The churches thank-offering to God her King, and the Parliament, for rich and ancient mercies; her yeares of captivity; her first yeare of iubile; that is, for the marvelous deliverances wrought with God the first wonderfull yeare (since the yeare 88) beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the same moneth following: in all which time, the Lord appeared for his church, as in the dayes of old, out of the middest of the bush, so the church burn'd with fire, and was not consumed. In the preface, the thank-offering is vindicated, and set free, from all the cavills and charges against it; where also it is cleared to be, as every mans duty, so every mans purpose, to offer willingly now, who doth not make full proofe, that he falls short of pagan, papist or atheist; and is wilfully resolved to walk crosse to the most supreme law, the highest reason, and the unquestionable will of God.

SECT. IV.

The engaging the heart to God, engageth God to our Businesse; then they slide-on; the loftinesse of Man shall be bowed downe, and the ••aughtinesse of Men shall be made low; Idols and Idol-men, and Idoll-garments, and bloody Courts shall be destroyed; Counsels hid in the dark, discovered; and a Breach made-up, great as the Sea; so as the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day.

THe people that doe know (that is) doe feare and rely upon their God, shall be strong and doe exploits: So it was in dayes of old, * 1.1

So it will be to the end of the World. Please you we will remember a sacred Story, and consider it with our whole he••rt and with our whole soule Time vvas vvhen our Grand-fathers dwelt in seiled hou∣ses, while they let the house of God lye waste. Every man ranne af∣ter (that is) was very earnest in his owne affaires, but the affaires of the Church, no man regarded▪ much vvorke was done, but no Tem∣ple-worke. The Lord by His Prophet Haggai admonisheth and re∣proveth for this, correcteth and punisheth too: bids them consider the order and method they tooke, whether things vvere done decent∣ly and in order; all for themselves, their private wealth; nothing for God, and the Common g••od; and how they prospered in their contrary way: vvhither God vvalk'd not contrary to them also? Shame devoured their labors a 1.2, there was a SWORD and a DROVGHT b 1.3 upon all they had and upon all they did; They vvere in a deepe con∣sumption; They eat and they dranke, and yet pined away c 1.4; They laboured, but in the fire; Wages they earned, but they put it into a bagg with holes; much they did, but nothing prospered. After ma∣ny ••ore and sharpe stroakes (for man vvill not be made vvise, but by blowes) they began to looke up and consider their vvay, vvhich vvas not right, yet they thought to prosper in it, but it was not possible. At last they considered and thought thus, if God does all, and gives all richly to enjoy; if He be the best and highest Master, and payes the best vvages; The greatest reason in the vvorld, His vvorke should be done first; and so like wise and considering Men▪ they fell to Gods worke, ranne as fast to His House, as before to their owne. This the Lord tooke very kindly, as His manner is, and ordered it so (that is His manner too, for His vvrath is quickly appeased, when He sees Men but look STEDFASTLY to Him and His House) that their own house should not fare the vvorse; they should sensibly see now a strange alteration in things, as a SWORD and a DROƲGHT before upon every thing: so now a BLESSING; a shewer of BLESSINGS. Yes, but they must wait for it; No, no wai∣ting now Behold presently a shewer of blessings, that Gods people may for after times, lift up their feet in Gods way, observe good or∣der and method there, still to begin vvith God and Temple-work, call it vvhat you vvill, Religion if you please; From this Day that the Foundation of the Lords Temple was layed CONSIDER IT d 1.5. What must they consider? It followes, FROM THIS DAY WILL I BLESSE YOƲ; from that moment of time when they minded Gods worke to doe it, I WILL BLESSE YOU saith the LORD.

If ever GOD made good this Scripture to His people in after a∣ges, then now He hath fulfil'd it even in our days: Every man can make application, for from this Day the Lord hath blessed you; you must prosper now and doe exploits, for you goe on now in the strength of a COVENANT, and in the strength of the prayers of all those

that are in Covenant with you, and that ••s an ALMIGHTIE strength.

Y••u have given forth your MALE, the first Borne of your strerg••h to manage the great things of HEAVEN: assuredly from this Day the Lord hath blessed you

You have found vvherein the strength and spirits of the businesse ly∣eth now; these are contained in Religion, very ••ffic••ci••us in vvorking; and a mighty binder, as vvas said; ye have bound y••ur selves to G••d, and God to you; now ye shall g••e on as valiant men in the strength of God, and with His increase and ••l••ssing.

Though you should heare, in after time, the multitude of many people a 1.6, vvhich make a noyse like the Seas, and a reshing like the rushing of mighty wa∣ters. Then shall ye see also, that God vvill rebuke them, and they shall flee faire off, and shall be chased as the chaffe of the Moun••••ins before the vvinde, and like a rowling thing before the whirle-winde, &c.

For it followes, but I forbeare for I must keepe my selfe within the bounds of this WONDERFULL YEARE. This is but to shew, that you have chosen a way to walk-in, and a rule to walke by called the WAY of HOLINESSE (the Lord keepe you in it, and to it;) it is a cleare, an holy, a s••••e, an une••ring way, The way faring men, though FOOLES, shall not erre ther∣in. b 1.7 Ye may fall into the straits there (as was said) ye may be trou∣bled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed ye may be, but not in despaire c 1.8, as you reade; ye may meet vvith a Lyon in that way; persecuted ye may be, but ye shall not be forsaken: The Lord whose ye are, and whom ye serve, and have engaged your hearts so to doe, (the greatest security that Earth or Heaven can give, is yours now) will carry you through all (His NAME, His GLORY is engaged too) and make ye more than Conquerours at the last But for the present, we are to Record yet farther, what GOD hath wrought by you, or vvhat you have wrought with GOD this Day, vvhere you will see and take good notice what an easie passe or slide you had unto businesse, as they have, whom God will lead and prosper (from this very Day the Lord did blesse you) Take a short view of the works in the same order they were done, so the Church will render you an account, and an acknowledgement together, very short in these parti∣culars.

