Die Jovis, 13. Martii. 1644.

IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament as­sembled, that this House doth give thanks to Master Arrowsmith, for his great pains taken in the Sermon hee preached on the 12 of this instant March in Christ-Church London, before the Members of both Houses of Parliament: and giving thanks to Almighty God for his blessing to the Parliament, for their late good success at Shrewsbury and Weymouth. And that the said Master Arrowsmith is hereby desired to print and publish his Sermon, which is not to be printed or reprinted by any, but by authority under his hand.

John Brown, Cler. Parl.

Die Jovis, 13. Martii. 1644.

ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament that Master Solicitor and Master Nicholas, doe from this House return thanks to Master Arrowsmith, and Master Vines, for the great pains they tooke in the Ser­mons they preached at the intreaty of both Houses at Christ-Church yesterday (being a day appointed for publike thanksgiving) and that they doe intreat them to print their Sermons. And it is Ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons, but whom they shall li­cense under their hands writing.

H. Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.

I appoint Samuel Man to print my Sermon.

John Arrowsmith.

ENGLANDS EBEN-EZER OR, STONE of HELP.

Set up in thankfull acknowledgment of the LORDS having helped us hitherto.

More especially, For a memoriall of that help, which the PARLIAMENTS Forces lately received at Shrewsbury, Weymouth, and elsewhere.

IN A SERMON Preached to both the Honorable Houses of PARLIAMENT, (the Lord Major and Aldermen of the Citie of LONDON, being present) at Christ-Church LONDON, upon the late solemne day of Thanksgiving: March 12.

By JOHN ARROWSMITH, B. D. Published by Order of both Houses.

Hos. 13. 11.
O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe, but in me is thine help.
2 Chron. 14. 11.
Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power. Help us O Lord our God, for we rest on thee: and in thy name goe we out against this multitude. O Lord thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

LONDON, Printed by ROBERT LEYBURN, for SAMUEL MAN, dwelling in PAULS Church-yard, at the signe of the SWAN. 1645.

To the right HONORABLE, the LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.

THe Glorious Temple had a beautifull gate. Hag. 1. 9. Such is a Gratulatory Epistle to a Sermon of Thanksgiving.Acts 3. 10. Our Estates and Liberties blesse your Honours. Religi­on and Learning do no lesse: I shall therefore here men­tion a few of the many good offices done for them.

Whereas the publike worship of God was much embased,Is. 1. 25. you have been carefull to take away the glittering tin of specious Ceremonies, together with the ugly drosse of known Superstition.Gal. 6. [...]2. Let popish Spi­rus bewaile the want of making a fair shew in the flesh, which so many desire; let them cry out, and say, There is not so much State and bravery in the service of God, as heretofore: I dare be bold to tell the World,Vitulus aureus occidit, Serpen [...] aeneus sanat. that much more holinesse will be found in your brasen Serpent, then ever was in their golden Calf. It is not long since Chri­stians of the greatest zeale were iniured by certain Sons of Levi even as of old the sons of Eli, 1 Sam. 2. 12, 13, 14. with their flesh-hock of three teeth, offered violence to the people, when they came to offer sacrifice. You have wre­sted from them their flesh-book, and broken the three teeth thereof, which were illegall Canons, ensnaring Oaths, and rigorous High Commission-censures. Not long since Professors in England, Amnon-like, were lean from day to day, 2 Sam. 13. 4. by reason of the love they bare to Romish fopperies, as he to Tamar, (many affecting the garbe of Rome in their most solemne worship,Ver. 6. 7. 14. as Amnon pretended to lorg for meat of Tamars dressing: Others proceeding, as he did with her; to a car­nall knowledge of that Whore.) But after your happy assembling, the hand of God wrought an happy change in their hearts,Ver. 15. 17, 18. and made them generally hate this Tamar, as much and more then ever they loved her. You have now not onely turned her out, but boulted the doore by an holy Covenant, to endeavour the extirpation of Popery [Page] and Superstition. Not long, since there were many pens and tongues fully employed in decrying the Lords day, and disputing against the morality of the fourth Commandement. An employment to be for ever abhord;Gen 7. 2, with Chap. 8. 20. because as Noah tooke to himselfe clean beasts by sevens, six for propagation, the seventh for sacrifice, which was according­ly offered up, at his comming out of the Ark: So the Lord who al­lows us six da [...]es for civill affaires; would have the seventh sacrifi­ced to himselfe as an whole burnt offering. Yet, as Antiochus took a­way the daily sacrifice, these men had almost taken from us the Sacri­fice of days; but you have restored it, by a most pious and wholsome Ordinance,April 1644. according to the good hand of God upon you. And where­as one of the breasts of our common Mother▪ hath been dried up of late, or rather yielded much bloud instead of milke; you have al­ready made some, and (we hope) are about to make further provision for the other, lest the coal which is left us be quenched, as the wo­man of Tekoah said to David; 2 Sam. 14. 7. lest Cambridge become as a cottage in a vineyard, Is. 1. 8. as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers.

After such high and holy services, be it far, exceeding far from you all to dishonour him who hath said ye are Gods, Psal. 82. 6. by an ungodly conver­sation: If it be not, if any root of bitternesse, do spring up hereafter in either House, I shall crave leave to represent the danger thereof as in a parable. A certain Priest having to doe with a great men that was resolute in sin, yet desirous of absolution, and perceiving be did not understand the latine tongue, instead of absolving him, said as followeth.Gerhard. L. C. Dominus Noster Jesus Christus, Ioc. de Poenis. § 117. teabsolvat, si vult; & remittat tibi peccata tua, quod ego non credo; & perducat te ad vitam aeternam, quod est impossibile, My Lords and Gentlemen, the parable be to them that hate you, and the interpretation thereof to the sworn enemies of Jesus Christ. That not so much as one of you, who continue members at this day, will at anytime prove a stone of offence, by the errors of his iudgement, or irregularities of his life; that every one will become an Eben-Ezer, a stone of help, in that sense wherein Joseph is called the sheepherd, Gen. 49. 24. the stone of Israel, is the hope, and shall be the prayer of

A worthlesse but willing servant of Christ, his Church, and your Honours John Arrowsmith.

A SERMON Preached to both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, at Christ-Church London, upon the late solemne day of Thanksgiving, Mar. 12. 1644.

1 SAM. 7. 12.‘Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.’

GReat conjunctions of heavenly bodies are usually attended with notable changes. I am full of hope (right Ho­norable and worthy Senators of the Kingdome, and of the City) that your present conjunction will operate much to our future advantage. Verily, tis a blessed sight, now when England is melting in a furnace of civill war, to behold the Parliament and London running thus into one wedg, and meeting to magnifie God together. It put me in minde of what we read in Psal. 122. 3, 4. Ierusalem is builded as a City that is compact together, whi­ther the Tribes goe up, the Tribes of the Lord unto the testi­mony [Page 2] of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. This is our Jerusalem, hither are the Tribes come up to day, the representative Tribes of the Land, and that for no other end but to give thanks; to prepare an habitation for him who is said to inhabit the prayses of Israel, Psal. 22. 3.

