THis day is a time of Humiliati­on, and this Text a word of Con­solation. That for which we are this day to be especially humbled, is the sin and misery of our former Warre, That which this Text comfortably assureth, is the blessing of a future peace.

This day is not only a day of humiliation but sup­plication, of tears but prayers, and this Text teach­eth us what should be our principall Petition, name­ly, Peace, Peace.

Finally, I am this day in a peculiar manner to ad­dresse my self to you Right Honourable, who are all of you Proceres Regni Peers of the Realm, and some of you have been, and in Gods good time may be a­gain Comites Regis, Attendants on a King; and this [Page 2] Text is the saying of him who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Well may the greatest Lords be Auditors when the Lord Jehovah is the Speaker: I create the fruit of the lips peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord.

In the discussion of this Scripture, I shall briefly touch upon the Author mentioned in those words, saith the Lord, and chiefly insist upon the matter in the rest of the verse.

1. This phrase and form of speech (saith the Lord) is frequently used by all the Prophets, sometimes with additions, the Lord God, the Lord of hosts, the Lord thy Redeemer; sometimes with variation, saith the high and lofty One, saith my God, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it; and thus sometimes in the beginning, sometimes in the middle, sometimes in the close of their Prophecies, nay, once we finde the beginning, the middle, and the end of one verse to be, Thus saith the Lord of hosts.

If you shall ask, Quest. 1. Why the Prophets were so bold as to affix Gods Name to their Messages? The Answer is easily returned, Because they received their mes­sage immediatly as it were from Gods mouth. The Hebrew word which we reade report, Isa. 53. 1. properly signi­fieth hearing, to intimate that what the Prophet re­ported to the people was no other then what he first heard from God, with which accords that of the A­postle Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 23. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you. When an ambassadour deliver­eth nothing but what the King himself hath given him in charge, he may truly say, Thus saith the King, well then might the Prophets use this form, [Page 3] Thus saith the Lord, whenas their Predictions are no other then divine Revelations. Indeed there were then many false Prophets of whom God himself saith, They prophesie lies in my Name, Jer. 14. 14. I sent them not, nei­ther have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them. But this hinders not why the true Prophets should make use of Gods Name in delivering their messages.

As for us who are not extraordinary Prophets but ordinary Pastors, and therefore lay no claim to im­mediate Revelations, we do not, dare not attribute any such authority to our discourses, any further then they manifestly agree with, and are clearly grounded upon the holy Scriptures, and accordingly we desire you to prove our sayings, and only so far to approve them, as they are concordant with the Propheticall and Apostolicall Writings; But withall, inasmuch as we are duely called to the office of preaching Gods Word to the people, and so long as it is no other then his word which we preach, we can boldly say it is the great God who by us speaketh, and accord­ingly we ought to be received as such by you.

If it shall be further enquired, Quest. 2. why the Prophets do not content themselves to deliver their message from God, but bring in God himself as delivering it, I shall return this answer, that by this way of expres­sion their Prophecies might make the deeper impres­sion upon the hearers: The Prophets well knew

1. How incredulous the people would generally be. Isa. 53. 1. We finde this Prophet complaining, Who hath beleeved our report? If you observe the predictions of the Prophets, you shall finde them for the most [Page 4] part either threats of misery to the bad, and that whilest their condition was prosperous, or promises of mercy to the good, and that when their estate was calamitous, and truly it is no easie matter to make the one beleeve so as to tremble at the threat, or the other so as to hope for the promise; When our mountain is strong, we are apt to say, it shall never be moved, and when our condition is low, we are ready to think it can never be raised.

2. That there would be no better way to gain credence to their predictions; then by minding the people that they came from God; Whatsoever hath the stamp of divine authority upon it, must needs be current coyne with all that are not direct Atheists▪ He that beleeveth that there is a God, must needs beleeve, that what he saith is true, and therefore the true reason why their sayings were no more regard­ed, was because those to whom they spake did not consider that they were the Lords sayings. No won­der if in the last verse of this Chapter, which is a denunciation of war against the wicked (saith my God) is inserted, and here (saith the Lord) is an­nexed to this annunciation of peace.

Let us all then learn whensoever we are about to reade or come to hear the word of the Lord either read or preached, before-hand to fix this thought in our mindes, This is no other then the word of God which I am now to reade or hear; that so we may at­tend with the greater reverence, and assent with the firmer confidence. And oh that you (my Noble Lords) who are in the language of the Psalmist coe­tus Deorum a Congregation of Gods, Psa. 83. 1. would remem­ber [Page 5] that the great Jehovah alwaies stands in the midst of you, and now speaketh to you in the lan­guage of this Text, I create the fruit of the lips peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near.

Having by this short Preface concerning the Au­thour (I hope) in some measure quickned your at­tention, I shall now proceed to insist upon the mat­ter of the Text, which seemeth to be like a chariot running upon four wheels, a tree spreading it self in­to four branches, or if you will, the river of Para­dise parting it self into four heads:

Here is observable,

The Excellency of the Object, Peace, Peace.

