THE SOLE PATH TO A SOUND PEACE. Recommended to the Honourable House of Commons in a Sermon at their public Fast. Feb. 22. By John Ellis, Jun: Preacher of the Word at Cambridge. I am the way, Joh. 14. In me ye might have Peace. Chap. 16. Nihil Grande est, pacem voce pretendere & opere destruere: Aliud verbis sonare concordiam, aliud re exigere servitutem: volumus & nos pacem; & non solum volumus sed rogamus, sed Christi pacem veram, pacem in qua non sit bellum involutum, pacem que non ut adversarios subjiciat, sed ut amicos jungat. Hieron: ad Theoph: adv: Joan: Hierosol: Quid dominationem pacem vocamus, & non reddimus unicuique rei vocabulum suum? Idem ibid. London, Printed by John Raworth, for George Latham, and John Rothwell, and are to be sold at their Shops in Paul's churchyard. 1643. Die Mercurii. 22 Febr. 1642. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament, That Master Rows shall return thanks to Master Ellis, for the great pains he took in the Sermon he preached at the entreaty of this House at St Margaret's in the City of Westminster (being the day of public humiliation;) And is likewise to desire him to Print and publish his Sermon; And it is further Ordered, That no man shall presume to Print his Sermon, but whom he shall authorise under his hand writing. Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com. I permit George Latham, and John Rothwell to Print my Sermon. John Ellis, Jun. To the Honourable House of Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT. WHat I had to say unto you, I expressed myself at large, in that which I now present you, with some fillings, which the time than permitted not to tender: I shall now only add a word of excuse, and caution. Excuse I must, Because all that speak to you do so; myself much rather; Because hearing of this service, but some ten days before the Fast, in the midst of sorrow for the loss of an only parent; I could not with that freedom of spirit, as I should, attend this business. But your piety hath I hope herein supplied my deficiency, in receiving the matter with all readiness of mind; leaving the manner of handling to those weak stomachs that cannot savour wholesome food, without a great deal of curiosity in the dressing, Care, and cleanliness, and Concoction we commend: The work of the Lord is not to be done negligently; Too much diligence we decline; for that argues suspicion, either of the food, or of the guest. We would have your faith and godly affection, stand, not in the wisdom of words, but in the power of God. I must also caution, Touching those words in the entrance of my discourse, [In a settled Church, the Ministry is to be puclikely admitted to that employment.] I would not have it understood as an approbation either of any unlawful office, or undue ordination in any particular Church; but in general of all settled Churches. And that first in respect of order, That every man be not at his own disposing, but abide in that calling, whereunto God by the ordinance of man shall design ●im. 2. Of advantage to his Ministry; that he may have more boldness with them, who have acknowledged him as appointed to that employment. Which call (as I conceive) lies chiefly in these particulars. 1. The inward ability, and upright intention of the heart, to do Christ service in that employment. 2. In the public approbation of such abilities after trial had, by the Church, both Ministry and people of God, that are indeed able to discern. 3. A special call by some particular people to be their officer in that kind (or an after approbation from them) or else a more general commission from the Church, to a more universal employment that way; such as was the sending of Paul and Barnabas, by the Church of Antioch * ● Act. 13. . All which is to be understood especially of the administration of the Sacraments and discipline: For, as for preaching, it is a more common work; which yet no man is to do to the scandal of the Church wherein he lives, nor ordinarily without calling thereunto, if it be done in a public way. Which calling (as other Church affairs,) that we may have more agreeable to primitive purity; we implore your assistance; as you can not effectually obtain the vigour of yours, without our service. Magistracy and Ministry, though they be not immediate relatives, yet do se mutuo ponere & tollere. So, as you are God's hands to us; shall we labour to be his mouth to you, and for you * Isai. 45.17. . To you; that no council devised against you, shall stand, so long as you make the advancing of This man, the Lord Christ, your aim: No weapon framed against you shall prosper * Isai. 9.6. . And for you; That having such promises, you faint not, but proceed to the finishing of the work with power: and be like your Master, the great and wonderful councillor and Prince of peace * Isai. 9.6. , who when he begins, does use also to make an end * Isai. 66.9. : That you may not be weary of welldoing, for in due time you shall reap if you faint not * Gal. 6.9. . So prays Your meanest servant In the Lord's work. John Ellis, Junior. The sole path to a sound Peace. MICAH 5. 5. This man shall be peace: when the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our Palaces, then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds and eight principal men. THat God might honour his Creature with a kind of partnership in his greatest work Introduction to a 2 cor. 6.1. and that he might hide pride from man, b Iob. 33.17.23. by making him stoop to be taught by man like himself; and that every man might attend upon that employment wherein the great Master hath settled him, c 1 cor. 7.20. though all the servants in God's house, are of themselves d luc. 12.57. to take notice of the Master's will to do it, yea, and also to admonish, instruct and comfort one another from his works & word, e 1 Thes. 5.11.14. yet some he hath set as officers to this only purpose, f Bph. 4.11.12; 1 Tim. 4.15. Rom. 13. 6. and that's the ministry; those who are (in a settled Church) publicly admitted to this employment, g 1 Tim. 5.22. cap. 4.14. and therefore may speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. h Tit. 2.15. Now this entrance is not impertinent, because we must first assert our calling if questioned, as now some do, before delivery of our message, the ambassador must first show his letters of Credence, before his audience, * Paul being to write to the Romans, in the very first words proposes his vocation Rom. 1.1. Now our whole employment is, as faithful and wise stewards to give to every one in God's household his due portion in due season, a luc, 12.42. or rightly to divide the word of truth, b 2 Tim. 2.15. that is to observe under what condition of providence those lie with whom they are to deal, and then to apply such portions of the word as suits with that estate, and being c ● Ez●k. 13 ●●i●cium. as it is the whole duty of the people of God, to attend to, apply and practise such parts of the word as their present estate whereunto providence hath brought them calls for, d Iam. 5 13.14. because the word contains the whole council of God concerning us e 2 Tim, 3 15. and the works of providence are the finger of God pointing to that portion we have need of now. This is a time of Jacobs' troubles wherein he knows not what to do, but his eyes are towards God, and a word from him, saying this is the way walk in it, will be welcome now, and it is a time of Rachel's weeping for her Children, and some oil to this wound of Spirit would be suppling now; The Text And it is a time of Jonah's unfeared perils, and a voice of rousing would be useful here, to save a drowning, Now all these the Prophet Micah will help us to in the Text now read, which must be first opened to our understandings, and then from thence somewhat observed for our use and practice. First, we shall understand it in some measure if we consider first the coherence, ●opened which will be plainer if we reflect upon, First, from 1 the time of this prophecy. the time when and the persons to whom this prophecy was spoken, that was in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezechiah Kings of Judah, the history of whom you have, 2 Kings. cap. 16.17 18.19. and 2 Chron. cap 27 28.29.30.31.32. Secondly, a occasion the occasion of the prophecy, and that was the provoking sins, and the pressing calamities, viz. The Assyrian invasion, and the Babylonian Captivity, inevitably hanging over the head of that people, the former whereof came to pass in the fourth and fourteenth year of Hezekiah, a 2 King. 18.9.13. cap. 24 10. the latter in the time of Johoiachin Kings of Judah, Thirdly, the scope of the Prophet which is 1 general to all, (viz) the awaking of them from security in sinning to a seriousness in repenting. 2 special, 1 in respect of the wicked their conviction, 3 scope that being warned they might be without excuse. 2 in regard of those that belong to God, their humiliation, conversion, consolation and preparation for the evil day certainly coming upon them. Fourthly, 4 Arguments 1 humbling from 1 their sin in the 1 variety of it. the arguments he useth for the attaining this end, which are of two sorts. I such as serve for conviction and humiliation, and they are taken, from I their sin, by opening I the variety of it. I against God's corruption of his worship by Idolatry, cap. 17. and the contempt of his word. cap. 2.6. Secondly, against men by cruelty and oppression, cap 2. 2. treachery and dissembling. cap. 6.12. Thirdly, against themselves, intemperance, cap. 2.11. and pride, cap. 2. ●. and there is added by Hosea, who prophesied in the same time and to the same people, divers other sinners. Secondly, the degree, 2 degree. their Idolatry so gross, that it was in a spiritual as whoredom, yea professed Harlotry in a bodily way, cap. 1.7. their oppression so horrid, that it was like plucking of the skin, tearing the flesh and breaking the bones, cap. 3.2. their intemperance so sottish, that they thought the Prophets that did not countenance it unfit for that employment as, cap. 2. 11. is intimated their deceit, so abominable that no relation natural or civil could be a bar unto it, cap 7.5. Thirdly, the universality and spreading of it, I Over the civil state, the Princes hated the good & love the evil, 3 universal a cap. 3.1. the rest of the people the best of them a Briar and the most upright a thorn. b cap. 7 4. Secondly over the ecclesiastical, covetousness of the Priests and Prophets as the end, flattery and cruelty as the means. c cap 3.3.5. Fourthly, 4 wilful the willulnesle of their sin, they transgressed not in passion but with deliberation. They imaginea msthese upon their beds. d cap. 2.1. Fifth, 5 Incorr rigible. lastly, the incorrigibleness of their sin and security in it, the Heads judge for reward, and the Priests taught for hire, and yet say, Is not the Lord amongst us, none evil can come upon us. a Cap. 3.11. And therefore when reproved for these things by the Prophets, they said, prophesy not to them that prophesied. b Cap. 2.6. A second sort or humbling Arguments are taken from the judgements determined upon their sins, 2 Arguments humbling from the judgements. which also may be proportioned to them. 1 Many. First, they were Various, war having in the womb of it all other calamities. Secondly, 2 G●ievous. Grievous, Zion shall be ploughed as a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest, 3 universal. Cap. 3. 12. Thirdly, universal The incurable mound had not only laid the land waste, Cap. 7. 13. but was come up unto Judah even to the g●●e of Jerusalem, 4 Deliberate. Cap. 1.9. Fourthly, it was deliberate judgement pronounced long before the execution. 5 Determined. Fifthly, and lastly, an inexorable judgement, called therefore a Decree, Cap. 7.11. Cap. 3.4. Secondly, 2 Consolatory where. 1 A caution premised. for the comforting of God's people, the Prophet doth First intimate a caution, viz. that he would not be understood as if they were to expect a total avoidance of the affliction, for the coming of it was a determined, thing: c cap. 1.3.4. C. 7.13. that which they were to expect, was only comfort and encouragement against it; and that he first doth by proposing many promises of supportation in, 2 Arguments of comfort propounded, by promises. 1 Secondary. 1 fundamental in christ, who is deliverance from, and glorious times after the affliction of those days, Cap. 4. throughout. Secondly, By laying, down the ground and giving a pledge of those promises in that fundamental one touching the Messiah, Cap. 5. 2. who was both the means and the earnest of consolation in, and deliverance from all their adversaries and adversities, for that seed of the woman was one day utterly to breaks the serpent's head d Cen. 3.15. and in the mean time the Serpent should never be able to do more than bruise his h●●lps, according to that all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen. a 2 Cor. 1.20 That is, sealed and delivered to the Church, hence the Psalmist being to improve the promises of deliverance, lays that as the corner stone, Thou hast made a Covenant with thy chosen, thou hast sworn unto' David thy servant, b Psal. 89.3. That is, unto Christ whose Type David was, as Peter expounds it, Acts 2. 30. Now that our Prophet might the more convictively set this encouragement on; First, he describes him particularly, 1 Described from, His place of birth. From his place, Thou Bethlelem Judah art not the least among the thousands of Judah, for out of thee shall come, &c. Cap. 5.2. 2 Person. From his person; 'Tis he whose goings out were from everlasting, either in respect of his eternal generation, or in regard 'tis he that hath been always proposed to the Church as the anchor of its hope, Cap. 2.3. 3 Office. From, his office, that he should be the Ruler and shepherd of his people, Ver. 2. 4. 4 Time of appearing. . From the time when he should be more fully manifested, and that was when she that traveled should bring forth, Ver. 3. That is either the time of the coming in of the Assyrian, or else the Babylonish captivity, and that following time till Christ, which should be so grievous, as if men were in travel according to that, Cap. 4.10. Thou shalt go to Babylon, and there thou shalt be delivered: and that of another Prophet c Ier. 306. Doth a man travelle with child, that I see every man with his hands on his loins: or else as others d O siander in 〈◊〉. think, 'tis to be understood of Christ's Nativity of the Virgin. 5 Performances for the Church. He describes him from his performances and success, he shall stand and feed or rule (for Rulers should be Feeders) in the strength of the Lord, and shall be great unto the ends of the earth. Secondly, he applies this to the security of the Church in the general, Ver. 4. They shall abide, that is, be protected by him in all places and occasions. 1 In general. a applied to the comfort of the Church in the present straight mentioned in the text whereof the 2 Comfort thence applied to the Church. To the particular judgements of the captivity named before, and the coming in of the Assyrian which he names in the Text, which proposes him especially as a consolation against that enemy, as being then their most potent Adversary, and indeed at that time master of the Babylonian, as appears 2 Kings 17 24. The King of Assyria brought men from Babel and placed them in the Cities of Israel; and besides, this calamity of the Assyrians happened before that of the Captivity; and we may add, that the Babylonian is here included under the Assyrian as is intimated, Ver 6. They shall waste the land of Assyria and of Nimrod, which was Babylon, Ge●. 10. 10. As also because they were one nation originally, G●n. 10. 10. 11. but divided after the death of Sardanapalus. The text hath the same sense though diverse pointings, several readings and some variety of interpretation. 1 Divers pointings. Diverse pointings, some a Munster Trem. Vat●bl u●●gat. Calvin. 〈 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} making the Colon at peace, thus, this man shall be peace: when the Assyrian, &c. because Athnach the Hebrew accent is a note of a more full pause as grammarians observe; b Latter English, Vatabl. in notis b●evior●h. C●malio. others put the fuller stop further into the sentence thus, This man shall be peace, when the Assyrians shall come into ourland: and so others c Asontanus. translatio corectior cum n●tis breviorib Vatable and the ancient English Which clears and varies the senso. read it in a continued sentence to the end of the verse only distinguished by commas. And this criticism touching the distinction is not idle, 1 because nothing in scripture is so 2, because it clears not varies some what the sense, for in the first pointing it is not so clear when Christ should be peace, and so not so comfortable as the other, which intimates that Christ should be peace even then when that so feared judgement should be upon them and it may also hint the referring of the former part to Hezekias time, the rest to those that follow the Captivity. And the last pointing intimates that though there may be some thing in the distinguishing, yet for the scope of it, it is the same. 2 Diven readings , divers readings, some rendering the particle this a gihen by the adverb: [h●●e] shall be peace b Calvin in loc. Hic eru pox. but they expound it by he, i.e. Christ, others c Septuag.. 