a man may judge that to be crooked that agrees with a crooked rule so of the two we might rather conclude that man to be unfit that the people chooseth than to be fit and so more consonant to reason that he should even therefore be rejected than admitted for in that he is chosen by the people it is to be presumed that they are fit to judge of him and if they are competent judges of him it will reasonably be inserred that he is inferiour to them in wisdome and excellency but this is not to be imagined and therefore the conclusion holds fairely per argumentum ab absurdo that the people ought not to have the choice of the Minister Againe it is against two maine ends of Triall and Election which are first that the Minister may be such as may not deceive the people Therefore there must be some wiser than the people to try him or else they may be deceived by him in the capacity of Triers as well as in capacity of Disciples or Learners otherwise this would suppose upon the matter all Election unnecessary in regard of this end for if they are presumed to be able to judge of his Doctrine there is no danger that they should be deceived by it nay for ought I know it will inferre no necessity at all of a Minister or of his teaching them for if they be wise enough to examine him in point of Doctrine or to try him in it it is to be presumed that they have as much or more light than he for that light must be greater that will discover the failings or imperfections of another light unlesse we will have darkenesse to judge of light The second maine end is that he may be such as will not corrupt them by his life and conversation that will not lead them on by ill example in Faction Sedition or in any wicked course Now this is not likely well to be provided for by committing the Election to the people for how soever the timpany of opinionate holines is become so generall a disease in these times yet if we take not maskes for faces if we understand holines aright or make a true survey of the people it will be found a conclusion too operative even in these times That the greatest part of the people are not of the best inclinations and than if that be a true principle that owne appetit simile Every thing delights in that which is like it selfe The major part of the people which is evill are not in any great probability to choose a pious Minister In short the question than will be as I have it from an Elegant Lamenter of this Churches miseries in far better times when these evills which we suffer seeme to have been but in their cradle Quonam pacto de eruditione imperiti vel de sapientiâ stulti and let me adde vel de probitate impii recte judicabunt Querim Eccles How shall rude and illiterate men judge of erudition or fooles of wisdome or wicked men of honesty and righteousnesse Have we not cause to feare with him least in a popular Election the holier sort may be overcome of the greater number and that they may choose such Ministers as in their wills their inclinations their lives and manners are most conformable unto themselves If reason will not prevaile let the Scripture be searched and see if upon due examination it can be found that ever a meere popular Election was erected by any Divine warrant to be the gate for the Ministry to make entrance by into their Functions I deny not there are pretences of Scripture for the purpose but shadowes are many times much longer than their substances if they have any substance at all in them that note which is taken from those that have shewed themselves none of the best friends unto the true and genuine orders of the Church may well serve to abate the force of them in this argument Quae pro populari Electione à nonnullis afferri solent ea nascentium rerum primordiis fuisse accommodata sed nostrae aetati minùs aptè convenire That those things that are produced in behalfe of popular Election by some were proper unto those rudiments and beginnings of the church but do not agree with the age wherein â—e live not only in regard of the necessity which might then give countenance thereunto but also because the whole multitude of Disciples and Christians as they were much more pure and sincere and more eminent in piety which secured them proportionably from miscarriage in the choice so they were endued for a great part if not all as it appeares with extraordinary gifts whereby they were enabled to judge of the Abilities and Orthodoxnesse of those which were proposed to their choice And yet even in those times there is sufficient to be found to shew us that those acts that were done or seeme to be done in that way were not intended for ruled cases to the Church in that it is evident in the practice of the same Apostolicall times that men were sent to exercise the Ministry amongst the people and accordingly undertooke and performed it without any the least reference to their consent or approbation See Acts 13.4 5. and Acts 9.20 with divers other places And indeed had it not been so how should the worke of Gods building have gone on How should the Vine of the Gospell have spread it selfe so gloriously as it did over the face of the earth sending out her boughes unto the sea and her branches unto the River and covering the hils with the shadow of it as the Psalmist speaketh in the 