is the readiest way to compleat the Militia of a Kingdome It is Answered this is the way Come up to Gods termes enter into Covenant with Him So Asa did and untill he had done that he had done nothing It is true he took away the Sodomites he threw down the Altars thrust aside their Service And what of all that Sodomites had thrust in againe Altars had been hoysed up again If he had not Covenanted against all these It is so still We must every man for his own part Covenant against the accursed thing in his own heart So also against the accursed Persons and things in the Kingdome to throw them out else Fasting do's no good nor Praying nor Preaching neither Covenanting must go together with all these else nor the Kingdom nor the Christian Souldier there can be in any safe Posture What is done to day in this Posturing work will be undone to morrow If we do not Covenant against Idol-men and Idol things and with the Lord So engaging our heart to cast them all out But do as aforesaid and the Kingdom is sure so is the Person too There is no hope but in this way mark it We have trespassed against our God sayes Sheshaniah What had they done They had taken the daughter of a strange God I know not how many strange Wives and then they had taken the readiest way in the world To stock up their Kingdom by the roots yet sayes he There is hope in Israel concerning this thing Though such a grievous Trespasse be committed and the Chiefe in the Kingdom are Chiefe in that trespasse Yet there is hope What hope Even now therefore let us Ezra 10 2. make a Covenant with our God There is the hope If any thing under the Cope of Heaven will do it That will do it What Away with the daughters of a strange God Set them packing who would thrust us from God and God from us Let us thrust them away and Covenant so to do and then we shall keep our God and close to His worship And if we keep God and close to Him at that point All is kept for God is all and he will keep us all if we keep to Him and stand to the Covenant There is the hope of Israel concerning this matter sayes good Shechaniah It is a sure way it is an only way to save a Perishing a down sinking Kingdom brought to the Pit of destruction upon which are all the Symptom's of death and for which the grave is made because it is so vile Come let us make a Covenant It is the onely hopefull way to save such a Kingdom An hopefull way say I I will say a great word and I will boast of the way but in the Lord There is more then hope There is a certainty of Successe in this Covenanting It never failed the Righteous it never shall faile unto the worlds end I know what the good man will say now heare him VII VII A This way has fayled the most Righteous King that ever had his Kingdom in this world Josiah by name it fayled him even him B. No it did not he Covenanted with his God and so kept close to his God and God to him all his dayes and at death they were not divided he that breathed after GOD all his life long breathed his soul into Gods hand at his death and so departed and is now for ever with the Lord This Covenanting with God did not deceive Josiah A. It failed his people all his whole Kingdom and that is my meaning They were carried away at last though first their King made a Covenant with his God yea and made His People stand to it B. He did indeed and it shall ever be spoken to his Praise when that Scripture is Read Josiah made a Covenant with God and caused to stand to it But if we observe it well we shall tremble for here is a But will spoyle all But Judah did not stand to it Stand to it alas no The Covenant did not faile they failed the Covenant The people dealt wickedly there The King layed an inforcement 2 Chr. 34 35. upon them hi very example was of force to pull and drag the People to enter Covenant to lay them under those sacred bands to make them stand to it but there was not an heart in them much they did in seeing such a glorious example before them but they did nothing in truth They were not a whit humbled for all the Blood that Manasseth had shed not for the Idols he had set-up they were as Idolatrous as their King Not a whit humbled were they for all their abominations theirs and their Princes not a Ier. 15 4. Pag. 121. whit therefore wrath came upon them Indeed I should be large in this point but I finde it somewhat inlarged in the Kings Chronicle whereto I will referre the Reader I will say but this here never was there such a Back-sliding people no not in our dayes never was there such a Departing from God as at that time in Judah I tell you what makes me think verily it was so read the last of the Chronicles what a declining what a fallingback was there from their God from His worship of all degrees of all estates high and low Rich and Poor To what an height of Provocations did they rise But for ought I can observe in that Chapter the Prince and People did not more wickedly in those dayes then we have done in our dayes our abominations have risen to the same height But yet I observe what I Read in Jeremy and that is thus I find more goodnesse Ier. 38. in one Ethiopian then was in all the Princes of Judah I would Intreat the Reader to mark that Chapter As our Lord sayes of the Centurion a stranger to the Common wealth of Israel I have not found so great faith no not in Israel So not so much goodnesse in all the Princes of Judah as Mat. 8. 10. in that one Ethiopian Not so much goodnesse said I there was no goodnesse in the Princes at all all nought all Rebellious and fallen off from God They did not pray to God they prayed to the King That Jeremy might be put to death Certainly Reader Certainly though we I say we for Scotland and England are one though we are a very wicked a very wretched People fallen very low parted very far from our God yet not fallen so low as Judah was at that time not so farre departed but a Covenant with our God will fetch us back again for there are many Nobles in Scotland many Princes there I find Priests called Princes there 2 Chron. 17. 7. a Psal 110 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A people of Devotions 2 Cor. 8 23. to say nothing of the Common people a very willing people a people of willingnesses a willingly offering Devoting their estates and lives now To help in the battle of the Lord and
