the sinner o Zech. 11.8 My soule loathed them and their soule also abhorred me and he tels his owne people p Levit. 26.30 My soule shall abhorre you Yea so loathsome is sin to his pure and perfect nature that he hates it in his owne children as well as in stangers It is true it is not a hatred redounding to their persons yet he hates sin in them though he doe not hate them for sin At the same time when he dearly loves the person of a Beleever he deadly hates the sin of a Beleever As when David committed adultery the Text saith The thing that David had done displeased the Lord q 2 Sam. 11.27 Though Davids person was accepted his sin was abhorred Reas 3 As sin is very odious so is it also very injurious to the God of Heaven In the least sin that can be committed we doe the greatest injury for the kind of it unto God that can be expressed because in every sin there is an infinite Majesty offended an infinite Justice wronged an infinite patience provoked an infinite mercy abused and therefore an infinite punishment deserved Besides in sin we often arise to a despising of God Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord saith God to David r 2 Sam. 12.9 Yea to a despiting of God We read of some that doe despite to the spirit of grace s Heb. 10.29 yea further to an interpretative domineering or insulting over God Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins saith God t Isa 43.24 sin makes God a servant and man a Master Nay yet more if more can be said sin riseth with reverence be it spoken to a dethroning of God it strikes at his Crowne and dignity even to un-God him if it were possible Must not all this make God exceeding angry Vse 1 for instruction First it will serve for our Instruction in two particulars Instruction 1 The first is this That it is a dreadfull thing to fall into the hands of an angry God for he hath treasures of woe and wrath laid up in store for those that doe provoke him Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up in my Treasures v Deut. 32.34 True it is when God is pacified then it is better falling into the hands of God then into the hands of men for his mercies are great x 2 Sam. 24.14 But if his wrath be once kindled then the sinners in Zion shall be afraid fearfulnesse shall surprize the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings y Isa 33.14 O the desperate folly and madnesse of presumptuous sinners that dare stretch out their hands against God and strengthen themselves against the Almighty as the Scripture elegantly expresseth it z Job 15.25 26. That dare run upon God even on his neck upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers that dare kindle that fire that burnes to the lowest hell a Deut. 32.22 Little doe these men think how infinite the wrath of God is Infinite I say in Intension Extension Satisfaction First it is infinite in Intension for who knoweth the power of thy anger saith Moses b Psal 90.11 it passeth the apprehension of men and Angels That which is spoken of the glory reserved for Saints is as true of the wrath reserved for sinners Eye hath not seen it nor eare heard it neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive it c 1 Cor. 2.9 it must needs be so being the anger of an infinite God A dart out of a weak mans arme will wound the body but when it is shot out of a strong Bowe and with a strong arme then it wounds deeply How infinite then will that wrath be which seizeth on Vessels of wrath When Mountaines and Mil-stones of vengeance shall be throwne upon them and that by an omnipotent hand and outstretched arme and fury poured out Secondly it is infinite in Extension or Duration it extends to all eternity for the wrath of God is the very fuell that feeds the fire of hell the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it d Isa 30.33 now that fire is an eternall fire e Jude ver 7. so long as God shall be God so long shall that fire burne and that is for ever yea if it were possible more then ever even evermore Thirdly it is infinite in Satisfaction Nothing can satisfie or appease that anger but an infinite price even the precious blood f 1 Pet. 1.19 of Jesus Christ which being the blood of a person that is God as well as man is therefore called The blood of God Acts 20.28 Hearken therefore thou poore miserable mortall worme that makest it a small matter to kindle the infinite wrath of that God who is a consuming fire g Heb. 12.29 Know thus much if God be angry Angels stoop Devils tremble the Earth melts and the very Heavens are rowled up as a scrowle of parchment Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is poured forth like fire and the rocks are throwne downe before him h Nah. 1.6 And if the denouncing or menacing of Temporall judgements be so dreadfull what will the suffering of Eternall judgements be What will it be to suffer the vengeance of eternall fire Thou art now ready to fancy to thy selfe a God made all of mercy and compassion but if thou saw but the shadow of Gods wrath on a damned soule in hell it would make thy heart ake thy joynts quake and rottennesse enter into thy bones Instruction 2 The second Instruction is this see the hatefull hurtfull dividing divorcing nature of sin which sets God and his people at variance Your iniquities have separated between you and your God i Isa 59.2 Sin in this respect is far worse then any crosse or calamity that can befall us it is worse then sword or famine or pestilence or sorrow or sicknesse or poverty or persecution For afflictions doe not seperate us from God I am perswaded saith the Apostle k Rom. 8 31. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers not things present nor things to come shall be able to seperate us from the love of God But sin can doe us that mischiefe which neither crosses nor losses nor death nor devil can doe Whence is it then that we hug this Viper in our bosomes Oh that our eyes were open to see sin as God sees it and then we should loath sin as God loaths it Vse 2 Exhortation Secondly here is something for exhortation Duty 1 This Doctrine hints to us these two Duties First learne to justifie the Lord in all his threatnings and executions Give him the glory of his justice in all his Administrations The Lord has of late been sore displeased with this
have nothing to object against the equity of his proceedings I have seen thy guiltinesse God will have every mouth to be stopped and all the world to become guilty before him a Rom. 3.19 In the second he foretelleth their misery now ready to fall upon them that they might tremble at it and be affected with it Observ God would have his people deeply apprehensive of the sad signes and symptomes of his displeasure In the third he reasons the case before he proceed to execution Observ God had rather glorifie his mercy in our reformation then his justice in our ruine and condemnation Let me first break up the Text in the tearmes of it and then deale out the observations I have seen thine adulteries The great sinne that God chargeth on them and whereof he doth convince them is Idolatry which is here aggravated 1 By the Titles given to it 2 By the severall circumstances of it The Titles First the Titles are these it is called adultery whordome abomination First Idolatry is called adultery and whoredome because it is a sinne that defiles the conjugall Bed cuts the marriage knot between God and his people and provokes the Lord to give them a bill of divorce b Jer. 3 8. When backesliding Israel committed adultery I put her away and gave her a Bill of Divorce Secondly it is called abomination the Hebrew word comming from a Root c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to loath or detest as being that sin which God most detested and abhorred And there is an Emphasis in the Affix thine thrice repeated in the Text Thine adulteries thy whordome thine abomination Observe here all the idolatries and abominations practised on the Hils in the Fields and in the Villages round about Jerusalem they are all charged upon Jerusalem they are thine abominations why so Because Ierusalem was the Metropolis or Mother-City of the Kingdome There sate the Sanhedrim and there were the Courts of Justice d Psal 122.5 they had power in their hands to suppresse these abuses but they did not make use of their power for that purpose therfore saith God they are thy sins and shall be put upon thy account Note It is worth the noting When Magistrates are carelesse in suppressing abuses these abuses shall be charged upon the Magistrates When the people gathered Mannah on the seventh day the Lord chargeth the sinne upon Moses e Exod 16.28 though Moses himselfe was not guilty The Lord said unto Moses How long refuse ye to keep my Commandements and my Lawes The Circumstances Secondly the Circumstances aggravating their Idolatry are four First it was a sinne not once but often committed thine adulteries in the plurall number And a sinne the ofter it is committed the greater it is as a cloth dyed red if it be dipt againe it is dyed yet redder Secondly it was a sinne committed with greedinesse an great delight therefore it is expressed in this terme Neighings a bruitish transgression hath a bruitish expression and it is observable Wicked men by sinfull courses become bruit beasts unmanning themselves losing not onely their conscience but their reason also So was it with this people here in the Text They were mad upon their Idols as it was said of the Caldeans f Jer. 50.38 Even as mad as pamperd frolick horses are in the heat of their lust Yea the same Hebrew word g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to neigh signifies also to shout for joy as Ier. 31.7 Sing for gladnesse and h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shout among the Nations where the same word is used So