Sermon Preached 25 May 1642

IT is this day Ordered by the Commons now assembled in Parliament, that M. Harris, and M. Obadiah Sedgwick, who this day being the day of the public Fast at the entreaty of the said Commons preached at S. Margaret's Westminster, shall have thanks returned them, for the great and worthy pains they have taken, and that they be desired to print their Sermons, and that no man presume to print them, but such as they shall appoint, till the House shall take further Order.

I appoint John Bartlet, to print my Sermon.

A SERMON PREACHED TO THE Honorable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT, At a public FAST, May 25. 1642.

W EE are in a Parable. A Parable delivers some excellent truth under a comparison. That truth is now Prefixed, now Affixed; It is here prefixed, and it is this. In prayer we must not faint, nor flag. This the Point. And this is pressed from the success, and that is argued ab Impari, thus. If constant and faithful prayer carry it with the worst, much more with the best: If with a bad man, then with our gracious God. This is the Sum.

The parts of the Parable are ordinary,

• 1. A Proposition,
• 2. A Reddition

In both we have,

• 1. Persons represented,
• 2. The success mentioned.

[unspec 1] In the first part, the Persons on the one side are,

• 1. Praying; a poor, shistlesse, friendless widow who had no advocate but misery and importunity.
• 2. Prayed to; a sour, sullen, froward piece, a man without sense of Piety, or Humanity, one who presents as ill as may'be, whether Place or Person be considered. Yet see, this woman prevails with this man.

In the second part you have, for one woman, many men; for one stranger, many children: for occasional petitions, uncessant suits: and for a bad Judge, a good Father, who can no more deny his own, then himself. If then she, a woman so weak, overcame a man so harsh: what may not children so many, do with a Father so good?

[unspec 2] You have the Parable. Our work lies in the Reddition, where

• 1. Our blessed Savior prefaces and premises, (Hear what the unrighteous Judge saith) Hear it to your comfort; He speaks some comfort, and (in him) God speaks more.
• 2. He assumes, and that most strongly, as the question shows; Shall not God avenge, &c. as if he had said, It is out of question, he will.
• 3. He concludes. God will hear, will certainly hear, nay, will seasonably hear, with a non obstante; notwithstanding he is seemingly slow in his answers, and we certainly weak in our faith and dependence. I will say no more, as yet, to the words.

Something I have to say to you, from them; and I hold it my happiness, that I, who have no breath to spare, shall speak to those, who will conceive faster, and see farther, then I can speak.

For my Errands; the first and main results from the whole, and this it is.

[Doct. 1] In point of Prayer, we must gather all arguments of encouragement, and never yield, till we have the day. Prayer is a mastery, and that mastery is a wrestling and wrestle we must, whiles we can stand. When we are once drawn forth upon this service, where we pitch, there we must make good our ground, without flight, or fainting; as one word, in the first verse here, and another in the last verse, Heb. 10. is conceived to imply. This the Lesson our Master is now teaching, and he charges it upon us as a duty in the first verse. And for farther proof and encouragement, I present you only with three Arguments.

1. The first is drawn from God; where he gives, [unspec 1] we may, we must take all encouragements. Here God gives all, as

• 1. He offers himself to us as a Father; as a Father hearing prayer, as a Father begging prayer, as a Father loving prayer, as a Father able to exceed all prayers, needs, thoughts.
• 2. He binds himself as much by promise, as us by precept. Those promises of his are full, are free; He is rich to all that call upon him: Everyone that seeketh, findeth, and such like: And those promises are made to Christ, founded on Christ, sealed in blood, backed with an Oath.
• 3. He commands us to beg, and that without wavering; nay with all boldness, with all confidence of boldness, and fullness of assurance.
• 4. He arms us with Parables, experiments, and all arguments of comfort; Indeed such Topics, as that it is impossible for God to recede, if we stand our ground. And thus from God.

[unspec 2] 2. Next to God, I present you with a cloud of Petitioners, who have stirred up themselves, to take hold of God, and it hath taken well.

[unspec 1] I begin with Moses. If a man would have been discouraged, Moses had been the man.

• 1. The people were stark naught, and passing froward.
• 2. God seems to take him off, and to give him a discharge, Let me alone, saith he.
• 3. He seems to take off all objections. I will make of thee (saith he) instead of them, a great people.
• 4. He suspends his answer, day after day, as if he were unwilling to condescend. Yet Moses stands to it. God cannot get him gone; away he will not, without his errand, his errand he hath.

To him I add Jacob our Father, who concludes [unspec 2] Vs, as Hosea saith. In him God spake with us. This Jacob knows not what discouragement means. God seemed to give him his answer, in Esau's expedition against him; but he will not take it: God was willing to put him off; but he will not admit of any Put-offs: he seems to take his leave; but Jacob, by his leave, will not part so: he seems angry, and willing to shake him off; but Jacob holds his hold: nay, he seems to crush him, to maim him, to begin Esau's quarrel against him; but he, like him in story, when he was maim'd on one hand, holds the ship with the other, and when he was handlesse, held with his teeth, whilst breath held: So our Champion: Froun God, smite he, wound he; Jacob is at a point. A Blessing he came for, and a Blessing he will have. I will not let thee go, (saith he) unless thou bless me. His limbs, his life might go: but there is no going for Christ, without a pawn, without a blessing. This is the man. Now what is his speed? The Lord admires him, and honors him to all generations. What is thy name (saith he) q. d. I never met with such a fellow. Titles of honor are not worthy of thee. Thou shalt be called, not Jacob, a shepherd with men: but Jacob, a Prince with God. Nay not Jacob, a wrastler with man: but Israel, a prevailer with God.

To these men, I add one Woman, Matth. 15. [unspec 3] who, like another Gorgonia, threatens heaven, and is (as her brother said of her) modestly impudent, and invincible. Nothing can discourage her. Not her Sexe, not her Nation, not her Misery, not her Delayes: but she gathers strength by her wounds, and comfort out of discouragements. Will Christ give no answer? Good, thinks she: this is no denial yet. Gives he a discouraging answer? That's well, saith she: I have obtained words, I expect deeds too: he that opens his mouth, will open his hand also. Cals he her dog? all the better. Dogs some way belong to the family, some interest and right they have to some crumbs, to some scraps; and something she makes of it. You hear the Conclusion. O woman! Great is thy faith. Be it unto thee, as thou wilt. I never met with such a woman: have it she will, and have it she shall, and that instantly, (this very hour;) and that fully, she's her own carver. And this is our second Argument.

[unspec 3] A third this parable furnishes me withal. Courage in prayer draws on importunity. Both carry it with man; much more with God. Mark the Widow. She stood in no relation to the Judge: She had no promise from him; his place and person promised little: There was little honesty in him, and as little hope: either from or for her: yet she scrues him up, and makes him weary of denials. What! a Woman in these cicumstances Masculine! and We Womanish! Consider, I beseech you, how much is won, or lost, by holding up, or letting fall our spirits in prayer.

Are we confident? Then consider, that Prayer is the strength of the Creature, (for it engages God's strength) & confidence is the strength of our prayer, and of ourselves: It doubles our strength; It contributes to the Public: It sets God in the throne, nay us in a sort: for so (with Jacob) we reign with God. That made Jacob, Israel. Other ways, and things might make him Jacob: but Prayer denominates him Israel. By this, he, and we, reign over heaven, and earth, and carry the world in our hand; As the Boy at Athens sometimes said (I bring it only for illustration) He could command all Athens. His reason: He could do anything with his Mother; his Mother with his Father; his Father with that State: So here, Faith can do anything with Prayer; Prayer with Christ; Christ with his Father; his Father with All.

But now, on the other side, Faintheartednes in prayer,

• 1. Hurts us.
• 2. Robs the Public.
• 3. Wrongs God.

