WHen our blessed Lord went from Bethphage to Jerusalem, they that went before, and they that followed, and the very children in the Temple, cryed, Hosanna to the son of David, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Mat. 21.8, 9, 15. This Hosanna is a long prayer in a short word, compre­hending much matter in a few syllables, Ne sibi blandiantur verbosi oratores, (as Mr. Calvin speaks on another place;) God is not always best pleased when we make him the longest Orations. You may read if you please this long-short prayer (for so I may call it) in Psal. 118.25. O Lord, I pray thee save now; O Lord, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Some will tell you that this 118. Psalm was penned by David for the use of the people, when he returned victori­ous from the Philistins; but give me leave to say, when he returned from his long banishment from being hunted by Saul (another Nimrod) as a partridge upon the mountains; when the people had proclaimed him in Hebron, and Samuels unction had taken full effect, as in 2 Sam. 5. This appears to me by the precedent verses, The stone which the builders re­fused (Saul and his counsell, which should have been build­ers, but were indeed destroyers) is become the head in the [Page 2]Corner, the chief pillar and support both of Church and State. This was the Lords doing, and it was marvellous in our eyes; this is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoyce and be glad in it. It is therefore you see a Psalm of prayers and praises; and this Hosanna is a great ac­clamation containing both, even the same which they commonly used at all their Kings Inaugurations. When Saul was presented by Samuel with a See ye not him whom the Lord hath chosen? All the people shouted and said, God save the King, 1 Sam. 10.24. and when Zadock had anointed Solomon, they blew the Trumpet, and all the people said, God save King Solomon, 1 King. 1.39. It is so here; these people look upon Christ as the King of Israel, therefore cry Hosanna to the son of David.

There is yet more in this Hosanna, and it lies Empha­tically in this particle of the present tense, Now, O Lord, I pray thee, save now; O Lord, send now prosperity. This Now refers to what was past, as much as to say, we have hitherto been opprest by Saul and his Agents, common­ly styled the violent and the cruel man; but now we have a King of another nature, of a better temper, there­fore Save now O Lord, O Lord, send now prosperity. Be­sides those that hitherto we have had come in their own names, Saul was a proud usurper, David the true proprie­tor, and that by Gods own donation, which is here cal­led his name. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

And how well doth all this suit with our present occa­sion? Is not our David returned from his long exile and banishment? Have not our Tribes proclaimed him in Hebron? No longer hunted by any Nimrod we know? Is not this long refused stone become the head of our [Page 3]corner? Is not this the Lords onely doing? and is it not marvellous in our eyes, and in the eyes of all the world? It's surely the day which God alone hath made, no flesh can claime it, we have great cause to rejoyce and be glad in it; for we have hitherto been harrowed by proud, am­bitious, usu [...]ping Tyrants, this was their name. But now the Lord hath sent us a King in his own name; a name written in the Law of Nature, the Law of Nations, the Law of the Land. Therefore let Zadock anoint him, let them blow the Trumpet, and let all the people cry Hosanna, God save the King; Blessed be he that thus cometh in the name of the Lord.

I hope it is not with us as with those people when they cryed their Hosanna's, for the Text tells us that the Priests and Scribes were so displeased, and some of the Pharisees (never behind Priests and Scribes in this kind) said, Master rebuke thy Disciples, Luk. 19 39. I hope there be no such Malignant spirits amongst us, if there be (and 'tis possi­ble there may be,) for God never did a work so glorious against which some mens hearts were not imbittered, and their tongues viperous; not the Creation, witnesse the Manichees; not the Incarnation, witness the Marcionites; not the Redemption, witnesse the Socinians; not his Grace, witnesse the Pelagians; nor his wonderfull workes of Providence, witnesse our Modern Stotcks, Ranters, and Atheists: it may therefore be so here. But if there be, their answer lyes ready in the Text; I tell you if these should hold their peace, the stones would cry; God would rather give mouthes and tongues to the very stones, then lose the praise of so glorious a work, or (which is not im­pertinent,) were mens hearts flints or Adamants, such a mercy as the Son of David hath in it heat enough to melt them.

Honoured and Beloved, I appeal to the conscience of all Mankind, whether this our mercy hath not in it very much of a melting quality, unlesse it meet with hearts harder then the upper and nether mill-stone. To see a King, such a King, so miraculously delivered, preserved, restored, even by an out-stretched arme from heaven; To see a Languish­ing State revived, a dying Church quickned; To see Facti­ons, Schismes, Sects, Heresies, Prophaneness, Irreligion, Atheism, and (which is yet worse) Satanicall delusions, Fa­natick phrensies, that dark and thick cloud ascending from the bottomlesse pit which hath been spread over us these many years, so suddenly to vanish and disappear. And in the room of those ugly Fiends, the choise blessings of God, like so many glorious Angels, Peace and Settlement, Trade and Commerce, Government and Religion, Laws and Liber­ties to be re-established; To see all these cast upon us with the light of Gods pleased countenance in a generall con­junction, if not concurrence. without the least drop of the bloud of revenge; as if Esays prophesy were visibly ful­filled, the wolfe to lye down with the Lamb, the Leopard with the Kid, and none to destroy in all the holy mountain. And that which heightens all the rest, to see that God hath vouchsafed to such an unworthy people once more a King, and such a King as may seem to secure all other his favors, a King of the ancient extract from his Royall Progenitors, to prevent future usurpations; a King born in our Nation, and therefore sure must love the Nation; a King so emi­nent in his person, more then eminent for his most excel­lent endowments; a King whom God himself hath bred and tutored in the school of forreign experience, without the least taint of their religion, or vices; An excellent school for a King, and in his own house a school of afflictions, the best school any Prince can be brought up in: in a parallel to [Page 5]both these I think no History can afford. Is not all this enough to melt us into Hosannas, that have not put off humanity, and in the room thereof taken the Wolf or Tyger? There­fore if there be any that is otherwise minded, whether Priest, Seribe or Pharisee, Papist, Jesuite or Sectarie, God I hope shall reveal it to him also in due time; But if any be obstinate, let him be obstinate still. In the mean time let us doe our duties, and to this purpose let me beg your patience; I shall not abuse it I hope with any long or impertinent discourse upon the words of the Text, I will hearken, &c.