I have pitched upon a Text affording many choice materials for such a structure, if a wise Master-builder had it in hand. But the plaine truth is, tis a worke more fit for Angels then men: praysing of God is their trade; we are all but bunglers at it. Yet because even the little children to whom Iohn writes have leave to lisp & stam­mer out the prayses of their heavenly Father; in obedi­ence to his and your commands I shall set upon the du­ty, hoping for assistance from him, and attention from you.

Satans first designe is to hinder men from holy duties, his next to create disturbances in them. Israel being here met to fast and reform, Satan stirs up the Lords of the Philistims, to bring into the field against them a formi­dable Armie. The Lord of Hosts fights for his people, puts their enemies to the rout, and enables them to pur­sue the victory.

Then Samuel took a stone, to wit, after the men of Israel had gone out of Mizpeh, the place of their abode when the enemy set upon them, and pursued the Philistims, & smit­ten them untill they came under Bethcar, the place of their retreat: ver. 11. And set it between Mizpeh and Shen, Iu­nius reads it between Mizpeh and that rock, conceiving Bethcar (of which before) to be the proper name of a Rock,See Doctor Willet upon this place. and knowing Shen to be elswhere taken in such a sense, 1 Sam. 14. 4. And called the name thereof Eben-Ezer: Eben, signifies a Stone, Ezer help. To the end, [Page 3] that if Israel should be silent, this stone might speak the goodnesse of God, this lapis adjutorii, reminde them of the mercie received between these two places, Samuel not onely imposes the name, but adds the reason of it, saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

So as here we have

  • 1 The Monument, a stone set up in a fitting place, and named Eben-ezer.
  • 2 The Motto, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
  • 3 The mannager of the work, Samuel the Prophet, and Judge of Israel at this time.

Which three parts, will naturally yield three observa­tions sutable to the present businesse.

  • 1 That the Churches helpe is from the Lord.
  • 2 That the Churches duty is to commemorate help re­ceived.
  • 3 That principall men, are to have a principall hand in the duty of praysing God for his help.

The truth of the first of these observations, viz.

That the Churches help is from the Lord,Obs 1. appears by Psal. 121. 1, 2. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence commeth my help, my help commeth from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. It comes two ways.

1 Immediately, from himselfe alone. The Lord of­ten raiseth help to his people, as he framed the world, out of nothing; and is therefore said to create it. Be ye glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Ierusalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy, Isa. 65. 18. Whom had Christ to cooperate with him in the work of our redemption? He alone helped us out of hell,Glass. onomat. of which some understand that in Isa. 63. 5. I looked and there was none to help, p. 445. therefore my own arme brought salvation. Psal. 118. 22. This stone which the builders refused [Page 4] is the true Eben-ezer, not a monument but an efficient of help, such help as no created strength could have admi­nistred; for should all the Angels of heaven bring their perfections into one, it would not make a ransome suf­ficient for one soul. The Holy Ghost in like manner, when we know not what to pray for as we ought, is graci­ously pleased to help our infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. when we stick fast in the mirie dungeon of sin and ignorance, he vouchsafeth to let down drawing cords of love for the helping of us out,Gratia repara­trix bonam vo­lantatem inspi­rat ut sit; dein­de bon [...]e volun­tati aspirat, ut moveatur: pri­mùm operatur eam, deinde per eam. Hugo de Sanct. Vict. as Ebedmelech did to Ieremie. The work of conversion is wholy his. He first bretahs a good will into the soule causing it to be, then breathes upon that will in the soule causing it to move, works it first, and then works by it. Hence is it that some of those who assert the efficacie of his grace, entitle their books de Auxiliis, of helps. Yet, me thinks, the word comes far short of ex­pressing it fully, the Spirits concurrence being such, as is not onely assistant to us,Non intelligit divina beneficia qui se tantum­m [...]du à Deo iu­variputat. La­ctant. de salsa relig. l. 1. c. 11. but operative of all in us. A consideration that moved Lactantius to taxe the hea­thens, for giving the chiefe of all their gods no higher title than of Iupiter, resolving it into Iuvans pater, a help­ing father. That man (saith he) understands not the in­fluence of God, that looks at him onely as an helper.

But so scant is the language of man, [...]. Basil. when applyed to the things of God (whom to apprehend is difficult, to utter impossible) that for want of a better term, even we Christians, must be forced to content our selves with this of help.

2 Mediately by the creatures whether visible or in­visible, or of a mixt and middle nature. The Lord helps by all these.

1 By visible creatures. As when he rained hailstones from heaven upon the Amorites, Ios. [...]0 11. slaying more with them [Page 5] then the children of Israel did with the sword: Iudg. 5. 20, 21. when the stars in their courses fought against Sisera, and the river Kishon swept his souldiers away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. When the sea gave way, the rock gave water, and the heavens gave bread to Israel. When both fire, and water, and air, took our part against the Spani­ards in 88, which furnished the General of their forces at his return (after the defeat of that Armado, which by thē ­selves was styled Invincible) with this excuse, That his master sent him to combate not with elements but with men.

2 By invisible. Such are the Angels, whom the Lord hath appointed to encampe round about them that feare him,Psal. 34 7. and to become ministring Spirits to the heirs of sal­vation.Heb. 1. last. O the bowels of our God!Mittis unigeni­tnm, immittis Spiritum; & ne quid vacet in coel [...]stibus ab opere sollicitu­di us, Angelos mittis in mine­sterium. Bern. The Father sends his Son to redeem us, the Father and Son send the Holy Ghost to comfort us, and, that whole heaven may be set on worke for the Churches help, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost send the good Angels to watch over us. Manifold are the good turnes which these invisible helpers doe us, though wee take notice but of few. If Daniel be to be rescued from the hungry Lions,Dan. 6. an Angell stops all their mouthes; Lot from the flames of fire and brimstone,Gen. 19. the Angels hale him out of Sodome. 2 King. 6. If Elisha be in danger of being surprized by a great host of men, a greater host of An­gels appears in his defence;Acts 12. Peter of having the work of his Ministery at a stand by his being kept in hold, an An­gell opens the prison doore, and sets him at liberty. If Iacob be in his way home wanting protection against E­sau, Gen. 32. the Angels of God meet and guard him; Elias in the Wildernesse wanting meat,1 King. 19. an Angell turns Sewer and serves it in;Acts 27. Paul in a storme wanting comfort, an Angell stands by and cheers him.Luk. 10. If Lazarus give up the ghost, the Angels take his departing soul, and carry [Page 6] it into Abrahams bosome. Suppose the son and heire of a King returning from his travell in forreigne parts, the Master of the Ceremonies meets him at the Port where he landeth, conducts him to Court, and leaves him in his fathers presence: So it fares with a dying Saint; he hath been travelling in this world as in a strange countrey, is now returning back to God; 'tis a part of the good An­gels helpfulnesse to meet him at the port of death, so to convey him home from thence to the enjoyment of his Father, and of full beatitude in him.

3 By creatures of a mixt and middle nature. Such are men, visible in their bodies, invisible in regard of their souls. Now there is no sort of men that contributes not more or lesse to the help of the Church; either freely, or against their wils by an over-ruling providence, turning that to the Saints advantage, which was intended for their harme. But two sorts are especially noted in Scri­pture for their helpfulnesse.

