A78979:109
An indictment against England because of her self-murdering divisionsAn indictment against England because of her selfe-murdering divisions
An indictment against England because of her self-murdering divisions: together with an exhortation to an England-preserving unity and concord. Presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords in the Abby church at Westminster; at the late solemn fast, December 25. 1644. By Edmund Calamy, B.D. and pastor of Aldermanbury in London.An indictment against England because of her selfe-murdering divisions: together vvith an exhortation to an England-preserving vnity and concord. Presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords in the Abby church at Westminster; at the late solemne fast, December 25. 1644. By Edmund Calamy, B.D. and pastour of Aldermanbury in London.
London: printed by I. L. for Christopher Meredith, 1645
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is with us in England, as it was with the women that went early in the morning to the Sepulchre, and there they found a great stone, and they said, Who shall roll away this stone? for it is very great. Mar. 16. 3, 4. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sate upon it. This is our condition. There is a great Mountain of Division that obstructs the happiness of England, and that hinders the Lord Christ and his Kingdom from rising out of the grave of superstition. But who now shall roll away this great stone from the door of the Sepulchre? I fear it will cost an earth-quake before it be removed. Oh that we had faith to remove Mountains! Oh that God would send his Angel to roll away this stone! That God would make the Assembly of Ministers his Angels to take away this great Mountain, that so there may be a Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his pure worship in all its glory and beauty even in our days! The story of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 10. 12. will very well suit with our ⟨p. 32⟩times: We are in a very great straight as he was; and what he did, and said, will very well be fit us. Let us go to God by prayer, and say. Oh our God, we have no might against this great company that cometh against us. We have no strength to heal our Divisions in the Church, and in the State, they are so great and so many. We know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. Thou that didst find out a way hid from ages and generations, Col. 1. 26. A way hid from Angels and Archangels, hid within thy self, Ephes. 3. 9. To save poor undone, fallen, lost man, even by Jesus Christ. Oh find out a way to reconcile King and Parliament, to unite thy divided people in the truth! Oh blessed Jesus that camest into the world to break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile; that art the great Peace-maker, make up our wide and great breaches, and take away the many walls of partition that divide us one from another. After this manner we must wrestle with God in prayer, and watch thereunto with all perseverance.