ones have adhered to the adverse part pag. 16 3. Misprision of prerogative pag. 17 4. Most of people siding with the contrary rather than the Kingdomes Cause pag. 19 5. The great pressure by payments pag. 21 6. Feare of being plundered pag. 22 7. Selfe-seeking with neglect of the publick pag. 24 8. Vndesire of change for feare of changing for the worse pag. 25 9. Estimation of Parliament-power too great pag. 27 10. Injustice and oppression by Countrey-Committees pag. 28 11. Flattery in and divisions between Ministers pag. 30 12. Doubt of the successe of the cause in hand make men halt herein pag. 35 Which last rub is removed in briefly opening many Doores of Hope for the good successe of the Common Cause pag. 35 36 37 to the end Errata's For 1 Kings 19. read 18. PAG. 1. in the magent for use 1. and use 2. read verse p. 2. l. 5. for pursuane r. perseverance p. 2. for use r. verse 4. and verse 5. p. 2. l. 27. for Daobolum r. Da obolum p. 3. l. 19. for liezure r leisure p. 3. l. 21. make a period between yea and plain p. 5. l. 3. for there r. these p. 7. l. 23. for nor r no p. 7. l. 35 after Pastors make no period p. 8. l. 18. in Margent read use 2. p. 8. l. 22. for defendant r defendit p 14. l. 2. after sharp but very exemplary put president p. 15. l. 7. for strangely r. strongly p. 16. l. 7 for the r. this p. 20. l. 27. for belluae r. Bellua p. 20. l. 31. ptt out they before say p. 26. l. 23. r. an after p 29. l. 7. for torror r. terrour p. 29. l. 9. for have r. had for I think some Committe-men have bought more land since then they sold before they were preferred to their Committeships p. 31. l. 3. unto seduce strayable people adde and pesecute Gods zealous ministers P. 38. l. 2. for he r. Shammah p 42. l. 4. for reigne r. rejoyce p. 47. l. l. 34. for And r. Are these duties p. 48. l. 11. in stead of an evill cause read and will not he regard the voyce c. Newes for Neuters OR The Checke Cause and cure of HALTING 1 King 19.21 And Elijah came unto all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word THE Fountain or Well-head is farre from whence floweth my Text It is twenty steps off Judges 7. Give me leave with Gideons Souldiers to lap a mouthfull as I run along by the streame Before I come to my station to view these words This Chapter containes a Dialogue or Commemoration of many historicall passages 1. Betweene the Lord and Eliah Vse 1. Goe shew thy selfe to Ahab Meane ones must not be affraid to deliver messages to the Mighty Doct. Vse 2. Ch. 17.2.5 Chap. 19. Doct. 2. Eliah's ready obedience to the word of the Lord. There is a time when Eliah must flye from Ahab and Jezabell if the Lord command him Where God hath a Tongue to speake there man must have an eare to heare There is a time to flye Doct. and a time to stay God may be glorified sometimes more by flying than by staying When the force of the enemie may be too strong Mat. 10.22 and the Faith of the persecuted may be too weake When they persecute you in one City flye into another When you may glorifie God more in the place to which then in the place from which you flye You may take leave to depart from men when first in given by God Mat. 10.23 And this counsell is given Doct. When they persecute you into one City flye into another After the command of pursuance Mercies and miseries are oft mixed together Chequer worke is a daily Trade in these times God promised raine when there was a great famine in Samaria Great peace may ensue these great wars And Ahab called Obadiah who feared God greatly Some raised up to be good in a generall Apostacy from God Doct. else woe were to the Kingdome in these times Obadiah tooke a hundred Prophets Vse 4. and hid them by fifty in a Cave Wherein appeared his zeale and care This hath encouraged Londoners to entertaine Strangers in these times of danger The names and actions of the godly shall be had in everlasting remembrance Doct. A groane shall be registred A cup of cold water remembred Teares shall be botled and shall not blood be booked He feedeth them with Bread and Water Those that feare God Doct. he will shew succour to them in time of need Gods dearest Saints may be brought to a morsell of bread Doct. to a cup of cold water Bellissarius a great Commander came being blinde to stand on the high way with a Daobolum Bellissario Give one half-penny to poor blinde Bellessarius Another wrote to his friend to send to him a Spunge a Harpe and a loafe of bread A spunge to dry up his teares A harpe to solace his minde And a loaf of bread to satisfie his hunger Ahab's command to Obadiah for the preservation of grasse for the lives of the Horses and Mules Vse 5. Was Ahab so carefull for grasse how carefull should our King be for Corne and Cattle Laws and liberties persons and Kingdome Bodies and Soules of living men that all be not lost Ahab was carefull to seeke for sustenance though it was upon an if so be a peradventure to finde or not Ioabs resolution was Let us be valiant for our people 1 Sam. 10.12 and for the Cities of our God and let him doe as seemeth him good Let men doe as God commands and let God doe as he hath decreed How carefull how earnest should men be for Grace for heaven These may be sought and found Verse 6. upon certainties without peradventures shews their policie and care the King to goe one way and Obadiah another Policy to direct the best course and care to put it in execution Policy may be used so piety be not suppressed Doct. Gods providence seene in bringing together Eliah and Obadiah Verse 7. Behold Eliah was in the way Saul went to seeke his Fathers Asses and found a Kingdome Obadiah went to seeke water and grasse and behold he findes a way and meanes to bring salvation to people He went in obedience to the command of a King on Earth and meetes with an unerring command of the King of Heaven Doct. Gods providence over-rules all actions Text. persons times things fell downe on his face c. The Messengers of God find favour from those that are good Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3 Good Christians will know one another in times of adversity Good men desire to be resolved of their doubts Obadiah thought that it was Eliah yet labours to be assured thereof And he answered
of the Kingdome are called the Kings Lawes not that either he made them or can at his pleasure alter them but that he is or ought to be the Conservator of them as well as the Consenter to establish them It is true Hen. 4. a King of this Land wrote to the Parliament saying Nollumus Praerogativam nostram disputari but they answered his nollumus with a nollumus Nollumus Leges Angliae mutari Is it not just that Princes should be ruled by Lawes otherwise their will would be a Law and so instead of Statutes there would be an Arbitrary a Tyrannicall power which might increase to infinite to monstrous shapes that either ignorance impietie lust or ambltion of Princes should bring forth If all Law and power lay in their own breasts a Kingdome could never promise themselves securitie longer than a pious and prudent Prince reigneth But as the King changeth the Lawes and Governments of the Kingdome must alter And he that out-lives as it may happen two or thres Kings shall not know what is the Law of the Land or what to call his owne Because he must not be beholding to Law but to the will of the King for what are his rights and proprieties By whose sole permission he may say This is mine When Lawes and Law-makers are suppressed are not the Subjects for whose sake they are made oppressed When the former loose their power and priviledge the other loose their due and propriety As the bead is ordained for the good of the members and not the members for the good of the head so a Christian King is ordained for the good of the people and not the people for the good of the King i. principally I am the head you are the members I am the Shepheard you are the sheepe I am the husband you are the wife And will any man think me a Christian King to be a Poliganist said King James in his speech to the Parliament March 19. 