Meroz Cursed 23 February 1641

A SERMON PREACHED At the late FAST BEFORE The COMMONS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT.

R Ight Honorable and beloved, it hath been a custom almost amongst all Nations, after any notable Victory, to have their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their Triumphant Songs, wherein the illustrious acts of their own worthy Leaders, and the shame and confusion of their enemies were celebrated, preserved and so delivered over to posterity. The Romans had their Salii Priests, who after any victory went dancing through the City, singing their Hymes, and Paeans to Mars, and the rest of the favorable God's. And the Grecians, sometimes in Verses, sometimes by Sculpture, used to set forth their famous Battels and Victories, yet always attributing the highest glory of all to their God's, who • they supposed to be present with them, Protectors over them, and fighters for them. This course, I think, the Devil learned from the Lord Jehovah's dealing with his own people, who always directeth them thus to celebrate his noble acts, and their great deliverances. Thus Moses and Aaron sang unto the Lord, when he triumphed gloriously over Pharaoh and all his Host, making them sink like a stone to the bottom of the Red Sea. Thus the women in their song and dance celebrated their victory over the Philistines. And this whole Chapter is nothing but a Triumphant song, setting forth in an elegant and lofty verse, the great Victory which Barak and Deborah and a small army with them had gotten, (the Lord marching before them) against King Jabin and his General Sisera, who for twenty years had mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

In which song, First, all praise and glory is given to Jehovah the Lord of hosts the Prince who lead them, by whose strength alone the victory was obtained. Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel. I will sing unto the Lord. Lord when thou wentest out of Seir, &c. Then the Song descends to the due praises of their general Barak, and his assistant Deborah, yea the several Regiments and Companies both of Horse and Foot do receive the praise and reward of their courage and valor. And not only so, but the Song proceeds to Stigmatize and brand with reproach, and mark out for punishment all such companies, as had played either the Traitours or the Cowards, or were otherwise wanting to their duty in this great expedition. Reuben had other Sheep to turn. he tarried amongst his Sheepfolds to hear the bleating of his flock. Gilead durst not cross the Water: Dan cowardly withdrew into his Ships: Ashur durst not come from his own coasts. God takes notice and remembers them all, and lets them know he had great thoughts of heart about it, and in time would reckon with them for it.

But above all his wrath was most incensed against Meroz, a people of whom we find no mention in the whole Book of God, nor I think in any other Story, but only in this place, upon this unhappy occasion, you can know no more of them than what this place tells you: and these few relics of them, remain as the lake of Sodom as a mounment of their sin, or as a Mast of a Ship swallowed up in the quicksand, to warn passengers to take heed of that dangerous place: or as Lots Wife turned into a Pillar of Salt, to season others. This their short Chronicle I may call their Grave-stone, which seems to hold out such an inscription, as they say Sennacharibs Tomb had, Look upon me, and learn to be godly. So theirs, Look upon me, and learn your own duty, Look upon me, and take heed of disserting the cause and Church of God, when they stand in need of you.

A Text and Theme exceeding seasonable. Seasonable to the times wherein we live, when abundance of mighty enemies rise up against the Lord, and against his Church. Seasonable to the temper of most people who generally mind their own things, and not the things of Christ. Seasonable to the occasion of this days meeting, which is purposely for the help of the Lord, and his cause, and people now distressed in Ireland. But to me it seems most of all seasonable for this present honorable Assembly who all should be as the Lord: their Horses as his Horses, their Chariots as his Chariots, they being all called to be Leaders and Captains of the Lord's Host. The Lord make it but as profitable, as I am sure it is seasonable, and I doubt not but we shall be exceeding gainers by it.

In this Text which I may call the doom of Meroz, there are these two things.

First, the Author of the doom or sentence, the Angel of the Lord. Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord.

Secondly, the Sentence given against them: Curse ye Meroz, &c.

Wherein likewise consider these two things.

First, What their fault was.

Secondly, What their punishment was.

Their Fault ye have in these words, They came not out to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

Their Punishment was a curse, and a bitter one: Curse ye Meroz, Curse ye bitterly, or (as the word signifies) in cursing, curse the inhabitants of Meroz, continue to curse them, vehemently curse them, never leave cursing them.

I shall briefly interpret the words, and so proceed (with God's assistance) to some profitable instructions.

First, the Angel of the Lord. I find great difference among Interpreters, who this Angel of the Lord should be. Some think it was Deborah the Prophetess who penned this Song. Some think Barak the General was likewise at this time inspired by the Holy Ghost. Some think it was the Angel that led them, Michael their Prince who went out with them. Some think the Angel of the Lord, signifies all that have Divine inspiration, but all agree in the intent of it, namely, that the Author is alleged, that all might know that this curse came not from the private Spirit of Deborah or Barak (as Saul's once did, when he cursed everyone that shall taste any meat until the evening, that he might be avenged on his enemies) but was pronounced by the direction of God himself, and so consequently, they who are thus cursed are cursed indeed, The Angel of the Lord, that is divine Authority.

2. Meroz. Who was Meroz, and what people were they? I could never learn whether Meroz were a City or a Province, few or many, rich or poor, weak or strong; in this all agree that they were Jews; the Canaanites should not have been cursed for not joining with Israel, in their wars. All likewise agree, that they dwelt near Mount Tabor and the River Kison, the place where this battle was fought, and so consequently near the danger: and in all probability were called by Deborah and Barak to come and assist them. Which is likewise judged to be the cause, why they had a heavier doom than any other. God cannot abide to have such ill neighbors to his people when they are in distress.

3. Curse them. The word signifies, Maled • cere verbo, malefacere re, to speak evil of them, to revile them, to reproach them and wish mischief to them, to do any evil against them, to execute in deed, what they would wish in words. What the particular Curse was, or what the event of it was, no man can determine; this I find, which is most probable, It was ordinarily observed among the Jews, that whatsoever was justly cursed grew unfruitful presently. If a Woman were cursed she proved barren. If the Earth were cursed, it brought forth Briars and Thorns, no profitable Seed or Plants would grow there. If Trees were cursed they withered away. If God's curse fell upon Houses or Cities, the Walls and Foundations would fall down. God's curse always wasted that which it fell. So in all likelihood this curse is the cause we never read more of them. If they were a Province, their Land proved a desolate Wilderness. If a City it was destroyed, or grew unpeopled: this bitter curse like the Water of Jelousie made an end of them.

4. They came not to the help of the Lord against the Mighty, Who are these Mighty? Without all question by the mighty are literally meant King Jabin, and his General Sisera, because these were those potent enemies, against whom the battle was fought. But in God's intent (this being a prophetical Song) the mighty are all, of what rank or quality soever, who are eminent in wisdom, strength, authority or riches, and manage an ill cause against the Lord or against his Church.

Lastly, they came not out to the help of the Lord by the help of the Lord you will easily conclude, that in this particular, the help of Deborah and Barak are meant. They came not to join with the Tribes of Zebulon and Nepthaly, and that small handful of Israelites who by God's direction undertook this battle against the great Captain Sisera. Because they joined not their strength with God's people, they are judged not to help the Lord. For (as I shall show anon) the Lord and his People are so conjoined, that their friends are his friends, and their enemies are his enemies, and whosoever helps not them, are interpreted to refuse to assist the Lord himself. I know nothing else in the Text, that hath the least show of difficulty.

Were this Text to be handled at large in many Sermons, such Observations as these could not briefly be passed over: as first,

That although God's people must ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) bless, bless I say, and not curse. Curses are edged tools, dangerous to be meddled with, yet there may fall out such cases, that God's blessed servants must come down from Mount Gerizim, the Mount of blessing; and go up on Mount Ebal, the Mount of Cursing; and there curse, and curse bitterly. Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord.

Secondly, That although it be true that the curse causeless shall not come, yet when God's people according to God's direction, (clave non errante) do curse, their curse is like the flying Roule which we read of, it consumes the house it lights upon, the timber thereof, and the stones thereof. It is like the Wolves foot, of which they say, that no herb upon which it hath once trod will grow afterwards.

