The Cause of God and His People in New England

p. 1THE CAUSE OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE IN NEW-ENGLAND, Stated and Discussed.

The Lord our GOD be with us, as He was with our Fathers, let him not leave us nor forsake us; That be may encline our hearts unto him, to walke in all his wayes, and to keep his Commandements, his Statutes and his Judgments which he Commanded our Fathers. And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that He maintain the cause of his Servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require.

IN the beginning of this Chapter, we read of a General Assembly of the Representative body of the people of Israel: thus in verse 1. Then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel, and all the heads of the Tribes, the chiefe of the Fathers of the children of Israel: and verse 2, 3. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves, and all the Elders of Israel came.

The special end of this great Assembly is shewed in verse 6. they brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord into his place, in the house of the Lord. Upon this occasion Solomon makes a large Prayer for the welfare and prosperity of the people of Israel which begins at the 22 and continues to the 54. verse, wherin he mentions all the common Cases which might in changes of time befall the people of Israel, and he commends their condition to the Lord for special mercy & help in such cases as are expressed in the 37. verse; If ne◊◊ be famine, or pestilence, or warrs or captivity, if there be these or such like cases, and thy people Israel do repent and confess thy Name, and pra◊◊; then hear thou in heaven and forgive, and do for them, and hearken to them in all that they call upon ◊hee for. This is the Sūme of his prayer.

p. 2At the Conclusion of which he pronounceth a solemn blessing upon the Congregation verse 55; He stood and blessed all the Congregation of Is◊◊◊. This blessing of Solomon consists in three things.

1 A thankfull acknowledgment of present and former mercy, that hitherto the Lord had given them rest. verse 56; Blessed be the Lord that 〈…〉 given ◊◊st 〈…〉 people Israel p. 22. A renewed Prayer for a threefold blessing to be farther granted, bo◊◊at the present and for future times.

1 And that he prayes for the gracious presence of God, even such a gracious presence of God with them as their fathers had enjoyed. verse 57; the Lord our God be with us 〈…〉 with our Father; and because his heart was much in this, therefore he repeats it againe, let him not leave us nor forsake us.

2. He payes so Divine assistance verse 58. That he may encline our hearts unto him to walk in his wayes, and to keep his Commandements, which he Commanded our Fathers.

3. His third request is for Divine protection verse 59. Let these my Prayers be high to the Lord our God, that his 〈…〉 the cause of his People Israel, which is amplyfied by the end of it; that all the People of the 〈…〉 may know that the Lord is God and that there is none el◊◊◊ verse 60.

3. And th◊n the last particular wherein he blesseth the People is, by Exhorting them to upright waking with God. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, ◊o walk in his Statutes and to keep his Commandements as at this a◊y, verse 61.

The Text (as you see falls within the compass of Solomons blessing upon the representatative body of the People of Israel.

From the whole you may please to take notice of this Observation in the generall, which I shall but briefly touch upon.

Doct. The Lords gracious presence with his people inclining their hearts to keep his Commandements, and maintaining their cause; is a Sufficient means to Establish the welfare of such a people, even at their own hearts can wish.

For thus did Solomon bless the heads of the Tribes of Israel, and he had the hearts of the whole Congregation going along with him, that if the Lord would but grant his presence with them, his assistance of them, and his protection over them, they had enough, they p. 3could have no more, they could be no better in this world.

And if we our selves now might have our wish, if the Lord should say to us as Ahas◊◊rus to Esther, what is thy Petition? or as he said sometime to Solomon, ask what I shall give thee; what could any of us, or all of us desire more then this? that the Lord our God would be with us, as he hath been with our Fathers, that he would incline our hearts to keep his Commandements which be Commanded our Fathers, and that he would maintaine his own and his Peoples cause amongst us: what can be desired and enjoyed by us more then this?

p. 3For, doth not Immanuel, God with us, comprehend our whole good? and the keeping of Gods Commandements containe our whole duty◊ and is not the Lords maintaining the cause of his People enough to keep off whatever might interrupt or hinder us in the performing this duty, and enjoying that good wherein the utmost happyness of a People on this side Heaven doth consist? Let these requests (therefore) dwell upon the hearts of all the Lords People, let us bear them continually upon our hearts before the Lord, that as hitherto, so still, he may graunt unto all his Servants, both Magistrates, Ministers, and People, his Gracious presence, divine assistance, and divine protection in the times that are come upon us. This is the Summe of all that we need or can receive, or can desire whilest we are here tossed in the troublesome sea of this World, passing to the Haven of eternall rest.