IN the latter end of the former Chapter, the Apostle had exhorted vnto perse­verance in the faith. To presse this home the better, he shewes the excel­lency of the grace of Faith.

That he shewes

• 1. By the excellency of it, in it selfe considered. Vers. 1, 2, 3.
• 2. By a Cloud of witnesses, by the examples of all their fore-fathers in both the Worlds, the World before, and after the Flood.

By all those examples giuing them to vnderstand that all the goodly things that their Fathers had, or did, they were beholding vnto faith for them. It is the Apostles purpose in this Chapter to set the gar­land vpon the head of faith, and for the making of this garland, he picks and gathers all the most choyce and godly flowers that growe scattered through the garden of the Scriptures, and so crownes Faith [Page 2] therewith, to make it a louely, and an amiable grace in the eyes of all.

This seauenth verse contaynes the example of the Faith of Noah, who was the last Patriarch of the old, and the first of the new World. In the verse we haue considerable, two speciall things.

• 1. Gods gracious goodnesse and mercy to Noah,
  • In giuing warning.
  • Being warned of God.
• 2. Noahs great wisedome in taking warning.

This wisedome of his is set forth in three degrees,

• 1. He beleeues the warning giuen him. By Faith being warned, &c.
• 2. He feares it: Moued with feare.
• 3. He makes good vse of the warning, and there­vpon followes the Counsell of God.

For God did not only giue him warning of the dan­ger, but gaue him also counsell, and direction, how to secure himselfe from the danger, and he taking the fayre warning, takes also the good counsell, and pre­pares an Arke: And all these be three degrees of one and the same thing, each issuing and flowing out of other. God giues warning therefore. 1. He beleeues. 2. His faith, breedes feare of the calamity approach­ing. 3. His feare breeds a care of the preseruation of himselfe, and family. Why builds he an Arke to saue his house? Because he feared: Why doth hee feare? Because hee beleeues Gods warning: God warnes him, therefore he beleeues: He beleeues therefore he feares: He feares therefore hee prouides agaynst a rainy day, and takes a course to hide himselfe, and his family in the day of wrath. For the first: Gods mercy and goodnesse to Noah. Being warned of God.

The old World was growne to an horrible hight of iniquity. The Children of God, the posterity of [...]h, made mongrell matches with the daughters of men, the posterity of Caine. Those mongrell mat­ches brought forth a monstrous brood, who defiled, and polluted the very earth. God saw the earth so de­filed with their villanies, that he determines to bring such a iudgement vpon the earth, as should not on­ly sweepe those monsters from off the earth, but such an one as should lay the earth a soake, and should wash and wrince it from the filth and defilement where-with they had corrupted it. God hauing set downe this determination, he doth not presently put it in execution; but first acquaints Noah with his pur­pose, and giues him warning of it, and that to this end, that he might giue the world warning. For as God by immediate reuelation, gaue Noah warning; so Noah by preparing the Arke, gaue the World war­ning of a iudgment comming, and that vnlesse some course was taken to preuent it, they were all in dan­ger to bee swept away with a Flood; from which course of Gods: Learne.

Gods faire dealing in the administration, and ex­ecution of Iustice: Seldome or neuer doth God bring generall iudgements vpon a people, but he giues them faire warning. Hee doth not strike men at vnawares, and suddainly surprise them, without any notice gi­uen of his purposes. Ezech. 33. 3. When the sword comes vppon the Land, hee must blow the Trumpet, and warne the people. The Prophet verse 7. Must heare the Word at Gods mouth, and warne them from him. Yea, so carefull is God that it be done, that if in [Page 4] case it be neglected, he threatens to reckon sharply with those whom hee betrusts with that office, vers. 8. God will require blood at such mens hands. God doth not snatch vp the sword into his hand, and present­ly cut men of; but Psal. 7. 12. First, God whets his sword, bends his bow, makes it ready; prepares the in­struments of death. And all this whetting time, the time of making ready, and preparing, is a warning time. God whets, and makes ready in mens sight, and in mens hearing, that the very noyse of his whet­ting, may giue them warning of his intentions. And Deut. 32. 41, 42. God first Whets his Sword before it devoures flesh; and God first takes hold on iudgement, before his judgements take hold on men.

God liu'd by his owne rule, and by the same Law, he gaue his people in their warres. Deuter. 20. 10. 13. Hee would not haue them fall foule presently vppon their enemies, but they must deale fairely with them. And it was the benefit of this Law, that the wise wo­man of Abel challenged at the hands of Ioab, 2. Sam. 20. 18. and blames him that hee was come to swal­low vp, and neuer according to the ancient Law of Armes giues them any parley, or warning of his pur­poses. So fairely deales God in his infinite goodnesse with men, before hee comes to swallow vp, and to destroy; hee first giues warning, and offers fayre quarter. Therefore, Hos. 5. 8. God blowes the Trum­pet before he drawes the sword; not a Trumpet for an Alarme, and for the battle; but a Trumpet to giue warning that a battle is like to come. God hath his warning peeces; and his murdering peeces: God neuer dischargeth his murdering, till hee [Page 5] haue discharged his Warning ones.

The King of Syria his plot and policy, was sudden­ly and at unawares, to surprise the King of Israel. 2. King. 6. 8. He would go covertly, and closly to work least the King of Israel having intelligence of his de­signe, he might thereby frustrate his action. God goes not so covertly to worke, but as one that would be willing to be kept off, and put by, he himselfe giues intelligence of his intentions, hee doth afore-hand acquaint men with his projects. Ier. 18. 11, Behold I frame evill against you, and devise a device against you. Thus God deales, and giues warning.

1. That if it be possible, men might bee brought to [...] Repentance, as might prevent the threatned e­ [...]. Ier. 18. 11.

2. That he may provide for the good of his owne. Sometimes God will deliver some of his people from [...] calamity. Sometimes he will haue some of them [...]dergo it. In reference to both, he giues warning.

1. To such as shall be delivered in the day of wrath: [...] wrath should come without warning, it might [...]de of Gods owne people, from vnder couert, and [...] they might prooue a prey to the judgement. Exod. [...]. 18, 19. God had a purpose that many of the Egyp­ [...]s servants and Cattle should escape, and not bee [...]ayne, in that terrible storme of fire and hayle. God [...]erefore giues warning of the storme, that so they [...]ight be housed that should escape. If they had had [...] warning, they had heene abroad in the fields; and [...] in the fields when the storme came, they had pe­ [...]ht inevitably. God hath a purpose in a storme to [...] some of his, therefore hee giues them warning [Page 6] that they may get an house ouer their heads before the storme come. What had Noah beene better then all the rest of the vngodly World, if God had not giuen him warning: God warned him that hee might be safe in the evill day. When iudgements come, and are walking abroad, God would haue his people within doores, in their Chambers, their doores shut vpon them. Is. 26. 20, 21. and therefore to this end giues them warning. 2. In reference to such as shall vndergoe common calamity, God giues them warning that they may lay in, and lay vp that which may support and vphold them in the time of distresse. God would haue the demeaner and behauiour of his people in the day of calamity be different from other mens. He would haue them be of erected spirits, free from those distressing perplexities, that others shalbe swallowed vp withall. Therefore hee giues warning that so they may gather that which may strengthen them at such a time: certainely if God should giue no warning, there would bee little difference seene and discerned betweene the righteous, and the wicked; be­tweene him that serueth God, and him that serues him not. Mal. 3. 18. Little difference would bee seene in their carriages vnder the pressures of calamity: You should see Euery man with his hands on his loynes, as a Woman in trauaile, and all faces turned into pale­nesse. Ier. 30. 6. God would haue his people haue more blood in their faces, then the common sort wil haue in such a time. God would not haue Faith and Religion so pale faced, and so white liuer'd, as ciuility, and morality, will be at such a time. Therefore God giues them warning, that so their prouisions may be [Page 7] such agaynst the day of euill; as that their carriages may be masculine, beseeming God and Religion.

3. That God may be iustified, and cleare, when he iudges. Psal. 51. 4. Talis non vis flagellari cum mundo, aut fla­gellatus mur­muras sub fla­gello? Serue male, fecisti quod Dominus iussit, qui ne vapulares, ista flagella ante tibi praedixit? August. de tem. Barb. God doth it to gag, and to muzzle the mouth of iniquity; and to put to silence the cauelling ignorance of foolish men. What can be pleaded agaynst the iustice of Gods proceedings, when God may say to men, as Reuben to his brethren. Gen. 42. 22. Did not I warne you, saying, sin not.

Quest. How doth God giue warning of wrath, and iudgements comming?

Ans. 1. God giues warning many wayes.

1. By extraordinary, and immediate Reuelation. Thus was Noah heere warned of God, [...]. The same word that is vsed of the warning giuen to the wisemen Math. 2. 12. [...], warned of God. God in a dreame immediately warned them. And thus were all the Prophets warned of God, of the iudge­ments that were to come vpon the Iewes, and other Nations. And thus specially is that to be vnderstood. Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reueales his secrets vnto his seruants the Prophets. God by the extraordinary reuelation of his spirit, gaue them warning what hee meant to doe. Thus God made knowne to Nebucadnezar what should come to passe afterwards. Daniel 2. 29.