This Psalm is prophetical, and the spirit of prophesie sees as God himself sees, future events in their present ex­istencies. When Alexander the Great died in Babylon (ac­cording to the prediction of the Solar and Lunar trees in India) he divided his Empire amongst his Commanders, saith the Historian, 1 Mac. 1. by this means Syria came to Antiochus Epiphanes, v. 10.

Syria was ever an ill neighbour to Judea, and Antiochus was one of the worst that ever had Syria; no marvel then if there were great lamentation in Israel, v. 25. for he not only invades the Land, but also proudly enters the Sanctua­ry, robs it of all its glorious furniture, takes away the golden Altar, the Candlestick, the Table, the golden ba­sons, all the gold and silver jewels and treasure he could find, v. 21, 22. He that begins will sacriledge will easily swallow bloud; so did Antiochus, he murdered many a man, saith the Text, v. 25. He that will not stick at Sacriledge and bloud will make little of rapine, oppressi­on, persecution, and a wicked toleration of all religions; no more did Antiochus, v. 41, 42. till all the house of Israel was covered with confusion, saith the Author. This Epipho­nema, this Tyranny was very great upon the people of Israel. Credibile est, It is very credible, saith a good interpreter, that [Page 6]our Prophet in this Psalme speaks of the condition of the Jews under this Antiochus: and first he tells what this poor people did in the time of their great disconsolation; as chickens when the Kite hovers over them fly to the wings of the Dam, so these hope to be safe under the feathers of the Almighty: this was always their manner when they were afflicted, they sought him, and sought him early; this also the Prophet fore-sees, for he gives us a copy of their prayer, nay he pens it for them in readinesse against the time should come. This is usuall with Gods Spirit, to provide his people of set formes for particular occasions many years before they happen. Moses, Esay, David, Solomon did so, and our blessed Saviour hath given us a most comprehensive forme which may serve all our occa­sions to the worlds end: So far is Gods spirit from brand­ing set formes with lazie services. This prayer therefore must needs be excellent for the Authors sake, and for its own too. For in it they, First, thankfully acknowledge the goodnesse of God to their predecessors; he had been formerly favourable to their Land, he had brought again the captivity of Jacob, he had forgiven their sins, covered, or buried their iniquitte, and so withdrawn his wrath, v. 1, 2, 3. Then they supplicate for themselves, Turn us, O God; which is not meant of their persons by repentance, but of their present condition from misery, and therefore they adde, O God of our salvation, and release thine anger towards us. According to which the Latine doth well render it, Restitue nos, restore us, v. 4. Lastly, they adde a most powerfull motive after a most patheticall manner, Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou prolong thy wrath from one generation to another? wilt thou not turn again and quicken us, that thy people may rejoyce in thee? These be no saucy expostulations; as if they would either [Page 7]direct God what to doe, or chide him because he doth it not; but are vigorous exercises of their strong faith upon Gods nature and properties. Respicit procul dubio, saith a good Interpreter; Questionlesse the Prophet had an eye to Gods own description of himself, The Lord, the Lord, gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, abundant in goodnesse and mercy: Exod. 34 6. this was done in private only to Moses, yet by way of Proclamation, as the Text tells us, that all the world might take notice of it. And having thus taught them to pray, he teacheth them in the next place a farther duty, which is to wait upon the Lord for a re­turn. Here he changeth the person, it was us before, in the plurall, it is I now, in the singular: and the rea­son is, because this prayer was to be their publique or Common-prayer as we call it, (for such the Church of God have had in all ages.) But this waiting on God afterwards is a personall grace, by every one singly to be acted. Therefore having taught them what to doe in common, he now shews them what in particular; first what in publique, then what in private, even to ex­pect Gods answer to the publique: and sure Common-prayers thus used would prove the best prayers in the world. And in this our Prophets direction we have these three plain points.

First,1. their waiting upon God for his answer, in these words, I will hearken what God the Lord will say.

Secondly,2. the great confidence and assurance they have of a gracious return, in these words, for he will speak peace to his people, and to his Saints.

Thirdly,3. what God expects from his people whom he hath thus answered, in these words, But let them not turn again to folly.

Of these very briefly, plainly, and in order.

And in this their attending on God, we may observe in what manner they do it, which is with a settled, constant, persevering, watchfull patience; all wrapt up in the Meta­phor of hearkning, I will hearken.

We have also their disregarding of all other sayings, which doubtlesse were many upon such a case; some you must think vented the bitternesse of their spirits in rayling at Antiochus; some reviled his Army and instruments, some even curst those that being Jews yet fell off to An­tiochus and his party; some lamented even to despair, hope­lesse to see it otherwise; and some again triumphed at it, So, so would we have it: but saith the Prophet, I will hearken to none of these sayings, but only to what God the Lord will say. We have likewise the two strong supporters of this their attendance, Faith on the one side, and Hope on the other, much like Aaron and Hur staying up Moses hands in the Mount: Faith grounded on Gods power, he is able to doe it as being God; Hope upon Gods immutability, never failing his people as Jehovah: They expect, and thus ex­pect. Should I gather up all that might fall from this plen­tifull Table, how many baskets full might I have? but neither my leisure nor yours will bear it. I will therefore give you but one short rule, which may perhaps take in much of all the rest.

