too big a graspe and so let whatthey meant to have sustained fall and breake as wee see in Ieroboam who mingled truth and falsehood not changing the worship as hee thought but the place and manner of the worship onely lest the kingdome should returne unto the house of David that was the interest whereunto he thought to make religion stoope 1. Kings 12. 26. c. But what came of it He made a nullitie of religion and of his and his posterities title to the kingdome Saul had a strait command to destroy all the Amalekites but because in execution of it hee needs would interpose his owne discretion in sparing Agag and some of the cattel God takes the kingdome from him for it Moses will not yeeld to the King of Egypt to leave one hoofe behinde him of any thing that did belong unto the Israelites Mordecay because God forbad them to make peace with Amalek for ever will rather hazzard his owne and others safetie than so much as bow the knee to Haman an Amalekite Daniel when God commanded to pray towards the Temple will not omit that circumstance of his praier though he cannot practise it without hazzard of his life This is the disposition of all whose hearts are perfect with their God they dare not pare away the least lap from the garment of religion nor adde the least flye to this boxe of precious ointment for in this curious clocke-worke of religion every pin and wheele that is amisse distempers all And as we are wont to lay aside cracked vessels and distempered watches as unusefull so doth God distempered and mixt religions As to the Iewes a garment made of linzy woolsie might not be worne so to vs a Samaritan religion made vp of true and false is not to be endured but as the stomacke loathes lukewarme water so God lukewarme religions As therefore Eliah exhorts the people to follow either God or Baal and not to halt betweene them both so it 's good for vs to take heede of mingling truth and falsehood whereof God is more impatient than of either of the two extremities apart For one to be a downe-right Papist may be a sinne of ignorance but to blend and mingle with it to picke and choose some tinctures of it to serue our worldly turnes cannot but be a sin of knowledge for if one were fully in his heart perswaded that Poperie were the truth he would embrace that and cleave to that
alone againe if our religion were thought to be the right that onely will be entertained but when we mingle thus and will not runne without a by as but for advantage halt willingly betweene both wee cannot bee accepted This we speake but for prevention not knowing what temptations aftertimes may bring it is good preventing Physicke to know the truth Secondly seeing wee have proved that the iudgement of the Church is not infallible in points of faith doctrine hence we may learn to take up nothing meerely upon trust not to thinke things are so onely because the Church hath said it this foundation is too sandy for us to build our faith upon that should be built upon the rocke which is the word of God upon which ground in a manner the whole Fabricke of Poperie will soone be overthrowne seeing all or most of them are only tooke up upon the Churches credit for in all the book of God ye shall not finde a word for invocation of Saints worshipping of Images universalitie supremacy of the Bishop of Rome purgatory Popish indulgences praier in an unknowne tongue praier for the dead consecration of oyle tapers and holy water and all that rabble of superstitious ceremonies but are the hay and stubble that men have heaped together now one and then another according to their seuerall fancies till the mysterie of iniquitie was come vnto its fulnesse for all these controversies are founded either upon the decrees of the Pope or unwritten traditions or the authority of the Church or Scripture wrested from the native sense to that which they are pleased to put upon it so that this principle of their Church not erring is that indeede on which the very waight of Popery doth depend let this be taken away and all comes quickly down Thirdly as the Apostle here exhorts Timothie and in him all Ministers to take heede how hee behaves himselfe in the Church of God so may we doe all Magistrates both supreme and subordinate to be circumspect wary how they behave themselues in this Church of God for though the Ministers be the bees that make the honey yet the Magistrates are the hives wherin it is made and kept the Ministers are the vines that bring forth grapes yet Magistrates are the elmes that underprop and hold up these vines the Minister defends the Church with tongue pen the Magistrate with hand power wherewith for that end God hath furnisht him Ministers are the preachers of both tables Magistrates the keepers the executiue power of Word and Sacraments belongs alone to Ministers but directiue and coactiue for the orderly and well performance belongs to Magistrates And the text it selfe affordes us motives It is the house of God and its reason the tenant should keepe the house in reparation and they are Magistrates as well as Ministers for if the ruines and breaches of the house bee once neglected both heresies and superstitions will soone creepe in and carrie captiue with their errours those of the family It is the Church of God of which good Magistrates are nurses Esay 49. 