and will contend for the Truth and yet not one Rev. 11. 7. Iesuited HEL-HOWND it is a Kings word contending with a Cardinall not one Catholicke murderer in our Hoste so hee hath bin accounted in all times and places making no more conscience to out his Kings throat then to cut a peece of bread These Irish Romish Catholiques universally bloody and monstrous Savages all the world over so brawned in cruelties are accounted now the only loyall Subjects ever since the Lord Christ hath taken to Himselfe great Power reigning more visibly upon the Earth demanding His Rights there And His faithfull Servants are resolved to give these Rights unto Him Whose they are not with-holding a hoofe nor dishonourably compounding His matters so forfeiting Truth for Peace but resolving to maintaine both with honour or an honourable warre ever since this contestation for Christ and His Truth Rebellion which is as the sinne of Witchcraft against God and His Christ hath been accounted obedience and loyall subjection And a true sense of Dutie to God and man and to doe thereafter even what God commands and will have done is accounted Rebellion and Treason both The comfort is Wisdome is justified of her children yes and in this point of all that are not unreasonable and wicked men The Truth is I could not beare this at such a time as this being to render a THANK-OFFERING in the Churches Name but I must Preface to it against such contradictions of Sinners and render the THANK-OFFERING free and the Churches Servants as cleared of these blackes as was the Snow in Salmon And what is wanting here shall be supplied else where for I will goe on from this Preface to another Treatise where by the helpe of God And His Law I shall cleare this very way wherin the Nobles have walked so spoken against now and blasphemed as a way of Rebellion and Treason to be the very way wherein all the Nobles that ever were in the world have walked who walked uprightly with God dealt faithfully with His people not treacherously and as Traitors to King and Kingdome and their owne souls for I have a most comprehensive mercy to treat on and enlarge upon which I may call the Abridgement of this last yeares wonders containing as in a most fruitfull wombe all nationall blessings which the Nobles and Worthies have hitherto or their children after them shall travell with and bring forth to the Nation And this they are compleating and in so excellent a way as that though we shall never say of it in this world the worke is done and compleated of that comprehension it is yet I say they have so orderly proceeded in it by that line and plummet afore-said of all the truly Noble that ever were on the Earth as that it is fully to the Mind of the Lord and the heart of the Nation And now let the Devill rage and his Servants roare for in that they glory though by a wofull prolepsis here in sport for hereafter in earnest when they and their King of the bottomlesse pit shall roare there to all eternity Let the Arabian Dukes with their companies of Sabeans let the noble Monsters of these dayes so they were called anciently who are Gentile and noble in the root but monstrously degenerate in the fruit of their conversation d Nequitiae sordibus imbuta Nobilia portenta Valer Max. l. 3. c. 5. let these doe their worst rob spoyle pillage shed bloud to their power yet by the helpe of God and the Law the worke shall be carried on and the work-men shall prosper and overcome by the bloud of the Lambe e Rev. 12. 11. But what is our worke now Worke and Pray or pray and worke no matter which is first so both goe together Worke with hand and mouth and heart and all We have a noble paterne before us of Work men who blessings be upon them both from above and beneath have offered themselves willingly to this worke and will very gladly spend and be spent for us in this worke though they may reade on the more abundantly they love us the lesse they are beloved f 2 Cor. 12. 15. But we have our patterne and we see our dutie worke we as men who can very gladly spend and be spent for this cause for it is His cause Who did say indeed and did as He said for Hâ—â— zeale eat Him up He was a whole burnt-offering I VVILL VERY GLADLY SPEND AND BE SPENT for you so it was indeed the cause of the Lord Iesus Christ Who was made for us a curse once That He might make us as He is blessed for ever having such an example before us and such a cause in our eye we will worke now or never VVorke we now as we are able and let the Lord worke as He pleaseth He will worke like Himself Truly He worketh wonderfully in all His peoples sight But if He wrought in the dark as sometimes He doth if His foot-steps are in the waters as M Bradford expresseth it a man can see no prints where His Hand is or which way His feet goe whither towards us or against us yet said that good man My hand and my spirit should worke after Him for I am sure I am in the way though I see it not my God goes right though I discerne not the path Worke we I say as we can and let the Lord worke as He will He doth worke gloriously and in sight worke wee and pray too else our worke is vaine and to no purpose worke we but say BLESSED BE GOD first Blessed be Thy Name for the Governours among the people and for them that offered themselves willingly It was because Thou commandest and so it is the North gives and the South keepes not backe Sea and Land comes in for Thy Churches helpe peace peace be to her helpers to deliver us from the Heathen that we may give thankes to Thy holy Name and glory in Thy praise Amen Now Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall still prosper that love her Pray in Prayer pray earnestly our children shall reape the fruit thereof if we doe not now for now we have reaped what our fore-fathers have sowne the fruit of the prayers of many Generations Pray we That the Lord would owne His owne cause certainly He will and so He doth but He must be sought unto for this and enquired after That His eyes would be for good upon His Children and servants all over the world for their eyes and hearts are set stedfast towards Him and His Jerusalem here below and there they fix waiting what God will doe at such a time as this and hearkning what God will speake now It is their confidence He will speake peace and doe according to His owne word give His Servants the opening of the mouth that the enemies may know HE IS THE LORDs The Churches all over the â— Ezek. â—â— 21. world are resolved now to
them that so trusted that made flesh their Arme The answer is They that so trusted are brought downe and fallen But the Church remembring the name of the Lord and in that Name seâ—tiâ—g-up Banners she riseth and stands upright shee must needs have a firme standing for shâ—e hath a sure foundation she is well under-laid underneath the everlasting Armes Therefore Deut. 33. 27. though her outward House be battered downe over her head and about her eares yet according to the promise she is a quiet habitation k Esa 33. 20. How boysterous soever the vvindes are and troublesome the vveather is she is quiet notwithstanding Indeed vve may observe some times have beene so hard with her fierce * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat 8. â—8 and perilous * 2 Tim. 3. 1. that she hath complained My soule is bowed downe to the dust l Ps 44. 25. I am covered with the shadow of Death yet vve must observe from the same place how the Church beares-up her selfe by Experiences and Promises those great pillars staying up her Hands in Faith and then she resolves to beast in her God all the day long SELAH It is an high note and her voyce is greatly exalted in Praise and Thankesgiving Object Why then the Church is borne up by Experiences from Dayes of old vvhat God hath done And by Promises what God will doe in after times An. True but these Experiences have a bottome the Almighties arme they were wrought by Him Whose power is still the same an everlasting God And these Promises touching that the Lord vvill doe in after times have the same foundation too made unto her in and through Christ her Lord and everlasting Father There is her strength her staffe and her stay And now though the Pillars of the Earth are out of course and continue so yet the Church is where she was upon the same foundation She knoweth whom she hath trusted shee rowles her selfe upon God vvaiteth his salvation knowes Hee vvill come-in for her helpe in due time shee vvould not have it sooner and praise vvaiteth for Him in Sion Thus in Quietnesse and confidence is her strength m Ps â—46 10. She can now according to her Lords command Be still and know that I am God n Ps 46. She can stand still calme in her mind for she knowes that her God raigneth with Him is power and faithfullnesse o Ps 146. 6. He can He vvill nay with reverence be it spoken He must helpe His Church and seasonably too for He is bound so to doe He hath engaged His faithfullnesse upon it there 's the Churches confidence she bears her selfe up upon it and walks on by Faith And so we see the difference in our walking and place of confidence such and so great is the difference in our comforts and peace the Churches peace full and lasting ours but empty and momentany like the laughter of fooles for vve vvalke by sight wee must see or else vve cannot believe We cannot rest upon the Almighties Arme unlesse vve see it cloathed vvith flesh One God is not enough for us vve must see Many on our side and whole Countries come in for our helpe or else vve can see no hope of Victory though the Lord hath said The People are too many p Iud. 7. 4. We verily beleeve That the race must be to the swift the battell to the strong q Eccl. 9. 11. though a thousand experiences have told us the contrary when the battell hath beene against the Church Fooles as we are vvhen vvill vve be instructed We trust in meanes likelihoods and probabilities thereon vve bottome our selves therfore it is that we are in Deaths often our spirits are up and downe full of changes for such changes and tides of things there are in that vve place our confidences Our hearts are not fixed not up-wards vvhere they should be therefore wee must needs reele like a drunken man or a Ship in a tempest We doe not trust in the Lord therefore we cannot be established r 2 Chro. â—0 â—0 wee doe not beleeve Hâ—s Prophets wee shall not prosper nor see when good commeth s Ier. 17. 6. Had vve the arme of flesh with us then vve could beleeve nay that is not Faith for Faith is of things not seene My meaning is for I must speake like a foole to make otherswise Had we thirty thousand Chariots and six thousand horse-men and people as the sand on the Sea-shore in multitude all these comming in for our helpe And vvere vve to march-on against a feeble folke a peeled beslaved unarmed people that had neither Sword nor Speare nor shield O how confident would we be of the victory We would rush on as terrible as an Army with Banners and as fierce and fearelesse as the warre-horse O how we would boast The Glory of our nostrils would be terrible we would rush on upon such a people as thunder we vvould rejoyce in our strength mocke at feare and swallow them up with fiercenesse and rage A bruitish people vve for vve have not considered this in all this time that the Battell is neither yours nor ours but Gods t 2 Chron. 10. 15. And He hath taken all this strength before mentioned and given it into His peoples hand vvhen they vvere a feeble beslaved unarmed people these have houghed the Horses and burnt the Chariots in fire Iosh 11. that is The weake have taken all this prey u Esa 33. 2â— And all this hath the Lord done Why that Ionathan and his Armour-bearer the Lords Worthies may not be discouraged at the mountainâ— of straights Where there is a sâ—â—â—p Rocke on the one side and the same on the other The our sâ—ituaâ—â— North-ward the other South-ward * 1 Sam. 14 4 5. God doth drive His People to exigency That they may shew themselves what they are Then a man â—â—ves by faith in God when meanes dye and he is qâ—ite forsaken of them Certaine it is God will bring His Church to the Mountaine of Straits but they shall see glorious things there What God appearing in Hâ—s Glory His Arme made bare of flesh God is never seen so glorious as upon That Mount Then He lifts up Himselfe on high Then He appeares in all the peoples sight This is a mighty Consideration even now it followes SECT IV. How necessary the consideration hereof is at this time that our eyes may not faile with looking upward nor faint when we are corrected nor make haste when troubles are upon the heele ANd this was necessary to be noted here That we might behold the Churches stability and firme standing see our errour all this while and vaine confidence Correct our selves take off our hold and hasten to the Churches Rock that we may be as She is a quiet habitation also What troubles soever how strong soever the tyde of things is against her yet not greatly moved Though
