THE nobleman's pattern Of true and real thankfulness. PRESENTED In a SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable House of LORDS; At their late solemn day of thanksgiving, June 15. 1643. For the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody design, tending to the utter subversion of the PARLIAMENT and of the famous City of LONDON.  
By EDMUND CALAMY, B.D. Pastor of Aldermanburic in LONDON.  
Published by Order of that House.  LUK. 1. 74, 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. 
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the sign of the Crane in Paul's churchyard, M.DC.XLIII.   

TO THE RIGHT honourable House of LORDS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
IF all noblemen were as good and religious as they are presented to the World in the Epistles prefixed to the Books that are dedicated to them, we should not have so much cause to complain of great men's Iniquities, or of poor men's flatteries. S. Augustine in his book of Retractations, Retracts it as a great fault, that when he dedicated a book to Mallius Theodorus, he praised him more than he deserved, though he confesseth that he was doctus vir & Christianus, a Learned and Christian man: It is none of the least miseries of great men, that they want faithful friends to tell them their vices as well as their virtues. King Ahab had 400. flattering Prophets who were the cause of his ruin. Hence is that old proverb, that there are only two things that never flatter great men, Death and Horses. For Death seizeth upon great as well as small. And a Horse will cast down a great man as well as any other, if he rides not well. This Sermon speaks plain language, and this is the only Reason (for aught I know) that it received such kind acceptance, for otherwise it wants that neatness of phrase, and eloquence of speech which such Noble Auditors are accustomed unto, I have often heard of Great men, that complained upon their Death beds, that none would tell them of their faults, but never of any that complained he was told too much. Theodosius the great Emperor confesseth of S. Ambrose, notwithstanding his severe carriage towards him, 
Theod.  Solum novi Ambrosium dignum Episcopi nomine; That he knew none worthy of a bishopric but Ambrose.  
It is a custom to send Sermons out unto public view under the Patronage of some nobleman or other. This Sermon hath this pre-eminence, That it comes forth under the Patronage, and by the commands not only of one Lord, but of a House of Lords. The Lord make it to obtain that end for which it was preached! That you (my Lords) may make Joshua's choice your choice. The subject matter of the Sermon is very common and ordinary. But herein I follow the example of Chrysostom, who when he was made Patriarch of Constantinople, the first Sermon that he preached before the Emperor Arcadius and the great Courtiers, was a Sermon of Repentance. This is the message that I have received (saith Chrysostom) from my Master Christ to deliver unto you. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Haec autem non dubitabo vobis assiduè revocare in memoriam. Haec neminem reverentes neque potentes aut divites timentes ad vos loquemur. The Lord bestow this great grace of Repentance upon you, and enable you to serve God with all the ingredients mentioned in the following Sermon! Two things I would desire your Lordships always to remember.  
1. That the best way of thankfulness for mercies received, is to serve the God of those mercies, and to serve him with the mercies we receive from him.  
2. That the best way for the House of Lords to prosper, is to endeavour earnestly and faithfully to reform the Lord's House, your own houses, and first yourselves.  
Some things I have added which were not preached, which relate to all men in general as well as great men, which I then omitted for brevity sake, but have here interserted I hope without offence, that so this Sermon which is printed for a general good, might have somethings in it tending to the good of all men as well as great men.  
The Great God make the House of Lords as the House of the Lord wherein service may be done to God, and for God's cause. So prayeth  
Your Honours much obliged spiritual servant Edmund Calamy.   

A thanksgiving SERMON PREACHED Before the Right Honourable the House of Lords.  Iosh. 24. 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. 
WE are here met this day to keep a day of thanksgiving, to keep a Heaven upon Earth, to do that for a day, which is the work of Angels and arch-Angels to all eternity. We have had many days of Hosannah's and now we are to keep one day of hallelujahs. It hath pleased God of his great goodness to discover a dangerous and desperate Plot, tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament, of the famous City of London, of the Army, of the whole kingdom, and which is above all to the utter ruin of the true reformed Protestant Religion. We are here assembled to give God the praise of this Deliverance. Now that this duty may be performed after a pious and Christian manner to the praise of that God whom we come to praise, I have chosen this Text. For I am clearly of this opinion, that as there is no duty more excellent than this of thanksgiving.  
For it is the duty of Heaven, and not only so, but the preferment of Heaven. 
Ps. 50. 23.  It is a duty that honoureth God, and it is the highest honour that God can put upon us, to give us leave to perform this duty. It is a duty that Adam should have performed, though he had never fallen. It is a duty that shall last for ever and ever. It is a comely duty. It is a pleasant duty. 
Ps. 33. 1.  It is the highest expression of our love to God: 
Ps. 147. 1.  It is the surest evidence of our election (For that man that loves the work of Heaven upon earth, shall certainly go to Heaven when he leaves the earth. Now the work of Heaven is to praise God.) It is the only rent penny which God requires for all the blessings he bestows upon us.  
And yet notwithstanding all this, I conceive there is no one duty wherein God is more dishonoured, or his name more profaned then in this duty. The world is full of Thanking of God, blessed be God, praised be God. But I beseech yetell me. Are we not formal in this duty? Do we not content ourselves with the bare carcase, and outside of praises? Do we not take God's name in vain, while we are blessing his name? Do we not content ourselves with a drop of praises for a sea of mercies? Do we not praise him with our lips, while we dispraise him with our lives? Are we not like unto Actors upon a stage that now play one part, and by and by act a quite contrary part? While we are at Church we seem to cry Hallelujah, and with the Jews to sing Hosannah. But as soon as ever we come out of the Church, are there not many that will with the Jews cry Crucifige, acting the quite contrary part, and curse, and swear profanely by that God whom they blessed at Church? The devil was the first that ever named God's name in Scripture, and one of the first that ever confessed Christ to be the son of God, and yet he was a devil for all that. It is a devilish thing to praise God with our lips, and serve the devil with our lives. Now therefore for the avoiding of this great sin, and for the raising up of your hearts to praise God, not only with your lips, but with your lives, I have pitched upon these words, which I may very well call, A rare platform, and excellent pattern of true and real thankfulness. For this is to thank God as we ought to do for his goodness, to become good ourselves. Then we praise God aright, when we dedicate our lives to his praise, and become a people of his praise. Josiah did not only offer a thank-offering, but he commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. It is not enough to thank God for a mercy, unless we serve him with that mercy. 
2 Chron. 33. 16.  It is not the singing of a thousand psalms will praise God so much for this Deliverance as the mortifying of one lust. Let the drunkard praise God this day by sacrificing up his drunkenness as a Thank-offering. Let the swearer and the Adulterer forsake his swearing and his Adultery, as a testimony of his thankfulness. God hath been real in his mercies to us, let us be real in our thanks to him. Let us with this famous and noble Prince in my Text enter into a solemn Covenant, and resolution for the time to come, in sense of God's goodness towards us for the time past, to become the true and faithful servants of God, and though all the world should serve sin and the devil, but as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord.  
In the words themselves we have two parts.  
First, The substance of Joshuah's choice; and that is, To serve Jehovah. Joshuah doth not only choose to be saved by Jehovah, but to serve Jehovah. There is no man so wicked, but he would be glad to be saved by God, but you must know that that man shall never have Christ for his Saviour, that will not have Christ for his Lord and Master. He that will not follow the example of Christ's life, shall never be saved by the merit of his death. If Christ be not thy Jacob's staff to guide thee to Heaven, he will never become as a Jacobs' ladder to carry thee up to Heaven.  
2. We have six rare circumstances in Joshuah's choice.  
First, The person that made this choice, and that is Joshua the chief Ruler of Israel.  
2. The latitude and circumference of this choice, I and my house, not himself without his Family, nor his Family without himself. But himself and his Family. And first himself, and then his Family.  
3. The firmness and stability of Joshuah's choice, we will serve the Lord. Not only we desire to do it. But we are fully resolved to do it.  
4. The publicness of Joshuah's resolution. Joshuah doth not only choose in his heart to serve the Lord, but makes open protestation and profession of it, before all the Lords and Commons of Israel. For these words were spoken in a Parliamentary Assembly, when all the Tribes and Heads of the Tribes of Israel and Judges and Officers were present, as you may read v. 1.  
5. The speediness of Joshuah's choice. Joshua puts the Israelites to choose. Choose you this day whom ye will serve. But as for himself he was already resolved. Joshuah had not his Religion to choose as many have, he did not demur upon it, his choice was already made: Choose you; but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.  
6. The singularity of Joshuah's choice. This [But] is put down by way of opposition, Choose you whither ye will serve the true God, or the gods of the Amorites. But as for me I am resolved for myself and my Family to serve the Lord, though all the Lords and Commons of Israel should renounce his service.  
The time will not suffer me to speak distinctly of every one of these parts. I will therefore sum them up for brevity sake into this one doctrinal Conclusion.  
That it is the duty of all men, but especially of such as are Joshuah's, 
Doctr.  such as are Rulers and Nobles, to engage themselves and their Families to serve God resolutely, speedily and publicly, maugre all opposition to the coutrary.  
This is a Doctrine that needs Application rather than Explication. A Doctrine that I have chosen, not to feed your heads with curious notions, but to feast your hearts with solid nourishment. For the Explicatory part, I will only propound 3 things.  
First, I will show what it is to serve God.  
Secondly, I will show the necessity that lies upon all men as well as great men to serve God, and to serve him with the golden circumstances of the Text.  
Thirdly, I will show the necessity that lies upon great men, as well as others, and rather than others to obey this Text.  
First, What it is to serve God. 
The first part of the explication.   
For this you must know that the service of God is not a natural action, wherein the doing of the work is all that is required. As nothing is required of the fire, but to burn, because it is a natural action. But it is an action of Religion, wherein the manner of doing is the chief half of the duty, and that which makes our serving of God to be a sweet perfume is not the serving, but the right serving of God. Now the right serving of God is to serve him according to his own Direction, both for the matter and the manner of his service. It is a maxim in nature, Every master is to be served according as himself commands, and if the servant prescribe to his master, how he will serve him, he becomes his Master's Master. In the civil Law a servant is said to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, such a one that sustains no person, but is a dependent and adjunct to his Master, to accommodate his will to the will of his Master. It is a saying of Socrates, If there be a God he must be worshipped, and if he be worshipped, he must be worshipped according to his own will, or else we do not worship him at all. Moses built the Tabernacle according to the pattern in the Mount. 
1 Chro. 28 12, 19  And David when he built the Temple, received a pattern of it from the Spirit of God in writing. The nature of man is prone to worship God by Crucifixes and Images, and by ways of our own devising. But this is not to serve God, but to go a-whoring after our own inventions, as the phrase is, Psalm. 106. 37. 
Mat. 15 9  For indeed it is spiritual whoredom, and it is an exalting of our wisdom above Gods. It is vain-service, and therefore cannot please God. 
Col. 2 23.  It is will-worship and of no account with God. It is a service that is so far from bringing us to Heaven, that it will beguile us of Heaven. 
Col. 2. 18.  This then is to serve God, to serve him according to his own way, both for matter and manner.  
Now if you ask me; 
Quest.  What is that way wherein God would have us to serve him. I answer briefly.  
He that would serve God so as to please him must mingle 10. 
Answ. 1.  Ingredients in his service. And indeed this very act of Joshuah in choosing such a master as Jehovah, and in choosing to stand under such a relation as a servant unto Jehovah doth necessarily imply.  
