Child saith he speaking of Christ is set up for a signe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a signe an Ensigne a Standard Behold the Standard of the people which all the Lords Commanders should labour to set up for them even the same which Moses typically erected in the Wildernesse the Brazen Serpent lift up on high on a pearch or pole a lively representation of Christ lift up upon the Crosse as our Saviour himselfe for I conceive the words to be his expounds it 3. John This is the Standard which should be set up And how should it be set up Why by the Preaching of the Gospel so the same Expositer prosecutes it Gods Ministers they are the Lords Standard-bearers whose office it is to carry this Standard before the people as the Priests under the Law did the Arke and this they are to do by the preaching of the Gospel Set up Christ by the preaching of Christ Hereby is this Standard set up Christ being in the preaching of the word as it were lift up upon the Crosse before the eys of the people So Paul telleth his Galathians that Christ had been evidently set forth and crucified before their eyes viz. in and by the preaching of the Gospel By this means is this Standard set up and this is the best means for the gathering the people into one bodie Oh then let all in their places specially the Commanders in the Lords Armie amongst us to whom after a speciall manner it belongeth as they desire the reducing of stray wandring souls and the uniting of all into one body let them by all meanes endeavour to set up this Standard providing as much as in them lyeth for the liberty and free passage of the Gospel that this standard may be set up where it hath not yet been seen that it be continued and displaied more and more where it is erected And here let not any think or fear that this will be a means to scatter the people as some no wel-willers to the Gospel are ready enough to do who stick not to charge all our divisions upon the Gospel and the Preaching therof as if the clocking of the Hen were the means to sever and scatter the the Chickins No this is the only means of gathering them Oh Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children together saith our Saviour viz. by the sending out of Prophets and Apostels and Ministers to them to set up Christ in the Ministery of the Word as in other of his ordinances to set him up and that not only in his Priestly and Propheticall but also in his Kingly office not only as the Saviour and Teacher but as the King and Ruler and Law-giver of his Church And here let me repaire again to the Type David here projecting and propounding to himself the way and means of reducing his own subjects and bringing them to unitie amongst other he pitcheth up this that Judah should be his Law-giver Judah is or shall be my Law-giver i. e. all his subjects should be brought under one Head one Governour who should give them Lawes according to which they should be ordered and governed which power and authority belonged to the Tribe of Judah according to that Prophecie of Jacob Gen. 49. to which the Psalmist here alludeth No way no means to bring the people unto unitie to bring them into one body but by bringing them under one head one Law-giver by whose Laws they may be regulated and governed Now in the Church and in matters of Religion this one Head is Christ even that Lyon of the Tribe of Judah as he is called Reve. 5. He is the Law-giver of his Church and let him so be This will be found one I and the only means to breed an holy and Religious unitie to reduce and bring home straying wandering sheepe for such and only such they are that I now have to deal with or speak for sheep not wolves such as seek to make a prey of the flock whom I put in the former rank reckoning them as enemies And so consequently for the repairing and healing of these Breaches It was the first thing which David looked at as giving to his Kingdom hopes of a Cure of these breaches but God had given a Banner an Ensigne to his people setting David over them as their head vers. 4. You see what Magistrates and Rulers the Lords Commanders amongst us ought to do or see done and for this they shall have my prayers as well as directions that they may do it But what shall we of the Ministery do This is the next head which I should have now fallen with but time taketh me off for the present This with what remains of this point I see I must yet adjourn till another occasion ISRAELS CURE The fift SERMON April 6. PSAL. 60. Ver. 2. Heale the Breaches thereof c. THe healing of Israels breaches is a Cure which every true Israelite should seriously desire and endeavour Once more this usefull conclusion commeth to hand which I have already prosecuted by way of Doctrine and Application I yet stick in the latter of these the latter part of it wherein my designe was to lay you downe some Rules and directions for the furthering of this desired Cure in the Church of God amongst us These directions we ranked into two sorts some wherof were restorative others preservative Of the former sort we found some concerning our selves others of them concerning others viz. those which have beene and are Breach-makers amongst us teaching us how to order our selves towards them These breach-makers as you have heard are either strangers or Israelites Strangers enemies to our Religion or rather Gods Religion professed amongst us with these we have done Israelites some of our brethren who through infirmitie and weaknes have been seduced and drawn aside either from the wayes of truth or peace Concerning them the question was what shall be done to them or for them This we answered generally let them be reduced and brought home with all tendernesse and gentlenesse More particularly for full satisfaction I entred upon a way of giving to every one his portion Shewing first what publike persons are to do Secondly what private Publike persons are either Magistrates or Ministers The former of these have had their directions which the Lord teach them to make a good use of It remains now that we come to the latter and so proceed to that which remains 2. What shall we of the Ministery do For answer as briefly as I may Gods Ministers they are also by office healers They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly so the Lord complains of the false Prophets To heale was their office that they did it slightly was their error And what shall they do that they may be healers in truth furthering this Cure by reducing those which are gone astray which is a part of their