under foot Against such Opposers mighty Adversaries who have let hitherto and will let till they be removed and taken quite away The Covenant did not descend to this Bottome to this Root even that discent To the Root argues an height of zeal too the eradicating or rooting-out of that cursed train the Pope and his Bishops Nor did that Covenant expresse a Love or a Care so diffusive so spreading toward their Sister Churches of Scotland and Ireland as it should have done when yet they knew but the present distractions and care to save themselves clouded them a little sailed in the same Ship with them were involved in the same dangers from those floods of great Waters quite covering the Ship of the Church in the same Tempest even Scotland too Much more might be said I will say but this The Lords thoughts are good and gratious toward His People He will bring His People up to Him fully and indeed And what way takes The Lord He suffers the Adversary to blunder on his own way gives him as the Adversary calls it Successe in his way and as he will have it called a Victory The Lord delivers up His Cities some of them into the Enemies hand then suffers the Adversary gives their Tongue power to move and to blaspheme His Holy Name The Adversary in his pride and height of blasphemy asked a poor People Where is now your God What is become of your Praying and Fasting and Preaching What of all that O wretches Divels I had almost said What is become of all this Look you here and if you can consider consider for it is Higgaion Selah a matter seriously to be thought upon That the Peâ—le of God have prayed and praised Prayer and praise still go together and fasted Psal 9 16. and preached Three Kingdoms into one as sanctisied means these have brought them into Covenant with their God as it is at this day At that very time when the Adversary so blasphemed at that point of time Scotland had great thoughts of heart for England and England for Scotland both for Ireland So they entered into a League knit themselves together all as one To c. For there is enough said touching the matter and manner c The subject of a short Treatise of that solemnity though I had said nothing I shall enquire now into these things and demonstratively shew first I. I. The necessity of taking this way of Covenanting with God It is the Sacra Anchora the onely remedy to save the Ship of the Church How is that done For save the Ship and save all By maintaining the Rights and Priviledges of the Gospel or to speak in the vulgar and common speech To maintain the Protestant Religion No way to do this but To Covenant with The Lord so to do there is a necessity then A. No no Necessity at all nor cause why this should be the Kingdoms care for it is the Kings care B A poor speech I will not say simple Is any one man sufficient for that care Or dare any man say he is compitent for such a care The care of all the Churches lay upon Paul God fitted him for it and Paul was not alone he had and would have many helpers The care of three Kingdoms is more and more waighty A. True nor is the King alone as he tells us The maintenance of the true Religion is his care and he vows to discharge that care B. Very well But I wish from my heart That His Majesty had not vowed so much for the Church And more from my soul if more can be That he had not done so much against her A. His zeal is pardonable and his care pious and conscientious he is carefull to discharge his care as was said and he knows how to do it well enough His Majesty has Noble Instruments about Him helpers to him in the full discharge of that great Trust and care B. By your leave Sir I le take it yet by the help of God and His Law I will keep my self within the Bounds of Christian Prudence and say The vile Councellors have set the King in a worse way then ever Jeroboam who made Israel sin prosecuted For Jeroboam took a good way to a cursed end and that is strange yet not so strange as true I say good by allowance of the Spirit who calls Achitophels Counsell good d 2 Sam. 17. 