that it was a sin committed with great delight And this is certaine the more delight we take in our sins the lesse delight God takes in our soules Thirdly their hearts were so taken up with this sinne that God had no room there like an unchaste woman that thinks of nothing but her lustfull Lovers i Quemadmodum mulier impudâ—ca nihil aliud cogitat quam spurcos suos amatores Calv. in locum This is implied in the word Lewdnesse or the Thought of thy whoredome so the word k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies and so judicious Calvin renders it l Cogitationem scortationis tuae Fourthly they committed this sinne in publike view not onely privately in a corner but on the hils and in the open fields Vpon every high hill and under every green tree they wandred and plaid the harlot m Jer. 2.20 Impudency in sin is one of the highest aggravations of sin Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush n Jer. 8.12 Now saith God I have seen all this with an eye of Jealousie and an eye of justice I have seen it to censure it I have seen it to revenge it for so it followes Woe unto thee O Ierusalem As if he should say O unhappy Ierusalem that art so desperately sinfull and dost not yet repent nor reforme to this day great misery and calamity doe I denounce against thee as one devoted to destruction Wilt thou not be made cleane I know the words are diversly read by Interpreters but quotation of Authors is a Theefe in an Auditory Some read the words without a question thus Thou shalt not cleanse thy selfe hereafter o Septuag Hoeron A. Montan But this reading suits not so well with the last words * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After how long yet Some read them thus Thou wilt not be cleansed by turning after me Thus mistaking a vowell in the Hebrew word for it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After me but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After or hereafter But the sense is plaine enough as reverend Calvin an Interpreter instar omnium does well expresse it Wilt thou not be made cleane As if he should say Is thy heart sohard that thou canst not yet repent nor reforme after all exhortations invitations woes and warnings The pressing piercing interrogation addes great strength to the expression p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When will it once be or After when yet or How long yet q Post quantum adhuc tem poris Jun. that is how long wilt thou continue unreformed How long shall I wait till thou be cleansed how long wilt thou delay and take time with me from day to day The words being thus opened many observations might be thence deduced but I will not pluck every cluster that this fruitfull bough doth hold forth There are three speciall points suitable to the three parts or branches which I named even now that will draw forth the strength of the Text. Doct. 1. God takes precise and speciall notice of all the sins and abominations of a people that are in covenant with him Doct. 2. These sinnes and abominations provoke him to expresse his anger in dreadfull Comminations Doct. 3. Those dreadfull Comminations denounced
preserve you when ye stand but upon one bough of a tree Gods forbearance or long-suffering which bough if it were broken or cut downe ye should fall into all woe and misery both here and hereafter Are ye willing to cut down that bough Will ye observe lying vanities and forsake your owne mercy p Ionah 2.8 Will ye provoke God to say in his displeasure I will stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee I am weary with repenting q Ier. 15.6 Oh give God leave to glorifie his name in your Reformation rather then in your ruine and desolation Quest It may be you will say unto me What is that Reformation that is required and so earnestly pressed upon us this day Answ I answer briefly It is the purging away of whatsoever doth defile the Soule As Errour in opinion Inordinacy of Affection Sinfulnesse in Conversation For the first Doe ye thinke Errours in judgement small matters or trifles not to be regarded Know ye not that they are exceeding Dangerous in their Nature Damnable in their Effects First they are dangerous because they bewitch the Soule O foolish Galatians who ha's bewitched you that you should not obey the truth r Gal. 3.1 yea they corrupt and defile the soule I feare saith the Apostle s 2 Cor. 11.3 least your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Errours and Idolatries agree in this they are both of them the defilements of the conjugall Bed they make professors turne Strumpets and cease to be loyall Spouses of Jesus Christ Yea moreover they hinder the growth of grace in the soule as the worme at the root of the tree hinders the growth of the tree or weeds sprouting up with the corne hinder the growth of the corne Hence is errour compared to a Canker or Gangrene t 2 Tim. 2.17 which consumes the flesh so doth errour consume or eat out the heart of grace Oh that sad experience did not set seale to this truth but we see it daily and may grieve for what we see That many Christians who formerly have bin forward professors haue seen some beauty in spirituall things and tasted of the heavenly gift yet when once they are caught in this snare of errour they lose the savour of grace and fearfully fall either from the profession or from the power of godlinesse Secondly they are damnable in their effects For it is well observed by Divines u Master Hildersam on Ps 51. p. 704. and others That corruption in judgement is as bad nay worse then corruption in manners especially where the mind ha's been enlightned with the knowledge of the truth Leprosie in the head was of all other Leprosies the most dangerous and destructive w Lev. 13.44 The Priest shall pronounce him utterly uncleane saith the Lord his plague is in his head He was uncleane if he had the Leprosie in his hand or feet but if it were in his head then he was utterly unclean Looke as the Soule is the excellency of man so the intellectuall part is the excellency of the Soule It is the Candle of the Lord as Solomon cals it ſ Pro. 20.27 a light set up to direct the whole man in the way that he should walke in Now as our Saviour reasons in the like case If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse t Mat. 6.23 So here if the minde and judgement be corrupted how great is that corruption In God's feare therefore let all errours be avoyded as Satans snares for so the Apostle cals them v 2 Tim. 2.26 wherein he entangles the understandings of seduced men For the second viz. Inordinacy of Affection such as sinfull feares sensuall delights carnall contentment creature-confidence selfe-love and selfe-seeking earthly mindednesse and the like they must all be renounced if we our selves would be reformed It is a golden Rule of the Apostle the Lord give us hearts to walke by it in 1 Cor. 7.30 31. Let them that weepe be as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not over-using it w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rerum fluxarum immoderatum usum damnat Beza in locum When a Picture is pasted to a wall if you offer to plucke it away you teare it in peeces but if you set it in a frame you may remove it as you please So when our hearts are glewed to creature-comforts we lose our hearts in the use of them and teare our hearts in parting with them But if our hearts be set in a holy frame of spirituall Moderation we shall neither over-joy them while we have them nor over-grieve when we come to want them For the third viz. Sinfulnesse of conversation This must be abandoned It is not enough to bewaile the Sinnes that ye have committed but ye must also forsake the sinnes that ye have bewayled Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall finde mercy x Pro. 28.13 All Grosse sinnes must be forsaken in practice Let them not be once named among ye as becommeth Saints y Ephes 5.3 See Isa 30.22 The least sinnes even sinnes of thought must be forsaken both in Affection by loathing of them and in Resolution by striving against them cleaving unto God with full purpose of heart z Acts 11.23 and hating every false way a Ps 119.128 Quest But how or by what Meanes may the worke of Reformation be carried on both in publick and private in Church and State in our hearts and houses Answ Let us carefully and conscienciously make use of these Meanes Helpe 1 First let us be humbled to the dust for our former failings and particularly that our Spirits have not been upright or stedfast with our God that we have not payd the Vowes which we made unto him in the day of trouble Like little children while we were under the rod we made faire promises but the rod in a great measure is removed and yet we are not reformed Helpe 2 Secondly Looke often on our Covenant and take heed of breaking with that God who keepes Covenant with us b Neh. 1.5 and accurately eyeth and observeth al the juglings of our hearts Who among us doe not tremble at the story of Zedekiah of whom God speakes thus after he had broke his Covenant which he had made with Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon c Ezek. 7.15.16 shall Zedekiah prosper shall he escape that doth such things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered No even in the midst of Babilon shall he dye Memorable is the story of Vladislaus King of Hungary d Turkish History p. 297. who having made a League with Amurath the Turkish Emperour for ten yeeres upon the perswasion of a Cardinall called Julian who absolved him from his Oath he brake his League Hereupon comming
anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Instruction 2 For the second our presumption in sinning against him is intollerable because all our sinnes admit of this aggravation that they are committed full in the face of God r Isa 65.3 It is a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face This is that which may prick our hearts and wound our soules in all our confessions and humiliations when we can say with David Å¿ Psal 51.4 Against thee thee have I offended and done this evill in thy sight Thou hast been an eye-witnesse of all my stubbornnesse and undutifulnesse of all my trechery and hypocrisie of all my wandrings and backslidings This was one thing that let the Prodigall blood in the heart-veyne and stroke him with penitentiall remorse viz. That in his wandring from his Father he went into a farre Country t Luke 15.13 v 18. as thinking to be out of the reach of his Fathers eye but when he returnes he bewailes this ver 18. I have sinned against Heaven and before thee Mark the phrase Before thee he looks on his sinne as committed in his Fathers eye all the time It were an intollerable impudency for a wife to dally with a stranger in the presence of her husband or for a villaine to offer violence to a Queen while the King looks on Will he force the Queen also before me in the house saith Abasierus concerning Haman v Ester 7.8 Or a Theefe to cut a purse in the Face of the Judge sitting on the Bench or for a Subject to set the Crowne on anothers head when the King himselfe is standing by Yet thus deale presumptuous sinners with the Lord every day and is not this a provocation intollerable What an aggravation was that of Nimrods sin x Gen. 10.9 he was a mighty Hunter before the Lord so desperately bold was he in his boystrous tyranny that he was not afraid to act it before the Lord And are there not some that dare call Heaven to record for ther fidelity in the publick cause of Religion when God and their owne conscience know the contrary Are there not some like Ephraim of whom God saith y Hos 12.7 8. He is a cunning Merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand and he loves to oppresse yet as if he would mock the God of Heaven to his face he saith I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me that were sin As if he should say God makes me prosper though it be in a way of injustice and oppression therefore he hath no quarrell with me at all Oh the horrible hellish Atheisme that doth possesse our hearts Are ye offended at the harshnesse of the expression Ye must know there is an Atheist in affection as well as in opinion z Job 21.14 They say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes There is an Atheist in practice as well as in profession a Tit. 1.16 They professe they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Are there not many of us that professe we know God and in our tongues dare not deny him yet in our life and conversation carry our selves as if God had but the eye of a picture without life or motion in it Are there not many of us who make of the great God of Heaven with reverence be it spoken no better then a Baal a sleepy senslesse carelesse God that neither regarded iniquity nor rewarded duty Are there not many who as much as in them lyes put out the al-seeing al-searching eye of his omniscience and cut off the arme of his revenging justice as if he would neither see nor censure any of their transgressions If pilfring Achan had thought that the eye of the Lord had followed him as Elisha told Gehazi that his heart went along with him when he received the present at Naamans hand b 2 King 5.26 durst he have stollen the wedge of gold and Babylonish garment and so have transgressed in the cursed thing If those two loose professors Ananias and Sapphira could have reasoned as holy Job did c Job 31.4 Doth not the Lord see my wayes and count all my steps durst they have lyed unto the holy Ghost If traiterous Judas had thought the eye of his Master had watched him durst he have nibled money out of his Masters bag If we in our actings for God our seekings and services did but really think that the frame and temper of our spirits our very ends and aimes are as obvious to the eyes of God as our actions are to the eyes of men were we but fully perswaded of this that he observes whether we be sound at heart or rotten at core durst we lye unto the Lord and cozen the world and in the end cozen our own soules But we think it not I say it againe to our shame we think it not We have poore low thoughts of God and of his greatnesse majesty power and glory we are ready to think wickedly of God That he is such a one as our selves d Psal 50.22 In stead of raising up our thoughts to God we pull downe God unto our thoughts This is our Atheisme this is our Presumption let us see it and bewaile it and be humbled for it Vse 2 exanation Let the second Use be for Examination Take occasion to enter into the Closet of our owne hearts to see how the case stands between God and us This should be a day of self-scrutiny and self-reflection wherein we should smite upon e Ier 31.19 our thigh with Ephraim