The Universality of the Subject, to him that is a­far off, and to him that is near.

The Causality of the Agent, I create. And

The Facility of the accomplishment, the fruit of the lips.

And now whilest I shall drive this Chariot, climb this Tree, wade this river, let it be our prayer, that the fruit of my lips in handling, and your ears in hearing, may be Peace, Peace to all our souls, and so I begin with

The Excellency of the Object, Gen. 1. Peace, Peace; For the unfolding whereof, I shall consider it first as propounded, and then as ingeminated.

The blessing propounded is peace, Part. 1. which accord­ing to the double meaning of this Prophecy, admits of a double exposition.

1. The mysticall sense of these words is the vo­cation of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ, and in [Page 6] sence the peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, is peace to the Gentile, as well as the Jew; and that as secondarily of one with another, (the partition wall being taken down) so primarily of both with God (the enmity being taken away be­tween God and man) through Christ. And that this Prophecy ascendeth to this upper spring of celestiall peace, appeareth by S. Pauls allusive expression, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, Eph. 2 13, 17. In Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were afar of, are made nigh by the bloud of Christ. And again, he came and preached peace to you which were afar off, as to them that were nigh; fit­ly answering to this of the fruit of the lips peace to him that is afar off. But the handling of the words in this sence best befits that solemn Feast of the E­piphany, and therefore I shall now insist on the other exposition, which is both most sutable to a Fast, and especially to the occasion of this.

2. Now the literall sence of these words refers to the restauration of the Jews, and accordingly the peace here assured is the nether spring of temporall peace, and more particularly the Jews peaceable de­parture out of Babylon, and quiet settlement in their own Countrey.

1. Almighty God foretelling by the Prophet Za­chary this restauration, Zech. 4. 6. saith, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. There was no might en­forcing, nor power compelling, but only Gods Spirit mollifying their enemies hearts towards them, so that they went as quietly out of Babylon as their An­cestors had done out of Egypt. And surely no vi­ctory liae to that which is without garments rolled [Page 7] in bloud, and a recovery of just rights when in a way of peace is most desirable.

2. If you cast your eyes backward in this Book, you shall finde God assuring tranquility to the Jews when returned to Jerusalem; Isa. 32. 17. and 33. 20. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; and again a little after, Look upon Zion the City of our solemnity, thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down, not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords there­of be broken; And were not Peace a common theam, and had not the miseries of our late wars abundant­ly taught us, it were easie here to enlarge upon the excellency of this mercy, for every man to sit under his own Vine in quiet, and enjoy his rights with peace; Our Prophet in the close of this verse sets it forth by the metaphor of health, and indeed what health is to the body, that is peace to a people, health is the peace and agreement of the humours in the bo­dy, and peace is the health and welfare of a Nation, and as it is health without which there can be no con­tentment in any outward advantages whatsoever, so it is the peaceable enjoyment of our possessions which renders them truly comfortable, and this was the mercy here promised, and not only so but

2. Ingeminated, and that not without singular Emphasis, peace, peace, that is peace restored, confir­med and multiplied.

1. The Collation of a mercy is amiable, the conti­nuation yet more desirable, but the restauration is most acceptable. Such was this peace, a dismission [Page 8] Babylon wherein they had been miserable captives, a return to Judea whence they had been dolefull ex­iles, and such a peace was a double peace, not only because it is the restoring of a former peace, but it is also highly commended by the misery of that bon­dage which had for many years deprived them of it. Mercies are most valued after we have known what it is to want them; Health is doubly amiable after a desperate sicknesse, a calm is never more lovely then after a violent storm, the Suns golden beams are most glorious after a dark night, and peace is doubly beautifull after a ruinous war: Look as summum in­fertunium fuisse fortunatum, affliction after a prospe­rous estate is more bitter, so prosperity after an af­flicted estate is the sweeter.

2. There is a peace which is only as a skinning the sore which afterwards breaketh forth the more virulently, and there is a peace which is an healing the wounds, a firm peace, to intimate which perhaps the word is doubled. Those words the fruit of the lips are read by some the fruit of the banks, the banks being as it were the lips of the river, and then it meaneth the fruit of the tree, which groweth by the river side, concerning which the Psalmist saith, its leaf shall not fade, Psa. 1. 3. a fit embleme of a lasting peace. This is that peace for which the Church prayeth, when she saith, Isa. 2 [...]. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain (or as the Hebrew word most properly signifieth stablish) peace for us, such a peace as is not built on the sand but the rock; This the Psalmist was confident of when he saith the Lord will bless his people with peace, Psa. 29. ult. that is, he will give such a peace as shall be a blessing, a [Page 9] peace which is not a blazing comet but a fixed star.