First, That Joshuah did not only choose to serve God, but to serve him undividedly, to serve God and none but God. For in all Elections those whom we do not choose we refuse. And therefore Joshua's choosing to serve the Lord doth imply, that he did refuse all other Lords and masters. This is plain in the beginning of this verse. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods, &c. As if he should have said. Ye cannot serve the God of the Israelites, and the god of the Amorites together. Ye cannot serve God and Idols. No man saith Christ can serve two Masters, &c.  
2. Joshua did not only choose to serve God undividedly, but also Everlustingly. This appears because he chose an everlasting Master. And for this purpose he tells the Israelites, verses 19 20. You cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God and a jealous God, &c. If ye forsake him he will consume you, &c. As if he should have said, If you intend to serve God, you must never revolt, but keep yourselves constant for ever to his service, for else he will turn and do you hurt and consume you after he hath done you good.  
3. Joshua did not only choose to serve God undividedly and Everlastingly, but also Faithfully and sincerely. And this appears, because he chose such a Master, that is the heart maker and the heart searcher. This is the difference between the serving of God, and the serving of man; Man can but see the outside, and punish the outside, and judgeth of the inside by the outside. But God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and judgeth of the outside by the inside. 
Ier. 17. 10.  And therefore Joshua tells the children of Israel, vers. 14. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. As if he should have said, If you intend to serve him, you must serve him in uprightness, or else ye do not serve him at all. For God requires good aims as well as good actions, and he abhors that service though never so good, if the aim of him that serves him be not good. If a Wife should dress herself in fine apparel to please an Adulterer, this aim of hers makes her action most abominable; Even so all those that serve God, though never so exactly in outward show if their aim be to please men, or to get their own ends, the Lord abhors them and their services. 
Mat. 14. 51.  God abhors an hypocrite more than a Sodomite, and therefore Hell is provided on purpose for hypocrites.  
4. Joshua chose to serve God zealously; And this appears, because he chose to serve the living God, he did not choose to serve Idols, but to turn from dead Idols to serve the living God. Now the living God expects not only living but lively service, 1 Pet. 2. 5. A man may be a living man and yet not lively, but God expects lively service, and such as are active and lively in his service, such as are fervent in spirit as serving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. As if he should say; You are not fit to serve the Lord, unless you be fervent in spirit, boiling hot in spirit, as the word signifies.  
5. Joshua chose to serve God Reverently and respectfully. And this appears, because he calls himself a servant of God, not a son, not a friend. Now you know it is a necessary ingredient in a servant to keep his distance, and to carry himself respectful of his Master, to serve him with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12. 28.  
6. Joshua chose to serve God cheerfully and freely; For this is another property of a good servant, Psalm. 100 1. Serve the Lord with gladness, Deut. 28. 47, 48. We must make it our meat and drink, our Heaven upon Earth to serve God.  
Seventhly, To serve him diligently and laboriously: This is another property of a good servant; It is said of the 12. Tribes, That they served God instantly day and night. The word in the Greek is, 
Act 16 7.  They served God with an outstretched neck. 
Deut. 29. 1   
Eighthly, To serve God universally in all things, At all times, and in all places, and with all our faculties. First, In all things, though never so irrational to flesh and blood, though never so dangerous, though never so costly. Such a servant was David that fulfilled all the wills of God. 
Act. 13. 22. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  2. As in all things, so at all times; In time of prosperity as well as adversity, and in time of adversity as well as prosperity. For the God whom we serve is the same in all times, he altars not, no more must his servants. 3. In all places, in private as well as public; For God is a Master that fills all places. If thou canst find out a place where God doth not see thee, there it shall be lawful for thee to serve the devil. 4. With all the faculties of thy soul and body. This note of universality though it be a plain one, yet is of marvellous consequence, and it is both {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. It is the best divisive difference to divide a sheep from a goat, And constitutive, to constitute a faithful servant of God, who is one that in all things, at all times, and in all places, with all his faculties gives up himself to God's service. That can say as that Dutch Minister Baldazzar did to Oecolampadius, Veniat verbum Domini & submittemus ei sexcenta si nobis essent colla. Let God speak, and though we had six hundred necks, yet we will make them all stoop to the obedience of him.  
Joshua chose to serve God Absolutely and Inconditionally. For God is a Master that cannot err in his commands, and therefore he must be obeyed without examining of what he commands, with blind obedience. Sufficit pro universis rationibus Deus vult. This is reason sufficient, the unerring God will have it so. This is the best sighted obedience. Man may err in his commands, and therefore is to be served with limitations and examinations. They do befool themselves (saith Lactantius) that follow the judgement of their leaders without judgement, which is the property of sheep rather than of reasonable men. It is a good saying of Sir THOMAS MORE, I will not pin my salvation upon any man's sleeve, because I know not whither he will carry it. But God must be obeyed without an If: with absolute, in conditional, unexamined subjection, this is to serve God as God.  
10. Joshua chose to serve God transcendently and Angelically. To do his will on earth as it is done in Heaven. For he is Jehovah that gives being to all, the great God of the whole earth, and therefore is to be served with super superlative super transcendent service, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  
These are the 10. Ingredients of joshua's choice, these are as a ten stringed Instrument to make our services melodious harmony in God's ears. Let us strive to remember them, because they are the foundation to the building that follows. We live in an age wherein every man will profess that he serves God. But I beseech you remember that unless you add these 10. Ingredients, ye do not serve him, but grieve him. Ye d'ye not serve him, but do him disservice, unless ye serve him undividedly, everlastingly, sincerely, zealously, &c.  
Before I leave this point I must add one thing, That there are 2. properties of a servant that must not be in God's servant. First, a servant serves his Master with a slavish fear, but we must serve God with a godly fear, Heb. 12. 28. Secondly, a servant loves his Master with a mercenary love, he serves his Master as a hireling for his wages. But God's servant must serve God with a filial love. He that serves God only for Heaven, fells his service to God, as Parisiensis saith, Et est inter illum & Deum negotiatio quaedam. Not but that a true servant of God may have an eye to the recompense of reward, as Moses had; but he must have but one eye upon the reward, not both, and the left eye too; For our chief and last aim must be at God's glory. And the reason is, because God's servants are also his sons and heirs, and therefore as we must serve him with the subjection of servants, so we must serve him with the affection of sons. Let us remember that we are his servants, that we may serve him with reverence, diligence and exact subjection, but remember also that we are his sons to serve him with filial fear, love, hope and faith. And this is the right serving of God, to serve him with a servant-like subjection, and with a son-like affection.  
The second thing propounded in the Explication, 
The second part of the Explication.  is to show the necessity that lies upon all men as well as great men to serve God, and to serve him with all these Ingredients. For though Joshua did freely choose to serve the Lord, yet it was not free for Joshua to choose whether he would serve God or no. For we are all bound to do God homage and service. This is primum and totum officium hominis, This is the chief and the whole of man, Eccles. 12. last. We are all bound to this service by a 6. fold bond.  
First, by the bond of Creation. It is a fundamental error to think that we are borne chiefly and ultimately to seek our own happiness. God made man to serve him, and to seek his own happiness in God's happiness, and his own glory in God's glory. It is God that hath made us, and not we ourselves, we are his workmanship, and therefore it is our duty to improve all our parts and gifts to the service of that God from whom we have received all. As all Rivers return to the Ocean from which they first came. And as Aulius Fulvius said to his son when he found him in the conspiracy of Catiline, Now ego te Catilinae genui sed patria. So doth God say to every man, I did not give thee a soul and body to serve sin withal, but to serve me withal. Quot membra tot ora, so many members of our bodies, so many faculties of our souls; so many mouths to call upon us to serve God withal.  
Secondly, It is our duty to serve God, not only for our own creation, but for the creation of the whole world. For God made all the world to serve man, and man to serve him with all the world, and for all the world. He made the sun, the moon, the Fire and the Water, &c. to be serviceable to man, and therefore man must serve God, because he hath given all these to his use, and he must serve God with all these, improving them all to his service. Quot creaturae, tot ora, so many creatures as there are in the world, so many mouths to call upon us to serve God, and to serve him with all the Ingredients before named.  
Thirdly, We are bound by the bond of Redemption. For we are therefore delivered out of the hands of our enemies by Jesus Christ, 
Luk. 1. 74, 75.  that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Quot inimici, tot ora. So many enemies as we are freed from by the death of Christ, so many mouths to call upon us to serve Jesus Christ. And in this sense the very devil himself, and Hell itself (as we are redeemed from them) do call upon us to serve God, and to serve him faithfully, &c.  
Fourthly, We are bound by the bond of Sanctification. For this is the end of our sanctification, That we might have grace to serve him so as to please him, Heb. 12. 28. Quot gratiae, tot ora, so many graces as God hath planted in thee, so many mouths to call upon thee to serve God. For who goes to warfare at his own charge? saith the Apostle, 
1 Cor. 9 7.  Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock? If God hath planted the graces of his Spirit in thy soul, he looks to reap the fruit of his own plantation and husbandry by thy holy serving of God.  
Fifthly, We are bound by the bond of Gratitude. Quot beneficia, tot ora, so many mercies as we have received from God, so many mouths to call upon us to serve God. For every mercy is as a needle, saith S. Austin, to sow God and Man together. Man and God are separated by disobedience, but mercy is as a needle to sow God and Man together again by obedience. And therefore God makes the deliverance out of Egypt to be a forcible motive to the keeping of the ten commandments. I am the God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, Therefore thou shalt have none other gods but me, Therefore thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath day, &c. So must the deliverance we celebrate this day. It must be as a golden Cord to tie us to serve God more devoutly, more resolvedly than ever. Every Deliverance binds the delivered according to the quantity and quality of the Deliverance. God hath given us Deliverances of all sorts, and of all sizes for to oblige us to his service. We have had temporal and spiritual Deliverances, old and new Deliverances. These two last years have been made up all of Deliverances. And to sin willingly against God after such Deliverances as these, is a sin that takes away all excuse, Ezra. 9 10. What shall we say after this, for we have sinned against thee, q. d. We have nothing to say. And it is a sin that will bring universal and utter destruction, according to that Text, Ezra. 9 13, 14. Seeing thou O God hast given us such a Deliverance as this, should we again break thy commandments, wouldest thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping. He that doth not serve God the better for this Deliverance, it is pity he was delivered.  
6. We are bound by the bond of Covenant. Quot promissiones, tot ora. So many vows and Covenants we have made with God, so many mouths to call upon us to serve him. When we were baptised we entered into a solemn Covenant to renounce the devil and all his works, and to be Christ's faithful soldiers unto our lives end. And every time we receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, we renew our vows and covenants. And it is not a week since Ye entered into into a sacred and solemn Promise to amend your lives. The Vow of God is upon you. And therefore I may say as Christ doth, Give unto God the things which are God's. If service be not due do not give it him, but if it be due it is injustice to deny it him. We are all servinati, servi empti, jurati, faederati, consecrati, conducti. We are all the born servants of God, and better we had never been borne, if we do not serve him. We are all the bought Servants of God, 
Phll. 2. 7.  Christ hath bought us with a dear price, even with his own precious blood, he became not only a man, but a servant, to buy us to be his servants. We are the purchase of Jesus Christ, and it is a high act of robbery to deprive him of his purchase. We are the sworn Servants of God, and we are forsworn if we do not serve him, and serve him aright as we ought to do. We have taken a Covenant to serve him better, and we are Covenant-breakers, if we do not serve him, which is one of the black-marks of a Reprobate. 
Rom. 1. 31  We are consecrated to the service of God, and dedicated to him by our baptism, and therefore it is a sin of sacrilege not to serve him. We are all the hired servants of God. All the blessings and mercies we receive daily from God are nothing else, but God's press-money to hire us to serve him, and it is a shame to receive such great wages and to do no service for it. And thus you see what a great necessity lies upon all men, as well as great men to serve God.  