2. Israels Cure 3. Israels Physitian Israels Disease Ruptures Breaches the Breaches thereof Israels Cure the making up or healing of those Breaches Heale the Breaches thereof Israels Physitian from whom it is that David here seeks for this Cure viz. God himselfe To him it is that he maketh this his Request as the first word in the Psalme informes us O God heale thou the Breaches thereof Insist wee upon these three particulars severally beginning first with Israels Disease the Breaches thereof What David hereby means I have in part explained already viz. Those Distractions Divisions Politicall Breaches and Ruptures in the body of his Kingdome Shevariah saith the Hebrew Contrit iones Rupturas Fragmenta the Ruptures Breaches Shivers a word which answers the Originall both in sound and sence possibly fetcht from this Hebrew root Shibber to breake or sbiver a Breach this was Israels Disease A Disease in what bodie soever wee meet with it Be it first in the Nature all body whether Inwardly a Rupture or Outwardly salutio continui a cut or Wound whereby the flesh is broken and divided Every such a Breach or Fraction in what part soever it be it is a Maladie a Disease calling for the help of the Physitian or Chirurgion These are Corporall Breaches Or be it Secondly In the Oeconemical Body or Family Breaches whether in the Head betwixt the Governours those unhappy jars betwixt man and wife dividing those whom God hath made One or betwixt the Members Dissensions of Brethren too frequent or the disagreements of Servants all hurtfull and prejudiciall to the familie Domesticall Breaches Or be it Thirdly in the Politicall body the Common-wealth Breaches made upon it by open hostilitie from foraigne enemies or else in it by homebred divisions and dissentions whether betwixt the Prince and Subiects or betwixt Subiects themselves all endangering the state of a Kingdome Politicall Breaches Or be it Fourthly In the Ecclesiasticall Body the Church Breaches in or about matters of Religion Sects Schismes Heresies rending and rearing the Seamelesse Coate of Christ the Church Ecclesiasticall Breaches Of all and every of these I may truly say that they are Diseases and that dangerous ones How dangerous I shall forbeare to shew you for the present reserving that for the latter part of the Text to which properly it belongeth This is the disease which David here speaketh of and complaineth of And this was Israels disease That is the mark which my eve is upon at the present Heale the Breaches thereof viz. Of the Land the Land of Israel Even Israel is subiect to Breaches that is the conclusion which from hence I take up Even Israel is subiect to Breaches So it was with the Literall typicall Israel Davids Kingdome so it may be with spirituall Mysticall Israel the Kingdome of Christ the church of God upon Earth Hereof was Israel a type Davids Kingdome a type of Christs Kingdome the Church upon Earth resembling it both in the King of it and Subiects of it and State of it 1. For the King and Head of it David a type of Christ and a lively type thence is it that Christ is sometimes called by the name of David They shall seeke the Lord their God saith the Prophet Hosea speaking of the Israelites the Iewes and David their King i. e. Christ who as he was of the seed of David the sonne of David so he was most clearely and lively represented and resembled by David To touch upon the particular Resemblances betwixt them as it is besides the Text so it would swallow up more time then for the present I have to spare Secondly For the subiects of it they were Israelites a people that were in covenant with God carrying the seale of that covenant the signe of circumcision in their flesh an holy people professing sanctitie and holinesse And such are the subiects of Christs Kingdome the true members of the Church visible they are Israelites Behold an Israelite such by profession a people in covenant with God partaking of the feals of the covenant a holy people called to holinesse Saints by calling professing sanctitie and holinesse Thirdly for the state of it Davids Kingdome was still in a militant condition for the most part and so is the Kingdome of Christ his Church upon Earth a militant Church where Christ ruleth and raigneth in the midst of his Enemies Thus was Israel a Type of the Church the one literall the other Mysticall Israel And both these shall we finde subject unto Breaches Typicall Israel was Mysticall Israel the Church may be the Text makes good the former let me shew you the latter and for the demonstrating of it cleare unto you these two things 1. What Breaches they are which Israel the church is so subiect to Secondly Now it cometh to passe that it should be so subiect to these Breaches For the former What Breaches they are that the church of God upon earth is so subiect to For answer hereunto give me leave to reflect upon the type and enquire what were Israels Breaches which David here complaineth of In making this enquirie I will not go out of this Psalme wherof the Text is part in the latter part whereof David doth tacitly insinuate unto us what were those Breaches whereof he complayneth in the former They were of two sorts Homebred Foraigne Homebred intestine and civill Breaches made and caused by some of the Israelites themselves Foraigne made by those who were open and professed enemies to their Kingdome and Religion 1. For the former There was as yet a strong partie in Israel which after the death of Ishbosheth cleaved to the house of Saul not acknowledging David for their King but were ready upon all occasions to raise new tumults and commotions thereby seeking to shake off the yoake of Davids government The chiefe and principall places wher this seditious party had their residence and abode were those which the Psalmist mentioneth in the sixth and seventh verses of the Psalme viz. Shechem Succoth Gilead Manasseh Shechem a Citie in the tribe of Ephraim Succoth a Citie in the tribe of Gad. Gilead and Manasseh the utmost borders of the Land of Canaan beyond Iorden These were some of the chiefe places which sided with Ishbosheth whilest he lived as you may see 2. Sam. 2. and as it seemeth they still cleaved to the house of Saul after he was dead not acknowledging David for their King So much David himselfe here insinuates I shall divide Shechem c. i. e. have a full possession of it and the rest which as yet he had not These were intestine and Homebred Breaches made by some of the Israelites themselves Secondly Besides these in the second place David and his Kingdom had many foraigne enemies open and professed enemies not onely to David his House but to the whole Kingdome of Israel Such were the Moabites Edomites Philistines
