shewers of fatherly benedictions would they let fall upon their heads Brethren let the very ashes of our Ancestors put some fire into us But secondly for future ages too thinke ô thinke upon your children yet unborne or not growne up poore soules they are not yet able to speake for themselves in this businesse but much of their future happinesse doth lie at the mercy of our present Activity O let us give them cause to blesse our memories in the times to come that so when they shall hereafter sit upon our Tombes and Graves they may there tell their children and childrens children that they had fathers and grand-fathers once which did live in a golden age of opportunityes and by their taking and improvement of those seasons they did treasure up unto us these blessed legacies of Truth and Peace which we and ours do now enjoy And now what more can I adde what golden Text of Scripture can I finde that is sufficiently emphaticall to tip and close up all this Discourse Let it be that of Saint Paul to his Corinthians we will but vary the number and take it to our selves 1 Cor. 16. ver 9. A great Doore and effectuall is opened unto us and there are many adversaries The words are a double spurr THE SECOND TREATISE INCITING TO HOLY AND LOYALL ACTIVITY EXOD. CHAP. 17. VER 11. And it came to passe when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let downe his hand Amalek prevailed ALthough it be the proper element and errand of a Minister to feede his people with spirituall knowledge and understanding yet is it also upon our commission to be your Nationall Watchmen Watchmen we are to promote the good Ezek. 33. v. 7. and to give warning against the evills of the land If we faile in either case to blow the Trumpet to the people then shall their bloud be required at our hands ver 6. The consideration of that heavy charge doth cause me to enterpose a Parenthesis betwixt mine ordinary Lectures and hath put me for a while upon a publike discourse It is concerning the Great things which are comming to passe in England in these dayes Judg. 7. v. 19 20 In this discourse I am resolved with Gideons men to blow my trumpet though I breake my pitcher and to hold forth to all that heare me a famous example both of holinesse and activity The man is Moses observe his indeavour and the successe thereof And it came to passe when Moses held up c. This Chapter doth present us with a paire of remarkable Histories One of Israels murmuring for water at Rephidim and the issue thereof that to ver 8th The second of Amaleks treachery with the consequents thereupon from ver 8th to the end The very order of these two is observeable and doth shew us that where murmuring goes before there enemies and invasions doe follow after But I passe on In this latter History we have divers particulars as First the fight or battell it selfe with the forces on both sides Offensive Amalek ver 8th Defensive Joshuah with some chosen men of Israel ver 9 â—h Next the Auxiliaries or Aydes assisting Israels party they were Moses Aaron and Hur ver 10th and what they did see ver 9 11 12. Thirdly the victory it selfe is set downe ver 13th Finally the Memoriall of the whole is commanded and recorded in the following verses 14 15 16. I shall handle the Text Per praecognita praecepta First laying downe the Premises then the Doctrine thereof 1. The Premises doe containe both Explanation and Division of the wordes In the Explanation we shall move and answer two Questions Explanation What this Amalek was Quest They were a people descended from Esau Answ as Israel from Jacob. Gen 36. v. 12. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esaus sonne and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek So that this grudge was hereditary descended from Esau to his grand-child Amalek who though a bastard yet prooves too true an heire to that old hatred against Jacob Gen 27. v. 41 c. for the birth-right and the blessing What is meant by this action or posture of Moses Quest in holding up his hands Answ I find the phrase to have divers uses and significations in Scripture Sometimes 't was used 1. Civilly or Judicially it was a posture used in taking of an Oath or Vow Abraham said to the King of Sodom Gen 14. v. 22. ver 23. I have lifted up my hand to the Lord the most high God That I will not take from a thred even to a shoe latchet c. Iunius renders it Iuravi elata manu I have sworne by lifting up my hand And againe I lift up my hand to heaven and say Deut 32.40 I live for ever 2. Sometimes it hath a Religious use and that either 1. In blessing Lev. 9. v. 22. As Aaron lift up his hand toward the people and blessed them 2. Or in prayer So sometimes in petition Psal 28. v. 2. Heare the voyce of my supplication when I cry unto thee when I lift up my hand toward thy holy Oracle And sometimes in prayses or thankesgiving Psal 134 v. 2. Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and blesse or prayse the Lord. 3. This posture hath also a Military use it was used in warre by such as bare the ensigne or colours to a band of men Isa 49. v. 22. Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people i.e. Cum vexillo Evangelij with my Flag or banner of the Gospell And in the same sence is that other text the soule that doeth ought presumptuously clata manu Numb 15.30 as a banner bearer with a highhand shall be cut off In the Text this phrase or posture may have I conceive a double use or signification Religious and Military 1. The action might be Religious that Moses during the time of the battell did hold or lift up his hand to the Lord in prayer for victory 1 King 8. v. 22. As Salomon is said to stand before the Altar and to spread forth his hands towards Heaven 2. But chiefely this posture of Moses was Military Like a Standard-bearer or Ensigne he held up the rod of God in his hand that is sometimes in one hand sometimes in the other as a banner or a Flag thereby to encourage the Souldiers which were now fighting in view in the valley for this rod of God had beene an instrument of divers former Miracles and deliverances to that people Exod. 7 v. 20. Exod. 8 9 c. it turned waters into bloud it brought in the Froggs and the rest of the plagues upon Aegypt In a word it was the same rod that did divide the red-Sea Exod. 14.16 21. and made a way of escape for Israel through the flouds And therefore the holding up of this rod to the fighting Israelites was a
a great deale broder by labouring too violently to rub it out All that I will further say unto thee shall lie in these words vel perlege vel neglige reade all or none I am thine as thou likest me JOHN BOND FEBR. 2. 1641. At a Committee of the House of Commons for Bookes and Printing It is this day Ordered that these Sermons be forthwith published in Print Edward Dering A DOORE OF HOPE ALSO HOLY AND LOYALL ACTIVITY PSALME 126.1 2. When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like them that dreame Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing THe Occasion of this Psalme is by the consent of Expositours conceived to be the gratious Edict and Proclamation of King Cyrus the Persian Occasion for the free return of the Iewes from their Babilonish Captivity after seventy yeares durance Of that Captivitie and their Deliverance see more fully in the book of Chronicles The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia 2 Chron. 36.22 23. that he made a Proclamation throughout all the Kingdome and put it also in writing saying Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia The Lord God of Heaven hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Iudah Who is there among you of all his people Ez. 1 1 c. to 5 Jer 25.12 c. Jer 29.10 c. the Lord his God be with him and let him goe up And so in Ezra and Ieremiah By all which places me thinks we may see our state hitherto expressed in the Iewish as in a glasse and so may whet our attentions and affections upon the very threshold of the Discourse with this short Paralel 1. Were they Gods owne selected people so are we thus farre being the only Monarchy and Kingdoms of pure Protestants now standing upon the face of the Earth for all other people are either no Christians no pure Protestants or no Kingdome and Monarchy 2. Was their oppressour litterall Babylon whence came our late Apostasyes and distractions but from Babylon the mysticall 3. The only means that they had left were praeces lachrymae prayers and teares Ezr. c. 1 c 2. Dan. c. 9. Ps 137.1 2. besides a few poore despised but yet active Priests Prophets and Levites And were not our harps and hopes too hung up upon the willows but a while ago 4. The manner of their Deliverance it was by Retortion for the Iews were freed and Babylon her self became a captive and is it not so with us according to the saying of the Wise man That the righteous is delivered out of trouble Pro. 11.8 and the wicked cometh in his stead 5. Finally the end of their freedom was to build a Temple to their God and is it not the hope and prayer of all Saints amongst us that our Deliverance may end in a glorious reformed Church 1 Kin. 1.36 Amen the Lord God of my Lord the King say so too Thus the very Occasion of this Psalme and our Thankesgiving are Paralells So much for a whet upon the threshold But let us enter the house Division This short sweet Song doth consist of three parts 1. An Exhortation to joyfull thankfulnesse for their Deliverance begun and the greatnesse of that Deliverance is withall extolled v. 1 2 3. reading the words in the Future tense When the Lord turned c. 2. A Prayer for the increase and perfection of the work v. 4. Turn again our captivity ô Lord that is go on in turning 3. An Incouragement against those difficulties which they had did and might yet farther meet withall For their first returne was not compleate all the Iewes came not home with Ezra but some wanted will and others ability to return This incouragement is expressed by a comparison ver 5 6. They that sow in teares shall reape in joy He that goeth forth c. that is ye know the difficulties and hardships that the Husbandman doth meet withall in his calling his seed-time ordinarily is in the Winter-season and therefore he may then meet with many a blustering storme and pinching frost and so doth sow in teares but here is his comfort that the time of Harvest is a Sun-shine season and then he is like to reape a full crop in faire weather with joy So though the begining of our return and of this Deliverance may and doth meet with many opposites and oppositions with a Sanballat a Tobiah Neh. 6.1 c and other back-friends yet be of good cheere hold out the close of all will be both a cleare sky and a full crop This for Division of the Psalme The Text then hath in it the force first of an Exhortation to reall and verball thankfulnesse which may not only fill the heart but flow out at the mouth ver 2. And