Thirdly, That the mighty do frequently oppose the Lord: it is no new thing to find the Mighty in strength, the Mighty in authority, the Mighty in wealth, the Mighty in parts, in Learning, in Counsel, to engage all against the Lord, his Church, and Cause. The Lambes followers and servants, are often the poor and off-scouring of the World, when Kings, and Captains, Merchants, and Wisemen, being drunk with the Wine of the Whores fornications, proceed to make war with the Lamb, and to give all their strength unto the Beast, till the Words of God shall be fulfilled.

Fourthly, That when the mighty of the World do oppose the Lord, God's meanest servants must not be afraid to oppose the Mighty.

And fifthly, That whosoever come out to join their strength, and to give assistance to the Lord's people, the Lord doth interpret them all to give help and assistance to himself.

But because my Discourse upon this Text, in this place must be hedged into one Sermon, I may not let it out into such a spacious field. I shall pass by all these and many other seasonable truths, which in this Text are obvious to all your eyes, and betake myself to clear one lesson only; which you will quickly see to be the main scope and intent, not only of this verse, but of the greatest part of this Chapter, and most seasonable for these times, for this Assembly and occasion, viz.

I beseech you see how clear this is, not only in this verse (God laid nothing else to Meroz charge but only this, they came not out to help the Lord against the mighty) but in other passages of this Chapter. My heart is toward the Governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. They are not so much as named without an Euge. The Princes of Issachar are blessed for being with Barak. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives to the death in the high places of the field. These are blessed also. Blessed above women was Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. What made Jael such a blessed woman? Even this, she put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmans hammer, and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and smitten through his temples. On the other side see the displeasure that there is against the Tribes who came not out to help in this expedition. Reuben had business of his own, his flocks were to be attended. Gilead could plead that the River Jordan divided him, from Barak and his company: Asher had his own breaches to make up, and the Sea coasts to look to. A man might think, these were fair excuses. But God had great thoughts of heart against them all. And woe to him, or them, against whom God hath great thoughts. The whole Chapter runs in this strain, they are cried up, they are honored and blessed: not only the heart of God's people, but the soul of God himself (as I may say) took pleasure in them, who appeared on the Churches side; his displeasure, indignation, wrath and curse did rise against all, who came not to the help.

This is most plain in many other Scriptures. I shall cull out but three among three hundred, Jer. 48. 10. That whole Chapter contains the doom of Moab. God's curse was now to be executed upon Moab, and you may read of Moab, that the Lord once sent to him when his people were in distress. Let my outcasts devil with thee Moab, be thou a shelter to them in the time of a storm. But Moab was too proud to listen to God's counsel. Moab was always an ill enemy to Israel. Now God comes to reckon with him for it. Now the spoyler shall come upon all his Cities. And to them who were to execute this vengeance of God against them, mark what a charge is given in the tenth verse, Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, or fraudulently, or deceitfully, as the word signifies; Now what was the work which was to be done? the next words will tell you, Cursed is every one that withholds his hand from shedding of blood: the strangest reason of a curse that ever was read of, if ever a man might have pleaded (with Peter when the voice said unto him. Arise Peter kill and eat) not so Lord. I have not been accustomed to this, here were room for such a plea, when his work was to go and embrew his hands in the blood of men, to spill and pour out the blood of women and children, like water in every street. But he is a cursed man that withholds his hand from this, or that shall do it fraudulently, that is, if he do it as Saul did against the Amalekites, kill some and save some, if he go not through with the work: he is a cursed man, when this is to be done upon Moab the enemy of God's-Church. So that whatsoever employment men are put to, they are cursed men, that take not part with God in his work. Another place you shall find in Psal. 137. v. 8, 9. The daughter of Babylon was there to be destroyed, observe now the epithet which God gives to the executioners of his wrath against Babylon. Blessed is the man that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. Blessed is the man that makes Babylon drink the same cup, which Babylon had made God's people to drink. Now he that reads the book of the Lamentations, may find how Babylon had used the Church of God, they had broken their bones as a Lion breaks the bones of a Lamb, brought their necks under persecution, made their skin black like an oven, hanged up their Princes by the hand, and which is most of all cruel, had dashed their children against the stones. Now saith the Spirit of God, Blessed is the man, that thus rewards Babylon, yea, blessed is the man that takes their little ones and dashes them against the stones. What Soldiers heart would not start at this, not only when he is in hot blood to cut down armed enemies in the field, but afterward deliberately to come into a subdued City, and take the little ones upon the spears point, to take them by the heels and beat out their brains against the walls, what inhumanity and barbarousness would this be thought? Yet if this work be to revenge God's Church against Babylon, he is a blessed man that takes and dashes the little ones against the stones.

But there is one Text of Scripture (if no other were to be found in the whole book of God) which is a sufficient proof that all are blessed or cursed, according as they do or do not help the Church of God in their need: and that you shall find, Matth. 25. 33. &c. The sum whereof in a few words is this, At the latter end of that Chapter is a description of the day of judgment, and of the manner of Christ's proceeding at that day. First, that when Jesus Christ shall come in the glory of his Father, he will divide all the godly to the right hand, and all the wicked to the left hand, as the Shepherd divides the Sheep from the Goats. Secondly, he pronounces all on his right hand blessed, all upon the left hand cursed: Come ye blessed, go ye cursed. Here are all the blessed, and there are all the cursed. Mark now what is assigned as the only reason and evidence why the one sort are blessed, and the other cursed. It is most plain in the Scripture, that at that day the Lord will call people to an account for all they have done in their whole course, whether good or evil: but in this place, Christ gathers all that shall be opened and come to receive blessing or cursing, reward or punishment to this one head, according as they did or did not help and succor his Church and people in their time of need. To, the one side, Come ye blessed, receive the Kingdom prepared for you, for you visited my Church when it was sick, you gave meal to my Church when it was hungry, you gave my people drink when they were thirsty, you took them in when they were strangers, you clothed them when they were naked, you came to them when they were in prison: Inasmuch as you have done it unto these, even unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me. On the other side, Go ye cursed▪ Why are they cursed? I was hungry and ye gave me no meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink, I was a stranger and ye took me not in, naked and you clothed me not, sick and in prison and ye visited me not: Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it not unto the least of of one of these, ye did it not to me. As if the Lord at that great day did take notice of nothing, but what the carriage of all people hath been to or against his Church and children. What greater evidence can there be in the world, that men are blessed or cursed, than this? that they either do, or do not help the Church of God.

This will yet be clearer if we consider the Church, First, as it stands in relation to God. Secondly, as we stand in relation to the Church.

First, as the Church stands in relation to God: when I speak of God in relation to the Church, or the Church to God; you must always understand God in Christ, Immanuel. God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. And thus the Churches relation to God, gives us two excellent grounds of this doctrine.

First, the Church and the meanest member of it is united to him, made one with him, they are not only his servants, his friends, such as he loves, but he and they make but one person, I mean one mystical person. Insomuch that throughout the whole Scripture he that blesseth them blesseth him, he that curseth them curseth him, he that relieveth them relieveth him, he that fights against them fights against him, he that touches them touches the Apple of his eye, all the relations which argue intimacy, tenderness and dearness, meet in this conjunction betwixt God and his Church, he is their Father they are his children, he is their head, they are his members, he is their husband, they are his wife, yea they are called by his name and he vouchsafes to be called by their name. Take but this for granted, and you will make no doubt, but all men are blessed or cursed, as they do or do not help the Lord. The Lord Jehovah is the fountain of all blessedness more than the Sun is the fountain of light, from his favor and good will necessarily flows all happiness, and consequently all are blessed or cursed, according as the aspect between God and them is malignant or benevolent. This ground is fully laid down in that forementioned placed, Matthew 25. You did it to them, therefore you did it to me, you refused it to them, therefore you refused it to me. It is clearly there taught, but I believe there is no man on earth that understands it, or believes it fully. And that very Text gives me a hint to think so. Because the very righteous themselves, though they do all to the Saints out of the good will they bear to Christ, yet when Christ shall acknowledge this and say, Come ye blessed, you fed me, you clothed me, you visited me, They shall answer, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison and administered unto thee? It shows that themselves did not fully understand how near they were to Christ for whom they did all these things. I have somewhere read a story of a Sarazen Embassador, who being with a Christian Prince, and seeing Nobles and great men to wait upon him, and the Prince himself to wait upon a Table full of poor ragged people, desired to know what they were, to whom he shown so much respect, he answered to this effect, they were the servants of his Lord, and that he served his Savior in them. Well said the Embassador, if your Lord have no better servants than these, I desire to be none of them. I care not for your Religion. And truly it is a hard thing to persuade not only Sarazens but even Christians themselves, that whatsoever is done to poor abjects, the off-scouring of the world should be done to Christ himself. No earthly Prince would do so, equally to accept and reward him, that should give a nights lodging or any succor to one of his meanest and basest groomes, as if it had been done to the person of himself or of his son. Yet this is the very case betwixt Christ and his Church.

