future united and bound with the strongest links and bounds that be under the Sunne that is by a spirituall Conformity of Doctrine and Discipline and that the Church of God and these three Kingdomes may flourish againe under one King one Law and one Religion And that we may the sooner obtaine from our gracious God so great and so wonderfull and unexpected mercy let all the Children of God addresse their fervent Prayers to the Lord our God that he will be pleased to returne the Person the love and the affections of his Majestie to his most loyall Parliament and that he will indue him as the head and them as the principall members of the Politicke Body of this Monarchy with this spirituall Grace of Perseverance that he may be the Josiah and they the Iehoiadaes to finish and compleate this great worke of Reformation to the increase of Gods glory the Consolation of his Church and their immortall honour in this life and their eternall blisse in the life to come Amen FINIS Mat. 10. 29 30 31. a Jonah 3. 8. b Rev. 15. c 1 Sam. 15. 7. d 2 Tim. 3. 5. * Isa. 68. â—5 Mat. 7. 5. Gen. 3. 5. Luk. 18. 10 11. 1 Cor. 11. 31. k Rev. 3. 15. l Exod. 20. m See Plutarch in their lives See the whole Book of Iudges n 2 King 193 350. o 1 Kin. 22 30. p Matt. 13. 25. q Judg. 17. 3. r 1 Kin. 18. â—â— s Josh. 7. 1. t 2 Sam. 16. 21. u Matth. 12. 25. x Nehem. 6. 11. y Josh 7. 25. z Jonah 1. 15. a Exod. 20. b See the Antiquities of Rom. c Titus Livius decad. 1. lib. 1. fol. 89. d Titus Livius deca 2. lib. 3. fol 351. e See Plutarch in Demetrius his life f See Plutar. in Alexanders life g See Plut in Pelopodias life h See Plut in Cicero's life i See Pierre Mat. in the History of France k See Iudg. 20. 20 35. l 1 Sam. 4. 17. m 2 Sam. 13. n 2 Sam. 20. 1. o 1 Ki. 20. 42. p See Plut. in his Opuscui q Titus Livius in his first decad. lib. 2. r Titus Livius in his first decad. lib. 9. s Titus Livius decad 3. lib. 8. t Herodotus in his life u 2 Sam. 15. 4. x See the history of France y Speed Chron. the first of Henry the 8. z Exod. 32. 27. a 2. Sam. 1. 15. b 2 Sam. 4. 12. c 1 King 1. 6. d Num. 25. 12 13. e Deut. 33. 21. f Job 8. 3. g Prov. 8. 15. h Jer. 31. 23. i Isai. 56. 1. k Psal. 82. 3. l Isai. 58. 2. m Isai. 59. 3. n Isai. 59. 14 15. o 1 Kin 20. 42. p Tacitus in Tiberius life q See the Spanish History r See Plutarch in Demetrius his life s Titus Livius decad. 3. lib. 8. a 2 Pet. 1. 10. b Phil. 2. 10. c Jer. 36. 7. Ezek. 33. 11. d See Titus 1. vius decad. 1. lib. 9. This may be paralelled with our last blow in the West e Dan. 7. 19. f See Hannibals life g See Plutarch in Paulus Aemilius his life h See Plutarch in Lucallus his life i See Des Serres Inventary in Francis the first his life k See Des Serres Inventary in Henry the fourth his life l Gen. 14. 15. m Gen. 37. 24 25 27. n Exod. 2. 5. o 1 Sam. 10. 4 5 6. p 2 Sam. 17. 7. q 2 Kin. 9. 36. r Neh. 2. 3. s Esth. 7. 3. t See Pierie Mat. in King Henry the fourth his life a Gen. 4. 8. b Livius decad. 1. lib. 1. c Gen. 31. 1. d Judg. 9. 24. e Titus Livius dec 3. lib. 3. f See Plutarch in their lives g See Plutarch in their lives and h Caesar in his commentaries Appian in the Civill wars of the Romans i See the Turkish History k See Sleidan and the French Hist. l See Du Halian in the French History m See Stowes and Speeds Chron. n See the Civill Warres of France o See Tit. Liv. dec 1. lib. 10. p Plutarch in Fabius Maximus his life q See Des Serres Inventary in the year 1500. r See the History of France in the time of Henry the fourth s Matth. 12. 25. t See Herodolus his History u See Demosthenes his life x See Pompey his life y See Caesars Commentaries z See the Civill Wars of France and La Noâ—â—e his Politicke and Military Discourses b Titus Livius dec 1. lib. 10. c See Plutarch in their lives d See Stowes Chron. See Speeds Chron. a 1 Chron. 21. 12 13. b See Hannibal in his life c See the Chronicle of England d See the History of France * See Matth. in Henry the fourthâ—i e. e See Queen Elizabeths life f See Titus Livius in his Decades g See the History of France h See Caesars Comment in the warre of Affrica k See Du Hailian in his History of France l 1 Chro. 20. 1. * See Caesar in his Commentaries m See thou. Liv. dec 3. lib. 8. n See Philip the Commines o See Plutarch in Marcellus his life p See Titus Livius 3. dec li 8. q See Marcus Crassus life in Plutarch r See Scipio admirato in the ancient Discipline of the Romans s See Plutarch in Caesars life t See Scipio Admirato in the Discipline of the Romans u See Titus Livius in divers places of his 3. Decade * See Montagnes Essayes chap. 15. fol. 38. * See Caesars Commentaries in the Wars of Affrica x See the siege of Amiens in History of France y See the Sweden Souldier 2 Titus Livius Decad. 