A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament

THE EPISTLE Dedicatory.

Honourable Worthies,

WHen the Prophet was to be plaine, God set him upon a plaine, and spake to him. When you called, bowels bid me visit the sick and weake, and truly these alone stirr'd, all other parts of body and mind were utterly against it; and as I went, Christ and Conscience, in such a case, bid me be faithfull, lest I brought in two houres, the bloud of two Nations upon mine head. Jerusa∣lem was pourtrayed to one of the Prophets upon a Tile, and (some thought) was England to mee in you when I was before you; and truly I had a good desire, to bring forth a Nation of a day to Christ. I want ability to give milke to babes, much more to give strong meate to such strong men as you; and 'twere well if friends would indeed believe it, and pray for me more. Legs are precious limbes to the lame: mine owne weaknesse makes the power of God still the more admirable to mee. When I left you Jeremies rap∣ture tooke hold on mee, Behold he wrought a worke on the wheeles. Our acceptation with you, was in word and

deed, for which I account my selfe much obliged to the Lord and you. Your way is much in the darke, so many persons and things are before your eyes; I was willing to get as ma∣ny prayers for you, to set as many dryed cheeks and bowels a blessing of you, as I could, these will make such great wheeles goe safely and swiftly, when wit nor wealth nor any thing else will. One Prophet felt in so many dayes, what all the people of Israel should feele in so many yeares; if I had any degree of such an advantage spiritually, I should be a better servant to you and my native Countrey then I am, both in praying and preaching. My petition to Christ oft is, that he will make impresse upon my spirit, suitable to all his purposes towards this poore bleeding Land; I get as neere him as I can, and as much out of al noyse, to hearken and heare distinctly what he will speake, peace or warre, life or death; and if in this Gospel way God will but grant mee that Prophets favour, to remove in my sight, and to dig through the wall of Englands welfare in my view, I hope through the strength of Christ I shall be faithfull to tell her of it, though it should cost mee much. Would I knew how in this shaking time, to eat my bread with confidence, and yet with quaking: If the pleasure of the Lord were dearer to us 'twould ease much, the many hard things which are yet before us. I came, Ho∣nourable Worthies, very trembling to you, and so truly de∣parted from you, to thinke how little service I had done, for persons and employments of so great consequence as yours. At what time I feared I believed, which was Christ laying his right hand upon mee, like that upon John, saying, Feare not, I am the first and the last. If God be found first or last wherever I come, or in what ever I un∣dertake, I and all with me will be blessed; and so will it be with you, and those many thousands for whom you act. I

would people would be patient, and thinke lower thoughts of their owne wisdome, and higher of Christs and yours, as an Ordinance of God for their good, and in all your tra∣vels, travell with you, and cry out for a man mid-wife from heaven for you, when you are like to miscarrie, and not fill Citie and Country with unnaturall and unchristian cla∣mour. I judge a free Parliament, the most naturall Ordi∣nance (and the nearest that Divine government which once was) for the true good of a Nation that would not be slaves to sinne and mans will, of any yet knowne, or in use in the world; and if my Judgement were of any weight in a businesse of this nature, I would thinke those the more un∣naturall to themselves and others, who otherwise speake and act amongst us. Our lusts would be Lawes and Judges of them too, and may, as well one as tother; 'tis thus with us, tis thus with you; 'tis so in Divinity, 'tis so in morali∣ty, 'tis so in the first Table, 'tis so in the second. Christ meant civill Government really, when he bade us sub∣mit to it, and pray for it, and practised it himselfe by gi∣ving to Caesar the things which were Caesars; if in these last and worst dayes we need it lesse then then, I do not yet un∣derstand it. Wilde beasts love no bound, but if this should be, then all the world would be a wildernesse, and where should we live without tearing in pieces? I thinke just Go∣vernment in a Turke to be a beame of God, and we admire it abroad, and trample upon't at home. Violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesse. Men are so violent, and yet so voyd of reason, that they are a rod to themselves and many sober men; complaine of obstructions and yet make them, by mad motion a this side truth and their place: Christ beares all this about his Kingdome and government, and so must you about yours. Christ will lay the carkasses of men before their Idolls; mens persons in preposte∣rous

courses fall, or their esteeme, and then is man a mo∣ving carkasse before his Idol pride. Purity is indeed of Ma∣jestie: wee read of terrible crystall; Let your course be patient and pious before men who are not so, and this will keep God and good men with you, and all others below your peace, if not below their owne. He is not so fit to ad∣vise you, as to pray for you, that you may be in the secret of his people, who is and shall be still theirs and

Yours, at the Throne of Grace, NICHOLAS LOCKYER.

Notes

• Ezeck. 3.23.27.
• Jer. 18.3.
• Ezek. 4.
• Ezek. 12.3.
• Rev. 1.17.
• Ezek. 6.11.
• Ezek. 6.5.13, 14.
• Ezek. 1.22.