1 Godly Magistrates. When David was set up to be King, his Inauguration is thus exprest, Psal. 89. 19, 20. I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exal­ted one chosen out of the people: I have found David my servant, with my holy oile have I anointed him. Before Moses his pious government, Israel was as an helplesse child without a nurse: hee is compared to a nursing Fa­ther carrying that people in his bosom as a sucking child, Numb. 11. 12. Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldst say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom (as a nursing father beareth the sucking child) unto the land which thouswarest unto their fathers? No nursing father ever had a more froward child than Israel was, yet Moses held out; and might be held forth as a patterne to you, Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, had [Page 7] you not made him so already. I remember Austin in his Confessions prayseth God for furnishing his nurse with milk; and for giving her an heart to impart it to him, who had perished without it. Well may this whole As­sembly joyne with me upon this solemne day of thanks in blessing God for enabling you to do the work of nur­sing Fathers so well, & so long: as also for inclining your hearts (though you daily meet with frowardnesse more then enough) to undergo with so much patience the ma­nifold troubles of Church and State-nursery. May it still be continued to us! may fresh supplyes of the Spirit of Christ be vouchsafed to you when ever ye meet! that gasping Ireland, trembling Scotland, bleeding England may all have help from the Honourable Houses.

2 Godly Ministers. The Prophets in Ezra 5. 2. were Fellow-helpers with Zerubbabel and Ieshua. Theu rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Ieshua the son of Io­zadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Ieru­salem: and with them were the Prophets of God helping them. Paul styles himselfe and his Fellow-labourers in the Ministery, helpers of the Corinthians joy, 2 Corinth. 1. last. The request put up to him in a Vision by the man of Macedonia was no other but this, Come over and help us, Acts 16. 9. When he goes about to draw as it were an Inventory of the Churches goods in 1 Corinth. 3. end. her wel-gifted pious Teachers are made the Inprimis of it. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Ce­phas. Time was when such were very highly esteemed in love for their works sake, 1 Thess 5. 13. and had in honour for their helpfulnesse.Satius est ut Sol non luceat, quam ut non do­ceat Chryso­stomus. Insomuch as when Chrysostome was like to be silenced, the people cryed out, We had better want the shining of the Sun than the preaching of Chrysostome. When Nazianzen was taking his leave of Constantino­ple, [Page 8] where he had been Preacher, an old man was obser­ved to fall into passion, and heard to cry, saying, Goe father if you dare, Aude pater, & [...]ecum Trinita­tem ipsam [...]ce. and take away the Trinity with you, as if God would not stay after he was gon.

Yea, there was a time here in England some few years since, when the whole religious party throughout the Kingdom reckond upon their able and conscientious Pastor's as a principall part of their treasure, till some of late began to make it a piece of Religion to throw dirt in the face of our Ministers, even of the most godly a­mong them.

As when Sfetigrade in Epirus was besieged by the great Turk, Turkish Histo­ry, p. 321. a Traitor within (knowing how much the Garrison souldiers abhorred the tasting of whatsoever they deemed unclean) threw a dead dog into the well which furnished the inhabitants with water; upon the discovery whereof the souldiers chose rather to die then to drink: and so the City was yielded up. In like manner, now when the Church is so straitly besieged on every side, many otherwise well affected, begin to refuse the water of life held out in the publike Ministry; onely be­cause of that noysome carrion of exceptions and asper­sions, which some have treacherously cast upon the per­sons, the calling, yea, the Doctrine, of most of our best and ablest Preachers: The good Lord send some happy hand, by which this dead and deadly dog may be remo­ved, and all lovers of truth and peace brought to drink as before; that so the giving up of a goodly City into enemies hands, may be timely prevented.

Having done with the proof, I shall now in the ap­plication hereof present you with matter of Encourage­ment, of Terror; and of Advice.

1 Of Encouragement to the people of God. We have [Page 9] an Almighty helper on whom we may rely with confi­dence how many soever our extremities, how strong so ever our adversaries be,Matth. 16. 18. We may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can doe unto me. Heb. 13. 6. The keyes of Rome will shew themselves more potent then the gates of hell, if ever they finally prevail against the Church. Take a City besieged by Land, if the sea be open it may be relieved: block it up both by sea and land, yet so long as heaven is open, it may re­ceive help from thence. That's the Churches case when shee is at her worst. To one that supposed the Empe­rour would with all his Forces fall upon the Duke of Saxony, (who was the chiefe protector of Protestants) and demanded saying, Where will Luther be then? That man of God returned this quick answer, Aut in Coelo aut sub Coelo, either in heaven or under heaven; because he expected protection from heaven so long as he lived, and knew he should have possession of heaven when ever he died.

2 Of Terror to the Churches enemies. Know ye (if any such be here) that the league betwixt God and his people is both defensive and offensive, they have the same common friends and foes. If any shall set them­selves against God,Iudg. 5. 23. his people strike in to help the Lord against the mighty, if against them, God strikes in, and appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks. Isa. 26. 1. When salva­tion it selfe can be destroyed, then may you that are op­posers of Christ and his ways, hope to finde a succesfull issue of your undertakings. But if these walls be too high for your scaling ladders, these Bulwarks too strong for your batteries; then Malignants goe and get you some other trade, for beleeve it, you will never thrive upon this: You may for a time like Samsons foxes, carry [Page 10] firebrands sufficient to burn the corn in Gods field: but remember how it fared with those foxes. Were not they themselves burned together with the come which they set on fire? The course you take will certainly tend to your own ruine. for when you shall have endeavoured all you can to undoe the people of God, the God and helper of that people will be sure to finde out a way of undoing you, according to Zephan. 3. 19. Behold, at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee.

3 Of Advice to this Honorable Auditorie in two particulars. If the Churches help be from the Lord, Then

1 Let the Lord be acknowledged in all the help that wee of this Nation have received. The holy Ghost speaking of Victories is wont to ascribe them wholy to God, and though mention be made of the instruments, to carry the praise of all to him. Thus Iudg. 4. 15, 23. it is not said that Barak and Israel defeated Iabin and his host before the Lord, but the Lord disconfited Sisra, all his charets, and all his host, with the edge of the sword, before Barak. And God subdued on that day Jabin the King of Canaan, before the children of Israel, Also in Iudg. 7. 18. where we read of the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, the sword of the Lord is set before the sword of Gideon, as that which both gave the commission to Gideons sword, and enabled it for execution. Vaine men may imagine themselves able by their prowesse and pollicy to help and save a sinking State: but what saith Iob. Chap. 9. 13. If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe stoop under him?

Remarkable is that reproofe which was fastned upon Pope Adrian the sixth. He having built a fair Colledg at Lovain, caused this inscription to be written upon the [Page 11] gates thereof in letters of gold, Trajectum plantavit, Lovanium rigavit, Pareus in 1 Cor. 3. 6. Caesar dedit incrementum (i.e.) Ʋtrecht planted me, there he was born; Lovain watered me, there he was bred up in learning; Caesar gave the increase, for the Emperour had preferred him. One to meete with his folly and forgetfulnesse, wrote underneath Hîc Deus nihil fecit, Here God did nothing: because all three, planting, watering, and giving increase were ascribed to creatures. Beloved in the Lord, take we heed of say­ing in such succesfull seasons as this is, the Parliament hath planted by their Counsels, the City watered by their supplies, the Armies given encrease by their valour; lest we also be charged with an Hîc Deus nihil fecit, God hath done nothing in all this: because indeed, beside what he acts of himselfe alone, whatsoever is well per­formed is his work, though creatures have a hand in it. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. Isa. 26. 12.