Secondly, another ground from the Churches relation to God, is this, that as their persons are nearly united to him, so their cause is his cause. As they account every cause of God to be their cause, so God accounts every cause of theirs to be his cause, 2 Chro. 20. Moab and Ammon and they of Mount Seir, came with a huge army against Jehoshaphat, he and his people being suddenly surprised betake themselves to prayer, and seek help from God: Now mark what God's answer was, Be not you afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude, the battle is not yours but God's. Was not the battle theirs, all they were worth lay upon that battle, their wives and children, their lives and liberties, their country and religion, lay all at the stake, and yet the battle none of theirs, that is, not so much theirs as God's, so in the 74. Psalm. When Asaph had laid down all the Churches sufferings, the pulling down of their Synagogues, the wasting of their Country, the reproach and scorn cast upon them by their enemies, he interests God in all this, Arise O God, plead thine own cause, remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee, forget not the voice of thine enemies. Thus is their cause God's cause, their enemies God's enemies: and indeed, if we look into it narrowly, whatsoever is done to them and their cause, good or evil, is done for God's sake. This then is a strong argument to prove men blessed or cursed, according as they join with, or oppose the cause of God. Because first, if it be God's cause, it is a good cause. Secondly, it is a noble cause. Thirdly, it is a successful cause.

First, I say it is a good cause. The just Lord that is in the midst of his Church will do no iniquity. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness. Now you know it is a blessed thing to have a good cause, though it be a mean cause. David often pleaded this before God, that his cause was just, his cause was upright. Let them shout for joy, that favor my righteous cause. And on the other side it must needs be a cursed thing to manage a cursed cause: when David's cause was good, his adversaries must needs be evil, and then he could foretell that they should be ashamed and brought to confusion, clothed with reproach and dishonor who opposed themselves against him.

Secondly, being God's cause, it is a noble cause: a man may possibly among men have a good cause and the thing but a trifle, a thing of no great consequence: but if it be God's cause, let it appear never so contemptible, it is subservient to the highest end, that can possibly be thought of. The salvation of souls, the glory of God, &c. Honor uses to put men upon hard and desperate services, men will run, wrestle, fight for a crown, though but a corruptible crown. There is comfort in doing good to one, but to advance the good of many, especially of the Church of God, how honorable, how glorious is it?

Thirdly, God's cause is a successful cause, no weapon can prosper that is formed against it, and every tongue that rises up in judgment against it shall be condemned. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. This Gamaliel saw, when he advised the council of the high Priests, and Pharisees, and Rulers, to refrain from opposing the Apostles, If this work be of men it will come to naught, but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it, it is in vain to fight against God. Since then the Churches cause is God's cause, and consequently a good cause, a noble and succesful cause, you may easily hence conclude the happiness that accompanies the promoting of it. And on the contrary as easily discern, how cursed a thing it is, not only to undergo the disgrace of managing a wicked and base enterprise, but to fail of that which wicked men use to cherish themselves with, the hopes of the comfort of reward and obtaining their desires.

Secondly, consider our relation to the Church. And that affords three other excellent arguments to prove men blessed or cursed, according as they help or help not the Church of God.

First, whatsoever abilities any man enjoys, wherewith he may any ways be useful, they are all given him to this very end, to make him serviceable to the Church. All the manifestations of the spirit are given to profit withal. All the gifts which Christ poured out when he ascended up on high, are for the perfecting of the Saints, and the building up of the body of Christ. As every one hath received a gift, so let him minister, as good stewards of the manifold graces of God. The Church is the common storehouse to which all our wealth must be carried. Salus Ecclesiae suprema lex. Which being so, the happiness of everything being the attaining of the end for which it was appointed, and the curse of it the perverting of it to a wrong end, they must needs be blessed who serve the Church, and he must needs be cursed that deprives the Church of its own due. Solomon saith, that he that withholds corn in a time of famine, the people shall curse him, though it were his own corn, but suppose a man had the keeping of the provision of the whole town corn, which were none of his own, he only entrusted with the keys of it, and should let the people starve for want of that food▪ which he should keep purposely for them: or that a man had the keeping of a Magazen for an Army to furnish them with what might make them victorious, and their safety and victory hazarded, if not lost through his default, were not this man a villain and a traitor to his country?

Secondly, Consider how near the relation is betwixt the Church and us, (except we be of the malignant Church, of the Dragons army, and then no more need be said to prove men cursed.) The Church is our Mother, and all the Saints are our Brethren, a Relation which all Laws of God and man do fasten duty upon. The eye that mocketh at his father or despiseth to obey his mother, the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it. Paul thought he did no more than his duty, when he had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart, and could wish himself accursed from Christ for his Brethren his kinsmen, who were Israelites.

Thirdly, All our own blessedness stands or falls with the blessedness of the Church. The Church is such a corporation or mystical body, as hath in it all the properties of a natural body wherein no members can be happy in an abstracted sense, but as parts conjoined with the whole: because every part hath besides the near relation to the whole a subsistency in it, which is the foundation of any other good it receives. And so consequently, the good or gain of the whole is the gain of every member, and whatsoever tends to the dissolution of the whole, cannot but be destructive to all the parts. As when a company of Merchants have but one joined stock, every penny gained or lost is gain or loss to them all. Or as it is with a company of passengers in the same Ship, save the vessel and you save all, sink the Ship, and every man's Cabin is cast away. Now this is a more prevailing argument than reason can make, it is grounded in nature which must prevail with all; Nature makes heavy things to ascend, rather than the whole should be endangered by a vacuum. Nature teaches the tongue to cry out, when the toe is trod upon, the hand to work, that the belly starve not, the feet to run, that the back be not cold. Every man finds this in the natural body; and God's Spirit dwelling in all the Saints works the same spiritual disposition in them that are partakers of the divine nature, That there be no Schism or division in the body of Christ, but that all the members may have the same care one for another, That whether one member suffer, all the members should suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members should rejoice with it.

By this time I hope it is clear, that if we look upon God's promises or threatenings, men's experience in all ages, or the Churches interest in God, his near union with it, his affection to it, his owning the Churches cause, or if we consider our own engagements to the Church, our near conjunction with it, and under God the dependence of all our comforts and welfare upon it, we may and must conclude, that all men are blessed or cursed according as they help or help not the church of God.

The rest of the time I shall spend in the Application of it, that what is thus clear to your judgment and conscience, may by God's blessing take due place in your hearts and conversations. And there are but two collections which I shall make for use. The first, briefly for terror and reproof, the second more largely, for exhortation and duty.