besides that here is secondly a Declaration of the greatnesse of that though but partiall Deliverance for it is said to be the turning of a Captivity of Zion even to the very astonishment of the captives themselves The substance of both these branches namely of this Exhortation and Declaration and so consequently of the whole Text may be resolved into this short sentence DOCTRINE That astonishing Deliverances doe crave accurate observation and remembrance To explaine it a little 1. By astonishing I meane such as were besides yea above and beyond hope nay contrary to it when men looked for nothing more then the quite contrary and therefore they stand amazed when the mercy comes upon them Act 12. Such a one was Peters freedome out of prison upon the prayer of the Saints ver 4. He had bin apprehended by King Herod put in prison delivered to foure quaternions of Souldiers to be kept ver 6. yea he was now sleeping betweene two souldiers bound with two chaines and the keepers before the doore kept the prison ver 7. ver 10. But see the wonder when the Angell comes his chains fell off from his hands he passeth securely the first and the second watch and at last the iron gate which leadeth to the city opened to him of his owne accord A strange Deliverance indeed ver 9. so strange that neither Peter himselfe could beleeve it when he felt it For he wist not it was true but thought he saw a vision Neither could the Church beleeve it when he was cast in upon them ver 13 14 15. as the fruit of their prayers but told the Damosell which reported his freedome that she was no better then mad This was an astonishing Deliverance And such an other was the present turning of the Iewes Captivity 2. By Deliverances understand chiefly Nationall because that is in the Text though Personall also may be taken in 3. Doe crave that is especially the Lord for them doth expect and require 4. Accurate that is exact compleat artificiall 5. Observations and remembrances by remembrances conceive both expositions and repetitions as also Records
and Memorials For the compleat handling of this Point we will shew 1. How Naturall 2. How Firme 3. How Vsefull a truth it is 1. How Naturall Here is an astonishing Deliverance accurately observed and remembred 1. That it was astonishing see in the last words it made the receivers of it like men in a dreame it was so sudden so free so great 2. It was accurately observed and remembred 1. Observed see in the expressions for here are set downe 1. The giver the Lord. 2. The receiver Zion 3. The misery Captivity 4. The mercy the turning thereof and making them like to those that dreame I do not force marrow out of these bones ye see that it drops of its own accord 2. That it was accurately remembred see this record for all this is registred for us by the Lords own finger to all posterity Thus the note is most Naturall 2. And 't is Firme too That is we have a whole Cloud of other witnesses to testifie the strength of this Maxime yea sufficient pillars to support it are growne upon this same Field even in the booke of the Psalms Ps 111. v. 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein sought out explorata studied aggravated anatomized so that all the inner works of them are discovered and read upon It is one thing to view the bulke of a Watch that is the bignesse colour and case another to observe the Art of Wheeles ballance and spring and this observation is accurate But Ps 106. being one of the largest in the book beginneth at Aegypt travelleth home to Canaan with Israel and there it seems doth come home to its own time Psal 107. giving in a speciall Catalogue of the great Deliverances through those places and times but least any memorable particular should there be omitted lo the next Psalme goes it over again and brings after the gleanings In briefe finde me out any Psalme of praise through this whole book as most of these songs are such and I will shew you in the same Psalme a confirmation of this truth That astonishing Deliverances doe crave accurate observation and remembrance Ob. But yet all those are but the practises of particular persons or people you will say they are no precepts An. But those practises are grounded both upon former precepts and presidents As 1. The Institution of the Passeover and the continuall celebration therof This day shall be unto you for a memoriall Ex. 13.3 And Moses said unto the people Remember this day in which ye came out from Aegypt out of the house of bondage So their other chiefe Festivals were commemorative 2. 2. So that Altar and Booke in memoriall of Amaleks malice and their Deliverance Ex. 17.14 15. And the Lord said unto Moses write this for a memoriall in a booke and rehearse it in the eares of Ioshua for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven And Moses built an Altar and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi 3. Josh 4.1 2 3. 