2. By prodigious signes, and strange wonders, both in Heauen and earth. God calls his worke of iudgement, a strange worke; and a strange act. Isa. 28. 21. And when God doth these strange acts, and workes of nationall iudgements, hee giues warnings many times thereof by some strange precursory signes [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8] and prodigies: Commonly some strange praemoni­tory signes fore runne, strange executions of iustice: We haue a text for it. Luke 21. 11. Great earthquakes shalbe in diuerse places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearefull fights; and great signes shall there bee from Heauen: And so it came to passe before the de­struction of Ierusalem by a prodigious comet, and o­ther fearefull sights God gaue them warning of their approaching ruine.

Wee shall seldome finde any calamitous time to haue befallen this kingdome which hath not had a fore-warning giuen of it by some prodigious things such as was the rayning of blood at Yorke, sometime before the Danes entrance into the Land, and others many of the like nature, as they know well that are but any thing seene into our Chronicles. And what in­conuenience can it be to coniecture, that God by that prodigious blazing Starre, Anno 1618. gaue the chur­ches warning of the heavie and lamentable times that haue since ensued, & yet happily are to ensue. God had a strange worke, and a strange act, to doe, and he gaue warning of it by as strange a blazing Starre as had bin seene in many ages. God speakes by all such signes, and therefore wee reade of the words of Gods signes and wonders, Psal. 105. 27. so the words are ori­ginally. And so of the voyce of his signes, Exod. 4. 8. If they will not hearken to the voyce of the first signe. Ther­fore Gods signes haue wordes, haue a voyce they speake not onely to our eyes, but to our eares also. They are not onely to be gazed upon, but to bee hearkened to, Psal. 106. 7. Our fathers vnderstood not thy wonders in Egypt, Gods wonders then haue a language, and they [Page 9] are not onely to bee lookt vppon, but their language must be vnderstood. Now their words are Monitory words, their language is a Monitory language, and they giue vs warning that some great iudgements are at hand.

3. God giues warning by the Ministery of the word. Though Gods ministers haue not an Oraculous war­ning by Immediate Revelation; yet they may see an e­vill in the causes, as a storme in the black cloudes, and by considering, and comparing things present, with things past, and looking into Gods ancient wayes may see in the general that mischiefe is comming, and so from God giue warning. Elisha hath his sword as well as Iehu, and Hazael. 1. Reg. 19. 17. And when Elisha vnsheathes and brandishes his sword, it is a faire war­ning that the sword of Iehu, and Hazael are at hand. God cuts downe by his Prophets, and slayes by the wordes of his mouth. Hose. 6. 5. before hee bringes in enemyes to kill and slay, and when his Ministers are killing and slaying it is a warning signe that enemyes shall come to doe the like. So Ieremy rootes out, pulles downe, de­stroyes, and throwes downe Kingdomes. Ier. 1. 10. And when Ieremy begins to plucke vp & destroy, it is an ill signe that Babilonians, and other nations are com­ming at hand to doe the same worke. Whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shalbe bound in heauen; and so whatsoe­uer yee roote out on earth shalbe rooted out in hea­uen; is not onely true of an extraordinary and prophe­ticall Ministry, but of the ordinary standing ministry of the Church, when Ministers go to worke Claue non erante, and follow the rules and grounds of the word. The watchman giues warning. Eze. 33. 3. but how? if [Page 10] he blow the trumpet, and giue warning. When Gods watchmen blow the trumpet, then God giues war­ning. Specially then are the warnings of Gods Mini­sters to be taken as warnings from God, when God shal stirre vp the harts of his seruants euery where in all parts, & places of a kingdome far distant, and remote each from other, to giue warning to a Kingdome. That looke as it is an argument of the diuine authori­ty of prophetical Scripture, that the Prophets though they liued in diuerse places and ages of the world, yet they so al agreed in one & the same truth as if they had all spoken by one mouth. Hence Luke. 1. 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets. There were many Pro­phets yet but one mouth, they all so agreed that though there were diverse persons, yet but one mouth, as hee spake by the mouth, not the mouthes of his holy Pro­phets which haue beene since the world began. So here, when God doth stirre vp his seruants in all parts of a kingdome, and sets them all on worke as with one mouth to giue warning of wrath, it may be taken for no lesse then a diuine warning from God himselfe.

4 God giues warning by his administration, and dealing with other nations, and Churches. Gods rods are not only smarting rods to them vpon whom they are, but they are monitory & warning rods to those v­pō whō as yet they are not. Zep. 3. 6. 7. I haue cut off nati­ons, I haue made their streets wast, &c. what was one end God had in it? To giue Ierusalem warning. I said, surely thou wilt feare me, thou wilt receiue instruction, so their dwellings should not be cut off. Oportet abie­tem vlulare quia cecidit Cedrus, ac ali­os vicinorum plaga erudiri atque per ali­ena mala re­bus suis probe consulere. Greg. Naz. God then aimed at this in his Iudgements vpon other nations that Ierusalem should take warning. Then God giues warning whē he [Page 11] puts the sword into Cōmission. It is warning when he whets his sword, but much more when he giues the sword a Commission. Ezekel. 14. 17. If I say; Sword goe through a land, so that I cut off man and beast from it. There is the sword put in Commission, and being so put in Commission, there is warning giuen of ap­proaching calamitie. We may know the sword to be in Commission as wee know the Iudges of Assize to bee. When we see the Iudges ride circuite, and goe from one shire towne to another, and doe executions vppon malefactors: then wee know they haue their Commissions: Iudges may not ride circuit without their Commissions. So when wee see the sword ride circuit, and doe Executions euery where as it goes, and cannot bee staide, but it prospers and preuailes, then without all question it is in Commission. When it goes through Lands, and Prouinces, and Churches, and cuts off man and beast, then questionlesse God hath said, Sword, Go. See Ier. 47. 6, 7. Oh thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou bee quiet: put vp thy selfe into thy scabberd, rest and be still. Like inough Ash­kelon, and the Philistins vsed all the policie, and power they could: but all their Combinations, Confedera­cies, Leagues, Vnions, could do no good. For all these the sword was restlesse, and prospered strangely, and not by any weakenesse of theirs, nor by any strength of the enemy the victory still lost: so as a diuine hand of God was manifest therein. What might the reason of all this be? It had a charge: How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath giuen it a charge against Ashkelon.

When the sword hath a Commission, it doth as Samuel did, 1. Sam. 7. 16. He went from yeare to yeare in [Page 12] circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places, and his returne was to Ramah. Now looke then, as when Samuel was at Bethel, then they had warning that hee was comming to Gilgal, when he was at Gilgal then had they warning that hee was comming to do Iudgment at Mizpeh: So when the sword is once walking circuit to iudge, if it bee come to Bethel, it is a warning that it is comming to Gilgal, if at Gilgal, there is a warning for Mizpeh. Let other Kingdomes, and Churches, that stands by and looke on, let them take this as a warning from God, that the sword is comming to execute iudgements a­mongst them. Then it is a warning that God will giue men to the sword: when euill goes forth from nation to nation, Ier. 25. 32. And why should other nations bee amazed, and their Kings be horribly afraid, and trem­ble euery man for his owne life in the day of Egypts fall by the sword, Ezech. 32. 10. were it not but that Gods dealing with Egypt, were a warning of the like wrath, and ruine comming vppon themselues?

5 God giues warning by doing, as Psal. 78. 50. He made a way to his anger, he gaue their life ouer to the pestilence. God brought the pestilence amongst them, but yet first he made a way for his anger, and his ma­king of a way, was a warning that wrath was com­ming. God when he meanes that wrath shall enter in­deed: hee doth not presently let it breake in; but first makes a way for it, takes all things out of the way, that may stop or hinder it in its passage, or be any rub to it in its entrance. Now then when we see God prepa­ring, and making the way, then hee giues warning of wrath comming, and being at hand. When Christ [Page 13] was to manifest himselfe in his ministerie, first Iohn Baptist must come before him, and his office was, Mark. 1. 3. To prepare the way of the Lord. Now then those that had eyes to see Iohn Baptist preparing a way for Christ, might easily see that God gaue war­ning, that Christ himselfe was shortly to come: be­cause Iohn was preparing a way for him. So when God is preparing a way for wrath, such as haue eyes to see the way preparing, may see God giuing warning, that some heauie iudgement and calamitie is at hand. When the Kings harbengers come before, and pre­pare for the King, it is a warning to such places that the King is comming. God so deales in the bringing in of iudgements vpon a nation, as he did in bringing in that great plague vppon the Church, in bringing in Antichrist into the world, 2. Thess. 2. 7. The mistery of iniquitie doth already worke, onely hee who letteth will let, vntill he be taken out of the way. That plague was breeding long before it brake forth and came to ripe­nesse: but there was a [...]; namely, the Romane Ethnick Emperours that stood in the way, and till they were first done out of the way, the man of sinne could not enter: but when that let should be taken out of the way, and so a way made, Then shall that wicked one be reuealed, v. 8. So that when that let was done a­way, and so a way making, such as had then eyes to see it, might see that God gaue warning that Antichrist was now comming into the world. So it is in this case, Iudgement is breeding long before it comes. God hath a purpose to bring it, but yet many times there bee some lets in the way that it cannot well come till they bee remoued; God therefore prepares, and [Page 14] makes a way for the intended Iudgement by remo­uing, and taking out of the way euery [...] eue­ry let that may hinder it when it comes. And when [...]he way is making, God giues warning that the Iudg­ment is comming. Now God commonly makes the way by two things; The Moath and the Hornet. And when those two come then are the harbengers come, and the Iohn Baptists of the Iudgement.

