Sermon 5 April 1628

IN the latter end of the former Chapter, the Apostle had exhorted unto perseverance in the faith. To press this home the better, he shows the excellency of the grace of Faith.

That he shows

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

By all those examples giving them to understand that all the goodly things that their Fathers had, or did, they were beholding unto faith for them. It is the Apostles purpose in this Chapter to set the garland upon the head of faith, and for the making of this garland, he picks and gathers all the most choice and godly flowers that grow scattered through the garden of the Scriptures, and so crowns Faith therewith, to make it a lovely, and an amiable grace in the eyes of all.

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

• 1. God's gracious goodness and mercy to Noah,
  • In giving warning.
  • Being warned of God.
• 2. Noah's great wisdom in taking warning.

This wisdom of his is set forth in three degrees,

• 1. He believes the warning given him. By Faith being warned, &c.
• 2. He fears it: Moued with fear.
• 3. He makes good use of the warning, and thereupon follows the Counsel of God.

For God did not only give him warning of the danger, but gave him also counsel, and direction, how to secure himself from the danger, and he taking the fair warning, takes also the good counsel, and prepares an Ark: And all these be three degrees of one and the same thing, each issuing and flowing out of other. God gives warning therefore. 1. He believes. 2. His faith, breeds fear of the calamity approaching. 3. His fear breeds a care of the preservation of himself, and family. Why builds he an Ark to save his house? Because he feared: Why doth he fear? Because he believes God's warning: God warns him, therefore he believes: He believes therefore he fears: He fears therefore he provides against a rainy day, and takes a course to hide himself, and his family in the day of wrath. For the first: God's mercy and goodness to Noah. Being warned of God.

The old World was grown to an horrible hight of iniquity. The Children of God, the posterity of •… h, made mongrell matches with the daughters of men, the posterity of Cain. Those mongrell matches brought forth a monstrous brood, who defiled, and polluted the very earth. God saw the earth so defiled with their villainies, that he determines to bring such a judgment upon the earth, as should not only sweep those monsters from off the earth, but such an one as should lay the earth a soake, and should wash and wrince it from the filth and defilement where-with they had corrupted it. God having set down this determination, he doth not presently put it in execution; but first acquaints Noah with his purpose, and gives him warning of it, and that to this end, that he might give the world warning. For as God by immediate revelation, gave Noah warning; so Noah by preparing the Ark, gave the World warning of a judgment coming, and that unless some course was taken to prevent it, they were all in danger to be swept away with a Flood; from which course of God's: Learn.

God's fair dealing in the administration, and execution of Justice: Seldom or never doth God bring general judgments upon a people, but he gives them fair warning. He doth not strike men at unawares, and suddenly surprise them, without any notice given of his purposes. Ezech. 33. 3. When the sword comes upon the Land, he must blow the Trumpet, and warn the people. The Prophet verse 7. Must hear the Word at God's mouth, and warn them from him. Yea, so careful is God that it be done, that if in case it be neglected, he threatens to reckon sharply with those whom he betrusts with that office, verse. 8. God will require blood at such men's hands. God doth not snatch up the sword into his hand, and presently cut men of; but Psal. 7. 12. First, God whets his sword, bends his bow, makes it ready; prepares the instruments of death. And all this whetting time, the time of making ready, and preparing, is a warning time. God whets, and makes ready in men's sight, and in men's hearing, that the very noise of his whetting, may give them warning of his intentions. And Deut. 32. 41, 42. God first Whets his Sword before it devours flesh; and God first takes hold on judgment, before his judgments take hold on men.

God lived by his own rule, and by the same Law, he gave his people in their wars. Deuter. 20. 10. 13. He would not have them fall foul presently upon their enemies, but they must deal fairly with them. And it was the benefit of this Law, that the wise woman of Abel challenged at the hands of Joab, 2. Sam. 20. 18. and blames him that he was come to swallow up, and never according to the ancient Law of Arms gives them any parley, or warning of his purposes. So fairly deals God in his infinite goodness with men, before he comes to swallow up, and to destroy; he first gives warning, and offers fair quarter. Therefore, Hos. 5. 8. God blows the Trumpet before he draws the sword; not a Trumpet for an Alarm, and for the battle; but a Trumpet to give warning that a battle is like to come. God hath his warning pieces; and his murdering pieces: God never dischargeth his murdering, till he have discharged his Warning ones.

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

1. That if it be possible, men might be brought to 〈◊〉 Repentance, as might prevent the threatened e •… . Ier. 18. 11.

2. That he may provide for the good of his own. Sometimes God will deliver some of his people from 〈◊〉 calamity. Sometimes he will have some of them •… dergo it. In reference to both, he gives warning.

1. To such as shall be delivered in the day of wrath: 〈◊〉 wrath should come without warning, it might •… de of God's own people, from under covert, and 〈◊〉 they might prove a prey to the judgment. Exod. •… . 18, 19. God had a purpose that many of the Egyp •… s servants and Cattle should escape, and not be •… ayne, in that terrible storm of fire and hail. God •… erefore gives warning of the storm, that so they •… ight be housed that should escape. If they had had 〈◊〉 warning, they had heene abroad in the fields; and 〈◊〉 in the fields when the storm came, they had pe •… ht inevitably. God hath a purpose in a storm to 〈◊〉 some of his, therefore he gives them warning that they may get an house over their heads before the storm come. What had Noah been better then all the rest of the ungodly World, if God had not given him warning: God warned him that he might be safe in the evil day. When judgments come, and are walking abroad, God would have his people within doors, in their Chambers, their doors shut upon them. Is. 26. 20, 21. and therefore to this end gives them warning. 2. In reference to such as shall undergo common calamity, God gives them warning that they may lay in, and lay up that which may support and uphold them in the time of distress. God would have the demeaner and behavior of his people in the day of calamity be different from other men's. He would have them be of erected spirits, free from those distressing perplexities, that others shall be swallowed up withal. Therefore he gives warning that so they may gather that which may strengthen them at such a time: certainly if God should give no warning, there would be little difference seen and discerned between the righteous, and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serves him not. Mal. 3. 18. Little difference would be seen in their carriages under the pressures of calamity: You should see Every man with his hands on his loins, as a Woman in travail, and all faces turned into paleness. Ier. 30. 6. God would have his people have more blood in their faces, then the common sort will have in such a time. God would not have Faith and Religion so pale faced, and so white liver'd, as civility, and morality, will be at such a time. Therefore God gives them warning, that so their provisions may be such against the day of evil; as that their carriages may be masculine, beseeming God and Religion.

3. That God may be justified, and clear, when he judges. Psal. 51. 4. God doth it to gag, and to muzzle the mouth of iniquity; and to put to silence the cauelling ignorance of foolish men. What can be pleaded against the justice of God's proceedings, when God may say to men, as Reuben to his brethren. Gen. 42. 22. Did not I warn you, saying, sin not.

Quest.

How doth God give warning of wrath, and judgments coming?

Ans. 1.

God gives warning many ways.

1. By extraordinary, and immediate Revelation. Thus was Noah here warned of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The same word that is used of the warning given to the wisemen Math. 2. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , warned of God. God in a dream immediately warned them. And thus were all the Prophets warned of God, of the judgments that were to come upon the Jews, and other Nations. And thus specially is that to be understood. Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secrets unto his servants the Prophets. God by the extraordinary revelation of his spirit, gave them warning what he meant to do. Thus God made known to Nebucadnezar what should come to pass afterwards. Daniel 2. 29.

2. By prodigious signs, and strange wonders, both in Heaven and earth. God calls his work of judgment, a strange work; and a strange act. Isa. 28. 21. And when God doth these strange acts, and works of national judgments, he gives warnings many times thereof by some strange precursory signs 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 and prodigies: Commonly some strange praemonitory signs fore run, strange executions of justice: We have a text for it. Luke 21. 11. Great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful fights; and great signs shall there be from Heaven: And so it came to pass before the destruction of Jerusalem by a prodigious comet, and other fearful sights God gave them warning of their approaching ruin.