That our prayers should not be ended when we have made them: we should not doe when we speak unto God as we usually do when God speaks unto us; when God speaks unto us, as soon as the Preacher hath done the Sermon is ended with us, for we never think more upon what was spoken: it is so I fear with most men in their prayers; when they have done speaking unto God all is ended with them: And the reason is, because indeed they are no better then Papists in their Prayers, they make it their opus [Page 9]operatum, their work, task, performance, exercises, to im­prove their fancies and expressions; as if God had dele­gated his grace to the work of so often, so long. I beseech you doe not the Papists the same, when they number their devotion by their beades? Be not deceived, it is no paradox to say our prayers are but begun when they are ended, for our hearts that sent them out, must follow them to hearken how they speed at the throne of grace. When a Merchant hath shipped his goods for forreign parts, he hearkens day and night, inquires of every vessell that arrives, looks for a packet by every post. By our prayers we doe trade and traffique, hold commerce and correspondency with heaven; Have we not also a factor in those parts, a skilfull, carefull, faithfull factor there, even the Angel of the Covenant with his golden censer, even our Lord Jesus, to receive and improve our interests by his continuall mediation? Have we not also a promise, Ask, and you shall have, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you? We cannot therefore fail of returns, if we expect and require them.

Some perhaps will say, I have looked long, but never the neer; I have prayed and prayed whole hours by the Clock, the whole Systeme of Divinity at a time, but never had answer.

Consider, was not the fault thine own? perhaps the goods were shipt in an old, rotten, worm-eaten, leaking vessell; if so, no marvell if all be lost. Our hearts are the vessell, are they not old, made of the old man, eaten through with the old Leaven of malice and wickednesse, corruptions and lusts? if so, look for nothing. Believe not me; but the blind man in the Gospel; We know, saith he, that God heareth not sinners: Verbum est caeci nondum illu­minati; They be words of a blind man yet blind, saith S. Austin, & true too if rightly understood; for this blind man [Page 10]means, that God heareth not impenitent sinners, sinners that have so espoused their sins as never to be divorced from them: This he might see by the Prophets spectacle, When you spread out your hands I will hide mine eyes, when you make many prayers I will not hear. Here is frequency, many prayers; here is fervency, spread out your hands. God will not see the one, nor hear the other; the ship was rot­ten, your hands are full of bloud, injustice, oppression; if their hands, their hearts much more.

Or went it not out with too much sail, over-blown with pride, ostentation, vain-glory, as the Pharisees was, when in the Temple, Gods immediate presence, he scornfully over-lookt the poor Publican, perhaps because he had but little to say, but much in little, God be mercifull to me a sinner? We must know that it is the humble-spirited prayer that pierceth heaven, God resisteth the proud, and dispenseth his favours to the humble and meek. Or was not the weather ill, the waves went high, the tempest, as 'tis said of Jonas his ship, made her sides to crack? for our hearts are apt to double with God, we dare not trust him, being, as the Apostle expresseth it, double-minded; and then mark what follows, Let not such a man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord, 1 Jam. 7. As soon as Peter began to doubt, he began to sink. Or were not our prayers such as were prohibited in the Court of Heaven, wicked and un­godly desires? these may have returns I grant, but with ven­geance, not mercy. Or did not the end blast the work? we desire to have good things, but to spend upon our lusts; then we may ask and not have, saith the Apostle: Nay, were we not our selves our own enemies, we should seek to God only for God, else we set our selves in his room, and will God answer Idols? Or even those good things asked for good ends, yet hurtfull for us; and should a father that loves us [Page 11]give stones instead of Bread, a Scorpion instead of fish? Negat propitius quod dat iratus, God is many times more gracious in denying then granting: it were no heresie to say that because we are too well, like those disciples that knew not what they asked, we are bound to blesse God more for his denyings then for his givings. Or perhaps we may have returns and not know it; is it not usuall with Merchants to send for one Commodity and receive another? their Factor who lives upon the place best knows what will be for their profit; but who is our Agent in heaven will always send us what is best for us. Or want we not a sufficient measure of patience? a surly Suitor looks presently to be dispatcht, and therefore is many times last served, to teach him more civility. I think I may truly say we are commonly more rude with God then we are with men, I am sure it was so in Malachi his time, (go offer it now to thy Prince) and why not in this unnurtured, barbarous, and presuming Age? Last­ly, God may perhaps deny us for our selves, as he did David the building of the Temple, reserving the honour of that work for his Son Solomon. If therefore we would have re­turns, let our hearts be sound in themselves, disengaged from our most beloved sins; let them be sincerely upright with God, not starting aside like broken and deceitfull bows: let both the Request and Ends be answerable to him to whom they are sent; Ad Deos non nisi casta, said the Heathen, holy prayers should be directed to a holy God. It is therefore a good distinction of Aquinas, with which I will shut up this point, the same prayer may be good and bad, such as God will hear, and such as he will refuse; it may be good for the Petitions, Expressions, Delivery, but bad for the mans sake that sends it; a Wicked man, nay the worst Hypocrite may speak a good prayer, but Impius non potest pieorare, he can never make a good prayer, that [Page 12]is, pray as he ought to pray. Thus we must hearken for returns, and how God gives them is the next thing which the Text shews us, what God the Lord doth say. God the Lord speaks unto us now only by a double Voice; for that Filia vocis, as its called, Gods immediate commerce as with Adam and Abraham is long since silent, he speaks now, I mean as to mens prayers, by his Word and by his Provi­dence; he speaks by his Word in precepts, promises, Threatnings; by his providence in Events and Successes: Dei dicere est Dei facere, Gods speaking is Gods working; these two seem many times to us mortalls to speak contrary things, instance in Ahabs case, a day of humiliation is pro­claimed, fasting and prayer enjoyned, for the discovery of a blasphemous execution of Justice; if you hearken what God the Lord will say by his Word, he forbids Hypocrisie, Co­vetousnesse, Subordination, Oppression; if you will hear­ken what God the Lord will say by his Providence, Naboth must be murdered, his vineyard seised: hath his Providence answered against his Word? nothing lesse, it only suffered the Event, for the further hardening of Ahabs heart and the hastening of his destruction. Therefore when the Voice of the Word approves our prayer on the one side, and the Voice of his Providence gives successe on the other side, then God the Lord hath said; else the Turke may say, I have prayed against the Christians, and the Pope may say, I have prayed against the Protestants and curst them too, may not both cry out, what successes! do you not here what God the Lord hath said? Nay the Legion of Devils might boast of Christs favour, because upon request they entred into the swine, and choked them in the deep.