2 Let the Lord our God be depended upon, and sought to in his own way for the further help we have need of. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercie, and finde grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4. last.

Here I shall endeavour to shew you three things.

1 That we of this Nation have need, great need of fur­ther help. It appears thus. There would not be so much strugling as there is in the womb of this Kingdom; so much roughnes, both of the sword and of the pen, if there were not Esaus in it as well as Iacobs. As when the Jewes were employed in building the second Tem­ple (the glory whereof was to be greater then the glory of the former) though the structure were not so magnifi­cent,Hag. 2. 9. because of the personall presence of Christ, who [Page 12] appeared and taught in it) there was a Sanball at, a Tobiah, and other adversaries to the work: So now at the ray­sing of this second reformation (which is like to have more of Christ in it, though lesse of outward pomp and state) many thousands are found to oppose it by force of Armes, beside the swarms of pernicious Sects, that like great heaps of rubbish lie in the way, and hinder the setting up of that building which in likelyhood would have prevented them, had it been erected sooner.

2 That the help we need, is much more then the best of men are able to afford us. Well may England cry to God as David doth, Psal. 68. 11. Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man. The Parliament hath already done what lay in them for the making up of breaches by the faithfull endeavours of their Commissioners in the late Treaty. Si nobis cum bo­minibus tantum res esset (tamet­si non nisi Cae­sares Reges & principes essent) nostro Evangelio illes mox vin­ceremus, ac vel intra unius anni spatium totum mundum con­verteremus, cùm tam clara sit veritas, &c. The Assembly doth what they are a­ble towards healing the saddest of all divisions, I mean those that the servants of Christ are engaged in one against another. Yet may it be said at this day, as in Ier. 8. 15. We looked for peace but no good came, and for a time of help, but behold trouble. Trouble not like to be re­moved by humane power and diligence; because all the forces Satan can raise, are resolved to continue it, if they can. Luther preaching upon that in Ephes. 6. 12. Wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud,Hîc autem Dia­bolus ipse regnit rationem obstru­ens, &c. but against Principali­ties against powers, &c. hath a passage to this purpose, Were we to deal onely with men, though they were all Kings and Emperours, we should quickly overcome them by the Ministry of the Gospel,Malus & ne­qvam host is est; in (que), uno digita prudentior & astutier quam universus mun­ [...]. and be able to convert an whole world in the compasse of one year. Divine truth would soon captiuate humane reason, were it not for those obstructions made in mens understandings and wils, by the workings of Satan, who hath more craft and subtlety in one of his fin­gers, [Page 13] then the world hath in its whole body.

3 That we are to seeke help from God in his own way. Be intreated, right Honorable, to consider the nature of the work you have in hand;Lunae radi is non maturescit botrus. and to remember that the grapes of Reformation can never bee kindly, and throughly ripened, but by beames of the Sun of righ­teousnesse: the moon-shine of created abilities is too weak for such a production. Seek we therefore to God for help; and see we doe it in that way which Israel in this Chapter took, and whereby they obtained the help in the Text: which I shall not wander from, so long as I fetch all my directions out of the bowels of this Story. Doe it.

1 In away of reall amendment. Samuel here vers. 3. exhorts them to that as they hoped for deliverance; they accordingly put it in practise, ver. 4. Then the chil­dren of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and ser­ved the Lord onely. By Baalim Sanctius understands their He-Gods, by Ashtaroth their She-Deities. Be they hees or be they shees, Gods or Goddesses, which had formerly beene worshiped, all are now put away. Israel gives them a bill of divorce, saith,Is. 30. 22. Get ye hence, Hos. 14. 8. what have I to doe any more with Idols? We also have had our Baalim and Ashtaroth; our prelaticall innovati­ons, popish corruptions, Arminian subtleties, Socinian blasphemies. It concerns us so to put them away, as to serve the Lord onely for time to come: which how any Nation can doe that gives an universall liberty to all kinds of worship, is not easie to conceive; though one of late have made his addresse to both Houses of Parlia­ment in behalfe of such a liberty.Bloudy Te­nent, propos. 6 I must professe for my own part that this proposition laid down by him, viz. It is the will and command of God, that since the com­ming [Page 14] of his Son the Lord Jesus, a permission of the most Pa­ganish, Jewish, Turkish, or Antichristian consciences and worships, be granted to all men, in all Nations and Coun­treys, was to me one of the greatest scandals I ever yet met with in print. O bloody Tenent! O speedy way of embroyling states, of massacring Churches, of erecting a Pantheon in every City! That of Omnium Deorum a­mong the Romans, of Omnium Sanctorum among the Papists, offended me lesse than this of Omnium Secta­rum from the pen of a Protestant. Sure I am One God, one mediator, one faith, was Catholike Doctrine in Pauls time;Ephes. 4. Delicata res est, non patitur ali­enum. and that Religion is so dainty as not to ad­mit of such mixtures. Be you also well assured, Belo­ved Christians, that in this case every variation from unity is a step to nullity: that if ever England (which God forbid) came from one Religion to all, shee will quickly run from all to none.

2. Of solemne humiliation. Such was theirs, Vers. 6. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord, Vid. Sanēt. & Trin. in loc. and fa­sted that day, and said there, wee have sinned against the Lord. These actions of drawing and pouring out water are by some thought to be hieroglyphicall. Emptie a vessell of any other kind of liquor, it leaves some rellish or colour or smell behinde it; as when honey, wine, or oile is poured out. Not so upon the effusion of water: which is therefore fit to signifie the pouring out of mens hearts in such a manner as to leave none of their sinnes unconfest, unrepented of. To make it more solemne, fasting is added to their humiliation, as that which helps devotion to wings. Chrysostome saith, that Prayer with­out fasting, is a souldier without a sword; able to do but little service. And yet of the two, fasting may be the better spared. I shall not be affraid to assert, that fasting [Page 15] ing without prayer is a sword without a souldier, able to do no service at all. With Israel here we should confess, as well as fast. A Nation or person become speechlesse is neer unto death.Quod bomo de­tegit Deustegit. If we desire to have the Lord cover our sins by his pardoning grace, wee must discover them in humble acknowledgments.

3 Of earnest supplication. I will pray for you unto the Lord saith Samuel to the people ver. 5. and they to him ver. 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistims. [...] is the phrase that is used concerning Elias, Jam 5. 17. He prayed in his prayer: we translate it, hee prayed earnestly: as if that which is not earnest were no prayer. They in Jonah 3. 8. are directed to cry mightily unto God. A whispering devotion is seldome answered with a loud echoe from heaven. Ask (saith Christ) and it shall be given; seek and ye shall finde; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Ask, seek, knock, there will be need of all three. Doe you want ablessing aske it of God, have you asked, yet still continue to want [...] seeke it out, have you sought, yet cannot finde: knock, and the treasury where it lies shall be opened to you. Was there evermore need? hath not peace taken her leave? doth not truth look towards the threshold? It would be most strange and ominous if the Church should not be found upon her knees, now when Rome and hellare conspi­ring against her: if when three Kingdoms are beleagur'd by Popish confederates, they should not be garrison'd with praying Saints.

