A SACRED RECORD To be made of God's MERCIES TO ZION: A thanksgiving Sermon Preached to the two Houses of Parliament, the Lord Major, Court of Aldermen, and common-council of the City of London, at Christ-Church, June 19 1645. Being the Day of their public Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Great and Glorious Victory obtained by the Parliaments Army under the Conduct of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX in Naseby-field. By Stephen Martial B. D. Minister of God's Word at Finching-field in ESSEX. Exod. 17. 14. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. m Psal. 44. 1. Our Fathers have told us what Works thou didst in their days, in the times of Old. Psal. 78. 4. We will not hide them from their Children, showing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful Works that he hath done. London, Printed by Rich. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley. TO THE RIGHT honourable THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT. YOur time is so taken up with the important work of rescuing these bleeding kingdoms, and the Church of Christ in and with them, that I am sure you are not at leisure to read long Epistles; and were I able in a Dedication to write what might very much kindle your zeal, provoke your whole inward man, and thereby further your great Work; I conceive it were only to tell the world what counsel I thought might do you good; and therefore in stead of studying to present you with an Epistle, which few of you would read, I do only obey your Order, and at your Command publish to the view, and for the use of all, and present unto yourselves this plain Sermon, Preached unto you upon the day of your late Thanksgiving unto God for one of the greatest mercies (the Victory, and what came with it duly considered) that God hath bestowed upon our unworthy Nation these many years. What else I desire to have pressed upon your hearts, I choose to do it when I am called at any time to Preach unto you, or rather to beg it for you at the Throne of Grace; where you, and your great Work are every day (as by many thousand others) humbly remembered by Your most obliged Servant STEPHEN Martial. Die Veneris 20. Junii, 1645. IT is this Day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled, That Mr. Martial one of the Assembly of Divines who Preached yesterday in Christ-Church, London, before the Members of both Houses of Parliament, and in the presence of the Lord Major, Aldermen, &c. of the City of London; is hereby thanked for his great pains that he took in the said Sermon, it being a day of public Thanksgiving within the said City, and Lines of Communication, for the late prosperous success of the Parliaments Forces under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefax. And that he is hereby desired to Print and Publish the said Sermon; which none shall presume to Print or reprint, but by Authority under his own hand. Jo. Brown Cleric. Parliamentorum. Die Veneris, 20. Junii, 1645. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That Sir Peter Wentworth, and Sir William Masham do return the Thanks of this House to Mr. Vines, and Mr. Martial, for the great pains they took, in the Sermons they yesterday Preached at the entreaty of both Houses, before the said Houses, the Lord Major, and Aldermen, at Christ-Church in London. And that they be ordered to Print their Sermons: And it is Ordered that none shall presume to Print their Sermons, but such as shall be authorized under their hands writing. H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com. I do appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon. Stephen Martial. A thanksgiving SERMON PREACHED To the two Houses of Parliament, June 19 1645. PSAL. 102. 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come: and all the People which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. Right Honourable and Beloved, Introduction. showing the fitness and scope of the Text. I Have formerly in two Sermons opened the two Verses immediately going before this Text; The first of them before the Right Honourable the House of peers; The latter before the Honourable House of Commons; and there showed at large that these two Verses did contain two Circumstances which always accompany the Lord's Work of building up of his Church; and they are rendered as two Arguments, why all the world should stand in admiration of it. The one is, because, when ever the Lord builds up Zion, he dotb appear in his Glory; he appears like himself, magnifying all his Attributes. The other, that he does then return a gracious answer unto the Prayers of his afflicted People. These two were handled in the valley of Baca, the valley of tears, upon days of Humiliation; that out of them you might receive some strength in your mourning after the Lord, to help you to wait upon him while you are at his Work, building the Street and Wall of Dan. 9 25. Jerusalem in a troublesome time: But now the Lord having in great measure given a gracious experience, and fruit of those two, in this late great and unexpected Victory and Mercy, wherein God hath appeared in his Glory, and answered his people's Prayers, in our exceeding low condition; his Providence having also called me by your choice, to meet you in the valley of Beracah, the valley of Blessing to praise God for this; I could not think of a fitter Text then of the very next words to those that helped you in the days of your Mourning, which contains the use which the Church in all ages shall make of the Lords building up of Zion. And though my time for preparation hath been very short; yet I am encouraged, because I have been taught of God, that a Peace-Offering to himself is easily found: And I have often found from you, that my poor endeavours, how weak soever (being the best I have) have never been rejected: And therefore without further Apology and Preface, let us consider of the words as they thus lie. This shall be written for the Generation to come: And the People which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. Here are you see, two Sentences: And for the Interpretation of them, some Expositors do conceive, that the first Sentence containeth the use that the Generation who receive this Mercy shall make of it; They shall Write it for the good of Posterity. The second (they think) contains the use that the future Generation shall make of former Mercies that are thus written; and and transmitted to them, The People that shall be created, shall praise the Lord; the unborn Generation shall praise God for it. The meaning of the words. But others (and I think more rightly) do conceive, that both sentences are meant of the same individual People; and that the one of them is but an exegetical interpretation of the other: or rather, the first of them is an expression of one way, how the redeemed of the Lord shall glorify him; by writing the Mercies they have received, and transmitting them to posterity: and the other is a comprehension of their whole Work, that they shall not rest in any one way of manifesting their care to glorify God, but shall make it the sum of their whole life, they being created to no other end; The People that shall be created, shall praise the Lord. And I rather incline to this, because this expression, The People that shall be created; does ordinarily in the Scripture signify a People brought from an extreme low, despicable condition, to a state of happiness and blessedness, fit to serve God. These are said, A people Esa. 43. 1, 2. Jer. 31. 22. Ephes. 2. 10. created for God's praise. But Beloved, we need not be solicitous about it, choose which of them you please, the difference will not be material in respect of the practical Observations arising from them, both of them afford many and the same helps for a day of thanksgiving: Some few whereof I shall endeavour (by the Lord's assistance) in one hour, or a little more, to set before you. The first, and the main, and that which (indeed) is The first most general Observation. the comprehension of the whole Verse, is this; The great work of God's redeemed People is to praise him. That when God appears in his Glory to build his Church, and graciously answers his people's Prayers; their whole work should he to praise him: That is the general. They have than nothing else to do, but to make it the work of their life, to give praise, and glory to him; This paying of the Rent-penny of praise to our God, this work of thanksgiving, which is the end God aims at in all his works; which is the end why Man at first was created; why the Church was redeemed; why the Saints are called: This, that is the only heavenly work that can be done upon earth; this, which is the only joyful employment, that shall last to all Eternity in another life: This work which should ever wait for God in Zion, Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion: This whereof the Church should be the Magazine, Psal. 65. 