3. Peace though it be but one word, and that a monasyllable, is a Volume of mercies, containing whatsoever conduceth to the welfare of a person or people; and probably for this reason there is a du­plication of the word to note a multiplication of blessings. 1 Chro. 12. 18. When Amasiah wished to David, Peace, Peace be to thee, what did he thereby intimate, but all kinde of prosperity? Sanct. in [...]. and here Sanctius glosseth this, peace, peace, to mean cumulatissimam pacem, such a peace as bringeth with it an heap of blessings. We cannot have a better Expositor of Gods Word then himself, Ier. 33. 11. where he saith, I will bring it health and cure, I will reveal abundance of peace and truth. To this purpose is that metaphor which we finde used by this Prophet, where he brings in God say­ing, Isa. 48. 18. and 66. 12. Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commands, then had thy peace been as a River. And again, I will extend peace to her like a River; by which at once is noted a permanency of peace, with an af­fluence of all sorts of blessings, and if you shall ask how far this River of peace extends it self? you have an answer in the

Universality of the Subject, Gen. 2. to him that is afar off, and to him that is near.

And yet before I discusse the Universality, it will not be amisse to take notice of the propriety, which though it be not expressed in the Text, may be supplied from the Context and other parallell Scriptures.

[Page 10] If you look downwards upon that which follow­eth, Ver. 20, 21. you finde the wicked expresly excluded from having any interest in this peace, who either should not at all return to their own Countrey; or if they did, little benefit or comfort should accrue to them by it; so that the him in the Text, is him that is godly and upright. It is very observable that an­tithesis which our Prophet maketh between the righ­teous and the wicked in Jerusalem, when it was besieged by Sennacherib; Isa 33. 14, 15. 16, 17. On the one hand, the sin­ners in Zion are afraid, fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrite: where you see the seeming Saint is in as bad a condition as the open sinner, and no won­der since the one is no lesse wicked then the other, nay, malus ubi se simulat lunc est pessimus, the evil man is then worst when he would appear to be best; On the other hand, He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly, &c. he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks, there is safety, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure, there is plenty; and as the crown of his rejoy­cing it is added, V [...]. 1 [...]. 15. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty, but still these blessings are limited to the righteous and upright-hearted; and surely this was no lesse verified of them when captives in Babylon, then when besieged in Jerusalem.

2. If you look upward on the close of the for­mer verse, you finde mention of mourners, and a little higher of the broken and contrite spirit, so that the him in the Text is the him that was a mourner by the Rivers of Babylon for Zions mi­series, and for his own and others iniquities. The [Page 11] Psalmist speaking of this very mercy, Psa 126. 4. the turning again of the captivity of Zion, saith, they that sow in tears shall reap in joy, which relateth not only to their miserable condition, but penitent disposition; It is the sorrow of contrition that fits us for the joy of restoration, since God loveth to pour the oyl of his mercy into broken vessels.

3. If you cast your eyes upon the promise of God by Moses to his people, Deut. 30. [...]3. of having compassion on them, and gathering them from the Nations whi­ther he had scattered them, you will finde the con­dition premised, to be returning to the Lord, and obeying his voice. By sin we forsake God, by repen­tance we return to him; by committing sin we trans­gresse his Law, by doing righteousnesse we obey his voice; no way to settle any Nation but by unfained repentance and universall obedience.

Having given you this brief account of that which is to be supplyed in reference to the propriety, be pleased now to look upon that which is expressed, the Universality of the Subject, him that is afar off, and him that is near. Indeed the number here used is singular, but it is not a person only but the bo­dy of the people which is intended, and that as well those afar off as near.

For the clearer understanding whereof, you must know, that when the Jews were conquered by the Babylonians, there were some in patriâ relinquendi, to be left in the Countrey, and those were the poor of the Land, to be Vine-dressers and Husbandmen; there were others in captivitatem abducendi, to be carried away captive to a strange land, and among [Page 12] those some were upon the borders of Judea, and so near, others afar off in remoter Countreys; and whereas they who were afar off, might conceive themselves under an incapacity by reason of the distance, to return into their own Countrey, the promise is extended to him that is afar off, as well as him that is near; yea, as if he that were afar off should be sooner at home then he that is near, he as set in the first place. If you please to look upon a preceding passage of this Prophecy, you shall finde an enumeration of those severall Countreys from whence God would recover his people from Assyria, and from Aegypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and fram Elam, and from Shinar, and Ha­nath, and from the Islands of the Sea: and it fol­loweth, Isa. 11. 11, 12. He shall assemble the Out-casts of Israel, aud gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth; and that promise men­tioned by Moses, and repeated by Nehemiah, runs thus, If any of thine be driven out unto the ut­most parts of heaven, Deu [...]. 30. 4. from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, Neh. 1. 7. and from thence will he fetch thee.

