THIS Psalme seemes to be intended for an Eucharisticall commemoration of Gods mercies to Israel.

These mercies concerne

• 1. Their Rise; (Originall mer­cies) & these in
  • 1. Gods Choyse of them. v. 6, 7.
    The Palme taken asunder.
  • 2. Gods Covenant with thē. v. 8. 9, 10, 11.
  • 3. Gods protecting Providence over them. v. 12, 13, 14, 15.
• 2. Their Race; in the conside­ration whereof they are againe led into
  • 1. Egypt from the 15. to the 33. in which are specified
    • 1. Gods Provision for them from v. 15. to 24
    • 2. Gods Propagation, and increasing of them. v. 24.
    • 3. Gods Miraculous work­ing our enlargement to them, from v. 24. to 39. And this mercy so great, tis repeated a­gaine, v. 43.
  • 2. Wildernesse from 39. v. to the 43.
  • 3. Caraan. v. 44. 45.

These words are a part of the third branch of the first Gene­rall, Israels Originall-mercyes. And the piece of Originall-mercy [Page 2] held forth in them, is cut out by the Historicall Narration of a speciall protection of Abraham, Gen. 12. and 20. and Isaac, Gen. 26. whither I must referre you.

In the whole verse there is a double charge given by God Parts of the Text. unto those Kings, in whose power it lay, to injure the travel­ling Patriarchs.

• Touch them not.
• Harme them not.

The persons concerning whom tis given are described by a double Character

• Anointed.
• Prophets.

Except you may perhaps thinke the last of both exegeticall to the first, De more Psaltes posteri­ori hemisti­chio explicat prius; tangere enim Christos Dei non est ali­ud quā in Pro­phetis maligna­ri. A Lap. in Heb. c. 1. v. 9. Touch not. i. e. Harme not, touch not unjustly; Mine A­nointed, i. e. My Prophets; in which I shall not contend.

There is a sufficient foundation to beare the building which I meane to raise upon these words, in that the charge here gi­ven concernes the same persons, in both branches; and so, as Et si nondum unctionis erat usus, Propheta tamen id reipsa fuisse in Abra­hamo, &c. testa­tur, quod Deus in Ceremoniis legalibus postea ostendit. Calv. ad locum. Anointed Prophets, as well as Anointed Saints.

Of the former branch of this Charge, concerning the persons under its Character, there hath beene enough spoken in a more solemne Auditory by a M. Th. Good­win at a solemn Fast, Feb. 25. before the house of Com­mons. reverend Brother (if not too much at this season, by reason of the strange pleas of the Advocates of Liberti [...]isme now adaies, for a Toleration of all, how ever errone­ous, Schismaticall, or Blasphemous, who pretend to Anointing: as if the very name of Saints were a sufficient Noli me tangere, an universall Protection to them from all Civill, or Church-censures) to whose pleas in behalfe of Anointed Saints (in case he will ex­cept those also out of that Charter of Liberty, who dissolve the continuity of the Body by groundlesse schisme, and breaking the Laws that keepe it united; as he hath those, who by fundamentall Er­rors, and damnable Heresies, strike at, or hold not the head,) I can readily give my vote, and approbation.

The former branch limited. But concerning those of both sorts, who now most engrosse the name of Saints, as if they had gotten a Patent from the King of Saints to that purpose; let them know, the Scripture never gives Magistrates a stricter charge concerning them, then it gives to Angels; and these (though they pitch their tents round about those that feare God) have no other Orders given them [Page 3] (that I reade of) then, to keepe them in all their waies. If they destroy foundations of Religion, and fight against its most materiall principles, nay if they straggle from the Body, when they should march close in it; if when they should fight united, they will divide themselves into Parties without command; if they shall leape over the hedge of Order, and ride scouting after their owne singular humours, or plundering their brethren of the faith once delivered to the Saints; and so endanger, not Deut. 2. &c. 13. 5. 6. 9. 2 Chro. 15. 12, 13. onely themselves, but the body by their destructive doctrines, examples and practises; (and of this nature divers sup­positions more might bee added) sure, the Civill Gods may touch them with a penalty, and the Church-Angels with a Gal. 5. 12. Apoc. 2. 13. 20. censure. And although the men may not be evill; yet Peter supposeth they may bee, and suffer, as evill-doers, as busie-bodies, 1 Peter 4. 15.

If they break the Lawes of God, or mans, (the submission unto which doth not contradict Gods) God, as he is not Author, so he will not be Patron of Confusion, by exempting them from satisfying the Lawes they have broken. And as Paul saith to the Jewes concerning Circumcision, Verily thy Circumcision pro­fiteth thee, if thou be a keeper of the Law; but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision, Rom. 2. 25. So I to them concerning Saintship. Verily thy Saintship profits thee, if thou be obedient to just Lawes; but if not, now Saint­ship must not be thy Sanctuary; (as to thy Priviledge) thy Saint­ship is unsainted; and though (as Joab) thou fly to the hornes of that Altar, thou maist (without the Rebuke in the Text to thy Censurers) be taken from it, and be safely punished.

But I intend onely to touch at this Nolite tangere. The worke I have cut out for the subject of my Discourse, and your atten­tion, is the latter branch of the Charge, which concernes the Patriarchs, as Prophets. And although that subject be lesse popu­lar, Explication of the latter clause and so lesse toothsome, or plausible, I hope my Text will bee my security.

‘And doe my Prophets no harme.’ ‘ Prophetas dicit non solum quia Deus pro­pius se illis patefecerat, sed quia coelestem Doctrinam fideliter propagarunt, Galv. ad locum. [Doe my Prophets no harme] Prophetas dicit, &c.’ (saith reve­rend [Page 4] Calvin upon the place) He calls them Prophets, not onely for their nearer communion with God, but for their faithfull spreading the knowledge of God, [My] Prophets, that is, those whom I have Commissioned to speake in my name. And this Ratio nominis, suting with all alike commissioned to the worlds end, makes the charge not peculiar to Patriarchall, but common to Pastorall Prophets, to the worlds end. And so the divine ca­veat here given to these Kings concerning these Prophets (as such) hath to me the force of an universall caution to all Ma­gistrates, concerning all Gods Prophets. Doe these and all o­ther Prophets of mine [no harm] that is, no injury. No exemp­tion this, (no not for Prophets) from the power of the Magi­strate, The latter clause limited. (if so, it would not stand with the [...] Rom. 13. 1.) but from unjust suffering by, or under that power. And sure whereinsoever God will owne them for his Prophets, whatever they doe in discharge of their Commission, in that God will owne their wrongs.

I shall in the conclusion which I draw from these words, take The Doctrine grounded. my rise from the Brothers ground, who hath dispatcht the preceding part of the Text; who layes this supposition for me, that this Rebuke of God to Kings, holds forth the grand In­terest of Kings, & Kingdomes. Now if it be true of the former branch, the connexion tells me it is so of the latter too. Que Deus conjunxit, &c. What God hath joyned, I hope no man will divide. Nor shall I: And therefore whatsoever Interest the Ʋsage of Saints concernes; that the usage of Prophets concernes it as nearly, I shall first propound, then prove, then improve in this Proposition.

Doct. Whatever bee the great and high Interests of Kings, States, and Kingdomes, on which their safety, or ruine most depends, there is none it concernes them more to look to, then the dealing well or ill with the Prophets of God.

In the proofe of this point, whatever the aforesaid Au­thor Proved, hath gleaned to strengthen his Interest, I might make use of to confirme this. 'Twill be an Argument that may perhaps By comparison with the inte­rest in reference [...]o Saints. conclude more then the Doctrine affirmes, that if the greatest and most flourishing Kingdomes, have been broken by their ill using, or prospered by their well-using the Saints of God: If [Page 5] God dealt with them, accordingly as they did with his Saints: much more may it be verified concerning the usage of Prophets, where such flourishing Kingdomes have had to doe with them. And if God be so tender of Saints, as Saints; sure, hee will bee more tender of those Saints that are Prophets too; seeing they have not only an holinesse of Estate, but an ho­linesse of Office, to endeare them to him: in that God lookes not on them onely as his Subjects, but takes care of them like­wise as his Ambassadors. Sure if the King of England will resolve on Peace or Warre with any Nation, according as they use any of his ordinary Subjects; hee will resolve more effectually ac­cording to the entertainment of his Agents and Ambassadours. So that whatsoever can be said concerning Saints in this case, concludes with double strength concerning Prophets.

But I need not be beholden to Comparison for the proofe of a 1. From Scrip­ture. Truth so positively confirmed in the whole Scripture, there being nothing in which it speaks more fully then it doth to this Point. I shall (though not enough read to fill my Bosome with such Collections, yet) endeavour to fill my hand; and those I shall make use of, shall be so cleare, and convincing that I hope I shall be able to affirme (without an overvaluing my weake labour in this kinde) that these gleanings of Ephraim are not beneath the vintage of Abiezer (i. e.) that I have proved as much (at least) for the Interest of Kings and Kingdomes in reference to Prophets, as hath already been for that to Saints.