1603 The Archbishop of Mentz wrote to Erasmus to resolve him what he thought concerning the writings of Luther Erasmus returned answer in writing that many things in the Writings of Luther were condemned as wicked and hereticall which in the writings of Bernard and Austine are accounted as holy and sound so many things were of esteeme as good and commendable in the dayes of King James which are condemned as wicked and abominable in the time of King Charles As though the over-prizing of Prerogative should pull downe all authoritie of Lawes or Priviledges of Parliament I will neither professe so much ignorance or arrogance as to prescribe a way as to delineate the disproportion to compose the differences touching Princes Prerogatives and Parliaments Priviledges I know this point hath been pulpited and in print Pressed by farre more able heads and hands than my selfe If Kings may doe whatsoever they please what need then of any Parliament If there be no necessity of Parliament what need the troubles of Subjects to choose Knights and Burgesses or they called to sit being chosen If there be a necessitie of Parliament why should they not be consolted with If consulted with why should not their Counsell be embraced The Counsell of Basyll in the time of Henry the sixt decreed that as the Authoritie of a generall Councell is above the Pope so the Authoritie of a generall Assembly of a Kingdome is above the King which is to be subject to Lawes All such are to be esteemed as flatterers who attribute such large authoritie unto Kings as that they will not have them bound under any Lawes such talke otherwise than they thinke Christ himselfe saith Jewell in his Apologie at the beginning was universally received and honoured through this Realme by assent of Parliament and without assent of Parliament the Pope himselfe was never received no not in the late time of Queene Mary Dion praised Trajan the Emperour because when he set a Tribune over the Praetors and put a sword into his hand he said Hoe pro me utere si justa imperavero si injusta contra me You must know Plus vident oculi quam oeulus a few private spirits may not be conceived to discerne more than the choicest wits most learned and pious judgements in the whole Nation who have been brought and kept together in the middest of all difficulties and dangers by Gods wonderfull providence and by the earnest prayers of many thousands of people in the three Kingdomes Parliaments may erre and I thinke this doth if they doe not redresse injuries presented and performe the Declarations printed and promised to be confirmed and may not one man one King much more erre Doth not Solomon say Take away the drosse from the silver Pro. 25.4 and a vessell of use shall be to the finer Is not the King the silver the wicked Counsell as drosse Doe not the next words make the Reddition Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in Righteousnesse Wilt thou be preserved from this stumbling stone this cause of halting consider what he said that was a halting person and after professed and promised uprightnesse c. Sir Edward Deering I said quoth he whilest I was at Oxford I did beleeve the King might safely goe to Westminster with forty men I then said so and I thinke it will not be well till the King doth so Oh that God would raise up unto his sight some upright ones that from halting persons that have seduced him they may become perswaders of him to returne in person and affection to his great Counsell The greatest part of the people adhering rather to the Court 4. Cause than Kingdomes Cause make men halt in head hand and heart doubting whether it be better to goe forward or sit still in the Common Cause The most men ever side with the strongest side Answ Exod 23. Rom. 12. be it right or wrong But thou must not follow a multitude to doe evill Fashion not your selves like to this world For the world lieth in wickednesse saith S. John and wouldest thou desies to follow after wickednesse Whereas the Scripture commands Eschew the which is evill and follow after that which is good Broad is the way leading to destruction and many follow that way Is it not better to follow the few to salvation than the many to destruction The one is of large latitude therefore many travell in it the other straight therefore few delight to finde it Men like old sheepe are apt to be seduced The world divided into thirty parts as is observed nineteene of thirty are still overgrowne with Heatheuish Idolatry of the other eleven six overspread with Mahumetisme then but five of thirty remaine for Christians and among them how many are seduced Papists Sectaries of all sorts prophane irreligious ones and how few Protestants iudeed who if they have a shew 2 Tim. 3.5 yet deny the power of godlinesse Of the foure sorts of Seeds
true friends to the Parliament should not esteeme them undangerous enemies to Church and to the Common-wealth these get to an upper place if not in scituation yet in speculation as Metius Suffetius did spying which side is strongest and likeliest to prevaile and then towards that side they will wheele about and joyne themselves But what reward did his carnall compound policy his divided heart promote him too My Author saith that the body of Metius Suffetius who stood neuter in the warres between the Romans and the Fidenates to spy which side was strongest that thereunto he might turne was adjudged by a Councell of warre to be tyed to two teemes of horses which halled contrary wayee so his body was drawne asunder and pluckt into two pieces accordingly The portraiture of which Teemes halling and Metius Suffetius body so drawne asunder I wish were set upon the walls of the houses where such Compound Neuters dwell or on the horse-heads on which they doe ride or on the sides of the cupsin which they drinke or on the bedsteads on which they lye that they might learne by other mens harmes to beware of falling into the like sinne for seare they fall into the like punishment You know the History of the men of Succoth and Penuel Iudg. 8. what Gideon desired of them for his wearied Armies in the pursuite of Zeba and Zalmunna the Sucoothites jeered at him You will returne us our bread when you have your enemie in your band When will that be Your enemies are Kings and Kings will helpe one another they have power you are weake think you to overcome two Kings with your three hundred tyred Souldiers there is a great peradventure disadvantage Wee will see the successe first cleerer Ver. 16. you question not the victory it s a great question to us Are the heads c. you know what followes as Gideon threatned to deale so he dealt with them he tooke the Elders of the Citie and the thornes and briars of the wildernesse and with them he taught the men of Succoth he taught them a sore teaching a fearefull fight to see so many bloudy bones to start out of the flesh a sharp but very exemplary for unâ—iding men in these siding times They that will not be taught by precepts must be taught with paine I wish such briars and thornes grew and were seene in the hedges that mounded in the grounds of such Compounds fearefull faint-hearted cowardly hypocriticall dissembling lukewarme false-hearted trayterous neutralizing persons You know the parable of a man travelling falling among theeves and wounded Luke 10. that which was in parable then is in practise now the Land is fallen among theeves or theeves rather have fallen upon the body of the Land should it not work pitty compassion in all that see it are they Samaritans that regard it not woe woe to the lookers on and passers by Curse yee bitterly such Merozites Judg. 5.23 In cursing curse never cease to call for a curse Janius renders it Indesinenter Cursed be be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keeps his sword from bloud Jer. 17 3. If negligent workers What no workers that are like standing water that neither ebs nor flowes These Ambodexters who are Compounds that care not what side prevailes shall be rewarded as Neuters shall not have Gods protection all left-handed persons shall be put on Christs left hand shall be sent away with a depart from mee God comes to helpe all simple ones in their misery and all such will helpe the Lord in his misery Mat. 25.35 36. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirstie and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee took mee in naked and yee clothed mee I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came unto mee Having shewed the sin and shame of these Neuters I now come to shew the Cause and Remedy of their Maladie in the third Use Use 3. which you may call the Solution of the Question or satisfaction of the Doubts or removall of the rubs in the way or which I call in the Title for these times the Causes and the Cure of halting These people spake not a word to Eliahs Question yet they murmured in their minds though they manifested it not with their mouthes But now people both mutter inwardly and mouth it outwardly why they halt viz. Many 1 Cause yea the greatest part even of the Parliaments Members have deserted the Parliaments Cause Doe you not thinke they did it out of Conscience towards the Kings side And what thinke you of those few that are turned from the King Answ and offered their service to the Parliament againe confessed and recanted their errour and wondered that they could be so farre seduced to take up Armes against that Parliament which they had taken the Covenant to maintaine What if many have betrayed their trust and deserted Parliament and Kingdome doth this justisie their perfidiousnesse and halting condition or condemne the sincerity of such as goe on uprightly without backsliding Can any man have any colour to free them from never dying infamie who made elaborate Orations faire promises loud protestations That they would live and dye with the Parliament to spend their lives and fortunes in the cause confessing that to be the cause of God yet either through feare or hope of favour have forsaken that Cause which at first they then so strangely maintained and have been instruments of betraying much innocent bloud and bringing more cares upon the heads of those that have continued constant If the Kingdome stand doubtlesse such Traytors shall not long stand in credit or libertie but shall be brought unto condigne punishment that others may feare Apostacy and the sincere be cherished in their fidelity If the Kingdome doe not stand for a house a Citie a Kingdome divided cannot long stand God will finde them out and reach them a rap for cursed be he that putieth his hand to the Plough and looketh backs is not fit for the Kingd me of Heaven How can it be expected otherwise but that Gods curse and shame with men should overtake such runawayes and all other dissembling Neuters who seeme to be so high in eminency above others yet have discovered such base spirits when as the lowest peasant would hardly be perswaded to doe more monstruously nay scarce Heathens would have been hyred to doe so much Let such dissemblers never account hypocrisie a sinne or sinceritie a grace nor Christianitie an honour unto them What doe they discover themselves to be in the hearts of all that know them but base peasantly spirited spectacles of disgrace and infamie in betraying their own certain proprieties liberties in hope of uncertain honours and profits in the Clouds yea captivating and slaying their owns posteritie and children together with the Inhabitants of a whole Kingdome If the Members departed be the greater number than those
godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance In the stead whereof untill the said Discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to be wished it is thought good at this time c. Was such a godly Discipline so long agoe wished to be restored and shall it now be opposed Either it was wished in fincerity or in hypocrifie if in hypocrifie why should it be printed If in sincerity why should it not be effected Should it ever be in wishing and never brought to perfection Parliaments were onely stately Pageants if they should onely confirme and not also reforme old Lawes If thou didst not halt in the Parliaments Election why shouldst thou halt now for feare what they shall doe in persons in Nations Reformation that Truth may succeed in the roome of errour and Christs Kingdome brought into the Land with more puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline Disestimation of the Parliament keepes men cold in the Common Cause men thinke their power too great over their Purses and Estates 9 Cau. On a time the members of the body cald a Counsell of Warre to consult why the stomacke devoured all what ever the eye did see the hand reach the mouth conveyed it to the stomacke Therefore they concluded to forbeare their accustomed offices and services seeing all tended onely to the benefit of the stomacke In short time it came to passe that the eye began to wax dim the hand weake the feete feeble and the mouth scaice able to open it selfe They quickly saw their Error and afforded their diligence in their wonted employments and all was well againe and they mutined no more I need not spend time in making the application If supportment should have been denied to the Parliament what had become â— Lawes Liberties Religion in the Kingdome Wee hoped the Parliament would have setled Peace long before this time Object the Summer is gone the winter come and yet wee are not delivered our shops are shut or unaccustomed in the Citie our grounds unstocked all Trading decayed in the Countrey If the Lord send not Peace Sol. can the Parliament procure it Shall not they have a share in it as well as any other Are not their Estates as much if not more ruined than others are 'T is true Peace is a fine thing a principall Blessing of God then which nothing can be named with more willingnesse desired with more heartinesse and obtained with more contentednesse yet there is a certain thing which they call Truth which was ready to be banished out of these Coasts and would outward Peace be much worth without Truth Is not Peace of Conscience an excellent Jewell which who ever enjoyes hath a continuall feast Is not Peace with God able to keepe our hearts and minds free from all feare of plundering and assaults of enemies Doth not this passe all understanding Is it not a glorious sight to see Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Therefore the Prophet commands Zach. 8.19 V. 16. Love Truth and Peace Truth you see is put in the first place Therefore execute Truth and Peace in your Gates implying the necessitie of the one as well as the other If it be possible have peace with all men but that is not approved possibilitie that is opposite against pietie Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holinesse with all else you shall not see God What God hath joyned together Man must not put asunder Peace with men will little profit whiles wee professe and practise warre against God The injustice 10 Cause oppression tyranny and unreformation of Countrey Committees cause people to continue in a staggering estate both for their opinions and Purses in the Common Cause Because those that are appointed to be instrumentall meanes to relieve doe much grieve the people Yet Preachers before the high Court of Parliament cry out daily against their Injustice Master Case in his Sermon before the House of Commons intreats them for the Lords sake to have a care that none under the charge of the Parliament may be oppressed by their inseriour Committees least people oppressed have occasion to say You have pulled down one Starre-chamber and have set up an hundred Master Cheynell preaching before the Lords March 27 upon the Psalme Man being in honour c. in his Epistle to the Lords intreats their Wisdomes to have a care for the purging of Committees in Essex Sussex Surrey and Hampshire I thinke his Petition might have extended towards all the Committees in the Kingdome and he said that the spring was a fit time to give them Physicke yet people see none either given or taken or working effectually upon them in reformation They begin to halt in their opinions and to be cold in their former aeale for the Cause Which indeed reflects upon the honour of the Parliament as moysture in the feete strikes up into the head Cambyses a King caused Sycanus a Judge that had been hired by money to pronounce a wrong sentence to be flead and his skinne to be hanged on the Judgement-seate to be a torror to succeeding Judges I thinke if some Committee-men were so used they would have as little skinne left upon their backs as some of them have land in the Countrey where they execute their Commissions The Ethiopians were wont to set up a Chaire of State in their Senate and that to be empty as if the God of Judgement sate there to be Umpire and Moderator whom the Senators ought to looke upon in passing sentence that they might immitate him in Judgement The Lords in the upper-House have an emptie Chaire now in the absence of the King and yet not wholly empty if they consider the presence of the King of Kings that observes and heares all their Consultations I wish that County Committees might have an empty Chaire before them to put them in minde that there is a power above them to wit the Parliament and a power above that the God of Heaven If some Countrey Committee-Members were set in a lower Chaire and bound therein and kept without bread and water twenty-foure houres together and had their unjust actions and sentences writ before them in Capitall Letters with mementomori engraven on the upper Chaire I beleeve if they were left to be their own Judges they would passe sentence of condemnation against themselves But this is a Noli me tangere because they are by Ordinance of Parliament they thinke people will dare as soone adventure to enter into a Pest house as to endeavour any thing against them yet to keepe people from despaire of all redresse herein some Pamphletters have written besides what Preachers have pulpitted that there is as great necessitie for the new moulding of Committees as there was of the Armies who since they have been new moulded the warres have prospered the better so it is to be hoped if there were a new moulding of
