Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	great_a	king_n	slay_v	3,766	5	8.1107	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93348	Great Britains misery; with the causes and cure. Described first, as it is from the justice of God the authour, who is now in controversie with the inhabitants of the land for sin: especially for eight capitall crimes, all which are aggravated by sundry circumstances. Secondly, the injustice and malice of the instruments of this misery, Satan and his agents: their main aime, and particular ends, moving them therunto. Vindicating, plainly and fully, (by way of answer to severall objections) the lawfulnesse and necessity of raising arms by the Parliament, and kingdom; for the defence of the King, kingdom, religion, laws, and known rights of the subject: against that viperous generation of papists, atheists, delinquents, and licentious men, who have at once invaded all. ... / By G.S. Gent. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1643 (1643)	Wing S4037; Thomason E250_4; ESTC R212534	90,980	68

GREAT BRITAINS MISERY WITH The Causes and Cure DESCRIBED First as it is from the Justice of God the Authour who is now in controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land for Sin Especially for Eight capitall Crimes all which are aggravated by sundry Circumstances Secondly the Injustice and Malice of the Instruments of this Misery Satan and his Agents Their main aime and particular ends moving them thereunto Vindicating Plainly and Fully By way of Answer to severall Objections The Lawfulnesse and Necessity of Raising Arms by the Parliament and Kingdom For the Defence of the King Kingdom Religion Laws and Known Rights of the Subject Against that Viperous generation of Papists Atheists Delinquents and Licentious men who have at once invaded all Showing The means how to appease Gods flaming wrath and suppresse these insolent disturbers of Britains Peace and destroyers of three late flourishing Kingdoms Also motives to use the Means and Incouragement to beleeve confidently and hope patiently for a seasonable deliverance from our present calamities with severall Reasons or Grounds of assured successe and glorious Sun-shine of Peace and Truth Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts c. Ier. 30. 17. I will restore health unto thee I will heal thy wounds saith the Lord c. Pro. 25 5. Take away the wicked from before the King and his throne shall be established c By G. S. Gent. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford LONDON Printed for Laurence Chapman and are to be sold at his Shop in Holborn at Chancery Lane end 1643. hands of the builders Thus it is now in the building of Gods Temple Reformation of Religion and of Laws For my self I freely offer my self a labourer to help forward the building willing to bear some burden to the work my will is good my ability is small but I know God will accept a willing minde and expects no more in performance then he hath given strength If with an honest heart I bring but an handfull of Goats hair to the building of Gods Talernacle or with the poor widow cast in my mite into Gods Treasury it shall be accepted with God Upon which assurance I have brought some rough materials not fit to face the Work as those Pieces wrought by men of art and skill but may serve to strengthen the fabrick in some places where they best fit My end is Gods glory my endeavour to satisfie thee if it be possible to undeceive the ignorant who are seduced and to establish the doubtfull that every one to his power may help forward Gods work and cure their own misery Thy misery thou feelest if thou have either estate or sence The Causes are laid down in the following Discourse and that truely without envy or flattery as also the Cure is prescribed which if thou read and read all thy little labour in reading shall sufficiently satisfie my much more labour in writing for it is done for thee It is my Duty to admonish my Brother and will be my Brothers greater Iev 19. 17. Jam. 5. 20. Misery if he refuse admonition My warrant is from Gods Word and Gods Word is also thy precept to hear and avoid sin It is true and I confesse it I am one of the weakest and most unworthy of all Gods Labourers but I am bound to do what I am able Now God requires it of all who expect any inheritance with Gods people My resolution is like that of Esther in the like case If I perish I perish I speak but truth and that for God the King Est 4. 