• 1. For God. It is a true Maxim, True defects in [unspec 1] the Creature come from falsely-conceited defects in the Creator. Thence our faith fails, because we have so low, so narrow, and so poor conceits of Almighty God, whose glory is so much eclipsed, as we 'bate anything of his Al-sufficiency, and prayers Omnipotency.
• 2. For ourselves. Discouragement robs us of [unspec 2] our strength. A discouraged man is but half a man. He lies open to every temptation; is soon beaten down, and from halting soon turns aside. Either he prays not at all: or not constantly: at best, his prayers are fearful, soon receive a check, and take their answer. And, as it makes God but half a God, and Mans self but half a Man, so
• [unspec 3] 3. For others. It is not only wanting to the Public: but it hath an ill influence upon all. The truth is, (If I may speak it all at once.) It teaches God to Deny: our fellow-soldiers to Fly: (as the fearful did in Israel: and ourselves only to Object, and to make difficulties, and in the end to Die for fear of Dying, Nabal-like.

[Use. 1] 1. Before I Exhort, I cannot but blush at this baseness of spirit, in myself, in our nature. You are as willing as I to take shame to yourselves this day, and to sit before God (as Ezra did) confounded. Tell me (I beseech you) for the furthering of our humiliation, Tell me. Is not Cowardice blushfull? Will not men rather Die, then hear- Cowards? and what is that but Fear and Boldness misplaced? And what is this but our Temper? who are Daring, where we should Fear; and there only Fear, where we should be Valiant. I instance in the present work. We have God's Passe, and Patent for Prayer, and dare not plead it: and yet elsewhere presume without Licence. For I demand. Have not we as good warrant to Pray, as to Curse? to Bless, as to Blaspheme? yet here we fear not, we doubt not: there we do nothing else. I bring the case nearer to our purpose. What think you? Have not we as good warrant to beg of God, as Rogues and Vagrants of us? They are strangers; They have no promise from us; none the least invitation: Nay, they trouble us, they charge us, they are in a disobedience, there is Law against them Asking, and us Giving: yet say, do, what you please, they will not off. Send to them; they will sooner make your child or servant their spokesman, then make away. Threaten them with Stocks, or Officer, or what you please; it is all one. And shall these put forth in such a tempest, in a contrary wind, when all makes against them? And we sit still, when wind, and tide, and all is for us? when we have Law on our sides, and Gospel on our sides, and all the world on our sides? For Prayer ingrosses all the World, Heaven, Earth, All. I put it yet a little farther.

Have not we as many encouragements from Heaven, as from Earth? Is not God as rich as Man? as able, as willing, as Free? yet see our practice. We have suites; these to God, those to Men What's our deportment? With Men it is our work to Strengthen the heart; our labor to gather encouragements. Is it a man we Never troubled? That is made an argument of encouragement.

Thus with men, we have still somewhat to say, for the support of hope, though they be poor, hard, strangers, men no way engaged by Covenant, or the like.

But now when we deal with God (How can we speak of it without blushing!) we can do little else then Fear, Object, Despair.

O cursed Unbelief! Can we conceive hope, without promises? None with them? Can we find Plea's for Men? None for God? Can Poverty help us, and not Wealth? Weakness, and not Strength? Will Cruelty pity us, and not Mercy? not Grace? Be abashed thus to set earth above heaven; men above God.

Yet I have not done. I cannot without horror and trembling. Put the case as the case is. What think you? Have we not reason to believe the God of Truth rather then the Father of Lyes? Let the Devil promise safety, secrecy, any profit, or content in a sinful way; we rest in his Word, we make no doubt of the success: All the threats and curses in the book of God cannot dismay us. On the other side: Suppose God promises, and the Devil in the mean time threaten us: which is believed? All the Promises, Sacraments, Oaths, Performances of God cannot establish us. There is nothing but Presuming, when Satan promises: nothing but Objecting, when God promises. O blasphemous Unbeliefe! How doth this sin debase God! bely God! as the word saith; provoke God beyond all provocations! How angry was his Majesty with Israel, for this sin? How angry with Moses? How angry with Zacharias? for this in one particular; and in a lower degree. O, how low must we cast ourselves before our God this day, for this capital sin! which is so much the worse, by how much the more Spiritual it is, and Anti-Evangelical. Seemes it a small thing to us, to make God worse then man? but we must make him worse, then the worst in Hell? What! Shall our unbelieving hearts not only impute Lying to him, but put Perjury upon him also? Hath not he sworn, that We shall not seek him in vain? And shall we begin and conclude in unbelief? Is it not enough before prayer to say He will not hear: but after prayer, when he ha's heard, to say Ha's not heard? as Job's words sound, to some men's sense. Job. 9.16. But here let us sit down in our confusion a while. And then let us Advance, and think it long, before we have wiped off this disgrace, and approved our valor.

[Use 2] 2. And here, what shall I entreat, but the perusal of the Text? You hear the Lesson. We must [unspec 1] hold out in prayer. You hear,

The Teacher, the only Master upon earth. I look upon you, as upon S. Luke's Theophilus, as men grounded in the truth; and therefore willingly decline the Common Place of prayer, and wave old errors happily buried, with the unhappy disputes of this age. How, and in what form the widow petitioned I dispute not. Written, or not written, a petition is a petition still. The thing I am to press, is a resolute perseverance in prayer. And this will need some pressing. For,

• 1. We have a dull, base, feeble spirit, ready to receive all impressions of discouragement.
• 2. Next, from without we shall not want discouragements, if we will listen to them.

First, our own guilty and unworthy hearts, (as before I intimated) will cast a thousand perils.

Secondly, profane spirits will entertain us, as the enemies did the Church, with a thousand scorns.

Thirdly, Friends ( carnal and spiritual ) will tell us, that it is all in vain, too late, and impossible to prevail.

Fourthly, Satan will roar upon us. Thou pray, O Hypocrite! Thy person is unwelcome, thy prayers abominable, thy heart, mouth, and hands loathsome; the pure eyes of the most holy God cannot but loath thee, his glorious Majestly will confound thee.

Lastly, The Lord himself will sometimes seem an adversary: he will hide himself, when thou seekest him: run from thee as fast as thou runnest after him: now he will chide, now frown, now delay, now seem to reject thee, and to scorn thy services: in a word, quite to shake thee off, as Naomi seemed to beat off Ruth, when yet he desires thy company, as she Ruths. In this case thou must not show thyself a dastard, but gather spirit from the opposition.

Next the Times call upon us. The children are [unspec 2] come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, and therefore we must not, with Jacob's -children, sit as men amazed, but make out, as the old man advised them; the rather because there are so few, that either will, or dare, or can lift up one faithful prayer.

In the third place consider the thing it self, I [unspec 3] mean Prayer. It is our life, our strength. All the world is a dead body, till God act it: and all (within and without us) lies dead till we act God by prayer: all the comfort in the creature sleeps, till we extract it with this Limbeck: all our graces, nay all the perfections of God, till we awaken him and them. You find it, we feel it: you have tried what Wit can do, what Eloquence, what Policy, what Resolution and Endeavor; yet we stick. Now try another way; Set Heaven on work, till that move, the earth stirs not. Set God on work, till he act, nothing is done: and when you have won him, you have won all. Whilest there is but creature to creature; wit to wit; created strength to strength created, the war is doubtful, the issue uncertain: But, when by prayer the great God is made, and so there is the Creator to the creature, and strength to weakness; then the victory is in sight. My meaning is not to take you off from other means; only this I say, that a good Engineere is not the worst Soldier; nor a good prayer the worst Parliament-man. Faith can do more then wit: This brings men into the Field; but that God; and he only secures the heart. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 said the Heathen, in his greatest extremity; and there is our best Anchorhold.