This point (Honoured and Beloved) fathers it self too well upon us of this Nation; we have had many days of solemn Humiliation and Thanksgiving, and have been [Page 13]thought to have prospered even beyond our own present desires; but we never I believe considered whether Gods Voice in his Word, and his Voice in his Works went toge­ther; yet it was easily discerned, for did we not fast to strife and debate, to say no worse? did we not fast to smite with the fist? that is too soft a smiting; I am loth to name the Acts of Wickedness: and when we gave thanks, was it not for Rapine, Violence, the shedding of innocent Bloud, and other horrid consequences of War against our neighbour-Nations, nay our own people? we should have hearkned to the voice of Gods Word, forbidding our Barbarous Inhu­manity, Even the selling the Righteous for silver, and the poor for shooes, Amos 2.6, 8. and not have hardned our hearts from the Voice of his providence: take it for a Rule, When the voice of the Word speaks one thing, and the voice of successes seems to speak another, look upon it either as a Temptation or a Judgment, even a leading to a reprobate sense, it is always so when God grants wicked men the wicked desires of their wicked Hearts.

Not to trouble you much, it hath been a long time a praying time, the Court of Heaven hath been solicited this many years pro and con, with much Preaching, Fasting, and Crying to; and now let the world judge whose prayers have been heard. Can it be denied that God did hear and grant the prayers, sighs and groans, hae sunt ipsissimae sanctorum Orationes, of the now instrument of his glory, and his peoples good, with all them that mourned in secret with him, even when he seemed to others to be most deaf unto them? and did he not reject all their Anti-suitors, even then when they thought and proclaimed to the world that they had been heard because of their successes? And the reason is evident, for were not their prayers contrary to the voice of the Word, to oppresse the Fatherlesse and the [Page 14]Widow, a man and his house, to subvert right, and per­vert Justice, and rather to Sacrifice whole kingdomes then their own Ambition and Lust? and were not those others according to the Voice of the Word, that the yoke of every oppressor may be broken, that God would judge the world in Righteousnesse, and at last require the bloud of his Servants? So that put the Voice of God speaking in his Word, and the Voice of Successe (as we see at this day) together, they make a full Answer from God the Lord out of heaven; and when God speaks so plainly, so distinctly, so with an Eccho, Voice answering Voice, can men or an­gels forbear their Hosannahs, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord? When we thus hearken what God the Lord will say, we need not fear, for he will, certainly he will speak peace unto his people; the next thing in the Text.

Peace in this place is the prosperous settlement of that Nation, and therefore we are to understand his Pople, not by way of distinction and separation, but the whole visible State and Church of the Jews: For that which is added, (and to his Saints) is onely expository, for what are his People but his Saints? and what are his Saints but his Peo­ple? it is an Hebraism worth observing, affirming that to be which ought to be; to these he will speak Peace, there­fore they wanted it for the present; he will speak Peace, therefore they shall not ever be without it; and he it is that will speak Peace, and therefore it can come from no other hand; and he will when it is best for them. The people of God do sometimes want Peace. The Moon hath her Wanes and Eclipses as well as her Light and Glory; and Ecclesia habet sua tempora, she is like the pole-Star, Sem­per versatur; nunqua [...] mergitur, she is sometimes aloft, and anon you would think her falling into the Sea. In me, saith our Saviour, you shall have Peace, but in the World tribu­lation: [Page 15]What Peace had Israel in Egypt for near 200. yeares together, or in Babylon for 70. yeares? what Peace had the Primitive Christians in their 10. Persecutions near 400. yeares, and what our English Professors in those Ma­rian dayes? I am sure our Jerusalem complaines, that the plowers made long furrowes upon her back, more then once or twice, yea many times, Psal. 129. and we our selves have lived to see, and feel, and smart under this Truth, conviction strong enough against Academicks and Scepticks them­selves. And indeed, it is Gods wisdom to have it so, thereby to pluck his peoples Lips from the teats of this Earth: the Nurse puts Wormwood or some sharper thing to her Nip­ples to wean her child; and God doth imbitter our sweets, and blast our blessings, to take off our Affections from the things below, the better to fit us to walk with him, and have our converse in Heaven; for the want of Peace is the Mother of holy Wisdom, when we are quiet and at ease we are like the prodigall having his portion, minding no­thing but travelling as far as we can from our Father into strange Countries, with Harlots and Riotous living; but the want of Peace, the sound of the Drum and Trumpet, the neighing and prancings of the mighty ones make us re­turn to our selves, and think of home. Outward Peace also begets a kind of Spirituall lazynesse; and we say to our selves with him in the Parable, Soul, eat and be merry, take thy ease; but when Peace is gone, this lazy humour is gone, and we set our selves to work again. In a calm at Sea, the Mariners lie ilde upon the decks: but when a storm is up, they also are up and are doing, some tend the Anchor, some guide the Ship, some dresse the Sailes, some pull the Ropes, and some stand at the pump; it is so with our Gra­ces, in the time of Peace scarce one stirs, but when Peace is gone, every one is summon'd to his duty, Faith must steer, [Page 16]Hope must be the Anchor, Charity must dresse the Sailes, Patience must pull the Ropes, and Repentance stand at the Pump. Besides, we are apt to abuse Peace when we have long had it more then any other blessing whatsoever: We may truly invert the Apostles words, and say, where (this grace) doth abound, there sin doth abound, even Sodoms sins, Pride, Fullnesse of bread, Idlenesse, Drunkennesse, Un­cleanness, Uncharitableness, Lukewarmness, Prophase­ness; I cannot say they are the Effects of Peace, no more then the weeds in the Garden are the Effects of the Suns shining. No, they are the spurious brats of our own cor­rupt hearts, yet we know they are the companions and at­tendants of a long Peace, whereas Wars, Persecutions, Afflictions are Gods weeding knifes, to cut off these Evils even by the Rootes; thefore saith David, it was good for me to be afflicted, he means chiefly by the Wars made up­on him by Saul and his Son Absolom, the Crosse of Christ saith a Father, was Currus Triumphalis, his Triumphant Chariot; so in its kind is the Cross of his Children, even Gods fiery Chariot in which he sets them to triumph o­ver their spirituall Enemies, and so to ascend to his Throne of Glory: and if so, it is not onely Gods wisdom, but his infinite Goodness and Mercy, that his people have not al­waies Peace. I remember St. Austin against Parmenion the Donatist, hath this distinction, Est charitas severitatis, & charitas mansuetudinis; but is it not a distinction with­out a difference, or is not Gods severity also many times his greatest Mercy? Believe it, God is often more mercifull in taking away, then in giving Peace unto his people: me­thinks Job is at a stand for which to bless him most, when he saies, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord; either he makes them equal, or prefers the taking away before the giving.