1 The Moath, when God meanes to bring a Iudg­ment vpon a Kingdome hee first giues warning by making way for it by the Moath. God threatens, Hos. 5. 14. a terrible Iudgment that hee will be to Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the House of Iudah, that hee will teare and goe away, &c. But will God giue no warning, yes that he will, and faire warning too. And how? By making way, for the Lyon by the moath v. 12. I will bee vnto Ephraim as a moath, and to the House of Iudah as rottennesse. The moath is a secret in­sensible Iudgment that gradually, and insensibly eates out the heart and strength of a State, and by the weakning of a State prepares it for a fatall desolatory Iudgment.

A moath eates now one threed, then another, makes now one hole, then another, and so by degrees wa­sting, and rotting the garment perpares it with much ease, to be rent in pieces. It is difficult to rende in pieces a strong sound garment, but when once it is all moath eaten, and rotten, how easy is it for any: much more for a Lion to rende it: thus therefore would God prepare Ephraim for the Lion by the moath, and by the moath giue him warning of the Lion. VVhat this moath is wee may see plainely by [Page 15] that, Isay. 3. 1. 2. 3. with the eight verse. In the eight verse, God threatens the ruine and the fall of Iudah and Ierusalem. But wil God come suddainly vp­pon them? No, hee will giue them faire warning: But how? By making way for their fatall blow, and for the Lions clawes by the teeth of the moath. First before the Lion comes they shal see a way making for him by the moath. ver. 1. 2. 3. for the Lord of hoast doth take away from Ierusalem, and from Iudah the stay and the staffe. First God before he ruines them will weaken them, and by some precursory Iudgement wil infeeble them by taking from them whatsoeuer might strenghten them against an enemy, that when an enemy comes, they shal haue no stay, nor staffe to rest vpon against him. If an enemy doe offer to make an invasion; yet if a people be well stored with prouisions, they haue good store of bread, trading be quick, that there be no generall pouerty and penury in the Land, it is a great stay against an enemy, it is a strong threed in the gar­ment. Againe if an enemy doe attempt an invasion, yet if the State be wel furnisht with Prudent, Ancient, experienced Counselors, if withal it be wel prouided of braue souldiers, men of war, mighty men, Captaines of fifty, braue Leaders, & Commanders, this is a great stay to a State, these be strong threeds in the cloth that will not suffer it easily to be rent. It will bee hard to rend such cloth a sunder that hath such strong threeds in it; Therefore that it may the easier be rent in peices God will send some Iudgement before hand that moath-like shall eate asunder those threeds, hee will bring in the decay of trading which is the bread of a Land, hee will now take away one Prudent man, then [Page 16] another, now such a man of warre, and then another, and thus by degrees so weaken them that when an enemy should come hauing al resistances remoued he may with all case ruine Iudah and Ierusalem. Thus Iu­dah by the moath had warning of the Lyon, and when God made their State and their Kingdome a motheaten Kingdome, he thereby gaue them warning that they should assuredly fall, and ruine.

2 The Hornet. When God meanes to bring Iudg­ment vpon a Kingdome he giues warning thereof by premising and fore-sending, the hornet. Exod. 23. 28. I will send Hornets before thee which shall driue out the Hiuite, the Canaanite before thee. What that Hornet is wee may see v. 27. I will send my feare before thee, and will destory all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemyes turne their backes vnto thee. This Hornet then was nothing else but the misgiuing feare of the Canaanites selfe-condemning consciences, which should take all heart and courage from them, that they should not be able to stand it out in the day of battaile, but their owne guilty consciences repre­senting vnto them their deserts, should Hornet-like so sting thē with feare, that they should turne their backes to the Israelites. And this was that which Rahab told the spies, and vpon which shee concludes that the Land was theirs, Iosh. 2. 9. 11. I know the Lord hath giuen you the land. How did she know it? she saw the Hornet was come before, and had stung the Canaanites, and thereby gaue warning of ruine, And that your terrour is fallen vpon vs, and that all the inhabitants of the land faynt because of you, And as soone as we had heard these things our hearts did melt, neither did there remayne any [Page 17] more courage in any man because of you. Here was the stinge of the Hornet, here was the Hornet making way for wrath. If the Canaanites had had courage and spirit, and should haue stood stoutly, and brauely to it, it would not haue been so easie a matter for Israel to haue conquered Canaan, but now because God would ruine the Canaanites, and giue Israel their land, therefore hee sends the Hornet before to make way for their entrance, and so to sting them that all Courage, and Heart might bee taken away. And when the Canaanites feele this stinging Hornet, then haue they plaine warning that their Desolation is approa­ching. This is that Hornet which God sent before the Medes, to make way for the destruction of the Babylo­nians, Esay. 13. 7, 8, 9. And this is that Hornet, that made way for the Babylonians to ruine Ierusalem, Ier. 6. 24. Wee haue heard the fame thereof, our hands waxe feeble, anguish hath taken hold of vs, and paine as of a woman in trauaile. This was that Hornet, that made Pharaohs armes fall downe, Ezech. 30. 25. and his sword to fall out of his hands, v. 22. Hee was so stunge at the heart with the feare of the King of Babylon, that he had neither strength to lift vp his arme, nor to hold his sword in his hand. As the Moath takes away all out­ward stayes and helps, so the Hornet takes away in­ward Spirit, and Courage. And when both these are taken away, how faire a way is prepared for an enemy. Where euer then mens hearts melt with the feare of an enemie, from the guilt of selfe-condemning con­scinces, it is a warning from God, that wrath is com­ming.

6 God giues warning by his graduall departure from a Nation and a Church. When God meanes that [Page 18] Iugdement shall come, hee himselfe will first depart, and as Iudgement shall come, so will he goe. Iudge­ment comes not all at once vppon a nation but by de­grees, and God giues it an admission by a graduall re­cesse and departure. Now then whensoeuer God be­ginnes to goe, then is it a faire warning that Iudge­ment is comming. In the ninth, tenth, and eleuenth Chapters of Ezekiel, God makes diuers remoues. And we shall still obserue that as hee goes out, so some new Iudgement comes in. 1. He remoues from the Che­rubins, in the Oracle to the threshold, Cap. 9. 3. and vp­pon that remoue see what followes, ver. 5, 6, 7, &c. 2. Hee remoues to the Cherubins on the right side of the house, Cap. 10. 1. and vpon that remoue see what followes, v. 2. 3. He remoues to the East gate of the house, and the first entrance into the Temple, Cap. 10. 19. and see what followes vppon that, Cap. 11. 8, 9, 10. 4. He remoues to Mount Oliuer quite out of the ci­tie, Cap. 11. 23. And when God was gone quite out, then followed the fatall calamity in the ruine therof. Thus still as God went out, Iudgement came in, and by these steps of his departure, hee gaue warning of the comming of Iudgement. When God is at the thre­shold, Iudgement is at the doores. So Amos. 9. 1. I saw the Lord standing vppon t [...]e Altar. But what doth the Lord standing vppon the Altar? His station was be­tweene the Cherubins in the Holy place: Giue eare thou that dwellest betweene the Cherubins. Psal. 80. 1. What then meanes the Lords standing vpon the Al­tar? surely it meanes no good. It is a signe God was going, he hath made a step from the Cherubins to the Altar, and see what followes in that place: namely; a terrible sentence of Iudgement. God is at the Altar [Page 19] when this sentence is pronounced. It is in this case as it was in that. Numb. 12. 9, 10. The anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. When God is angry, then will he depart. And what if he doe, what wil follow? And the cloude departed from off the Taber­nacle, and behold Miriam became Leprous. No sooner doth God depart, but Iudgement comes in his roome. So that when God beginnes to set his first foote for­ward, it is a faire warning of euill comming. The de­stroying Angells could do nothing to Sodome, so long as Lot was there: neither can desolatory Iudgements haue power ouer a Nation so long as God is graci­ously present with them. Therefore as when Lot went out of Sodome, in that day fire and brimestone came downe vpon Sodome, so when God once goes, then are calamities ready to crowde in vpon a Nation.

Now Gods departure hath certaine foote-steps, which are Ominous presages of sorrow at hand.

1 When Idols and Idolatrie enter into a land. When Gods Arke came into Dagons Temple, then Dagon dropt downe, but when Dagon comes into Gods Temple, and rises and is aduanced there, then God is going. See Ezek. 8. 5. 6. There was an Image of Iealousie, and therefore God would go farre off from his Sanctuary. Specially are Gods jealous eyes prouoked, when the case is as Ezek. 43. 8. That but a wall betweene God, and Idols. Hee likes no such neere neighbours, hee will be gone rather then brooke such neighbourhood. Nay, it is a signe that God is already in some measure gone, for had he held his owne station and possession, how could they haue entred. Such a step presages great calamitie.

2 When the ministerie of a Church, beginnes to grow corrupt and vnfounde in doctrine and man­ners: [Page 20] when Trueth and Holinesse departs, God departs. Hereupon a corrupt ministrie made a presage of cala­mitie. Hos. 9. 7. The dayes of visitation are come, the dayes of recompence are come, Israel shall know it, Nay Israel may know it before they come: But how? The Prophet is a foole, the spirituall man is mad. When Prophets, and spirituall men once beginne to bee fooles, and to bee mad, to bee out of their spirituall wits, and out of the way of truth, then looke for the dayes of visitation: because when trueth goes, God goes, and when he goes no good can come.