and hard Deeds levell unto Looke which way is the Malignants aime and that will point your eye directly to the Righteous Man Whom do they hurry and drag unto the Brow of the Hill The righteous evermore and because they do the thing that is right therfore doth that Head that monstrous Head and Tayle that Serpentine generation and those multitudes with the King over them bend all their councells policies and strength against theese people because they see the thing that good is So it hath beene from the beginning so it will be to the end of the world And so vve conclude from the sacred Writ and from the present times where are cleare and manifest proofes That the Church must be tryed as Silver and Gold is tryed That Legions of Adversaries doe seeke and vvait her destruction that whole Armies of troubles afflictions and sorrowes doe abide her but Her God vvill deliver her from and out of all that 's her comfort The Gates of Hell are against her but shall not prevaile that is her conclusion We proceed on to give hints of things that vve may magnifie the arme of the Lord and raise our spirits in the high praises of the Churches God ¶ 3. When vve have made full enquâ—ry into these present and last Times let us search the Records of all times and enquite there Who it is over vvhom the fire hath no power Who it is that God doth rescue out of the Mouth of the Lyon Whom doth He suffer to be carried to the brow of the Hill and then makes way for escape Whom doth He bring to the mountaine of streights and there is gloriously seene in their Salvations For vvhom doth He divide the Sea and makes paths in the great vvaters For His enemies you wilâ— say Yes that they may pursue then fall and sinke like a stone and rise no more But for whom doth He open a way that they may goe over It must be answered He doth this for His Church His Israel His ransomed ones The redeemed of the Lord vvill say so He delivers them so such Salvations He vvorketh for them and them onely He delivers them after THIS SORT l Dan. 3. 29. What sort None delivered as are these after such a strange vvonderfull and miraculous way after THIS SORT The fire had no power over them But for their enemies the flame of the fire slew them and for those enemies that are suffered to goe on in their furious March He takes off their Charet-wheeles makes them drive heavily then When When they are upon the very heele of the righteous then the vvaters over-whelme them and they are made as still as a stone m Exod. 15. 16. The Conclusion is the Lord never made His Arme bare of flesh He never appeared in the Mount of straits but for His Church and against His Adversaries but so He hath appeared this day ¶ 4. Who are they vvhom we see guarded fenced hedged about â— what more There needs no more and yet to assure their security and that there is not a chinke open whereat danger shall enter to doe them hurt there is more added and on every side n Iob 1. 10. See their security Whose security the Churches the Righteous mans security ever-more They are hedged about and on every side not a cranny hole left open whereat danger can come-in to doe them hurt No no. Object This carries not the face of Truth you will say See we not these sort of men hurried and spoyled and peeled exposed to all danger from the tongues and hands of violent and bloody men Are they then hedged about and on every side when dangers come in upon them at every turne and they are made now Magor-missabib o Ier. 20. 3. beleaguered-about and terrour on every side Answ Yes and yet notwithstanding all this they are so hedged as was said and nothing shall come unto them for their hurt They may be hurried and peeled and spoyled and killed too and yet all for their good Reader this will not seeme strange unto thee if thou readest and considerest with all thy heart that seventy yeares Captivity was for their good p Ier. 24. 5. Therefore we must set a marke upon these words No cranny is left open whereat danger can enter to doe this people hurt They are a protected people still hedged about still and on every side God keepes their persons from troubles or He delivers them by troubles or supports them in troubles as He did Iob a miracle of patience never any man so tryed as he never any man so supported as he or opens a dore and passage through dangers so bringing His Servants to the place where they vvould be The Divell spake good Divinity the Servants of the Lord will say so Thou hast made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This then is the conclusion Surely there is no inchantment against Jâ—cob neither is there any divination against Israel according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought q Numb 13. 2â— SECT II. From what God hath done The Church gets assured confidence for time to come SEe againe for we have observed the premises here was an Head against the Church that monstrous Head the Tayle against Her That serpentine Tayle that bulky-body as the sand for multitude all these against Her with their King over them yet could doe Her no hurt Behold I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you q Luk. 10. 19. These are good words and comfortable and now are they fulfilled in our eyes All these enemies did what they could to sting and poyson the Church but they were not able All these blowed hard to quench the light of Israel yet could not doe it the Lord kept His Church alive as a sparke which is said of Noah r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 5. Ser. 6. in the midst of the roaring Ocean Who would not feare this God Who would not serve Him None but a God can deliver after this sort That was the conclusion and none are so delivered but His Church He reprooveth Kings nay Hee breaketh the Head of the Leviathan in peeces for His Churches sake And this is the Churches confidence for ever from all these things which her God hath done they can assure their hearts for the time to come That when they shall be brought againe to the Brow of the Hill to her mountaine of straits their God will appeare there He that brake the Heads of the Leviathan to peeces Pharaoh and his great Hoast Å¿ Ps â—9 14. Annona fuit huâ—â— reposita qua vesceretur populus Cal. in loc gave that deliverance for meat to His people inhabiting a wildernesse i. e that when they should be in straights then
the fury of the LORD the Rebuke of Thy GOD i Esa 51. 10. Then from that Day ye proceeded against them and their Courts so that the Church may reade her Deliverance now in that vvhich the Lord wrought for her people in dayes of old So the terrible one is brought to naught k Esa 29. and the Scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity and they that made a man an offender for a word and laid a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate and turned aside the just for a thing of nought all these are cut-off for where is the fury of the oppressours and the jurisdiction of their Courts Where is it She remembers this with all thankfulnesse and she remembers you in all earnestnesse before the high Throne as was said before for she can reade on Now l Esa 29. 19. the meeke shall encrease their joy in the Lord and the poore among men shall rejoyce in the Holy One of Israël for how you eased the Churches shoulders and cheared her heart when you tooke off those yoakes the two insnaring Oaths and bloudy Courts she and you know very well and she accepts vvith all thankfulnesse but she gives glory to her God ¶ 10. Then from that Day you could trace the footings in the dark the turnings and windings of the crooked Serpent in his crooked pathes Then the Lord made darknesse light before you and crooked things strait Then you had discoveries upon discoveries for what a discovering God have you How easily did He defeate His enemies Their turning of things upside downe He esteemes as the Potters clay for He turned them and their vvorke upside downe as easily as the Maid doth the Dish which she vvipes or the Potter the clay vessell he frames m Esa â—9 16. Vid. Cal. in loc ¶ 11. Then you quenched the SONNES of the COALE and though they sparkled in your face yet they could not kindle notwithstanding the wrestling of the Adversary you held and maintained the staffe of BEAVTY and of BANDS n Zach. 11. and so made firme the Brotherhood betweene Iacob and Israel And it was like the making of twaine one so making peace a Ephes 2. 15. as the causing the envy of EPHRAIM to cease and the cutting-off the Adversaries of IVDAH b Esa 11. Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim but they shall be as one sticke in the hand c Ezek. 37. 19. that so with united force they may fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines I will say no more of it here for it fills a volume But according to this time it shall he said of Jacob and of Israel WHAT HATH GOD WROVGHT Num. 23. â—3 In all this last mentioned the Church turnes to her God renders praise and glory to Him for he only workes wonders She will ascribe all to her God so the Church may doe and yet make all due acknowledgement to man whom the Lord is pleased to honour as an instrument Man stood in the GAP and he shall be called The REPAIRER OF THE BREACH but God made it up even Esa â—8 12. by His owne Right-hand for it was great as the Sea Hee did it who hath taken the wicked in their owne Snare consumed them with their owne breath swallowed them up with their owne lips fallen upon them with their owne tongues bound them fast with their owne cords HIGGAION SELAH d Ps 9. 16. Rem meditandam summè a matter HIGHLY to be considered on Therefore with your good leave the Church ascribes all to her good God Blessing Honour Power Wisdome Thanks all the glory unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever And the Church makes account that so yee will doe also yee doe call this yeare and your Court BAAL-PERAZIM for at this time the Lord smote His enemies there and hath broken forth upon them before you as the BREACH of WATERS Therefore ye call this yeare and that place BAAL-PERAZIM e 2 Sam. 5. 20. giving glory to the Lord for HE IS WORTHY ¶ A Transition to the next Section THus I have made as short a collection and given-in as briefe a Catalogue as I could of Gods dealings His wonderfull Administrations His strange dispensations of Wisdome and Providence towards His Church this yeare so full of Grace and Power all these contracted here into as narrow a roome as possibly might be considering how comprehensive some of the Heads were else where I have given them more enlargement but I looke and heartily expect that my paines will be prevented by some others pen that hath more leisure and a larger portion of gifts and abilities for the compleating such a History which so much advanceth the Name of God and the hope of Israel in the time of His distractions The Remembrance of what God hath wrought this former yeare vvill be to the Church in after times and in all her fainting fits as vve reade a Deut. 7. 18. for the consolation is the same and the grâ—und thereof the same Thou shalt not be affraid of them Tâ—ou shalt WELL remâ—mber what the LORD thy GOD did unto PHARAOH the Pope and unto all his helpers The c Another great Worke you have vvrought in the close of the yeare concerning Gods immediate worship and service which must be recorded in order with reverence to the time when these workes were done I say workâ—â— for it is plurall a comprehensive worke and containes mâ—ch Thouâ—h it may suffice very well that the Lord hath registred them and will reward them A Cup of cold water b Mat. 10 4â— given to His Church He will thinke upon and reward for that is His manner He will not be in arere with any man much lesse with His faithfull Servants if He seemes to delay the time or to forget it is for your advantage and that he may remember you in the fittest time as in the case of Mordecai A Cup of Water shall be remembred how much more your labour of love patience of hope your workes of Faith such vvorkes vvhich you have done and are written in the records of Heaven and Earth both for they concerne His pleasant Sacrifices vvhich He hath commanded such as were in the dayes of old and as in former years * Mal. 3. 4. But before the Church can record all this she must record with all thankfullnessâ— what you have done for her Land her people there breaking our bands and taking-off our yoaks also and rescuing us from cruell Taske-masters This the Church accepts alwayes in all thankfullnesse But we account this rescuing us and the Law from out of the hand of cruell Lords the chiefest among your many worthy deeds being most taken with outward priviledges and so vve may prosper in the vvorld we care not how our soules prosper such our teaching is and so blind our guides are for