doth in such a way as he not onely leaves no fear behinde but maketh the Church a gainer by them In both these is God glorified and to these ends doth he permit these breaches which if he would he could hinder even as our Saviour suffered Lazarus to be sicke to dye both which he could have hindred that the Sonne of man might be glorified in his Resurrection This sicknes is not unto death but for the glory of God So may we say of these diseases in the Church her Breaches are not mortal not unto death the Church being a Body like unto the Head of it immertall but for the glory of God that the sonne of man the Head of the Church may be glorified in preserving in Healing it 2. God doth it in the second place with an eye to his Church giving way to these Breaches that For 1. Exercising 2. Trying 3. Purging of it 1. For the exercising of the Church Therefore doth he expose it sometimes to open persecution suffering Enemies to breake in upon it and to break it even as the Husbandman opens and breakes the clods of his ground rending and tearing it with ploughes and harrowes as the Prophet Jsai alludeth This he doth for the exercise of his Church which if it lay fallow would be ready to run wilde and prove unfruitfull 2. For probation and triall of it To make triall of the Faith and Obedience of his people To this end the Lord left the Cananites and some other nations to be as thornes and pricks in the eyes and sides of the Israelites not driving them out before Joshuah as he had done the rest that through them he might prove Israel whether they would keepe the way of the Lord to walke therein as you have it 2 Judg. And to this end amongst other he suffers his Church to be pierced rent and torne as by persecutions so by schismes and heresies viz. for the trying and manifesting of those which are approved There must be heresies or sects saith Paul to his Corinthians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} oportet There must be Why That they which are approved may be made manifest Of such use were those civill dissentions in the Kingdome of Israel betwixt David and Ishbosheth thereby it was manifested who they were which cleared to the house of Saul and who to the House of David And such use God maketh of the Breaches and Divisions in his Church hereby he discovers who they are which will cleave unto him to his Truth and who they are which for by and sinister respects will be drawen aside to follow after errour Hereby God maketh a Discoverie discovering men to others I and sometimes discovering them to themselves making them hereby to know the rottennesse or sinceritie of their own hearts whether they have followed Christ for Loaves or no Thirdly for the purging of the Church Even as by those Commotions in the upper region of the Ayre thunderings and lightnings rending and tearing the clouds with those in the lower Region stormes and tempests the ayre it self is purged and cleansed from many noxious vapours which otherwise would anoy the inhabitants Even so by these commotions and combustions in the Church God purgeth a great deal of corruption out of it This is one of the fans in the hand of Christ whereby he dresseth his corne and purgeth his floore his Church freeing his truth from a great deal of chaffe and drosse which is oftimes mingled with it Thus this is Gods doing and In the second place it is Satans doing who hath ever an hand in those Breaches which God permits and orders So had he in the great Breach which was made upon Israel through Davids sin in numbring the people This happened not without a divine permission and ordination whence it is said that God moved David against Israel yet Satan had an hand in it being the immediate instigator of David unto that sin which made the Breach whereat that judgement brake in and thence we finde it else where attributed to Satan Satan stood up against Israel c. Which latter text explaynes the former There is not a Breach that is made in or upon the Church whether it be by open Persecution or home-bred Dissension but Satan hath an hand in it So had he in all those Breaches which were made in and upon the Primitive Churches Those persecutions were from him The great red Dragon in the Revelation he persecuted the woman Those persecutions wherewith the Church was broken under those heathenish Emperouts untill the time of Constantine the great that man-childe there spoken of as some expositours conceive it that masculine deliverer they were of Satans raysing And we may say the same of those schismes heresies errours superstitions wherewith the Church in those Primitive and after ages was infested and troubled they were all but the spawne and seed of the same Serpent The Serpent cast out of his mouth a flood of water after the woman so you have it verse fifteen A flood of water even that flood of errours and heresies as that of Arrianisme and some other which like a flood a land flood had overflowen almost the whole world This flood came out of the mouth of that Serpent And so hath that deluge of Antichristian errours in which the world for many ages together lay steeped and drowned And we may say the same of all those lesser streames of errours heresies schismes which have or do infest any part of the Church they are but as so many smaller brookes or rivolets flowing and streaming from the same head divisions discensions in the Church they are some of the tares sowen by this envious man in Gods field which he doth to a clean contrary end then that which God intendeth them for viz. for the ruine and destruction of the Church To this end the Dragon cast out that flood of warers after the woman that the woman might be carried away of the food To this end doth Satan set abroach all these pernicious errours in the Church that if possible the very Elect might be deceived and so the whole Church carried away either by seduction or destruction To this end doth he sowe these tares of differences and dissentions that they may hinder the groweth of the good corne the groweth of Religion as for the most part they do That hereby the Kingdome of Christ may be weakned his own strengthened which as it was at the first founded in and raysed by divisions his dividing betwixt God and man so it is exceedingly promored and built up by the same meanes by dividing betwixt men and men You see the truth of the point that it is so you see the grounds of it why it is so What use shall we now make hereof unto our selves Here to let fall a stone which the text putteth into my hand