〈 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by [thou] referring it to peace, thus thus shall be the peac●, i.e. state of the Church shall be under Christ flourishing with reference to Christ, others d The last English by comparing this verse with the next, read it, This man shall peace, more plainly and agreeable to the scope, 2 the word that we translate shepherds, is rendered by the Chaldee Kings; a pf 78. ult because their office is to feed, as well as govern, hence David d Item ibid. fed the people with all his might, and ruled them prudently with his power. And Cyrus is called God's shepherd by the Prophet Esay 3. lastly, the word which we expound principal men, Symmachus e {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} exprsseth by Christ's or anoynteds of men, because public offices must have public and solemn ordinations to them, the ceremony whereof was anciently anointing, which also the root * from 〈◊〉 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies from whence the word comes, Aquila f Septuay. 〈 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 〈◊〉, N, 01, us ●u●●●num. f Cal●i●in loc thus (g) grave and serious men, for such only are fit for works of reformation, others (h) the bitings of men, because those that Christ and the Church shall choose for their Instruments of delivery, shall bite ana devour the adversaries, as vers. 8. the remnant of Jaacob shall be as a Lion among the flock of sheep, 3 interpretations variety of interpretations, some refer the words at least the former part of them, as they stand in our ordinary translation, to the coming in of the Assyrian in Hezechias' time, & this is the first literal and immediate sense of the words as appeareth by the history, i King. 18. whence it is evident that when the Assyrian came they were then and at no other time delivered from him, and Christ shadowed out by the legal worship, k Col. 2.17. (which Hezekiah had newly l 2 ch●on. 32.1. restored) became peace unto them; others m Calvin. refer the text to the deliverance from the captivity, and so by shepherds and Pastors understand the Medes and Persians, and specially Cyrus who delivered Judah from captivity and is called expressly God's shepherds as we heard even now, and anointed n Esa 45.1 as also to the time of Hester o munster in loc 5 cav. to the deliverance by Mordecay, and to the time of Antiochus, to that by the Macchabees, p vartablus others q c lvin refer it to the time of Christ's incarnation, and understand by the Assyrians, as the than most known enemy r persynecdochen Speciei. the Romans, and by the shepherds and principal men, the Apostles and Evangelists, by the sword that of the Spirit the word of God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} among i e greeks the sar elon. c times that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Lastly, f Calviain loc it is referred (a) not only to the deliverance from the captivity and the following time till Christ, but also to the times under the gospel, when the Church shall be freed from all slavery, and rendered sui juris to a state of perfect freedom so that it shall have power to elect & appoint its own officers in Church & State, Change not the Identity of (saith my author) which diversity being but in some smaller particulars, detract nothing from the main purport of the words, which in all the former variety, hold forth for the, 2 The sum of the Text; which sum of them. A cordial to the Church against a fit of shaking, which it should not prevent, but strengthen nature under its abate, shorten and in time remove silicet, that Christ When the most formidable enemy should be upon them, divides itself into. would comfort them, release them, and ruin their adversaries, which general breaks itself into these three parts. 1 proposed. 3 parts. First, a supposition of the Churches future calamity, The Assyrian shall come into our Land. 2 The principal means of the church's remedy. This man shall be peace. 3 The instruments or manner of its deliverance; Wet will raise up against him seven shepherds and eight principal men. And now should follow, 2 explained the explication or the several in each of these, but this will conveniently be added to every part in their order, which shall be considered, 1 severally, 2 jointly, 1 severally, and so the first will administer an argument of humiliation (fitfor the time) unto the hardened; the 2 Observations g●hered 〈◊〉 of consolation to the humbled, the 3 cons●dered ● severally from whence. of direction to the raised and resolved mind to do God service, 1 of humiliation in this. Observation, That where Any, whether man or nation have been scandalous and uncorrigible in sinning, the Lorduseth to be towards such remarkable and inexorable in afflicting, Illustrated from ● the Text in regard of ● severity of the judgement evidenced from. This the Text clearly holds forth, that this people were gross in sin and refractory against amendment, was showed before in opening the Coherence, now that God was severe & peremptory in correcting, besides what was said above, the Text itself intimates; First severe, which appears from the nature of the evil, namely, war which hath the collection for variety, and the spirit and bitterness for degree of all evil, ushered in by terrors, insomuch that as the orator says even by the very noise of a war, the profit of a whole years' revenue is lost, whilst tillage is deserted, trading given over, and habitations forsaken, accompanied with silence of laws, and administation of Justice, as at this day among ourselves; so that impiety, injury, and vice run headlong without bridle, besides the violence, oppressions, bloodshed vastation, of a fruitful soil as the Garaen of Eden before it, yet behind it a desolate wilderness● as we see at this day in Germany, Ireland, and some shadow of it among our seives. 1 Thons' u●e of the evil. Prolege Man●●a Non, ●lum aa●en●us ●●als sed et●am met●●●●, ●aafer● c●l●●●●●tem, nam ●ec●● el●nguuntur, ag●●cul ura ae●er●u, ●e ●a●or●●●nav●ga●●● con●u●●, c●t. Followed with scarc●●, dearth and famine, with infection's diseases, as plague and pestilence, and evil beasts, where such are, and therefore in scripture often put together, the sword, the famine and the pestilence, a ler 15.1. c. 42. 1●. E●ek. 14.11, 15 17.19. in a word so full of calamity, especially if in the bowels of a kingdom as this was, that David, a soldier himself, chose rather a fierce plague or a long famine, than a short war. b 2. Sam. 24.14. From the instrument or enemy the Assyrian and Chaldean, for of both he speaks, as was showed before; from whom the affliction was like to be more heavy, 1 because he was I in himself I proud and insolent, as being 1 Master of the most ancient Empire, and most 2 From the person of ●● adversary as ●eeing ● in himself. ● proud. extended dominion in the world the successor of N●mo● a victorious conqueror * c comitis gen. ●b. altes p●r●tus geren●●●uver. wheresoever he came, and thence conceited his special favour with God, (●) 2 ●● n●ull ● Esa. 37.10.12. ● 10. and hereupon a boasting and scornful Adversary, see him vaunting himself both against God and man. d ● King's. ●8 25. Let not the God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, behold the Kings of Assyria have destroyed all Lands; that opposed them, Where are the Gods of Gozani &c. where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad? &c. ● Gen. 10.10.11. Thirdly, he was a cruel Adversary; cruelty always accompanying pride, for the cruelty of the Assyrians, see the Prophet Hasea, who having in one place a Hos. 9.3. prophesied of the captivity of Samaria and Israel by the Assyrians, saith in another, b Cap. 13.16 I hat their infants should be dashed in pieces by them and their women with child ripped up. And for the cruelty of the Babylonians, the history of the captivity relates the slaying of the King's sons before his eyes, the slaughter of the Nobles and principal men, the burning of the house of God, and the King's house, and of the Nobles, breaking down the wall of Jerusalem, and carrying such multitudes into captivity, c Ier. 52.10,11,13,14,24,25,27. Princes were hanged by the hands, the youths fainted in grinding, & the children fell under the wood, d Lam. 5.12. nay they slew the young men with the sword even in the house of the Sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age, e 2 Chro. 36.17. and as the Babylonians and Assyrians were originally of the same nation, f Gen●o. 11. so no doubt of the same spirit of cruelty and of pride. 3 An adversary that had in regard of his original a seed of hatred against the people of God, 2 In relation to the Ghatch ● an hab●●aile nemy. an habit of enmity, for he was descended of Nimrod, and so of Cham, the accursed seed g Gen. 10.11. and betwixt these an original enmity. h Gen. 3 15. 4 An adversary that had an actual provocation from this people, 1. by H●zec●ias reformation of the worship of God against his will; for it seems he had a great influence into the Church too, as appears by Ahaz, upon his league with him, following of him in his superstition, i 2 Kings 16. and this uses to provoke Idolaters exceedingly, that any should worship God in spirit and truth. 2 Actually provoked. By Hezekiah's rebelling against him, and that as himself confesseth, not without fault. k 2 King 18.7.14 5 An Adversary whetted on by what he had gained already the ten Tribes l 2 King. 17. and therefore the other two yet remaining, 3 Encouraged. that they should be left behind was an eyesore, 6 An Adversary engaged to cruelty and violence by the end of his coming, which was to make an absolute conquest, and to make them of Tributaries and Subjects absolute Slaves; for he is not ashamed to tell them, that though they yielded themselves, yet they were to expect to be transported into his Dominions, and others to be planted in their land, as he had done to the kingdom of Israel. a ● King 18.32. ●From he subject who were, ●Gods people. [3] From the subject, or persons suffering, employed in those words (our lan●) for I they were the people of God, and what a calamity for those that were the Lord's freemen to become slaves to those that were the vassals of Satan? for Idolaters, what service they offer they do it to devils', and not to God, b ● Cor. 10.20.2 Resc●ed from him 2 They were the rescued people of God from this Adversary, when he carried away the other ten Tribes, c ● King's 17. and what indignity now to be overcome by him? 3 Reformed. They were a reformed people of God. 4 Industrious And an industrious people to secure theselves from this Adversary, d 2 Cro. 30.11. Cap 32.4 and both these as it increased the violence of the Adversary, so it augmented the calamity that they should lose their hope and the benefit both of the one and the other. 4 engaged to cruelty. They were all the remnant of God's people, e Esay 37.4 and when Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, then to proceed to take Benjami● also, by whom shall Jacob arise or Abraham possess the promise if Isaac in whom he received them must be offered up? 4 From the degree. From the degree of this affliction and its prevalency; the enemy should not come to, but into our lan●, and not only prevail over the meanest, but should tread as Victor in the stately Palaces, so indeed the story hath it, that he took all the fenced C●ies of Judah f ● King. 18.13. and came up to the walls of ●er●sulem; yea, and as some g Heron say, out of the Hebrew writers, took that too and left nothing to Hezeki●s but the Temple and the Tower of Dav●d. 2 Incrorable judgement evidenced. Thing in the observation, is God's peremptory determination of bringing the judgement, from whence he would not be removed, and this is intimated in the word shall, which though often times is but conditional, 1 From the Contex●. yet is here decretory, as appears by the Third foregoing verse where 'tis said as of a concluded thing, that he should give them up till she that hath traveled, should bring forth: that is, till they should feel such calamity as should afflict them, as a woman in travel, as Interpreters a Ca●●in, Tremel. Mu●ster, and others. generally expound it, and Cap. 4.10. he says peremptorily, she should go to Babylon and be there delivered, and Cap. 7.13. having in the verse before promised a prosperous time of the Church; yet as expounding himself he says, notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, 2 From parallel places. as was mentioned before: and for this we have the consent of many Scriptures; 1 threatening some whereof threaten so much: as after the making of the golden calf, though the Lev●●es executed judgement to the slaughter of 3000 persons, b Exod. 31.28. and the people suffered it, and Moses was so importunate with God that he had rather lose his soul then be denied; yea c Verse 3●. and the people mourned too when they heard God would not go up with them himself but send an angel, d Cap. 33 2, 34. yet God tells them in the day that he should visit, he would surely visit this sin upon them, e Cap 32 34. and so in Deuteronomy f Deut. 29.19,20, &c. upon their blessing themselves in their own ways against all the curses of the law, 'tis threatened that the Lord will not spare him; now sparing implies entreating, but that the land should be made a desolation, carried into captivity; for that is pointed at, in that place as appears by comparing the context, g De●t. 30.3. and we know what fasting and praying was before the captivity, h Ier 36 6. and before this coming in of the Assyrian, not only by i Micha 3.4 others: but Hezekiah himself and the godly then living, which yet God would not remove before he had made them know that he was the Lord, the Assyrian not being repelled till he had wasted and spoiled all the land, but two or three Cities at the most: and the captivity not returning till seventy years, not withstanding the lamentation of the Prophets, as Jeremy, and the many fasts yearly celebrated a Zach. 8.19 and not then neither without much importunity, as appears in Daniels fasting and humiliation b Dan 9 not but that God would then have delivered them, but that he might show the difficulty of eluctating from the punishing of so great a provocation, he stirred up by his spirit such importunities in the hearts of his servants. And in the business of choosing a King, when God had before admonished them of it, and showed them the manner of the King, and they would not be admonished; he tells them that therefore when they should cry out unto him because of their King he would not hear them, c 1 Sam 8.18. according to that of the Proverbs, * Cap. 1.24.28. because ye would have none to my counsel, and despised all my reproof, they shall cry but I will not hear them, they shall seek me early but shall not find me, but they shall be filled with the fruit of their own devices; so also the Prophet Esay, d Esay 22.12. of the voluptuous persons in the time of public calamity. That this iniquity should not be purged until they died, 2 showing the execution of su●h threats other places there are that show execution done according to such threatening without all remorse or entreaty, no place being found for repentance, though carefully sued for with tears. Ely the High Priest being admonished of the disorder of his sons, and though admonishing them thereupon, yet not restiaining them, as the Lord had threatened, that the sin of El●es house should not be purged with Offering nor with Sacrifice, in regard of the temporal punishment; so was it accordingly fulfilled in the death of his two sons, of himself, and the loss of the Priesthood for many years from his family: e 1 Sam. 2.32. Cap. 3.13.14. Cap. 4 17.18.1 Kings 2.27. God's dealing with David after the matter of Uriah, is well known, The child must surely die, the sword must never depart from his house, his own son must rebel, and his own wives defiled by him; horrid calamities, and yet we know that David deeply repented & greatly humbled himself before the Lord, f 2 Sam. 12.10,11 12,13,14 25,26. Psal. 51. good Josiah refusing the voice of the Lord by the mouth of the King of Egypt, is slain in the battle, g 2 Chro. 35.12. and Hezekiah having received the peremptory denunciation of the Babylonish captivity, never so much as opened his mouth against it, a Esay 39 8. Hence God forbids the Prophet Jeremy to pray for them, and tells them, though ●Moses and Samuel (persons that had great prevalency with him) should never so earnestly intercede; yet his heart could not be toward them, b 〈◊〉 7.16. Cap: 5.1. and in another, c Ezek 14.14. he saith though Noah, Da●iel, and lob, yet they should save neither son nor daughter, so this coming in of the Assyrian was peremptorily concluded notwithstanding Hezekiah's reformation, d Esay 10. ●4. and that of the Chaldees notwithstanding Ios●●s, e 2 King. 23 26. & the Babylonish captivity came, because the Lord would not pardon f 2 King. 24 4. and the Corinthians g 1 Cor. 11.30. were struck with mortality and no discovery of the sin till many were taken away, or if it were discovered, yet the evil, though no doubt they repented, not removed, till by experience they had found that 'twas a fearful thing to provoke the Lord to anger, and to fall into his hands for contumacy. I have been the larger in the proof of this particular, Object. because there may be objected, 1 Scripture. Diverse express places of Scripture, in the Prophet Jeremy the Lord saith, When I speak concerning a land to pluck up, and to destroy it, if that nation shall turn unto me with all their heart, I will repent me of the evil I thought to do, h IC●, 18.7,8. and Hosea gives the reason why they were delivered into the hand of the Assyrian, Because they refused to return, thereby intimating that if they had returned, he should not, i Hos. 11.5. other places might be added, also there may be, 2 Reasons. objected reasons grounded in Scripture, the general tenor of it, which is to comfort those that are humbled with the hope yea assurance of seasonable deliverance. The very ground the Scripture goes upon in comforting is this, that repentance (which if it be true includes an aversion, from sin, and conversion to God in Christ, whose blood cleanseth from all sin, k 1 John 1.7. takes away the cause of affliction and therefore the effect must needs cease. Answer by distinction To the scripture we answer by a double distinction, 1 of Denunti●tion of judgement of denunciation of judgement where of some are purely minatory and threatning upon supposition of non repentance, such as was that to the Ninevites, a Jonah. 