4 Of lively faith in Christ, without which all the former are invalid. Samuel here vers. 9. took a sucking lamb, & offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord▪ thereby turning both his own and the peoples eys upon [Page 16] the Lambe of God, Iohn 1. 29. which was to come and to take away the sin of the world.Quicquid doce­tur, oratur aut vivitur extra Christum idola­tria est coram Deo & pecca­tum. Whensoever you approach the throne of grace let it be your principall care to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus: out of whom all our learning is but duncery, all our duties but drudgery, all our devotion but formality; yea idolatry, if Luther may be believed. Incense of old was a type of his intercession; bloud a type of his satisfaction, one of these was to cover the mercie seat, the other to be sprinkled upon it Levit. 16. 13, 14. He shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercie-seat, And hee shall take of the bloud of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercie-seat, &c. to intimate that from God no mercie is to be expected but through the satis­faction and intercession of Jesus Christ; no help to be sought at any time without eying of these.

The second observation, which I am now to under­take, runs thus.

The Churches duty is to commemorate help received.Obs. 2. See it both required and practised.

1 Required, Exod. 17. 13, 14. Joshua discomfited Amalek aud his people with the edge of the sword, and the Lord said unto Moses, write this for a memoriall in a book. Psal. 102. 16, 18. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.Ingratus est qui beneficium ac­cepisse se negat quod accepit, in­gratus est qui dissimulat, in­gratus qui non reddit; ingra­tissimus omnium qui oblitus est. This shall be written for the gene­ration to come, and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Should Scripture be silent, nature it self would read a lecture to this purpose. Heare one of her high priests; He is an unthankfull man that denies a beni­fit received; so is he that dissembles it, together with him that requites it not: but of all the rest he is most unthank­full that hath forgotten it.

2 Practised. Senec. de Be­nefic l. 3. c. 1. Behold, Saint Paul recording his delive­rance, [Page 17] from the teeth of that roaring lion Nero, in 2 Tim. 4. 17. The Lord stood with me and strengthened me, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. David his pre­servations, Psal. 31. 21. Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse in a strong City. It will be needlesse to multiply instances out of the Psalmes: seeing Hosanna, and Hallelujah, Benedic, and Benedicatur, God blesse, and blessed be God, prayer and praise epito­mize that whole book. I shall rather choose to hint you to some of those courses which the Saints of old took for the registring of mer [...]ies.

They had

1 Their festivall dayes. Such were the Purim, viz. the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same; kept yearly as the dayes whereon the Jews rested from their enemies, and the moneth which was tur­ned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day. These were made by them dayes of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. Hest. 9. 21, 22, 26. in memory of what the Lord had done for them, in breaking that snare, which the malice, pride and power of Haman had twisted for the whole Nation.

2 Their Eucharisticall Songs. As in Exod. 15. for the overthrow of Pharoah, in Jud. 5. for the defeat of Ja­bin and Sisera, in 1 Sam. 18. for the slaughter of Goliah. Out of all which instances if it be noted, that women were wont to beare a part in such songs (for we read of Miriam in the first, of Deborah in the second, in the third of women out of all the Cities of Israel) that observati­on will lead us to the right understanding of a place in Psal. 68. 11. mistaken by some, as if it allowed women to preach; because the word there rendred Preachers [Page 18] according to the old translation, [...] Annunciat [...]i­cum. God gave the word, and great was the company of Preachers, is a word of the fe­minine gender. Whereas the true meaning of Gods gi­ving the word is his affording matter of joy and glad ty­dings in the course of his providence; and the Preachers spoken of are nothing else but the company of women that published the same in their songs: as may be further cleered by a passage in the same Psalme ver. 25. The sing­ers went before, the players on instruments followed after; amongst them were the damosels playing with timbrels.

3 Their significant names. Which were sometimes im­posed upon persons. This course Joseph took to perpe­tuate the memory of mercies received by him in Egypt, Gen. 41. 51, 52. He called the name of his first-born Ma­nasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my fathers house. And the name of the second cal­led he Ephraim: for God hath caused me to be fruitfull in the Land of my affliction. The like was afterwards done by Moses in reference to what befell him in Midian, Ex- 18. 3, 4. He had two sons by Zipporah, the name of the one was Gershom, for he said I have been an alien in a strange Land. And the name of the other Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharoah. Sometimes upon places. Thus Abraham, when his Isaac had escaped, and a ram been accepted instead of his sonne, called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh, as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Gen. 22. 13, 14. And Jacob when he saw the Angels of God that met him, said, This is Gods host: and he called the name of that place Mahana­im, i. e. two hosts: either because the Angels appeared in two companies, one on each side of him, for his bet­ter security; or because there was now an host of Angels [Page 19] added to that former host of men women and children, which he carried along with him. Sometimes upon pe­culiar monuments erected on purpose. Such was Jacobs El-Elohe-Israel, Gen. 33. 20. Such Moses, his Jehovah-Nissi, Exod. 17, 15. Such also Samuels, Eben-Ezer in my Text.

Enough hath been said to convincemen of this duty, as also to inform them about it. The most proper way (as I conceive) to enforce the practise of it at present, will be to parallel the mercies of this story and Text, with those of this age, and day.

The first mercie we meet with here is the conventing of Israel at Mizpeh in a Nationall assembly, ver. 5, 6. Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and they gathe­red together. Abulens. & Ly­ranus apud Sa­lianum. Interpreters are of opinion, that the Phi­listims whom they were subject to had so tyrannized o­ver them, as to hinder all such conventions; least being ouce gathered together they should consult how to free themselves:Indixit Samuel generalia comi­tia Ibid. that Samuel notwithstanding had now called a Parliament, and got them to meet. What de­vices have been used in former times, one while to keep off, another while to breake off Parliaments here in England, hee's a stranger in our Israel that doth not know. I had almost said hee's an enemy to it, that is not affected with deep sense of the goodnes of God in cal­ling, and confirming (this which you all have the happi­nes to behold, and I the honour to speak unto) this bles­sed Parliament;Is. 22. 23, 24. fastned by a late Act, and made as a nail in a sure place, for the Kingdome to hang all her vessels upon, from the vessels of cups, even unto all the vessels of flagons, as the Prophet Isaiah speaks. Wherefore here, before we go further, let us set up one Eben-Ezer saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

[Page 20] A second mercie which this story acquaints us with, is, The Lords hearing the prayers that were then put up for Israel, ver. 9. Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him. Hath he not done the like for us? was he ever a God hearing prayers more then of late? Our devotion hath not had a miscarrying wombe, but been fruitfull in deliverances: neither have her breasts been dry; for three Kingdoms all this while have been nursed up in the bosome of prayer. The Jews were wont to stand when they prayed, and from thence men learned to say, Sine Stationibus non subsisteret mundus, The world could not stand but for this standing in prayer. But for it, Ireland perhaps by this time had not been at all, Scotland had been all in bloud, and England giving up the ghost. Each of these Nations may say for it selfe as the Psalmist doth, Verily God hath heard, he hath attended to the voice of my prayer: Blessed be God that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercie from me. Psal. 66. 19, 20. We may in reference to them all erect a second Eben-Ezer; for herein also the Lord hath helped us; both helpt us to pray, and helpt us to speed.