not onely because they doe set their faces unto Thee to seeke by Prayer and Fasting c Dan. 9. 3. a great and good signe that Deliverance is comming-on that Thou art appearing in Thy glory d Ps 102. 16 17. because the Fatherlesse the Destitute pray unto Thee for this thing and are resolved to give Thee no rest But there are other Reasons why we should set our hope in Thee and that it is Thy meaning we should so doe which we shall speake of before Thee now and if it could be in the eares of all the Christian world for they are legible in all the peoples sight and most commanding we thinke to draw in others that are not willingly ignorant and to make them fall downe kisse Thy Sonne and trust in Him 1. We humbly conceive that Thine Adversary and Enemy shall proceed no farther Surely we say that is Thy meaning and purpose of Thy Heart because His folly is manifest unto all men e 2 Tim. 3. 9. 2. We conceive that Thy Adversary a Legion hath beene at the highest his verticall point and we see he is fallen thence Truth Lord he fals slowly now when his fall is like a milstone f Rev. 18. 21. with violence then it shall be mighty quicke and irrecoverable there is that in his fall now which in our haste we call slacknesse and we say in the same haste we may fall before him If so yet so as we shall rise with more strength and in more glory but he never to rise againe to that same point We conclude so for so Thy manner hath beene when the Adversary begins to fall he shall fall yet lower g Est 6. 13. when he ascends againe if he falls not low in humiliations it is up the Gallows h 7. 9. 3. The Adversary hath been proud as Moab VERT PROVD i Esa 16. 6. exceeding proud k Iâ—r 48. 29. as proud waters which went over the heads of the righteous We humbly conceive now they must be brought LOW VERIE LOW now they must be made Base EXCEEDING BASE even now 4. Prayer hath commanded wee looke above all meanes to Thy glorious Right-hand as strange a standing still of the starres in one place of the HEAVEN as was the standing still of the Sunne upon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Aialon l Iosh 10. 12. We humbly conceive Thy meaning thereby is and Thou wilt have it published to the whole Christian world That the great Court of Nobles and Worthies shall not arise from their place till Thou dost arise in all Thy peoples sight to avenge Thy selfe upon Thy Adversaries for all the dishonours they have done to Thy House Thy Day Thy Servants Thy Service c. Come Lord Jesu Thy Servants wait Thy comming Praise waiteth for Thee in Sion The souls under the Altar say COME multitudes we cannot number thousand thousand souls on the Earth wearied out because of these Murderers * Jer. 4. 31. all these say come The sighing of the needy and the oppression of the poore saith come Thy Day so prophaned saith come The spirit so grieved saith come Thy Spouse so often forced before Thy face saith come and because of the present feeling she doubles it Come Lord Jesus come quickly ease Thy selfe and Thy poore flocke of those Adversaries who have fed themselves and fleeced Thy Sheepe have made void Thy Law have taken peace from the Earth have valued precious soules no more then they doe old shooes * Am. 26. Come Lord Jesus come quickly and worke so that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily He is a God That iudgeth in the Earth Ps 58. 11. Thy Servant hath spoken doe Thou according to the greatnesse of Thy power and mercy for Thy words sake Thine owne sake Thy Names sake Thy Christ His sake Thy Churches sake His deare one the price of His blood His neare one as the Apple of His eye His only one His beloved one the Crowne of His sufferings the Glory of His shame and then will the Church ascribe power riches wisdome strength honour glory blessing to Him Who is worthy to receive all this for of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to Whom be glory for ever Amen TO THE HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT The LORDS and COMMONS there assembled NOw the Church hath tendred Homage to her Lord you will give me leave to be her mouth to you and to neglect Titles when your workes render you truly Noble and Right Honourable so praising you in the Gates I know not how to give flattering Titles said Job a Iob 32. 27. for in so doing my Maker would soone take me away Since Thou wast precious in mine eyes Thou wast honourable b Esa 43. 4. saith the Lord and you will beleeve Him I cannot crave your Honourable Patience neither to heare me out let that be as your leasure serves I must doe my duty and being the mouth of the Church whose heart is full and thoughts not so composed I cannot so contract as I would others may reade who need information and receive benefit there-from while you worke Follow on your worke in Gods Name you worke for a good Master whose wages are sure and like Himselfe He gave an Heathen King for serving a great service no lesse then a great Kingdome the wages for his worke c Ezek. 29. â—8 You have done a greater service you may expect greater wages A Kingdome that cannot be shaken for so God will honour you We say surely you have honoured Him so blasphemed in the world so sleighted and dis-regarded there You have got your selves a Name Verily we conclude you have wrought singly and purely to advance the Glory and to get Christ a Name in the world which as it is the end so should it be the worke of the whole life Worke-on You shall prosper yet more though you have prospered already to a miracle and know for encouragement if you needed any That while You are so working not Man only but God also is Recording whose Records are never laid aside being ever in His eye While you are giving out for the publike Good all good people are giving in to you PRAYERS and THANKS great matters both The one turnes and wheeles about things to Admiration being the strongest engine in the world and the greatest stocke you have upon Earth alwayes gaining because always trading Heaven-ward Certainely the PRAYERS of the Church of all her Sons and Daughters all the world over are for you a mighty consideration these onely make Prayers the other party speake onely or curse rather they doe not pray And all their BLESSINGS as mighty and prevailing now as were the BLESSINGS of the Tribes that stood upon Mount Gerizzim are upon your heads and endeavours a Deut. 27. 12. shower of blessings Much may be gathered touching the strength and noblenesse of
those blessings to blesse did belong to the children of the free-women the Church and her free-borne can blesse and they onely but yet though these were appointed by Moses to blesse yet there is not one blessing expressed and that is very notable by the way For by such silence Moses would have Gods people expect great Mr Ans blessings such as cannot be expressed by the tongues of Men or Angels but yet this good people must looke for those blessings by another that is Christ For the Curses these are mentioned not the people who must curse as if Moses were loath to name them for such a misery But the curse not causlesse must come e Pro. 26. 2. The point and comfort is which required clearing notwithstanding the haste for I would be very short though in such a businesse I cannot well frame to it the viols of the Saints so full of prayers and blessings are all powred out upon your heads and the Lord smels a savour of rest and peace from these odours for such they are being presented by the hands and through the Mediation of His Beloved Sonne CHRIST JESUS The Nations will rush now as the noyse of many waters There will be a shaking in the Earth much strife and contention there Who shall have the Day and overcome who shall returne ashamed from the battle with their hands upon their heads as Mourners A foolish question this I might as well aske what will prevaile most with God PRAYERS or CVRSES Who shall treade downe most the feet of the proud and lofty ones whom God resisteth and hath now cast out of their places or the feet of the poore and steps of the needy whom the Lord guides with His eye yet I determine not It sufficeth me and you too I beleeve that all the prayers in the world are for you all the blessings of all that can blesse there are upon you as assured yours as if they were pronounced by the very mouth of Christ and all the curses in the booke of God are upon your enemies and shall over-take them in due time if hearty Repentance prevent not So much touching the first great thing so prevailing in the world PRAYER You will be remembred of it again anon For as with Esther f Est 4. 16. you have commanded it so with her you will pray likewise THANKS follow and that is the subject of this Treatise a gaining commodity also freely laid out and the more freely so the more they receive-in the fuller are the returns and In-comes every houre These you have here from a most considerable person for I take a single word The CHURCH who can prise mercies speake them forth with rejoycing can skill in giving thanks for the time matter and manner and order in the same excellently well Thankes You may say That is a poore Returne No A rich Returne considering who offers them The Church and from her They never goe alone her hand goes with them she workes for you never was there a greater a better a more hopefull cause to set all on worke and her heart also she prayeth for you too she cryeth in the cares of her God night and day though you heare her not for so you reade of Moses he cryed * Exod. 14. 15. and yet there was not a syllable of a word heard Some doubts are to be cleared here the Method also which is easily done Another worke there is not so easie the answering some grave questions about the THANK-OFFERING Church-men so in name question it very much set themselves against it pleade rather not for a return of curses we hope but mightily set against a returne of thankes here they have indignation also saying to what purpose is this waste And some are so pinched gnawing their tongues that they know not what to say only they mutter that the LAW is against a Thank-offering too The Lord knowes how willingly I would have stepped over these blocks but He knows so I could not doe and not offend the Church and the Reader both so great is the offence in the way which by His strength I shall remove from before his eyes who is not resolved to shut them that he may stumble with lesse excuse and more impudence in a Sun-shine But I have so much wit and manners both to reserve this for him that hath leasure disposition and reason to hearken to it anon It will be sufficient for you if you take leasure for two things whatsoever the imployment is they must take place Consideration and Prayer the one will take up some length in your thoughts not more then may be thought necessary in this Paper the other may be lengthned also in your closet it shall be very short here Consider for it is also HIGGAION-SELAH g Psa 9. 16. Rem meditandâ—â— summè Jun. A thing much to be considered on That there hath beene no undertaking no Designe of yours all this time which God hath not prospered and no designe of the Adversary which God hath not cursed You doe consider this and is it not wonderfull That you should goe over such Mountaines all along through a Sea so full of straits and and rockes on every hand and yet not dash the foot No for you consider this with it That you have managed the cause of Christ all this while you have carried all things your Counsels and Consultations and Actions levell to that Marke the advancing that STANDARD call it what you will that GLORY Your Adversaries have done the cleane contrary Not any one ACT hath passed through your hands all this long Session not any one Vote from your mouth that hath sadded those hearts which should not bee sadded c Eze. 13. 22. The Church hath high thoughts of this thus shee thinkes Nay shee knowes That never was there such a PRICE put into mens hands nor more wisely managed then by you for yee have set your hearts to it d Pro. 17. 16. You naturally a Phil. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cared for the CHURCHES state as Sons yee served with her in the GOSPELL The Church wonders not at all this for 1. You naturally cared for her therefore you worke and are not weary Love feeles no more burrhen then the Woman did taking the Childe into her Armes being the true Mother b Exo. 2. 9. Shee did it heartily 2. Heere wee can discerne GODS hand with you Wee must say as the Heathen did GOD IS c Gen 21. 22. WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DOE GODS hand hath beene with your KING therefore hath His Hand beene so gracious to you and his heart is still in the same Hand not as Iron and Brasse and yet all is one to an Almighty Hand but as waters there d Prov. 21. 1. easily bent and called forth TO HIS FOOT e Isa 4. 1. 2. Vt aqua in areolâ quocunque dux ris sequitur Hier ep 16.