NEVVES FOR NEWTERS OR The Check Cause Cure of Halting With 31 Doores of Hope for the good successe of the publick cause of the Kingdome Delivered in a Sermon November 27. 1644 in the Colledge of Glocester before that valiant and vigilant Governour Colonell Massy being the day of publick Humiliation By WALTER POWELL M. A. Vicar of Standish Est neutrale genus signans rem non animatam See the Contents after the Epistle LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons 1648. To the much Honoured Major Generall MASSEY one of the Members of the Honorable House of Commons Renowned Sir TO none doth this Sermon more properly belong now printed then to your selfe that heard it preached After the relation of which newes against Newters you returned beyond my desert and expectation publick thanks in the face of that populous Congregation In those then siding-unsiding times this Text at that time was seasonable I yet beleeve though the sight of my person in the Pulpit at that time formidable perhaps to some there that had never heard me preach in their whole life One of which departing out of the then Congregation had he stayed you told me at your Table might have suspected himselfe to be like the Hedge-bogge I mentioned in my Sermon The truth of many of the particulars mentioned in my preceding Epistle you know to be true but I shall manifest the whole to be so if from the Honorable House I obtain my conceived just request to have liberty to examine the combination and unjust proceedings of my malevolent yet potent Committee-adversary Sir you beleeved and subscribed as much under your hand that this Sermon was preached with much zeale against newtralitie and in that subscription out of which I transcribe your own words at this instant having the copy now at Oxford before me you are pleased to approve of my then Doores of Hope for the successe of the Parliament cause In respect whereof you say further I then had merited and you beleeved I should find favour from this Parliament You beleeved also I had hard measure in my businesse and that this Sermon was some occasion of my harder usage though indeed the two poynts here touched concerning Countrey-Committees and flattering Ministers were not then bandled If you enquire after newes out of your once Glocester-shire I beleeve many that were but Newters in your time of abode there are in heart now most strong Malignants perhaps it is because too much savour hath been extended towards them The inlarged vast difference betweene those at home that should be reconciled friends to oppose the common foe makes many continue in a balting condition even to this day And those that were then seeming friends to become now enemies to the common cause That which was a fiction long agoe seems to be now put in action The Eagle they say bad a nest on the top of the Tree where she had her young the Beare had her Den where she had her whelps under the bottome of the Tree The Cat had liberty to run from the bottome to the top and to be a speedy messenger between the Eagle and the Beare tells the Eagle if she flye from her nest the Beare waits to devoure her brood and tells the Beare if she peepout of her Den the Eagle will make a prey of her whelps And thus perswades them to keep close in their holes to the starving of themselves and their young ones that all might become a prey to the crafty Cat. My professed Malignants and their Neighbour Newters Gallemoufrean hotch-potch-ambo-dexters time-serving weathercock-linsee-wolsie-turn-coats Jack on both sides or rather Nick on no side perswade the people in these most dangerous times that the rigid Presbyterians will keep them in more slavery then ever Bishops Government did and that the Independents will have all things common amongst them And this is the deepest policie that all the Devils in Hell could ever invent to prevaile with people to sit still at Marcus Cato and Metius Suffetius the Succoits and the Meroshites did that so professed Malignants might have the more easie opportunity to make the inhabitants of the land to be made meat for their gaping mouthes If God ever joyn the faithfull of the people together in a firme and sincere union to preserve the Kingdome from slavery and ruine he is little better then a Devill I am sure no friend to the Kingdome that endeavours to rend peoples affections asunder Sir I am in my journey therefore make bold to break off abruptly leaving you to the direction of him who hath been your protection Both which shall be the subject of the prayers of Your much obliged SUFFERING Servant WALTER POWELL TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE the Lords and Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT The Author imploreth freedome from Halting Wisdome in discerning Grace and Glory for Persevering Right Honorable and Noble Senators Qui advos audent scribere ignorant magnitudinem qui non audent humanitatem That which none are willing to owne most men have endeavoured to embrace and practice Hypocrisie All men if you will beleeve them will be for God at their death here and there one that will stand for his cause in the time of their life When in these wars men were called to come forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty most meal mouth'd Ministers had their lips sealed and fals-hearted people stood with their hands in their pockets not with their feet in the gap to make up the hedge before the Lord that he might not destroy the land then this Sermon in a publick place before an eminent and publick person * Colonell Mâ—ssiâ— that couragious vigilant and faithfull Governer of Glocester once a member of this honorable House was preached whose eye-observing diligent attention in hearing publick respect and thanks in the face of that populous audience immediatly after the delivery of this Sermon are not the causes of the publishing hereof but the disregard of one of Glocester Committee in his uncivill departure out of the Congregation before ever hee heard me either pray or preach pressed mee to commit this to the Presse who shewed disrespect to the Sermon for the persons sake when as he should have manifested respect to the person for the Sermons sake There was no necessity I beleeve no I am sure no humanity for any of that Committee to cause a Sermon to be preached in another Congregation at that very instant by that very Minister who then was sick and desired to be eased from preaching that turn and time in the Colledge of Glocester When this Sermon at a publique fast was preached how ever it may seem now unseasonable coming so late to the presse was welcome I am confident to most that heard it delivered in the pulpit The Sermon I confesse was somewhat long it was the businesse of the day that then required it But what is added in the point of Countrey Committees was not then specified for I