The third thing propounded for Explication is, 
The third part of the explication Why great men are bound to serve God as well as others.  To show the necessity that lies upon great men in particular to serve God, and to serve him with all those Ingredients, and with all the circumstances of Joshuah's choice. Great men are bound to serve God as well as others, and to serve God rather than others. First as well as others.  
First, Because they are God's creatures as well as others. Bound by the six-fold bond before named, as well as others, they are servinati, serviempti, &c. and therefore unjust, perjured and sacrilegious, if they withdraw themselves from his service.  
Secondly, They must die as well as others, and death makes all equal. Diogenes could find no difference in the grave, between the bones of King Philip and other men, as he told Alexander the great.  
Thirdly, They must appear and stand before God at the day of judgement, to give an account as well as others, Revel. 20. 12. I saw the dead great and small standing before God.  
Fourthly, There is no man great in comparison of God. Though a man may be said to be great in comparison of his neighbour; 
Isa 40. 15.  yet in comparison of God all the world is but as the drop of a bucket. And if all Asia, Africa, Europe and America be but as the drop of a Bucket in comparison of God, 
Chrys.  what a little drop of this drop is one great man. There is a greater nearness between a King and a toad then between a King and God. For toads are God's creatures, and so are Kings, and both finite; but there is an infinite distance between the great God, and the greatest King.  
As great men are to serve God, as well as others. So also rather then others. And that because,  
First, They have more reason than others. God hath advanced them above others in dignity, 
Reasons why great men are to serve God rather the others.  honour and wealth, and therefore he expects they should bring more honour to him than others. A King looks to be acknowledged by all, but especially by those who are his Creatures. And therefore Caesar cried out to Brutus, & tufili? What thou my son? So those whom God hath exalted and made as it were gods upon Earth, he looks that these gods should not serve the devil, which would be a paradox beyond expression. The higher the Elements are the purer they are. Air is purer than water, and fire then air. The higher you are in office and wealth, the holier and purer you ought to be. We do not expect as much light from a candle as from the sun. If God have made thee one of the great lights of the world; he looks thou shouldest shine and outshine others in holiness and righteousness. It is a wicked opinion that is spread abroad in the world, that the greater any man is, the less service he need do unto God. Hence it is that if we observe any little spark of piety in great persons, we are ready to behold it as a blazing comet, and to cry it up in the superlative degree. But the truth is, the golden Rule of Christ teacheth us otherwise, To whom much is given, (faith Christ, Luk. 12. 47.) much is required. And you yourselves require most service of those servants to whom you give most wages. God did not require tentallents of him to whom he gave but five, but he required ten of him to whom he gave ten. All creatures the nearer to God the more perfect they are, the Angels more excellent than men, and the essence of men more excellent than beasts, and beasts than plants, &c. So the nearer any man is to God in power and greatness, the better, purer and holier he ought to be. Insomuch that it is reckoned as a great aggravation, That the hands of the Princes and Rulers were the chief in a trespass, Ezra 9 2. Their being Rulers did not excuse, but increase their fault. And Jeremy tells us, Jer. 5. 5. That he would go to the great-men, to see if the way of the Lord, as expecting more goodness from them then others. Of which when he failed, he threatens greater judgements against them than others.  
Secondly, As great men have greater reason than others. So they have greater abilities and opportunities to serve God than others. Now every ability and opportunity is a talon with which we are betrusted, and for which we must be accountable. The wiseman tells us, 
Eccl. 7. 11.  Ecclesiast. 7. 11. That wisdom is good with an Inheritance. wisdom is good without an inheritance. But it cannot do so much good when it is seated in a poor man, as when it is joined with an inheritance. When divine wisdom and honours meet together, they are like apples of Gold in pictures of silver. Riches and greatness have made many good men bad, but never any bad man good, and yet they put a price in a good man's hand to do much good. As a good musical Instrument doth not make a skilful musician, but a skilful musician can play better upon a good instrument then upon a bad one. If the man be gracious and religious that is great and rich, he will make sweeter harmony and melody in God's ears, then if he were poor and in a low estate. It is not to be expressed what attractive power there is in the good examples of great men to make others good. Great men are like unto looking-glasses, according to which all the Country dress themselves, and if they be good looking-glasses they do a world of good. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed, many of the Corinthians hearing of it, believed also, Act. 18. 8. When Shechem and Hamor were circumcised, they quickly persuaded their people to be circumcised also. Joshuah's example in my Text made all Israel enter into Covenant to serve God. And if the great-men and the rich-men of the kingdom would appear in more number, and more courageously and resolutely in the great cause of the war now undertaken by the Parliament, how quickly would the whole Land arise as one man to take part with them. What mighty loadstones were Nehemiah, Ezra and Zerubbabell to draw thousands of people to go with them from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. So much for the Explicatory part.  
Now for the Use and the Application. And here I will apply myself. First, To all men in general, 
Use of reprehension.  not excluding great-men. And secondly, To great-men in particular, and yet not excluding other men.  
First, 
First to all men not excluding great men.  To all in general.  
This Text speaks a word of reproof to all those that make a quite contrary choice to Joshuah's choice, that choose to serve other Masters and not the Lord. And of these there are 4 sorts.  
1. Such as choose to serve men and not the Lord. The Apostle faith, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men; 
1 Cor. 7. 23.  which words do not forbid the civil relation and subjection of a servant to his Master, but they reprove two sorts of men. 
Thus Ambrose.  1. Such as subject their Consciences to the superstitious inventions of men in God's worship, that build their Religion upon man's bare authority. Such servants are all the Papists that build their Religion upon the Pope's infallibility: these are servants of men. 2. Such as are servants to the lusts of wicked men, 
Thus Chrysostone.  that serve men when they run in a cross line to God's will. Such were the Subjects of Nabuchadnezzar, that at the command of the King worshipped the golden Image, and served the King and not the Lord. Such was Pilate that for fear of displeasing Caesar, delivered up Christ to be crucified, 
Ioh. 18. 19  though he knew him to be innocent. And would to God we had not many amongst us that sell their Consciences, their Religion, and their Salvation to be panders to the lustful, covetous and ambitious desires of great men! Such were the Nobles of Cambyses. Cambyses had a lust to marry his own sister, he sends for all his council and asketh, If they had any Law in Persia to allow him to marry his sister? They answered, That there was no such Law. But yet there was another Law, That the Kings of Persia might do what they list. These Nobles were slaves to the lust of Cambyses. And if we had not such Nobles and Gentlemen amongst us, these unhappy wars would quickly be at an end. Alexander had two friends 
* {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}  Hephaestion and Craterus. One loved him as a man, the other as a King. He that loved him as a man, laboured to satisfy the King's lusts, and to please him as a man in all his desires, whether lawful or unlawful. He that loved him as a King, desired to please him in such things which were just, and which tended to the King's honour and the people's safety. Now I demand which of these two were Alexander's best friend? Our sovereign King hath two such kind of friends. Two such kind of friends had Rehoboam, and by harkening to his young men and refusing the council of his old and grave counsellors, he ruinated himself and his posterity, which God forbid our King should do.  
Secondly, I am to reprove such as chose to serve the times and not the Lord, that change their Religion with the times; That will be superstitious, if the times be superstitious, and devout or atheistical, according to the times, whose Religion is like a piece of wax to be moulded into any frame, according as the timesalter and change. Such were the Samaritans, that when the Jews were in prosperity would profess themselves to be of the Jewish Religion, but when the Jews were in adversity, they would disclaim them and their Religion. Many such Samaritans amongst us, that in King Edward the sixt's days turned Protestants, in Queen Mary's turned Papists, and in Queen Elizabeth's days turned Protestants again. There are thousands in this age that are Time-servers and not God-servers. Many such Ministers, and many such Magistrates, many such people; I have much thought of two wicked speeches, too too much practised in these our days. The one is of a deep politician. That it was good to follow the truth, but not too near at the heels, lest it dash out our brains. There are many such that would be glad to seem to be religious, and to own the cause of Religion, which is now asserted by the Parliament, but they are afraid to own it too publicly or too zealously, for fear it should hinder their preferment, and dash out the brains of their promotions. Another speech is that of the King of Navarre to Beza, That he would launch no farther into the Sea of Religion, than he might be sure to return safe into the Haven. This is the true picture of a timeserver, to dive no farther into the deeps of Religion, to appear no farther in this great cause of Religion, than he can be sure to save his estate, and to save his carcase. I read of the men of Issacar, That they were wise to understand the times, to know what Israel ought to do. 
1 Chron. 12. 31.  It is wisdom to observe times, so as to know our duty. But it is damnable wickedness to serve the times and not the Lord, to ring changes as the times change.  
3. To reprove such that choose to serve themselves and not the Lord. That set up themselves as God, and do whatsoever is good in their own eyes, and make their wills their Scripture. This is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. This is self worship, and self Idolatry, which is the greatest Idolatry of all. It is the greatest curse under Heaven for God to give a man over to himself to live as he list, Psalm. 81. 11, 12. Rom. 1. 26. I have read of one given over to the devil for his good, 
1 Cor. 5. 5  but never of any given over to himself but for his damnation. And therefore Austin prayeth, Lord deliver me from myself! Let it be our prayer, 
Libera me Domine a me metipse.  Lord give me not over to myself!  
Fourthly, I am to reprove such that choose to serve sin and not the Lord. It is one thing to be a sinner, another thing to be a servant of sin. A servant of sin, is one that gives himself over to the service of sin, that is bound apprentice to sin. Observe the difference between Paul and Ahab. Paul was sold under sin, 
Rom. 7. 21.  but it was against his will. But Ahab sold himself willingly to work wickedness. Many such Ahab's that serve sin as the Centurion servants served him, If sin bid go they go. Such a slave was Herod to his Herodias, Felix to his Drusilla. Such servants are swearers and drunkards, that are at the service of their oaths and Cups. There are many men that are slaves to the Mammon of iniquity. That do not only possess money, but are possessed of money, that are had of money, that with Judas will sell Jesus Christ himself for 30. pieces of silver. There are many that are slaves to their preferments, that say with Agrippina concerning Nero, Peream ego modo ille imperet. That sell their part in Heaven to get a little honour here upon earth. And to speak my mind plainly, there are two sins which are as two mighty lodestones to draw hundreds from the Parliaments side. covetousness and Ambition. Could the Parliament feed these sins as well as they are fed at Oxford, our miserable distractions would quickly be at an end. What made Baalam go to Balak? At first he said, 
Numb. 22. 18.  If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord; 
2 Pet. 2. 15.  but yet afterwards being mad after the wages of iniquity, he went and did much hurt to God's people, but it was to his own ruin at last, and this will be the end of all those that are the servants of sin. The Apostle speaks excellently, For when ye were servants of sin, 
Rom. 6. 10, 11.  ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. In which words the Apostle teacheth us, that the service of sin is both shameful and damnable. First, it is shameful. For to serve sin, is to serve the devil, Ioh. 8. 44. Oh that the world would believe this, that when they serve pride, and covetousness, and ambition, &c. they serve the devil, And therefore Cyprian brings in the devil upbraiding Christ, ostend mihi tot servos qui tibi, &c. show me if thou canst so many servants that have served them so diligently and so willingly as I can show that have served me. If the devil should appear in human shape, you would think it horrible Idolatry to adore him, and yet when you obey sin, you do this and worser than this, for sin is worser than the devil; The devil is God's creature, but sin hath nothing of God in it. Sin is the devil's excrement, as Barnard saith; And it must needs be a loathsome service to be servant to so vile a thing. Secondly, It is a cursed and damnable service, for the wages of sin is death.  