In the first place, will you have a word for this Interest? 2 Chron. 20. 20. and Ier. 20. 11. (compared) will acquaint you there­with. By positive expressions of Scripture to this effect. In the former of these, you shall find King Jehoshaphat encouraging, and directing his people, now ready to ioyne issue with a numerous Army; (and you will conceive that at such a time, hee will minde them of that which most concernes them) And what is that? why? you have Prophets, that en­courage you in Gods name, to confidence of successe, see how you use them, beware you doe not distrust them; Beleeve his Prophets, and yee shall prosper. In the last of these, you have Iere­miah the Prophet complaining of hard usage from his persecu­tors. They raised lyes upon him and watched advantages to defame him, but what collects he from this? see v. 11. my [Page 6] persecutors shall be ashamed (therefore i. e. because they use a Pro­phet of God so) they shall not prosper. Thus then, the usage of the prophets of God hath a great influence upon the prospering, or not prospering of a people. And sure then, they have no grea­ter Interest.

Will you have the Testimony of a Prophet concerning a Prophet? Elijab being now to be mounted to heaven in a fiery chariot, Elisha who saw how hee would be wanted, sends this Testimony concerning him, in a Sigh after him. My father, My father, the Chariot of Israel, and the horsmen thereof. 2. Kings 2. 12. And if you will have a Kings concerning Elisha himselfe, you shall see Ioash giving the same Testimony of him ch. 13. 14.

The Expression implies it to bee the high engagement that lyes upon States and States-men, to looke to the keeping and protecting of their Prophets among them: There is nothing it more concernes Princes or people to looke to, then their Mili­tary provisions; (tis the security of a people) and these are Pro­phets. [Take &c.]

Will you have examples? scriptures are thronged with them 2. By Exam­ples. in all the Historicall part. I shal instance first in Scripture Records of heathen Princes and Kingdomes; then I shall give you a briefe Epitome of the Scriptures ecclesiasticall History concerning it, and so conclude the confirmation by testimonies from the word.

The first Prophet I finde taken notice of for his usage among Of Heathen Kings, King­domes, or both. Heathens is this Abraham. How God rebuked Kings for his sake, the places I have already quoted wil abundantly shew. And lest you should say this care was taken of him only as of a common Saint; God himselfe, when he declares how much Abimelech is concern'd in his usage, tells him he is a prophet, and shall pray for him. Gen. 20. 7. As if he should have said, thou dost not know whom thou now hast in thy power. Didst thou know what a Prophets prayers will doe with mee, thou wouldest restore this man his wife; thou would'st beware how thou used'st a Pro­phet. And truly the cause of a King, yea of a Kingdom may be such sometimes, that the prayers of Prophets may have a great influence on the turning of it either way. Witnesse Moses his often standing in the Gap: witnesse Gods stopping Ieremiahs [Page 7] mouth, the last and saddest symptome of the peoples totall capti­vity, Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. And by the way; I shall conclude the State of that Prince, and his Kingdome desperate, where I see the Spi­rit of prayer bound up in its Prophets; and presage a growing bappinesse towards it, when I find them enlarged in mediating for it unto God. Sure, that State is blind to its Interest, that hath provoked God, by abusing Prophets, to strike his Prophets dumbe.

But to goe on. The next Prophet among Heathens was Mo­ses, and hee was sent to Pharaoh to bring Israel out of Egypt. Now Pharaohs and Aegypts Interest was double; to use the Pro­phet well, and set the people free. Pharaoh now crosseth both these Interests; detaines the people, and abuseth Moses. Now if we may balance these Interests, it may seem his usage of the Pro­phet did most concern him. For although after many plagues, God were pleased to destroy the first borne, & overthrow him and his Host in the red Sea, to set his people free; yet he never writes his displeasure in such bloody characters, till the wretched King had driven Moses from his sight, and commanded him to see his face no more, and threatned him death if he did, Exod. 10. 28. compared with the sequell.

Come we a little lower. Jonah is sent by God with a mes­sage of destruction to Niniveh, and the utmost respite hee was to give them was but forty dayes. One would have expected such an unwelcome messenger as he, should have rather found his death from them, then acceptance among them. But the wise King knew (though an Heathen) what concern'd him to doe. And to worke he goes. He entertaines the Prophet, and his message so well, that he commands a solemn Humiliation, and there­withall saves his City, which no other way could have rescued from ruine. That was the great Interest of that City, and that well looked too, kept out the destroyers.

[Take one word 200 concerning the New-Testament Pro­phets, and of how great concernment the usage of them was to those places where they came, let the great Gospell Prophet him­selfe testifie. It concernes them (saith he that was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellows) as nearly, as it concerns them to well entreate God the Father, and my selfe. For (saith he) [Page 8] Whoever despiseth you, despiseth me, and whoever despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. Sure then the usage of Gods Messen­gers is as great a point of State-Interest as any can be, to all, except those that think themselves then least losers, when they have lost their God.]

I shall give you only one example out of the New Testament upon this Head. John Baptist sent by God to prepare the way for Christ among the Jewes, begins to grow much in request with Herod, an Heathen Substitute, appointed by the Romans to go­vern them. Herod carries himselfe fairely a while towards Iohn Baptist, heares him gladly, and doth many things. And yet with those many good things, he had many evill too: Many filthy vices he was guilty of, but the holy Ghost takes notice of this above all the rest; That he put John in prison. The Text fur­ther tells us how his freenesse to the King in medling with his Herodias, rob'd him not only of his liberty, but his life. And a second reason why Herod slew him, Josephus saith, was for feare of the people, because they were ready to entertaine any new motion from one whose word had so great a sway with them [...]. Ibidem.. And see how deare it cost him; the same Josephus saies, the Jewes lookt upon the victory that Aretas gained over him, and his Army, as caused thereby [...]. Lib. Iud. Ant. 18. cap. 7.. And how God met with him too in his Person, & with that Herodias that wooed him to so bloody an action, will appeare if wee consider what the Au­thors of the Centuries relate out of both Josephus and Eusebius. That whorish woman (how proper is the Scripture conjuncti­on of those two qualities! Ezek. 16. 30.) was no lesse imperious; and out of her desire to command, envying Agrippa (her owne Brother) the honour of being a King, while her incestuous husband sate a staire lower, tempts him to a journy to Rome, to beg a Crown, and to compasse it more effectually, attends him thither. When he came thither, he found his plot spoiled by a prepared jealou­sie against him; and his ambitious preparations for Royalty, proved the inditement, and a sentence to perpetuall exile, was the judgement past against him by the Emperour. In which (be­cause she had brought him to it) this Tempter was so kinde as to accompany him. And so (say the Centuriasts) Herod by com­plying with the motions of an ambitious Whore, stript of his goods, [Page 9] Countrey, glory at once, dyed miserably with her in Gallia ( Hac ratione arrogantis me­retriculae insti­gationibus ob­temperans He­rodes, cum ipsâ bonis, gloria ac patriâ exutus miserrimè in Gallia vitam finiit. Cent. Magd. Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 3.). Thus he that was afraid of John, and kill'd him out of a jealousie to secure his Command, thereby provoked God by a jealousie to out him of his Command.

Let us in the next place, 2. Examples of those within the Church. take a view of the usage of Prophets within the Church. And in this you shall see how those Prin­ces, or Kingdoms, have thrived, that have offended against this Interest. I shall (for methods sake) branch this view into particu­lars; in which you shall also see, when God thinkes his Pro­phets injured; by his suiting such dealings of men towards them, with suitable Shewing the issue of crossing this Interest in harming Pro­phets. dispensations of justice, upon the heads of those that so deal with them: and so I shall save the answering of that question, what it is to harm Prophets.

1. How they have 1. Persons re­fusing only to hear them. sped that have harmed Prophets only by refusing to heare them; let Zach. 7. 9, 10, 11, 12, &c. be first called in to give Evidence. The Lord had sent to them (as himselfe saith) in his Spirit, by his Prophets, but they refused to hearken, & pulled away the shoulder; (it seems 'twas doctrine they were loath to beare) and stopped their eares. Nay, they resolv'd against hea­ring to any purpose, if they did heare; for they had before (by a wicked resolution of rejecting what they thought would not tickle them) made their hearts like an Adamant, that is, Ser­mon-proofe, and conviction-proofe, lest they should heare the Law. The Prophets were legall Preachers, and they would hear none of them; at least armed themselves with pride and prejudice, e­nough to render their labours ineffectuall upon them. But what great matter was this? Was it a businesse of so great con­cernment to them to heare, or not to heare, such men as plea­sed them no better? Yes, they had better they had heard them, for God paid them in their own coyne. Well (saith hee) they would not heare my Prophets, but I think I met with them; I remember there was a time when they called upon me to heare, & I was grown as deaf as they; They cryed, and I would not heare, vers. 13. I scattered them with a Whirl-wind among the Nations which they knew not, &c. vers. 14. I sent them where they had been as good to have been among deafe people as there, for they knew them not, and the land was desolate after them.