A third mercie is the Lords defeating their enemies, and that so, as to make Israel instrumentall for its own preservation, in the 10. and 11. verses, The Philistims drew neere to battail against Israel: but the Lord thundred with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistims, and discomfited them, and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistims, and smote them, &c. We are assembled this day to praise God for shewing the like favour to us in more then one or two places.

It may be observed out of Scripture that the Lord hath still been delighted in taking to himselfe a denomi­nation [Page 21] from some fresh and recent mercie.Gen. 14. 19. In one of the first ages of the world he is styled the possessor of hea­ven and earth; as having not long before made the one for his throne and the other for his footstool. After he had revealed himselfe by many promises to the Fathers he is frequently called,Gen. 28. 13. the God of Abraham, Isaack and Iacob. Exod. 3 15. & alibi passim. When he had newly broken the yoke which Pharoah had put on his peoples neck,Exod. 20. 2. then, I am the Lord, saith he, that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Having at another time deli­vered the same people from Babylon, he renews in his stile the memoriall thereof, Jer. 16. 14, 15. The dayes come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North. After the Word was made flesh, 2 Cor. 1. 3. ibid. c. 11. 31. the amiable Title which the New Testament gives him, is this, The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Col 1. 3. and elswhere. It is not long since he was pleased to crown the endeavours of our men of war with a tri­ple victory, that so with a threefold cord of love he might draw us to thankfulnesse. Let him therefore be styled, at least for this day, The God of our Parliament and of their forces at Scarborough, at Shrewsbury, and at Wey­mouth.

I am not able to parallel our success with theirs in all things. The chapter tels us of a defeat occasioned by miraculous thunder; here was none such: onely an artifi­ciall thundering on both sides, and that on ours blest to the discomfiting of our enemies. Yea our three Com­manders in chief, in those three fore-mentioned places, what were they else, but (to use the Poets expression) Tria fulmina belli? yet in two particulars they may be compared.

[Page 22] 1 Israels victory, which the Text relates to, was un­expected. They were met together at this time to con­sult, and not to combate; not to fight and kill, but to fast and pray; to reforme, and not to embattail them­selves. Yet now doth God give up their enemies into their hands. Tell me, was not the gaining of Shrews­bury unexpected by all men here? the regayning of Weymouth a thing which but few of us had in our hopes? Hath not the Lord in both these, yea, and at Scarborough, Is. 64. 3. done terrible things which we looked not for? Have we not received Weymouth especially, as Abra­ham did Isaack, Heb. 11. 19. even from the dead? may we not say up­on this occasion, mutat is mutandis, as the man in the pa­rable did of his son, Luk. 15. 32. It is meet that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; was lost and is found?

2 Israel got the victory, though the Philistims had the advantage. It seemeth by the tenour of the story, that full men set upon such as were fasting; armed men up­on such as were naked: Israel for ought we read, being furnished with no other weapons but their prayers and tears,Salian. Annal. and sacrifices. Onely when the Philistims were discomfited by the thunder they ('tis thought) took up the weapons, that fell from their amazed enemies, and with them did execution in the pursuit. 'Tis easily found which side the advantage was on at Weymouth. Were not our numbers inconsiderable? were not the few men we had well-nigh spent, and worne out with watching and other military duties? yet did they prove more then conquerors, by getting, not onely victory, but booty; recovering what they had lost before, and with­all possessing themselves of what the enemy had laid in. Let us therefore bestow another Eben-ezer upon this; [Page 23] and say once more, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us.

I hasten to the third and last observation, viz.

That principall men are to have a principall hand in the duty of praysing God for his help.Obs. 3,

Climbe we up to the full explication of this truth by certain steps: which are these. Every creature is made to praise God in its kind; Men are more bound to this duty then other creatures; Christians more then other men; Professors eminent for their places in Church or State more than other Christians.

1 Every creature is made to prayse God in its kinde. Prayse ye him Sun & moon, prayse him all ye stars of light, prayse him ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be a­bove the heavens: Prayse the Lord from the earth, ye dra­gons, and all deeps, Fire and haile, snow and vapour, stormie winds fulfilling his word, mountains and all hils, fruitfull trees and all Cedars, beasts and all cattell, creeping things and flying fowls. Psal. 148. 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10. They doe it accordingly, Psal. 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy work.

2 Men are bound to this duty more then other crea­tures.

O that men would prayse the Lord for his goodnesse, & for his wonderfull works to the children of men. Let them ex­alt him also in the congregation of the people, & prayse him in the assembly of the Elders. Psal. 107. 31, 32. The whole world is a musicall instrument; every string is so tuned, as to be fitted for resounding the great Creators prayse: But man of all visible creatures is the onely musician that knows how to play upon this instrument. The rest can prayse God but Objective, by being the objects of mans meditation. They doe all bring, as it were, their severall sacrifices unto him, and lay them down at his [Page 24] feet: he is the Priest that must offer them up for the whole Creation.

3 Christians more then other men.

That place in Psal. 65. 1. deserves more then ordinary consideration. Prayse wayteth for thee ô God in Sion. The Saints poure out their hearts to day in thanksgiving to God;Quasi dicat, he­ri elaudavimus propter bester­num be [...]esi­cium; hodie ex­pectat te laus propter novum & hod ernum. the next day, yea it may be the next houre there comes a shoale of new mercies: hee must be ac­knowledged also in them; and therefore prayse is said to wait, till the blessing arrive, as being at hand, ready to be tendred upon all occasions. According to the Ori­ginall, Prayse is silent for thee ô God: Coppen in Ioc. perhaps to imply that when the Saints set themselves to pay this tribute, [...] Tibi silentium. they are struck into a silent admiratiō of that rich boun­ty and grace, which supplyes all their wants; wonde­ring that the Sun of righteousnesse should vouchsafe to shine upon dunghils, and wanting words to expresse the goodnesse of their Master to such unprofitable servants. Praysewayts, silently wayts, and that in Sion. 'Tis due from all Quarters of the World, but it waits for God onely in Sion: None have it in a readi­nesse for him but the members of that Church, where­of Sion was a type. All thy works shall prayse thee ô Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee, Psal. 145. 10. Unto him be glory; but where? in the Church, by Christ Jesus, Ephes. 3. 21. Great reason there is why it should be so. For the Church is more indebted to God, than all the soci­eties in the world. They receive but drops of blessing to her showers. Ezek. 34. 26. I will make them, and the places round about my hill (meaning his holy hill of Sion) a blessing: and I will cause the shower to come downe in season, there shall be showers of blessing. No wonder then if the Spouse have doves eyes, Cant. 1. 15. [Page 25] Behold, thou art faire my love, thou hast doves eyes; lifting up themselves to heaven, when ever shee either eats a grain or drinks a drop: while the rest of the world have hogs eyes; devouring the acorns that fall from the tree, without so much as looking up, or ever conside­ring whence they come.

4 Professors eminent for their place in Church or State more than other Christians. I gave them the name of principall men in reference to Micah 5. 5. where wee read of Gods raising up against the Assyrian seven shep­heards and eight principall men, i. e. a competent number of Office-bearers to withstand the fury of the enemy, under Christ, who was their peace. Such are to have a principall hand in this duty.