3. and these upon repentance are always diverted, others are Decretory or Determined absolutely foretelling what shall unavoidably follow, such was this of the coming in of the Assyrian, the Babylonish captivity, and divers others. And we have ground for this distinction in that of Zephany, b Zeph. 2.3. before the decree bring forth, seek ye the Lord, and that of our Saviour c Luc. 9.42 if thou hadst known in this thy day; and that of the Psalmist, d P●. 95 8. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, intimating that if they should not so is that place interpreted concerning those that lived in the time of the preparation of the ark, My Spirit shall not always strive with mar, his days shall be 120 years. I.e. he shall have so long to repent. e Gen. 6.2. If it be inquired here when a threatening is minatory, and when peremptory the observation will hint an answer scilicet when the sin hath been very provoking, Q ● and the impenitence very obstinate we may gather that the decree hath brought forth, and that the fierce anger of the Lord is coming on, as the Prophet spakes. f Zech. 2, 2, Distinct, ●. of promises. A distinction is of the promises of deliverance made upon repentance which are 1, 2. either for prevention of the evil that it shall not come, or remove all of it that it shall not continue for the first sort we say they are to be understood with this proviso, that the repentance be seas●nable and speedy, and not delayed so long till the honour and Justice of God be engaged to a vindication, as he speaks in the Prophet when he had reckoned some of their gross impieties and their incorrigible impenitency, he asks themselves the question, how shall I pardon thee for this, and shall I not visit for these things? g Ir. 3.5.7.9. and for the latter sort we say that they also are to be understood in a double sense, literal and spiritual, in the former, they are not always fulfilled, in the latter they never fail, all things are not ours literally, and yet 'tis promised by the Apostles a 1 Cor. 3.21. but as our Saviour speaks we have meat to eat which the world knows not of b I●h 4.32. & so a deliverance spiritual from the body of sin, the power of darkness, the curse of the law, and the wrath of God, c Rom. 7 24. ●5 but temporally we may even for one sin be kept from entering into Canaan, d Col. 1.13. and with David never have our * Gal. 3.13. ●Th. 1.10. house without a judgement. That the scripture doth not always comfort with the hope of prevention of the affliction, no nor always temporal deliverance out of it, but with supportation under it, * Cor. 10 13. 2 Res. An● 1. san●tification of it, * Esa 17 9 final freedom from all by Christ, * Esa 25 8. and 4 Reasons of the point. reward also of our patience under it, for the merits of Christ's patience, it we be in him, according to that of the Apostle, the light affliction works for us an eternal weight of glory. e ● Cor. 1.4. 2 the Scripture hath a greater motive to repentance then our deliverance, scilicet. I the love of God whom by sin we have offended, and of Christ whom by it we have pierced, 2 the glory of God whom by our professed repentance we honour, thereby testifying he deserved better of us. * Luc. 7.38. f 2 Cor. 5.14. Zech. 12.10. To the second reason we say that though the sin upon our humiliation and faith in Christ be taken away as David's was, yet the affliction occasioned by the sin may long continue as his also did g ● Sam 12.10.11.12,13. not as a punishment, but as an exercise, as a prevention, or a warning to others as a clearing of God's impartiality, that every mouth be stopped, when he scourges every one of his own sons so severely, if the end be hard of those that obey not the gospel. For the grounds of this, two sorts must be laid down 1 negative; those that seem to be, but are not; 2 positive, 1 appearing only. those that indeed are the reasons of it. 1 The reason is not because he hates them, 1 appearing only. though it is because he is highly displeased with them; those whom he had sent into captivity he saith I will acknowledge them, I will set mine eyes upon them for good, I will be their God and they shall be my people, a ler. ●●5. 6.7. and the Apostle assures us, that if we endure chastening, God offers himself to us as a Father to his child in whom he delighteth, b Heb. 12 7. and Christ tells the Church of Laodicea, That as many as he loves he rebukes and chastens, c Rev. 3 19 and Paul the Corinthians, that they were therefore chastened of the Lord (even with death) that they might not be condemned with the world. d 1 Cor. 11 32. 2. The reason is not because he will have satisfaction of them. For we find that David's sin was pardoned before any affliction came: e 2 Sam. 12.13. and that not upon us, but Christ, he hath laid the punishment of it all; f Esay 5.3.6. that he is reconciled by the blood of his son, g col. 1 20. which takes away all so clearly that it leaves no spot or wrinkle, h 1 Io●n 1.7.9. no blame or accusation, i Eph. 5.17. so that it being applied by faith, God himself hath nothing to lay to our charge, k Col. 1.22 Hib. 10.14. but we have full peace with him and joy and glory in him. l Rom. 8.33,34. Cap. 5.1. Now then where remission of sin is, and reconciliation to God, there is no more satisfaction for sin, m Heb. 10.18. Object. But against this may be objected that of the Prophet Esay, n Esa. 40.2. Comfort ye Jerusalem, say ye to her, her ●●●quity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins; to which we answer, Answ. 1 that this and such places are spoken according to men; as a father correcting his son in whom he delighteth, is said to be satisfied for the child's fault; not that he receives any amends, but the child is amended, or his own credit is repaired, which is all he aims at. It may be taken in Concreto, as the Church, the body is one with her head Christ, o Eph. 22.23. in respect whereof its sufferings are called the sufferings of Christ, p Mat. 25.35. Col. 1.24. and Christ's sufferings called the church's sufferings; q Rom 6.3,4,5,6. the afflictions of Christ abound in me * 2 Cor 1.5. , it may be taken in that sense. As in all their afflictions he is afflicted r Esay 63.9. , so they in him, but the 2 Reasons truly such are of four sorts, Reasons truly such of 4 sorts. in respect of the Church, 2 in respect of God himself, 3 of the enemies, 4 of others: the reason in respect of the Church is; that it may be rightly affected with, and to that end might have a right apprehension & true representation of the things that belongs to its peace, which are especially two; 1 sin, where of punishment is the best glass; for sin as it strikes at God is infinite, and therefore cannot be apprehended in itself, but as God, in its effects, hence that of Jeremy, a Ier 2. 15. The land is laid waste, the Cities burnt without an inhabitant; know therefore and see that it is an ewil and a bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God. [See] that refers to a representation; hence it is said in the Proverbs, b Prov. 1.31. that those that refuse the admonition of God should eat of the fruit, that is, taste by affliction the evil of their ways. All the denunciation of the Prophets to Manasseh, nor the bloody colour of his sins, could make him see the evil of them, till he was in captivity, and then he greatly humbled himself before the God of his fathers, c ● King's 33.12. and this shows also why great sins must have great afflictions, because the species or image, if it be a true one, must give the dimensions, the true height and breadth of the body of sin. If it be questioned whether God cannot some other way represent the sin; Q ●. we answer God dealeth with the creature according to its nature; now whilst we are in a lower Sphere of understanding, we perceive not causes, but by the effect first; 2 The second thing to be apprehended and is represented by affliction, is, God's goodness, which, as all our other happiness we perceive best by wanting it. And it is to be apprehended, & is by affliction represented, And that 1 in apposition is sin and the effects of it. 1 in opposition to sin, and the effects of it: That of the Lord in Moses, d Deut. 31.17. I will hide me till they say these evils are upon us because our God is not among us; and that in Hosea, I will return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face, in their affliction they will seek me early: a Mos. 5.5. now affliction represents the goodness of God, by way of comparison according to that of the same Prophet, b Cap. 2.7. in affliction she will say, I will returns to my former husband, for than it was better with me then now. By way of illustration, two contraries being put together, do the more set forth one another, hence Moses, c Deut. 30.19. I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing. By Way of experiment, 1 of the power of it, that in the multitude of afflicting thoughts that are in the heart; yet his comforts are able to refresh the soul, d Psal. 94.19 2 of the excellency of it, if it be of such sweetness mixed with the gall of Asps, what would it be if it were tasted without mixture? 3 in relation to the creature, as infinitely exceeding of it, whilst in the multitude of sorrows that can refresh, yea and make exceeding joyful, 2 Cor. 7. 4. Whereas these miserable comforters are they all, Prov. 11. 4. And this also shows a reason why great sins must have great afflictions; that the height and depth and breath and length of the love and goodness of God in Christ, might be throughly discerned: When the prodigal is almost starved, how pleasant is the thought even of dry bread? e Luc. 15.17. when the dejected soul is even at the graves mouth, then if there be a messenger, to reveal unto him God's righteousness in his son, it makes his flesh with joy come again, as a young child's; f Job 33.23. 2 Cor. 3.14.2. that they might have a through exercise of their graces, faith, patience, submission, that they might be perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. h Lames 1.34. 2 general reason general reason is in respect of God himself, in relation to his adversaries, that his honour may be salved, that he might show he hates sin most, where he loves best; hence it is that David must be severely afflicted, because he had made the enemies of God to blaspheme; which scandal that God might take off, he lets them see that in point of sinning, there is no respect of persons with him. i Sam. 12.14. col. 3.25. 3 Reason is, ●eason 3 for the Adversary, in respect of themselves, that they may be convicted of God's justice in their ●uine, and the horror that abides them; hence that of Peter, a ● Pet 4.17. if judgement begins at the house of God, what then the end of others? and that of the Prophet, b Ier. 25.18. behold I begin to bring evil in the City which is called by upon my name, and shall ye be unpunished? 4 Reason. Reason is, the admonition of others; so Moses, all Israel shall hear and fear, and do no more any such thing, c Deut. 13.11. the Apostle admonisheth that the judgements upon the people of God in the wilderness were for our examples, that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted, lest also if we be partners in their sin, we be sharers in their plagues. d 1 Cor. 10.6.11.3 use. 1 Info●mation 1 Of the evil of sin. If we apply this, it will first inform us, 1 of the true nature of sin, that though it be his own people, and the dearly beloved of his soul, e Ier. 12.7. so that his repentings are kindled together, f Hos. 11.8. yet such is the malignity of sin, that as a father, he must either draw blood, or lose his child, and not suffer his soul to spare for his crying * Prov. 19.18. . Oh therefore do not that thing which he so hates. g Ier. 44 4. 2 Of the cause of our troubles It will inform us of the true cause why God hath showed himself inexorable hitherto for Germany, Ireland, and ourselves; wherefore we have fasted, and he regards it not, and afflicted our souls and he yet stands off in this time of trouble; that we have spent our money for that which is no bread, and our labour for that Which profits not: 'Tis not a mistaken council, 'tis not a neglecting army; these, where there is such, may be the instruments, but not the authors of our evil; no, 'tis the birth of a decree, Zeph. 2. 2. and the execution of the h Ier. 13.13. judgement that is written for England; ●●y 29.14. according to the tenor where of, the Lord hath filled all the inhabitants of the land, the Princes, and the Priests, and the Prophets, and the inhabitants with drunkenness, and I will dash them one against another. And that there may be no prevention of it, the wisdom of the wise the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid. Quest. Why? but how doth it appear? what evil have we done, to cause a decree of execution to come forth? Resp. Resp. whatsoever this people were guilty of, Evidenced from the same occasion that was in our Prophet vis. sin shown to be parallel with theirs in its, 1 Vari●y. 1 Against the whole law. 1 None. that drew down this calamity upon them, whether we reflect, I upon the several kinds of sin, against the whole law, some of us refusing to have any at all; and there are two sorts of them, moving upon a contrary principle: the first of profaneness, who will endure no yoke but that of Satan, to whom they grind, even when their eyes are out: who live like bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed, in intemperance, uncleanness, theft, sloth, &c. Others upon a ground of perfection, that think it an indignity to be tied by God's law to obedience; though the Apostle who indeed said, to a righteous man there is no law to condemn; a 1 Tim 1.9. but yet confessed himself to be under one, to Christ. b 2 Cor 9 11. 2 Nothing else. Others will have nothing but law and their own righteousness by it, and name Christ but for fashion sake, like the old Jews, who having a zeal of God, if they might please him with their own righteousness, came short or the righteousness of God, c Rom. 10.7. 3 Mixtures of it. Mixtures, 1 of law and gospel together, making (the new cloth) with * Mat. 9.16.1 with the Gospel Christ's right consnes, only as a patch to stop holes in their own old garment, whereby at length the rent is made worse; a greater injury than the crucifying of him, for that was the occasion of his glory, his death for humbled sinners; this his shame, that he could not perfectly do the work he came for; and the greatest injury to the law. For they deprive it of its end, which is to bring to Christ, and leave him to do the rest. d Rom. 10.4. 2 With sin. Of sin and the law, buying liberty of God by one part of obedience, to transgress in another: like Saul, that thought by reserving a Sacrifice, to pacify God for sparing the Amalekite, e 1 San●●. ●5. 31. whereas he that off ends in one point is guilty of all. f James 2 10. 2 〈◊〉 precepti● Against the several precepts of the law, 1 In respect of the evil forbidden, 1 in the first Table, 1 Table. 1 Prohitions. 1 Idolatry. 1 literal. literally, our forefather's superstition, Idolatry and persecution, and we are risen up in their stead a generation of sinful men, who are so far from bewailing our parent's sin that we pursue it, by favouring the professors of such corruption, Papists, Arminians, Formlists, and hate with a perfect hatred the contrary zealously affected, whose chief fault in them is zeal, but not in their Adversaries; our Fathers slew the Prophets, and we fill their sepulchers. But can you prove this charge? Proved. harken oh Heaven, and give ear oh Earth, yea all the Elements give in your testimony. The Earth in all the parts of it, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, France, Germany, yea America, and the utmost corners of the world, whither our persecutions of late days have driven many of God's servants. The Sea, wherein many of them in their passages have perished, and The air and Fire unto one whereof, we have scattered the limbs of many of God's people by the help of the other in this present war. And Heaven, which hath been filled with their cries to the Lord of Sabbath. a James 5.4. 2 Myltically, I idolising of ourselves, and like Satan, so far puffed with our own gifts, that we fall into his condemnation, admire ourselves, despise our brethren, & walk nothumbly before God. b Mic. 6.8. 2 idolising of the world, these having our first thought in the morning and our last at night, c Phil. 3.19. 3 idolising men, of which our Prophet here complains, that the statures of Omri, d Mic. 6.16. were kept; and 'twas the vice of the Jews in our saviour's time, that were more tender of Caesar's honour then of Christ's blood; e ● ohn 19.12. like those among ourselves that transgress the Commandemnts of God boldly, but will seem to keep those of men conscionably. f Mat. 15.6. 2 Table. Bloodshed. 