3. Also those twelve stones in Iordan And it came to passe when all the people were clean passed over Jordan that the Lord spake unto Joshuah saying take you twelve men out of the people out of every Tribe a man and command you them saying Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan c. twelve stones and ye shall carry them over with you c. The application of it was These stones shall be for a memoriall unto the children of Israel for ever ver 7. Therefore Astonishing Deliverances doe crave c. And 't is as reasonable as true For 1. Reason This is one of the Lords chiefe ends in bestowing such great Deliverances Pro. 16â—4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill If all things even the wicked then much more all mercies and to his own people for himself that is for his own glory and honour Quest But then how may he have glory for a Deliverance Answ Ps 50.23 Why praise is glory in his account Who so offereth praise glorifieth me c. and what greater praise for a favour then to remember and observe it accurately But most clearly in these words Call upon me in the day of trouble ver 15. I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me That is the end that I expect from thee in a Deliverance saith God is mine owne glory and therefore the greater the Deliverance the more glory must I have 2. Reason Accurate remembrance and Observation doth keep the Deliverance still fresh and alive it gives it a continuall being Recordatio est re-creatio The remembring is the renewing of a mercy 3. And there is much equity in it too Reason 3 'T is but proportionable and the manner of men Luk. 12.48 To whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Costly improvements doe expect a rich harvest 'T is true then 't is reasonable that Astonishing Deliverances doe and ought to crave accurate observation and Remembrance And thus the point is both Naturall and Firme And 't is as usefull as either 1. Vse To check a sort of Anti-Deliverancers amongst us Vse 1 men that care not to heare talke of any such great Deliverance that hath bin wrought for us but are up with their What how and wherein Tell them as here that the Lord hath done great things for us and they are angry presently and part companyes Tell them of a captivity of Zion that is turned and they laugh as much at the turning as at the Zion But are ye aware of their reason Quest Answ I conceive it to be this The men are delinquents perhaps in person or else in party and therefore should they acknowledge a Deliverance Next it will be enquired from what and whom we are delivered And the Answer to this Question might start new queres which may reflect upon themselves their friends or faction I therefore commend the pollicy of the men though neither their Piety nor Ingenuity 1. Not their Piety for had they piety either towards their Religion or Country they might see and could not but be sensible of the many great inrodes and invasions which have bin made of late upon both and those by no meane ones too as we see the justice of this Blessed Parliament doth daily discover more and more foundations out of course in Church and State 2. And their Ingenuity seemes as little too in that they deny or lessen that which the finger of God and the justice of the whole Kingdome representative have both found and poynted out But to stop the mouthes of such detracters by Authority therefore let them now know and see to their peril that Thankesgiving for Deliverance is in print commanded by the supreame Court and Councell of the Kingdome therefore we are delivered Quest From what or whom Answ From Warrs
which would have bin just as he said Plusquam civilia betwixt Brethren wars with those whose fidelity and loyalty we are now commanded to proclaime to all the world And on the other-side we may we must lay open all the Zibas Doegs and Hamans which were Incendiaries to those Commotions O give me leave here to digresse a little for joy is an excursive affection You know how Ziba by his slander upon Mephibosheth did gaine all his Lands for a while 2 Sam. 16.3 4. yea and Mephibosheth during that time is accounted by king David little lesse than a Traitor 2 Sam. 19.24 c. but at last truth that is strong doth prevaile the slander is discovered and the poore honest mortified loyall Mephibosheth is found to have bin the Kings constant good friend and true Subject So though Doegs villany did succeed a while to the destruction of many of the Lords Priests as conspiratours with David Psa 52. yet at last a prayer full charged with curses and heaviest imprecations is let fly after the accuser and doubtlesse did overtake him in due time Est 3.8 9. c. because it proceeded from the Spirit of the Lord. But the example of Hamans sinne and punishment is for our purpose more remarkable then both the former He had accused bought and begg'd of King Ahashuerus the whole Nation of the Jewes his pretence was ver 12. because they were a scattered dangerous factious and rebellious people The Decree for their destruction was written by the Kings Scribes sealed with his ring and the letters for dispatch were sent by Postes into all the Kings Provinces ver 13. to destroy to kill and to cause to perish all Jewes c. But what 's the issue Est 6. Surely on Hamans part it is two-fold First Haman is commanded by the same King publikely to honour Mordecai in person ver 10. Then the King said to Haman make haste and take the apparell and the horse as thou hast said and doe even so to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth at the Kings gate let nothing faile of all that thou hast spoken Then tooke Haman the apparell and the horse and arraied Mordecai and brought him on horsback through the street of the City and proclaimed before him Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honour ver 11. Let us but imagine with our selves how scurvily did Haman looke when like a page he did lacky along before Mordecai's horse yea and how