1. lib. 5. a See the History of France b See the Civill Warres of France c See Des Serres in his Inventory d See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life e See Montlus Commentaries Rondachiers Musquetteers Pikemen f See Bayard Commentaries g See Titus Livius in his 3. decade lib. h See Caesars Commentaries of the War of Affrica i See Plutarch in Fabius life k See Serres in the Inventory of Du Hailian in his History of France l See Des Serres in the Inventory of France m See the Marshall of Montluc his Commentaries n See the French History o See Demetres History p Josh. 8. 12. q Judg. 20. 36. r Tacitus in the warre of Armenia s Tacitus lib. 2. cap. 5. t Tacitus lib 3. cap. 12. u Tacitus lib. 4. cap. 10. x See Guichardin li 3. cap. 17. y See Herodotus in the life of Cyrus z Jer. 8. 10. a See Tit. Liv. dec 3. lib. 12. b See Plutarch in the life of Lucullus c See Titus Livius decade d See Titus Livius decad. 3. and 4. e See the History of France f See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life g See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life h See the Spanish History i See this Cardinals life a See Plutarch in his Morals b See Plutarch in Lycurgus his life c See the English Chron. in the lives of Edward the 3. Henry the 5. d Jer. 9. 1. e Titus Livius dec 3. lib. b. f Titus Livius dec 3. lib 2. g Plut. in Pompeyes life h Marcus Curtius i Plutarch in Caesars life k La Noüe in his Military Discourses I See the Sweden souldier m See Plut in Mar. Antonius his life n See the Turkish History o See the French History p See Hannibal his life q See Plut. in Marius his life r See Plut. in Sertorius his life * See Hannibals life s See Hannibals life t See Des Serres in the reigne of Francis the first u See 〈◊〉 Liv. in his first 〈◊〉 x See Plutarch in Solons life a Tim. 2. 17. b 1 Cor. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 26. c 2 Tim. 4. 10. d 1 Joh. 2. 19. e Rom. 11. 1. 29. f Heb. 12. 1. g Eccles. 9. 11. h Ephes. 6. 18. i Matth. 21. 12. k Phil. 3. 14.
the true and faithfull Messengers of God that are among us might then be bold to propound to the people in their Sermons and publike Exhortations as r Elijah did to the People of Israel this Quaerie If the Lord be God follow him If Baal follow him for we cannot halt any longer between two opinions Moreover this Galimafrey of Sects and Religions and the licentious profane and impious men that shelter themselves in our Armies in the Citie and Counties are the very s Achans that are the cause of all our disgraces for they foment the contentions that arise between our Commanders in Chiefe betweene their Officers between the Lievtenants and the Committees of our Counties Nay they dare presume to foment them in our Senate Assembly between the Magistrates in our Militia Hals Citie and between the Citizens and Common People to the end they may subsist and fish in the muddy waters of these Civill distractions And therefore there is no likelihood that a true Reformation may be procured before these Sectaries and licentious persons be banished into the unknowne Islands that the venome of their contagious tenents may not infect no more any of the simple or ignorant souls of these three Kingdomes I am not ignorant that the Honourable Houses were very fervent at the beginning of this Parliament to give the precedencie of this intended Generall Reformation to the affaires of the Church and to the restoring of the Puritie of the Service and Worship of God and withall to have cleansed the Kingdom of this vermine of Sectaries and accursed thing of licentious and impious men as a most proper and peculiar work for such wise and pious Senators But alas our sins were the cause that this fervour was quenched and that holy resolution retarded by the cunning of Satan and the deluding insinuations of his agents I meane of the Prelacie and Jesuiticall faction which under the colour of the publike good infused the venome of these contagious positions into the hearts of men That there was neither Wisdome nor Policy to establish so speedily the Presbyterial Discipline in the Church of England because it would deprive the Parliament of the great contributions that might be collected out of the multitudes of these Sectaries that would rather goe beyond the Seas or side with the enemy then to submit or conforme themselves to that Discipline and that it were safer to delay till these differences were nearer to an Accommodation Wise and carnall men but blind and ignorant in spirituall things this Counsell being like to prove as fatall unto them as the counsel that t Ahithophel gave to Absalom to enter into his Fathers Concubines at noone day that he might make him uncapable of reconciliation with his father was to himselfe for it was as pernicious in a two-fold manner 1. That the Contributions of these Sectaries might prove among the Contributions of the Children of God as the mothers that breed or come in a piece of rich cloth that consume and spoile the same in a short time 2. That by the conniving at these Sectaries against the speciall Word of God we might be made irreconcileable with our gracious and heavenly Father And for to make this pernicious Counsell more plausible they said it was the Policy of the Hollanders