Go on in this your strength, and your spiritual enemies shall melt before you, as once the Canaanites before Israel, and the Gauls before the Germans face. What more shall I say to you, in a way of persuasion? Shall I mind you of Chrysostom's argument? It is your honor, your happiness, that you may thus dwell in God's presence, and express your desires. Do but think what it is to deal with great Personages, in way of petition. I. There is time spent in going to them: Then more in waiting on them: After sundry days waiting, we may haply receive that proud Prelates answer, We are not yet at leisure: When we have access, we must be brief, we may offend: The answer is doubtful; sometimes instead of Bread, men either give, or speak Stones; however, no man can give all, to all Petitioners. But now when we deal with the high God, we need not travel far, every place is a Sanctuary; nor need we abridge ourselves, come when we will, in the day, in the night: speak whilst we will, so long as we speak his language, he will hear us at large, yea he will help us out, and make English of that, which to our seeming wants sense. And should not this encourage us? Were they blessed that stood continually before Solomon? And is it not our happiness that we may have God's ear, God's heart, hand, face, help, all? Or, shall I tell you, that Prayer is to us, what the water is to the Fish, the only Element of safety, and our utmost refuge.

Truly the Lord hath reserved divers things to this ordinance of prayer; some devils will not out, some temptations will not off, some obstructions will not be removed, some difficulties will not be conquered, some mercies will not be obtained, but by prayer. What other key will unlock the clouds in this drought? or turn about the hearts of men, in this distraction, but only prayer? And who knows but that therefore God hath futured other hopes, and frustrated other means, to the intent, that he might honor this ordinance?

For Motives I will say no more. Only give leave to tell you in few, how you shall hold up the heart, from fainting in the work. The way is this.

• 1. Come well appointed into the field. Assure the [unspec 1] the main point. That your persons are accepted, and that you are God's own, as it is in the Parable; for, till this be resolved, that God is yours, and you his, all particular doubts will resolve themselves into this.
  It is true (will your heart say) God is good to his: But am I his? His promises are gracious; but do they belong to me?
  And therefore lay that as a foundation, I am thine; and and then it will follow, as David infers, therefore save me.
• 2. Assure your Prayers, that they be acceptable. [unspec 2]
  • 1. For the Root; They must be issues of Grace; not of wit or nature.
  • 2. For the Rule; They must
  • 1. For matter; bear the stamp of God, his precept, or promise.
  • 2. For Order; they must be tendered in the hand of a Mediator, the Lord Christ. And
  • 3. For end; The object of prayer God's self must. be the end thereof. And the more we secure both Person, and Prayer, the more courage we shall have in standing it out.
• [unspec 3] 3. Come well appointed both for
  • 1. Weapons, and
  • 2. Company.

1. For company; The more the better; whereas in other fights and fields sometimes multitude mars all. There is a special promise upon joint prayers, Mat. 18. And could we second one another, as Bathsheba, and her friends did, in her address to the King, 1 King. 1. I should not doubt of as good an issue our petitions, as she found of hers.

O, That we could meet! if not always in the same place, at the same time: yet in the same requests. If one widow can do so much alone; what might not an army of Children do, if they would close?

2. As for weapons; The Lord's own are most approved, and will be only available. He is a mighty Prince, who will be served only with his own. Look how it was in the Law: All must be God's own: The Priest his, the Sacrifice his, the Altar his, the Place his, All his; to the very knife, and meanest tools: so is it still. The Person praying must be his own, the Prayer his, the Mediator his, the Petitions his, the Reasons his, All his. And when you press him with his own, and say (as she to Judah ) Whose are these? he cannot deny himself.

Being thus armed, and entered the lists, play the men, and be victorious. There is but one thing more to be done. Set Faith on work, and that will be your victory.

If you ask me, How?

The Answer is, Pitch faith upon God. Consider,

• 1. What he is. Why, he is a God, saith Christ. [unspec 1] That is all that can be said. Not an Idol, that hath a dead ear, and a dry hand: Not a man, that hath but little, and can do little, and will do less: But he is

• 1. A God; that is, Power it self, Wisdom, Mercy, oodnesse it self. View him well: for all in God makes for encouragement, when once we are his.
• 2. He is not a God simply, but a God in Covenant; and that Covenant is made with Christ; and by virtue of the same Covenant Christ, and we are both heard.
• 3. By virtue of this Covenant he is a Father; and what will not a Father do, an heavenly Father for so many children? when all pray, and all in each child prays: for we make to him, as the child to the breast; all speaks, and works at once, hands, feet, mouth, all, there and here.

• 2. What his promises be. How free, how fit, how [unspec 2] attempered to our exigencies, and needs. 1. They are made to the lowest degree of grace, Matth. 5.
• 2. They are made to grace mingled with many wants and corruptions, to bruised Reeds.
• [unspec 3] 3. What he is in his deeds. 1. He gives us two Mediators; His Son, his Spirit. 2. He gives more then is asked, never less. 3. He gives cheerfully. Before we end, he begins. 4. He gives to many for our sakes; maintains a world of men, and creatures, for our use. And so long as we see one of them alive, we cannot justly doubt of his faithfulness to us.
• 4. Lastly, consider what he is in his Parables. Here he shows us what Prayer can do with a Judge. Luke 11. He tells us what Prayer can do with a Neighbor, what with a Father; and infers encouragement from all.

Is he a Judge? A Judge may be overcome with importunity.

Is he a Friend? A Friend may be raised out of his bed with entreaties.

Is he a Father? And are we Fathers? and do not we feel the force of that argument? If ye, that are but sory Fathers, will give good things to a child: will not your heavenly Father much more?

Now having by an eye of Faith thus looked upon God, in his Perfections, Relations, Promises, Performances, Parables: Gather upon God, and hold him to it, as Jacob did. Didst not thou command me? Saidst thou not thus unto me? &c. Press him with his Precept, with his Promise, with his Hand, with his Seal, with his Oath, till we do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as some Greek Fathers do boldly speak: That is, (If I may speak it reverently enough after them) Put the Lord out of countenance; Put him (as you would say) to the blush, unless we be Masters of our requests.

[Obj.] O, But is not this too great an impudence?

[An.] There is a lawful impudence; as there is a hurtful bashfulness; witness our Savior his phrase, Luke 11.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

[Obj.] O, But God is a great God.

[An.] Yea, But he will pity, and hear like a man, and in that respect compares himself to man, in these Parables.

[Obj.] O, But he is a Glorious Majesty.

[An.] Yea, But he is a Father. And a Kings son may go as freely to his Father, as a Beggers.

[Ob.] O. But it is too late.

[An.] Come in the Night, if the Day be lost. At midnight the neighbor heard his neighbor, Luk. 11.

[Obj.] O, But my prayers be simple.

[An.] And here is a simple suitor in the Parable. Art thou a Child? A Father accepts of small, broken, imperfect speeches from a child.

[Obj.] O, But I apprehend God as a Judge.

[An.] The woman had to do with a Judge in the Text. Thou hast a Mediator, and he is a Son, a Son that never sinned, never displeased. Plead him, and then make supplication to thy Judge, as Job did.

[Obj.] O, But?

[An.] No more O Buts. Silence unbelief. Turn faith loose. Our work should be to strengthen, not to weaken our hearts: to greaten our Faith, not our Feares. And there is no temptation so strong, but faith will conquer it: no affliction so great, but faith will supple it: no prison so strait, but faith will open it: no objection so forked, but faith will dissolve it: no danger so imminent, but faith will out-face it. Help this, and Help all: Awaken this, and Awaken all. Remember the Story of another Widow, 2 King. 4. She had little: She needed much. Borrow (saith the Prophet) of all thy neighbors: But shut the doors upon thee. It was time to shut the doors, when many greater vessels must be supplied from one little one. I say the like to you. Shut the Doors: Shut out sense, shut out all discouragements, which would put faith out of countenance: And, if God fill not every vessel, challenge him upon that his word, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. And take this with you. The Cruse never ceased running, till there was no more room. As elsewhere God never ceased bating, till Abraham left begging.

I have spoken to the Point. Now the Lord enlarge you in private. I am sensible of your occasions. I am unwilling to abridge my Worthy Brother. And therefore I will say as much as I can at Once, to the particular following, and contract myself.