to cast at our adversaries of Rome who amongst their fifteen notes or markes of the true visible Church lay down these for two Vnitie Prosperity Vnitie or Vnion of the members under one visible head and amongst themselves Prosperity outward and temporall felicitie which if so what shall we say to the Church of Israel at this present when David complained of so many Breaches in it Where was then the union of the Church under one visible head when that Kingdom to which the Church was then confined was so divided betwixt two some cleaving to the house of David others to the house of Saul yet both making up one visible Church Where was the outward felicitie and temporall Prosperity of the Church when the foundations of that Kingdome and consequently of the Church the whole Church were so shaken both by foraigne invasions and home-bred seditions But I passe by this leaving them to talke of that which is not nor ever yet was to be found amongst themselves What ever may be said for the latter Temporall Prosperitie sure we are as for the former Vnitie it is a thing which they have no cause to boast of The use I intend to make of it shall be onely to take off the triumph scandall or discouragement which any may happilie either make or take at the present Breaches which are to be found amongst us in this and the neighbour Kingdom In the behalf of both these we are this day and at this time assembled together viz. to seek God for them as David doth here for Israel that He would heal the Breaches thereof That there are Breaches in both and those very considerable ones but for number and nature many and great shaking the very foundations of them it cannot be denied And in these Breaches some happily will be ready to triumph So did both the Edomites and Philistines here spoken of over Israels Breaches Israels Breaches were their Triumph so were they to the Philistines O Philistia triumph thou because of me or over me saith the Psalmist here verse 8. speaking by way of Ironie and mockage bidding them go on in their rejoycing and triumphing over the Church of God insulting over her Breaches and ruines as they did The like did the Edomites So we may hear the Prophet Obadiah charging it upon them ver. 12. of his prophecie Edom looked upon the day of his brother Jacob the day of Israels affliction the day wherein he became a stranger was carried away captaive This day the Edomites looked upon in a rejoycing way insulting over the miserie of the Church so it followeth Edom rejoyced over the children of Juda in the day of their destruction and spake proudly insultingly in the day of their distresse c. with such an eye no question do the enemies of God and his Church at this day looke upon the distressed distracted state and condition of this and the neighbour nation Romish Edomites those children of Edom which say of our Hierusalem our reformed Religion Race it race it even to the foundations thereof uncircumcised Philistines such as have gone about to set up the Ark of God by their Dagon as the Philistines once did to make Rome and England meet together I doubt not but they are ready to triumph and insult over these Breaches which themselves have made these divisions distractions seditions rebellions whereof themselves are the Authours and fomenters hoping that at these Breaches themselves shall re-enter setting up their standards again upon the Churches battlements raising themselves upon the Churches ruines which they hope these distractions do presage Others there are to whom these Breaches may happily be a matter either of scandall or discouragement To some of scandall unsetled and unstable Christians reeds shaken with the winde carried about with every blast Upon this ground happily they may be brought to scruple and question the truth of our Religion and so to entertain thoughts of relinquishing it flying from it as some have done because of some divisions amongst the Professors of it To others of discouragement Weak and faint-hearted Christians who because they cannot at the present see how these Breaches should be repaired and made up therefore they are ready to yeeld up the City to give the Church and cause of Christ in it for lost as if the condition thereof were forelorne and desperate Not so No just groâ—nd for any of these whether for triumph scandall or discouragement Breaches there are amongst us it cannot be denied and those such Breaches as deserve to be lamented with tears of blood but yet are they any other then what the Church of God upon earth is subject to Surely no It is Saint Pauls consolation to his Corinthians touching their temptations There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man And the like may I say of these temptations distractions divisions wherewith the Church of God in these parts at this day is exercised they are no other then what are common to the Church may befall the Church the true Church of God To make this good paralell and compare we the state of the Church in these two Kingdoms with that of Israel in Davids time and see what greater Breaches shall we finde in the one then in the other In the neighbour nation the Trumpet of rebellion is sounded the Kingdome divided put into blood ingaged in a civill war by the means of a seditious party of Romish confederates who under a pretence of vindicating the liberty of their own seek and indeavour the extirpating and rooting out the true Religion of God of late through the mercy of God begun to be planted amongst them together with all the professours of it But what is here more to be seen or heard then was in Israel at that time when she bad the son of Bichri a man of Belial blew a trumpet and said we have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel whereupon the whole 10. tribes made a present revolt following after him the tribe of Judah onely cleaving to their King Amongst our selves however blessed be God and blessed be his Anointed and blessed be the multitude of his wise faithfull Councellours this fire hath not yet broken forth into such open flames yet how hath it smoaked how doth it smoak To let passe here that late Breach so happily healed and made up betwixt the two Nations at least so some would have had it which threatned us with the dreadfull judgement of a civill war of wars the worst To let that passe which yet we must not let passe without a thankfull acknowledgement of the power wisdome goodnesse of God manifested in making up of that Breach not onely healing it without a skar but bringing a more firme union out of it As also to forbear the mention of those late Breaches made both upon