1. Ephes. 3. ult. Esa● 46. ult. the storehouse and Treasury, Unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, and the Church is therefore called his Glory, Israel my Glory: Not only because he glories in it; but because it glorifies him: This Duty (I say) of God's redeemed ones To praise him, can never be handled often enough, never pressed enough on God's people. But truly, it hath been so frequently, and so fully in all the branches of it, delivered unto yourselves, upon such joyful days as these are, wherein you have had the whole institution of a thankful people, and all their work; that I know not what to add to that which heretofore hath been delivered; save only, that what is said of our English laws; That we have abundance of good laws, and need but one more, that is, to put all the rest in execution: the same I may say, that there are abundance of Sermons of thanksgiving extant, and we need but one more, and that is, to have our hearts inflamed to practise them; which I shall endeavour this day, by the Lord's help, by handling some more particular Observations which this Verse affords, very suitable to the condition whereinto the Lord hath brought us at the present. And there are three things in the Text, from whence (as from so many Well-heads) may flow several instructions, seasonable and useful for our present business. More particular Observations. First, somewhat I shall collect from the Persons who should perform this work; The People that shall be created: that is their Epithet. Secondly, from the Work which these Persons shall employ themselves in: that is, to endeavour, that God may have his Glory from themselves, and succeeding ages. Thirdly, and principally, and that which I shall most insist upon, from the way and means which this created people should take, that God might have his due glory from themselves and succeeding ages; and that is this great Mercy of God in building his Church, and hearing his people's Prayers, should be Recorded by them; This shall be written for the Generation to come. First, from the persons who shall do it. In the first of these, which I shall only point at; the Persons from whom God doth promise himself the performance of this great Duty, The People that shall be created. Many excellent Collections might be made. Thence I observe the condition of God. people when deprived of God's Ordinances. And when they enjoy the liberty of them. One is, that which Mr. Calvin observes upon this Text: viz. we may here discern what (in the Judgement of God's People) is the state of the Church when they are deprived of God's Worship and Ordinances, and scattered among the Heathen: and what their estate is, when God is pleased again to set up his Tabernacle amongst them. In the first of these conditions they were as if their Creation were annihilated; as if they were resolved into their first principles. But when God was pleased from Heaven to look upon them, with a restauration of his Temple and Worship, and bring them again into a Religious commonwealth: then they looked upon themselves as a People that were new created, that had a new being bestowed upon them. Their outward condition was much alike in both, for the things of this life. Bondmen they were in Babylon, and bondmen they were when they returned into Canaan, the same Emperors and Kings bore sway over them, and kept them under; and for aught I can learn, they were richer in their captivity, then in their own country; but when they were brought back, to have liberty again to serve God in the way of his Ordinances, than they looked upon themselves as people that had a new Ezek. 37. being. Thus they constantly judged of themselves; when their Temple was burnt, and they scattered among the Heathen, than they judged of themselves, as dead and ary bones, as those whose bones lay scattered, as when one cutteth chips about the pits mouth; but when they had again got a nail in God's Sanctuary, and might enjoy the liberty of his Sabbaths, Feasts, Sacrisices, &c. it was as the founding of a new Heaven and a new Earth unto them. This I only mention. 2. Observat. A people redeemed from low condition most fit to praise God. Another is, That when the Lord would engage his Servants to give him his praise and glory for their deliverance, he chooses to call them by this Name, A people created: that is, reduced out of nothing, brought to a blessed state, from a low and mean condition, from a people whom God calls by this Name, he promiseth himself his glory and praise; whoever forget him, yet the people who shall thus be Created will praise him: And that affords this Lesson: That the People whom God in Mercy brings from a low and mean condition, are the People from whom God promises to receive praise and glory. Indeed, such is the selfishness of our corrupt Nature, that if we are any thing, or do any thing, we are prone to forget God, and sacrifice to our own nets, and burn Incense to our own yarn; insomuch, that when ever God finds a people who shall either trust in Zeph. 3. 11, 12, 13. Psal. 22. 24, 25, 26. him, or praise him, it must be an an afflicted and poor people, or a people brought from such an estate; Free Grace is ever most valued by such people. And if you look all the Scripture over, you will find, that all the praises, and Songs of deliverance that have been made to God, have proceeded from a people that have thus judged of themselves, as those that were brought to nothing; but God in mercy had brought them back again from the gates of death, and usually until they had such apprehensions of themselves, they never gave unto God the glory due to his name. I could give you a cloud of witnesses to evidence the truth of it; but I intended only to point at this. Only give me leave before I pass from it, to make a short Application of it to ourselves in these two particulars: 1. I came one great cause why our miseries continue: We are not yet brought low in our eyes. First, that hence we may certainly learn one cause why our calamities do continue thus long; why still we are brought lower and lower; why though we be lifted up one day, or one month, we are suddenly brought and cast back again into as forlorn a condition as ever we were in: God would bring us to such a judgement of ourselves, that we might praise him when we are delivered. I am persuaded God does intend to have a People here in England that shall be for his praise, and we do not yet look upon ourselves as a people out of mere Mercy brought from nothing; in the time of our calamities we seek him, and say, he only is our rock and our salvation: But it is too evident that the pride of our Nation is not yet laid low; still our arms of flesh are prone to be exalted. It is with us, just as it was with the Israelites, when God brought them out of Egypt, he made account that he had done enough to make them know their dependence upon him, that they were created as out of nothing, by such a miraculous breaking the yoke of their bondage, and bringing them through the red Sea into the wilderness, and in that howling wilderness giving them bread from Heaven, and water out of the rock; but the people had not yet learned it, they were high and proud, they were too rough pieces to be so easily hewed; one years leading them in the wilderness would not teach them their dependence upon God: and therefore God continued to lead them in the wilderness, and kept them out of Canaan till they had learned it. What they would not learn in one year, God made them learn in forty years. And so Moses told them, Deut. 8. 