First, for reproof. This speaks very sadly against two sorts of people whereof (God knows) there are many hundreds of thousands who yet profess themselves to be Christians. As first, Are all they cursed that do not thus help the Lord against the mighty? what then are they, who instead of helping the Lord against the mighty, do help the mighty against the Lord? who instead of joining all their strength, and giving all their assistance to the Church in her distress, do give all the assistance they can to the enemies of the Church, that they may do mischief against the Church? What shall we think of these men? How many are there who have as it were entered their names into the Dragons muster-book, openly bidding defiance against the Church of Christ, in every good cause? who walk Antipodes against the cause of God, like Antiochus, making war against the Saints, like the little horn in Daniel, wearing out the Saints of the most high in all places where they can prevail? how many others, like the Kings and Princes in the 2. Psal. Set themselves, and take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed, digging as deep as hell for counsel to do all the mischief they can to the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ? How many others with Balaam, do what in them lies to curse them for reward, who for very malice rail upon and revile the children of the most High? How many others, with Edom, look upon the affliction of Israel, rejoicing over them in the day of their destruction, speaking proudly in the day of their distress, crying out against Jerusalem, down with it, down with it even to the ground How many others, with Amal • k, smite the hindmost of God's Church, all who are weak and feeble, when they are faint and weary, adding sorrows and increasing the burden of the afflicted? How many, with Sanballat and Tobiah, are grieved when any are found to do good in Israel, endeavoring to hinder the building of Zion, and to further the repairing of the walls of Babylon? God knows there are too many such, I hope not many such present here this day before the Lord. But concerning these, if there should be any such here by what name or title shall I call them? The Giants who make war against heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , fighters against God, I know no appellation fitter for them. But whatsoever they delight to be called, I most earnestly beseech them in their most secret thoughts to answer these few questions. By what injury hath the Lord provoked thee thus against him? what iniquity hast thou found in him? what hurt hath Christ done to thee? what evils are his righteous servants guilty of against thee? Or if thou canst give no reason of this, but only, non amo te, nec possum dicere quare. I know no reason, but my heart stands against them. What honor or reward dost thou expect for this desperate service? What hope hast thou of speeding? Canst thou make thy forces strong enough to carry the day? O friend though thou beest proud and daring, yet be not mad, no weapon will prosper which is formed against them God hath sworn it against all the people who fight against Jerusalem, that their flesh shall consume whilst they stand upon their feet, their eyes shall rot in their holes, their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. O set not Briars and Thorns to fight against devouring fire. Let the potsherds strive with the Potsheards of the Earth, but let not a poor worm fight against his maker. Thou art too weak to strive with God. Kicke not against these pricks, abstain, abstain from those men of whom the Lord hath said, he that touches them, touches the apple of mine eye.

Secondly, There are others (not open enemies professing to take part against the Church) who stand as neuters, who stand a loofe off, showing themselves neither open enemies nor true friends, like the Samaritans, who feared the Lord and served their Idols, of whom also Josephus saith, that when the Jews were in prosperity the Samaritans were their friends, but were ever severed from them in their adversity. But as the Lord said of them when they feared the Lord and served their Idols, they feared not the Lord: so he will one day say of these, they love not the Lord. They say such as stand neuters are ordinarily crushed, which side soever wins, but the Lord acknowledges no Neuters. This text curses all them who come not out to help him, as well as those who came to fight against him, And our Savior at the last day will as well denounce go ye cursed against them, who gave them not bread when they were hungry, as them who plucked their bread away from them. And in this case it is a certain rule, for it is Christ's rule, he that is not with me, is against me. And of these Neuters there are two sorts. First, some stand Neuters out of policy, because they will see which side shall prevail, that they may be sure to join with the winning side; of these we have a notable example Judge. 8. when Gideon was pursuing Zebah and Zalmunnah the Kings of Midian, he calls to the men of Succoth, and the men of Penuel, to help to victual his Army. Give, I pray you, loaves to them that follow me, for they are faint. But they would first see what would be the event of the war, Are the heads of Zebah and Zalmunnah in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thine Army? As who should say, if you gave gotten the day, we are for you; if not, you must pardon us, we will look on a while longer; and even so do many falsehearted friends deal with the Church of God, turn Jews, when they have an honored Mordecai, and as ready to cut their throats when Haman prevails against them. They will be sure to be of the winning side, that they may save their own stake; but what Gideon's answer was to the men of Succoth and Penuel, when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunnah into mine hand, then then will I tear your flesh with briars and thorns of the wilderness, then will I beat down your Towers, and slay the men of your City, and accordingly did it: such like doom and execution shall all politick Neuters receive from the hand of Christ.

2 There is a second sort of Neuters who neither oppose the Church nor help it; not out of policy, but mere sluggishness and desire of ease or baseness of spirit: loving only their worldly profits and sensual pleasures, nothing regarding what concerns religion, or the Church: like Gallio the Deputy of Achaia, who when the Jews, one while beat Paul, another while the Ruler of the Synagogue (as the Text says) cared for none of these things. If it had been a matter of right or equity, things belonging to the Roman laws, he was ready to appear, but if it be a matter of Religion, it was out of his element, he is indifferent, whether the Bear bite the Dog, or the Dog bite the Bear, it is all one to him. Abundance of these are to be found everywhere, of whom we may say, as Solomon in another case, The heart knows his own bitterness, &c. They neither know the Churches bitterness, nor are acquainted with the joy of it. Such (I think) were the men of Jabesh Gilead, who when all the Tribes of Israel had bound themselves by oath to prosecute that bloody murder of the Levites Concubine, against the Benjamites, and never to return until they had avenged it, they let both sides alone, they had business enough of their own at home, not doubting but there were men enough to do the work, though they kept themselves quiet. But this neutrality of theirs cost them dear in the end, their own heart blood paid for it: and it is most probable, that Meroz in this Text was guilty of no other fault. The Lord grant that they may be warnings to us, that we be not made warnings to others. I hope this may suffice for reproof.

The second Use, and that which I most aim at, is for exhortation. Oh that I were able to speak somewhat to raise up your spirits, to make you these blessed men who willingly help the Lord against the mighty: I confess the day, the occasion of our meeting, this Text, and your place and office. (Right Honorable and beloved) give me an infinite advantage to speak, if I were able to improve all for your good. The thing I aim at, is, to send you home with Luther's resolution, who protested to God, that no portion, which God could give him in this world should content him but only this, to be God's Servant, to be a useful man in his Church, he would care neither for silver nor gold, neither for honor nor reproach: ease and labor should be all one, so that he might be accepted and useful. And would the Lord vouchsafe to make my labor effectual with you in this thing, I should be a blessed man in my work, and you should go home the blessedest company that ever met in such an Assemblie. To this end I shall endeavor two things,

First, to give you motives or incentives to inflame your hearts after such a temper of spirit, that you may be willing to give up yourselves to the help of the Lord and his Church.

Secondly, some directions to enable you in truth and reality to be useful. And although most of the things that I shall speak do chiefly concern you, our honorable Worthies, yet they will in their proportion reach the meanest in the congregation.

To stir you up, consider these three motives.

First, the honor of God. Certainly the highest end of our living in this world, is to honor God. Hallowed be thy name, is the first petition of every one that saith the Lord's Prayer. Now a man never gives glory to God as God, never sets up God in his right place, till he have devoted himself wholly and absolutely to serve him in what is most acceptable with him. And I have made it apparent that the Church of Christ is that field from which he expects the most plentiful crop of glory, and and therefore would have the most cost bestowed on it; He gets glory by all our actions, but in what we do for the Church, we give him glory and that in the highest degree.

Secondly, as for God's sake, so for the Churches sake. It is ever well with the Church, when the members of it, do prefer the Churches good above their own. Politicians and Historians observe this of States and Empires, that they usually thrive when the Subjects are Common-wealths men, every one endeavoring to promote the public good. Livy observes this of Rome, that so long as men would leave their trades, farms and merchandise, Ladies part with their Jewels and ornaments, rather than any detriment should come to the City, all Nations were subdued to them: But when they grew private, wealths men, everyone laboring to preserve and adorn his own Cabin only; the ship presently was endangered and went to decay. This is as true of the Church. In all the rising times of it, God hath ever stirred up such noble and generous spirits, who have given themselves to the Lord, and the service of the Church. In the Acts of the Apostles you shall find that they were all of one heart and one mind. No man said that ought of the things that he possessed was his own, they had all things common. Sold their possessions and goods, distributing them as every man had need, and lived so, as if one soul possessed them all: This was the thriving time of the Church. Then their multitude increased by thousands and ten thousands and walking in the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied. But when once men grew to seek their own things, and not the things of Jesus Christ, and his Church, the Church soon fell into a languishing condition. As therefore you desire to keep up the spirits and strength of the Church, so labor to keep up your own spirits for the Church, as you desire that may not faint, so do you take heed of fainting in the service of it.