Church and state among our selves Breaches made upon the estates of men upon the liberties of subjects the bodies nay the souls and consciences of Christians which through the goodnesse of God inclining the heart of his Anointed to hearken to his great Councell of state are in part already repaired and made up Besides these other Breaches there are which yet lye upon us Breaches in the Church Breaches in the state both in measure still rent and torne distracted and divided I shall not need to name particulars which are too obvious to every vulgar eye But in all these what is here more then was to be found in Israel at that time when the whole land was shaken that Kingdome divided betwixt the two Houses of Saul and David some siding with the one others with the other taking of parts to the great indangering of the state of the Church therein True it is the enemies of our peace are many Besides a dangerous party at home of such as do in their hearts and affections at least cleave to the House of Saul the old House as they falsly call it Papists and others popishly affected together with a Malignant party of malecontents persons ill affected to Church and state besides these it cannot be thought but that we have enemies abroad enemies to our Religion we are sure many of them vassals to that Man of sinne that Antichrist of Rome who as they at the present insult over our breaches so if occasion were offered we cannot thinke but that they would be ready to breake in at them But herein againe what is our condition other then Israels was at this time when David penned this Psalme when besides that seditious party amongst themselves they had also many foraigne enemies enemies both to their Kingdome and Religion and that almost on every side Moabites Edomites Philistines Moabites and Edomites on the East Philistines on the West Thus paralelling our condition with Israels we finde no great oddes of breaches betwixt them not more in the one then was in the other And therefore to draw towards a conclusion of this point and exercise In the first place let not our adversaries triumph over our breaches Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy Or if they will let them triumph Triumph thou O Philistia because of me or over me Let our adversaries of Rome and their adherents the sedicious and ill affected party amongst our selves triumph and lift up their heads insulting over our breaches in the meane time we could tell them of their owne breaches and enquire of them where their Vnitie was when their Church was divided betwixt two visible Heads at once two Popes I meane both set up and both ruling at the same time the one in Italie the other in France the one at Rome the other at Avignion a considerable number of Cardinals and Prelates siding and taking part with either of them Then was the state of their Church like that of Israel when after the death of Saul some sided with David others with Ishbosheth We could minde them of their own present divisions which long have and still do distract that Church of theirs which howsoever they having more of the Serpent and being wiser in their generations then the children of Light carry more closely with lesse noise wherein I wish we could imitate them yet are they both for nature and number so considerable as that it should make them ashamed either to boast of Vnity amongst themselves or to insult over the Breaches of others One of their own modestly tels us of 20. severall schismes amongst them Another their great Cardinall Bellarmin by name to the everlasting glory of their Churches unity ingenuously acknowledgeth no lesse then 237. differences or contrarieties in Doctrine amongst their own Divines But these we passe by contenting our selves with this this was Israels condition and it may be the condition of the true Church of God to be divided distracted no matter of triumph to them Nor yet in the second and third place of scandall or discouragement to others Not of scandall What though the naturall body of Christ be pierced rent torne with thornes nailes the spear of the souldier yet let none be offended at it Blessed is he saith our Saviour whosoever shall not be offended in me What though the misticall body of Christ the Church be pierced rent and torne pierced with the spear of persecution rent and torne with the thornes and nailes of home-bred divisions and dissentions let none be offended at it Nor yet Discouraged by it The naturall Body of Christ for all it was so pierced rent and torne yet it rose again the third day They are not all the rents breaches divisions distractions in the misticall body of Christ the Church that shall hinder the resurrection of it The Church in Hosea complains that the Lord had torne her and smitten her Yet mark what followeth After two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight God hath at the present done the like by this and the neighbour Nation smitten the one torne the other Smitten the one with the sword of a Civill but Barbarous and Savage enemy Torne the other with unhappy differences and distractions yet let not either of these discourage He that hath torne us he can heal us He that hath smitten us he can binde us up and this we trust in mercy he will yet do It is the speech I remember of the wife of Manoah to her huâ—band If the Lord had had a purpose to destroy us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things And let us in an holy considence say the like touching the Church of God in this and the neighbour Kingdoms Had God had a purpose to haue cast us off from being a Church from being a people to have unchurch'd us to have taken his Gospel from us surely he would never have accepted our offerings our prayers and the prayers of his people amongst us which we are assured he hath dore having given us most gracious comfortable returnes of them assured evidences of their acceptation Neither would he ever have shewed us all these things Discovered and consounded so many plots so many trecheries and conspiracies of our adversaries still turning their councels upon their own heads carrying the great councell of the Kingdom through so many to flesh and blood insuperable difficulties Nor yet would he have begun to repair and make up our Breaches so as in part already he hath done and we hope is doing Do we see one bestowing cost upon an old garment in darning up the holes drawing up the rents making up the Breaches in it we thereupon conjecture surely it is not his intent as yet to cast it off and to lay it aside Surely beloved such have been Gods