all that love to have the preheminence b Ioh. 3. 9. all that seeke honour from Men thy eye will tell thee which way those goe Why then as sure as thy soule liveth thou must goe a crosse way to all these now if thou seekest the right way the way of the just and lookest thy soule shall live hereafter for ever with the Lord. But I will wind up thy understanding by degrees I see thou art but carried on as others are by the example of thy betters who thinke themselves the two cleared eyes of the Land I will shew you the vanity and danger of following such persons and then answer what those persons that take themselves to be such cleare sighted men have to say And all this that thou maist joyne with the Church in her THANKE-OFFERING take hold of her skirt saying I will goe with you for we have heard and seene That God is with you a Zach. 8. 23. Ob. You object You cannot joyne in Rendring a THANKE-OFFERING for you see others doe not who account themselves the cleared EYES of the Land Schollers you meane Collegiate Men. Ans So you follow the Darke side of the Cloud you observe what is done not what ought to be done The charge is otherwise we are commanded not to put confidence in a guide b Micâ— 7. 5. Esa 55. 4. It is oâ— everlasting use to remember That we have but one LEADER given us and He is our COMMANDER other leaders we may follow but as they lead us to Christ and other Commanders we must obey but as they command from His mouth The poore ignorant people of old looked what their Rulers did and hearkned to what the Scribes and Pharisees Rabbies and Great Clarks spoke and so were miserably seduced and rejected the councell of God against their own soules c Ioh. 7. 30. A good warning this for you and for me at this time Secondly Consider Are these cleare sighted men They say so They say They SEE Therefore you may say and say truly their sinne remaineth d Ioh. 9. 41. And that you may know what you say observe them in their practise Certainely that old Sorcerer did not blunder more blindfolded then they have done for they looke to be promoted to honour they mind the wages of iniquity they love to receive honour of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God e Ioh 5. 44. only Lactantius sayes well f Lib. 7. chap. 1. Qui ambitione inflati c. your ambitious man BISHOP WOULD BEE he that is all for his wages he will blunder on and though you should tell him he is out of the way and the sword will meete him there and shew him as cleare reason that so it will be as if you should carry the Sunne in your hand yet he will reject your counsell he mindeth his wages and honour from men Luther said as much long agoe I will never regard what the Monkes say and lesse what they doe they plead for their bellies their ease c. light prophets put them upon the ballance and a penny weight upon the other scale that is their bargaine so they indent with the Lord and that will way them downe We had our lesson a little before But on LEADER and on COMMANDER But we must give these cleare sighted men faire quarter and heare their Objections first in the grosse and full lumpe Ob. They have beene heard speaking as they sate at Table when their bellies were full and was it not a good grace after meate That this Parliament had done so much against them that it might be called as the Councell of Trent the ILIAD of this age Therefore they had small reason to render them a THANK-OFFERING An. Be it so and suppose too some of them had beene clapt fast by the heeles they might have pleaded Iustice for it and merit both yet should they have joyned in a THANKE-OFFERING they should have praised God and Thanked man even for that IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKES then for imprisonment too 1 Thes 5. 18 To God they will say for they are not past grace Nay to man if we follow the light side of the Cloud I remember Mr. Bradford but he had another spirit an excellent spirit was of that mind and so he could doe If the Queene will send me to prison said he I will thanke her there if from tâ—ence to the stake I will thanke her there also There was a thankefull Man But if we cannot draw men on to be Thankefull for blessings surely we must expect they will murmure and curse too under crosses And yet it will be as cleare anon when I come to cleare the Method as the Sunne-beame That we must be Thankefull for all for imprisonment for stripes c. Thus in the generall We must now heare the particulars of their charge and those are two 1. What the Parliament have done touching Church-livings 2. Then touching Church-Men I must remember I am in a Preface now and would not exceed it's bounds When my pen did take full scope touching this double charge I am perswaded that I have cleared the proceedings in Parliament against both these double Benefices and perverse Men to be the most advantagious for the Church truly so called the most just and equitable of any proceedings that ever were heard of since a Parliament was heard of in the world for to say so much as may satisfie the Reader touching the first Charge how reasonable a thing is it first That he who hath an Office should attend upon his Office Againe how just and equitable a thing is it that Watch-men should be stirred up and not suffered to sleepe in the day loving to slumber nay to snore in their Cabines And it was strange Isa 56. 10. but yet so it was They could sleepe so soundly there who had blood for their boulsters They slept soundly while soules purchased by the blood of Christ are murthered at their elbow Surely this was because their beds were too soft and because of the sweat and rankenesse of their prosperitie * Vitium longe pacis oputentae secâ—â—â—itatis Sal. But He who maketh inquisition for blood will require this of them who slept where the envious man made havocke and destroyed or if they were awake then they drowned their Cates in wine Ob. And was is not time theâ— shouâ—d be jogged and their full cups taken out of their hands At but what encouâ—agement now to â—â— Schâ—lâ—ars when the maintenance is taken away from the Church and her proper inheritanâ—e â—rom her Church-men An. It is not taken awaie all the revenues there shall runne in the veines of the Church and be according to the first intendment not to maintaine Drones but the labouring Dee for the advancement and enlargement of true Prety and Learning Though we should note this there is encouragement enough in doing our Dutie in working the thing that good
vengeance against those treacherous Priests and light Prophets now He will recompence upon them all their abominatiâ—ns which they have committed in His house before His face Now He will raise up Carpenters which shall strike off those hornes that have pushed and goard and scattered the servants of the Lord m Zach. 1. 20. And surely all the undertakings of that High Court have gone ouâ— all along with God in His way And have the very stampe and seale of His Hand upon theirs to make Hâ—s worship truly spirituall according to His will and not clogged and mixed with humane Inventions Ecclesiasticall and Civill charges And he that shall looke upon them the actions I meane of the High Court with an impartiall eye that shall be but willing to understand them the meaning and tendencie thereof hee will be forced to beleeve as was â—aid in a higher case n Qui studuerit intelligere cogetur ei credere â—ertul de Deo cap. 17. That all this hath beene suggested to them by God and managed by His right-hand They have beene but as noble instruments bent unto His purpoâ—e and as the bow and sword in His Hand But remember this with it which was intimated before He hath brought upon them their owne iniquity o Ps 94. 13. and so hath cut them off Their owne wickednesse hath helped forward this great worke the casting out of these Church-men nursing Fathers in Name and no more for they starved their children They helped forward p Zach. 1. 15. the wrath for the slaying a whole Nation Now His own wrath killeth the foolish man and envy slayeth the silly one q Iob 5. 2. So as we may say in allusion thereunto and conclude as of old These Church-mens iniquity makes full proof of the Justice and innocency of that High Court r Probatio est nostra innocentiae impietas vestra Tert. cap. 48. If you will aske me now in the close what I can say against the office My answer is ready but yet I will say no more here but as St. Paul saith touching the LAW vve know the Law is good if a man use it LAWFULLY * 1 Tim. 1. 8. The next Objection scorcheth for it is from a tongue set on fire of hell Ob. That now they have cast forth Church men they will cast forth their King too out of the inheritance of the Lord They will rise up in battâ—ll against their King and can they expect that we should tender them a Thank-offering for that An. No sure the Axe rather or a rope let one or both be tendred to such Philistines who deale vilely with their King as if he were not anoynted vvith oyle a 2 Sam. 1. 21. and then shall these servants of the Lord be free for they can call God to record upon their soules that they rise up for their King against spoylers for their Religion against Papists for their lives and liberties against murtherers for their Church and Nation against them that would make fenced Cities ruined heapes and bring utter desolation to the King and Kingdome Church and Common-wealth and all The contrary is suggested to his sacred Majesty and so forced that he dares protest see how wicked Counsell may prevaile in the face of Heaven and Earth that they who seeme to be on his side and with him shall maintaine the Lawes just Liberties and Rights of the Church and Common-wealth Marke Reader Sons of Belial so much malice hath suggested and so far prevailed shall maintain the Lawes and Papists the true Reformed Religion men of bloods like Irish Villaines nay the very same shall safeguard your lives Reade on Those that are gone out to battell against these enemies vvhither soever the LORD shall send them VVhat are these men 1 Kin. 8. 44. Ob. Malice hath suggested but shee vvas foully out That most of them are ANABAPTISTS Ans Nay not one I say againe not one Malice may suggest That some one or two there is a Samaritan and hath a Divell for that has bin suggested against the Captaine of the Host b Ioh. â— 48. but that there are ANABAPTISTS there that is false sure because they are gone forth to vvarre and vvill maintaine it to the Death No ANABAPTIST then No nor Rebels nor Traitors neither though suggested so Like the dirt of Oysters it will not staine the righteous have bin slandered so of old but never has beene heard or seene such contradictions of sinners such contrarieties of Tongues and Wills as now a daies They can reade much written in commendation of folly and to some purpose They can reade also some sheets blotted in the commendation of the Ague the Feaver and the Gout Yea and one whole sheet in the praise of a Louse and three sheets in the praise of the vilest person but he was an Emperour that ever went upon two Leggs All this they may finde and reade in Bookes but they never heard or read till of late nor their Fathers before them That an Army most of Papists and the other looking stedfastly towards Rome in the same Kingdom haue bin commended for loyall Subjects to a Protestant King And an Army of Protestants charged with Treason and Rebellion against the same King But the Righteous are not carefull they can turne as afore-said to the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE and seeing there is no vvrong in their Hands They can say as David so persecuted before them The God of their Fathers looke theron and rebuke it c 2 Chr. 12. 17. This has beene the good mans comfort evermore when he hath been smitten at with the tongue My Adversaries can say much against me for he thinkes his tongue his owne but he cannot say I HAVE FORSAKEN THE LAW OF MY GOD So now malice may suggest that there be Traitors in Gods Hoste and most of them Brownists and Atheists she is not so shamelesse to suggest that most or any of them are Papists no Anabaptists If so be malice could have suggested that and have made the charge good where had our Hope beene Certainly had this Hoste consisted most of Papists it had gone out under the guilt of all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abell unto the blood of Zacharias and so downe ward unto this Day d Mat. 23. 35. but not one PAPIST no not one in the Hoast of God the enemies themselves being Iudges the Papists are all on their side all the world over And that it is so is â—n cleare as the Sunne when he shines in his strength All the Papists are on the other side and not one with the Host of God Surely here is matter for high praise to our God Blessed be the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost that Satan the accuser of the Brethren hath condemned his owne cause and justified theirs for behold all this is granted that all the Papists in the Land nay all the world over are on that