14. though tending to a cursed end A good way Jeroboam went plain and direct neither he nor the People could be deceived in it The full purpose of his heart was to set up a Calvish worship which yet he might call true for I think no man embraceth falshood under that â—otion though clean crosse and contrary to that worship instituted and commanded by God Himself at Jerusalem I say he set up a Calvish Religion and he sayes so too That was well say so and do so And the good way he took plain and direct For all that he did had a direct tendency thereunto to his main scope in the sight of all the People Therefore what did he He appointed Calvish brutish Priests such a service such Priests These agreed as the Maâ—eâ—…lips and Lettice A good way this still no turnings of the old Serpent in it but direct and straight But had Jeroboam then professed in words To maintain the worship of God commanded at Jerusalem while yet he did as he did set his eye against the Priests of the Lord spied them out and spurned them out throughout all his Towns and Cities which he did with that violence and eagernesse That those Priests if you marke the story came by companies to Jerusalem persecuted by Jeroboam out of their places where he had Command or spoyled there had I say Jeroboam professed with his mouth all this time while he persecuted with his hand To maintain the true worship of God then every child would have laughed at him and the soberman who knowes what it is to mock God but God is not mocked would have wept heartily Ah Lord would the true Israelite have said what professe the true worship as at Jerusalem and set up Calves at Dan and Bethel Ah Lord Indeed the true Israelite would have so wept so mourned and let him do so still as he sees cause for whatever we judge of the King the Lord He is Judge between him and us we do know his helpers what maintainers they are of Religion what Lawlesse men will do for our lawes children of Belial with our sacred Coards and Bands and what Papists will do touching the Rights and Priviledges of the Church and Gospel For at this time we will not mention the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament though of good account with us yet of no account to the Pearle in the Gospel that is the Gospel and at the stake now have at it and all at once and then lose that and lose all A. The King cares for the Gospel as
the Church for Church-men and Church Service as we will call it and not against the Parliament B. Yes against it for they are not with it In this very case also our Lords words are true and reach these Neuters A. But what Law have you for Neuters B. None at all Law is for an Hare they say and a Polt for a Polt Cat. The very truth is we have no Law for them at all But all the Law in Heaven and Earth is against such And if we do not throw them out The Lord will spew them out As sure as Herod was a Fox so sure this Neuter is such another man a cunning knave and a very fool too he stands holding fast a brasse-penny in his hand beholding the while the Pearl trampled-under by Swine He holds fast his own Rights and will keep his own Priviledges But for the Gospel and Gospels Rights whether kept or lost he is William Indifferent a I knew a man in Oxford called so who when his house very old and rotten was on fire and he was told of it said he was indifferent I know not where to finde this Neuter as our English Seneca to his little friend in his yonger dayes b To Mr. W L. deead 3. epist 5. he is every where and no where c. But I will rather have it observed how the Poet describes him Natat modo like one that swimes he is now on this side now on that openly for vertue secretly for vice as unequall as Priscus as like himself as Vertumnus as various as Protcus c Hor 2. ser Sal. 7. A man that has his body here and his heart with the Kings Army That gives a pound of silver to The Lord Christ thereby to keep his thousand and one hundred to maintain the Warre of Antichrist A man that standeth at an indifferency so equally poysed That a Moment turns him he is as is the time runs as does the stream stands as does a Weather Cock I could tell him now two or three stories which would make him tremble at the judgements of God upon Neuters but I forbear He will not appear for Christ his end will be destruction he must appear but Christ will not appear for him not acknowledge him then at that day As miserable a man as is in the world and as Malignant and hurtfull They that are so and appear not do the most mischief It is but Law and Reason both That these should be cast out And now to close up the Bishops Case and the Legality of the proceeding against them we will note this as follows That the proceedings against the Bishops have been all along these 3 yeers according to the clearest prints of Law and Justice that ever were observed in the world For first The Worthies un-Bishoped them thrust them down from their Thrones an honour their flatterers gave unto them without Reason the Worthies took it from them by all Reason and Law to help They took from them their Dignities Lordships temporall and spirituall rendred them as contemptible as they made themselves and endeavoured to make the Lords day And which was most observable The Church cast them out of their Prayers Indeed their praying for them still as Bishops over the Church had been an intimation of their right to raign tyrannize rather over them still and the Churches subjection to that Antichristian power But they thrust them out of their chairs and now they vow to root them out from the Land of the living If we behold this well it will appear to be a very beautifull work and the order taken therein makes it so beautifull It puts me in minde how the Romans dealt once with their Ruler that ruled them as the Bishops ruled with a Rod of Iron so proudly so contrary to Law and all good Reason That he was called Turquin the proud he dealt with his People almost as proudly as the proudest have dealt in Ireland The People honoured him while he was their King but when he rendred himself a Tyrant by his insolencies and