How comes it then to pass that sin hath so many servants? 
Object.   
Because sin deals with sinners, 
Answ.  as the Philistines did with Samson. First, it puts out our eyes, that we should not see the vileness and cursedness of sin, and then it puts us in the mill to grind as sins slave. And therefore Christ sent Paul to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, &c. Acts 26. 18. This was his first work. The Lord open our eyes to see the shamefulness and damnableness of sins service.  
2. To reprove those that make joshua's choice but not with joshua's ingredients, 
use 2. Of reprehension, directed to all sorts.  That choose to serve God, but do not serve him undividedly, everlastingly, sincerely, zealously, reverently, &c. We live in an age wherein God had never more servants, and yet never less service; as one saith; There are many Divines, but few that live like Divines. So God hath many servants, but few that do him service.  
There are some that divide between the service of God and the service of sin, like the false Mother that would have the child divided. As Cambden reports of Redwald King of the East-saxons, the first Prince of this Nation that was baptised, yet in the same Church he had one Altar for Christian Religion, another Altar for Heathenish religion: So there are many such false-worshippers of God, that divide the rooms of their souls between God and the devil, that swear by God, and by Malcham, Zeph. 1. 5. that sometimes pray, and sometimes curse, that sometimes go to God's house, sometimes to a playhouse; that are of a mongrel-religion, halting between God and Baal, Heteroclite in Religion, but God cannot endure this division. This is to set thy threshold by God's threshold, Ezek. 43. 8. This is to set the ark and Dagon together, which God will never endure, God cares not for one half of thy heart, if sin and the devil hath the other half.  
There are others that serve God, but their service is but as a morning cloud, 
Hos. 6. 4.  and as an early dew it quickly vanisheth, of whom I may say justly that which Nabal did unjustly of David, 
1 Sam. 25. 10.  There are many servants now a days that break away every man from his Master. Many now a days, and more in our days then in former days. We live in an apostatising age, wherein there are many falling stars, but few fixed stars; Many that were once whiter than milk, as Rubies, and polished Saphires in regard of their glorious profession, but now they are blacker than acoale, 
Lam. 4. 8.  they are withered and become like a stick; That were yesterday God's people, but to day are turned enemies. 
Mica. 2. 8.  To these I say as S. Peter doth, Better they had never known the way of righteousness, &c. 2 Pet. 2. 20. This relapse makes thy condition the worse, as relapses in all kinds are most dangerous. And it is also a sign thou esteemest the service of sin better than the service of God. For he that first served sin, and then turned to the service of God, and afterwards falls again to the service of sin, proclaims to all the world that he esteems the service of sin, better than the service of God, which is an affront to God of an high nature.  
There are others serve God, but it is all in hypocr●sie. We live in a compliment all age, our mouths are full of service. It is an ordinary phrase, Your humble servant, My humble service, and yet it may be we intend no service at all, but hate them in our hearts. Even so we deal with God. Many like the soldiers that bowed to Christ and mocked him; That give their outsides to God, and their insides to all uncleanness; That as Luther saith of Cain, give opus personae Deo, but not personam, their cap and knee to God, but themselves to sin and iniquity. And indeed this is the capital and crying sin of this age; Religion is that which is pretended on all hands: The defence of the Protestant Religion, this news we hear daily from Oxford. And for this purpose there is an Army of Papists raised to defend the Protestant Religion. And in this horrid Conspiracy (for the discovery of which we are here met to bless God,) there was a Declaration framed, to assure the people, that the chief cause of their insurrection was to maintain the Protestant Religion. Just as the gunpowder Traitors, that would have blown up the Parliament for the good of the Catholic Religion, Tantum Religio poterat suadere malorum; the Lord lay not this great sin of hypocrisy to the charge of this Nation. For my part I am confident that the Popish Army, and the plundering Army, will fight no otherwise for the Protestant Religion, than a thief doth for a true man's Purse, which is not to preserve it, but to take it away.  
There are a fourth sort that serve God, but it is so coldly, as if God were a dead idol: Where shall we find a man fervent in spirit as serving the Lord? Where is our ancient zeal? Oh the cold Prayers, frozen Sacraments, &c. It is possible to find a living Christian, but where shall we find a Christian lively and active in God's service? Remember God will spew out of his mouth a lukewarm Laodicean, 
Rev. 3.  which is a remarkable place: For that which we spew out, we do it with delight; we choose some dirty corner to ease our stomachs in, and we never reassume what we once spew out: And all this to signify; That God will for ever cast off with delight, and with shame and confusion, a cold, dead, lukewarm Christian, especially in these active times.  
Others serve God, but it is with such horrible irreverence and negligence, such sleepiness, such laziness, as that we would account it a great indignity to be so served by any of our own servants. I read that Caesar spoke to one that was afraid to give him too much respect, Hic homo timet timere Caesarem, This man is afraid to be afraid of Caesar. So there are many that are afraid to be too reverent in God's service: And indeed a man may be too reverent with superstitious reverence, which is irreverence in God's esteem. But to be Reverend with Scripture Reverence, both inward and outward, this is so necessary, 
Heb. 1●. 28.  as that God will not accept of our service without it.  
Augustus spoke to one that entertained him with homely entertainment, Who made you and I so familiar? We must so serve God as to remember our distance; Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently.  
There are others that serve God, and enter into Covenant to serve him, as you have lately done; but it is with so many limitations, qualifications, reservations and distinctions, that God cannot but abhor it. Some will serve God with an If: If they can keep their promotions. Some will serve God in some things and not in others; such was Herod that did many things, 
Mark. 6. 20.  but still reserved his Herodias; Such was Ananias and Saphira, that kept back half. Hundreds say with Naaman, In this the Lord pardon me. Some will serve God at some times and not at others, in some places and not in others; But the Lord abominates all thy services if it be not universal in all things, at all times, in all places, with all thy faculties.  
Others serve God, but it is according to their own fancies, that are more zealous for one superstitious invention, then for all God's commandments: You shall know such by this mark, They that are so much for superstitious forms of godliness, do most hate those that have the true power of godliness. The Pharisees were the deadliest enemies Christ had, And the Jews stirred up the devout women to persecute Paul, Acts 13. 50.  
By all this that hath been said, you may perceive the reason;  
1. Why God hath so many servants, and yet so few servants that he delights in; because there are so few that serve him undividedly, everlastingly, inconditionally, zealously. Or,  
2. Why God abhorreth all our fastings, and prayers, and Sacraments; or why God saith to our services as he did to the Jews; To what purpose is the multitude of your services? I am weary of them, 
Isa. 1. 12.  &c. Because we serve God with lip-service only, and knee service, we serve him negligently, and partially, and coldly. Or,  
3. Why so few go to Heaven? because so few make joshua's choice with joshua's Ingredients; For unless we endeavour to serve him here with those forenamed Ingredients, we shall never be saved hereafter.  
But now I shall apply myself in particular to great men, and yet not excluding others.  
This Text reproves those that are advanced by God into great places of Honour and wealth, 
Use of reprehension to great persons in particular.  and that think themselves privileged by their greatness, to be greater in iniquity then in greatness, that make no other use of their greatness, but to sin without control; That are Great men, and Great swearers, Great adulterers, Great Atheists, Great scoffers and mockers at godliness. Let these men know (if any such here,) That the great God is greater than the greatest. God's laws are not like unto Cobwebs (as it is said of man's laws) to catch little flies, and let the great flies escape; but God will especially punish great men if they be great transgressors. And therefore Elijah tells Ahab, The dogs shall lick thy blood, thine even thine; 
1 Kin. 2●. 19  And Obed tells the Princes of Judah, Are there not with you, 
2 Chro. 28 10.  even with you, sins against the Lord your God? God made great Nabuchadnezzar to graze like an ox. Great Agag was hewed in pieces. God hath his hand-writing upon the wall, to make the great Belshazzars of the earth to tremble, whilst they are carousing in their sacrilegious cups: Great Herod to whom the people cried, It is the voice of God not of man, 
Act. 12.  was eaten up of worms, repeating these words in the midst of his torments, as Josephus reports, Behold ye me that seemed to you as a god, how miserably I am enforced to depart from you all. In the Old World there were Giants and mighty Anakim's, men great in power, and greater in sin; Their sins were giantlike, and God sent a mighty flood to destroy them. The sins of superiors, as they are more visible than the sins of inferiors (as the eclipse of the sun is sooner seen than the eclipse of a star; and a wart upon the face is sooner seen then upon another part,) so also they do a great deal more hurt, and therefore their condemnation shall be the greater.  
They do more hurt two ways, by imitation, and by imputation.  
1. By imitation; Therefore Jeroboam is said to make all Israel to sin, because his Idolatrous example made all Israel to sin. When Saul fell upon his Sword, his Armourbearer seeing the King to do so, 
1 Sam. 31. 5.  fell also upon his Sword and killed himself. When great men fall into sin, they fall as men that fall in a crowd, drawing many others down with them. The Persians thought a crooked Nose to be a great ornament, because their Emperor Cyrus had a crooked Nose. And because Alexander the Great had a wry Neck, his Courtiers did all strive to go awry with their Necks. The bodies of men are not so subject to be infected by the illness of the air, as the souls of men by the vices of their Rulers.  
Secondly, By imputation; For though it be a certain truth, That God never punisheth an innocent Nation, The soul that sinneth shall die: Yet it is as certain; That God doth oftentimes take an occasion to punish a sinful Nation, by imputing the punishment of the ruler's sin upon the people, or rather by punishing the people for their sins, and the Ruler in the people. Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi. David had sinned in numbering the people, and for this sin 70000. of his people must perish by the plague. No doubt the Israelites were grievous sinners, and so it is expressly said, 2 Sam. 24. 1. But the most just God at the same time, punished the people and David also in the loss of his subjects. As it is no wrong in a Judge to make the back of a thief pay for the sin which his hand hath committed, no more is it injustice in God to punish the members of a politic body when the head is in fault; So near is the union between Prince and people, and so prone are the people to follow the sins of their Princes, and so to partake of their punishments. And therefore if the sins of great men bring poor people into miseries, it is just and equal that great men should be brought into misery for those sins for which they bring others into misery.  
But besides this; There are two other reasons why God will be sure to punish great men when they are great offenders.  
1. Because the punishing of great men doth a great deal more good than the punishing of others. For hereby it appears, that God is no respecter of persons: Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil, and first upon the Rulers and Nobles, and then upon others. And hereby also inferiors and poor people are kept under subjection to God's law, when they perceive that their superiors cannot escape without God's severe chastisement. As in a school, when the Master picks out one of the greatest youths in the school and whips him for a fault, all the little boys sit and tremble, and learn to avoid those faults for which they see their betters punished. Thus when Goliath the great was slain, all the Philistimes fled away presently. The beholding of God's severe punishments upon great ones, will be a notable Sermon to make inferiors godly and religious.  
2. Because unless God did punish great men they would escape altogether unpunished. Great men by money, by might and authority, by friends, and through fear for the most part are free from civil and ecclesiastical censures. And therefore it behooves the high Jehovah to take them into his own hand, and to bring great men into great pressures, if they sin greatly against him.  
I have read a notable speech in a Popish writer, That few confessors of rich men are saved, that is in our English language, Few nobleman's chaplains are saved. And the reason he gives, is, Because they are subject to flatter their Lords and Masters for hope of preferment, and so to bring the guilt of the blood of the souls of their Lords upon their own souls. Now that I may not be guilty of this fault, let me speak my mind freely to you that are Gentlemen and noblemen here assembled this day.  