neare as can be in this world That her Lord and Christ may be if not All in All yet above all Beloveds the chiefest of ten thousand Why then all those things She thought against her were for her promoting her good very much Therefore Shee doth record that time and speaks of it with rejoycing finding by many good experiences That there is no Condition how uncomfortable soever but what is ordered according to Righteousnesse and faithfulnesse This ceâ—tains much we will then proceed in it SECT II. As the Righteous now doe so have all done before them They have recorded Dayes of Trouble for that was a meanes to settle them the faster on their Rocke and have been thankefull for their Hell here for that made them looke for Heaven where it is THe Church must remember the former yeares when they called her Marah because the Almighty had dealt very bitterly with her d Ruth 1. 20. She cannot passe-over that Time as if a Time let forth like water to waste Plowing and harrowing time is as seasonable for the Church as it is for the fallow-ground and she doth record that time thankfully and with an heart full of Praises for the deeper the furrowes are and the longer the fuller the Sheaves will bee at the Harvest Chrysostomes words are remarkably notable Evermore in your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 10. Col. 3. See â—hil 4. 6. prayers give thankes for knowne and unknowne mercies for mercies which appeare to you so to be and such which appeare not for mercies you received with a willing mind and for those which God did for you against your will be exceeding thankfull for them For your good things your comforts your refreshments your strange Deliverances your rich mercies yea and for your lucida intervalla for your well nights and your good daies Yes who would not be thankfull for all this All are not nay the fewest of many But the Father hath not rais'd up his children to the height of thankfulnesse yet You must be thankfull for your turbida intervalla sicke dayes and wearisome Nights for your aches and your paines for your troubles in and to the flesh the knotty racking Gout the tormenting Stone the bloudy torturing Strangury the burning Fever In a word you must be thankfull for your Hell here For Hell who can be thankfull for that they that are of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humb. 14. 24. spirit Their Hell here made them not to looke for Heaven here vvhich else they had done though they have their Lords expresse word for it In the world yee shall have tribulation in Mee peace e Ioh. 16. 33. Their Hell here made them to lift up their heads and stretch forth their necks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 19. and to stand as it were on tip-toes so earnestly looking after things which are not seene And this earnest expectation of glory hereafter even to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living this assurance of hope caused their very Hell here to seeme a very light affliction and its continuance very short but for a night an houre nay but for a moment a little small moment â— Cor. 4. 17. To conclude Their Hell here made them flee from the vvrath to come and that is hell indeed and the sense thereof raised up their thoughts and endeared Christ unto them the chiefest now of ten thousand O how precious are their thoughts concerning Chrâ—st A drop of vvrath burnt their flesh and vvas sore upon them though but for a night how are their heâ—rts enlarged after Christ vvho redeemed their soule out of all adversity and from the vvrath to come I have added a short paraphrase on Chrysostomes vvords he goes o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—yâ— Tâ—m 6. â—e 〈◊〉 judic and gives us an example I knew a man said hâ— a very pious Man he vvas vvho prayed thus as vve have heard and the first vvord vvas Thankes and that he first thanked his good God for vvas for his afflictions his Hell here So vve have that vve come for so fitted to this place vvhich is They put afflictions into the Catalogue or Register of Gods mercies and in the first pâ—â—ce Indeed it is no haâ—d matter to open the mouth in vvay of Thankefullnesse for the gooâ— things of this life as vve call them but to be thankefull for the â—vils that is an hard taske but yet the daily vvorke of a true Christian SECT III. The Church recordeth her evill Dayes when Shee saw Affliction HEnce we also may learne our Duty and see our patterne for according thereunto the Church Records and Thankes her Lord for her afflictions her pressures her tribulations her anguish her sorrows She gives thanks for her nights of mourning as wel as for her morning joy for her Aegypt in this life as well as for her Goshen here She thankes her God for her treading downe by the foot of Pride for that made her rise more victoriously for the blood vvas drawne from her because that vvatered her and made her more fruitfull She thankes her God for the Courts of Inquisition though bloudy Courts and all the Purgatory she lookes for because the oppression she felt therein and the violent perverting of Iudgement and Iustice pointed her eyes and set them stedfast towards Him Who is higher then the highest and made her to stay fixe and settle her selfe at that high Throne before vvhich the Judges must be judged and from which there is no appeale She gives thankes for her mockings Eccl. 5. 8. scornings revilings buffetings for all the hard vvords and deeds she heard and felt there O hovv thankefull is shee for all that thereby shee vvas made conformable to Her Lord and Head so Hee was dealt withall O how did She rejoyce at all this though perhaps not at that present all this makes their Crowne the more massy â—â—d weighty It added mucâ— to their consolations which â— 2 Cor. 15 7. are ever â—fter the meâ—sure and is their sufferings are The Righteous doe conclude thus That after the rate of their sorrowes and sufferings shall their comforts and consolations be And by the measure of their shame and reproach for Christ here shall their Robe oâ— Glory be cut out hereafter wherewith they shall be vested in Hâ—aven Therefore The Church thanks her God for her weakenesses and many infirmities They made her leane more stâ—adily upoâ— her Beloved That strong Arme For her slâ—ps and fals too they made her stand â— Thes 1. 10. more strong in her God and in the power of His Might For her feares they pointed her to her rocke that is higher then her above all For her troubles without and her terrours within For now She can admire her Saviour the mighty God of her strength For her anguish of spirit and paines in soule when She travelled with her Christ first and now with her
affected now as that Queen was at that time For behold a greater then Salomon is here and a greater Glory is put forth in His works now then could be seen in Salomons Court She must be in an amaze when she beholds the admirable strange and unsearchable wayes of Providence towards her this last yeare He made a path for her in a wildernesse turned the drought of her Summer into fresh Springs A poore blind b Isa 42. 16. Handmaiden She her Lord leads her in paths she could never have discerned never have spyed out with all her search by a way she knew not never thought of No as hid from her eyes as were the unsearchable wayes of her first Redemption Her Adversary led her more then once as they did her Lord to the brow of the Hill c Luk 4. 29. thinking verily to cast her downe headlong But her Lord wrought gloriously for her escape For as her Lord then so She now passed through the midst of them and went away She wondred how she escap't and was at that time as one in a dreame but being well awakened and comming to her selfe she remembred her Lord whose she is and whom she serves He upheld her with His hand But what thanks and praise are due to her God Who let out the wrath of man and gave it the more Scope so as the more it was let out the more it might praise Him Who so ordered the worke of an imperious whorish woman d Ezek. 16. 30. such was the Church in name so and her works such for she wâ—s impudently bold and past all shame whom they commonly called the Church to worke thereout good to his people To cause the summoning of a Parliament To make it hold and that a caution was put in for after-times What a confluence of mercies is in all this What abundant matter of praise And that when the Priests for the most part were brutish and the people but a little more reasonable as froward as that Israelite who coâ—nted reforming a killing * Exod. 2. 4. Yâ—t such a Parliament notwithstanding Who have layd a foundation of mercy for themselves and their posterity even for all the generations to come But I must not huddle up things so nor throng them together remembring That the greatest wonder which most engageth the hearts of the Righteous was wrought before the Parliament sate Therefore I shall take leave to begin according to my proposed Method and to set downe two Moneths which are not in our late Kalenders and then the Churches collections there-out in the same order Surely September there I shall begin it shall be to us the first beginning of Months the first Moneth of our Iubile to us For in that Moneth the Lord began to bring His Church out of Egypt with a mighty hand and to set His face against His Adversaries and toward His people And because He proceeded on toward the accomplishment of what He had begun and to make Himselfe knowne and to get a Name and everlasting praise all the Moneths after in allusion to the Spirits words touching Moses I will say of this yeare There hath not been a yeare since the Redemption like unto this yeare in all the signes and the wonders which the Lord hath done in the Land of Egypt To the Pope and to all his servants and to all his Land And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terrour which the Lord shewed in the sight of all Israel * Deuâ— ult â— CHAP. VI. September 1641. The Product thereof The Overtures and strange turnings of things therein SECT I. September The Product thereof AFter a strong commotion the waters will be sometimes swell'd and unquiet so likewise in our Sea This Moneth came in boysterously partaking very much in the malignancy of the Constellation then raigning The Souldiers for we must speak plaine English in the Countrey-mans eare busled after their manner but against all expectation The Priests high and low did more hurt good I should say yet no thanke to them for the good God ordered â—t so and produced it as He did the light out of darknesse for thâ—y were more cordiall then the souldiers they prayed against the Scots heartily and would set their people a praying too They would force the people to impossibilities To blesse God and curse Man perhaps because the Priests could skill in it Blesse with their mouth and curse inwardly * Psal 62. 4. But so the Bishops ordered it and so there was praying on both sides one side prayed in paper the other in prayer d Iam. 5. 17. And that the contrary side might pray in more faith the Scots were written Rebels upon every Post and Pillar by the Secretary himselfe It was time to rage and pray too for he had but a short time But when the cry against the Scots was great and the clamour against them very grievous it pleased the Lord to come downe and see whether they had done according to the cry and behold they had not But the oppression violence and wrong done against them was according to the cry So He stirred up the hearts of the Nobles and Commons both to fall upon their knees and petition God and their King That matters might be heard and a way thought on to stop the great wrath that was pressing in like a floud Then the Nobles went towards the North there the Clouds of bloud gathered and there the Heavens were darkest with a select company of the Commons And by the good hand of God upon the King and his good people a Parliament was resolved upon and newes thereof spread apace and came posted to London the 23d. of this Moneth About this time there were many meetings of Ministers every where and grave consultations about a new Oath and damn'd it was by every mouth to the very pit whence the Bishops with their c. digged it for there was a digging to Hell to hide their counsell c. At this time also the Bishop visited by his Chancellour and the new Oath was so corrupt that it made the old one very unsavoury So the businesse was carried in a great deale of heate and hurrey just as it is when two sturdy Rogues fall a swearing that which comes next to hand is their weapon and then no wise man Will come neare them Then the Chancellor with c. turned their backs and shifted Here began the troubles which shrowdly shaked the Hierarchy with c. Thus we have the product of this Moneth as it were in the grosse summe and how the end tended to a calme with them who heartily prayed for faire weather SECT II. The Churches Collections hence yeelding matter of praise and wonder in the strange Overtures and turning of things upside downe VVE were now full of stirres a tumultuous Nation indeed but the Church a quiet habitation still Notwithstanding the contrariety of wils and motions in the
was a woman once and that they may not be couzâ—ned the second time he must set upon a stoole so 't is related and before he must know himselfe to be Pope the stâ—â—ders by must know him to be Iohn not Ione And truâ—y buâ— thâ—t he goes to the stoole every day he would quite forget that he were a man for he is above the Sacred Scripture too This is the HEAD a monstrous Head he is MANY a Legion and more for I joyne the whole Body with this Head and all those Heads too be they Kings or be they Emperours or what heads you can thinke off who have given up their Head ship to this Head I meane their power unto the Pope have made themselves Servants to that SLAVE Slave What a word is that to give to such a tall Head The Pope in a voluntary humility gives himselfe that Title SERVVS SERVORVM What 's that In plaine English the basest Servant Sâ—ave for aâ— a Song of Songs is an excellent Song The God of gods is the true God the Lord of Lords is the excelling Lord thâ— Master of Masters is our Master in Heaven So a Servant of Servants is the lowest Servant the vilest basâ—st Servant a true Slave But there is the Head with all the appurtenances and adherents And see how he contrived and plotted to enlarge his Dominions to dethrone the Lord Christ to take from Him His possession not onely the ends of the Earth but the head of Kingdomes See I say how he wrought to establish mischiefe by a Law How hee sought to curse the people of God! For that purpose his Balaams were posted to every place and Altars built up there and all to curse those whom God had blessed and they must be blessed but considering the height the power the policie of this Head and yet hee could nor prevaile he could not curse that is the wonder and yet we heare not the halfe ¶ 2. VVE must descend to the TAYLE that Nadar that despicable part as that Earth is whereon the foot stands if it stands upon a muck-hill that stinging part the Text saith and we feele the sting is in the Tayle What is that the sacred Scripture interprets it The Prophet that teacheth lies he is the TAYLE b Esa 9. 