Die Mercurii, 27 Martii, 1644.  
IT is this day ordered by the Commons, Assembled in Parliament, That Master BOND, and Master nicols. do from this House give Thanks unto Master BOND, for his great pains he took in the Sermon he preached this day at MARGARET WESTMINSTER at the entreaty of this House (it being the day of Public Humiliation) And they are to desire him to print his Sermon. And it is Ordered that none presume to print or reprent his Sermon without being authorised under the hand wrighting of the said Master BOND.  
H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

I do appoint Francis Eglesfeild to Print my Sermon.  
John Bond.   

SALVATION IN A MYSTERY: Or A PROSPECTIVE GLASS for ENGLAND'S Case.  
As it was laid forth in a Sermon preached at MARGARET'S in Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at their monthly Fast, March 27. 1644.  
BY JOHN BOND, B. LL. late Lecturer in the City of Exeter, now Preacher at the Savoy in London.  
A Member of the Assembly of Divines.  
Published by Order of the Commons House.  EXOD. 3. v. 2. 
The Bush burned with fire, and the Bush was not consumed.  JUDG. 14. v. 14. 
Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.  
LONDON, Printed by L. N. for Francis Eglesfeild, and are to be sold at the signe of the S in Paul's Churchyard. 1644.   

TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS NOW ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.  
HONOURABLE WORTHIES:  
THAT which by your first command, was in part, presented to your ears from the Pulpit; is here at your second command, fully represented to your eyes from the Press. It is a piece, I dare say, as rare and useful for the Plot and Subject, which are immediately the Lords; as it is plain and homely in my stile and method: In the dress thereof, I thought it a duty to put off Ornaments; for although it was Preached upon the yearly day of the King's Inauguration, 
March 27.  yet that season was also the Monthly day of the Kingdom's Humiliation; when you did endeavour to Weep, Pray, and Fast for the Royal Family; whilst others (perhaps at Oxford) did Drink, Blaspheme, and Debauch themselves, to show their Loyalty to His Majesty.  
The subject of this sermon, is like the two Pillars which guided (our type) Israel through the Wilderness to Canaan by day, and night: The one was a Cloud, which might well signify the Lord hiding himself: The other of Fire, importing him to be the Saviour of Israel even whilst he was in that Cloud.  
There is much talk now a days of now light, and that new light as it is held forth by some, is nothing less than old darkness. I may safely promise you in this Treatise, at least, the dawning of a light that is new Orthodox and certain: By which I have endavoured to begin the discovery of a hidden Mine of precious Providence; though all my labours, have scarcely opened the uppermost surface of the ground. I shall leave the accurate searching of the veins to more able observers.  
I confess that I did make an Essay upon his very Text, in my native climate, before my banishment; but being plundered of those speculative thoughts; and having, since that time in some measure experimented this text; I conceive myself bound in conscience to give you some meat out of my Eater. Surely there is a vast difference between hearing of the Lord by the hearing of the ear and when our eyes have seen him. 
Job. 42.5.   
May it please you therefore to travel over this unusual discourse once again; because Mysteries commonly are not understood at the first perusal. Sure I am that never any Parliament in England, had greater need of Viatica than yourselves: You are made a Spectacle to Angels and Men; And believe it, you are set up, for the fall and rising again of many in England. The Lord hath cut off all bridges behind you (and blessed be his name that they are cut off) And now, together with you, all the Treasures of great Britain and Ireland are embarked: And according to your standing or falling in this great Cause, must the present Generation and their Posterities in the three Kingdoms, begin the dates of their perpetual weal or woe; for, pure Reformation, or open Popery; ingenious Liberty, or Norman Slavery must now be made the settled Master: Nay, to allude to Caesar's speech, you do now carry the whole Protestant Cause, withal its Fortunes.  
For mine own part, there is nothing upon earth, that doth more amaze mine intellectuals, than the prodigious Lethargy that doth still rest upon the heads and hearts of cursed Neuters, and Protestant Malignants in the Land, even now when both parties do abhor indifferency, and that the execrable Rebels of Ireland are brought over: But I might silence myself in this Quos perdece vult Jupiter, eos dementat. Surely the Lord hath smitten the generality of the Land with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart, as he threatened the jews. 
Deut. 28.28  Otherwise they could never dream of defending Parliaments by Malefactors, Property by Desperadoes, and Protestanisme by Irish Rebels. May, we not fear lest the Spanish, or Irish, or other Foreigners, may beg the whole Land of the King, and obtain it, alleging that the Nation, is not Compos mentis?  
But my hope shall be, that after the Lord hath deeply humbled us for our old and new abominations, 
Dan. 4.14.  and broken us as he did Nebuchadnezzer, when he hath hewn us down, cut off our branches, shaken off our leaves, and scattered our fruits; 
Vers. 25.  when he hath driven us from men, and suffered our hairs to grow like eagle's feathers, and our nails like Birds claws; 
Vers. 33.  then at the end of the days, men's reason and understanding shall return to them again, and perhaps, our glory also. At least, I am confident, 
Zeph. 3.12.  that God will leave in the midst of us an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.  
Mean while, it is my Petition to you, and for you (worthy Patriots) that you may holdout through all those seas of difficulties which are before you; 
Heb. 6.10.  And that you may remember that God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed toward his name: Yea, 
2. Thes. 3.3.  you may take it for a positive promise. The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil; 
Vers. 4.  and we have confidence in the Lord, touching you, that you both do, and will do, the things which he commands you. 
Vers. 5.  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patiented waiting for Christ. This is the fixed hope, and shall ever be the fervent prayer, of  
From my Study at the Savoy April 20. 1644. Your Humble and willing Servant, JOHN BOND.   

A SERMON PREACHED at a late Fast before the Honourable House of COMMONS.  ISAIAH 45.15. 
Verily, Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel the Saviour.  
THe Springhead of this Text (as some conceive) doth arise at the sixth verse of the 44. 
Analysis.  Chapter. Others do fetch it as high as chap. 43. vers. 14. Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I have sent to Babylon, etc. And the Streams do run down as far as the end of chap. 48. The whole divides itself into two branches.  
The first is a prophetical promise of the return of the Jews from their Babylonish captivity: That ends with this chapter of my Text. And,  
The second is a Prophetical threatening of the downfall of Babylon shortly after that deliverance: This extendeth from the beginning of the next Chapter [Bell boweth down, Nebo stoopeth] to the end of this Prophecy, chapped. 48. [There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.]  
In this propheticall-promisory-Chapter of my Text, 
Coherence.  commonly three parts or heads are observed.  
The first sets forth the principal Instrument of this strange Gaol delivery; 'Tis Cyrus the Persian, whom the Lord doth call by name to this great service; For instead of [Spacus] that is in the Median language Canis, (so called because he had been nursed by a Bitch) he is surnamed [Coresch] by the Persians, 
Herodotus. justinus.  which amongst them doth signify a Lord. This strange man is anointed, that is, authorised and fitted to this strange work. The fitting of him lies in these particulars.  
First, in giving Strength unto him: (wisdom and strength are for the war) The Lord doth promise to hold his hand as the Scribe doth guide the hand of his unready scholar; or rather as Elisha did put his hands upon the hands of Joash King of Israel, when he did shoot the arrow of the Lords deliverance, the arrow of deliverance from Syria, 2 King. 13.16, 17. So runneth the expression of this Prophet, vers. 1. Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, etc.  
Next, the Lord doth as it were provide pioneers for him to further his march, by opening of gates, levelling of ways, and removing all obstacles and impediments; vers. 1. I will lose the loins of Kings, to open before him the twoleaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut, vers. 3. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight, etc.  
But there is a third thing yet behind, and that is the sinews of war, a sufficient treasury for the work. This also shall be supplied, vers. 3. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, etc. Thus the Lord will be in stead of Auxiliaries, of pioneers, and of Treasurers, to fit Cyrus and his Armies for this great service.  
Secondly, in case that all these three particular promises should not be enough to steel the hearts of the Jews to set upon this hard work, and to hold out in it; the Lord in the next place, doth proclaim all his great Attributes before them to encourage them in their way. Thus when he was to put Moses upon that great design of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt, He proclaimeth His Name before him, Exod. 3.14. I am that I am, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, [I am] hath sent me unto you. The like in Exod. 6. vers. 3. where he telleth him of his great Name Jehovah, by which saith he, I was not known unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This head of the Chapter runneth onward from the end of vers. 4. to vers. 14. It is one continued, loud, large proclamation of the Lords excellencies and prerogatives royal, thereby to support their spirits against all difficulties. The sum of the whole encouragement may be thus rendered; I can (saith God) and I will muster and command all things from the rising of the Sun, and from the West, vers. 5. & 6. both light and darkness, vers. 7. the heavens, the skies, the earth, vers. 8. All these will I muster and draw forth for this work, rather than it shall die in the birth: And as for that Potsheard, that Clay, Babylon, it shall herein know my love unto Israel, vers. 9 and shall feel what it is for a creature to strive with its Creator, or for a birth to tax those parents that begat and bore it, vers. 10. This part reacheth to vers. 14.  
The remainder, which is the third piece of the Chapter, is a kind of twisted promise, partly respecting the deliverance from Babylon in the letter; and partly (according to the usual manner of the Prophets) interweaning some passages concerning Christ and spiritual redemption, in the mystery.  
The words of my Text, 
Division.,  if you look upon them with reference to the bordering verses, they are an abrupt Apostrophe. If you view them in themselves without that reference, they are an Epanorthosis or correction.  
First look upon them with reference to the bordering verses; 
Relatively."  so you shall find that this verse of my text seems not at all to be of kin to other parts of the chapter. The whole series standeth thus; The Church having heard & considered all the promises, prophecies and passages of this strange work of salvation and redemption from Babylon, how that it shall be done by Cyrus, an heathen King, an enemy to the jews: and observing also that there were so many crooked places that must be made straight, so many gates of brass that must be shattered and broken in pieces ver. 2. and having further considered ver. 8. that this same righteousness must drop down from heaven above, as it were by a miracle; that it must come up from the earth beneath, as if it were from low and contemptible means: Nay finally they having also seriously pondered that this grand redemption shall be done without price and without reward, as ver. 13. (and who will do a work without wages? who goeth a warfare at his own costs? yet saith God) he shall build my City and he shall let go my captives, not for price, nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts Having considered all these strange curcumstances & rubs in the way, all these Meanders, these up-hills & down-hills in the passage, and having lain them together, she cries out like one astonished, and in a kind of abrupt Apostrophe doth interrupt the Prophet in his Sermon with this mixed admiration twixt fear and faith [verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel the Saviour] that is, whilst thou hidest thyself, O God, yet thou art the Saviour of Israel. Thus with reference to the bordering verses, the Text is an abrupt interrupting Apostrophe.  
Next, consider the words in themselves, 
Absolutely.  and they are a kind of EPANORTHOSIS, a correction: For in the former part of the verse, the Church seemeth to trip, stumble, and stagger, at the strangeness of the manner of the prophesied deliverance from Babylon; it is carried on in such an abstruse, intricate, unusual way and method, that she cries out as one at a loss, [verily thou art a God that hidest thyself] Here is her trip, her stagger, her stumble at the strange manner in the former part: But then she recovers herself again in the latterpart to a confident persuasion of an undoubted good issue or end at last, concluding certainly that the upshot will be wonderful salvation unto the Israel of God; though the manner be strange & various, yet the issue will be, shall be good and certain: Though thou be (saith she) a God that hidest thyself, yet O God, I believe thou wilt be the Saviour of Israel. Thus she trips in the first, and recovers herself in the latter, and you know the proverb, he that stumbles & doth not fall, makes the more speed in his way. This is the state of the Text: So that the former part of it is a kind of musing admiration at the strange manner of Gods proceeding; the latter part is a confident persuasion of the final good issue.  
If I would be curious to mince a text, 
Sub-division.  both those general parts might admit of a more particular anatomy. As first in that strange hidden manner of this work, there are three several steps or degrees: and as many more (answerable to them) are to be found in the certain believed issue of this salvation.  
In the manner is employed, 