cruelties then they would not endure they un-kinged him that was first and then lifted up their hands and vowed to root him out him and all of his name I note it to shew the Legality of the proceeding with the Bishops It reacheth higher to the Archbishops But I have done You see the Legality and equity of this Covenant touching the casting forth these Archbishops Bishops Curates and all this as clear as is the Sunne next and there I shall be short We must observe the exemplarynesse of this Covenanting way There are a Cloud of Witnesses who will give their Seal and Warrant hereunto III. Asa is a man of renown touching that matter who ever observes his steps will go on after him Never any man was more successefull then he so victorious as he he made his Kingdom a Mountain of brasse The Ethiopian came against Judah with a thousand thousand and more thought verily to storme Judah No Judah had taken a sure way To confound his Adversary They had entered Covenant with God But I prevent my self here more of this anone I might be large here but I forbear in so cleered a case The three Kingdoms entering into Covenant now have done according to the best examples as all the true Israel have done in all Ages It is a clear case as clear as the Sun I come to the next The Seasonablenesse of this Covenanting IV. Oh the Wisedome of God The Power of God Oh the goodnesse the mercy of God whose Name is wonderfull God indeed hissed for His people in the North called upon them to enter Covenant with His people in the South They readily obeyed Was that any wonder No truely For besides their own endearments and concernments paries cum proximus ardet their own vows were upon them and have lain upon their shoulders almost these fourscore yeers But let us see the power of God here we will observe His Wisedome afterwards His Power first Who makes the Wolfe to lye down with the Lamb The Calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together and Isai 11. 6. a little childe shall lead them Wat you what Reader I pray you let us hear That as we understand how matters stood betwixt England and Scotland three yeers ago when the Bishops in both Kingdoms would have thrust each others sword into each others Bowels So also we may understand how matters stood betwixt England and Scotland three hundred yeers agone Ah Lord But we may remember it rather with praise now and rejoycing For we are Bretheren now and live as Bretheren and accursed be he with all the curses in Gods Book that goes about heartily and indeed to break the Brother-hood between Judah and Israel To sow seeds of discord betwixt these two God has joyned us together and we are Bretheren now We and here God is wonderfull who sometimes Centuries agoe were Wolves each to
other such devourers that it was a wonder say our Chronicles almost all that the Nations were so Hos 9. 12. Cruente Caedibus Tren fruitfull to bring forth so much flesh as the sword did devoure for England brought forth her children as Ephraim did to murtherers in Scotland and Scotland her children to murtherers in England so they flew one the other and fell in one day I know not how many but as the Poet expresseth it very well as the Wheat-Stubble before the Reapers North and South indeed it commands our observation The people there as opposite Homer once as are the two Poles now are made one now brought up together now to enter into Covenant whereunto and this we must take notice of in passage Scotland had engaged themselves 70 yeares agon I pray you let me tell you how that came about for our purpose is to exalt the Name of God Scotland was over powred by their Queen there and her power from France Then did That Queen whom every mouth doth blesse but that which speaks blasphemies still whom every Church has in their eye what they can see and keep of her indeed she loved the Church and the Nation Then did Queen Elizabeth send succours into Scotland which kindnesse Scotland accepted and remembred with all thankfulnesse and then engaged themselves to do the like for England as their matters should require We have seen the Arm of the Lord now I hope we can discern the wisdom of the Lord and so take altogether according to our scantling Let us observe the power of God again They that were twain as scourges nay as Scorpions each to other are now made one as one stick in Gods Hand wherewith He will beat the Hazaels of the world till he has consumed them O the power of God! And His wisdom too at such a time such a seasonable time as this is when all the Dogs in the world all the Irish English French all in the Kings Army having their hearts and hands there when all these have their mouthes wide open to devour the Church for such a Time as this God made these twain one That they might be as one Stick in His Hand To beat these Dogs for such a time as this As it was with the Scots when they were oppressed Ezek 37. 