15. Reader looke about thee and observe in passage where he or they are who teach Lyes They that doe so though they be dignified with Titles and Honours and Preferments though they have their Schooles and Colledges for their encouragement and to engage them the more to their God yet if they teach Lyes they shall not be called by Him Who giveth to every man his dues and right name not Seers not the Eyes of the Land but the TAYLE The Prophet that teacheth Lyes hee is the TAYLE And he is many too and how did he wriggle I cannot expresse my selfe how did he struggle and strive and contend to wriggle-in that Head the Pope to sting the Church and to curse those that stood on her side Truly this was told in Gath what What Prophets we have it was published in the streets of Askelon and the daughters of the Philistines did rejoyce and the uncircumcised did triumph True but their rejoycing was but short for the TAYLE could not sting His People Of the sting in the Taile and poyson in the mouth the Lord made a preservative a soveraigne medicine and Hee turned the curse into a blessing Blessed be His Name Now the Church prayes the Lord unscale the eyes and unvaile the hearts of those Prophets that they may see and consider what they have done and doe and pardon them according to the multitude of His compassions Amen ¶ 3. THat the marvellous workes of the Lord may be raised in our thoughts yet higher that we may have an high and honourable esteeme of them we must consider as followeth Here was a Head which thought to establish wickednesse by a Law here was Tayle-Prophets who taught lies and these prevailed so far that they brought the people on their side as the sand on the Sea-shore for multitude These made the People glad with their lyes and he was a Prophet unto them that could prophesie of wine and strong drinke a Mic. 2. 11. See here Councell and Strength is for the warre the Adversary had both and multitudes so many as we heard and yet see the over-ruling hand of the Lord Almighty these prevailed not neither by their strength nor by their councell nor by their multitudes as appeareth this Day There is the marvellous worke of God and a wonder To make the wonder yet more compleat we must take-in a third person the most chiefe and principall BEE LZEBVB their Prince and King the Angell of the bottomlesse pit hee keepes his nature still so he keepes his name still in the Hebrew ABADDON b in the Greeke APOLLYON b Rev. 9. 11. two names different in language and in sound but in signification one and the same A man slayer a Soule-devourer He hath his name so in the Hebrew because he is a mighty let to the comming-in of the Iewes no such offence to them in the world as your Images and Image-makers And hee hath his name so in the Greeke because the head of this faction mightily opposeth the compleating or filling up the number of the Gentiles For he opposeth with all his might the spreading of the Gospell the revealing that mighty arme of the Lord. We have the principall now the King and Prince we will put all together the Head the Taile the bulky-Body with the King over them What is the marvellous worke now what is the wonder This That the gates of Hell prevailed not Wisedome mighty for plotting and contriving was turned into foolishnesse Strength mighty for action was turned into weaknesse Multitudes did fall as drunkards had not so much power as women or as wounded men We have not all yet this must be considered also for this is our designe to advance the name of God in confounding such a Troope by such weake meanes The Righteous who seemed a very few a thin scattered people these spake often not only as in an evill time one to another â— but openly and to the Adversaries face These I say though Prudent men Mal. 3. 16. did not keepe silence no not in that time such an evill time * Am. 5. 13. I should goe on but here an Objection will thrust in upon me to take off from this wonder and to shorten if it could be the Arme of God even the right hand of the Almighty SECT V. The Obiection That the Arme of the People was strong here and the Arme of God not so glorious SEe the manner of Men before we heare them if we can see any cranny or chinke whereat light and comfort comes in unto us to that we will looke not minding the Sunne whose beam it is If our net be quite broken all to peeces we will scarce
cast it away we will thinke it may catch and hold something and so to our Net we will sacrifice that is to our owne strength and wisdome That did it God did nothing g Adrete reâ—â—rrâ—â— hoc est puâ—aâ—â— DiuÌ„ nihil esse Hab. 1 16. vid Calv. If the arme of flesh be strong we looke not after we regard not at all the Arme of the Lord the Right-hand of the Almighty But was the arme of flesh strong now nay was it considerable surely the Lord seemed now to cut Israel short h 2 Kin. â—0 30. Iacob was then very low as a worme now very small Surely it might be questioned now as once it was O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob rise for hee is SMALL i Am 7. 2. But see I say what hearts we have still warping nay still departing from the Lord. If there be any thing of the arme of flesh discernable whereat to take hold there we take our hold-fast and thereon we rest Just so wee did here Here wee saw Head and Tayle and multitudes and their King also all confounded Thanke the Country-man for this so they say and so they abate of the wonder and from the glory of the work We will examine the truth of that It is said the People in the Country were at this point wise enough and provident enough That 's true wise enough in their Generation wiser then the children of light and provident enough too for what For their owne private-wealth their particular interests Take them otherwise and in the lumpe and out of their owne tractes and they have little wisdome or providence at all True it is they were pinched now and that made them looke up from the ground wheron they are still poring They did howle because of their Task-masters which made them looke out for helpe and be a little more provident then ordinary They that pressed Ship-money should never have their voyces so they were resolved so tender they were in their owne ease and where it pinched but for the cause of Christ and His Church it is little in their thoughts I know the manner of men well enough by making enquiry into mine owne heart and the manners and customes there As our interests leade us and our relations stand there is the BIAS that way we goe and there we cast our voyce considering no more but that he is our most honoured Lord and Master Thanke the Country-man who will the Church will not till she heare of such an one who against his owne interest private-wealth and speciall Relation minded the Common-weale and so cast his voyce She will praise the Lord as vvell as she can and call upon all so to doe and blesse His Name for His good Servants vvhose voyces vvere sent up in corners And so we may count it a mercy that such a choyce was made but for the marvellous worke and the wonder we read it before and this that followes makes it yet more wonderfull That vvhen the Worthies came altogether and made a full Court then and there The Lord did so stirre-up their spirits as that they vvere carried some of them above themselves yea and I appeale to themselves against themselves I meane against vvhat they thought and intended vvhen they vvere entring the doores of the House Doubtlesse so it vvas else such things had not bin done as are done had it not beene even so But it is wonderfull in our eyes for it is the Lords doing Who when His vvorke is in hand vvill frame and mould the spirits of Men according to His good pleasure There is yet something more in it and greatly to be observed that the Lord sent forth a dry wind which sifted and sifted this Court now one was blown away anon another Now this man vvent his way and the other did flee away All this that it might appeare to all the vvorld that the Lord intended assuredly to doe His Church good by this Court with His whole heart and with His whole soule * Ier. 32. 41. We must learne now from all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great things vvrought these two Months these vvonderfull administrations and picke out great lessons therefrom CHAP. VIII Certaine Uses or Conclusions from the premises clearing forth unto us The Church by the DEFENCE that is still upon the GLORY their stability and innocency then our duty from all SECT I. Wee know the Malignant Church by their envy at the People the true Church because they are the But against whom Malice bends her Bow and yet is not able to over-throw them They are delivered still after that sort c. ¶ 1. THis will helpe us to decide a greâ—t controversie There are two parties both say They are the Church not in name but in deâ—d whom may we believe Enquirâ— and vve shall have full satisfaction What party have a Malignancy in them both you will say that 's true enough but I meane a professed enmity against God and goodnesse If vve can resolve our selves in this point Who these are We may take full satisfaction to that question It is said There are no Malignant persons in our Church none that have a professed Malignancy in them No! Is there no Malignancy in that monstrous Head nor in it's appâ—â—rtenancies and adherents None in that Tayle those lying Prophets Is there no Malignancy in their ungodly deeds and hard speeches None in those words which corrupt and eat as doth a Canker k 2 Tim. 2. 17. None in all this Perhaps it will not be granted that there is a Malignancy in the Divell who is their King and hath the keyes of the bottomlesse pit But in courtesie I demand and let them answer me as Men actions we say make the fullest discovery what spirit we are of was not that a fruit of utter enmity of desperate Malignancy madnes to hurry thâ— Church to drag her to the very brow of the Hill there shocking her againe and again that she might 3 Kingdoms at one shock fall down head-long from that precipice or pinnacle Certainly this must be granted to be a fruite of Cankered Malice Surely then by the fruits you shall know them to be no Church but in name so and that name is a Malignant Church Wickednesse â— 1 Sam. 24. 13. proceedeth from the Wicked as saith the Proverb and that 's the first Conclusion clearely evidencing Who is That Church and Who is the Church indeed And now I proceed to make further Discovery at this point Who is the True Church ¶ 2. We must enquire Against whom doth Malice bend her bow with full strength and shootes her Arrowes Against whom doe these Malignants bend their hand Vâ—godly Deeds and their Tongues hard words and their hearts destructive intentions Who is the Butt The white the Marke Who are they against whom in the puâ—suance of their most Destructive Designes these Malignants do carry all their ungodly Words
of their hands neither of their murders nor of their Sorceries nor of their fornication nor of their thefts e Rev. 9. 20 2â— When men have ascended to that pinnacle and height of wickednesse seldome do we reade that they have repented But then we reade as vve now see they have beene tumbled downe thence even then and great must their fall be when the time comes that God must ease Himself of His Adversaries †2. God hath a time to raise up His People When Then when Iacob is very lâ—w very small little in all mens eyes and lesse in his owne Then when the Worme Jacob lying at the mercy of the foot of pride trampled upon insulted over Then vvhen the Gyants and proud men of the Earth said to Iacobs soule Bow downe that we may goe over and he laid his body as the ground and as the street to them that went over f Isa 51. 23. Then God raised Iacob up then He makes them Israel for then His people vvill ascribe Salvations to their God to His right-hand all the glory The Earth mourneth and languisheth Sharon is like a Wildernesse now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lâ—ft up My Selfe g Isa 33. 9 10. For the oppression of the poore for the sighing of the needy now will I rise I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him h Ps 12. 5. I should be larger here wheras I have set but a marke for observation upon it ¶ 2. Now the poore Captives who beleeve will not hasten that they may be loosed i Isa 5â— 14. They can wait now Gods time for He waits the fittest time to give Deliverance when His children are fittest to receive it and to let it sinke downe into their hearts vvhich they never doe till they are emptied of self confidence If Deliverance came not vvhen they would have it yet they did not die in the pit nor did their bread faile Rescues and Deliverances did come at such a time when they vvere most sweet and seasonable Blessed is the man that maketh the LORD his trust And respecteth not the proud not how many nor how fierce they be he respecteth the Promise and waites Gods time in confident assurance that God will Ps 40. 4. come bring Deliverance with Him in His owne time that is seasonably ever the fittest time And so I pâ—sse on unto other Uses and certain Conclusions here from SECT IV. We cannot partake of the Churches Priviledges but we must be free of her Corporation NOw we will be on the Churches side too for we expect such salvations We will lay hold on her and will be called by her Name and expect the sâ—me Almighty hand to be put out for us and against our enemies Surely this is a good resolution to come under this shadow for here is safety notwithstanding all the noyse hurry and trâ—ubles that are abroad This is the sure side her Redeemer is strong He will give rest to her Land and He will disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon * Ier. 50. 34. The Church shall stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord that is certaine notwithstanding all the shockes they shall stand notwithstanding all the contrivings and policies to bring them to the Brow of the Hill they shall escape and the nearer she is brought the more glorious vvill her Deliverance be It is our wisdome to joyne our selves to the Churches side for it is the sure side Peace Peace unto her and Peace be to her helpers for their God helpeth them But stay a little Let us not runne away with the comfort as our manner is and neglect the duty the Lord hath wrought and doth vvorke great Salvations as becommeth a great God and seasonably in the day of trouble For vvhom for His Church yea and for me and thee for His Churches sake But our comfort will be small and of small continuâ—nce if we doe not our Duty as the Church doth She hath beene delivered I say marvellously delivered that is true enough but see she prayed for this thing she vvas importunate she gave her Lord no rest Indeed He told her He would be enquired for that thing d Ezech. 