One testimony more to this particular. That which is in this [Page 10] Chapter History, is (Jer. 25. 3, 4.) Prophesie. The Lord saith he to this people, hath sent unto you all his Prophets, rising early, and sending them, but yee hearkned not, nor enclined your eare. And vers. 9. 10, &c. you have part of that doom threatned, which you had in that of Zachariah, related.

2. Prescribers to Prophets. See to this purpose, Isa. 30. 10. 2. Prescribing to Prophets. The Lord makes a sad complaint of that people; they were a rebellious people, vers. 9. But how doth it appear? They say to the Seers, see not; and to the Prophets, prophesie not unto us right things, speake to us smooth things, prophesie deceits? Get yee out of the way, turne yee out of the path, &c. 'Tis very unlikely they would dare say so in down-right terms. No, it may be they said no more but, pray Isaiah, and the rest of the Prophets doe not preach to us that which crosseth us in our way; cannot you be contented to preach practi­call truths to us, and not trouble your selves with State-businesses? what doth it concerne you, if we goe down to Aegypt for security and assistance? But you see how God interprets them, 'tis saith hee, a bidding the Seers not to see, &c.

But what great matter is this? What matter of moment or concernment in giving the Prophets a preparatory lesson of our owne? We hope all this is no harme to the Prophets, nor dan­ger to us. See whether God thinke so too, vers. 13, 14. Indeed? (saith God) are you swoln so great with pride, that you must give Instructions to my Ambassadours? yea, and you shall swell bigger yet, and that till you breake into minutula frustula; such sherds as are usefull for nothing, no not to take fire from the hearth, or wa­ter from the Pit.

3. Deriders of Prophets, 2 Chron. 36. 16. This it seemes that 3. Deriding Prophets. people were very well versed in. But what is all that! if a peo­ple make themselves merry, and please themselves a little with jesting at Prophets? Indeed Solomon tells us 'tis a sport to a foole to do mischiefe, and there is a mad man that throwes about fire-brands, Prov. 10. 23. 26. 29. arrowes, and death; and yet cries, Am I not in sport? But these mad men think not they jeere and sport themselves out of their hou­ses, and estates by this mirth. Yet they doe so. For though they be in jest, God is in earnest with them. They never left scof­fing at Prophets till they had brought wrath (viz.) in the Captivity, upon themselves without remedie, saith the sequell of [Page 11] the verse. 'Tis a deare jesting that costs a Kingdom all its mirth for ever after.

4. Permitters, or encouragers of false Prophets. The great Patron 4. Permitting or encouraging false Prophets. of false Prophets in scripture, was Ahab. A poore Prophet of the Lord could not looke abroad, but hee was charged, and per­secuted as a troubler of Israel. The false Prophets swarmed, no lesse then 450, Ahabs, 400, Iezebels Chaplaines. 1. K. 18. 19. And when the King consults concerning war with Ramoth-Gilead, one Micaiah could not be heard, because hee did not please his Majesty: but the false prophets were his great Ora­cles. But how God fitted him, and his Army, 1 Kings. 22. will fully declare. But I will speake more to it anon.

The Prophet Ieremiah much insists upon this particular. Chap. 14. Hee tells us of some of them of whom God himselfe, v. 12. witnesseth they spake lies in his name; but what becomes of them? by sword, and famine they shall be consumed. v. 13. But what doth this concerne the Kingdome, or Nation? see. v. 16. And the people to whom they prophesy, shall be cast out in the streets of Ierusalem, because of the famine, and the sword &c. for I will powr their wickednesse upon them.

Chap. 23. (almost throughout) God complaines of Pro­phets that sent themselves, and yet they would ape the true Prophets, and cry the Burthen of the Lord &c. and this was grown Epidemicall, v. 34. Priests, and people, and Prophets exercise their gifts promiscuously; see how God takes this at their hands, and the Toleration of it at the States: Not onely they, but the City are threatned ruine for it. v. 39. All rankes of men were out of the order in which God had placed them; they had turned Gods institutions up and downe, and God would turne them up and downe for it. God takes it as an high affront, whē they did themselves, or suffered others, to wrong his Husbandmen so far, as to lay Common what hee himselfe had inclosed.

5. Threatners of Prophets 2. Chro. 25. 15. Amaziah a wicked 5. Threatning Prophets. King had gained a victory over the Edomites, to the losse of his Religion. Hee tooke the enemies captive, and yeilded himselfe Captive to their Idols. God sends a Prophet to him, and pleads the case with him, shewes him how unreasonable tis to expect [Page 12] safety from those Gods that were now his Prisoners. And how doth he entertain the Prophet? with a check, [Art thou of the Kings Counsell] and a threat; [Forbeare, why shouldst thou be smit­ten?] Here was no harme yet; but a threatning onely; and is that so much?

But how doth God take it? see in the Prophets reply, and the sequell of the story. The Prophet seeing him so care­lesse of his great Interest, askes no farther evidence, or Prog­nostick of his suddain ruine, and therefore is bold to tell him, I know that God hath purposed [Orig. counselled] to destroy thee, because thou hast not harkned to my counsell. And a little after, the foolish man stirres the coales that set him and his Kingdome on fire, in provoking Joash King of Israel, v. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23. &c. He had better to have taken Counsell from God by his Pro­phet, then have provoked God to take Counsell against him.

6. Silencers of Prophets, Amos 7. It was in the dayes of Je­roboam 6. Silencing Prophets. the sonne of Joash (a wicked King, as you may see 2 Kings 14. 24.) when this Prophet prophesied. The matter of his Prophesie was the captivity of Israel: Amaziah, Priest of Bethel takes him up for it, and accuseth him highly for sedi­tion, unto the King, v. 10. 12. And (very likely by the command of the King) forbids him to preach any more in Bethel. This in­deed is an usage something to the purpose. God saith, Speak; A­maziah saith, Speak not. And what saith God now to Amaziah? see his doom, v. 17. Thy wife shal be an harlot in the City, & thy sons, and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, &c. And what is the King­dome concerned in it? their share is no lesse then to be captives forth of their land. Thou, saith Amos, bidst me goe forth of the Court, and prophesie: if I goe forth to prophesie, and must not prophesie here, God shall send more after me: Israel shall go forth too out of their Land. And not many years after in Pekah's time, (the throne having scarce been warmed by any King of four, except Menahem) this Prophesie was in part fulfilled, 2 Kings 15. 29. and perfectly in his successour, Hosheas time, chap. 16. 6. 18, &c. And as for Jeroboam, although the History doe not tell us how he dyed, yet the Prophesie doth, in that Amos 7. and his seed were dispossessed of the Throne; onely Zechariah, (because the fourth from Jehu; to whose seed God had promi­sed [Page 13] a succession for foure generations, as it appeares Chapt. 10. 30. and 15. 12.) was permitted to hold the Scepter six moneths, as appeares, verse 8. chap. 15.

Next, that you may see 'twas not onely Amaziah's usage of Amos, that brought, (though it hastned) the peoples Captivity: You shall see this judgement is threatned for the olde skore too.—Manet altâ mente repostum. God forgets not how they used his Prophets in all ages, even from the dayes of Egypt: and now they shall pay for it with a witnesse, Chapter 2. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I raised up of your sonnes for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites, verse 11. Yee commanded the Prophets, Prophesie not, verse 12. Behold I am pressed with you, &c. 13. How God feeles Prophets wrongs! Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen himselfe, nor the mighty deliver himselfe, verse 14. nor Bow-man, nor rider, verse 15. nor the strong of heart, verse 16. This likewise was fulfilled in the captivity of the Tribes before mentioned.

7. Imprisoners of Prophets. And now I must look back once 7. Imprisoning Prophets. more upon Ahab. It was not enough for that wicked and wretched King to encourage and maintaine false Prophets to af­front Micaiah; to refuse to heare him out of prejudice: but when good Iehoshaphat had prevailed to have him advised with, and he had declared the minde of God to him, he suffers a false Prophet to smite him, and claps him up for his plain dealing, 1 Kings 22. 27. Now what became of this Ahab? God meets with him at last; Micaiah tells him, if he came home in peace, God had not spoken by him, verse 28. No! (thinks Ahab) I will try that once; I will see if I cannot prove this Prophet a lyer. He shifts his habit, changeth cloathes with Jehoshaphat, and thereby diverts the greatest force of the battell upon Jehoshaphat, mistaken for the King of Israel. But Ahab is not safe, though he be secure in his disguise, and Armour upon that. A certaine man must draw a Bow at a venture, and shoot, and the Arrow must light on none of all the Army but Ahab, and on no other place about Ahab's body, but directly between the joynts of his Armour, verse 34. and the wound must be mortall too: and thus for impri­soning his Prophet God brought him to execution; and his Ar­my after a long conflict were faine to retreat, verse 36. Once [Page 14] more. The Holy Ghost tells us, 2 Chron. 36. 16. that the Jewes did not onely mock, but misuse the Prophets of God, till they brought upon them a remedilesse captivity. Now among all the Prophets usages that hastned this calamity, it is more then probable, that the imprisoning Jeremiah by the Princes did poste it forward; and God ('tis likely enough) gave up the City to deliver a Prophet: for when the store of bread was spent in the C [...] ­ty, and Jeremiah likely to starve, (as Jerem. 38. 9.) the City holds not out long after, and Jeremiah is preserved by the en­tring Enemy, chap. 39. 11.