16. his kingdoms and posterities and for the persecuted people and church of God which I am sure is no Treason but Dutie I do it with upright Conscience to God and Loyaltie to the King and if I perish in Gods Work I shall be freed from perishing I passe not for the judgement of mans Day God is the righteous Judge of me and of him who judgeth me If thou accept my endeavour and through Gods blessing it be any advantage to thee lend us thy Prayers who shall ever pray for thee and give the glory to God Thine G. S. Great Britains Misery WITH The Causes and Cure IF it be misery to lie under the afflicting hand of the Almighty God when his Wrath is kindled against a people to consume and to destroy Then is Great Britain miserable now lying under that revenging hand miserably afflicted by a seditious cruell and unnaturall War under which the whole land bleedeth and the inhabitants are daily cut off and consumed Which misery although all men see and feel yet few of all are truely sensible of their misery and that is the greatest of miseries It is true the inhabitants of England and Ireland see the bloody distractions of the Kingdoms and seel the P●sse of their Estates Liberty and Trading Their persons injured their moneys exhausted houses Plundered Towns Corn and Barns burnt Their goods and Cattell taken from them by violence Their friends kinred neighbours and servants slain by the sword c. But this is not all The misery of Great Britain is more as will clearly appear when we consider the causes of it the ends aimed at and neglect of the remedy to cure it He that knows not his Disease seeks not for Cure And Diseases are best known by their Causes being knowne and removed the Cure is not difficult The efficient and first cause of all misery is God And the want of serious God onely is the cause of all misery and due confideration of this That Gods hand is in every affliction augments the Misery and hinders the Cure This very thing is complained of by the Prophet The people saith he turneth not to him that smiteth them nor do they seek the Isa 9 13. Lord of bests But such stupidity hath possessed the most of the inhabitants of Great Britain in this their miserable calamity that although they feel the stroke they consider not whence it cometh nor why it is either as it is from God or as it is from men We see the rod that 〈…〉 not the hand that holds it we 〈◊〉 a● the sma●● as a 〈…〉 and like C●i● complain of the punishment But we seek not God ●hat us We complain of secondary causes and cry out of other mens faults but no man saith of himself What have I done Jer. 8. 6. Some complain of the diversity of opinions in matters of Religion the many Sects and Schisines not suppressed but rather allowed to the great disturbance of the nation overthrow of Order and Government and cause of all these evils and distractions in the Kingdoms Some cond●mn the city of London and say The tumultuous multitudes that daily flockt to Westminster with importunate requests were the cause of all they made the King leave London and flee to York and to get first a guard for the safety of his person a●t●r an army to defend

for the great affaires of the kingdome and besides them we know none nor can acknowledge any other being of Soveraigne and highest power The King only above them in person and Prerogative to call them together as the necessity of the kingdome requires of which they are conservers for the kingdome is not wholly the Kings but the people have See Senec. in Clem. l. 1. c. 19. a propriety The King indeed is the head to defend and preserve the people so it is his to preserve the peace of it but not to destroy it The covenants and conditions made betweene the Kings of England and the people at Kings are bound to keep their covenants with their subjects See Fren. Accad c. 55. of L●●o See Dr. Will. in com 5. and Bish Andrewes ●●de●n their Coronation are as it were annexed to the Crowne and the King in conscience bound to observe and keepe for the peoples good and Parliaments bound in conscience and justice to defend on the peoples behalfe as the people are bound to obey the King for his authority so the King is bound to make good his covenants to the people which he cannot nor may violate without dishonour to God and manifest injury to his people having taken oath to performe and maintaine the same And those rights so reserved to the people they may and ought by the authority of Parliament to defend being assaulted against all opposition I say the people are bound to defend their Lawes Religion lives estates and liberties by the authority of Parliament not that any private man or men may make resistance against the authority of a King private men are bound to obey or suffer the penalty of the Law although the Laws be corrupt and wrested to injustice Thus did many Worthies in this kingdome Many Worthies of this kingdom while they were but private men suffered all penalty of tke Law and against Law both under the government of King James and our now Soveraigne King Charles When oppressed by Loanes Monopolics Ship-money Knighthood-mony and abundance of such unjust taxations though they refused the taxes being contrary to Law and destructive to Parliaments yet they submitted to the censure of Law though the Law was then by a fuger the Judges and handlers of the Law corrupted pronouncing unjust sentences upon which came sinings imprisonments dismembring banishment c. Yet for all this we did not nor might make any resistance all we did was but to make our humble complaints by petitions and humble supplications to his Majesty and especially our prayers to God for redresse that we might be eased of our burdens under which we groaned and some perished taking it as a just scourge from the hand of God for our sins to suffer our Kings to be ruled by a Malignant counsell to oppresse and afflict their loyall people it was one of the judgenents that God threatned against Jerusalem I will give Job 34. 