80. Psalm Should the Preachers of the Gospell have staid and expected that they who were not converted to the faith and yet enemies to the Gospel should have chosen Ministers to preach it amongst them Or how can it be expected now in these daies that the people who are deeply infected with corrupt opinions and schismaticall affections should Elect Orthodoxe sound Teachers in such times as these are wherein that sad prediction of St Paul 2 Tim. 4.3 is fulfilled That the time should come when men would not endure sound Doctrine how then is it likely that 〈◊〉 should make choice of 〈…〉 â—inisters or not rathâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—hat they should as they do after their owne lusts heape unto themselves Teachers having itching eares turning away from the Truth and being turned unto Fables Nay if the case were so in such an age as this wherein Religion seemes to be lookt upon and used by too many but as a meere cheate and imposture of humane policy and wherein there are so many that had rather save their Tythes than their soules Both Ministry and Preaching would perhaps ere long be totally discarded and cast off as things unnecessary and burdensome when men have once fully served their turnes with the shews of Piety and Religio◠〈◊〉 all would be swallowed 〈…〉 that Religion that the Storck
as God made an offer to Abraham of sparing Sodom if there had been Ten Righteous in the City and sometimes that by them he may correct and chastise his children sometimes to make room for some greater Judgements as Isa 14.29 That the Serpents root may bring forth a Cockatrice and sometimes to leave men to themselves and to give them over as in a desperate condition as a Physitian withdrawes himself from the administration of Physick when hee findes the Disease invincible unto the meanes So God speakes of Israel Isa 1.5 Why should you be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more As the Husbandman gives over the Ploughing and the Harrowing of that ground that will not by all his Husbandry be reclaimed from barrennesse and Weeds And I beseech God deliver us from such a deliverance We ought to pray unto God that he will not withdraw his Corrections from us untill he hath â—one the work of Grace upon us But my meaning is this First That we have no way to engage God unto deliverance no way for us assuredly to obtaine it at his hands but by that Course that I have prescribed And secondly That God useth not to give a mercifull and a comfortable deliverance unto any but those that seeke unto him in that way It is a fearefull thing when God removes his Iudgements before we remove our Sins when the case is with us as Reverend Gildas in his Epistle recordeth it of the Brittaines not to their comfort but their terrour A while ceased saith he the attempts of our enemies but yet not ceased the wickednesse of our Countrymen our Foes lest our People but our People lest not their Iniquities and this was no good presage and I pray God it prove not our case There is cause enough for us to tremble at the very thought of the departures of Calamities from us if we consider how little they have wrought upon us But to the purpose Take it in these foure Branches First there is no obtaining of mercy and favour from God which is the Fountaine of all our comfortable and true blessings and deliverances but by Humiliation for sin past Secondly Repentance or Conversion from sin unto God Third Prayer And fourthly Faith which must present them all unto God in Christ And all these in their efficacy depend upon one another No Conversion without Humiliation no Prayer without Repentance no effectuall Prayer or Repentance without Faith First no reconciling of God nor obtaining of his favour and mercy without humiliation for sin past See how God threatens the people of the Jewes for want of this Ier. 44.10 11 c. They are not humbled even unto this day neither have they feared nor walked in my Law nor in my Statutes that I set before you and before your Fathers what followes Therefore saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel behold I will set my face against you for evill and to cut off all Iudah c. See Isa 22.12 13. And many other places where God layes the cause of the continuance and encrease of his fury upon the want of this And if we search the whole Scripture and the History of Gods dealings with the severall people of the world we shall never find that God was ever reconciled to any without this And God is no Changeling He is uniforme in his Actions He is the same God still as he was then hates Sin as much now as ever he did nothing can reconcile him unto Sin The Bloud of Christ could not reconcile him unto Sin though it reconciled him unto Sinners and therefore as long as we are at peace with Sin and at peace with our selves in Sin there is no peace to be had with God His answer will be to all our Petitions for peace like that Answer of Iehu unto Ioram 2 Kings 9.22 Is it peace Iehu saith he And hee answered What peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabell and her witchcrafts are so many Such hath the Answer of God beene a long time unto this Nation and such will it ever be untill we are humbled under his hand for our Sins It is our peace that hinders our peace