8. Lastly, Murderers of Prophets. This was a sinne ordinary 8. Murthering Prophets. with the Jewes; and for this Christ bemoanes them, Matth. 23. 37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children as an henne, &c. (that is, I by my Prophets, and by my selfe would, if thou hadst knowne thy Interest, and taken that Protection by receiving, and obeying us) but thou (foolish people) art an enemy, and ever hast beene, to thy Inte­rest in this great particular; 'tis that, at which thy hand is un­happily in, to kill Prophets. And this he makes good in ano­ther place, where prophesying of his owne death, he tells his Disciples, that Jerusalem is so fleshed with killing Prophets, that a Prophet cannot perish out of Jerusalem, Luke 13. 33. But the cry of bloud is loud; and the cry of Prophets bloud, of all other, most clamorous. Christ therefore presageth so certaine a ruine to Jerusalem for killing Gods Messengers, that he pronounceth it as past. Verily your house [is] left unto you desolate. This sinne you are so given to, (when by killing mee, and persecuting my Apostles, you shall have filled up the measure of the sinnes of your Prophet-murthering Ancestors, and your owne) shall bring the Romans to your houses, and they shall leave Jerusa­lem a company of desolate Walls in it, shall make a wildernes (so the [...]. word signifies) of your houses, (i. e.) either of your particular habitations, or your glorious Temple; of which (as he elsewhere saith) There shall not one stone bee left upon ano­ther.

How these Jewes hastned this destruction to themselves by putting to death Christ himself, & persecuting his Apostles, the [Page 15] Sermon I have already quoted makes good abundantly. I shall take no more notice of it here, then to observe, that (as God prophecying concerning their opposing Christ, Ps. 2. takes no­tice mainly of their spight against him as Gods Annointed, so) he was mainly opposed under his Offices of Ʋnction; as a King, by Herod, as a Prophet, by high-Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees: who mainly consult to ruine him, because they saw him so follow­ed, as John 12. 19. (which seemes to me to be the ground of that consultation related againe which they took, chap. 11. 47.) upon which verse 53. they are said to plot his death.

And as for the Apostles, the maine ground of their spleene to them, (which was murther too in their intentions, and Gods account) was, their teaching in his Name, as they confesse Acts 4. so that Christ and his Apostles had their share in the Jewes malice, and persecution, as Prophets, as well as Saints; and how this bloud of former Prophets, and these did sticke upon the skirts of that Nation, and how God tooke it, and what became of that bloudy people, the Apostle Paul prophesieth, and Eclesiasticall stories relate. The former tells us not onely the thing, but brings this as the cause to put all out of doubt, 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16. where speaking of the Jewes, he tells us, that they, in killing the Lord Jesus, murthering their owne Prophets, per­secuting him, and his fellow-Apostles, and forbidding them to preach to the Gentiles, filled up their sinnes. (It referres to the afore-cited speech of Christ, where he bids them fill up the mea­sure of their Fathers, viz. those that killed Prophets, by cruci­fying him, and thus persecuting his Apostles.) And wrath was come upon them to the utmost, [...], [to the end] i. e. a finall wrath, a wrath that should sweep the Nation quite away, and make a cleane riddance of them. And as Christ prophecying of that destruction of the Jewes by the Romans speaks of it as past, for greater certainty: so 'tis remarkable the Apostle doth. And whether these Prophesies were true or no, History tells us abundantly, to which (for brevities sake) I referre you.

Now to draw all this proofe to an head, in one grand Syl­logisme, thus.

That which being well looked unto, will advance the pro­sperity, bee the Chariots and Horse-men, keep out the De­stroyers [Page 16] of Princes and People; and which crossed or neglected unseats great ones, makes God consult to destroy them, brings a sword upon them, puts God upon the expence of extraor­dinary Providences, to ruine them, will hinder the prospe­rity of a people, makes them despisers of God and Christ, stops Gods eares to them when they pray, scatters them with a Whirle-winde, breaks them into smallest, and most uselesse sheards, brings remedilesse wrath upon them, sends them out of their land, takes off the flight from the swift, strength from the strong, deliverance from the mighty, makes their houses desolate, fills up their sinnes, and brings wrath upon them to the utmost; that is the great Interest of Princes and Kingdoms, then which they have no greater.

But the usage of the Prophets of God well or ill is influen­tiall upon Kings and Kingdomes in all these particulars. Ergo, 'tis as great an Interest as any unto them.

R. 1. Out of many Reas. which might be brought, I shal bring 2 Proofe by Reasons. 1. From Gods Interest in the Prophets. onely three. 1. The first relates unto God himselfe, and so is drawne from Gods Interest in the Prophets. And herein indeed, is the maine Emphasis of the charge in the Text, Doe [my] Prophets no harme. I have already shewed you wherein Gods In­terest in Prophets appeares to be greater then in single Saints, I shall here onely make use of that truth againe as Argumen­tative to prove the Interest of which the Doctrine speaks. Let us suppose a mighty Monarch, that hath millions of armed men to command at an hour's warning, to revenge any injury, or af­front done to him; sending Ambassadours to some petty Princi­pality, his next neighbours, (not onely professed enemies to him, but Rebells against him) and entreating them to lay down Armes, to be ruled by his Lawes, and enjoy the priviledges of his Subjects; especially when it lyes in his power to take a­way, and cut off, not onely their Provisions for Warre; but their lives also every moment. What now would you conclude to be that poore handfulls maine Interest? Would it not bee, to entertaine those Ambassadours courteously, receive their Message readily? and would they not offend against their maine Inte­rest, if they should deny those Ambassadors Audience; if they should prescribe to them what to say; if they should deride [Page 17] them, and suffer every factious, anarchicall tumultuous spirit to write, and print, and preach Libells, and invectives against them, if they should allow some of their owne, (that doe not un­derstand so much as the language in which that Kings Articles for Accommodation and Instructions for his Ambassadors are writ­ten) to stand up and tell those Ambassadours, they know their Masters minde better then they, that they teach the people lyes, &c. If they hereupon should threaten, silence, imprison, put to death these Ambassadours, would they not provoke this Mo­narch to pluck them up, root and branch, to leave their houses de­solate, and fill them with wrath and vengeance to the uttermost? I need not apply so plaine a Parable. Look into Matth. 21. 33, &c. and 22, 23, &c. and (change onely the message of Invita­tion to the wedding in this, and that for fruit from the Vine­yard in that place into this concerning which I speake a Trea­ty of Peace) what Christ intends in them to the Jewes, may be properly applyed to all Nations of Gentiles, to the end of the world, and may warn them to beware how they slight Gods Ambassadours; and looke upon Oxen, and Farmes, and Mer­chandise, private Interests, when God calls upon them for acknowledgements to his Sonne; how they think the crushing and taking Gods Messengers out of the way, will make them the Domi­ni fac-totum, the absolute Masters of Gods Inheritance.

R. 2. In regard of the Interest those Prophets have in God him­selfe. 2. From the Prophets Inte­rest in God. They have his engagement upon his honour, that he will take their wrongs as his owne, that he will interpret despising them to be despising him; that he will confirme the word of his ser­vants, and performe the counsell of his Messengers, Isa. 44. 26. that he hath solemnly bound himselfe to binde that in heaven by his Matth. 18. 18. Ratification, which they (take it either for a binding of Do­ctrine, or of Censure, seeing these Scepticall dayes will needs qu [...] ­stion the union of both keyes in the same hand) shal binde on earth by their Declaration according to their Commission from him.

Thence also, what God threatens a people to doe by his Pro­phets, they are said to doe, as Jer. 1. 10. where God sets his Prophet over kingdomes to root out, and pull downe, and d [...]stroy, and throw downe, and build, and plant, i. e. to pronounce that doome against a people, which he intended to bring upon them.