seeke the Peace of Babylon Seek the Peace of the Citie whither I have caused you to be carried away Captive Pray unto the Lord for it why for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace And for this reason should all of us be earnest in seeking the peace of Jerusalem the peace of the Church the peace of the State wherein we live In the peace thereof we shall have peace On the other hand if they miscarry none of us but will feel of it It is Mordecaies message to Hester which he useth as an argument to put her on and cause her to break through all discouragements and fears in seeking and endeavouring the rescue and deliverance of Gods people her Country-men the Jews Think not with thy self saith he that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more than all the Jews The Court the Kings house should be no Sanctuary to her No more shall any of our Estates which we have or the places where we live or any other outward priviledge be unto us and therfore think not of taking Sanctuary in any of these as our foolish carnall hearts are very apt and ready to do thereby eluding and bearing off the blow of Gods threatnings so as they take no place with us to cause us to seek the averting and turning of them away No if it go il with the Church with the State it cannot go wel with us Think not to escape in our particulars If a ship founder and sink at sea all the passengers which are in it for the most part perish with it And in that respect there is none but will be more solicirous and carefull for the ship it selfe then for their own Cabins for the stopping of the leakes in the one then the chinks in the other And in this regard Christians should be more solicirous for the publique weale then for their owne private wealth bonum quo communius The Common-wealth should be preferred before a mans owne private wealth and much more the Church the house of God as the Apostle calleth it before our own houses so was the Psalmist who ever it was that penned that Psalm affected towards Jerusalem If I prefer not Jerusalem before my chiefe joy the head or top of my joy as the Originall hath it Thus should we stand affected towards the Church of God preferring the welfare thereof before our own welfare making it as the top of our joy so the top of our care and desire and feare If it go well with the Church wherein we live it will goe the better with us our private happinesse is bound up in the publique peace and tranquility thereof In the peace thereof we shall have peace Seek and endevour this cure for our own sakes Seeke it in the second place for our brethrens sake For my brethren and companions sake saith the Psalmist If it went well with Jerusalem not onely David and his Family but all the inhabitants in Jerusalem nay all the people of God in the whole Land of Israel or where ever they were they should fare the better for it And for this cause seeke we the peace and welfare of this our Israel the Kingdom wherein we live that the breaches thereof may be healed Seek it for our brethren and Companions sake our Brethren at home our Brethren abroad not only those of the same Nation in Forraign parts but all others of the same Religion with us even all the true Churches of Christ throughout the World all which have a venture in this bottome being greatly interested in the woe or wel-fare of this Church If we compare all the Protestant Churches to a Fleet or Navie of Ships as fitly in many respects they may be In this Fleet the Church of England must needes be acknowledged to be the Admirall having long carried the Flag in the Main-top and having been a security and Protection to many other Churches I wish I could have said to all which have come under her Lee Now the Admirall miscarrying oftentimes indangers the whole Fleet Certainly all the Forraign Churches how ever they have not a dependance upon this Church for their being in that respect they being all independent all Sisters Daughters of the same Father Churches of God I and of the same Mother too daughters of that Jerusalem which is above which is the Mother of us all and in that like Zelephehads daughters joynt-heirs in their Fathers Inheritance none having power over other nor priority before other yet in respect of their well being they seeme to have If it goe ill with this Church so as that miscarry there is none of the Churches of Christ this day under Heaven but are like to feele of it and as things now stand to smart for it Oh for our brethren and Companions sake let us seek the Peace of Jerusalem the healing of the breaches of this our Israel And this doe we in the third place for Religions sake Because of the house of the Lord our God saith the Psalmist i. e. the Tabernacle and Temple the Religion worship and service of God whereof Jerusalem then was the seat If Jerusalem went to wrack what should become of the Religion of God the publique exercise of it God having chosen that to be the place to put his name in Let the same argument prevaile with us to make us seeke the peace of this our Israel by indeavouring the healing of the breaches both of Church and State amongst us This doe we because of the house of the Lord our God The publique exercise and profession of the true Religion of God depends upon it which cannot but suffer if the state suffer if the Church suffer as now for the present it doth and is likely more to doe if it be not speedily remedied by these unhappy divisions and distractions amongst us In the midst of these how shall we thinke that the Religion of God shall grow The Temple was built without the noise of Axe or hammer when it was built axes and hammers were fatall to it at lest to the beautie of it They breake downe the carved worke thereof with axes and hammers saith Asaph by a propheticall eye and tongue foreseeing and foretelling the destruction of the Temple And what doth the noise of axes and hammers amongst us at this day presage I meane those sharpe and eager contentions divisions distractions Certainly if these be not silenced and quieted they will indanger at least our carved worke the beautie of our Church and Religion In the meane time we are sure they hinder the growth and progresse of it You know what it was that hindred the building of Babel and the same meanes will hinder the building of Jerusalem the Church of God the Religion of God confusion division Division of tongues and hearts Oh because of the house of the Lordour God the Religion of God professed amongst us therefore seeke we the peace of Jerusalem