1 In regard of the depth of their interests. They as being more concerned in the publique wel-fare than Christians of a more private station, are bound to ob­serve the wheelings of providence more than others; and to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in every turn. Hence are Church-officers called upon so expresly, with so much importunity, both in the beginning, and in the end of the 135. Psalme. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the Court of the house of our God, prayse ye the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing prayses to his name, for it is pleasant, ver 2, and 3. And again, in the 19, and 20. verses, Blesse the Lord ô house of Aaron; blesse the Lord ô house of Levi. Beza in Argu­men. Ps. 136. Beza gives a good reason why that clause, for his mercie endures for ever, is so often repeated; no lesse then six and twenty times in one Psalme. 'Tis done, saith he, to make it appear that we may not con­tent our selves with acknowledging mercie in the lump, but should take a distinct view of each single fa­vour: as the Psalmist there begins with the goodnesse of [Page 26] God in generall, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good. Psal. 136. 1. but afterwards descends to particulars, and to every one of them annexeth the fore-mentioned clause. For example, it well becomes us at this time, not onely to say in the language of that Psalme, O give thanks to the Lord of Lords, to him who alone doth great wonders, who remembred us in our low estate, and hath re­deemed us from our enemies, ver. 3, 4, 23, 24. but more distinctly, To him that blest our forces at Plimouth, for his mercie endures for ever; and prospered them at Scar­borough, for his mercie endures for ever: Who delivered Shrewsbury into our hands, for his mercie endures for e­ver; and gave us our lost Weymouth again, for his mer­cie endures for ever. This if men of the deepest interests shall neglect, who then will be found to doe it? will not God be a looser by this omission? yea, will not they be loosers themselvs, whose engagements to the Com­mon wealth, or to the Church, are such as that they must needs stand or fall with it, whatever becomes of other men?Super tribus consistit mun­dus; super lege, & cultu sacro, & Retributione beneficiorum. The Jewes have a saying, that the world stands upon three things, The Law, holy worship, and retribution. Now wee can make retribution to God no other way but by thankfull acknowledgements, which we there­fore have cause to be punctuall in.Aloys. Novar. Schediasm. p. 149. n. 99. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, Psal. 116. 12, 13. he alludes to the cup of blessing used in their peace offerings, which were always accompanied with solemne thanks to the most High for his saving health. Have you a minde to take the shortest cut to ruine? bee unthankfull. Expect showers of blessings from heaven no longer then wee continue to send up vapours of prayse: for as trumpe­ters delight to sound where they may be answered with [Page 27] an ecchoe; so doth God delight to give where he is an­swered with thanksgiving.

2 In regard of the height of their relations.

Who was the sweet singer of Israel, but David the man that was raised up on high? 1 Sam. 23. 1. The higher he was raised the more sweetly did he sing, and warble out the prayses of God, insomuch as, if the penmen of Scri­pture should come to be differenced by their characters, Solomon haply would be styled The Preacher of wisdome; Jeremiah the Prophet of lamentation. Saint John the Dis­ciple of love, and Saint Paul the Apostle of grace: but the style of the sweet singer of prayses must be reserved as­due to David, more than to any of them all. 'Tis a maxime in divinity, Beneficium postulat officium. Those whom God calls to the highest places, he calls withall to the highest services: and such is this of thanksgiving. Prayer is an high and holy duty, but (if it be lawfull to compare them) praysing will be found to excell it in some respects. As the martyr said when she was at the stake, Now farewell hope, and welcome love▪ because she was then going to heaven, where hope being swallow­ed up in fruition, was to have no longer being (For hope that is seen is not hope, Rom. 8. 24.) so may a dying Chri­stian say, Now farewell prayer, and welcome praise, for in heaven there will be no use of prayer; because all wants shall be supplyed without asking, or rather be­cause there shall be no want of any thing the soule can wish: but of prayse there will be use to all eternity.Revel 7 10. Saluation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lambe shall be the song even of those, that have ob­tained salvation to the utmost, by the Lamb with him that sits upon the throne. David accordingly seemes to have plyed this somewhat more then the other duty, [Page 28] though hee was abundant in both. He tels us in Psal. 55. 17. of his praying thrice aday, Evening and morning and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud. But as on purpose to put his soule in tune here, that in heaven it might make the better musick; he multiplies prayses even to seven times in a day, Psal. 119, 164. Seven times a day doe I praise thee, becanse of thy righteous judgements.

The Application hereof followeth.

What now remains, (O ye principall men, Lords, Commons, and Citizens) but that you be exhorted to have a principall hand in this duty of praysing God for his help; and called upon to doe what ye ought, both for the substance of the work, and manner of perfor­ming it?

1 For the substance of the work. Know and remem­ber that God must be praysed with your hearts, your parts, your lips your lives, and your estates.

1 With your hearts. Psal. 103. 1. Blesse the Lord, ô my soule, and all that is within me blesse his holy name: The deepest springs are wont to yeeld the sweetest waters: they are the sweetest thanks that proceed from a depth within.Gratitudinis ad animum tota ae­stimatio redit. For as Seneca well, the value of thanks resolves it selfe wholly into the frame and disposition of the heart.Senec. de Be­nefic. l. 4. c. 21.

2 With your parts. You are men of great and vast a­bilities; ô consecrate them all to God. The Spirit of man, Solomon saith, is the candle of the Lord, Prov. 20. 27. Suffer not your bright candles to burn downwards; imploy not your parts in the things of this world alto­gether, not at all in the things of hell; left they sweal quite away, without doing any considerable service to God or man. Great parts are like great Ordnance: if the Fort wherein they are planted bee yeelded up to [Page 29] Jesus Christ, they'r of excellent use against the Serpent and his seed. But so long as Satan holds the Fort, no men more mischevous to the Church than those that have the best naturall and acquired abilities; yea none in so dangerous a condition in reference to their own soules. I must be bold to tell such, as abuse their wits and other endowments in the service of Satan against the truth, that their lightsome candles will but serve to light them to hell; and their large parts to enlarge their condemnation there.

3 With your lips. Psal 16 9 with Acts 2. 26. Psal. 51. 15. O Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. The tongue is called a mans glory, partly because speech is a thing wherein men excell beasts; and partly because it is gi­ven him to glorifie God withall. Prayse and thanks should be offered up when ever we draw neere to him in any duty, particularly when ever we pray. Phil. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God, with thanksgiving. Expect no accep­tance of those prayers wherein there is not some spice of that.Oratio sine lau­de, est thuribu­lum sine prunis. Luther. Prayer without prayse is a censer without bur­ning coals, from which there can no sweet savour as­cend.

4 With your lives, for therein lies the life of thank­fulnesse. He is the most thankfull that is the most fruit­full Christian. There must be Gratiarum actio a doing of thanks. Else if our thanks be not accompanied with obedience,Iohn. 19. 3 we doe but play Jews-play with Christ; say­ing, Haile King of the Jews, and smiting him. Physiti­ans iudge of the heart by the arme; feele the pulse, that they may know the state of the vitals. How beats the pulse of thy conversation? according to that will God [Page 22] judge of the soundness, or sickliness of thy constitution. Would you render reall thanks? Remember what you have lately sworn, namely, to goe before each other in the example of a reall reformation. Ezek. 20. 37. The Lord had cau­sed the Land to passe under a rod, a rod that fetch'd bloud at every lash, before we would be brought into the bond of that Covenant Beleeve it, he that whipt us to it, will whip us for it, if it be not kept. The curses ingrost in that flying roll Zech. Ver. 2, 3, 4. 5. will be sure to over-take us, for swearing falsely by the name of the Lord.