I. An obscurity; 'tis an [hidden God]  
2. The willingness of that obscurity, a [selfe-hiding] God.  
3. The certainty of both, [verily] thou art such a God.    
In the issue, there is an exact opposition to all those three, both in quantity and quality. For 

1. This hidden God was [notwithstanding] the God [of Israel.]  
2. This selfe-hiding God was (even that while) a [Saviour.] And  
3. The certainty, expressed in the asseveration [verily] is answered and overpowered by an admiration, in the interjection [o] as though the mouth of the speaker had been too narrow for his heart and observation.   And thus the whole tenor of the text doth run somewhat like the beginning of Psal. 73. ver. 1. Truly (or yet) God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. Why [truly] or [yet]? See the next verse, ver. 2. but as for me my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped: Wherefore? ver. 3. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Mark, he recovered himself in the issue, though he stumbled at the entrance. It seems that the Lords dispensations in those days went on like this deliverance from Babylon; and this deliverance went on just (me thinks) like the motions of a Clock: Fix your eyes steadfastly upon a Clock while it is going, you shall only hear and see the balance moving and clacking above, but you cannot perceive the poises making any motion that while, neither can you discern the finger of the watch to go forwards; but take off your eye for a while, leaving a mark upon the place, and then you shall find easily [in facto esse] that the Clock hath gone, though [in fieri] you could not perceive it in motion. Such was the carriage of this work: While the people of God did steadfastly and continually fix their eyes upon it, it was advanced in such an abstruse, intricate, insensible way, that they could see no motion at all. Thus we read in Ezra 4. ver. 24. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and yet even than it scarcely ceased, for in the next Chapter, chapped. 5. the Prophets prophesied, ver. 1. and the eminent men begun to build again, ver. 2. & 5. The balance of the Clock did continue their clack, and at last the Clock did strike out.  
So much ought necessarily to be said for draining, levelling, and trenching the ground for a foundation. Now (not to detain you any longer from the thing that I do principally intent) the Observation from the whole Text and Context thus briefly explained, divided, debated, must run thus: That, God's great salvations of his people, 
Observation.  but especially from Babylon, are commonly carried on in a mystery.  
Here is salvation, because a Saviour: And so great a salvation, that it strikes the beholding Church or Prophet into an admiration, they cannot express it without an interjection, O God of Israel the Saviour. And that this salvation is from Babylon, the whole tenor, grain and strain of the History doth declare.  
Salvation is nothing else but the putting of a thing into a safe condition; 
Explication. Salvation, what.  and it is sometimes taken actively with respect to the Author; As Exod. 14.13. Stand still and see the salvation of God; And so I say here, the Lords salvation: Sometimes salvation is taken passively, with respect to the receiver; As you may read in the Psalmist, Psal. 14.7. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion; And so I say, the Lords salvation of his people: Therefore both those significations are in the Position; and both those sorts may be further considered, first, with respect to their subject, whether as common, public, or general, respecting a whole Nation, Church or people; or as particular, private or special, of a place, member, or person.  
Next, with respect to the object, or [materia circa quam.] So there is a salvation [in spiritualibus & Ecclesiasticis] a spiritual, a religious salvation, that is the same with [Reformation.] And there is a salvation [in Politicis, Civilibus & secularibus] a salvation in politic things, and this is the same with [Deliverance.] In this place you must take in both, Reformation and Deliverance, because both are expressed in this Prophecy, as we may gather out of Esa. 44.28. Saying to jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; there is the Civil or politic salvation, the State-salvation, the Deliverance: And to the Temple, Tthy foundation shall be laid; there is the Spiritual and Ecclesiastical salvation, the Church-salvation, which is the Reformation.  
And accordingly I shall carry on my doctrine, both in the Demonstrative and applicative parts of it, using the word [salvation] in both these acceptions, for Reformati-and Deliverance: And thus God's great salvations of his people, especially from Babylon, are carryed-on in a mystery.  
Babylon in scripture is of two sorts. 
Babylon, which, Eastern.   
First, there is literal, Eastern, Asiatic Babylon. This was the Metropolis of Chaldea, & sometimes of the world. Of this we read commonly in the Old Testament, and it is meant immediately in the Text.  
Next, 
Western.  there is Mystical, Western, European Babylon; this is Rome, the Metropolis of Italy, and it was sometimes the Queen of the Nations: Of it we do read commonly in the New Testament. This is also included in the Doctrine.  
In a Mystery] A mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for the smother sounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify an hidden, 
Mystery, why.  abstruse, secret matter, a thing shut up under bars and locks from common sense and carnal reason. It doth include these two conditions.  
First, [Respectu Dei] in respect of God, it is an act or work not of his common, general, ordinary providence; but of his particular, special, extraordinary power, wisdom, justice, mercy; 'tis not only the work of his hands, but of his finger; as the Aegyptian-Magitians acknowledged concerning the plague of Lice (Exod. 8. verse 18, 19) when they saw that their enchantments did fail them in that particular, they said unto Pharaoh, This is the [Finger] of the Lord. Thus in respect of the Lord, a mysterious carriage of a business 'tis (as Isaiah says else where, Chap. 28. vers. 21.) His work, his strange work, his act, his strange act.  
Next, [Respectu nostri] in respect of us men, it is hard to be understood, 'tis to the common multitude as a thing locked up in a strange language, as 1 Cor. 14.2. (I may allude at least) For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth (or heareth him) howbeit in the spirit he speaketh [Mysteries.] In short, a Mystery, is to the generality of men, a paradox, a riddle, a secret that doth require a revelation; as Dan. 2.28. There is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint.  
Thus much I mean by a mysterious carriage in general, viz. when a salvation is wrought out in a course, besides, beyond, or against, the beaten road of common providence & carnal capacities. Let us borrow but one verse. more to express it allusively: See, Pro. 30. verse 18. There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea four which I know not: read verse 19 the way of an Eagle in the air, the way of a Serpent upon a rock, and the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea. Just such is usually the way of the Lord in carrying on his great salvations, and especially from Babylon. Let us severally consider those three comparisons.  
The way of an Eagle in the Air,] Amongst all the Elements, the air alone is invisible and least palpable; it doth most easily give a passage to any natural body, and as suddenly comes together again. Amongst all fowls of the heaven, the Eagle is accounted strongest, and therefore doth fly very swiftly; and being a bird of prey, her motion is exceeding various too, according to the course of the game that is before her: Who then can guess before, or trace-out afterwards, the way of an Eagle in the air?  
The way of a Serpent upon a Rock] is no less hidden. Oh! how doth this creeping creature wind, wave, and wove it as she goes? what felf-obliterating chiverdils and indentures are made in her motion? Now the head doth point this way, in a moment it stands to the other hand; 'tis hard for him that meeteth her, to guess whether or no she be coming towards him: But especially when a Serpent goeth [upon a Rock] then there is no means to hear her motion as in the sand & amongst the leaves, or to see and trace it as in the dust and clay; no noise, no impression is made to help the ear or eye of him that seeketh her way.  
But the way of the Ship in the midst of the Sea] is more abstruse and uncertain then both the former. There are three principles of variation and uncertainty in her motion: First, the wind above, that bloweth where it listeth, and we hear the sound thereof, but know not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. Next, the waters beneath are the most inconstant of Elements; for (besides that they are driven of fierce winds) their own natural ebbings and flow, are a daily constant inconstancy.  
But (lastly) the greatest principle of uncertainty, is the mind and pleasure of her Pilot within, who at his will doth often turn her to half a point against the motions both of winds and waters. In short, she finds no path before her, she leaves no tract behind her, and all her movers, above, beneath, with in, are most uncertain. Who then can know the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea? So, not-to-be-guessed, not-to-be-traced are the Lords carriages of these kinds of salvation.  
My Doctrine is somewhat like that piece of Ezekiel's wheel, which he calleth [Rotam in rota] Ezek. 1.16. Their appearance and their work were as it were a wheel in the midst of a wheel: So here is a Doctrine in the midst of a Doctrine. The first is as it were the general Thesis' concerning Gods great salvations indefinitely. The second is as an Hypothesis drawn out of the womb of that Thesis, concerning the redemption from Babylon in particular. And accordingly I shall have an eye distinctly both in my demonstrative and applicative parts, looking upon these two, severally and apart.  
First then Demonstratively, 
Demonstration. In Thesi.  concerning the general the Thesis, that God's great salvations of his people, are commonly carried on in a mystery. O what rare Maps of saving wonders, what admirable anatomies of public mercies could I here spread before your eyes this day! Only let us cropoff some full ears.  
First observe that great preservation of old Jacob and his family by their removal from Canaan into Egypt, 
jacobs' Family.  in the time of the Famine: How strangely was that deliverance brought about! The design was to preserve Jacob and his posterity, and to make a way for that great work of redemption out of Egypt which followed after: But mark the method; First Joseph, who by his own dreams and his Father's hopes was to be the glory and prop of the family, he must be given for lost to his Father, his brethren, himself: His Father gives him for torn in pieces, his Brethren do sell him into Egypt for a bondslave, and there he is cast into prison by Potiphar after he had been first advanced. So that now not only the Father's hopes are dead and buried, but joseph's own faith is put to the trial; and all this to make way for the greater deliverance. Do not these things now look like a salvation? Nay farther yet, old Jacob must be necessitated by Famine to send down into Egypt to buy food, and there he must first lose his Son Simeon; and next his dearest Benjamin must be sent and lost in his own and brethren's apprehensions: And yet all this appeareth at last to be nothing else but a mere plot of mercy, a very ambushment of Providence for the greater advantage and advancement of the whole family, as you see in the issue. For first all the brethren of Joseph with their household had thereby their preservation and preferment whereas otherwise they had perished by famine. Secondly, Benjamin who was the most hazarded and lost man amongst them when the cup was found in his sack; he hath gotten a multiplied portion. Thirdly, jacob himself (the father) he doth gain five sons for one, that is, for his dear joseph, whom he conceived to be lost, he receiveth the same joseph again with an addition of Ephraim and Manasses; and also two of his own sons whom he conceived to be lost, [Simeon and Benjamin,] are cast in to boot: Thus five are returned for one. This was an ambushment of mercy. And finally as for joseph himself, he must have a double blessing and portion, and is made the head of two Tribes; one of which (Ephraim) in short time after the throne was erected, did get away ten of the twelve Tribes from the Sceptre of judah. Was not this a mystery of mysteries? Thus fare concerning the salvation of jacob and his family when they were carried from Canaan into Egypt.  
But in the next place, 
〈◊〉 in Egypt.  the preservation of the seed of jacob in Egypt, and their return from thence to Canaan again, at the end of four hundred and thirty years, was more admirable than their first going thither, their strange preservation in Egypt was shadowed in that Emblem of a fiery bush not consumed, Exod. 3. ver. 2. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, etc. a token of Israel's continuance in the midst of the iron-fiery-furnace. Their salvation or deliverance was in this manner. Moses (not while he was in favour in Pharaohs Court, but) after that he was a fugitive, an exile being a stammering shepherd must be the principal instrument in the work; and he together with his brother Aaron, (another contemptible Levite) with a rod in their hands, must fetch out of Egypt in spite of an hardened King, and all his Magicians, (how many guess ye?) six hundred thousand men, besides a mixed multitude with women and children. He that can deny this to be a heap, a cluster of wonders, let himself be recorded for a wonder of stupidity.  
Once more; a third instance, in the time of the judges; 