The ludge in the Prothesis we pass. The Comparison E Medio imitates a mercy, in Having Judges. I add only the Orators qualification, Mado audeant que sentiunt.

The Assumption comes on with great strength, and holds out this to us.

[Doct. 2] The Lord will certainly avenge his own.

For the Termes this may suffice. His own by Election, as it is added.

Election is either to Glory, or Election is either to Office. We exclude neither: we prefer the former. God hath a Peculiar (not a Puccian) choice. The Number, whether Materially, or Formally considered, is to him Certain. The Persons known. And them he'll Avenge. (Avenge,) that is, 1. Vindicate them, and 2. Retaliate their enemies.

For proof thus.

• 1. God's title is, The Avenger. Psal. 94. 1. As [unspec 1] elsewhere, The Protector, The Second, or Champion of his people.
• 2. 'It is his Place, as Judge. Gen. 15. 14.
• 3. 'It is his Prerogative, as Supreme. A Regality invested in the Deity. Vengeance is mine. Unless God issue out a Commission, and give power, none must revenge.
• 4. 'It is his Glory. He's known by it. Psal. 9. 16 He shines in it, and is lifted up into the throne. Psal. 94. 1. Here all his Perfections, Wisdom, Power Justice, Truth are Concentrate. That's from God's self.

Next, From his People. God is most concerned [unspec 2] in all their sufferings.

• 1. The Cause is his: and he's struck at in it. The thing pursued in a Saint, is, not sin, nor the Mans self: But God in his Truth and Graces. Hereupon the Church entitles him to her quarrels, Psal. 74. 22.
• 2. Next, The Persons be his: his Children. And the Father feels what the Child suffers: and whither else should Children fly, but to their Father? Nay, in a sort, by Acceptation, and Interpretation, they are God himself. He, that toucheth them, toucheth him in his tendrest part. Zach. 2. 8.
• [unspec 3] 3. Thirdly, From their Enemies. They have no aim in their hand. They strike at All, with Haman. Yea they triumph over God himself, when they trample upon his: as a King is said to be conquered, when his subjects be subdued. Hence in Scripture, A Nation, and their God stand and fall together. 2 King. 28. 33. Ier. 48. 7. and 50. 2.

This Point (applied) is

• 1. Of Private concernment, and
• 2. Of Public use.

In Private, it hath a Threefold prospect.

[unspec 1] 1. It looks backward, and bids us reflect upon ourselves. And in case we have been wrongful to the Name, Person, State of any of God's; set all to Rights this day. 'It is the work of this day. 'It is The Fast. Isaiah. 51. There God shows What is, What is not a Fast to him.

To hang the head for some hours, that's not The Fast.

The Fast is. To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, & that ye break every yoke. Is it not &c? ver. 6.7. Let's come home therefore to out business. Is any servant defeated? Any Tenant by us oppressed? Any Creditor defrauded? Any poor Christian any way wronged? Let my counsel be accepted.— Break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, &c. Dan. 4. Pay for the cure; Make satisfaction for the wrong; Compound with the Plaintiffs; Let them stay the suite, become mediators for you. This is God's way, in the Case of Abraham with Abimelech, Gen. 20. of Job with his Friends, Job ult.

Give (saith God) the man his wife: he is a Prophet, my Prophet: He shall pray for thee: so thou shalt live: else thou art a dead man. And for Job; He is my Servant (saith God) you have done him wrong: Right him again: And Let him sacrifice: Him will I accept: you without him I accept not.

You see the course. If you tread it, your Fast takes, your Prayers pass: If not, The Judge is on the bench; he will Have Eye for Eye: Tooth for Tooth. My meaning is, He will return you your own Coine; and the more silent the Patient is, the more shrill the Wrong will be; as in the case of Moses, Numb. 12. 2. whilst he is dumb, God speaks, whilst he is deaf, God hears, and stirs. And surely Fast we must from all Vnjustice, or Fast from nothing. Better eat bread, then drink blood, and devour man's flesh. I refer you, in this haste, to Job 31. 21. to Exod. 23. v. 23.24. & 27. I must away.

2. This respects the time present. Will God [unspec 2] avenge? Hold ye your hands. Let wickedness proceed from the wicked. Let not your hand be upon him. Yea hold your Tongues, your Hearts, and be not so impotent, as to return wrath for wrath: much less to band jests, and girds. 'It is for children to spit at one another. Be ye so Manlike, so Kinglike, as to do Best, when ye hear Worst: so Christ-like, as to overcome all evil with all goodness. And in case you be at any time either plai'd upon, with David, or trod upon with that Great Prince, say, Non tibi, sed Christo: say, 'It is before the Lord. And, if no law will relieve you, know that you shall do yourselves no disservice, in making God your Chancellor.

[unspec 3] 3. For the future; This must fixe us on our duty, what ever the case be. The matter is not what the Work: but what our Warrant is. 'It is certain, we shall meet with oppsition in the pursuance, and performance of our Callings: Especially You, that are more public persons, and have more earnest contestation with open delinquents. Lugge but one swine, and there will be a great outcry. But here's the Point. Are ye God's in the Cause? Is the work his? The design his? your weapons his? your method his? Have you to show a warrant, and Commission from him? Fear no Colours: Though every brick were a Devil: Go on with Luther. Your names, lives, posterity are in his hands. He speaks to you, as Absalom to his, Fear not: have not I commanded you? 2 Sam. 13. 28. And, when you can justify your proceedings to him, reply upon your own fears, in Nehemiah's words; Should such a man as I flee? I! who pretend to God! I! a Public person! Should I fly with a whole Corporation, nay County on my back! Hath my Country entrusted me, given me her self? Et Turnum fugientem haec terra videbit! Far be this from Noble Spirits. Assure the Cause, Calling, Conscience: and that done, Fix your visible eye upon the invisible God, as Moses, and Michaiah did before you: and all the Glory and Majesty in the world will seem no more to you, then it did to them; or then a poor Candle is to the brightest Sun. So the first Use.

The second is more Public, and it is Double. [unspec 2]

You of Public rank must

• 1. Concurre with God the Avenger,
• 2. Confide in him.

For the first. The Lord hath taken you into Commission with himself; put his Name, his Power upon you. What it is I cannot determine, nor do I meddle with your privileges. What ever 'tis, 'tis God's; 'tis of him and for him, and must be managed accordingly. It shall be your safety to frequent your commission. 'It is Derived, 'It is Limited, yea and 'It is Public too; and must be managed with a Public spirit. Private revenge is not within your Commission. That leaves a stain upon a man some ways innocent; witness Jehu: And puts an innocence upon the greatest offender; witness Abner.

Here then all selfish affections, and private respects must be 1. strained out, and Justice Justice, as Moses speaks, that is, Pure Justice without mud, must run down. Deut. 16.20. And 2. restrained in all others. And be assured that you have done, and shall do yourselves greatest right, in Disadopting, and Disavowing all illegal, tumultuary, self-revenging, and libellous ways. God's cause needs not man's lie, man's froth, spleen, malice. And it shall be your happiness to put a wide distance between Iustum and Iuste: between the courage of the Son, and the disorder of the Soldier, with that Old General. Your revenge must be public, then yea all public in it. Person, Cause, Rule, End, All; and then it will be a Sanctuary to the innocent, a Sacrifice to the Lord.

What Jehoshaphat once said to his Judges, I say to you, Let the fear of God fall upon you. Take heed; The Judgment is God's, not man's. 2 Chron. 19.

Nothing of man must be seen, heard, felt in this. All must be God's. God must be read in your Laws, heard in your Threats, felt and seen in your Executions: And then things come upon the Conscience with power, when only God is represented.