That which would here be taken notice of, is how divine providence brings to passe improbable events: that those who were near hand should re­turn in peace was not unlikely, but for them who were afar off to be restored, what more improbable? and yet this was effected: Who would have expect­ed that Abraham and Sarah being stricken in years should have a childe? Gen. 21. 5. and yet when Abraham was an hundred years old, and Sarah not much younger, [Page 13] Isaac is born. Who would have thought that Joseph when sold as a slave by his brethren, and impriso­ned as a malefactor by his Master, should have been so highly exalted by Pharaoh? and yet he became second in all the Land of Aegypt. Who would have imagined that David, when hunted as a Par­tridge upon the Mountains, and forced to fly out of his own Countrey, should ever come to sit on the Throne? and yet he was in the appointed time King both of Israel and Judah; and we trust it will not be long ere we have a like example in our Da­vid. And therefore let us learn not to measure divine proceedings by the last of our carnall rea­son; rather with Abraham let us beleeve and hope even against hope, and when things are at the worst, nor to despair of deliverance, especially when we consider,

The Causality of the Agent, Gen. 3. I create; or as the Hebrew participle signifieth, I am creating, as if what was indeed long after were then to be effected, because it should be as certainly, as if it were presently brought to passe.

This word Create is used sometimes in a proper, and sometimes in an allusive sence.

In a proper sence it is attributed,

1. Primarily to the making of the world with all things therein, so we often reade of Gods crea­ting the Heavens and the earth.

2. Secondarily, to the preserving of all things made, [...] so the Psalmist saith, Thou sendest forth thy spirit, and they are created, thou renewest the face of the earth; with which agreeth that Maxime [Page 14] in the Schools, Conservation is a continued Cre­ation.

2. In an allusive way, it is applyed to that work of

1. Spirituall Conversion, in which respect Con­verts are said to be New Creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 27. and the new man to be created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse. Eph. 4. 14.

2. Temporall Liberation: thus when any strange and unexpected, glorious and eminent deliverance is wrought by God for his Church, it is called a cre­ation, and such was this, to which my Text re­fers.

There are two works of God which are singular­ly transcendent, namely, his first and his last work of Creation, which was in beginning of time; and of resurrection which shall be the end of time, and to both of these is the restoration of the Jews com­pared, and that by this Prophet, To the resurrecti­on, where he saith, awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, Isa. 26. 20. and to the creation, in this, I create peace.

If you please, I shall spend a little time in crack­ing the shell of this metaphor wherein we shall finde many wholsome kernels contained.

1. Creation is Gods peculiar act, the choicest flower of the celestiall Crown, and Prerogative of the Deity. It is a Question moved by the Schools, Whether God can make such a creature as should be a­ble to create another? but it is resolved negatively, and not without reason, since that were to make a God, Creation being an act of Omnipotency, which [Page 15] is incommunicable to any thing lesse then a God. It is observed by the Hebrew Criticks, that these Verbs [...] are used of the Creatures, but this Verb [...] in the Text only of God, Such was this restauration of the Jews, a work so wrought, that it did proclaim God to be the Authour; and there­fore the Church expressing her confidence of accom­plishing it, looketh up to God, Lord, thou wi [...]t or­dain peace, Isa 26. [...]2. for thou hast wrought all our works, and God himself foretelling it saith, I will make the wil­dernesse a pool of water, Isa 41. 18, 19, 20. I will sow in the desert the fir-tree, and the pine, and the box tree together, that they may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, Psa. 126 3. and the holy One of Israel hath created it. And accordingly when this work was accomplished, it was said among the Heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them, and indeed the wise God is for the most part pleased so to bring about his Churches deliverance, that it may appear both to themselves and others that it is his doing.

2. Creation is Gods immediate act, in the accom­plishing whereof there was no instruments made use of. Some Philosophers indeed have fancied, that God created lesser gods; and by them made the world, but Job saith, Iob 9. 8. he alone spreadeth out the Heavens; and it is a Maxime in the Schools, Instrumentum creationis creatura esse non potest, the Creature can­not be so much as an Instrument in the work of Creation, the Creature can do nothing alone without God, but God can do any thing alone without the Creature; yea▪ the Creature cannot be subservient [Page 16] in the work of Creation, and therefore it is a good argument against the Arians, that Christ is no crea­ture, because he is a Creator; for by him were all things made, Iohn 1. 3. and without him was nothing made that was made: Indeed as all works ad extra, so that of the Creation was the work of the whole Trinity, in reference to which it is observed, that the first let­ters of [...] and [...] are in [...], each person being as it were co-efficient in this work, the Father, by the Son, through the Spirit, creating the world; but there was not, could not be, any thing lesse then God a co-worker in it. Thus the restoration of the Jews was as it were Gods immediate hand, and therefore he saith, I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, Hos. 1. 7. nor by sword, nor by battell, by horses, nor by horsemen. And though there were persons instrumentall in carrying on the work, as Cyrus, Darius, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, yet they were such as God did immediately and ex­traordinarily raise up, and it was done without se­condary means, which are usuall in recovery of our Rights. It is so many times in Gods vindictive and gracious acts, there is little of man, that himself may have all the glory.