19. by their Governesse the Queen Regent and she helped from France then did help come from England seasonably as a sweet shower fals upon the mowen grasse so in such a season as above said did the Lord remember the Scots of their Engagements which they will answer now with all readinesse O the wisdome of God! I pray you let us leave Him to His own Time let us never make haste nor distrust Him for after time he will come-in seasonably to His Churches help He will do all for His Church as He did for His servant Mordecai In truth the paralell is wonderfull and exalts Gods Power and Wisdom and Glory to the worlds end The Lord remembring Mordecai in the fittest time may learn us the understanding of our own hearts and of the times and patiently to wait Gods time I shall not count it then a digression from the main purpose to stay a little upon it I will lay open my thoughts here That good men may for the wicked will not judge of their own hearts thereby find a means to make them better I thought the time long how long Lord Holy and True how long shall the treacherous man deal treacherously Shall the Sword destroy for ever In our distractions we call a week a moneth and a moneth an yeer and an yeer ever an everlasting Time so we forget prosperity and in adversity we cannot consider Thou hast said Lord Thou will purge out the Rebels Shal it not yet be So also I asked after an Association and a Covenant to assure it when shall that be if that were done all were done When wilt thou bring up the hearts of thy people To this work When shall it be that we be no longer vexed with all adversity I do not blame these desires I perswade my self these are good Yet I must examine my desires which way they tend The purging out of Rebels Rebellion is the Thing desired a warranted desire according to Gods will I hate them more then I do a Toad or a Viper for a more venemous and hatefull generation there is not in the world and which is all such whom God hates I may hate their Rebellion and as they are enemies to God them too Then the desire to be rid of them is a good desire But now if that Rebell selfe and the Rebellion in my own heart has not vexed me more or as much as all that I see in the land and if I am notas eager to have it cast out then that is my blame and this the good mans lesson Look to it how that Rebellion has troubled and vexed Thee whether more than has that which thou seest in the world That Rebellion in thy selfe grieveth thy Father and the good Spirit of thy God most of all Observe thy selfe well now whether this Rebellion grieveth thee most also whether thy desires are most intent and hearty To have this Rebellion subdued or cast out So for the other desire O! an Association that we were at a sweet agreement with our selves knit together and with our God in Covenant Indeed I did desire it as before heartily and it was a good desire But if I do not desire as much To agree with my Adversary in the way and to be at peace with my God if not there was selfe in it selfe ease and other selfe respects and I must blame my selfe for it which may teach the best man in the world as before and so in the second place for that is most pertinent here My desires are good but I heartily blame my hastinesse therein I was too hasty for I limited God as if I were wiser then God Truly I never thought so but I did as those do that are halfe of that mind who have such high thoughts of themselves I was too hasty touching the time and season of it Was I as hasty to be rid of that Rebell my own will and self and of the Rebellion which selfwill caused was I as hasty at that point for a Riddance there Certainly I was not Then must I correct my selfe there first Secondly Let us all consider this for it is pertinent indeed The Day is Gods so is the Night He created the Light He formed darknesse Time and the season in His Then let Him alone with His own let Him dispose of it and of matters to be done in it when and how it pleaseth Him Whatever He do's we must not meddle with that for it is His prerogative Royall To be Lord and master there We must not limit Him Who is infinite to our time Time and season is ours to make use of but the
propriety is in Gods * Acts 1. Hands we may quickly be too hasty there While we have time let us be doing good we cannot be to hasty at that point for that is our duty but to set God a doing at our time there is hastinesse We may nay we must lift up a prayer for that Remnant David and all his helpers thorowout all the Christian world with and in the Parliament vvith and in the Assembly for the Heads of the Tribes there for all the precious the Creame and Crown of the Kingdom We must strive in prayer for them and endeavour vvith our Estates and lives c. vve know vvhat follows and must do it else we do not as vve stand bound to do our worke and duty to lift-up the Hand against Amalekâ— both on the Mount and in the Valley But having done so we have done our duty we may rejoyce in the Lord and expresse it as Luther did singing the 46 Psalme Surely this being granted That we have done our Duty we can stand still calme and quiet in Spirit embracing the promise a farre off and magnifying Gods Salvation to be made manifest in His Time and no hastinesse now being assured that all Gods vvorks as they have been so shall they be gloriously beautifull Why because as they have been done so they shall be done in season His time not ours therefore in season We cannot but know how seasonably He worketh for His people how beautifull His Footsteps and Comings in for their help have been ever are and shall be evermore The Lord will come-in as he alwayes has done so seasonably That His people shall say O the Power of God how admirable O the Understanding of God how unsearchable O the Goodnesse Mercy Love and Kindnesse of God to His people how rich how aboundant all these I cannot expresse it The Point is this whereat we Anchor our spirits God does all things well because in His own time the fittest season We have a parallell for it vvhereby to exemplifie this Thence