Consider this all ye that have suffered even Jobs taking away, Murmur not against it, make Gods uses of it, let it weane you from the world which vanisheth away, let it lift you up to a more heavenly mindednesse, learn holy wis­dome from it, for 'tis Gods school, shake off spiritual sloth­fulnesse, or melancholy, as Divines call it, and abandon your former abusings of this mercy; thus let me advise you to kisse Gods rod, then who can tell whether the latter end of Job may not be more blessed then the beginning? for this we know, that though Gods people have not always peace, yet they shall not always want it, as long as they are his people, till the Bill of divorce be issued out, and Lo­ammi, not my people, be pronounced upon them, which per­haps is the case of the Jews to this day, Whose desolation must be untill the consummation, Dan. 9. as also of these poor people in America.

For God loves not the rod as 'tis a rod, 'tis opus alienum, a strange work to him, as Esay calls it; it is mercy that plea­seth him, and pleaseth him better, as saith the Prophet Micah, Therefore though heavinesse be for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning; the sufferings of Gods people may be great, but momentary, for he is not willing they should be discouraged: It was a shrewd question of the Divel, Doth Job serve God for nought? take away thy hedge: this taking away the hedge did fright Job from God, yet it did not stag­ger & amaze him; therefore though the rod of the ungodly may fall upon the lot of the righteous, it shall not ever rest there, but at last be cast into the fire. Else what an heart­ning would it be to the wicked, and how would they blas­pheme? when their enemies that ruled over them made them to howl, saith the Prophet, His name was continually every day blasphemed, Esay 52.5. Every day and every day continually they did blaspheme, what! even his holy name, [Page 18]his omnipotency, as God his faithfulnesse as Jehovah: see how effectually this works upon the Lord, v. 6. Therefore my people shall know (experimentally know) my name, that I am he that doth speake. Behold it is 1. He will speak peace, but when? There be two Adverbs which I had almost said are Antichristian when they interpose in holy things, the one is the Quomodo dubitantis, an How of doubting; the other a Quando murmurantis, the When of repining; the one is destructive of our faith, as in the Noble man, 2 King. 7.7. as long as Nicodemus kept himself to his Quomodo istud? he could could not enter into the kingdome of God: the other is destructive to our hope, as in Jeho­ram, Should I attend any longer on the Lord? the Quomodo hath almost spoiled us of all our Religion; for how many nice and needless, and therefore fruitlesse controversies hath it raised? We agree upon Gods decrees, but whether they be supralapsarian or sublapsarian, absolute or conditional, we defie one another as hereticks: that Christ is in the Sa­crament all agree; but whether Con, or Sub, or Tran. or after Mr. Calvins modo ineffabili, (which sure must needs be best) the world will never agree: That Christ gave Peter the keys no man denies; but whether as he was an Apostle, or as a Pastor, or as a Believer, we most eagerly dispute. So for the Quando, it eats even into the marrow of the souls of Gods best people many times in their distresses; Why art thou cast down, O my soul? saith David; why art thou so disquicted within me? Not so much his sufferings as the Quando of his release tormented him: This cast down his soul, this disquieted his heart within him, for hope that is deferred (longer then we would or expect,) makes the heart sick, Prov. 13.12. Take heed therefore of the curiosity of the Quomodo, if you would preserve your faith; of the intemperance of the Quando, of you would not be sick at [Page 19]heart. I beseech you observe how sweetly our Saviour chides his beloved disciples for this Quando, Master, say they, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel? they had long dreamed of an earthly kingdome, much as our Chi­liasts doe of their fist Monarchy; a carnall phancie too. They thought long to sit one at his right hand, the other at his left, to be great and glorious princes, to Lord it over the Chief Priests and Elders, the Roman governour, the Emperour himself; for spirituall pride is more boundlesse then carnall, therefore, Master wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome unto Israel? they name Israel, but they mean them­selves: but saith Christ, What have you to doe to ask such questions? possess your souls in patience, it is not for you to know times and seasons, the Father hath reserved them in his own hands; Answer enough to satisfie the most impatient spirit; Consider the Fathers Soveraignty, it is his Prero­gative to appoint the Quando, and his appointments the Scripture calls the fullnesse of time; Israel shall come out of Egypt the self same day that he had determined, he sets the very hour; my hour is not yet come, saith our Saviour: Gods set times are his decreed times, and his decrees are secret to us; we can only say, that as he will have mercy on whom he will, so when he will; for peace is a creature of his own making, I create peace: and according to this rule Dei, Deo, it is fit he should dispose of his own. Then consider the Wisedome of the Father, and Wisedome is most seen in the seasonablenesse of her Words and Actions, it makes them like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, its the the very salt that gives them savour, he will therefore speak peace to his people, when it is most seasonable. Lastly, con­sider, that as this Father is the most wise, so our most graci­ous God, and therefore he will speak peace to his people, when it is best for them.