23. That the Lord led them forty years in the wilderness, and tried them, and suffered them to hunger, that he might humble them, and make them know that they lived by every word that came out of his mouth: And till they had learned that lesson, God never made an end with them. And surely it is so with us; were we but once come to that pass; that we looked upon ourselves as a forlorn Nation, as a people void of wealth, of counsel, of Strength, of Ability to carry on our Work, and would lie at God's feet, and acknowledge that it is he that must do it, or we are dissolved, and undone; God would soon make an end with us, than he would trust us to praise him; a people who thus look upon themselves, will give him the praise and glory due to his Name. How great the sin of such people is, when they forget this duty. Another thing that I as briefly commend to your consideration from it is this, That because God Almighty doth expect that a people brought from nothing, a people new created will praise him; therefore if such a people, for whom the Lord hath done such things, should fail him; if they should prove ungrateful, it would aggravate their sin beyond all apprehensions, beyond all expressions. It is thus among men, we extremely abhor to see a beggar mounted on Horseback, and riding proudly: Solomon says, It is one of the Prov. 30. 21, 22 things that the earth cannot bear, to see a Handmaid made heir to her Mistress; A Hagar laid in her Master's bosom, and then she to prove insolent; this amongst Men is intolerable: believe it, it is much more with God, when God shall take a People, as from a dunghill, from a desperate and forlorn condition, and (as it were) create them for his glory, and they slight him, and undervalue him, and deal ungratefully with him: Thus Ezra judged, cap. 9 13. When we have received such a deliverance as this, should we again break thy commandments and prove ungrateful; wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us? This was the ground of that unappeasable wrath that was kindled in God against the people of Israel, in the 1. of Esay, Esay 1. 2. Ezek. 16. 4, 5, 6, 22. hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth; I have nourished and brought up Children, and yet they rebel against me. And especially in Ezekiel 16. Where he told them, I found thee in thy mother's womb, thy navel not cut, no eye pitied thee, as a bastard cast out in the time of her nativity; and there I took thee from a dunghill, and bred thee, and trained thee up to be my wife, and thou playedst the whore against me; and in all thy abominations (Says he) thou never remembredst how I found thee desolate and naked. This made God judge her after the manner of harlots. And believe it, so will it prove with us, if the Lord should go on thus mercifully to deal with England, and create us again, to raise us out of these gulfs and quicksands, and to establish us to be a people, if we then should go and sacrifice to our own Net, or burn Incense to our own yarn, prove ungrateful to him, kick with the heel against him; the wrath of God would be kindled against us so far, that there would be no remedy. God expects better things from us, he looks, that a people so created, should be for his praise. But this first branch I intended only to point at; The Persons that should do this work, The people that should be created. 2. Part. The work itself; The second follows, wherein I shall be a little larger, and that is, What their work should be; This shall be written for the generations to come, and this created That God might in all ages have the glory of this great work. people shall praise the Lord: The sum whereof is, That God having done thus much for them, they should wholly apply themselves, that in all generations, both the present, and those to come, his glory may be given to him, both by themselves, and by all posterity; whatsoever was possible for them to do, should be faithfully endeavoured by this thankful redeemed people, That glory might be given unto God for this great Work throughout all ages, world without end. Observat. 1. Ephes. 3. 21. In all ages God will have a people to praise him. whence first observe briefly by the way, that which is sufficiently intimated in the Text, and noted by several Expositors; That in all ages God will have a people for his praise; no generation past, or to come, but there shall be a people for Christ to praise and glorify him: it is not so with other Monarchies and Empires, one carries it a great while in the world, and then it is dissolved, and their people remain not to them; Dan. 2 44. but are either destroyed or delivered over, and left to some other governor; but this kingdom of Christ shall Psal. 102, 25, 26, 27, 28. never leave its people to any other conqueror: It is with other kingdoms, as my Text a little after tells you, it is with the Earth, and Heavens, as a garment, they all wax old, as a Vesture they change, and rot, and come to nothing; but the kingdom of Christ like himself, hath never any end, and the Generation of his Servants shall ever continue in his sight. The Church is sometimes more, and sometimes less visible: The people that praise God are sometimes more in number, and sometimes fewer; but they always are, in all ages: God will have them that shall give him his glory, and sing him praises in the Churches. This I only mention. Observat. 2. The whole work of God's redeemed people, is, to provide that God may have his glory in all ages. Secondly, another which more concerns us, is, the works they should attend unto; that the glory of this great deliverance might be always rendered unto him. Which affords us this lesson, That a People who are truly thankful for God's building up of Zion, and hearing the prayers of his afflicted ones, will endeavour by all means possible, that all ages present and to come, may glorify God for it. Or more briefly take it thus, The whole work of God's redeemed people, is to provide that God may always, and everywhere have the glory of it. Proved by example of the Saints. Expositors observe upon this Text, that this redeemed Church take no thought concerning themselves, about their own ease, pleasure, wealth, gain, or any thing else might accrue unto themselves by this deliverance, to make their own life easy or sweet; but their thoughts and studies are wholly laid out, how the present and succeeding Generations should give all glory to God for it. And he that runs may read it in the practice of many others recorded in Scripture. The time would fail me to give you a catalogue of the Churches Kings, Prophets, Priests, and other holy men of God, who have been like minded: Their care was as Joab's at the 2 Sam ●2. 27. taking of Rabbah of the Ammonites, that David might have the glory of it. Thus did Moses when they were brought out of the Egyptian bondage, Thus Deborah Exod. 1●. Judg. 5. and Barak after the discomfiture of Jabin. Thus did Hannah, 1 Sam. 2. and innumerable others; who in all 1 Sam. 4. 13, 17 18. the Lords administrations to them, whether enlargements Jos. 7. 6, 7, 10. or pressures, have been studious of nothing so much, as how in all things God might have his glory preserved and spread. David the man after God's own heart Psal. 116. 10 exceeded all others in this thing, Quid retribuam? what shall I render unto the Lord? was his usual study; and he never thought his own parts, his wit, fancy, thoughts, tongue, pen, &c. sufficient for it; but when he had stirred up all within him, bless the Lord, O my soul, and Psal. 103. 1, 2. all that is within me bless his holy Name: he would also stir up all without him, all the Church, bless the Psal. 118. 23. Psal. 100 1. Lord ye house of Israel; let Israel say, let all that fear God say, His mercy endureth for ever: All the Nations, make a joyful sound unto God, all ye Lands: All the Angels, bless the Lord ye his Angels, all ye his Hosts: Ps. 103. 20, 21. Yea, all Creatures, bless the Lord all his works, in all places of his Dominion, whether above or below, animate, or inanimate; The Sun and Moon, the stars of Light, the Dragons and deeps, fire and hail, Snow and vapours, Psal. 48. per to●um. mountains and hills, fruitful trees and Cedars, Beasts and all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls, he lays a tax upon them all, to come in, and contribute their utmost, that God might have the glory due to his Name, for exalting the horn of his people, even the verse. 