there will be peace upon earth Then give this honour unto him Rest upon him and him alore for the effecting of this great Cure and that in his owne Way and Time Take heed of prescribing unto God in either of these Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast Bee we content to tarry Gods leisure and then In the Fourth and last place If God shall ever be pleased to work this great Cure for us forget not to Give him the Glorie of it and him alone If we may not trust to our Bow neither may we sacrifice to it If the Physitian by his skill worke a Cure upon his patient the honour is his not his Apothecaries who ministers what he prescribes All the instruments of our good they are but as Instruments which must be strung and tuned and touched before they will make any Musick So take and so acknowledge them giving unto them what honour and thanks is their due but in the meane time reserve unto God what is his peculiar the praise and Glory And thus I have at length done with the former part of the Text Davids Request It remains now that I come to the latter Davids Reason Let me borrow of you a little time and but a little and I shall dismisse both you and the Text of which I am desirous to discharge my own thoughts and your attentions at the present Israels Danger It shaketh AN ArgumeÌ„t or Reason as I told you taken up by the Psalmist to presse his request taken as you have heard from the eminency of the Danger wherein that his Kingdome then was It shaketh or it is shaken A metaphoricall expression borrowed from an Earthquake as I have already explained it where the Earth being big and in travell as it were with some windy vapour which it strives to bring forrh and to be delivered of it trembles and shakes So wavering and unsetled was Israels condition at that time by reason of those forraine Invasions and homebred Divisions and Distractions that the very foundations of it seemed to shake threatning Ruine and Destruction Such may the state of the Church of God upon earth sometimes be wavering tottering shaken Even as we read of Mount Sina at the giving of the Law though it stood fast in respect of the foundations of it yet it was shakâ—n it quaked The Church of God in respect of the foundation it standeth sure being built upon a Rock so as the Gates of Hell all the Power and Policie of Satan and his Instruments shall never be able to prevaile against it yet may it be shaken So was the Ark of God at the threshing floore of Nachon or Chidon though it fell not yet it was shaken So may the Church of God and Religion of God be though they shall never be quite overthrowne yet they are subject to shakings So is the Church And that through these Breaches which are both from Without and from Within as I have already shewn you in the case of Breaches From without by persecution and Opposition from Enemies abroad From within by and through homebred Divisions and Distractions which like a windy vapour inclosed in the bowels of the earth cause shaking and trembling This it was that made Israel shake her intestine and civill Combustions Nothing more dangerous to a State a Church moe ominous and pernicious then these Intestine Breaches Such Breaches are shakings dangerous presages in their own nature Destructive presaging downfall and Ruine unlesse they be Healed Both these wayes is the Church subject to shakings And that as I have said heretofore partly through Satans malice who hereby intends the Ruine and downfall of the Church Thence is it that he raiseth and bringeth stormes and tempests in and upon it Even as he did that Tempest which he brought from the wildernesse which smote the foure corners of the house wherein Iohs children were banqueting so as it fell burying them in the ruines of it Partly through Gods effectuall Permission and Ordination who sometimes shakes his Church as he did Mount Sina Thereby intending First Sometimes to manifest his Displeasure against a People a Nation Thus at the Death of our Saviour the Earth shook and trembled as a token of Gods indignation against the Iewes for that horrid Act of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of Life Like construction David maketh of this Earthquake these shakings here in the text he took them as tokens and evidences of Gods wrath and displeasure O God thou hast been displeased Secondly Sometimes God shakes his Church to Purge it as the Husbandman shakes his Come to and fro in the fant to cleanse out the Chaffe and Drosse Thirdly Sometimes God doth it to Humble his people and so to fit and prepare them for some speciall mercy Thus when God descended upon Mount Sina he shook the Earth both the Place and the People putting both into a trembling fit thereby fitting and preparing the people for the receiving of that holy Law of his Thus when God intends to come downe upon his Church in a way of speciall grace and favour he oft-times prepares it by these shakings Even as the Whirlewinde and Earthquake at Mount Horeb made way for the still voyce wherein God was Seldome it is that God worketh any great Changes in his Church without these shakings going before But I must not dwell upon it The use I shall make of it shall be only a double exhortation 1. That we would lay to heart the present state and condition both of this and the neighbour Kingdome which by reason of the Breaches made in them and upon them are shaken So was Israel and so are they Be we affected herewith So wee would be with an Earthquake Did we feele the Earthquake and tremble under us who but would tremble with it This doth the State the Church in these Kingdomes at the present Let every of us be deeply affected with these shakings so laying them to Heart that In the second place we may be excited and stirred up every of us to do that office duty to for the Church of God amongst us that David doth here for Israel viz. to seek the Healing of the Breaches thereof These Breaches how sleight so ever any may make of them they are shakings presages of Ruine and Downfal unlesse they be healed And therefore let both our Hearts work Hands work towards the Healing of these Breaches This it was that made Vzzah so forward in putting forth his hand to touch the Ark he saw that it was shaken and he knew not what the danger might be Stupid is that Heart which apprehends the Ark of God shaken and shall not be ready to put forth an hand to the staying of it This let every of us doe Only taking heed of that Errour into which he through a suddain unadvisednesse fell observing the severall places and stations wherein God