And the Apostle Paul tells us of a power, which he had not onely to throw downe imaginations, and every high thing that exal­teth it selfe against the Knowledge of God, (viz.) that of his prea­ching: But a power, which he had also in readinesse to revenge all 2 Cor. 10. 6. disobedience. Which power, if it be not a power of Church-cen­sure, derived from Matthew 8. 18. (as some of the best Inter­preters expound it) must needs bee a power of engaging GODS wrath against, and to the ruine of such disobe­dient ones. And truely, by the way, the cryes of persecuted Prophets are loud ones; for my part, I should be loath any Na­tion or State, to which I wish well, should force Gods Prophets to goe to him, and complaine of their usage, and put him to it upon his engagement to right them; and (as the Scripture saith Elijah did) make Intercession against them. Rom. 11. 2.

R. 3. The third Reason is drawne from the People them­selves, 3. From the Interests which people and Prophets have respectively each in the o­ther. and the relation Prophets beare to them. The People are the sheep, the Prophets are their shepheards, their Pastours: Sure the Flocke is as highly concerned in having, and keeping a faithfull Shepheard as in any thing that can be imagined.

They are their Watchmen. A people have no greater inte­rest in the time of war, or danger, then to look to their Guards, and encourage their Watchmen.

They are their lights, burning and shining lights. In a dark night, in a dangerous way, what concernes a Traveller more then to look to his light, to keep it in, and preserve it cleare? They a [...]e their Salt, and there are putrifying dayes, corrupting times: Seducers, Children that are corrupters, like Flesh-flies, swarme every where in the hot season of Contention, and endeavour to taint the sweetest natures, most tender hearts, and most pretious Spirits. Sure, 'tis the Magistrates (the good House-keepers) speciall Interest to get as much of this Salt as may be, to preserve them from tainting; and to keep this Salt charily when they have it. There are divers other names of Relation in Scriptures that import as much, as Fathers, Stewards, Guides, &c. But I think the Point a­boundantly proved; To improve it to you in Application is my next worke.

And in this I shall addresse my selfe to all those that would [Page 11] pursue Englands great Interest sincerely, beseeching them that Applyed by they will look to this, one of the greatest branches, and of the Exhortation to all to looke to this Interest. Among so ma­ny Interests pursued. top-boughes of it, the usage of Gods Prophets among them.

Beloved, there are many Interests this day started and pursued with a great deale of earnestnesse, & it were well for the Peace and Ʋnion of these Kingdomes, if some of them had been as the untimely birth of a woman that never sees the Sun; at least that they had never been taken up to those uses to which the Sons of divi­sion now imploy them.

By the way, whosoever he was since our mutuall Covenant, Some destru­ctive, because dividing. first named an English Interest, in opposition to that of our neigh­bour Nation, it had been happy for both Nations in my judge­ment, if the knees had not prevented him, and the breasts had never given him suck; and truly (for my part,) I have so much Cove­nant-zeale yet glowing in my breast, that did I know him, I should think my self bound to discover, & bring him to condigne punishment, as an Incendiary, Malignant, and evill Instrument, endea­vouring to divide one Kingdome from another, contrary to the solemn League and Covenant. But among all these Interests, let me ex­hort you to look to this piece of the highest Interest of all King­domes, and all these Kingdomes, which I have all this while insisted upon.

Beloved it is a subject that a man would have thought for Need to press this Interest. some yeares since he should never have lived to see need to press. But we are unexpectedly cast into such times, in which we had need contend earnestly for every title of the ancient Gospell, and when Truth it selfe, and Christ suffers the Dispensers of Christs truth cannot expect to be exempted. How shall those men spare the Messengers of Jesus Christ, that exalt themselves against Christ himselfe? The Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord, saith that Lord and Master, whose servants it is our honour to be. Now seeing there is a necessity laid upon the Prophets of Christ to plead their owne cause: Brethren, beare with me if I lay out a few sands upon that service, and sacrifice a few words to the expected c [...]nsure, prejudice, and misinterpreta­tion of this Anti-ministeriall generation. Mee thinkes 'tis a sad thing Brethren, that those Messengers of good tidings, and This Interest was not so slighted as for­merly. Ambassadours of peace, who not many yeares agoe you reve­renced [Page 20] as Angels of God, nay even received as Jesus Christ him­selfe, of whom every one was no lesse then a [...] a Diana newly dropt from heaven in your eyes, are now become the off­scowring of all things, Antichristian Priests, and I know not what else the tongues of Sectaries will create them: That among all those that complaine of persecution, the Ministers of the Gospel only, though they most are, yet are scarce thought capable of be­ing persecuted: That among so many Pleas for Toleration of e­very ▪Tis now. thing, the Ministeriall calling is only esteemed intolerable: That every scurrilous Pamphleter dares make bold with our cal­ling, and Persons in Print, and proclaime to the world (to the disgrace of our Church & Nation) this news, that in England, in London, the rarest Ministery in the Christian world, is perse­cuted without controule by the pens of such mercenary Scriblers, Aug. cant. Cres. Gram. lib. 3. Quid responde­re possent non invenientes, so­lito crebrius, & audacius▪ Cir­cumcellionum violentiis tur­bis (que) furenti­bus nos a praedi­canda Catho­licâ veritate sua (que) fallaciâ convincendá deterrere coe­perunt. that in divers places in the Kingdome, a godly Minister (ex­cept he can be so much sheep himself, as to let his flock be worried before his eyes, and say, or do nothing) can scarce preach with­out tumults, or come abroad without threatnings; that wee have reason enough to feare such usage from some of those sticklers for confusion in our times, as the Father complaines of in his, viz. That when they know not how to answer us, they will terrifie or knocke us out of our Arguments, when, (which God forbid) their party is so far Master of the power of the Kingdome as to dare at­tempt it feared it may be more.. And for my part, if they come once to that passe, I shal be sorry to take the liberty of Conscience they will then give me, who now plead most for it themselves.

And I pray what is the cause of all this The preten­ces for it.? Truly they will tel us, they feare we will grow too high. And why is this feared? be­cause we would faine have Church-power dispenced, as it was in its first institution, before there were Christian Magistrates. Be­cause we would faine keep Examined, and some reall grounds disco­red. our Fatherly bowels, and not be for­ced to use our people, as the wicked Monke did King John, to give them poyson in a Sacrament, because wee desire to have the power of Stewards (as we are) in the house of God, to see that none but our Masters Family dyet at our Masters Table. And I feare in this particular, he that feares a godly Minister would bee so high as to shut him out if he had such a power allowed him, hath cause to suspect himselfe an Alien or a Dogge, not fit for that Ta­ble; [Page 21] and I am confident if some of the maine Whisperers of this jealousie had windows in their breasts, it would be found, their maine feare is, either that they shall be rejected as too bad, or else be enforced to become too good. It may be too our maintenance troubles others, who would be contented to share stakes with us, to bring us lower. But me thinks they might remember how they sped that said in another case; Let us kill the heir that the In­heritance may be ours. It may be others think the people will ne­ver be brought to worship the Calves in Dan and Bethel, to relish illiterate, and mechanicke Preachers; and the lowest of the people will never passe for Priests, till the Priests (as they call them) be made the lowest of the people. And it may be another sort would faine bring the Ordinances of the Gospell to the judge­ment of their Law-benches, where they would make a shift to set us by the eares, and make us fee for our Sacraments, as they do for our estates.

I beseech you consider, (especially you in whose hands it is, This Interest pressed mainly upon Parlia­ment members. to encourage us, or to persecute us by a law) God calls to you this day, and this charge is yours, Do my Prophets no harme. I dare not think you wil vote us or enact us into a suffering condi­on for preaching to you, or praying for you. But however, I be­seech you beware how you come under being interpreted to doe so, by not forbidding them that would crushus, and to their po­wer do Qui non v [...] ­tat pe [...]care, cumpossit jubet.. I do not readily remember any but wicked Princes Ahab, Jero­boam, Zedeki­ah. Naz. [...]. (that Scripture records) that suffered good Prophets to be abu­sed before their faces. Let me tell you freely, the people are gone as far in harming Prophets, as they dare goe without you. Some will not heare them, except they may prescribe to them. The sheep (as the Father observes it, was an absurdity of his time) feede their Shepheards. Every one that hath the gift of Arrogance and Ignorance enough (contrary to an Ordinance of your own) takes a liberty of lawlesse prophesying, and by that practice (to al whose eyes a love of Anarchy hath not blinded) prophesies the ruine of this flourishing Church & State, except your care timely prevent it. And what scorn is everywhere cast by Sectaries of all sorts not only upon all the Ministery of this Kingdom in generall, but upon an Assembly, in w ^ch there is as much learning, holinesse, & gravity, as ever Europe (I think) could shevv in a like number [Page 14] of men; and which sit by your Authority, and therefore in equity ought to have your protection; you need goe no farther for en­quiry, then the late wholsome discovery of the poyson of Aspes under the lips of many of them, in the historicall part of Gangre­na. Vid: Gangren. 2 ^d part 1 ecit: page, 155. 156. What threatning speeches have proceeded from some of them, (the true Image of their bloudy thoughts) are they not written in the Records of him to whom vengeance belongeth? The all-seeing God knows, what arrows and swords they continual­ly speake, against the Prophets of the most High: and we make no question will one day retort them into their own breasts.