3. Creation is a mercifull act, as there was no instrumentall, so neither any deserving cause of the framing of the world, [...], to them that ask what was the moving cause of the Creation, no other answer can be returned, but [...], the grace and goodnesse of God, saith Phillo the Jew. Philo. It was not a naturall act to [Page 17] the Trinity (as the Generation of the Son is to the Father) but a voluntary and free act, arising from the good pleasure of his will; and when there was nothing besides God, there could be nothing without God to move him to it; and therefore the Psalmist attributeth the making of the heavens, not only to the depth of Gods wisedom but the length of his mer­cy; psa. 136. 5. To him that by wisedom made the Heavens, for his mercy endureth for ever. And surely it was no other then meer mercy which moved God to com­mand salvation to the Captive Jews; so the pro­mise runs, Isa. 54. 7. with great mercies will I gather thee; and yet more fully, Ezek. 36. 32. not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known to you. Indeed whatsoever deliverances God at any time vouchsafeth, and that to his Church, are to be ascribed, not to her merits, but his mercies.

4. Creation is an act whereby something is produ­ced out of nothing, to wit, either simpliciter or se­cundum quid; meer nothing, so was that first matter created, or that which is no way disposed to the pro­duction of such forms, as that matter was in respect of the things created out of it. And what lesse was the restoration of the Jews, who were no way able to rescue themselves, nor yet the Babylonians disposed to let them go? Thus many times that God which cemmanded the light to shine out of darknesse, who framed this beautifull Edifice out of that rude chaos; and every spring clotheth the naked trees with leaves, spreadeth the bare earth with a green Carpet, and enammeleth it with flowers, by his won­derfull power, wisedome, and goodnesse, brings [Page 18] happy settlement out of disorder and confusion.

5. Creation is an irresistible act, as being the work of Omnipotency, and such was the Jews liberation. Indeed the wicked were like the troubled Sea, Ver 20. that is, as some glosse it, the wicked Babylonians used all the wayes and means possible to disturb and hinder the peaceable return of the Jews, and it was true in the History, Sanballat and Tobiah with many o­thers endeavoured both by power and policy to ob­struct their prosperity, but that power and wisedom which created the world, knoweth no impediments; I will work saith God) and who shall let it? Isa. 43. 13. Un­lesse there were a power above his, none can; and if there be, he is not God. Except the Lord keep the City (saith David) the watchman watcheth but in vain; Psa. 127. 1. and if the Lord will keep it, the enemy oppo­seth in vain: Ioh 31. 21. so true is that of Elihu to Job, when he giveth quietnesse, who then can make trouble?

6. Lastly, Creation is an instantaneous act, a sudden passage from not being to being, without a­ny successive motion or previous alteration. It is true, the world was not finished in lesse then six dayes, but the act of creation upon every one of those dayes, was in an instant; and though in this the parallell is not full, yet thus far it is true, that the Jews return out of Babylon was sudden and speedy. To this tend those expressions in this Prophet, Who are those that flee as the clouds, Isa 60. 8. and as the doves to the windows? And again, who heard such a thing as this? 66. 7. Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a Nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travelled she brought [Page 19] forth her children; Thus though God is long be­fore he begins, yet ofttimes he quickly maketh an end.

Though therefore the vastnesse of our confusion, strength of our adversaries, length of our sufferings, weaknesse of means, and sence of our unworthiness, may discourage us; yet when we remember that God can, and doth create deliverance, let us be en­couraged (especially considering what he hath be­gun to do) to an humble, confident, and patient waiting for the completion of our salvation, and so much the rather, Gen. 4. because of the facility of the ac­complishment, in those words, The fruit of the lips, which is the last particular, and cometh now to be handled.

To the right understanding whereof, the Que­stion would be made and resolved, whose lips are here meant? and according to a various reference, there are severall interpretations.

More particularly, it may be looked upon either as the fruit of Gods or mans, of his or our lips, and each in a double notion.

If we refer the fruit of the lips to God, we may understand a double word, to wit, imperii and pro­missi: the fruit of the lips, that is, his word of com­mand, and that lets us see how God would create peace; or else the fruit of the lips, that is, the word of promise, and that lets us see why he waited to cre­ate it.

1. I create the fruit of the lips, that is, God would by a word of Command accomplish peace, and this sence very fitly agreeth both with the thing, and [Page 20] the phrase. As to the restoration of the Jews, it was effected by a word, God did but speak to Cyrus, and he maketh a decree for their returns; so it runs in this Prophecy, Isa 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus. And as to the phrase of creating it, is most sutable, psa. 148. 5. since Creation was by a word, he comman­ded, and they were created, saith the Psalmist of the Heavens, ‘Jussit & extendit campos.—’ said the Poet of the earth. Ovid. It was but an Ephphata, and the deaf ears were opened; a tace, and the ra­ging Sea was still; an obmutesce, and the devils were silenced; but a fiat, and the heavens and the earth were made. It is very observable, that of the devil to our Saviour, Matth 4. 5. If thou be the Son of God command (or as the Greek word signifieth speak) that these stones be made bread; intimating that if he could turn the stones into bread by a word, he would conclude him to be the Son of God; this being indeed peculiar to a Deity, that his word is the work, and his most glorious operations are but the fruit of his lips.