the dead and dull peace of our security that hinders the peace of unity our peace with our Sinnes hinders our peace with God we have had indeed feigned Humiliations Iezebels Fasts But we have not been exercised in true Humiliation and Fasting and therefore we returne without a blessing we have often indeed moved the question as it were unto God but he hath answered us as Iehu did him in a manner in his effectuall and operative word in the continuance and encrease of our afflictions What peace as long as the Impieties and Iniquities of England are so many and there is so little humiliation for them It is the very proper and immediate end for which God sends affliction that hee may make Sin bitter unto us that that bitternesse may produce a sanctified griefe c. See Ier. 2.19 and 4.18 Indeed there can be no peace with God without Humiliation for sin because without this can be no Repentance or Conversion from Sin for this is the Prologue and the Vsher unto Repentance It is as it were the wombe or rather the travell and labour of the soule whereby Repentance is brought forth 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of So that no Humiliation no Repentance or Conversion for that I conceive the Apostle there meanes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he there differenceth it from godly sorrow It is the change of the heart which is Conversion And as without Humiliation there is no Repentance so without Repentance or Conversion there is no Reconciliation to God and so no mercifull no true and comfortable deliverance to be obtained That is the second Thesis or proposition That there is none to be had without Conversion Sin in the foule is like Ionah in the Ship untill the rebellious Prophet be cast out the storme will not cease And unlesse this Rebell of Sin be cast out of the soule by a true and serious Conversion unto God a forsaking of all our sins and cleaving unto God the stormes of his fury and indignation will be up against us and if we heare them or feele them not it is because we are in a dead sleep yea we are then many times in greatest danger of them when we feele them least This tempest is oft most violent when it appeares a Calme and it is a great affliction to be without affliction What should I stand to prove this The Scripture is every where almost embroydered with this Doctrine take a place or two for the present See how God threatens not only the continuance but the multiplication of Judgements upon Israel Amos 4. What a Chaine of calamities he makes for them and what a heavy weight of judgement hee hangeth at the end of it from the 6.
for him and in an houre that they are not ware of and shall cut them asunder and divide them their portion with the hipocrites There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth It was a sad account that one gives of the miscarriages of this kind in his time Invitus dico tamen dicere coger Ecclesiarum cat hedras hodiè multis in locis pro rabularuÌ„ causidicorumque hujus generis demagogoruÌ„ rostris haberi ex quibus ij quibus statio haec concredita est Satyrus suas in imaginatos adversarios declamitant I am loath to speake it but I am compelled to speake it That the Chaires of the Churches are in many places at this day esteemed for the Pulpits of Raylers Cause-drivers and such like side-maken amongst the people out of which they unto whom this station is committed declaime their Satyrs against those whom they imagine their adversaries To which we may adde what he complaines of afterwards Pro salubri alimento quod familia Christi apponere debebant auditorum plausum favâ—reâ— captant fictaeque compâ—sitâ— orationis lenocinio Petrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diceret fluctuantis populi motum pruritum ad suaslibidines torquent circum agitant Hoc igitur boni deplorare corrigere autem preter Deum nemo poterit Instead of that wholesom nourishment which they should administer unto the houshold of Christ they hunt after the applause and favour of their Auditors and with the alluring dresses of their sophisticated language or as St Peter hath it with fained or plaistred words faire in shew but durty and filthy in substance they turne and â—osse the itching and moveable people at their owne lusts this good men may and ought to deplore but God only can correct and amend which God grant of his great mercy That the houses of God may be no more turned into brothels by committing adultery with the soules of the people That they that have the manage of holy workes in those places may remember whose cause it is that they have in hand that they are not to woe for themselves but for the Bridegroom which is Christ Jesus whose servants they are to make ready and adorne his Spouse which is his Church against the wedding That they may not seeke to gaine the applauses of the people unto themselves which are too often made the hire of vanity and corrupt Doctrine but to gain the soules of the people unto Christ To conclude that they may not preach themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves the Churches servants for Jesus sake And it were much to be wished that the nursery of this evill affection in some Ministers were removed by changing those theatricall applauses of the people which if rightly