that doe indeed give a free Toleration to all sorts of Religions because they are of all the Nations of Christendome the most addicted to the Laodicean Temper and will doe any thing for gain But this carnall Policy of theirs is like to prove fatall unto them for this Toleration of Religions hath already fomented so many divisions and contentions among them that will in all probabilitie be the cause of their ruine if they prevent it not by a speedy and a cordiall repentance for a Kingdome or a Common-weale divided within it selfe cannot u subsist And it is a wonder and a great mercy of God that we are not already consumed for never was a Kingdome more rent with divisions and contentions then England is Now it stands not with the Honour wisedome and pious inclination of the honourable Houses of Parliament to prefer carnall Counsels before the good of the Church of God They may be as prudent as serpents and as simple as doves but to allow of or connive at a small evill to avoide a greater it is not convenient to the Zerubbabels and the Nehemiahs of our times they are rather to say Should such a x man as I slee or should such men as we displease God in conniving for a time at Sectaries for their Contributions Alas these contributions are vanished away like the chaffe that is driven away by a whirle wind such a blow as we have had of late in the West would swallow three yeares of their Contributions and who can tell if it were not for their Toleration that it was given us and that these warres might have been ended two yeares agoe but for them But I am sure that y Achan was to be stoned before the Army of Israel could overcome Ai And that z Ionah was to be cast over-board into the sea before the ship and the Marriners could obtaine a calme Nay the erectors of our New Jerusalem are to be like Moses that rejected the honours riches and the pleasures of Egypt to suffer reproach and affliction with his brethren the Children of God And like Zerubbabel and Nehemiah that forsooke the great preferments that they had at the Court of Cyrus and of Artaxerxes the two great Kings of Persia for to erect the second Temple and restore the puritie of the ancient Service of the Jewes Now so much more as the building of this New Jerusalem doth exceed in worth and infatigable labour the reedifying of the old and as much as the restauration of the puritie of the Service and of the true Worship of God doth exceed the ancient Service of the Jewes So much should the Zerubbabels and the Nehemiahs of our daies endeavour to exceed in courage fervour and zeale in this great worke and acceptable Service of the Lord I meane in perfecting this true Reformation in hand But because they are but men and subject to the like passions and infirmities as we are we are all bound in generall and every one in particular to addresse our fervent prayers to the Throne of Grace That God will be pleased to indue them with all such abilities of courage resolution wisedome and unitie that they may speedily erect the foundations of this so long hoped for Jerusalem upon the Rock of the true Word of God that it may stand like Mount Sion for ever immoveable notwithstanding all oppositions whatsoever of the roaring waves of the swelling billowes and of the inraged seas of these Civill distractions to the great Glory of God to the everlasting Consolation of his Children and to the immortall honour of the Erectours The second Secondary Cause is The Delay of Iustice THe Heathen
and by consequent more to be regarded then the preservation of their bodies because it is the most necessary Grace for Christians to attain to eternall blessednesse for upon their perseverance in the wayes of righteousnesse or the neglect and intermission of it depends their eternall woe or their eternall blisse And this supernaturall grace is as free a gift of God as faith and repentance is and not incident to naturall or unregenerate men but only peculiar to the true children of God and is as it were the very seale of their Election Adoption Calling and Justification and a true earnest of their future Glorification For except they persevere in the wayes of Piety and Righteousnesse from their first Calling to their end in mortifying their corruptions carnall desires the lust of the flesh and live religiously and soberly in this present world they will utterly fall away from the faith as did a Hymeneus and Philetus and loose all that they have wrought Now the greater this gift of Perseverance is the more are they to be earnest and diligent by fervent and continuall prayers and humble Supplications to God to obtaine it and the greater is their obligation to him when they have received the same This excellent Grace is compared to a Race where all run but none obtaines the prize but such as persevere to the end for it is nothing for men to begin well and to be fervent and active in all the duties of Piety for a moment of time or to cast forth flashes of zeale to seeme to advance the Glory of God and their