30. children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them the people shall be Esa 3. 4 5. vers 12. oppressed every one by another and women should have rule over them and againe I gave thee a King in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath an oppressing or ungodly King is the wrath of God upon a Nation otherwise Hos 13. 11. there should be saith reverend Calvine no more said of a King then of a common robber that violently taketh away thy goods and an adulterer See Calv. instit l. 4. c 20. Sect. 25. that defileth thy bed of a murderer that seeketh to kill thee but as he beares the image of God and is the hand of God to afflict though else worthy of no honour he must be had in estimation and honoured and not to be resisted by private men But God hath appointed his times and meanes when and how such unnaturall and oppressing Kings shall be curbed though he use them for a time God appoints times means to deliver his Church to afflict his people he will raise up meanes to afflict them and avenge himselfe upon them for their injustice and deliver his people from their tyranny it is in Gods power to make private men of publike authority and arme them by his owne authority to execute publike justice as he stirred up Moses to deliver his people from the cruelty of Pharaoh by strong hand so Othniel Exod 3. 7. Judg. 3 8 9. Calebs brother to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of Cusban-risbatbim and by Deborah and Barak he delivered them out of the hands of Jabin King of Canaan And he stirred up Gideon for a deliverer of his people who Judg 46. 24. by inspiration first brake downe the Altars cut downe the Groves and spoyled all the idolatry of the idolaters and then gathered a mighty army and Judg 16. 27. Iudg. 7. 37. vers 25. God gave his enemies into his hands by a sinall army of three hundred men and so from time to time when for their sinnes God had afflicted them he stirred them up deliverers armed by his owne authority against Kings the greatest in power saith Calvin subdued the lesser and gave deliverance to his people And by such meanes and in such cases it is lawfull to take up armes against the tyranny of Kings Such deliverers God hath stirred up unto us in England at this day Who This Parliament called by the speciall providence of God can deny but this Parliament was called by the special hand providence of God assisted by the authority of the King by order of his Writs issued forth into all counties to bring them together his Majesties good correspondency with them in the beginning till incensed by Malignant counsell and established by his Majesties own act and is now as we have said before of Soveraigne authority his Majesty having by his Regall act stamped upon them his owne image his great Councell and supreame Court of justice accounted so by all Kings of this kingdome confirmed by the oldest Lawes iterated from generation to generation What their authority is how ancient and of what power is described fully by the zealous and learned Author of that treatise intituled the Soveraigne power of Parliaments and Kingdomes divine Calvin saith of Parliaments that they ought to withstand the outraging licentiousnesse of Kings Nay saith he I affirme that if they winke at Parliaments are bound to withstand the outrage of Kings Calvin in Instit l 4. c. 20. Sect. 32. Kings wilfully raging over and treading downe the poore commonalty their dissembling is not without breach of saith because they deceitfully betray the liberty of the people whereof they know themselves to be appointed protectors by the ordinance of God Then I say if Parliaments are protectors of the peoples liberties much more ought they to protect their Religion and to defend it with the hazard of their dearest blouds against all opposers I remember a story

cruell beasts Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Kine of Bashan c. And the Prophet Amos tells them That the Lordhath sworn by his Ames 2. 4. holinesse that he will take them away with hooks and their posterity with 〈◊〉 as such devouring beasts and fishes are taken that bite and devour one another The stronger devour the weaker and greater eat up the lesser So the Prophet J●remiah complained That among the people there were wicked appressing Jer. 5 26. men who set traps to catch men Deceit was in their houses by it they became great and were waxen rich Therefore the Lord will be avenged on such Vers 28. 