¶ 8.

Then, from that Day, ye marched valiantly, ye trod down strength, ye had Dominion over the Mighty d 1.9; ye troubled the Troublers, and the Destroyer was destroyed. Then no power of the adversary could with-stand you from that Day.

¶ 9.

Then, from that Day, ye found out the treacherous Priests and their

Babylonish garments; then you were to the poore Ministers, as your good God before you; you took off the yoake on their jaws, and to the people, you laid meat unto them h 1.10. Then you pursued your Adversa∣ries to their strong-holds, and you beat them there with their owne weapons: Indeed their owne weapons, weapons of unrighteousnesse, were as Goliahs Sword to the Giants of the Earth, as M. Dearing cal∣led them long agoe, who searched the Scripture whether things were so, and would take poyson from no mans hand. Ye found these men overcome to your hand, bound fast with the cords of their owne sinne, as a wild Bull in a Net (the Lord give them to feele it for their good) full of the fury of the LORD, the Rebuke of Thy GOD i 1.11.

Then, from that Day, ye proceeded against them and their Courts, so that the Church may reade her Deliverance, now in that vvhich the Lord wrought for her people in dayes of old,

So the terrible one is brought to naught k 1.12, and the Scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity, and they that made a man an offender for a word, and laid a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate, and turned a∣side the just for a thing of nought, all these are cut-off; for where is the fury of the oppressours? and the jurisdiction of their Courts, Where is it? She remembers this with all thankfulnesse and she re∣members you in all earnestnesse before the high Throne, as was said before, for she can reade on;

Now l 1.13 the meeke shall encrease their joy in the Lord, and the poore among men shall rejoyce in the Holy One of Israël: for how you eased the Churches shoulders, and chea∣red her heart, when you tooke off those yoakes, the two insnaring Oaths and bloudy Courts, she and you know very well: and she accepts vvith all thankfulnesse, but she gives glory to her God.

¶ 10.

Then, from that Day, you could trace the footings in the dark; the turnings and windings of the crooked Serpent in his crooked pathes; Then the Lord made darknesse light before you, and crooked things strait. Then you had discoveries upon discoveries, for what a dis∣covering God have you! How easily did He defeate His enemies! Their turning of things upside downe, He esteemes as the Potters clay, for He turned them and their vvorke upside downe, as easily as the Maid doth the Dish, which she vvipes, or the Potter the clay vessell he frames m 1.14.

¶ 11.

Then you quenched the SONNES of the COALE; and though they sparkled in your face, yet they could not kindle: notwith∣standing the wrestling of the Adversary, you held and maintained the staffe of BEAƲTY and of BANDS n 1.15, and so made firme the

Brotherhood betweene Iacob and Israel. And it was like the making of twaine one, so making peace a 1.16; as the causing the envy of EPHRA∣IM to cease, and the cutting-off the Adversaries of IƲDAH b 1.17: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim, but they shall be as one sticke in the hand c 1.18, that so with united force, they may fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines. I will say no more of it here (for it fills a volume) But according to this time it shall he said of Jacob and of Israel, WHAT HATH GOD WROƲGHT? * 1.19

In all this last mentioned, the Church turnes to her God, renders praise and glory to Him, for he only workes wonders. She will a∣scribe all to her God, so the Church may doe, and yet make all due acknowledgement to man, whom the Lord is pleased to honour as an instrument. Man stood in the GAP, and he shall be called, The REPAIRER OF THE BREACH, but God made it up, e∣ven * 1.20 by His owne Right-hand, for it was great as the Sea. Hee did it who hath taken the wicked in their owne Snare; consumed them with their owne breath; swallowed them up with their owne lips; fallen upon them with their owne tongues; bound them fast with their owne cords, HIGGAION SE∣LAH d 1.21, a matter HIGHLY to be considered on. Therefore with your good leave, the Church ascribes all to her good God, Blessing, Honour, Power, Wisdome, Thanks, all the glory unto Him, that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lambe for ever and ever. And the Church makes account that so yee will doe also; yee doe call this yeare and your Court BAAL-PERAZIM, for at this time, the Lord smote His enemies there, and hath broken forth upon them before you as the BREACH of WATERS; Therefore ye call this yeare and that place BAAL-PERAZIM e 1.22, giving glory to the Lord, for HE IS WORTHY.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dan. 11. 32.
• a 1.2

  Ier 3. 24.
• b 1.3

  ••er •••• 38.
• c 1.4

  Hag. 1. 1••. ••er. 6.
• d 1.5

  Hag. 2, 18.
• a 1.6

  Esa. 17. 12, 13.
• b 1.7

  Esa 35.
• c 1.8

  2 Cor 4 8.
• d 1.9

  Iud. 5.
• h 1.10

  Hos. 11. 4.
• i 1.11

  Esa 51. 10.
• k 1.12

  Esa. 29.
• l 1.13

  Esa. 29. 19.
• m 1.14

  Esa ••9. 16. Vid. Cal. in loc.
• n 1.15

  Zach. 11.
• a 1.16

  Ephes. 2. 15.
• b 1.17

  Esa. 11.
• c 1.18

  Ezek. 37. 19.
• * 1.19

  Num. 23. ••3.
• * 1.20

  Esa. ••8. 12.
• d 1.21

  Ps. 9. 16. Rem meditandam summè.
• e 1.22

  2 Sam. 5. 20.