owne private or the generall Reformation that is now in hand except they continue till the worke be done that they may so run that they may b obtaine The Architector that begins an excellent structure and does not make an end of it nor finish it after that exquisite Symetry that it was begun but for want of patience or to save charges leaves it unperfected or changeth the forme or composition of the first erection from a Corinthian forme to the Toscan or Jonique that are inferiour to it in charges beauty and excellency doth diminish his reputation and not increase the same for it is not the beginning but the compleating of a work in all perfection that honours and recommends the workmen Even so will it be with private men that begin well and walke fervently in the wayes and duties of Piety but doe not continue to the end And also with our Worthies if they should not porsevere to the end in this blessed worke of the true Reformation they have begun For as the Apostle saith concerning our Christian Calling That there are not many wise nor many mighty nor many noble after the flesh called Even so among so many millions of men of all degrees that inhabite these three Kingdomes there are but some few hundreds that have been called to this blessed worke of the Lord And this extraordinary grace and honour they have received of him should in my opinion induce them to persevere in this great worke till it be perfected for the lesser the number is the greater will be their honour because their unparalelled labours will be the greater And as for those that out of that small number have deserted the work preferring like c Demas and Alexander the love of this world before the glory of God let not their Apostasie be a motive of discouragement to the faithfull Ones but rather of a greater assurance of their perseverance in grace from which the others are fallen off as I will endeavour to make it appeare by instances 1. They began to run in the race but they continued not for as the Apostle saith If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made d manifest that they were not of us c. 2. They had but a generall and superficiall calling and not the eternall nor speciall personall and peculiar calling For the gifts of God saith the Apostle are without e repentance c. 3. Nor the patience to run the race that was set f before them c. 4. Nor the grace to consider that the prize of this race was not to be obtained by the swift nor the victory of the g battell by the strong but by the grace of the Lord of Hosts c. 5. Neither did they by prayers and supplications nor by h watching and reiterated petitions require this grace of Perseverance of God c. 6. Nor considered that the Laodiceans and faint-hearted men cannot obtain the Kingdome of God but onely the fervent and the i violent carrie it away c. 7. and such that presse toward the k marke for the price of the high calling in Christ Jesus c. O what a measure of supernaturall Grace hath been then infused into those members of the Honourable Houses that have remained constant untill this day and that shall by the grace of God persevere unto the end and finish and compleate upon the immoveable Rocke of the Word of God this excellent Fabricke of the true Reformation already begun The greatest worke that ever was done in Christendome considering the potent and numerous opposers they are like to have that like so many Giants will with all the malice and power of the agents of the Prince of darknesse endeavour to traverse this spirituall building But let them not be discouraged for since they have God on their side none shall be able to oppose nor hinder the perfecting of it If they doe but persevere as they have begun and tread for the time to come under their feet all carnall policies although they seeme according to humane reason necessary and much conducing to that end but truly and really most destructive to it as I have noted in my first Chapter for the true Worship of God is to have the precedencie in all Reformations for the delayes of it that are grounded upon Civill Politicke or Military respects doe but spinne out this warre and make all other endeavours fruitlesse and the very worke it selfe more difficult as we have had woefull experience of it since this warre begun And will alwaies be so untill it be prosecuted before all other affaires by an unanimous Perseverance and integrity of heart by them in Authority that God out a speciall mercy to this Nation hath elected and preordained by his eternall purpose out of so many millions of men to doe this worke before the beginning of the Creation and to be the faithfull Reformers of the abuses and Innovations that were crept into the Church of England and the famous Restorers of the Purity of the true Worship of God in all the Dominions of his sacred Majestie as it is now in Scotland and in all the best reformed Churches of Christendome That the mindes and affections of the people of England Scotland and Ireland may be for the