Thirdly, as for God's sake, and the Churches sake, so for your own sake, for your own comfort and benefit, and that in many respects. As first, Such a frame of Spirit as this will be the best evidence of your own safe condition, of your peace with God; tis a comfortable thing for a man to hate his lusts, to strive against them, to wait upon duties, to attend upon Ordinances, to be often enquiring, What shall I do to be saved? but all this may be but self love (although such a love God approves of) but when the soul comes to inquire, what shall I do that Christ may be glorified, that his Church may be edified? to know no cross but the Churches cross? to prefer the joy of the Church before all his own peace and welfare? this is not only an Argument of a man looking Heaven-ward, but one that hath proceeded far in the way; A Scholar of the first and highest form; and this is that which Saint John means, when he doth so frequently ang all our evidence to Heaven, upon Love of the brethren, Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we Love the Brethren▪ In this are the Children of God manifest from the children of the Devil: He that loves not his brother, is not of God: Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. Everyone that loves God, loves him also that is begotten of him. And many other expressions, as if Saint John knew no other evidence but Love; now what Love is it? He means it not of an inward affection only, to wish well to them, and so forth, but by love to serve our brethren, to lay out ourselves, our lives, and parts, and all to serve them, To lay down our lives for the Brethren, as Christ laid down his life for us. This was that that bore up Hezekiah's heart in the time of his sickness, when he could plead, Lord, remember that I have done that which is good in thy sight. What was the good that Hezekiah had done? even this, He had set himself to purge Religion, to set up God's Ordinances, to make the Church prosper, given up himself to the public service of the Church of God, This made Nehemiah comfortably to go to God; Oh my God, wipe not out the good deeds, that I have done for the House of my God, And indeed, there neither is nor can be, anymore certain or infallible sign of a living member of Christ's body, and of our communion with Jesus Christ in his holy Spirit, that Spirit which dwells and acts in his whole mystical body, then this, to sympathize with the Church, to suffer in the sufferings of it, to rejoice in the consolations of it and to prefer the good of it, before that of our own souls: Secondly, the honor of it may provoke you. Ingenuous and Noble Spirits will do more for their honor than for their gain, now if you weigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, you shall find, that to be a public servant of the Church, to have an influence into the welfare of many, is the greatest honor which God communicates to any Creature; The Creatures which are for public and universal use, are most noble and excellent, the World might stand well enough without Pearls and Jewels, and a thousand such like things, but the fire, the water, the Sun, the Earth, which are servants to all, the World were ruined without them. Yea this will make us like to the Angels, the excellentest of all God's creatures, whose delightful employment is to be Ministring Spirits, sent forth to Minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation. What shall I say, this makes us (more than anything else) like unto God himself, thou art good and doest good: almost all the knowledge which we have of the glory of God, comes from the good which God diffuseth into the Creature, and they partake most of God's nature, and most eminently bear his Image, who are his most useful instruments in doing good to his Church and people; and if we mark it, we shall seldom find the Holy Ghost in the Scripture, to point out any as truly honorable, but under this notion, that they study the welfare and good of Zion. Mark them whom Saint Paul commends in the twelfth to the Romans, and ye shall see this is the matter of their praise; Phaebe was a servant of the Church at Cenchrea, she was a favourer of many: Aquila and Priscilla were Paul's helpers, ready to lay down their necks for a public good. Mary, Andronicus, Urban, Triphena, Triphosa, and many other, this is their commendation, They labored much in the Lord. So the household of Stephanus, Paul would have all of them subject to the household of Stephanus, he would have them numbered among the Patricii. What was the house-hold of Stephanus? It may be some honest Tradesman in his Civil rank: but here is the Crown: They addicted themselves to the service of the Saints: and of the messengers of the Churches, some good men that came on the Churches errand, the Apostle saith, if any inquired what they were, what rank or quality they were of, he answers, they were The Messengers of the Churches, the glory of Christ. Yea Saint Paul of himself, who seldom gloried of himself, who though he were the greatest Apostle, esteemed himself the greatest sinner, yet could not forbear glorying in this, That he labored more abundantly than any others, that the Care of all the Churches lay upon him, that he became all things to all men, that he might save some, and the Stigmata, the brands or marks that he bore about his body for his service in the Church, he did more glory in, than any Noble man can of his George or Blew Ribband: You shall see it, Galatians 6. verse 17. The Galatians had used Saint Paul somewhat coarsely, judged his actions and intentions, and mark how Saint Paul seems to take state upon him, from henceforth let no man trouble me; What made him thus high in his Spirit? I bear in my body, the Stigmata, the marks of the Lord Jesus: this was a badge of his honor, and therefore they must use him honourably, and indeed if we compare the honor and glory that rests upon men for the service of Christ and his Church, and that which vain men seek in other things, the truth of this would easily be seen. Suppose one man could say, this would I received in fighting for a Mistress in a Duel: Another thus, my state is impaired in brangling suites at Law, Another in gameing and Whoreing. What fruit? what glory is in these things? but now on the other side, when a servant of God can say, Haec manus ob Ecclesiam pugnando, &c. these offices I lost, this preferment I went without, thus was I scorned, thus is my body wasted for Christ's sake and for his Churches sake; this is glory indeed, this glory exceeds the happiness of mortality, and will outlive all wealth and pleasure. And all experience shows us, that however such men are most opposed and scorned by the enemies of the Church, who always most fight against the Capraines and Leaders, yet among the Saints these are the most precious men, one of them esteemed worth a thousand of others: and this some think Saint Paul to aim at in the fifth to the Romans, when he saith, scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man, that is, a useful Man, a serviceable Man, a Man whose life and labors benefits many, Some would even dare to die. Thirdly, nor is the Reward less, at the present it may be such instruments may loose Houses, or brethren, or children, or lands, and their own lives, but they shall find it again, in this life a hundred fold besides the inheritance of everlasting life. Bread cast upon these waters is seed sown in fertile ground; the bosom of the Church is the most fruitful soil in the world. Flesh and blood will never believe this, but Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory, whose all the Silver and Gold in the World is, who hath power enough to promote his servants and savourites, hath sufficiently assured us of this in his Gospel; Men will securely adventure their estates upon Ropes and Cables in the deep Seas, when the ensuring office is engaged for their security; if ye dare trust the insureing office of Heaven, go on, serve the Church, I promise in the Name of Christ to you, ye shall be paid every penny, every hours sleep which ye have broken, every gray hair which is hereby scattered upon your head, every disease which ye have contracted, every reproach which you have suffered, ye shall loose nothing by all or any of these, he will repay it you in this world an hundred fold in better things, it may be with trouble and persecution, but in the world to come ye shall have life everlasting; Thus far the motives, which would the Lord let sink into your hearts: how would ye with Paul rejoice to be offered up a Sacrifice for the Church of Christ? how willingly would ye continue to spend, and to be spent in so good work?

Secondly, some directions how we may be able to do this: where

First, I shall show what is requisite to prepare us and fit us to be the Churches servants. Secondly, how and wherein they that are fit should help the Church.

First, men must be fitted for it; this Mercury is not made of every wood; the Lord needs no Instruments; if he use any, it is propter munificentiam, not propter indigentiam; because he means to honor them, not because they can benefit him: and therefore he will make them choice spirits, rare and singular men, to whom he will thus communicate his own glory, and three things must meet in them. First, They must be godly; a General in an Army neither gives pay nor command to any, until they be duly entered into his musterbook: Now men are never numbered among the Lambs followers, their names are not entered into his List, until they be Saints. Read Revelation, where ever the Lambs followers are described, They are such as have washed their Robes, made them white in the blood of the Lamb, serving him night and day; they are redeemed from the earth; in their mouth is found no guile. They that are with the Lamb are called, and chosen, and faithful. And it must needs be so; for so long as men are in their unregenerate condition, they are Satan's vassals in the main; there is not in them a substratum of real usefulness to the Church; their heart cannot be with the Lord nor his people: 'It is only the new life which is the right principle of this service which is here expected: If therefore the Lord hath kindled in any of your hearts a desire to do him service, I beseech you, first, humble your souls deeply before God for your sins; get your Robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, rest not till the Spirit of Christ come to dwell in you, and when ye have, once with the Thessalonians, given yourselves first to the Lord, then ye are fit to give yourselves to the Church for the Lord's sake.