From Midian.  See but that great salvation and deliverance of Israel out of the hand of the Midianites and their confederates; and let us cast our eye equally upon both parties, the Oppressors and the Delivered. First, look upon the Oppressors; consider their power, their cruelty. In judg. 6. in the first verse you shall read that Israel had served an apprenticeship of seven years under their tyranny. In the 2, 3, 4, and 5. verses, you shall read, that poor Israel was feign to run into dens of the mountains, and caves, and strong-holds, that their fruits were destroyed assoon as they came forth; that their enemies came up as grasshoppers, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass; and this fury still increased, for vers. 5. they came up with their cattles and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude, for both they and their camels were without number. That for the enemy's part. Next, look upon Israel the Delivered, and consider their power and strength. Their General, would you know what he was? He was Gideon, a Thresher, afterward called Jerubbaal, a man called away from the barn, from the threshing floor, judg. 6.16. His family poor in Manasses, and himself the least in that poor family; a man taken from the very flail to be a captain-general. And for his Forces, it is true, at the first they were a considerable number; they were (the text saith) two and thirty thousand; but then the Lord falleth to lessening of them. First, he beginneth with a Proclamation, and thereupon some two and twenty thousand of them do go away. Next, the Lord hath another experiment, of lapping, and by that means he sends away all the remaining ten thousand, except only poor three hundred; So that now about the hundredth part of gideon's forces is left. This handful under the command of Gideon the Thresher, must go against the numberless Midianites. But yet an handful with choice weapons, at some advantages, may do great things? True, but in the next place look upon their Arms, both defensive and offensive, judg. 7.20. they were to go with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers in one hand, and in the other hand they must hold a trumpet, and with blowing those trumpets, breaking the pitchers, and holding out the lamps, they shall beat the Midianites. Here is a Mystery with a witness; A numberless army, totally routed and cut in pieces without any weapon appearing against them, broken in pieces with the breaking of pitchers, frighted with the sight of lamps, and utterly blown away by the sound of trumpets. This is God's great salvation carried on in a Mystery.  
Yea, but what is all this to salvation from Babylon?  
That I confess is the HYPOTHESIS, 
In Hypothesi.  and may as strangely and fully be shown and proved as the general; even that God's salvations from Babylon are carried-on in a mystery. There are two Babylon's mentioned in Scripture. First, Babylon the Eastern, which was that in Chaldea, the literal Babylon; and Babylon the Western, which is that in Italy, Rome, the mystical Babylon. Concerning both these, I could show you distinctly that God's great salvations out of them, are commonly carried-on in a mystery.  
First, 
From Eastern Babylon.  concerning salvation and redemption out of the hand of literal, Eastern, Chaldean-Babylon, we find no less than four whole books of the Scriptures spent to show the extraordinary deliverances of God's people from thence. Two of these books are historical, as Ezra and Nehemiah; other two are prophetical, as Haggai and Zechariah. It would be too long for me to epitomise all the expressions of those books, and of some others, which do show the wonderful mysterious carriage of that work: Only take notice of two places to this purpose.  
First, of that vision of Ezekiel, which, as I conceive, doth typify the Jewish return from Babylon, Ezek. 1. The whole vision is large, in it there is mention of a whirlwind out of the North, a great cloud, a selfe-infolding fire, and out of the midst thereof the colour of Amber, vers. 4. Also out of the same midst, the likeness of four living creatures, like men, vers. 5. they had four faces, four wings, they had the feet of Calves, the hands of men, etc. vers. 6, 7, etc. Strange mixtures and varieties! I will only pitch upon that piece which concerns the wheels. Those wheels (as Interpreters conceive) do signify the Lords providence: and the motions of the wheels, the several acts and turn of that providence in the deliverance of his people from Babylon the Eastern; therefore, vers. 18. it is said the wheels were full of eyes round about; (The eyes of the Lord do run thorough the world) But I would especially take notice there of the [involucra providentiae] the intricate involutions and incirclings of those wheels; it is set down, ver. 16. Their work was, as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel, to signify, the eccentrical and concentrical motions of that people's return from Babylon, where Ezekiel was now a captive amongst them, as you may read vers. 1.  
But a more full and clear place to show the mysteriousness of the deliverance of Israel from Babylon the Eastern, is that in the Prophecy of Zechariah. Look but upon that one Text in Chap. 1. vers. 8. I saw by night, and behold a Man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the Myrtle trees that were in the bottom, and behind him were these red horses, speckled and white. This Man is CHRIST; These horses with him are his Angels; and their design is to bring the Jews out of Babylon the Eastern, where they had lain under God's indignation these threescore and ten years, as you may read, vers. 12. But mark how that redemption is carried in the clouds, there are no less than five notes of obscurity in that verse, signifying the Mysterious progress of the work.  
1. It is said that this vision was in the [night] both in the night (that is) of adversity, and in the night of ignorance. Little comfort, few Prophets were left to revive or direct them.  
2. This man is in [a bottom] that is, obscurely placed out of sight: And as if that were not enough;  
3. In this bottom he stood among the [Myrtle-trees:] There was a grove of tall trees, in the centre of a valley; so that the Jews might well have said unto him as here in the text, Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself. But that is not all.  
4. His forces, his Auxiliaries, stood [behind] him, saith the text, that is, they were not only covered by the valley and the myrtle trees, but they were covered by the interposition of Christ's person too; they were trebly covered, with the valley, with the myrtle-trees, and with Christ that stood before them. And  
5. This [Speckling] or dapling of the horses is observable, it doth show the interchangeable, party coloured texture of that work; yea the red and the white with the speckled, do show the mixture of peace and blood that they did troop together in this work.  
But here some might object, True, true, all this is confessed, that great-salvations in general, and in special those from Eastern Babylon have been, are carried on in a mystery; but now such wonders and miracles do cease; what is all this unto us in these times?  
In the next place therefore, 
From Western Babylon.  I will show that salvation from Babylon the Western, from Romish Babylon (that is, the salvation we are now upon] must also be carried on in a mystery.  
For this purpose, first I would commend unto you a choice text for our times, me thinks it is as a word upon the wheels in these our days, 'tis Dan. 2. where you have a prophetic vision, a vision of an Image, whose head is of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of Iron, and the feet part iron, and part clay; Expositors do conceive that this fourfold image doth signify the four famous Monarchies of the world: The Assyrian, the Persian (as it is commonly called) the Grecian and the Roman. Monarchies. The first three of these are past, and (without question) we are come now to the lower part of the fourth, I mean the Roman Empire is removed, and we do see the mixture of Iron and Clay, whether you take the iron and clay for the division of the Roman Empire into the Western and Eastern according to verse 42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the Kingdoms shall be partly strong, and partly broken, (or brittle;) the Eastern Empire was first broken off: Or whether you will understand a kind of compounding of succession between the Roman and the German Empires: Or whither (lastly) a mingling and daubing of the spiritual and temporal (that is, the Imperial and Papall● powers together; yet still, we are come to the feet of the Image, and to the very toes of those feet, which are this Babylon the Western in its present condition; for both branches of the proper Roman Empire are withered, and the German Eagle was never so stripped of her plumes as now: Yea the very Papacy of late doth shed her Prelatical feathers continually: So that both Scripture-chronologie, and common sense, do evince, that the Image doth stand at best but on tiptoe; and the time is at hand, (I conceive it is present) in which it shall be thrown down and utterly abolished. But (you will ask me) how must it be thrown down? by what means shall God's people be delivered out of the hands of this Roman Babylon? Truly by as strange means as ever was read of; See the 34. and 44. verses of the chapaer: First (in the 34. verse) Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands (here is a mystery, a stone cut out without hands, or which was not in hand) which smote the Image upon his feet which were of iron and clay; and broke them to pieces. This stone is Jesus Christ, (as Matt. 21.42.) The stone which the bvilders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; (verse 44.) and whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. This Scripture is most exactly true concerning Christ's governing in his Church, he will crush all oppositions as the potter's vessels. Again, this Stone is cut out of the mountain without hands, etc. That is, the Image shall be cast down, and the kingdom of Christ shall be set up, not by common carnal might and means, but in a special and divine manner, for so it followeth in daniel's interpretation (verse 44.45.) In the days of these Kings (at the close of the last Empire) shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. For as much as thou sanest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold: The great God hath made known to the King what shall come to pass hereafter, etc. I could wish that this seasonable place of Daniel might come often into the thoughts of all our serious active spirits in these times for their encouragement: And the rather, 
Mariana. Cornel. à Lapide, & alii.  because I find that the Jesuits themselves do fall-in with my present interpretation, so far, that they have much ado to make such a retreat as may seem to excuse the Pope and Rome from the names of Antichrist and Babylon. Another vision of the four Monarchies like unto this, is to be seen, Daniel 7.  
Add to these, that place of the Apocalypse (which is, as it were, the Book of Daniel in the New Testament) Revel. 14. vers. 6, 7, 8. there 'tis shown that the salvation of God's people from Babylon the mystical, shall be carried on in a mystery, vers. 6. And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to PREACH unto them that dwell on the earth, vers. 7. saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgement is come, etc. Hereupon in the eighth verse, there followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great City, etc. Fallen? why, what ailed her? What was it that threw her down? Surely it was nothing but the Angel that did fly in the midst of heaven, having an everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth: It was merely the preaching of the Gospel, if you will know it. So that it seems the Lord will throw down Babylon the mystical, just as he threw down the walls of Jericho, with an holy blast, by the breath of the Gospel; it shall be preached flat to the ground. No marvel that our Prelates were so angry with Lecturers.  
Another expression of her overthrow might be gathered out of Revel. 17.13, 14, 15, 16. I will but name it, because my reverend Brother in the morning hath prevented me. And Chap. 18. vers. 2. where you shall find that Babylon shall be thrown down merely by God's immediate supernatural working upon the spirits of those men that were formerly friends and factors for the Whore: For first 'tis said, verse 13. that, these (that is, the ten horns, which are ten Kings) have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast. Verse 14. These shall make war with the Lamb. Here they do unite and agree well enough to persecute the Saints: but read on to verse 16. there they fall upon the Whore their late mother and mistress; The ten horns which thou sawest, these shall hate the Whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire: A strange alteration indeed! But how could such near friends fallinto such bitter enmity so suddenly? No cause at all but this, vers. 17. for God hath put into their hearts, both to unite and fall off again.  
Thus you see not only Gods great salvations of his people in general, but especially those from Babylon, are to be carried-on in a mystery.  
But is it not strange that the Lord doth delight thus 
Quest.  to obscure and hid himself in the carriage of his great works? Would it not do better (according to our judgements and apprehensions) if they were carried-on in the common road of ordinary providence, so that every man might see them before him whilst they are a doing, as well as behind him, when they are done?  
I answer, the nature of man is apt thus to reason, 
Answ.  as Job, chap. 13. vers. 3. and Jeremiah, chap. 12. vers. 1. did. And I could answer such questions with Saint Paul's, O homo tu qui etc.— Rom. 9.20. Nay, but oh man who art thou that repliest against God? But that I may satisfy, as well as confute, I shall add, that there are reasons to show that it is not only fit, but necessary, yea, triply necessary, that such great salvations (especially from Babylon) should be mysteriously carried-on. 'Tis necessary, 

1. For the Lords greater glory. 
The grounds   
2. For his People's greater good.  
3. For his Enemies greater confusion.    
First, the Lord doth thus hid himself whilst he is saving, 
1 For Gods greater glory.  for his own greater glory. There is a clear and full place to this particular, Prov. 25.2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter, REM ABSCONDERE, that is, so to hid both himself and his work, that men may not be able beforehand to guess at him whither he will go next; nor yet to trace after him, when he is gone before. The latter expression, namely, [That no man might go after him] is to be found in Eccl. 7.13, 14. Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? And vers. 14. In the day of prosperity be ●oyfull, but in the day of adversity consider; God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. Mark this, [God hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him] that is, the Lord doth incurvate his works, he doth intricately and (to our apprehension) promiscuously mingle the a●●s and effects of his common providence, he doth traverse his ground, he doth go on, as it were, by jumps, that so the wit of man may not be able to trace and follow him, but may sit down admiring the depths of his wisdom, and the strength of his power: He doth leave so much print of his footsteps as to convince the Atheist, that he went that way, and yet so little as to puzzle the Naturalist to find out the manner of his going.  
And 'tis abundantly for the Lord's glory in all his Attributes thus to conceal a matter. Every common Painter is able to paint a plain piece of work, 
Erasm. Adag.  [Simulare cupressum] as the proverb is; to paint a tree or a bough, but he is an Artist indeed that is able to draw forth a shadowed piece. Every indifferent good soldier is able to fight pellmell, or upon a party, hand to hand; but he is the skilful man that is able to order an ambushment, that can manage a stratagem. Believe it brethren, therefore doth the Lord draw his salvations in shadowed works, that you may see the depth of his wisdom; therefore doth the Lord use to overcome by ambushments, that so the glory of his grace unto his people, and the glory of his wisdom even amongst his enemies, may be the greater. That is the first ground, for his own greater glory.  
The second ground why he carries his work in a mystery, is for the greater good of his people. 
2 For the godly's greater good.  You have so choice a place to this purpose in the book of Deuteronomy, that it alone may suffice, Deut. 8. beginning at ver. 2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep his Comandements or no; And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know, that he might make thee know, that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live: Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy feet swell these forty years. God could have carried on Israel in a shorter time and in a direct way, not in such a maze and labyrinth through the wilderness forty years together; he could have carried them through within forty months: He could have fed them from the earth if it had pleased him, and could have preserved them so as they should never have been straitened for want of provision, so as that the water should never have been scant or bitter; yea that they should never have met with an enemy; these and all other hardships the Lord could have prevented: But he did purposely suffer these intricate abstruse difficulties to fall in, for the proving of his people, for so it follows in the 16. verse of the same chapter, He fed thee with Manna in the wilderness, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might PROVE thee: Not but that he knew their hearts, but because they knew not their own hearts, much less did others know their spirits. Alas how few of us did know our own hearts whilst we lived in peace and prosperity in our countries and callings, until the Lord by the intricateness of these carriages, and by the mazes of his proceed did pumpe-up and draw forth our inward parts! Thus humbling, proving, improved, and engaging, were the Lords four grand designs upon Israel: And upon the same grounds did he lead Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph at their first calling in a strange country, by extraordinary providence, to prove, and improve their graces; yea and to diet them and breathe them (as it were) for greater mercies and services. And I am persuaded that by that time God hath brought together both ends of this mysterious salvation that he is now working, every serious christian amongst us shall be able to say, that he could not have been without any one of all those obstructions and afflictions that we have met withal: Nay I am persuaded that we shall all freely conclude at last, that if we had not lost all, we had been undone; if we had not been plundered, we had been beggared; if all these mysterious abstruse difficulties had not fallen in, we never had seen half so much of God, of our selves, of grace, or sin, reformation, as I hope we shall now discern. But I hasten,  
A third ground, 
3 For the enemies greater confusion.  why God delights thus to carry on his great salvations; and especially, his Babylonish redemption, is for the enemies greater confusion; either of their faces, or persons.  
First, for the greater confusion of their faces, when God having put them in hope of winning the day, 
Of their Faces.  shall outreach and outdo them at last; when the Lord shall so befool them, that in the conclusion they shall see themselves wiped out of all their hopes, this will be abundantly for their greater shame and confusion of face: When an oraculous Achitophel shall find his counsel overreached by a plain Hushai, that is the next way to make him become his own hangman: When an insolent Haman shall see himself degraded by a modest godly female Esther, it is the way to make him fall down upon the bed, and almost to wish himself dispatched upon his own Gibbet: When a Sisera, a triumphant Sisera, shall be nailed to the ground by the hand of a Jael: When a Pharaoh and an Herod shall be beaten and eaten with louse, so that they shall be feign to stand shrugging and picking like a beggar in a bush, Oh what confusion of face must this needs be, not only upon the persons themselves that do so miscarry, but upon all their Tribe and adherents? What gross confusion of face (guess we with ourselves) was there to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem and the rest, when after all their secret fraud and open force, after all their letters and machinations to hinder the building of the Temple, yet the work was perfected at last? You shall read in Nehemiah (Chap. 6. vers. 15.) that the wall was finished in the 25. day of the month Elul in fifty and two days, so that all their pains, charge and diligence came short, both their toil and oil was lost: Thereupon, (in the 16. verse) saith the Text, It came to pass that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes, that is, they knew not which way to look, nor where to bestow their faces, but stood like so many thiefs taken in the very act, casting their eyes towards the ground.  
O do but guess with yourselves, do but guess with yourselves, Honourable and beloved, when God shall bring about this present mysterious work of his salvation, and put a glorious issue unto it, (for this work must have a glorious issue) I say it again in short, when at the end of these troubles the worldly and wicked Politicians shall find themselves out-witted, the Potentate's overpowered, and the wealthy men out-pursed, and that all this shall be done by those whom they accounted mere foolishness, weakness, and poverty; then, then do but guess with yourselves how will the most active, industrious and impudent enemies be able to lift up their fereheads? How will they look upon one another? Surely just like a kennel of hungry Curs that all the day have been hotly pursuing their prey or game, and at night have missed and lost it in a wood. I cannot but think with myself that it will be worth all the pains and cost that an active man shall lay out in this work, but to see that Babel, that confusion of tongues and faces, that will befall the enemies at last. A shadow of this confusion of face and language you find prophesied in Revel. 18. vers. 15, 16, 17. The Merchants which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas, that great City that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones, and pearls, for in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And vers. 19 They (that is, the Kings of the earth, the Merchants, the Ship-masters, and sailors) cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great City wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness, for in one hour she is made desolate. Thus God doth it for the greater confusion of the faces of his enemies.  
Or, secondly, if they want so much modesty as to be capable of confusion of face, 
Of their persons.  yet these hidden carriages shall work for the greater confusion of their persons: they shall be the more utterly confounded by these mysteries. If the men of the old world will be so impudently wicked, as not to blush at Noah's preaching & building, they shall wade kneedeep in the flood to beg admission into the Ark, but not obtain it. If the King of Egypt and all his Gipsies will be so shameless as to dodge ten times with the Lord, they shall at last cry and fly against the returning seas, and all in vain, Exod. 14.26. So that all the Meanders and intricate carriages of the work until then, did but ripen them for greater personal confusion: Had Pharaoh come in upon the first summons (the first miracle) or upon the second or third, the man might have saved his life, and perchance his Kingdom; but therefore the Lord will suffer him to be baited on with a kind of vicissitude of losses and victories, that all this might harden his heart, and the hearts of all his Magicians, desperately to plunge themselves into the bottom of the sea, where they might be slain and buried at once.  
This very ground [for the enemies greater destruction] is hinted in this same Prophe●ie of Esay, chap. 44. ver. 25. Saith he, He fru●trateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, he turneth wisemen backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. Mark, he carrieth his work so mysteriously, that he might frustrate the tokens of the liars, that is, of those that were so confident upon some poor petty successes and victories which they had obtained against the people of God, that (thereupon) they durst to divine, and promise unto their party a total, final, speedy conquest. Now when God shall turn all about again, in a time, in a way, where they looked not for it, doubtless such a strange surprisal will put them into the condition of the men of Ai when they were encompassed by Ioshua's Stratagem, josh. 8.20. They had no power to flee this way or that way, vers. 22. They were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side, and they smote them so that they let none of them remain or escape: And all this was done by a Stratagem, for before in vers. 15. joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them (of Ai) and fled by the way of the wilderness.  
Thus you see it is a necessary and rational truth, that the Lord doth thus carry-on his great salvations, viz. for his own greater glory, for his people's greater benefit, and for his enemies greater confusion: Therefore it is not out of want either of power or wisdom, but out of a transcendency of both that he doth order his deliverances in such a manner. So much may demonstrate the Thesis or general part. But,  
Secondly, if you demand a particular reason for the Hypothesis, viz. Why salvations from Babylon are also carried in a mystery? I answer, that there is a special ground for this branch also. And it is this in short.  
Our Babylon (I mean the western) was raised in a mystery, and therefore it is good reason that it should be thrown down in the same manner. In the 2 Thess. 2.6. You shall find that Babylon is built up in a mystery; The mystery of iniquity doth already work.  
That noble Frenchman throughout his Mystery of Iniquity, 
Mornaei Mysterium Iniquitatis.  gives us a sufficient commentary upon this text, by discovering the parts of that mystery, showing the Pedigree of Antichrist, and how he hath gathered his stolen feathers together, of which when every bird shall take his own, he shall be left naked and bare.  
Also in Revel. 17.4.5.6. You shall see that Babylon was raised in a mystery. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. This woman is Rome, the western Babylon: And upon her forehead was a name written in Capital Letters, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth. Called [Mystery] because she was raised in a mystery; that is, she got up to her height insensibly, cunningly; her way in getting up was like the way of an Eagle in the air, or like the way of a serpent upon a stone, winding, and serving itself onwards by degrees; untraceably; or as the way of a ship in the sea, which goeth on swiftly when she seems to stand still. Thus Babylon was raised and built in a mystery, and therefore it is but just and proportionable that she should be cast down and ruined in a mystery.  
Nay we have an hint, yea a prophetic command that this proportion shall be observed in the ruin and destruction of this Babylon in Revel. 18.6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: And verse 7. How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much sorrow and torment give her; that is, let her be cast down by the same steps by which she climbed up, both for manner and measure.  
Thus you see grounds for the general and also for the particular, 
Application.  why Gods great salvations of his people and especially from Babylon, are, shall be, must be so mysteriously carried on. The Application is the great errand in which I am sent at this time. 
1 Use 1. Enquirie.   
Are the Lords great salvations of his people especially from Babylon, carried-on in a mystery? Then my first dose or portion shall be merely preparatory. Let us make English of this text, by enquiring and searching whether or no the present great work of salvation and reformation that is in your hands (for 'tis a work of salvation) be carryed-on in a mystery? What? is it a plain work of common providence in which ordinary causes do bring forth their wont effects and issues, without any remarkable variation? or rather, is it not an extraordinary, elaborate, shadowed Masterpiece, altogether made up of Stratagems, Paradoxes, and Wonders? If thus, then comfort yourselves, you may conclude it will be a great salvation, yea (as I shall show) a salvation from Babylon. So then, the whole business of this preparatory use will be to inquire and imforme ourselves distinctly and critically in this great question [when is a salvation carryed-on in a mystery? or, how may I know such a work?  
I answer, as Psal. 111.2. the works of the Lord are great; yet they may be sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. I shall endeavour for our direction and encouragement, in these troublous times, to give some special evidences of an [hiding Saviour] that is of a great, Babylonish, mysterious redemption.  

1. First when the work is carried on SPIRITUALLY: This I shall call [supra Naturam] above nature.  
2. When, CASUALLY; which is [preter naturam] besides nature.  
3. When, CONTRARILY and CONTRADICTORILY [contra naturam] even against nature.   
First when a work is carried on Supra naturam [SPIRITUALLY] that is, 
1 Spiritually.  more by spiritual than by fleshly means. Thus we read of the Jewish redemption from Babylon, Zecha. 4.6. Then he (that is, the Angel) speak and said, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, or arms, nor by power, but by my SPIRIT saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, vers. 7. O great mountain? It was a mountain of rubbish that lay there (as some conceive) being the ruins of the former Temple, as Nehem. 4. verse 2. and 10. This mountain must be removed ere the ground could be leveled for a foundation: But how shall this be done? Not by might, nor by power, but he shall bring forth the corner stone thereof, with shoutings, crying Grace, grace unto it. It should be done without hands, only by the word of the Lords mouth, as the Earth and Heavens were created. But in Hag. 4. vers. 14. You shall find a threefold stirring of spirits that carried on that work: And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel (it was an immediate working upon his spirit, which neither man or devils are able to reach) the son of Shealtiel, governor of judah; and the spirit of Josuah, the son of Josedech the high Priest & the spirit of all the remnant of the people. God moved the spirit of the temporal rulers, of Zerubbabel, that is as it were the Parliament; God moved the spirit of those of the Church, of Josuah the high Priest, and of Haggai, and Zechariah the Prophets, as it were the Assembly of Divines; and God moved the spirit of all the remnant of the people (the whole commonalty) & they came & did work in the house of the Lord of Hosts their God: It seems it was not for wages or out of any constraint, but only because the Lord had touched their spirits and inclined their hearts to this service. So it is said of Cyrus in Ezra 1.1. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus' King of Persia, he gave the Jews leave to build, and did affist them, and supply them with necessaries for the service. And Chap. 5. verse 1. The Prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them: Then, verse 2. rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and jeshua the son of jozadek, and began to build the house of God. Why, what moved them at that time above another? Only the Ministers preached them about the work: As before I shown that the walls of Babylon must be preached down, so it seems here that the walls of the Temple must be preached up. Haggai and Zachariah do fall to preaching, and then the rulers and the people do fall to building.  
How parallel is our case with this? Hath might or weakness, flesh or spirit, (I ask of your own consciences) had the greatest stroke in our greatest salvations hitherto? Have not the touched hearts, the willing spirits ever been the chief instruments? Is it not most evident that the Lord hath touched some hearts with the spirit of wisdom and counsel, as sometime he touched the heart of Bezaleel and Aholiab, filling them with his spirit, in knowledge etc. to devise cunning works, to work in gold and in silver etc. Exod. 31.2. so amongst us hath he not given an extraordinary spirit of counsel and wisdom into the hearts of men, even then when 'twas feared that disuse and oppression had quite worn out all the old race of true English hearts? Who had thought we had been so rich in Parliamentary spirits, as appears this day?  
Again, others have been as it were inspired with a Spirit of courage and magnanimity beyond precedent, and even unto their own admiration. Yea some like that Fabius, or like Gideon in the story before, have been called off from mean employments; and yet have answered great expectations in the services of war: so that I cannot but guess that succeeding generations writing the History of these times will speak rather of a Creation than of a Generation of soldiers in our age.  
Once more; How many Nobles, Gentry, Ministers, and people, every where are suddenly sprung up like Jonah his gourd against this hot season? men accomplished with so many graces, gifts, qualifications, for this work, as if they had been inspired, cut out and created purposely for this service? Believe it, these are things that deserve a most serious consideration, they do prove that the work is carryed-on spiritually. But that is not all.  
Secondly, Salvation is then carried on in a mystery when it is carried on [PRAETER NATURAM] I English it [CASUALLY] or accidentally; that is, thorough a multitude of extraordinary accidents and casualties. By casualties I do not mean the acts or effects of Pagan fortune, but the acts and effects of extraordinary and special Providence; when there is a frequent confluence of such acts appearing in our salvations, this must needs be besides nature's road; for Quae casu fiunt ea rare fiunt, that is, casualties are rarities, saith the heathen, or, things done by chance are seldom done. Now when we shall see such events fall in frequently, than we must conclude that the finger of God is there, this is not according to the common rule and road of men.  
That you may understand my meaning a little more fully in this particular, I will give you an instance of this confluence of casualties in the book and case of Esther, Chapter 6. When Haman had made sure with King Ahasuerus (that is, Xerxes) for the utter extirpation of the Jews, and that Esther had now begun another Mine to counter-worke him, see what a heap, what a cluster of seasonable casual circumstances do happily fall in for the advantage of Esther, and the disadvantage of Haman. Thus in short.  
First, in verse 1. It is said that [on that night could not the King sleep] What night was that? Just the next night before that Esther stood engaged to break Mordecai's matter to the King upon the morrow, Chap. 5. vers. 8. the very night before that day, the King could not sleep: And it was also just the night before that Haman meant to beg the execution of Mordecai. The night immediately before that these two things were to be set on work, the King could not sleep: why, what ailed him? we hear of no extraordinary sad tidings which were brought him that could hinder his sleep; we read of no distemper of body that lay upon him; then doubtless God's hand was in it, therefore he could not sleep. But that is not all.  
Thereupon (secondly) he commanded to bring the book of Records of the Chronicls to be read before him. True, we say reading and preaching will bring men asleep though they have little disposition to it before: but all this could not incline him to slumber. This farther shows the hand of God.  
Well, thirdly, It was found written in the Book, that Mordecai had done a choice piece of service for the King: Found, how was it sound? How did it come to hand? did the Reader willingly turn to this place that so he might make way to ingratiate Mordecai? That is improbable, because Haman that was now the darling of the Court, was Mordecays known and professed enemy: Or, what did the King command that he should turn to that place? No, that is not probable neither; because we find by the King's next question that he did not know to the contrary but that Mordecai had been already rewarded for this service. How then came this about? Surely, that very God that directed the Eunuch when Philip joined himself unto his Chariot to be reading that place of Isaiah the Prophet, Act. 8. And that voice that cried to the Father Tolle & lege, take up and read, it seems that very providence did direct, that amongst all sorts of books the King should pitch upon History, and amongst all sorts of History this volume, and amongst all the parts of this volume, this page, this passage, that so way might be made for esther's intended motion.  
Well, fourthly, vers. 3. And the King SAID, what honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Why did the King take notice of this service at this time more than formerly; for it is said, chap. 2. ver. 22. that Esther had (formerly) certified the King of this business in Mordecai's name, yet then no reward is thought upon? But it seems Mordecai's reward was kept for this very time by an act of extraordinary providence.  
But fifthly (to put a heap of casualties together) That, Haman should so seasonably come in, in that very nick of time when Ahasuerus was studying how to reward Mordecai. That, Haman should come in with that request and motion for the executing of Mordecai. Add to these, the King's admission of Haman; the question propounded to him; and haman's answer to that question, all which you may read in chap. 6. vers. 4, 5, 6. And then all these grains put together do make a great weight; Let all these casual circumstances be cast in, and you must confess that every particular of them being a several piece of wonder, the whole doth make up little less than a Miracle.  
Honourable and beloved, how easily could I show you the faces of such like casualties, or petty-wonders, in the glass of your own proceed? You have instances enough of your own (I mean in your own History) to parallel all these particulars and a thousand more; I need not to go a borrowing for you. Only thus much in a word, this Manna of rarities from heaven, is your daily bread. I must on-wards.  
Thirdly, a work is then carried-on mysteriously, when it is carried on [contra naturam.] What English shall I have to reach this expression withal? When a work is carried on CONTRARILY and CONTRADICTORILY: It is an hard phrase, but so overflowing are the mysteries of mercy, which God is now working amongst us, that certainly our English tongue is grown too narrow to lend us words to express them. I must therefore use the word Contradictorily. Contradictory, what is that? That is, when a work is promoted and carried-on by its contraries. I must show it by an instance. When the carriage of a work doth run like Samsons riddle, judg. 14.14. Out of the Eater came forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. That the Eater should yield meat, and the strong give out sweetness, this is such a riddle that a strict Logician hearing it would be ready to cry out- Implicat, 'tis a contradiction in adjecto; yet so it is when enemies do become furtherers of a work against themselves, and that is common you see amongst us.  
If Samsons riddle doth not express it sufficiently, add another expression out of the Psalmist; It is in Psa. 112.4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness. It is according to nature that the dawning doth spring out of the night, and that the more perfect day doth arise out of that dawning is still according to nature, because the increase is gradual: But when light shall arise immediately out of darkness; when high-noon shall suddenly leap out of midnight, such a jump is against nature, and you must call it a mystery; because it is held as a Maxim amongst Naturalists, that Natura nihil agit per saltum, the motion of nature is not by leaps, but by paces. Thus Mark. 4.28. First the blade, than the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Therefore as often as we shall see a branch (I mean a fruit of Providence) like the Rod of Aaron, that in one night was budded and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms, and yielded Almonds (Numb. 17.8.) so often let us confess with the Psalmist, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.  
Yea, but when, or where did we ever see such things as these?  
I would give some few particular instances under this head of salvation through contrarieties and contradictions. As  
1. 
1 Enemy's furtherers.  When Enemies do further a work against themselves, yea and that by fight against it. This contradiction we have found true ever since the beginning of our present troubles. The enemy by projecting & fight against Reformation, hath both hastened and heightened it more than ourselves could (perhaps would) have done in that time. When there had been a talk a while after the beginning of this Parliament, of some solemn way of uniting the Kingdoms by some special Association in those crazy times; the enemy by increasing our dangers and obstructing (as I remember) the proceed, do quicken us into a Protestation: And because that obligation was easily broken (ah lamentable!) by the generality of men who deserted their own protection and remedy, therefore the enemy would never leave adding one horrid provocation to another, by fight against the Parliament, denying them a being, proclaiming them Rebels, and owning the Diabolical Rebels of Ireland as good Subjects, to cut their throats; until by such sharp provocations as these, they had spurred and switched the three Kingdoms into a most Solemn Oath and Covenant for a complete Reformation. The men would not suffer us (if we would) only to pair and clip Prelacy, no, they will have it plucked up Root & Branch. They will not suffer the three Kingdoms to rest in several kinds and pitches of government and worship, but they will have one true reformed uniformity in these and all other Churches of Christ. Thus their rage hath abundantly ripened the work. This is seemingly contradictory.  
2. When one and the same thing is at once helpful to God's people, 
2 Helpfull-Hurt.  and hurtful to the enemy. As it is said of the Angel, and of the Pillar of the Cloud, Exod 14.19. And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel, removed and went behind them, and the Pillar of the cloud went from before their faces and stood behind them. ver. 20. And it came between the Camp of the Egyptians, and the Camp of Israel, and it was a cloud of darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these, so that the one came not near the other all the night. Such helpfull-hindering occurrents have we often met withal, that have proved like the extraordinary frost that ('tis said) did suddenly happen in the North at the coming in of the present Scottish Army; it blocked up the ways of the enemy by abundance of Snow, that they could not plunder and fire as they intended; but it gave an unexpected passage of Ice over the river unto our Brethren and their carriages. Many like acts might be shown, which upon the one hand did show the Lord's presence with his people, (as I have seen some two faced pictures) and on the other hand in the same side the picture of Satan for the ruin of the enemies.  
3. When loesses are gains. 
3 Losses Gains  I have touched upon this before; let me only add the instances of the two great Public Battles that have been fought in this Cause, at Keinton and at Newberry. In the beginning of both battles, 'tis said, we were somewhat worsted, to show that England had offended the Lord, and therefore our Father did beat us: But then we conquered the enemy too, to imply that the Lord would own his own Cause and people notwithstanding their failings. Thus victi vicimus, by being first worsted, we were made more than conquerors [Periissemus nisi periissemus] being beaten we got the day. This Examination is preparatory to the following lessons.  
Use 2. To inform and satisfy. Let no man think it strange that there is so much shrinking, 
2 Use 2. To inform and satisfy.  stretching and warping from the right Party in the present times and controversies. No marvel if mere Sensitive common worldlings and carnal Politicians do fall off from this Divine and Supernatural Cause and task. Such poor purblind creatures were mistaken in this work at their first coming on. It was their lot to be cast upon the Parliament side; and in that lot, they did look upon carnal and selvish ends and arguments; upon the leaves and the bag that were to be gotten by Christ's service, I mean majority of number, probability of short dispatch and long preferments after, did draw them to the right party: But finding the business to be an holy mystery, finding that the Lord did carry his work thorough hills and dales of Land and Seas; yea and that they should be forced to deny themselves, to adventure all, to cross the stream, etc. Here they went away sorrowing, this was too hard a saying, they could not bear it. To speak plainly: Honourable and Beloved, in the beginning of this Parliament when the Lord did give you a plentiful Breakfast of most smooth and happy success in your first proceed, thereby to strengthen you for the hard dayes-worke and long journey that was to come, (as he gave a double breakfast to Elijah when he was to travel without meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb the Mount of God, 1 King. 19.5, 7, 8.) You may remember that in those prosperous days you were compassed about with swarming Proselytes, and seeming Patriots of all bores and sizes: But how did many of those Pretenders fail you in the heat as brooks in Summer?  
Some of them were mere sensitive friends; 
Sensitive friends.  These like incredulous Thomas, would believe and adventure no farther than their senses (of sight and feeling) did lead them. They would have the ground of their faith at their fingers-end, as joh. 20.25. and they were drawn on merely as that mixed multitude (or a great mixture) that went out of Egypt with the children of Israel, because of the miracles and mercies that there were wrought, Exod. 12.38. And therefore anon after when your hardships began, this same mixture were the first that fell to lusting, as that Egyptian mixture did, Numb. 11.4. And the mixed multitude that was among them fell to lusting, etc. Thus your mere sensitive friends did fall off.  
Others were led by human reason and politic convictions; 
Mere politicians.  These did stick to Parliaments, Laws and Privileges, as Orpah to her mother in law Naomi, that is, whilst she continued Naomi (pleasant) but when by afflictions she became Marah (bitter) than they (as Orpah, Ruth 1.14.20.) wept and kissed their mother in law, but departed.  
Shortly, 
False and faint Professors.  a last sort were of false or faint-hearted Professors, led with some light of Religion; they either brake-off like Demas, or warped-off like Paul's acquaintance at his first appearing before Nero, 1 Tim. 4.16.  
But would you know the cause of all this failing? Surely it was nothing but this (as before) those shallow-headed narrow-hearted carnalists were puzzled in this hard lesson of a Mystery. The mere natural man can read in the book of the creatures, 'tis so fair a print in Capital letters. The prudential man can perceive the character, and construe the language of common providence: And thus far they went with you: But they were not so much as, A-b-c-ederians in the Lords Archivis (as they say) in his Manuscripts, in his Brachigraphy, I mean in the strange language and abstruse character of Reformation, and mysterious Babylonish redemptions; they wanted both Dictionaries and Spectacles in those particulars. Then let not the apostasy of carnalists cast any disparagement upon this glorious Mystery. That's a second Use.  
Thirdly, if God's great salvations, of his people, especially that from Babylon be carryed-on in a mystery, 
3 Use 3. Reproof of carnality. Both.  than away with that great old English sin of Carnality, away with Carnality in both extremes, upon the right hand, and upon the left hand, away with carnal confidence, and carnal diffidence.  
First, away with carnal confidence; 
Carnal confidence.  Be not too much lifted up with outward supplies, with outward strength and successes; but remember that the frame of this work is mysterious and spiritual; therefore for us to build our hopes upon things that are merely carnal, must needs be a sin, both heterogeneous and most improper. We have been taught by experience, that fleshly and worldly advantages hitherto have contributed little to the principal part of this work. Commonly (hitherto) the race hath not been to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to men of understanding, Eccles. 9.11. We never had (I think) too few Armies for any service and engagement since we began; perhaps sometimes through the corruption of our hearts we have had too many, as God said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands. Consider farther, that carnal confidence begets carnal diffidence, as the hot and cold fits in an Aguish-fever do mutually intent and heighten one another. Therefore away with carnality upon the right hand, with carnal confidence.  
And then on the other hand, 
Carnal diffidence.  by the same reason, away also with carnal diffidence in case of the want of outward supplies and successes: Remember the Doctrine, that hath said that this work is a work of faith, and not of sense; and continual experience doth evidence that when we are weak we are strong: My meaning is, that we should not be any longer like weather-glasses suffering our hopes and spirits to rise & fall according to the tidings of good and bad successes; that we should not live upon diurnallfaith, or upon the air of news and intelligence: But let our hopes be like the life of the saints that is hid with Christ in God: Let them have a surer foundation than any thing that base carnality can suggest: Let not our confidence like heavy Eli fall backward and break their neck upon the report of every defeat: Had Eli born up thorough that blast, he might have seen that the loss of the Ark, was in conclusion, the advantage of Israel; and that the Philistians were never so shamefully beaten as by that victory; for that very Ark when it was set up in the house of Dagon did conquer the Idol in his own Temple, for his head and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold, and only the stump of Dagon was left whole: Yea, and the Philistines themselves were feign at last, as it were to bribe their prisoner with golden-mices and emrod's, to be gone; and were forced to send the Ark home again, with shame, and cost enough.  
But there are many specious arguments given, in excuse of such carnal diffidence. As  
Object. 1 First, Oh! But there is great opposition, many, mighty stubborn enemies there are against us?  
Answ. 1 This is a good evidence that you are about a choysepiece of Church-work. Show me a Reformation (I think there is scarcely one) in the book of God, or in our Protestant Histories, that went on without difficulties and obstructions. So that these very crags and bogs which you pass thorough in the way, are not discouragements, but way-markes, that is, certain signs that you are right in the old Reformation-way that hath ever been trodden. Thus Asa had no sooner set upon a Reformation in Judah, (2. Chron. 14. & 2. Chron. 15.) by Covenanting strictly with God; by pulling down Idolatry, and by removing Queen Maacha her Capuchins, but a thousand thousand Ethiopians are let in upon his Kingdom, as though Hell itself had been let lose. So King Hezekiah, After thes things (saith the text) and the establishment of them, (2. Chron. 32.1.) that is, after three Chapters full of Reformation that you read of before; Then Senacherib, King of Assyria, came and entered into Judah with a great Army. Therefore these bogs, crags, and brambles, are approved way-markes and encouragements.  
Answ. 2 Again, you must give parting-Devills leave to tear and some when they are to be immediately cast out. The evil spirit will have one pull with the possessed person, when he is packing. You know it is so said, Revel. 12.12. The Devil is come down having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time. And so in Mark. 9.26. When the dumb Devil was to be cast out (as how many dumb Devils are now casting out of many Parishes in the land!) he did tear the man, and rend him sore, that he was as one dead. This we must look for, it is a sign that the Devil is going.  
Object. 2 But the work is tedious, oh this prolixity is that which doth weary us?  
Ansm. 1 This is but proportionable, when a humour hath been so long a growing and crusting in the Kingdom; it would be dangerous to purge it suddenly; our Body-Politique would hardly bear the strength of the Physic. This prolixity therefore is a wise mercy.  
Answ. 2 Add, that all this prolixity is usual in such  Church-work. The return of the Jews from Babylon, taking-in the whole of it, that is, the two pieces, spiritual and temporal (the building of the Temple, and of the wall of the City) was upon the wheel, as I remember, through some seven Princes reigns, 
Helvici Chronol.  viz. Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius Histaspis, Xerxes or Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes Longimanus, Darius Nothus, Artaxerxes Mnemon: But our Reformation as yet is but in the reign of the sixth King since it began; The number may be thus computed, King Henry 8. King Edward 6. Queen Marry, Queen Elizabeth, King james, and our Sovereign that now reigneth. Therefore this prolixity hath a pattern, 'tis usual.  
Answ. 3 Lastly, it is also profitable and advantageous for us. It is true, when a River runneth with many turn and wind, the vessel that sails upon her doth make the longer voyage from place to place; but those turn and Meanders of the River are abundantly profitable to the bordering inhabitants, both to prevent inundations, by breaking the strength of the slouds, and to multiply rich Meadows and pastures by its various indentures: So there is the less danger, and the more fruitfulaesse by the prolixity of this mysterious work.  
Object. 3 But in the meanwhile we are undone in our estates?  
Answ. 1 That was Micha's language when he had lost his Idol. Take heed that we do not idolise our estates and make them our gods, than indeed we shall cry-out and say as he did, What have we more? But,  
Answ. 2 Farther, they are but exchanges of temporals for spirituals, earth for gold: hath not thy soul gained something by these troubles in recompense of that which thy purse hath lost? What, not some experience, some humiliation, faith or holiness?  
Answ. 3 However, thy God is left with thee still, and that God is able to fetch sweet out of bitter, good out of evil, not only out of the evil of punishment, but out of the evil of sin itself. In short, this Doctrine doth answer all carnal objections that can be moved, but I must hasten.  
Are Gods great salvations carried on in a mystery? Then in the fourth place, 
4 Use 4. To Advise and Counsel.  let us be advised to look upon this work as it is to be carried-on, that is, spiritually, extraordinarily, mysteriously; that so we may not be mistaken in our way and task, as many carnal politicians and formal Neuters have mistaken the work, and so miscarried and fallen away at last.  
Consider, Honourable and Beloved, it is not a journey, but a Voyage, which the Lord hath put you upon: You know the difference; in a Voyage there is one and the same common safety or shipwreck to all the passengers, they must swim or sink together: Not so in a land Journey: In a Voyage there is much hard-ship by lodging, diet, straightness, and dangers by rocks, sands, Pirates, tempests; Not so in a land-journey. But especially I call your task a Voyage, in respect of the various motions and pathless ways into which your work doth carry you. Sometimes the Seaman is forced to board it to and fro, so that an unskilful spectator would think that he doth go forth and bacl: Another while he is feign to strike all his sails, and to drive at Hull, so that he seems utterly to neglect his Vessel; yet all this while he is at his work, and doth make way as he can. But above all the rest, you must remember that in a Voyage there are no Lanes, no foot paths, no highway Mercuries to direct the Seamen; all their directions must be fetched from the Pole and Stars compared with their Card, their Compass, and touched Needle, their path lieth in Heaven, not below. So you have a God above, a guide in Heaven, you have his Word and Will for your Card & Compass; and your own hearts touched within you, still standing God-ward: These must, these can guide you thorough a sea of miseries and mysteries unto the Haven of Reformation and deliverance where you would be. Let these Guides and Guidances be closely followed, and then no matter for waves and winds, no matter for sea-sickness, 'tis a good sign of the progress of the ship, and 'tis good Physic to the passenger.  

Quest.  But suppose all the premises are granted, namely that this work in its carriage is so spiritual, casual, contradictory. tradictory, so truly mysterious; how then may we so order and lesson ourselves, as to discharge our duties in such difficult service? This mystery doth seem to leave us in a mere muse of contemplation; what action or practice is there left to us to be performed in this case? what doing lessons may be fetched from hence?  

Answ.  There are some sure Practical Lessons to be learned from the mysterious carriage of our present salvations; and that I may show them the more fully, you must know that in this work there are two parts.  
Aliquid Divinum, etc. Something Divine, and Supernatural, which is chief the Lords ends.  
Aliquid Humanum, etc. Something more humane and secular, which is man's ends and aims.  
Now the great lesson in general which we are to learn, is to stick and cleave to all God's ends above any of our own. It was a great error of the Jews, and Haggai complaineth of it, Hag. 1.2. that they fell a building of their own houses, but let the house of God lie waste; therefore the Lord is feign to curse, and cross them in their own selvish designs, even in the fruit of the field, and in their very meat, drink, and cloth, as you may read verse 6. You have sown much, and bring in little, ye eat, and have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe ye, but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages putteth it into a broken bag. God did cross them in things nearest to them, that so they might look more after his part of the work. And indeed it is the wonderful mercy of God to us, that these two parts of the work (Reformation and Deliverance) are so twisted together, that we are not able to separate them. God hath now so indissolubly interwoven the reforming of religion with the settlement of laws and liberties, that we cannot pick off the latter, and leave the former; Otherwise (I fear) we should ere this, have been playing the children, that use to eat of their honey, and then throw the bread to the dogs. But our Father hath so wisely ordered the whole, that if we will have no Reformation of Religion, we shall have no more Laws, Parliaments, Liberties, nor Privileges; Therefore it will be our wisdom, to look chief after the Lord's part of the work.  

Quest.  But, What is God's Part, End, or Aim?  

Answ.  I answer, the Lords ends, designs, or desires, (as I may call them) in this great work, may be considered two ways; either generally, or particularly.  
First, 
1 Promote God's general designs. Of Piety.  his general, or public designs which he doth own and aim at, requiring us to promote them, may be reduced to these three sorts.  
1. Works of Piety. The Lord doth absolutely require the Reformation of Religion at this time, both in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government, in the Church. We must out with Idols, not only those in wood, stone, or glass, that is in walls and windows; but those living Idols that are in pews and in some Pulpits, they must out; I mean all idol-shepherds, and dumb-dogs. close with the handling of it teaching Priest, they were without Law: A Preacherlesse people, will be a lawless people. In short, the Lord would have you to demolish all high places, and not to leave so much as the stump of Dagon remaining: Yea to bury all the relics of Romish Jezabel, even the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Also the Lord doth expect that you should promote the late Solemn League & Covenant, that triple Cable of the three Kingdoms, by which the Anchor of our hope is fastened, that threefold Cord that binds all these Kingdoms together and unto God; and is like that golden chain with which the Tyrians (when Alexander beleaguered them) bond fast their tutelar god, Apollo; 
Curtius' in vitâ Alex.  for fear he would leave their City. Thus if ye do first build the Lords-house and do become faithful Midwives to his labouring Church, then doubtless will the Lord deal well with you, and will make you houses, as Exod. 1.17.20.21.  
2. 
Of justice.  Works of Justice are a part of God's general design at this time, you cannot but remember the service of Phinehas in executing of judgement when it was a sad time with Israel, and the double reward that followed; public to the State, (the plague was stayed,) and private to his own family, the service of God in the Church was particularly entailed upon him and his posterity. Numb. 25. And blessed be God, that you have now put in to the scales of Justice; the Archest Prelate of the land. Believe it, such services as these, are the way to procure unto us a valley of Anchor for a door of hope, even then when we do fly before the enemy, as Josh. 7.26. when Achan was found out and put to his trial according to justice, the wrath of God was stopped; and the late victorious City of Ai is soon taken in.  
3. The Lord doth now call for works and acts of mercy too, that is, 
Of Mercy.  that you take special notice of the most doing and suffering places and persons, that have laid out themselves in this cause to the utmost, that like that poor widow, 1. Kings 17. have made a cake for the public, out of their handful of meal, and thereupon are much distressed and scanted. You remember what David said unto Abiathar, when for his sake all the persons of his father's house were slain by Saul, Abide thou with me, fear not, for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, but with me shalt thou be in safety: Much more ought those faithful Persons, Towns, Cities, and Countries to be relieved that have been most active and passive for God and the Kingdom in this Cause.  
And here, 
A Digression for the West.  Oh how gladly could I weep in a Parenthesis, for, and over the Country of my Nativity, the place of my father's Sepulchers which lieth waste, where so many houses and places are consumed with fire! Oh the unparallelled misery of the still-declining west! Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by! Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto our sorrow, which is done unto us, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted us, in the day of his fierce anger, Lamen. 1.12. Can I but draw forth in their due colours the do and sufferings of those parts of the Land, I am persuaded (what ever fame may chatter) that I should prevail with the dryest-heart in this great Assembly, to contribute, at least a tear towards our relief and succour. True, I confess the Lord is righteous, for we have rebelled against his mouth; but yet for doing and suffering in this great Cause, I am persuaded those parts may be ranked amongst the foremost of the Kingdom: And my humble desire is, that accordingly they may have place in your prayers and cares. Thus let the Lords general and public designs and ends be first considered and promoted.  
But secondly, 
2 Promote God's particular designs.  I must tell you that God hath other collateral designs, (and as I may call them,) intermediate ends in this strange work, which we ought also to observe and further to our uttermost; that's the second practical lesson. As it is with those that labour to find out the Philosophers-stone by distillations, their ultimate and principal end is to make gold, yet by the way and collaterally they find out many rare experiments and excellent chemical extractions, which are of precious use and value: So is it in this great work of God, his grand principal design is public salvation, both by Reformation and Deliverance; but he hath many collateral, occasional, intermediate designs and effects which he intendeth and produceth by the way. As for instance he hath (suppose) a design, and an experiment to be made upon his own Church and people, as to try the particular graces of this or that saint, what strength of faith, what depth of humility, what latitude of patience there is in their hearts: Or if not for trial, than (suppose) for purging, or correcting, or improving; and it should be our care to record such experiments for after times, whether they tend to our humiliation, or to our consolation. Another while the Lord hath a design upon the enemy (as I shown in my grounds) to make him fill up the measure of sin, and confusion of face or person. The open adversaries must have their full load, and the secret Neuters must be detected, as 'tis said, Luke 2.35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thine own side, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. The stabs and gashes of the present sword do open and let out many a secret thought. Who so is wise, and will of serve these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, Psal. 107.43. 
5 Use 5. Encouragement.   
Let the closing branch of application be a Cordial. There is a Cordial in this Doctrine, and I hope a Cordial is not unseasonable at a Fast, so as it enableth us the more hearty to go through the work of the day. Then here is a melting Cordial, for by the mysterious carriage of our present work we may easily gather that God is now upon some great salvation, yea upon a salvation from Western Babylon. The whole work in all its progress looks exactly like the foretell destruction of Babylon; For our God, even whilst he hideth himself, is still the Saviour of this Israel. Mine encouragement therefore shall lie in the same words (for so God hath directed us) that you had in the morning from my reverend Brother; it seems God will have us both to drive the same nail, that it may be set home to the head. It is in Hag. 2.4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong O Josuah, son of Josedech the high Priest, and be strong O ye people of the Land and work (for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.) Here is something for all ranks, Parliament-men, Zerubbabel, Assembly of Divines, josuah; And all the people, the whole Commonalty: The strength of the argument lieth in that sweet Parenthesis at last, and I shall close with the handlingof it (For I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.) In which you may observe but these two blasts to fill your sails.  
First, who is the Masterbuilder, the Architect that employs you, and accordingly you know whither to go for your wages. I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts. Would any man ask a more honourable service than under the Lord of Hosts? For honour est in honorante, and it comes properly by Arms. Certainly, the Lord never put a more honourable employment into the hands of the sons of England, than he hath put this day into your hands. What, to be Champions for God, to be Builders, Factors, Reformers for the whole Protestant Cause and world! How many of our zealous Ancestors have cast in their prayers, tears and blood, to entail upon us but the preparations and probabilities of this great work? How did they long to have seen one of these days a fare off, but did not see them? David was not permitted to build the Temple, but God reserved that work for his son jedidiah (for so the Lord himself called Solomon) who was the beloved of the Lord. Do you think it a small thing to be God's jedidiahs in this respect? To be bvilders of an House to the God of heaven, is your honour. But that is but half.  
Secondly, look upon Gods owning of the work; This Lord of Hosts will be with you. Would any man in the world desire a clearer promise thnn was this to Zerubbabel, I will be with you, upon my word, upon mine Honour, upon my Deity I will be with you?  

Object.  No (you will say) we would not wish a surer word to ourselves, but that was made peculiarly to the jews: Had we but such a promise, we would stick at nothing; Had we but the faith of heaven so engaged to us?  

Answ.  I answer, You have it as they had it, nay, in some sort I may say, you have it more fully; For they had it promised, and therefore it was in futuro, yet to come: But you have it, in praesenti, in hand. Open your eyes and behold your encouragements; the Lord speaks to you in deeds, and saith, Lo, I AM with you in all this work; you may feel my presence upon every occasion.  
Let me reason with you a little before the Lord concerning his providence over you. 
Consider.  
1 Convention  Did ever the Lord so clearly, so visibly own an English Parliament as he hath owned you? Do but first look bacl upon your first Convention. Are you not the very birth of the prayers of many generations? Were you, not as a brand snatched out of the fire kindled between England and Scotland? Just as were those Reformers in the Babylonish Captivity; Is not this a brand (saith God, Zech. 3.2.) plucked out of the fire? Suppose a man of judgement coming into a room where there is a fire burning, and he runneth hastily to the fireside, snatcheth thence a piece of wood, and endeavours by all means to extinguish the flame that is upon it; will not every rational man presently conclude that he intendeth that piece for some special service? In this sense (as I conceive) is that Metaphor used in that place; Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? As if the Lord should have said, Have I plucked josuah out of the fire of Babylon, & so this Parliament out of the fire of the two Kingdoms, when they were in a combustion some three years since, to cast them into the consuming flames again at last? No surely, that is not the Lords usual manner. 
2 Continuance.   

3 Supply.  And as for your Convention, so secondly consider the progress of providence in your settlement. How hath God fastened you as a nail in a sure place? This is an argument in which the Jews did comfort themselves at the time of their return from Babylon, Ezra 9.8. And now for a little space, grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a NAIL in his holy place, etc. Surely, you are our remnant escaped, without which we had been as Sodom, and as the inhabitants of Gomorrah; and you are fastened as a nail in a sure place, by a special Act for your continuance, above all former Parliaments. Well did the Lord foresee both what a great work himself would put into your hands; and what great oppositions you should meet withal, When God doth thus fasten a nail of power and authority in a sure place, he doth usually intent to hang some extraordinary weight and glory upon it, as it is said of Eliakim, who was a figure of CHRIST, Esai. 22.23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, etc. vers. 24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father's House, the offspring and the issue, all vessels (of small quantity) from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.  
Thirdly, besides your extrordinary convention & unparallelled fastening, Consider lastly what the Lord hath done for you and by you since you came together.  
1. FOR YOU. How often hath he given a new life to your whole House, collectively & in common, & that sometimes by rescuing you from bloody Assassinates? Oh! let the the 4th. of January Anno 1641. be unto you as the 5th. of November 1605. Sometimes by giving you the victory in the open field, when your lives lay at stake in the battle, as in both those general Battles at Keinton and Newberry. Besides, how many of your Members distributively have had their lives given unto them as a particular prey, being snactht out of natural and violent deaths since they began this service? I do not speak this that your hearts should be lifted up within you, but that they may be lifted up in the ways of the Lord.  
2. Next consider what God hath done BY You also; did ever the Lord do so much work of this kind in so short a time (how ever we think the time to be long) since Protestant Reformation began in the Christian world? 
Sleidani Commentaria.  If so, than I was mistaken or forgetful in reading that exact Record of Reformation since Luther's beginning.  
Quest. So much work done (you will say?) Alas, alas, what is there done all this while, besides the kindling of an unnatural war? As for Reformation there is nothing completely perfected in that to this day, for want of the Royal assent etc.  
Answ. I answer first, yes there is somewhat already done, the best, the spiritual part of the work doth still go on, and the reason why we see it not, is because we look to the politic and outward part of the business, more than to the inward and spiritual part: For this abundantly goes on still even in the midst of all the storms; The Wall is building though in troublous times, as Dan. 9.25. Have you ever been upon the shore at low-water, and there observed the coming in of the tide; you shall see first one little wave creeping forwards, and presently retiring itself again, and so another and another, but every one doth still retreat as soon, as fast, as it did advance, so that a diligent observer viewing the water in motion, may easily believe that the flood doth not at all increase. But set a mark, or keep your standing near the wash of the waves, for a short time, and then you shall quickly and clearly see and feel that all this while it is flowing water, and anon insensibly it will be full-sea. So in the present great work, though there appears to be a vicissitude of victories betwixt God and his enemies, though success doth seem to a carnal eye promiscuously to go and come, yet stand still a while and look upon the spiritual, the religious part of the work, and you shall find the waters of the sanctuary still flowing and increasing, as in Ezekiel's vision, Chap. 47. first they were to the ankles, next to the knees, then to the loins, and lastly they were a River that could not be passed over. I mean that the work of Reformation still goes on; there we do get ground, as to perfect a Protestation into a Covenant, to ripen an Impeachment into a Root & Branch, and in a word, to settle an Assembly of Divines as a general resiners fire to try all metals in the Church.  
Answ. 2 But secondly, whereas you say, that nothing is yet completely perfected for want of the Royal assent.  
Know this, that the Lord doth carry-on this frame of building in like manner as Solomon's Temple was built. Do you not remember how Solomon built his Temple? you may see it in 1. Kings 6.7. And the house when it was in building was built of stone, made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer or axe, or any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building: And in King 5.6. it is said that the Cedar-trees were hewn and made fit in Lebanon, and then they were brought down by water unto the place where they were to be used: and verse 15. you shall read that Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fou●score thousand that were hewers in the Mountains etc. Just so is the building of this Christian Protestant Temple carryed-on: The Lord prepareth one piece of the building in Germany, there he hath had thousands of hewers of wood and fellers of trees these twenty years, to cut down some and to square-out others for this structure; he hath others, that bear burdens in Ireland, and they shall bring in another kind of materials; And then Scotland doth come in perhaps with soader and cement, they shall further us in Covenanting; and at last, when all these materials shall be brought in place by water (by our prayers) than you shall see a glorious Temple set up, perhaps in one week, nay, in a day or a night, and that without the noise of axe or hammer, or any tool of iron: You are hewing in the House of Parliament; the Divines are squaring in their Assembly, in one night the Lord is able to work upon the heart of the King (for he hath it in his hand) and to deliver him into the bosom of you his faithful Counsel, & then the whole work may suddenly be passed and finished.  
Onward therefore Noble Builders, onward, up and be doing your several parts; your God is invincible; your Cause is invincible, and nothing is so like to hazard us as not adventuring: Your labour, your cost, your adventures, cannot be in vain, in the Lord. Oh remember that counsel in Peter, it is used there in a spiritual way; I shall borrow it in this sense, 1 Peter 1.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hope unto the end, that is, adventure for God and trust him to the uttermost, to the brink, to the edge, to the end of all means and possibilities, to the last inch of the candle, to the last dust of meal in the barrel, to the least drop of oil in the bottom of the Cruze. Thus did that poor widow. Thus did Abraham, Gen. 22. First his son Isaac, and himself went, verse 8. to the mount, he built an Altar, laid the wood in order, ●ound Isaac his son, laid him on the Altar upon the wood (yet the trial is not come to the edge, the brink, the uttermost:) But lastly, verse 10. Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. This indeed was hope against hope, as, Rom. 4.18. This was trusting to the end. But was Abraham a loser by it? Sure I am that King Saul did lose a kingdom for want of an hour's faith, and adventuring farther, as 1 Sam. 13.10. etc. Labour therefore to trust the Lord to the uttermost end of means, yea above, and against them, rather than sin against him by unbelife. Labour (in three words) to play the solomon's, the Davids, the Samsons in this work.  
First to play the solomon's: 
The solomon's.  that is, as you have begun this Reformation, so do your utmost endeavour to finish it in your days. Believe it, when you have built the House of God, you shall have both leave and ability to build your own houses. You read so of Solomon in 1. King 7.1. When he had built the House of God, than he built his own house, and a house for his Wife, and the house of the Forest of Lebanon.  
Or if you may not be the solomon's, yet labour to be 
The David's  yet labour to be david's in this work, You know God denied unto David the honour of building his Temple: Yet David would not utterly be put of; he will be doing as much as he may: First himself offereth to the work, 1 Chron. 29. he offereth Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Wood, etc. Next, he drawes-in his Nobles and all his People, as deeply as he can. And thirdly, he leaveth also a Stock of Prayers behind him, 2 Chron. 29.10. Yea, finally he gives a charge unto his son Solomon to go thorough with the work, 2 Chron. 28.11. And leaves him a pattern of the House: And even those very preparations and purposes of David were richly rewarded, 2 Sam. 7.4. Thus if the Lord for our sins and unbelief hath decreed that your carcaesss and ours shall fall in the wilderness, and that we shall only see this Canaan afar off; yet let these two lessons be learned. 1. Let every soul be careful to avoid all those sins that are wont to draw down this punishment of not-entring; See some of them, 1 Cor. 10.6, 7, etc. Beware of lusting, of idolatry, of tempting of God, of murmuring, etc. 2. Let us labour to contribute and store up materials for those that shall finish the work after us.  
And lastly, 
The Samsons  if you may not be permitted to do so much as Solomon, or as David, yet at last, at least let us endeavour to play the Samsons in this work. What is that? You shall read it, judg. 16.29. When Samson could not conquer the Philistines, could not make a thorough salvation of it, as he desired, yet the text saith, He called unto the Lord, and said, Remember me I pray thee, and strengthen me I pray thee only this once, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes: And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars, upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, and he said, Let me die with the Philistines: and he bowed himself with all his might, and the house fell upon all the people that were therein; so the dead which he slew at his death, were more than those which he slew in his life. My meaning is this; Better for us if we cannot outlive Antichrist, outlive Babylon, and the enemies of Reformation; to adventure (as far as we are warranted) ourselves to death in the Cause; yea, Let us take hold of the pillars of the House of Dagon, of the temple of Antichrist, and say, Now let me die with Antichrist, Rome and Babylon; Better so (I say) than to live with the eyes of our Religion put out, and to grind in the mill of slavery: For by this means the children that shall come after us shall sit upon our tombs and say, that they had active parents, which with the●r blood and carcases did dress the ground for Reformation to spring up after them. For mine own part, I shall say, he that is of so base a spirit that can be content to outlive Protestantisme and Parliaments, let it be his punishment to outlive them. I desire not to fall under the just reproof of an heathen, 
Vitae est avidus quisquis non vult,  
Mando secum pereunte mori.   
To shut up all. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; upon the eternal and infinite faith of the Trinity, and in the word of jehovah, your losses for his sake shall be repaid. Will you take that word? Then there are two special promises which I will commend unto you in the close of all; Oh that they were Written over the doors of the Houses of Parliament!  
Matt. 19.29. Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, orlandoes (can you reckon up any thing else?) for my name's sake, he shall receive an hundred fold; (God will pay him the very interest) and he shall inherit everlasting life (to boot.)  
Mark. 8. v. 35. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  
If these places do deceive an active believer at last; then let it be written upon my grave;  
HERE LIETH THAT MINISTER THAT WAS MISTAKEN IN HIS GOD AND GOSPEL.  
FINIS.