Upthen, Ye visible God's, and remember that God avenges by you. 1. In Civil causes. Say, what God would say; do, what he would do: you are his mouth, his hand. Avenge the Widow, Relieve the Oppressed. And if your leisure will not admit of Job's search: yet do you admit of Jethro's counsel. Dismisse them timely, when you cannot presently dispatch, lest you tire them, and wast yourselves.

2. In matters of higher Alloy: Avenge God, as he shall avenge you. Make laws to fence his laws. Plead his right. Vindicate his truths, his name, his day. And that done, in a conformity to God, then in the next place, 2. Confide in him. Believe your Savior. God will certainly avenge his own; his own servants, his own delegates, and substitutes. He will [unspec 1] vindicate their name, their cause, their truth. He will be jealous over them, when they are truly zealous for him. Rest in this. Nay further know, [unspec 2] God will avenge, not Members only, but Whole Churches, and Societies, that are his: His own, all his own, whether Private, or Public, he will defend. And, if it shall please him to make us yet more his own, and to draw us nearer to himself in a closer Covenant, so that we be his Iesurun, he will be to us, as once to Jacob, The shield of our defense, the sword of our excellency: He will bear us in his everlasting arms; as it is Deut. 33. more at large.

Yea he will look upon all the Blasphemies, Insolencies, Outrages, and Conspiracies against this our Church, and State, and at once retaliate our Adversaries, and justify our cause.

The Conclusion is that of the Kings. Deale courageously: the Lord shall be with the good. When the Cause is good, and the Heart good, and Warrant good; God will be with you, in his Counsel to Direct, in his Power to Protect, in his Goodness to Avenge. So saith The Amen, and faithful witness.

3. Nay yet farther. As this must comfort us for our own particular, in this our Little Moat: So for the public, and the Church in genetall. The cause of Religion is, you know, God's cause. The cry of Blood belongs to his Recognizance. He makes inquisition for blood. The blood of his cries loud, and hath cried long against That Man of Sin, and Man of blood. Under the Fifth Seal the blood of the Then Saints cried apace, How long! &c. That cry opened a Sixt Seal; and then the Bloody Dragon cried as fast, O ye hills, and Mountains cover us! &c. Since that, there's an Inundation of blood, that cries from all Coasts, and cries more then ever. Even thy blood O Germany, and thine, O France, and thine, O Ireland. God hath said, that He that kills shall be killed, and that blood shall answer blood, Revel. 13.10. The time draws on, and Cry on ye bleeding Churches: Cry on ye Prophets, and Apostles, in your Sackcloth, in your blood. And thou, O England, with thy Cranmer's, Ridlies, Bradfords. Cry on, and give the Lord no rest, O ye his Saints, whose blood is shed, till he That's holy and true avenge your Blood. And

Ye, O NOBLES, and much honored GENTLEMEN: do ye set your hands to this Carthage, that busles most; and this Blondy-Beast, which bites worst, in her last conflict. And, when ye have done all, Stand by the Glassy Sea, with your harps ready, till the Lord shall be pleased to empty the Fifth Vial upon the throne of the Beast, and cast the great mil-stone into that Sea of blood. Amen. Even so come LORD JESUS; Take to thyself thy great power, and let the blood-sheds of the Great Whore come in remembrance before thee. Amen.

Followes the Third, which delivers the manner how God delivers his.

• 1. H •… e's long ere he begins;
• 2. He goes through-stitch, when he sets in.

For words; I am loath to entertain time with Criticism's; we have a greater work in hand. If we follow Chrysostom's sense with the Vulgars, and her Sworn-men, and read the words Question-wise, Will he suffer long? we shall

• 1. Impute to S. Luke worse language then he speaks, who of the Evangelists is most Attick: And
• 2. Cross the main scope, which drives at perseverance upon delays. If we follow his follower Theophylact, and moderne writers, and render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sampling it with the Hebrew, we have our warrant. Yet [here's a difficulty. For, How sorts this Slownesse, with thao [ Speedily ] following?

But this is no hard knot. 1. God may seem to us: but is not in himself Slow. For to be Slow, is to be too late; and God is never so: 2. Again, he bears at first, yet smites home at last.

I take no pride in varying from advised translations, and therefore pitch there.

God gives proof of his patience, before he proceeds to execution. He suffers long, before the Creature suffers. This is generally true. But I must draw down the point to the present instance. He suffers long, (With Them.) With Whom? With Adversaries, as the woman phrased it; or With them, whom vengeance abides; as the Hebrews often couch the Object in the Action. Our Point then must run thus.

God bears long with adversaries; with worst men. He dispenseth not his favors equally to all: yet to all some. All taste of his goodness, but with a difference. Though he bear not Ever, yet he bears Long with his enemies. His Everlasting Name is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Prov. 14.29. that is, He is not Soone, but Slowly provoked. The Apostle speaks it roundly, Rom. 9. He suffers with much Long-suffering the vessels of wrath.

The truth of this we find in Persons, Cities, Kingdoms, and those none of the best. But we touch only upon these particulars.

• 1. Look upon the Persons in their distance, 1. The Provokers are his Owne Creatures, who live upon him. 2. The Provoked, the Highest Majesty. This were enough to tempt created patience, as he said; Shall this dead dog rail upon my Lord the King! What! A Dog upon a King! This requires infinite patience.
• 2. Look upon their Actions, in their difference. And there it is hard to say whether be greater, Patience or Provocation.

• 1. The wicked hate His, for His sake, with a Satanical hatred, (as David's word is, Psal. 38.20.) and would destroy Soul and Body all at once, as that Villain in Bodin attempted upon another.
• 2. They cannot be satisfied with One Mordecai's flesh: They wish all but One head, that they might dispatch all at one stroke.
• 3. No time is long enough; no help great enough. They call in help; they beg & borrow Curses and Blaspemies, to their last breath, as I read of one.
• 4. They never relent, but write all to their merits, and wish they could do more. Thus they provoke.

Now what is God's Patience? Though his soul abhor sin infinitely; Though he cannot go out of hearing, and shut his eyes, as we may, but must see and hear all; Though his name, Law and Children be more to him then all the world; Though heaven and earth sweat under these provocations, and God's own (struck down at his foot) cry for help: Yet God Bears, and Bears long; Nay doth them Positive good; Treats with them; Fees them to be quiet, and his own to be patient; and, when he must needs smite, gives them space, takes time himself, is Long in bending his bow, and drawing forth his weapons. And after all this, if then an Ahab will submit, he is ready to reprieve. But this is a Fathomlesse-depth. Were I in another place, I should hold it needful to say something, by way of explication. But here it's sufficient to mind you, That God's Patience is no way Passive; Nay his Longest-suffering is his Greatest-Acting, or enjoying of himself, in all Serenity. and Perfection, and is only grounded upon his most perfect nature.

• 1. God is Power itself, and therefore can bear long.
• 2. God is Wisdom it self; and therefore forbearant.
• 3. Goodness it self; and therefore so longsuffering.

And the longer he suffers, the more he exerciseth and evidenceth these his perfections. That is the main ground of the Point; whereto you may add, if you please, these ensuing Particulars.

[unspec 1] 1. The Wicked, God's adversaries are some way his own; and that Ownenesse works Patience. The Lord is a piece of a Father to them also. For he is A Common-Father, by Office to all; A Special-Father, by Adoption to Saints; A Singular-Father, by Nature to Christ. A Prince, besides his particular relation to his Children, is Pater-Patriae, Pater-familias, and is Good to All; though with a difference: So here.

[unspec 2] 2. Though Christ hath purchased a peculiar people to himself, to the purpose of salvation: yet others taste of this his goodness. The world, you know, was lost in merit, and ipso facto forfeited, with all its comforts, and appurtenances. The Lord Christ hath restored it, and doth keep it standing; and in the Interim, the worst enjoy it in common with the best, and so far, fare the better for Christ.

[unspec 3] 3. God in his most wise dispensation, sees use of patience towards such: So, he works out his own praise, and design upon his Church.