23. as therfore the nurse is bound to looke to the childe and see it cherished with wholsome food and kept from dangers as they will answer to the parents whose childe it is so Magistrates are bound to defend and keepe the Church to see it nourished with milke and not with poison that is with truth and not with errour as they will answer to that God who with his owne blood hath purchased it unto himselfe Acts 20. 28. It is the flock of God and it s no disparagement for Kings to bee his shepheards as David was if Wolves therefore doe enter through their negligence and snatch up now a sheep and then a lambe the Lord will one day require it at their hands as Laban did at Iacobs It is the pillar and ground of Truth that is the field or garden wherein Truth growes and Magistrates the gardiners or husbandmen and therefore bound to see the good plants watered the weedes and stones throwne out that hinder growth the hedge kept strong and good about it lest as the Serpent got into Eden and beguiled Eve so the Serpents of our times creep through into this Garden and corrupt the minds of any from that simplicitie which is in Christ. The like Motives are every where in Scripture scattered Revel 2. 20. I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants to commit for nication and to eate things offered to idols Therefore neither Errours nor their Authours in the Church of God are to be suffered Iohn 15. 13. Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall bee rooted out And who should root them out but Magistrates to whom Gods Vine-yard is committed Let 's come to the Old Testament where the lives of Magistrates are represented as the face is in a glasse that shewes both spots and beauty 2 Chron. 17. Iehoshaphat commanded the Priests and Levites to instruct the People in the Law from the seventh verse to the tenth but that 's not all but in the sixth verse it is said His heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord so that hee tooke away the high places and the groves out of Iudah Let us cast our eyes upon the other Kings of Israel and Iudah and consider what God himselfe hath marked and observed in them seeing his observation cannot but be of moment like asterismes in the margents of a booke Of Salomon God hath observed 1 King 11. 4. that when hee was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God that is satte loose from God and then the Lord left off to do him good Of Rehoboam 2 Chron. 11. 17 that for three yeares hee walked in the way of David but when hee had established the Kingdome and had strengthned himselfe he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him chapt 12. 1. 2. therefore in the fifth yeare of Rehoboam Shishak King of Egypt came up against Ierusalem because they had transgresses against the Lord Of Asa 1 King 15. 11. c. that hee did what was right in the sight of the Lord tooke away the Sodomites out of the Land removed all the Idols that his Fathers had made removed Maacah his Mother from being Queene because she had made an Idoll in a grove and burnes her Idoll by the brooke Kidron but the high places were not taken downe therefore verse 16. there was war between Asa and Baasha King of Israel all their daies yet those high places were but the groves where the Tabernacle and Altar were which Moses made where before the Temple was built it was lawfull for them to offer sacrifice yet this was that for which the Lord is so offended because when the Temple once was
have given rest to his Churches and not onely so but that wee doe our parts that which is within our compasse especially as any have greater power and opportunitie of doing good let them consider that excellent speech of Mordecay to Hester Hest. 4. 24. If then hold thy tongue at this time deliverance shall appeare to the lewes from another place but thou and thy house shall perish The meaning is this then there was an opportunitie of doing good to the Church as you know then in what extremitie the Iewes were therefore saith he if thou doe not doe it thou and thy house shall perish For if any be an impediment nay if any doe not doe their best I pronounce this in the Name of the most true God that shall make it good sooner or later they and their houses shal perish and be as the straw that we spake of that oppresseth the coale of fire But on the other side if they seeke to deliver the Churches from his and their enemies there is this great advantage in it it will move God to deliver them from their enemies againe or make their enemies to bee at peace with them as Salomon saith When a mans wayes please the Lord hee will make his enemies at peace with him Thirdly and lastly let us be exhorted to live this life of grace that is to doe the duties of obedience wherewith this life is nourished and maintained for so the Lord saith He that keepes my Commandements shall live in them even as the flame lives in the oyle or as the creature lives by its food so a man lives by keeping the Commandements of God that is this spirituall life this life of grace it is maintained by doing the Commandements whereas on the other side everie motion out of the wayes of Gods Commandements and into sinne is like the motion of the fish out of the water everie motion is a motion to death And O that wee could thinke of sinne of everie sinne as a motion to death and of every good action as a putting on towards life that wee could thinke this life of grace to bee farre more excellent than the life of nature