and be ashamed yea even confounded before our God It should be a day wherein we should plough up our fallow ground f Ier. 4 3â— ransack every corner of our soules and turne the inside of our hearts out unto the Lord. Let us therefore search our hearts and sift our lives whether there be not those sinnes and abominations among us which the Lord beholds with an eye of jealousie True it is that Kingdome killing sin of Idolatry which God so deeply chargeth on them in the Text is in a great measure suppressed among us and blessed be the Lord who hath put it into the heart of this honourable Parliament to purge out the dregs of that leaven which the Lord hates in his very soul and to pull down that proud oppressing PRELACY and those prelatical popish Innovations which were the props and pillars of Idolatry But are there not other God-provoking Heaven-daring wrath-procuring sins yet unpurged out which in the sight of God are very odious and abominable May not God speak to his Ministers concerning England as he does to Ezekiel g Ezek 16.2 Son of man cause Jerusalem to know her abominations Let me instance in some particulars Abomination 1 First is there
what therein will beare the stampe of divine Authority may be represented to you And ye have done exceeding well in this matter the Lord of heaven prosper you in your proceedings But let me put you in minde of a sad Story that ye meet with in this Prophesie Jerem. 42. The people come to the Prophet very demurely r Jer. 42.3 5. Desiring that God would shew them the way wherein they should walke and what he would have them doe and they make a solemn profession and protestation ver 5. The Lord be a true and faithfull witnesse betweene us if we doe not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us Well the Prophet do's inquire and brings them a Message that they doe not like ver 10. viz. That they should abide in the Land of Judah and not goe downe to Egypt What say they to this Message You may see Chap. 43.2 They are extreamly angry with the Prophet and give him the lye to his face Thou speakest falsly The Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to sojourne there Whereupon the Prophet tels them plainly Chap. 42.20 Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me to the Lord to inquire for you Observe here If the Prophets counsell had suited with their owne Principles ends and interests then they would have followed his advice but because it did not they scornfully reject it Now God forbid that there should be any among You that should thus double and dissemble with God in your inquiry But if there be any such among ye or if this or any of these secret sinnes before named doe cleave to your hearts or lives I testifie to you in the presence of God what Moses did to the Reubenites s Neh. 32.23 Behold yee have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sinne will finde you out Againe Doe our sinnes yet threaten us with a Woe Then let me beseech you Honourable and Beloved study to be so many Moseses to stand in the breach t Psal 106.23 between God's wrath and a sinfull people I know it is Christ alone that can doe this meritoriously for Moses in this was a type of Christ but ye may doe it instrumentally as Phinehas did by executing judgement Numb 25.11 Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them Shall I speake my feares to you Truly I feare Though God ha's brought us to the skirts of Canaan to the Havenmouth of our deliverance yet we are still so unreformed that we lye under that Woe which is denounced against the Cherethites v Zeph. 2.5 viz. That the word of the Lord is against us even that word which I spake of before in Isa 8.12 13. His anger is not turned away because we turne not to him that smites us Now if the Word of God be against us it is more then if France and Spaine and Germanie and all Christendome were against us Therefore that Gods anger may be turned away by a speedy Reformation do ye endeavor to promote it with all your might follow the example of that godly King Hezekiah w 2 Chro. 31 21. Whatever he did in the service of the house of God and in the Law and in the Commandements to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered Say to that God who ha's beene your shield and buckler to whom ye stand infinitely indebted and engaged as Elisha did to the Shunamite x 2 Kin. 4.13 Behold thou hast beene carefull for us with all this care in preserving us from the rage of those that rose up against us What is to be done for thee Remember the eyes of the Kingdome are upon yee nay the eyes of all Christendome are upon ye as a Parliament saved by the Lord neere unto him in the bond of love and the Bond of a Covenant O did ye but live up to the height of your mercies and engagements what a renowned Parliament would you be Therefore Doe worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem y Ruth 4.11 Think