I will hold you no longer in the generalls of this Quan­do, I will descend to particulars; Gods seasons to speak peace are cheifly three: First, when we cannot help our selves to peace, when we have tried our Strength, our Wisdome, our All, and nothing can doe, then God will doe; when the children are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth; when the Mariners in a Tempest have tug'd and tired themselves, even at their Wits ends, then he de­livered them out of their distresse, Psal. 107. God of all things loves to take his people off from themselves, that no flesh, not the most Sanctified flesh, might glory in his presence; if this were well considered, we would cease to eclipse the glory of our present peace by attributing it, as many doe in parties, to our selves, with not you, but we, is ours, not yours; foolish people! he is neither yours, nor yours, but only Gods, Qui facit mirabilia solus, who alone without our help doth such wonders for his people; be as zealous as you will for the King, as the Cities of Greece were for their Homer, but let it be the Zeal of Love, not Envy, of Union, not Faction, lest you break all in pieces. Secondly, Gods time for peace is when he hath well prepared his peo­ple to receive it; all the ways of the Lord must be prepa­red, to make a more easie passage for his work: that of the Son of Syrac, Wisd. 8.1. may goe for Canonicall Scrip­ture, Gods wisedome reacheth from one end to another mighti­ly, and sweetly doth she order all things, her strength is seen in the work, her sweetnesse in the foregoing preparations; it is so in the invisible peace, for it doth not break in sud­denly, abruptly, irresistibly into mans heart, as a strong man armed, it did not so in S. Pauls conversion, which looks most like it, there was first a Light, then a Striking to the ground, then a Reproving voice from heaven, to work off by degrees the innate and adnate resistibility, at last he was [Page 21]sent to Ananias, and so Saul became a Paul. It is so when God gives outward peace to his people, he works it Forti­ter, but withall Suaviter, sweetly preparing their hearts and conditions before he gives it; all their high imaginations, their wellings of pride and animosities must come down, the strong holds of their carnall confidence must be demo­lished, their Emulations, Hatred, Uncharitablenesse, Re­venge, Bloud-thirstiness, must be much abated, and as so many Thornes and Briars which will choak this good seed of peace must be rooted out, at least in some good measure, before God will sow it amongst them. When men begin suits at Law they set out with high resolutions, but when tired with long journeys, dishonored with servile atten­dances; when Lawyers have sucked them on the one side, and perhaps Judges have been bribed on both sides, then they will come to a parley, and though with some reluctan­cy, embrace peace with both their armes; it is so in all wars, specially civil broiles, this therefore is Gods time. Lastly, it is his time when people will best receive it, and best use it. They will best receive it when they will be most thank­full for it, and most glorifie the giver, else peace is not given, but lost, as pearls cast before swine. God loves his pearls, and this of peace the most inestimable jewell of the lower world; better then so, as in receiving, so in using. When God sees we will abuse his mercies, 'tis a mercy to keep his mercies from us. We abuse them when we turn them against the giver, making them instrumentall to our own lusts; but when there is any hope we will use them as we ought, God is more ready to give then we to receive. I trust as God hath fitted and prepared us for our peace, so he will also enable us both to receive and continue it a­mongst us; and this calls me to the last part of the Text without any further application, the point being so appliable [Page 22]of it self, especially in this auditory, in which every one of us is concerned: follow me therefore, I beseech you, to the conclusion, But let them not turn again to folly.

Sin and Folly, the fool and sinner are such common Synonyma's in Scripture, that being in haste, and tender of your patience, I may well be spared the quotations. Many have spoken of the sinfullness of sin, and they have done well, few of the folly of sin; yet perhaps this is the more necessary Doctrine, and more instrumental to the conver­sion of a sinner. For tell a naturall man what grievous a­bominations his sins are, alas, the point is too high for him, or he hath wit and fancy at will to plead for his belo­veds: But tell him that his sins make him a fool, unman him, so that now he doth but insanire cum ratione, he hath but reason enough to make himself a mad man, this will awaken him, because you deal with him upon his own prin­ciples. It were therefore worth the while to shew a sinner his folly, I mean the impenitent constant customer to Sa­tan and his own lusts, otherwise Stultorum omnia sunt ple­na, we are all fools, for folly is bound up in the hearts of all the Children of Adam: But for the sins of weakness, & quotidiana incursionis, the daily inrodes of frailties, if de­tested and resisted, they are not properly ours, though al­waies with us and within us; they be those other sinners that be the fools. I will give you but some few hints, which might occasion a larger Treatise.

A fool is a simple ignorant Creature, he hath but very little of the Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world; and Aristotle, a Heathen, could say, that Omnis peccans est ignorans, every evil doer is ignorant, I am sure the Apostle saith, that his foolish heart is darkned, and which is more, that he is stark blinded by the god of this World.