I digressed thither I returne now to take a fuller view of this seasonablenesse * Mâ—…d câ—s kindnesse was remâ—mbred in the fittest time so the kindenesse of Englands Queen 〈◊〉 9 4. In the Night of our destractions The Day of Jacobs troubles none like it when all were designed to destruction when the foot of pride set so hard on the neck of the Righteous Then the kindnesse of England must be remembred When Englands King deals I will say but hardly vvith his good people then the kindenesse of Englands Queen must be remembred even then Surely The Lord does all things in the fittest time the best season and O the sweet simpathy of the Scottish Nation Brethren indeed they are made for adversity Truly they have the minde of Christ Persecute My people thou persecutest Me that was the minde of Christ Persecute England The Gospellers there you persecute us there is the minde of the Scots Truely they are more sensible of our paine than we who smart from the Scorpion and they will assemble themselves knit themselves together with us into one Body to destroy this Legion of that they may no longer sting in Gods Holy Mountaine We have Vowed to stand-up against this Generation of Vipers till they are so subdued that they shall no longer Sting or be as grieving Thornes or vexing Briars to the Church and people of God Amen V. V. A. But now you have associated your selves and are knit together as you say the wicked are solden together as thorns so ye as one man now you are so knit together are you able for this work B. Yes that we are able through Him there is no doubt of it in Whom we can do all things vve have done our duty that vve have done touching this matter The rest vve leave to God and vvill tell him of his Promise anon A. Why but they you call Rebels are as many every day nay more than before and as lively they are as strong as formerly they were and more firmly united B. Well vvhat then Therefore the Rebels shall not be purged forth that do's not follow though it is not the vvork of a day nor an yeer neither That vvork is doing but vve must not make haste vve have a promise for it and vve can live upon that and give God thanks God can do greater things The Church never Questions His Power He can take away the iniquity of the Land in one day vvith the same speed He can take away the Rebels as He did the Northerne Army send forth His vvinde Zech. 3. 9. blow them away in one night He can do so but it is not his manner so to do He vvill hold his people in expectation and it is good for them they should be so held If there vvere not sore trials and long vvaitings vvhere vvere Faiths mastery there must be a distance between the Promise and performance that the Saints may learn to salute to kisse the Promise afar off and be glad too vvith exceeding joy as at the sweetest embracement Heb 11 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Salute and embrace afar off how can that be B. Very vvell and it must be so The Antipasses Gods faithfull Witnesses the Martyrs could embrace and kisse a Fagot so near at hand that presently it set them all on a flame so near it vvas O vvonderfull Yes for it is granted They did embrace and kisse the Fagot But so they had not done if they had not seen the Promise afar off and embraced it I will be with thee in the fire it shall not burn thee and in the vvater it shall Esay 43 2. not drown thee for thy Head is above I pray you observe it Gods people see and embrace the promise afar off and can vvait vvith patience till it come They are a vvaiting people God has vvaited upon them they must vvait upon Him so exercising their patience yea every Grace O blessed be His Name If He do's not deliver His people now He will sustaine them now If He suffers Rebels amongst them this is also sanctified unto His servants for the overcoming the Rebellions and casting out that Rebell Selfe in their own hearts All administrations of Mercies all distributions of sorrows all for the Churches good all shall tend to the advantage of the Soule That shall prosper by all and if the Soule that excellent thing far above the excellency of the Sunne when he shines in his full strength if the Soule prospers all prospers for the Soul is all And all The Lord do's or suffers to be done has a direct tendency to this great end That His Church or People may prosper as their Soules prosper Gods way is alwayes straight and Mans crooked motions shall tend directly to His end the purging and whitening of His Church and making them meet for Dan. 11. 35 Glory When that end is attained Then you shall
day of Jacobs trouble who have sworn and will stand to it To maintain the Cause of the Lord as it shall require and as we read before And there are a people in England too Nobles and Princes there I mean by Princes the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ who have given up themselves to the Lord and to maintain His Cause some Nobles I say not many but some there are vvho their eternall praise have entred Covenant and will stand to it when others to their eternall dishonour enter into a Covenant to day and break out from it on the morrow stand not to it no not an houre As if they might take the Covenant of God as a Papist takes the Oath of God swear to day and forswear next day Adjure to day calling God to witnesse and perjure anone so blaspheming that Holy Holy Holy Name making the Oath of God like a Gipsies knot fast now in shew loose presently in fight We have some Nobles that