2 In the second table, to instance but in one; all the blood shed in the Scottish war; that deluge of it overflowing Ireland; and those arms of this Sea that have drowned so many, and daily do amongst ourselves, hath been occasioned by Papists, Arminians, Formalists, and profane persons, proud spirits, the one for their end being subservient to the other, &c. All which we have countenanced and fomented, and on the contrary opposed or deserted those that appeared against them. Now can we wonder why, when we make many prayers the Lord doth not hear us? the reason is, our hands are full of blood, a Esay 1.15. 2 Injunctions to good. 2 The good enjoined, 1 the distaste of it, and the means to it; prophesy not, say many of us to those that prophecy. * Micha 2.6. Or 2 dainty mouthed in it, we relish it hot, cannot endure sound doctrine, much less plain preaching of it, if nothing else but Christ and him crucified, b 1 cor. 2.2.2. we must have him clothed with a scarlet robe, a crown and a sceptre though it be borrowed of his enemies, not satisfied with decent clothing him, but we must have idle adorning; it shows an ill stomach that needs much sauce. Or 3. partial and carnal judgeing of it, having the word of God in too much respect of the persons teaching it, c James 2.1. 4 Backsliding from it, that in heart our souls draw back, 1 cor. 1.12. and then no marvel if God's soul have no pleasure in us. d Heb. 10.25.38, 39 2 Degree. The degree of our ●●nne, such as make Christians a shame to Turks, Protestants a byword to Papists, the purer sort to profane men, to the dishonour of that Christ, Protestant religion and power of godliness, which we profess, e Ezek. 36.20. it being so far from correction, that it is, become commendable, covetousness in the effect of it, an honour; intemperance the glue of charity; oaths the ornament of our discourses; uncleanness a kind of reputation; corrupt indifferency moderation and prudence. 3 universality. The universality of our sinning; 1 Our Princes, i. e. our persons of quality, (for they in the Hebrew Dialect are expressed by that word) many of them living by reason of 1 Monopolies, Patents, &c. not upon the sweat of the poors' brows, for they brought them to that leanness, that there was no superduity for that excrement; but upon their flesh and bones, as our Prophet speaks, Cap. 3. 2. that could not warm themselves, but the needy was the colder; nor feed, but eating up the people they eat bread; nor array themselves, but the Orphans and the Widow were the nakeder. It is not enough to break off this sin by more uprightness, but repentance must be testified by special works of mercy, as satisfaction to the poor, as the Prophet Daniel speaks. a Dan. 4.27. 2 Impropriations; living upon the precious soul. Thousands of souls famished through ignorant and unable Ministers, there being no sufficiency to maintain better, are now crying in the ears of God, How long Lord, how long wilt thou cease to avenge our blood upon such a great person? such a Knight? such a Gentleman? such a Bishop? and it may be such a college. b Revel. 6.10. Not but that there is a difference; for some have had these put upon them in stead of better lands taken from them; in other places there is enough notwithstanding, and some have though little, yet too much in that employment. But where an able minister may be had, and where means is not cometent, and where it was not forced on them, (if this will hold plea with God) there, those that do it not, are without excuse. 2 The ministry (for we must all this day take shame to ourselves, as Daniel c Daniel 9 speaks, we and our Fathers and our Princes and our people have transgressed thy covenant) they as those in our Prophet have fixed their ends, great estates, worldly fullness, high places, much ease; as our fathers did, so do we; dumb Dogs living to slumber, that can never have enough, that say, fetch wine and we will fill ourselves: d Esay 56.10. and the means they have used, such as our Prophets complain of, a or 300 cruelty and flattery; they make the people err, bite with their teeth, and cry peace, and those that put not into their mouth they even prepare war against them, as it is at this day; levy hath not only his tongue but his hand deep in this blood, and not only his pen in it, but even his sword too, if the report be true, that so many scholars were found dead at Edge-hill: If Ahab will have them say he shall go up to Ram●th-G●lead, he shall have hundreds cry, Go and prosper, b 1 Kings 11. ●2● if in Church matters Ahaz will have such an Altar as is at Damascus, he shall have an High Prie●t that will do according to all that the King commands him. c 2 Kings 16.16. If a novelty will take the people, you shall have those that will speak perverse things to draw Disciples after them. d Acts 30.30. 3 The people themselves, 1 affected ignorance, 2 Mole-like earthiness, 3 gross profaneness, 4 Notable opposing the purity of reformation, lest they should be forced to be too heavenly, 5 Unworthy cowardice for want of making their calling and election sure, and so fear death more than hell, which by this they highly merit: 6 Uncertainty and fickleness, a while a go, an Hosanna to the Parliament and a crucify them to the High Priests, and now these can so persuade with them, that with the Keilites they will give up David, that they may secure themselves: 7 A spiritual wantonness, zealous a while after good things, but no sooner filled then cloyed with them, * a Tim. 4.3. of all which we may say with him, the prophet's prophecy lies, and the great men (for so the word may be interpreted) bear rule by their means, and the people love to have it so, and what then shall we do in the end thereof, e Ier. 5. 3●. 4 Wilfuln●sse. the wilfulness of our sins, against light from God, against conviction of our own consciences, against the strivings of the Spirit, as those of the old world, f Gen. 6.3. so that many of us have been fain to shut on● eyes or hush our consciences, as Saul * 1 Sam. 16.16. with company, mirth, business, that we might not hear the clamour of it. Or with Foelix, break off the discourse of righteousness and temperance, that we might not tremble at the judgement to come, * Act● 24.25. for the neglect of them. 5 Incorrigible against. 5 Lastly, the incorrigibleness of our sin. 1 Admonitions. Against God's mouth in his word and all his servants pressing it, a Micha 2.6. against his hand opened, wherewith he filled us with plenteousness, and would by this goodness have led us to repentance; b Rom. 2.4. but we by turning this grace into wantonness or security, have treasured up wrath against the day of it. 3 judgement. 2 Mercies. His contracted hand of judgement in the persecution of Queen Mary, the invasion of 88, the danger of November the fifth, the Pestilence in the year 1625, the calamity of these many years last past, yea and still upon us (for these things we must put often in memory, seeing the Characters of them so soon wash out of men's hearts) we may take up the complaint of the Prophet, b Amos 4 6. I have given you cleanness of teeth; sent all diseases after the manner of Egypt, &c. and yet you have not returned unto me: and that of Esay, c Esay 1.5. Why should ye be smitten any more? they will transgress more and more: we have been like Solomon's Drunkard, they have smitten me but I was not sick, wounded me, but I felt it not. d Prov. 23.34. 3 Against the strongest remedies and firmest bonds of obedience, 4 Our own late protestation. the words of our own mouths, our solemn vows and promises in our late Protestation, which is the last refuge of a Nation, e Ezra 10.2.2 Chro. 15.12. Nehem. 9.38. and strongest engagement to obedience, and the violation of it a sin, which God hath always revenged with sweeping judgement, as the places in the margin will evidence, f Levit. 26.25. Deut. 29.25. Ios. 23.15. I●dg. 2.20. take but an instance or two, the coming in of the Assyryan, and captivity of ten Tribes, is ascribed to this. g 2 Kings 17.15. And Daniel concerning the Babylonish captivity mentions the oath; h Pan 9.11. And when they had transgressed a Covenant but concerning the poor servants in letting of them go free, the Lord breaks forth in fearful threats which he executed accordingly; I will faith he pro●laime a liberty for him to the Sword, and to the Famine, and to the Pestilence, and I will make you be removed into all the kingdoms of the Earth, and there your dead bodies shall be meat to the fowls of heaven and beasts of the earth. a Ier. 34.15,16,17 And he asks concerning Zedekiah the question, Shall a man break the Covenant? though it were but with a man, b Ezek. 17.15. and be delivered? What Thunderbolts then may we think God is sharpening against our faces? * And Furnaces seven times hotter is be preparing for our torture. who have protested before God and man, for God and man in the highest things that concern both the pure worship of the one, and welfare of the other, and yet not only slight but work many of us directly contrary to it: 1 Favouring Papistry, against Protestant Religion: 2 Hazarding the King's person in unnatural war. 3 Opposing the power of Parliament: 4 Betraying the liberties of the Subject, 5 and every person that endeavours to maintain them: 6 conceal and countenance the Contrivers against them: 7 And hereby destroy the union and peace of the three kingdoms: 8 And become guilty of all the blood that hath been shed in them, and so renounce our vow and Protestation. And do we wonder that God visits for these things? and that his soul doth avenge itself on such a nation as this? c Ier. 5.9. Reflect upon what was lately spoken to this honourable Assembly concerning the Covenant revenging sword. Mr. Arrowsmiths Sermon. 2 use of exhort●tion. Now if we have justified this people by running parallel with them in all their sins, upon whom the Decree passed, that the Assyrian should come in, we may not wonder, that notwithstanding all means used to the contrary, yet he tread in our Palaces. 2 We may be hence exhorted; Not to add drunkenness to thirst, lest our chains be made yet more heavy; if we continue and add to walk contrary to God, he will not only walk contrary to us, but will plague us yet seventimes● more for our obstinacy; as he repeats these words four times together in Leviticus, d Levit. 26. ●8. 21,24, ●8. there is a vain conceit in men, as if God when he had deeply afflicted a Nation would give over as satisfied; whereas we see in the example of his own people, that he will have his will of us one way or other, if we refuse to do we shall suffer his will: a Voluma● Dei s●t aut a te aut de se. so in the Prophet Esay b Esay 9.12,13,17,20,21. it is repeated three times in one Chapter, For all this his hand is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still; yea, and in the same place verse 13. is the reason, for (saith he) the people turn not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord, therefore the Lord will cut them off head and tail, and branch, and root. In like manner in another Prophet, c Amos 4.12. when he had sent them cleanness of teeth, and yet they would not return to him, he sends multitudes of other, as it follows in the text, and at the close he saith, because by these things they will not be admonished, therefore prepare to meet thy God, there is yet a sorer judgement behind. Pity then Ireland, the Northern and Western parts of this kingdom that are almost desolate; pity the children and those that suck the breast, pity the wife of thy bosom; for if you go on, we can expect no better quarter of the Lord than he gave to his own people, and that was upon their incorrigiblenefle. The children shall be dashed in pieces and the women with child ripped up, (d) and so it came to pass as we showed before. Go therefore thou intemperate, worldly, proud, cold, hypocritical man, and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee, e John. 9.14. 2 Exhortation must be such as is employed here by our Prophet to his hearers, and that is to prepare to meet thy God O England. (f) 1 By a real expectation of a deep affliction, by considering 1 the several aggravated, wilful, gross, scandalous sins of a nation that professeth godliness. 2 The horrid incorrigibleness of it, that not only they say to them that prophecy prophesy not, but they persecute them, and if they speak, not only with the High priest's servant strike him on the cheek, but his mouth will command not a smiting on the mouth, but a laying by the heels, a confiscation of goods, a perpetual imprisonment, or a banishing out of the kingdom. It is a part of preparation to be resolved of the certainty; hence our Saviour (a) bids his Disciples sink these things into their hearts that they should suffer, and our Saviour, if I must drink they will be done. 2 By making sure of him who is here promised to be Peace, (especially to the soul,) even when the Assyrian should tread in the Palaces, this is the rock the storms cannot shake, and those that are founded on it, the strength of man, no nor the gates of hell can prevail against, this the Ark that the flood cannot reach, the Anchor by which we may ride out the tempest, of which more in the next part. 3 By considering 1 the equity of God in it, 'tis that we bargained for with him; b Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.7. did we not agree with him for this penny, that if we did eat or drink intemperately, be wanton, worldly, profane, cold, false, we would be content to die the death? have we not procured these things to ourselves? c Ier. ●. 17. why should therefore living men complain, a man for the punishment of his sin, d Lam 3.39. this made not only Daniel confess, that God was righteous in all he had done, though in the captivity, e Dan. 9.7. but even Pharaoh in those horrid plagues of Egypt. f Exod. 19.17. 2 Consider the advantages, 1 To God we should say as they in the Prophet. g Esay 66.5. Let God be glorified in our shame or ruin, let his honour which we have bespotted be recovered what ever become of us; it should be dearer than our souls, as it was to Moses and Paul. h Rom. 9.3. 2. To ourselves, we shall be cured of that disease that would have proved deadly to us as the Prophet saith, i Esay 27.9. all the fruit is that God may take away our sins, that though we die temporally we may be but chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. k Cor. 11. 3●. 2 False and hollow brethren in the Church, members of the commonwealth, will be, as many have been already further discovered the Abiathars and joab's show themselves when Adonijuh raiseth a rebellion. a 1 Kings. 2.21. 4 By humbling ourselves before him, for it may be he will rest content with that; for though there be not a sudden & a total removal, Sa●is ●st prostrasse. yet now there is more ground for this exhortation, especially now the evil is upon us, and so the decree in part satisfied, therefore partly Gods: it will obtain certainly, 1 A mitigation for the Elects sake, that cry to him night and day, these days shall be shortened, b Joel 2.12.18. after 70000 yet when David cries to God, and after all the land and Cities of Judah, yet humbling Jerusalem is spared. c Esay 37.33. 2 Support 1 Cor. 10.13. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able. d 2 Cor. 12.8,9. 3 Sanctification Hebr. 5. 8. Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered. 4 removal, Deut. 30. 1. When all these things are come upon thee and thou shalt return unto the Lord, than he will turn thy captivity. 5 Perhaps thy security. Mal 3. 17. In the day that I make up my jewels I will remember them; every day of fast, every hour of prayer, is on the file. Rev. 20. 12. 6 Return of thy prayer, Psal. 35. 13. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom, though it did no good to them. 7 If you forbear, Hester 4. 14. If thou forbear at all at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall perish. Remember that of the Prophet, When the Lord called for weeping and mourning, and there followed eating of flesh and drinking of wine; surely, saith the Lord, this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die. e Esay 21.12. Use 4. Is for direction, 1 to all those that seek reformation and use sinful means to accomplish it, Surely the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose, Esay 30. 7. f Esay 30.7. It were better for us if the will of God be so, to suffer for well doing then for evil, 1 Pet. 3.17. For then after our captivivity shall be accomplished God will visit us, and perform his good word towards us. g Ier. 2●. 10. 2 Direction for this honourable assembly what they are principally to labour in, and that is to cause the nation to break off their sins by repentance; whilst that wildfire is in the thatch, the water of fasting and of all other endeavours will but inflame the burning, Esay 1. 16. and if so we shall be fitted for the consolation which the second part of the Text propoundeth, for it is with reference to the former, and supposition of the effectual working of it, when the Assyrian is come into our land, and treads in our palaces, upon our humiliation and application of ourselves to him; then this man shall be peace; where three things are considerable. 