First, let me tell you that great places, as they are great abilities and opportunities to do God service and great blessings if improved accordingly. So if they be not improoved for that end they are great curses, they are soule-traps, silken-halters, golden damnations. And there cannot be a greater sign of a man that hath his Heaven in this life, then to be great and wicked, rich and wicked. And therefore Abraham tells Dives, Luc. 16. 25. Remember son that thou in thy life time hast had thy good things, but now thou art tormented. Gregory the great never read this Text, but it made him tremble, and it may justly cause all such as are clothed in purple and fare deliciously every day to tremble.  
Consider further that Text, 1 Cor. 1. 26. You see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. There are some noble men called, but not many. There are but few that are great and rich here, and great and rich hereafter. A Text to be trembled at by great men. The Ostrich is not able to fly high as the lark, because her wings are so big. The moon is never in the eclipse, but when it is in the full, and then it is most distant from the sun. fullness of outward prosperity and happiness should indeed be maximum vinculum obedientiae, the greatest bond of obedience; but yet it proves for the most part, maximus laqueus Diaboli, the greatest snare the devil hath to entrap our souls. This is the reason why so few of the noblemen and Gentlemen of the kingdom appear on the Parliaments side in this great time of necessity. Not many mighty, not many noble are called. Thus it was in Christ's time. The great men and the great scholars crucified Christ, and the poor received the gospel. The followers of Christ were a company of poor people and silly women: This made the chief Priests say, Joh. 7. 48, 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the Law are accursed. Thus it was in Christ's time, and thus it is in ours. poor Lazarus goeth to Heaven, when rich Dives is carried to Hell, Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum nostrâ doctrinâ mergimur in profundum. It was the saying of a schoolmaster to a King that sent to see how he did when he was dying. The schoolmaster returned this answer. Tell the King I am going to a place where few Kings come, meaning to Heaven.  
Consider lastly those two places of Scripture, Re. 6. 15, 16, 17. The Kings and the great men and rich men wish for the Mountains to hide them, &c. And Isa. 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old even for the King it is prepared. By King is meant in all probability the great King of Assyria, as may appear by the context.  
The Lord give you hearts to consider these things.  
Now I proceed to an Use of Exhortation. And here I will apply myself; first to all men, as well as great men: Secondly, to great men especially, 
Use of Exhortation.  and yet not excluding others.  
First, To all men in general. To persuade all men to make Joshuah's choice their choice, 
First to all men not excluding great men.  to choose to serve the Lord, and not only so, but also to serve him with all the Ingredients before mentioned; to serve him transcendently, inconditionally, universally, undividedly, reverently, everlastingly, &c. For it is the manner of serving of God, that is the distinguishing Character of a true servant. Cain offered Sacrifice as well as Abel. The wicked worship God, pray and receive Sacraments as well as the godly. But Abel offered in faith, so did not Cain. The godly serve God in sincerity, with reverence, diligence and cheerfulness, endeavouring in all things to keep a good conscience, so do not the wicked. That Text which I have so often named, He. 12. 28. makes the acceptation of our service to depend not upon our serving of God, but upon our serving of God with reverence and godly fear. It is the right manner of serving of God, that makes thy service a sweet perfume. And it is the right manner of worshipping also, that makes thee a true worshipper, and that causeth God to delight in thy worship, and to desire to be worshipped by them, according to that excellent place, Joh. 4. 23. But the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. And therefore let me engage you all this day for God and his services. Let us give up our names to God, and enter into a holy Covenant to serve him with all the Ingredients. For mark what Moses saith, Exod. 19 5. If ye will obey me indeed, than ye shall be a peculiar treasure, &c. He doth not say simply, If you will obey me, but if ye will obey me indeed. And so also, Deut. 28. 1. If you will harken diligently to do all his commandments then the Lord will bless thee, &c. He doth not say simply, if you will harken, but if you will harken diligently, and observe to do all my commandments. Let us serve God as God and for God. As a God transcendently, inconditionally; For God's sake sincerely, faithfully.  
To persuade you to the practice of these things, Consider what hath been already said concerning the necessity of this duty. I add further the consideration of the excellency, profitableness, comfortableness and easiness of this duty.  
The excellency and honourableness of Joshuah's choice. For indeed it is not only a duty, 
Motives to persuade us to serve God with all the Ingredients.  but a high Prerogative to be the servant of the high God, Deo servire regnare est. And therefore whereas Mat. 13. 17. it is said, Many Prophets and just men, &c. In Luk. 10. 24. It is said, Many Prophets and Kings, to note unto us, That just men are Kings, Rev. 1. 6. This was Moses his honour, and it is often repeated, Moses my Servant, &c. This was Joshuah's honour often repeated: My servant Joshuah, &c. This was David's honour, I am thy servant O Lord, I am thy servant. And it is prefixed as a Title to the 36. Psalm. A psalm of David the servant of the Lord. It is a great honour that God will think us worthy to be his servants. And therefore Paul styles himself, Paul a servant of Jesus Christ. It is the certainest sign of a reprobate to have much wages here, and to want a heart to do service with it. It is a great happiness to be in place to do service. It is the honour of our honours to be enabled by them to do God service. Non est laboriosa sed amabilis & optanda haec servitus, saith Austin. It is no painful and laborious service, but a service to be loved and longed for.  
As it is honourable to be a servant of God, so also the services themselves are honourable, Pretiosa haec servitus virtutum constat expensis. This precious and honourable service stands in the practice of all virtues, in praying unto God and praising of God, &c. O let this persuade us to begin this day to serve God more strictly than ever.  
Add secondly, The profitableness of this service. 
Motive 2.  There is no service any man doth for God but God takes exact notice of it; Thus God took notice of Abraham's willingness to offer Isaac, Gen. 22. 16. God takes notice of every circumstance of that that we do for him. Thus Christ took notice of Mary Magdalen and of every circumstance of her washing his feet, &c. Luk. 7. 44, 45, 46. And Mark. 4. 2, 3. Christ observes how far some came to hear him, and how long they tarried, &c. And as God takes notice of these things in his servants, so he commends them upon all occasions and highly esteems of them and their services. Thus God boasted to Satan concerning his servant Job, Job 1. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him, &c. And as none observes, commends and prizeth his servants so much as God, so none rewards his servants as God doth. None more able and none more willing. The service of God is perfect freedom, and it will free us from all other services. As a man that buyeth freehold Land, though he pay dear for it, yet it is accounted cheaper than copyhold, because it freeth him from many services, vices, which the copyhold is obliged unto. If thou be'st a servant of Gods indeed and in truth, this will free thee from the service of sin and Satan. Whereas on the contrary; If we be not true servants to Christ, we shall be slaves to every thing beside him. O quam multos habet Dominos, qui unum non habet. O how many Lords hath that man that hath not Christ for his Lord. Either thy belly will be thy god, or thy money, &c. The service of sin, as it is shameful, so it is unfruitful. And it is called, The unfruitful work of darkness. But the service of God, as it is honourable, so it ends in everlasting life. No man ever kindled a fire upon God's Altar for nought, Mal. 1. 9 In keeping of God's commandments there is great reward, Psal. 10. And indeed God himself is the exceeding great reward of his servants, Gen. 17. 1. This is a service wherein the servant hath all the profit and the Master none.  
Object. If there be so much profit in God's service, why are God's servants so much persecuted and afflicted in this life?  
Answ. 1. This is part of their service to be persecuted, for we serve God by suffering as well as by doing.  
2. It is a great honour that God will account us worthy to suffer for him. 
Act. 5. 41.  And therefore the Apostles rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to be whipped for Christ sake. They did not rejoice in whipping as whipping, but (flagella propter Christum) to be whipped for Christ's sake was matter of great joy unto them. The Apostle tells us, That to us it is given, not only to believe, but also to suffer. 
Phil. 1. 2●.  It is a great gift of God to give us opportunity to suffer for him. This is that to which we are predestinated, 1 Thes. 3. 3. Our Saviour Christ reckoneth it as part of our reward in this life, Mar. 10. 30. And he professeth that it will mightily increase our reward in Heaven, Luk. 6. 22, 23. Mat. 5. 12.  
Ob. But why are God's servants so poor if his service be so profitable?  
Answ. 1. God doth as other masters that keep their wages till the work be done. This life is the time of working, hereafter we shall have wages enough, Psal. 31. 19 O how great are the good things which thou hast laid up, &c. 2. Cor. 4. 17.  
2. I answer that for the present even in this life, no servant of God is poor, but so long and so much as God seeth to be good for him, for if it were good to be rich, he should be rich, Psa. 84. 10. No good thing would he withhold from him that liveth a godly life. He that hath given thee Christ, will with him give thee all things. He that will give thee a crown hereafter, will not deny thee a crumb here, if good for thee. There are many dear servants of God, to whom God giveth very little wages in this life, because he forseeth that if they had a great part of their wages aforehand, they would do but little work. As many workmen that are paid before their work be done, when they have their pay, begin to slack their work. And indeed we see it too too true in many great rich personages that have so much of their pay before hand, that they do many of them but very little service, and some of them think that they are privileged from doing much service, because they have so much wages, whereas indeed it ought to be an obligation to greater service, as I have already showed. O that the profitableness of this service might engage us to serve him more faithfully and more diligently than every yet we have done.  
3. Consider the comfortableness of this service. 
Motive 3.  It is a service full of soule-satisfying and soul-ravishing joy, Psal. 63. 2. Psal. 84. 4, 10. One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand, &c. How did Hannah rejoice after she had been praying? How did the Eunuch rejoice after he had been baptised? O the pure and undefiled comfort that is to be found in the Word! This made David say, That he had perished in his affliction had not the Word been his comfort.  
What ineffable comfort in a Sacrament rightly received, and after a few tears shed for sin, after a prayer made with the 10. Ingredients formerly named. And the reason why the service of God is so brimful of comfort, is,  
1. Because God's service is a type of Heaven, wherein is fullness of joy.  
2. Because in the service of God we have communion with God, who is the God of all consolation, and with the Spirit of God, who is called the Comforter. And as a man that walks amongst perfumes must needs smell of the perfume. So they that converse with the God of all joy must needs be filled with all joy. And therefore David calls God his exceeding joy, Ps. 43. 4.  
If there be so much comfort in God's service, 
Quest.  what is the reason that wicked men account it a wearisomeness and a burden, and snuff at it, as it is, Mal. 1. 13.  
You may as well ask, 
Answ.  why a Swine finds no delight in a green meadow? Even because it is a Swine. Or why a horse takes no delight in reading? Even because it is above his capacity. A wicked man is like a fish out of his element, when he is in God's service, he is all fleshly, worldly and natural, and the service is spiritual, heavenly and supernatural. No wonder therefore he delights not in it. But this is the wicked man's curse.  
But what is the reason that many of God's people do not find comfort in God's service? 
Quest. 2.   
There are none of God's people but they do sometime or other find comfort, 
Answ. 1.  either in the ordinances, or from the ordinances.  
2. If at any time they miss of comfort it is because they do not meet with God, whom they came to converse withal. As when a man goeth to meet with a friend, and meets him not, he comes away sadded in his spirit. So when a child of God comes to an ordinance, hoping to enjoy sweet communion with God in it, and then fails of his expectation, this must needs fill him full of sadness. And therefore Bernard hath an excellent speech. Nunquam abs te recedo Domine sine te. That he never went from God without God. Give me leave to add a clause to Bernard's speech. And happy is that Christian that when he goeth to converse with God in his ordinances can say. Nunquam ad te accedo sine te, nunqum abs te recedo sine te. Oh Lord I never come to thee, but I meet thee, and I never go from thee, but I carry thee with me.  