36. 37. so they wrestled and wept too and prevailed as we see this day Hâ— doth guide her by His Councell Whether For that she is not carefull whethet through thicke or thin as we say vvhether through rough places or plaine she is not carefull for that her Lord hath her by the hand that 's enough Hee guides her and will bring her to glory she is sure of that Glory is the end of her way what troubles so ever are in the middle of the way and in that her heart is assured Take all with it He guides Her He leades her yes and He commands her a LEADER and COMMANDER to His people that is the point and our lesson of everlasting use Would we be a protected people would we be guided by His hand He is a sure Guide would we be carried as upon Eagles wings We must then heare His voyce we must obey Him He must command us and no other but as they command from Him and lead to Him He is a LEADER and COMMANDER to His People Take we this comfort and feed upon it but remember the duty too a LEADER and COMMANDER to His people We would be as the Church is for we would be in as safe a condition and harbour as the Church is Ai but surely a VELIETY a would so will not serve the turn There is not a Balaam in the world not such a sluggard but he hath a veliety a would so he would have plenty and peace both he would have protection and safety he vvould have it now but at his end vvhen he must be taken from the Earth then he would in good earnest No matter for plenty then but for peace O but let him lay this to heart and muse upon it vvhen he turnes upon his bed like the doore upon it's hinges expecting that salvation will come unto him and drop into his mouth If he would have peace for that containes all he must up and be doing he must stirre up himselfe with all his might he must come out of himselfe and thrust out his Idoll whether one or many his ease his profit and his pleasure His excuse will not serve the turne that there is a Lyon in the way a difficulty he cannot overcome therefore he will not indeavour it If he saith so and is resolved to be lazy and sit still I pronounce against him this Day from the mouth of the Lord That Peace shall not bâ— his portion but the contrary When he expecteth peace behold trouble he shall have wrath with his sicknesse Tribulation Eccl. 5 17. and anguish shall come upon him like an armed man and when hee vvould solace his soule with peace vvhen he would see the
then He comes That you did now as wise-men strike in to helpe to quench the burning to helpe the Lord against the mighty that you did regard the Church now as the Lord regarded you once in a very low estate for this she blesseth God and thanketh you To speake in plainer English for this she blesseth God and you That having but one Priest one Altar one Sacrifice you did not defile all this at this time making many Priests setting-up many Altars commanding many Sacrifices all this as the statutes of Omri by a Law That when many Altars the same of other provocations were made to Sinne Altars were not made by you unto the whole Nation to Sinne c Hos 8. 15. That when the ROD of the wicked lay heavy upon the backe of the Righteous you did not turne it into a Scorpion and when bloud was upon the Earth upon the Church falsly so called you did not FEOFFE it upon HEAVEN the true Church So you might have done and have left the Church as a Widow forsaken in the Earth and comfortlesse there That all this was not done but the contrary she accepts in all thankfulnesse alwayes and blesseth God Who kept you from the pathes of the destroyer d Ps 17. 4. If this be not plaine enough this vvhich followes will make it as plaine as can be Ireland did contribute mony toward the WARRE What warre A Warre that vvould have ruined Scotland a Warre that would have sheathed a Brothers Sword in the heart of a Brother Ireland contributed mony toward such a WARRE Behold now The Sword is hathed in that HEAVEN it is drunke with the bloud of those slaine who contributed money to maintaine that WARRE Their Land is now full of the fury of the LORD the Rebuke of Thy GOD. You would not contribute therto no not 20â— for it had bin too heavy upon the loynes of the Church by a pound weight Behold now this Kingdom hath weathered-out the storme lies at Anker cast upward and is the very miracle of Gods patience to all the world I have heard that some say for some vvill be vvillingly ignorannt What great matter have you done I thinke verily no man is so foolish so forsaken of all his wits but he may receive satisfaction herein anon I will answer but this now What ye have not done Ye have not engaged the Kingdome in that Warre vvhich vvould have dashed the people one against another even the Father and the sonnes together a Ier. 13. 14. Blessed be your Councell and your Wisedome and blessed be you of the Lord for what ye have not done for it hath cast a sweet savour over all the Churches in the world But vvith your good leave I vvould rather ascribe all to your good God glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders b Exod. 15. 11 He councelled you His right Hand vvas upon you therefore your feet were kept from the path of the DESTROYER The Church vvould make her acknowledgement very full at this point That though there are strange vanities c. as was said yet not countenanced by law Though the Tayle-Prophets as they are and the Priests as they will be called both high and low are most vile and have made themselves and the people so having leavened the whole Land from corner to corner with poysonous and cursed corruptions in their Doctrines and practises though so yet there are no Statutes for all this but Orders against it Praise be to her good God for all this and all due thanks to you So also ¶ 2. That you received the Petitions from all Quarters of the Land heard the groanes of the oppressed made to serve under cruell Taske-Masters that you rebuked their Lordships tooke off their yoake from off the jawes of the Ministers and People that you opened the prison doores and mouths of the Ministers This the Church could record with more words but not vvith more thankfulnesse yet you shall heare more of it anon ¶ 3. That by your Wisdome and Providence the Church had such freedome the last yeare and such communion and fellowship with Iesus and His Disciples more the last yeare then 20 years before Time was and but as yesterday when they that feared the Lord spake often one to another but so as their voyce might not be heard for it was an evill time The Messenger of Satan was abroad buffering the Servants of the Lord in every place his eare was under their window Mal. 3. 16. and his foot at the doore and the sound of his Masters feet behind him So as it vvas the hardest thing to serve God without feare for it was a crime to be godly * Si fuerit sublimis fiâ—despicabilis si fuerit splendidissimus fit vilissimus si fuerit totus honoris fit totus iniuria Sal. de gub lib. 4. p. 113. Vnder whom it was alwayes unsafe to d ee well Tâ—â—it sup This the Church acknowledgeth with all thankfulnesse and behold the benefit you have commanded Prayer Prayer shall command for you for now this followes which the Church recordeth with all thankfulnesse and some wonder ¶ 4. That the mountaines have flowne downe before you and the Hils did melt and tremble My intent was but to name things yet the Church commands us to stay a little here and behold the great high lofty ones they are Mountaines and Hils fast upon their bottome behold the Lord hath shaken them given power to His Servants to over-top them to have Dominion over the mighty and to tread downe strength f Iudg. 5. 13 21. I say the Church commands us to observe all the peeces of the Lords providence here looke upon them apart then put them together She saith and is confident That this being done you shall see the most admirable worke that ever was wrought since the Creation and that AMAZING worke of REDEMPTION Next place to these two works this worke will take and in every good order for it is most fruitfull and big with mercies and brings forth every Day Had You not over-topt the Mountaines and the Hils and over-shadowed them You began well You shall goe on and prosper You could never have refreshed the vveary and parched vallies for those high places kept off Raine and Dew and Sunne-shine altogether But now that these are taken downe behold a shower of blessings upon the Land by your care conscience and vigilancy all this followes first SECT II. The Lords Day a comprehensive blessing to a Nation Indignation and wrath from the Lord against the prophaners of it And yet the Priests most notorious this way Your Zeale for it how necessary it should be fervent ¶ 5. 1. THe Church records and thankes That ye rouled away the reproach of Egypt and restored to her sons and daughters their Lords Day That she sees That Day againe in it's beauty and in honourable account from which the wicked hid their eyes and she her
performe according to the PROTESTATION even the Lord shake him out and emptie him c Neh. 5. 1â— The Lord grant thesâ— Malignants thâ—se sonnes or Bâ—liall these troublers of Israel vvho will be bound by no other cord but by the cords of their owne sinnes may be cut off even all cut-off that trouble the Church those that love peace and pursue it These sonnes of Beliall cannot frame to pronounce an holy just and good Commandment ô that they vvere dealt vvith now as those persons vvere vve reade of in the Text Then they tooke him and slâ—w him at the passages of Jordan d Iud. 12. 6. The Church knowes that there vvould be a greater slaughter then was that vve reade of and there fell at that time of the Ephramites fourty and two thousand Heere comes in a doubt and it will bee easily resolved The Objâ—ction â—s Ob. The Church is a peaceable Mother in Israel her Father is the God of peace her Lord the Prince of peace her servants the children of peace then sure the Church doth not know vvhat spirit shee is of that prayes for Fire and Sword to come downe from Heaven Answ Yes the Church knows she hath the Spirit of God dwelling in her and by that Spirit she can and doth pray as afore-said â—nd will fight anon and be a peaceable vvoman for all this and a true Mother in Israel and follow the Lambe here also for in some cases and none riseth higher then this He even the Lambe hath wrath and that must be executed by her Sword Nay more as she prayeth for this thing so she can rejoyce to see this vengeance and to wash her feet c Ps â—8 10. in the bloud of the wicked and the whole City with her yea and to shout for joy d Prov. 11. 10. These are wicked persons professed enemies to God and His Christ Without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers incontiâ—câ—t fierce despisers of those that are good Traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God not having so much as a forme of Godlinesse e 2 Tim. 3. 3 4 5. Pitty these vvicked Malignant persons and you destroy the Good shew mercy here you are cruell to the Church spare such and they will make havocke of Gods Servants as you see they doe and have done in all ages Wicked persons they and desperately bold and daring They would turne the Songs of the Temple into howlings f Amos 8. 3. She can rejoyce to see the vengeance yea and to wash her feet in the blood of these slaine And till this be done she never looks to have peace on the Earth for these are they who have taken peace from her Therefore she is resolved upon it now she vvill not onely pray but use her WEAPONS too Yes you will say PRAYERS and TEARES True for these are the Churches weapons and very prevailing nay commanding they are Prayers command God He is pleased to say so much and to yeeld g Esa 45. 11. so farre but the Church said she will fight too in a case wherein her Prince His State Crowne and Dignity is concerned for in all this the Church is concerned her Lawes Liberties Religion Life In such cases He vvill fight Let it goe it is good construction to apply a Masculine vvord to so Heroicke a spirit as I reade Queen Elizabeth did not well digest that Grammaticall nicety to be prayed for by the Title of DEFENDRESSE of the Faith DEFENDER vvas better concord in her Eares And indeed never any man Answered the Title better I was saying the Church hath another weapon which vvee call the Sword and she will make it drunke in the bloud of these Adversaries and yet doe no more then what she hath done in all Ages from the Primitive time downe-ward For though Prayers and Teares and these onely are her Sonnes and Daughters vveapons as they are private persons Yet as they are publike persons That alters the case and exalted in the Earth the Sword belongs unto them as their proper right and they stand bound to use it though then also They STVDIE TO BE QVIET h 1 Thes 4. 11. and know themselves CALLED VNTO PEACE so they may have TRVTH too i 1 Cor. 7. 15. The Church hath her Ioshaah's and they must not lye upon the face * Iosh 7. 10. wishing those even cut-off that trouble us k Gal. 5. 12. He must rise and cut-off those TROVBLERS it is his office so to doe The Church hath her Nehemiah's they may build with one hand and hold the Sword in another Shee hath her Davids the truest Subjects in the world as then hee was and yet their Hâ—ast may be as his was as the HOAST OF GOD l and all for their owne safety and to maintaine as â— Chrâ— 12. â—2 David did their Masters peace The Church hath her Princes and her Nobles and her Worthies blessed be God for them all to whom the Sword belongs and they are charged to use it for the cutting off those that trouble her and are enemies to her Lords Crowne and Dignity They are charged to be of good courage and to play the men for their King and His people and the Cities of their God and the Lord doe that which seemeth Him good d 2 Sam. 10. 12. Then in the last place ¶ 4. Private Persons must make Supplications THe Church makes her Supplication to you That you would rise up and be doing that you would avenge her of these Adversaries who have done what they can to take peace from the Earth All is contained in your Covenant every whit Remember that and you remember all and the Lord remember His Covenant with you for the darke places of the Earth are full of cruelty e Ps 74. Doubtlesse the Lord Who keepeth Covenant and mercy for ever will not breake with you now Remember f Deut. 7. 18. WELL what the Lord your God hath done for you That will give you assured confidence for the time to come Onely deale couragiously g 2 Chron. 19. 11. stand to what you have said and what in you lyeth cause the Covenant to passe through the Land and doe as the good King did vvhat you can to make the people stand to it h 2 Chron. 34. 32. and the Lord shall be with the good i 2 Chron. 19. 11. Amen for they will make their prayer to Him which cannot be in vain k Esa 45. 19. being one of the most prevailing things in Heaven or Earth but it is reserved for the time when ye as Esther l Est 4 16. commanded Prayer then it will appeare how prayer commanded for you SECT IV. The engaging the heart to God engageth God to our Businesse then they slide-on the loftinesse of Man shall be bowed downe and the â—aughtinesse of Men shall be made low Idols and Idol-men and Idoll-garments and bloody Courts shall