1 The extremity; 2 The opportunity; 3 The particular remedy: the extremity, 1 When the Assyrian, then and not before, from the 2 Obs. former. Observe, The Churches great delivery, especially after great provocations, is not usually till it come to great extremity, but always at the due opportunity. When the Patriarchs had sold Joseph into Egypt, themselves were in bondage there four hundred years, and every day in worse condition than other: before Subjects, after they became slaves, and afterward such, as it was not thought fit that they should live. And therefore care is taken to murder them in the birth: a Exod. 1.16. When Moses came to deliver them where before they were but dying men, now they stunk in the nostrils of their adversary; b Cap. 5.21. and when they were delivered, yet worse, for where before they were scattered in the land and some might hope to escape, now all gathered together fit to have the neck cut off at once; as Nero desired the people of Rome might have for the Sea before, and the mountains on each side, and the Egyptians pursuing, c Cap. 1●. so before God delivered the Israelites from the Philistimes, they were come to that lowness, that they had neither Sword nor spears nor a Smith to make them. a Sa●●. 13.19.22. And another time, not till one Goliath made all the host of Israel run like sheep, b Cap. 17. ●. and the Famine in the time of I●ram not removed, till a fourth part of a Cabbe of Doves Dung was sold for five pieces of silver, yea, till the women eat their own children. c 2 Kings 25.29. And the people of God not delivered from the enemy in the time of Iehos●phat, till he knew not what to do. d ● Chro. 10.11. And Hezekiah not delivered from the Assyrian in out Text, till all the fenced Cities of Judah taken, and came up to the walls of Jerusalem; e 2 Kings 18 3. And Christ came not to deliver, till the sceptre utterly departed from Judah, and the Nation made slaves to the Imperious Romans; but when the condition is such, then comes the deliverance, as in all these examples appears; for the vision of deliverance is for this appointed time, and in it it will speak and not lie. f Hab. 2.3. Reason 2. The grounds of this truth are such as these. 1 In respect of God that the sole praise of the deliverance may be his, Gedeons' company were too many for God to deliver by; g Iudg. 7.2. God is careful that we should not give his honour to another, which we would do if we were not frustrated of all other helps, as in the Prophet; h Esay 48.7. I told thee before, lest thou shouldest say, my idol did it. Reason 3. In respect of the enemy, that he may be manifested. First, in regard of his malice and cruelty, that he may have opportunity to spit up all his venom, and exercise all his rage ● that men might know the wickedness of the men. 2. That they may be convicted, first, of their impotency in opposing God and his Church. That though they bring it to nothing, yet can they not then prevail, as the Sea, when the Waves come to that part of the ground that is lower than itself, yet it cannot overflow but their breaks d Exod. 18.11. ; Secondly, Of the Justice of God in their ruin, that they may be self-condemned before God do it, e Ier. 2.19. thine own wickedness shall reprove thee. Reason 3 In respect of the Church itself, That it may be throughly purged from its Tyn and dross f Isai. 1 25. , and that the faith and patience of it may be throughly tried g 1 pet. 1.7. ; and the graces of it publicly honoured h 1 Sam. 2.30. use. , as it was in the primitive persecutions. For the consequence or use of this, it will be for our encouragement, The Apostle i 2 Cor. 12.10. rejoiced in necessities, tribulations, afflictions, for when he was weak, then strong; i. e. as he adds, for then the power of Christ was ready to rest upon him; 'tis so withal the Church, It receives the sentence of death, that it might trust in him, who raised Christ from the dead. Our Saviour being to comfort his Disciples before his going, tells them of war &c. and adds, when ye see these fulfilled, then lift up your heads for * Luk. 21.28. , &c. a strange way of comforting, but 'tis God way. Is Ireland gone; Do the States look on; does not Scotland help; is York, Newcastle, Oxford, Weles, Reading, Cirencester taken? does France, Denmark, Spain, and the Irish Rebels, all threaten; were all the fenced Cities taken, and came up to the Walls of London, as they did the other day; does men's hearts fail, and the Pillars of the Earth quake, those of whom we said, under their shadow we shall have peace; Let not your hearts be troubled, The woman when shetravaileth, is near delivery, and of obtaining a child; All these floods shall not drown, but make glad the City of God k Psal. 46.3,4. ; David was not delivered till he was in his own sense cut off from the sight of God's eyes l Psal. 31.22. , Jonah not till he was cast into the Sea, came into the belly of the Whale, and descended to the Rooks of the Rock m Jonas 2.4 . Peter not till he was to be brought to execution the next day n Acts 12.6. . Paul not till he had received the sentence of death o 2 Cor. 1 9 . Christ not till he was dead and buried; yea this Kingdom not till helpless, and hopeless, and this Parliament never so much advanced, as since there was but half an hour betwixt its ruin and it. But perhaps it may be objected, Object. I may perish in my particular, and my estate be ruined, though the public stand. Answ. Answ. 1. 'tis more self-love than the Heathen would endure, some of them to be unwilling to sink in their particular, so that the public might be preserved. 2. Though thy bread, and thy life too, Regulus. Cata. Cic. &c. which it should sustain, be cast as it were upon the waters, yet in the morning, sow thy seed, in the evening, withhold not thy hand, for after many days it shall return p Eccles. 11.1,6. . 1. To thyself, even the least cup of cold water, if given, because he that wants it, belongs to Christ, shall not lose his reward q Mark. 9 41. . God hath upon account every penny, every Journey, every tear. 2. To the Church for this loss of our estates and lives, are part of that extremity, that the Church must come unto, before it be delivered, and 'tis a special honour, that to us it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. Is the special remedy the thing itself, 3. Partic. of 2. gen. Pet. that should in this extremity bring seasonable deliverance; This man shall be peace, which must be first explained, secondly, distinguished, thirdly, some observation from thence raised. 1 1. Explained in the several expressions of i●. . Explained. This man, Where two Questions, First, What is meant by this man? Answ. The second verse of this Chapter compared with Matth. 2. 6. clears it to be Christ, 1 1. as the Jewish Writers themselves confess, Herod asking where Christ should be born, the Scribes answer him at Bethleem, quoting this place of our Prophets. 2. Question, Why is he here proposed as a consolation against this calamity of the Assyrian. Answ. 1. To signify that Christ was he in all ages, that was the Captain of salvation to his Church, as is intimated, verse. 2. His goings out still with the Church, have been from everlasting. q. d. Fear not the Assyrian, you know on whose shoulder the Government lies, hence it is said, by the Apostle r 1 Cor. 10.4. . That the Jews in the wilderness tempted Christ. 2. Because Christ is the Foundation, Pledge, and Assurance of all other mercies to the Church (as was showed before) in him all the promises of God, are yea, and Amen s 2 Cor. 1.20. . And he that hath given us his own son, how shall be not with him give us all things else t Rom 8.32. . 2. Shall be. Why not, shall bring, or procure? Answ. Because Christ hath a double relation to the church's happiness. First, as an efficient cause, obtaining it. 1. By his merit. 2. Conferring it by his power. Secondly, As the Object matter of it. Christ himself it is, in whom the Church rests satisfied in the want of all things, according to that of the Lord to Abraham, I am thy exceeding great reward u Gen. 15.1. ; which is also expressly affirmed of Christ by the Apostle, he is our peace x Eph. 2.14. , as the Husband is the wife's happiness; as the procurer of it, hence called the Saviour of the body y Eph. 5.23. . 2. As the chief part of it, as Elkanah to Hanna, Am not I better to thee then ten sons z 1 Sam. 1.8. . 3. 3 3. Peace. Which hath a double notion, 1. Proper as Jehoram to Jehu. Is it peace Jehu. i. e. Is it all quiet a 2 King. 9 22. . 2. Figurative, according to the Hebrew dialect by a Metonymy of the adjunct, and a synecdoche of the principal part, as pray for the peace of Jerusalem, saith the Psalmist. i.e. Desire all prosperity for it, as he expounds himself in the next verse b Psa 1 22.6, 7. . Now both these is here understood, Christ brings both, as shall appear anon. The words of this particular thus opened, fall into this division. 1. The nature of the remedy answerable to the evil, and that's peace against Warne. 2 Distinguished. The time 'tis in the future shall be. 3. The certainty of it, 'tis not only shall in respect of time, but also in regard of the Assurance. 4. The procurer of it, This man. 5. The chief matter of it, and that's he himself, This man shall not only bring, but Be the peace. 3 3. Observations the ce first employed. Observations thence. From the first particular might be this, That Christ will be all in all to his Church. i. e. Not only a seasonable but a suitable remedy in all its calamities. From the 2. That Christ will be waited for in this vision of peace; we must be of those, who not only by faith, but also patience inherit the promise. From the 3. That as God is constant in his judgements, so is he unchangeable in his promises; As the Assyrian shall come, so than Christ shall be peace: But passing these: from the 4 and 5, as that which is chiefly here aimed at, Observe, 2. Chiefly intended. That the only work of peacemakers in a Kingdom, is to receive, retain, and advance the Lord Jesus. This I confess might have been the use of a Doctrine hence deducible; but because 'tis most sit for the memory of this Honourable Assembly now in their Agitation of a Treaty for Peace, and because it necessarily flows from the Text, I conceived it not improper to be the principal Lesson. Of it must be given, 1. The mind. 2. The truth. 3. The use and advantage of it. 1. The mind and meaning. 1 Expounded in the severals First, I say, The only work. In regard of eminency, This is the one thing absolutely necessary c Luke 10.41. , all other in comparison of this we may call with the Apostle, dung and dross d Phil. 3.8. , idleness, or evil occupation. 2. By way of sovereignty, 'tis the Queen and end of all other employments undertaken in order to peace, and so denominates, disposes, and makes them desirable, according to that of the Apostle, I live not, but Christ in me e Gal. 2 20. , and to me to live is Christ; and whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, in word, or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus f Col. 3.17. . i. e. In order to him. ● Col. 10,32. 2. I say, receive, retain, and advance Christ, for 'tis not sufficient to give him some entertainment, but he must be bid to go up higher, till he come to his own place, that is, to the head of the Table both in Parliament and Convocation-House, i. e. the Church and State: the quarrel was, That they would not have this man to reign over them g Luk. 19 : of which anon. 3. I say, advance Christ, signanter, not Religion only, for Turks, Jews, Papists, schismatics properly so called (which rent themselves from Christ his Ordinances or People; not those that modestly refuse the counterfeit, or corruptions of them) all these compass Sea and Land to make a Prosclyte h Mat. 23.15. , to advance Religion; yet are as far from Peace, as from Truth, because they either deny or divide Christ the Prince of it. 2. The truth of the Observation will appear, 2. Proved by the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} f●om if we show, 1 That it is so; and then, 2 more fully, if we add the causes why. 1 The Text. 1. That the only work of the peacemakers in a Kingdom is to set up Christ, appears in the Text, which in this great calamity by the Assyrians, proposes no other means in the first place, but this: after wards indeed he mentions others, as the raising up of the seven Shepherds, and eight principal men; but these are authorized from, and acted by the former. 2 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. From consent of other Scriptures; it was mentioned before out of the Apostle, i Col. 2.17. That Christ was the body of all legal worship, and the end of the Law k Rom. 10.4. . Now Hezekiah having restored this, builds his confidence of deliverance on it, as including Christ that Ro●k against which the gates of hell could not prevail: After these things were astablished, Senacherib King of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and Hezekiah said, with him is an Arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to fight our battles l 2 Chron. 32.1.8. . The Prophet Esay in a case of war, by the invasion of Pekah King of Israel, and Re●in King of Syria, when the heart of Ahaz and his people was moved, as a Reed shaken with the wind m Esay 7.2. ; How doth the Prophet remove this shaking fit? Why chiefly by proposing Christ, as the assurance of deliverance, cause the sceptre was not utterly to depart from Judah (howsoever it did from Israel) till Shiloh came: but because 'twas very unlikely so small a handful should be able to withstand two so potent Adversaries, he proposes it in as unlikely an expression; A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and ye shall call his name Emmanuel; n Ver. 15. that is, God with us, to help and save us: And then follows; o Ver. 16. the Land which thou fearest, shall be forsaken of both her Kings which came against thee. Nay, and that promise of Christ in that place, is set as an Antidote against the terror of this Assyrian calamity in our Text; for he adds p Ver. 17,18,20 , The Lord shall bring upon thy people the King of Assyria; and yet having laid down the promise of Christ before, he says, That butter and honey should every one eat that is left in the Land; and that there should no more come up upon it the fear of Briars and Thorns, q Ver. 22.25. i. e. Christ notwithstanding this affliction should bring them great prosperity and security: So also in the next Chapter r Esay 8.7. having threatened the coming of this enemy, Now therefore the Lord shall bring upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the King of Assyria, and he shall pass thorough Judah, and reach even unto the neck (Jerusalem) and the stretching out of his wings shall fill thy Land, O Emanuel; the battle of which warrior should be with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood, yea with burning, and fuel of fire (Universal, you see, and extreme) he subjoins as the only direction to the King and State; to whom he had spoken before, a repetition of this promise of Christ, for unto us a son is born, a child is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, q. d. it belongs to Christ to secure his people: Therefore fear not, but apply yourselves unto him, for unto us a child is born, &c. s Esay 9 5,6. And in the next Chap: Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Be not afraid of the Assyrian, the consumption decreed shall overflow: But in the next Chapter (though the same discourse) 'tis promised, There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an Ensign to the people: And it shall come to pass in that day, That the Lord shall set his hand again the second time, to recover his people from Assyria t Isai 10.24.23 cap. 11.1.10,11. . And the Prophet Malachy; The day cometh, that shall burn as an Oven, and leave neither root nor branch; but unto you that fear my Name, shall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing under his wings: And ye (by him) shall tread down the wicked u Mal. 2.4 3. . 'Tis a direction to peace in the time of trouble, from the enemies of the Church. 3. From the greater to the less, from God's own example; the setting up of Christ is his only work, when he would make peace in the world; he hath made peace by the blood of his son, and by him reconciled all things x Col. 1.20. . Hence when the Kings of the earth and Princes were all in an uproar, he stills it with this, I have set my King upon him; and therefore now, O ye Kings, kiss him, lest ye perish from the way y Ps. 2.6.11. . This work is called God's Kingdom z A majori. God's own example. because 'tis his whole business, as Kings in theirs; and whole contentment, as we say one, is in their Kingdom, when they are about that they take pleasure in. 3 Ab oppositio. 3. From the contrary none ever made peace, and excluded him, that prospered. Pilot and the high Priests would have peace with Caesar a 10.19.12, 13. and the people b M rc. 15.15. ; and the people with the Ruler c Ver. 11. ; and they with the Romans d 10.11.42. ; and to obtain, they destroy Jesus: now Pilate would have peace with all, because an Adversary, and— laid violent hands upon himself; e Euseb 1.2. c. 7. and the Priests and people did not so much oppose the Romans by this act, as provoked them by othe●s: Whereupon they came and took away both their place and Nation: And Maximinus, that he might enjoy a continued Peace, interdicts the profession of Christianity, and there follows a War with his own Subjects, wherein he always went by the worse f Idem lib 9 c. 7. . 4 Ab Inductione. 4. From instances in all the several kinds of peace, peace (as we heard before) is 1 literal, and so 1 negative, non-disturbance and quiet; this Christ brought here to Jerusalem, he shall not come against this city, nor shoot an arrow there g Isai. 33.37. . 2 positive; 1 proper, 1 With God; bring justified by faith, we have peace with him h Rom. 5.1. . 2. With men; Agrippa, Festus, and the whole council all friends to Paul's person, though not to his Religion i Acts 26. . 