then imagined that such qualified persons were not in rerum naturae And what is inserted touching flattering Ministers that have betrayed the trust that God and man have committed to them was also unhandled both which are proper to the subject here in discourse as main causes of the people halting between those two different opinions in the then common Cause of the Kingdome Omnia dat qui justa negat he that denieth that which is just gives liberty to speak any thing If I have unjustly blamed one of the said Committee whose advice as another Achitophel in those parts was so highly accounted of as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God in that censure against me before any witnesses in that cause were examined by me though many of the Committe by the procurement of one certified under their hands the contrary as grosse untruths as if they had subscribed that there is no light in the Sunne nor heat in the fire or that the Pope in person sits daily in the Parliament House to the great losse of my livelihood danger of my life and dishonour of the Parliament had I not been relieved let me suffer more in name person estate Whosoever knowes what hath happened unto me as many thousands have heard may guesse that I am necessitated to publish this Newes for Newters He that was once an eye-hearer of this Sermon beleeved in heart and subscribed with hand that I had the harder usage for the message sake else that Committee man could not have so posted out of the Colledge when hee saw me in the Pulpit unlesse he had almost as much feared my message whom he never heard in publique in his life as hee dreaded the roaring of the Cannon when he hasted out of the Citie immediatly before the Kings Army came to besiege the same What in publick I have spoken done and suffered for the common Cause hundreds have and thousands will testifie yet all praying preaching doing and suffering must be buried under the beastlike skin of Scandall to provoke and satisfie the greedy appetites of a New Committee man an old Hangman and a posted Malignant and a professed Newter I attended eleven dayes during part of which time this newes was related to see these hideous November-Articles I was to answer yet could not all that time have a sight of them till that quick-sighted much knowing justice Colonel Bromwich told the Committee it was a shame to make me wait so long for the said Articles Then had I December-Articles and those concerned the Committee themselves because they would be sure to strike a deadly blow against such a Traytor Then had I January-Articles preferred and had I not appealed to this Honorable Assembly I thinke I should have had February-Articles and so ad infinitum that no moneths malice might be left unattempted to ruine him whom the Parliament had published and declared 1643. to honour I was accounted by the Plundering warrants of Malignants at the siege of Glocester an aider to the Rebels meaning this Parliament and by the said warrants had my goods and Cattell taken away That the same Parliament Committee after I had appealed to the Parliament it selfe from them they under their hands denying me Copies of depositions taken against me and denying me to be present at the examination of witnesses was by the testimony of divers members of this great Assembly deemed unparallel As these things with the effects thereof to me have proved a burthen almost intollerable the scarre of discredit it being incurable so to all men may seeme incredible that a constant sider with the Parliament should unheard out of his living be ejected and himself and his family be to all misery exposed when that right-discerning and Parliament-promises-promoting Justice Mr. Anthony Clifford opposed in my absence the rest of my ruining unjust Judges If I should forbeare the stones would cry aloud in the eyes and eares of the world for justice against this matchlesse malicious abominable censure But the blessing of the Lord for ever be and abide on the heads and hearts of the honorable Committee for plundered Ministers and in particular on Mr. Millington Mr. Rouse Sir Arthur Hazelrig Mr. Tate who oft afforded me patience audience countenance If I should repeat every member of that Committee I might seeme to flatter if I should not mention you I should surely be ungratefull My Countrey-man Mr. Pury was one of the first that after my freezing and long waiting broke the Ice for my return and Mr. Edward Stephens and others quickly apprehended and couragiously reported the injustice of the proceedings against me Whereupon I had an Order of restitution to my Priviledges and Arreares till the matter be heard notwithstanding which Order of Restitution that active Committee man hath been an Instrument to place for my supplanting in my Chappell to enjoy those profits that are almost the one halfe of my little livelihood a Minister that hath been taken in Armes against the Parliament and hath beene ejected out of his living in Monmouth-shire for being contentious against his neighbours a common Drunkard a Rayler against the Parliament who also said since he was obtruded on my Cure a Cavaliere I was a Cavaliere I am and so I will continue Whether such a Committee man in permitting such a Malignant Minister that hath been so often active in Armes to be placed and officiate within three miles of Glocester Garrison hath thereby promoted the honour of the Parliament and the safety of that Citie let all men judge If I have been illegally proceeded against by this principall Agent in that Committee as my worthy constant free and faithfull friend Mr. Pryn hath by tongue and pen maintained I shall account it a great honour from this Honorable Assembly to have an Order and Commission to some Gentlemen I shall nominate to examine all proceedings of this Committee man and the combination of such malignant malicious persons as have been unjust practizers against me that I may receive such reparations from them as the merits of my cause and their cruelty shall require All which is committed to the serious consideration of this honorable Senate for the relief of Your faithfull Servant yet suffering supplicant WALTER POWELL Doctrines deduced DOct. 1. It is a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Truth and Error pag. 5 2. Those that are good will shew zeale for God pag. 5 3. People continue long in a lingring condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension pag. 6 4. Many are yet to seek who is the true God pag. 6 4. God alone is to be followed pag. 6 6. Men are oft convicted before they are once converted pag. 6 The first Doctrine prosecuted Uses 1. Of Information 2. Reprehension of Newters 3. The Causes with the cure of Halting pag. 7 8 14 Cause 1. Because many members of the Parliament have diserted the Parliaments cause pag. 14 2. The greatest part of the Great
Verse 8. I am Goe tell c. Eliah had no French complementall formallity in his mouth of your humble servant Sir as men now a days who have more liezure and skill in promising the duty of Servants then love and wil in performing the office of friends but English down-right reallity he answers yea plain discoveries are most pleasing Doct. Eliah reveales the naked truth here no equivocation is studyed or practised There needs no Complement with men when Commands are to be delivered from God He had an Errand from the God of heaven to a King on earth Therefore gives him a short quicke plaine pithy answer From vers 9. to 15. we see Obadia's feare with the many reasons of his refusall for delivering the Message The Spirit may be willing when the flesh is weake Doct. Eliah will shew himselfe to Ahab come what ever will come on it Verse 15. The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Doct. 1. Obadiah went to meete Ahab Verse 16. Care of Cattell must be neglected when Gods will is to be performed Doct. 2. Ahabs willing journey to meete Eliah Gods worke shall be furthered whether man will or no. Doct. Obadiah went to further Gods worke Ahab to satisfie his owne lust and to further the Devills worke Doct. Man purposeth but the Lord disposeth of the purposes He can bring light out of darknesse good out of evill as the Bee honey out of weeds The sharp and short salutation that Ahab gives to Eliah Vers 17. Art thou hee that art the troubler of Israel Prophets commonly censured for Authors and Fautors of Troubles Doct. Eliah's answer to Ahabs accusation Vers 18. Where reade 1. Vindication of himselfe I am not 2. The just Taxation of the King It is thou and thy Fathers house 1. Many see faults in others not in themselves Doct. 1. 2. Kings may be blamed Doct. 2. 3. Man is the author of his owne misery Doct. 3. 