14. children of Israel, the people near unto him. And by reason. And there are three special Reasons why this should be the great work of the Lords saved and rescued people: and why indeed they can do no other than study thus to exalt him. One is, because they well know that the Lord hath reserved nothing to himself but only his glory; the benefits he gives to them, all the sweetness and honey that can be found in them, he gives them leave to suck out; but his glory and his praise is his own, and that which he hath wholly reserved, of that he is jealous, lest it should either be denied, Eclipsed, diminished, or any the least violation offered to it in any kind: All God's people know this of him, and therefore they cannot but endeavour to preserve it for him. Secondly, besides, they know, as God is jealous in that point, so it is all the work that he hath appointed them to do; he hath therefore separated them to himself out of all the Nations of the world, to be his peculiar ones for this very end, that they might give him all the glory and praise of his mercy; I have (said God) created him, formed, and made him for my glory, Esay 43. 7. This is the law of his new Creation, Esa. 43. 7. which is as powerful in them, as the law of Nature, or the first creation is in the rest of his Works. And therefore with a holy and spiritual naturalness (if I may so call it) the hearts of all the Saints are carried to give God the glory, as really, as the stones are carried to the centre, or the fire to fly upwards; this is fixed in their hearts, the work of grace hath moulded them to it, that they can do no other but endeavour to exalt God, it being the very end why their spiritual life, and all their other privileges are conferred upon them. Yea, thirdly, they know their own Interests are much concerned in God's glory, they never are losers by it: if in any work of God, he want his praise, they will want their comfort: but if God be a gainer, they shall certainly be no losers. Whatsoever is poured upon the head of Christ, what ointment soever of praise or glory, it will in a due proportion fall down to the skirts of his garments; nor is there any other way to have any sweetness, comfort, praise, or glory to be derived unto themselves, but by giving all unto him, to whom alone it belongeth, and then, although he will never give away his glory, the glory of being the fountain, the first, supreme, original giver of all good; yet they shall have the glory of Instruments, and of fellow workers with him, which is a glory and praise sufficient. Application. Exhortation. 1. To the Parliament to do this. This is a lesson of singular use to all Gods redeemed ones in many particulars. But the only thing I shall at the present insist upon, is to direct how we may best improve the mercy of this day; and how we may do something worthy of this day's meeting; the Lord hath turned our heaviness into rejoicing, hath took off from us the garment of mourning, and put upon us this day the garment of salvation. How they may do it. And I am persuaded this honourable Assembly hath not for a long time had a more real rejoicing heart than you now feel, for the mercy which this day we meet to celebrate and commemorate. Now would you know what you should do, what you should render unto the Lord, what would be the comeliest, and most excellent sacrifice in this day of your praise and rejoicing before God: Surely there is nothing comparable to this, That you provide that of all those great things which the Lord hath wrought for us; all possible praise and glory may be set upon the head of our Lord Jesus, and abide unto succeeding Generations. Some such work as might preserve his honour in the present and succeeding ages, were worthy such a great assembly, worthy of the name of a day of their thanksgiving. I am persuaded your hearts are so warmed with the unexpected Victory, that you would readily swear with David, to take no rest until you were doing that very Work; if once you knew what it were, I shall tell you, Even in doing that where in his glory is most concerned in all ages; and that is the setting up of his kingdom, the purgation & reformation of Religion, setting up his Ordinances in purity, providing that his Church may be governed and ruled by his own laws according to his own Word. This would indeed be a lasting Monument of your thankfulness. This we should all study, and to this every thankful heart may contribute something, but none so much as you, Right Honourable Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, by whose appointment, and for whole furtherance in this work I stand here this day. God hath put into your hands the greatest opportunity, and means of providing for all the glory that he expects from England while the world stands, that he did put ever into the hands of any. The measuring line, and plummet of his house is put into your hands as once it was in the hand of Zerubbabel. From you he seems to expect what portion himself shall have in England for time to come, what kind of Subjects he shall have, what Worship shall be offered to him, what kind of Guests shall sit with him at his Table; by what laws his house and people shall be governed; he seems now to put into your hands, what unto the end of the world he may expect from the kingdom of England, in the way of his Ordinances; not only the managing of a kingdom of men, but of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus, seems now to be in the hands of the two honourable Houses of Parliament. Now, when such opportunities as these are in your hands, to do such great things for God, how silent should all flesh be, till this work be done? how hushed and laid aside should all your other businesses be; your own estates and privileges, and private interests, or any thing that concerns yourselves, names, or families; how should they all be waved and set aside, till all that be done, from which Jesus Christ shall receive glory in all ages. If then (Right Honourable and Beloved) any of you should after all the mercy God hath bestowed upon you, make it your work to feather your own nests, build your own Houses, and let the House of God lie waste, or hinder the setting up of this Work in purity and perfection; if you should make a slight business of the work of Religion; and cause the authority of the Gospel, and kingdom, and Ordinances of Christ, to veil bonnet to the lusts and liberties of poor sinful Men, and decline the setting up of the authority of his sceptre; lest the corruptions of Men should be brought under the yoke more than they are willing, you will provide ill for Christ's honour, ill for the Church, worst of all for your own souls, in betraying the cause of Religion, and spoiling the most glorious opportunity of advancing the honour of Christ, that ever men were betrusted with, these thousand years. But if you shall resolve so to go through with it, that there shall not need a reformation to come the second time, I mean in stablishing the rule for Faith, worship, and Government as near as can be found out by the word (all carnal considerations set aside) should you but do this, that it may be set up in the kingdom, and transmitted to posterity: God will then acknowledge you really thankful, and that you have done as much for his honour as he expects from any mortal men, and posterity shall confess that as you are the most remarkable Parliament for God's owning you, protecting and saving you, so God received more glory from you, then from any former Parliament; Josiah's praise should be verified of you, never the like went before you, or followed after you. I therefore humbly beseech you, Right Honourable Lords, and noble Gentlemen, whilst now your hearts are warm with this mercy, & all of you are ready to say with David, what shall I tender to the Lord? what shall I give the Lord for all his mercies towards us? take this cup of salvation, resolve to pay your vows, the vow you made, that you would endeavour the reformation of Religion, according to the word of God; and to the nearest conformity with the best reformed Churches. Go on zealously and impartially with it; let the success be what it will, work belongs to us, success belongs