3 It is a manifest step of Gods departure, when it is with a Nation, as it was with Sampson. Iudg. 16. 20. He wist not that the Lord was departed from him. But God was departed from him, and how appeared it? v. 19. She began to afflict him, & his strength went from him: he thought he would do as at other times, but could not. At other times he brake the greene withes, at o­ther times hee brake new roapes, at other times hee went away with the pin of the beame, at other times hee was still too good for the Philistins, but now hee could not doe as at other times. God was departed from him, and therevpon followed that misery, v. 21. They put out his eyes, they put him in fetters of brasse, &c. Gods departure gaue warning of all this sorrow, and in that his strength went from him, that he could not doe as at other times; this was the impression of Gods departing foote. Thus is it with a State and Na­tion. If God depart from them, he thereby giues them warning to looke for Philistins, fetters of brasse, and the prison house. And then may a Nation know that God is departing if not departed, when their strength is departed from them, and they cannot doe as they haue done at other times. That same is an euident step [Page 21] of Gods departure, Ps. 60. 10. Wilt not thou O God which hadst cast vs off? and thou O God which didst not go out with our armies. When God thē goes not forth with a peoples armies, he casts them off, hee departs from them. And thus God departed from Egypt, and gaue them by this step of his departure, warning of their destruction. Ier. 46. 14. 19. Standfast, prepare thee, for the sword shall de­uoure round about thee, furnish thy selfe to goe into captiui­tie. But what signe or likelihood of Captiuitie? See v. 15. 16. Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stoode not be­cause the Lord did driue them; he made many to fal, yea one fell vpon another, & they said: Arise, let vs goe againe to our owne people, & to the land of our natiuity from the oppres­sing sword. God was departed from them, their enemies beate them, great reason hath Egypt to take warning of sword and Captiuitie comming vpon her: when a Nati­ons shield is gone, what can they looke for, but to bee bread for their enemies. And thus doth God giue war­ning in these particulars.

Vse 1. Take wee heere notice, of Gods gratious dealing with this sinfull English nation. Our sinnes are such, that God might haue done with vs, as with Sodome, Lam. 4. 6. That was ouerthrown as in a moment. God might suddenly haue surprized vs, & haue let in the flood of his wrath to haue swallowed vs vp in a moment. But heere may I say as Paul, Rom. 11. 22. Behold the goodnesse, and the seueritie of God: The Seuerity of God in his purposes of wrath against vs: The Goodnesse of God, in his gratious warnings, wher­in he giues vs intelligence of his Intentions. This day is this trueth fulfilled in our eyes. Wee see it true for our parts, that God giues faire warnings before Iudgement ceaze vpon a people. God neuer gaue any fairer warning then he hath giuen vs: we haue had warnings in all these kindes: For,

1. What if I should say that God giues vs warning by Oracle? Seemes he not to doe it, Apoc. 3. 10. Speakes he not of an houre of temptation which shall come vpon all the world? Seemes not that houre to be already begunne? Surely if that Scripture looke so farre towards the ends of the world, and if meant of an houre of temptation, to come in this last houre of the world: then may we say of this, as our Sauiour Christ of that, This is the houre, and the power of darkenesse. The present troubles of the Church, may seeme to be the beginning of that houre. But to let this passe, if God warne not vs thus yet want we no warnings.

2. If prodigious signes and wonders bee warnings, then judge if God haue not warned vs. Besides that com­mon warning, which God gaue vs with the rest of his Churches, in that prodigious Comet wee haue had pe­culiar warnings in this kinde. God gaue vs warning in that wonder of the doubled tydes in the riuer of Thames. God gaue vs warning in that Earth-quake March 27. 1626. God gaue vs faire warning in that prodigious storme in the Citie, that fetcht the dead bodies out of their graues: together with that stupendious sight vppon the water. And amongst diuers others, I dare not slight that hand of God in sending Iohn Friths preparation to the Crosse, in the fish bellie to the Vniuersitie of Cam­bridge, a little before the Commencement. That such a booke, should in such a manner, and to such a place, and at such a time be sent: when by reason of peoples conflu­ence out of all parts, notice might be giuen to all places of the land, (in my apprehension) it can bee construed for no lesse; then a diuine warning, and to haue this voyce with it, England prepare for the Crosse. Of which [...]hing I may [...]y with a litle [...]hange, as Aug. speakes [...]f a prodigi­ [...]us warning God gaue the [...]omanes. Quod quanti [...]ali signum [...]it? Quod si [...]oc signum [...]ntum ma [...]um [...]it, quantum [...]alum erit il­ [...]d cuius hoc [...]gnum fuit? Aug. de ciuit. [...]i lib. 3. c. 23.

3. And how long, and how loude hath the Ministe­riall [Page 23] Trumpet sounded in our eares? Hath it not soun­ded like the Trumpet in Mount Sinai, Exod. 19. 13. 16. Haue wee not heard it very long, and exceeding loude, Haue not Gods watchmen from their watch-Towers a long while cryed as Esay, 21. 8. A Lyon, A Lyon. Haue we not in this kinde beene warned vnto wearysomnesse.

4. But what warnings hath God giuen vs in the ca­lamities, and miseries of our neighbour, and sister Chur­ches? Nec illos natu­rale robur cor­porum facit vi­uere, nec nos naturae infirmi­tus vinci. Ne­mo sibi aliud persuadeat. Nemo aliud ar­bitretur, sola nos morum no­strorum vitia vicerunt. Salv. de prouid. l. 7. I­deo infirmis ho­stibus tradidit vt ostenderet scilicet non vi­res valere sed causam vt cog­nosceremus meritorum hoc fuisse non vi­rium. Id. Haue wee not seene the sword in Commission and vpon Circuit? Hath it not circuited from Bohemia to the Palatinate: from thence into other Prouinces of Germa­ny, and so vp the borders of Denmark: Haue we not seene a diuine hand in all the Churches losses, victory and suc­cesse going with the enemie: though there haue not wan­ted equall power, and forces to match with them? Nay, to come neere home: Hath not the sword ceazed vppon our owne armi [...]? Hath it not begunne to eate English flesh, and drinke English blood? Warnes it not vs faire­ly, that it is bending its course, and laying its roade to­wards vs? The Lord threatens the Edomites. Esay. 34. 6. That the sword shalbe filled with blood, and bee made fat with fatnesse: and else where, that it shalbe drunke with blood. The sword hath beene a long while kept leane, hun­gry and thirsty, and hath not fed on our flesh, and blood. Is it not to be feared, that now it hath got a smatch, it will like an hunger-sterued wolfe, fall so much the fierce­lier, and greedilier vpon vs? Nos non vicinos nostros tantum ardere vidimus sed ipsi iam ar­simus. Et quid hoc (pronefas) mali est. Arsi­mus Arsimus & tamē flam­mas quibus ar­simus non ti­memus. Salv. de Prouid. l. 6. Yea, doth not God hereby giue warning, that hee will prouide a more liberall feast for the sword euen vnto fatnesse and drunkennesse? If the sword vppon other Nations, bee Gods warnings to vs of this Nation; then much more the sword vppon those of our owne Nation is a warning from God to vs, that he in­tendes to haue a great sacrifice amongst vs.

5. And who is so blinde, as that he hath not seene the Moath at worke now a long while together? How hath it sheared a sunder the strong threeds of our cloath, & how is our garment become Moath-eaten? What else meanes the common cry, and complaint of the decay & deadnesse of trading, of the pouertie & penurie of ma­ny places in the land? What hath it bin, that within these few yeares hath taken away so many braue, and worthy souldiers, men of note for birth, worth, skill and courage, that like those Iudg. 5. 18. Would haue ieoparded their liues in the high places of the field: What I say hath it bin that hath by degrees picked out now one then another but the Moath sent of God to prepare, and make way for a rending, and a ramping Lyon? As if God had said, I am determined to bring a smarting judgement vppon En­gland: but I see such a mightie man, such a man of cou­rage and skill, he will be a great hinderance to an enemie at his comming in, hee may bee a stop, and a rub in an e­nemies way: therefore I will take him out of the way, that so judgement may passe on smoothly without any checke. And when we haue heard the fame, and rumour of enemies approaching; alas what a deadly sting hath the Hornet stricken into our heartes? how haue our selfe-condemning hearts, vnder the conscience of our perso­nall and nationall guilt melted like water?

6. Lastly, vnlesse wee will wilfully shut our eyes, may we not trace God in the foote-steps of his departure from vs? May wee not finde him from betweene the Che­rubins, and remoued not onely to the threshold: but in a manner to the East-gate of the house, as if hee had but one remoue more, to bee gone quite and cleane from vs? They haue seene thy goings O God, euen the goings of God my King in the Sanctuary, Psal. 68. 24

So may we see the goings of God, euen the goings [...]f God our King from his Sanctuary. What else [...]anes the spread, and growth of Popery and Idola­ [...]y? What else meanes the departure of our old Truth [...] the increase of Arminianisme? Shewes not this that God is at the threshold, if not at the East gate? And what meanes the going away of our strength that wee cannot doe as we were wont to doe as at other times. When Ephraim spake, there was trembling, but when he offended in Baal he died. Hos. 13. 1. Ephraim was terrible to all his neighbours about him, and who durst budge against the name of Ephraim; but when Baal was come God was gone, and then euery paltry aduersary trampled vpon him, and feared him no more then a dead man. How dreadfull hath the English name, and the English sword beene to all our aduersa­ries; when England spake, there was trembling? Vbi nam (que) sunt antiquae Roma­norum opes & dignitates? for­tissimi quondam Romani erant, nunc sine viri­bus. Terrebant Romani veteres, nos timemus. O infaelicitates no­strae! ad quae de­uenimus. But Lord what shall I say, sayes Ioshua, when Israel turnes his backe vpon his enemies? And Lord what shall we say when England turnes her backe vpon her enemies? What shall we say? What can we say, but that God is departing from vs, and giues vs warning thereby, of fearefull afterclaps like to follow. Ichabod, Ichabod, where is the glory? The glory is departed. And it is with vs as with them: a people terrible hitherto, but not so now. Hitherto haue we beene terrible; but it is a signe the Lion is dead, when Hares insult ouer him. Surely God giues vs warning that our shield is going, and that if we take not a course to fetch him backe a­gaine, and set him betweene the Cherubins, that wee are no better then bread for our enemies.