do abominate this Blasphemy they enter Covenant with God to day and are more and more resolved and engaged for God and His Cause every day from hence forth and for ever I could say as much of a people too very many in Cities and Towns both a very willing people If they cannot give to the Cause they can die for it as a Martyr said if their estates be none or gon they cannot be prodigall there as the Cause commands then their lives shall go they will be prodigall of their blood and thank God He has honoured them so Who gave His blood for them And so we are where we were in a way which never failed And shall it faile the Righteous now God forbid nay God forgive us such a thought But let us look to our standing now I mean to the standing to our Covenant for that bears up the weight of the businesse This standing to it let us look to that we are now come up to God to His Tearms to His Command not more knit together amongst our selves as knit to God What now Now the Nations are angry Angry They are stark mad look ye on this side and but a little beyond Lincoln and behold how they rage there See also in the South and in Ireland What are the the thoughts of those Monsters there They think to joyn with our Monsters here Monsters Yes They are Nobles many of them True but the more monstrous if Nobles by birth Certainly if those Nobles not to mention the black Regiment those Buls of Bashan nor the Calves of the people Some call them Cavel Gentlemen I have called them Rogues twenty times with an Accent for I will call a Spade a Spade Theeves Robbers Murtherers all these by their names so let them go the vvay of Cain vvho slew his Brother I am a speaking of the Nobles vvho beat their own Mother even her that bare them that suckled them that dandled them upon her knees vvarmed them in her bosome These Nobles vvho have set their Mothers House on fire over her head and are not these Monsters for they have done yet more villany if these Nobles should see their own visage represented unto them now as it vvill be shortly in the very next History they vvould be gastred at the sight of such Monsters as the King was at the vvriting on the vvall Truly me thinks I see them now and they troubled my Spirit and Interrupted me I was saying Dan. 5. 6. The Monsters in Ireland will joyn now vvith these in England will be folden together like thorns vvill come out now against those all vvho are joyned in Covenant with their God and vvill do What vvill they do All the mischief they can They will storm the City of God as they can to their Power That is true They will do vvhat they can do all the Mischief they can But vvhat can they do for vve do not question their will These have shed blood to their Power vvith a Rage that reacheth-up to Heaven They have cursed David and his Helpers by their gods They have blasphemed The God of Heaven They have thrust the Ministers of the Lord out of their Houses or slaughtered His Servants there even All the faithfull in the Land unto vvhom their hand could reach They have gods as Jeroboam had vvhich he called honestly truly and very vvell as vve call Priests now and their gods Calves for such are their Priests Idol-Brutish-Priests Their Services such Idol-Bruitish-Services I vvill ask again vvhat can these cursed People do against a Kingdom united in its self and in Covenant vvith their God What can they do I le tell you what for the Spirit tells it me They vvill Associate and gird themselves and gird themselves all for the Battell and to Storme the Church of God that they Esay 8. 9. will do Well yes very well now hear vvhat the Lord vvill do and vvhat He will do He can do That is a Comfort What vvill He do He vvill ungird His Adversaries as often He will break them and break them and break them t is no idle repetition so often till He has broken them all to Fritters like a Potters Vessell so He vvill break them in breaking He vvill break them Breach upon Breach Briars and Thorns vvill they Array themselves for Battell against the Lord He is a Consuming fire unto them they shall be devoured every one in the Fornace vvhich their rage and fiery indignation against His people has made seven times hotter then ordinary Rebells that have lifted up the horn have spoke proudly have dared to thrust at the Righteous nay The Lord of Glory out of His Throne The Lord will thrust-sore at them He vvill make them like an Oven and their Faces like Flames He vvill purge them out But when Even now at this time we have His word for it for we are in Covenant with our God I will speak an high word and comfortable to the fearfull in heart but humbly before our God and if proud men will hearken let them hearken This is the word and our Confidence Now that we have entred into Covenant with our God To stand close to Him To His Cause To His worship Now that we have engaged our hearts to all this what now Now we have ingaged God to us God must help us We will by His Grace stand to our Covenant and appear for Him It is an high word now to amaze proud men God must appear for us and stand by us and He cannot be idle Must is not for the King you will say yes for the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords This King must help us The unjust judge did right the the Widow must not the Judge of all the world do right He must He must There are Mighty Reasons why and Arguments as strong to assure the hearts of the Faithfull That God will and must help His people now at this time you shall hear