WHOSE FOVNDATION WAS OVERFLOWNE WITH A FLOOD The Church applies all this right even to the Judges and would have them apply it so too for they are able Surely they can looke backe and enquire of the dayes of old which will tell them that their Fathers in whose steps they trod consulted shame to their house Because of Mens bloud and for the violence of the Land g Exod. 22 22 23 24. shame devoured the labours of their Fathers h Hab. 2. The stone cryed out of the Wall and the Beame out of the Timber answered it woe to him that buildeth a House with bloud and establisheth it with iniquitie And so it was and is for these houses are consumed away by the heate of Gods displeasure as if they had been made as we reade Ier. 2. some houses are in Gothland of SNOW i O lauâ— dâ— rit Gent. Septen lib. 1 Châ— 23. The Lord grant they may consider this and trust to their Repentance and free acknowledgement of their crimes to that BLOOD above all which yet speaketh rather then to their Apologies which some thinke and all say are smooth and plausible A SAGE of their owne is cleare against them Thus the Lord Cooke speaks where he speakes as we may understand him Latine and English both and full to this purpose for I may not hit of his words being long since I read them The Law is cleare for free Subjects in point of Priviledge and property if the Client through ignorance and the Lawyer through wilfullnesse doe not darken it The Law showes a way very discernable to a cleared sight betwixt Mine and Thine If the Lawyer be at a fault here surely there is dust cast into his eyes and he deales treacherously because he will doe so not because he wants wit or knowledge but because he is subtle and wicked for he goes by the clearest Lights not single but plurall that any Science in the world hath the light of Nature and of Reason and of conscience all three Therefore the Sage concludes A knowing Lawyer whom wee commonly call good must necessarily be a good man or c. the Contrary as the Country man calls him who calls a Spade a Spade And the best excuse he can make why he dealt contrary must be his feare that made him clash against the Law feare of present drowning if he did not swim with the stream and not ignorance of the Law But here also our Chronicles gives us a famous example of a good Judge and a good man Sir Iohn Markham by name late times yeeld us one or two more King Edward the 4. outed him his place But the valiant Knight valiant for the Truth no Iudge thereof now gloried in this as well he might that Though the King could make him NO IVDGE he could not make him a DISHONEST MAN He could doe nothing against the Truth but for the Truth k 2 Cor. 13 8. notwithstanding all provocations and forceiâ—g to the contrary Our Iudges the worst part of them cleane contrary nothing for the Truth but against the Truth nor were they so much forced as they used forcing Then Iudgement was turned away backward and Iustice stood afarre off for Esa 59. 14. Truth sell in the street and equity could not enter c. For it followed just so Therefore Gods Arme brought Salvations He put on the garment of vengeance for cloathing and was clad with zeale as ver 16 17. 18. a cloake According to their deeds He did repay fury to His Adversaries recompenâ—e to His enemies Thus the Lord did for a peeled people that we might set OVR HOPE in Him and not forget His workes But behold we are turned backe we are not stedfast This is the Truth which appeareth thus ¶ 2 We mind our Covenant no further then as it may be a Covenant of Salt to assure us our outward Priviledges for ever That 's our great errour the Church confutes it and instructs us to Discretion VVE are not stedfast in the Covenant farther then it concernes our private wealth so far we will hold-fast to it as it doth maintain our outward Rights We are resolved upon the Question and let us now be begged for fooles or madd men if we doe not by all lawfull meanes maintaine the peace of our King His Crowne and Dignity and the Priviledges of Parliament for herein we must have a principle of profit to carry us the Rights and Liberties of the Subject are maintained Vowes are upon Him and Them the Oath of God is betwixt us the strongest engagement that can be to maintaine thâ— LAW and then the Law will maintaine us and all the fore-mentioned And that is all we looke after We consider not how spirituals strengthen Politickes that both King and Kingdome are established by Righteousnesse Therefore the Church mindeth us of a great principle of State government which is this That true Religion and Godlinesse is the root of all true virtue and the stay of all well ordered Common-weales And to keepe the true Religion pure and unstained ought to be the highest of all cares appertaining to publicke Regiments and the peace therof Did not thy Father Iosiah doe judgement and justice and it was well with him l Ier. 22 â—â— While he was yet young he begun to seeke after the God of his father and to purâ—e Iudah and Ierusalem m 2 Chro. 34. 3. And there was never any King before him or since that liveâ— so desired or dyed so lamented No not one But his son Iehoiakim not so His Eyes and his Heart were for oppression and for violence to doe it n Ier. 22. therefore he was buried with the buriall of an Asse they lamented not for him saying AH LORD or AH IS GLORY But what is this to the people much every way as what concerned the HEAD then concernes the BODY now because of that sympathy and nearest Relation betwixt them and what concernes the BEE concernes the BEEHIVE and vvhat doth good or hurt to the one doth the very same to both Therefore this is added They then and They onely doe seele the weight of Duty towards their Prince and Country they know the just bounds of observation towards both who can in a gracious freedome of Spirit arising from Their innocency and independancy except on the living God stand out notwithstanding all shockes against all corruptions in Doctrine and manners having a tender sense of both that there be no corruption in either And so doe wish from an entire and ingenious heart O KING LIVE FOR EVER It is not the strength of all united hands that can set the Crowne fast upon a Kings head not the pollicy of as many heads can make it flourish there nor can all the Arme of flesh put out to it 's utmost strength confirme to us our Liberties and establish the Right of Subjects No but it is RELIGION kept in it's purity Iustice maintained in it's
dost Thou take pleasure in those that hope in THY MERCIE f Ps 1â—7 11. for after times Good Lord what a good word is that Thou takest pleasure in those that HOPE in Thy Mercies This word is to Thy people sweeter then the Hony-combe They keepe it as a sweet Morsell under the tongue Sith it pleaseth Thee so well They will hope in thy Mercie that they vvill It is the manner of the Church I will looke unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation my God will heare me * Mic. 7. 7. It is the Churches confidence Thou wilt heare But if thou seemest to slumber she will waken Thee with Importunity she will give Thee no rest her Sonnes and Daughters vvill be Thy Remembrancers for they remember all that Thou hast done HITHERTO is That they might set their hope in Thee for after times g Ps 78. 7. They doe Lord they doe and they will give Thee no rest touching this thing even that Thou wouldst goe with thy Church yet farther even till the enemy be subdued and come no more into the coast of Israel to destroy there And they will trouble with their importunity those thou hast sent to heale us when we thought 2 Chro. 10. there was no remedy they shall have no rest neither Thou lovest an humble violence till they bring this people yet farther if but to that place where though there will be weeds many yet they shall not keepe downe the good Corne though Bryars there be yet they shall not choake it nay though Scorpions be there yet they shall not sting in Thy holy Mountaine Why Lord God as if this which Thou hast done were but a small thing Thou hast promised to goe with Thy people yet a great way farther for thou hast spoken good and comfortable words touching Thy Servants for a great while to come Thou art beginning we hope and Thou wilt not goe backe with us till thou hast finished we dare not make haste for some faith we have concerning this That Thou wilt hold the sanne in Thy Servants hand till the floore be throughly purged as becommeth a floore on Earth that Thou wilt root out them whom Thy right Hand never planted set Thy face against them who turned Their backes upon Thee walking so contrary That Thou wilt thrust out that which thou never commandedst nor ever came it into Thy heart ô Thy Servants thinke they have very strong arguments when they can plead the case before thee with Thy owne Thou hast said Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted Mat. 15. 13. up we know they have taken root but not by Thee and hâ—ld possession but not in right from Heaven Wilt not Thou judge them O Lord God and remove them from being Over-seers unto Thee Thou hast broken downe what Thou didst build and pluckt up vvhat thou didst plant k how much more those who h Ier. 45. have built themselves up with their owne hands and planted themselves upon their owne bottome Thou hast said Thou wilt be served in spirit for that service onely reacheth unto Thy bosome and that hath been the manner of all Thy Servants true worshippers Whom I serve in spirit saith Thy Servant i Rom. 1. 9. What hast thou to doe with a feare taught by the precepts of men Thou hast rejected them who did reject the commands of God that they might keepe their owne traditions k Mark 7. 9. Thou art the same jealous God stâ—ll Thou dost looke into Thy Temple still with the same eye and beholdest the abominations there both persons and services and we hope Thou wilt arise now and avenge Thy-selfe of Thy Adversaries who have made voyd Thy Law and the offering vile who have given Thy children stones for bread and foâ— a fish a Serpeâ—t Surely Thou wilt be avenged of such murderers Thou hast given Thy Servants a sure and gracious word of Promise Aske what you will and iâ— shall be done l Thy sâ—â—vants 〈…〉 aske nothing but according to Thy m will and it is thâ—â— confidence that Thou hearest them It is Thy will that we 〈◊〉 pray for the peace of Ierusalem Thy will that they should prosper that love it Thy will that the zeale of Thy House should consume Thy Servants and that the abominations there should vex their righteous soules for such are as smoake in Thy nose and a fire which burneth all the Day It is Thy wâ—ll Lord Thy Servants should pray Ease Thy selfe of Thine Aâ—versaries Thy Servants are assured they doe not aske amisse they aske according to Thy owne will Thy own command for Thine own glory that Thou mayest have a pure and cleane Sacrifice offered unto Thee that Thou mayest be the King in Thy Church and rule by Thine owne Lawes there they aske nothing in or for behalfe of their lusts but against them altogether that Thou wouldest be King in their hearts as well as in their Churches That Thou wouldest take all Thine and our enemies which would not have Thee for their King and slâ—y them before their eyes We doe not aske wickedly therefore we will never leave asking we will trouble Thee day and night with importunity and give Thee no rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 4. 3. till Thou shalt hearken and heare us and grant our request till Thou shalt perfect what Thou hast begun performe the word to Thy Servants wherein Thou hast caused them to trust till Thou shalt bring Thy Church THITHERTO to a safe place where Iacobs face shall waxe pale no more shall be troubled and tossed and vexed no more shall heare Thy Name blasphemed no more see Thy worship defiled no more Thy Day prophaned no more Anti christian Rights base beggarly Rudiments prevailing no more Thy Ministers villanously used no more Thy Servants thrust into corners no more and because of Aegyptian burdens and illegall pressures Thy people howling no more nor any breach betwixt Iudah and Israel any more where Ierusalem shall be a QVIET HABITATION where she shall looke from the top of AMANA from thâ— top of SHINAR Isa 29. 2â— â—o 33. 20. and HERMON from the LYONS DEN from the MOVNTAINS of the LEOPARDS then we shall â—â—ng the high praises Cant 4. 8. of our God Then Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be right glad saying HALLELV-IAH Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God Amen HALLELV-IAH FINIS