to God; therein shall you in truth give unto God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that glory and prase which a Parliament should give him; other people must come short; though we all are interessed in this Mercy, and are equally bound to provide for his honour, yet our means are shorter, we move in a narrower sphere. Motives thereunto. Some of our endeavours must be in our own Families, to make them better: Others in a Pulpit to make our Congregations better; few of us, though raised to our highest, are able to do any great things for his glory; but if the Lord enlarge your hearts to do your work aright, the whole Christian world in her several ages shall be able to give glory unto him, by your improvement of these mercies which our God hath given us. And a little further to provoke you unto it, consider seriously of these three things. First Motives. ●. God chiefly minds this. First, in all our great conflicts, these huge shakings of the Nations, and combustions, the Lord hath no design in any of them, but only the building up of his Church, and answering his people's prayers, his heart is set upon nothing else: You indeed contend for Liberties and Laws, and justly you may do so; and the rather, because the liberty of your Religion stands and falls with your laws; but God can look upon England as well if it were in slavery, as in freedom, he regards neither of them further than slavery and freedom hath 1 Cor. 7. ●●. relation to his Church, and the welfare of it; if all other his works were buried (as one day they shall resolve into the Chaos out of which they were taken) God cares not one whit, sobeit that be done his heart is set upon, record his work of building of Zion, and let what else so ever be forgotren, it matters not; ought ye not to be like minded unto our Lord? 2. This only will end our troubles. Secondly, let me assure you, there is nothing else will ever appease our troubles, but the vigorous carrying on of this work: A great many are afraid lest the quick establishing of Religion (through the multitude of men's divided thoughts, and ungodliness of many men's minds) should make our troubles and conflicts, more than they have been; but be ye assured, the Lord's kingdom being provided for in the right way, God will prepare salvation for walls and bulwarks; he Esa. 26. 1. will be the safety of that kingdom, which advanceth his kingdom; the kingdom of Christ, it is a kingdom of Peace, (as himself is a Prince of Peace:) It will never make tumults, it will appease tumults in a kingdom where Christ's sceptre prevails: where he strikes the Earth with the rod of his mouth, Cockatrices Esa. 11. 3. will be charmed, and all enemies shall be hushed and quiet. It will I say make no tumults where it is received: but let me tell you, Christ's heart is so set upon the advancement of his kingdom, that where it is not received, himself will breed tumults enough for them that oppose him: and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, will dash asunder all men, and all things, Dan. 2. all Kingdoms, & all States that shall not give way to him. 3. This will be the everlasting honour of them who do it. I add further concerning yourselves, that there is nothing will bring so great and everlasting glory to you, as to have been instruments in your generation, to further the work wherein Christ's honour is so much concerned; you have read Books, and know the world; I beseech you tell me out of all the ages of the world that are past, cull out the choicest among men in their generations, and say, who among them was really an eminent Man, if it were not for being an instrument in helping forward the Church of Christ: multitudes have made stately buildings, fishponds, Gardens, Palaces: Some have erected kingdoms, what is become of them all? Jam seges est ubi Troja fuit is the doom of all of them, they are all turned into vanity, and so are the Makers of them. Consider the greatest, wisest, richest, learnedest of all who have lived; if they were not for Christ and his Church, what glory doth now remain to any of them? how much so ever they magnified themselves, or were flattered by others, who now will honour them? who now extols Pharaoh for a wise King, Absalon for a complete Courtier, Achitophel for a politic statesman? who now would have the lot of any of them? do they not all lie buried ingloriously? hath not the Lord made the moth & corruption to rot them all? But now look into God's Book, and read all Chronicles, and you shall find, that all they who have set their hearts to this work, all Rulers, counsellors, Parliaments, who have been for the Lord, and his Church and kingdom, their memorial is honourable and blessed in all ages, they are still eminent and glorious, and shall be so to the world's end, and in Heaven to all Eternity. Set therefore your hearts to this great work, show a real desire to glorify him who hath these great things for us. This, Right Honourable Lords and Patriots, I had to say unto you; and as for you the rest of this Honoured and Reverend Assembly; very many things might be suggested unto you, as means to exalt the glory of this our God and Saviour; but the only thing I shall at the present commend unto you, is, to be often with God in the Mount, follow him with your prayers and supplications; give him no rest till he hath carried on this great and Honourable Assembly to do this work, that they may raise the foundations for many Generations. This from the second part of the Text; The work that they should do, not to seek themselves, but how the glory of God may be preserved in the present, and future Generations. Part. 3. The means whereby they should seek to perpetuate God's glory. The third and last follows, which concerns the way they shall take to perpetuate God's glory for building his Church, and answering his people's prayers; what way shall they take for it? This shall be written, [in perpetuam reimemoriam,] for an eternal monument of it. The only Lesson which I shall hence observe, is this, Observat. One great means to preserve and render unto God his due glory, is to record his mercies. Proved by Scripture. That one great way of giving God his deserved glory for his building of his Church, and answering his people's prayers, is by causing these wonderful works of God to be written for the generations to come. For the truth of it, it is one of God's Ordinances. You shall find it in the 78 Psal. vers. 5. where the Prophet had exhorted them to give ear, and learn what God had done for them, that they might teach it to their children. This (said he) he ordained for a Law, and a Statute for Israel: what was this Ordinance? that they should write it, and teach their posterity to come, the wonderful things which God hath done for his people: he commanded not only themselves to know him, and his works, and to talk of them; but to provide that the generations to come might know what God had done. So in the 17. of Exod. 14. vers. When God had begun to appear for his people in a war against Amalck; write it (said he,) in a book, a Book of the wars of God for his Church, and against his enemies, must be written and kept as a record from age to age. So also Moses commanded them in the 31 of Deut. 19 vers. Now therefore write ye this Song for you, and teach it the Children of Israel. A song must be written and learned to express what God had done for a people who were most unworthy of the Mercies bestowed upon them: So likewise Ester, Est. 9 32. The great work of God's defeating the conspiracy of Haman, and deliverance of his Church, was recorded, not only by an anniversary feast, but it must be written in a book. Thus you see, the Lord hath often enjoined his people to record and transmit to posterity the great things which he hath done for them. And as he hath commanded it, so his Spirit hath ordered and brought to pass, that it hath been so. Moses and Samuel, and the rest of the Prophets have done it; what should I trouble you with a discourse of particular instances, since the whole Book of God is nothing but a Chronicle Book of Acts and Monuments of the Lord's wonderful works in gathering, and building protecting, and saving, and doing good to his Church, and destroying their Enemies? And they did it many ways; sometime they made eucharistical Exod. 15. Songs, which they taught their children; sometime they wrote them upon their children's names; sometime Judg. 5 by giving names to the places where the mercies Gen. 41 51. Gen. 22. 13: 1 Sam. 7. 12. Hester 9 M. Arrows●nih▪ Ebenezert. were received; sometime erecting stones and pillars; sometime by appointing yearly Feasts of remembrance. Many of which ways were presented unto you the last solemn meeting you had in this place upon a like blessed occasion. And by reason▪ And the grounds or reasons why this aught to be done, why these things should be recorded, are necessary, First, in relation to God. Secondly, in relation to the Generation who receive these mercies. Thirdly, in relation to the posterity that are to come after. 1. God's glory is hereby preserved and spread abroad, Psal. 111. 4. First, in relation to God and his glory. As the works of God are all worthy to be registered and remembered, so the work of building the Church, and answering his people's prayers, is the most worthy, the most excellent: because these are his masterpieces; in all these works, God appears in his glory; all his excellent perfections shine forth in their beauty: and therefore none so worthy to be written. And as this work is most worthy, so there is no way or means so excellent and effectual for the perpetuating of the honour and glory due to him, as the faithful recording of it, and delivering it from hand to hand in all generations; which else will soon be forgotten and lost, as loose pearls and precious stones: But when they are recorded, they are like precious and excellent pearls put upon a golden thread, and thereby easily kept together and preserved, and his glory thereby made everlasting. His Works are all eternal, à parte ante, in his decree; this writing and registering of them, will make them so: à parte post, in the eternal commemoration of them. Thus shall be fulfilled to his glory that which Solomon says, I know whatsoever God does, it shall be for ever; it shall last for ever to his glory. Eccles. 3. 14. Thus people who receive them are hereby bettered. And the instruments employed by God, are had in due remembrance and honour. Secondly, in relation to them who receive these mercies, the present age that enjoys them, may also be great gainers by it, for it makes the favour and mercy deeplier written in their own hearts in indelible characters: and the frequent reading of them would keep the mercy always fresh and green, always of the same efficacy and virtue unto them who have received it. And besides, those excellent Instruments whom God hath employed to help in the great work of building the Church, shall thereby enjoy the honour and praise which God is willing to have conferred upon them: (for he would have the righteous in everlasting remembrance) when in all ages it shall be known, not only what the Lord hath done for his people; but also who they are whom God hath been pleased to employ in this great Work: we know the old saying, Multi ante Agamemnona fuere fortes, &c. there were many valiant Commanders and soldiers before Achilles, or Ulysses, but none of them are famous to posterity, because they wanted a Homer, their worthy deeds are not recorded: but by such a faithful register the Lord's worthy instruments are in all ages made partakers of a glory which is next the glory of Heaven. But chiefly my Text leads to the third; in relation to posterity. These things shall be written for the Generations to come, and for their sakes they ought to be written. 3. The generations to come have their due, these works concern them. 1. Because they are their due, and the present generation cannot without injustice deprive posterity of a faithful record of God's mercies, for in all these things he speaks to all the ages to come, as well as the present. You have it in Hosea 12. 3. where jacob's wrestling with God and meeting with him in Bethel, are mentioned: There (Says the Church) he spoke with us; what he spoke to Jacob, he spoke to Israel, that lived in Hosea's time, above a thousand years after it; and what Paul spoke, 1 Cor. 10. 11. concerning God's judgement, All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come; is as true of all his works of mercy; they happened unto them for oursakes, as well as for their own; and the Prophets knew this, unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did admin●ster the things which are now reported. Now look as it is with Parents who though themselves know they cannot live long, and peradventure some of them are but termers in their states and Honours; yet their Evidences of their Lordships or manors, which belong to their children, they dare not but transmit the Copies of them to those who shall inherit their Lands after them. Since then the records of these things are their due, we cannot deny them to posterity, unless we would rob them of that which God will have them receive from us. And may many ways be gainers by them. Nay, secondly, it is their gain as well as their due, yea, it may prove an infinite and invaluable gain to posterity; for by the recording of these great and excellent Works, posterity may learn to know God, to trust him, to fear and serve him; they may out of these learn their duty, and read their destiny. This was the very end why God made that law, Psal. 78. 5. That the Parents should transmit unto their children, the wonderful works which he had done, That they might set their hope in God, and keep his commandments, and might not be as their fathers, a generation whose spirit was not steadfast with God. The like causes of writing these things, you shall find, Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Look as it is with them Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. that travail at Sea (take for instance Columbus, or Drake, or any of those famous seamen, that have discovered unknown tracts in the deep waters) when they themselves had past them, if they had come home again without making a seaman's Chard, who had been the better for all their voyages? whereas now, ordinary sailors by help of their Chard, can compass the world round about; because they know where the safe channels, and where the rocks and dangers lie. So in the faithful Stories of the works which God shows to his people in one generation, the generations to come shall before their eyes be able to read the right way, by the fall of others they shall know where lies the rocks and stumbling blocks; by the deliverance of others they shall know where out-gates are to be found. The reading of a record of Mordecays good service, was a means to save all the Church of the Jews at one time, Est. 6. 1, 2. The remembering of Micah his prophecy, saved the life of E●ra 9 10. ●▪ the Prophet Jeremy, at another time, Jer. 26. 19 the remembrance of the causes why Israel was carried captive out of their own Land, was a means to bring them to repentance at another time. The records of God's dealing with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have succoured God's people in their distresses ten thousand times; the particular ways how the Church hath profited by them, are not to be numbered; inexpressible is the gain which may be gotten by them: therefore the Lord would have them written for the generations to come. use 1. If posterity, then much more they who receive these deliverances should praise God for them. For Application of this: First, if the Lord will have his great works recorded to posterity, that they may give him his glory; surely, than the present age should observe them, and glorify him; if our present mercies shall be the wonderment of the world in after ages, how ill would it become us who receive them, to pass them over unregarded, or put them into oblivion? what a catalogue should every one of us have, how full should all our memories and records be, who receive them thus by heaps upon heaps? how excellent and comely a thing were it, if every one we meet with in the streets, and fields, could be able to tell us the Story of God's dealing for England these three, or four, or five years; believe it, it is our shame that we are not able Exhortation to all to do it. to do it. What a shame and unworthy thing is it to lay up in our memory's trash and vanities; write down in our