5 With your estates: Honour the Lord with thy sub­stance, Prov. 3. 9. Christ will never trust Judas more. The Saints are now his purse-bearers; and from them it is expected that they should willingly disburse, [...],Matth. 21. 3. when ever the Lord hath need in his members: This is the duty of every day; especially solemne days of thanksgiving. Eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehem. 8. 10. That joy which enlarg­eth the heart at such a time should take away straitnesse of hand. Thanksgiving dayes should be giving dayes. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, saith Saint Paul, prescribing an order concerning the collection for the Saints, 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. Why upon the first day of the weeke? Chrysostome hints to this reason▪ because then in the use of those Ordinances that were dispensed on the Lords day, the spirits of Christians resenting the goodnesse of God more then at other times, would be more ready to give the Saints a taste of theirs. You that have this worlds good,1 Iohn [...]. 17. shut not up your bowels now, from those of Melcomb, Weymouth, and Plymouth, that [Page 23] need so much; and deserve so well. Let the considera­tion of those late mercies we have received be a means to open all obstructions of heart and purse, and to pro­cure mercie from you, for those persons by whom, and places where we have received them.

2 For the manner. This great worke of praysing God must be performed unanimously and cheerfully.

1 Unanimously. We should all glorifie God with one minde and with one mouth, Rom. 15. 6. which is utterly impossible so long as through difference in opinion and affection, that event is looked at as a crosse by one, which appears a rich blessing to another. There will hardly be one mouth, where there is not one mind: God will hardly be glorified, where there is not a sweet conjunction of both. Cleopatra dissolved an union of great price, and dranke it in an health to Marcus Anto­nius. Divisions are Satans Drinke-offerings: No such drinkers of health to hell as dissolvers of union. If my soule might have its wish, I should not desire, what Austin did, to see either Paul in the pulpit, or Rome in its pomp: but the thing I would beg should be Union. Next to a full and clear sight of its own union to Jesus Christ; my soule should long for nothing more in all the world, than union of the King to his Parliament, & of the godly throughout the Kingdom among them­selves. Who ever lives to see these things may sing his Nunc dimittis with Simeon, Luk. [...]. 29, 30. Lord, now lettest thou thy ser­vant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

2 Cheerfully, Psal. 149. 5, 6. Let the Saints be joyfull in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds; let the high prayses of God be in their mouthes. The birds chirp most in the fairest weather; succesfull seasons are joyfull sea­sons to thankfull Saints.

[Page 32] Yet because, as poyson conveyed in flowers is most dangerous, in that it presently takes the brain, so there is nothing more deadly than poysoned joyes: to the end your chearfulness may be kept within Scripture bounds your rejoycing be such and none but such as becomes the Gospel, I shall here present you, before I conclude, with a short character of Christian joy. 'Tis a spirituall affection that hath the Holy Ghost for its Father, Faith for its Mother, Prayer for its Midwife, the Word for its Nurse, Sincerity for its Keeper, and trembling for its Handmaid.

1 The Holy Ghost for its Father, we finde it called joy of the Holy Ghost, 1 Thes. 1. 6. They in Nehemiah kept the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, with gladnesse, and thanksgivings; they offered great sacrifices and re­joyced, for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy; Cap. 12. ver. 27. 43. Light is sown for the righteous, Ps. 97. 11. Spirituall joy is a light shed from heaven, it springs not out of ones own bowels, as the carnall joy of worldings doth; but is as seed cast in from without, and the Seeds-man is the Holy Ghost.

2 Faith for its Mother. Joy of Faith, so 'tis called, Phil. 3. 25. Beleeving ye rejoyce, saith Peter, with joy un­speakeable and full of glory. 1 Pet. 1. 8. In the ring of graces, faith is the diamond; joy the sparkle of the dia­mond.Phil. 3. 3. Heare Saint Paul, We are the circumcision which worship God in Spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Jesus. Holy men have their rejoycing onely in Christ; they are made partakers of Christ onely by faith. Such as de­sire to have joy as a flower blown in their hearts, must be carefull to water the root of faith; for from thence it springs.

3 Prayer for its Midwife. John 16. 24. Aske, and ye [Page 33] shall receive, that your joy may be full. Rejoyce evermore, 1 Thess. 5. 16. and presently after, pray without ceasing. as if hee had said, Cease to pray, you will cease to re­joyce; pray without ceasing, so shall yee be able to re­joyce evermore. The cheerfullest Christians are usual­ly those that are fullest of Prayer. After Hannah had poured out her soule before the Lord, her countenance was no more sad. 1 Sam. 1. 15, 18.

4 The word of God for its Nurse. [...]. Prov. 12. 25. Hea­vinesse in the heart of a man makes it stoop; but a good word makes it glad. A soul sick of sorrow is directed by the Word of grace to an able Physician. Upon Phi­lips preaching Christ, there followed great joy in the Citie of Samaria, Acts 8. 5, 8. Then Philip went down to the Citie of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And there was great joy in that Citie. Where the Priests are clothed with salvation, there the Saints shout aloud for joy. Psal. 132. 16.

5 Sinceritie for its Keeper. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicitie, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. They are the upright in heart for whom the light of gladnesse is sown, Psal. 97. 11. It comes up in no other soile. Any kinde of sin may nip joy in the bud, hypo­crisie kils it at the root. True joy can never breathe in an heart obstructed with by-ends. In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare (such a snare as will be sure to strangle his joy; that appeares by the opposition there made) but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce, Pro­verbs 29. 6. They in 1 Chron. 29. 29. were able to rejoyce in the service then in hand; why? because with perfect hearts they offered willingly to the Lord.

[Page 34] 6 Trembling for its Hand-maid. Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce with trembling. Do you lend an eare to this, who are members of the Ho­nourable Houses; for the Psalmist speaks it to such as are Rulers of the earth, Verse 10. Your affections should be proportion'd to Gods dispensations. His man­ner is to feed the Church with bitter-sweets: her care should be to mingle trembling with her joy. Be plea­sed to reflect upon the war which your selves have ma­naged, and consider whether providence have not see­med to delight, as it were in checkerwork; a white and a black, a successe and a blow, whether for the most part, ye have not had a white in the North, for a black in the West; or a black in the North (as at this day) to tremble at, when ever you had a white in the West. Wherefore rejoyce in the Lord at present;Philip. 4. 4. and again I say rejoyce: but do it with trembling to think of provoking the eyes of his glory, Is. 3. 8. whose power is able to confound us in a moment. Tremble, but with rejoycing to think how many pla­ces the Lord of hosts hath appeared for us in of late, as glorious in holinesse, Exod. 15. 11. fearfull in praises, doing wonders.

Now unto him that is able to do (and hath done for us) exceeding abundantly, Eph 3. 20, 21. above all that we ask or think, ac­cording to the power that worketh in us; Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. To him that hath helped, and doth help; in whom we trust, that he will still help us more and more, to him be prayse, and thanks, and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

FINIS.

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