or the life of sinfull lusts and pleasures and delights for so it is Surely that life which God and Angels live must needs bee the most excellent and the fullest of joy and this life they live To incourage us to it let us but consider how God interlaceth this life of grace with the life of joy and of peace and outward prosperitie as you see in diuerse examples Gideon as long as he did the actions of this life you know how hee prospered but when hee set up a golden Ephod after which the people went awhoring it was the destruction of him and his house Salomon how glorious was his rising as a bright morning without clouds and so hee continued to the evening of his life but then when hee began to suffer rebellions in his Kingdome against God in matters of Religon as it is said he set up Ashtaroth the abomination of the Zydonians and Milcom the abomination of the Antorites c. then God stirred up rebellions against him then it is said that Hadad Rhesin and Ieroboam his own servant lift up his hand against him for saith the Text he stirred them up for that cause So that as long as Salomon did the actions of this life God prospered him continually in a high degree and when he fell from it hee fell from that peace which hee had so God interlaceth this life of grace with the life of joy and peace and outward prosperitie The like you see in his some Rehobeam for three yeeres when hee sought the Lord saith the Text and did the actions of this life 2 Chron. 11. so long he prospered things went well with him and in Ierusalem but after three yeeres hee forsooke the Lord and suffered the people to make them high places then it is said in the Text in the fifth yeare of his Reigne God gave him two yeeres space he poured out his wrath upon him and upon Ierusalem by the hands of Shishack the King of Egypt Where it is to bee observed that this evill fell upon him not because Shishack was angry but because the Lord was angry with him for it is not said that it was Shishacks wrath but the Lords wrath hee was but the viall but the instrument through which Gods wrath was poured upon him But an example you shall finde of this most cleere in Vzziah 2 Chron. 25. 6. it is said that Vzziah sought the Lord all the dayes of Zechariah the Prophet and as long as he sought the Lord he prospered so long as he did the actions of this life the life of ioy and prosperitie and peace ranne along with it but after verse 10. when the Lord had helped him that he grew mightie then saith the text his heart was lift up to his destruction So that even as you see blazing comets though they bee but comets yet as long as they keepe aloft they shine bright but when they begin to decline from their pitch and fall to the earth they vanish so when men for sake the Lord and minde earthly things then they lose their light and are dissipated and come to destruction whereas you see on the other side all holy and good Kings that lived this life of grace constantly they shined in the darke world as stars in a dark night neither losing their light nor falling from their place And this you shall finde in all the stories of the Kings of Israel and Iudah that either their suffering of Idolatrie and superstition at home or their resting vpon Ashar and Egypt abroad was the cause of all their miserie for when they were in distresse they sought to those nations that proved as broaken reedes that did not onely deceive them but did runne into their hands On the other side you shall observe that those that lived this life of grace perfectly whose hearts were perfect with God that emptied out all the old leaven of Idolatrie and superstition at home and in all their distresses and wants trusted vpon God you shall finde I say proportionably as they did this more or lesse so they prospered As you see in Asa it is the Prophets owne speech to him that was sent to him from the Lord 2. Chr. 16. saith he Asa when there came a mightie army against thee of Lubyms and Ethiopians that were as it is in the Chapter before as the sands on the sea for multitude yet because thou restedst on the Lord he gave thee the victory over them afterward a smal army escaped his hands And why Because he rested on the King of Aram. So likewise Iehosaphat we see when he came backe from helping Achab at the battell of Ramoth-Gilead the Prophet Iehu meetes him 2. Chr 9. 19. 2. and saith thus to him Oh Iehosaphat wilt thou helpe the wicked wilt thou love
those that hate the Lord wrath is gone out against thee and so in the next Chap. ver 2. it is said that a great armie came from beyond the sea and Iehosaphat was sore afraid Likewise when hee ioined with Achaziah to make ships to go to Tarshish the Prophet Eliezar goes to him and tels him that God had broken the ships at Ezion-Geber because he had ioined with Achaziah the son of Achab 2. Chron. 20. 35 36. I might give you many examples more Iacob though the thing were good which hee did as you know he might seeke the blessing lawfully for it was promised to him yet because he used evill meanes Rebekah and hee and by a lie did deceive Isaac you know what it cost him hee was banished from his fathers house many yeares and you know how much sorrow Rebekah had for it even for failing in the manner So David looke what intermission there was in doing the actions of this life this spirituall life you see likewise his troubles were Therefore let us be exhorted to live this life of grace seing wee have so great incouragment I say if you observe the Scriptures from the 2. Chron. 