with your selves ye heare the whole Kingdome crying to you as the man of Macedonia did to Paul z Acts 16.9 We are desperately sicke with sinne as well as misery Come heale us come helpe us Yee have the broome of Reformation in your hand for the Lord Jesus sake doe something to cleanse us sweepe the Church as well as the Commonwealth To this end take order that Obstructions may removed ye in your wisdome can finde them out Take order that Ministers may be encouraged in their work Thus did godly Hezekiah a 2 Chro 31.4 He commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests and the Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. Let those that are faithfull have such honourable b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5.17 maintenance that their persons may be fenced from contempt He spake as an Oracle in your House that said c Sir Ben. Rud. A scandalous maintenance is the cause of a scandalous Ministry Doe not starve the Nurse lest the Nurse starve the Childe Let there not be one penny of that which is called the CHURCHES REVENEW diverted to any other use then for setting up of a godly consciencious Ministery in those places especially where the people are ready to perish for lack of vision and were they but sensible of their owne misery would cry out as the Prisosoners at Ludgate Bread for the Lords sake Bread for the Lords sake TAKE ORDER That errours and heresies be discountenanced and suppressed stop the spreading of this Gangrene before it over-run the whole body of the Kingdome O that I might make it my request to this honourable Senate on my bended knees that ye would take some speedy course to stop this Flood-gate least we be drowned for the Lord Jesus sake shew us that favour that the earth did to the woman when the Serpent cast water out of his mouth as a Flood to drown her the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood d Reve. 12.15 16 TAKE ORDER That our differences may be compounded Here let me turne my Exhortation into a Lamentation O that we had some mourning Jeremie's that could doe as he did in this Chapter e Jer. 13.17 My soule shall weep in secret places for your pride for onely by pride comes all our contention f Pro. 13.10 and mine eye shall weep sore and run downe with teares O that we could quench this flame of contention with our teares but since we cannot Lord Jesus doe thou quench it with thy blood As concerning the present difference lying before ye I will not undertake to loose that knot Blessed be God ye have an Assembly of as reverend learned pious judicious Divines to consult with as this present Age can afford Onely let me beg two things at your hands Beare with me it is the first time that ever I spake to you in this place First Be not jealous of your friends that have stood by you and stuck to you and have strengthened your hands in God as Jonathan did Davids in the day of his distresse g 1 Sam. 23.16 Let us speak our hearts to you God and our consciences will witnesse for us that we seek for Purity more then Power and if Christs honour may be advanced though in the ruine of our owne we doe rejoyce and will rejoyce In briefe if ye give us a power more then Christ gives us it is our sin to accept it if ye give us lesse take heed least God be angry The second thing I beg is this Hasten a setling We know ye are going on yet because the Church of Christ is running to confusion beare with us if we be a litle impatient of delay and cry out as Sisera's Mother did h Judg. 5.28 Why is the Charet so long in comming why tarry the weels of the Charet or as the Text sounds in your ears When O when will it once be Doe not say as the people said in Haggai's time i Hag. 1.2 The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built for this made God so angry that he did not blesse but blast their labours till this were done k Ver. 9. To conclude remember ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement l 2 Chro. 19.6 your authority is from him your support is by him and your account must be rendred to him therefore protect the oppressed punish the offender encourage the godly discourage the prophane Be an eye to the blind a foot to the lame a father to the poore and the cause ye know not search it out as holy Job did m Job 29.15 16. In one word be so valiant for God so couragious for his truth so zealous for his glory so vigilant in your places so wise in your deportment so impartiall in your proceedings so constant in your Covenant so faithfull to your trust that the eye which sees may blesse you and the eare which heares may give witnesse to you That the wisdome of God is in you to doe judgement n 1 Kin. 3.28 If it be thus and O that it might be so then not onely we but all the Churches of Christ about us will bring in their votes and say This is a Parliament that the Lord hath blessed This is a Parliament that the Lord hath crowned FINIS