faintly and unmusically did he sigh out that Proclamation Thus shall it be done unto the man c. This was the first issue But the second the Catastrophe of all was more sad Est 7.10 Est 8.2 for Haman supplieth the place of Mordecai upon his owne gallows whilst Mordecai fils up Hamans roome in the Court and favour of the King So true is that Proverbe of the Spirit of God by the wise man Pro. 11.8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead But to returne from this digression to my Antideliverances again and to expostulate the matter with them more fully I must tell them yet farther that they are guilty of a double transgression for 1. First they are ingratefull both to the Lord and to his choyce instruments they doe trample unparalel'd Nationall mercies under foot and so are unworthy to breath in these blessed times which we see Is this your thankfullnesse to the Lord the King and the supreame Councell of the Kingdome all which doe deserve your praises and selves for their protection wisdome and watchfullnesse over us or what els thinke you are not King and Parliament so wise so Orthodox so well affected to the publike good as your selves Shall the Lord shew his speciall providence in an astonishing Deliverance shall the greatest in the Land acknowledge it and shall publike command be given to proclaime it and yet will nay durst ye still to bite the lip to shake the head or to grumble secretly at such proceedings Brethren I speak to all true Protestants and cordiall Subjects I charge you by your thankfullnesse and by all the mercies lately received that ye observe marke out and pursue lawfully to the uttermost all such murmurers and repiners at the present blessings of Deliverance and Reformation They are Ingratefull in a high measure 2. Secondly they are no friends to our greatest good neither for who are they which doe now suffer but Delinquents and Delinquencies Who are they which do pursue but the justice of God and man Again what is it that is now laboured for by those great Steers-men above but to stablish and defend true Religion Soveraignty Laws Parliaments and Liberties And yet we have men who either expresly or about the bush dare tell the people of a kind of persecution afflictions hard times now and I know not what And indeed it is common with men-slayers and fellons to account the publike Assizes a time of afflictions Yea with all Delinquents the execution of Justice is nick-named a persecution and is it imaginable then that this Tribe can give hearty thanks for the present worke of Deliverance Note them out therfore for men of corrupt minds back-friends yea back-biases to the weal-publike and such to whom our gladnesse is but their sadnesse Rumpatur quisquis rumpitur invidia In a word do but marke my Brethren what persons Lay or Clergy are most dull and backward to the means and pieces of this Reformation as first To dayes of publike humiliation injoyned Next to the late Vow and Protestation and finally to this last duty of publike joy and thankesgiving but on the contrary are very quick free and forward to promote or favour Arminian Antisabbatarian licentious papers pamphlets or practises mark these and then ye have found them ten to one which I call Anti-Deliverancers Anti-Reformists 2. Vse Let this presse us closely even all good Protestants and Subjects to set our selves seriously upon this worke namely the Accurate observation and remembrance of our now astonishing Deliverances Those words of Moses to Israel Deut 4 32. may be mine to England touching our present mercies Aske now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon Earth and aske from the one side of Heaven unto the other all former times and all other places whether there hath beene any such thing as this great thing is or hath beene heard like it Did ever people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the midst of the fire the late kindled fire of Civill warrs as thou hast heard and live ver 33. ver 34. Or hath God assaied to goe and take him a Nation from the midst of another Nation a Nation of Protestants out of a Nation of Papists by temptations by signes and by wonders and by warre and by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arme and by
a long season Israel had bin without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law Marke the method In the middle is the mischiefe In medio vitium Without a teaching Priest no marvell then that they did neither feare God nor reverence man It followeth ver 5 6. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in and still the cause is the same they had either no Priests or none but Readers Every politike body may be considered as consisting of three parts First there is in it or rather over it the head that is the King as supreme and the under head officers as sent of him Next there is the trunck or Lay-part these are the Civill State And lastly the Clergy or Ministry the part Ecclesiasticall and these should be as the soule to all the rest When this soule is sound and holy it doth quicken and sanctify when it is sickly and corrupt it doth helpe to infect and destroy the whole structure therefore these men ought primely to be looked after and to be rectified Ob. But which of these Clergy are those sickly and corrupting soules and how may we know them Ans Alas they are too many and too visible take a catalogue of some cheefe sorts of them breefely 1. Imprimis All Pestilent