valued are rather the accusations and reproaches of the Ministry and too suspitious a symptome that that worke is not performed with that gravity and severity that it ought to be especially in such times as these into sighs and teares and sobs of Godly sorrow for their sinnes and into the cheerfull concurrency of the votes of the people to the petitions and praises that are offered up unto God But it is a signe of no healthfull constitution in the Congregations of the people when their periodicall hummes of the Minister are lowder then the Amens of their Prayers and Thankesgivings unto God This and not that is the thuâ—der of the Church wherein sâ—e strucke and battered in pieceâ— the adversaries of the Truthâ— That would throw downe thâ— Towers of Sathan and his iâ—struments Those Babels of confusion that are setting up amongst us That being accompanied with the lightening 〈◊〉 a fervent devotion would break the cloud of the displeasure of the Almighty and make the fruitfull showers of his mercies flow downe upon us Blessed is the people that know this joyfull sound And yet the faults we have spoken of might be the better borne with were they not accompanied with more and those of no mean depravation in the Ministry of the Word Such is the too much unworthy and effeminate pusillanimity and extreame lukewarmenesse that is found in too many in this age who dare not reprove prosperous sins that have betrayed the Cause of God his Church and his Annointed for feare of the frownes of men Such whose discretion hath devoured their devotion that cry out it is no time now to preach against such sinnes because they are wickednesses in high places that could talk much and earnestly against Rebellion in an Assembly of Loyall men in those Cities and places whilst there were any where Rebellion dwelt not or in those Times when sedition was in a lower condition But in these times and in those places when and where those sinnes are in their power and glory they cry it is wisdome and thinke it no impiety to hold their peace as if a Physitian should say he is discharged from the necessity of giving Physick because the patient is very sicke and standeth in great need of it forgetting that the workes of the Ministry are to be gaged not by the interests of our safety but of Gods glory and our duty to him and his people and that however we may please our selves with some present ease that we find upon our shoulders yet that security will prove deare bought in the end that we have purchased by suffering and conniving at the spoile of Truth and Righteousnesse and although this may go for prudence amongst men yet it will be found Treachery Treason in the account of God Oh how have we forgotten those severe and peremptory rules of the Almighty so earnestly exacting the discharge of our consciences in this duty See Ezek. 33.8 If thou dost not speak to warne the wicked from his way that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at thine hand How have we forgotten those woes of the holy Scripture which are threatned against fearefull hearts and faint hands See Revel 21.8 See it and tremble Do we feare the menaces of men and do we not feare the menaces of God Home minatâ—r mortem metuis contramiscis Deus gehennam minatur contemnis Man that shall die himselfe and perhaps before he hath done threatning menaceth death if thou speakest and thou fearest and shakest God threatneth thee with hell if thou beest silent and thou contemnest it and yet God can defend thee from the threatning of man but man cannot defend thee from the threatning of God If God be with us who can be against us But if God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers must stoope under him Oh I beseech you consider this in time you whom God hath honoured so highly as to be made the Advocates of his truth you that are the sollicitours and the Atournies of the King of Kings Impeach these Trayterous Iniquities boldly and faithfully and do not become Traytours your selves in becoming accessary to those horrid impieties whereby your Lord and
He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse They meet with darknesse in the day-time and grope in the noone-day as in the night Prov. 21.30 There is no wisedome nor understanding nor counsell against the Lord. And whatsoever is without God is against him No Associations can do good without him See Isaiah 8.9 10. Walls and Fortifications are to no purpose Isaiah 22.8 9 10 c. The sounds of Rams hornes shall be as good as the Batteries of the greatest Rams or the shot of the greatest Cannon against Hiericho if the Lords strength be not the cement of the stones thereof Iosh 6.20 There is no nourishing vertue in the creatures without him Matth. 