Vse 2. If God giue warning, men should take the [Page 26] warning he giues. To what end are warnings giuen▪ if not taken. If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound▪ who shall prepare himselfe to the battell? 1. Cor. 14. 8▪ But when the trumpet giues a certayne sound, then i [...] is time for men to looke about them. Two thing [...] should make vs take warning.

1. The great danger that will follow vpon warning▪ neglected. Gods warnings neglected, doe but exasperate wrath, and will make vengeance so much the smarter when it comes. See the danger of not taking warning. Ezek. 33. 3. 4. 5. If the watchman blow the trumpet and warne the people, then whosoeuer heares the sound of the trumpet, and takes not warning, if the sword come and take him away, his bloud shalbe vpon his owne head; he heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning, his bloud shall bee vpon him. Calamity single and alone, will prooue burden heauy enough; calamity with guilt, and iniquity vpon our heads, the guilt of the neglect of Gods warnings will prooue ca­lamity vnsupportable.

2. The great ensuing benefit vpon warning taken. Let things be euer so dangerous and desperate, yet if men would take Gods warnings, there were possibili­ty enough to saue all. Safety and preuention of dan­gers lies in taking of warning. Noahs taking of war­ning, was the sauing of his house. Hee that takes war­ning shall deliuer his soule. Ezek. 33. 5. The King of Syria find many dangerous proiects against the King of Israel; Elisha still giues the King of Israel warning of the danger. 2. King. 6. 10. The King of Israel took his warning, and what was the issue? Hee sent to the place which the man of God had told him, and warned [Page 27] him of, and he saued himselfe there not once nor twice. The way to saue our selues from the dangers wee are warned of, is to take Gods warnings. Looke vpon all the warnings God hath giuen vs, and consider if it may not be sayd of vs as of Moab. Ier. 48. 16. The ca­lamity of Moab is neere to come, and his affliction ha­steth fast. Yea consider, if we haue not the buds of the figtree, telling vs that summer is nigh, and that iudge­ment is neere euen at the doores. And hastens our af­fliction, and sit we still? As wee desire to preuent the fatall ruine of this renowmed Church and Kingdome, so in the feare of God be wee perswaded to take war­ning.

But how is that to be done, wherein stands this taking of warning? That is now the second thing in the Text. Noahs wisedome in taking warning. God giues, and he takes warning; and that 1. in beleeuing it: 2. in fearing it: 3. in making vse of it for safety.

1. In beleeuing it. By faith Noah &c. That should indeed be mens wisedomes to take Gods warnings by beleeuing. God is to bee beleeued in his threatnings, aswell as in his promises. And this was the Niniuites wisedome. Ion. 3. 5. So the people of Niniueh beleeued God. And this is the first ground of safety. If Noah had not beleeued, he had not feared; if he had not fea­red, he had not prepared an Arke; if an Arke had not beene prepared he had perished. But now his Arke saues him; out of fayth and feare hee builds his Arke. And this is it God lookes for at our hands, that after so many warnings we should beleeue him. Noah did so; and though hee were warned by immediate Reue­lation, and in that regard had more reason to beleeue [Page 28] then wee haue, yet againe in some respects wee hau [...] more reason to beleeue then he had. For

1. He was warned onely once, and that an hundre [...] and twenty yeeres before the flood came; we reade o [...] no more warnings that hee had. In an hundred an [...] twenty yeeres he might haue an hundred and twent [...] doubts and questions in his heart, whether it shoul [...] be so or no. But we haue had warning vpon warning▪ seuerall kinds of warnings, and euery of these iterate▪ So that as God speakes to Moses in that case, Exod. 4 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. so it may bee sayd of vs. So that i [...] regard of the variety and frequency of our warnings▪ we haue more reason to beleeue then Noah had.

2. He was warned, as the text saith, of things as yet not ene; and yet he beleeues, there was nothing in na­turall course that presaged the flouds. He sees nothing till the floud begins, and yet he beleeued. Now in this regard wee haue more reason to beleeue than hee. He was warned of things not seene, but we are war­ned of things seene; we cannot say in this case as the Church complaines in another, Psal. 74. 9. We see not our signes: we see our signes, euen all signes of a flood that may be. Except ye see signes and wonders, saith our Sauiour in another case, ye will not beleeue, Ioh. 4. 48. it was somewhat yet, that they would beleeue then: we see signes and wonders, and yet wee beleeue not. Except I may see and feele, saith Thomas, I will not beleeue, Ioh. 20. 25. but when he did see and feele, he beleeued. We if we haue not lost our sight and sen­ses, both see and feele, and yet will not beleeue.

The people of Nineveh beleeued God, when Ionas warned them, yet forty dayes &c. The men of Nineveh [Page 29] will rise vp in iudgement against vs of this Nation: they had farre lesse reason to beleeue than wee haue, and yet they beleeued; we haue farre more reason to beleeue, and yet we beleeue not. 1. They had but one witnesse, we are compassed about with a cloude of witnesses. 2. They were warned but once, we haue beene warned vnto wearinesse. 3. They could see no likelihood of any such suddaine danger, they knew of no preparations abroad; they see no enemies begirting their City with a siege, they were a strong and a well prouided City; we heare and know of enemies, of potent and provoked enemies, and of their great pre­parations. 4. They were Heathens and Idolaters that professed not the name of God; we glory in our Chri­stian title and profession, in our beleeuing in God. 5. They were warned onely by a stranger, one of a nation held in suspition and ielousie. If some Spani­ard should now come into England and threaten it with desolation within forty dayes, what little regard would we giue vnto it. But we are warned and threat­ned by those of our owne nation, of whose loue, loy­alty, and fidelity wee can make no doubt; by those that pray for the welfare of the Nation, and wrestle mightily with God for the peace of it. Here is a great deale of oddes betweene Englands and Ninevehs war­nings, and yet Nineueh beleeued God, and wee be­leeued him not. We haue more warnings, they more fayth. The men of Nineueh will iudge this nation for their vnbeleefe.

How long, and how often hath God warned vs by his Ministers, and yet may they say as Is. 53. 1. Lord who hath beleeued our report? How truely agrees that [Page 30] to vs. Hab. 1. 5. Behold and regard, and wonder mar­uellously, for I will worke a worke in your dayes which ye will not beleeue though it be told you. It is iust our case, though wee heare that which may make both our eares tingle, yet we will not beleeue it. It is iust with vs as it was in that case. Act. 27. 10. Paul there giues them fayre warning: Sirs, I perceiue that this voyage will be with hurt, and much dammage not onely of the lading and the ship, but also of our liues. And so it proo­ued in the sequel. But v. 11. The Centurion beleeued the master and the owner of the ship more then those things which were spoken by Paul. We are warned of a storme, and that no small tempest is like to lie vpon vs, and that all hope that wee shall be saued is like to be taken away, and yet for all this we are readier to be­leeue any that will comfort vs with some poore sha­dowes of hope, then to beleeue Gods Pauls. Nay wee are worse then the Centurion, for he yet beleeued the Master, and the owner of the ship, and if hee had told him of danger, hee would not haue loosed from Crete. Why now the Master and Owner of the ship, he and not Paul alone tells vs of the danger. Our so­uereigne Lord the King in his Proclamation for the Parliament, and for the Generall Fast, giues vs to vn­derstand of potent and dangerous enemies, and their preparations. Nam ita cun­ctos sua crimina praecesserant, vt nec metuerent periculum suum praenoscebatur captivitas, nec formidabatur. Ablatus quippe erat à peccato­ribus timor ne posset esse cau­tela Salv. de prouid l. 6. If Paul, Gods Ministers, will not be be­leeued, yet let the Owner of the ship, Gods annointed, be beleeued. Faith would saue vs in this kinde. If the Centurion had beleeued Paul, Act. 27. 21. the ship had beene saued. Sirs, ye should haue hearkened vnto me, and haue gayned this harme and losse. They be­leeued it at last, when the forepart of the ship stucke [Page 31] fast, and the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waues. It is too late to beleeue when all is lost; it is good beleeuing when somewhat may bee saued by it.

2. In fearing, mooued with feare. This must bee a­nother point of wisedome to take warning so as to feare. The warnings of wrath should worke deepe impressions of feare in our hearts. Hab. 3. 16. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quiuered at the voice, rottennesse entred into my bones. Am. 3. 8. The Lion hath roared, who will not feare? And v. 6. Shall the trumpet be blowne in the City, and the people not be a­fraid? And yet people are not afrayd, though their feare would much conduce to their safety. This is the way to be hid in the day of trouble, Hab. 3. 16 my bel­ly trembled &c. that I might rest in the day of trou­ble. And Exod. 9. 20. He that feared the word of the Lord made his seruants and his cattell flie into the hou­ses; and so they were saued from the storme. Much might be sayd to this point, but I must contract and hasten.