3. With ourselves; My peace I give unto you; let not your hearts be troubled k 10.14 27. . 2. Figurative, all prosperity; Butter and honey shall every one eat that is l●st in the Land; and though persecutions, yet after ward many times much abundance, or with the afflictions many blessings l Mark. 10 40. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may be interpreted with, or after persecution. . Solomon his Type the richest and wisest Prince: Constantine the first Christian Emperor, the greatest Potentate of the world. We have seen the truth, come we to the grounds of the Point; which may be, 1. 2 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Reasons 1. Because Christ only can stop enmity at the head; the beginning of strife is like the letting out of water m Prov. 17.14 , easily stopped at the Fountain; Now Wars and Contentions come from above; the star Worm wood which made the waters (i. e. the people, Revel. 17. 14.) bitter, fell down from heaven: By the anger of the Lord it came to pass that Zedekiah n 2 Kin. 24.20. rebelled; And the lying Prophet from the Lord encouraged Ahab to the War at Ramoth-Gilead. Now Christ only hath access to the Fountain head, God himself; 1. To intercede; 2. To satisfy, and so to pacify: Now when that is done, he will make his enemies to be at peace with him o Prov. 16.7. Reason 2. . Reason 2 2. He only can quench the firebrands; to him alone all power is committed, even in this kind p Matt. 28.18. . Now there are three Incendraries; 1. The Leviathans that make these waters boil, as Job speaks q Job 41 31. , great persons that move the multitude, as the Pharisees the people; now Christ governs these; By me Kings reign, and Princes, and all Judges of the earth * Prov. 8.16 ; and therefore when they are in tumult, God sends Christ amongst them, as the master his son, when the servants are together by the ears, and he stills them with a rod of Iron, and breaks them in pieces like a potter's vessel r Psalm ●. . 2. The unruly multitude; These he quells too, he calms as the noise of the seas, so the tumult of the people s Psal 56.7. ; so he over awed those of Nazareth, when they brought him to the brow of the Hill, to cast him down, he passeth through the midst of them, and goes his way t Luk. 4.29. ; so did he master the Buyers and Sellers in the Temple, who wondered, that no man laid hands on him, when they themselves were scourged out by him u 10.2.15. . In vain shall David use courtesy, or Rehoboam threatS, one Absalon, or Jeroboam will seduce the Kingdom; but if they come with swords on purpose, if Christ do but ask them, who they seek, they go backward, and fall to the ground x Ioh. 18.6. . 3. Devils; Those lying spirits in the mouths of Ahab's Prophets, and Rehoboam's council that incense to war and violence, these also are subject to Christ y Luk. 10.17. , for he hath spoiled them, and triumphed over them in his cross z Col. 2.15. ; so defeated he their project in the tumult at Ephesus, when by Demetrius the Silver-Smith, he thought to have made sure of Paul a Acts 19 Reason 3. . 3. Because Christ is the Prince of peace, the master of this office, to whom the grand Commission of peace is directed; he shall be called the everlasting Counsellor and Prince of Peace b Isai. 9.7. ; hence he says, That all Judgement is committed to the son c Ioh. 5.22. . Which is so large, that all differences full under some branch of it: if the question be what is truth in point of Doctrine? he is a Prophet who hath promised to lead his into all truth d Ioh. 16.13. ; if matter of power and authority; he is a King, and the Lord of them e Revel. 17.14. . from whom they have all derived their authority, 'tis his part to show the limits of their Commission, and keep them withinbounds, that they abuse not their power against their Master; if it be a matter of wrong or injury; he is a Priest, who will be both the Advocate to plead, and satisfaction f 1 Ioh. 2.1. . so that 'tis to be busy in another man's office, yea invasion of the highest regal power to attempt peace, without first engaging Christ. 4 Reason 4. 4. He hath an inherent quality of pacification, a softing faculty; called therefore the anointed, and his name is as an ointment poured forth g Cant. 1.2. . Now the property of ointment is to assuage heats, and allay tumours, the oil of joy, he gives for the spirit of sadness, he makes the Wolf to dwell with the Lamb, the Leopard with the Kid, the Calf with the Lion, and the sucking child with the Ape, the weaned with the Cockatrice h Isai. 11.6,7,8 ; when I shall be lift up from the earth, I will draw all men (together) to me, though at never so much difference before i Joh. 12.32. . Christ cast amongst men, is like the carcase amongst the Eagles, that were before fighting for a Worm, they forsake their contention, and both feed on it k Matt. 24.28 ; How did he smooth Paul's spirit, before a rigid persecutor; and the gaolers, who was now so full of pity, that he washed the wounds, which before he gave, Christ so fills the soul, that it minds nothing else; either with admiration, as Birds glaring upon the glass, that you may take them; or else with satisfaction, that the Assyrian may come into the Land * So the ancient English reads. , and yet their hearts not quail for this evil tidings; they have provision within, they fear no famishing l Ioh. 6. ; and a sense without, they fear no slaughtering; for though the shell may be crushed, the kernel cannot, their life is hid with Christ in God. 5 Reason 5. 5. Because Christ is the principal matter, about which dissension riseth in these times and places; the Question is, Whether Christ or Antichrist shall reign. 'tis the cause of God's wars with men, as appears in the second Psalm. Yet have I set my my King, saith God, upon my holy hill of Zion: the Kings of the earth thereupon rise up, and the Princes take council together against: Hence a Commission to Christ for war against them, for subduing them with a rod of Iron m Psa 2. . And the cause of men's war one with another; This was in part the cause of the Assyrians coming in, mentioned in our Text, as some conceive n Wolfu●s in , (not without probability, the Kingdom being now in vassalage to the Assyrian, 1 King. 18. who as it seems had much influence upon Religion there,) in that Hezekiah had made a Reformation, and restored Christ in the legal worship, against the mind of his Lord the Assyrian. This was the original of the uproar at Athens, whether Christ or Diana should reign in Ephesus o Acts 19 . This the pretended cause of the wars, betwixt Turks and Christians, Papists and Protestants, Formalists, and the truly Reformed. So that if Christ be advanced, the cause taken away, the effect ceases. 3 Application. 3. The use that may be made of this, is various, . Hence may be discovered, what issue the Adversaries of Christ are to expect, who shut him out. It cannot be peace, for the Prince of it is excluded by them; In Doctrine by Commandments of men; in worship by devised Ceremonies; in Discipline by usurped Offices. They may have council and strength for war, But none for peace, for there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God p Isai. 57 21. . For their council, they shall be taken in their own craftiness q Job 5.13. . For their strength their Arm shall be broken r Psal 10.15. . For both, they may associate themselves together, but they shall be broken in pieces, take council, but it shall come to nought. For God is with us, but against them s Isai. 8 9 . 2 use 2. 2. Humiliation might hence be urged for our ignorance of the way of peace, or our injury to Christ the Author of it. We have taken council for peace, but not of him, and covered with a covering, but not of his spirit; Therefore hath the strength of Pharaoh been our shame, and our trust in the shadow of Egypt, our confusion t lsa. 30.1,5. . 3. We might hence also infer matter of comfort, 3 use 3. so far as we have endeavoured to advance Christ; he must be taken out of the Church, before the hope of peace be removed from it. Object. But is not Ireland lost, many parts of Germany, and some of this Kingdom not much better. Answ. 1. Had there been more of Christ, we may boldly say, there had been less of war. 2. If there be any thing of Christ left in them, even out of the Bethleem, as it is in our context, of the Palatinate, and Germany, of Ireland, and the wasted Countries of England, there will rise up in due season seven shepherds, that shall yet bring peace unto the people; Let us keep close to our principle, Christ will be peace, and he will be with us, whilst we are with him u 2 Chr. 15.2. , and will create peace upon peace x Isai. 26.3 12. , and work all our works for us, as he hath done to other Churches, as France, Netherlands, Scotland, that have appeared for him. 4. 4 use 4. It will serve for exhortation, and direction to all sorts. 1. The Magistracy, and especially to this Honourable Assembly; 'tis no detraction from your wisdom to be taught of God; no Arrogancy in me, to put you in remembrance from him. Your aim is to settle peace, and are now in agitation of a treaty for it: write this text upon your hands; Let it be as a frontlet between your eyes; describe it on the posts of your house of Parliament, where you consult about it [This man shall be peace;] Let it be the principal verb, without which no sense in the discourse. Constantine is said to have carried a cross in his Banner (which doth no more countenance its use now, than the brazen Serpent, which being a Type of Christ, when once it obscures the Antitype,) that he might show he expected victory, and peace from him, that was crucified on it: Paul engages the Pharisees, whom he knew to be potent, in his quarrel y Acts 23.6. ; and David, God himself, arise o God, plead thine own cause, remember how the foolish man blasphems thee daily z Psal. 74.22. . Let me in one word propose a Motive to this, and in a few more some Means to it. 1. 'twill save you much labour; Motive. what the Iron bar, with the best strength cannot open, a Key will. The heart of the King, and a great part of the Nation, which have held out hitherto, against all your humble entreaties, and forcible persuasions, yea, and seconding providences: Now Christ hath this Key of David * Revel. 3.7. , And he will give you favour with the King, and power over the Nation, as 'tis promised to those that keep his words unto the end a Revel. 2.26. . 2. 'twill be your honour; those that honour him, he will honour: an eminency of Nobility is put even upon the inquiry after peace, Those of Berea were therefore more noble than those of Thessalonica, because they received Christ in his Word, with all readiness of mind b Acts 17.11. . Much more will it be put upon the advancing of him, So that Generations to come, and the children which are yet unborn shall say, This is the Parliament, this the King (for so we pray) These the Lords and Commons, who were the restorers of the church's breach, and the raisers up of its desolate places c Isai 58.12. . 3. It will certainly compass the work; we have the promise of the text, This man shall be peace; and the performance of it, when the Assyrian came; and besides we have, 1. The faithfulness of a depositary, I know whom I have believed d 2 Tim. 1 11. . 2. The credit of an undertaker, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee e Isai. 26.3. . 2. For the means and way, Means. the observation hints to three. 1. Is that you admit and receive Christ entirely in his doctrine, worship, discipline. And if it be objected, Object. That this is done already, the answer is; Answ. That Christ indeed hath had goodly Lodgings, honourable entertainment, much command in this house; but the keys of it to open and shut at his pleasure, and the whole Government of it hath not yet been committed to his hand, and laid upon his shoulder, and yet that's his right f Isai 9.6. Cap. 22.22. ; and much of what he hath had, hath been bestowed as courtesy, not as duty. Now the method of his admittance, lies especially in three things. 1. In breaking with his adversaries; Asa when he would persuade Benhadad, King of Syria, to break his league with Baasha, King of Israel, useth this as an Argument. That there was a league betwixt their Ancestors, which admitted not correspondency with each others Adversaries * 2 Chro. 16.3. . Cast out the strong man, and the seven devils, which have long kept the house, superstition, formality, profaneness. Possession must be in an empty one. No man can serve two Masters, not Woman have two Husbands; we cannot be Christ's, and belials. Cast him then out of the State, by abrogating the Laws, that give him; Title out of the Church, by removing such will worship, and opinions as give him footing; out of places of education, Schools, Universities, and inns of Court, by cleansing that which is his feeding. 2. Means 2. We must break our hearts, for breaking with him. A false wife must not only forsake her former lovers, but humble, and be reconciled to her Husband g 1 Cor. 7.11. : We must bewail as the Apostle intimates, with indignation, zeal, revenge, and weeping, fasting, and mourning with the Ninivites, Jews, Magdalen, and the Corinthians; the superstition, covetousness, uncleanness, and intemperance, which we have committed h Jona. 3.8. Joel 2.12. Luke 7.38. 2 Cor. 12. ult. . The people of God, when they were to be received again to favour, and returned to their own Land, we read of three several solemn humiliations undertaken for them, and by them, mentioned in those three ninth Chapters of Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. neither is this legal, but Gospel Doctrine; we urge not humiliation for satisfaction; when we have done all in this, This 2 particular cleared from exception. We are but unprofitable servants: but that by the Spirit of God humbling us, we may befitted for mercy, which God cannot with honour to himself, or safety to us bestow, whilst we remain unbroken. The stain will not be taken from his truth; and we ourselves shall return to that folly, the bitterness whereof, we have not tasted by repentance. Christ therefore knowing, either how short, or slight entertainment, he shall have with such, will not come in at all. 3. 3 Means 3. Strike hands with him, pass a solemn act of perpetual service, Let him ●o●r our car i E●od. 21.6. : plainly, as the Assyrian requires here, when he came into the Land k 2 King 18.31 ; make an agreement with him; or as H●zekiah then, make a solemn Covenant; for that is employed in his Reformation: A Covenant national. This in all public calamities hath been the practice of the Church. In the great decay in the time of A●a, being encouraged by the Prophet Obed, That if they sought the Lord, he would be found of them; 1 Grounds for it. They betake themselves to this, as the only remedy; so the Text, They entered into Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul l 2 Chron. 15.12. . The like we have in Ezra, upon the fear of the breaking out of God's special indignation, upon occasion of taking strange wives, they sly to this refuge; Now therefore say they, Let us make a covenant m Ezra 10.3. . And in Nehemiah, after the return from Captivity, [they returning to their captiving sins again, after a particular confession of them, We make (say they) because of all this, a sure covenant, and write it, and our Princes, Levites and Priests seal unto it n Neh 938. . This is the only way of appropriating Christ, because he is communicated by way of Covenant; 1. Betwixt God and him, in our behalf; I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant o Psal. 89.3. . 2. Betwixt him and us; Behold my servant whom I have chosen; I have given him for a covenant to the people p Esay 42.1.6. . Hence the outward signs of receiving him (the Sacraments) are called Seals, which are adjuncts of Covenants. Object. But you will say, This is done already, in 1. The Sacraments; 2. In the late Protestation; 3. In these days of humiliation. To which is answered; That the Sacraments are the first; and more general striking off this Covenant; Rest. from which when there is an apostasy in particular; a special one, that might humble for the breach, and bind more strictly to the observation of it, doth seem almost as needful as the former. 2. The Protestation is made but before God, not to him; neither is there any confession for sin past; nor is it so particular as the Covenant we exhort to should be: for we find in the places before cited, especially in Nehemiah q Neh 10 & cap 9 , the Covenant to have expressed severally the sins, and duties concerning which they covenanted: the Sacrifice was to be cut in pieces: and we have the example and success of our neighbour Churches for our pattern and encouragement, in later times. It is therefore to be proposed to the zeal and wisdom of this Honourable Assembly, Whether there be not at this time amongst us, the same need as was with them, of national, distinct, and publicly urged Form of confession and covenant, (which upon special occasion, though not so in ordinary occurrences, is not only lawful, but necessary) which might contain such particulars as the wisdom of the Honourable Assembly of Parliament, 2. Form of it. by the advice of the godly Ministry, shall judge fit; As our guilt of blood in the former persecutions, and those of later days; Our corrupting, or countenancing the corruptions of God's Worship; Dumb Ministry, Pluralities, nonresidency, Impropriations, favouring of Papists, heretical and (truly) schismatical Opinions, unlawful Offices in the Church, Oppressions in the commonwealth, by Patents, and such like; profaneness in conversation, as intemperance, uncleanness, Worldly mindedness, &c. Such a Covenant, because it hath reference to the public no man may take the office publicly to impose; but to this Honourable Assembly, as the public Authority of the Kingdom, it properly belongs. And though there be something of late by you in this kind published, yet it is left Arbitrary; an exact urging of it, under a serious penalty, and more large and particular expressions, is that we sue for, and that by example of the Scriptures named; in one whereof, the mulct of noncovenanting was no less than death r 2 Chron. 