4.4 Man shall not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God There is no Security no Prosperity no successe in any Action any Operation or Enterprize without the blessing of the Lord. Except the Lord build the House they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the City the Watch-man waketh but in vain c. Psalme 127. What seemes to be attributed unto Chance Eccles 9.11 being spoken as is thought in the person of a carnall man perhaps to convince such an one from his owne principles is without doubt the prerogative of God who is equally the great Master both of contingent and regular events for there is nothing contingent in regard of the first cause The race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor yet bread to the wise c. Eccl. 9.11 There is no peace nor indeed any good to bee had but from him Isaiah 45.7 I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things The Scripture flowes with this kind of instruction And the voyce of Reason and Scripture is subscribed by Experience The experiments are innumerable that History affords to this purpose We need goe no farther than to those evidences which have been given us in our late miscarriages Wee see our Wisedome hath forsaken us and the contrivances of our great Counsellors have proved plots of destruction our policies have served but to improve our miseries to cheate us farther and farther into the power of Mischiefe and Desolation On the one side our gracious King the glory of our strength under God is imprisoned and he that should helpe us is not able to helpe himselfe God hath suffered so good a King to fall into such a condition perhaps to teach us this lesson that I am now pressing upon you I pray God we may learne it quickly for his sake Our Armies though they were strong and powerfull and had the great comfort and encouragement of a righteous Cause yet through miscarriage in the mannaging thereof and for want of engaging God with them in the work yea through their dis-ingaging of him by their wickednesse and horrid impieties they have beene defeated and brought to nothing I pray God this may be remembred hereafter On the other side the Armies in which so many have trusted and which they have beene at such cost to set up and maintaine instead of helping them have become their Oppressours the edge of their Swords hath been turned toward themselves and their own force threatneth them with ruine The Money and Wealth of the City and Kingdome hath purchased chased us no deliverance at all but hath rather served for the hire of our calamities All the Pillars on which we have leaned are broken as it were on all sides and we have no Foundation left us to rest our selves upon on earth Oh then now let us learne from all this that there is no helpe but in God If wee have our recovery we must have it from heaven and from his hand No Drug will helpe us but Manus Christi If wee ever have Peace we must have it from him Hee is the Prince of peace and the God of peace Though the whole World should conspire to doe us good and to relieve us yet if the Lord come not in to the worke it will be in vaine Let us therefore learne wisdome by our former follies and doe not now relapse into your old errours againe There is much gaping after helpe from this and from that from the Scots and from the Welch and from I know not whom and indeed these may be instrumentall helpes and it will be wonderfull in God to make them so But all these will deceive us unlesse God be brought in for us unlesse he be with us as good they were all against us They will neither prove faithfull unlesse God hold them nor helpfull unlesse God strengthen and prosper them Let us look upon them therefore as the returning glimpses of Gods mercy unto us as his proffers and invitations to make us seek unto him But let us take heed that we place not our hope in them nor in any creature It is the common Dilemma of humane folly and perversenesse that where no outward help appeareth it is apt to despaire of help from God and we will trust him no farther than we can see him in the meanes but they that are of this mind if they truely search into their condition will finde perhaps that they trust not in God but in the meanes And againe when outward help doth begin to shew it selfe we are presently too apt to forget our dependance upon God and to withdraw our expectations from him and to set up that meanes for an Idoll in his Throne by placing our hope and confidence therein I pray God deliver us from both these extreames and teach us in all the varieties and changes of humane things to keepe our selves unmoveably fixed upon this Rocke That our help commeth from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psal 21.2 But it is a great question that comes in the fourth place and would require more space than I have allowed mee to resolve it fully What course may be taken to engage God on our side and to obtaine help and relief from him First let mee entreat you all to bee firmly fixed upon this and to let it seize upon your affections as well as your judgements that if ever we be relieved it must be God that must relieve us And then take in this conclusion for your direction That there is no way to obtain help and deliverance from God but by Humiliation Repentance and faithfull Prayer unto him This onely will doe it and this will doe it I must divide and be briefe I shall premise only this premonition I deny not but God may grant outward deliverances outward blessings where they are not sought of him in this way for divers ends that are knowne unto his heavenly wisdome He doth sometimes take off judgements from the wicked that he may render them so much the more unexcusable and sometimes to give them the reward of some outward Services and sometimes for the sake of the righteous that live amongst them