But what is the reason that God's people do sometimes miss of God's comfortable presence, 
Quest.  when they come to serve God?  
Because they do not bring the Ingredients formerly named. 
Answ.  They do not serve God with reverence, diligence, zeal, cheerfulness, &c. Either they bring no vessels at all to hold the consolations of God, (I mean no hunger after God's presence in an ordinance.) Or else they bring vessels so little and so narrow mouthed that will hold but very little water. (I mean they bring so little hunger after God, that God will not vouchsafe to satisfy it.) Or else it is because they bring their ordinary hearts, their carnal and worldly hearts to heavenly, spiritual and extraordinary duties. Hearts unsuitable to the duties, and hearts unsensible of the duties. Or else there is some Achan unstoned, some sin unrepented on, that eclipseth the light of God's countenance, some spiritual obstruction. These and such like are the causes why God's people miss sometimes of comfort in God's service.  
But the fault is never in the service, which is so brimful of such rare and ravishing comforts, that Bernard relates this Story of himself, That sometimes when he went to his prayers he found himself dull and heavy, but after he had struggled a little with his dullness, all on a sudden, he was visited with the visitation of the Almighty, Beatum me praedicarem, &c. I should account myself happy (saith he) if these visitations would always last, Sed rara hora, brevis mora, oh si duraret! But, o but it continueth but for a while! And St. Austin relates this Story of himself, That upon a time when he and his Mother Monica were discoursing together about the joys of Heaven, and the comforts of God's Spirit, they were so filled with joy that Austin useth these words, Lord thou knowest in that day, Quam mundus eviluit cum omnibus suis delectationibus, &c. How vildly we did esteem of the world with all his delights. The comforts of the world are not worthy to be named that day that we speak of these comforts. Oh let the comfortableness of this service oblige you from henceforth to serve God better than ever yet you have done.  
Add fourthly and lastly, 
Motive  The easiness of this service, Matth. 11. 29, 30. My yoke is easy and my burden is light.  
How can the service of God be said to be easy? 
Ob.   
To a fleshly carnal heart it is a burden intolerable. 
Answ.  But it may be said to be easy.  
1. In regard of the service God required under the Covenant of works. For there God required perfect obedience in our own persons, not admitting of Repentance. But in the service required under the covenant of grace, we have a mediator to fly unto, and admittance unto favour upon Repentance.  
2. It may be said to be easy, in regard of the service of sin and of the devil. There are many that take more pains to serve sin and money, than those that go to Heaven do to serve God. Many take more pains to go to hell, than others do to go to Heaven.  
3. It may be said to be easy, in regard of the many services it frees us from, as you heard even now. As Diogenes told Alexander, when he boasted that he was Lord of the whole world. Tu servus servorum meorum es. Illis enim cupiditatibus quibus ego impero tu mancipiumes. Thou art a servant to my servants, a slave to those lusts over which I am Lord.  
4. easy to the new nature, Rom. 7. 22. As the light of the sun is delightsome to those that have good eyes, so the service of God to those that are new creatures. It is as natural to the new creature to pray, as it is to the old-creature to be drunk.  
5. easy to those that have the aid of God's Spirit. As it is easy for a child to go up stairs when his father leads him up. So when led by the Spirit.  
6. easy to those that are in Christ. And therefore Christ saith, Take up my yoke. Christ calls it his yoke. Because he draws it with us, and he draws all. As it is easy for a little child to life up a great weight, when a Giant holds his hand, and lifts with him and for him.  
7. easy to those that love God, 1 John 5. 3. Jacob for the love of Rachel accounted lightly of his service. Love adds wings to make our service easy.  
8. easy to those that have the right art of serving of God. As in all trades almost there is an Art, which when we have once got the trade is easy. So there is an art of praying and preaching, and hearing and receiving the Sacrament, &c. An art taught us by the God of Heaven, which whosoever hath, accounts it not a burden, but a heaven, to be serving of God.  
9 easy to those that have the consolations of God's Spirit in the service of God. As Merchants do ordinarily give a taste of their wines to those to whom they sell them, that so they may be invited to buy them. So God doth give a taste of Heaven to his servants in his service, a praelibamen of Heaven to invite them to serve him more cheerfully. A Hound is never weary as long as he hath the sent of the Hare. No more is a servant of God, as long as he enjoyeth God in his service.  
10. easy in regard of what it might have been. Thou mightest have been in hell at this instant, past worshipping God, suffering everlasting torments.  
11. easy to do what God for Christ sake in the Covenant of grace well accept, though not to do what God requires.  
12. easy in regard of the great reward, the exceeding great reward that God will give to his servant. Finis dat amabilitatem, & facilitatem medijs. The end proposed to a work makes the work amiable and easy. Where the reward is fullness and perpetuity of happiness, no service can be said to be hard, to purchase such a reward.  
All this is spoken that none might be deterred from the service of God upon a false supposal of the difficulty and impossibility of it. And it is my earnest prayer that these motives might persuade us, not only to serve God, but to serve him with all the Ingredients.  
Tertullian observes, God was never called Lord, till man was made. He is the peculiar Lord of man. O let man be his chief servant. All creatures in their course serve God. None but man and Devils deny it. And how just is it for God to join him with the Devils in punishment, that joins with the devil in dishonouring of God. Remember when we come to judgement this will be the great Question Christ will put to us, not to ask us, what money we have got, what honours we have purchased? But what service have you done to me and for me? This is the end for which thou wert created. Christ will ask whether this be done? And if not done, thou art undone. When Christ came to die he said, John 17. 3, 4. Father glorify me for I have glorified thee. Happy is that man that when he comes to die can make this Argument. Father I have fought a good fight, I have made it my work to do thee service, &c. There are many that can plead, Father I have dishonoured thy Name, and therefore glorify me! But this is a false argument. Let us labour to make Christ's prayer in sincerity and faithfulness. 
Use of Exhortation to Noblemen in particular.   
But now I come to apply myself to great men, and noble men in particular. Let me speak unto you in David's words, Psal. 29. 1, 2. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name. And let me use David's reason, Psa. 29. 5. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, yea the Lord breaketh the Codars of Lebanon. As the higher the Tree is, the more it is exposed to the thunder of Heaven. So the greater any man is, the sooner God will punish him if he be a Giant in iniquity. For he bindeth Kings in chains, 
Ps. 149 8.  and Nobles in links of Iron. He toucheth the mountains and they smoke. 
Ps. 104. 32  If thou be'st as a mountain in greatness, and thy sins as mountains in greatness, God will make thee smoke, &c. Great men must labour to be like the great God, who is as great in goodness, as in greatness. Deus optimus maximus, like unto Job, who was the greatest man in the East, and the best man in the East. O that I could engage great men this day in sense of God's goodness, expressed in this wonderful Deliverance (for which wear come to bless God) to serve God with all the Ingredients for the time to come, better than ever they have done for the time past. Oh that you would enter into a solemn Covenant to swear no more, to commit adultery no more, to be irreverent, negligent, cold, hypocritical in God's service no more, to mock and scoff at God's servants no more. greatness without goodness is like the greatness of a dropsy man, it is thy disease, not thy ornament. Riches without righteousness is like a golden ring in a swine's snout, like a Sword in a mad man's hand, like an vnicorns' horn, which while it is upon the head of the unicorn is hurtful and deadly, but when it is taken off, it is very useful and medicinal. Honours and riches when in a wicked man's custody, they do much hurt, but when bestowed upon good men, they do much good. It is a most blessed conjunction, when Religion and righteousness meet together. It is like a precious Diamond in a gold-ring. Indeed Religion is good wheresoever it is. As a pearl is good though it be in the dirt, it is a pearl, but it is obscured by the dirt in which it is. When goodness is seated in a poor man, it is like a jewel in a leaden ring, like a candle under a bushel. But when goodness meets with greatness, it is like a Candle upon a hill that gives light, heat and influence to all the Country round about.  
Let no great man think it a disparagement to serve God, to wear his livery, and to appear on his side. For it is God's service only that can make you truly honourable. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, saith the Prophet Isaiah 43. 4. The men of Beraea were more noble than the men of Thessalonica, because they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched into the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so, Act. 17. 11. This is the greatest Nobility to be a true servant of the great God. A King may give great Titles to a great man, but he cannot make a great man. A King may cause a man to be called noble, but he cannot make a man truly noble. A King may command us to call a Lion a lamb; but a King cannot make a Lion a lamb. It is the noble mind that makes a man truly noble. This God only can give. To contemn the world and all worldly things, to mind the things of eternity, to conquer our lusts, to have communion with the great God, to stand for God when all the world opposeth him, this is true nobility. This will make thee noble in this world, and in the world that is to come.  
I say again, Let no great man account it a disparagement to be God's servant. Let him not only consider the example of Joshua a Prince and Ruler, and of David, and Paul before named, but also of Constantine the great, who was so attentive to the word when it was preached and so reverent, as that he would sometimes stand up (as Eusebius saith) all the while. And when his Courtiers rebuked him, saying, It would tend to his disparagement; He answered: That it was in the service of the great God, who is no respecter of persons. Take the example of Theodosius, who is reported to have written out the New-Testament with his own hand, accounting it as a special jewel, and out of it, he read every day praying with his Empress, and with his sister singing of psalms, &c.  
Suffer me to add the third time, Let not great men think it a disparagement to become God's servants, and to serve him strictly and precisely. 
Revel. 19 20.  If these examples will not move you, consider the Angels of Heaven, who are our Fellow-servants, and are said by a kind of excellency, 
Psal. 103. 20.  To do his commandments, harkening to the voice of his word. The Angels serve God with a great deal of alacrity and cheerfulness, 
Rev. 15. 2.  and therefore they are said to have harps, as a sign of their cheerful mind. The Angels serve God with a great deal of diligence and sedulity. And therefore they are said to have wings and to fly. They serve God with a great deal of zeal and ardency, and therefore they are said to be a flaming fire. And therefore also the title of a Seraphim is given unto them. The Angels serve God universally. They follow the lamb wheresoever he goeth; They serve him constantly, sincerely. 
Rev. 14. 4.  The Angels always behold his face, Mat. 18. 10. They serve him day and night, Revel. 7. 15. Oh that the Lord would make you more and more angelical in his service, to do his will upon earth, as it is done in Heaven!  
Let me add an example beyond all examples, even the example of Jesus Christ himself, who is called God's servant, Esa. 42. 1. And he was a worshipper of God, Joh. 4. 22. A diligent keeper of God's Sabbath, Luk. 4. 16. He used prayer in his family, Luk. 9 18. He was wont to pray secretly by himself Luk. 5. 16. And he used this custom of Prayer morning and evening. In the morning, Mark. 1. 35. rising up a great while before day. And for evening, Mat. 14. 23. And this was his custom to do, Luk. 22. 39 He went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives. And sometimes he would pray all night long, Luk. 6. 12. And this worship Christ did with as much submission and devotion as ever any servant did, Luk. 22. 41. Mat. 26. 39  
If Christ did all this, surely it is no dishonour for the greatest Emperor to do that which Christ hath done. As you are called Christians, so you must imitate that Lord and Master, by whose name you are called.  
Let no man wonder that I spend so much time to persuade great men to be exemplary in God's service, and to be diligent and zealous. For if I could convert but one great man this day, 
Florus.  I should do a great deal of service by way of eminency. For as he said, In uno Caesare multi insunt Marij, in one great man there are many inferiors contained. As it is in Printing, the great difficulty is in printing the first sheets, and when one is printed, it is easy to print hundreds by that. So the great work of our ministry is to convert great-men, if they were once converted, hundreds would follow their example; When the great wheel of a clock is set a moving all the inferior wheels will move of their own accord. This was the reason why St. Paul was so zealous about the conversion of Sergius Paulus, who was Deputy of the Country, and a prudent man, that when Elymas the Sorcerer offered to withstand him, he burst out into such speeches with such eagerness, as he never did at any time before, for aught we can read, Oh thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, &c. And some are of opinion that Paul had his name changed from Saul to Paul, 
Act. 13. 10  because he converted Sergius Paulus. For indeed it is a matter of great consequence to convert one Sergius Paulus, one Eunuch. To take one such great fish is more than to take many little ones, though the least of all is not to be despised.  
There is one argument yet behind, the last, but not the least, and that is from the holy and solemn Covenant you lately have taken to amend your lives. The excellency of a Christian is not so much in taking a Covenant as in keeping of it when taken. And therefore we read of Josiah, 2 Chro. 34. 31, 32. that he did not only make a Covenant to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments with all his heart, &c. but he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. For if that man shall never go to Heaven that will not keep his promises though made to his hurt, how much more shall they be barred from Heaven that break those promises that they have made tending to their eternal good. To break Covenant is not only a brand of a Reprobate, (as you have heard) but it is also a sin that God hath a quarrel against, and a sin for which he will be avenged, according to that Text, Levit. 26. 25. And I will bring a Sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant. And this is one great reason why the Sword is now drawn in England, and hath sucked so much blood, even to avenge the great breach of Oaths and Covenants, which this Nation is deeply guilty of. Let me make bold further to remind you, that in this Covenant you have also vowed, in order to the preservation of them, to assist the forces raised by the Parliament, according to your power and vocation, and not to assist the forces raised by the King, neither directly nor indirectly. And I doubt not but you will make conscience to satisfy these two clauses, and herein you shall express the reality of your thanks for this great deliverance this day celebrated. Now because the speedy, faithful and courageous appearance in this great Cause of defensive arms, is one of the highest expressions that you can yield to the world of your love to God and his gospel, and to his service; Give me leave to speak something about it, not only by way of Exhortation, but first by way of Commendation, than Exhortation, then by way of encouragement, and then I shall conclude.  
First, By way of Commendation.  
Suffer me to speak that which is due to you, 
Commendation.  and not in mine own words, but to speak the sense of all the well-affected in the kingdom; We bless God, that though there are many fallen stars, many Lords that have deserted the Parliament, that yet you (Right Honourable) stand firm like fixed stars in your orbs, and have taken unwearied pains for the good of the Church and State, and have ventured all for your Religion and Liberties, and many of you lost a great part of your revenues for the present, and have passed many Ordinances very advantageous to the kingdom. 
Kingdom.  The Lord be blessed for all the good you have done! The Lord recompense it to you and yours! The Lord grant you may find mercy from the Lord at that great day! It is not the design of the well-affected party to take away temporal Lordships, or the distinction between Lords and Commons, and to bring all to a popular equality. This is an anabaptistical fury. I protest against it in the Name of all the Well-affected Ministers. Indeed we would be glad to be rid of spiritual Lords over our consciences. But as for temporal Lords, we pray with David, The Lord give you good success, Ride on and prosper. 
A six-fold Exhortation to Noblemen in particular.  Thus much for commendation.  
Now for Exhortation,  
Let me exhort you not only to choose to serve God, and to serve his Church and his Cause in this most just defensive war, but to do it with those rare and remarkable circumstances formerly mentioned in joshua's choice.  
First, Let me persuade you to appear more and more publicly in this Cause. There are many that think it fit only for poor men that have nothing to lose, to appear openly in a good Cause, but as for those that have great Estates, it becomes them to be wary and circumspect, and to seek rather to save their Estates then to hazard all. Such a one was Nicodemus that came to Christ by night, though afterwards he repented and amended, as you may read, John 7. 50, Such were those chief Rulers, Ioh. 12. 42, That believed in Christ, but durst not confess him so fear of the Pharisees, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue. And many such there are in our days. But a true Christian is so far from being hindered by his riches and greatness from appearing for God, 
Heb. 10. 37.  that he is glad that he hath riches and Honours to lose for God, he receives joyfully the spoiling of his goods. He willingly parts with all for Christ's Cause. And if you ask him why he doth so, he will answer with Paulinus Nolanus, Vt levius ascenderet scalam Iacobi, That he might go the lighter to Heaven. He saith as that famous nobleman Hormisdas did, who when he was deposed from all his Honours because he would not forsake his Religion, and afterwards restored to his Honours again, and then commanded by the King of Persia to renounce his profession. Answered, Si propter ista me denegaturum Christum put as, is't a denuo acoipe. If you think I will deny Christ for to keep my Honours, 
Lib. 8. Confess.  take them all back again. S. Austin in his Confessions relates an excellent Story of one Victorinus a great man at Rome that had many great friends that were Heathen, but it pleased God to convert him to the Christian Religion, and he comes to one Simplicianus, and tells him secretly that he was a Christian. Simplicianus answers, Non credam, nec deputabo te inter Christianos, nisi in Ecclesiâ Christi te videro. I will not believe thee to be a Christian, till I see you openly profess it in the Church. At first Victorinus derided his answer, and said, Ergone parietes faciunt Christianum? do the walls make a Christian? But afterwards remembering and often pondering that Text of our Saviour, He that is ashamed of me before men, 
Mark. 8. 38.  I will be ashamed of him before my Father, &c. he returns to Simplicianus, and professeth himself openly in the Church to be a Christian. Let this Text of Christ always sound in our ears, He that is ashamed of me, &c. And that Text, Revel. 21. 8. where the fearful are put in the forefront of those that shall go to Hell, before murderers, whoremongers and Idolaters, &c. And remember also the publicness of joshua's choice.  
Secondly, Let me exhort you to go on more and more resolutely in this great Cause. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. It is not enough to do the work of the Lord, and to abound in it, but we must do it steadfastly and unmoveably, steadfastly as a Tree fastened in the ground, that is not removed though the winds blow never so much; unmovable as a Rock in the Sea, that stands fast though the Sea rageth and roareth round about it. For there are so many, and so mighty Anakim's and Zanzummims that are your enemies, so many temptations both of the right hand and of the left, both flattering and frowning, fiery trials, and golden Apples. So many mountains of opposition lying in your way, that unless you be endued with this excellent grace of spiritual resolution, you will never be able to do God any service in thesetimes. But this admirable grace of divine fortitude and Christian resolution, will make you like a wall of brass, to beat back all the arrows of strong persuasion, that are shot against you. This is Armour of proof, against all kind of temptations. This is as the ballast of a Ship, to keep you steady in this great Cause, without which you will be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, 
Iam. 1. 8.  men of double-minds unsettled and unstable in all your ways. This is like the Angel that rolled away the stone from before the door of the sepulchre, this will enable you either to remove the great mountains that lie in your way, 
Theod.  or to stride over them. Excellent is the Story of S. Basill. The Emperor sent to him to subscribe to the Arian heresy. The Messenger at first gave him good language, and promised him great preferment if he would turn Arrian. To which Basill answered. Alas, these speeches are fit to catch little children withal that look after such things; but we that are nourished and taught by the holy Scriptures, are readier to suffer a 1000 deaths, then to suffer one syllable or title of the Scripture to be altered. The Messenger offended with his boldness, told him he was mad. He answered. Opto me in aeternum sic delirare, I wish I were for ever thus mad! Here was a stout Cedar. Such another was Luther, Vnus homo solus totius orbis impetum sustinuit, Luther alone opposed all the world. Such another was Nehemiah, who met with so much opposition, that had he not been steeled by a strong and obstinate resolution, he could never have rebuilded the Temple, but would have sunk in the midst of it. Such a one was David, that would not be hindered from fighting with Goliath though he met with many discouragements. The Lord make you such. It is resolution that will make you valiant for the truth, 
Ier. 9 2.  that will make martyrdom as pleasing as a bed of Roses, that will make you like men of fire, and all that oppose you as stubble, that will make you say with that good Martyr, Though we had as many lives as hairs on our head, we would lose them all rather than lose our Religion. The Lord fill your hearts with this grace!  
Thirdly, I am to beseech you that you would endeavour to approve yourselves more and more faithful to this Cause. It is with us as it was with Nehemiah when he undertook the great work of rebuilding the Temple, he was opposed by great men especially. The Nobles of Tekoah refused to put their necks to the yoke of the Lord. This is an eternal brand upon them, Nehem. 3. 5. Many of the Nobles of Judah, did seem to help Nehemiah, but they kept secret correspondency with Tobiah, and tarried with Nehemiah only to give private intelligence to the enemy, and to weaken his hands from going on in the work, Neh. 6. 17. Thus it was in Nehemiah's days. And this is one of the miseries of civil war above all other kinds of war: For there are always some false brethren, some Judases in civil war. But I believe better things of you. The Lord make you more and more faithful to his Cause! Remember what became of Judas for his treachery.  
Fourthly, Suffer me to put you in mind of the speediness of Joshuas choice. Joshua had not his Religion to choose, and therefore he did not demur upon his choice. Me thinks I hear the whole kingdom beseeching you greatly and saying as the Ruler did to Christ in another case, 
Mark. 5. 23.  The kingdom lieth at the point of death, make haste, oh make haste to heal us. The whole kingdom is on fire, make haste to quench the flames that our sins have kindled. Nothing will destroy England more than delay.  
Fifthly, Let me persuade you to do some extraordinary service for the kingdom that is now in extraordinary danger. joshua's choice was extraordinary. Though all Israel forsook God, Joshua was resolved to serve God alone. God hath done extraordinary things for you, he hath advanced you above thousands in outward mercies, he hath done extraordinary things for this Cause which you stand up for, he hath given us an extraordinary deliverance this day, and therefore he expects extraordinary service from you. 
Esth. 4. 13, 14.  He looks you should say and do as Esther; If I perish I perish. And let that Text I beseech you lie near your hearts, and read it again and again. think not with yourselves that you shall escape in the King's house, more than all the Jews, for if you altogether hold your peace, enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's houses shall be destroyed, and who knoweth whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this? He looks you should venture yourselves as Joseph of Arimathea did, 
Mat. 27. 57 58.  of whom it is related, that he was a rich man and yet was not afraid to own the cause of Christ, when Christ was dead upon the cross, He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. 
Ier 38. 7. Gen. 6.  He expects you should be like Ebedmelech that hazarded his life to help Jeremiah out of prison, like to Noah who walked with God when all the world walked with iniquity, and was like a spark of fire in a Sea of water, and yet continued his heat. Like to David, 
2 Sam. 6. 22.  who when Michal mocked him for dancing before the ark, answered, It is before the Lord, and I will yet be more vile than thus, &c. When you are derided for hazarding lives and estates in this cause, you must reply. It is for God and his Religion, I will yet be more vile than thus. Oh that the Lord would give you a heart to study to do some singular thing for him!  