In short. At present there may be some use of them; and so he reprieves them, as we do some notorious Felon: and hereafter there may be some fruit come from them; and the Ill Mother is a while forborne for her Fruit, and Venter sake. This is all I can stay to speak to the point.

Now were I myself, I would commend this to Two sorts.

1. The worst must take heed of Two Extremities. [unspec 1]

• 1. Not to Vy with Children, and bear themselves too high upon God's love, because he bears himself so patiently, and graciously towards them. No, there is a difference. Isaac is the Son of the Promise, though all the Abrahamites have something. Only Jehoram the firstborn must have the Crown, and Kingdom: Smaller matters must content the rest. All Joseph's brethren taste of his bounties; but none to Benjamin. As in the things there is a wide difference: (not now to be enlarged) so specially in the Issue, and event. The wicked's happiness will take end, his lease will run out, Eccl. 8.13. That End when it comes, comes Swiftly; as Ezekiel in his 7. chap. tells them upon another occasion.— The End (saith he) is Come, is Come, is Come; and so some ten or twelve time minds them of this. And when that Time is Come, The Lord sets on, How Long, and How Often he hath forborne. — Fortie years long I have borne with this generation. And— These ten times have they provoked me. Numb. 14.22.
• 2. Not to charge God to be an hard Master: But to give him the glory, not only of his Justice, but of his Patience, and Goodness: For even in his Executions he is still beneath their demerit, beyond their desert; and that one day they will know, though now they will not acknowledge it. But the main is to the Saint.

[unspec 2] 2. If the worst must say, God is patient; must not the Saint? If Sodom, If Babel, If India must acknowledge his Long-suffering: must not England? must not This? must not every Town and City? O survey your lives, compare God's patience with your frowardness; God's forbearance with your stubbornness. Call to mind your follies, passions, infirmities, presumptions. What answers you have returned upon reproof; how many calls you have slighted; how many means you have scorned. In few; how many, how great, how lasting your provocations have been. And, If Cain, and Judas must yield God patient: Do you say, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his beritage? He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy, Mica. 7.18. And, if the devils themselves think it worthy a suit, that their torment may be deferred: must not we think it thankworthy, that we are thus long forborne? O, let every Town ye look upon, every Church ye come into, every field you walk in, every Creature you see living, draw from you thanks.— Let the house of Aaron say, His mercy endureth forever; Else had we no Church. —Let the house of Israel say, His mercy endureth for ever, Else had we no State.—let every man breathing say, His mercy endureth forever; Else our Atheismes, Oaths, Curses, Idols, Murders, Whoredomes, and other Abominations had long since sunk us, and swallowed us up.

But what are Words, if but Words? Let the Meditation of this point be improved unto Humiliation; Repentance; Consolation.

1. For the first. Is God so forbearant? 1. What are we, that we should be so hasty? What? Is he wounded in his Name, in his Law, and in his Sons? And must not we be touched in our Dog? Who are we, that we cannot bear (As God, (shall I say? nay) With God himself! He must smite, when we would have him; else we question, sometimes his Truth, most times his Care.

Nay farther. Is God so forbearant? What have we done? Or what did we mean, to provoke so Patient a Father? How great is the provocation of his sons, and daughters! It is not, It is not (believe it) a Small thing that will Anger this Father. It is not a little Cloud, that will hide this Sun. In his anger therefore read our sins, and in his expressions his wrath. His Face, his Words, his Actions, speak him angry. And Patience will not be angry for Trifles. What? David hide himself from his Absalom? doth not so great a wrath argue greatest provocation?

And is not Our Father, think you, Angry, when he sends a Spirit of division amongst us? when he Dashes Child against Child? make a Rod, of a Sword? draws Blood, and bathes his Sword therein? Turnes his Children a begging, and outs them of all? Is not here wrath? And is it not time now, to fall before him, with Miriam, whilst he thus spits in our face? To Run with Aaron, when the fire is begun? To cry with David, when the Sword is drawn? O Lord, spare Jerusalem, spare our Cities, our People: And to lament after our Father; as the Child doth after his lost Mother. My Father, my Father is lost, What shall I do!

2. In the next place, Let this quicken our repentance: Kindnesse will melt a Saul. Should it not a Son? The proper issue of patience and kindness should be repentance: of long patience speedy repentance.

You are Noble. I report myself to your Judgments. What think you? Are not a thousand of Oaths, and millions of Lies (to omit other provocations) enow? Is not 40. years provocation? nay 60? nay 80. sufficient? Hath not God waited long, and long enough? Is it fit, think you, to make him wait longer? Is there any hope, that ought else will work, if Patience work not? Or is there anything left, after Patience abused?

We had not the patience of one hour afforded us; and shall these Ever be spared? I beseech you by All the mercies of God; by An age of Patience; by A world of blessings; by that your Candor, and Ingenuitie; and by all the Endearements, that ever past betwixt Christ, and your souls; pity yourselves; pity your Country; pity your posterity; and be content to be happy. Fall down in private before the Lord, and say; O Lord, I am ashamed of my Vnmannerlinesse. Thou hast long knocked, and I have made thee stand out of doors. I can stand out no longer. It is infinite patience, if as yet I may live. O Turn me, and I will now turn. I Come, I Come with all the strength I have. O draw me! Melt me! receive me!

3. Lastly, Let this give us an hopeful expectation [unspec 3] of further grace. True it is, Our sins are hideous. God was never more put to it by a Nation. Notwithstanding, could we put ourselves into a Posture for mercy, There were yet hope in Israel. For I demand. Is God patient toward Enemies? toward Rebels? when there's no fasting, no praying, no reforming thought upon? And will he Not meet us in the way of his judgments? What? is he so longsuffering toward sinful Ephraim? so loath to think of a divorce? How shall I give thee up Ephraim! How shall I entreat thee! And so ready to receive Ephraim, upon submission? Is Ephraim my dear son? &c. And will he not be gracious to this Our Ephraim, in case we come in? What! will he plead for Israel, for Nineveh against his Prophets? and of a Judge become an Advocate? As we see in the case of Elijah, and Jonah. Why Elijath (saith he) Thou art not alone: There be Thousands with thee, and for me: Why Jonah, dost thou well to be so hasty? wouldest thou have me slay the Child upon the Mother? so young, so many? Will God, I say, thus plead for a people, when his Prophets cry against them? And will he not be entreated for us, when of all Ranks some, and the Prophets chiefly importune him? Bear up, Brethren, and know with whom ye have to do. You deal with a Father, The Father, and The God of Patience. 'It is true. He can be angry. That's his Justice: That's his Goodness to you: But he cannot be long angry with his own. 'It is but for a Moment. It redounds not to the Person. 'It is not Penall, but Medicinal. Sinke not under it. Only prize patience, and abuse it not. Hold this Patient God amongst you, as Moses did. Chaine him up with your prayers and tears, and say, If we have found grace in thy sight, Go not from us: Abide with us. And then know, There is patience enough in God for a Thousand England's. And, if we do miscarry, it is not from want of Goodness in God, but from want of Grace in us, who have a price in our hands and do not know it. But I must away. The last thing follows.

God is swift in his help as well as sure. When his be once ready for help, help is at hand. So Nahum pleads, cap. 1.2.3. God suffers; and God is swift. I am in hast, and cannot open the words. S. Peter saith the same, 2 Pet. 3.9. where two things are spoken.

• 1. What God is in our conceit; Slack.
• 2. What God is indeed; Seasonable, when we are fitted.

[Obj.] But is not God slow?

[An.] It is not slowness, or slucknesse: For that is to Omit an opportunity. He is ever Opportune, and frames his pace, as there is cause. When we be ripe, he is ready, he is speedy.

Speedy, 1. In opposition to the Judge here; who is too late; and to men's opinions, who being too short, think God too long.

Speedy, 2. In reference to our fitness, and fitness of time. He is neither too early, nor too late; but observes the very height, strength, joint, article of time. We know not how to express Moses his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of time. But at present we are upon his speedy help. For this; do but observe how he represents himself.