29. a nation as this Fifthly Murther This is another crying sin And this is committed either The fifth sin Murder by shedding innocent blood or by withholding judgement from the shedders of blood The blood that is shed cryeth loud against both these and ascends into the ears of God It is a sin against nature forbidden long before the Law was given by Moses and it was punished in the first age of the world The Gen. 9. 5. 6. voice of Abels blood cryed upto God from the earth It is expresly commanded Gen 4 11. That the blood shedder shal be delivered to the hands of the avenger of blood the reason is given in Verse 10. That the guilt of innocnet blood lie not upon Deut. 19. 12. the Land If blood lie upon a nation it leaves a stain that cannot be put out except Judgement be executed The guilt of blood may die long upon a nation till men seem to forget it but the Lord will not let it escape punishment If the Magistrates of the Nation do not punish it God will punish the Magistrate and the Nation too Saul slew divers of the Gibeonites causlesly contrary to Josh 9. 15. the Covenant and Oath which Joshua and the Princes of Israel made with them And long after in the dayes of David God sent a famine in the Land 〈◊〉 Sam. 21. 1. three yeers for that sin Till David executed Justice upon the sons of Saul the Gibeonites were but slaves to Saul and all Israel Yet see Gods Justice Sauls sons though of the Royall blood they must die for it God is no respecter of persons Where Judgement is not duely executed by man God will do it with his own hand some other way on whomsoever are guilty Now if Great Britain be guilty of such blood as surely it is then no marvell that God hath whet his glittering sword against us and made his arrows drunk with Deut. 32 41. blood to avenge the bloods of the innocnet and to destroy the withholders of Justice for he will avenge the blood of his servants and render vengeance Verse 43. 2 Kings 24. 4. to his adversaries The Lord sent the Caldecs Syrians Moabites and the children of Ammon against Jehoiakim to avenge the blood that Manasseh had shed in his dayes Though God be patient yet he is just God in Scripture is Psal 9 12. said to make inquisition after blood we see he did for the blood of Naboth which Ahab by Jezebel had shed and made the Dogs to lick the blood of Ahab ● Kings 21. 19. 2 Kings 9. 7. in the same place where they had licked the blood of Naboth and of Jezebelt by the wall of Jezreel and cut off the bloody house of Ahab by the bloody sword of Justice Sixthly Drunkennesse This sin is of a double provocation First it provokes The sixth sin is Drunkennesse Isa 5. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 10. God to wrath as it is a transgression of his law and is by the Apostle excluded from the kingdom of heaven Secondly it provokes men to the breach of every Commandment of God either to the act or guilt of all grosse sins as Murther Whoredom Stealing Lying and Swearing a sin under which the Land mourneth it takes a way the heart from God and inclines it to all wickednesse Wo is the portion of them that follow after strong drink Hos 4. 11. Prov. 23. 29. Isa 5. 11. Verse 22. Joel 15. Deu 29. 19. 20 and to them that are strong to drink strong drink The Prophet Joel awakes the drousie Drunkards and bids them weep and howl But the Drunkard is of all men most fearlesle till the Judgement be upon his head The Drunkard blesseth himself in his sin and sayes he shall have peace though he adde Drunkennesse to thirst Therefore the Lord will not spare us but his Wrath and Jealousie doth sinoak against us at this day God commanded that the father Deut 2● 20. of a Drunkard should bring his son to the Elders and stone him to death The whole nation of the Jews for this sin was carried into captivity and the Prophet Isa 5. 13 14. Neh. 1. 10. speaking of the destruction of Nineve saith While they were drinking as Drunkards they shall be d●●oured as stubble fully dry Belsbazzars kingdom Dan. 5. ● Kings 20. 16 was given from him while he was Drinking and Carousing before a thousand of his Lords Benhadad and thirty two other kings his consederates were all put to flight while they were drinking drunk in their Pavilions Seventhly Whoredom This is a very grievous and an unnaturall sin for The seventh sin is Whoredom 1 Cor. 6. 18. Heb. 13. 4. by it a man sinneth against his own body In all other sins of the second Table a man sins against another but by this a man sins against himself and others too This is a double sin not actually committed but by two as Zimri and Cozby The whoremonger destroyeth two bodies and two souls at once Whoredom Prov. 6. 32. is of two sorts Adultery and Fornication Both are hatefull to God and God hath excluded both from him in heaven and excludeth himself from them upon the earth by separating his servants from them as the Prophet witnesseth O faith he that I had a lodging place in the wildernesse that I might leave Jer. 9 2. my people and go from them for they be all adulterers c. God is far from them as a protectour he will come neer to them in judgement as he threatneth by Mat. 3. 5. the Prophet Josephus saith There is no greater filthinesse then the unlawfull mixture of our bodies The adulterer and the adulteresse were both to be put to Deut 22 22. death by Gods command but this sin reigns by custome and is practised by authority in England as was described by Seneca What woman saith he so Sentc benif l. 3. c. 16. miserable or loathsome that will content herself with one pair of adulterers they are carried to one friend and they dine with another for every day they have one and count the keeping of one Lemman good Wedlock We read that the least punishment that the Egyptians inflicted upon adulterers was to cut off the nose of the woman and the privy parts