We shall seldom find any calamitous time to have befallen this kingdom which hath not had a fore-warning given of it by some prodigious things such as was the raining of blood at York, sometime before the Danes entrance into the Land, and others many of the like nature, as they know well that are but anything seen into our Chronicles. And what inconvenience can it be to conjecture, that God by that prodigious blazing Star, Anno 1618. gave the churches warning of the heavy and lamentable times that have since ensued, & yet happily are to ensue. God had a strange work, and a strange act, to do, and he gave warning of it by as strange a blazing Star as had been seen in many ages. God speaks by all such signs, and therefore we read of the words of God's signs and wonders, Psal. 105. 27. so the words are originally. And so of the voice of his signs, Exod. 4. 8. If they will not hearken to the voice of the first sign. Therefore God's signs have words, have a voice they speak not only to our eyes, but to our ears also. They are not only to be gazed upon, but to be hearkened to, Psal. 106. 7. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, God's wonders then have a language, and they are not only to be looked upon, but their language must be understood. Now their words are Monitory words, their language is a Monitory language, and they give us warning that some great judgments are at hand.

3. God gives warning by the Ministry of the word. Though God's ministers have not an Oraculous warning by Immediate Revelation; yet they may see an evil in the causes, as a storm in the black clouds, and by considering, and comparing things present, with things past, and looking into God's ancient ways may see in the general that mischief is coming, and so from God give warning. Elisha hath his sword as well as Jehu, and Hazael. 1. Reg. 19. 17. And when Elisha vnsheathes and brandishes his sword, it is a fair warning that the sword of Jehu, and Hazael are at hand. God cuts down by his Prophets, and slays by the words of his mouth. Hose. 6. 5. before he brings in enemies to kill and slay, and when his Ministers are killing and slaying it is a warning sign that enemies shall come to do the like. So Jeremiah roots out, pulls down, destroys, and throws down Kingdoms. Ier. 1. 10. And when Jeremiah begins to pluck up & destroy, it is an ill sign that Babylonians, and other nations are coming at hand to do the same work. Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and so whatsoever ye root out on earth shall be rooted out in heaven; is not only true of an extraordinary and prophetical Ministry, but of the ordinary standing ministry of the Church, when Ministers go to work Claue non erante, and follow the rules and grounds of the word. The watchman gives warning. Eze. 33. 3. but how? if he blow the trumpet, and give warning. When God's watchmen blow the trumpet, then God gives warning. Specially then are the warnings of God's Ministers to be taken as warnings from God, when God shall stir up the harts of his servants everywhere in all parts, & places of a kingdom far distant, and remote each from other, to give warning to a Kingdom. That look as it is an argument of the divine authority of prophetical Scripture, that the Prophets though they lived in diverse places and ages of the world, yet they so all agreed in one & the same truth as if they had all spoken by one mouth. Hence Luke. 1. 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets. There were many Prophets yet but one mouth, they all so agreed that though there were diverse persons, yet but one mouth, as he spake by the mouth, not the mouths of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began. So here, when God doth stir up his servants in all parts of a kingdom, and sets them all on work as with one mouth to give warning of wrath, it may be taken for no less then a divine warning from God himself.

4 God gives warning by his administration, and dealing with other nations, and Churches. God's rods are not only smarting rods to them upon whom they are, but they are monitory & warning rods to those vpō whō as yet they are not. Zep. 3. 6. 7. I have cut off nations, I have made their streets wast, &c. what was one end God had in it? To give Jerusalem warning. I said, surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction, so their dwellings should not be cut off. God then aimed at this in his Judgments upon other nations that Jerusalem should take warning. Then God gives warning whē he puts the sword into Cōmission. It is warning when he whets his sword, but much more when he gives the sword a Commission. Ezekel. 14. 17. If I say; Sword go through a land, so that I cut off man and beast from it. There is the sword put in Commission, and being so put in Commission, there is warning given of approaching calamity. We may know the sword to be in Commission as we know the Judges of Assize to be. When we see the Judges ride circuit, and go from one shire town to another, and do executions upon malefactors: then we know they have their Commissions: Judges may not ride circuit without their Commissions. So when we see the sword ride circuit, and do Executions everywhere as it goes, and cannot be staide, but it prospers and prevails, then without all question it is in Commission. When it goes through Lands, and Provinces, and Churches, and cuts off man and beast, then questionless God hath said, Sword, Go. See Ier. 47. 6, 7. Oh thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet: put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest and be still. Like enough Ashkelon, and the Philistines used all the policy, and power they could: but all their Combinations, Confederacies, Leagues, Vnions, could do no good. For all these the sword was restless, and prospered strangely, and not by any weakness of theirs, nor by any strength of the enemy the victory still lost: so as a divine hand of God was manifest therein. What might the reason of all this be? It had a charge: How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon.

When the sword hath a Commission, it doth as Samuel did, 1. Sam. 7. 16. He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places, and his return was to Ramah. Now look then, as when Samuel was at Bethel, then they had warning that he was coming to Gilgal, when he was at Gilgal then had they warning that he was coming to do Judgment at Mizpah: So when the sword is once walking circuit to judge, if it be come to Bethel, it is a warning that it is coming to Gilgal, if at Gilgal, there is a warning for Mizpah. Let other Kingdoms, and Churches, that stands by and look on, let them take this as a warning from God, that the sword is coming to execute judgments amongst them. Then it is a warning that God will give men to the sword: when evil goes forth from nation to nation, Ier. 25. 32. And why should other nations be amazed, and their Kings be horribly afraid, and tremble every man for his own life in the day of Egypt's fall by the sword, Ezech. 32. 10. were it not but that God's dealing with Egypt, were a warning of the like wrath, and ruin coming upon themselves?

5 God gives warning by doing, as Psal. 78. 50. He made a way to his anger, he gave their life over to the pestilence. God brought the pestilence amongst them, but yet first he made a way for his anger, and his making of a way, was a warning that wrath was coming. God when he means that wrath shall enter indeed: he doth not presently let it break in; but first makes a way for it, takes all things out of the way, that may stop or hinder it in its passage, or be any rub to it in its entrance. Now then when we see God preparing, and making the way, then he gives warning of wrath coming, and being at hand. When Christ was to manifest himself in his ministry, first John the Baptist must come before him, and his office was, Mark. 1. 3. To prepare the way of the Lord. Now then those that had eyes to see John the Baptist preparing a way for Christ, might easily see that God gave warning, that Christ himself was shortly to come: because John was preparing a way for him. So when God is preparing a way for wrath, such as have eyes to see the way preparing, may see God giving warning, that some heavy judgment and calamity is at hand. When the Kings harbengers come before, and prepare for the King, it is a warning to such places that the King is coming. God so deals in the bringing in of judgments upon a nation, as he did in bringing in that great plague upon the Church, in bringing in Antichrist into the world, 2. Thess. 2. 7. The mistery of iniquity doth already work, only he who letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. That plague was breeding long before it brake forth and came to ripeness: but there was a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; namely, the Roman Ethnic Emperors that stood in the way, and till they were first done out of the way, the man of sin could not enter: but when that let should be taken out of the way, and so a way made, Then shall that wicked one be revealed, v. 8. So that when that let was done away, and so a way making, such as had then eyes to see it, might see that God gave warning that Antichrist was now coming into the world. So it is in this case, Judgment is breeding long before it comes. God hath a purpose to bring it, but yet many times there be some lets in the way that it cannot well come till they be removed; God therefore prepares, and makes a way for the intended Judgment by removing, and taking out of the way every 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 every let that may hinder it when it comes. And when • he way is making, God gives warning that the Judgment is coming. Now God commonly makes the way by two things; The Moath and the Hornet. And when those two come then are the harbengers come, and the John Baptists of the Judgment.

1 The Moath, when God means to bring a Judgment upon a Kingdom he first gives warning by making way for it by the Moath. God threatens, Hos. 5. 14. a terrible Judgment that he will be to Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the House of Judah, that he will tear and go away, &c. But will God give no warning, yes that he will, and fair warning too. And how? By making way, for the Lyon by the mouth v. 12. I will be unto Ephraim as a mouth, and to the House of Judah as rottenness. The mouth is a secret insensible Judgment that gradually, and insensibly eats out the heart and strength of a State, and by the weakening of a State prepares it for a fatal desolatory Judgment.

A mouth eats now one thread, then another, makes now one hole, then another, and so by degrees wasting, and rotting the garment perpares it with much ease, to be rent in pieces. It is difficult to rend in pieces a strong sound garment, but when once it is all mouth eaten, and rotten, how easy is it for any: much more for a Lion to rend it: thus therefore would God prepare Ephraim for the Lion by the mouth, and by the mouth give him warning of the Lion. What this mouth is we may see plainly by that, Isaiah. 3. 1. 2. 3. with the eight verse. In the eight verse, God threatens the ruin and the fall of Judah and Jerusalem. But will God come suddenly upon them? No, he will give them fair warning: But how? By making way for their fatal blow, and for the Lions claws by the teeth of the mouth. First before the Lion comes they shall see a way making for him by the mouth. ver. 1. 2. 3. for the Lord of host doth take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah the stay and the staff. First God before he ruins them will weaken them, and by some precursory Judgment will infeeble them by taking from them whatsoever might strengthen them against an enemy, that when an enemy comes, they shall have no stay, nor staff to rest upon against him. If an enemy do offer to make an invasion; yet if a people be well stored with provisions, they have good store of bread, trading be quick, that there be no general poverty and penury in the Land, it is a great stay against an enemy, it is a strong thread in the garment. Again if an enemy do attempt an invasion, yet if the State be well furnished with Prudent, Ancient, experienced Counselors, if withal it be well provided of brave soldiers, men of war, mighty men, Captains of fifty, brave Leaders, & Commanders, this is a great stay to a State, these be strong threads in the cloth that will not suffer it easily to be rent. It will be hard to rend such cloth a sunder that hath such strong threads in it; Therefore that it may the easier be rent in pieces God will send some Judgment before hand that mouth-like shall eat asunder those threads, he will bring in the decay of trading which is the bread of a Land, he will now take away one Prudent man, then another, now such a man of war, and then another, and thus by degrees so weaken them that when an enemy should come having all resistances removed he may with all case ruin Judah and Jerusalem. Thus Judah by the mouth had warning of the Lyon, and when God made their State and their Kingdom a motheaten Kingdom, he thereby gave them warning that they should assuredly fall, and ruin.

2 The Hornet. When God means to bring Judgment upon a Kingdom he gives warning thereof by premising and fore-sending, the hornet. Exod. 23. 28. I will send Hornets before thee which shall drive out the Hiuite, the Canaanite before thee. What that Hornet is we may see v. 27. I will send my fear before thee, and will destory all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. This Hornet then was nothing else but the misgiuing fear of the Canaanites self-condemning consciences, which should take all heart and courage from them, that they should not be able to stand it out in the day of battle, but their own guilty consciences representing unto them their deserts, should Hornet- like so sting thē with fear, that they should turn their backs to the Israelites. And this was that which Rahab told the spies, and upon which she concludes that the Land was theirs, Josh. 2. 9. 11. I know the Lord hath given you the land. How did she know it? she saw the Hornet was come before, and had stung the Canaanites, and thereby gave warning of ruin, And that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you, And as soon as we had heard these things our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you. Here was the stinge of the Hornet, here was the Hornet making way for wrath. If the Canaanites had had courage and spirit, and should have stood stoutly, and bravely to it, it would not have been so easy a matter for Israel to have conquered Canaan, but now because God would ruin the Canaanites, and give Israel their land, therefore he sends the Hornet before to make way for their entrance, and so to sting them that all Courage, and Heart might be taken away. And when the Canaanites feel this stinging Hornet, then have they plain warning that their Desolation is approaching. This is that Hornet which God sent before the Medes, to make way for the destruction of the Babylonians, Isaiah. 13. 7, 8, 9. And this is that Hornet, that made way for the Babylonians to ruin Jerusalem, Ier. 6. 24. We have heard the fame thereof, our hands wax feeble, anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain as of a woman in travail. This was that Hornet, that made Pharaohs arms fall down, Ezech. 30. 25. and his sword to fall out of his hands, v. 22. He was so stunge at the heart with the fear of the King of Babylon, that he had neither strength to lift up his arm, nor to hold his sword in his hand. As the Moath takes away all outward stays and helps, so the Hornet takes away inward Spirit, and Courage. And when both these are taken away, how fair a way is prepared for an enemy. Where ever then men's hearts melt with the fear of an enemy, from the guilt of self-condemning conscinces, it is a warning from God, that wrath is coming.

6 God gives warning by his gradual departure from a Nation and a Church. When God means that Iugdement shall come, he himself will first depart, and as Judgment shall come, so will he go. Judgment comes not all at once upon a nation but by degrees, and God gives it an admission by a gradual recesse and departure. Now then whensoever God begins to go, then is it a fair warning that Judgment is coming. In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Chapters of Ezekiel, God makes diverse removes. And we shall still observe that as he goes out, so some new Judgment comes in. 1. He removes from the Cherubims, in the Oracle to the threshold, Cap. 9. 3. and upon that remove see what follows, ver. 5, 6, 7, &c. 2. He removes to the Cherubims on the right side of the house, Cap. 10. 1. and upon that remove see what follows, v. 2. 3. He removes to the East gate of the house, and the first entrance into the Temple, Cap. 10. 19. and see what follows upon that, Cap. 11. 8, 9, 10. 4. He removes to Mount Oliuer quite out of the city, Cap. 11. 23. And when God was gone quite out, then followed the fatal calamity in the ruin thereof. Thus still as God went out, Judgment came in, and by these steps of his departure, he gave warning of the coming of Judgment. When God is at the threshold, Judgment is at the doors. So Amos. 9. 1. I saw the Lord standing upon t • e Altar. But what doth the Lord standing upon the Altar? His station was between the Cherubims in the Holy place: Give ear thou that dwellest between the Cherubims. Psal. 80. 1. What then means the Lord's standing upon the Altar? surely it means no good. It is a sign God was going, he hath made a step from the Cherubims to the Altar, and see what follows in that place: namely; a terrible sentence of Judgment. God is at the Altar when this sentence is pronounced. It is in this case as it was in that. Numb. 12. 9, 10. The anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. When God is angry, then will he depart. And what if he do, what will follow? And the cloud departed from off the Tabernacle, and behold Miriam became Leprous. No sooner doth God depart, but Judgment comes in his room. So that when God begins to set his first foot forward, it is a fair warning of evil coming. The destroying Angels could do nothing to Sodom, so long as Lot was there: neither can desolatory Judgments have power over a Nation so long as God is graciously present with them. Therefore as when Lot went out of Sodom, in that day fire and brimestone came down upon Sodom, so when God once goes, then are calamities ready to crowd in upon a Nation.

Now God's departure hath certain foot-steps, which are Ominous presages of sorrow at hand.

1 When Idols and Idolatry enter into a land. When God's Ark came into Dagons Temple, then Dagon dropt down, but when Dagon comes into God's Temple, and rises and is advanced there, then God is going. See Ezek. 8. 5. 6. There was an Image of Jealousy, and therefore God would go far off from his Sanctuary. Specially are God's jealous eyes provoked, when the case is as Ezek. 43. 8. That but a wall between God, and Idols. He likes no such near neighbors, he will be gone rather then brook such neighbourhood. Nay, it is a sign that God is already in some measure gone, for had he held his own station and possession, how could they have entered. Such a step presages great calamity.

2 When the ministry of a Church, begins to grow corrupt and vnfounde in doctrine and manners: when Truth and Holiness departs, God departs. Hereupon a corrupt ministry made a presage of calamity. Hos. 9. 7. The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come, Israel shall know it, Nay Israel may know it before they come: But how? The Prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad. When Prophets, and spiritual men once begin to be fools, and to be mad, to be out of their spiritual wits, and out of the way of truth, then look for the days of visitation: because when truth goes, God goes, and when he goes no good can come.

3 It is a manifest step of God's departure, when it is with a Nation, as it was with Sampson. Judge. 16. 20. He wist not that the Lord was departed from him. But God was departed from him, and how appeared it? v. 19. She began to afflict him, & his strength went from him: he thought he would do as at other times, but could not. At other times he brake the green withes, at other times he brake new roapes, at other times he went away with the pin of the beam, at other times he was still too good for the Philistines, but now he could not do as at other times. God was departed from him, and thereupon followed that misery, v. 21. They put out his eyes, they put him in fetters of brass, &c. God's departure gave warning of all this sorrow, and in that his strength went from him, that he could not do as at other times; this was the impression of God's departing foot. Thus is it with a State and Nation. If God depart from them, he thereby gives them warning to look for Philistines, fetters of brass, and the prison house. And then may a Nation know that God is departing if not departed, when their strength is departed from them, and they cannot do as they have done at other times. That same is an evident step of God's departure, Ps. 60. 10. Wilt not thou O God which hadst cast us off? and thou O God which didst not go out with our armies. When God thē goes not forth with a people's armies, he casts them off, he departs from them. And thus God departed from Egypt, and gave them by this step of his departure, warning of their destruction. Ier. 46. 14. 19. Standfast, prepare thee, for the sword shall devour round about thee, furnish thyself to go into captivity. But what sign or likelihood of Captivity? See v. 15. 16. Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not because the Lord did drive them; he made many to fall, yea one fell upon another, & they said: Arise, let us go again to our own people, & to the land of our nativity from the oppressing sword. God was departed from them, their enemies beat them, great reason hath Egypt to take warning of sword and Captivity coming upon her: when a Nations shield is gone, what can they look for, but to be bread for their enemies. And thus doth God give warning in these particulars.

Use 1.

Take we here notice, of God's gracious dealing with this sinful English nation. Our sins are such, that God might have done with us, as with Sodom, Lam. 4. 6. That was overthrown as in a moment. God might suddenly have surprised us, & have let in the flood of his wrath to have swallowed us up in a moment. But here may I say as Paul, Rom. 11. 22. Behold the goodness, and the severity of God: The Seuerity of God in his purposes of wrath against us: The Goodness of God, in his gracious warnings, wherein he gives us intelligence of his Intentions. This day is this truth fulfilled in our eyes. We see it true for our parts, that God gives fair warnings before Judgment ceaze upon a people. God never gave any fairer warning then he hath given us: we have had warnings in all these kinds: For,

1. What if I should say that God gives us warning by Oracle? Seemes he not to do it, Apoc. 3. 10. Speakes he not of an hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world? Seemes not that hour to be already begun? Surely if that Scripture look so far towards the ends of the world, and if meant of an hour of temptation, to come in this last hour of the world: then may we say of this, as our Savior Christ of that, This is the hour, and the power of darkness. The present troubles of the Church, may seem to be the beginning of that hour. But to let this pass, if God warn not us thus yet want we no warnings.

2. If prodigious signs and wonders be warnings, then judge if God have not warned us. Besides that common warning, which God gave us with the rest of his Churches, in that prodigious Comet we have had peculiar warnings in this kind. God gave us warning in that wonder of the doubled tydes in the river of Thames. God gave us warning in that Earth-quake March 27. 1626. God gave us fair warning in that prodigious storm in the City, that fetched the dead bodies out of their graves: together with that stupendous sight upon the water. And amongst diverse others, I dare not slight that hand of God in sending John Friths preparation to the Cross, in the fish belly to the University of Cambridge, a little before the Commencement. That such a book, should in such a manner, and to such a place, and at such a time be sent: when by reason of people's confluence out of all parts, notice might be given to all places of the land, (in my apprehension) it can be construed for no less; then a divine warning, and to have this voice with it, England prepare for the Cross.

3. And how long, and how loud hath the Ministerial Trumpet sounded in our ears? Hath it not sounded like the Trumpet in Mount Sinai, Exod. 19. 13. 16. Have we not heard it very long, and exceeding loud, Have not God's watchmen from their watch-Towers a long while cried as Isaiah, 21. 8. A Lyon, A Lyon. Have we not in this kind been warned unto wearysomnesse.

4. But what warnings hath God given us in the calamities, and miseries of our neighbor, and sister Churches? Have we not seen the sword in Commission and upon Circuit? Hath it not circuited from Bohemia to the Palatinate: from thence into other Provinces of Germany, and so up the borders of Denmark: Have we not seen a divine hand in all the Churches losses, victory and success going with the enemy: though there have not wanted equal power, and forces to match with them? Nay, to come near home: Hath not the sword ceazed upon our own armi •… ? Hath it not begun to eat English flesh, and drink English blood? Warnes it not us fairly, that it is bending its course, and laying its road towards us? The Lord threatens the Edomites. Isaiah. 34. 6. That the sword shall be filled with blood, and be made fat with fatness: and else where, that it shall be drunk with blood. The sword hath been a long while kept lean, hungry and thirsty, and hath not fed on our flesh, and blood. Is it not to be feared, that now it hath got a smatch, it will like an hunger-sterued wolf, fall so much the fiercelier, and greedilier upon us? Yea, doth not God hereby give warning, that he will provide a more liberal feast for the sword even unto fatness and drunkenness? If the sword upon other Nations, be God's warnings to us of this Nation; then much more the sword upon those of our own Nation is a warning from God to us, that he intends to have a great sacrifice amongst us.

5. And who is so blind, as that he hath not seen the Moath at work now a long while together? How hath it sheared a sunder the strong threads of our clothe, & how is our garment become Moath-eaten? What else means the common cry, and complaint of the decay & deadness of trading, of the poverty & penury of many places in the land? What hath it been, that within these few years hath taken away so many brave, and worthy soldiers, men of note for birth, worth, skill and courage, that like those Judge. 5. 18. Would have ieoparded their lives in the high places of the field: What I say hath it been that hath by degrees picked out now one then another but the Moath sent of God to prepare, and make way for a rending, and a ramping Lyon? As if God had said, I am determined to bring a smarting judgment upon England: but I see such a mighty man, such a man of courage and skill, he will be a great hindrance to an enemy at his coming in, he may be a stop, and a rub in an enemies way: therefore I will take him out of the way, that so judgment may pass on smoothly without any check. And when we have heard the fame, and rumour of enemies approaching; alas what a deadly sting hath the Hornet stricken into our hearts? how have our self-condemning hearts, under the conscience of our personal and national guilt melted like water?

6. Lastly, unless we will willfully shut our eyes, may we not trace God in the foot-steps of his departure from us? May we not find him from between the Cherubims, and removed not only to the threshold: but in a manner to the East-gate of the house, as if he had but one remove more, to be gone quite and clean from us? They have seen thy goings O God, even the goings of God my King in the Sanctuary, Psal. 68. 24

So may we see the goings of God, even the goings • f God our King from his Sanctuary. What else •… anes the spread, and growth of Popery and Idola •… y? What else means the departure of our old Truth 〈◊〉 the increase of Arminianism? Shewes not this that God is at the threshold, if not at the East gate? And what means the going away of our strength that we cannot do as we were wont to do as at other times. When Ephraim spake, there was trembling, but when he offended in Baal he died. Hos. 13. 1. Ephraim was terrible to all his neighbors about him, and who durst budge against the name of Ephraim; but when Baal was come God was gone, and then every paltry adversary trampled upon him, and feared him no more then a dead man. How dreadful hath the English name, and the English sword been to all our adversaries; when England spake, there was trembling? But Lord what shall I say, says Joshua, when Israel turns his back upon his enemies? And Lord what shall we say when England turns her back upon her enemies? What shall we say? What can we say, but that God is departing from us, and gives us warning thereby, of fearful afterclaps like to follow. Ichabod, Ichabod, where is the glory? The glory is departed. And it is with us as with them: a people terrible hitherto, but not so now. Hitherto have we been terrible; but it is a sign the Lion is dead, when Hares insult over him. Surely God gives us warning that our shield is going, and that if we take not a course to fetch him back again, and set him between the Cherubims, that we are no better then bread for our enemies.

Use 2.

If God give warning, men should take the warning he gives. To what end are warnings given▪ if not taken. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound▪ who shall prepare himself to the battle? 1. Cor. 14. 8▪ But when the trumpet gives a certain sound, then i • is time for men to look about them. Two thing • should make us take warning.

1. The great danger that will follow upon warning▪ neglected. God's warnings neglected, do but exasperate wrath, and will make vengeance so much the smarter when it comes. See the danger of not taking warning. Ezek. 33. 3. 4. 5. If the watchman blow the trumpet and warn the people, then whosoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and takes not warning, if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head; he heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him. Calamity single and alone, will prove burden heavy enough; calamity with guilt, and iniquity upon our heads, the guilt of the neglect of God's warnings will prove calamity unsupportable.

2. The great ensuing benefit upon warning taken. Let things be ever so dangerous and desperate, yet if men would take God's warnings, there were possibility enough to save all. Safety and prevention of dangers lies in taking of warning. Noah's taking of warning, was the saving of his house. He that takes warning shall deliver his soul. Ezek. 33. 5. The King of Syria find many dangerous projects against the King of Israel; Elisha still gives the King of Israel warning of the danger. 2. King. 6. 10. The King of Israel took his warning, and what was the issue? He sent to the place which the man of God had told him, and warned him of, and he saved himself there not once nor twice. The way to save our selves from the dangers we are warned of, is to take God's warnings. Look upon all the warnings God hath given us, and consider if it may not be said of us as of Moab. Ier. 48. 16. The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. Yea consider, if we have not the buds of the fig tree, telling us that summer is nigh, and that judgment is near even at the doors. And hastens our affliction, and sit we still? As we desire to prevent the fatal ruin of this renowned Church and Kingdom, so in the fear of God be we persuaded to take warning.

But how is that to be done, wherein stands this taking of warning? That is now the second thing in the Text. Noah's wisdom in taking warning. God gives, and he takes warning; and that 1. in believing it: 2. in fearing it: 3. in making use of it for safety.

1. In believing it. By faith Noah &c. That should indeed be men's wisdoms to take God's warnings by believing. God is to be believed in his threatenings, as well as in his promises. And this was the Ninevites wisdom. Ion. 3. 5. So the people of Nineveh believed God. And this is the first ground of safety. If Noah had not believed, he had not feared; if he had not feared, he had not prepared an Ark; if an Ark had not been prepared he had perished. But now his Ark saves him; out of faith and fear he builds his Ark. And this is it God looks for at our hands, that after so many warnings we should believe him. Noah did so; and though he were warned by immediate Revelation, and in that regard had more reason to believe then we have, yet again in some respects we hau • more reason to believe then he had. For

1. He was warned only once, and that an hundre • and twenty years before the flood came; we read o • no more warnings that he had. In an hundred an • twenty years he might have an hundred and twent • doubts and questions in his heart, whether it should • be so or no. But we have had warning upon warning▪ several kinds of warnings, and every of these iterate▪ So that as God speaks to Moses in that case, Exod. 4 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. so it may be said of us. So that i • regard of the variety and frequency of our warnings▪ we have more reason to believe then Noah had.

2. He was warned, as the text saith, of things as yet not ene; and yet he believes, there was nothing in natural course that presaged the floods. He sees nothing till the flood begins, and yet he believed. Now in this regard we have more reason to believe than he. He was warned of things not seen, but we are warned of things seen; we cannot say in this case as the Church complains in another, Psal. 74. 9. We see not our signs: we see our signs, even all signs of a flood that may be. Except ye see signs and wonders, saith our Savior in another case, ye will not believe, John. 4. 48. it was somewhat yet, that they would believe then: we see signs and wonders, and yet we believe not. Except I may see and feel, saith Thomas, I will not believe, John. 20. 25. but when he did see and feel, he believed. We if we have not lost our sight and senses, both see and feel, and yet will not believe.

The people of Nineveh believed God, when Jonah warned them, yet forty days &c. The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment against us of this Nation: they had far less reason to believe than we have, and yet they believed; we have far more reason to believe, and yet we believe not. 1. They had but one witness, we are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses. 2. They were warned but once, we have been warned unto weariness. 3. They could see no likelihood of any such sudden danger, they knew of no preparations abroad; they see no enemies begirting their City with a siege, they were a strong and a well provided City; we hear and know of enemies, of potent and provoked enemies, and of their great preparations. 4. They were Heathens and Idolaters that professed not the name of God; we glory in our Christian title and profession, in our believing in God. 5. They were warned only by a stranger, one of a nation held in suspicion and jealousy. If some Spaniard should now come into England and threaten it with desolation within forty days, what little regard would we give unto it. But we are warned and threatened by those of our own nation, of whose love, loyalty, and fidelity we can make no doubt; by those that pray for the welfare of the Nation, and wrestle mightily with God for the peace of it. Here is a great deal of odds between England's and Ninevehs warnings, and yet Nineveh believed God, and we believed him not. We have more warnings, they more faith. The men of Nineveh will judge this nation for their unbelief.

How long, and how often hath God warned us by his Ministers, and yet may they say as Is. 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report? How truly agrees that to us. Hab. 1. 5. Behold and regard, and wonder marvelously, for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe though it be told you. It is just our case, though we hear that which may make both our ears tingle, yet we will not believe it. It is just with us as it was in that case. Act. 27. 10. Paul there gives them fair warning: Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt, and much damage not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives. And so it proved in the sequel. But v. 11. The Centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more then those things which were spoken by Paul. We are warned of a storm, and that no small tempest is like to lie upon us, and that all hope that we shall be saved is like to be taken away, and yet for all this we are readier to believe any that will comfort us with some poor shadows of hope, then to believe God's Paul's. Nay we are worse then the Centurion, for he yet believed the Master, and the owner of the ship, and if he had told him of danger, he would not have loosed from Crete. Why now the Master and Owner of the ship, he and not Paul alone tells us of the danger. Our sovereign Lord the King in his Proclamation for the Parliament, and for the General Fast, gives us to understand of potent and dangerous enemies, and their preparations. If Paul, God's Ministers, will not be believed, yet let the Owner of the ship, God's anointed, be believed. Faith would save us in this kind. If the Centurion had believed Paul, Act. 27. 21. the ship had been saved. Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and have gained this harm and loss. They believed it at last, when the forepart of the ship stuck fast, and the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. It is too late to believe when all is lost; it is good believing when somewhat may be saved by it.

2. In fearing, moved with fear. This must be another point of wisdom to take warning so as to fear. The warnings of wrath should work deep impressions of fear in our hearts. Hab. 3. 16. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quiuered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones. Am. 3. 8. The Lion hath roared, who will not fear? And v. 6. Shall the trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid? And yet people are not afraid, though their fear would much conduce to their safety. This is the way to be hid in the day of trouble, Hab. 3. 16 my belly trembled &c. that I might rest in the day of trouble. And Exod. 9. 20. He that feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his cattle fly into the houses; and so they were saved from the storm. Much might be said to this point, but I must contract and hasten.

3. In making use of it for safety, and in taking a course for the prevention of those dangers he was warned of, prepared an Ark. And this is the special point of wisdom above the rest. Prov. 22. 3. A wise man foreseeth the evil. That indeed is some wisdom, but that is not all; And he hides himself. That's the special wisdom which takes a course for safety against approaching evils. This is that we are to do, and then indeed we take God's warnings when we provide for the worst. And thus it concerns us to do now, if ever. Do we not see a flood coming? Why then are we not at our Arkes? Why will we willfully perish and cast away our selves? When a flood cames, what would a man give for an Ark then? Ah when the flood is come, what will be the miserable madding fears of such as shall not have an Ark ready then? See their pitious condition, Ier. 47. 2. 3. Behold the waters rise up out of the North, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land &c. Then shall the men cry and the Inhabitants of the land shall howl &c. The fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands. How deep and weighty is the oppression of such fears, as make parents grow unnatural?

Quest.

What is to be done then for the making of an Ark? How may we provide for future safety?

Ans.

For the making of an Ark and providing for future safety, there be first some things to be done by all in general. Secondly some things by some in special. 1. Those things that are to be done by all, are two. 1. Humiliation and deep abasement of our souls under God's threatening hand. So that here we have cause by the way to break out into thanksgiving, and to say as Ezek. 7. 27. Blessed be the Lord God which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart: as to call forth the whole Land to the duties of Humiliation that we may yet beg for our lives. Well, If ever we will make an Ark for the land, and provide for our safety, this is the first piece of timber that must be felled and squared for it. They be great things that Humiliation will do if it be done aright. Job. 22. 29. 30. When men are cast down then shalt thou say, There is lifting up, and he shall save the humble person. He shall deliver the Island of the innocent. Alas, we are down, exceedingly down from the ancient excellency of former times. How now might we recover the ancient glory of this Island? Let men cast themselves down this day, even down to the dust, and lay their mouths in the dust, in the depth; a truth of humiliation: and though it were ten times lower with us then it is, God would say, Behold England is cast down, There shall be a lifting up. What is our errand this day in these duties of humiliation, but that God would be pleased to take off present evils from us, and that the future things might go well with us? And would we now in good earnest prevail with God in these things? Humble we then our souls seriously this day before our God. Humiliation indeed will do the deed. See 2. Chron. 12. 6. 7. The Princes of Israel, and the King humbled themselves, and they said, The Lord is righteous: And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, he said, They have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them &c. And again v. 12. And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him, and also in Judah things went well. How welcome should that man be unto us, that could put us into a course that might put us in hope that all things now should go well with us? Loe here is a course will do it. Our fears and dangers are exceeding great, but be they never so great, yet if we this day do all deeply humble & afflict our souls, & pour out broken and bleeding hearts, & buckets of water before our God, I dare be the man that shall promise you hope yet of saving all. I dare the boldlier do it, because I have a text for it. Ezr. 10. 1. 2. yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now there is hope. Why now? There was praying, confessing, weeping, and the people wept very sore, they wept a great weeping. Yet now, says Shecaniah there is hope: as if he had said, though our danger is great, yet now upon this humiliation, there is hope all shall be well. As therefore we would this day go home from this duty with hope, so do we then to the purpose; Let hearts split in sunder, rend to pieces, mourning and melting hearts in confession and supplication. Do we as Manasseh did, 2. Chron. 33. 12. He humbled himself greatly. Great humiliation will send us away with great hope.

2. Personal reformation and amendment of our own evil ways and provocations. Every soul this day quit his hands of his personal guilt. It is the wrath of God from whence all plagues and judgments come. They be our sins that kindle this wrath; they be the fuel that kindle and feed this fire. The King of Nineveh saw this to be a special provision for safety from threatened wrath. Jonah threatens speedy wrath: he proclayms a fast, he enioines strict abstinence from food and apparel. Would that serve the turn? No, he will have prayer also added thereto, and not ordinary prayer neither, but crying prayer, nor any crying prayer neither, but let them cry mightily. And would this serve? No, he will have more, he will have serious repentance and forsaking of sin, and this not only of some few, but of all, let them turn everyone from his evil way. Now one would think nothing could be added to all this, and yet he hath not done; there is one thing more behind that makes up all. Besides their general repentance, he requires a special personal reformation of their special personal sin, And from the violence that is in their hands. So well did he see the vanity of all the rest without this last.

2. There is something to be done by some special persons. And that is by you that are now met in this great and honorable Council of the Land. You therefore that are the great Senate of the land, upon whom our eyes and hopes next under God and the King are; Be ye entreated in the bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ to take notice of God's many warnings given to this Land, and so to take them to heart as to take a course for the prevention of threatened and imminent evils. God gives you fair warning of foul weather, and of a dreadful flood, that is like not only to overflow and go over and reach to the neck, as that Isai 8. 8. but of a flood like Noah's, that is like to ouertop the highest hills even many cubits. The Pharisees Matth. 16. 3. were weather wise, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering, but could not discern the signs of the times, as the face of the sky. Cast up your eyes, you honorable Senate of the Land, and you shall see that foul weather is towards, for the sky is red and lowering. Ye shall see a cloud not only as that 1. King. 18. 44. as big as a man's hand, but as v. 45. The heavens all black with clouds and wind. Listen and you shall hear a sound of abundance of rain. Do ye not already begin to feel the drops falling in your faces? We question not but your wisdoms discern the signs, and the dangers of the times as well as the Pharisees did the face of the sky, and that you see all sad presages, and prognostications of a flood.

Now then so many of you as God hath called to this Parliamentary service, we have to tell you what God and this Realm and Church with the distressed parts of Christ's Church abroad, look for at your hands. God hath called you together to be the public Ark-wrights for the safety of this Church and state. The eyes of these Dominions, and the weeping eyes of God's Churches beyond the Seas are upon you as upon so many Noah's. Lamech when his son was borne gave him the name of Noah, that is, one refreshing with rest, bringing comfort and consolation; you see his reason of the Imposition, Gen. 5. 29. He called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning the work and sorrow of our hands, because of the earth which the Lord hath cursed. Now this is that we all pray and hope for, that this present assembly may be an assembly of Noah's, that this Parliament may comfort us concerning the fears and griefs of our hearts, and because of the land which of late the Lord hath not blessed. This is that we all pray for, we all look for. Now then if you would prove right Noah's to us, such as may bring us consolation, then for Christ's sake fall to the making of an Ark, and thereby make yourselves Noah's and Barnabasses, the blessed sons of consolation to this Church and State. Think when you sit together in your solemn assembly that you hear the State and Church cry out unto you, as once Peter did to Christ when the winds rose, and the Sea grow rough, Master, Master save me, I perish. So think you hear the people crying from all the quarters of these Dominions, Fathers, Elders • iue us, build us an Ark, or else we sink, or else re • edilesse we perish.

Think as you sit together in council that you • ear a voice from all parts of the Land from whence • e be come, crying in your ears, Help, Help, or else • e are all but dead men, Exod. 12. 33. Present unto • our thoughts the sad and disconsolate condition of the Church beyond the Seas. Think you hear the shrikings of slaughtred and butchered infants dragd from their mothers breasts to have their brains dashed out against the stones of the streets. Think that you hear the sorrowful and doleful lamentations of ravished matrons, and deflowered virgins in the bitterness of their spirits, wringing their hands and rending the hair from off their heads. Think that you hear the Church both at home and abroad, crying out unto you, An Ark, An Ark, for God's love provide us an Ark. Improue all the wisdom of your hearts, and all the power of your places to which God hath now called you, to save us from the rage of the merciless waters. God's watchmen have a long time cried, a Flood, a Flood, God's people now cry an Ark, an Ark. Now therefore in the name of God fall close to the building of an Ark. Noah built an Ark but for the saving of his house, what is an house to a Church? to a kingdom? to many Churches? to many kingdoms? Noah built an Ark for the saving of eight persons: what are eight persons to millions and worlds of Christ an people that are like to perish, and be overwhelmed by the merciless enemies of God's grace? that make a noise like the noise of the Seas, that make 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 a rushing like the rushing of many waters, like the rus • ing of mighty waters. Is. 17. 12. 13.

Quest.

But what course is to be taken, and what i • to be done for the building of an ark?

Answ.

I will not take upon me to direct your wi • domes, but since it hath pleased you to call me to thi • service, give me leave so long as I keep myself withi • the bounds of my profession to advise what I conceiu • may make for common safety. If therefore you woul • make an ark, 1. make choice of good materials, wherewith to build.

2. Have a care to go to work in a due manner.

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

1. The public reformation of all such national • provocations as have made God angry with the land▪ This must be the very keele of your ark, here yo • must begin: all arkes that want this Gopher wood i • the keele will prove but cock-boates. Alas, wha • poor relief will a cock-boat afford in a storm • when the cursed Euroclydon shall blow. A cock-Boa • will never live in a storm. All courses you can take for safety and deliverance, public reformation being neglected, will prove but such Arkes, as that wherein Moses was exposed. Exod. 2. 3. Arkes of bulrushes▪ Alas, what succor will an ark of bulrushes yield in an universal deluge? Do what you will, what you can, yet if this be not done, nothing is done. There be three things that conduce to public safety. 1. The joint endeavours of the Parliament in plotting, and the people in praying. 2. Warlike provisions and preparations. 3. And fasting. There is indeed much safety in these, and yet if Reformation be neglected, there 〈◊〉 a vanity in all these, and no good will they do. See •… in particular.

1. People may pray hard, and you may work hard, • et if no reformation no safety. You have a good gale • f prayer at your backs, there is a great spirit of pray •… up in the Land at this time; and I am verily per •… added that neu •… any Parliament in this Kingdom • as more heartily prayed for. Besides we do with all thankfulness acknowledge the great goodness of God to us in you being reputed as wise and judicious able house as ever sat. So that when we consider the earnest prayers of the whole kingdom, and the great wisdom of this Honorable Senate; I confess they are as a valley of Achor, a door of hope. Hos. 2. 15. We have great grounds of hope of much good. But yet nevertheless let me be bold to tell you, that if there be no reformation of angering provocations, all will come to nothing, and God will blast our hopes. It is much that prayer can do; it is the lock and key of heaven, and yet it is little it will do without reformation. It is much that wisdom can do. The wisdom of one wise man will do much. Eccl. 9. 14. 15. There was a little City and a few men within it, and there came a great King against it and besieged it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the City. Therefore what great things may a whole Parliament house of wise men do? And yet neither our prayers, nor your endeavours and wisdoms will deliver the land unless some course be taken for reformation. It will be no better in this case with us, then it was with the mariners. Ion. 1. 4. 5. There 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was li •… to be broken. The mariners use all means they can s •… safety, they cry to their gods, they lighten the shi •… and yet all will not do, yea after they knew the cau •… of the tempest, v. 13. the men rowed hard to bring t •… ship to land, but they could not, for the sea wrought an • was tempestuous against them. So then neither cryin • to their gods, nor casting forth the wares, nor rowing, nor tugging at their oars, will bring the ship t • land out of the danger of the tempest, till Jonah wa • thrown over board. And so soon as that was done▪ see what followed, v. 15. They took up Jonah, and ca •… him forth into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging. It is so here; let all the people in the Land tug and row with all their might in prayer, and do you row with all the strength of your wisdom in your Parliamentary endeavours, yet till our Ionasses and Judases the provoking sins of the Land that cause the storm, and endanger the ship be cast over board, till they be reformed, there is no hope of bringing the ship safe to land.

And here by the way let me advise every Parliament man that intends to further the work of reformation, and in it to provide for the Lands safety, to begin first with the reformation of his own person. The work of reformation must not be undertaken with foul hands. God will have no honor from guilty hands. God sends Moses to do a great service for his Church, he goes about it with a guilty hand, with the neglect of his childes circumcision, therefore God would have killed him by the way. He must first reform his own sin before he must meddle with Israel's deliverance. And when God raised Gideon for the succor of the afflicted state of Israel, before he must meddle with that work, God sets him another task, Judge. 6. 25. he must first down with Baal. That which the Emperor Sigismund once spake at the council of Constance is a good rule here, one said in the council, Oportet reformationem incipere à Minoritis, meaning the Minorite Friers, To which the Emperor answered, Imo vero à Maioritis, meaning the Pope, Cardinals &c. So I say if you will go with a right foot to the work of Reformation, begin it A Maioritis, that is, from yourselves, you are are of the Maiorites of the kingdom, begin with yourselves, your eyes will be the clearer, and your hands the cleaner for the work.

2. Warlike provisions and preparations will not do it without reformation. There be no such traitors to the strength of a land, no such underminers and weakeners thereof as are unreformed provocations. It is but a folly to trust to our strength so long as no reformation. Think upon that Ezek. 33. 26. Ye stand upon your sword. As if he should say, It is but a folly for you so to do, your sword shall do you little service. Why so? Ye work Abomination, and ye defile everyone his neighbors wife, and shall you possess the Land? Shall your swords keep you in, whilst your sins cast you out of possession? Reformation is it must strengthen our Arm, and sharpen our sword against our enemies.

3. And what can do more then fasting? and yet little service is it, it will do without Reformation; Ier. 14. 10. 12. When they fast I will not hear their cry. What may the reason be? There was fasting without reformation v. 10. So Josh. 7. deep and hearty was Ioshuaes abasement, but yet somewhat else was to be done. Israel hath sinned, v. 11. and they must away with the accursed thing. There was a Babylonish garment in the camp. What if there had been a Babylonish God? what if a Babylonish Idol? what if a Babylonish Priest? what if swarms and crowdes of Babylonish Priests? It is not fasting that will make a waterlight Ark unless the execrable thing be removed. Reformation must do it. The way to ease our souls of all our grievances and fears is to grieve the soul of God. Do this and then there is hope of safety. Judge. 10. 16. And they put away the strange God's from amongst them, and served the Lord: there was reformation. And see what follows. And his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. And then God rayses Jephthah for their deliverance. And this is the first thing to be done.

2. God we see is going and departing from us. Labor to reduce him, and to set him in his primitive station between the two Cherubims the power and the purity of religion. If we have sin amongst us, he is the one Ark in the world against a flood. His Name is a strong tower for deliverance, Prov. 18. 10. maintain that tower. He is a strong Hold in the day of trouble, Nah. 1. 7. make good that Hold. He is an Ark in the time of a flood. Psal. 32. 6. 7. In the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art mine hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble. Yea he it is that can prevent the flood, Is. 59. 19. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall put him to flight. Therefore as you would provide for the safety of the Land, so provide for God's return and residence amongst us. Do as the two disciples did when Christ made as though he would have gone from them, Luk. 24. 29. They constrained him saying, Abide with us. The common complaint is, that Popery spreads, that Arminianism spreads, as these come in, so God will go out; these will soon drive him out to mount Olivet, take some course therefore to suppress the growth of these. Let me never prosper, if the State prosper under these. Keep our old God, and our old truth, under which the kingdom hath enjoyed so long and happy peace, and hath had so wonderful victories and deliverances. It will be with new doctrines and novel opinions, as it was with new God's, Judge. 5. 8. They chose new gods, then was war in the gates. As ye love your old peace, so maintain, and do your best to maintain your old truth, the old way and the good way. The Lord is with you whilst you are with him.

3. That same is a special piece of Ark-timber, right Gopher wood indeed to make Arkes withal, which we find Ezr. 7. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the Realm of the King, and his sons? The way to prevent a flood is to prevent wrath, the way to prevent wrath and keep it from a Realm is to do for the house of the God of heaven whatsoever is commanded. There be three things commanded to be done for the house of the God of heaven.

1. His house lies waste beyond the seas, miserably ruined. The God of heaven commands that his house be repaired. And God seems to say now to you, as Jehoash to the Priests, 2. King. 12. 7. Why repair ye • not the breaches of the house? Whilest God's house lay waste, there was wrath upon the Land. Hag. 1. 4. 5. 6. But when once the house built and repaired, then Hag. 2. 19. From this day will I bless you.

2. He commands his house to be purged, 2. Chron. 29. 5. Sanctify the house of the Lord, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. For this filthiness was the wrath of God upon Judah and Jerusalem, v. 8.

3. He commands an able preaching Ministry in his house. In this respect many houses of God in this land lay waste. Many congregations want Preachers, many Ministers want maintenance, and many covetous Impropriatours want conscience. They have learned that language, Psa. 83. 12. Let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession. The God of heaven commands a preaching Ministry in his house, that cannot be had without maintenance. Denie the Levites their portions, and the house of God will be forsaken, Nehem. 13. 10. 11. And ye shall have those in their fields who should be in the Temple. Do this one thing which the God of heaven commands for his house; and you shall notably provide for the safety of the Land. Ministers of the word are the horsemen and chariots of Israel: we fear enemies, Horsemen and chariots will be good defense, provide store of horsemen and chariots. How confident was Abijah against Jeroboam, 2. Chron. 13. 12. that Jeroboam should not prosper in fighting against him? What was his ground? With us are the Priests of the Lord with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. But what safety was therein? Exceeding much, for Numb. 10. 9. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy, then shall ye blow an alarm with the trumpets, and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, And ye shall be saved from your enemies. The trumpets of the Priests were as good as all the swords in Israel. Would ye save us from our enemies then? Prouide that the silver trumpets may be blown and may sound in every Parish of the Kingdom. No such Arkes to save from approaching dangers, as Pulpits well furnished. How happy was the poor fig tree, Luc. 13. that had such a dresser of the vineyard that could dig as well as beg. His mattocke kept off the axe. We are now in fears of enemies, and dangers; would we not be glad to have our fears taken off, and to have them be upon our enemies, that they might make no war against us? Here is the way to do it, to provide preaching Ministers in all places of the kingdom. Consider seriously that passage of Scripture, 2. Chron. 17. 7. 8. 9. Jehoshaphat sets up a teaching ministry, not only here and there, but in all the cities of Judah. And what was the sequel? That v. 10. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. It is worth our noting, that at the second verse of the Chapter it is said that Jehoshaphat placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah. And yet thereupon it is not said that the fear of the Lord fell upon the neighbouring kingdoms; but when he had established a teaching Ministry, then his enemies had a fear, and made no war. Forces and garrisons will not make a kingdom so dreadful to an enemy as an able and godly preaching Ministry will do. Have a care of this, and in doing this you shall do that which shall tend exceedingly to our safety and preservation.

4. That is another good piece of timber for an Ark, Ezr. 7. 26. Whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the King, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. There is a generation that will neither do the law of God, nor of the King; who both by the law of God, and the King, are men of death. Oh that life might be put into those laws, and judgment might be speedily executed, whether unto death &c. The Romish Locusts swarm everywhere in the land, and they go about to draw away men from obedience both to God and the King. And these they be whom we may thank for the increase of Popery, what wonder is it that so many are drawn into the whores bed, when there be so many Panders in every corner enticing men to commit fornication with the Romish strumpet. Lay the axe to the root of the tree. Clear the Kingdom of these frogs that come out of the mouth of the beast, and the false Prophet. Never think to have your Ark water-light, nor to provide for our common safety till judgment be executed upon them. It is no cruelty to call for Justice, nor persecution to do Justice upon such, upon whom Justice being done, you may procure mercy from God upon a whole Church and Nation. It is worth your notice that after the hanging of the sons of Saul, 2. Sam. 21. 14. it is said, After that God was entreated for the land. The land for three years had been under a judgment and there was (doubtless) entreating of God for the land; but when they were hanged, then God was entreated for the land, and then it went well with the land. And as God will in some cases have mercy and not sacrifice; so in some he will have justice, and not sacrifice. This day is a day of sacrifice in prayer and humiliation for the safety of the land.

Honoured in the Lord, God will have justice and not sacrifice, Prov. 21. 3. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Nay the doing of justice is a sacrifice, with the sacrifices of your prayers and humiliations let God have the sacrifices of justice, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, and for such sacrifices will be well pleased with the land. It was zeal yet in the Egyptians. Exod. 8. 26. Loe shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? How foul a shame for Israelites then, that they can suffer the abominable sacrifices of Egyptians, you are afraid that God may let in oppressing enemies upon us, you sue this day for mercy to God in that thing; execute justice and judgment, and then may ye pray as David did, Psal. 119. 121. I have done judgment and justice, leave me not to mine oppressors. And so I have done with the materials of your Ark, the particulars whereby our safety may be procured.

2. The manner follows how ye should build this Ark. That stands in these things, Go to work.

1. With a spirit of concord and unity. The Churches have lost too much already by disunion. My prayer and hearty desire is that it may be with both the houses of this present Assembly, as God promises to do with the two houses of Israel and Judah, Ezek. 37. 19. that the Lord would make them one in his hand. And we shall see elsewhere the mischief of it when these two, were two, Zech. 11. 7. There were two staves, of Beauty and of Binders. That staff of Binders was none other but the bond of unity, by which the two houses of Judah and Israel were knit together. God breaks the staff of Binders, v. 14. and the brotherhood breaks, and then v. 15. 16. follows the threatening of sending into the land foreign and Roman Governors that should eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. See the mischief of a spirit of peruersities, Is. 19. 14. 16. 17. making way for the ruin of Egypt. Be it therefore the utmost of your cares and wisdoms to keep the staff of Binders unbroken. Knit together in and for God to do him and his Church all possible service.

2. Set upon the work with speed. As Christ spake to Judas in a case of taking away life, so I say to you in the case of saving the life of the state. That which ye do, do quickly. It is high time that the Ark were already made. It will be too late to build Arkes when the waters are broke in: you had need do in this case as Aaron did in that Numb. 16. 46. Go quickly, for wrath is gone out.

3. Go to work thoroughly, and substantially; make sure work: God bid Noah pitch his Ark within, and without. He bestowed a great deal of time in building it, he made an huge vessel, but if he had not pitched it well within, and without he had lost all his cost and labor; both his Ark and himself had been cast away. Therefore God appoints him Copher as well as Gopher; pitch, as well as Pine or Cedar trees.

4. Go to work courageously. Betray not the State and Church with any carnal and base fears. If I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved was Iaa •… bs conclusion. If I perish, I perish, was Esther's reso •… tion. Let the same be yours also. It is better to perish for a Kingdom, than with a Kingdom. If the Kingdom perish who can hope to escape? If the public wrack, who can hope to save his private •… ache? It is a folly when the whole Ship is in danger so to take care for ones private cabin, as not to put ones self in danger to save the Ship. If the Ship drown, what becomes of the cabins then? I say no more but as 2. Chron. 19. 11. Deale courageously, and the Lord will be with the good. Thus we see the materials wherewith, and the manner how this saving Ark must be built. Now the Lord give all you, our Noah's and Parliament Ark-wrights, hearts to say as Nebemiah spake of building the wall of Jerusalem. Nehem. 2. 20. The God of heaven he will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build. You his servants take notice of God's fair warnings, take notice of our fears and dangers, take notice of the hopes and expectations of the Church at home and abroad, take notice of the eyes of the kingdom, and of all Christendom that are upon you, Do you arise and build, and the God of heaven prosper you.