4. Disobedience to God the cause of all misery to man Doct. 4. When men forsake the fountaine they dig to themselves pits that will hold no water The Prophet having told the King what he had done against him V. 19 20 tells him what he must doe for the Lord Eliah came with a message from the God of heaven therefore commands Ahab and directs him All Israel must appeare on mount Carmel before this despised Prophet God can and will honour those whom the wicked of the world condemne disgrace and persecute Doct. The 450. Prophets of Baal must come with the 400. Chaplains of Jezabell All things and persons must subject themselves to heavens decree Doct. God can and will call to an account notwithstanding Prophets Doct. people goe along in their sins Thou thoughtst I was like unto thee Psal 50. but I will set thy sinnes in order before thee Pleasure of sin may goe before when paine for sin shall follow after If the paine of the head-ach were before the pleasure of the wine none would be drunke If sinnes wages were fore-seene the worke thereof would not be so willing So Ahab sent unto all the Children of Israel Vers 20. and gathered the Prophets together to Mount Carmel Ahab executeth Eliah's or rather the Lords commands and that speedily Kings hearts are in the hand of the Lord Doct. what hee commands they must fulfill The Congregation must be assembled the King Prophets people being gathered together Vers 21. Eliah proponeth his Text as the foundation for his ensuing words and Actions which are the words for my Text at this time Why halt yee so long betweene two opinions A word spoken in season saith Solomon is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25 15. There are times of halting and here is a Text of halting Therefore Text and time agree Here you see 1. A question propounded to the people Why halt yee so long between two opinions 2. An answer framed for them in a truth supposed If the Lord be God follow ye him Argum. but the Lord is God should they have inferred Therefore we ought to follow him 3. The obstupefaction of the people They answered not a word In the first note 1. The specification of their sin Halting 2. The aggravation of it Why halt yee so long 3. The facillity of walking uprightly in the way of Truth They were not twenty seducing mizmazing errours as in these Realm-reeling times but only the rocks of two opinions the Lord and Baal In the third wee see the wilfull obstinacy and blindnesse of the people They answered him not a word They had some-what in their minds though they had nothing in their mouths They were convinced by the truth of the Prophet proposed But they were unwilling to be converted or reformed by reason of the example of the Princes long customes thereto by the multitude of the people and their seducings through the numerosity of Baals Prophets which were 450. and Eliah but one against them all In the 2d. part we may read the rule of unerring direction prescribed and by all to have beene observed If the Lord be God follow yee him But be alone is God Ergo. The first is the Checke of Halting The 2d. is the Cause of Halting The 3d. is the Cure of Halting Or take the division if you please more briefly thus 1. A Reprehension Why halt you so long betweene two opinions 2. A Caution Limitation or Direction If the Lord be God follow him If Baall be God follow yee him 3. The non-pluse obstupefaction or obduration of the people who though they were convinced of yet would not be converted to the truth They answered him not a word It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Doct. 1. truth error Those that are good will show zeale for God Doct. 2. or zeale of Pastors a speciall helpe against peoples halting Or downe-right Doctrine must throw downe sin and Idolatry People continue long in a limping condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension Why halt ye so long Doct. 3. Many are yet to seeke and resolve which is the true God Doct. 4. If the Lord be God God alone is to be followed Doct. 5. Follow him Men are oft convicted Doct. 6. before they are once converted These are some generall Doctrines deduced out of this verse worthy your serious consideration These are some fruits which fall from the tree of this Text at the first touch thereof In the handling whereof Had I either the open utterance of Paul or the eloquent tongue of Tertullus or the well-tuned Cymballs of David or the shrill-sounding bells of Aaron or the silver Trumpet of Hillary or the golden mouth of Chrysostome or the mellifluous speech of Origen or the thundring voyce of Perieles these truths then would both finde and leave you attentive But I shall prosecute only
the first Proposition ayming to apply it to these halting times Doct. 1. It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal truth and errour light and darkenesse the word and the world Christ and Belial Because there is no communion between these Reas 1. 2 Cor. 6.14 yet such halters make a communion and union between them they joyne together what God hath put asunder and they put asunder what God hath in his Word and will joyned together They call evill good Isa 5.20 and good evill they put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Now such sin greatly because God denounceth woes so sharply against them nay more woes than against other grand workers of iniquity because these are wise in their owne conceite Verse 21. Reas 2. Because these halters will be wiser than God give Christ the lye set the holy Ghost to schoole Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either be will hate the one and love the other or else be will hold to the one and despise the other Te cannot serve God and Mammon Yes we can say these halters we can serve God in the morning and the Devill in the afternoone one Master in the Temple another in the Tavern We can comply with Round heads while we are in their company and with Cavalliers when we are in their company humour and sooth Papists and Puritans and displease neither Because these are most notorious hypocrices they think they can be too hard for Reas 3. and deceive both God and Devill they halt betweene God and Mammon Christ and Belial purity and Popery They have a tongue for the Court cause and a tongue for the Countrey cause God calls for the heart Prov. 23.26 My sonne give me thy heart Satan will be content with halfe the heart 2 King 17.33 34. God is herein more covetous than the Devill he will have all or none the Devill will be contented with halfe because he knowes if he have any God will have none Let such consider if it be good to seeme to be rich it is better to be so if good to seeme to be good better to be so if it be bad to seem to be bad it is worse to be so Either therefore bee as thou seemest to be very good or seem to be as thou art indeed very bad If the Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him If thy own private be to be preferred before the publique prefer it if the publique be to be preferred before the private prefer it else professe thy selfe to be an hypocrite more woes are denounced against such than against any sinners eight severall woes in Mat. 23.13 denounced against them Vse 1. In the first place this may serve to inform us touching the Cause why so many faithfull Preachers are so zealous that they lift up their voyces like Trumpets when Trumpets lift up their voyces like Preachers the glory of God love of Christ care for the Kingdomes lawes liberties constraine them Obadiah disswades Eliah ver 10. Ahab reproveth him ver 17. God commanded him v. 1. Whether it be better to obey God or man judg ye Acts 4.19 Sin labours to destroy the word in the mouths of Ministers Ministers labour to destroy sin in the hearts of hearers when fire and water meet there is great ratling and hissing Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water and no noise at all nor contraries therefore no combate If ministers come with painted fire with silken sayings flattering words saying all is well no wonder if men halt limp trip and fall into the down-fall of damnation Zac. feele hell before they feare it Is it not therefore lawfull necessary to rescue mens soules as brands out of the fire Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but reprove him plainly Were not the people here by the zeale of Eliah first convicted then converted crying The Lord is God the Lord is God Can it be bad to be zealous in a cause that is good to preserve a plant from withering a Beast from drowning a sheepe from wandring a house from â—iring a ship from sinking a Citie from sacking and Kingdomes from destroying to save a soule to turne a sinner from the evill of his wayes As cold oft breeds an inflamation so the luke-warme devotion of many Pastors People have enkindled Gods wrath and Gods wrath hath blowne up these sad combustions wherewith the Land is almost consumed