of them that wickedly shed bloud was not shed God punisheth the impunity of murder by murder As Jacobs sons stain'd the coate of their brother Joseph with the bloud of Kids so Brittains sonnes unnaturall brethren stain the garment of the earth with the bloud of men in every place God is provoked to use the sword of wicked men to punish these guilty Kingdomes The sin is made the punishment of the sin and the punishment will turne to sin upon the heads of the Punishers Absoloms sinne of Rebellion and defiling his fathers bed was the punishment of Davids sin yet it was not lesse then sinne in him The The blood of Queen Maryes dayes cry bloud of Queen Maryes dayes is now required which we have not lamented and therefore hath since then cryed against us The bloud of Queen Elizabeths time is not forgiven though some of those bloud-shedders were by Gods hand cut off shortly after who were guilty for the bloud of guiltlesse Essex and at their end some of them acknowledged Gods hand justly was upon them Other blouds of latter times are fallen in with the complaint of the Marian bloud and now must be avenged together The bloud of Germany puts in an Indictment against us for our neutrality the bloud of France pleads accusations The blood of latter times in the three kingdomes cry of treachery the bloud of all the three Kingdoms joyn in one complaint for impunity and treachery Some spilt in wrath others by conspiracy and false accusations some by poyson and other secret plots and some by causelesse Imprisonment c. The blouds of all thus shed complain with one voice that Justice hath been stopped corrupted and prevented The Avengers of bloud roughly dealt with beaten accused and wholly suppressed false evidences hath been admitted and true Testimony cast out The bloud of the poore is heard cry in Gods eares as well as the bloud of the rich the bloud of Princes and people cry and God is come down to see if it be according to the cry and will not respect the persons of men He is come to judge the earth and will do right to all men And now the bloody and deceitfull men shall not live Psa 58. 11. Gen. 18. 25. out their dayes This is the day of the God of Hoasts the day of vengeance in which he will be avenged on all his enemies He now makes inquisition for bloud Psal 55. 23. Ier. 26. 10. Eccle. 8 12. and will spare none when he hath used the rod to correct his people he will cast it into the fire to be burnt Sixtly Drunkennesse the English mother sin and master destroyer of souls The cause of Gods displeasure upon particular men and the whole Kingdom Drunkennes is justly punished and ye● more is threatned as have formerly been observed by many among other judgements upon the grain Barly severall times smitten by drought and wet lesser judgements are warnings and threaten greater if the cause remain but the sin remaines and still raigns and is at this day threatned with greater judgements just answering to the sin Famine is the companion of War and is now entring into the Land hasted forward by an Army of Spoylers worse then the Locusts of Egypt to devour and eat up the fruits of the Land as is threatned for this sinne Weepe and houle ye drinkers of wine the field is wasted the Land Exod. 10. 12. Ioel. 1. 5. 10. mourneth for the Corne is dryed up the abuse of Pl●nty must be punished with want Seventhly Whoredom a common sin of these Kingdomes secretly committed and openly known but not punished if punished it is the poverty of Whoordom is most justly punished the whoremonger not the sin The Noble so by Title have a tolleration by their greatnesse the rest by their money a sin punishable by Gods Law with death yet suffered by men to escape without correction It hath contracted a double guilt upon the Land the guilt of the sinne and the guilt of Impunity God sent the plague of pestilence among the people of Israell for this sinne and 1. Cor. 10. 8 for it he hath sent severall plagues amongst us and smitten many thousands by death but no Phinehas hath stood up to execute judgement Adulterous marriage have been suffered and connived at and strange marriages with strange Numb 25. 