Thus far they goe, and farther they would proceed, no que­stion, (or else they strangely degenerate from their Grandsires of Munster) if you would but sleep a little, and let them play the Kings a while without controule. But God forbid that they should ever proceed so far as to perswade you to enable, or suf­fer them to act what they have in their thoughts, against those without whom, neither they, nor your selves, had ever had the common enemy at such a lift, as (God be blessed) you now have. I beseech you pardon me this Character, and (seeing 'tis a plausi­ble Argument, which you have more then once bin urged with­all for favour to the rabble of all sorts of Sectaries, to minde you of the good such and such have done for you and the Kingdome,) give me leave a little to reflect upon the advantages, which by the means of the Ministery the Lord hath brought to the great worke.

I shall say no more, but this. That the people offered them­selves so willingly to your assistance, that they contributed their estates so liberally, that they have adventured their lives so vali­antly, that they have borne the length, and chances of Warre so patiently, adhered to you so constantly, that the City hath assisted so cordially, that our Brethren came to our assistance so readily, nay (let me add) that your owne hearts have been kept up so reso­lutely; the main meanes under God, (I dare say) hath been the concurrence of the faithfull Prophets of God with you, in this worke. Far from my breast be the thought that they shall ever have cause to say with their Saviour: For which of these good works do you stone us? Nay, I hope that you will one day stop those blacke mouths that raile at them, and punish those that de­spightfully use them.

I beseech you that you will make some exemplary for rai­ling at our Calling; and therein vindicate an Ordinance of your own; The Ordināce for ordination after quoted. see your own Ordinance put in execution, for the securing of our Pulpits from the surprizall of every inso­lent mechanick; help us against the evil spirits of these days, that steale from us (as Austin complaines) our new-borne children, ere they can goe alone, and for the service of their own belltes, make merchandize of their soules. Christianos quos maxime Christi nomine seducunt, jam per ipsius Chri­sti Evange lium natos inveniunt & faciunt illos divitias suas. Aug. 13. cont. Mani. Helpe us against those seeds-men of the evill one that creepe into houses, and sow tares, where 'tis not in our power (though never so watchfull) to prevent them. Suppresse those set private meetings, in which these Jeroboams Priests vent their Mystery of Inquity: and which they in divers places of this Kingdome altogether against the mind, and without the knowledge, and privity of the Pastors, and at the time of publique Ordinances, frequent, and maintaine. Consider I pray you what the Father saith in a like case; desiring the Magistrate to suppresse Apollinarius his meetings. Hee positively affirmes that if they permitted such Schooles of Errours, against their judgment, (for what ever ends of policy) it were in effect to proclaim their tenets orthodox, yea more orthodox then their own [...] Naz. Orat. 46.; and either they must know their errours, and permit them, or thinke them truths, and not embrace them; either of which I know not how a good Conscience can brooke. It is a matter of great moment (saith Nazianzen) to restrain men from murther, and punish for a­dultery, but 'tis more to make lawes for the spreading and preserving Religion, to blesse a people with sound doctrine. Truly (as he goes on) the words of a Minister are not able to do so much, in contesting for fundamentall truths [even for the holy Trinity it selfe, as he in­stances in that place] as the commands of the Magistrate; if hee by authority stop the mouths of those that are sicke of such hereticall infe­ction, if he helps those that are persecuted by them, if he restraine the murtherers of soules, and keep poor soules from being murthered Naz. Orat. 31. [...], &c & infra. [...] Naz Orat. 31., his interposing may likely be a meanes effectuall, and powerfull to that purpose. But especially look to it that there may bee no cause given from any carriage of any of you, to make faithfull Ministers thinke, plaine truth will not bee as welcome to West­minster now as heretofore, considering that you have so much [Page 24] cause to thanke God, that in this great worke you have had so many plaine dealing Preachers about you, who have beene in­strumentall to keepe up your spirits in the lowest times, & have continually advised you to those wayes which God hath bles­sed with so much successe, especially in the point of the Cove­nant, in the quarrell whereof you have ever since the day you tooke it (for the most part, constantly) prospered; and conside­ring too, that some that have Printed seditious, and traiterous Libels against you, are yet (as to any publike notice) unpunished, one of them though questioned and in trouble, got too easily off.

Consider I beseech you, God hath now wonderfully pros­pered you, and your Cause: Sure, there is no man will be so wicked as to persecute his Ministers in token of thankefulnesse to him. If there be, let him consider what God saith to his own people, when they bragged, God had delivered them to do all manner of a­bominations, Jer. 7. 10. 12. 14, 15, 16. Neither will any (I hope) be so unmindfull of his Covenant (however some aequivocate in it grossely) as to tolerate those who must needs (according to their Hereticall and Schismaticall Principles) out of mistaken conscience persecute Ministers (as Christ saith some should his Disciples) and think they therein do God service. What success God hath given an handfull of them (among many thousands of o­therwise minded) in the Army, I hope shall be no stronger plea for an Antiministeriall, and haereticall, then it is for the scanda­lous and profane party; with which these, and all Armies (especi­ally among the ordinary souldiers) must needs abound, & who have had as large hand too in their successes.

I am sure, by the Covenant you may as lawfully suffer both, as either. I know there are those here in this City, that would Vide Master Burroughs Ire­nicum. p. 130. faine take an Argument from the successes that God hath given to his owne cause, in the hands of differently affected persons, to set God in the head of an heterogeneous body, made up of as diffe­ring members, as Nebuchadnezzars Image was of differing me­talls, I meane a party made up of all kinds of Sectaries. I hope they will consider how the Cavalliers sped, when upon their successes, they blasphemously vaunted, that God was turned Caval­lier; and thereby be perswaded to beware, how they (as blas­phemously) [Page 25] thinke, he is now turned Sectary.

Honourable Patriots give mee pardon for this digression in point of Method, I aske none in point of matter. Nor indeed is it so altogether improper here. I am fully convinced, it con­cerns you as nearly as the Text concerns you; seeing you can­not harme Prophets more, then by making the persecution of them legall; which you must needs do, if you make a Law to tolerate those wayes, whose principles necessarily involve it.

I speake not for idle, ignominious, or scandalous Ministers that are called Ministers in opprobrium Ministerii, such as drive the bloody trade of damning soules. Away to the dunghill with such un­savory salt. They may be employed any where cheaper to the Eo deteriores sunt, quia me­liores non sunt, qui meliores esse debuerunt. Salv. State that employes them, then in the Pulpit. Let their lot be so much the heavier, by how much they should have beene better then they are, seeing they are so much the worse, (as Salvian saith in another case) because they are no better, who should have been bet­ter. (I could wish they had not too many Patrons among those, who thinke the continuing them, will so corrupt our governe­ment, as to make a greater resort to their separated Congregations.) I thinke I speake the thoughts of all the godly Ministers in the land, they will be so far from charging you with harming Pro­phets for punishing, and putting out these, that they will thinke no action of yours will do them more right, then freeing them from such botches of that honourable calling.

Those I plead for, are the faithful, Orthodox, able, and consci­entious Pastors. Use them well, as you love your selves, and the Kingdome, which I am confident (if they perish from the Land) will not long survive them.