and Persecuting Church-men such as imitate that little Pope Zedekiah the sonne of Chenaanah 1 Kin. 22. ver 11 24. Act. 23 1 2. which would have pusht downe a whole Kingdome with his hornes and smote honest Micaiah on the cheeke for speaking against his warre Or like the high Priest Ananias who commanded that Pauls mouth should be stopt with a fist because he professed his good Conscience Or to come lower Mat. 23.13 Church-men like those Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites which did shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against men and would neither goe in themselves nor suffer them which were entring to goe in It seemes the men would neither preach as they ought themselves nor yet suffer their people to goe abroad to heare Let such be marked out for just complaint and punishment amongst the first even all our illegall suppressors of Preachers and hearers 2. All Superstitious and Innovating Church-men the illegall carving painting cringing ceremonious Clergy This sort is often condemned by our Saviour Mat. 15 3 8 9. Why doe you also transgresse the commandement of God by your traditions This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth but their heart is farre from me Againe In vaine doe they worship teaching for doctrine the precepts of men These masters of the complement Ecclesiasticall are little better then pandars to the scarlet Whore and therefore ought to stand in capitall crimson letters in our complaints 3. What thinke we of our Insufficient and Lasie Clergy birds that cannot sing or will not The former that cannot may say litterally Amos 7.14 that which is spoken by Amos concerning himselfe We are no Prophets neither are we Prophets sonnes but heard-men and gatherers of wild figgs Doubtlesse many of these are more fit to be heard-men yea horsemen and literall Shepheards then Pastors by a Metaphor Brethren I am ashamed for my Coats-sake as they say to rake in this puddle but that I remember that it is made the ground of Levies blessing that he said unto his father Deut. 33.8 9. and to his mother I have not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children in the case of the Lord. The latter sort our Lasie drones are described to the life and threatned to the death by Ezekiel see Chap. 34. beginning at the second The punishment there appointed for them is their utter removall 4. Finally Looke seriously upon the scandalous and Debauched Church-men Mica 2.11 men which prophesy of wine and strong drinke yea which take off these liquors so freely that they usually doe erre through wine Isa 28.7 and through strong drinke are out of the way Brethren as these druncken and inordinate Clergy are one of the worst Vitium hominū non temporum so are they absolutely the most obnoxious sort of all and therefore if these be now suffered it will be the fault of such as know them not of the time that beares them Thus have ye had too long and yet too short a list of the sorts of Ecclesiasticall grievers now complaineable But now where is that jealous Elijah or that down-right Micaiah that will or doth encounter these Baalites yea how coldly doe we all generally shew our selves in the quarrell Alas Brethren let it shame and confound us all to remember that we had once an opportunity for this great worke It is not long since that this present Blessed Parliament did send forth an happy order to this purpose upon which every Parish might have certified touching scandalous Innovating and other peccant Ministers the Parliament it selfe as it were went in Circuit through the Kingdome Justice supreme Justice came home to our very doores Deut. 30.11 so that we could not pretend that the Commandement was farre from us no the opportunity did even fall into our mouthes Quest But then what was the issue and how did we improve that advantage Answ Surely some were warme in bed other some had farmes and Oxen Luk. 11. v 7. Mat. 22.5 and they could not meete Others 't is to be feared were present to pleade for Baal for too many Clergy scandalous in life superstitious in worship erronious in judgement and pestilent of spirit in a word unable unfit unworthy These gangrens and pests of the Church had but too many friends in every quarter concealing friends in the Parishes where they lived and interceding friends at the places where they were complained Yeomen Officers Gentry Magistrates and all I meane too many of each sort were too too ready for kindred feare flattery and charity mistaken to returne almost an universall Omnia bene all is well And thus thousands of poore soules are betrayed what lyes in these men to incurable ignorance and perdition Oh my bowells my bowells When I consider how that divine oportunity was generally sleighted and abused And now behold the bloud of those poore ignorant ecclipsed Parishes which heretofore did cry for vengeance upon their own guilty Ministers only doth now roare lowder against those late intrusted Yeomen Officers Gentry and Magistrates what ever they were that neglected that golden season and so we have more soule-murtherers accidentally since that order 2 King 20. ver 35 36. ver 42. then were before Let those neglectors see that Parable against Ahab for sparing of Beahadad and the application thereof Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life 1 King 22.31 and thy people for his people which afterward fell out accordingly The King of Syria commanded