7. Nations and strange religions and strange rebellious broods have followed and likely are crept into some of our greatest Families who usurp the names Strange and Adulterous Marriages are like to be some cause of our presens milery and inherit the Lands of those that never got them The old world was condemned for this the sonnes of God took them wives of the daughters of men of all that they would choose and there were Giants in the earth They made strange marriages such as we in England as that between Lord Mount-Joy and Lady Rich that between Lord Car and Countesse of Essex also secret whisperings of unnaturall Sodamy never questioned The sins conniv'd at in this Nation are such as Abimclech durst not commit nor suffer although he Gen. 20. 7. were a man subject to behold beauty with desire What absurdity were it to believe that the Off-springs of such kind of Matches and Broods have produced a generation to punish the Kingdom for this sin of Whoordom and that God should make them Instruments and Actors to aggrivate our misery at this day who set themselves to do mischief and are mocking Ismaels haters of the children of promise as unnaturall as Absolon who abused his fathers bed and Gen. 21. 9. 2. Sam. 16. 22 3. Sam. 13. 14. as Ammon who d filed his halfe Sister We see in nature that the creatures that generate by couples are tender of the good and preservation one of the other the young own the Male and the Male take care of them whereas among those that generate promiscuously the Male never ●●reth for the young or the yong never own him But we worse and more unnaturall then the bruit beast seek to ruine one another the father the son the son the father c. Surely Gods hand is plainly seens in the miseries now upon us answerable to this sin of Whoordom besides the former warnings we have had by lesser judgements That is ●ot he least that God hath a long time been silent which presaged great wrath as he said of Israel I will not visit your daughters when they commit Whoordom nor your Spouses when they commit adultery Impunity betokeneth Hosea 4. 14. destruction and now the dayes of visitation are come these are the dayes of rec●m●ence and England will know it and acknowledge it is justly punished Hosca 9. 7 Fightly Lukewarmnesse in Religion England above all Nations is guilty of this sin never people enjoyed so glorious means of knowledge nor never Lukewarme a great sinne and justly punish'd had any people more

men and armi s assaulted Objection 3 Thirdly it is Objected Prov 25. 5. from that place Daniel 3. 16 from the example of the three children and Daniel that if the King command any thing which in conscience we may not actually obey yet we are bound to yeeld passive obedience by submitting our selves to the Kings mercy but not make any resistance Answer For Answer to this objection because it carries some truth in it we must consider what kind of government we live under for there are divers kinds forms of government some Difference in the government 〈◊〉 Kingdoms people are bound to that which others are freed from according to the severall customes constitutions and laws of kingdoms some Kings are more absolute in power of command some less● So some subjects are 〈◊〉 under their Kings some free subjects The Kings of those ancient Monarchies Chaldea Assyria Media Persia Kings of Chaldea and Assyria c. c. ruled over their people as Lords over Slaves had power over their persons and goods and had onely nature for their Law yet lawfull Kings which they usually violated to satisfie their wils The Kings of Israel and Judea were limited by the law of God the Kings of Israel and Judea rule of justice commanding them not to multiply houses to themselves nor cause the people to returne to Egypt c. they were to judge the people according to Gods Law not their own wils When he sitteth upon the Throne of the Kingdome he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he Devt 17. v. 17 18 19. may learne to feare the Lord his God and keepe all the words of this Law and these Statutes to doe them Now other Kings and Kingdomes differ from both these governments as most Kingdomes at this day differ one from another Onely in this all Kingdomes have ever agreed All have chosen and made their King No King Deut. 17. 14. All Kings elected by the people ever made himselfe a Kingdome but the people made their King therefore the Kingdome is greater then the King It is true that Kings by force have usurped Kingdomes And the Jewes after they became tributary to the Romans had Kings set over them and their Customes Lawes and Religion changed but that was by unlawfull force but else all Kings were elected and chosen by the people some for life onely some for life and posterity for ever The ancient Romans chose their Kings and Emperours but afterward the Souldiers set up in the Empire whom they would as after it fell out with those great Monarchies But the people of those Monarchies had no Joseph in martyrdom of Maccab. 