And now a word to you of the City, and all that feare God, and heare me this day. The Lord be blessed, you have (for the most considerable part of you) been the shields and bucklers of the Prophets. And be you so still. My Text hath a charge for you too. I hope you see how the Prophets Interest and yours are intwisted each within the other. You cannot but know how soon Munsters calamity followed the persecution of of its Mi­nisters. You know how a community of prophesying there ush­ered in a community of estates, and plurality of Wives: and when their new-come Prophets had altogether expelled, or in­fected [Page 26] their standing Preachers; 'twas not long ere they fell to cut the throats, and rifle the houses of the wicked; that is, all those that had not lost their Religion and their Wits like themselves. Sleyden tells us that Thomas Muncer the fire-brand of Germany in its first Reformation, began those Combustions by preaching against Luther, and cutting out a middle way be­tween him and the Pope, to make Luther as odious on one side, as the Pope on the other side Sleid. lib. 5. Com. Huc [...]scil. Alstetum ubi eomnigra vit ille, coepit doce­re primum non solum adversas p [...]n [...]ificem Ro­manum, sed ip­sum quoque Lutherum; u­tri [...]sque doctri­nam esse vi [...]io­sam & impu­ram, &c.. And a little after in Munster 'twas voted an Ace beyond him, that of the two false Pro­phets the Pope and Luther, Luther was the worst Id lib. 10. Comm. Luthe­rum etiam & Pontificem Ro­manum aiunt esse falsos Pro­phetas. Luthe­rum tamen al­tero deterio­rem.. And what were the sister opinions unto this; and into what confusi­on they quickly reduced the whole City and Countrey by decrying the Magistrates as much, the same Historian abun­dantly relates. Sure, that Generation hath hitherto had like good will to both Civill and Ecclesiasticall power. I cannot but take notice that M ^r.* Tombes in his late examination of Ma­ster Marshall's Sermon, (though he deny the necessary depen­dance of the rest of those Muncerian and Munsterian miscarria­ges, upon the opinion of Antipaedobaptisme, in which point Master Marshall hath answered sufficiently, yet) taking occa­sion to lay downe some reasons upon which it may seem no wonder, it was so accompanied in those dayes: among the rest, he alledgeth their want of a regular Ministery: and hence I believe I may be bold to argue thus far; that whatever Sects are enemies to a regular Ministery (as most of the Sectaries in Eng­land But it is no marvaile that when men grow into Sects such things happen, ospecially when the Reformation of an abuse is denyed in an orderly Synodicall way. [In which yet (referring to Munster) Master Tombes to excuse the Anabaptists, without Autho­rity, crosseth the History that Sleyden tells us, l. 10. that before the Magistrates of Munster expelled them, by a Decree they allowed them a dispute before them with the Ministers, which as the place would permit was an orderly Synodicall way; and afterwards offered them another, before learned, and able Moderators, which Rotman refused] and the per­sons that seek it declaimed against, accused, and accursed, and persecuted as Schismaticks, and Hereticks, and unlearned and factious men, [marke these words; this is the plaine state of most of our Sectaries in England] joyne with a discontented party for finister ends, so that the men that hold an opinion have no regular Ministery nor orderly meetings to debate, or conclude of things among themselves; and to agree upon a confession of their Doctrine to be by all avouched. Tombs Examin. page 24. Sect. 5. are, and most Anabaptists of any) 'tis no wonder if they bring themselves, and the places where they are, into such tur­bulent, [Page 27] and Antimagistraticall practises. And truely, 'tis no wonder to me, when I consider that the Principles of their en­mity to Ministery will easily be improved to an overthrow of Magistracy.

Heare it I beseech you, all you that love order; and believe it Citizens, (whose Government hitherto hath been your Glo­ry) according to these mens principles, (as farre as they are pleased to discover them) you have no greater security for your sword, or seat of Justice, for your Chaines and Scarlet, then wee have for our Coats or our Pulpits. And sure in their usuall way of arguing, from a pretended flaw in our Calling, to a scorn of our Doctrine, a surprizall of our Office, and a persecution of our Persons; though they doe not mention you in their premises, yet they may in the Conclusion; ('Tis ordinary with their Sophistry, to bring more in the conclusion then is in the premises) and it will goe hard with them, if when they have begun with the Minister, they do not end with the Magistrate, & when they have made the Minister good man Priest, they will bid faire to make my Lord, Mr. Major And how pro­bable this is see the dispu­tation recorded in Gangraena. 2. Part. p. 17. where the A­nabaptisticall Disputants un­lorded the Lord Ma [...]or, & called him in scorne, Master Major.. For let any man tell me in sober sadnes, whether by the Warrant, which they pretend from 1 Pet. 4. 10. they may not as wel make themselves Magistrates, as they conclude themselves Preachers. I know not if a mans sole gifts authorize him to teach (though not by vertue of any office, yet out of charity; as they distinguish most absurdly, as if Charity would beare a man out in doing acts of office, with­out a Commission) why they may not be as charitable to the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen, as to us; especially seeing the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall: & sure there is a gift of Governing, as well as a gift of Prophecying.

And let any man againe resolve me whether if [Be not Lords over Gods Heritage] exclude us from all power in the Church; [Call no man Master upon earth; and, Dare any of you goe to Law be­fore an Infidell, and not before the Saints] doe not shut you out from any in the State as well; especially when they shall vote you Infidels (as the Anabaptists have most of you already in ef­fect) and your Government to be after the manner of the na­tions; as they have us Anticristian, and our government tyran­nicall. [Page 28] Adde to this, that your governement in your Families hangs in the same string; and why your servants may not take upon them to be your Masters when they please, that is, when they are perswaded they have a gift of governing better then you, I know not, if the former Argument be sound: at least, why not refuse to call you Masters, if the latter be valid.

Consider I beseech you Citizens; you have borrowed from the whole Kingdom the choysest Jewels they have. I believe you see, they will be called away from you fast enough, now the Countrey is open againe: if upon their departure, you have a famine of the word, it will perhaps be a vexation of spirit to you to remember, if (which God forbid) you should entreat these Josephs ill while you have them, whom God hath sent before to store you, perhaps against such a time.

Sure it concernes you neerely to take that care for them which the Apostle Paul chargeth his Corinthians to take for Timothy, 1 Corinth. 16. 10. that they may bee among you without feare; that no man despise them. Let them have no cause to com­plaine of London, as Salvian doth of Carthage: The Athenians and Lycaonians themselves would heare Paul; But in Carthage (saith he) such servants of God cannot bee seen in the streets with­out reproaches. Let not such usages be esteemed no persecuti­on, because 'tis not Man-slaughter; and faithfull Ministery the lesse Martyrs, because they are not murthered. Truely, that things are not come to that height, 'tis not because the Perse­cutors are not bloudy enough, but because they are not Potent enough; and this kindnesse is not the mens, but the Lawes Intra Cartha­ginem appare­re in plateis & compitis Dei fervos sine contumelia non licuit. Persecutionem hanc suisse non putant, qui a non & occisi sunt—sed in Ʋrbe illa, non tam hominum fuerūt hac beneficia, sed legum. Salv. Another ad­dresse to all together, con­cerning this Interest.. My Lords, Commons, Citizens, Brethren, all that heare me this day; doe you thinke you have any greater Interest then your Religion? I am sure you should not; I hope you doe not. You are bid to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 5.. As you love Religion look to the usage of Gods Prophets. Were it not for them I know not, (things having been carried as they have (that I say no more) by some of the Civill and Martiall power) how many Articles of our Faith had remained unquestioned by this time. Neither doe I know yet, whether in their private Congregations by [Page 17] some or other, they be not all undetermined. I have cause to be­lieve most are. But sure, that they yet dare not outface the light, 'tis no small fruit of the labours of the orthodox Prophets. Sure had our Pulpits (through our default) beene as open to them, as (by the fault of others) the Presses have, you had scarce (as far as some could prevaile to rob you of them) had, left you, a God, a Christ, an holy Ghost, a Word of God, a Sacrament, nay (you had been so far from being allowed to be Christians, that) you had been denyed to be Men, and been unreasonably scoft at for not renouncing your soules.

Nay these [...], these depths of Sathan are not yet sounded to the bottome. They do not yet tell you when they will leave robbing you. The innumerable incomprehensible Reserve of New-light is the Gyges ring, by meanes whereof they walke in a cloud at noon-day, and keep their principles invisible Quotidie Hae­retici immutāt dogmata sua. Deni (que) si vir Ecclesiasticus de Scripturis e­ruditus conten­derit contra e­es, & Scriptu­ris sanctis coar­guerit eos, sta­tim requirunt quomodo aliud novum dogma reperiant. Non quaerunt quo­modo salventur▪ sed quomodo superent. Hier. in Ps. 5.. To day they sit with us and judge with us, if the great drivers of the designe, and leaders of the rabble so guide them: to morrow they sit, and vote against us, if the wind turn; and (which is worse) are not ashamed to say and unsay before the same Auditors [...]. Naz. Orat. 32.. &c. Quo teneam vul­tus mutantem Protea nodo? Thus they shift tenets continually lest you should take hold of them; and when you thinke you have them at an advantage, they step aside behind some aequivocation or other, and leave a cloud in your Armes in stead of that you grasped at. Nor is this liberty taken only in things of smal con­cernment, and of an indifferent nature. Here is the danger, and the wonder of it. There are as many Faiths abroad as fancies, so ma­ny Faiths as destroy all faith; yea, concerning God himself, every year, may every moneth begets a new Creed, the new undermines the olde Periculosum vobis at (que) etiam mirabile est tot nunc fides existere, quot voluntates, &c. Sic plurimae coeperunt esse fides, ut nulla sit; imo vero annuae, menstruae (que) de Deo fides de­ [...]ernuntur; novis subvertuntur vetera, &c. Hilar. lib ad Constantium & Const. Impp. de Arian.. How (beloved) can you think it safe for Religion now, to part with your orthodox Prophets, that hold fast the forme of sound Do­ctrine, and have learning enough to confute these gainsayers; for a rabble of bottomlesse opinions, and opinionists: the workings [Page 30] of whose fancies are as restlesse, and more unbounded and irregu­lar, then the vast Occan, which hath its confines of motion ap­pointed, and an Huc us (que) to put a stop to its proud waves?

By this I hope you see how greatly your selves, nay Re­ligion it selfe, are Interested in the usage of your Pastors and Gods Prophets.