2. I create the fruit of the lips, that is, it had been the fruit of his lips in promising, and therefore it should be the work of his hands in performing. The words of the Lord (saith David) are pure words, psa. 12. 6. as silver tried in the fire, purified seven times. Seven is a number of perfection, whereby is intimated, that Gods promises are perfectly pure, without any drosse of falshood; he speaketh nothing but what he intends, and will execute: perhaps for this rea­son it is said, not the words of the lips; but the fruit, [Page 21] to intimate, that his words like fruit spring from the root of his heart, and that they are not leaves but fruit, reall performances. It is not so with men, oft­times their lips have leaves, but no fruit; or their fruit is like the apples of Sodom. For as those are fair to the eye, but molder in the handling, so most mens promises are pleasing to the ears, but wither in the hands which should fullfill them. But far be this from the faithfull God, who will not alter the thing that is gone out of his lips; psa. 8 [...] [...]4 yea, heaven and earth shall passe away, Matth 24. [...]5. but his words shall not passe away.

And therefore in all conditions let us learn to feed upon the fruit of Gods lips, lay hold upon his promises, which are pabulum fidei, the food of our faith. Solomon saith of the lips of the righteous, that they feed many: it is most true of the righteous God, whose promises afford sound nutriment.

It is very observable, that the Author to the He­brews, mentioning the accomplishment of that pro­mise to Abraham concerning a numerous posterity, useth the same metaphors which are expressed in the promise, namely, of the stars of the sky, and sands by the sea shore, to intimate, that the performance was full as large as the promise. Indeed as in nature rather then there shall be a vacuum, things will move contrary to their nature; so rather then there shall be a vacuity in Gods word, he will work won­ders, and create peace. What room then for infide­lity when we have such sure promises? And there­fore wheresoever we finde this fruit growing, let us feed heartily, beleeve confidently, that our souls may live.

[Page 22] 2. If we referre the fruit of the lips to man, it may be understood either of our prayers, or praises, or both.

How fitly they are called the fruit of the lips, will appear, in that the lips are of great use in both; when we pray, we must take with us words and say; and when we praise, Hos. 14. 3. we must render the calves of our lips: Psa. [...] 1 28. and 66 9. David saith, With my voici have I cried to thee, O Lord, and we often reade of the voice of his prayer; and prayer is often stiled a calling upon God, and upon the Name of the Lord. But more e­specially are the lips necessary in praising, since our praising God is only a confession of what he hath done for us, and that is to be done by the mouth; for which reason the Psalmist cals his tongue his glo­ry, because the chief instrument of offering praise, whereby God is glorified. Indeed neither our prayers nor praises must be only the fruit of our lips, but of our hearts also, otherwise we are but as tink­ling brass and sounding cymball. Psa. [...]3. Prayer is often cal­led the pouring out of the heart, Psa 5 [...] 8 and 50 [...]l. and lifting up of the heart; and the Psalmist saith, he will praise God with his whole heart, if that joyn not in those duties, we offer the lips of calves instead of the calves of our lips; Psa 62 8. but still the lips are the most proper instru­ment of expressing both our supplications and gra­tulations, [...] 3. 41. and therefore both aptly called the fruit of the lips.

And now according to these acceptions, Psa 9. 1. the fruit of the lips is to be looked upon either as an antece­dent or the consequent of this Peace which God cre­ateth.

[Page 23] 1. I create the fruit of the lips, that is, the peace which God createth should be the fruit of their lips; the matter of their earnest prayers. If you peruse the thirty six Chapter of Ezekiels Prophecy, Ezek. 36 37. you shall finde a Catalogue of many precious benefits which God would do for his people, but in the close, Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel. Prayer is the sluce that keepeth out an inundation of judgements, and the key which openeth the cabinet of mercies. This is that duty to which the Psalmist excites, psa [...] 6, 8. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and presently after he practiseth it when he saith, Peace be within thy wals; he will do little for Zions peace, who will not pray for ir, and whatever we do will be to little purpose without it, it must be (so farre as we are able, and when called to it) the fruit of our hands in endeavour, but chiefly the fruit of our lips in prayer.