2 Mac. 7. right to resist their Kings but were bound by the Law of nature to obey them either to doe or suffer Thus the three children and Daniel submitted to the Edict of Nebucbadnezzar and so that grave Matron Solomona with her seven sonnes yeelded to the tyranny of Antiochus as Josepbus relates it The Kings of Israel and Judea had a kind of power over the persons and Kings of Israel what power they had goods of the people in necessary causes but no further although Samuel told the people to deterre them from their desire of a King that their King would take their sonnes and appoint them for himselfe and for his Chariots and to be his horse-men c. and that he would take the tenth of 1 Sam. 8. v. 11. 15 16. their seed and of their Vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants But saith he you shall cry out in that day because of the King which yee have chosen Now Samuel tels them this would be the manner of their King See vers 11. not that it was the justice of the King to doe so and therefore afterward when their King was established Samuel vindicateth his owne justice and integrity to all the people before the King that he had not taken an Oxe or 1 Sam. 12. 3. Asse or any thing from any of them nor defrauded or oppressed any or taken any bribes c. yet in this the people were not to resist their King Therefore Naboth made no resistance against Abab when he would take his Vineyard from him But right reason the guide of all actions and Gods Law the Kings rule which he might not transgresse forbid Kings to oppresse their people some thinke it cannot be justified in the ten Tribes that they cast off their King Rehoboam for his oppression but sure I am it was a just punishment from God upon him and may serve for a caveat to oppressing Kings and it was God that did it who putteth downe one and setteth up another therefore when Rehoboam had prepared an army of an hundred and Psal 75. 7. fourescore thousand chosen men to reduce the kingdome againe God forbiddeth the people to fight for this thing saith he is from me 1 King 12. 2● 24. Severall governments of severall kingdomes Now other Kings are more limited by contracts conditions and Lawes of the Kingdomes which conditions and Lawes are maintained by a middle magistracy betweene the King and his people on the peoples behalfe as there was among the Lacedemonians an Ep●ori against the power of their King The Athenians had their Demarchy against the Senate and the Romans their Tribune against the Roman Consuls And thus are Parliaments in England and divers other kingdomes Thus they were in France but in France now lost by the same meanes and in the same manner as they are losing at this day in Great Britaine envied by oppressing spirits and innovators as Prrliaments are the onely bar against unlimited prerogative the onely barre against unlimited Prerogative But yet this is Englands Priviledge above other Nations wherein both King and people are or may be more happy then other kingdomes and is our hereditory right which by Gods assistance we may still enjoy long and long to the glory of God and the good of unborne posteritics against all opposition of hell and earth to defend our just Lawes and true Religion except by our sinnes we so provoke God that he will eclipse his owne glory and give over a stupid people like France to betray and destroy their owne happinesse We know that Parliaments of England have ever beene the peace and preservation of our Kings maintainers of their honours persons and all just Parliament are the p●eservation of Kings and people rights The defenders of the people and their just liberties have ever compelled due obedience to Kings supported them in all necessities out of the peoples estates according to the necessity of the one and the ability of the other besides the certaine revenues confirmed upon the Crowne And are whilst they are sitting being called by the Kings authority his great and alone knowne counsell

encouragement to be zealous for God then England yet England blind naked poor miserable England is grosly ignorant or carelesly formale How shall God but spue thee out of his wouth for thy Lukewarmnesse that art neither hot nor cold for this sin the wrath of God is gone out against Rev. 3 16. us we have revolted from him We have pleaded for Popery as Israel for Baal we have swarved from the Covenant of our God and are not zealous for his Truth nor will not contend for the faith once given to the Saints And therefore because when wee knew God we glorified him not as God Rom. 2. 12. c. Therefore God hath given up our Lukewarme Gentry in every County with their Followers to vile affectious and a reprobate minde to be deluded and beleeve a Lie that while they professe to defend the Protestant Religion they 2. Thes 2. 7. c. lose their lives in the offensive War against it It is a strange mistery that Papists should Jeopard their lives to defend that they most hate but such is the mistery of iniquity that now worketh with the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse in our Lukewarm though Learned Centry God hath for this sin given them up to a reprobate mind filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication Verse 10. wickednesse coveteousnesse maliciousnesse envy murdering debate deceit malignity haters of God c. to their own ruine and their lasting infamy to Rom 1. 