And now I had done, had I not cause to thinke some cavil­ving An Appendix for the vindica­tion of our Mi­nistery against the common cavill that 'tis Antichristian, because we had our Ordi­nation from Prelates. spirits, wovld thinke to receive the charge in the Text, & yet save themselves harmlesse by questioning the application, as not belonging to the Ministers of this Church; whom they will not own as men commissioned by God, but Emissaries of Antichrist, and therefore unlawfully called.

I could in the first place (but that the objecters and they in o­ther things agree so well, that in this, there is little hope they will fall out) set them and the Papists by the eares about it. How saith the Jesuite; are our Ministers true Ministers or no? No (saith he) for they have not a calling from the universall Bishop. And how say you now Master Anabaptist, are our Ministers true Mi­nisters or no? No (saith he) for they are sent by the Pope of Rome, and so Anti-christian. Friends agree among your selves, what to object, and we wil answer you both together; or fall out among your selves, and you will answer one another. But sure as long as you stand thus opposite in your assertions, one must lye, and (be­cause the world know's not which) they will cast the lye at a venture, and truly speake it handsomer, and call it aequivocation or mentall reservation,, and you are both too well versed in it to disowne it.

But I shall speake a few words to the cavill itselfe, and but a few; For I remember this is a Sermon, not a Treatise. To cleare The objection answered to the Parliament from their own Ordinance for ordination of Ministers, bea­ring date, Oct. 2. 1644. this particular, the ground of my exhortation to you, (my Lords and Gentlemen) I shall not need. I will not thinke you have set forth any thing as the result of both Houses debates, which you were not fully setled in. Nor will I thinke you are so given to change, as to disavow that now, which you have in a publique edict acknowledged. I read your sense of this Que­stion in your Ordinance for Ordination, where in the Preamble you assert, That no man ought to take upon him the office of a Mini­ster untill he be lawfully called, and ordained thereunto; that this Or­dination, [Page 31] (that is, an outward solemn setting apart of persons for the office of the Ministery in the Church by preaching Presbyters) is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ. That those who have been formerly ordai­ned by Bishops, (seeing that action was performed by them as Presby­ters, with the Assistance of other Presbyters) have an Ordination for substance valid, and not to be disclaimed by any that have received it.

So that 'tis the sense of both Houses, that our Ordination (as by Bishops, the medium by which the Anabaptists prove us An­tichristian) is notwithstanding according to an Ordinance of Je­sus Christ for substance, and constitutes us Ministers of the Church of Christ, and capable of giving a like mission to others. What there­fore concerns you in the application of the charge in my Text, your own Ordinance fastens on you, and I hope it shall never witnesse against you. I perswade my selfe, seeing you acknow­ledge us Ministers of Jesus Christ, and so Gospell Prophets, to you I have not misapplyed.

To you Citizens and fellow Brethren, I shall speake as con­cisely To the rest. too as is possible. If you are converted to Christ, and not to opinion, you must needs come within the reach of the Apostles Argument. If these Ministers be not Apostles to others, yet they Discovering the undutifu­ness of the ob­jectors (most of them) in so ob­ [...]ecting. Questioning the consequēce of the argu­ment. are to you. For most of you are begotten by their Gospell, and I hope no dutifull sonne will charge his Father with illegitimation.

To others who thus argue, our Ministery is derived from An­tichrist, that is, in their meaning, from Bishops installed by him, and 'tis therefore Antichristian; although the consequence of that Argument be justly obnoxious, (for 'tis not being deri­ved from persons having an Antichristian power, that makes a thing Antichristian, unlesse it can be proved that the thing so derived is derived by that Antichristian power; the same per­sons may act by a double power, a legall, and an usurped power; now 'tis not argument enough to prove this or that act they doe is an illegall act, because done by one that usurps an illegall power, because such a person that hath a legall power too, may as well act by it; and this is in effect the Argument of the Parliament in the Ordinance before quoted) yet I passe this. And answer:

The Antecedent cannot be proved, and 'tis only an affirmation, Questioning the Antecedent upon good grounds. [Page 32] that our Ministery though consecrated by Bishops, was derived from Antichrist. And it may be probable enough, and as pro­bable (I am sure) as any thing they can bring to the contrary; (which is enough to invalidate this Argument) that (though for some ages past, it were granted, that Bishops invested by Popes, have been the Ordainers, and the Ministery hath had its succession from them) that there vvas Christianity in Eng­land long before Popery; and the Ministery then may be said to be derived from beyond Popery; and 'tvvill be questionable vvhe­ther even those Popish Bishops did all or any of them originally receive their Presbytership from Rome, or from that succession; though they received their Episcopacy from Rome.

Besides, secondly, this Argument will cast as strong jea­lousies upon the calling of all the present Ministerie of all the Shewing what mischiefes this Argument in­volves. Reformed Churches, seeing Popish Ordainers have at one time or another interrupted the Order of Apostolicall succession, and then it will inferre, that at present in all, and in most of 1. As strong a ground of sus­pension of all the Ministery in the Christi­an world at this time. them for some ages, there hath been no Ministerie; and so no lawfull Ordinances: and by the same Reason (as farre as we know the extent of Christianity in the World) wee may argue in like manner, seeing Antichrist hath had his claw in every corner of it at one time or another as it is more then probable. And so Christs Promise to bee with Tea­chers and Baptizers (who must have a lawfull call to make them capable of that promise) to the end of the World, would at this time, (there being no lawfull called Teachers and Baptizers supposed in the world; by this Argument) be little better then concluded a falsehood.

Againe thirdly, I know not what should stop these men 2. A road-way to Anabap­tisme, Seeking, and that in infinitum. from Anabaptisme, or Sebaptisme, if they be not infected yet; or Seeking if they be, that thus object. For I take their supposition, and thus argue; either the Baptisme which they received from this Ministery was valid, or null; if valid, they destroy their position, that our Ministerie is unlawfull (for no act of office (as administring a Sacrament) can bee valid from one that is not a lawfull Officer,) and I answer as the Father in a like case, I acknowledge this Ministerie upon [Page 33] the same grounds upon which they owne those that are Baptized by it. And they prove them lawfull Ministers by admitting those whom they have Baptized. A Luciferian is brought in by Hierome, arguing thus. Si Ariani haere­tici sunt, & hae­retici Gentiles sunt, & Ariani Gentiles sunt; Si autem Ari­ani Gentiles sunt, & con­stat nullam so­cietatem Ec­clesiae esse cum Arianis, (i. e.) cum Gentilibus; manifestum est vestram Ecclesiam quae ab Arianis, i. e. Gentilibus Episcopos suscipit, non tam Episcopos suscipere, quam de Capitolio Sacerdotes, ac per hoc Antichristi magis Sinagoga, quam Christi Ecclesia debet nuncupari. (I repeat this the more large, because it expresseth to the full all the cavills of these dayes against our Calling and Churches.) To which the Father answers. Si Ariani (ut dicis) Gen­tiles sunt, & Arianorum conventicula castra sunt Diaboli; quomodo in-castris Diaboli Bap­tizatum recipis? & infra. Tu enim Episcopum probas, quia ab eo recipis bptizatum.—ea­dem ratione Episcopum ab Arianis recipio qua tu recipis baptizatum.—Quare ergo a nobis parietibus separaris, cum in fide, & Arianorum nobiscum receptione consentias? Heir. adv. Lucif.. If invalid; then they must bee baptized againe, if they will keep any Church-fellowship; and then they must either baptize themselves, (contrary to the Institution, and all examples of Scripture) or be Baptized by others: and how shall they bee assured of their Calling, or Baptisme to whom they addresse themselves, seeing even they also must be faine, either to derive it from one of these Ministers, or those that were Baptized by them; (and so the Argument touches them here againe) or themselves. And hee that questions thus farre is to seek indeed, and may, for a­ny thing I know be a Seeker in infinitum.

But I forget that this must not bee a Treatise, but a Ser­mon: onely this I have added to stop the mouthes of some that perhaps would have shifted all the rest off from their backs, if they had missed it.

To returne to you (beloved) and end in a few words: I Conclusion. beseech you doe not onely not harme your Ministers, but en­courage them, and assist them. You have Covenanted, not one­ly to root out all Errour, Heresies, Schisme, Prophanenesse, &c. but to assist all that doe so. Assist your Ministers, whose maine worke it is. They have well led you the way, (you of the City especially) by representing the evills of Toleration; second them in this.

Petition for renewing the Ordinance for Ordination, that you may have a greater supply of such Prophets, and suc­cession too.

Still seeke out and punish irregular Assemblies, and sediti­ous Preachers and Practisers, and feare not the Bug-Beare word of Pehsecuting Saints, when they are out of the way of Saints. This doe, And the good hand of the LORD hee upon you for good. If this Exhortation bee any way beneficiall, I have my end, let God have the Glory; if not, I have done my Duty; and if Prophets fare ill, after such a warning, by the pro­curing, or neglect of any of you, who ever you be that that heard, or reade, this Sermon; I assure my selfe it will bee a record against you.