A fool is not only void of knowledg, but withall uncapa­ble of any; put him to School, let him converse with knowing men, except you can new make his soul, or new mould his braines, the fool will be a fool still: O ye fools when will ye be wise? The Interrogation implies a Negati­on, as much as never. The Emblematist tells you, that if you put an Asse amongst generous Horses, that he may learn to neigh as those Horses do, yet an Asse will bray as an Asse, as long as he is an Asse; and who can infuse good­ness into a wicked heart? nothing but a new Creation can do it; it is that which Solomon teacheth in the 22. Pro. 17. Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle as Wheat, yet will not his foolishness depart from him: pound Wheat in a mortar with the heaviest pestle, you shall ne­ver separate the bran from the flowr; its the serch must do it. Its so with a wicked fool; nothing but the finest sercte of Gods grace and Spirit can separate his folly from his soul. A Fool cannot make a good election of things set before him, any toy shall be preferr'd before that which is of excellent worth, and the greatest concerment; for a Fools head is a heap of fancies: No more can our spirituall fool discern things that differ, he will alwayes be speaking evill of good, and good of evill; set before him, as Moses and the Prophets use to doe, life and death, which doe ye think he will choose? Solomon tells you that the heart of a fool is in his left hand, Eccles. 10.2. he had rather be stand­ing on the left hand with the goats, then on the right hand with Gods sheep. Fools notwithstanding are wilfull in their choice, til they have wearied themselves with their bables, you shall not perswade them out of them: and are not wic­ked men as wilfull in their follies? neither parents, nor wife, nor children, nor friends, nor Sermons shall reform them, but he that is filthy will be filthy still. Much like the obstinate [Page 24]Jew, though he lay in a Jakes, yet none must help him out, because it was his Sabbath: and our wicked fool, though he wallow like the sow in the mire of his sensuality, none must help him out, because it is his Sabbath, his delight, he hath set up his rest there. Though a fool be thus obstinate, yet you may easily cheat him of any good thing he hath, to his very clothes: Such easie fooles are wicked men, they have most cheatable soules, pliable to any temptation, to any lust.

A Fool is a very contemptible creature, he makes sport to the very children in the streets; and our spirituall fool is the very off-scouring of all things, scorned even by those that are as bad as himself; its no news to hear one Drun­kard upbrayd another with Drunken fool, or one unclean person to make himself merry with anothers uncleannesse. Put a fool into an Office, or Honour, what a ridiculous monster doth he appear? As snow in summer, and rain in har­vest, so honour is not seemly for a fool, Prov. 26.1. Perhaps by this similitude of snow, Solomon alludes to the white gar­ments which Princes and men of honour use to wear, com­pared to the snow in Salmon, Psal. 68. or to the fading, mel­ting nature of all earthly glory: be it so or so, Honour is not fit for a fool; nay its not onely his own, but the places pu­nishment where he is. Snow in Summer, and Rain in Har­vest are seldome blessings; it is so with the wicked and un­godly, when they rule, its not onely the shame, but the pu­nishment of a people.

Lastly, the Rod and House of Correction are commonly the Fooles portion; and what is the lot of our sinful fool but a rod, but a rod to some purpose? it hath but four twigs, but they be smart ones, Indignation, Wrath, Tribu­lation, Anguish; and a house of correction too to some pur­pose, even that Brdewell or Beidlam of hell, with the Devil and his Angels.

And now give me leave to speak freely unto you, Hono­red and Beloved. We of this Nation have a long time been simple, sinfull, wicked fools. Those that have calcu­lated will tell you that the year 41. was to be Annus uni­versalis insania; the first year of the universall madnesse of Christendome. I am sure then we began to plot contrive, and act our follies with an high hand, to break through all Laws both of God and Man, with the unjust Judge, neither fearing the one nor reverencing the other; nothing could restrain us, no not oaths themselves; then began Perjury to be the great sin, which all our nice and new-minted glosses will I fear never be able either to heal or plaister. We were also obstinate in our follies, nothing could take us off, not the voice of Gods word, not the perswasions of the wisest men, not the cryes of the people, nor the cla­mours of our own consciences. We were highly pleased with our wicked Chymera's, they were our Sabbaths, we had set up our rest in them. Let me adde, what cheatable fools we have been, I doe not mean of our Estates, though this be true, but of those precious Gems, Laws, Liberties, Religion, Christianity, Humanity it self; such grosse fools have we been, and therefore God hath justly sent us to the house of correction of these late wars and oppressions; till now at last of his own free mercy and most infinite good­nesse, he hath released us, yet upon baile, even the caution of the Text, But let them not, &c. It is both a caution and a threatning, and it looks more like a threatning then a cau­tion, for it's a But with an Aposiopesis, Let them not. If they do— The folly that is here spoken of is nationall, not personall; for when do we read that private men did draw down publick judgments upon a nation, except that nation made them its own by law or connivance? God will spare great wicked places for a few righteous, therefore he will [Page 26]not destroy great countrys for a few wicked sinners. Briefly, the sins of the Jews that brought this fury of Antiochus upon them, may be reduced to these two heads. First, the Tabernacle of David was let fall to the ground. Se­condly, the publick worship and government of the Church, was quite changed from what God had established, the Priest-hood was taken from the Tribe of Levi, as the Scepter was departed from the Tribe of Judah: they might be necessitated perhaps to this latter, by the rising and breaking of the Grecian Monarchy, but the former must needs be from their own pride, faction and emulation, and this brought in Antiochus.