15.30. : And for this we may take these few Motives: 3 Motives of it. 1. The Land hath not been expiated of the blood, Idolatry, Persecution, Luxury, and profaneness wherewith it hath been long desiled, because there hath been no particular, formal, and national humiliation enjoined for them. 2. Sin will be much restrained, men's hearts will tremble, and their faces blush to commit those sins which before God and man they have renounced. 3. The Covenant of Grace itself, whereof such as this are but branches, would be better thought on, and more looked into. 4. It would certainly recover us, because this course never failed, as appears in the former examples; thence that of Shecaniah, We have trespassed against our God, yet there is hope in Israel concerning this; now therefore let us make a Covenant s Ezra 10.2.3. . 5. God's Honour would be recovered, which by our sins we have so much blemished, and caused the enemies of his Truth to blaspheme. 6. Our fear would be secured, by a certainty of God's presence and protection against all perils; Enter into covenant With the Lord thy God, and unto his Oath, that he may establish thee to day for a People unto himself, and that he may be a God unto thee t Deut. 29 12 13. : And yet this people, as those formerly named, were in general Covenant with God before. 7. Our consciences howsoever will be cleared, and especially yours, in whose hands alone this power resides, when we have done that Which is our duty to do; whereof this, in such exigencies as these (as was showed before) is a special part. 8. It will be a great prevention of total separation from this Church, whose main Argument is, That we are Christians at large, but come to no particulars, which they conceive essentially necessary. Hence, 9 Lastly, The godly Ministry would be better enabled to discern and repel Communicants; and the Brethren to admonish one another. By this the Church of England might become as one Congregation, in serious profession, separated from the world, as that of God's ancient people was, united to Christ, and enjoying holy Communion with him. 2 Particular. 2. Retain Christ by stablishing him. 1. In Corroborating the Laws already made for him. This will be taken by him, Retain Christ , as a special entertainment; For 1. then he will see he hath some assurance of continuance. 2. In every Law there is authority, and in all authority a vein of sovereignty; so that this will be as the putting of the Crown upon his head. 2. By enacting one Law for the execution of the rest, and especially this of urging the Covenant before mentioned at certain set times, as at every Sacrament, or as to your wisdoms shall seem fit. Thus when Christ hath assurance of quiet possession, he will set himself to do the Kingdom good; and of this we have proof in the Churches of Scotland, and Geneva; yea, in the example mentioned above in the time of Asa, upon the main Covenant they made another, That whosoever Would not seek the Lord, and stick to the Covenant, they should die the death, whether small or great, man or Women u 2 Chr. 15 13. . 3 Particular. 3. Advance Christ. 3. Advance Christ. The higher sphere the star moves in, the greater influence it hath upon the inferior orbs; hence when an excellent spirit was found in Daniel, he was set over all the Province of Babylon; where Christ is lowest, there is least peace; witness Ireland, Wales, and the Northern parts of this Kingdom. And here might I take leave, I should present a Table, not of direction, but remembrance, in many severals of our humble wishes in this particular, much of which, though proper to the Ministry in point of advice and execution, yet all belongs to you in regard of injunction and authority. 1 By giving him more room. 1. Then give him more room, that he may expatiate Himself; persons of great ability, must have large Provinces to command and act in; cast him into Ireland, Wales, and the Northern parts, and see, if his fruit be not peace. The Lamps in these Earthen Pitchers, when they break, will encourage Israel, and confound the Midianit's x Judg 7.191 . Let no Candlestick then be without a burning, and shining one, if it may be, nor any place without a Candlestick; some spheres are too large for the Agent; too great Congregations are more for the Priests, than the Ministers or people's benefit. 'tis true here; We must divide if rule. 2 By providing for him 2. Make provision for him. 1 Plentifully; 'tis not thrift but folly to starve the light. Once indeed, and in one place upon a special scandal, 1. Plentifully. The Apostle Labours working with his own hands, but else where, he saith, That God hath ordained, that those that preach the Gospel, as well as those that did the Law, should live of it, and that Without muzling or straightness y 1 Cor. 9 14. : A little oil makes a dim Lamp; a small entertainment makes the guest suspicious of his welcome. But 2 Prudently 2. Prudently; We desire you should know his quantum and proportion, Our moderation must be known to all men z Phil. 4.1. ; and the Ministry especially must show that the Kingdom of God is not in meat, and drink, nor of this world; they especially must exercise the life of faith for themselves and theirs, and having competency, be there With content a Tim. 6.8. ; those that will not, are unfit for this service. They must; be like Birds, that sip a little, and look upward. But this note may seem to some superfluous here, that think this honourable Assembly means not only to pare the nails, but cut the flesh. Notwithstanding we doubt not, but that of crrours, you will decline the left hand one, as well as tother. 3 By providing him servants. 3. Furnish him with Instruments; Christ here was peace, but the means of Communicating it, was by the seven shepherds, and eight principal men. Fit Christ with servants. 1. By principling those places of education, Schools and universities with him, That they may have more of Christ in them, and less of the children of strangers b Isai. 2.6. , especially youth, till they know how to refuse the evil, and choose the good. All sects season their Disciples first with the Tenets of their Master; according to the story of the Abbot, that reproved the young friar for reading the Testament, bidding him first acquaint himself with the rule of Saint Francis; here if anywhere, that of Solomon holds: Train up a child in the way he should go c Prov. 22.6 . 2. Those that are inclined to Christ's service in the Ministry, let them have tuition and direction in that, as well as learning; in other faculties, yea, and common trades, besides general abilities, men take special information: in divinity theirs much more need, because the consequence is far more dangerous: and here I know not whether the erection of Schools, or at least Lectures, for Prophets, as well as scholars, might not be as needful to us, as it was sometimes to the ancient Jews. We sinde Samuel, Eliah, and Elisha, as Tutors unto the younger in this art of prophesying d 1 Sam. 10.1. . And certainly much of the scandal taken from raw Ministers, 2. King. 6.1. would by this comse be removed, when the Inceptors in this faculty shall be instituted by the ucterani, and experienced soldiers of Christ in his warfare, not only for 1. the knowing part of divinity, but 2. and especially the practic. 1. For teaching; that they may be instructed, 1. How. 1. Orderly to inform the Judgement. 2. Effectually to break the heart. 3. Soundly to comfort conscience. 4. To quicken serioussly to the love of duty. 5. and lastly, clearly to resolve in point of practice. 2. When to do all these in their proper season. 2. For conversation, That they be lessoned to bear the yoke in their youth. and enured to meditations of self doniall, necessity of the cross and suffering, that vain glory, pride and affectation be suppressed, if he be a novice in the experimental knowledge of these things, he will be puft up, and fall into the snare of the evil speaker e 1 Tim 3 6. , As we have the Apostle f s Tim ●2. ●2. and other places. largely catechising Timothy in these particulars. 2. Suffer only such to be put to Christ, for if a general have an unable or ill affected soldiery, the adversary will prevail; notwithstanding his valour and prudence. Now this we speak to you, for the Keepers of the Vineyard can not fence it, unless you give them Stakes. 3. Let there be a particular direction, when they enter upon his service; both for teaching, and worship; a fuller catechism, for instructing youth, and an in offensive directory, drawn out of Scripture for Preaching, Sacraments, and prayer. 1. For Doctrine, we read of a form of sound words g 2 Tim. 1.13. Heb 6.1. . And 2. for worship, we have Paul directing Timothy how to behave himself in the Church of God h 1 Tim. 3.15 . 4. Free them from other employments, that they may not be entangled with the affairs, or cares of this life. That neither necessity, employment, or superfluity, occasion them business in other men's matters; but that they may d●dicate themselves wholly to the Lord, and the Ministry of the Saints i 1 Tim 4.15 1 Cor. 16.15 . 5. Bind them to give a constant reckoning of their industry. The children of this world; The Papists do so. 4. 4 By unveiling his faces yet more fully. Unveil him, That men may see his face, it will cause men to break off their divisions, and to look on him, and so bring peace into the world. The glory of God and all his beauty appears in the face of Jesus Christ k 2 Cor. 4.6. ; and 'tis promised by the Prophet, that under the Gospel, They shall see the King in his beauty l I sai;. 33.17. ; but that cannot be till the veil be taken away m 2 Cor. 3 16. in doctrine, worship, dis●ipline, and conversation. 1. Doctrine. 1. By a more exact wiping of the glass. i. e. Translation of the Seriptures, which though for the bulk of it, that we have, be one of the best extant, yet being a business of that consequence, there is yet desired. 1. That it be published by common authority * Quedomn●s tangis ab omnibus approbarl, debet. ; this being done but by the Kings command alone. 2. Some things the Aspect of the stars then in their Zenith inclined the Agents to, perhaps besides their natural motion. The signs then of greatest influence were. 1. Absolute Severaignty. 2. Divine authority of Episcopacy. 3. Necessity of Ceremony. 4 To which may be added some unsound opinions then lu●king in Church in favour of the first; perhaps it was, that the place, n 1 Pet. 2.13. which the former translations read, to the King as unto the superior, agreeably, as to other translations, so to the signification of the word * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , as themselves render it elsewhere o Rom. 13 1. , is translated Supreams; though in a right interpretation we deny not that he is so; but seeing the Apostle useth a word which expresseth it rather in the Comparative, than the Superlative, it seems it might as well have stood here as in the former place, or else both rendered alike. In favour of the second, doubtless it was, That the word in Paul's discourse to the Elders of Ephesus p Acts 20.28. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. , is rendered Oversecrs, which everywhere else they have translated Bishops. And it seems a plain fraud to translate that word Bishops, without an exposition, seeing they were only Ministers of Congregations. And it may be to countenance the third, the word which is interpreted by them in one place Ordinances q 1 Cor. 11 2. , is rendered in another Traditions r 2 Thes 2 15 . The fourth hath less appearing countenance, because it durst not so evidently put forth his head, yet shows itself by the next thing we shall add. But specially their birth in this kind lost some of its beauty, by those stopfathers of the Church, who besides the prohibiting of the addition of notes (which they were willing, and at that time most a le to do, by reason of their consulting with many Copi●s, and Commentaries) did also alter their work after it came out, which charge we shall be able to make good. If it be objected, the cost will be great to the Kingdom. Answ. 1. If it be duty, that plea is weak. 2. If once throughly done, it will be for a continuance. 3. The profit will be beyond what the cost will come unto. 2. Illustrate the text with a clear, 1. Brief, for common use, and then secondly, more large exposition of it for the learned; The one whereof is now in hind, which it is to be wished might have passed the public censure (for the more authority) of the Assembly of Divines designed by you, if it might have been before its publishing. 3. Make our contract of the Scripture, the 39 Articles more clear where doubtful, more complete where defective, more contracted where superfluous, as Article 36, touching the consecration of Bishops; Rogers upon it, in his first edition, confesses it not to be any Article of faith, or at all held by the reformed Churches, (though there be no such thing in the following editions,) I instance but in this, because I have a patron of them for mine Author. 4. Command a full and entire body of all needful truths, both positive and controversive to be compiled, that we might not be so often borrowing, and sometimes of the Egyptians, who often with the food, give poison. Though sometimes Goliah's sword serves to behead the Master. Nor yet be doubtful what the Church of England, explicately holds in all the main parts of Religion, both for doctrine and practice; nor let the fruitful Womb be any longer dry breasted; nor glean in so many fields, what we might reap in one. 2. Unveil Christ in point of worship. 1. In preaching, that the affected, nice, speculative, philosophical and too much controversial manner of Preaching, be by your Authority, as it was by King James * In a Declaration to that purpose. of glorious memory, damned and discountenanced. That in this service men may know chiesty, if not only, Christ, and him crucified s 1 Cor. 2.2. , and see him as the Galathians did in Paul's ministry, bl●eding, gasping, dying, crucified amongst us t Gal. 3.1. * I am enim & in ecclesi●s ist t q●aeruntur, on●● saque Arostillcorum simplicitate & p●●●●tale verborum, quasi ad Athenaeum Convenitur, ut oratio Rlxtoric● art is fucata ●x●datio, quasiquae. dam m●rit●icul● procedat in publicum: ●●ntam traditura populos, quim sav●rem populi quesitura. Hi●o● prooae; n'o● lib. 3 Com. in Galat . 2 Prayer. 2. In prayer, whatsoever was by Christ and his Apostles left arbitrary, bind it not on as necessary 'twill be a veil. What on the contrary is objected, holds as well against the apostolical, and first primitive Church; and is sufficiently salved by a directory. 3 Sacraments. 3. In the Sacraments; Those things that argue Christ imperfect in his institution; That suffer the Dogs to eat the children's bread; and that have a show of countenancing Christ's enemy; these remove: that in this special Ordinance Christ's lustre may especially appear, and that these skreens keep not his spouse from immediate Communion with him u 1 Cor. 10.16. . 3 Discipline 3. Unveil Christ in point of discipline, you have removed the Maskers and false Christ's out of his Family, which like thieves, or Cavaliers, commanded with insolence the house that they had invaded by suttilty or violence. Now there are many Antichrists x Joh. 2,18. , though one principal, take heed instead of one, of setting up another: Let serious inquiry be made, what Officers Christ hath set in his Church, and what work he hath appointed for them, and these settle. 4 Conversation. 4. Unveil him in the Conversations of men; that Heathens may see in Christians, Papists in Protestants, Formalists in Professors, Christ living, eating, drinking, trading, pleading, fighting, that they may not seek, but have offered a proof of Christ speaking in us, and may be convinced by all, That he is in us of a truth, to their conversion or conviction. 5 Government. 5. Lastly, Set him over the Kingdom as Nabuchadnezzar did Daniel. Lay the Key upon his shoulder, unto whom the Government belongs; Let him be acknowledged not as an honourable guest, but as the sole Master over his own house, for it is part of his inheritance; so the donation runs; I will give thee the Heath●n for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession, and thou shalt rule them, be ye instructed now therefore ye Judges of the earth, and kiss the some, give him this symbol of snlmission, lest he be kindled and ye perish y Psal. 2.8,9.10,11,12. . First than set him over the State in casting the whole body of the Law, with reference to this end the advancing of Christ, That the civil controversies may be subordinate to the spiritual Peace. So Paul regulates the Law suits of the Cori●thians by the discipline of Christ. 1 Cor. 6.1. Else, though we may be Christians in the state, yet not a Christian state; which is not presently for every Law made in favour of Christ; but when the whole level of them refer to him as their sole scope; and so may trudy receive denomination from him as their end; neither will this unsettle the former principle of our, and all Laws; Salus populisuprema Lex. public safety: for In him we shall have peace * Joh. 16.33. , a perpetual one, Which no man shall take from us; yea * Vers. 16. , even when threatened with a most bloody war; yet than our Text assures us, This man shall be peace. 