Sixthly, You must do all this, not only in your own persons, but you and your houses, you and your Tenants, you and all that depend upon you. For every Master of a family stands accountable to God for his family as well as for himself; For these public relations, and subordinations of Master and servant, Father and child, &c. are from God's appointment, and are parts of our Stewardship, for which we must give a severe account. And it is a certain rule, That man is not a good man, that is not good in all his relations. For there are duties required of us by God in every relation (as Masters, as Fathers, as Magistrates, as Parliament-men, &c.) The same God that requires us to serve him as private persons, requires us to serve him in our relations, and though thou be'st never so careful of thy duty as a private person, yet thou mayest go to Hell for neglecting thy duty as a Master, as a Magistrate, as a Parliament-man. And although thou shouldest be good in one relation, yet if thou dost not endeavour to be good in every relation, thou shalt never go to Heaven. For the same God that commands thee to serve him as a Master, commands thee to serve him as a Parliament-man, &c. And he that keeps the whole Law, and offends in one point is guilty of all. 
Iam. 2. 10.  Here is a Sea of matter offers itself, and matter of great concernment for the regulating of nobleman's families, which are in many places rather Beth-avens than Bethels; houses of iniquity rather than houses of God. But I must not launch into this Ocean; only remember that in the New Testament, when the Master of the Family was converted, all the family was baptised, and what God saith of Abraham, Gen. 18. 19 and what David saith, Psal. 181. 2, 3, 6, 7. and what is said, Exod. 20. 11. Thou and thy servant. Thus much for the Exhortations.  
Now for encouragement;  
And there is great need to encourage noblemen that set their faces to look after Christ, and to serve him after a strict and holy manner, and that venture all in this Cause, to go on maugre all opposition. For we live in times wherein we may take up that complaint of Salvian, Si quis ex nobilitate converti ceperit ad Deum, statim honorem Nobilitatis amittit: Oh quantus est in populo Christiano honor Christi, ubi Religio ignobilem facit! & mali coguntur esse nobiles ne viles habeantur. If any of the Nobility begin to be converted to God, presently they begin to lose (in the eye of the wicked) all the honour of their Nobility. How little is the Name of Christ esteemed amongst those Christians where Religion makes a man ignoble, and men are compelled to be wicked, that they may be accounted Noble. A true picture of our wicked times. Suffer me therefore to offer unto you these following encouragements, as helps against all the discouragements you meet withal in the zealous and resolute prosecution of this great cause now in hand.  
1. The cause you manage is an encouraging cause. It is the cause of God. And let me say to you as Luther to Melancthon. If the cause be not Gods, why do ye not wholly desert it, but if it be God's cause, why do you not go through with it. This is a Dilemma that cannot be evaded. The glory of God is embarked in the same Ship in which this cause is in. And you may lawfully plead with God, as Joshua doth, Iosh. 7. 9 and as Moses doth, Numb. 14. 15, 16.  
2. You have an encouraging God, me thinks I hear God say to you as he doth to Joshuah 1. 6. Be strong and of a good courage, &c. and verse 7. Only be thou strong and very courageous, &c. And verse 9 Have not I commanded thee, Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest. And as Joshuah said to the people of Israel, Numb. 14. 7. So doth God to you. fear not the people of the Land, for they are bread for us, their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us, fear them not. And as Moses said, Exo. 14. 13, 14. So saith God, though your enemies be as tall as the Anakim's: though the red Sea be before you, and the Egyptians behind you, fear them not, for the Lord fights for you. The God whose cause you manage is infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, he hath brought us into deeps, not to drown us, but to wash away our spiritual filthiness; not to destroy us, but to manifest his power in our deliverance; he will deliver us by weak means, and by contrary means, and he will make use of the treachery of your enemies to be a means to deliver you, as he hath done this day. He will kill Goliath with his own Sword, and hang Haman upon his own gallows. He will strike strait strokes with crooked sticks; as he made the treachery of Joseph's brethren to be a means to advance Joseph, and the falseness of Judas to be a way to save all his elect children.  
3. You have encouraging Promises, Exod. 23. 22, 23. Levit. 26. 6, 7, 8. Deut. 28. 7. 1 Sam. 25. 28. Isa. 41. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Isa. 54. 17. A Text common to all God's people, because it is said to be the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Here are six Texts like six pillars to undershore our spirits from falling into discouragements. Cast yourselves into the bosom of these Promises.  
4. You have encouraging examples. For we cannot be in a lower condition than Jonah was, when he was in the whale's belly, tanquam vivus in sepulchro, and yet God commanded the Whale to deliver him safe upon the shore. We cannot be in a worser estate than Jeremy was when he was in the dungeon, and sank in the mire so deep, as that 30. men could hardly lift him up; or than Peter was when he was ready to sink: or than Moses when put in an ark of bulrushes, &c. Or then the children of Israel were in Babylon, who were like dry bones in the grave, insomuch as Ezekiell himself could not tell whether they could live, or as Peter when put in prison by Herod. And yet notwithstanding God sent a blackmore to deliver Jeremy. Jesus Christ reached out his hand to keep Peter from sinking. God sent Pharaoh's daughter to preserve Moses: And Cyrus to deliver Israel out of Babylon. And he sent his angel to deliver Peter out of prison. Indeed Peter himself did not believe it, no more did the Church that was praying for him. God sent them a return of prayers, while they were praying, but they believed it not. And thus God hath often done for us. Comfort one another with these examples, and carry this home for your everlasting consolation. God never suffers his children to meet with a huge unremovable difficulty, like the stone before the door of the sepulchre, but he sends some angel or other to remove it away.  
5. You have an encouraging captain, even the Lord Jesus, who is the great peacemaker, Who is our peace when the Assyrian is in the Land, Micah 7. 9 He hath taken down the partition wall, he hath made our peace with God. Let the deeps of our civil war call upon the deeps of peace that are in Christ. Let us beseech the great peacemaker to take down the great partition wall between King and Parliament, to make Father and son of one mind. If Christ makes the peace, it must needs be good. Jesus Christ came into the world, when the Jews were in the saddest condition, in the depth of slavery (for the sceptre was departed from Judah) and in the depth of divisions, for they had so many several Sects, as they could hardly tell what Religion they were off. In this sad condition Shiloh came. Let us beseech Jesus Christ to come into England in this low estate, and to bring peace with him, even that Christ who descended into the lowest parts of the Earth for our sakes, and whose love is a depth that cannot be fathomed, Ephes. 3. 17, 18. The deeps of our misery call upon the depth of his love and mercy, that God for Christ sake would pardon our abyss of sins both personal and national, and bring us out of our abyss of miseries, both personal and national.  
6. You have encouraging company, you have the Lord of Hosts to accompany you, and I may say without the least degree of uncharitableness, you have the major part of God's people on your side.  
7. You have encouraging weapons, prayers and tears, fasting and humiliation. As Ambrose spoke to Austin's mother by way of encouragement. That a son of so many tears could not miscarry. So may I say and I hope prove a true Prophet, That a Nation of so many prayers and tears shall not be destroyed, God never yet destroyed a Nation, wherein there were so many of his children praying, fasting, humbling themselves, and especially at such a time, when they are entering into a solemn Covenant of reforming their lives (as now we are) if they endeavour to do these things with all their heart and soul.  
8. You have encouraging threatenings against the enemies of God's Church. God hath threatened, Zach. 12. 2, 3, 6. to make Jerusalem a cup of poison, and all that offer to swallow Jerusalem shall be poisoned with it, to make Jerusalem a burdensome stone, and all that think to crush Jerusalem shall be crushed by Jerusalem; to make him like a fire, and all his enemies like wood to be devoured by him. God hath threatened concerning the plots of your enemies, Psalm. 64. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. This Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears. The Lord give us grace to declare his works, and wisely to consider of his doings. God hath likewise accomplished those two rare Scriptures, Psal. 7. 14, 15, 16, 17. Psal. 9 15, 16. Let us add our part, Let us praise the Lord according to his righteousness, let us sing praise to the name of the Lord most high, Higgaion, Selah.  
9 You have the encouraging providence of God. The great and wise God, who is our Father, hath from all eternity decreed what shall be the issue of these wars. There is nothing done in the lower House of Parliament upon earth, but what is decreed in the higher House of Parliament in Heaven. All the lesser wheels are ordered and overruled by the upper wheels. An excellent Story of a youngman that was at Sea in a mighty tempest, and when all the passengers were at their wit's end for fear, he only was merry, and when he was asked the reason of his mirth; he answered, That the Pilot of the Ship was his Father, and he knew his Father would have a care of him. Our heavenly Father is our Pilot, he sits at the stern, and though the Ship of the kingdom be ready to finke, yet be of good comfort, 
Luk. 12. 6.  Our Pilot will have a care of us. Are not five sparrows (saith Christ) sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God. One sparrow is not worth half a farthing: You shall not have half a farthings worth of harm, more than God hath from all eternity decreed. God hath all ourenemies in a chain. And if a child saw a Lion or a bear in his dear father's hand chained, so as he might be secure his Father could keep the chain from being burst, he would not be afraid. And this we are sure God can do. A 1000000. cyphers stand for nothing, unless a figure be joined to them. All men and devils are but cyphers without God. An host of men is nothing without the Lord of host. The devil cannot go beyond his tedder.  
Ob. 
This objection & answer was added to the Sermon, to comfort us in regard of the death of M. Hampden, the news of whose death came just to me, as I was transcribing the encouragements from God's providence.  But God permits the enemy to exercise great cruelty upon his own people, and to take away the lives of his choicest servants, witness the Noble Lord Brooke, and now lately that worthy Gentleman M. Hampden.  
Answ. 1. Let us not be troubled that God permits our enemies to do us so much hurt, but rather be comforted that they can do nothing, but what our wise and most loving God permits, and fore-decrees for the good of his children.  
2. I answer with our blessed Saviour. fear not them that can but kill the body, and after that can do no more. It is no great matter (in Christ's opinion) to have the body killed. The body is but the Cabinet, the jewel is the soul. And if the jewel be safe in Heaven, no great matter to have the Cabinet broken. It is said of King Josiah, that he should go to his grave in peace, and yet he died in a battle. He that dyeth with the peace of a good conscience, dieth in peace, though he be killed in a battle. Blessed is the man that breathes out his last breath in doing God service. He that dies fighting the Lord's battles dies a Martyr. An excellent thing for a Minister to die preaching, and a soldier die fighting. It is but winking with our eyes (as the Martyr said) and we are presently in Heaven. Blessed and twice blessed are those that die in the Lord, and for the Lord.  
3. God many times takes away his choicest servants, because we idolize them too much, as he did the King of Sweden. And also because he would teach us to trust only to his help, who will deliver us by weak instruments, when he takes away strong and able Instruments, that he may have all the glory.  
Lastly, You have encouraging experiments. And surely if any Nation under Heaven may reason from experience, and rely upon experiences this Nation may. God hath delivered us from the bear and the Lion, from the Spanish navy in Eighty eight, and since from the gunpowder Treason, from civil wars between Scotland and England. And when there was a design to bring the Army up against London, God did then deliver us. And when we were in the valley of the red horse (as it is called) near Edge-hill, where the Enemy thought to have cast us down the Hill, as the Jews would have served Christ, than God did also deliverus. And for this cause we are here this Day, to praise God for a wonderful and miraculous Deliverance. And therefore we may confidently say with the Apostle, 2 Corinth. 1. 10. Who delivered us this day from so great a death and doth deliver, in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. It is observable that when Moses went up to the Mount to pray, he took the Rod of God in his hand. The reason is given, because, by that Rod God had formerly done wonderful things for his people; and the very sight of that Rod did encourage Moses to trust in God from the experience of his former goodness. Let us never go to our prayers, but let us carry the Rod of God in our hand and heart. I mean the solemn and serious contemplation of this day's Deliverance, and of God's former wonderful goodness, and let us say with the Apostle, 2 Tim. 4. 17, 18. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, &c. and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Amen.  
FINIS.