should not the Boanerges labour to take out fire with fire the fire of Gods wrath by the fire of the Spirit to preserve from everlasting burnings Jer. 6.29 The lungs and lips of Preachers that are touched with a coale from Gods Altar are powerfull bellowes to blow up the dying fire of zeale Is not this Gods worke and must not they be fervent in Spirit that will serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 Isa 63.15 9.7 2 King 19.31 whose work can never be done while they freeze at it It is Gods zeale that must doe all for us and must not our zeale doe all we can for him Did Christ sweate that the Christian should freeze must not all redeemed ones be zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Hanniball by fire made way over the Alpes so must Ministers by zeale over the mountaines of oppositions the tops whereof will not be climbed without great strength violence and vivacity Palmes are the Emblemes of victory but they love to grow in a hot soyle All would have Palms heate is the meanes for them Fervency in a Christian is the grace of every action Ministers must perswade to be zealous else people cannot repent and they must repent else Christ will not come in and sup with them Rev. 3.19 And must Ministers perswade others to be zealous and shall they be dull cold luke-warme themselves Wisedome is justified of her children the people place Text and time call for it Thus having with the Cock clapt my wings on my owne breast give me leave to crow unto others also to shew men their present sin to prevent their future shame Christ lookes on all Newterallists as on enemies Vse 2. not as on friends Why halt ye so long seeing it is a great sin and shame Mat. 12.38 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scattereth abroad Aut mecum totum tene aut totum amitte saith Greg. Proditor est veritatis qui aut libere non pronuntiat aut non sufficienter eam defendant saith Chrysost Traytors are the very off-spring of Judas shamefully exposing themselves to the scorne and hatred of all men both good and bad It happening to these neutralizing middle-men as to those that dwell in the middle roomes of some high building as they are smoked and smothered by those that dwell under them and polluted with dust
the water in the Well What all the water to the whole Sea What the Sea to him that made Sea and Land Heaven and Hell men and Devils Winde Waters Heaven Earth Men Devills must obey him In comparison of whose power all the Nations of the Earth Esa 40.17 are not onely as a drop of water but lesse than nothing The Lord hath manifested his power and providence against the Spanish Water-workes in 88. and the Papists Fire-workes in 1605 and his hand is not shortened now The Kingdome is as it were on a light fire but as the Bush in Moses time burning yet not consumed why and how so Exod. 3.2 The Angel of the Lord appeared in the flame Where Gods presence is in a Bush a Citie an Army a Kingdome though all may burne yet can they not be consumed Esa 43.2 Feare not O Jacob when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee the floods shall not overflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt the kindled flame shall not kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Esa 54.7 What it added Because his compassions faile not For a moment have I hid my face from thee in mine anger for a little season a little season a moment the one explaining the other but with everlasting mercie have I had campassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For a little while have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For this Kingdome is unto mee as the waters of Noah for as I have sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe over the Earth so have I sworne c. Behold the enemy shall gather himselfe Vers 15. but without mee Whosoever not exempting any be they never so potent or politique shall gather himselfe in thee in mustering forces and thundering threatnings against thee shall fall All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper Why Vers 17. Vers 16. Behold I have created the Smith and his Instrument I have power to order and dispose of all men and matters even the blowing of the coales in the fire Without mee they can doe nothing Ioh. 16.33 No weapon shall prevaile without my will In the world yee shall have affliction but saith Christ I have overcome the world The two Nations Association in the Bond or Covenant Doore 3. for the preservation of the Lawes Liberties of the two Kingdomes Voe soli woe to either if alone Danger to neither if they hold firme A threefold corde is not easily broken nor a twofold if God ties them together Collonell Carre when he was assaulted to betray his Trust answered the Tempters He was a Covenanter Therefore could not breake it The Cause hath been the more successfull since the Covenant hath been taken If more had taken and kept being taken the said Covenant and Vow the Papists would have feared it more than the Protestants doe their Popes holy water The undaunted Resolution of the Nobles Doore 4. and Commons assembled in Parliament the body of the Kingdome they have yet stood maugre the malice of Atheists Papists and all other their opposers whatsoever The Philistims assembled 2 Sam. 23.11 at a Towne where was a piece of a field full of Lentils and the people fled from the Philistims But he stood in the midst of the field and defended it and slew the Philistims for the Lord gave a great victory It is of Gods great mercy notwithstanding so many revolters that betrayed their trust to keep the rest so firme as one man with their shoulders to uphold the reeling Realme and to encourage one another in Joabs words 2 Sam. 10.12 1 Sam. 6.10.12 Let us be valiant for our people Cities c. Wee reade touching the carrying of the Arke to Bethshemesh That they took two kine and tyed them to the Cart and the Kine went the streight way to Bethshemesh and kept one path and lowed as they went and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left I think I need not bespeake your pardon in the application for the homelinesse of the comparison The Arke of God wee hope is in transportation from the Popish Philistims to be restored to its ancient puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline it s tyed to the two honorable Houses Those whom God hath promoted to these publique places hath he indued with publique Spirits As the Kine lowed after their calves tyed at home and much more the calves after the Kine gone abroad so these Peeres and Patriots have flesh and bloud about them as well as Spirit in them to hanker after their pleasures and profits wives and children their fresh aire their spacious houses specious Gardens choice dyets daily attendants familiar friends and acquaintances from which for a long while they have been deprived yet through divine assistance their spirits are overpowred have kept one path for the carrying home the Arke without turning to the right hand or to the left to maintain the Gospel of Christ the Lawes of the Kingdome and the libertie of the Subject though they have been denied outward liberty or life to returne to their native habitations wonted delights and enjoyments Shall not our men of Bethshemesh rejoyce more at the approach of the Arke than for the abundance of their crop in their wheate harvest Vers 13. Is it not great hope the Arke of peace and piety will be brought fully home to the Kingdome when it is within kenne of the Inhabitants The returne of some eminent persons to tender their service to the Parliament Doore 5. after they had been at the Oxonian Juncto where they meerly promoted their own honour or advanced the hopes of the Royalists Sir Edward Deering confessed as I related already under his own hand in Print that the King with forty men might come to Westminster and stay there with undoubted safetie to his person so said he I said while I was at Oxford and doe still assuredly beleeve so and God will blesse him if he doe so Did not God and his Conscience enforce this confestion He much wondred at himselfe how he could so long be transported to assist in a way to destroy that Parliament which he had tooke the Protestation in Parliament to preserve Ponder well the speech of this Person The many Prayers Fastings Teares Doore 6. for the successe of the Common Cause Ambrose told Monica Augustines Mother that it could not be A Woman or Mother of so many Teares and Prayers should bring forth a Sonne to be lost It cannot be that an Assembly a Parliament a Kingdome of so many Fasts Prayers Teares brought and kept with so much difficultie together should miscarry God that hath prepared Englands hearts to pray hath prepared his eare to heare Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire
Michael and his Angels Christ hath overcome the World Doore 23 Death Devill and shall these overcome him again Iohn 16.33 Col. 2.15 Rev. 17.14 It 's incredible impossible Be ye of good comfort in me ye shall have peace I have over come the world He hath openly triumphed over them on his Crosse This Lamb hath overcome all Lions Can Satan be stronger than God The efficacie of Christ his prayer Doore 24 He was heard on earth and shall he not be heard in heaven Rom. 8.33 1 Pet. 3.14 making intercession for his people Who is he that will harm you if ye follow that which is good Who harme us wicked ones will Yet blessed are you if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Feare not their feare nor be ye troubled The conviction and conversion of Adversaries Doore 25 God enlightning them to see what they did not see before It is beyond the thoughts and expectation of man thae the Lord Inchequin seduced by the Jesuitical faction should be changed from a destroyer to Champion for God and a preserver of his cause The many cries Doore 26 prayers teares of Fathers Children Widowes for vengeance Doth not the Lord heare their cries and know their sorrowes The Lord heard the voyce of the Lad Ishmael Exod. 3.7 Gen. 21.17 Psa 146.9 weeping before him and will he not heare the voyce of thousands of Children for their parents and parents for their children wives for their husbands and friends for friends He relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widowes In whom can the Fatherlesse finde mercy but in him Hos 14.3 Luke 18.7 If an unrighteous Judge did the importune Widow justice against her adversary shall not God avenge his elect that cry day and night unto him The cry of the multiplicity of the blood that hath been shed Doore 27. Shall not the blood of so many Saints call for vengeance Gen. 4.10 Rev. 6.10 when the blood of one Abel cryed unto the Lord and he heard it The soules of the Saints slaine cry Dost thou not avenge our bloodâ— Groans are registred teares botled and shall not blood be booked Did God enquire for one Abel will he not for thousands The Relation of God towards his Church Doore 28. God sayth he is worse than an Infidell that provides not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Is not he a Father And will a Father give stones to children that ask bread He is to his Church a Husband a Master a Captain a King Sheepheard Creator Redeemer wise Builder He is a Sun and a Shield hath his Rod and his Staffe both for direction and preservation The great rage of Satan sheweth that his time is but short Doore 29. When the Devil was to be cast forth out of the dumb Rev. 12.12 Mat. 9.22.26 he casts him into the fire and into the water and rent him soare cryed and then came out of him Violent things continue not long in extremity especially such showers of blood The many differences between forraigne nations Doore 30. who would have joyned hand in hand against the Kingdome had they not been set together by the eares in their own lands This is none of the least of Gods mercies to our nation at this time they having enough to doe at home have the lesse leasure to be imployed as the Devils and Popes Armour-bearers abroad The prevention of many inconveniences which might ensue Doore 31. 1. Some godly ones might put forth their hands to wickednesse Psa 125.3 if the rod of the wicked should long lye on the lot of the righteous 2. That the wicked might not deny Gods power providence justice which they see executed here on earth 3. Truth of the Scriptures may not bee questioned Tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope Rom. 5.4 Now lay all these considerations together that have been mentioned before and I beleeve they will administer joy in the times of sorrow and keep up mens hearts lesse to doubt the successe of the common cause 1. Considering God is a God of power able to finish what he hath begun 2. It stands with his wisdome the foundation laid to perfect his building 3. God is the God of order what confusion else would be 4. Kindnesse had been unkindnesse Better to have had no cluster of grapes than not to be brought into Canaan 5. Weak ones would suspect God used some stratagem to draw men out as the men of Ai to destroy them or as to gather Bees and to burn them 6. They would doubt God would not doe as much for his people now as he hath done heretofore Our Fathers trusted in him and were delivered but we have trusted in him and are not delivered 7. Gods friends would put forth their hands to wickednesse 8. His enemies blasphemies boastings cruelties would be the greater They would endeavour to build Babels to scale if possible the very walts of heaven 9. God spared the kingdome for a long season when sin was committed and with greedinesse acted Ezek. 22.30 and will he not spare it now when sinne is confessed lamented and many stand up in the gap to turn away his wrath and reform impieties according to his desire and promise 10. The courage of the Parliament Commanders Captaines Souldiers beyond ordinary expectation naturall Relations carrying Gods Ark towards Bethshemesh their wives children houses lands goods liberties lives being not deere unto them doe all confirme our hearts in the promises of the Lord that his help is at hand to deliver the Nation from slavery and Popery I beseech you by the many mercies of God that have been daily manifested and infallibly expected to lay out your selves to give up your bodies spirits estates your All for your selves posterity Cities and people of God It was dying Joshuahs argument to the Israelites to move them to a constant obedience to Gods commandements that they had experimentall knowledge in their hearts that nothing failed of all the good things that the Lord had promised to them all came to passe And have wee not as great a portion participation in Gods promises and performances as the Israelites had We may say of Gods mercies to Israel and England as one spake of Demosthenes and Tully Cicero effecit ne Demosthenes esses solus Orator Demosthenes ne Cicero primus foret The Israelites were the cause we could not be the first people whome God did so extraordinarily blesse and favour But we are the cause that they could not boast themselves to be the only people in Gods love And if Gods mercies in any age for height length depth breadth might be boasted of rejoyced in then in our dayes in this Parliament in these warres where good is fetcht out of evill light out of darknesse And if these things will be marvellous in the eares of all posterity shall they not in our hearts before whose eyes the same have been accomplished Wherefore I conclude as I began being high time to take my worke off the Loome Why halt ye so long between two opinions If Baal be God then follow him so shall you fall from sin the Suburbs into Hell it selfe the place portion expectation of all cursed neutralizing Balaaks for whom are reserved torments which are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse If the Lord be God then follow him so shall you come to see him that is invisible and shall change the society of men for Angels Earth for Heaven and the company of Lions for fellowship with the Lamb for ever Where shall be all light without any darknesse truth without error joy without sorrow health without sicknesse liberty without restraint peace without perturbation eternity without end where the Quire of Angels shall be musick to our eares where the fight of God shall be the object to our eyes where the joyes of heaven shall be the possession of our soules Unto the hearing of which Angellicall musick unto the beholding of which beatificall vision unto the possession of which celestiall joyes the Lord that is Author of all vouchsafe to bring us all let all Gods people say Amen And let the Lord Jesus Christ whose words are Yea and Amen put to his hand and seale and say Amen Amen I have now done for speaking you have now done for hearing his Chaire and Pulpit is in heaven that must perswade you to put in practice those things which I have delivered in precept which that he may doe unto him let us pray Soli Deo laus FINIS