Books, our passions, toys, and fooleries, and have no records of these glorious work of God? how shall we lift up our heads before God, when he shall reckon with us for this ingratitude? O that every one of us could endeavour to have our records of these mercies, as perfect as Gods are; he observes and keeps account of all, let us do so likewise, let our books and memories, be treasuries of these works and ways of God; let our tongues talk of them, let us be all good Historians, at least of these latter years, since the beginning of this Parliament, be able to count all our journeys and pitching places, our deliverances and Victories from Kynton unto this day: yea, and when we think or speak of them, let it be with admiration, which is the individuus comes, Especially for mercy. the inseparable companion of praising God: we never can duly tender his praises for these mercies, unless our understanding see itself conquered by that which it contemplates; and be compelled with David, again and again to cry out, O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name, how wonderful are thy works! do these things daily, but do them this day more carefully: this day is separated for his praise and glory, but in a more peculiar manner let him have the glory of this la●e great, and unexpected Victory; and let us consider The greatness of this Victory. seriously what kind of mercy it is, which we this day come to bless the Lord for. I shall not go about by ostentation of words, and hyperbolical expressions to elevate it above its height, had I rhetoric and words to do it, this Assembly would not be taken with such kind of language; but simply and plainly be pleased to behold this great work of God, both for the substance and circumstances of it; for the thing itself, for the substance of it; Granted it is, to be one of the greatest Victories that ever the Lord bestowed Both in the substance upon us since the beginning of our troubles; wherein all the enemy's Foot, all their Carriages, all their Ammunition, so many of their Horse were taken in the field. And circumstances which greatly magnify God's mercy in it. But there are four Circumstances accompany it, which makes this mercy most wonderful. First, the Time when this mercy was bestowed upon us. Secondly, the Place where it was bestowed upon us. Thirdly, the Persons by whom it was wrought for us. And, Fourthly, the Manner how God did it for us. ●. The 〈◊〉 when it was done. First, the Time when it was done; truly, when we were very low, exceeding low in our Spirits, low in our Counsels, low in our Treasures, low in our Arms, low through our mutual Divisions & jealousies; wondrous low (I think) as we have been almost at any time since the beginning of our troubles: at a time when the Enemy was extreme high, high in their Spirits, high in their confidence, high in their scorn, high in their resolutions, so high, as if they had already swallowed all, boasting that our Armies were crumbled to nothing, and wondering we were so foolish, as not to resign up all. Yea, done in a time when we had newly prayed and sought God, when the Honourable Houses had called the City and the Assembly of Divines to lie in tears and dust before God, to wrestle with him: this was the time when the Lord remembered us, agreeing with that Psal. 125. 33. of the Psalmist, Who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever. I may add one more concerning the time, it was in the rising of the year, almost in the Spring, when yet we have four or five months before there be any necessity of winter Quarters; in which time, if God give us wisdom to follow it, and himself please to go on with us, who knows what a blessed period our troubles may have? 2. The place. Secondly, and the place where is remarkable. Where was it done? truly, in that part of the Land where the Enemy had lately wrought outrageous villainies. I speak not of taking a Town in a hostile way, but of murdering of women, of ravishing wives and maidens; where the Commanders could boast what liberty they had given to their soldiers, though not to murder the women, yet to ravish as many of them as they could: where the Country groaned under the blasphemies, and outrages that they wrought; that the Lord should have it so ordered that where they had plundered and spoiled, themselves should be plundered and spoiled, that thither they should ●●y with shame, hardly daring to look in where all these cruelties and insolences had been wrought by them. 8. The persons by whom. Thirdly, and take in the Persons by whom. Of whom I will say two things, which you will all grant to be true. They were an Army despised by our Enemies, and little less than despaired of by our Friends, as men from whom little was to be looked for; God's glory is the more conspicuous; this is according to his own manner of working, 1 Cor. 1. 27, 28 29. Who delights by weak things to confound the mighty, and by things which are despised, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh might glory in his presence: This is the Lord's doing, let it be wonderful in our eyes. 4. The manner how. Fourthly, and the manner how is very remarkable, how God did it; truly so, that the men should do what men can do, that they might have the praise of Instruments, giving them valour, courage, wisdom and faithfulness: and yet withal letting them be so overborne, one wing in a manner broken, and many of the Foot routed, and all in danger to be lost; that it might appear (as hath been in the rest of our Victories) that the thing was wrought by God: Now can you look upon all these things together, & not with admiration cry out, This is the Lord's doing, this is wonderful in our eyes: Non nobis Domine, non nobis, Not unto us Lord, but unto thy Name give the praise and glory? Overmuch to extol men, God would not have you, they would not have you do it, you would wrong them and yourselves and your God, if you should look upon them otherwise then as instruments. But O that you could admire this mercy, that God hath given in, that you could see all the mercies that are in the womb of this mercy! how many have already sprung from it, Leicester taken in again, and other tidings are come out of other parts of the kingdom, some mercies about Taunton, others about Chester, hath our God cast them in, that this day might be as a day of Jubilee to us. Shall not God have glory for all this? shall not our hearts be lifted up to give him praise? Would God have a Chronicle written, that the ages to come may stand amazed at it; and shall we that see these things, and enjoy them thus unexpectedly, confine and pen up our praises to one day of Thanksgiving, and not have our whole heart, and our whole life filled with studies and endeavours to exalt him? let this be our first Use, if we should write them in a Book to provoke others, then surely we should write them in our hearts to provoke ourselves to praise him. use 2. Exhortation to record these Mercies for the Generation to come. The other Use I would make of it is this: That seeing the Lord would have his wonderful Works written for the Generations to come; Let the Honourable Houses of Parliament look upon it as a duty they owe unto God, and to the present and future age, to provide that these glorious and admirable works which God hath done for England and Scotland, since the beginning of our troubles, may faithfully be transmitted to posterity; you hear God hath appointed it for a law and an Ordinance, that the generations to come should know his wonderful works, and it's both due and expected by one age from another; it hath been the received Opinion of wise men, that the World is more beholding to them who write Histories, then to any men living, except only those that did the excellent Works which the others writ. Tully tells you, that History is the witness of time, the light of truth, the life of memory, the school-mistress of ourlife, &c. When yet, alas, all their Histories were written with ignorance, vanity, passion, partiality, and gave very little help to our main business, to teach us the administrations of God, and the way he hath taken in carrying on his Church, which is the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. But now by the true and faithful setting forth to the World what