• 1. In his gestures, and postures. He's said, [unspec 1] when he is upon his people's deliverance, to stand up or arise, to run,, to fly.
• 2. In his Expressions. He that Comes, will Come, and will make haste, without tarriance. Hebr. 10.37.
• 3. In his Performances. Ever at, or before his day, never one hour too late.

The Reason whereof is manifold.

1. If we respect God's self. 1. He cannot mistake [unspec 1] time: For he is Wisdom it self, and the just measure of time. That is Isaiah's reason, He is a God of Judgment. 2. He cannot fail of his aim, and end. For he is power it self. There is nothing in his way, He is in heaven (saith David) and doth whatsoever he will. Others must work what, and when they can: God works when it pleaseth him, and can do a great deal in a little space. He can cause to Conceive, and to bring forth the same day, Isaiah 66.8.3. He is goodness it self. Goodness is his nature: and nature delights in its own operations: it is it's life. The Sun runs rather then stand still; delights more in shining, then in being overshadowed. 4. He is Truth, and it is his Word, He will be found in Due time; and his time is the Due time, with respect to our Fitnesse. [unspec 2] Read Psal. 46.1.5.

2. Add in the second place, God's Relation. He is a Father. Relations, you know, are very active. Saul would rise early to help his subjects. 1 Sam. 11. Fathers be rather too hasty, then too slow. They are ready before their Sons. The child indeed thinks himself fit for Horsmanship, for the Vn versitie, Marriage, or the like: and conceives his Father too slow. But the truth is, The Father stays upon his Child, and is ready before he is ready; Especially in cases of danger. A Father runs without legs, when the Child is hazarded: Nor is there any Beast, which will not fly upon death, when his young is endangered. Now the Lord hath not put this inclination into Creatures, and deprived himself thereof, the while. His be His, and He will be Theirs, if it be not long of them. Let the prodigal creep, and the Father will run. Luke 15.

[unspec 3] 3. His Children will mind him of the time how it passes. Their Cry is still, How long! Make haste. Their Remembrancers join with them. Isaiah 62. and Christ with them. Zach. 1. How long, O Lord of Hosts, wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem? &c 12. These, All these sue God upon his Band, and press the fitness of the time. Dan. 9.2. Psal. 102.13. To make end.

If mere self-love will force this Judge out of his pace: will not love of Justice, Mercy, Truth? Love of Christians, of Christ, of Godsselfe quicken him? Doth not he know how soon their spirits will faint? How soon they will step forth of the way? and after halting, turn aside, upon too long delays?

[Obj.] Yea, but we see God's people long deferred.

[An.] It seems long, because we are short. A short walk is a long journey to feeble knees. Times are above our reach. The knots, and periods of them are in the hands of the God of Judgment. When help is seasonable, his fingers itch, as the Mothers breast aches, when it is time the child had suck.

There is no more now to be done, [Uses.] but to make this point useful to us, and then I have done.

1. Blush we at our boldness, who take upon us

• 1. To Controll.
• 2. To Confine the All-wise God.

1. For the first. Who are we, that we should [unspec 1] sit upon our Maker? and say, in effect, Here God is out. Here he mistakes his time? What is this but to Charge God foolishly, as Job did not. What is this, but to Set the Sun by our Dial? This Caesar terms sancinesse in his Soldiers. This our Savior disliked in his dearest friends. This the Physician blames in his Patient: Parents in their Children: you in Vs: if so be that we, (at so great a distance, who know so little of your obstructions) shall charge you, here with too much haste, there with too much slowness.

[unspec 2] 2. As great a saucinesse it is To Confine the Almighty. Now he must help, or never. This way, or no way. By this Parliament, or by No Parliament. Stop, for shame. And, if you will wisely inquire into a reason of God's proceedings, reflect upon yourselves, and charge the slowness upon your own souls. It is a truth, God will be ever himself: and hath many ends, in One Work. But, in passages twixt him and us; the fault is ours, not his, if we be not seasonably holpen.

Thence that in Isaiah 30.18. God waits, that he may have mercy. God's Heart, God's hands are full of mercy: he waits, being A God of Judgment. (i) one, that dispences mercy in Judgment.

Thence his plea. Isaiah 58.1. &c. The people wondered they heard not from God. Why (say they) have we fasted? &c. And God wonders, that he hears not from them. And more fully ( Isa. 59.1.) he resolves the Case. God's hand is not shortened: His ear is not deafened. He is able, he is willing to do them help. Where is the hindrance then? He tells them, Your sins keep good things from you.

Thence also it is, That God so expostulates with Joshua. cap. 7.10. Up, (saith he) Why liest thou thus, and cryect to me? As if it were long of me, that the war succeeds not. Go, deal with thy people. There is an accursed thing in Israel.

Thus God points us to our duty, and we must Act accordingly. Judges 20. when the wars of the Church miscarried, the Church inquires of God, with Prayers, and Tears, and Fastings. In the like case we must do the same thing. We are here upon God's work. Things stick. Comfort comes on slowly. Let us Cast Lots with Joshua, and find out The Achan. Let every man lay his hand upon his heart, and say, Can God certainly help? Will he speedily hear? What is then the reason of this delay?

This is a fit question for public, for private, for All Persons.

In Public. Your affections ( Honoured and Beloved ) we question not. Sure your endeavors are good, your labors great. Yet must we say with the Prophet, The harvest is past, Summer is ended, and we are not saved. Ier. 8.20. Where is the Let? Let's put it to the Lot.

1. Lot upon yourselves, & let each Parliament man [unspec 1] say.

2. Lot upon your families. I come hither to reform others: But what are my Owne Children? my Owne Servants? What should Philip do abroad, till he hath composed disorders at home?

3. Lot upon your Company, and Associates. Say, Is there never an Esau amongst us? Never an Achan in our Tent? Never a Jonah in our Ship; who troubles all?

4. Lot upon your Courses. Ask. Whose work am I upon? God's? or my Owne? Ask farther. (If the work be God's, and the Public: ) In what Order do I proceed? Uzzah may disturb the whole business, for want of Order. Ask farther. In what Manner do I go on? If I presume upon the goodness of the Cause, or greatness of my strength; I may be crossed, as Israel was, in that 20. of Judges.

You are now before the Lord. Weep with Israel upon these delays, and strike the right Veine. Say. The Lord is not slow to help: but we are slow to search, slow to reform, slow to put ourselves in a hopeful way of mercy.

This is a fit Question for us also in Private. We (my Brethren) run out upon God. He forgets. He will not be entreated. We fly upon men. They make no Haste. They Spinne out Time, with long orations. Were We in place, Ireland should not be thus deserted; Execution thus futur'd. But who is in fault? What disorder! What disorder! saith Nebuchadnezzar, when the Disorder was from him: So we. What delays! What delays! No help Comes! O, but what saith God? Up Joshua. Israel hath sinned. There is an Accursed thing among you. There is cursed Pride, Unbeliefe, Covetousness, Coldnesse, Neutrality, in the Camp: What can be done, till this be removed? There are Vnblest Divisions, preposterous courses We Rangle our own work, and are much wanting to the public, in our prayers, and amendments. And this is that, that scoat's the business in public. Nay, shall I tell you? There is that, that hinders all in public and in private: and in short it is this. We be not to this day Humbled for Our-Own, and Our-Other-men's sins; we be not broken; we be not ripe for mercy. And can we think that God will lay Cordials upon Full, and Foule stomachs? That he will skarfe our bones, before they be set? And lap up our sores, before they be searched? O it is in vain, (as I hope my Brother will anon tell you, now my strength is spent.) It is in vain, I say, for us to dream of Comfort, till we are better emptied and broken. Let us, I beseech you, when we have done in Public, go to it in Private, and labor to. see The Plague in our own heart. We speak much of A malignant Party. But shall I tell you? Our sins be the Malignant Party: Yours, and Mine, and those whom we represent this day. These tie the hands of God, and man. These stop the ears of God, and the King against us. Cloare the Lord, and shame yourselves, saying, I have mistaken myself all this while. I have accused God: I have accused men. I now accuse myself: my backwardness to turn to God is it that foreslows my comfort. This done,

[unspec 3] Be we next entreated to Coast upon a Cure. You are tired with Working, We with Waiting. Come we briefly to the Point. Isaiah 21.12. If you will inquire, inquire ye; Return, Come. The Prophet speaks as if he were in haste: and two things are presently expected.

