A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb.…A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb.…

And why is Christ thus furnished, but for his Church and people? He is the Lord Keeper of all our comforts, the Lord¹ Treasurer of all our graces, and the great Magazine of all our Ammunition. He was anointed that he might anoint; he was sanctified that he might sanctify; he received of the Father that he might give unto you, unto you I say and unto all the Churches. He is the Head of His Church, and therefore as Luther observeth well, though every member is sensible² of wrong and hurt done to another member, yet the head is much more sensible then all the members, for the head is the se•te and habitation of all the senses; the hand may touch, but it cannot see; the foot may feel, but it cannot hear or taste; the head sees, and f••ls, and hears, and tastes, and smells; so says he, it is with Christ our Head, in whom all the senses dwell, and therefore infinitely more sensible of the Churches misery then any other member in all the world; and sensible he cannot be unless in due time he be helpful unto them. Upon this very ground you shall find that God promiseth to raise up seven shepherds and eight principal men for the help of his people, Micah 5. 5. When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men; As if he should say, though you have been heretofore without Guides, and Captains, and Commanders, and Princes, yet when the enemy is come into your land, I will raise up instruments enow to suppress them; and look what these Assyrians have done unto you, that shall my instruments and work-men do unto them; do they come into your Country and tread down your palaces? so shall mine instruments go into their Country and tread down their palaces, ver. 6. And would you know the ground of all this? It is my love in Christ; for, Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little ⟨p. 14⟩among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old▪ from everlasting. And ver. 4. He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide; And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land. ver. 5.