3. In making vse of it for safety, and in taking a course for the preuention of those dangers hee was warned of, prepared an Arke. And this is the speciall point of wisedome aboue the rest. Prou. 22. 3. A wise man foreseeth the euill. That indeed is some wisdome, but that is not all; And he hides himselfe. That's the speciall wisedome which takes a course for safety a­gainst approaching euills. This is that we are to doe, and then indeed wee take Gods warnings when wee prouide for the worst. And thus it concernes vs to do now, if euer. Doe we not see a flood comming? Why [Page 32] then are we not at our Arkes? Why will wee wilfully perish and cast away our selues? When a flood cames, what would a man giue for an Arke then? Ah when the flood is come, what will be the miserable madding feares of such as shall not haue an Arke ready then? See their pitious condition, Ier. 47. 2. 3. Behold the wa­ters rise vp out of the North, and shalbe an ouerflowing flood, and shall ouerflow the land &c. Then shall the men crie and the Inhabitants of the land shall howle &c. The fathers shall not looke backe to their children for feeblenesse of hands. How deepe and weighty is the oppression of such feares, as make parents grow vn­naturall?

Quest. What is to be done then for the making of an Arke? How may we prouide for future safety?

Ans. For the making of an Arke and prouiding for future safety, there be first some things to be done by all in generall. Secondly some things by some in speciall. 1. Those things that are to be done by all, are two. 1. Humiliation and deepe abasement of our soules vn­der Gods threatning hand. So that here wee haue cause by the way to breake out into thanksgiuing, and to say as Ezek. 7. 27. Blessed bee the Lord God which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart: as to call forth the whole Land to the duties of Humili­ation that we may yet beg for our liues. Well, If e­uer we will make an Arke for the land, and prouide for our safety, this is the first piece of timber that must be felled and squared for it. They bee great things that Humiliation will doe if it be done aright. Iob. 22. 29. 30. When men are cast downe then shalt thou say, There is lifting vp, and he shall saue the humble person. [Page 33] He shall deliuer the Island of the innocent. Alas, we are downe, exceedingly downe from the ancient excellen­cy of former times. How now might we recouer the ancient glory of this Island? Let men cast themselues downe this day, euen downe to the dust, and lay their mouthes in the dust, in the depth; a truth of humilia­tion: and though it were ten times lower with vs then it is, God would say, Behold England is cast down, There shall be a lifting vp. What is our errand this day in these duties of humiliation, but that God would be pleased to take off present euils from vs, and that the future things might goe well with vs? And would wee now in good earnest preuayle with God in these things? Humble we then our soules seriously this day before our God. Humiliation indeed will doe the deed. See 2. Chron. 12. 6. 7. The Princes of Israel, and the King humbled themselues, and they said, The Lord is righteous: And when the Lord saw that they hum­bled themselues, he sayd, They haue humbled themselues, therefore I will not destroy them &c. And againe v. 12. And when he humbled himselfe, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that hee would not destroy him, and also in Iudah things went well. How welcome should that man be vnto vs, that could put vs into a course that might put vs in hope that all things now should goe well with vs? Loe here is a course will doe it. Our feares and dangers are exceeding great, but be they neuer so great, yet if we this day do all deepely humble & afflict our soules, & powre out broken and bleeding hearts, & buckets of water before our God, I dare be the man that shall promise you hope yet of sauing all. I dare the bold­lier doe it, because I haue a text for it. Ezr. 10. 1. 2. yet now [Page 34] there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now there is hope. Why now? There was praying, confessing, weeping, and the people wept very sore, they wept a great weeping. Yet now, sayes Shecaniah there is hope: as if he had sayd, though our danger is great, yet now vpon this humiliation, there is hope all shall bee well. As therefore wee would this day goe home from this duty with hope, so doe we then to the purpose; Let hearts split in sunder, rend to peeces, mourning and melting hearts in confession and supplication. Doe we as Manasseh did, 2. Chron. 33. 12. He humbled him­selfe greatly. Great humiliation will send vs away with great hope.

2. Personall reformation and amendment of our owne euill wayes and prouocations. Euery soule this day quit his hands of his personall guilt. It is the wrath of God from whence all plagues and iudge­ments come. Nos coelestis irae ignem accendi­mus, & excita­mus incendia quibus ardeamus: & rectè utique quoties ista ma­la perferimus, ad nos dici illud Propheticum (Isai. 50.) pos­sit. Ite in flam­mam ignis quam accendi­stis. Salv. de provid. lib. 8. They bee our sinnes that kindle this wrath; they be the fuell that kindle and feed this fire. The King of Nineueh saw this to be a speciall prouisi­on for safety from threatned wrath. Ionah threatens speedy wrath: he proclayms a fast, he enioines strickt abstinence from food and apparell. Would that serue the turne? No, he will haue prayer also added thereto, and not ordinary prayer neither, but crying prayer, nor any crying praier neither, but let them crie migh­tily. And would this serue? No, hee will haue more, he will haue serious repentance and forsaking of sin, and this not only of some few, but of all, let them turn euery one from his euill way. Now one would thinke nothing could be added to all this, and yet hee hath not done; there is one thing more behinde that makes [Page 35] vp all. Besides their generall repentance, hee requires a speciall personall reformation of their speciall perso­nall sinne, And from the violence that is in their hands. So well did he see the vanity of all the rest without this last.

2. There is something to bee done by some speciall persons. And that is by you that are now met in this great and honourable Councell of the Land. You therefore that are the great Senate of the land, vpon whom our eyes and hopes next vnder God and the King are; Bee ye entreated in the bowels of the Lord Iesus Christ to take notice of Gods many warnings giuen to this Land, and so to take them to heart as to take a course for the preuention of threatned and im­minent euils. God giues you fayre warning of foule weather, and of a dreadfull flood, that is like not only to ouerflow and goe ouer and reach to the necke, as that Isai 8. 8. but of a flood like Noahs, that is like to ouer­top the highest hills euen many cubits. The Pharisees Matth. 16. 3. were weather wise, It will bee foule wea­ther to day, for the skie is red and lowring, but could not discerne the signes of the times, as the face of the skie. Cast vp your eyes, you honourable Senate of the Land, and you shall see that foule weather is towards, for the skie is red and lowring. Ye shall see a cloud not onely as that 1. King. 18. 44. as big as a mans hand, but as v. 45. The heauens all blacke with cloudes and winde. Listen and you shall heare a sound of abun­dance of raine. Doe yee not already begin to feele the drops falling in your faces? We question not but your wisedomes discerne the signes, and the dangers of the times as well as the Pharisees did the face of the skie, [Page 36] and that you see all sad presages, and prognostications of a flood.

Now then so many of you as God hath called to this Parliamentary seruice, we haue to tell you what God and this Realme and Church with the distressed parts of Christs Church abroad, looke for at your hands. God hath called you together to bee the publique Arke-wrights for the safety of this Church and state. The eyes of these Dominions, and the weeping eyes of Gods Churches beyond the Seas are vpon you as vpon so many Noahs. Lamech when his sonne was borne gaue him the name of Noah, that is, one refre­shing with rest, bringing comfort and consolation; you see his reason of the Imposition, Gen. 5. 29. He called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort vs con­cerning the worke and sorrow of our hands, because of the earth which the Lord hath cursed. Now this is that we all pray and hope for, that this present assem­bly may be an assembly of Noahs, that this Parliament may comfort vs concerning the feares and griefes of our hearts, and because of the land which of late the Lord hath not blessed. This is that we all pray for, we all looke for. Now then if you would proue right Noahs to vs, such as may bring vs consolation, then for Christs sake fall to the making of an Arke, and there­by make your selues Noahs and Barnabasses, the bles­sed sonnes of consolation to this Church and State. Thinke when you sit together in your solemne assem­bly that you heare the State and Church cry out vnto you, as once Peter did to Christ when the winds rose, and the Sea grow rough, Maister, Maister saue me, I perish. So thinke you heare the people crying from [Page 37] all the quarters of these Dominions, Fathers, Elders [...]iue vs, build vs an Arke, or else we sinke, or else re­ [...]edilesse we perish.

Thinke as you sit together in councell that you [...]eare a voyce from all parts of the Land from whence [...]e be come, crying in your eares, Helpe, Helpe, or else [...]e are all but dead men, Exod. 12. 33. Present vnto [...]our thoughts the sad and disconsolate condition of the Church beyond the Seas. Thinke you heare the shrikings of slaughtred and butchered infants dragd from their mothers breasts to haue their braines dasht out against the stones of the streets. Thinke that you heare the sorrowfull and dolefull lamentations of ra­visht matrons, and defloured virgins in the bitternesse of their spirits, wringing their hands and rending the hayre from off their heads. Thinke that you heare the Church both at home and abroad, crying out vnto you, An Arke, An Arke, for Gods loue prouide vs an Arke. Improue all the wisedome of your hearts, and all the power of your places to which God hath now called you, to saue vs from the rage of the merci­lesse waters. Gods watchmen haue a long time cried, a Flood, a Flood, Gods people now crie an Arke, an Arke. Now therefore in the name of God fall close to the building of an Arke. Noah built an Arke but for the sauing of his house, what is an house to a Church? to a kingdome? to many Churches? to many king­domes? Noah built an Arke for the sauing of eight per­sons: what are eight persons to millions and worldes of Christ an people that are like to perish, and be ouer­whelmed by the mercilesse enemies of Gods grace? that make a noyse like the noyse of the Seas, that make [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] a rushing like the rushing of many waters, like the rus [...] ing of mighty waters. Is. 17. 12. 13.

Quest. But what course is to be taken, and what i [...] to be done for the building of an arke?

Answ. I will not take vpon me to direct your wi [...] domes, but since it hath pleased you to call me to thi [...] seruice, giue me leaue so long as I keepe my selfe withi [...] the bounds of my profession to aduise what I conceiu [...] may make for common safety. If therefore you woul [...] make an arke, 1. make choyce of good materials, wherwith to build.

2. Haue a care to goe to worke in a due manner.

1. Your Gopher wood or building materialls they be these.

1. The publique reformation of all such national [...] prouocations as haue made God angry with the land▪ Illud magni & singularis est me­riti, non solum ipsum labe non pollui, sed pro­videre etiam ne unquam alij pol­luantur. Procu­rator enim est quodammodo sa­lutis humanae, qui non tantum id agit ut ipse bonus sit; sed effi­care hoc nititur ut alij mali esse desistitant. Salv. de provid. 7. This must be the very keele of your arke, heere yo [...] must begin: all arkes that want this Gopher wood i [...] the keele will prooue but cocke-boates. Alas, wha [...] poore reliefe will a cocke-boat affoord in a storm [...] when the curst Euroclydon shall blow. A cocke-Boa [...] will neuer liue in a storme. All courses you can take for safety and deliuerance, publique reformation being neglected, will prooue but such Arkes, as that wherein Moses was exposed. Exod. 2. 3. Arkes of bulrushes▪ Alas, what succour will an arke of bulrushes yeeld in an vniuersall deluge? Doe what you will, what you can, yet if this be not done, nothing is done. There be three things that conduce to publike safety. 1. The ioint endeuours of the Parliament in plotting, and the people in praying. 2. Warlike prouisions and prepa­rations. 3. And fasting. There is indeed much safety [Page 39] in these, and yet if Reformation be neglected, there [...] a vanity in all these, and no good will they doe. See [...] in particular.

1. People may pray hard, and you may worke hard, [...]et if no reformation no safety. You haue a good gale [...]f prayer at your backes, there is a great spirit of prai­ [...] vp in the Land at this time; and I am verily per­ [...]aded that neu [...] any Parliament in this Kingdome [...]as more hartily prayed for. Besides we doe with all thankfulnesse acknowledge the great goodnesse of God to vs in you being reputed as wise and iudicious able house as euer sat. So that when we consider the earnest prayers of the whole kingdome, and the great wisdome of this Honourable Senate; I confesse they are as a valley of Achor, a doore of hope. Hos. 2. 15. We haue great grounds of hope of much good. But yet neuerthelesse let me be bold to tell you, that if there be no reformation of angring prouocations, all will come to nothing, and God will blast our hopes. It is much that prayer can doe; it is the locke and key of heauen, and yet it is little it will doe without reformation. It is much that wisedome can do. The wisedome of one wise man will do much. Eccl. 9. 14. 15. There was a little City and a few men within it, and there came a great King against it and besieged it. Now there was found in it a poore wise man, and he by his wisdome deliuered the City. Therefore what great things may a whole Parliament house of wise men doe? And yet neyther our prayers, nor your endeuours and wise­domes will deliuer the land vnlesse some course bee ta­ken for reformation. It will bee no better in this case with vs, then it was with the mariners. Ion. 1. 4. 5. There [Page 38] [...] [Page 39] [...] [Page 38] [...] [Page 39] [...] [Page 40] was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was li [...] to be broken. The mariners vse all meanes they can s [...] safety, they crie to their gods, they lighten the shi [...] and yet all will not doe, yea after they knew the cau [...] of the tempest, v. 13. the men rowed hard to bring t [...] ship to land, but they could not, for the sea wrought an [...] was tempestuous against them. So then neither cryin [...] to their gods, nor casting foorth the wares, nor rowing, nor tugging at their oares, will bring the ship t [...] land out of the danger of the tempest, till Ionas wa [...] throwne ouer boord. And so soone as that was done▪ see what followed, v. 15. They tooke vp Ionah, and ca [...] him foorth into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging. It is so heere; let all the people in the Land tug and row with all their might in prayer, and doe you row with all the strength of your wisedome in your Parliamentary endeuours, yet till our Ionasses and Iu­dasses the prouoking sinnes of the Land that cause the storme, and endanger the ship be cast ouer boord, till they bee reformed, there is no hope of bringing the ship safe to land.

And heere by the way let mee aduise euery Parlia­ment man that intends to further the worke of refor­mation, and in it to prouide for the Lands safety, to begin first with the reformation of his owne person. The worke of reformation must not bee vndertaken with foule hands. God will haue no honour from guiltie hands. God sends Moses to doe a great seruice for his Church, hee goes about it with a guiltie hand, with the neglect of his childes circumcision, therfore God would haue killed him by the way. He must first reforme his owne sinne before hee must meddle with [Page 41] Israels deliuerance. And when God raysed Gideon for the succour of the afflicted state of Israel, before hee must meddle with that worke, God sets him another taske, Iudg. 6. 25. he must first downe with Baal. That which the Emperor Sigismund once spake at the councell of Constance is a good rule here, one said in the councell, Oportet reformationem incipere à Mino­ritis, meaning the Minorite Friers, To which the Em­peror answered, Imo vero à Maioritis, meaning the Pope, Cardinals &c. So I say if you will goe with a right foot to the worke of Reformation, begin it A Ma­ioritis, that is, from your selues, you are are of the Ma­iorites of the kingdome, begin with your selues, your eyes will be the clearer, and your hands the cleaner for the worke.

2. Warlike prouisions and preparations will not do it without reformation. There be no such traytors to the strength of a land, no such vnderminers and weakeners thereof as are vnreformed prouocations. It is but a folly to trust to our strength so long as no re­formation. Thinke vpon that Ezek. 33. 26. Ye stand vpon your sword. As if he should say, It is but a folly for you so to doe, your sword shall doe you little seruice. Why so? Ye worke Abomination, and yee defile euery one his neighbours wife, and shall you pos­sesse the Land? Shall your swords keepe you in, whilst your sinnes cast you out of possession? Reformation is it must strengthen our Arme, and sharpen our sword against our enemies.

3. And what can doe more then fasting? and yet little seruice is it, it will doe without Reformation; Ier. 14. 10. 12. When they fast I will not heare their cry. [Page 42] What may the reason be? There was fasting without reformation v. 10. So Iosh. 7. deepe and harty was Ioshuaes abasement, but yet somewhat else was to bee done. Israel hath sinned, v. 11. and they must away with the accursed thing. There was a Babilonish gar­ment in the camp. What if there had beene a Babilo­nish God? what if a Babilonish Idoll? what if a Babi­lonish Priest? what if swarmes and crowdes of Babi­lonish Priests? It is not fasting that will make a water­light Arke vnlesse the execrable thing be remooued. Reformation must doe it. The way to ease our soules of all our grieuances and feares is to grieue the soule of God. Doe this and then there is hope of safetie. Iudg. 10. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from a­mongst them, and serued the Lord: there was reforma­tion. And see what followes. And his soule was grie­ued for the misery of Israel. And then God rayses Iephthah for their deliuerance. And this is the first thing to be done.

2. God we see is going and departing from vs. La­bour to reduce him, and to set him in his primitiue station betweene the two Cherubins the power and the purity of religion. If we haue sinne amongst vs, he is the one Arke in the world against a flood. His Name is a strong tower for deliuerance, Prou. 18. 10. main­taine that tower. He is a strong Hold in the day of trouble, Nah. 1. 7. make good that Hold. He is an Arke in the time of a flood. Psal. 32. 6. 7. In the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh vnto him. Thou art mine hiding place, thou shalt preserue mee from trouble. Yea hee it is that can preuent the flood, Is. 59. 19. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the [Page 43] spirit of the Lord shall put him to flight. Therefore as you would prouide for the safety of the Land, so pro­uide for Gods returne and residence amongst vs. Doe as the two disciples did when Christ made as though he would haue gone from them, Luk. 24. 29. They con­strayned him saying, Abide with vs. The common complaint is, that Popery spreads, that Arminianisme spreads, as these come in, so God will goe out; these will soone driue him out to mount Oliuet, take some course therefore to suppresse the growth of these. Let mee neuer prosper, if the State prosper vnder these. Keepe our old God, and our old truth, vnder which the kingdome hath enioyed so long and happy peace, and hath had so wonderfull victories and deliueran­ces. It will bee with new doctrines and nouell opini­ons, as it was with new Gods, Iudg. 5. 8. They chose new gods, then was warre in the gates. As ye loue your old peace, so maintayne, and doe your best to main­taine your old truth, the old way and the good way. The Lord is with you whilest you are with him.

3. That same is a speciall peece of Arke-timber, right Gopher wood indeed to make Arkes withall, which we finde Ezr. 7. 23. Whatsoeuer is commanded by the God of heauen, let it bee diligently done for the house of the God of heauen; for why should there bee wrath against the Realme of the King, and his sonnes? The way to preuent a flood is to preuent wrath, the way to preuent wrath and keepe it from a Realme is to doe for the house of the God of heauen whatsoeuer is commanded. There bee three things commanded to be done for the house of the God of heauen.

1. His house lies waste beyond the seas, miserably [Page 44] ruined. The God of heauen commands that his house be repayred. And God seemes to say now to you, as Iehoash to the Priests, 2. King. 12. 7. Why repaire ye [...] not the breaches of the house? Whilest Gods house lay waste, there was wrath vpon the Land. Hag. 1. 4. 5. 6. But when once the house built and repayred, then Hag. 2. 19. From this day will I blesse you.

2. He commandes his house to be purged, 2. Chron. 29. 5. Sanctifie the house of the Lord, and carry forth the filthinesse out of the holy place. For this filthinesse was the wrath of God vpon Iudah and Ierusalem, v. 8.

3. He commands an able preaching Ministery in his house. In this respect many houses of God in this land lay waste. Many congregations want Preachers, many Ministers want maintenance, and many coue­tous Impropriatours want conscience. They haue learned that language, Psa. 83. 12. Let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession. The God of hea­uen commands a preaching Ministery in his house, that cannot be had without maintenance. Denie the Leuites their portions, and the house of God will be for­saken, Nehem. 13. 10. 11. And yee shall haue those in their fields who should bee in the Temple. Doe this one thing which the God of heauen commands for his house; and you shall notably prouide for the safe­ty of the Land. Ministers of the word are the horsemen and chariots of Israel: we feare enemies, Horsemen and chariots will be good defence, prouide store of horse­men and chariots. How confident was Abijah a­gainst Ieroboam, 2. Chron. 13. 12. that Ieroboam should not prosper in fighting against him? What was his ground? With vs are the Priests of the Lord with soun­ding [Page 45] trumpets to crie alarme against you. But what safe­ty was therein? Exceeding much, for Numb. 10. 9. And if ye goe to warre in your land against the enemie, then shall ye blow an alarme with the trumpets, and yee shalbe remembred before the Lord your God, And yee shalbe saued from your enemies. The trumpets of the Priests were as good as all the swords in Israel. Would ye saue vs from our enemies then? Prouide that the siluer trumpets may be blowne and may sound in eue­ry Parish of the Kingdome. No such Arkes to saue from approaching dangers, as Pulpits well furnisht. How happy was the poore figge tree, Luc. 13. that had such a dresser of the vineyard that could dig aswel as beg. His mattocke kept off the axe. We are now in feares of enemies, and dangers; would we not be glad to haue our feares taken off, and to haue them be vp­on our enemies, that they might make no war against vs? Heere is the way to doe it, to prouide preaching Ministers in all places of the kingdome. Consider se­riously that passage of Scripture, 2. Chron. 17. 7. 8. 9. Iehoshaphat sets vp a teaching ministery, not only heere and there, but in all the cities of Iudah. And what was the sequele? That v. 10. And the feare of the Lord fell vpon all the kingdomes of the lands that were round a­bout Iudah, so that they made no warre against Ieho­shaphat. It is worth our noting, that at the second verse of the Chapter it is sayd that Iehoshaphat placed forces in all the fenced cities of Iudah, and set garrisons in the land of Iudah. And yet thereupon it is not said that the feare of the Lord fell vpon the neighbouring kingdomes; but when hee had established a teaching Ministry, then his enemies had a feare, and made no [Page 46] warre. Forces and garrisons will not make a kingdome so dreadfull to an enemy as an able and godly preach­ing Ministry will doe. Haue a care of this, and in do­ing this you shall do that which shall tend exceeding­ly to our safety and preseruation.

4. That is another good piece of timber for an Arke, Ezr. 7. 26. Whosoeuer will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the King, let iudgement be executed speedily vpon him, whether it be vnto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. There is a generation that will neither doe the law of God, nor of the King; who both by the law of God, and the King, are men of death. Oh that life might be put into those lawes, and iudgement might be speedily execu­ted, whether vnto death &c. The Romish Locusts swarme euery where in the land, and they goe about to draw away men from obedience both to God and the King. And these they be whom we may thanke for the increase of Popery, what wonder is it that so many are drawne into the whores bed, when there be so many Panders in euery corner entising men to commit for­nication with the Romish strumpet. Audite & vide­te in ipsis vete­ribus factis om­nia futurarum rerum signa & indicia. Inveni­tur Sara afflixis­se Agar ancil­lam, & afflixit cam graviter Sara, & fugit à facie eius. Ecce libera afflixit ancillam, & non vocat illam per­secutionem Apo­stolus, ludit ser­vus cum Domi­no, & persecuti­onem vocat. Af­flictio ista non vocatur persecu­tio, & lusio illa vocatur persecu­tio. Quid vobis videtur fratres? Nonne intelligi­us quid signifi­catum sit. Sic er­go quando vult Deus concitare potestates, ad­versus haereti­cos, adversus dissipatores Ecclesiae &c. non mirabimur: quia Deus conci­tat vt à Sara verberetur A­gar, cognoscat se Agar, & ponat cervicem. Aug. in Euang. Ioan: tract. 11. Lay the axe to the roote of the tree. Cleare the Kingdome of these frogs that come out of the mouth of the beast, and the false Prophet. Neuer thinke to haue your Arke wa­ter-light, nor to prouide for our common safety till iudgement be executed vpon them. It is no cruelty to call for Iustice, nor persecution to doe Iustice vpon such, vpon whom Iustice being done, you may procure mercy from God vpon a whole Church and Nation. It is worth your notice that after the hanging of the sonnes of Saul, 2. Sam. 21. 14. it is said, After that God [Page 47] was entreated for the land. The land for three yeeres had beene vnder a iudgement and there was (doubt­lesse) entreating of God for the land; but when they were hanged, then God was entreated for the land, and then it went well with the land. And as God will in some cases haue mercy and not sacrifice; so in some he will haue iustice, and not sacrifice. This day is a day of sacrifice in prayer and humiliation for the safety of the land.

Honoured in the Lord, God will haue iustice and not sacrifice, Prou. 21. 3. To doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Nay the doing of iustice is a sacrifice, with the sacrifices of your prayers and humiliations let God haue the sacrifices of iustice, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, and for such sacrifices will be well pleased with the land. It was zeale yet in the Egyptians. Exod. 8. 26. Loe shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone vs? How foule a shame for Israelites then, that they can suffer the abo­minable sacrifices of Egyptians, you are afraid that God may let in oppressing enemies vpon vs, you sue this day for mercy to God in that thing; execute iustice and iudgement, and then may yee pray as Da­uid did, Psal. 119. 121. I haue done iudgement and iustice, leaue me not to mine oppressors. And so I haue done with the materials of your Arke, the particulars whereby our safety may be procured.

2. The manner followes how yee should build this Arke. That stands in these things, Goe to worke.

1. With a spirit of concord and vnitie. The Churches haue lost too much already by disunion. [Page 48] My praier and hearty desire is that it may be with both the houses of this present Assembly, as God promises to doe with the two houses of Israel and Iudah, Ezek. 37. 19. that the Lord would make them one in his hand. And wee shall see elsewhere the mischiefe of it when these two, were two, Zech. 11. 7. There were two staues, of Beauty and of Binders. That staffe of Binders was none other but the bond of vnity, by which the two houses of Iudah and Israel were knit together. God breakes the staffe of Binders, v. 14. and the brotherhood breakes, So Iunius ex­pounds it. and then v. 15. 16. followes the threatning of sending into the land forreine and Romane Gouer­nours that should eat the flesh of the fat, and teare their clawes in pieces. See the mischiefe of a spirit of peruersities, Is. 19. 14. 16. 17. making way for the ru­ine of Egypt. Be it therefore the vtmost of your cares and wisdomes to keepe the staffe of Binders vnbroken. Knit together in and for God to doe him and his Church all possible seruice.

2. Set vpon the worke with speede. As Christ spake to Iudas in a case of taking away life, so I say to you in the case of sauing the life of the state. That which ye doe, doe quickly. It is high time that the Arke were already made. It will be too late to build Arkes when the waters are broke in: you had need doe in this case as Aaron did in that Numb. 16. 46. Goe quickly, for wrath is gone out.

3. Goe to worke thorowly, and substantially; make sure worke: God bid Noah pitch his Arke within, and without. Hee bestowed a great deale of time in building it, he made an huge vessell, but if he had not pitcht it well within, and without hee had lost all his [Page 49] cost and labour; both his Arke and himselfe had been cast away. Therefore God appoints him Copher as well as Gopher; pitch, as well as Pine or Cedar trees.

4. Goe to worke couragiously. Betray not the State and Church with any carnall and base feares. If I be bereaued of my children I am bereaued was Iaa­ [...]bs conclusion. If I perish, I perish, was Esthers reso­ [...]tion. Let the same be yours also. It is better to pe­rish for a Kingdome, than with a Kingdome. If the Kingdome perish who can hope to escape? If the publike wracke, who can hope to saue his priuate [...]ake? It is a folly when the whole Ship is in danger so to take care for ones priuate cabin, as not to put ones selfe in danger to saue the Ship. If the Ship drowne, what becomes of the cabins then? I say no more but as 2. Chron. 19. 11. Deale couragiously, and the Lord will be with the good. Thus we see the ma­terialls wherewith, and the manner how this sauing Arke must be built. Now the Lord giue all you, our Noahs and Parliament Arke-wrights, hearts to say as Nebemiah spake of building the wall of Ierusalem. Nehem. 2. 20. The God of heauen hee will prosper vs, therefore wee his seruants will arise and build. You his seruants take notice of Gods fayre warnings, take notice of our feares and dangers, take notice of the hopes and expectations of the Church at home and abroad, take notice of the eyes of the kingdome, and of all Christendome that are vpon you, Doe you a­rise and build, and the God of heauen prosper you.