1. We must be humbled. That's once. Pride stands in God's way. And, if we will make David's prayer, we must make his plea. We are poor and needy: make no tarriance. Psal. 40. ult. And this work of self-humbling is a greater work, then I can quickly deliver. But I presume you have been already pressed, or will be anon, to this work.

2. We must be Reformed. Sin hangs in our [unspec 1] light. That puts back things, that are coming on. Let Aaron, and Moses be never so willing. Let Israel be never so near the Promised land: Sin (coming between) will turn them round, and [unspec 2] put them back. That hinders good from coming on. Let Jehoshaphat be never so forward in a Reformation: The High-places will not down, if the Peoples hearts be not prepared, 2 Chron. 20.33. I have Cut you out your Work. Now upon it.

1. Look Backward, and say with David, O Lord pardon my sin: it is very great. Pardon my house, It is I and my house, that have sinned. Pardon my people, the Town and County, from whom I come, for whom I appear this day, and which is my Second-self. Weep over them as David over Jerusalem. Yea over the many many sis, that swarm in this Land; and there stand betwixt wrath and the people: and then

2. Look forward, with respect to all your relations. As Men, Resolve with Naaman; I will worship none but the God of Israel. As Masters, with Joshua; I, and my house will serve the Lord. As Public Persons, with David; Betimes I will cut off the evil doers. At least plead with Joshua 22.20. Did not Achan thus, and God was angry with all Israel? For the Lord's sake, Form yourselves into a happy body and order; and having so done, Do but what you can to put us all into a Posture of mercy and safety. Let me tell you, that the Public pulse beats very ill. Though many particulars give much encouragement: yet the generality is bad enough. I will not meddle with anything this day, but what shall make for the work of the day. I leave your businesses to another day and place. Give me leave to say thus much;

1. In point of Religion. If we speak of faith: How many be there, who have (as that Father said) Fidem menstruam? I may add, Neutram, Nullam? 2. If we speak of particulars: Most men move like the river Arar: backward or forward, who can tell?

3. In point of subjection, in this Jubilee, & Interval, (as the Vulgar reckon it) no Magistrate, no Minister, no Officer, no Age is respected. It is with us in the Country, as it was in his Army. All are Leaders, none Soldiers. All Teachers, none Scholars.

4. And for Laws. Whilst you make New, we break the Old: and whilst you are in the Mount, we are Dancing about a May-Pole, or Calf. I may not dwell longer.

Give me leave to deliver my own and the Common suit of the honest minded, to you: and I will deliver it to you in his words, Mark 9.22. Master, if thou canst do anything (saith he) have compassion on us, and help us.

My Lord, and Masters, If you can do anything, Help us with your power (we will Help you with our prayers.) Help us with your counsel. Help us what you can (and what you can by Law, that you Can. ) Help us to honest Ministers: Help them to Bread, and Books too. Help them against the Mighty, that they be not forced to Feast at that Dreadfull-table,, as it was once called, they know not whom themselves. O! If we could be once formed into a good people by a happy concurrence of Our Gracious Sovereign, and both your Houses, we could not be long in dust and ashes. The Lord would soon (as he saith) subdue our enemies under us, and come flying with healing under his wings. Only, if we look for speedy help, we must speed our Bepentance, and Reformation; and so meet him, who hath promised to meet us. Now let the Patience of God move you, the distresses of our Brethren (who have nothing left, Prater agri solum; if so much) move you. Let the sad distractions and Iealousies at home move you. And, since God is ready, why should we defer? Yet we live: Yet he offers himself as a Father to us. Here he is this day: O let us not lose this day: but today, whilst it is today, before the other half of it be spent, Come in, accept of mercy. And, for your encouragement, let me conclude with a word of Comfort.

What? Doth God wait, to do us a kindness. [unspec 3] Means he good to us at last? though (for ends) he forbears a while? Be not discouraged upon these delays (If they be delays.) Say with the Church, Micah 7. I will bear the wrath of the Lord, I will wait, &c.

[Obj.] O, But what hope's left?

[An.] There is hope. There is hope. Were there not: yet order it, that there may be hope, Lam. 3. And then Hearken what God will speak: for his heart and mouth will speak peace to his Broken people. Provided ever that you leave him to his own both Times, and Means.

[Obj.] O, But is not the time past?

[An.] Why then hath he called us hither? Put it into the hearts of his Majesty, and this Representative-Kingdom, to appoint this meeting? Would he have accepted an offering at our hands, and sent us a word of encouragement, if he had purposed our destruction?

[Obj.] O, But (for the means;) Things are worse and worse.

[An.] I wish we were worse, in our own sense; we are, I fear, too good, too strong, too many. God is sometimes troubled with too much help, but never with too little. We are sometimes too soon, but he is never too late.

[Ob.] O, but we are put off still, from day today.

[An.] You are deceived. We are not put off: we put off God. It sticks there. Nay, God is already Come; we are holpen, and do live; and should live more, if we could live apace to him; and live his life, the life of faith. Now is Faiths turn and time. Now let The Just live by his faith. Now with Daniel, let us Cast up times, and meet the Sunrising; at least before the day shut in. Grow to his earnestness: O Lord hear; O Lord forgive; O Lord defer not. And then expect some flying messenger, or other, with a message of comfort. Only remember how it stands betwixt mother and child. Whiles the child doth but whimper in the cradle, the mother stirs not: But, when he takes up a note, and cries every whit of him; hands, feet, face, all cry: then the mother flings by all; then she flies and outruns herself; I come, I come, I come, my child. I can say no more. My drift in all is, To beat you off (not from the Use of God's means, but) from Trusting in them. We have too long Idolized Parliaments, Creatures, and created abilities: And the Lord hath purposely blocked us up, because our eyes should be only to him. And in him Alone you have encouragement enough. He hath holpen already: He waits still: He is more then a Judge; He is a Father: He can help, He will help. His word is for us, precept, promise, parable: His servants are for us: His Son is for us, He is One-of-us, which is beyond all the encouragements yet mentioned: He is termed, in the words following, The Son of man, a man of Prayes, a man of Grace, the high Favorite, a man amids us, who Gives with the Father, who Prayes with the Suitor. And shall we yet faint! what I cannot now do in public, do ye supply in private. Christ is fresh, his Blood fresh. Put your petitions into his hand, and this day beg your Lives, your Land, your King, with your Omnipotent Prayers. If you cannot Speak; Weep. Fletu agitur, non affatu. Tears pray. If you cannot weep, Sigh. God hears Sighs. If you cannot Sigh, Breath. God feels Breath. Lam. 3.56. At least, let your Actions pray, your Presence pray, your Submission pray, your Afflictions pray. God hears Afflictions. Gen. 16.11. He hears our stretched out hands. Do not we so? Do not we give to many a one, that saith nothing; but only holds out a hand to receive? O think as ill as you will of yourselves: but think well of God. Pray as you Can Pray: and he is a Father, who will make English of broken prayers. Pray, I say. I say again Pray. And who knows, but Prayer will lengthen our day, as once it did Joshua's? I can now say but little in public. The Lord enlarge us, ( You, and me ) in private, and my Learned Brother in public. Had God vouchsafed me more leisure, health, enlargements, I had dealt better with and for you, but at present, this is all that I can do, I shall be short in prayer, and will not abridge my successor.