the Lord hath done for us; you should honour God and advantage his Church as much as in any thing that you can possibly do, unless it be the building of the Church itself. Never could more excellent things tending to advance the goodness, wisdom, power, and mercy of God be manifested to the world, than this story of our times would afford. The Jews have a saying, That when God destroyed all the World, there was a Copy of all kept in the ark with Noah; and after the flood was gone, this Copy was reprinted and spread over all the world. The meaning was, that the Creatures that were kept there, did fill all the world with Creatures of the same nature that the World had before. Truly, I have often thought, that were all the Copies in the world lost, of God's admirable dealing with an unworthy people (except only those mentioned in the Scripture, there might be a reimpression of them out of the admirable things that God hath done for us since these public caelamities came upon us; and all the world might learn sufficient out of our Story, what a God our God is, and learn to know, and trust, and fear him forever; give me leave only to name some Capita rerum, some heads of things, which is fit the World should read and know: They should read of a Parliament called together by a strange providence; and when they were called, God dealt with them, as he commanded Ezekiel to deal with his own hair, Ezekiel 5. one third part of it to be thrown away into the wind, another to be burnt in the City, and another to be again purged and refined, and kept in the skirt of his garment. They should read of 4 or 500 Commons, and multitude of peers, some of them passing through the fire, some scattered into all the corners of the land, seeking to destroy the Nation that had entrusted them; and a remnant left behind, fined and refined, and humbled again and again, and kept to do wonderful things for the Lord's glory, and his people's good. They should likewise read of Army after Army, and fight after fight, which we have had with our Enemies; of every one whereof they should be able to say, what my Noble Lord said immediately after Kynton fight, That there was never any thing wherein there was less of man, and more of God. They should acknowledge in all we have done, there was little of man, and much of God. There they should likewise read, how this famous City, and all the Countries where the Gospel had prevailed, have faithfully stood to God and his cause even to their own exhausting, in the midst of infinite discouragements; and how the rest that were nursed up under Popery and superstition, both Lords and Commons, and Gentlemen, and whole Counties did endeavour to fight themselves into slavery, and labour to destroy the Parliament, that is, themselves, and all that is theirs. There they should read how God broke all our crutches we leaned upon, our Counsels, our Treasuries, our Armies; and never prospered us really, till he had deeply humbled, and made us to look to himself only for help; how he brought the two Nations into a Covenant with him, and set them upon a work of Reformation of Religion, and carried on that work in a troublesome time, in a time of war, better than (in likelihood) it would have been in a time of Peace. There they should read the fruits and effects of Prayer; how he suffered his Almighty hand to be, as it were, directed by it. They should see what strange Plots were discovered, prevented, detected; how God made some of our strong Holds to be easily delivered, and others of no strength little less than miraculously preserved against all the Force of the enemy; how usually God made our losses to be our gain, and did us most good by undoing us; compelling us often to say, Perissemus nisi perissemus, we had been undone if we had not been undone; and how our enemies, that rose against us, evermore found their gain to prove their loss; and that which raised them up highest, instantly laid them lowest. What shall I say? they shall in a thousand particulars read in this Story our folly and God's wisdom, our weakness and God's strength, our divisions and confusions, and God's ordering them all to serve his holy ends. They should read such things as (I am confident no History in the world) is able to hold out the like. Now I beseech you, is it not pity that these things should be lost? shall we deprive the world & posterity of these things; Serimus arbores, we plant Trees which may bear fruit to after ages, and shall we not do this, which like Nebuchadnezar's Dan 4. tree would bear fruit to all the world; or shall we hazard them to be written by a lying or unskilful hand? written they will be without all question, Scribimus indocti doctique, diurnals, and Weekly Intelligencers undertake to set them all down; but shall posterity be left to make their computation, & draw their estimate of the Lord's dealing by such Books as these? should not we rob God, ourselves, his Cause, & his Church in all ages, if we should leave it to such Historians as these. God forbid, rather let some of the choicest men in the Land be set about it: It was said of Claudian, that he wanted matter to write of suitable Psal. 10. to his wit; but what wit is suitable to this matter. Who is sufficient for these things? who can tell the loving kindness of the Lord? who can show forth all his goodness? My humble suit therefore to the Right Honourable Houses, is (a thing which I am assured God expects from you) even that you would provide that some worthy, faithful heart, and heads, and pens be set on work, who may undertake this Work, and have leave (as Mr. Fox had in Queen Elizabeth's days) to search all the Registries; and be enabled to hold forth all the light that may be, that the Generations to come may see a true picture, a faithful Story of these three or four last years: And let him do it faithfully, let him not be discouraged with the Politicians fear, That it is dangerous to write truth in the present age, not safe to come too near the heels of truth, lest it kick out his teeth: But as the Penmen of the Scripture, wrote man's folly, and God's goodness; so let him be encouraged to let the world know great things God hath done for us, and how little we have done for ourselves: no gracious man shall have the less glory in Heaven, by letting God have his glory by us on earth, though it be in publishing our weaknesses and follies. I once again humbly beseech you the thing may be done. And yet further to provoke you, consider that in all ages the eminentest men have been employed in this kind of Work. Moses wrote the dealings of God for 2500 years from the Creation to their entering into Canaan; and afterward it was carried on by other chief Instruments; above half the Old Testament is a Chronicle of the things done by the Lord in War and Peace for his people. In the New Testament four Evangelists wrote the story of Christ; Luke writing the Acts of the Apostles, and how ill could the world have wanted one of these? How miserable had we been, if we had been deprived of them? And since that time I appeal to all Scholars, whether the choicest men in learning have not been employed in this service; and let all English men speak, whether they think any book written in our Mother tongue, hath brought more glory to God, and stirred up more zeal for Christ, and encouraged people more to a holy life, and to own God's Cause courageously, then Mr. Fox's books of Martyrs, the Acts and Monuments of the Church. In all this, I plead not for the honour of any man, or men, let them all be laid in the dust, so God may be glorified, they who do worthily shall have glory enough with God in Heaven; yet God would have them also had in everlasting remembrance: but it is for God and his honour that I plead; there are such things of God, of his wisdom, Power, goodness, Compassion, Mercy to be set forth; that should the Lord move your hearts to resolve upon it this day, it were a testimony of your thankfulness, next to the going on vigorously in the Reformation and settling of the Church; and you can pitch upon nothing that shall bring more eternal glory to the Lord, that hath done these great things for us, than to cause these things to be written for the Generations to come, that the people not yet created may praise the Lord. FINIS.