We have seen their follies, and in them we may see our own, which sure in generall was great and manifold, of the Court, City, Clergy, Country; we were generally a peo­ple laden with iniquity, yet he that drunk deepest of the Cup, was, I think, the most innocent person. Should I rake into the sink of all our follies, I should present you with a tedious and offensive inventory, lesse pertinent to my Pat­tern and Text: I will therefore keep close to both, and on­ly say, as it was with them, so it was with us: The Scepter was departed from Judah, and the Priest-hood from the Tribe of Levi; Every one that could, made himself a King, and every one that would, made himself a Priest. The Roman Legendaries tell us of Pope Innocent the third, who in a Vision saw the two lay Mendicant Preaching Fryers, Do­minick, and Francis upholding his Latterane; and our lay­gifted Brethren that did but think themselves so, or had the boldnesse to say they were so, made our Church a Ba­bell, and upheld our confusion: by this I see two men run­ning in opposition one from another, may meet at a point in the Antipodes, Non est Sacri alicujus Ordinis pradicare Evangelium. It belongs not to men in holy Orders to preach [Page 27]the Gospel, say some Papists, and the worst of Papists, the Canonists, and Non est Sacri alitujus Ordinis; It belongs not to men in Holy Oders (Such are Anti-christian and Baals Priests) to preach the Gospel, say some Protestants, but the worst of Protestants, the Sectaries; therefore as it was with them, so you see it was with us, and then came in An­tiochus; in a word, those two Staves which God had Erected among them, for his own Glory, and their Protection, the Staffe of Beauty, and the Staffe of Bands were broken, as it was with them, so it was with us, and then came in Antio­chus.

Bands I am sure were broken by Faction and Schisme, Brotherly union in matters of Gods Service was quite gone, for there arose a generation of men, skilfull to speak E [...] of Good, that blanded whatever pleased them not, (though never so lawfull) for Superstitious and Idolatrous; little remembring that to condemn for such, which indeed is [...] such, is to make our selves Superstitious and Idola­trous.

Beauty was also broken, our government was shiver'd to pieces, we disliked what was present, and therefore made long Preparations, and strong Combinations for a Change, and a Change we must have; though by an honest Rebelli­on, which was the contradiction, To this purpose two things must be done, the one taught by Machiavel to bespatter our Governours, even to the slandering of the Footsteps of the Lords Anointed; the other was the Devils Sophi­stry, Liberty of Conscience must be pretended from all hu­mane Laws: but who knows not that though humane Laws do not bind the Conscience, yet the Conscience is bound to humane Laws; for he that hath said by S. James, There is but one Law giver, hath likewise said by S. Paul, You must be subject not only for fear, but for Conscience sake: [Page 28]Had humane Laws bound the Conscience, the one could not have said, There is but one Law giver; and had not the Conscience been bound to humane Laws, the other could not have said, Not only for fear but for Conscience sake. Lastly, all this was fallaciously coloured over with the glo­rious Titles of Gods cause, and the Gospels purity. Our case you see was well like theirs, our Pride as great, our Emulation and heart-burnings greater, our Dissimulation both with God and Man greatest of all, and why might, not Antiochus come in? These you will say were Cleargy sins, but those of the Layety were not inferiour, nay the very same; But what do I? I promised not to rake into the sink of these Follies, and surely I have gone no further then of necessity I must, to the satisfying of the Text, and my own duty; for had I not shewed our Follies, how could I have forewarned you, not to turn again unto them?

To return again unto our Follies, when we have not only seen them, but so lately and deeply smarted for them, is the greatest Folly in the World: Every child that hath been burnt will dread the fire, should not men do so? the reason of the difference is, the child continually sees the fire, and remembers its burning, but we forget the Judgements of God as soon as they are removed out of our sight; O Re­member, remember that Gods quiver is full of deadly Arrowes, though these be gone, he hath heavier Judge­ments in store for us; if forgetting what is past, we return again to our former Follies, Christ you know told him so in the Gospel; go sin no more lest a worse thing fall unto thee, sin no more, not Absolutely, but Relatively; the same which now thou hast sinned; the sin of Unthankfulness to him that so graciously had forgiven thee: Briefly, therefore, the Folly of returning again appeares in these two things. First, in the guilt contracted, for if you believe the Schools, [Page 29]and you may, for its grounded on these words of Christ; a returning to sin past over and forgiven, puts new life into that very sin, and makes us doubly guilty in the sight of God, at least unto Temporal Judgements. Secondly, in the difficulty of a second pardon to be obtained, (for that such cannot be forgiven is the Novatian Errour,) because by such returnings our minds are more darkned, the light of Gods grace is more diminished, the will is more depraved, the heart more hardned, the conscience nearer to be defiled and seared; such returnings must needs grieve Gods spi­rit, and if the greater care be not had, quench it: There­fore though God can easily forgive our greatest Follies, yet not our returnings again unto them. It is storied of a Gran­dee in Rome, that he barbarously slew his Servant even in the presence of the Emperour whom he entertain'd at a Feast, because he threw down unawares a Cubbord of his curious Glasses; it seems he esteemed more of his fine Glasses then of the precious bloud of a man: Our National Follies which you have heard were like curious new-fangled glasses, but will you esteem these glasses more then the bloud of men, of a Nation, of your own souls? Let me be­seech you, as many as be well-wishers to our peace, and this present solemnity, in Gods name and the Kings, in the name of the Church and State, for your own sakes, your wives and children, and your native Countries sake, turne not againe to your former follies, but lay aside all faction, dis-affection, all emulation and animosities, all envy, hatred, malice, uncharitablenesse, with all our former ungodly courses, else I must tell you, you have no part in the busi­nesse and blessing of this day. Think not that our present peace is a new Patent for future wickednesse, or that if we can upbrayd some, insult over others, and drink the Kings Health, till with it our own sicknesse, that we are the Kings [Page 30]best friends, and most faithfull Subjects: No, we are his greatest enemies, such as doe (what in us lies) betray both him and our selves to our former miseries; and so I have done.

Nor can I conclude with a better Prayer then that of the first Text, which is both a Text and a Prayer: We pray thee save now O Lord, O Lord send now prosperity: Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Long may the King live, Long may He reign, Long may He be a Father to the State, a Nursing Father to the Church. Let all his enemies, O Lord, be confounded, but upon himself let his Crown flourish, to the joy of his people, and to the glory of his God, and let all the people say, Amen, Amen.