2. In the Schools, both trivial and academic: That whereas these are the waters that either make bitter, or sweeter, the City of God; and many times are like those of the dead Sea, not only savourlesse, but mortal; Throw in Christ, as Elisha did Salt into the waters of Jericho, and they will become Fountains of living water. To this end put them upon the study of the mystery of Christ; which is so great, that it cannot be well seen into, till we wholly give ourselves to it. Jerome professes his neglect of other learning for many years, that he might, as it seems, attend this; not but that other knowledge is necessary, but so, That the handmaid be not so long served, that there be not sufficient for attendance upon the Mistress. In pro●●mio li●. 3 ad Gelat. comment. plus quam 15. anni sunt, ex quo in manus meas, nunquam Tullius, nunquim Maro, nunquim Gentilium literorum quibet author ascendit. Though this be not exactly to be imitated, yet is there great use to be made of it. 3. In inns of Court, That whereas too often it falls out, that the hopes of Parents, Schools, and Universities almost ripe, are there blasted in the green fruit, because this son of righteousnessc shines so obliqucly either in teaching, or discipline: now, through your care, there may be ground of expectation, That your posterity there formed for public service, may go on with your work, and set up the pinnacles of that Temple, the Walls whereof you have raised to so great a height. 4. In negotiations of war and peace, Whether at home or abroad. The raising up of the seven shepherds that should wast the Land of Assyrian with the sword, (in the Text) It was by authority of Christ, and his Church; for so it follows, after the mention of them; 'tis added thus; He shall deliver from the Assyrian; The war was by direction from him, and order to him. State policy hath oftentimes betrayed the public to a false peace, by not putting Christ into the treaty. Let nothing be concluded now, that may make the heart of the righteous sad, by yielding to any thing dishonourable to their Master; creditable to his Enemies, or frustrancous to their hopes, who have held, and set you up; they are the Pillars of the earth * Matt. 13.29. sink them not. 2. Advance Christ over the Church: that's more immediately his own house * ● Tim. 3.15. . Let no man usurp to himself an intruding power here, you would not endure it in your own. Let additions or detractions here, incur your curse as well as Gods z Col. 2.18. Nemorectoris partes sibi sumat. So Bezareads. Revel. 22 19 . If they can not show. That they have received of the Lord, that which they deliver unto you * 1 Cor. 11.23 , let it be Anathema. These things if you do, Christ will be peace in the commonwealth; whereas now nothing but bloodshed. Peace in our Schools of learning; whereas now nothing but contentions. Peace in the Church; where now nothing but schisms. Peace with, or prevalency over foreign Nations, whereas now, it may be feared, they are in preparations of war against us, and that upon great advantage. It was Abijah's encouragement unto victory, and peace by it, against Jeroboam; That the Kingdom, Church, and worship of God was in that frame that God had set it a 2 Chro. 13.8,9,10. . Object. If it be objected that this Christening, as it were, the whole body of the Church and State in an universal dedication of it unto him, is not feasible; We answer: Resp. That if Satan amongst the ancient. Heathens, moulded the commonwealth, to the square of his worship; Qui Doctrinam Christi adversam dicunt Reip. dent exercitum talem, quales doctrina Christi esse mibiles jussit, dent tales Provinciales, tales Maritos, tales Conjuges, tales parents, tales Filios, tales Dominos, tales Servos, tales Reges, tales Indices, tales denique debitorum redditores & exactores ipsius sisci, quales esse praecipit doctrina Christiana: & audeant eam dicore adversam esse Reipublicae. Aug. ad Marcell. epist. 5. and Mahomet rules in the state among the Turks, as well as in Religion; and Antichrist amongst his vassals hath been able to sway, the sceptre, as well as the mitre: Shall these be the strong men, and Christ the weak? Sure we are, that God's own people had their commonwealth squared according to the Church; and the Government of the Prince regulated by the precept of God; as at large is set down by Moses in the Law, touching the King b Deut 17.14. . Howsoever; If you do what your duty is, withal your soul, and with all your might, This Court, and your persons, shall be guiltless: And the Kingdom, if they will not have the Lord Jesus to reign over them, shall know; That there have been Prophets to teach, and a Parliament to establish Christ among them: That there is; a more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, then for this nation, hanging over them. Shake off the dust of your feet, it shall be a testimony against them. I began the exhortation to this honourable Assembly, with some Motives to the advancing of Christ, so let me end it. Consider therefore, That Christ hath done for you what in this kind he requires of you. 1. He hath brought you into a relation of his own, which is of public and common persons: He is the chief representative person, that ever was; being from all eternity given a head unto the Church c Eph. 1. ult. . Motives. In like manner each of you stand for multitudes; some for hundreds, some for thousands, and some for ten thousands: 'tis Christ that hath bent the heart of so many (for to him is all power committed d Matt. 28.18. over the hearts of men) to commit their lives, posterities, and estates, yea souls to your faithfulness, wisdom and courage. 2. He hath continued you, when the adversary's device was only to put you out, and non-Parliament you. He sat in heaven and laughed them to scorn; discovered their plots, enervated their force, and drew the hearts of the people, their purses and persons, to cover your heads in the day of battle. 'twas the men only whose hearts the Lord touched that followed Saul, who was then zealous to fight the Lord's battles e 1 Sam. 10.26. . 3. Christ hath advanced you, to be fellow soldiers with himself, in joining the sword of the Law, with that of the word; to the slaying of the man of sin, and casting down his strong holds: to purge his own house; set up his Lamps; to take off the yoke from the neck of his people; to lay meat before them; to execute the Judgement, that is written against his adversaries. Hath delivered you from the strivings of the people; hath taught your heads to counsels of peace, your hands to actions of war, and hath given you many glorious victories in the day of battle. (Though sometimes the people of God have fled before the men of Ai, because perhaps there hath been an Athan in the camp, or an Achitophel in the council, or an evil and unbelieving heart to depart from the living God, not putting our trust in his help.) Now then for a recompense, be ye also enlarged; Admit, retain and advance him, who hath done all these for you. 2. The observation will also afford a direction to the Ministry. who should be sons of peace; we preach-for peace, and behold war: because we propose this opinion, and that reason, and the other authority, but not This man. Our pressing of the Law, should end in Christ; our exhortations to holiness, begin at him; so the Apostle in the church's catechism, the Epistle to the Romans f Rome 3. c. 12 . 3. This truth will direct also the people, who all gape for peace: That they take heed they spit not out Christ, for he is the Peace; both to the Kingdom; and (if they will receive him) to their Consciences but with this proviso; That he himself be the peace they hope for; because he that loves not the Lord Jesus, though never so desirous of his benefits, shall be, faith the Apostle, Anathema Maranatha g 2 Cor. 16.21. . How can they expect peace by Christ; who oppose, or care not for his person, Ministers, Ordinances, and people? Thus far the second general of the Text: the Last propounds. 3. Part of the Text. The means or manner how Christ will be peace, when the Assyrian shall come; and that is expressed in these words, We will raise up against him, seven shepherds, and eight principal men. Which we should first have opened, but the discourse is much too large already; referring therefore the Text to Hezekiah's time, as was noted before, for then only they were, according to the letter, delivered from the Assyrian. And our Prophet was in Hezekiah's time * Cap. 11 . Observe: That a state being invaded in hostile manner, 3. Observation thence to the overthrow of their Laws, and Liberties, contrary to Covenants and Agreements, by those that should protect them; may defend themselves in the same Way; raise up Officers, and draw others into their society for that purpose. This will appear by considering, 1. Evidenced from the Text and The relation that Judah had to the Assyrians at this time; which was a relation of subjection and servitude: and therefore 'tis said of Hezekiah h 1 Kin, 18.7. , when he broke this relation, that he rebelled and served not. 2. The occasion of this relation, and that was the securing of themselves in the time of Ahaz i Cap. 16. , Father to Hezekiah, against Rezin and Pekah Kings of Syria and Israel. To which end Ahaz offers to Tiglath-Pilnezer, King of Assyria, his service; and by consent of the Kingdom, (as it seems) emancipates it to him, in a perpetual homage, and league offensive, and defensive; whereupon he came and delivered them. 3. The violation; and that first on the part of Hezekiah k Cap. 18 7. , but that being reconciled, and satisfaction made, and accepted, (whereby the relation was again renewed, and he became Senacherib's servant) it was afterward broken by the Assyrian l verse 32. ; who would have them now not as servants any more, but as slaves; and would have their persons: and estates to dispose of at his own pleasure: contrary to Covenants, which extended only to homage and acknowledgement of his superiority and signiory. Here upon the State. i. e. The King with the advice of his Nobles m 2 Chro. 18.21. , 1. Denies him; and 2. when he labours forceably to put on what he had illegally required, he resists him in the same way he came. i. e. By Arms: and withal solicits, and obtains the Egyptians (as Rabsake● n 1 Kin. 18.21. intimates) and the Ethiopians (as Interpreters o Wolsius in loc. conceive) to assist him: Judging, that as they were free from the obligation of doing; so much more (being a state) from the necessity of suffering; unless God had given special command for it, as he did afterward to Zedekiah p Jer. 27.12. . So Ahab q King. 20.4. &c. , when Benhadad King of Syria, to whom he was tributary, and his vassal; q King. 20.4. &c. Other places. , for he calls him his Lord the King r King. 20 9 , and confesses himself to be his, and all that he had s verse 4. : yet when reason would not satisfy; but besides the Dominion, he would have possession of all they had; Ahab, upon the advice of the Elders and people, refuses; the Syrian invades, they stand upon their Guard, and by God's blessing utterly rout him. 2 The parts of the Text jointly. Considered whence a 2. It might be proved from the less, to the greater, the examples of particular men, against the violence of their Princes, in Scripture: as of David * 1 Sam. 22.2. Cap. 23.12. : the people rescuing Jonathan * Cap. 14 39.44, 45. : Elisha * 2 King 6.32. : the Priests resisting Uzziah * 2 Chron. 26.17. , &c. if time permitted, might be freed from exceptions brought against them. 3. From the practice of the Church downward, as the Macchabees * 1 Maccab. 2 66. ; the Christians, as soon as they had Laws, as under Maximinus * Euseb. lib. 9 cap. 7. , and Valentinian * Ambr. Epist. 1.5. cp 33. ; the reformed Churches * Germany, France, netherlands, Scotland. : our own Bishops, as jewel, Abbot, Bilson, Andrew's; and Princes; as Queen Elizabeth * In Her protection of the Hollanders. , King James * In His league with them. , and His present Majesty, in His expedition to Rochel: but this Argument being fully handled by others, we here pass it. Thus far we have considered the parts of the Text severally; now consider them jointly, and so there will flow this 5 Observ. 5. Observ. That When such an adversary as was the Assyrian, shall invade such a Nation as was this of Judah at that time, Christ will then be peace to such a people. To clear this: consider 1. what kind of adversary the Assyrian was. 2. Who the people of Judah were. 1. The Assyrian was of Cham the accursed seed t Gen, 10.10 . 2. A proud insolent enemy, full of scorn and contempt of the people of God u 1 Kin. 18.23 . 3. Full of blasphemy against God x Vers. 35. . 4. Pretending God's authority for what he did y verse 25. . 5. Pressing the consciences of God's people, with the most horrid crimes that might be against God and man; against God, overthrow of his worship z verse 22. ; against man, rebellion a Vers. 20. . 6. A cruel adversary, as was showed before b Vers. 29. . 7. An unreasonable enemy, that nothing would satisfy but religion, bodies and estates c verse 32. . He would carry them out of their own Land. 8. A perfidious adversary; for having accepted of Hezekiah's satisfaction, he yet returns with his Army d verse 14 17. . 9, A seditious adversary, appeals to the people e Vers. 27. . 10. A flattering and fair promising Adversary f verse 31, 32. ; but aiming at ruin of Law, Religion, Liberty, Estates g Vers. 32. . 11. A slanderous adversary, against those that stood for the public good, calling them deceivers, and impostors h Vers. 29. . 2. The people of Judah were, 1. The people of God, who had Christ among them in the legal worship. 2. At this time, an humbling and reforming people; both in point of God's worship, and of themselves. i 2 Chron. 19 cap 30. cap. 31. 3. A people submitting to any reason k 2 Kin. 18.14. . 4. A resolved people to keep the Religion, Law, and Liberty, God had given them l 2 Chron. 32.4.5. , and industrious thereunto. 5. Prudent, to take all courses for their security, and to prevent any advantage to the enemy m Vers. 3, 4.5. ● King. 18.35. 6. A people that rested upon, and were obedient unto, under God. those of whose fidelity they had proof n 2 Chr. 32.8. 2 Kin. 18.36. . 7. Lastly, A people that carried it in a religious way, so as to keep God with them, depending especially upon him, and resigning themselves up to him o 2 Chro. 32.7,8 . 2.. Further proof of this by testimony of Scripture we shall omit, and only hint to the reasons which may be: Reason. 1 1. God's honour is engaged, both in respect of his people; I Wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted among the heathen, in whose sight I had p Ezek, 20 9.14 22. brought thee out, three times repeated in that Chapter. 2. In respect of the enemy; shall not my soul be avenged on such a people at this p Jere. 5.9. ? 2. Reason. 2. God's truth only, which always, even upon humiliation hath promised deliverance, as multitudes of Scripture testify q Deut. 30 1.2. Chr. 6 36. Jere. 18.17. Ezek 18. Joel. 2. &c. : much more when the adversary provokes him to do it, as Sol: speaks of rejoicing at an enemy's hurt; that a man so doing, does provoke God to turn his hand from him r Prov. 24.17. . 3. Reason. 3. God's constancy; being he hath once done it, we may not doubt him; for he is without variableness or shadow of change. The Jews plead this to Pilate, to do as he had ever done s Mark 15.8. ; and Christ himself; our fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them t Psal. 22.4. . The use use. is for encouragement, and exhortation, The enemy hath done half our work by being so bad. Let not us by our hardness of heart, lose the benefit, by not doing the other. To conclude therefore: There remains a rest for the people of God u Heb. 4.9. ; and a Judgement written for his adversaries x Psal 149 9 . Let not us be as the old Israelites, whom God was forced to consume before hand, that they might not see the good he would do for his people y Deut 2.14. . This do, therefore, and live: Humble we ourselves this day under the mighty hand of God God z Jam. 4.10. , That he may lift us up: apply we ourselves unto This man the Lord Christ, that he may be our peace. Resolve we to stand to our Protestation, of defending him with our Lives, Liberties, and Estates. And then in that day it shall be said: This (to wit, This man in the Text) is the Lord, and we have Waited for him; and we Will rejoice in his salvation; for in this place, shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab (the false Brethren and implacable Adversaries of the Church) shall be trodden down, as Straw is trodden down for the dunghill a Isai 25 9 . Errata. PAg. 3. Line. 11. For Gods, read God; with a Comma. p. 6. l. 19 Put out so. Same page last line but one, for thus this, r. thus; this pag 7. lin. 4. fax Chaldee Kings, r. Chaldee, Kings, p. 21. l. 23. put out with. p. 25. l. 8. add, if there were an before Ahab: and for will, r. would l. 10. after matters, add, there were an: and after Ahaz, for will, r. would. p. 27 l. 28. after he, add, Papist and Cavalier. p. 28. last line but one, for mouth, r. master. p. 30. 1 6 for partly Gods. r. ply God, p. 31. l. 10. for him, r. God, p. 39 l. 17. for him, r. my holy hill, l. 27. after Pilate, add who, l 28. for because, r. becames FINIS.