hath set us do we what appertaineth to theÌ„ Publike persons in their places and Private persons in their places Those which may not touch the Ark it selfe let them lay hand upon the Cart which if Vzzah had done and no more that act of his I suppose had been not onely warrantable but acceptable This caution being observed then let it be the holy ambition of every of us to be found of God and man in the number of those which shall be called not the makers or Maintainers but the Repairers of Breaches and the Restorers of Paths to dwell in Even of those ancient and truly Christian pathes which I wish were more beaten and trodden then they are of Religious Peace and Love which if they be wanting the Church how well so ever accommodated and furnished with all other necessaries and conveniences yet will scarcely be found habitable For the furthering of you in this blessed work I shall say no more unto you then what the Apostle doth to his Philippians Phil. 4. 9. with whose words I shall dismisse both you and the Text Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard from me I goe no further Doe and the God of Peace shall be with you Amen FINIS ERRATA page line read 2 13 sad story 3 2 before the text 11 15 was a sufferer 12 5 a sharp contention 29 1 to doe a Cure 32 4 Enemies without triumph  5 Neuters without scandall 38 6 garish 39 19 who have not done 40 29 Pilot 54 9 these Breaches 68 19 Why but what 72 29 our selves 74 3 they be light matter   marg. inedia non 81 25 rent the kingdome 85 26 in that his 86 21 over slaves 93 27 fallen upon 123 13 or blast a Puplike fast Occasion Coherence Calvin Mollerus Sohnius Scultotus Division Israels Disease Breaches The word and thing explained {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Confringere {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Contritio {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Israel is subject to Breaches Israel a Type of the Church in three particulars 1. The King Head 3 Hos. v. last 2. Subjects 1 Ioh. 47. 3. State Psal. 110. qu. 1. What Breaches the church is subject to Ans. Cleared from the Type Israels Breaches of two sorts Hombred made by Israelites Iosh. 20. 7. Ioshu 13. 27. a Sam. 2. 8 Foraigne made by Enemies Geni 19. 3 3. c. Num. 25. 1. 3. Judg. 3. 12 Ge. 25. 30 Psa. 137. 7 Gen. 1â— 6. 14. The Church subject to like Breaches 1. Foraigne by Persecution Acts 8. 1. Act. 13. 50 2. Hombred by divisions Acts 6. 1. The Church rent during the Apostles time Acts 15. 1 2. Act. 15. 39. Gal. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. 1 Cor. 11. 22 23. After their departure torne By Lyons a Tim. 4. 17. By wolues Act. 20. 29 Danae do Haeres Q. 2. How the Church cometh to be so subject to these Breaches Answ. 〈◊〉 is Gods doing who permits orders them with respect 1. To his own glory which is manifested In Preserving In Healing Ioh. 11. 21 Ve. 4. 2. To his Church viz. for Exercise Is 28 24. Tryall Ios. 23. 13 2 Iudg. 22. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 19. Purging Mat. 3. 12. 2. Satans doing who hath an hand in al these Breaches thereby 2 Sam. 24. 1. 1 Chro. 21. 1. Rev. 12. 13. ver. 5. Bright man Rev. 14. 15. Mat. 13. 25. Intending the ruine and destruction of the Church Rev. 12. 15. Matth. 24. 24. Vse 1. Confutation Bellarm. de notis Eccle. c. 3. Vnitie Prosperity no true marks of the Church Use 2. Infosmation Our Breaches no just cause of triumph scandall or discouragement to any though made so To some matter of triumph Obad. 12. Psal. 137. 7. 1. Sam. 5. To some of scandal Vid. ep. Dr. Hall to Mr. W. L. Decad. 3. Ep. 5. To some of discouragement No just ground for any of these 1. Cor. 10. 13. Israels Breaches and ours compared 2 Sam. 20 1. 2. No cause of triumph to our adversaries Mic. 7. 8. Whose Breaches are not lesse then ours Luk. 16. 8. Gene brard No cause of scandall Mat. 11. 6. Or discouragement to weake â—hristian Hos. 6. 1 2. Gooâ— hopes that God will heal our Breaches Iude 13. 23. Mal. 4. 2. Cant. â— and last Publick Fast Explic. what meant by Healing a 107. Ps. 20. Math. 8. 8. b Math. 8. 3. 15. c Math. 9. 20. Luk. 8. 44. Act. 19. 12 d Acts 5. 15. 2 Chr. 7. 14. Doct. The Healing of the Churches breaches should be the desire of every Christian Neh. c. 3. c. 6. Verse 1. Psal. 51. 18. Psal. 122. 6. Reas. 1. All members of the same body 1 Cor. 12. 27. Reas. 2. Breaches in the Church unseemly Psal. 122. 3. Exod. 26. 2 3. Dangerous being Disadvantagious to the Church 2 Col. 19. Eph. 4. 16 Note Marke 3. 24 25. Advantagious to her Enemies Vse 1. Reprehension 1. To breach makers In the state In the Church Who they are cleared from the Type Breach-makers amongst us as in Israel of two sorts 1. Strangers enemies to our Religion Papists c. Isa. 7. 6. Num. 25. 18. 2. Israelites Protestants professing the same Religion with us Iud. 12. 6. Amongst them two sorts of Breach-makers 1. Such as have turned aside after Error 2 Tim. 2. 25. Luk. 1. 79. Superstitious Innovatours Hab. 2. 1. Act. 15. 1. Verse 10. Heb 9. 10. Act. 15. 28 2. Followers of Truth but not 1. In Love Eph. 4. 15. To the Truth is selfe Iude 16. To their Brethren 1 Pet. 4. 8. 2. Not in wisdome 2 Sam. 6. ver. 6. ver. 7. ver. 8. Gen 38 29. Lam. 4. 5. Dan. 5 7. 2. Breach-maintainers whether Purposly Nehe. 4. 7. 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Errorem Ier. 6. 14. Or unadvisedly Such as will be no Healers Icr. 3. 6 7. Benevolence and Loane for Ireland prâ—ssed Hab. 2. 6. Liv. lib. 6 Oros. 3. c. 5. Plutarch vit. Aristid paral Val. max. Acceptam a Patria vitam eidem impendere non dubitavit Liv. Mark 12. the last 2. Cor. 7. 8. ver. 9. Use 2. Exhortation To desire the healing of breaches amongst us To that end be aâ—â—â—â—â—ed with them Ier. 24. 17. ver. 15. â— Iud. 5. 15 16 Iud la 15. Look upon this disease 3. wayes As David doth here upon Israels breaches In the causes of it viz. Gods wrath for Num. 16. 46 Isa. 30 last Our sins Pro. 26. 20 Eph. 2. 3. Rom 9. 22 Rom. 2. 5. Rom. 1. 18 Ephe. 5. 6. Lev. 26 2. 5 2. In the symptoms of it which are dreadfull Num. 16. â—2 Zach. 12. 2. Isa. 51. 17 Psal. 119. 53. Frigus Horror Rigor Fernel Psal. 82. 5. 3. In the prognosticks which are prodigious 2. Indevour this cure Motives 3. Arguments moving David to seek the peace of Ierusalem Psal. 122. 8. 9. Vâ—efull to us in this case Seek this Cure for our own sakes Ier. 29 7.