Secondly, as they must be godly, who would be servants to the Church; so they must learn to deny themselves; they must be taken off from all private self-engagements; they must set light by their own ease, their own profit, and their own life: If any man (saith Christ) come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple. Search through all the Scriptures, you shall hardly find a man whoever was fitted to be useful in the Church, till he had set himself aside; No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And therefore it was the A, B, C, which Christ taught all his followers, even this lesson of self-denial: You shall read Mat. 20. v. 22. That when the mother of James and John came to seek preferment at Christ's hand for her two sons, that the one might sit at his right hand, and the other at his left in his Kingdom; Christ presently nips that motion in the head, and tells them, that instead of expecting such high and pleasant things in this world, they must (if they meant to be his Apostles) prepare to drink of his cup, and to be baptized with his baptism; that is, take pains and suffer trouble. And verily sad experience hath taught this, that men are never cordial to the Church of Christ, who embrace this present world. It is recorded of the King of Navarre then a Protestant, being pressed by Beza, to appear more in the cause of God, and to own religion to the purpose: He makes him answer to this effect, That he was their friend, but he resolved to put no further to Sea, than that he might get to shore if a storm should rise; he resolved not to hazard his hopes of the Crown of France, and you know what became of him. So when men will make religion as twelve, and the world as thirteen, they will in sad trials, with Demas, forsake the cause and servants of God, and embrace the present world: Like those Potters recorded in the first of the Chro. who dwelt among plants and hedges: There they dwelt with the King for his work. A brand which the holy Ghost sets upon them, who when Cyrus proclaimed liberty and encouragement to return to Jerusalem; to rebuild the Temple, and set up the worship of God, refused to go back with their brethren, and chose rather to dwell among plants and hedges, than to hazard a gainful trade, which they made of the Kings work. O beloved, take heed of these choking thorns, the riches, cares, and pleasures of this world; especially beware of the world, when it comes with flattering allurements: Many ships have been swallowed in a calm, when they have outrid several storms. Troubles and persecutions, (like the wind in Plutarch’s Parable) make men gird their cloak (their profession of religion and service to the cause of God) closer to them, when the warm Sun-shine of preferments steals it from them:

There is a notable story of a soldier of Antigonus, one whom the Prince observed to be a very valiant man, ready to adventure upon any desperate service, and therefore much favored him; and observing that he still looked pale and lean, would needs know what he ailed, and finding that he had a secret and dangerous disease, he caused all possible means to be used for his recovery; which when it was accomplished, the Prince observed him to be less forward in service than formerly, and demanding the reason, he ingenuously acknowledged that now he felt the sweetness of life, and was loath to lose it. And thus do many thousands, who with Jonathan when they come into a wood that drops with honey, leave the chase of God's enemies, and feed upon the sweetness of worldly advancement. But, O ye Worthies, fly all these things; with Paul, esteem your lives not dear to you: Let no earthly thing move you, so you may finish your course and service appointed you from and for the Lord Jesus Christ: and conclude with Esther, if I perish, I perish.

Thirdly, whosoever would be a real useful instrument for the good of the Church, must get an unfeigned love to the Church planted in his heart, that it may bear fruit in his life and actions. All we do is nothing but our labor of love. Love will force more than the strappado, draw more than a yoke of oxen; It is a sweet and strong tyrant. When the Apostle Paul had pressed the Corinthians earnestly to study for the best gifts to make them useful in the Church: and to this purpose gives them a catalogue of the several gifts and graces which Christ, for this end, had shed abroad, when he ascended up on high: Yet in the last verse of that chapter he promiseth to show them a more excellent way, and that is the way of love, which he lays down in the thirteenth chapter: which will do all things, endure all things, without which if men had the tongues of men and Angels, all other gifts of prophesy, knowledge, &c. they are but as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbals. This is the reason why Saint John throughout all his Epistles calls for almost nothing but love; because in that he calls for all. My little children, love one another. And this is also the reason why the Devil doth so infinitely labor to sow the tares of division in the field of the Church; he knows if he can break the bond of love, he breaks the bond of perfection, and opens the flood-gates to confusion. Rest not therefore, whoever thou art that desirest to do good in the Church, till the love of it be fixed in thy breast, as deeply as the love of the Ark was in the heart of the wife of Phinehas, who died for grief when the Ark of God was taken: Or as Calais is said to have been in Queen Mary's, who affirmed, that if her body were opened Calais would be found in her heart. To this end, consider often how dear the Church is to thy dear Redeemer; how comely and beautiful it is in itself; comely as the curtains of Solomon, even when it is black as the tents of Kedar with persecution: How deformed, unclean, and every way vain all other societies are in comparison of this; As the Lily among the thorns; How near to thyself, begotten of the same seed, laid in the same womb with thee, and thou also wert laid in its womb, and sucked its breasts, redeemed with the same blood, enjoyest all the same privileges, hast all thy welfare in this world wrapped up in its welfare, and expectest to live with it to all eternity in the same glory. These thoughts rightly working upon thy heart, would make thee willingly spend and be spent for the Churches good: thy services would not be as the motion of a stone cast out of a sling, at first swift by virtue of a violent impression; but constant, and strongest rather toward the later end, as those motions are said to be which proceed from a natural inward principle. So then you easily apprehend the excellent use, and indeed the necessity of the concurrence of these three qualifications of godliness, self-denial, and love, to the making up of a good Church-man: the Lord make them evident in all your hearts and ways.

Next follows, What men thus accomplished may and must do for the Church. The service required may be reduced to these two heads:

First, somewhat to prepare us for action.

Secondly, to act as we are prepared.

By way of preparation three things are requisite. First, carefully to inform ourselves of the state and condition in which the Church is, otherwise we deprive ourselves of all possibility of being helpful to it. Be a man never so willing, and never so able to relieve the distresses of his brethren, he can neither heal the sick, nor help the poor, unless he knew who and where they were that needed, and what help they wanted. This made Nehemiah so diligently to inquire concerning Jerusalem, and his brethren which were left of the captivity. This made Daniel search into Jeremiah's Prophesies, to know the condition of the Church, and learn his own duty.

2. This enquiry must not be out of Athenian curiosity, as most people inquire after news; but so to know, as to work our hearts to a fellowfeeling of their condition, otherwise all our intelligence will be as dry clouds, flying over our heads without a drop of rain. Thus did Nehemiah as soon as he understood that his brethren were in great affliction and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem broken down, and the gates thereof burnt with fire, he sat down and wept: this prepared him for the good service he did afterward. Thus also did Daniel, who when God had shown him, though but in a vision, the calamities that were to come upon the Church of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes, he fainted, and was sick certain days. And the want of this fellow-feeling is both taxed and threatened by God in Amos 6. No man is sorry for the affliction of Joseph. God esteeming it an argument of little love to sit down with Haman at a banquet, when the City of Shushan is in perplexity.

3. As we must know and be affected with the Churches want, so we must inquire what is in our power to do for it, wherein we may be helpful. This I shall have occasion to speak of afterward.

The second sort of directions are for action. And these may be brought to two heads.

First, somewhat we must do immediately to God for the Church.

Secondly, somewhat we must do for the Church from God.

First, that which we are to do to God for the Church is to pray for it. I name this first, because it is the first and chiefest service that we can perform. If any other talent be a penny, Prayer is a pound. This is the talent of all talents: concerning which I shall speak a little more fully, as the seasonableness of it requires.

First it must be granted, that all the friends of the Church may help it with their prayers: if with Peter they have no silver nor gold, but will give such as they have, they may afford a subsidy of prayer. They have all the spirit of adoption, enabling them to cry, Abba, Father: So that what the Master of the ship said to Jonah, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise and call upon thy God: (though he could neither sit at stern, nor handle the tacklings, yet he might pray;) may be said to any man in regard of the Church; though thou canst neither run, nor ride, nor write, nor fight, yet thou canst pray: Awake, awake. And as plain it is, that God requires it should be so. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You that make mention of the Lord keep not silence: give him no rest, till he establish and make Jerusalem the praise of the earth. You that have escaped the sword remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind. But the chief thing I aim at is, to discover the power of Prayer. Which I shall never be able fully to express: None can tell what Prayer can do, but he that can tell what God can do. Yet these few conclusions may give some light toward it.