29. 30. Posteritie to come consider it Oh ye Inhabitants of great Brittane for Gods hand is heavy at this day for this sin repent therefore and be zealous or God will spue us out of his mouth and seperate us from the Congregations of his people if for his own name sake he will preserve his Church yet he will dispeople the Land if we be not zealous in time Thus much of the second cause and of particular sins The third thing to be considered is the instrumentall cause of great Brittains Satan is the efficient cause of sin and the Instrumentall cause in punishment misery and that is either inward or outward The inward Instrumentall cause is the Devill working upon mens corrupt nature and drawing them to sin The Devill is the efficient cause of sin but the instrumentall cause of punishment He casts into mens hearts the seeds of all sins and sin as is before shewed brings all misery Why hath Satan filled thy heart saith Peter to Annanias Satan fills the heart with sin either by suggesting Acts. 5. 3. thoughts into the heart or bringing objects to the eye or eare By thoughts hee brought David to number the people and so brought misery 1. Chr 21. 1. hence it is that the Apostle bids that we give not place to the Devill that is to Eph. 4. 27. evill thoughts By objects to the eye he brought David to commit adultery and so brought misery By objects to the eare he tempted Eve by the voice of 2. Sam 11. 2. the Serpent and by the report of the Spies drew the people to murmour in the Gen. 3. 4. Wildernesse and so brought misery the Devill hath no power over the will of Num 13. 28. any man to compell him to sin his power is onely by such delusions to blind the mind and darken the understanding and his power is great by these meanes upon them that believe not the Gospell of Christ hence it is that hee is called 2. Cor. 4. 4. the God of this World and a Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Ephe. 2. 2. The Devill is the father of all Sedition the originall of Envy and all contention he is the tempter to all wickednesse first he set man at variance with Gal. 5. 20. lames 3. 15. his maker and so all the creatures one against another for this cause God hath put an everlasting enmity between him and the seed of the woman and the same Gen. 3. 15. enmity is between wicked men and the godly By the seed of the woman is meant Christ and his children therefore in Scripture those that are of Christ are called the Children of God and all wicked men they are called the children 1. Joh 1. 12. Iohn 3. 44. of the Devill and his works they do Wicked men are the Devills souldiers to make War against the Children of God against all the seed of the woman who keepe the Commandements of God and have the Testimony of Rev 12. 17. Jesus Christ So then the outward cause is wicked men the seed of that old serpent the The outward cause of our misery is wicked men Devill These are naturally stirred up to envy and hatred against the godly they hate purity and holinesse as that which is contrary to their very being there is a direct Antipathy between their practise and holinesse as contrary as darkenesse is to light They are therefore called the children of darknesse and Ephe. 5. 8. 3. Thes 5. 5. the godly Children of light then what agreement between light and darkenesse between God and Belial These are the Devills instruments that at this day warre against us and cause our misery some act by violence some act by 2. Cor. 6. 16. counsell all are doing and will do till God take them off some are like Achisopbell when he counselled Absolon to lye with his fathers Concubines some 2. Sam. 2. 621 like the counsellors of Rehoboam set the King against his people some like the Ziphits to flatter with Saul they make complaints and use treachery against 1. King 12. 20. 1. Sam. 26. 1. innocent David some by wicked actions as the Prophet told Ahab that he 1. King 13. 18. troubled Israel by forsaking the Commandements of God Thus Athalia the Queen daughter to idolatrous Ahab she insinuated into Joram the King and Vide Iosep an tiq lib. 9. ●ha 1. taught him to do many mischiefs among the rest to adore strange gods and afterward she her selfe slew all the seed Royall We see the words of Solomon verified the things that hath been is that which shall be and we see no ne● 1. King 11. 1 thing under the sun We cannot say this is new c. Besides all this the Devill Eccl. 1. 9. 10. hath other instruments to make Gods people miserable by robbing spoyling killing c. Thus the Sabeans and Caldeans were his instruments to afilict Iob Iob. 1. 12. 14. so soon as he had obtained Commission to afflict he presently hath his instruments to act it the Devill worketh in them at his will so he hath the winds Ephe. 2. 2. and the waters the ayr fire c. which he can use for his instruments to afflict Now that it may clearly appear who they bee that are the instruments of Britains misery I will divide them into seven sorts when devided they may be easily known First a woman it is pitty it