2. I create the fruit of the lips, that is, the peace which God shall create must bring forth the fruit of the lips in praises. This exposition is looked upon as so much the more genuine, because we finde the sacrifice of praise, Heb. 13. 3. called by the Apostle the fruit of the lips, though his allusion, there is not to this but that of the Prophet Hosea, H [...]s. 14 3. the calves (which by the Septuagint is read the fruit of the lips) when God worketh any deliverance, he puts (as the Psalmists phrase is) a new song into our mouths, psa 40. 3. giving us just occasion of singing praises to him. I create (saith God) Jerusalem a rejoycing, Isa. 65. 18. and her people a joy, and gaudentis est gratias agere; Joy [Page 24] cloaths it self with the garments of praise. And ve­ry fitly is this construction joyned with the former, since it is but just, that as we are importunate to obtain, so we should be fervent in giving thanks: and those blessing, which are won with prayer, should be worn with praise. Indeed it were a shame to open our mouths wide when we beg, and shut them when we should blesse; nay, to cry aloud, give us our dai­ly bread, and but whisper out, Hallowed be thy Name; especially considering, that our Petitions for mercy in times of distresse, are usually joyned with vows of thankfulnesse; and if deliverance have been the fruit of our lips in asking, and thankfulness the fruit of our lips in vowing before, it is most just that it should be the fruit of our lips in paying and performing it afterwards.

And thus I have run through all the parts of my Text, by way of Explication; spare me but a few mi­nutes of your Honourable patience, whilest I shall close up all with a suitable and seasonable Applica­tion.

Right Honourable and well-beloved, though we have not like the Jews been carried captive by a forreign enemy into a strange Countrey, yet for these many years we have been miserable slaves to an usurped power in our own land; and those bit­ter Lamentations of Jeremiah, in reference to the Babylonish captivity, are in several passages fitly ap­plicable to our late condition.

The breath of our nostrils, [...]am. 4. 2. the anointed of the Lord was taken in the pits of those Usurpers, and then when we said we should live under his shadow, [Page 25] they violently hewed down the Tree, cutting off the head upon pretence of saving the body. The precious stones of Zion (our Nobles) comparable to fine gold, V. 2. were esteemed as earthen pitchers, re­jected as uselesse; our Palaces were swallowed up, and our strong holds destroyed; the Gates of our City as it were sunk into the ground, and our bars broken, Ch. 2. 5. 9. 6. the Places of our Religious Assemblies shut up, and our solemn Feasts forgotten; The Princes were polluted, the Priests despised, and the people sighed under heavy burthens. In few words, The Crown is fallen from our head, Ch. 1. 11. the joy of our hearts ceased, Ch. 5. 3, 5, 8, 15, 16. we are made Orphans and Fatherlesse, our necks under a sore persecution, yea, servants ruled o­ver us, and there was none to deliver us out of their hands.

But he who is the God in the Mount hath look­ed upon our afflictions, and heard our cry, put an hook in the nostrils of those wilde Phanaticks, who did ride over our heads, and trampled us under their feet; he hath raised up an ever to be renowned Zerubbabel, before whom the Mountains were made plain, by whose prudent as well as valiant conduct, through Gods wonderfull mercy, mighty Forces were conquered without a Fight, and scattered without a Rout; Our eyes now behold instead of those bram­bles and thorns, which thought themselves firmly rooted, a Garden of choice flowers of the Gentry transplanted as it were from all parts of the Coun­trey into the House of Commons. Our goodly Ce­dars are now planted again in their own House, which was for so many years empty, unlesse when [Page 26] those Mushromes crept up in it, and we hope ere long to see the Stately Oak. Finally, we are come out of the Babylon of confusion, and return­ing not as some are pleased to phrase it, to the O­nyons and Garlick of Egypt, but to the honey and milk of Canaan; and that as the Jews then did, without the effusion of bloud.

And now (my Noble Lords) what is our ear­nest hope and expectation, but that the great God will honour you to be the Instruments ef compleat­ing that deliverance, which he hath been pleased as it were to create for us? In order to which, though it is far from me to undertake to give your Honours direction, yet give me leave to acquaint you, what is looked upon by all good men, as that which must make us happy; and accordingly what is our petition, and we doubt not but will be your Lordships endeavour, namely, the blessing of the Text, Peace, Peace.

Peace in the State, and peace in the Church. I mention the State first, since though the peace of the Church be first in order of dignity, yet (if I may humbly offer my thoughts, the peace of the State would be first endeavoured in order of Time; since though the State cannot flourish unlesse the Church be setled, yet the Church cannot be so well setled, as when the State is composed. It is ve­ry observable, what a difference there was between the Altar, which Solomon made in a peaceable time, and that which Moses made when the people were in an unsetled condition in the wildernesse. The Altar which Moses made was but five cubits long, Exod 27. 1. [Page 27] five cubits broad, 2 Chron 4. 1. and three cubits high; but the Al­tar which Solomon made was twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits broad, and ten cubits high. The work of the Temple went on but slowly, when the buil­ders of it were forced to have a sword in one hand as well as a trowell in the other; but when once the State is duely setled upon its right basis, in qui­etnesse, both hands will be at liberty to build the Temple. Peace then would be first sought for in reference to the State, by an harmonious Union▪ What other is the State but a politicall body? and what other peace can be desirable in a body, than an union of the head with the members, and the mem­bers one with another? The State is as a Building whereof the two Houses of Parliament are as it were the two wals to support and defend it; but that which must unite and consequently strengthen these two wals is the Corner-stone, being set in its proper place; and by this means there will be, to use the language of my Text, Peace to him that is afar off, as well as to him that is near; yea, he who hath been so long, too long afar off, will become near.