First, God hath not promised to do anything without it. It is confessed, he doth many things without Prayer, but he hath not promised to do anything for his Church without it. All this will I do, (saith the Lord) but for all these things will I be inquired by the house of Israel. Secondly, As he hath promised to do nothing without, so he will do all things by it: I will visit you (saith God) and perform my good word toward you; but you must perform your good work towards me: Then shall ye call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me. Ask and you shall receive: this is the confidence that we have, that whatsoever we ask according to his will, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him. What cannot Prayer do? It is able to overthrow all enemies: When I pray, mine enemies shall turn back. An hundred eighty five thousand were overthrown in one night, after the Prayer of Hezekiah. It is able to turn away all plagues, pestilence, famine, sword, wild-beasts; whatsoever plague or sickness there be, prayer and supplication will heal all. It is able to bring down all mercies; it is the key of heaven: Elijah, a man subject to the same infirmities with us, he prayed, and the heaven was shut; he prayed again, and the heaven was opened. It is the most efficacious engine in the world; it opened the prison doors, and the iron gate, to set Peter at liberty. It is the sum of all wisdom, strength, and policy. What should I say more? It prevails over God himself. Jacob wrestled with God, and prevailed: What was his wrestling? What was the strength, whereby, as a Prince, he had power with God? Even this, he wept and made supplication to him. It will not only stop the Sun in his course, as Joshua did, Sun stand thou still in Gibeon, and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon; but (with reverence be it spoken) it holds that hand which rules heaven and earth. Let me alone, said God to Moses, that I may destroy them: Moses prayer hindered God from doing what he seemed resolved to do. He said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap, to turn away his wrathful indignation▪ And thus some interpret that place of the Prophet Isaiah, Ask me of things to come, concerning my Sons; and as concerning the works of my hands command ye me: as if God had made over his own omnipotency to Prayer.

But whence is it that Prayer becomes thus efficacious? What is there in the submissions and supplications of poor worms to work such wonders?

I answer, These four things meet in prayer, which are the strength of it, and may be your satisfaction. First, The persons who pray are God's own children, dearer to him than heaven and earth, tender as the apple of his own eye: and we who are parents know how prevalent the cries of our own children are: we being evil can give good things to our children. Secondly, God's own Spirit dictates and endites their prayers for them: We know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it self makes intercession for us. Now as it is said of the Son, I know thou hearest me always; so may it be said of the Spirit. What regard soever he may bear to us poor sinners, he will certainly regard the intercessions of his own Spirit. Thirdly, The Prayers of God's people they are offered up and presented to God by his own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the high Priest of our profession, the Angel of his presence, who is at the right hand of God, who daily makes intercession for us, as the Spirit makes intercession in us, and mingles his incense, with the prayers of the Saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne. Fourthly, There is this in prayer, that it gives the greatest glory unto God. Of all gifts or graces which God hath given to any creature, never anything (except faith only) was found to give that glory to God which prayer doth: especially in these two things. First, it brings God into the field to fight the battle for them, makes him to work all their works for them; as indeed he doth. Whatsoever a man prays for, he doth by interpretation say, Lord, I never shall have this, unless thou give it me; I never shall do this, unless thou do it for me. And that is the reason why in 2 Chron. 20. after Hezekiah and his people had prayed, and professed they had no strength of their own, left the work only and wholly upon God's hand. Then God tells them, The battle is not yours, but God's; Now you have put it into my hands, you shall see what I will do for you. And secondly, When the work is done it ascribes the praise and glory of all to him, to whom alone it is due. If we mark it, God hath little glory in the world for those good things which men receive without Prayer; their friends, parts, wit, industry, must share with God; but what is won by Prayer is worn with thankfulness; there being a natural relation betwixt praying and praising, as the rivers return by the sea from whence they come.

O that I were able to teach you the right use of this engine. And first let me speak to you (right Honorable and Beloved) the Lord's and Commons assembled in this Parliament: Give me leave to show you the true spring of all that good, which hath come through your hands, since your happy entrance upon your great work. God knows I would not eclipse your worth nor due praise: We rejoice in you, and bless God for you; we have received great mercies by your means: but are you the cause of them? Have they been done by your wisdom and forecast, or for any worthiness found in your selves? Hath not God done them all almost by contraries? Have not you been many times at a loss, even at your wits end? Hath not God marvelously discovered wicked enterprises against you, and almost miraculously preserved you by his own naked arm, ever since the beginning of your meeting? Give therefore the glory where it is due, you shall have the honor of excellent instruments, but this honor is too high for you. Know therefore, Beloved, (and it will increase your honor to acknowledge it) that Prayer, and God by Prayer hath done all this: While you have been with Joshua fighting in the valley, Moses, Aaron and Hur have been at prayer upon the mountain. God hath poured out upon many parts of the Kingdom, but more especially in and about this great City, a most fervent Spirit of Prayer: In many thousand families you are every day mentioned at the throne of grace; few days of your Sessions have passed over, without extraordinary fasting and prayer, either public or private on your behalf: And when prayer doth thus ascend, mercies must needs descend. Let God therefore have the chief honor for pouring out the spirit of prayer and supplication, the fruit whereof is the upholding your hearts and spirits daily in your work.

And this also intimates the best hope we have of your good success for the time to come, even because God hath put it into the heart of the Kings Majesty and yourselves, to put the whole kingdom into a posture of prayer; we hope your care in putting the Kingdom into a posture of defense, will be serviceable: but we expect our greatest help and advantage, as from our daily prayers, so more especially from those solemn monthly days of humiliation, that are afforded and appointed us.

William the Conqueror, when he was Duke of Normandy (according to the superstition of those times) built many Abbeys, Monasteries and Nunneries, and told his friends he was at this cost to strengthen his Kingdom, esteeming them as strong fortifications, wherein he provided many to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh: this he said according to his light. I can more truly speak from God that in every congregation where godly Ministers and godly people shall, according to public direction, lie in the dust, fasting, and mourning, and praying before the Lord; there are strong holds set up for the safety of the Kingdom.

Secondly, how sadly doth this speak against many thousands of professed Christians! some cannot pray, some will not pray, sure I am many do not pray, who in all this long time of Germanies afflictions have never separated themselves to afford one days prayer for the help of their brethren: and in all our own exigence and darknesses have never stood upon the walls to help either England, Scotland, Ireland, King, or Parliament: these are a miserable generation. And this their not praying for the Church is a sad token against them, that when the Church of Christ shall sing for joy of heart, themselves shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit.

What remaineth then, but that all you who make mention of the Lord, and bear his Name, who have received this mercy, that you may have access to the throne of grace, be quickened up, for the time to come, to stand upon the walls, to give God no rest night nor day, to let Jerusalem come into your mind, constantly to do that which Master Bradford made the subscription of his letters, pray, pray, pray. God hath done great things for us; but many great things are yet to be done; much rubbish to be removed; many obstructions to be cleared, many enemies to be overthrown. Ireland is to be relieved, Religion to be established; Prayer may do all this; we may overmatch all our enemies by prayer, discover all their plots by prayer. Let us not be traitors against the Church and State, in slighting or forbearing the use of that, which may work all our works for us; this is to betray the forts of the Kingdom, But remember when I exhort you to pray, I mean, First, it must be prayer indeed; many can read prayers, say prayers, sing prayers, many can conceive or utter prayers, who yet cannot pray: Prayer is a pouring out of the soul to God. And secondly, this spirit poured out in prayer must be a pure spirit: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer. And thirdly, this prayer must be a prayer of faith; Pray in faith and waver not: And in a prayer of faith three things must meet. First, That the things beg'd be according to the will of God. Secondly, That they be beg'd in the name of Christ. Thirdly, that we rely upon the faithfulness of God, for the performance of them. This is to pray in faith. Fourthly, Our prayers must be fervent, humble, constant; and when we have prayed, we must remember, that though prayer be the great means, yet prayer is not all the means. Prayer must quicken us up to the use of other means, and sanctify us in the use of other means; other means are fruitless without prayer, and prayer not seconded with the use of o • her means, where they may be had, prevails not. These things you cannot be ignorant of, and therefore I only point at them, especially in these straits of time.

One thing more I must needs advise about, before I pass from this great help of prayer. And that is, in what esteem praying spirits should be had amongst all wise men; I know the world slights and scorns them, but in truth they are the very Chariots and Horsemen of Israel: Ten praying men might have saved Sodom, and the Cities round about. Solomon saith, There was a little City and few men it, and a poor wise man by his wisdom delivered this City from the siege of a great King; Yet no man remembered that same poor man. Truly thus it is with poor praying Christians, they deliver the Island and yet no man regards them. David knew how to prize such spirits, who, though he were a King, thought them fit to be his companions who called upon the name of God. Paul knew how to prize them who begged for prayers, as a prisoner for a ransom, Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that you pray for me. Yea, Joash though an Idolater, when the praying Prophet Elisha lay a dying, wept, and cried, as sensible of loosing the chief support of his Kingdom, O my father, my father, the Chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. Nay, which is yet more, a heathen Emperor Marcus Aurelius, finding by experience the power of the prayers of Christians, gave all the world notice of it, staid the persecution against the Christians, and called that band of Christians Legio fulminatrix, the thundering band. Let us therefore not fall short of heathens, let us not undervalue or slight them, who carry the Keys of heaven at their girdle. Verily (Right honorable and beloved) if you knew what blessings they are in the midst of the land, you would take pleasure in them, you would seek for praying friends, praying servants, praying tenants; you would desire to have a stock go in everyone of their vessels. You would say to them all, as they to their companions going up to the house of God, To pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts, I will go also. Yea, you would lay hold upon the skirt of these men, saying we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. This is the greatest help which we can give to the Church of Christ. This we do immediately to God for the Church.

There are some things also which we must do for the Church from God: The particulars are innumerable, but in regard the time is wholly spent, I shall give you the sum of all in one short conclusion. And indeed a little time may make it clear to your understandings, although the practice of it require the study of your whole lives.

The conclusion is this, Whatsoever abilities any have received in any kind, they are given to them to this very end, to be serviceable and useful to the Church of Christ with them: All the manifestations of the spirit in gifts and graces, are chiefly given for this end to profit the Church with; all the livelihood of our natural faculties, of our actions, of our worldly wealth, of office or authority, are given us, not for our own carnal ends, no nor primarily for our own salvation; but that with them all we should be as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God. So that our hands if skillful to write, should be employed as Secretaries of the Church, our feet as Messengers of the Church, our tongues as Advocates for the Church, our Wisdom and learning as Counselors for the Church, our wealth as Stewards or Almoners for the Church. Whatever any man hath, the Lord would have his Church to be the Common-storehouse, into which all should be brought, the body to which all should be serviceable: just as it was when the Tabernacle was to be built: Not only Bezaleel and Aholiab, men skillful in all manner of work, were to bestow their labors upon it; but all with whom anything was to be found, whether silver or brass, or fine linen, or Goats hair, or Badgers skins, or Rams skins; all with a willing heart were to bring it in; yea, the very women, that could spin either linen, or woollen, or hair, were all to be employed to further the work of the Tabernacle.

This needs no proof, every man's spirit carries him to do all this for whatsoever is his summum bonum, his chiefest happiness; such as make Mammon their God, or their belly, do readily contribute all they have or can do to the service of them. I shall shut up all with a brief application, First, for reproof, Secondly for duty.

How sadly doth this speak concerning them whose serviceableness to the Church consists only in empty and barren wishes! the same which they can and do afford to any creature which they see to be in distress; they love the Church, they pity the miseries of the Church, they are sorry for Germany, when they think on it, and that is but seldom: They grieve for Ireland; but require either their hands to underwrite, their legs to walk, their purses to contribute, their authority to command or countenance, &c. they can spare none of all these. They have a bottomless gulf called self, which swallows all they are, have, or can do, and yet is never satisfied. Ask them if they have a heart to do nothing for the Church, they answer readily they pray for it with all their heart, and that is all they can do. But let all such false-hearted Christians know, that the Lord needs none of their help, and cares as little for their dry barren prayers, as the poor beggar did for the Bishops blessing, who begging for a penny, but denied that, and put off with the offer of a benediction, told him that he perceived his penny was better than his blessing, otherwise he had denied him that also. In the mean time think how thou wilt appear in the day of thine account, when the not having much, but the improving of what we had to our masters advantage, will bring the Euge bone serve; when others shall come in and say, Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds; when (as Gregory says) Peter shall come in with his gain of Judea, Andrew of Africa, Thomas of India, Paul, and the rest, of many Nations; Ministers bring in their sheaves of souls, private Christians their gleanings and bundles; And thou appear empty, thy talent buried or embezelled, thy age spent, thy candle burnt out, nothing done by thee for the Church; when it shall appear that thou hast had gold and silver to feather thy own nest, power and authority to terrify thy neighbors; like a great Tree crushing or overdropping all that stand near thee; and hast had this worlds goods, as the Leviathan the Sea, only to take thy pleasure, and satisfy thy lusts in them. Woe unto thee if thy Master find thee thus doing. This gain of thy Talents, will be the loss of thy own soul.

Secondly, for exhortation to all, especially to you Right honorable, and beloved; What words shall I use? How shall I make up a strength to prevail with you, to give up yourselves and all you have so wholly to the Lord and to his Church, that all your other outward occasions may not so much as dare to expect anything from you, so long as the Church hath need of it; that your pleasures and superf • uities, nay your profits & sometimes necessities, may never offer to come in competition with the Church of God, for anything which you call yours. O that you could hear the Lord speaking to you in the same language as once he spake to Cyrus, For Jacob my servants sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by the name! I confess that instead of exhorting we have just cause to bless God for you, when we consider how you, who heretofore have lived at ease and in pleasure enjoying the delights of the sons of men, have now changed your pleasures for pains, your delights for dangers, your profits and gains for expenses, your houses for lodgings, and still continue to deny yourselves in all these things, and go on in your unwearied labors for the Church and cause of God. This is great matter of praise to God, and honor to yourselves. Generous plants and odoriferous spices (they say) grow only in hot regions: such fruits as yours are not brought forth by every plant, such plants as you grow not on every ground. But go ye on, ye Nobles and Worthies, forget what is behind; God and his people will not forget it: look and press to the work which yet remains: Get the resolution of Zizka that brave Bohemian Captain, who not only was willing to fight while he lived, but be queathed his skin when he died, to be made a drum head for the service of the war. Hold out to the end, Cloath ye with zeal as with a cloak, put on righteousness as your ornament: Be good shepherds still, to rescue and feed the flock committed to you: Be so many Savior's upon mount Zion. All this shall be done for the best Master; all this seed will be sown in the most fruitful ground, the bosom of the Church: and to quicken you the more, remember how much of the golden time which is gone you have wasted, with Domitian, in catching of flies; how much of your estate hath been spent needlessly in pictures, feastings, buildings, sportings, if not worse, in riot and disorder; how much of your strength hath been bestowed in the service of this world, and the God of it: and now when the gray hairs are scattered upon many of you, and God might justly cast you aside as broken vessels, the Lord should choose you, and accept you in the most honorable service that the sons of men are capable of; nay that service which he employed his own Son in. How readily and cheerfully ought you to consecrate yourselves and service to this work▪ you should come from your habitations and countries, as the Levite from the place where he so journed, with all the desires of your minds to serve the Lord your God.

And to you the rest, beside your Prayers, the exigence of the Church at this present time requires from you many otherthings. It may be some of you may be called, as soldiers, to spend your blood in the Churches cause: If you knew the honor and the reward that belongs to such a service, you would say, as the Martyr once, Had every hair on your head a life, you would venture them all in the Churches cause. It may be others of you may, with Nehemiah, be called from your own ease and honor to some wearisome task, embrace it readily. It is like your collections and contributions will be more frequent than ordinary, and very shortly in an extraordinary occasion, for the relief of our distressed brethren in Ireland: many in the City of London have set excellent examples, let me provoke you by their pattern, as the Apostle Paul did the Corinthians to the like work, by propounding to them the example of Macedonia: Only remember this, that what you give in this case is interpreted by Christ as given to his own person; and whom would not this provoke? It is reported of Master Fox, that when a poor man asked something of him for Christ Jesus sake, he questioned with the man, whether he knew Jesus Christ; and finding signs that the man was a Believer, he gave him his horse, when he had no money. I commend not his discretion, but his zeal and charity were admirable. Do somewhat proportionable to the distress of your brethren; Behold your Savior coming naked, and hungry, and banished in these his afflicted members. And in whatsoever else the Lord and his Church may have any need of you, remember that God's blessing is upon them that come to help him: and that Meroz, and with Meroz all others are cursed, who come not out to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons, that no man shall Print the Sermons Preached on the last Fast day, before the House of Commons, by Master Calamy and Master Marshall, besides themselves, for the space of these two months, without the particular Licence and Approbation of the said House of Commons.

THese are to give notice, that I appoint Samuel Gellibrand to print my Sermon.