11. to the end of that book which is exceeding well worth your reading where not onely the story of the Kings is set downe but the cause of all the accidents that did be fall them you shall see all along as they lived this life of grace as they did the actions of this life that is as they kept their hearts perfect with God so their outward ioy and prosperity was accordingly and the interruptions and intermissions they found in this was according to their intermission in that Therefore let us bee exhorted to live this life For certainely every life hath an excellency and a sweetenesse in it more than any meere being and as any life exceedes other so it hath it more as the life of a man exceedes the life of a beast and the life of grace exceedes the life of a man and therefore it is more capacious of greater ioy and of greater griefe On the other side as you know the ioy of the Saints is unspeakable and glorious and passeth all understanding so the despaire and horrour of conscience against it exceedes as much And let us marke this that as hee that lives the life of a beast destroyes himselfe as a man so he that lives the life of a man that is the life of reason onely the life of humane wisedome policie destroyes himself as a christian Therfore let us be exhorted to live this life of grace which is best for our selves yea let us abound in the actions of this life let us live it as much as may be for one man may live more in a day than another doth in a yeare for life is in action so much as we do as far as we exercise this spiritual life so much we live and look what time we spend vainely and idly so much of our life death possesseth as it is said of the woman that lives in pleasures 1. Tim. 5. 6. Shee is dead while shee liveth Now the God of life work this life of grace in those in whom it is yet wanting and increase and inlarge this life in all those in whom it is alreadie ⧠A Sensible Demonstration Of the DEITY ISA. 64. 4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene another God besides thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him THis particle For which you have for the first word hath such a reference to those before that we must take in likewise the third verse When thou didst terrible things which wee looked not for thou camest downe the mountaines flowed downe at thy presence For since the beginning c. We know in the new Translat the words are read somewhat otherwise but if you looke into the margine of your bookes you shall finde the same reading we now use and that I take to be agreeable with the originall and neerer the scope of the Prophet in that place The words at the first reading seeme to bee somewhat obscure but in briefe the plain meaning is this When the people of Israel were oppressed with enemies more potent mightier than themselves the Prophet in his owne name and in the name of the people makes this prayer unto the Lord O Lord we beseech thee breake the heavens and come down that the mountaines may flow downe at thy presence And whereas it might be said Our enemies are mightie and as great as mountaines Yet O Lord the mountaines melt at thy presence Or even as the water boyleth when the fire burneth under it so do the nations tremble at thy presence And this prayer is enforced with this reason O Lord heretofore thou hast done terrible things against those that provoked thee againe thou hast done great things for those that wait for thee therefore we beseech thee as thou hast done heretofore so now breake the heavens and come downe c. And if it be objected It may be there were some other causes of all these evills that befall us the Prophet answereth no that it was not in the power of the creature but the comming downe of the Lord at whose presence the mountaines melted that is as a heape of waxe or lead sinketh and falleth downe when fire is put to it so the mightiest nations melt away when thou commest to doe any work for us And if it be againe objected But there is all the question whether there be such a God or no by whose providence these things are brought to passe To this the Prophet answers in the fourth verse For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the care neither hath the eye seen another God besides thee which doth such things for him that waiteth for him As if he should say Indeed there is the testimonie of the Scriptures there is the witness of the Prophets and evidence of miracles that all things are done by the providence of God but yet saith hee I will leave all these things and appeale to the works of Nature even to the things that the eye hath seene and the eare hath heard for from them it is manifest that there is a God and that hee it is who hath done these terrible things which we looked not for But not to stand long in the explication of the words you shall finde these three points lying evidently before you First That even from the things that the eye seeth and the eare heareth it is manifest that God is and that it is he that doth these terrible things that we looked not for Secondly That this God is one and that there is no God besides the Idols and the dung-hill gods of the Gentiles are no gods Lastly As he doth terrible things to those that provoke him so likewise great and wonderfull things for those