When this work is once done, that which would be earnestly contended for, is the peace of the Church, that the breaches which scisme hath made so wide, may be closed up, the hedge which faction hath pulled down may be reared up, and we may once again be a garden enclosed, and keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Nor is only Peace to be desired in both, but to use the duplication in the Text, Peace, Peace, [Page 28] that is a firm lasting peace in both, and to this end.

Peace and truth according to the Prophet Zacha­ries counsell; Zech. 8. 19. Love the truth and peace; that truth I mean which was once delivered to the Saints, which is contained in the holy Scriptures, and is collected in the Articles of the Church of England.

Peace and righteousnesse; for so this Prophet assu­reth us, Isa. 32. 17. the work of righteousnesse shall be peace; Righteousnesse I say, which giveth to every one those rights which are due to him by the laws of God and of the Realm; and though a full reparation of all injuries is not to be expected, yet a restituti­on of every man to his just right ought to be en­deavoured.

Peace and love which is called by the Apostle, the bond of perfection, Eph 4 3. because of peace, that love especially, Col. 3. 14. which covereth a multitude of offences, forgetteth and forgiveth injuries, purgeth all malice, rancour and revenge out of the mindes of men, in which respect I could heartily wish for a Temple like that which was built at Rome, Jovi positorio, where­in all men of all parties might lay down all heart­burning and animosity against one another for any former wrongs.

Peace and government, for what peace where there is no government? what government either in Church or State more likely to establish a firm peace then that under which we did so gloriously flou­rish for so many years, enjoying both peace and plenty?

Peace and order, without which there can be no [Page 29] government; order in the State by a fit subordi­nation of the Subjects Liberty to the Soveraigns authority; order in the Church▪ by a sweet attem­peration of paternall presidency with fraternall pres­bytery.

This is that peace which we trust God will now by you ordain for us, and oh that all of us would prepare our selves for it by unfained repentance and better obedience; our wickednesse hath obstruct­ed our peace too long already; let us speedily, re­solutely, joyntly cast it away, that it may be no longer a Remora to retard our deliverance.

And for the more happy accomplishment of this great blessing, let us remember that it must be the fruit of our lips: Of your lips (Right Honourable) who together with the elders of the people are en­trusted with the grand affairs of the Kingdom, we doubt not but it will be the fruit by your unanimous votes for an happy Restauation.

Of our lips, who are the Ministers of the Gospel, I trust it will be now the fruit by our joynt preach­ing for peace. Time was, we were the Trumpetters of war, too often sounding with alarums to the bat­tle; it is high time we should be now the Heralds of peace, proclaiming, perswading a blessed acco­modation; we have too long like those Babel buil­ders been confounded, because divided in our langua­ges; oh that we might now like all the holy Prophets have as it were but one mouth to speak but one and the same thing.

Of all lips, to wit, Princes, Priests and people, it will (I hope) be the fruit, by our prayers and [Page 30] praises. Thereare, I am confident, many here pre­sent, yea, many thousands in the Nation, who com­fortably look upon those beginnings of deliverance, which are wrought as the fruit of their lips, their de­vout cryes to God, especially in secret; and for this they return to him the fruit of their lips, their fer­vent thanks. In order to which you have done ex­ceeding well (my Noble Lords) to set apart a day of giving to Almighty God the prayses due to his Name.

That those hopefull beginnings may have a joyfull consummation, let it still be the fruit of our lips, the matter of our renewed prayers; and in this like­wise (Right Honourable) you have done worthily to assemble your selves this day, for this. Indeed I cannot but here sadly reflect upon our late times, wherein such dayes as these were too justly observed to be no other then forerunners of some dismall decollation, decimation, or such like abomination to be voted and acted; not peace, peace, but bloud, bloud, was their designe; and to carry it on the better, it must be the fruit of their lips, and pretended as done by an impression upon their spirits from hea­ven, after their prayers, on a day of humiliation▪ But we perswade, nay assure our selves better things of you (My Lords) who are met this day for seeking the blessing of God upon the Meeting of both Houses of Parliament, in order to a Settle­ment of this Nation. Which, that it may be speedily and happily effected by you, hath been, is, and shall be, not only in publique but pri­vate, this but every day, as yours, so our unces­sant [Page 31] Request at the Throne of Grace; and let all the People say, Amen; yea, the Lord God say so too: In whose power alone it is to do, what here he saith, I create the fruit of the lips peace, peace, to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord.